Computers in the Classroom

Teenagers Online Behavior: Get Over It

2012-01-22T11:57:00.002-05:00

Danah Boyd, a 34 year-old, senior researcher at Microsoft Research, Cambridge, MA, sees no point in limiting young people's access to what's online. She claims that teachers, parents, P.T.A.s, and school administrators need to defer to the social changes happening offline. Teens' online lives merely mirror what they do offline and their developmental stage.

Danah Boyd Image credit: Erik Jacobs for New York Times, 1-22-12

Boyd states, in a Jan. 22, 2012 New York Times article, "Cracking Teenagers' Online Codes of Behavior": Children's ability to roam has basically been destroyed. Letting our children out to bike around the neighborhood is seen as terrifying now, even though by all measures, life is safer for kids today."

Basically, Boyd argues we need to let kids explore online. She claims that online they find information that helps them cope with issues like bullying, depression, and suicide.

As for online sexual predators, Boyd reminds us that kids are more at risk offline. For in fact, most predators are ones the children know: "The vast majority of sex crimes against kids involve someone that the kid trusts, and it's overwhelming a family member." Perhaps, our energies need to be redirected there, and we need to allow children to find advice online from professional counselors--a point that Boyd makes in support of Internet access.

Boyd is a long-time scholar and researcher in the field of youth culture. She holds a degree in computer science from Brown, earned a master's from the Media Lab at M.I.T., and earned at Ph.D. at the University of California, Berkley, from the School of Information. Boyd can be followed on Twitter. @Zephoria. She also has host of scholarly papers available, where else, but online.

Check the New York Times article. Do you agree with Boyd that we should give teens full access to the Internet? Do you agree it is time to stop blocking sites, some of which may be helpful to teens today? What points in the article ring true? With which do you disagree?

National Writing Project Posts High School Students' Videos

2012-01-20T15:48:00.002-05:00

Looking for some examples of videos produced by students that tell us story. Some excellent ones are posted on the National Writing Project site via using Vimeo to post the student examples.

Here is one example.

NWP Resource-Poem from D Filipiak on Vimeo.

Check the site to hear other students tell their story. . Don't forget to return to this blog to post your response. What did you think of the student videos? What ideas did you get for implementing for video technology, movie making, or digital storytelling from watching the videos?

Here are some additional links to find the students' digital stories at the National Writing Project site:

Overcoming Devastation
Obstacles for Dreams
Research Interview (Graffiti)

Creating a Digital Story with Wix

2012-01-19T23:41:00.000-05:00

Check this site that features the work of 12th grade students based on their reading of Elie Wiesel's Night. It is just another example of how Web 2.0 tools can be used to feature student work. This project was created with using Wix.

The Art of Witnessing is the name of the project. Here are some screen shots from the project, but use the link The Art of Witnessing to explore further on your own and to take the time to look at the students' work.

After looking through the parts of the online display, including the video about the project, let us know your thoughts about using this form of multimedia to showcase student work. Would you consider using a tool like Wix to create a website like this one? How do you think students will react to using such a tool, or to seeing their work displayed in this way?

Todays Meet

2012-01-18T23:36:00.000-05:00

I have posted before on Todays Meet, but came across an interesting use of it today by a middle school teacher and wanted to share his experiences. Please check out his blog posting called Say Something.

The posting is long, but it introduces several critical ideas about teaching, learning from our mistakes, adjusting our strategies, and finally achieving success albeit with some questions.

Picture of Steve Fulton from his blog

Check Steve's comments about his own failings and successes with introducing a "backchannel" and "online chat" when he integrated them into literacy reading activities asking students to engage in online discussions about the book they were reading in class.

If you have some time, roam around further in Steve's blog Teaching with Technology in the Middle, in which he reflects on his classroom experiences. He also has a blog he uses with his students, Mr. Fulton's Language Arts. Here you will find examples of how one teacher uses blogging to keep students current of assignments and course projects.

Also, after reading Steve's blog post Say Something, write a comment to him in the comment box. He will probably appreciate hearing from you.

And don't forget to comment here. What was your response to learning about how Steve was trying to use TodaysMeet in the classroom? Would you consider the tool? If so, how might you use it? Would like to see other examples of its uses?

Do 2nd Graders Get Twitter?

2011-11-26T11:04:00.000-05:00

Yes, they do. I was overwhelmed when I read this post and then heard the students themselves speak about how Twitter has helped them. They really understand Twitter and the value of posting comments. Students also speak about how Twitter is helping them to become a better writer. Listen to their reflections by accessing this post: They Really Get It! These students are convincing, and perhaps listening to them will help convince you to open a Twitter account and begin to use it in the classroom with your students. If you are on Twitter, follow @grade1.

When you go to the post, be sure to click on the play button in the Twitteracy area to hear the students speak. Also, note how the Livescribe pen works.

Image from Aviva's blog

By the way, the teacher who maintains the blog you will visit is Aviva Dunsiger. As time permits, scroll through and read other posts on her blog: Grades 1 and 2 At Ancaster Meadow School to learn more about exciting tech projects that Aviva does with her students.

Please be sure to leave a comment. What did you learn from hearing the 2nd graders discuss Twitter? If you visited the Grades 1 and 2 At Ancaster Meadow School further, what interesting discoveries did you make about how tech is being used with the 1st and 2nd graders?

Cool Xtranormal Presentation Used to Reflect on Course Learning

2011-11-21T00:00:00.001-05:00

This presentation was created by a student and faculty member at the University of Regina in Canada. I hope it motivates you to use digital storytelling tools such as Xtranormal and GoAnimate!

Social Media & Open Education - Interview with L. Bechard
by: bechardl

One-on-One Computing Classrooms are the Future According to School Administrators

2011-11-19T10:54:00.000-05:00

image: http://ed1.comcastbiz.com/

If you are preparing to be a teacher ready for the future, you need to read this article,

Survey of School Administrators Explores Digital Classrooms, Major Challenges

The article reports on a survey of a large number of school administrations (e.g., principals and superintendents) of whom more than a majority, 63%, asserted that 1:1 computing classrooms with teachers as coaches is the wave of the future. How prepared are teachers for this possible eventuality? What should schools of education be doing to ready teachers for effective technology integration? What should school systems do to prepare teachers through professional development activities? Read the article, and weigh in on the situation. Post a comment. Do you think it is an overstatement to say one-on-one computing, meaning every student to have a device (e.g. tablet, laptop), is an eventuality? If not, then why not? Do you think school systems can afford to go 1:1? Do you think they should?

Using Technology Successfully in the Classroom is a Mindset

2011-11-17T23:49:00.001-05:00

The 21st Century Classroom

View more presentations from Kim Cofino

Saw this slide show on Slide Share, and thought it was worth sharing with others. It makes several points about using technology in the classroom. We are reminded that the use of the technology is a mindset and not a technical skill. There are points made about problem-based learning, inquiry learning, and backwards design. The visuals help carry the message, so look through the entire presentation. Leave your comments. Did the presentation inspire you in any way? Did it deepen your appreciation for technology as supplementary to learning? What point was made about the use of technology as a mindset?

Teacher Tech Vids

2011-11-13T12:01:00.002-05:00

Image from Teacher Tech Vid site

Just found this new site, Teacher Tech Vids, with videos for learning how to use a variety of Web 2.0 tools. What I like about the site is that the tutorials are arranged by comfort level: beginners, intermediate, and advanced. Tutorials are included for learning how to use such "beginner" (labeled "Newbies") tools as Animoto, Glogster, TodaysMeet, MS Photo Story, Timeline Creators, Google Earth, Wikis, and Word Clouds. Under the "intermediate" level (labeled "Developing"), there are tutorials for VoiceThread, Google Docs, Google Forms, SlideShare, Website Creators, and Skype. For "advanced" tools, there are tutorials for Twitter, Prezi, and UStream. The site is fairly new. Bookmark or save the site as favorite, or subscribe to it. You will want to check the resources on the site now and into the future. Take a look and let us know what you think of the site, and what tutorials you found useful for not only your own professional development, but also for use with students for them to learn the ins-and-outs of specific Web 2.0 tools. What Web 2.0 tools do you think still need to be included on the site? Suggestion: follow the developer of the site, Steve Johnson, on Twitter at @edtechsteve.

47 Alternatives to Using YouTube in the Classroom

2011-11-13T11:26:00.001-05:00

Image from Bryne's blog

As many of you know, I'm a fan of Richard Byrnes's blog, Free Technology for Teachers. He recently updated his information on alternatives to YouTube. Who can complain with 47 alternatives to YouTube? If your school does not allow YouTube or you are simply looking for a host of video resources for enriching classroom teaching or your own professional development, take some time to explore the wealth of resources offered in the Byrne's blog post 47 Alternatives to Using YouTube in the Classroom. Be sure to post back here what you find most valuable among the 47 resources. Some are probably ones you have already used, but others are likely to be new, especially with 47 choices offered.

By the way, if you have not already bookmarked or saved as a favorite Byrne's blog, now might be the time to do so. He often updates his blog with excellent resources for educators. Explore what he already has on the blog as well as follow the blog as he posts new information. If you are on Twitter, you can follow Byrnes at @rmbyrne.

Still Not Sure about Twitter for Professional Development

2011-11-08T19:44:00.000-05:00

Check out this Prezi about Twitter for professional development and about social media in general. Let us know your thoughts after you view the presentation.

Social Media - Twitter as a tool for Education on Prezi

Resource for Finding and Creating Web Quests

2011-11-07T18:44:00.000-05:00

Image from webquests.com

The site "Best Webquest. com" offers not only a directory for finding quests by subject area and grade level at its portal page, bestwebquests.com, but also provides a host of resources for finding out about webquests. Take some time to explore the table of contents of web quests: bestwebquests.com. The About Web Quest page explains the origin and principles behind webquests. You'll also find this page helpful: Criteria for Assessing Best Web Quests. The information on it will help you in creating your own webquests. However, also be forewarned that despite the merits of the Best Webquests.com site, there's also some commercialism on the site. For instance, if you want the website's designer, Tom March, and his employers to evaluate your webquest, in general or for possible inclusion on the site, there's a fee. Naturally, avoid that component, but explore around the site to deepen your understanding of what are the principles behind effective webquests. Check back here to let us know what you find and what you think of the site or other sites you explore through the links provided.

LiveBinders: Resourceful Web 2.0 Tool

2011-10-25T00:47:00.004-04:00

LiveBinder is a tool for organizing your favorite websites by categories. You can create a LiveBinder on any area of interest. Once you set up a LiveBinder, you select categories, and within each category, you create links to resources within that category. A LiveBinder can be an excellent teaching tool for directing students to specific websites for a unit of study.

Image: ericnvntr's photostream flickr

An advantage of opening a LiveBinder account is that you can also store other teachers' and professionals' LiveBinders in your account, in what is called your "Shelves."

