After reading Sean’s blog on ‘edutainment’ and an article by Marc Prensky entitled “Engage Me or Enrage Me: What Today’s Learners Demand“ found myself agreeing with Sean in terms of the questions posed by Prensky: “Why are some students disengaged and don’t listen in class?” Isn’t it obvious? Parents spend so much time and money entertaining their children [...]

I found this video very thought provoking. On one hand I can see the benefits of integrating various forms of new technologies into the classroom. However I believe traditional literacy and some traditional forms of teaching and learning belong in the K-6 classroom, such as reading a book or creative writing. My views were further [...]

I have just read an article by Idit Harel entitled: The Three X’s (2003). The article discusses the vital tools students need to become successful learners. These tools and skills include: Exploring, Expressing and Exchanging, or the three X’s.
- Exploring involves the student taking control of their own learning. This allows the child to discover [...]

After reviewing an interactive children’s website, I was curious as to what guidelines and criteria others followed when evaluating children’s learning sites. I found the article What Makes a Good Kid’s Website? by Idit Harel (2003) set out crucial guidelines explaining what to look for when evaluating children’s learning sites.These guidelines included information regarding design, [...]

I have recently reviewed the innovative children’s website World Maths Day. The world maths day website is an interactive children’s site where students from across the globe attempt to answer as many mathematics questions as possible in one day. This year more than one million students from over 150 countries took part. The students play [...]

I have just finished reading The Six C’s of Motivation by Shiang Kwei Wang and Seungyeon Han. This reading provides an interesting insight into student motivation and gives efficient examples of how to increase student motivation and create well organised, enjoyable lessons.
The six C’s stated to increase motivation include: choice, challenge, control, collaboration, constructing meaning [...]

While I believe that technology plays an ever increasing role in classroom teaching and learning experiences, I believe that traditional literacies still play a far more significant role in childrens numercy and literacy development. With technological developments it will one day no doubt be possible for students to never use pens and paper in the [...]

After being asked to write a few paragraphs on my greatest passion or wildest dream I was tossing up between travelling to exotic landscapes, sightseeing in all the major cities or relaxing on a deserted beach. However, ultimately I knew my greatest passion would have to be children. Particularly assisting disadvantage children to develop academically, [...]