So what exactly do you get with the free service?
Monday, September 20, 2010
ooVoo - Skype Alternative
So what exactly do you get with the free service?
Friday, September 17, 2010
YouTube Time Machine
Classroom Use - You can easily use these videos to find first hand account of historical events as well as archival footage. You could also use the videos to show how culture changes based on the categories. A search option would be neat. The concept is great for classroom use. Hopefully they will continue to work on it.
Best Practices - ProjectPLN Post
So if you have not heard of the ProjectPLN Magazine (This link will take you to the first issue), now is a great time to learn about it. The idea was started by Nick Provenzano and he collaborated with Kelly Tenkely to get it off the ground. You can learn more about ProjectPLN from their blogs: iLearn Technology and The Nerdy Teacher. The first issue really helps explain the idea behind a PLN (Professional Learning Network) and provides resources on how to start your own. With the inclusion of PLC (Professional Learning Communities) it is important to develop one outside your school and help turn your community into a network.
For the next issue of ProjectPLN the discussion is on Best Practices for the start of school. I don't currently teach, but several ideas do come to mind to help with classroom management and "getting to know" your students. Below are several ideas for the start of the school year.
1.) Have students create a Word Cloud of words that express their personality, values, and beliefs. If using Wordle, have them put the most important words in their more then once so that they appear larger. Then hang them up or keep to yourself...that will depend on the personality of your class!
2.) Many classroom management books suggest putting kids in alphabetical order, and I agree. Makes it easy to learn names. For a teacher at my school he made it into a competition. He drew the class layout on the board and told the kids to find their seat according to their last name. The class that did it the fastset won a prize. He also did not allow them to talk. Talk about a interesting first day.
3.) I would give my kids a challenge of building the tallest tower out of straws and only provide a certain length of tape. They would work in groups. The could not talk so they had to communicate in other ways. It really helps develop team work in the first week of school and shows that talking does not necessarily help with an assignment. :)
4.) Bellringers are a huge deal. Our school recently purchased large TV's for the classrooms and hooked those to the computer. Several teachers have created PowerPoint's to display their bellringer. Therefore they can save them for future use and it is easy for the kids to always know where to look when they come to the classroom to have something to work on.
5.) Use a clicker system the first day and gather information about your students. Things you would like to know. Computer access at home, clubs/athletics they are involved in, community involvement, etc. Very easy to organize the data you get back in return. You could do the same with index cards, but the clickers will help with data organization.
6.) Provide students access to computers and have students use Glogster to create a poster that tells about themselves. Favorite movies, TV shows, music, etc. It can be a fun activity that also allows you to introduce Glogster to your students.
7.) Have students from the previous class year share their favorite things about your class. Or have your students write an open letter about what future students need to do in order to succeed in your classroom. This might be a great way to use a site like Wallwisher with students at the end of a school year.
8.) Ask students to provide you with their cell phone number and their cell carrier. You can send a text message to your students using your email. Up to 160 characters is the limit for one text message. This would be a great way to keep in touch with students about projects, test, etc. Plus, you have documentation of the messages you send and their replies, because their replies will come back to your email. It also keeps your cell phone number private as well.
9.) Show students videos from music, television, video games, commercials, current events, movies, and sports from the year they were born and discuss how much things have changed. Be a great introduction to any unit of study and to find funny older videos to share with the class.
10.) Have an easily accessible teacher webpage. Students need an area where they can access assignments, due dates, lecture notes, etc. Have a website that allows for discussion through blogs or message boards.
11.) Use various social media tools such as Twitter to create a classroom account for students to get quick reminders for your class. Nings make great social networks for your classroom as well that allows students to join and follow various aspects of your classroom. It is also great for personalization. You might also look at creating a Facebook page as well; although controversial, it can be a useful communication tool. Anyway that you can increase communcation with parents and students will be beneficial.
For the next issue of ProjectPLN the discussion is on Best Practices for the start of school. I don't currently teach, but several ideas do come to mind to help with classroom management and "getting to know" your students. Below are several ideas for the start of the school year.
1.) Have students create a Word Cloud of words that express their personality, values, and beliefs. If using Wordle, have them put the most important words in their more then once so that they appear larger. Then hang them up or keep to yourself...that will depend on the personality of your class!
2.) Many classroom management books suggest putting kids in alphabetical order, and I agree. Makes it easy to learn names. For a teacher at my school he made it into a competition. He drew the class layout on the board and told the kids to find their seat according to their last name. The class that did it the fastset won a prize. He also did not allow them to talk. Talk about a interesting first day.
3.) I would give my kids a challenge of building the tallest tower out of straws and only provide a certain length of tape. They would work in groups. The could not talk so they had to communicate in other ways. It really helps develop team work in the first week of school and shows that talking does not necessarily help with an assignment. :)
4.) Bellringers are a huge deal. Our school recently purchased large TV's for the classrooms and hooked those to the computer. Several teachers have created PowerPoint's to display their bellringer. Therefore they can save them for future use and it is easy for the kids to always know where to look when they come to the classroom to have something to work on.
