Author Archive | Nikki Morrell
Generation G: Clicking Our Brains Out
Next time you’re with your students, look around. How many of them have smartphones in their hands? In a lot of classrooms, the answer will be all of them. Every teen has the web in his or her pocket. And it’s not so easy to unplug. We are almost physically attached to our technology at [...]
Read MoreAdaptation of the Species: iBooks Author in the Classroom
I once overheard a colleague state that textbooks are outdated; that flat images on paper are going the way of the dinosaur—extinct. Okay, so admittedly, that educator was me, and perhaps the statement is a bit premature, as many students do not yet own laptops or tablets. But the revolution is coming! I’ve got my “end of the world as we know it” sign ready to display.
Read MoreThe “I” in T-E-A-M: Social Media and Collaboration
I’m a cheerleader. Maybe no longer literally, with the pleated skirt and standing back tuck, but my innate desire to encourage and get people excited is definitely still part of my every day life. And maybe this is exactly what education needs more of—a sense of teamwork and the desire to cheer each other on. [...]
Read MoreNot with a Bang, but a Whimper: The End of Print?
We live in a virtual world, maybe not entirely, but more so than any generation before. In fact, as I celebrate the third day of my summer vacation, I find myself staring longingly at my computer, which I am trying (and failing) to ignore. The lure of all that information is almost too strong; I [...]
Read MorePrezi: Reinventing the Wheel
It’s a small world. And thanks to technology, it’s smaller than ever. Whether it’s connecting between campuses, cross-country, internationally, or simply outside of normal school hours, students are interacting and sharing information at an unparalleled rate. The classroom no longer has walls, and learning no longer only takes place between bells. Social media is an [...]
Read MoreIt’s a Party- BYOD!
Every class should be a party. Right? Well, I know a handful of teachers from my past who wouldn’t say yes to that question and quite a few students who would shout “yes” from the rooftops if given a chance.
Read MoreThe Tortoise and the Hare—Social Media Can Differentiate the Course
The amazing thing about social media in the classroom is that it engages all learners. That’s right, I used the word-that-shall-not-be-said—“all!” From students who excel at class discussion to the shy turtle who never sticks his head out of his shell, sites like Twitter, Goodreads, and Facebook have the ability to grab every student’s attention and [...]
Read MoreShould Students Need a Driver’s Permit to Cruise Social Media?
Let’s imagine. Your daughter is finally sixteen and you bought her a car for her birthday. As you watch her close the door and fasten her seatbelt, you say those two little words… “Go on.” Now, you and I both know that you didn’t give her any lessons or hire her an instructor. In fact, [...]
Read MoreTo Tweet or Not to Tweet
A Crazy Idea? Over the past twelve years, I’ve watched my students progress from MySpace to Facebook to Twitter, not to mention the hundreds of other apps-of-the-moment. The one constancy in this trend is that students are online, interacting all day, every day. In fact, most of their social lives are now taking place digitally. [...]
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