Blogs to Follow

Following blogs and sharing their information is a big step in growing your learning network. One of the steps I take every morning is to check RSS feeds from some of my favorite blogs – a step similar to browsing a digital newspaper. I decided to use this week’s post to share some of the blogs I currently follow related to K-12 educational technology.

Here are five blogs you might consider following:

David Warlick’s 2 cents Worth
Following his blog is not a new idea. His was one the first I began to follow after hearing him at a conference three years ago. I think everyone I know in Ed Tech follows him, but I really think his ideas about education, technology and the future of schools are worth reading.

Will Richardson’s Weblogg-ed
Same as above. I’ve detailed my following of Will Richardson in previous blog entries.

Mr. Byrne’s FreeTech4Teachers
Mr. Byrne’s blog is a wealth of tech resources with ideas of ways to integrate them into the classroom. And he keeps getting new ideas. It’s not uncommon for him to post five or six times a day – so be ready. He’s a great scout of new technology and has been a good addition to my RSS reader.

Instructify
I still like to browse this NCLearn’s blog dedicated to finding technology to use in the classroom. Their topics are varied and address a lot of practical tools for teachers. This is another good place to start if you want follow a blog.

Wes Fryer’s Moving at the Speed of Creativity
Wes Fryar, like Warlick and Richardson, is another national figure in Ed Tech. His posts are not always about education or technology (today’s post was on the issue of torture), but many are and I’ve found his views on copyright, Internet safety and digital citizenship to be enlightening.

Quick Disclaimer: Although these are blogs that I follow, they do not necessarily represent the views of WSFCS technology department. And while these blogs are not blocked, some links to other external pages might be.

So dear reader, who are you reading?

Musical Resources

I have compiled a list of a few web-based resources that will allow you to integrate with your SmartBoard and Airliners, even Activboards as well as with your Mobi or Qomo Interactive Tablets to help you with music in Elementary grades.

Some of these sites will work seamlessly and can be used with any of the items listed above. Now some of these sites do require something extra and I will let you know which ones they are and what they need to function. Sometimes it is just as simple as having Quicktime on your computer or maybe you will need to open the link with a different browser than you normally would. Most however work great on their own with what you have on your computer. Remember that you will also need to have a set of speakers so that your students can hear.

• Virtual Keyboard - Has many different instruments and drum beats for students.
• ArtsEdge - Sponsored by the Kennedy Center
• Continental Harmony - from PBS, appropriate for grades 3-8
• Music Theory - A site that has many different resources to teach students about music.
• Playmusic.org - kid friendly site explaining music, musicians and composers
• SFSKIDS - Learn about the orchestra from the San Fransisco Symphony
• Which Instrument am I - listen to the sounds and choose the correct instrument.
• Smithsonian Global Sound - Introduction to the music of the Mexican Mariachi bands

Have fun with these and I will keep posting more periodically for different subject areas.

Internet Safety Is Something That All Parents Should Understand!

Internet safety for our children is so important! However, the problem we have today is that the parents of these digital native children sometimes lack the computer/internet skills that they need to understand and be aware of where their children are going on the web. When I was a child, and we won’t discuss how long ago that was, my parents didn’t have to worry or be concerned about where I was in the house. We were never in the house! We were outside creating adventures for ourselves. But when children are in the house today and on the computer, they are actually very far from the confinements of the 4 walls and roof that make up the buildings boundaries. Who are these parents that I am referring to in this blog? Well, it’s you and me and every other person who has a child. Even if you are a person who has computer knowledge, you may not fully understand the places your child is visiting on the web or who they can come in contact with. Not to add to the internet safety fire, but you also need to be aware of the cyber bullying that can happen from other kids at your child’s school.
I don’t want to paint the web as a place that our children should never go. That would be a tremendous mistake! Truthfully, you would never be able to prevent your child from accessing the internet. The best thing you can do is learn about internet safety so that you can teach your children about it as well. If you don’t, someone else will and that will most likely be their friends. Is that the way you want this to happen? I doubt it. Now we all have jobs and busy life styles, but I have a website that you can visit to teach yourself about this very important subject. Go to http://www.commonsensemedia.org/ to learn about this valuable topic.
Once you are on the Common Sense Media site, click on the “parent advice” link at the top of the page. Once there you will see several links to topics such as internet safety, digital citizenship, social networking and virtual worlds, and several other topics. You also have the ability to browse advice by grade level. However, once you click the internet safety link, you will see 39 tips about internet safety including video chatting, checking browser histories, internet filter tips, cyber bullying tips, social network tips, You Tube and your teen, online worlds discussion guide, video violence and the internet, safe and smart cell phone use for kids, should kids have computers in their rooms, as well as many other helpful tips.
Now, I could go on forever about this important topic, but if you made it this far, I doubt that you would want to read my incredibly dull writing style any further. My goal in this blog was to make you aware of the importance of internet safety and provide you with a site to learn the information you need to be an up to date wise decision making parent. I hope that I accomplished that.

