Tech-Lou-ology

iPaddiction: Draw Venn for iPad

2012-02-01T08:58:00.001-06:00

In every classroom setting, I always start with the educational content that students need to discover and build tech tools around that. At 8:00 am yesterday, I knew we were going to discuss the two different major armies in the American Revolutionary War. With that came us describing each advantage that the armies had while fighting. This led to some differences that they had as well.

This brought me to the thought that a Venn Diagram would the perfect tool. Prior to iPads, I would have had students draw two big circles on their papers. Black and White with some Blue horizontal lines running through them. This would get the job done, but really allows for little creativity. It also allows for students to hide in their notebook.

As always, there must be an app for that! This brings me to Draw Venn for iPad. A well designed app that is visually appealing. I found it by simply searching with Google: "Venn Diagram iTunes App" Whenever I use iTunes app it simply searches the links from iTunes and usually nets plenty of choices!

Participating in CCK12

2012-01-27T10:55:00.001-06:00

I'm joining #CCK12 - you should too.

Welcome to CCK12 ~ Connectivism & Connective Knowledge 2012

Welcome to CCK12

Connectivism and Connective Knowledge is an open online course that over 12 weeks explores the concepts of connectivism and connective knowledge and explore their application as a framework for theories of teaching and learning. Participation is open to everyone and there are no fees or subscriptions required.

Register Here

The course will outline a connectivist understanding of educational systems of the future. It will help participants make sense of the transformative impact of technology in teaching and learning over the last decade. The voices calling for reform do so from many perspectives, with some suggesting 'new learners' require different learning models, others suggesting reform is needed due to globalization and increased competition, and still others suggesting technology is the salvation for the shortfalls evident in the system today. While each of these views tell us about the need for change, they overlook the primary reasons why change is required.

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Lynda.com

2012-01-25T09:18:00.001-06:00

Software training online-tutorials for Adobe, Microsoft, Apple & more

Lynda.com
Now you can learn online, when you want to, at your own speed, with Lynda.com. Get 24x7 access to almost 1,200 self-paced online courses and more than 50,000 individual tutorials.

Learn how to use Excel, InDesign, HTML, Dreamweaver, Photoshop, Google Docs, and more. Build your skills in design and photography. Try your hand at mobile app development.

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e-learning outlook for 2012

2012-01-24T10:42:00.001-06:00

e-learning outlook for 2012: will it be a rough ride?

Another year, and online learning, e-learning, learning technologies, educational technologies, digital learning, or whatever you call it or them, will continue to grow, become more prevalent, and more a central part of teaching and learning in higher education – but exactly how and in what ways?

The general trends are not going to change much from 2011 (which I identified as course redesign, mobile learning, more multimedia, learning analytics,and shared services), but some of the specifics are becoming clearer. Below I’ve ranked my predictions in order of significance for higher education, and also given a probability rating of the prediction actually happening.....

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20 Hottest Hashtags for Teachers on Twitter

2012-01-19T07:37:00.001-06:00

20 Hottest Hashtags for Teachers on Twitter - Best Colleges Online

As a teacher, continuing education is so important that most school districts require that teachers enroll in some form of coursework on a regular basis to keep their knowledge and skills fresh. And while those courses are essential, staying on top of the cutting edge of educational development is important as well. Through Twitter discussions, teachers can follow the latest in education, whether it’s educational technology or new ways to teach math. These 20 hashtags offer teachers a convenient way to become part of chats and discussions that share the absolute latest in education news, resources, and ideas.....

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Why Teachers Should Join Twitter...What I have Learned as a Twitter Newbie

The 40 Best iPad Apps for Young Learners

2012-01-18T20:53:00.001-06:00

The 40 Best iPad Apps for Young Learners - Online Colleges

The best way to get your parents to buy you expensive gadgets has always been to really sell the educational value. “But Mom, if you buy me a Nintendo, think about how much my spelling will improve playing Wheel of Fortune.” Of course, these days it’s all about the iPad. For every Angry Birds there’s an educational game out there to improve your child’s mind. Here are 40 of the best apps for your young Einstein. Most of them are paid apps, but if you’ve got $500 to drop on an iPad, we’re thinking you won’t mind......

A free book on education

2012-01-16T15:34:00.001-06:00

Mozilla Learning, Freedom and the Web

Professor's Classroom iPad App Debuts at Consumer Electronics Show

2012-01-16T13:03:00.001-06:00

Professor's Classroom iPad App Debuts at Consumer Electronics Show - Wired Campus - The Chronicle of Higher Education

A professor from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor is trying to turn the iPad into a new kind of classroom tool that lets students draw on a shared canvas.

Tips and success stories for effective mobile learning

2012-01-13T13:47:00.001-06:00

Tips and success stories for effective mobile learning | eSchool News

More and more schools are using mobile learning devices to help boost student engagement and achievement, and a new monograph from the Consortium for School Networking (CoSN) examines some of the best practices in mobile devices from schools across the nation.

ED TECH One I-pad per student Burlington MA High School 01/04 by EduTalk | Blog Talk Radio

2012-01-11T09:35:00.000-06:00

ED TECH One I-pad per student Burlington MA High School 01/04 by EduTalk | Blog Talk Radio Take a listen!

'Badges' Earned Online Pose Challenge to Traditional College Diplomas - College 2.0

2012-01-11T09:13:00.001-06:00

'Badges' Earned Online Pose Challenge to Traditional College Diplomas - College 2.0 - The Chronicle of Higher Education

By Jeffrey R. Young

The spread of a seemingly playful alternative to traditional diplomas, inspired by Boy Scout achievement patches and video-game power-ups, suggests that the standard certification system no longer works in today's fast-changing job market.

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Photo Pin

2012-01-10T13:12:00.001-06:00

Photo Pin : Free Photos for Your Blog or Website via Creative Commons

A place to find free photos for blogging!

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Fisheye, Macro, Wide Angle and Telephoto Phone Lenses

2012-01-10T11:58:00.001-06:00

Fisheye, Macro, Wide Angle and Telephoto Phone Lenses

It's hard to believe you were that Snobby McSnobberson of yore -- 100% dedicated to film and cringing at the "D" in DSLR. But then, cell phone cameras happened.

It was the readiness with which you could whip out this camera that made you fall in love. Yes, it had you at hello (get it? it's a phone), and now your only wish is to bathe your beloved with lavish accessories.

Well, your wish is granted! Our high-clarity glass cell phone lenses are like pro lenses for your camera phone, giving you crisp and clear shots every time.