5.) Use a clicker system the first day and gather information about your students. Things you would like to know. Computer access at home, clubs/athletics they are involved in, community involvement, etc. Very easy to organize the data you get back in return. You could do the same with index cards, but the clickers will help with data organization.
6.) Provide students access to computers and have students use Glogster to create a poster that tells about themselves. Favorite movies, TV shows, music, etc. It can be a fun activity that also allows you to introduce Glogster to your students.
7.) Have students from the previous class year share their favorite things about your class. Or have your students write an open letter about what future students need to do in order to succeed in your classroom. This might be a great way to use a site like Wallwisher with students at the end of a school year.
8.) Ask students to provide you with their cell phone number and their cell carrier. You can send a text message to your students using your email. Up to 160 characters is the limit for one text message. This would be a great way to keep in touch with students about projects, test, etc. Plus, you have documentation of the messages you send and their replies, because their replies will come back to your email. It also keeps your cell phone number private as well.
9.) Show students videos from music, television, video games, commercials, current events, movies, and sports from the year they were born and discuss how much things have changed. Be a great introduction to any unit of study and to find funny older videos to share with the class.
10.) Have an easily accessible teacher webpage. Students need an area where they can access assignments, due dates, lecture notes, etc. Have a website that allows for discussion through blogs or message boards.
11.) Use various social media tools such as Twitter to create a classroom account for students to get quick reminders for your class. Nings make great social networks for your classroom as well that allows students to join and follow various aspects of your classroom. It is also great for personalization. You might also look at creating a Facebook page as well; although controversial, it can be a useful communication tool. Anyway that you can increase communcation with parents and students will be beneficial.
Friday, September 10, 2010
My 9/11 Experience - What Was Yours?
I always had my students try to tell me what they remember from that day, because in a few years, we will all have students who can only only rely on videos, articles, and stories of the event since they were to young or not born. For me, it comes full circle to think that students will learn about 9/11 like I had to learn about Vietnam...from other people.
I wanted to use this forum to share my story so that it would be available to future generations. I was not in New York, so there really is no comparison to those that were; but there are tidbits of my story that help bring the reality of the event from the perspective of an everyday American.
I was a senior in college (my first senior year actually) and I was living in a house with some Fraternity brothers. I remember waking up and getting on my computer to check my email. I had an AOL account so I signed on using....DIAL UP!!! AHHH!!! I remember seeing a small picture of the World Trade Center on fire on the home screen and thinking to myself that it must be a movie promotion. To be certain I remember turning on my TV. It was so slow to come on I was getting ticked off; but there it was, on every station, even MTV and ESPN, the World Trade Center was on fire.
No one knew that it was terrorist yet, so classes were still on, and I still needed to get ready for them. So I got ready and drove to campus. I parked at the Fraternity house and walked through the living room to see the TV on in there. At this point, the 2nd building was now hit and suspensions were high that it was more than an accident. No word on classes being canceled so on I went.
First class, U.S. History since 1865. The professor went on, teaching as if history was not happening at that moment. So many of us were appalled that a HISTORY teacher had no concern for a historic moment. Apparently it was more important to learn about history then to be witnessing and experiencing it. I will never forget how angry I was.
I had two more classes for the day. Geography and Economics. Both those classes were canceled. But in every building and every classroom (accept for my history professor) people were watching the news, and asking the same questions: Who did this? Why did this happen? Are there more planes? Turns out there were. We would start to hear about the planes at the Pentagon and in Pennsylvania.
I walked back down to the Fraternity house. One of my Fraternity brother's girlfriend was crying. She soon explained that her dad worked at the Trade Center. Immediately, the event became real, it became personal. We tried to comfort her, but how do you do that? It ended up that her dad was fine, and he was not there, but the fear she felt exuded from her, it was like we all felt it.
I called my girlfriend (who is now my wife) to see how she was doing. I forgot that she had a field trip to a pumpkin patch. They had to cancel the trip...because it was near an airport and the school feared for their safety. The event was now hitting closer to home. It was affecting our personal lives. This tragic event, hundreds of miles away from impacting all our lives.
I had to work that night. I worked at Staples. I couldn't believe we were open. Seriously, who needed some pens or ink cartridges when we all thought that "America was under attack." In the 5 hours I worked, we had less then 10 customers. Across the street was a gas station. It was packed; people were concerned about gas prices increasing. Seriously? I was ashamed that day, that even in this time of national tragedy, we still worried about out pocket books.
That night after work, you couldn't watch anything else, I mean you could, but who wanted too. We stayed up late thinking we would here some heroic story, something to inspire and bring hope, but those stories never came. I remember in the passing days the use of cadaver dogs to search for people, well bodies. The stories of depressed dogs because finding someone is what brings reward to them, but they weren't finding anyone, and it was even causing dogs to know there was little hope. Later in another class, two dogs would come to one of my classes and we would get to discuss the experience with their trainer and owner.