It's A Zoo Out There!

Studying animals and their habitats, life cycles, characteristics, or anything even remotely related? With the state of the economy, you may not have the classroom funds to visit the zoo but there is a way to bring the zoo to your room!

Check out the Smithsonian National Zoo at http://nationalzoo.si.edu/default.cfm and find some awesome resources. Yes, resources!

There are many valuable tools found at http://nationalzoo.si.edu/education/?hpout=education_link&xtr= that provide many starting points and great curriculum add-ons.

Browse through the list of:

· Free Curriculum Guides

· Explorer Kits (fee-based)

· Homework Helper

· Research Articles and Podcasts

· Online Habitat Education Program

· Fact Sheets

· Live Animal Web Cams

· Educator’s Newsletter

...and much more!

Like the info you found here? If so, go a step further and check out what I believe to be the information mecca of the United States… The Smithsonian Institution! Or, go straight to the Smithsonian Educator section where they help you prepare, plan, and teach. What can you expect from this site…. Lesson plans and resources aligned with the NC Standard Course of Study.

What's in a Presentation?

So in an effort to bring free web 2.0 tools to you that you may not have already known about, here is another one that I had overlooked previously.

How many of you have ever used the web-based utility SlideShare? Did you know that you can upload an mp3, combine it with the slideshare and create a SlideCast?

According to the website there are only a few steps to follow to get your slidecast up and ready to present.

• Upload your presentation file to SlideShare.
• Go to Edit slideshow>Create Slidecast tab. Enter your mp3 url there
• Synchronize slides & audio using the synchronization tool and click publish

Check it out for yourself and see if you like this tool and if it will work for you in your presentations to make them more interactive.

images and steps shared from: SlideShare

Boosting Your Memory

May brings in beautiful flowers, but also a heavy testing schedule. Lately there has been a lot of buzz about remembering everything that has been taught so students will do their best on the end-of-year tests. While looking for more ways to review, we found the program called MemoryLifter. It is flashcard freeware and uses all the senses while learning and remembering information through images, audio and video.

MemoryLifter has free downloads in subject areas such as Languages, Arts, and Social, Applied and Natural Sciences. This free flashcard program is PC-based. The cards can be downloaded and printed out for use or they are a great way to practice using an interactive whiteboard. A couple of my favorites were the US States and Capitals and Musical Intervals.

Once you've installed the free program and downloaded a set of flashcards, you will be able to edit the cards to fit your needs. A card collector feature and an audiobook generator are included. The card collector allows you to generate cards using drag and drop or copy and paste. Many more modules can be purchased from $2.95 to $75.95. Sharing your own flashcard set is easy to do with just a few clicks. The LearnLift staff will review the content and then post is so everyone can have free access to it. They will also consider purchasing your module if you would prefer to sell it to them because it is a specialized unit or has a lot of time invested in its creation. Either way, it is a great way to share knowledge.

Connected to the Internet above the clouds

No doubt the school year has almost ended and the possibility of flying to a different destination is surely a possibility for all vacationers. If you are going to be in flight for more than thirty minutes, you may wonder how you will be able to answer your e-mails and post to your daily blog while in flight. “Gogo” may prove to be the answer to your concerns for this service allows you to stay connected and have access to the internet while in flight. This service does not work when not in flight. In order to make this service available is quite simple. The website for "Gogo" provides videos and other information about how to install and use this service using your smart phones or other handheld devices. In the classroom, this is one more example of how technology has helped to remove yet another barrier in communication.