Here is an example of one LiveBinder I found recently and added to my shelf: Technology in Education.

How can you envision using LiveBinder in your teaching? If you have an opportunity, search for some LiveBinders, and let us know what you find. Have you heard of teachers or library media specialists setting up LiveBinders for classroom or school implementation?

Technology Tools For Teaching & Learning

2011-10-22T12:48:00.001-04:00

image: westtennessewritingproject.com

I am posting a link to a web page with categorized tools to help teachers find the right match of online tools for their students related to curricular and student needs. Surely, in looking through this list, you will find one or more sites of interest. This web page might be one you want to bookmark, save as a favorite, or add to a social bookmarking site you maintain such as Diigo or Delicious.

Technology Tools for Teaching and Learning

Once you skim through the list and check the sites, let us know which sites you use, would like to use, or would like to investigate further, and possibly why you selected these specific sites.

Looking for Teaching Resources on Digital Citizenship

2011-10-20T19:58:00.003-04:00

Image from MaryBeth's Twitter page @mbteach

I found these resources in an article that MaryBeth Hertz’s wrote for Eutopia. I follow MaryBeth on Twitter, and she recently posted a link to the article. Although some of these resources are geared to the elementary grade levels, many have applicability to any grade level. Check them out. Let us know what you find and think you might use in your teaching.

Lesson Resources

• Professor Garfield's Learning Lab

• The Adventures of the CyberPigs

• Commone Sense Media/CyberSmart Curriculum

• NetSmartzKids

Online Learning Tools

• Schoology

• Edmodo

• Collaborize Classroom

• Digital learning tools that incorporate social networking

• Storybird

• Voicethread

• Today's Meet

• Online Communities for Kids

• WeeWorld

• Club Penguin

• Pixie Hollow

• If you like this, you might also like

• The Importance of Digital Citizenship in Social Media by Andrew Marcinek

• Digital Citizenship: Resource Roundup by Edutopia Staff

• Does the Internet exacerbate bullying? Edutopia poll

Mary Beth Hertz's Blog

If you are on Twitter follow MaryBeth @mbteach

Reference for list is at:

Teaching Digital Citizenship in the Elementary Classroom, Edutopia

In addition, Jerry Blumgarten, maintains on his website a page fully devoted to resources on Digital Citizenship. No matter what grade level or subject area you teach or are certified to teach, you will likely find resources on his Cybrarylibrary Digital Citizenship web page. Jerry posts almost daily to Twitter. If you are on Twitter and not following him, you should at @cybraryman1

Overall, do you believe it is the teacher's responsibility to teach digital citizenship? What do you think of the resources found on Marybeth's and Jerry's lists? Which resources seem most useful to you or of the most interest?

Slide Sharing Sites

2011-10-20T19:24:00.010-04:00

Spend some time exploring slide sharing sites, where you will find shows you can use in your teaching. Open an account on any of these sites, and you can save the shows you like as your "favorites" for easy access later on. I highly recommend Slide Share, one of the original sites for slide sharing, which keeps getting better, offering newer and newer features. I also like AuthorSteam, where if you add your own slide shows, you can later use the editing features on the site to enhance your show. VoiceThread is my favorite for interactivity because viewers can add written and audio comments, making the show engaging and evolving.

Here are three samples of slide shows that I found on SlideShare. I am offering the examples here to demonstrate that by grabbing the "embed" code at the site, you can easily place slide shows into a blog, website, or another similar form of media. The first SlideShare covers copyright and fair use in the educational setting; it provides excellent coverage of the topic, and also has embedded in the PowerPoint a YouTube video. The second SlideShare PowerPoint is one on creativity and visualization. The third one is an excellent use of PowerPoint to create a full film analysis of the Hitchcock's movie Vertigo. This last one demonstrates how a slide show allows us to create instructional materials that would be difficult to achieve in other ways, thereby illustrating the power of the medium and its ability to allow us to create teaching moments that otherwise might not be possible. The fact that the slide presentation is archived in SlideShare also speaks to the beauty of this site for enabling us to find powerful instructional materials at our fingertips.

Copyright Clarity: How Fair Use Supports Digital Learning

View more presentations from Renee Hobbs

Visual And Creative Thinking 1197429203117348 4

View more presentations from guest46635e

Vertigo shot by shot

View more presentations from Rob McMinn

I have posted other blogs on SlideShare, AuthorStream, and VoiceThread. Check these postings. Also, let's spend some time exploring the sites, and please let others know about slide shows you find on any of the sites that you can use in your teaching. Also, once you open an account with any of these sites, you can place your own slide shows there for convenience, for instance, for you to easily access and for your students to access at home or at any time.

I encourage you to open a SlideShare and AuthorStream free account today; and if possible, if you can get a free 30-day demo of VoiceThread as an educator, take advantage of the opportunity. VoiceThread also has a VoiceThread K-12 section: ed.voicethread.com. Even if you never post your own creations on these sites--which you really should do, though--you will be impressed with what you can find, watch, download, download and edit, mark as a "favorite, etc. There is a wealth of resources awaiting you on Web 2.0 sharing sites such as these three slide sharing sites. AuthorStream will even enable you to turn your slide show into a video, which can then be further edited, or just simply saved as a video for watching.

Okay, plunge in, and be sure to post comments. Also, let us know what you think of the SlideShare video on copyright and fair use. Note you can watch the three embedded videos right from this blog, and you can also watch them full screen. You can also click to watch them within SlideShare.

It's Time to Rethink Education

2011-10-12T10:17:00.000-04:00

You might disagree with the message of this video, but at least watch it and comment regarding the needs of digital natives for learning.

Members of NCTE, CCCC, NWP, and CWPA Visit the White House

2011-10-11T23:45:00.000-04:00

Members of NCTE, CCCC, NWP, and CWPA Visit the White House

Phenomenal Site with Multitude of Resources

2011-10-11T23:33:00.000-04:00

Check out the Discovery Education site for a wealth of teaching resources and access to a variety of Web 2.0 tools. Here is a link to the site: Discovery Education. While on the site, also be sure to check the Lesson Plan area for ideas by grade level and subject area. Be sure to return to this blog post to let us know what you uncover at Discovery Education.

Looking for Ways to Show YouTube Videos in the Classroom

2011-10-10T20:39:00.000-04:00

So, you say the new YouTube/Teacher option is limited and does not have all the YouTube videos you want to show in class. Try

downloading the videos at home using a site like keepvid and savevid and then saving them on a flash drive. Also, try the popular Zamzar site. You enter the URL for the video, and Zamzar will email you a converted file copy of the video that you should be able to play in school. Be sure to save the converted copy to a flash drive. Here are the direct URLs to access these sites; simply copy the URLs for the sites into your browser, and start exploring your options. Let us know if one option works better for you than another.

http://www.zamzar.com
http://keepvid.com/
http://www.savevid.com/

Google Saves a School

2011-10-05T22:46:00.000-04:00

Frontline, PBS, released this video of a failing school turned around. Two years ago, the middle school in the Bronx, Intermediate School 339, was about to close down. Watch this video and leave a comment.

Screencasting

2011-10-03T20:52:00.001-04:00

Interested in learning about screen casting, which allows you to capture what's on the screen and narrate it. You can end up with a slide show or even a video. Check this slideshow to learn more about screencasting tools like Screenr,Screencast-o-matic, and Jing.

You might consider creating a screencast, if applicability to your teaching, and showing it to others. You can easily share a screencast on the Internet with those beyond your classroom.

After viewing the slide presentation, post your comments on how you believe screencasting might be used.

10 Weeks and No Tests

2011-10-01T12:49:00.000-04:00

http://www.thenerdyteacher.com/p/about-me.html

“10 Weeks and No Test” is a section of Nicholas Provenzano‘s blog. Check out this section to see how Nick has been using tools such as Prezi, Glogs, YouTube, and e-magazines for students to showcase their learning instead of using standard assessments (i.e., tests). Included in the “10 Weeks and No Tests” are samples of student responses to show their learning outcomes. Please take some time to look at the students’ work, and then let us know how you feel about using online multi-media as a way for students to demonstrate learning outcomes. In addition to the four media from which students chose to demonstrate their learning, as seen on the blog, what other media or tools do you think students could use to demonstrate obtainment of learning outcomes? Nick is also known as The Nerdy Teacher, but most of all, you should know he is an English teacher, and he is a fan of integrating technology into his teaching to advance his students' learning through hands-on, interactive techniques. I have included his logo from his About Me page on his blog.

Teachers Teaching Teachers via Twitter

2011-09-30T20:52:00.000-04:00

Today, The New York Times, in its "Learning Network" section, posted a pieces about how Twitter is a medium for teachers to teach teachers. Take a look at this article, "Teachers Teaching Teachers, on Twitter, Q. and A. on 'Edchats.'" After reading the article, be sure to post a comment. How curious or convinced are you of the capabilities of Twitter as a platform for teachers teaching teachers? Do you have a Twitter account? If so, how have you used it? Are you interested in learning more about Twitter and how teachers teach teachers using it? By the way, if you want to check me out on Twitter, here's my Twitter address: http://twitter.com/#!/JudyArzt

Image on top from http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/, Sept. 30, 2011

Digital Natives, Turn Digital Citizens

2011-09-27T23:32:00.002-04:00

In an age where students regularly download or copy information off the Internet, as teachers, it is helpful for us to review with students the Creative Commons licensing site. Here is an article to read more about what Creative Commons entails and how we might integrate it into our teaching: Digital Natives, Turn Digital Citizens. After perusing the article, leave a comment. How might you use information at the Creative Commons site in your own teaching?

YouTube Breakthrough for Teachers

2011-09-24T21:45:00.000-04:00

YouTube has just released a new site for teachers, making YouTube for the classroom readily available. Information and tips for using YouTube videos are provided at the site: YouTubeTeachers. Included is a slide showing 10 Ways to Use YouTube in the classroom and a tutorial explaining how to set up your own YouTube channel for quick access for teaching. Check the slide show and the tutorial. Get back to the blog to let us know what you think of using the new YouTubeTeachers site.

Here is an example of one of the videos you will find on the site, this one: Making Science Fun, created by a science teacher, Steve Spangler.

Interested in Learning How to Use Prezi

2011-09-21T00:47:00.002-04:00

The video below will present you with a
How to use Prezi, an exciting presentation tool! from Scottish Book Trust on Vimeo.
thorough overview of how to set up your account and how to use Prezi. The presentation is long, but it is worth watching for a solid overview. As you explore with Prezi, you can return to the video for more information. After watching the video, let us know how helpful it was and what your opinion of Prezi as a authoring tool is. How do you envision using it in the classroom? If you have created a Prezi, please feel free to share the URL link to it.

