EdTech Loop Episode 104 - Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For

Danelle says: Search smarter, not harder! This episode of the EdTech Loop Podcast has some great tips for getting more out of your search. 

Databases - mel.org search vs internet search

Go through the databases offered and when you might use them:

Britannica Fundamentals K-2
Britannica School Elementary 3-4
Britannica School Middle
eBook K-8 collection
Spanish Encyclopedia
Explora for Elementary Schools
PEBBLE GO PreK-3
World Book Early Learning
World Book Kids

Gale Power Search (mentioned in TechNollerGist)

Super cool specialized Google searches - https://www.lifewire.com/other-search-engines-4039631

Google Trends - explores how Google data can be used to tell stories
Google Patents - search to see and read patents from around the world (more info)
Google Scholar - Google Scholar is a freely accessible web search engine that indexes the full text or metadata of scholarly literature across an array of publishing formats and disciplines.

Tech Tool of the Week:

Global School Play Day - Feb 5, 2020 #GSPD2020

CALL FOR TOYS - Tell your class to bring anything they wish to play with to school on Wednesday, February 5, 2020. The only restrictions: they must bring toys and these toys may NOT require batteries or electricity. No devices. Give them some ideas, since today's kids rarely play and often own very few toys: board games, dolls, Legos, blocks, trucks, cars, racetracks, playing cards, empty cardboard boxes, markers, jigsaw puzzles, blankets (for forts), social games (charades, Pictionary, etc.) The only exception on the electronics rule would be a board game that has an electronic timer, an electronics play kit, or similar. How about taking your students out in the dirt or snow to dig, explore and get messy? You may want to show your students photos of past GSPD events to open their eyes to unfamiliar types of unstructured play.

PLAY! NO SCREENS - NO STRUCTURE - ALL DAY LONG

On February 5, 2020, allow your students to spread their toys out around the room or take the kids outside and just PLAY!

 

Don't organize anything for your students.

Don't tell them how to play with the toys/games.

Don't interfere with your students unless you see something that could get you fired or would physically hurt a child (this does not include something that may be physically uncomfortable for a child.)

Don't Leave Them Unsupervised as the day is unstructured by adults, but not unsupervised.

 

 

Other than taking a few pictures/videos, try to be invisible and let the kids play. This is a day of unstructured play, not playful teacher-led lessons. You will be amazed at what your kids come up with!

What If?

What if... you can't run your Global School Play Day on February 5th? Do it on another day! The important thing is your kids and colleagues need to be free from thinking that play is a waste of time and begin to see the value in it.

What if… you don’t want to play ALL day? That’s fine. Make it the hour of play. Again, the point of Global School Play Day is to raise awareness and start discussions. We do encourage you though to take the plunge and dedicate a whole day to unstructured play. You will cause others to ask why you would give up a whole day "just for playing."

What if... you want to do #GSPD with your high school or college class? Go for it! Big kids need to play, too!

What if… you want to jump in and play with your kids? Can adults play, too? That’s up to you, but the concept of GSPD is to get kids playing freely without adult intervention or structure. If you get down on the floor with your kids, be sure to let them just play. Resist the temptation to organize, discipline, and teach.

What if...you want to have your students use iPads or computers? Well, no one is going to tell you what to do, but this is NOT the concept of Global School Play Day. GSPD is a day to get away from staring at screens and instead interacting with peers. [Note: the organizers of GSPD are NOT opposed to technology use for children.]

 

WIREDTC - mark calendars, big announcements, including keynote, are coming SOON.