This link provides information on how to create an account and even provides a pre flight checklist which includes remembering what needs to be done to ensure that your "Gogo" account is usable above the cloud. Also included within this website is a list of devices that may be used with the "Gogo "software. http://www.gogoinflight.com/jahia/Jahia/site/gogo/customerCare/beforeYouGo
http://www.gogoinflight.com/gogo/deviceMatrix.do

Pictures from Microsoft Graphics Online
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/clipart/default.aspx

Creating Cities of the Future

Remember the movie WALL-E? Everyone was evacuated from Earth to live on a fully automated luxury spaceship to spend five years on a cruise in space while the earth was cleaned up by an army of robots - WALL-E (Waste Allocation Load Lifter Earth Class). But in the movie the earth is still covered in trash seven hundred years later. Could this really happen? Can man build a spaceship that could sustain life in outer space for seven hundred years?

Children watch cartoons and movies with elaborate futuristic worlds. What if you asked students to create a new city for the future? Where would students choose to build a city? What would the city be like? How would the city be built? Would students create a city where everything could be easily controlled by computers? What would students include in their cities – housing, food, schools, entertainment, and jobs? Lots of questions.

Do you think only cartoons and movies have futuristic worlds? Let’s look at The Seasteading Institute: http://www.seasteading.org/
In February the Seasteading Institute announced a contest for architects, engineers, students and hobbyists to design a seastead, a permanent, stationary structure that is specifically designed for long-term living in a marine environment. Participants were given a patented 3-D model of a seasteading platform to create an architectural design. The winners were announced May 18, 2009.

Check out these winning designs:
http://seasteading.org/design-contest-winners#overall

How can teachers bring real-world projects to their students? What software could teachers use to help students create future cities and worlds? How about Google SketchUp?

http://sketchup.google.com/product/gsu.html

Students can create 3D models and share them with their friends. There are Training Videos, a warehouse of models that people have created to give students ideas, and a section that covers a list of features. Teachers can access the K-12 SketchUp for Educators section to learn about the free version and the Pro version.
http://sketchup.google.com/industries/education.html

Teachers and students can begin with the self-paced tutorials to learn the concepts of modeling with SketchUp from Google. Check out this Introduction to SketchUp:
http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/details?mid=901231215767ef7a545172f70efed474&prevstart=0
Other tutorials are located here:
http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/cldetails?mid=36e1fa0d054a15eecc725c514c21d975&prevstart=0

To help you get started check out the 3D Vinci site for K-12 ideas using SketchUp.
http://3dvinci.net/?gclid=CM2gi7qE0JoCFQWfnAodDiIL3Q

Image found at Google: http://sketchup.google.com/

WolframAlpha

WolframAlpha was just recently released, and it's taken me a little while to get my head around this. The description on the site reads "computational knowledge engine," and it looks like an amazing step towards having a website yield answers rather than search results. So instead of entering a search term, you enter data or a question, and WA attempts to compute and answer the question. Here are the details from my test drive.

Type "winston salem" (below) and WolframAlpha quickly delivers data about Winston-Salem.

Type in "winston salem weather"(above), and you'll receive an amazing amount of information about the current weather and how it compares to the data readings from past Winston-Salem weather.

Try plugging in your height and weight, and WA will give you data about BMI, basal metabolic rate, body fluids and typical organ properties.

Finally, type in a question and WolframAlpha will try to answer it. If your query doesn't include enough information, you'll get "Alpha isn't sure what to do with your input."

However, you might be surprised what WA will answer (see below).

So WolframAlpha is great at delivering a wealth of data on a subject or answering a question with amazing speed. This could be a huge step in the ways we (and students) interact with technology. And it's even friendly. . . sort of.

What's in a Game?

I just read a very interesting article on how violence and gore can get in the way of video games. The original article is titled... "All that Gore Gets in the Way of Gameplay."

In a study done by Andrew Przybylski and Richard Ryan. They looked at users responses to differentiating versions of the game Half-life 2. They had participants play the game in both a "high and low" violence version to see how it effected their game play.

