Qualitative diary research is a unique tool with strengths that set it apart from other research methods. The diary prioritizes events embedded in context and time, a perspective that serves to destabilize constants, revealing the complex intersectionality of experience. Over the last several centuries, the mechanics of diary-keeping have evolved from simple records of ephemera into a primary research method. Today both archival and solicited diaries are used by social scientists who employ a range of qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-method data collection technologies. Researchers may consider the very possibility of conducting a qualitative diary study with some hesitation-in addition to sounding like a good deal of work, the method seems somewhat off the beaten path, a bit mysterious, and even kitschy. With a better understanding of what is involved, those who are considering the method may come to find that a diary study is well worth their while. In Diary Methods, Laurie L. Hyers provides her readers with a wealth of guidance and expert insight to ensure the success of their qualitative diary studies. The history of the diary from cultural phenomenon to social scientific method are explored, followed by a discussion of the use of archival and solicited diaries in qualitative designs, diary data collection and management, qualitative analysis and coding, composition and diary report writing, evaluating diary research, and special ethical considerations when using diaries in research.

Until now, the conversation around mobile devices in schools has been divided into two camps: those favoring 1:1 plans, in which each student is assigned a school-provided laptop or tablet, and supporters of Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) initiatives that shift the responsibility for providing and maintaining classroom mobile technology to students and their parents. In reality, argues classroom technology expert Susan Brooks-Young, it's a hybrid model of 1:1 and BYOD that best meets the needs of students, teachers, and schools. A Better Approach to Mobile Devices offers school and district leaders concise, practical advice on how to set up a hybrid mobile technology program or shift an existing 1:1 or BYOD program to the more flexible, cost-effective, equitable, and learning-focused hybrid approach. Drawing on current research and her own extensive experience, Brooks-Young makes the case for hybrid initiatives and then explores the five keys to successful implementation: connection to the curriculum, infrastructure and support, training and professional development, budget, and policies and procedures. The book closes with a checklist of action steps associated with each of the keys, giving administrators and their planning teams a clear path forward.

Dynamic Learning is about a revolutionary new approach to learning and teaching. In this book, Robert Dilts and Todd Epstein present leading edge methods and techniques that improve the ability to learn in a variety of areas. Dilts and Epstein, co-authors of Tools for Dreamers, offer stimulating exercises and step-by-step procedures that help you to make better use of the most valuable resource you have--your brain. The authors describe a multitude of ways to make learning fun, easy and effective. These exercises and strategies were drawn from their experiences of working with individuals, conducting public seminars, and consulting and training in the public school system. Dynamic Learning applies the process of learning through experience. The techniques and exercises of Dynamic Learning involve learning by doing and by exploring different strategies of thinking. In essence, Dynamic Learning is about learning how to learn. Dynamic Learning methods can be used by children or adults and have been especially effective for people who have experienced difficulties in learning. This book provides effective strategies and methods to: - Remember people's names - Strengthen your senses and mental capabilities to improve in every type of learning. - Improve your memory - Read faster and with better comprehension - Spell more easily and accurately - Learn foreign languages more quickly - Write more creatively and fluently Dynamic Learning provides a wealth of information and activities that can be used by anyone who wants to improve his or her abilities to learn. Discover the methods that transformed an entire school district and have changed the lives of many people who thought they were 'slow', 'stupid' or incapable of learning.

Offering students choices about their learning, says author Mike Anderson, is one of the most powerful ways teachers can boost student learning, motivation, and achievement. In his latest book, Anderson offers numerous examples of choice in action, ideas to try with different students, and a step-by-step process to help you plan and incorporate choice into your classroom. You'll explore: What effective student choice looks like in the classroom. Why it's important to offer students choices. How to create learning environments, set the right tone for learning, and teach specific skills that enable choice to work well. When students have more choices about their learning, they can find ways of learning that match their personal needs and be more engaged in their work, building skills and work habits that will serve them well in school and beyond. This teacher-friendly guide offers everything you need to help students who are bored, frustrated, or underperforming come alive to learning through the fundamental power of choice.