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One Laptop Per Child Debuts Rugged Tablet for Students in the Developing World

2012-01-10T10:13:00.001-06:00

One Laptop Per Child Debuts Rugged Tablet for Students in the Developing World

One Laptop Per Child will unveil its XO 3.0 tablet at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas Monday. The fully functional tablet is designed to be inexpensive, use little energy and brave extreme weather conditions.

The rugged tablet includes the Marvell ARMADA PXA618 SOC processor, Avastar Wi-Fi SOC, standard or Pixel Qi sunlight-readable display, and supports Android and Linux operating systems. Unlike any other tablet on the market, it can be powered by solar energy, other alternative sources or hand-cranks.....

ScreenTweet – Awesome Twitter Tool

2012-01-09T07:27:00.001-06:00

ScreenTweet – Awesome Twitter Tool | Mark Brumley

I’m super excited to work with this web 2.0 tool in education. I just discovered ScreenTweet and see great potential in the classroom. Let’s take a look.

Yes, many image tweeting services exist. Probably the most popular is TwitPic. However, I have been looking for a tool that delivers e-learning and audio as well. ScreenTweet does the job.....

Study: iPad Apps Improve Learning | Edudemic

2012-01-06T06:13:00.001-06:00

Study: iPad Apps Improve Learning | Edudemic

First of its kind evidence shows that an iPad learning app can measurably deliver educational value.

I’ve tested, rated, tried out, and put tons of educational iPad apps through their paces. Some are worthwhile, some are not worth your time. That’s why I was excited to read about a new study that attempted to figure out the actual effectiveness of iPad apps in learning. In a landmark study, a USC professor studied 122 fifth-graders from two schools and four math classes to assess the effectiveness of an iPad app for improving students’ fractions knowledge and attitudes.

The study is the first to document learning and motivation gains achieved through iPad game play. Even without data of this nature, more than 600 school districts nationwide have already integrated iPads into their curriculum. This study, centered around Motion Math (video below), a fractions game available on the iPad, iPhone, and iPad, is the first to suggest that the investment may be worth it.

Education researcher Michelle Riconscente (Los Angeles) designed and constructed the study, which was funded by a grant from the Noyce Foundation and Stanford StartX company, Motion Math.
First of its kind evidence shows that an iPad learning app can measurably deliver educational value.

I’ve tested, rated, tried out, and put tons of educational iPad apps through their paces. Some are worthwhile, some are not worth your time. That’s why I was excited to read about a new study that attempted to figure out the actual effectiveness of iPad apps in learning. In a landmark study, a USC professor studied 122 fifth-graders from two schools and four math classes to assess the effectiveness of an iPad app for improving students’ fractions knowledge and attitudes.

The study is the first to document learning and motivation gains achieved through iPad game play. Even without data of this nature, more than 600 school districts nationwide have already integrated iPads into their curriculum. This study, centered around Motion Math (video below), a fractions game available on the iPad, iPhone, and iPad, is the first to suggest that the investment may be worth it.

Education researcher Michelle Riconscente (Los Angeles) designed and constructed the study, which was funded by a grant from the Noyce Foundation and Stanford StartX company, Motion Math.

Teaching Kids with iPads

2012-01-05T11:24:00.001-06:00

Teaching Kids with iPads – Part 1 of 5 | Elementary School Tech Ideas

A few months ago I took a survey of my elementary kids to see what kind of mobile technology they had at home and it turned out that 53% of my students in 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades had iPads and 82% had iPods! With over half of my students having iPads, there is no doubt that soon they will be bringing these devices to school — so it go me thinking…
How do I teach students with iPads?
So I called my friends over at Atomic Learning to brainstorm some ideas and we both agreed that this was a question worth answering. They explained that they are working with classrooms that have iPads and they have been gathering some interesting ideas on how iPad classrooms are a lot different than conventional ones. So with some pointers from them, I decided to do an iPad Boot Camp.....

10 Super Geeky Tips for the New Year

2012-01-02T11:33:00.001-06:00

10 Super Geeky Tips for the New Year | The Daring Librarian

I'm usually not one for new year's resolutions. If I decide to do something the calendar doesn't matter & I've blown too many good resolutions to believe an arbitrary day will make a diff. BUT...there are a few things that are easily done & feels great for a SUPER GEEKY SAFE....errm Aware! New Year. (There is no *safe* on the Interwebs, only Aware!).....

Android 4 Schools

2011-12-27T13:50:00.001-06:00

- Android 4 Schools - great new site with info and resources for Android in education

Android 4 Schools is a new site from Richard Byrne, author of Free Technology for Teachers. In this site, Richard and his guest authors will be sharing resources and reviews of apps (mostly free) that can be used in K-12 schools, along with ways that those apps can be used in the educational setting by teachers, students, and administrators.

The site is off to a great start with quite a few apps reviewed already. The site will also have information about Android tablets for K-12, books about Android, and tutorials.

If you use Android as an educator, administrator, or student, or your school is looking at using them, you should check out this site.

Skitch for iPad: Annotation using an iPad made easy

2011-12-27T12:44:00.001-06:00

Skitch for iPad: Annotation using an iPad made easy : The Edublogger

Being able to quickly annotate screenshots and images is an essential part of my work.

So it’s exciting to see Skitch, the service that allows you to quickly annotate, edit and share screenshots and images, release their Skitch for iPad app today.

This is an invaluable app, for those like me, looking for fast ways to annotate images on their iPad.

Key features are:

Similar to the Mac version, Skitch for iPad includes an arrow tool, text tool, drawing tool, shapes tool, crop tool and a cursor tool.
Ability to import an image, take a photo, create your own drawing, browser a web page and take a screenshot and annotate a map using the inbuilt Google Maps interface.
Extensive share options including share by mail, Twitter, save to camera role and full integration with Evernote.
It’s free to download. Read more about Skitch for iPad here.

Skitch has been available for Android users since August and if you’re an Android user you can read more here.

A List of Apps to Install on Your New iPad

2011-12-26T09:01:00.001-06:00

A List of Apps to Install on Your New iPad

We can imagine that a fair share of iPads got unwrapped this morning, and the first thing you’re going to want to do is switch it on and get a few awesome apps on there. Last year, we gave you a long list of apps that will help you get started with all of the popular essentials.

This year, we’ve decided to do the same thing, adding a ton of great apps to the list that you’ll want to get on to your iPad straight away. The list includes apps to handle your photos and videos, music apps, productivity apps, a few essentials to meet all of your social media needs, and of course a few games to keep you entertained......