The results showed that regardless of the amount of violence in a game it did not alter their perceptions of game play. The violence in the games added little or no additional favoritism to the games themselves. In some cases it was viewed negatively because it detracted from the cinematic perspective of the game to the players. Some players are interested in the gameplay and fluidity of action than the violence in video games. Now I have to say that I like the blood and guts just as much as the next guy but have to admit that sometimes it does get in the way of how I view and play a game.

The next aspect that the researchers looked at was they "Why?" Why, if it is not necessary to have the violence in games do developers put it in there? The response to the question can be different based on the person you talk to. For me I see it as marketing to what society wants to have. Others may see it differently. The researchers compare it to the movie industry and how they remake original movies with more special effects and action than the original versions to grab in audiences.

Will it change your purchasing choices if a game has more violence than another? Not sure, read the whole article and you may have to rethink your stance. Do I want violence or cinematics or can I have both. That will be a question for the game designers.

Thank you Sheryl Nussbaum-Beach for your "tweet" regarding this article.

Webspiration comes back from the clouds

Just in... Webspiration comes back from the clouds. Gone but not forgotten myWebspiration has now come back in Beta format and is now live and ready for users to sign up and begin working again.

myWebspiration was created by Inspiration Software, Inc. who are also the makers of Inspiration, Kidspiration and Inspiredata.

This web-based platform allows you to collaborate, organize information, share ideas visually, invite in users and create written documents. The interface is similar to the system-based software so if you have worked with or are accustomed to one of the products there is virtually no real learning curve. Now if you have never used the products you can get up and going really quickly. Now you do again have to create a username and password to access the site, I know folks again with another account to keep up with. Again my suggestion is to make it similar to what you are already using. But the really nice things about this is that it is on the web so you can go anywhere and as long as you have access to the internet you can retrieve information from myWebspiration.

Not only is this a great Web 2.0 tool for use in the educational setting for all curriculum for collaborative projects, concept mapping, organizing and structuring written communication. It can also be used for brainstorming ideas and concepts applied to the business model.

Lights! Camera! Action!

Every student in your class can be a film producer. Yes, every student. Questions you may ask yourself…

Why would I want them to produce a film?

What good would it do?

How would that even fit into my curriculum?

Which types of equipment, tools and resources would I need to make it happen?

When would I have time to add this type of project into my curriculum?

All very good questions! Here are some answers!

• Choose a unit, (goal/objective) based within the NC Standard Course of Study
  
• Gather digital cameras or Flip Cameras from your Media Center and/or teachers at your school
  
• Teach the lesson as you normally would...
• At the end of the lesson, have the students use the camera to shoot footage depicting their perspective of the lesson - showing you (visually) what they have learned!
  
• Allow them class time for making/producing the video. Be sure to find out which students have access to cameras at home!
• Have the students upload the video footage into Windows Movie Maker (or video-editing software of your choice) to make any necessary edits, add text, music, narration, etc.
  
• Decide on a red-carpet “Premiere” Day and showcase each of the students' documentaries!
  
• Check out these resources to help your students along the way... Roadmaps and Characteristics. These informational links are courtesy of Digital Documentaries.

Want a specific example?

• Eighth Grade: Social Studies
• Competency Goal 1 – Objective 1.01: Assess the impact of geography on the settlement and developing economy of the Carolina colony

What footage could your students shoot that would provide distinct visuals for Objective 1.01 of the NC Standard Course of Study within Social Studies?

What happened with this lesson? Simple! Your curriculum didn’t change, but you added 21st Century Learning Skills into the mix. Did the students seem to enjoy learning? My guess is a resounding yes!

Don’t teach Social Studies? This idea of allowing video/camera footage to tell a story works across the curriculum!

Don’t stop with documentaries! Try PSAs, commercials or even movie trailers! Movie trailer video footage or posters are a great way to showcase a required historical reading/text.

Not sure how to use a Flip Camera or Windows Movie Maker? Contact us! We'll be happy to show you how!

Google sends Gmail to the Labs

So, have you ever taken a look at the Google Labs? There are lots of little things in there that you can add to make your Google experience a little better. Now do you have a Gmail account? I know some of your are saying "not another email account." Let me tell you I think I am up to seven myself and counting so I completely understand. But while you are looking through the Google Labs and if you have a Gmail account check out the Gmail Labs section from the link on the right side of the page under Other Experiments at Google.

