Tuesday, April 17, 2012

AudioViator


AudioViator is a website that allows users to create audio tours of cities, museums, etc.  This website could be used to create tours from field trips that students go on or to create tours of cities or attractions in geography classes.  Would also be a great way to create audio tours of places and attractions in your local towns.  There are several tours already posted on the website that could be used in the classroom as well and you can find those by clicking on various continents and countries.

Each tour can provide points of interest, maps, and pictures that will help visitors get a better understanding of the audio tour that they are listening too.  Each tour contains the placement on a map, a description, the subjects it will cover, and data about each one (visitors, downloads, date, length, etc).  There is also a section for writing comments which could be utilized in the classroom as well.  For each tour you can download it or stream it...although the stream took quite a while to load.

Snaggy


Snag.gy is a website that allows users to copy and paste images to the web from their clipboard.  Snag.gy comes with an editor that allows you to easily crop and annotate images on the web.  Once you have pasted the image, it provides users with a simple URL that can be shared with others.  Could be a simple way to share images with students and also add students to web based projects. 

Loupe


Loupe is a fun website that allows you to easily take your photos and place them in various collages.  Something fun that students might do with their favorite photos of friends.  Could be a software used by yearbook classes as well.  You select your shape or block letters from a provided list and then, upload your photos and then create your collages.

Screenleap

Screenleap is a website that allows users to instantly share your screen with anyone for free.  Screenleap requires the latest version of Java to run.  The way this screen sharing service is different from others is that you can share your screen on tablets and mobile phones as well.  Other than Java, there is no software needed to run the service and you can share your screen with as many people as you need.

I tested this out on my phone and was amazed at the speed that the movement translated from my laptop to my phone.  Not sure if distance would make a difference, but the possibilities would be pretty intriguing for districts using Smartphones/iPods/iPads in their classrooms.  The software allows users to share the entire screen or just a section.  You can also pause sharing the screen whenever you feel necessary.  When you share the screen it provides a generic URL or a code that can be entered on Screenleap.
  

Stratocam

Here is a quick post of a website that takes the best images from Google Earth and shares them in full screen.  Stratocam is a great way to share interesting aspects of our planet.  From cities, to deserts, to oceans, and everything in between.  A great activity would be to have students try and guess where the picture is on our planet by asking yes or no questions.  You can zoom out from the location as well.  The pictures are truly amazing.  A fun activity as a reward for elementary students or a way to test geography skills of middle and high school students.  See a sample image that I found while searching through them.


Dooid


Dooid is a simple and easy way to create a personal landing page and contact hub.  You select your username (which is a custom URL), provide an email address and password and then you can get started.  It is a simple and easy way to connect your social media to a central location.  As schools and districts adopt more technology and social media in schools, a simple landing page for students would be an easy way to communicate and connect with students.  It would also be an easy way to create a central location for teachers as well.

For more information, see the video below

Priceonomics


Priceonomics is a website that provides prices for goods and keeps up to date of current prices.  It also tracks the history of those prices.  To determine the prices, it searches where the product is listed and uses that information to create a price history and track the best price.  Economics and practical living students could use this website for projects that they are doing in class.

This website made me think of a video I found about the "Death to Pennies."  The case to remove pennies from circulation is a strong one when you think about the current state of the economy.  You might be interested in watching it and sharing it with your students.  Does a good job of also showing one sided propaganda.

Wavii


Wavii (currently in BETA) is a website that allows users to select news that is important to them and as news happens related to that topic it will appear in a "news" feed.  If you are teaching current events, this would be a great software to use to follow what is going on with that topic.  Any subject matter that is being taught can be added as a topic to your feed and then as news happens related to it, you can be updated on the topic.  The main goal of Wavii to take Google searches and put them into a Facebook type feed of information and news.  The only negative that I have found so far is that it requires a Facebook log-in to use the site.  You cannot create an account separately.

You could follow any item of content you are teaching and get the latest news on those topics and then share those topics with your students.  The focus in education today is on Rigor and Relevance.  If you can find current news and information related to what you are teaching, it will help to make the topic relevant to students.

For more information, see the video below.