In this podcast episode we discuss the creative design process used in a visual arts class. The creative design process can be used in any subject and grade level because it is used for generating ideas, testing theories, creating innovative artifacts or solving authentic problems. 

This week is the second half of our two part series on Maker Mindset and Making in classrooms.  We continue our conversation by talking to some secondary educators about their experiences with older students and how to incorporate making at the secondary level.

Show Notes - One of the biggest trends in education over the past few years has been Maker Spaces. Over the next two episodes, we will be speaking with guests who have embraced the Maker Mindset and brought a Makerspace to their school environments to allow for student’s to get creative and bring learning to life!

One of the most fruitful partnerships in a school is the collaboration between a classroom teacher and the specialist or elective teachers.  By extending core content into these classes or partnering to increase student exposure to a topic or tool, students gain a rich perspective on the curriculum and increased opportunities for creativity.  In this episode we spoke with media, technology, and STEM specialists to hear how they connect with classroom teachers and expand student learning & creativity.

Show Notes - After a year of teaching in a virtual space and with increasing amounts of devices getting into the hands of students, teachers are able to design more and more interactive and authentic digital learning activities.  Knowing where to start in moving from a traditional paper and pencil environment can be challenging.  In this episode we talk about the how and why of creating learning activities that leverage technology for increased engagement and student learning.

It is powerful to hear about students that make connections to others in their immediate and global communities. Students spend quality time learning and acquiring content and knowledge and then they are given opportunities to synthesize the content along with their prior knowledge, experiences, perspectives, and opinions and they can express this through global collaboration. During this episode, we will hear from Kim Holland and her exploits with global collaboration.

Show Notes - During the podcast this month, we’re focusing on topics related to collaboration.  Every teacher knows how important collaboration is and every teacher has also had to completely rethink what collaboration looks like now that they’re teaching students online.  In this episode we talk about virtual collaboration so teachers can both increase and improve those opportunities.

In this special episode, Katie & Chris bring the most frequently asked questions from teachers about digital learning to a panel of Digital Learning Coordinators. The DLCs share their ideas and strategies for streamlining and improving online learning.

Show Notes - Podcasting is an exciting way to increase student voice and engagement in your classroom.  Join us as we talked to one teacher who started podcasting with her students and saw inspiring growth in her students.

Show Notes - The most commonly discussed topic right now among teachers is how to engage their students in online learning.  This is a critical discussion but when it comes to the idea of engagement, we also have to consider how we are engaging our families. This episode features two WCPSS staff members that share their experiences and expertise about family engagement.