83 EdTech Resources You May Have Missed Treasure Chest–December 18, 2011 | Tech the Plunge

2011-12-19T07:50:00.001-06:00

83 EdTech Resources You May Have Missed Treasure Chest–December 18, 2011 | Tech the Plunge

83 EdTech Resources You May Have Missed Treasure Chest–December 18, 2011

The Top 20 iPhone And iPad Apps of 2011 | TechCrunch

2011-12-19T07:46:00.001-06:00

The Top 20 iPhone And iPad Apps of 2011 | TechCrunch

It’s telling that Apple chose an app that debuted more than 14 months ago, Instagram, as its “iPhone App of the Year” for 2011. This should not imply that there was a shortage of quality and groundbreaking apps released this year. Far from it.

From social magazines to music discovery apps to console-quality games that players can hold in the palms of their hands, there are hundreds of new titles in the iTunes App Store that will inform, organize, and entertain virtually anyone who owns an iOS device. As more choices become available to different kinds of consumers, however, it’s difficult to identify the undisputed champions of the app world.......

Create your own iPad keyboard for less than $10! - iPads in Education

2011-12-17T10:21:00.001-06:00

Create

your own iPad keyboard for less than $10! - iPads in Education

One of the more common complaints among iPad users is that the keyboard is awkward to use. Apple offers a wireless keyboard solution at the prohibitive price of about $70 plus shipping but you can actually create your own simple iPad keyboard for less then $10.

15 Killer Google Chrome Features You Might Not Know About

2011-12-16T06:53:00.001-06:00

15 Killer Google Chrome Features You Might Not Know About

Google Chrome has been steadily gaining in the browser market share since its launch 2 years ago. It’s not without its flaws but it definitely falls in the “kinda cool” category. Its simplicity and minimalistic, yet feature-rich, interface caused a lot of users to ditch their old and trusted browser in favor of this new tool.

Education Week Teacher: Using Twitter in High School Classrooms

2011-12-15T07:35:00.001-06:00

Education Week Teacher: Using Twitter in High School Classrooms

Not long ago, I met a super-motivated team of teachers from Westfield High School (Westfield, Ind.) at my Teaching the iGeneration workshop in Cincinnati. They were particularly interested in the different ways that Twitter can be used in schools. To help, I turned to the teachers in my own Twitter network for ideas—and while the examples shared were as diverse as the digital peers that I learn from, they seemed to fall into three broad categories:......

15 Schools Using Flipped Classrooms Right Now

2011-12-08T09:49:00.001-06:00

15 Schools Using Flipped Classrooms Right Now | Edudemic

Modern technology has spurred on a new trend in education: flipped classrooms. In a flipped classroom, students watch lectures and supplemental materials for their classes at home, usually pre-recorded by their instructors and uploaded to the web.

Classroom time is then used for answering student questions, helping with homework, and other activities that help students apply what they’ve learned.

While there are some obvious drawbacks to this method, more and more teachers are trying it out. Many have found it to be quite successful in improving student grades and comprehension, though many caution it’s not right for every teacher or every classroom.

Whether you love the idea or think it’s crazy, it’s definitely worth learning more about. Check out these stories of schools, from elementary to college, who have given flipped classrooms a go, often with amazing results. It may motivate you to try it yourself or might open your mind to the new possibilities tech offers educators.

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Social Media Revolution 2011

2011-12-07T10:50:00.001-06:00

Social Media Revolution 2011 - YouTube

Social Media Revolution 2011

A complete guide to web, Facebook, Twitter, and Google Plus privacy and security!

2011-12-05T11:24:00.001-06:00

A complete guide to web, Facebook, Twitter, and Google Plus privacy and security! : The Edublogger

The digital landscape has changed dramatically in the last few years. The Web 2.0 revolution brought with it the ability for everyone to create content on the web at rates I can’t imagine anyone ever thought possible.....

12 Things You Didn’t Know Facebook Could Do

2011-12-05T11:00:00.001-06:00

12 Things You Didn’t Know Facebook Could Do - NYTimes.com

The designers and engineers who build Facebook are anything but complacent about their success. They face a constant threat from the career-centric LinkedIn, specialized upstarts like Instagram’s mobile photo network and now Google’s fast-growing Google+, an attempt to improve on Facebook’s core design that has picked up tens of millions of users in its first few weeks.

So Facebook has been adding features to make the reigning social network more useful and convenient.

As the number of features grows, though, so does a corresponding problem: Most of Facebook’s 750 million users don’t know these features exist. Some don’t know how to find them, some don’t go hunting for them in Facebook’s ever-growing interface of controls and many don’t even think of them in the first place. A few minutes of exploration can uncover functions that make Facebook not just an addiction but a pleasure to use......

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Teacher Experience Exchange - 5 awesome alternatives to a traditional classroom blog

2011-11-30T09:31:00.001-06:00

Teacher Experience Exchange - 5 awesome alternatives to a traditional classroom blog

Blogging is still an excellent educational activity for your students. It provides opportunities for them to develop writing skills as well as an outlet for creative thinking. However, if the "traditional blog" is losing its appeal but you still want your students to focus on writing, we've got a few alternatives to the classroom blog for you.

Let's start with the most "blog-like" site and explore the similarities and differences. Tumblr is becoming a very important social media tool and is gaining popularity in the educational setting. It's not nearly as big as Facebook or Twitter but it is growing fast and teachers are jumping on board.

So, what is Tumblr? Basically, it's a blogging platform for posts larger than Twitter and smaller than a traditional blog. Posts are usually rich with a combination of text and multimedia. A unique feature is the ability to "tumble" blog posts. This takes a post of a friend and posts it on your page. If you use Twitter, this is similar to retweeting.

Tumblr is a nice tool for teachers and older students but everyone will need accounts. Create an account for your class and have your students create accounts as well. Then, follow your students' accounts and vice-versa. Now you are all connected and can interact in numerous ways. Your students have an excellent vehicle for all manner of writing and multimedia projects.

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Using VoiceThread to communicate and collaborate

2011-11-30T09:20:00.001-06:00

Using VoiceThread to communicate and collaborate

One of the best free Web 2.0 tools available to teachers and students is VoiceThread. Initially defined as a “group audio blog,” VoiceThread allows users to have ongoing digital conversations built from text, audio, and/or video comments added by small groups of participants around any content imaginable. Some teachers upload PowerPoint presentations filled with quotes, charts, graphs, and statistics for their students to study. Others upload Word documents, provocative images, and/or short video clips. Regardless of the kinds of content choices that you make, VoiceThread has the potential to engage your students and — if you’re willing to find professional partners to play with — to connect your class with students across counties, countries, or continents.

VoiceThread has three distinct advantages for teachers interested in making digital communication a part of their professional practice:....

