Budget Hero-from American Public Media on PBS

I found an interesting tool that social studies teachers (especially those who teach economics) would be interested in. PBS has posted on its site an online interactive game that allows individuals to balance the budget and postpone its "going bust" date. One can play in order to win various badges, such as a Green badge, a McCain badge, an Obama badge, etc. In addition, after playing the game, students can compare their results across age groups, income brackets, states, and party lines. I played it a couple times, and I must admit it's interesting. This game can make for interesting conversations in the classroom, and can definitely supplement current teachable moments that current national events are bringing to our classrooms.




Check it out at the following address: http://marketplace.publicradio.org/features/budget_hero/

CPS (And no...I don't mean Child Protective Services!)

Last year, a colleague of mine asked me, "Have you ever heard of CPS?" Immediately, I thought of Child Protective Services, but she then told me what she meant. After she told me about it, she showed me how to use the hardware and software, and gave me a chance to try it out with my students. They LOVED it. They were engaged in the lesson, and it gave me immediate feedback on the areas of the curriculum in which they were weak and needed extra assistance.

What is this thing I speak of?

CPS, which stands for classroom response system. In a nutshell, CPS is a wireless, interactive response system that gives educators immediate feedback from their students. It uses a wireless remote, a portable receiver, and a program that can be installed on a teacher's computer which allows teachers to input a list of questions that students can answer, or even an interactive PowerPoint. Some teachers even use this software to keep attendance records. Think "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" or "Family Feud" for the classroom.

I will use the software tomorrow for the first time this school year. I plan on using it to provide formative data on my students' mastery of our unit on the Middle East. I will update this post with pictures that show this being used in the classroom.

For more information about CPS systems, visit http://www.einstruction.com/index.cfm or http://www.mhhe.com/cps/index.shtml

(image credit: McGraw-Hill)

Syncing Up with the iKid...why infuse technology in the classroom?

Edutopia posted an article by Josh McHugh that makes the case for connected teaching.  The article provides a bit of background on the type of kids we have in our classroom (generally, VERY technologically savvy) and ways educators are successfully reaching them.  One item that stood out for me in this article was the fact that the learning power is shifting from the traditional center to the fringes--in other words, the teacher is becoming more of a facilitator versus keeper of knowledge.  It seems as if schools in general are reluctant to release some sort of that power, which explains the restrictions on things such as blogging and using wiki's in the classroom. 

The article can be viewed at the following link: http://www.edutopia.org/ikid-digital-learner In it there are great ideas on how to use technology in the classroom, and background research on WHY we need to use technology.

Introduction...our purpose...and a reflection on what I'd like this blog to be...

I'd like to welcome everyone to Social Studies Connected Teaching. The purpose of this blog is to discuss issues and best practices as it relates to technology and social studies education.  As many people are aware, technology is an ever growing player in the field of education, and its components change so rapidly...it's imperative for those in this field to keep abreast of the issues and changes.

I thought long and hard when asking for contributors.  I wanted the contributors of this blog to provide viewpoints from all aspects of education.  In the end, I received support from 3 social studies teachers (including myself)--one in elementary education, one in middle grades education (me!) and one employed at the high school level.  In addition, there is a media specialist on board, and finally, 3 individuals from the higher education arena.  2 are professors--one from Hampton University and one from University of West Georgia--and one educational researcher from New York University who works extensively with charter schools.

It is my goal as owner of this blog to share my thoughts and best practices on technology as it relates to social studies education.  Perhaps I will introduce a new idea or concept to someone, or spark intelligent debate amongst education professionals and pre-professionals.  Please continue to visit and comment on posted topics that interest you.

Again, thanks for visiting.