I just found this short Prezi online, and thought I would share it in light of the fact that The National Day of Punctuation is approaching. Who would have known there is such a day? This Prezi includes links to access additional information on punctuation. Although the Prezi is short and does not contain much information, it does demonstrate that a colorful, attractive presentation to give quick information can be accomplished with this Web 2.0 tool.

National Punctuation Day on Prezi

2011-09-18T23:38:00.000-04:00

Check this video production that addresses the skill set for 21st Century learners. Leave your response after viewing the presentation.

14 Free and Simple Digital Media Tools

2011-09-18T19:59:00.003-04:00

Creating digital media for teaching or for students to create to display their learning is easy given free tools online for doing so. I am copying and pasting below a post about 14 Free and Simple Digital Media Tools that I found online. The list includes description of each tool and has the tools organized by headings. Let us know if you have used any of these tools, and if so, what you thought of them. If you want to explore some that you have not used, what would they be? This list was prepared August 1, 2011 | 8:00 AM | By Sara Bernard and appeared on the Mind/Shift: How We Learn, website sponsored by NPR. I have copied the text directly and assume no responsibility for any inaccuracies, but thank Sara Bernard for compiling this descriptive list.

AUDIO EDITING

Audacity: A simple, yet very effective, open-source multi-track audio editing software. You can import audio files, chop them up, fade them in and out, or use more advanced editing features, then export the entire project as an MP3 or WAV file. Audacity can be used with Windows, Mac, and Linux, is compatible with a variety of audio file formats, and can even convert analog audio to digital.

Wavosaur: Although it only works on Windows operating systems and is barely half a megabyte in size, Wavosaur still has some pretty advanced features, like cross-fade loops, vocal removal, batch processing, and more.

Ardour: Only designed for Mac and Linux, but crammed full of advanced features, this one might be a bit more complex to navigate. Called a “digital audio workstation” suitable for professionals, users can record, mix, and edit their audio cost-free – and consult the support feature if they get stuck.

WavePad: Another full-featured audio editor full of effects like echo, amplify, or text-to-speech and voice-changer functions. It’s also compatible with the full range of audio and music file formats. The free version is only available for Macs, however.

PHOTO EDITING

Pixlr

Pixlr: Very popular and user-friendly, Pixlr lets you upload photos from your computer and edit them right in your browser. There are no downloads necessary, unless you want to grab and edit screenshots using Pixlr Grabber. For simple, one-click edits, try Pixlr Express; for “retro vintage” effects, visit Pixlr-o-matic.

Picasa: Google’s photo editing tool, Picasa is a free download, runs on every operating system, and allows any number of simple editing and organizing features. Reduce redeye, crop, retouch, make a slideshow, and batch upload, or share photos using Picasa Web Albums.

Picnik: Edit photos online with this browser-based software; no downloads required here, either. Picnik, like Pixlr, has a lively, upbeat interface and offers access to special effects as well as simple edits like cropping and color retouching. For more advanced features, users can upgrade to the Premium version for a small fee per month.

VIDEO EDITING

MovieMaker: The Microsoft version of Apple’s iMovie, MovieMaker is a simple video editing software for Windows that turns photos and video clips into polished digital movies, using special effects, transitions, captions, sharing features, and more.

Cinefx: An open-source digital media player and editor, Cinefx is compatible on both Windows and Mac operating systems and lets users navigate simple, yet professional, video editing features and add a bunch of special effects.

MovieStorm: If you want to create 3D animated movies, this is the free download for you. MovieStorm’s goal is to make 3D animation accessible to teachers and students, businesses, and amateur filmmakers, so it’s easy to use, but full of high-quality, industry-standard features.

StoryBoard Pro: Designed specifically for students and teachers by Bill Bierden, an Apple Distinguished Educator, StoryBoard Pro allows users to plan ahead for their video projects. Although it’s not exactly about importing video footage and editing (it’s more of a precursor to that), students can enter shot descriptions, planned lengths, and editing order, create and print storyboards, and upload a variety of media to illustrate each shot.

AUDIO SLIDE SHOWS

PhotoStory: A free, Windows-only audio slide show software that allows users to upload photos and audio and add captions, narration, and transitions to make a smooth multimedia piece. When it’s done, it’s exportable as a Windows Media Video (WMV) file.

Animoto: A very simple video or photo slide show software that’s excellent for beginners. It can automatically sync up with Facebook, Flickr, Photobucket, SmugMug, and Picasa albums and allows users to upload music or select from Animoto’s audio archive. Only the Lite version is free, however, which means that users can only create 30-second slide shows. Still, upgrading to Plusis only $5 a month or $30 a year.

PhotoPeach: Also very simple – perhaps even simpler – PhotoPeach offers users the ability to upload and arrange photos, add music and captions, and share on Facebook, Twitter, or a blog.

Why Should Educators Use Twitter

2011-09-15T21:30:00.000-04:00

In this video a colleague whom I follow on Twitter, Justin Tarte, shares what educators, particularly teachers, can gain from using Twitter. I invite you to take a look, and if you want an introduction to Twitter, just let me know. If you are already on Twitter, Justin provides a list of educators to follow and explains what their contributions are.

PowerPoint Tips

2011-09-12T21:46:00.000-04:00

Go through this presentation to learn some do and don't of using PowerPoint, and please take some time to offer your comments after you have viewed the slides.

10 Tips for Making Beautiful Slideshow Presentations

View more presentations from Edahn Small

Old Topic, New Twist: Teachers and Facebook

2011-09-11T20:11:00.001-04:00

Image from http://edudemic.com/2011/01/every-teachers-must-have-guide-to-facebook/

Before we bemoan Facebook as a teaching tool, we might consider its possibilities. In this short piece, Every Teacher's Must Have Guide to Facebook, we see a list of what not to do as well as what to do. Does the what to do list help you? Do you see potential applications for using Facebook as a teaching tool, assuming it is unblocked in schools, or at least usable by students outside the school walls for educational uses?

GMail Tips

2011-09-11T20:09:00.001-04:00

image from: http://www.thethinkingstick.com/5-gmail-tips-for-teachers

If you use G-mail or are considering it, check this list of tips for ways to use G-mail productively to contribute to learning and your own organizational skills: 5 G-Mail Tips for Teachers. You are bound to find fresh ideas in this post. Let us know what you like.

Harness the Power of Google

2011-09-10T17:12:00.000-04:00

We all use Google for one thing or another, but Google is much more than a search engine. Check this post 100+ Google Tricks for Educators. Let us know what you find of interest to others and why this use of Google appeals to you.

Tips for New (and Veteran) Teachers

2011-09-07T01:10:00.002-04:00

Looking for Teaching Tips?
Twenty Tidbits for New Teachers offers an array of helpful hints not just for newbies, but any teacher. Skim through the list, and check some of the sites to which links are supplied.

What Did You Find?
You are sure to find tips with which you agree as well as some you have not thought of but would like to try. Let us know what you discover, and what you would recommend to others.

Resources for New Teachers
The author of this list, Lisa M. Dabbs, frequently writes for new teachers in a variety of forums, including moderating the new teachers' Twitter chat, #ntchat. If you are on Twitter, you might look for the #ntchat as well as want to follow Lisa @teachingwthsoul.

What Is Edutopia: Is It Utopia?

Lisa posted this blog for the 20th anniversary edition of Edutopia. Find out more about this publication at its Home Page. Check the multitude of resources Edutopia offers.

Image credit: Edutopia logo.

Computers Are Not the Panacea: What Is?

2011-09-04T16:17:00.013-04:00

The NY Times ran a comprehensive and already controversial story, Sunday, September 3, 2011, on the implementation of technology in schools. A large part of the article, "In Classroom of the Future, Stagnant Scores," addresses a school system in Arizona that has spent a fortune on technology. The article points out that although test scores have not gone up, some would point out that the technology is infusing skills that standardized tests don’t measure. By and large, teachers, administrators, and parents of students in the school system under study are satisfied with the technology, but some are wondering if the school system can afford the expense.

The article raises numerous points, and it should be read in depth and critiqued. Already a profusion of response has occurred with the story just breaking. Discussions on social media sites have been prolific. One excellent response is offered in this article., Future, Stagnant Tests: Pointed Response to NY Times "Grading the Digital School."

Another educator posted this critique: Schools, Technology, Test Scores, and The New York Times. The critique raises six issues not only related to the assertions found in the NYT article, but also pertinent to the general issue of the need to increase the effectiveness of our technology integration. One of the points made is it not the technology per se, but how it is used that results in effective learning. The author, Scott McLeod, also notes that creative and critical thinking aspects of using technology to enhance learning are not easily measured by standardized test (i.e., multiple choice items), which is one of the flaws he sees in using these tests to determine if computer usage improves learning.

Read the NY Times article and the counter responses, and share your thoughts and critique. Perhaps you have read other responses to the NY article and want to share links to them. The discussion will continue in education, and is one that all educators should engage in and keep an open eye to as well as an open mind.

On a related matter, another NY Times piece, What Will Schools Look Like in 10 Years, ends up not so much predicting the future, but more so the here and now. Some comments even cover the past. Access the piece, and read through the opening remarks, from experts in education and technology. Also, read the comments from outside respondents. Where do you fall in this debate? Which positions do you support, and which do you find contrary to your views, and why?

Yes, this is a long post with several links, but it raises issues we face in education and will continue to face. The why, when, how, and what questions must be addressed. Weigh in on the issues after consulting the sources highlighted here.

Image credit: Jim Wilson/The New York Times

The Kids Should See This

2011-08-28T21:39:00.002-04:00

Image from
The Kids Should See
This Site

Check this excellent site, The Kids Should See This, for videos to use in the classroom. They range from science to music and other creative arts to any number of areas including the language arts. Browse through the collection, and let us know what you find that is of interest to you and what you might use in the classroom. If you have other favorite sites for finding videos to use in the classroom or a favorite educational video that you think we should see, please post information and a link for us. Thanks for sharing.

Skype in the Classroom: Connecting Students across Schools

2011-08-28T16:41:00.000-04:00

Connecting Classrooms with Skype describes a project connecting students in two states: Washington and North Carolina. Students in both classes created PowerPoints on Native Americans and also created questions for their Skype exchange. The site Connecting Classrooms with Skype provides tips for creating cross-classroom Skype projects and contains some informative videos. Have you used Skype? Have you seen cases of classrooms Skyping with one another? What did you think of the Connecting Classrooms with Skype project? Was the Connecting Classrooms with Skype site helpful?

Top 50 School Technology Blogs

2011-08-27T22:28:00.002-04:00

This list of Top 50 School Technology Blogs will surely contain some that will pique your interest. Among them are iLearning Technology and the Cool Cat Teacher Blog. With 50 listed, you will definitely find some blogs of value to you professionally. After checking the list and browsing a few of the blogs, let us know which of the blogs appeal to you and why.
If you have other favorite blogs, let us know and leave a link

21st Century Curriculum and Assessment Framework

2011-08-14T20:15:00.002-04:00

21st Century Curriculum and Assessment Framework

Use the headline link to connect to the National Council of Teaches of English's recent position statement on 21st Century standards for literacy, which includes points about multimedia literacy. This position statement is relevant to all disciplines and grade levels. After reviewing the position statement and its points, post your response to the content and rationale for this position statement.

