Brandon Horn » Education http://mrhorn.com/wp Mon, 07 May 2012 01:02:44 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 Increase instructional efficiency http://mrhorn.com/wp/posts/increase-instructional-efficiency/ http://mrhorn.com/wp/posts/increase-instructional-efficiency/#comments Sat, 11 Feb 2012 02:29:37 +0000 Brandon Horn http://mrhorn.com/wp/?p=5022 Increasing efficiency of instruction enables a teacher to effectively instruct a greater number of students. This makes it possible for a school to offer a a wider variety of courses and for a greater number of students to benefit from each course. In the face of decreased funding, increasing the efficiency of a course can [...]]]> http://mrhorn.com/wp/posts/increase-instructional-efficiency/feed/ 0 Get started with Moodle http://mrhorn.com/wp/posts/get-started-with-moodle/ http://mrhorn.com/wp/posts/get-started-with-moodle/#comments Thu, 10 Feb 2011 15:06:49 +0000 Brandon Horn http://mrhorn.com/wp/?p=4319 Teachers from WWPHSS are welcome to take advantage of my existing Moodle installation to add an online component to their courses. Teachers and tech staff from other districts are welcome to contact me for information about how to setup Moodle.

Moodle is high quality free software maintained by a large group of volunteers from [...]]]> http://mrhorn.com/wp/posts/get-started-with-moodle/feed/ 0 Meet IEP and 504 accommodations with Moodle http://mrhorn.com/wp/posts/meet-iep-and-504-accommodations-with-moodle/ http://mrhorn.com/wp/posts/meet-iep-and-504-accommodations-with-moodle/#comments Thu, 10 Feb 2011 15:00:11 +0000 Brandon Horn http://mrhorn.com/wp/?p=4290 Moodle helps me quickly and easily meet many of the accommodations often required by IEPs and 504 plans. Since most of the accommodations require no additional work per student, I can offer those that are appropriate to all of my students.

All of my assignments are posted on Moodle along with written instructions and [...]]]> http://mrhorn.com/wp/posts/meet-iep-and-504-accommodations-with-moodle/feed/ 1 Collect and use data from existing assignments to improve instruction http://mrhorn.com/wp/posts/use-data-from-existing-assignments-to-improve-instruction/ http://mrhorn.com/wp/posts/use-data-from-existing-assignments-to-improve-instruction/#comments Thu, 10 Feb 2011 01:33:55 +0000 Brandon Horn http://mrhorn.com/wp/?p=3843 On Monday, I assigned a review packet for the upcoming AP exam. It contained AP style multiple choice questions covering a wide variety of topics as well as short answer questions typical of those found on real exams. Throughout the next 3 evenings, students entered their answers on Moodle. The students who were absent Monday [...]]]> http://mrhorn.com/wp/posts/use-data-from-existing-assignments-to-improve-instruction/feed/ 0 Online student and parent access to grades at the K-12 level http://mrhorn.com/wp/posts/online-access-to-grades/ http://mrhorn.com/wp/posts/online-access-to-grades/#comments Tue, 10 Feb 2009 00:10:33 +0000 Brandon Horn http://mrhorn.com/wp/?p=1373 The West Windsor Plainsboro Regional School District purchased a new student information system that is being used extensively during the 2008-2009 school year. Teachers at the district’s high schools are required to enter marking period grades into the system. Many teachers also utilize the system’s electronic gradebook to record scores for individual assignments.

The district [...]]]> http://mrhorn.com/wp/posts/online-access-to-grades/feed/ 0 New Jersey Teacher Tenure http://mrhorn.com/wp/posts/new-jersey-teacher-tenure/ http://mrhorn.com/wp/posts/new-jersey-teacher-tenure/#comments Sun, 04 Jan 2009 04:13:39 +0000 Brandon Horn https://mrhorn.com/wp/?p=427 This post refers solely to tenure of public school teachers in New Jersey. The facts presented may not apply to other positions or in other states.

How does a New Jersey teacher acquire tenure?

Tenure is established by state law, not by contract. The New Jersey Legislature has the power to modify or eliminate tenure. [...]]]> http://mrhorn.com/wp/posts/new-jersey-teacher-tenure/feed/ 240 Free speech in K-12 schools http://mrhorn.com/wp/posts/free-speech-at-school/ http://mrhorn.com/wp/posts/free-speech-at-school/#comments Sun, 07 Dec 2008 06:33:31 +0000 Brandon Horn https://mrhorn.com/wp/?p=183 I have heard students defend their inappropriate behavior in school by claiming that it is protected by “freedom of speech” or “freedom of expression.” When asked to elaborate, most students are unable to do so clearly and accurately.

In the Tinker v. Des Moines case, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that students have rights to [...]]]> http://mrhorn.com/wp/posts/free-speech-at-school/feed/ 12 Web based assessment in K-12 classrooms http://mrhorn.com/wp/posts/web-based-assessment/ http://mrhorn.com/wp/posts/web-based-assessment/#comments Fri, 05 Dec 2008 21:57:02 +0000 Brandon Horn https://mrhorn.com/wp/?p=185 The following is a research paper that I wrote for a graduate class on using data to improve instruction.

Appendix A has been removed because the creators of Moodle provide a live demonstration that is far better than the static screenshots from the original paper. (The paper still makes reference to Appendix A; however, the [...]]]> http://mrhorn.com/wp/posts/web-based-assessment/feed/ 0 Should K-12 school staff carry weapons? http://mrhorn.com/wp/posts/weapons-in-school/ http://mrhorn.com/wp/posts/weapons-in-school/#comments Fri, 05 Dec 2008 21:07:46 +0000 Brandon Horn https://mrhorn.com/wp/?p=179 The following is a research paper that I wrote for a graduate class on school law. Only the formatting has been changed for posting here, the content has not been edited. A PDF version is available with the original formatting.

Legal Firearms in Schools

An analysis of the appropriateness and legality of several proposals

[...]]]> http://mrhorn.com/wp/posts/weapons-in-school/feed/ 4