100+ iPad Apps Perfect For High School

2011-11-29T06:34:00.001-06:00

100+ iPad Apps Perfect For High School | Edudemic

If you’re a student, teacher, or administrator at a high school looking into adopting iPads for educational purposes, it’s important to know that the iPad is more than just an easy way to browse the web or visit the app store.

There are actually thousands of educational apps hiding in the bowels of the app store.But how do you find them? Unless you know exactly what you’re looking for, it is usually pretty tough to find the best apps. Heck, once you may come across an app it may prove to not be worth the time it took to download!

Share your sounds - SoundCloud

2011-11-20T20:20:00.001-06:00

SoundCloud - Share Your Sounds

Capture a voice, moment or music in seconds or upload audio you’ve already created.

1:1 Computing is a challange

2011-11-19T17:26:00.001-06:00

Survey of School Administrators Explores Digital Classrooms, Major Challenges -- THE Journal

Nearly two-thirds (63 percent) of school administrators who responded to a recent survey said 1:1 computing classrooms where teachers act as a coach for students are the future of education, in a poll that looked at some of the changes, opportunities, and challenges that lie ahead for schools.

Flipping your classroom

2011-11-14T10:32:00.001-06:00

How the Flipped Classroom Is Radically Transforming Learning - THE DAILY RIFF - Be Smarter. About Education.

..... we began to record our live lessons using screen capture software. We posted our lectures online so our students could access them. When we did this YouTube was just getting started and the world of online video was just in its infancy.

Flipping the classroom has transformed our teaching practice. We no longer stand in front of our students and talk at them for thirty to sixty minutes at a time. This radical change has allowed us to take on a different role with our students. ....

Using Apps in the classroom

2011-11-09T10:03:00.001-06:00

APPitic - 1,300+ EDUapps

APPitic is a directory of apps for education by Apple Distinguished Educators (ADEs) to help you transform teaching and learning. These apps have been tested in a variety of different grade levels, instructional strategies and classroom settings.

21 things that will become obsolete in education by 2020

2011-11-08T07:00:00.001-06:00

21 things that will become obsolete in education by 2020 - Education - Site Home - MSDN Blogs

It’s nearly two years since Shelly Blake-Plock wrote “21 things that will become obsolete in education by 2020” on his TeachPaperless blog. I’d highly recommend it for a mid-week read - and perhaps use it to stimulate some thinking on where you can help your own organisation as you move into the future - whether you work in an education institution, or you’re a Microsoft partner working with education customers.

25 Tips for taking great photographs

2011-11-07T09:59:00.001-06:00

25 Tips for Taking Great Photographs | Prudent Baby

25 Tips for Taking Great Photos This list starts with some general thoughts on photography and gets into the nitty gritty. Stick with it and you will learn something.

Why Johnny Can't Search - a Response

2011-11-07T09:13:00.001-06:00

Why Johnny Can't Search - a Response

We're often told that young people tend to be the most tech savvy among us. But just how savvy are they? A group of researchers led by College of Charleston business professor Bing Pan tried to find out. Specifically, Pan wanted to know how skillful young folks are at online search. His team gathered a group of college students and asked them to look up the answers to a handful of questions. Perhaps not surprisingly, the students generally relied on the webpages at the top of Google's results list. But Pan pulled a trick: he changed the order of the results for some students. More often than not, those kids went for the bait and also used the (falsely) top-ranked pages. Pan grimly concluded that students aren't assessing information sources on their own merit - they're putting too much trust in machine. Other studies have found the same thing: high school and college students may be “digital natives” but they're wretched at searching. In a recent experiment at Northwestern, when 102 undergraduates were asked to do some research online, none went to the trouble of checking the author's credentials. In 1955, we wondered why Johnny can't read. Today the question is why can't Johnny search?

Best 107 Websites

2011-11-07T09:03:00.001-06:00

Best Websites

Here you go, the best 107 websites for all your needs. We’ve taken the effort to categorize the websites and picked only those we believe to be the best ones and which will most likely be useful to you. Spread the word!

Tools for learning: Mobile phones and authentic learning tasks | edtalks.org

2011-11-03T14:50:00.001-05:00

Tools for learning: Mobile phones and authentic learning tasks | edtalks.org

Keynote speaker at ULearn11, Dr Jan Herrington, explores the use of mobile phones as powerful ‘cognitive tools', where students’ phones can be used to research, produce and publish polished products of learning. Jan is Professor of Education at Murdoch University, and she discusses here some strategies for the design of innovative learning activities and tasks for mobile devices, using authentic learning principles, where whole units of study or projects can be designed around complex and engaging tasks.

Collaborative annotation of images online | SpeakingImage

2011-11-02T06:05:00.001-05:00

Collaborative annotation of images online | SpeakingImage

SpeakingImage is an application for creating interactive images and share them with others. You can also create groups, add wikis and set different permissions to manage collaborative work

30 Awesome Web Apps for Your iPad

2011-10-25T07:19:00.001-05:00

30 Awesome Web Apps for Your iPad

As incredible as it seems, it’s been over a year and a half since the original iPad was released, forever changing what the world thought of tablet computers. The old Tablet PCs were clunky, expensive machines that could run any Windows program, albeit slower and more awkwardly than a full computer. The iPad at first glance looks just like a scaled-up iPhone, but the wide range of apps and number of varied uses it’s found in homes, schools, and businesses has made tablets a permeant part of our computing ecosystem.

Three Alternatives to Clicker Response Systems

2011-10-20T07:35:00.001-05:00

Free Technology for Teachers: Three Alternatives to Clicker Response Systems

Using clicker systems is one of many ways that technology can be used to gather anonymous feedback from students in a classroom. One of the problems associated with those systems is the cost of acquiring them. Here are three alternatives to purchasing clicker systems for your school while still gathering anonymous feedback from students.

50 Serious Games for Social Change | Accredited Online Colleges.com

2011-10-15T13:12:00.001-05:00

50 Serious Games for Social Change | Accredited Online Colleges.com

As a college student, you might think that all computer games are meant for procrastinating and letting off steam. But these computer games are especially designed to teach you about social issues, from public health to the environment to human rights to poverty. Here are 50 serious (but still fun) games for social change.

- Web Tools That Every Educator Should Have in the Bag

2011-10-14T06:49:00.001-05:00

- Web Tools That Every Educator Should Have in the Bag

There are hundreds of web tools that have been developed educators in mind. Although it is not possible for us to know and use all of them, there are some tools that we should all have in the bag.