That is my story. That was my 9/11 without going into more detail. What is yours? If you are a fan of the TV show Flash Forward they create a website for people to share their experience during the "Black Out." It is important that we all share our experiences as well. It is still hard for me to believe that it will be 10 years ago next year.
If you want to add some technology aspect to your story, think about the impact technology played. Imagine if Social Media had existed during 9/11/01. How would the stories be different...or would they have stayed the same?
I wanted to use this forum to share my story so that it would be available to future generations. I was not in New York, so there really is no comparison to those that were; but there are tidbits of my story that help bring the reality of the event from the perspective of an everyday American.
I was a senior in college (my first senior year actually) and I was living in a house with some Fraternity brothers. I remember waking up and getting on my computer to check my email. I had an AOL account so I signed on using....DIAL UP!!! AHHH!!! I remember seeing a small picture of the World Trade Center on fire on the home screen and thinking to myself that it must be a movie promotion. To be certain I remember turning on my TV. It was so slow to come on I was getting ticked off; but there it was, on every station, even MTV and ESPN, the World Trade Center was on fire.
No one knew that it was terrorist yet, so classes were still on, and I still needed to get ready for them. So I got ready and drove to campus. I parked at the Fraternity house and walked through the living room to see the TV on in there. At this point, the 2nd building was now hit and suspensions were high that it was more than an accident. No word on classes being canceled so on I went.
First class, U.S. History since 1865. The professor went on, teaching as if history was not happening at that moment. So many of us were appalled that a HISTORY teacher had no concern for a historic moment. Apparently it was more important to learn about history then to be witnessing and experiencing it. I will never forget how angry I was.
I had two more classes for the day. Geography and Economics. Both those classes were canceled. But in every building and every classroom (accept for my history professor) people were watching the news, and asking the same questions: Who did this? Why did this happen? Are there more planes? Turns out there were. We would start to hear about the planes at the Pentagon and in Pennsylvania.
I walked back down to the Fraternity house. One of my Fraternity brother's girlfriend was crying. She soon explained that her dad worked at the Trade Center. Immediately, the event became real, it became personal. We tried to comfort her, but how do you do that? It ended up that her dad was fine, and he was not there, but the fear she felt exuded from her, it was like we all felt it.
I called my girlfriend (who is now my wife) to see how she was doing. I forgot that she had a field trip to a pumpkin patch. They had to cancel the trip...because it was near an airport and the school feared for their safety. The event was now hitting closer to home. It was affecting our personal lives. This tragic event, hundreds of miles away from impacting all our lives.
I had to work that night. I worked at Staples. I couldn't believe we were open. Seriously, who needed some pens or ink cartridges when we all thought that "America was under attack." In the 5 hours I worked, we had less then 10 customers. Across the street was a gas station. It was packed; people were concerned about gas prices increasing. Seriously? I was ashamed that day, that even in this time of national tragedy, we still worried about out pocket books.
That night after work, you couldn't watch anything else, I mean you could, but who wanted too. We stayed up late thinking we would here some heroic story, something to inspire and bring hope, but those stories never came. I remember in the passing days the use of cadaver dogs to search for people, well bodies. The stories of depressed dogs because finding someone is what brings reward to them, but they weren't finding anyone, and it was even causing dogs to know there was little hope. Later in another class, two dogs would come to one of my classes and we would get to discuss the experience with their trainer and owner.
That is my story. That was my 9/11 without going into more detail. What is yours? If you are a fan of the TV show Flash Forward they create a website for people to share their experience during the "Black Out." It is important that we all share our experiences as well. It is still hard for me to believe that it will be 10 years ago next year.
If you want to add some technology aspect to your story, think about the impact technology played. Imagine if Social Media had existed during 9/11/01. How would the stories be different...or would they have stayed the same?
Prezi Meetings - Collaboration
Prezi has come out with something new; Prezi Meetings (Read review by Mashable) and get a tutorial from the Prezi Blog. Each person will be provided an icon on the presentation editor. As you edit, it updates real time. Think of it as TitanPad for creating a Prezi presentation. When you access Prezi you will notice a "Meeting" link in the menu in the top right hand corner. If you click on the "Invite to Edit" link, it will provide a link (that expires in one week) that you can send to people in an email for them to collaborate. You can have a maximum of 10 people collaborating on a presentation. If you click on the "Start Online Presentation" you can invite people to remotely view the presentation...LIVE. This is a great addition to Prezi. See image below of menu.
When it comes to classroom use, if you have a person (or you) who is familiar with Prezi, you can invite people to edit a presentation with you and then you can work on learning the software together. You can do the same thing with students, especially if you have students who are experts and can help novices. The remote presentation allows you to show one presentation to multiple classrooms at the same time. Be a great way for teachers to collaborate with each other.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)