From the NCTAF Newsletter: Building a 21st Century Education System

Welcome to the Collaboration Age, where even the youngest among us are on the Web, tapping into what are without question some of the most transformative connecting technologies the world has ever seen. These tools are allowing us not only to mine the wisdom and experiences of the more than one billion people now online but also to connect with them to further our understanding of the global experience and do good work together. These tools are fast changing, decidedly social, and rich with powerful learning opportunities for us all, if we can figure out how to leverage their potential. For educators and the schools in which they teach, the challenges of this moment are significant. Our ability to learn whatever we want, whenever we want, from whomever we want is rendering the linear, age-grouped, teacher-guided curriculum less and less relevant.

To read this article in its entirety, please follow the link Below:

World Without Walls: How to Teach When Education is Everywhere; Edutopia, December 2008.

Getting familiar: A tip from the folks at Tapped In

Tapped In Technology Tip
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Assignment: Log in to Tapped In and explore!
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Have you had a course instructor give you that assignment… or are you the instructor sending your students to “explore” Tapped In? Granted, exploring the community is fun, IF you are a risk-taker or are familiar with online environments, but, for many of the newbies who wander unprepared into reception, this may be a frustrating and confusing experience. Please show respect for the TI community and prepare yourself or your students by learning a little of the purpose of TI and what educators can do here. It’s a simple matter to go to the Tapped In homepage at http://tappedin.org, read the information posted there, and look at the About tab.  Armed with that information, logging in and ‘exploring’ will be a much more positive and productive experience for everyone!

We want to hear from you!

If you have participated in TLINC, please fill out our survey. Your feedback will  help us make TLINC better! Survey responses are confidential.

If you participated as a student or student teacher, please click the link below:

Fall 08 Survey -
http://www.metirisurveys.com/se.ashx?s=601EA2D56794157F

If you facilitated a class or mentoring group through TLINC, please click the link below:

Facilitator Survey -

http://www.metirisurveys.com/se.ashx?s=601EA2D5255ABC6D

ICL Faculty are using TLINC…See What They’re Saying

“Tapped In allows real time communication in a “risk free” environment. My students seem more comfortable asking questions online than in class. It is also a valuable tool when natural or manmade disasters interfere with class meetings. Tapped In can be used to develop class discussions to make up missed class time. Analysis of transcripts help me, as an instructor, see patterns of student misunderstandings and help me improve my instruction. The flexibility of time allows student who work to participate according to their schedules. Overall this is a valuable tool which I now include in every course I teach.” – Dr. Sally Blake