Looking for Ideas for Students to Blog About

2011-08-08T20:43:00.004-04:00

Check this resource: 10 Teen Blogging Topics to Jump Start Creative Ideas The topics apply to other age groups, as well, and will also help you think of new ideas. Which of these ideas would you use? What new ideas do you get from reading through these 10 topics?

Image from: http://www.peacefulmind.com/creativity.htm

Yes to Blogging in the Classroom

2011-08-08T20:29:00.000-04:00

On the Cool Teacher blog, Vicki Davis, gives 12 reasons to incorporate student blogging into the curriculum. Among them, blogging gives student a chance to practice writing in a form other than the conventional essay, it helps students develop their writing voice, it encourages collaborative learning, and it affords students opportunities to enhance technology skills in a real-world writing situation. Read Vicki’s full explanation on her blog post: 12 Reasons to Blog with Your Students. Do you agree with Vicki? Do you use blogging in your teaching? If you are not using it now, would you in the future? What do you see as the pros? Are there drawbacks?

TodaysMeet: Perfect Tool for On-the-Spot, Total Student Engagement

2011-06-29T23:39:00.003-04:00

Looking for a way for students to write comments during class for all to see and interact. TodaysMeet is the answer. It is a safe environment for students to post comments, a bit like Twitter, but all comments are just seen by those who are given the URL to join the discussion. It is easy for a teacher to moderate the comments, and the students are not off on the Internet using an open, public site like Twitter. TodaysMeet is excellent for backchanneling, having a place for students to write comments and pose questions while a class is in session. Check out at the site's About TodaysMeet, and then grab some friends, set up a room at the main TodaysMeet page by entering a URL, and then sending the URL to those you want to join in. TodaysMeet is definitely a powerful teaching tool. Here is also a video to learn more about TodaysMeet. Additionally, check this blog post one educator wrote about using the tool: Backchanneling with Elementary School Students. If you have checked out TodaysMeet, let us know your thoughts. If you have used it, tell us about your experiences. What are your suggestions for using the tool with students?

Web 2.0 Tools by Category

2011-06-29T23:18:00.002-04:00

Image from: docentesenextremadura.wikispaces.com

At the 2011 International Society for Technology in Education Conference, David Clough, an elementary school technology education coordinator, shared a helpful grid, 3X3 Links that offers links to Web 2.0 tools by such categories as Sound, Collaboration, and Avatars. Click on any one of the boxes in the grid to get a listing of tools that fall into each category, and then access each tool online for more information. You will likely discover new tools and familiar ones. Which are new? Which would you like to try? Which have you used that you would recommend? At the conference, we tried most of the tools, and then we shared what we created in a site called Stixy.

Ideas for Using VoiceThread, A Powerful Learning Tool!

2011-06-29T22:24:00.006-04:00

Image from: elearningclouds.com

What is a VoiceThread? Check this introduction video.

Looking for samples of ways VoiceThread has been used in a variety of classrooms, K-12? This wiki, VoiceThread4Education is your excellent source. Samples are sorted by grade level.

VoiceThread is an excellent tool to promote the 4 C’s: Communication, Commenting, Creativity, and Collaboration. I am including a link to access from a wiki a Slide Show (use arrow keys to advance through the show) that outlines these four features as well as links to specific VoiceThreads that illustrate each concept.

Once you access the wiki, VoiceThread4Education, note the side links to access VoiceThreads by grade level and to meet other needs.

Here is a list and links to some of the model VoiceThreads you will find through the wiki. In addition, the links will take you to the teacher tips about the VoiceThread, and then as you scroll down the page, you will find the VoiceThread itself. Use the arrow keys to advance through the VoiceThread. Be sure to have sound on and to click on the comments and soundbites alongside the displays as you go through the VoiceThreads. The listed VoiceThreads are categorized by the feature they exemplify: commenting, collaboration, commenting, or creativity, though all VoiceThreads are likely to integrate all four features in some way. Check the wiki, VoiceThread4Education, often for additions, and if you create with your students a model VoiceThread, be sure to add it to the wiki.

Commenting

My Fellow Americans - http://voicethread.com/share/300897/
Many Voices of Darfur - http://voicethread.com/share/85497/

Communication

1st Grade talking about books - http://voicethread.com/about/library/1st_grade__Reading_Analysis_from_Leanne_Windsor/
8th Grade debate - http://voicethread.com/share/774475/
10th Grade Career report - http://voicethread.com/share/70584/

Creativity

2nd Grade - I Spy (photos) http://voicethread.com/about/library/2nd_graders_play_ISpy/
Year 7 Water Cycle (artwork) http://voicethread.com/share/118753/
6th Grade Math (video) http://voicethread.com/about/library/6th_Grade_math_from_Jackie_Ionno/

Collaboration

4th & 5th Grade progressive stories http://writeyourstory.wikispaces.com/story++40
4th Grade Letters from the Internment Camps http://voicethread.com/about/library/4th_Grade__Letters_from_the_Internment_Camps/

Other Examples shared

VoiceThread for Online Teaching and Learning http://voicethread.com/share/908650/
5 yr old collecting 100 comments for 100th day celebration http://voicethread.com/share/321990/
3rd Grade – Strategies to help with bullying http://voicethread.com/share/1814765/
5th grade Flip book animations - http://voicethread.com/share/253737/
Professional Development: Reflecting on NETS for Teachers http://voicethread.com/share/330098/
Booktalks from Ms. Skalkottas's Class - http://www.mchslibrary.org/booktalks-from-ms-ss-class.html

Thank you to Colette Cassinelli for sharing this excellent information at the June 2011 International Society for Technology Education (ISTE) Conference.

Do You Meet Teacher Standards for Technololgy?

2011-06-23T10:12:00.001-04:00

The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) publishes the national standards for technology competency for teachers, students, and administrators. Provided below are links to the standards for both teachers and students. Review these standards, and comment upon where you fit and where you believe the students you see in local schools fit. How well are schools in your local area meeting these standards? How well do you meet the standards as a professional in the field of teaching? There are five standards for teachers, each with sub parts. Do you meet all of these standards?
Teacher Standards
Student Standards
Do you think teachers should be required to demonstrate how they comply with student standards when authoring teaching materials, such as lesson plans, unit plans, compliance reports, etc.? Should students in Schools of Education incorporate the student standards in lesson and curricular plans that they author?
Do you see a need for any updates in the teacher or student standards? If so, what is missing or needs changing? How well overall do you believe schools and teachers meet these general standards?

Web 2 Tools that Will Instantly Impact Your Classroom

2011-06-20T20:17:00.000-04:00

This blog post, Web 2.0 Tools that Will Instantly Impact Your Classroom is an excellent resource for any teacher looking to expand his or her toolbox. Some on the list you will recognize, but have not tried, and maybe the descriptions will entice you to do so now. Others you might not have heard of, but the descriptions will help you decide if they are worth investigating for your teaching or professional needs. The site is worth bookmarking, assuming you use a bookmarking site like Diigo, one of the tools actually mentioned in the blog. Explore the link, and get back to this blog to let us know your findings and what you plan to research and what you would recommend to others. The blog, Fishing for Technology looks like a good one to remember and bookmark for other blog postings as well.

Image from: http://fishingforedtech.wordpress.com/2011/06/05/web-2-0-tools-that-will-instantly-impact-your-classroom/

Where's Education Heading Today?

2011-06-20T19:46:00.000-04:00

Watch these two videos back to back. The second one you have probably seen, but seeing the two in juxtaposition should trigger insights worth sharing about where education, learning, students, and teachers are heading today or need to be. Share your thoughts.

Visions of Students Today (from Michael Wesch)

Social Media Revolution 2011, by Erik Qualman -

12-Year-Old Autistic Boy Surpasses Einstein's Theory of Relativity

2011-06-20T17:36:00.002-04:00

Last night, I caught in Autism News an amazing story that is worth passing along in case you have not heard of this genius boy: Autistic Boy, 12 with Higher IQ than Einstein Develops His Own Theory of Relativity. Already a college student, ready to take on doctoral research in astrophysics, he has created his own theory of relativity, adding to Einstein's work. Jacob Barnett, the boy, taught himself algebra, geometry, calculus, and trigonometry--all within a week, and he is now tutoring college students in these subjects. Check the story in Autism News, and let us know if you have heard about this wonder boy already. If not, do you find the story credible?

Watch Jacob teach Calculus 2:

I'm having trouble thinking of tags (labels) for this blog, so let me know your suggestions. Where do you think I originally heard about this story? Where else, but through a Twitter tweet from a colleague who provided the link to the Autism News story. I am finding the story so incredulous, I don't know if I yet believe it or not. What about you?

Have You Tumbled Upon Tumblr?

2011-06-18T01:10:00.002-04:00

Tumblr is an easy-to-use blogging site that is fast becoming popular among teens and pre-teens who are blogging on their own time. Check Tumblr's About page. Also, review the page, Why Everyone Loves Tumblr. Listen to David Karp, Tumblr's founder, talk about Tumblr:

Blogger is just as popular, if not more so, but it's the ease of use and many visual effects on Tumblr that make the site appealing to new bloggers.

If you are not blogging with one of these sites, what site do you use? If you are not blogging at all, what are you waiting for?

Here's a blog post by one educator,Kim Cofino, who sees blogging as way for students to showcase their accomplishments: Blogs as Showcase Portfolios. She includes in her post links to parts of her students' showcase portfolios. Do you agree with Kim that blogging is a way for students to showcase their self-reflection, accomplishment of goals, and progress? Would you consider using blogging with students, or do you already? If so, do you recommend it to others?

Time to Remind You About Edmodo

2011-06-17T15:46:00.004-04:00

What is Edmodo? Watch this video to find out how this microblogging site with a wide variety of features works:

Here's a YouTube that gives an overview of Edmodo and how it works:

Now that you have watched these two videos, what sense do you get of the potential of Edmodo in the school setting? Not sure, maybe this Glogster poster will give you some ideas. Tools for Edmodo glog shows what can be embedded into Edmodo.

And for those of you looking for more ideas, here is a Prezi supporting the integration of Edmodo in the school setting:

Edmodo: An E-Learning Essential on Prezi

If you want to peek into how a teacher is using Edmodo, take a look at this clip of it from Mrs. Munzo's 3rd peirod class.

Well, this here is quite a bit to introduce you to Edmodo. What have you learned about this tool's place in the schools? Would you encourage school administrators to look into it? Will you consider playing around with it yourself to get a feel for its capabilities?