10 Twitter tools to effectively manage your followers

2011-10-13T11:20:00.001-05:00

10 Twitter tools to effectively manage your followers

HOME » SOCIAL MEDIA TIPS » 10 TWITTER TOOLS TO EFFECTIVELY MANAGE YOUR FOLLOWERS PUBLISHED ON MAR 17, 2009 @ 10:23 AUTHOR: +MANI KARTHIK 10 Twitter tools to effectively manage your followers 58 Share Managing your followers and friends on Twitter is not easy. But its a fact that your success ratio and influence power is directly proportional to how active your followers are. I’ve realized that rather than who follows you or how many people follow you, its important to know whom you are following and how active they are. Some of the factors that will determine your influence power on Twitter are - How active your followers are. - Do they ReTweet your tweets. - Whether they are regularly updated and have a good following. - Are those whom you follow, following you back etc. With the default options on Twitter, its not really easy to manage your followers, but here are some interesting web based applications that I found to be of great help. Hope you find them useful too.

Video Dropper

2011-10-11T07:14:00.001-05:00

Free Technology for Teachers: Video Dropper - Send YouTube Videos to Your Dropbox Account

Videodropper is a free service for sending your favorite YouTube videos to your Dropbox account. When you link your Dropbox account to Videodropper you'll be able send videos your Dropbox for download. With the two services connected you simply copy the url of a video into Videodropper and it will be sent to your Dropbox account and from there you can download the video to your computer.

The Teacher’s Guide To Using Posterous Spaces - Edudemic

2011-10-10T18:34:00.001-05:00

The Teacher’s Guide To Using Posterous Spaces - Edudemic

It’s important to be aware of the latest education technology out there. So let’s say you want to have your students have a personalized blog that reflects their likes, dislikes and style. Where do you turn? There’s Facebook (too regimented and big), Tumblr (a good option but can be pricey for premium themes), WordPress.com (also good but can be a bit complicated for non-tech-savvy users) and many others. But there’s one relatively new service that you should know about.

Meeting the Goals of the National Education Technology Plan

2011-10-07T13:47:00.001-05:00

Policy Priorities:Meeting the Goals of the National Education Technology Plan

Meeting the Goals of the National Education Technology Plan

Text for free from your smart phone

2011-10-07T12:46:00.001-05:00

WhatsApp Messenger

WhatsApp Messenger is a cross-platform mobile messaging app which allows you to exchange messages without having to pay for SMS. WhatsApp Messenger is available for iPhone, BlackBerry, Android and Nokia and yes, those phones can all message each other! Because WhatsApp Messenger uses the same internet data plan that you use for email and web browsing, there is no cost to message and stay in touch with your friends.

Happy Birthday LibreOffice

2011-10-04T10:47:00.001-05:00

LibreOffice, TDF Mark First Anniversary of Office Productivity Suite - Linux and Open Source - News & Reviews - eWeek.com

The Document Foundation marks the first anniversary of the day developers broke away from Oracle-controlled OpenOffice.org to launch the LibreOffice office productivity suite.

The University of Wherever - NYTimes.com

2011-10-03T09:31:00.001-05:00

How should Universites be retooling?

The University of Wherever - NYTimes.com

FOR more than a decade educators have been expecting the Internet to transform that bastion of tradition and authority, the university. Digital utopians have envisioned a world of virtual campuses and “distributed” learning. They imagine a business model in which online courses are consumer-rated like products on Amazon, tuition is set by auction services like eBay, and students are judged not by grades but by skills they have mastered, like levels of a videogame. Presumably, for the Friday kegger you go to the Genius Bar.

Free Technology for Teachers: Speak It - Text to Speech in Google Chrome

2011-09-30T11:40:00.001-05:00

Free Technology for Teachers: Speak It - Text to Speech in Google Chrome

Speak It is a Google Chrome extension that enables you to have the text on most webpages read to you. With Speak It installed just highlight the text on a the page you're viewing then right-click to activate Speak It. Then click the play button to have the text read to you. The voice is very digitized, but it is clear. Installing Speak It takes just a few seconds. To install it go to Speak It's page in the Chrome Web Store and click the install button. Restarting your browser is not required in order to activate Speak It. If you decide that you don't want to use Speak It any longer you can uninstall it by right-clicking on the Speak It icon in your browser and selecting uninstall.

Banned Websites Awareness Day

2011-09-28T07:36:00.001-05:00

Happy Banned Websites Awareness Day and 7 Myths - Home - Doug Johnson's Blue Skunk Blog

Banned Websites Awareness Day (BWAD), sponsored by AASL, will be celebrated on Wed., Sept. 28. Check out the BWAD landing page with resources gathered by the AASL Intellectual Freedom Committee. Read the numerous AASL Blog entries [listed below-Doug] supporting the effort to spotlight how filtering affects teachers’ instruction and students’ learning, and cruise through the many resources found in the BWAD Essential Links.

Helen Adams AASL Intellectual Freedom Committee chair

Stephen Downes free eBooks

2011-09-13T10:47:00.001-05:00

My eBooks ~ Stephen's Web

These are book-length collections of my talks, publications, presentations and other writings. Most of them have not been formally published, and may never be, because my priority is to make open-access versions available. Over time I'll make them available in more formats.

Embracing Technology: Are iPads the Future of Learning?

2011-09-12T10:16:00.001-05:00

Embracing Technology: Are iPads the Future of Learning? | iPad.AppStorm

There has already been considerable debate over the value of embracing emerging technology in education, particularly the use of iPads in schools, but is this debate simply over method or is there something more drastic taking place?

If the use of iPads can significantly improve the engagement of students, and increase their ability to explore subjects and develop in their learning, then are we doing them a disservice by being slow on the uptake?

71 Interesting Ways to Use Google Forms in the Classroom

2011-09-10T13:20:00.001-05:00

How to Use Evernote to Organize Your Homeschool

2011-09-08T10:08:00.001-05:00

How to Use Evernote to Organize Your Homeschool | Suite101.com

Evernote is a free downloadable program designed to help you remember and organize everything. Jot quick notes. Capture text and images from the Web. Organize "notes" by subject. Find everything in the same place, always available, synced across all devices (PC, Mac, mobile).

The basics: In simplest terms, Evernote is a desktop note-taking, image capture application that can sync your "notes" across all your devices via the Internet. A "note" is any stored item (text, email, captured or scanned image, etc.). A "notebook" is a container for related notes. A note might contain text, i.e., a note you write yourself, an email you received, a photo or image, or some captured content from a webpage.

