Africa's first start-up bus hits the road

m.bbc.co.uk - By Salome van Zyl Johannesburg29 November 2013 Last updated at 00:18 Of the 30 entrepreneurs on the bus, 15 were from Africa and 15 were from the rest of the worldImagine a bus, jam-packed with uber-geeks from different countries, taking on a four-day brainstorming marathon across Southern Africa.Well, imagine no more because it has just become a reality.Founded by Elias Bizannes in 2010, StartupBus is a voluntarily run programme by entrepreneurs for entrepreneurs who are devoted to problem-solving around the world through technology.

The Path to Digital Citizenship

edutopia.org - I've written and taught about digital citizenship for several years. And, while the term is new in our lexicon, the meaning spans generations. The simple acts of carrying oneself in a civil, appropriate manner are skillsets that have been integrated into every classroom since the very first school. Many would argue that digital citizenship is simply a buzzword and nothing dramatically new. While the underlying meaning is familiar, the medium by which adults and students interact has changed dramatically.

The Complete Visual Guide To Generation Z

edudemic.com - There’s always discussion happening out there about generational differences, especially when it comes to internet and technology usage . Much of this discussion tends to divide people into two (very rough) groups – of older and younger, superusers and reluctant users, and a very very large grey area in between. That’s not to say that there’s nothing out there that breaks it down more, but for the most part, we don’t see as much detail as we see generalizations.

The Power of Introverts: An Essential Understanding for Teachers

edutopia.org - About a year ago, I read Susan Cain's Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking . I wanted to tell everyone about this book right away, but I also wanted to let what I'd learned sink in. I wanted to sit alone with my new self-awareness, process my experience, and absorb the revelations I'd had -- all in true introverted fashion. See, as I'd read Cain's book, my predominant thoughts were, "She's describing me!

Weekly Giveaway: Science Experiments in a Box

edutopia.org - Many would agree that for inquiry to be alive and well in a classroom that, amongst other things, the teacher needs to be expert at asking strategic questions not only asking well-designed ones, but ones that will also lead students to questions of their own.

I also learned over the years that asking straightforward, simply-worded questions can be just as effective as those intricate ones. With that in mind, if you are a new teacher or perhaps not so new but know that question-asking is an area where you'd like to grow, start tomorrow with these five:

Social Media Handbook for Agricultural Development Practitioners

ictforag.org - The Social Media Handbook for Agricultural Development Practitioners is designed to help USAID projects and other implementing organizations use social media to complement their existing and future agricultural communications efforts. In addition, it aims to provide practitioners with a foundational understanding of what is needed to create compelling social media content. It is important to stress that this handbook does not assume that social media will provide the most appropriate solution for disseminating agricultural information, as internet connectivity and accessibility is still limited in many part of the world.

Student-Centered Learning and the Achievement Gap

youtube.com - NMEF President & CEO Nick Donohue talks about how student-centered learning can help close the achievement gap.

Integrating ICT Solutions to Strengthen Capacity

iicd.org - 

ICTs can strengthen the capacity of individuals, organisations and institutions in different ways. They can act as tools for accessing information and facilitating communication, improving informed decision making on the part of individual farmers and farming communities. They can also provide solutions to improve the effectiveness and outreach of organisations working to support the agricultural sector.

Unfortunately, there are many examples of ICT solutions with real potential to address critical agricultural needs and opportunities that did not strengthen – as hoped – farming communities’ capacity to enhance household incomes and improve quality of life. This raises a key question: can ICTs really help to enhance the capacity of individuals and organisations working in agriculture to improve their positions and income? And if so, how?

 

Student-centered Assessment Video Suite

studentsatthecenter.org - What does student-centered assessment look like in the classroom? How do students benefit from this type of assessment? Why do teachers implement these practices in their classrooms? The Students at the Center project, in conjunction with Dr. Heidi Andrade, Ed.D. and the students and teachers from IS 223 (Brooklyn, NY), produced this suite of videos to begin to answer these questions for those wishing to implement more student-centered approaches in the classroom, school, district, or beyond.