Twitter Finds a Place in Schools

2011-06-16T10:37:00.013-04:00

In this powerful CNN video, an East Los Angeles teacher, Enrique Legaspi, recaps how Twitter changed the dynamics of his social studies 8th grade class. Watch the video at this link, Twitter Finds a Place in the Classroom, and read the accompanying article. Let us know your response.

Not sure of how Twitter will work at the school system level. For instance, followers need not even have a Twitter account to get the tweets. Check this blog post, and note that there is also a Listen button on it to hear the blog read aloud: cool idea. Twitter in Schools: Getting Started. Do you think it is only the techies who are promoting Twitter? Do you realize that most universities and colleges already have a Twitter account and use it regularly to inform the public? Are you following your school's account? Are you following the one of your undergraduate institution? Do you know of school systems with Twitter accounts? If so, how are they using it?

Image from: http://web20classroom.blogspot.com/2011/06/twitter-in-schools-getting-started.html

It's SummerTime: Spring into Action

2011-06-15T15:17:00.002-04:00

Next week begins the summer solstice. What does that mean for teachers? Time to kick back and relax, and time to extend your professional learning network. The Educators' PLN, The Personal Learning Network for Educators, is a wonderful community to join in the summer. With over 8,000 members, where else can you find so many educators willing to share? There are 89 special interest groups, daily blogging, forums to join, videos to catch, and more. The Educatiors' PLN,is open to all educators. Sign up today, and avail yourself of the many resources. Remember it is free to join. As an educator, you have nothing to lose, and tons to gain.

Image from: http://www.flickr.com/photos/popoever/1349897444/

Not to Be Missed: The Power of VoiceThread

2011-06-15T11:34:00.001-04:00

Image from tgbarrett

Biology teacher Stacy Baker created a PowerPoint of tips to help her students with blogging. She uploaded this tutorial to Voicethread and added voice, comment boxes, and more. On Voicethread, viewers looking at the PowerPoint or other uploaded media can also add comments. Definitely view on Voicethread Stacy's: Blogging Tutorial. While viewing and listening to the PowerPoint on Voicethread, you'll glean ideas for helping students with blogging as well as learn about how Voicethread works and what its capabilities are. Would you consider uploading one of your PowerPoints to Voicethread and making use of some of the features you see in Stacy's work? What functions of Voicethread impress you? What helpful hints did you take away from the tutorial about helping students with blogging?

Here is a link to a Voicethread on poetry created using third graders'. Picture Writing. In this Voicethread, you will see children's pictures and poetry. Use the arrow key to advance through the presentation. On each slide, you can wait to hear the voices individually or you can click on the sidebars' images to jump around to hear or see others' comments.

You might consider uploading to Voicethread a PowerPoint you created or images you have and then using Voicethread's features to embellish your work. Think about how you can use Voicethread in your teaching. What ideas do you have now that you have viewed two Voicethreads?

The Browse feature on the Voicethread homepage will allow you to select other samples to check out. If you find ones you like, let us know and copy and paste the URL to share your findings with others.

Image URL on Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kardon/2674272852/

Textbooks Versus Laptops: A Parody

2011-06-12T22:02:00.001-04:00

Check this parody created by 7th graders in Erin Klein's class. Feel free to leave a comment after watching the video. Do you think the students did a good job of getting their point across? Was a video a good medium for conveying their message? Did watching this video give you ideas for videos you might have students in one of your classes create?

Also, feel free to leave a comment on Twitter for the teacher, Erin Klein, and consider following her on Twitter at @Mimadisonklein

PowerPoint Posted on SlideShare: Blogging, Forums, and Wikis with Some Tips for Success

2011-06-11T22:16:00.002-04:00

Found this PowerPoint on SlideShare tonight, and thought I would share it for several reasons: to illustrate SlideShare as a site for sharing educational resources, to see the power of PowerPoint to create a helpful tip sheet in a graphically appealing way, and to gain some tips about how to introduce students to collaborative tools like blogs and forums. Post a comment after you view the PowerPoint. Have you checked SlideShare recently for PowerPoints you might adapt for your teaching? Is this PowerPoint helpful to you?

Kid's comments and posts

View more presentations from Jacqui Sharp

Use the right arrow to advance through the show, or click on the full screen option and advance as you would with any PowerPoint show.

Book a Day Almanac

2011-06-11T21:35:00.000-04:00

If you teach elementary school or language arts at any grade level, or are just curious about the stories behind famous books, you will enjoy the Book-a-Day Almanac. Today, the feature was the story-behind the popular children's book, Curious George. Tomorrow, the site will post information about the Diary of Ann Frank. The site is maintained and updated daily by Anita Slivey, an editor at Horn Book, a well-known publishing house in the field of children's literature. You can subscribe to Book-a- Day-Almanac through Twitter, Facebook, or through a subscription feed. Check out the site, and let us know what you think.

Both images from http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?
blogID=514578381741352890

Why Make Movies in the Classroom?

2011-06-11T16:13:00.014-04:00

ilovefreesoftware.com

I have blogged about Animoto before, in a post Pronto Videos, but thought I would check in again to attract new users. Unlike PowerPoint, PhotoStory 3, MovieMaker, or iMovie, a quick movie can be made with Animoto within a few seconds. Simply gather some photos or use a bunch of any images you have saved, upload them to Animoto, select music from the site or add music you have on hand, and Animoto does the rest. You don’t have much control over editing the final project, but the product is achieved quickly and nearly effortlessly. What are some ways the site could be used in the classroom to stimulate student creativity, critical thinking, engagement, collaboration, and so forth? Have you used it with students? Would you use it with students?

Animoto in its basic version is free, but there is also available an Animoto free package for educators with upgrades that allow teachers and their students to use the site's more advanced features. They're samples of videos teachers and students created. Scroll down on the educators’ pages to find these. Check the Civil Rights video set to the song “Amazing Grace,” for example. I just found this beautiful photo exhibit on the site: Art 2011, created by Mary Anne Reilly, of artist Mark Isham's work. The video has been viewed 124 times, though it was just uploaded a few hours ago. Take a look!

Go! Animate is another site I blogged about in the past. This site is different from Animoto. Instead of uploading photos or images, users work within the site to create characters, text boxes, and sounds, a bit like creating an animated movie. The site involves a bit more work than using Animoto, but some would argue it allows for more creativity and engagement and is excellent for telling a story or broadcasting information. This site would be good for creating stories collaboratively, with each student role playing a character in the script and writing the text boxes. There are some samples to view on the site. Check a couple to see how the site is different from Animoto.

Consider how you might use Go Animate! in your teaching. Do you think students would like the site? Would the site in your opinion support learning? How might it be used?

The 35 Best Web 2.0 Tools Chosen by You

2011-06-09T14:13:00.001-04:00

from http://edudemic.com/2010/07/the-35-best-web-2-0-classroom-tools-chosen-by-you/

The 35 Best Web 2.0 Tools Chosen by You is a list generated by teachers. It's a must-see list. Review it for what you are using and what you might be using. You'll likely find at least one new tool to enhance your teaching and professional development. These are all tools that teachers are presently using to enhance their teaching and enrich the lives of their students as learners. You'll get a good feel of what is out there for your taking.

Okay, enough preaching, but take the time to review the list, and post a comment. What on the list is one of your favorites and why? After checking out some new ones to you, let us know what you might consider implementing in the future.

Why Are We Wasting Money on Interactive Whiteboards?

2011-06-08T10:25:00.000-04:00

Image from: funmusicco.com

Numerous educators have questioned the value of interactive whiteboards. One outspoken educator is Bill Ferriter, a 6th grade language arts teacher, who has been named a Teacher of the Year in North Carolina. He has posted several articles speaking against these whiteboards. Recently in May, he posted this one: Why Are We Still Wasting Money on Whiteboards? In this post, he mentions a school principal who invested $18,000 on 6 interactive whiteboards. Ferriter offers several suggestions of how this money could have been better spent to put technology directly into the hands of students. Review his list, and determine if you agree with his priorities. If you were a school principal, how would you spend $18,000 for technology? Do you think we are wasting money on interactive whiteboards? If you use them in your teaching, what positive effects have you seen on student learning that make them worth the investment? On the other hand, have you found that they sit idle or are used as simple chalk boards? What on Ferriter’s list of technologies would you opt for, if at all, over the purchase of interactive whiteboards?

There are plenty of comments following Ferriter’s blog. Take some time to read what others have also had to say about interactive whiteboards. Do you agree with the commentaries? Which ones speak to you?

If I Die Young....

2011-06-07T21:56:00.004-04:00

For an assignment in an English class in a high school where YouTube is not banned, students need to find a song they like, play the YouTube in class, and then analyze the song as poetry. For instance, they have to find examples of alliteration, metaphors, similes, personification, and so forth. What value do you see in an assignment like this one? Does it suggest YouTube should be banned in schools? This is a song, "If I Die Young," with the YouTube, that one student chose, and she will be doing her oral presentation analysis in class tomorrow. Do you think it is a waste of time for students to analyze song lyrics and play a YouTube of it in class? Would you have enjoyed this assignment when you were a high school student?

Let Students Teach the Class

2011-06-07T16:26:00.001-04:00

Adapted from Alan November (pp.188-193), Curriculum 21 (ASCD, 2010) by Heidi Hayes Jacobs.

In one class, a teacher, Silvia Rosenthal Tolisano, did just that by having her students create math tutorials. The concept that one learns by doing was directly applied. Check out her teacher's blog, "Is It Worth It? Student Created Tutorials?" Here she explains how she used this approach, and includes her student-produced videos.

Would you consider creating such video tutorials in your own classroom? If so, for what concepts would you want students to do so? How would you organize the project? How would you assess student work? If you would not have students create video tutorials, why not? What was your response to the tutorials that the 4th graders in Silvia Rosenthal Tolisano's class produced?

Blogging with Students

2011-06-02T09:52:00.003-04:00

There's plenty of resources available about how and why to integrate blogging into the classroom. Several blog posts in this Computers in the Classroom blog address the topic. Thus, in addition to resources listed in this specific blog, check out the index to find more resources on blogging in the classroom. Here I offer resources for using blogging with students in a variety of settings.

In this video, 4th graders talk about blogging and what they blog about and what writing for a blog is like for them. It is worth watching to hear about the benefits of blogging from their perspective.

Here is a very short video with just words and captions on why let our students blog:

For those of you who teach elementary school and are interested in using KidBlog, here's a very short video about how to use this blog.

For those of you interested in using Blogger, here is a short video about how to use blogger to set up classroom blogging.

This video discusses the why and how of blogging. Although focused on higher education, it points out numerous ways blogging supports student learning.