Slide Six - Easily Add Narration to Slide Shows

2011-09-08T03:07:00.001-05:00

Slide Six is a slide show hosting service that offers you the ability to add your voice narrations without having to create, upload, and sync a separate audio file. Slide Six does this by allowing you to record your narration directly through the Slide Six site. To use the feature just upload your slide show and then record your voice as you go through your slide deck. Slide Six also allows you to upload attachments to complement your presentations. YouTube and Vimeo videos are supported within Slide Six.

TubeChop - Chop YouTube Videos

TubeChop allows you to easily chop a funny or interesting section from any YouTube video and share it.

In Classroom of Future, Stagnant Scores

2011-09-04T10:54:00.001-05:00

Technology in Schools Faces Questions on Value - NYTimes.com

In this technology-centric classroom, students are bent over laptops, some blogging or building Facebook pages from the perspective of Shakespeare’s characters. One student compiles a song list from the Internet, picking a tune by the rapper Kanye West to express the emotions of Shakespeare’s lovelorn Silvius.

The class, and the Kyrene School District as a whole, offer what some see as a utopian vision of education’s future. Classrooms are decked out with laptops, big interactive screens and software that drills students on every basic subject. Under a ballot initiative approved in 2005, the district has invested roughly $33 million in such technologies.

The Seven Steps to Becoming a 21st Century School or District

2011-09-04T10:08:00.001-05:00

The Seven Steps to Becoming a 21st Century School or District | Edutopia

Last summer, as I was winding down my eight years as president of the Partnership for 21st Century Skills, I went around the country and met with 30 superintendents, asking them, "What can I do to support your efforts to implement 21st century education in your district?" Together we came up with the idea of creating a professional learning community (PLC) of education leaders committed to 21st century education. A team of us liked the idea so much that earlier this year we launched EdLeader21, a community of education leaders committed to building critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity into their educational system.

Mom This is How Twitter Works

2011-09-04T09:48:00.001-05:00

Mom This is How Twitter Works

Twitter is an online social networking tool in which users post 140 character updates of what is going on in their lives along with links to things they think are interesting, funny, or useful to their followers (“following” being essentially what “friending” is on other sites). People use twitter in many ways, some as a newsfeed by following prominent people or networks, some as a pseudo-chatroom by limiting their followers and whom they follow to close friends and family, and some as a microblog for updating people about the work they are doing and their personal lives.

Free Technology for Teachers: Draw It Live - A Simple, Free, Collaborative Whiteboard

2011-09-04T09:37:00.000-05:00

Free Technology for Teachers: Draw It Live - A Simple, Free, Collaborative Whiteboard

Draw It Live is a nice little website that I discovered this morning while exploring the Chrome Web Store. Draw It Live offers a free space for you to instantly create a collaborative whiteboard to use with anyone you like.

Google Sites Adds Page-Level Permissions: First Look

2011-09-01T14:05:00.001-05:00

Google Sites Adds Page-Level Permissions: First Look - The BrainYard - InformationWeek

Google has added a much-needed security feature to Google Sites for Apps business customers, giving businesses the ability to enable page-level permissions within the service. The new feature will make it easier for admins to control who can find and edit any given Site page without having to alter site-wide permissions.

Using Gmail, Calendar and Docs without an internet connection

2011-09-01T08:50:00.001-05:00

Official Google Enterprise Blog: Using Gmail, Calendar and Docs without an internet connection

The great thing about web apps is that you can access all of your information on the go, and we’ve introduced ways to use Google Apps on a variety of devices like mobile phones and tablets. But it’s inevitable that you’ll occasionally find yourself in situations when you don’t have an internet connection, like planes, trains and carpools. When we announced Chromebooks at Google I/O 2011, we talked about bringing offline access to our web apps, and now we’re taking our first steps in that direction. Gmail offline will be available today, and offline for Google Calendar and Google Docs will be rolling out over the next week, starting today.

The 7 Golden Rules of Using Technology in Schools

2011-08-18T07:40:00.001-05:00

The 7 Golden Rules of Using Technology in Schools | MindShift

Sometimes teachers and administrators need a kick in the pants to see what they perceive as problems re-framed in a different way. Adam S. Bellow, author of The Tech Commandments, and founder of eduTecher, spoke to a roomful of receptive teachers at the recent ISTE 2011 conference, and demonstrated some of the ironies and contradictions the education system is mired in. And he had some advice.

62 things you can do with Dropbox

2011-08-18T07:38:00.001-05:00

62 things you can do with Dropbox | Web | Macworld

The file-synchronizing service has revolutionized the way we use our internet capable devices; we’re always looking for new things it can do.

22 Best Apps for Education

2011-08-18T07:33:00.001-05:00

22 Best Apps for Education | Collaboration Ideas

I recently knew that some schools and high-schools are encouraging students to use iPads and iPhones in and out of the classroom. There is no doubt that they are perfect tools to engage students: kids and teenagers find it very easy to use and love gadgets, plus it is much easier to get students doing homework when they feel comfortable with the tool. We already have plenty of tools, platforms and apps that can help students and teachers collaborating and working together, real time even, but when it comes to assignments, most of them find it hard to get related to those activities, and here is where PCs, tablets and mobile phones simplified the job and even make it more attractive to the youngsters. So, if you want your students to get more involved in their learning process, you can suggest them one of these 22 best Apps

5 Reasons why every educator should have a Google Voice Account.

2011-08-17T07:31:00.001-05:00

5 Reasons why every educator should have a Google Voice Account. « TJ Houston.com

Google Voice is a service from Google that allows you to have a phone number that you can forward to any and all of your phones. The service is free and it is super easy to get started. Today we will talk about what Google Voice is and how we can use it in the classroom.

Blabberize - make talking pictures | The Whiteboard Blog

2011-08-16T10:58:00.000-05:00

Blabberize - make talking pictures | The Whiteboard Blog

Blabberize is a fun site that lets you create talking heads and record your own voice to go with it.

It’s pretty simple to use – and it’s free. Upload a photograph, define the bottom of the mouth and the chin (this is the bit that moves) and then upload or record a sound for it to say.

Textbooks just became cheaper and more social

2011-08-10T12:45:00.001-05:00

Textbooks just became cheaper and more social | Tech Report | Marketplace from American Public Media

A company called Kno has been distributing iPad versions of college textbooks since June. The company says it has 100,000 textbooks digitized and available and for sale at a cost of 30-50% less than the physical book. Plus: lighter. Now, Kno is making those same books available on the web and through Facebook. Kno is adding the ability to discuss what you’re reading with friends and take quizzes on what you’ve just been reading by taking the text and blocking out key elements.

Back to School 2011 – Empowering students starts today « Generation YES Blog

2011-08-10T10:30:00.000-05:00

Back to School 2011 – Empowering students starts today « Generation YES Blog

Here are a number of “back to school” posts collected in one place!

