We wish all our Macrat friends and supporters a very happy and restful holiday period. Herewith some suggestions for reading about implementing technology and rethinking teaching and learning – for the relaxing weeks ahead.
1) Rethinking Education in the Age of Technology by Collins and Halverson: The age of technology has completely transformed our jobs, our homes, and our lives, and it should follow that it also transforms our schools. The Internet and access to information has poised our world of learning at the edge of radical change, and to keep pace with the globalized technological developments, educators need to rethink teaching and learning. This breakthrough book looks at the digital revolution and schooling in America, and offers a vision for education everywhere – one that extends beyond the walls of the classroom to anywhere, anytime learning for the future.
2) Teach Like a Pirate by Dave Burgess: This book offers inspiration, practical techniques, and innovative ideas that will help you engage your students, increase your passion and creativity as a teacher, and transform your class into a life-changing experience! Like Burgess’ seminars, on which the book is based, it claims to change the way you see your role as a teacher forever!
3) What School Leaders Need to Know about Digital Technologies and Social Media by Scott McLeod and Chris Lehmann: Experts in technology explain the best ways to integrate digital media into schools – covering everything from blogs, wikis, mobile phones and podcasts to online learning, mind-mapping, educational gaming, and social networking.
4) Out of our Minds by Ken Robinson: Also focusing on the rate and nature of change in the modern era, this book updates its earlier edition and makes the arguments mooted in 2001 even more urgent today. At that stage, Google was still a novelty, there was no Facebook or Twitter, nor iPads and smart phones – the pace of change in transforming life and work today is staggering. Robinson argues that the effects of all these on people’s lives and future prospects shows the world is becoming more complex and unpredictable than ever. Creativity is the key to both survival and success and the author includes great strategies needed to enhance this key skill.
Happy reading – and please feel free to share any titles of great books you have come across on these subjects as well. The blog is yours to use and comment on!