Here are links to two blog posts and articles to help you think further about blogging with students:
"14 Steps to Meaningful Blogging with Students"
"Blogging with Elementary School Students"

Also, I just found this web quest that a teacher created to introduce her students to blogging. Check out the web quest for ideas about how you might introduce blogging to your students, even if you have been using blogging and are looking for new ideas:

Web quest: "Blogging: It's Elementary"

Please add comments about which of the above resources were useful to you and why. Also, let us know about additional resources available online about the power of blogging with students. If you blog with your students, tell us how the experience has been going and how you might make changes in the future. Let us know what blogging platform you are using and why.

The Atlantic Launches Twitter-Based Book Club

2011-06-01T23:26:00.003-04:00

Still not convinced Twitter is right for you. Do you believe in the power of book clubs even if you are not a member of one? Well, The Atlantic Monthly, has launched an online book club, and the first selection, based on online voting, is Margaret Atwood's Blind Assassin. The club launches today, June 1, with online discussion beginning on Twitter at #1book140. Atwood herself on Twitter (@MargaretAtwood) indicates she won't join in, but she does have close to 2 million followers on Twitter.

Read about this powerful combination of book clubs and Twitter in the articles "The Atlantic Launches Twitter-Based Book Club and "Margaret Atwood’s The Blind Assassin Chosen As Inaugural Title for Twitter Book Club." To find out more about The Atlantic Monthly-Twitter, check: "Everything You Need to Know to Participate in Our Book Club."

And if you are still a Twitter doubter, think about how it brings people together, whether it is through book clubs and reading, or hundreds of other means. If you have heard of ways in which Twitter has contributed to literacy, social justice, helping others, and so on, let us know what you know about how Twitter is bringing people together for the good of humanity. For those of you looking for additional insights into the power of Twitter, check this post: "Is Twitter a Waste of Time." As you scroll through, you will find examples of how Twitter has helped humanity as well as some tips about how to use Twitter successfully.

Maine's 10-Year Laptop Project Huge Success

2011-05-31T01:19:00.003-04:00

Evan Glidden, foreground, and Taylor St. Hilaire, both 13, use a laptop computer to work on a project in the hallway at Auburn Middle School, photo is one of three images in the article:http://ht.ly/56jSM

Ten years ago, in 2001, Maine legislators approved funding to put laptops into the hands of all 7th and 8th graders and all teachers 7th through 12th grade. Local taxes helped to continue the program for students in the high school grades. Both students and educators 10 years later report the expenditure reaped significant educational benefits. For more information on this state-initiated laptop project, check this article: Ten Years After Laptops Come to Maine Schools, Legislators Say Technology Levels the Playing Field. Note also the article finds that New Hampshire which did not fund such an initiative has seen a reverse effect. What's your response to the article?

Photo from the article at: http://ht.ly/56jSM

One of the Best Web 2.0 Tools: Evernote

2011-05-30T13:16:00.002-04:00

Image from macthemes.net

Want to take notes, capture pictures, do some writing, and be able to access all of your saved work from any computer. You don't need a portable drive. You can save it all with Evernote. In fact, this blog post was saved in Evernote, and I just copied and pasted it here. Evernote is fast becoming my favorite Web 2.0 tool.

Wondering how to use Evernotes, check "10 Evernote Tips for School: Education Series" and also "10 Tips for Using Evernote."

Here's more information "The Many Purposes of Evernote."

Evernote. also works on your smartphone. Can't go wrong! Can access anything you save from just about anywhere on the Net. If you have not tried Evernote., try it today.

Digital Technologies and Cell Phones in Schools

2011-05-27T23:25:00.012-04:00

Video: Digital Technology in the Classroom : Watch the Video!

The scale tilts. More and more educators call for cell phones in schools. Recently, the National Education Association endorsed their use; see the article Get Smart!

10 Proven Strategies to Break the Ban and Build Opportunities for Student Learning with Cell Phones enumerates practical and pedagogical reasons for cellphone inclusion.

Though digital technologies like laptops find their way into schools, there's still plenty of bans on cellphones. But what about the schools where laptops and desktops are scarce? How can cellphones close the digital divide?

After checking these sources, what's your position on digital technologies and cellphones in schools? Are the arguments in these sources one-sided?

50 Sites in 60 Seconds

2011-05-27T10:51:00.002-04:00

50 Sites in 60 seconds is a not-to-be-missed slide presentation of excellent websites to use for integrating technology tools into your teaching. Go through the slide presentation, and note which sites you know and which you want to check out. There's plenty here to keep you busy and to give you excellent ideas for sprucing up your teaching. With the summer coming, it's an excellent time to play, explore and think about what new tools you want to integrate into your teaching and how you might use them to spark student engagement and learning. Enjoy, and let us know what you find. Post a comment.

Reluctant to Use Twitter: Don't Be

2011-05-26T15:44:00.007-04:00

While poking around a biology teacher's blog, Stacy Baker's blog, I found this great Prezi on how and why teachers should get on the Twitter bandwagon: Using Twitter in the Classroom. Check out the presentation. Let us know what you think. Why shouldn't teachers join Twitter? Why should they? How can Twitter open windows of opportunity? Why is Twitter one of the best free professional development opportunities available to teachers? What tips can you offer teachers for getting over the learning curve of using this incredible tool?

Assuming you now have a Twitter account and are looking for educators to follow, check this twitter list: "All nominees in the 2010 Edublog Awards category for Best Individual Tweeter! These tweeters have been around for a while, and regulary post on Twitter.

Looking for literary authors to follow on Twitter, check this resource: Literary Tweets: 100+ of the Best Authors on Twitter

Here's a cute video to entertain you about using Twitter:

Nancy White & Suzy - An Intro to Twitter from CommunityMatters on Vimeo.

Back to this blog a few days later....Just found this posting about how a high school social studies department is using Twitter: Developing a department Twitter feed. Increasingly,Twitter is making its way into the educational setting for both teacher professional development and for integration into the classroom, though teachers are more likely to use the school-safe site Edmondo for microblogging.

Twiiter logo from: Image from: jhuskisson.com

Top 100 Tools for Learning and Best of the Web

2011-05-25T17:42:00.010-04:00

Okay, what are some of the top rated tools for learning? Each year, lists come out, and one such list is published by Centre for Learning and Performance Technologies. Its 2011 Top 100 Tools for Learning gives top billing to Twitter, third year in a row. YouTube comes in second followed by Google docs and Skype. Skim the list. Which tools are your favorites? Which have you been meaning to try? Which are ones you have not considered, but pique your interest?

Other online lists of top winners include The Best of the Web, which offers links to find educational online websites across grade levels and subject areas. Check it out. Let us know what you like. There's plenty to explore, given most of the links go to gateway sites, listing a host of resources.

Image from: jeffreyhill.typepad.com

Tablets Yes, E-Books Maybe

2011-05-25T09:39:00.001-04:00

The article Tablets Yes, E-Books Maybe in today's Inside Higher Education reviews the status of tablets and e-books for college learning and includes student response to the possibilities. Data from large-scale student surveys show mixed reaction, but most students believe tablets hold the potential to revolutionize the way they learn. Check the article as well as the comments posted at the end, and also use the links in the article to access additional information. Then weigh in on your opinion about tablets and e-books and their place in higher education. How soon do you think tablets and e-books will replace paper textbooks, if at all? What changes do you think will occur in higher education for students in the future?

Kids Love Blogging

2011-05-14T19:20:00.000-04:00

Interested in seeing examples of how elementary school students use blogging, how their blogging meets curricular standards, and learning more about this blogging project created by a California teacher, check out these resources:

Garrison Elementary Students Create Digital Blog Portfolio

Kids Like Blog Site

This second link will take you to a page to learn about the teacher, the program, the curricular standards, as well as a link to Examples, which has links to two students blogs created with Blogger. One student's blog, The Blog of Hooverneb showcases both writing and drawings. Another student's blog, Official Blog of a Soccer Star is written by a student who writes: "There are many jobs in the world, but there is one that really catches my eye. I want to be a WRITER!"

Another exciting site to check out is one with links to find class blog sites maintained by elementary school classes. Check this page Fellow Bloggers to learn about teachers using KidBlog with their students. You can access the class blogs and even write comments on the kids' blogs.

Photo Credit by the teacher, Jon Schwartz, Garrison Elementary School Students

Resources for Teachers

2011-04-16T20:26:00.004-04:00

The Pursuit of Technology Integration Happiness blog maintained by a secondary teacher contains four excellent blog posts that list a plethora of resources by subject area. In all cases, descriptions of the resources are given with hyperlinks to immediately access them. The resources available apply to teachers grades K-16. You can spend hours exploring all the resources offered. Take a look at one of the pages to find a long list of possible sources applicable to teaching and learning.

Resources for English

Here you will find general resources as well as resources on Writing, Reading, American Literature, and British Literature.

Mathematics Resources

Gives about 40 general resources followed by resources for the areas of algebra, geometry, calculus, and trigonometry.

Science Resources

General resources followed by resources categorized as earth-space, biology, chemistry, and physics.

Social Studies Resources

Categories resources by history, geography, economics, and arts/humanities.

In total, the resources available from these blogs should keep high school and middle school teachers happy with the quick access to a variety of valuable resources for integrating technology into their teaching. Let us know which resources you find particularly helpful to your teaching.

Top 10 Web Tools for Educators, from Harvard Education Letter

2011-03-23T20:22:00.006-04:00

For setting up websites to keep students current, Google Sites and Weebly are listed as the top tools. Edmodo ranks at the top for posting assignments and other notices and for students to upload work and communicate with peers (see image to the right).

Wikispaces remains a popular tool for students to collaborate in creating web pages.

To set up forums, Chatzy or TodaysMeet allow students to collaborate in real time. Twitter is not only catching on for microblogging, but is one of the fastest growing social networking sites, outpacing Facebook according to some sources. Vocaroo and Voki record voices and other sounds for embedding in \web pagesn and the like. Poll Everywhere is used to gather students' opinions.

For more information on these tools, check the Harvard Education page, Top 10 Tools for Educators. Let us know which of these tools are you use and how students respond. Which tools would you like to try and why?

Digital Media and the Age of Distraction

2011-03-17T00:03:00.004-04:00

Not surprisingly, a recent stream of articles and books focus on Internet overload and loss of concentration. In the blog, "8 Must- Reads About Digital Distraction and Information Overload," David Lavenda gives his list, and the titles alone speak to the concern:

Articles:
"I Can't Think!" - an article in Newsweek.
"Wired for Distraction?" from Time magazine
"Social Media Users Grapple with Information Overload" in USA Today
Your Brain on Computer, a 7-part New York Times special series with titles such as Growing Up Digital, Wired for Distraction and Digital Devices Deprive Brain of Needed Downtime
Books:
Hamlet's Blackberry by William Powers
The Shallows: What The Internet is Doing to Our Brains by Nicholas Carr (See video interview with the author in next blog.)
The Tyranny of Email: The Four Thousand Year Journey to Your Inbox by John Freeman.
The Information: A History, A Flood, A Theory by James Gleick

Is our online life increasingly distracting us from reading? If so, we might not have time to check any of these readings to comprehend the implications biologically, chemically, socially of our new habits of mind. On the other hand, perhaps there is urgency to reading these pieces to fathom the impact of how our lives are changing.
In the Lost Art of Reading: Why Books Matter in a Distracted Time, its author, David Ulin contends the quiet space needed for reading eludes us in our over-networked times.