10 Google Chrome Apps for Increased Productivity

2011-08-08T12:13:00.001-05:00

10 Google Chrome Apps for Increased Productivity

We brought you a list of great Chrome apps for small businesses shortly after the store’s opening. Here are ten new ones that are sure to increase your web productivity while at work.

Shift Happens 5

2011-08-08T09:30:00.001-05:00

Shift Happens v5 - Iowa, Did You Know? [VIDEO] | Dangerously Irrelevant | Big Think

The Did You Know? (Shift Happens) videos have been seen by at least 40 million people online and perhaps that many again during face-to-face conferences, workshops, etc. This week saw the release of the latest version, this one focused on the state of Iowa. Titled Iowa, Did You Know?, the video is aimed at Iowa policymakers, citizens, and educators and is intended to help them feel a greater sense of urgency when it comes to changing our schools.

You Quote It, You Note It!

2011-08-07T08:37:00.001-05:00

Vaughan Memorial Library : Tutorials : Plagiarism

A simple way to teach students about citing resources.

Guest Blog - The Logical Progression Video: An Appealing Option for Educators

2011-08-05T14:06:00.000-05:00

The following was submitted by Lindsey Wright

The Logical Progression Video: An Appealing Option for Educators

The creation of a logical progression video is a worthwhile project for any classroom from elementary school to online college classes. These interactive videos are the modern technology-based version of the "choose your own adventure" books, in which readers choose how the story continues from a selection of plot twists and turns. Possible applications to career skills and curriculum abound with this clever and intriguing technology. Logical progression videos uniquely engage students in the creative use of technology, decision-making, and curriculum.

Whitworth University in Spokane, Washington recently proved that logical progression videos can effectively capture the interest of student viewers. As noted in The Chronicle of Higher Education, the university posted an interactive video to its "Whitworth University Class of 2015" Facebook page.

To keep accepted incoming students interested in the university over the summer, Whitworth University posted the first video in "The Quest for the Golden Pine Cone" on June 30. Viewer interest grew as the school's mascot, the Whitworth Pirate, searched the campus for the golden pine cone and made some interesting discoveries along the way. The end of the video revealed that the pirate's next move depended on Facebook viewers' votes.

The interactive film seems to have been successful in drawing in a large number of viewers. The Facebook page's membership has increased 39% in the single month since the video's posting. The interactive video generated more than enough interest to accomplish the school's goal of retaining incoming students.

Logical progression videos have engagement value with viewers because they allow them to make an impact on the storyline. At regular intervals, the film presents the audience with several options on how the plot should continue. The Harvard Learning Objects Lab has found that the logical progression video is an effective tool "to help students interact with the learning material, give feedback, value or get excited about featured content, identify or differentiate between information resources, strategize approaches to research (such as critical evaluation, etc.), among other things."

Interactive films are also genuinely cost-effective. Students may record the short videos with a digital camera and then post them to the internet via YouTube. YouTube provides a free venue for the creation of "choose your own adventure" videos, which are connected by inserting hyperlinks to several other YouTube videos into the first. Richard Byrne walks educators through three simple steps to linking YouTube videos on his website Free Tech For Teachers.

Interactive videos allow for extreme flexibility in curriculum and student participation. Teachers can use the videos to explore any subject matter imaginable. They may create a math problem-solving quest, a twisting literary plot, a hunt for scientific elements or historical artifacts, or a review of ethical situations. They can also use the films to engage students in the dramatic and technical aspects of the films' creation. Students may take on the roles of scriptwriters, actors, cameramen, film editors, and YouTube uploaders, as well as joining the film's eventual audience.

Logical progression videos also have the potential to draw on many useful problem-solving skills. The video's creation requires student creativity and critical thinking. Students must carefully map several paths through the video to each possible outcome. They gain an understanding of the logical paths of cause and effect while they work. The interactive medium allows students to watch their own creation take unexpected paths and then make adjustments to the storyline as needed. As the film's creators, rather than merely its viewers, students become much more closely involved with the project.

Whatever subject the interactive videos are meant to teach, they have the added benefit of integrating the subject matter with important career skills. Students can learn to create and refine a product, employ logical reasoning, and use technology for a creative project. They gain experience in these real-world skills while also reinforcing the subject matter through the repeated viewing and editing of the film.

It's important to stage an interactive video project in a way that allows it to make its full impact on students. Here are some guidelines from The Harvard Learning Objects Lab for creating the most effective "choose-your-own-adventure movie" possible:

It is customized to suit the needs and interests of a very specific audience.
It will be viewed in a classroom setting with clickers for voting on the next scene.
Novelty and active engagement is paramount.
Necessary details can be conveyed concisely.
People/actors will be featured.
The entertainment value of your content will balance nicely with its educational value.
Content will be delivered through storytelling or a problem solving scenario.
Information presented cannot be clearly or meaningfully conveyed with simple still images and text.

Logical progression videos are an appealing option for getting students engaged in the curriculum and involved in an exciting creative process at the same time. Teachers can adapt the project to virtually any curriculum and allow students to participate in the creative process at a level appropriate for their grade. Involvement in the film's creation provides students with added experience in career skills and critical thinking. Overall, the educational benefits of logical progression videos are well worth the class time and energy put into them.

Above and Beyond

2011-07-28T08:24:00.000-05:00

The Partnership for 21st Century Skills and Fablevision put together this great video showing why we need creativity and collaboration in our schools - we must be more than tests.

Stupeflix

2011-07-26T12:58:00.002-05:00

I had forgottne I have an account here - yes it's the free one that lets you make one minute videos, but how simple and easy...

Are Schools on the Verge of a Mobile-Phone Revolution?

2011-07-24T13:11:00.001-05:00

Are Schools on the Verge of a Mobile-Phone Revolution? - Education - GOOD

These days its pretty impossible to find a teen without a cell phone—over 75 percent of them own one—which means that schools should be seriously looking at how to harness the technology in the classroom. In fact, given the possibilities for learning through games, simulations, virtual environments and interfaces, we could be on the verge of a mobile education revolution. But, while isolated schools or school districts have experimental pilot projects, many educators are still pretty wary of mobile-based learning, and some even ban mobile phones from being on campus.........

Meaningful Choice

2011-07-23T08:04:00.001-05:00

“Meaningful Choice” and Persistence in Teaching « A Little Something

Yesterday, I attended a workshop led by Michael Angst from E-Line Media on game creation in the classroom and its potential to help students engage with learning in various content areas and develop core skills at the same time. Mike talked a lot about flow and echoed James Paul Gee in describing....

