Another we has gone by, and so has another month. Hard to believe it is already March. Maybe it is just me, but years have seemed to go a lot faster once I started teaching. Could be because I look at the calendar differently than those not in the education profession. After being away, time for another addition of what I received from my PLN on Twitter.
1.) 100 Video Sites Every Educator Should Bookmark. - Great list. Some sites I have been to, others I have not. Definitely worth bookmarking.
2.) From the iLearn Technology Blog (A blog Elementary teachers MUST follow and/or subscribe too) - Online Audio Stories - A must for elementary educators. A great way to read and listen to stories.
3.) Great research report on Millennials. Also a quiz available to determine how millennial you are.
4.) 1:1 Laptop program lesson plans - Great Resource. Don't need laptops to adjust to your school if you don't have Laptops.
5.) IndispensibleTools - A Wiki of ICT websites.
6.) 100 Ways to use Twitter in the Classroom - Great List. No excuse not to use Twitter now!
7.) The Complexity of the U.S. Tax System - Interesting graphic. Great for a discussion on Economics.
8.) An interesting blog post about busting myths about the use of Mobile devices.
9.) From the Edge 21: Catch of the Day Blog: Note-A-Lator is a great resource for Music Teachers.
10.) From the Educational Technology Guy Blog - Classroom Chuckles, a website where all us educators can get a good laugh.
11.) Great video with Stats on the State of the Internet
12.) Who is the Best Teacher you Ever Had? Article from the Washington Post where students and even adults can talk about their best teacher.
13.) From the Not All Flowers and Sausages Blog - An interesting Blog Post about the teachers being fired in Rhode Island. Not that I agree with everything in the post, or its presentation, I am always open to opinions.
14.) Top Ten Issues in Math Education - Blog Post...Great read for all teachers, not just Math Teachers.
15.) From Larry Ferlazzo's Blog - Teacher Attire...what do you think?
16.) From ISTE, a great list of Web 2.0 Tools.
17.) The Movie Hatch - Tell Hollywood what movies you want to see.
18.) Ages of Social Network Users - Interesting...............
19.) Which works better, training a teacher or a plumber? Interesting Blog Post.
20.) iPhone Education Apps by subjects and Grade Level - Great Resource!
21.) From Teachers as Technology Trailblazer's, an iPhone App for Special Education.
22.) 23 Things to increase knowledge about Learning 2.0 that teachers can follow. What a GREAT idea!!!
23.) Internet Safety Resources from Simple K12
24.) Defining Phrases - English Website useful to students. Great tool for ACT preparation.
25.) Technology Solutions on a Budget.
26.) Zotero - A great way to organize, sort, and site resources from the Internet.
27.) A great list of Teaching Strategies.
Quite a list...but after Two weeks, this is quite a lot. I also included some articles from Twitter on my Articles Page.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Friday, February 26, 2010
Thursday-Friday Combo Post - Facebook 4 Education
I was extremely busy yesterday, so I did not get a chance to post a Think Twice Thursday Post. Since today is normally my Friday Focus post time, I thought I would combine the two.
It has been a busy month in the area of Facebook and education and not in a positive light. Story after story of students using Facebook to slander and defame a teacher's character. Stories of a teacher using Facebook to rant about the behavior of students in class. You can view these articles on my Articles Page.
Let's "face" it, Facebook is a Social Networking site. That is its main intention. That is not the issue though. The issue is educating students, teachers, schools, and districts about using Facebook in a manner that promotes positive relationships between students and teachers, students and their school, schools and their community, and districts and their community. The image of Facebook as it relates to education must be changed for Facebook to be a successful tool in education.
Several school districts, if not all, have school web pages. Every school has parent-teacher conferences. Every school offers meetings for parents and students to attend. Every school has athletic, band, drama, and other events at their school. Every school has fundraisers, important announcements and information that parents need. The problem sometimes is getting that information to parents in a timely manner, and ensuring that it gets to every parent. The problem is providing an easily accessible area for such communication and relationship building outside of the school building.