What are the risks of living in an overly distracted world, where contemplation, quiet, and sustained reading threaten to be diminished? Have we acquiesced to the distractions, to the small fits of reading online, in chunks, with the classic book as a text slowly diminishing in value and as an activity of mind? Are these changes for the better as some technology gurus proclaim, or are they for the worse as the authors of the named text beseech us to believe?

Image from Growing Up Digital, Wired for Distraction , NYT article

Is the Internet Dumbing Us Down?

2011-03-05T13:41:00.003-05:00

How the Internet is Affecting Our Brains?

Is the Internet affecting our power to concentrate? In this video, Nicholas Carr, author of the book, The Shallows: What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains, offers some insights based on his research. Check out the video, and don't get distracted. Leave some comments. Do you think the Internet is affecting our brains? Are we losing the power to concentrate? Should we tune out for a few days?

Social Activism of Yesteryear Versus Social Media of Today

2010-09-30T12:10:00.005-04:00

Please take some time to read this New Yorker magazine article by best-selling author Malcolm Galdwell (e.g., Tipping Point and Blink): Twitter, Facebook, and Social Activism.

The article addresses social media of today as opposed to activism of the past. What is your response to the article? How might the ideas in this article be used in the classroom to provoke discussion?

Photo from http://www.rd.com/your-america-inspiring-people-and-stories/malcolm-gladwell-on-outliers-the-story-of-success/article104648.html

Professional Organizations’ Facebook Pages

2010-09-29T17:25:00.007-04:00

If you use Facebook, you might want to receive feeds from your professional organizations, or if you prefer, save the URLs in your bookmark folder and access the pages without using a Facebook account. Here are examples of five professional organizations with Facebook pages:

National Council of Teachers of Math at:

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/TeachersofMathematics

Spanish Teachers at:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/Spanish-Teachers/306012289177

American Association of Teachers of French at:
http://www.facebook.com/AATFrench

International Reading Association at:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/International-Reading-Association/8149175108

Read, Write, Think at:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=lf#!/pages/ReadWriteThinkorg/114708779358

If you check out any of the Facebook pages of a professional organization, let us know your response. If you know of other organizations with Facebook pages, share with us this information.

Reminder: Free Technology for Teachers

2010-09-28T20:37:00.005-04:00

If you have not already bookmarked or created a feed to Free Technology for Teachers, which describes free to use online sites, offers free lesson plans, and categorizes access by an index of subject areas, such as science, math, and so forth, it is time that you have. This is a site worth checking regularly, and it has over 25,000 readers, not surprisingly! New posts appear almost daily. Educators find this site an indispensable resource. Once you have time to explore, let us know what you find of value.

Free Technology for Teacher is maintained by Richard Byrne, and his site has won numerous awards. If you don't find what you are looking for the first time around, check back later. This is not the first time I have posted a blog about Free Technology for Teachers. Just wanted to post another reminder about a blog chock full of resources.

Image credit: banner on Free Technology for Teachers

You Don't Have a Blog Yet, What Are You Waiting For?

2010-09-28T20:16:00.005-04:00

Ideally, teachers should maintain a website. Even more ideal, they need a blog. Check the 20 Top Teacher Blogs from Scholastic's Instructor magazine to see what other teachers are doing. Let us know what you think of some of the blogs listed, and tell us of other teacher blogs you follow or find useful. Use the Index on this blog, Computers in the Classroom, to find other postings about blogging.

Teachers' Websites

2010-09-28T15:41:00.028-04:00

Let's share examples of excellent teacher websites you have explored. Based on one student's contribution to our class's online discussion, I found an excellent model created by a teacher who has been a student at Saint Joseph College. Please take some time to explore Mercier's Magic. There's plenty to explore here. When you first open the site (be sure to have sound on), you will find her current school year site, but under the Home tab, you will see accessible sites from prior years.

Not only does Ms. Mercier group her content by subject area and audience (e.g., parents), she also provides throughout the site links to wonderful websites for instructional purposes. She uses Weebly to maintain her site. Feel free to explore Weebly as a mean to create your own student-centered website.

Ms. Mercier works with symbaloo.com to create customized pages of recommended sites for students. Here are fast links to some of her Symbaloo pages:
multimedia , math, and writing.

To create your own customized resource pages for your students with Symbaloo, open an account, and then you are set to build your pages of recommended sites by discipline, subject area, or general area of interest, using Symbaloo's database of recommended sites.

Ms. Mercier also maintains a blog through Weebly, allowing her students to post comments. In addition, check her Twitter account.

Webbly, Mrs. Scelia is a site designed by another Weebly-user teacher. Ms. Scelia started this site August 2010 to provide resources to her young students.

Let us know what you think of the websites these teachers maintain.

Post your recommendations of teacher websites worth visiting by providing the URL's.

Photo of Ms. Mercier from Mercier's Magic. Photo Ms. Scelia from Webbly, Mrs. Scelia
Logo from Weebly.

Twitter Tweets Archived with Library of Congress

2010-09-16T15:41:00.007-04:00

Even if you don't tweet on Twitter and therefore don't need to worry about your 140-character pearls of wisdom, The Library of Congress archives Twitter Tweets, maintaining an electronic record of Twitter's content. The Library of Congress blog explains the archive: How Tweet It Is!: Library Acquires Entire Twitter Archive. Using the archive can be a valuable source of information, but what about privacy rights? Take a look at the blog posting How Tweet It Is!: Library Acquires Entire Twitter Archive, and reflect on what it means for the Library of Congress to maintain this archive. Moreover, what might be the value of the archive in the school setting? Do you think students using Twitter realize an archive of their Tweets exists with the Library of Congress? Does it matter to them to know their pearls could be archived? What about maintaining historical records of tweets? How might this archive be of value in the school setting? When referencing the blog posting, also take some time to read comments posted by others to gain a perspective on how others are reacting.

Image from: How Tweet It Is!: Library Acquires Entire Twitter Archive

Award-Winning Teacher's Blog and Website

2010-09-14T22:39:00.010-04:00

A California middle school teacher, Heather Wolpert-Gawron, maintains a blog with helpful tips for middle school teachers and a website for her students. Her blog isTweenTeacher.com and expresses her enthusiasm for teaching at this level and offers insightful professional development ideas. Her website for her students is available at:
http://web.me.com/bulldogradio/JeffersonRadio/Welcome.html

On her website for students, you will find links for her 7th grade students and another for her 8th graders, as well as a link to a page where she archives students' podcasts, under the title of Bulldog Radio. Check both her blog for teachers and her website for her students. Let us know what you think.

Image is the logo Heather Wolpert-Gawron uses on TweenTeacher.com

R U Txting Now?

2010-08-22T23:13:00.005-04:00

Is texting increasing exponentially as some claim? Is it a distraction in the school setting? What are the psychological effects? What are the implications of texting on learning and teaching? Can teachers stop texting in their classrooms? Read the USA Today article: "Texting Away UR Education."

On the one hand, some teachers advocate for students texting instead of raising their hands. Teachers see it as a way for students to respond in class. In the article, I KN the Answer, one Texas teacher enumerates benefits for texting in class as well as for a homework aid for students to keep in touch with teachers.

After reading both articles, weigh in on the issue of where texting belongs in the schools, if at all?

Photo from the article I KN the Answer, published in EduDemic.

Social Network Sites in the Schools

2010-06-15T13:20:00.011-04:00

Digital Directions, an online journal, published a helpfu article exploring the pros and cons of using social networking sites like Twitter, Facebook, and Ning in the school setting. This article should be helpful reading to you as an educator. Let us know what you think after you have read the article, Social Networking Goes to the School.

Illustration Roy Weiman from the article "Social Networking Goes to School."

Greyson Chance Singing Broken Hearts

2010-05-29T11:47:00.002-04:00

What if this talented child were in your class? Do you think he should be attending school or starting in on his musical career full-time? He was originally discovered by the general public on YouTube, and now is a famous musical star with television appearances and over 2 million viewer fans on YouTube. How are social media sites, like YouTube, one of the most popular, defining culture? Do you think this YouTube should be shown in public school classrooms?

Teaching History

2010-05-19T23:27:00.002-04:00

Here is a powerful way to teach history. Let us know of some lesson plan ideas you get after watching the video.

Declaration of Independence

2010-05-19T23:12:00.005-04:00

For those of you who have not seen this video of history in action, thought I would share it. What ideas does it bring to mind for teaching?

Lesson Plans

2010-05-07T14:54:00.005-04:00

Two sites with lesson plans including ones that use computer software and websites:

The Educator’s Reference Desk offers lesson plans by discipline. Lesson plans use a variety of instructional materials, including websites and software programs.

Scholastic.com provides a variety of lesson plans in different disciplines. Plans can be found by discipline or grade level. Plans are also featured by month.

Pronto Videos

2010-04-13T16:13:00.010-04:00

Animoto.com enables you to make a quick video by using your own pictures and by adding music from the site or your own sound files. Once you import the pictures, you then import the music. After both the pictures and music are inserted, you hit a button to complete the process, and the site blends the images and music into a movie. One drawback to the site is that to make full use of it, you need to pay a fee, and as you work yourself through your first free movie, the site reminds you of the upgrade. The free version allows for producing only a 30-second movie. Take a look at the site, and let us know what you think. I did a quick video with the site, and had mixed reactions to the final product. Have any of you used the site, or know of anyone who does? If so, what have you heard?

Here is the link to the movie that I created in a few minutes: Trial
Use this clickable link to access a blog posting on Discovery Education from an Animoto user who enjoyed using the site:
http://blog.discoveryeducation.com/mdbarger/2008/04/17/awesome-astounding-animoto/

Image is from the Discovery Ed. blog.

Go Animate

2010-03-27T13:40:00.005-04:00

GoAnimate is a site where teachers, students, and others can create quick animated videos. Here is an example of a 45-second animation focused on teens. Check out the site GoAnimate, and take some time to view other animations. Let us know what you see as the potential for this site in the school setting.
GoAnimate.com: School News for Teens! FREE TV Show Opening! by gwyneth

Like it? Create your own at GoAnimate.com. It's free and fun!

School Filtering Programs

2010-03-27T13:18:00.004-04:00

I found this slide show, Strategies for Fighting Internet Filtering on tips for how to address the issue of schools blocking specific Internet sites. For those teaching K-12, blocking sites creates problems when we know specific sites sponsor information that would be of value to our students. The slide show offers some suggestions of how to address the issue and ways in which teachers can teach responsible use of online sources. If you prefer you can view the presentation here instead of clicking on the link Strategies for Fighting Internet Filtering to view the presentation at the slideshare website.

