Checking for Truth

Three places to double-check facts and sources:

http://www.snopes.com/
http://www.factcheck.org/
http://www.politifact.com/

And a place to learn about faulty reasoning:

Logical Fallacy Resources
http://learninginamerica.wikispaces.com/Logical...


Know of any others?

Trust Online: Evaluating Information

I've come to realize that one of the most important skills that we can develop is the ability to determine if the information we hear and see is valid.  Are we teaching kids how to do this?

 "Trust Online" Young Adults' Evaluation of Web Content" ~ Hargittai, Fullerton, menchen-Trevino, Thomas


"So-Called 'Digital Natives' Not Media Savvy, New Study Shows" ~  Sarah Perez

WebQuest: "It's all about Trust: Evaluating Web Page Content"


Evaluating Online Information

Library Learning Center: Evaluation Sources 

Virtual Salt: Evaluating Internet Research Sources


Exploring Online: Evaluating Information


See also "Who Do We Trust?"  and Evaluating Information at Learning in America .

MLTI Consultative Model of Professional Development

The MLTI is using the Consultative Model of Professional Development starting this year.  For more information on the possibilities, check below.

The Consultative Model — Day 1: Context and Introduction
The Consultative Model — Day 1: TPCK + SAMR: An Introduction
The Consultative Model — Day 2: Curricular Development
The Consultative Model — Day 3: The TPCK/SAMR Process Diagram
The Consultative Model — Day 3: TPCK Resources for Vocabulary in the Context of Teaching
The Consultative Model — Day 3: Assessment

For those people interested in the Consultative Model, a 5-minute introductory presentation can be found on iTunes U.

Interactive Simulations for Education

PhET: Interactive Simulations
BBC School Science Clips
NASA Simulation
Gizmos (Subscription)
eduMedia (Subscription)



Add additional links and resources at the Learning in America Wiki.

Common Core State Standards, Common Core, and Partnership for 21st Century Learning

This past week my colleagues pointed me to a Video about a new initiative in New Brunswick, Canada, which uses the Partnership of 21st Learning framework.



Pearson Foundation created this next video to describe the approach.



Maine joined the Partnership in 2007. The Stategic Council members can be found here. Note that Microsoft is one of them and that Pearson is a major influence.

Okay, now it starts to get interesting. This week Common Core, an organization not to be confused with the Common Core State Standards group, although Fordham Foundation seems to be connected with both, has issued the Common Core Curriculum Maps which are based on the new CCSS.  Find the donors here. Note that Gates Foundation is a major contributor.

Now it starts to get very, very interesting.  It seems that Common Core has been slamming the Partnership for 21st Skills for the past year, bringing out lots of big guns, including Diane Ravitch and a number of well-known commentators who seem to support a more classical education.

Interesting stuff . . . the culture wars continue, but Gates/Microsoft and Pearson seem to be supporting both sides.

New Brunswick seems to have sided with the P21 approach.  What should Maine do?

Any thoughts?  Which approach do you prefer?  Or is there a middle ground?