Facebook can provide AN answer, not THE answer to improving those relationships. I was always told that if you can't get someone to come to where you are, then you got to go where they are. And where are our students, parents, and community members? Facebook. Ask the average student the first website they go to when they get online: Facebook. In 5-10 years (and probably today or sooner) ask the average parent the first website they visit when they log on the Internet: Facebook.
With all the negative press about Facebook though, it is hard to get districts, schools, administrators, teachers, and parents to buy into the idea of using Facebook for Education. There has to be a way to promote the positive aspects of using Facebook in Education. I know that Facebook is being used in Education, but those can be tough to find. Well, hopefully I have created a possible solution or way to do that.
All the negative press got me thinking about a way to promote the use of Facebook in education around the world. So I created a Wiki. A Wiki for educators, parents, administrators, schools, and districts to share how they are positively using Facebook. Facebook 4 Education provides a website to post links, stories, articles, videos, examples of Facebook use, and Fan Pages related to education.
Think Twice about how you can or are using Facebook in education and share that information on the Facebook 4 Education Wiki. Focus on sharing your successes of using Facebook. Focus on helping improve the image of Facebook in education. Help curtail the image that the media is portraying of Facebook in education.
It has been a busy month in the area of Facebook and education and not in a positive light. Story after story of students using Facebook to slander and defame a teacher's character. Stories of a teacher using Facebook to rant about the behavior of students in class. You can view these articles on my Articles Page.
Let's "face" it, Facebook is a Social Networking site. That is its main intention. That is not the issue though. The issue is educating students, teachers, schools, and districts about using Facebook in a manner that promotes positive relationships between students and teachers, students and their school, schools and their community, and districts and their community. The image of Facebook as it relates to education must be changed for Facebook to be a successful tool in education.
Several school districts, if not all, have school web pages. Every school has parent-teacher conferences. Every school offers meetings for parents and students to attend. Every school has athletic, band, drama, and other events at their school. Every school has fundraisers, important announcements and information that parents need. The problem sometimes is getting that information to parents in a timely manner, and ensuring that it gets to every parent. The problem is providing an easily accessible area for such communication and relationship building outside of the school building.
Facebook can provide AN answer, not THE answer to improving those relationships. I was always told that if you can't get someone to come to where you are, then you got to go where they are. And where are our students, parents, and community members? Facebook. Ask the average student the first website they go to when they get online: Facebook. In 5-10 years (and probably today or sooner) ask the average parent the first website they visit when they log on the Internet: Facebook.
With all the negative press about Facebook though, it is hard to get districts, schools, administrators, teachers, and parents to buy into the idea of using Facebook for Education. There has to be a way to promote the positive aspects of using Facebook in Education. I know that Facebook is being used in Education, but those can be tough to find. Well, hopefully I have created a possible solution or way to do that.
All the negative press got me thinking about a way to promote the use of Facebook in education around the world. So I created a Wiki. A Wiki for educators, parents, administrators, schools, and districts to share how they are positively using Facebook. Facebook 4 Education provides a website to post links, stories, articles, videos, examples of Facebook use, and Fan Pages related to education.
Think Twice about how you can or are using Facebook in education and share that information on the Facebook 4 Education Wiki. Focus on sharing your successes of using Facebook. Focus on helping improve the image of Facebook in education. Help curtail the image that the media is portraying of Facebook in education.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Wiki Wednesday #6 - Voicethread 4 Education
My experience with using Voicethread is very limited. In fact I have not had the pleasure of using the software at all, although I have heard a lot of wonderful things about it. While looking around some Wiki's, I came across Voicethread 4 Education. It greatly improved my knowledge about what Voicethread is and how it works.
What I like about this wiki is its organization. Very often you will find Wikis (since it is visitor submissions) that are scattered and hard to follow. This Wiki is well maintained and has an easy to follow set up without many distractions. First thing of interest is the Classroom Partner option. A chart with other educators using Voicethread so that you can learn from each other. A Voicethread PLN.
Want to include your own Voicethread, the creator Colette Cassinelli (Who is available to follow on Twitter) has done a great job of explaining the process for adding Voicethreads. Another way to help keep the Wiki organized. Another great organized feature is the sidebar. You can find samples and resources organized by grade level. Within the pages are both links to Voicethreads as well as embeded Voicethreads. There are also sections related to Administration, college, library, Special Education, ESL/ELL/EFL.
