Showing posts with label Communication. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Communication. Show all posts

Monday, June 1, 2015

The 6 C's Squared Version of Learning Skills for the Twenty-First Century

The (6 C’s)2 of Education for the 21st Century


The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn and relearn.
                                                                                                             -Alvin Toffler -

Think Critically

Thinking Critically allows the individual to manage information. Information presented in a multitude of forms from a variety of media. Information that must be filtered and analyzed, authenticated and processed, and eventually must be synthesized in a form that will be useful to the individual. 

Characterize –
Where does the information come from? What is the validity of the information? What is the usefulness of the information?
Classify -
Where does the information fit within the parameters of previous knowledge?
Compare -
What are the positive and negative aspects of the information compared to know values?
Connect –
How can this information be related to what is known and what is necessary to understand?
Communicate -
How can this information be effectively passed on to those who can utilize the material?
Curate -
How can the information be formatted in a functional format for use today and in the future?


Work Collaboratively

Working Collaboratively engages the individual in the world they share through association. Association, that is created to benefit an organization and as a means to conduct business. Association that includes partnership and teamwork, leadership and assistance, and an alliance that serves to benefit the whole.

Collegiality –
How can varying personalities be valued and utilized for optimum outcomes?
Coordination –
How can the talents included in this collaborative effort be maximized for success.
Communication –
What are the most effective means of communication to create an inclusive collaborative effort?
Coherence –
How do the members of a collaborative effort maximize strengths and overcome weaknesses in order to maximize outcomes?
Character  -
How do respect and integrity play a role in the effectiveness of a collaboration?
Celebration –
How is the success of the collaboration measured and valued?

Communicate  Clearly

Communicating Clearly provides the means by which the individual can present information. Information presented in a multitude of means through a variety of media. Information that is clear and concise, effective and engaging. Information that must eventually be presented in a way that is meaningful to the individual as well as a global audience.

Clear –
Is the information effective for the intended audiences?
Concise –
Is the information formatted in the most efficient means available?
Concrete –
Does the information have a defined purpose and meaning?
Coherent –
Does the information provide connections to previous knowledge and intended use?
Correct –
Is the information correct and are resources available to validate?
Complete –
Is the information presented in entirety or are resources available to complete connections?

Embrace Culture

Embracing Culture encourages the individual to appreciate where we have come from, who we are now and how we can move into the future.  Culture associates the individual to all that surrounds them: art, drama, dance poetry, history, science, religion, written and unwritten language, technology and the individual themselves.

Core Values –
What are the basic beliefs and understandings of this cultural community?
Community -
How does the community function as an entity and within the realm of all other communities?
Chronicle -
How is the history and beliefs of this culture passed on to new generations?
Commitment  -
How is community committed to maintaining the values and relationships of the past, present and future of the culture?
Celebrations –
How are the milestones and values of the culture celebrated within the community?
Connection –
How are the members of the community included in understanding the past while shaping the future?

Develop Creativity

Developing Creativity provides an avenue for expression.  The structure means nothing without function.  Therefore, the individual must be capable of creating something with the knowledge that they have worked so hard to obtain.  It is in creating that the individual gains purpose.

Curiosity -
How is the desire to gain understanding cultivated to expand both knowledge and possibility?
Courage –
How does the environment reduce the fear of failure in order to maximize the possibilities for innovation an change?
Conceptualize –
How is ideation encouraged to maximize the imaginative process?
Constructive –
What are the processes involved from conceptualization to completion?
Change –
How is creativity  valued as a vehicle for change?
Cultural –
How is the process related to the cultural understandings of the community?

Utilize Connectivity

Utilizing Connectivity places the individual in touch with their world.  In today’s existence that is increasingly through the technology that is rapidly changing the way they view their world.  Understanding that connections are personal no matter what the means of contact and that humanity must remain in light of how the technology may change for each individual.

Communication -
How is technology utilized as a means of clear communication?
Curation -
How is content gathered, processed and stored for now and the future?
Coordination –
How are the aspects of  technology maximized for the community?
Connectedness -
How is technology utilized as a means of connecting to the global community?
Collaboration –
How is technology employed to create avenues of collaboration in the digital world?
Citizenship –
How is the responsibility of digital citizenship shared by all members of the community?




Monday, July 7, 2014

Padlet - Include an Online Graffiti Wall for Your Classroom

Padlet - Include an Online Graffiti Wall for Your Flipped Classroom  


Padlet is a online web based "Graffiti Wall" for real time collaboration and a vehicle for the sharing of information, creating discussions and visualizing possibilities.


Uses for the Padlet

  • to brainstorm ideas 
  • to problem solve
  • to share understanding
  • to survey groups
  • to test student knowledge
  • to gather website links
  • to share information in a presentation
  • to organize data
  • to communicate online
  • to initiate discussions 
  • to create wish wall
  • to provide peer assessment
  • to expand your imagination
Padlet is very user friendly.  Once you have registered for your free account, which you can do through your Google account, it is very easy to create and name your wall.  

The layout menu located on the right side of the workspace allows for the options for your wallpaper, organization, privacy and notification settings.  

Padlet layoutLayout options include freeform as in the example above or in a streaming style.  








Sharing addressPadlet can assign a url for your wall or you can personalize the url for your needs. 






Padlet visibility options
There are options to share the Padlet wall in a variety of ways. You can make the wall public, or you can share with specified groups.  Users can view, view and share content, and view, share and edit content. 
The Padlet wall can be password protected. 




    Padlet sharing options
Padlet walls can be shared as a learning activity, saved PDF, uploaded to Dropbox, shared as a link, embedded in a webpage or shared through a QR code.





START YOUR OWN PADLET WALL TODAY! 













Sunday, March 30, 2014

Collaborative Learning

Collaborative Learning

COMMUNICATE- COLLABORATE - THINK CRITICALLY

"The strength of the team is each individual member.
The strength of each member is the team."
                                                                 - Phil Jackson

The development of a network of collaborative learning teams within you classroom can create an educational environment where the responsibility for learning lies upon both the students and teacher who comprise that leaning community.

Learners learn by teaching one another. When students teach one another they take ownership of the material by passing it along they actually make it part of themselves. 

The process of teaching one another is by its very nature active learning.  Student engagement increases the opportunities to learn. 

The saying goes that "Two heads are better than one."  Sharing knowledge creates opportunities for more ideas, alternate approaches, increased possibilites and new perspectives.

Students who have difficulty in the larger classroom may find comfort in smaller groups. This provides avenues for increased communication and the unleashing of ideas that may never be shared in a larger group setting. 

Collaboration brings about an ease and comfort that encourages further attendance in the class as interdependence breeds both responsibility and commraderie. 

Although the goal is increased learning for all, the idea of positive competition among smaller groups may lead to greater problem solving success.

Collaboration encourages the development of leadership skills.

Students who work in groups learn to delegate tasks to maximize group success.

Collaboration increases the development of time mangement skills.    



"Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is success."
                                                             - Henry Ford