Leadership

2011-07-20T07:40:00.003-05:00

Leadership « Dr. Doug Green

Some nice ideas about Leadership and Technology

Benefits of Mobile Learning

2011-07-20T07:40:00.001-05:00

20_benefits_of_mobile.pdf - Powered by Google Docs

Worth looking at - this is coming

5 Unique Uses of Twitter in the Classroom

2011-07-19T12:45:00.001-05:00

5 Unique Uses of Twitter in the Classroom - US News and World Report

Social media has found a prominent place in the college classroom.

In fact, nearly 80 percent of faculty members are using social media in some way, according to a recent survey of nearly 2,000 college faculty by the Babson Survey Research Group published in April.
Click here to find out more!

While some platforms, such as YouTube, have been widely accepted in the classroom, Twitter has been slower to catch on as a teaching tool. In the same survey, only 2 percent of professors reported using the microblogging site—which limits posts to 140 characters—in class.

20 Forecasts for 2011-2025

2011-07-19T12:38:00.001-05:00

Special Report - 20 Forecasts for 2011-2025

20 Forecasts for 2011-2025

Trends and Breakthroughs Likely to Affect Your Work, Your Investments, and Your Family

Periodic Table of Videos

2011-07-19T12:26:00.001-05:00

The Periodic Table of Videos - University of Nottingham

What a great idea - a video for every element.

Blogging in the Classroom

2011-07-19T08:36:00.001-05:00

Education Technology - theory and practice: Blogging in the Classroom

This post present some ways to blog with your students. In my school we have used Blogger, because it is so easy to create. In 10 minutes students are ready to post for the first time.

In my opinion there are many benefits blogging in school. Students work and skils become visible, students gets feedback from classmates and also other maybe international schools and also learn to give open good ctitics for each other, student can use mobile for images, shoot their own videos or embed videos from Youtube - so there are many good reasons to start blogging in the classroom.

Leadership

2011-07-18T12:01:00.001-05:00

Leadership « Dr. Doug Green

Some nice ideas about Leadership and Technology

Google+: The Complete Guide

2011-07-18T11:23:00.001-05:00

Google+: The Complete Guide

Google+: It’s the hot social network on the block. In just three weeks, Google’s competitor to Facebook and Twitter has amassed more than 10 million users, and its users are sharing more than 1 billion pieces of content daily. It’s become a hotbed for early adopters, tech luminaries, marketers and businesses around the world.

Google+ isn’t the easiest thing to understand, though. It has a lot of features that can confuse beginners. Even advanced users can miss a lot of the little gems and nuances that define Google+.

http://steve-wheeler.blogspot.com/2011/07/seven-reasons-teachers-should-blog.html

2011-07-14T22:05:00.001-05:00

Learning with 'e's: Seven reasons teachers should blog

I have written extensively on what makes a good blogpost and why it is so powerful. From personal experience blogging is one of the most beneficial professional development activities I have ever engaged with. I learn more from blogging than I do from almost any other activity I participate in. Here are 7 good reasons why teachers should blog:

Slide Six - Easily Add Narration to Slide Shows

2011-07-14T07:05:00.001-05:00

How to Run Linux Applications On Your Mac

2011-07-12T10:36:00.001-05:00

How to Run Linux Applications On Your Mac | Mac|Life

Linux is beloved by many around the world for its simplicity and ultimate customization Because it's open source (and free!) many Mac users choose to run it as a virtual machine on VMWare, Parallels, or even Virtual Box. However, sometimes you might want to run a Linux-based application without having to jump through too many hoops. Using a SSH tool called X over SSH2, you can graphically load remote Linux apps and use them right on your Mac.

Minigroup - Create Private Groups for Blogging and Sharing Files

2011-07-08T05:05:00.001-05:00

Free Technology for Teachers: Minigroup - Create Private Groups for Blogging and Sharing Files

Minigroup is a free service for creating private groups in which you can share files, calendars, and announcements. Within your Minigroup account you can create multiple private groups so that you can have a group for sharing with friends, a group for sharing with colleagues, and a group for sharing with students. In each of your Minigroup groups you can post and invite people to events, post reminders, and share files. Minigroup postings are hid from search engines and anyone who is not invited into your group.

If you wouldn't say it face to face, don't post, text, email, tweet or IM it.

2011-07-07T22:13:00.001-05:00

If you wouldn't say it face to face, don't post, text, email, tweet or IM it.

So many children and teens are having arguments online that could be easily avoided if they followed the same social code online that they do IRL (in real life). It’s been said before, but it’s worth mentioning again: without facial expression, body language and tone, words can take on a whole new meaning. The reader interprets them, often wrongly, and attributes meaning where there may be none; then they respond in kind. And so the spiral begins, often ending badly for all.

The Seven Golden Rules of Using Technology in Schools

2011-07-07T07:16:00.001-05:00

The Seven Golden Rules of Using Technology in Schools | MindShift

Sometimes teachers and administrators need a kick in the pants to see what they perceive as problems re-framed in a different way. Adam S. Bellow, author of The Tech Commandments, and founder of eduTecher, spoke to a roomful of receptive teachers at the recent ISTE 2011 conference, and demonstrated some of the ironies and contradictions the education system is mired in. And he had some advice.

The Tech Commandments

2011-07-07T07:12:00.000-05:00

The Tech Commandments

The Tech Commandments are a reaction to what I have seen and experienced inschools over the past several years. I am a firm believer that successful implementation of educational technology is one of the corner stones that can help bring our educational system back from the brink of collapse that I feel it teeters on now. Our students need real-world experiences, they need to understand and be taught with the tools that they have access to in our world today.

PrimaryWall - Web based sticky notes for schools

2011-07-06T09:54:00.001-05:00

PrimaryWall - Web based sticky notes for schools

PrimaryWall is a web-based sticky note tool designed for schools that allows pupils and teachers to work together in real-time

The Evolution of Classroom Technology

2011-07-05T08:28:00.001-05:00

The Evolution of Classroom Technology - Edudemic

Classrooms have come a long way. There’s been an exponential growth in educational technology advancement over the past few years. From overhead projectors to iPads, it’s important to understand not only what’s coming next but also where it all started.

Turn a paper based book into an interactive book with QR Codes

2011-07-05T08:13:00.001-05:00

Turn a paper based book into an interactive book with QR Codes

Okay, this is just the coolest thing. A friend, Diane Lawrence, told me about this cool thing you could do with a Children’s book (or any book) using QR codes (bar codes) couple weeks ago. I finally had time to give it a try. So here is the deal…