Strategies for Fighting Internet Filtering

View more presentations from Buffy Hamilton.

School-Issued Smartphones

2010-03-24T12:30:00.004-04:00

Although many schools ban the use of cell phones, this policy is beginning to be revisited. Here is one article that speaks to the merits, Solving Algebra Problems on Smarthpones. In fact, in the North Carolina school featured in the story, students are issued smartphones by the school. They are used by students to assist them in solving algebra problems both in the classroom and at home, while doing homework. In addition to several applications for which the phones are used, the students have access to a class blog, where they can pose questions when they need assistance with solving problems at home. The teacher or peers can respond. To learn more about this use of smartphones to assist students with their algebra skills, refer to the Education Week article, Solving Algebra Problems on Smarthpones. Do you think it is about time that more schools lifted bans on smartphone use during school hours? What about the idea of the schools being the ones to issue the phones? The article documents several advantages of issuing school-sponsored smartphones and using them both in and out the school. Let us know what you think after you read the article.

In addition, the article contains this video, which you might want to watch for additional information and for student and teacher testimonials of the value of the K-Nect Project, the program that brought the phones to the schools.

Photo is from the article at and is captioned as such: "Using her school-issued smartphone, Katie Denton, a junior at Dixon High School in Holly Ridge, N.C., reads the biographic profile of a student from another school that is also participating in a Project K-Nect math class.—Sara D. Davis for Education Week" (URL: http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2010/03/18/26smartphones.h29.html?tkn=ZQYFjhaVSfhzLsrxox93KA3La%2BpCWkUHEk%2Fn&cmp=clp-edweek)

Failing Grades for Attracting Women and Minorities into STEM

2010-03-22T20:52:00.006-04:00

Several new reports just released show the trend to attract women and minorities into the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math (often designated by the acronym STEM) remains dismal. Here are links to read more about two recently released reports.

US Gets Poor Grades in Nurturing STEM Diversity from Education Week.

Why So Few? AAUW Report

There's a lot to chew over in these two articles. Take some time to read them and to check some of the links to other resources contained within the articles. As educators, we need to be concerned about stereotypes we create and how our attitudes influence the students in our classrooms. What can we do to serve as strong role models to encourage students to pursue interests and eventual careers in the fields represented by STEM, areas in which more and more professionals will be needed in the future to sustain our growth as a world leader? What is our responsibility to encourage students in general to pursue careers in these fields and to start preparing them for such futures in grades as early as the elementary school?

President Obama has already proposed several steps to support STEM. (See "Obama Unveils Plan to Bolster STEM," Jan. 2010.)

So much of the future of our country rests in nurturing young people's interests in the STEM fields. What is your response to the recent reports about our failings as educators to support and nurture young people's interests in the STEM areas? Are the solutions offered in the articles and the related reports feasible? What do you see as solutions?

photo credit: cover from report obtained at

http://www.aauw.org/research/WhereGirlsAre.cfm

Teacher Suspended for Facebook Post

2010-03-12T01:06:00.005-05:00

An East Stroudsbury University professor was suspended for a comment she put on Facebook. She claimed she was kidding when she said she had a bad day and wanted to kill some students. The school officials took her comments seriously, and suspended her when a student brought the matter to the attention of the administration. Some say the suspension was a violation of free speech while others claim all threats of this kind even if made in jest should be taken seriously. Read more about the case in Higher Ed Morning, Facebook: Teacher Suspended for Posts, and check some of the comments posted.

In another case, a middle school teacher was suspended for some comments she wrote about one of her students on Facebook. Read of that story, Apex Teacher Suspended. Stories of both students and teachers being suspended for Facebook comments are increasing.

How do you feel about the emerging cases of retribution when a member of a school, be it a student or teacher, faces suspension for postings put on Facebook or other social networking venues? Should comments posted on these sites be taken seriously? Need teachers exercise caution? What about comments students post on Facebook, or other public social networking sites, about teachers, school administrators, and other students? As a teacher, what would you do if a student brought to your attention a comment written about her or him by another student that could be interpreted to be mean spirited or threatening? What about the teacher from East Stroudsbury U.? Do you think she should have been suspended? What about the middle school teacher who called her student "Bible boy"?

Videos Feature Winning Digital Natives

2010-03-07T12:55:00.011-05:00

See some wonderful digital media projects created by students, some as young as 8 and 13, and read their profiles to learn more about who they are. Youth Portraits at Eutopia features the stories of students showcased in the Digital Generation Project. This project is intended to help educators and parents understand how students are using digital media. Spend time reading the students' profiles and seeing their digital work. Afterwards, return to this blog and post your comments about the project. Which students' work did you find impressive? What have you discovered by viewing the students' profiles and work? Note what the students have to say about their education and how digital media has motivated them as students and learners. If you have some extra time, explore the Digital Generation: Educators section for specific teaching ideas. Let us know what you fnd of particular of interest to you.

Measuring Teacher Effectivness: Can It Be Done?

2010-03-07T11:55:00.007-05:00

What about teacher tenure? What about merit pay? Should tenure or the alternate option of merit pay to replace tenure be tied to test scores? As the national debate unwinds about these controversial issues, we as educators need to stay informed.

When a post was made to the English Companion Ning, the posting generated a volumnious number of replies. The title of the blog, If We Can Put a Man on the Moon, We Can Certainly Measure Teacher Effectiveness, is controversial enough, and already 15 pages of comments have been left. By the time you check, more pages of comments are likely to have been added.

The English Companion Ning is read by over 12,000 English teachers, and surely other professional education nings and blogs are already generating a plethora of commentary on the topic of measuring teacher effectiveness. Just check the If We Can Put a Man on the Moon... and the comments posted to get a feel of some of the response in one community of educators.

This ning, The English Companion, is one of the most popular in the K-12 setting and is read by more than just English and language arts teachers. The discussion on the ning was started by Alan Sitomer, a former California teacher of the year and an author of young adult literature.

By the way, those interested in the teaching of literature and language arts skills, should check out the English Companion Ning regularly; it is a storehouse of information, and why not also join the ning to become part of the conversation.

In the meantime, post your comments on this blog regarding the discussion that has evolved based on Sitomer's blog and the whole controversy of a method to measure teacher effectiveness. Can it be done? Is tenure the answer? Is merit pay a better answer? What about using test scores to measure teacher effectiveness? If not test scores, then what else? Check out the discussion at, If We Can Put a Man on the Moon..., as well as Sitomer's What I Believe Measuring Teacher Effectivess is About. He has posted on the main English Companion Ning as well as within his own Page on the English Companion Ning; thus, you will see two forms of commentary in each place.

Top NCLB Advocate Reverses Position: Hot News and More to Follow

2010-03-03T11:50:00.008-05:00

Yes, it has hit the press that Diane Ravitch, one of the chief engineers of the NCLB, has changed her mind after all these years. I will be posting more information, but in case you missed this big news story, click on the title of this post to get to the NPR coverage. Since the story will be all over the news, post links in your comments to other helpful media you find. Here is a quick ink to the story from the New York Times.

Photo, courtesy of Basic Books as taken from the NPR cover story.

Adding Audio Track in PowerPoint 2007

2010-03-03T02:52:00.003-05:00

This video guides you through the process of adding an audio track (music) to your PowerPoint created in version 2007. Let us know if the video is helpful to you.

Computers in the Classroom

Teenagers Online Behavior: Get Over It

National Writing Project Posts High School Students' Videos

Creating a Digital Story with Wix

Todays Meet

Do 2nd Graders Get Twitter?

Cool Xtranormal Presentation Used to Reflect on Course Learning

One-on-One Computing Classrooms are the Future According to School Administrators

Survey of School Administrators Explores Digital Classrooms, Major Challenges

Using Technology Successfully in the Classroom is a Mindset

Teacher Tech Vids

47 Alternatives to Using YouTube in the Classroom

Still Not Sure about Twitter for Professional Development

Resource for Finding and Creating Web Quests

LiveBinders: Resourceful Web 2.0 Tool

Technology Tools For Teaching & Learning

Looking for Teaching Resources on Digital Citizenship

Teaching Digital Citizenship in the Elementary Classroom, Edutopia

Slide Sharing Sites

It's Time to Rethink Education

Members of NCTE, CCCC, NWP, and CWPA Visit the White House

Phenomenal Site with Multitude of Resources

Looking for Ways to Show YouTube Videos in the Classroom

Google Saves a School

Screencasting

10 Weeks and No Tests

Teachers Teaching Teachers via Twitter

Digital Natives, Turn Digital Citizens

More Info on PowerPoint and SlideShare

YouTube Breakthrough for Teachers

Interested in Learning How to Use Prezi

14 Free and Simple Digital Media Tools

Why Should Educators Use Twitter

PowerPoint Tips

Old Topic, New Twist: Teachers and Facebook

GMail Tips

Harness the Power of Google

Tips for New (and Veteran) Teachers

Computers Are Not the Panacea: What Is?

The Kids Should See This

Skype in the Classroom: Connecting Students across Schools

Top 50 School Technology Blogs

21st Century Curriculum and Assessment Framework

Looking for Ideas for Students to Blog About

Yes to Blogging in the Classroom

TodaysMeet: Perfect Tool for On-the-Spot, Total Student Engagement

Web 2.0 Tools by Category

Ideas for Using VoiceThread, A Powerful Learning Tool!

Do You Meet Teacher Standards for Technololgy?

Web 2 Tools that Will Instantly Impact Your Classroom

Where's Education Heading Today?

12-Year-Old Autistic Boy Surpasses Einstein's Theory of Relativity

Have You Tumbled Upon Tumblr?

Time to Remind You About Edmodo

Twitter Finds a Place in Schools

It's SummerTime: Spring into Action

Not to Be Missed: The Power of VoiceThread

Textbooks Versus Laptops: A Parody

PowerPoint Posted on SlideShare: Blogging, Forums, and Wikis with Some Tips for Success

Book a Day Almanac

Why Make Movies in the Classroom?

The 35 Best Web 2.0 Tools Chosen by You

Why Are We Wasting Money on Interactive Whiteboards?

If I Die Young....

Let Students Teach the Class

Blogging with Students

The Atlantic Launches Twitter-Based Book Club

Maine's 10-Year Laptop Project Huge Success

One of the Best Web 2.0 Tools: Evernote

Digital Technologies and Cell Phones in Schools

50 Sites in 60 Seconds

Reluctant to Use Twitter: Don't Be

Top 100 Tools for Learning and Best of the Web

Tablets Yes, E-Books Maybe

Kids Love Blogging

Resources for Teachers

Top 10 Web Tools for Educators, from Harvard Education Letter

Digital Media and the Age of Distraction

Is the Internet Dumbing Us Down?

Social Activism of Yesteryear Versus Social Media of Today