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November 2, 2012

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Social Studies – Preparing Students for College, Career and Civic Life

Teaching & Learning

Free online resources for teaching the presidential election
Several free resources to help teachers include elections in classroom lessons are offered in this blog post by Donna Krache, a former civics teacher. Among the resources are CNN's Electoral Map Calculator, which shows estimates of which candidate will win in each state. CNN also offers resources on presidential polling and campaign finances. CNN/Schools of Thought (10/31)

Presidential election is a winner in the classroom
The writers of this blog post suggest lesson ideas as the presidential election heads for a vote on Tuesday. In one suggested lesson, students consider how narratives from people in their own communities can offer insight into the election. Students also could discuss issues such as undecided voters, the Electoral College and political advertisements as they learn more about the race for the White House. The New York Times (tiered subscription model)/The Learning Network blog (text and video) (10/31)

Neb. students learn about elections by casting ballots: Students at a Nebraska elementary school participated in a mock presidential election this week in which they learned about the importance of being an informed voter and the voting process. To prepare for the mock vote at school, some students said they watched the presidential debates. Some students also voted in a mock election overseen by University of Nebraska at Kearney sociology professor Jason Combs, who is collecting the votes of third- through eighth-grade Kearney Public Schools students. Kearney Hub (Neb.) (10/31)

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Policy Watch

Most states have until today to apply for Race to the Top
The U.S. Department of Education set today as the new deadline for Race to the Top applications after postponing the original Oct. 30 deadline because of Superstorm Sandy. States that have been declared federal disaster areas have until Wednesday, Nov. 7 to apply. Education Week/Politics K-12 blog (10/31)

Technology in the Classroom

Teachers in Ontario are using social media in lessons
In Ontario, Canada, the school curriculum requires the inclusion of technology, and now, teachers say they are using social media, blogging and smartphones as part of classroom lessons. Andrew Campbell, a primary-school teacher in Brantford, says he keeps a shared Twitter account for his class, and also has taught students proper etiquette when using social media. The Toronto Star (10/30)

Surveys gauge teachers' views on technology in the classroom
Two surveys released Thursday show that educators believe technology is changing the way students learn. Among other things, teachers say they have to entertain students with more flexible teaching styles -- as well as be educators. While many teachers who were surveyed said technology has led to more distracted students, other teachers added that they believe technology can be harnessed as an educational tool. The New York Times (tiered subscription model) (11/1)

Other News

Is there a need to better assess quality of online-learning programs?
KQED.org/Mind/Shift blog (10/30)

Social Studies & Civic Life

Can superstorm offer valuable classroom lessons?
While people along the East Coast continue to recover from the damage inflicted by what was Superstorm Sandy, the writer of this article suggests schools use Challenge-Based Learning to teach students how to help fellow citizens who need assistance. The teaching method allows students to identify a problem and potential solutions and execute their ideas. Projects focused on this week's weather disaster can present opportunities to teach students about leadership, good citizenship, communication and more, James Marshall Crotty writes. Forbes (10/31)

Charting the Amazon's borderlands
Transportation initiatives could have a significant impact on the Amazonian borderlands that lie between the Peruvian region of Ucayali and the Brazilian state of Acre, so a workshop was convened to gain a greater understanding of the region, write David S. Salisbury, A. Willian Flores de Melo, Jorge Vela Alvarado and Bertha Balbin Ordaya. Participants ran into several obstacles, but, by using ArcGIS, were able to produce maps that provide new insights into the area. "[T]he greatest result of the workshop was the formation of a transboundary network of professionals taking the first step toward an integration based on geographic understanding rather than speculation and uncertainty," they write. ArcNews (Fall 2012)

NCSS Updates

NCSS awards
Congratulations to the recipients of NCSS awards and grants for 2012. NCSS Award and Grant recipients will be formally recognized during the NCSS Annual Conference in Seattle in November and will also present sessions on their award winning work. See a list of the award and grant recipients.

NCSS Annual Conference highlight: Community Scholar Speakers
NCSS Communities have invited prominent scholars to speak on issues related to their missions. Community scholar sessions are open to all attendees. Attend sessions of interest to learn about the discussion topics and the role that communities play within NCSS. Learn more.

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Position Title	Company Name	Location
Assistant/Associate Professor Multicultural, Equity Studies, and/or Global Education	The Ohio State University	Columbus, OH
Faculty of Kinesiology and Recreation Management	University of Manitoba	Manitoba, Canada

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