A very important page to visit will be Best Practices. A great way to learn about how to use Voicethread. This is the page that I visited first. Lesson ideas and a presentation with ways to use Voicethread in the classroom. Voicethread is free and educator accounts are encouraged if going to use the software. You can get more information about Ed.Voicethread on the Resources Page.
Let this Wiki be your home page for Voicethread information.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Flixtime
I know we are all fans of Animoto and many of us use PhotoPeach, well now there is another option. Flixtime allows you to upload photos, video, and add text, then choose a tune and you are ready to share your film. It claims 3 quick steps and 3 minutes. You can create 60 second videos for free. It appears that it also takes care of all the transitions for you as well. I did not see an option for education, so if it is going to compete with Animoto for Education, they are going to have to provide an option. For more information I suggest that you watch the Demo video on the front page. Sign up is easy and no email verification is required.
Once you create an account and start creating a new video, you can Add a Cover, Insert a Title, Description, and choose the resolution. You can upload your own photos, or even choose some from their database (a feature other sites do not have). Text is limited on each photo and will only go between photos, not directly on them. You get a Main Title and a Sub Title. It is fairly easy to organize your film. A Negative is that in the time it took me to write this paragraph, a photo never loaded...so it seems kind of slow. Could be the firewall at my school though.
Try it out for yourself.
Twitter Tuesday #7 - A Collection of Tweets
Let me start off today's post by saying that there was a lot of great education chat today via #edchat on Twitter. If you are available at 7pm EST tonight, I suggest that you join in on the fun. Topic focuses on the changes in 21st Century Education and 20th Century Education. While sick I saved a collection of Tweets with valuable resources and information. I use Instapaper to save Tweets. It is also available on the iPhone.
1.) I am really interetsed in getting students to use Wiki's at my school...still waiting on a policy for them, but when that time comes, here is a great collection of resources for using Wiki's in the classroom.
2.) Comics in the Classroom - 100 Tips, Tools, and Resources! I am really big on Comics and the kids love them. Highly recommend checking this site out.
3.) From the Teacher Reboot Camp - 12 Word Cloud Resources...Something other than Wordle. She beat me to the punch. Planned on this for a Friday post, but why reinvent the wheel!
4.) A Huge selection of Web 2.0 resources and blog posts about each one. Farr-Out Links to Learning.
5.) Posterize Anything - Blockposters is a site to turn anything into a wall poster for free!
6.) Want to increase fiber optic cables in your community or city? Nomiate your community and see if Google chooses you!
7.) Here is a great social network for art teachers who are wondering how to implement Web 2.0 in their classrooms.
8.) Great list of Web 2.0 resources with screen shots of each webpage. Addictive Tech Crisps for Education
9.) Colabopad - Interesting new Collaborative Writing Pad - Worth playing around on.
10.) Summer Workation - A place for teachers to find work during the summer. I know I could always use some extra money.
And just for Fun...Learn Something Every Day.
1.) I am really interetsed in getting students to use Wiki's at my school...still waiting on a policy for them, but when that time comes, here is a great collection of resources for using Wiki's in the classroom.
2.) Comics in the Classroom - 100 Tips, Tools, and Resources! I am really big on Comics and the kids love them. Highly recommend checking this site out.
3.) From the Teacher Reboot Camp - 12 Word Cloud Resources...Something other than Wordle. She beat me to the punch. Planned on this for a Friday post, but why reinvent the wheel!
4.) A Huge selection of Web 2.0 resources and blog posts about each one. Farr-Out Links to Learning.
5.) Posterize Anything - Blockposters is a site to turn anything into a wall poster for free!
6.) Want to increase fiber optic cables in your community or city? Nomiate your community and see if Google chooses you!
7.) Here is a great social network for art teachers who are wondering how to implement Web 2.0 in their classrooms.
8.) Great list of Web 2.0 resources with screen shots of each webpage. Addictive Tech Crisps for Education
9.) Colabopad - Interesting new Collaborative Writing Pad - Worth playing around on.
10.) Summer Workation - A place for teachers to find work during the summer. I know I could always use some extra money.
And just for Fun...Learn Something Every Day.
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