There are a number of unique and interesting little feature add-ons that you can add to your Gmail account. I am not going to list everything out here in the blog but I will highlight a few things that I thought were interesting and then let you go and check out the rest of them. Now there is a disclaimer at the top of the page that lets you know ahead of time that these items are all in the experimental stages of development and could be removed at anytime. So don't freak out if one day you go into your Gmail and it does not look the same anymore due to a feature being removed from the Labs section. Gmail has a built in "escape hatch" they say to get things back to normal. It is a hyperlink to the standard Gmail web page.

So here are some of the things that I found interesting.

• Google Offline: This feature allows you to put Gmail in your browser window and access it offline.
• YouTube, Picasa and Flickr in your email: Preview within your mail items from the three sites listed.
• Message Translation: Will automatically translate emails into English that you receive in other languages.
  
• Right-side labels and Chats: It moves the boxes to the right hand side of the screen.
• Navbar drag and drop: Allows you to move items on the navbar to other areas using the drag and drop method.
• Create a Google Doc: Allows you to create a Google Doc from your email using the shortcut keys "g" and "w." You must have enabled the shortcut feature prior to being able to do this.

Again these are just a sample of the ones that I have used. Take it with a grain of salt and go take a look for yourself. Maybe you have an idea of a feature add-on that you could suggest to Google for the Gmail Labs.

Shmoop.com is an Amazing Resource for English or US History Teachers and Students

Shmoop.com http://www.shmoop.com/ is an amazing resource for English or US History teachers and students. The website is written by PhDs, graduate students, and advanced undergrads from some of the top universities in America including Stanford, Harvard, Yale, Princeton, and UC Berkeley.
You can create a login for the site but you don’t have to. You can select from any of the four tabs or subject areas which are Literature, History, Poetry and a Book Club. Once you click on the Literature tab for example, you can then select books from the hot topics, browse by title or browse by author. From this point you have about 160 books to choose from such as Fahrenheit 451, The Old Man and the Sea, For Whom the Bell Tolls, Hamlet, Othello, Macbeth, Frankenstein, Great Expectations, The Great Gatsby, To Kill a Mocking Bird, The Call of the Wild, Animal Farm, The Grapes of Wrath, Beowulf, Lord of the Flies, Our Town and many more. Once you choose a book you have the choice of reading an introduction or a summary, looking at themes in the book, quotes, a plot analysis, looking at study questions, doing a character study, exploring literary devices in the book or searching from a provided list of great related websites. The site even provides a list of did you know facts and a place to express your opinion of the book. Furthermore, you have the option to print the information or create a PDF.
If you choose to explore US History, you can also select from the hot topics, browse by title or browse by date. Once you select your war or event the choices are to view an introduction, in depth study, timeline, people, did you know, best of the web, citations, test review and opinions.
The website also has links to cite the source using MLA, APA or Chicago style. In the bottom left corner of the main page is a link to see how other teacher s use Smoop.
If you do create a login for the website, Shmoop will help you build an outline, take notes with stickies or clippings and drop them into your outline, save your outline in a folder or ask the Shmoop room a question in a discussion. Check it out. This site is a gold mine for English or US History teachers and students!

The Gears of 21st Century Learning

Let’s start by asking some questions. Why is 21st Century learning so important? Why are we in this academic field? What is our role? Isn’t it the education of our students? They are the future of our country and of our world. They are in reality our future! Don’t we have to prepare them for the future that they will face? Administrators have their roles, teachers have theirs and so do the parents and the students. In order for the gears of education to turn smoothly and in the right direction, everyone needs to do their part. Let’s start with the fruit of our labors, the students. Their role is to enter the classroom ready to learn, eager to participate and hungry for knowledge. The parents’ role is to support the students, teachers and administration. Remember, we are all in this together. The administrators’ role is to oversee that the gears of education are turning in the correct direction, that we are in fact moving forward. The teachers’ role is to create a classroom atmosphere that is inviting and challenging. All teachers have curriculum that they need to present to the students throughout the year. How they present it is solely at the discretion of the teacher.
21st century skills include problem solving, critical thinking, creativity and collaboration. There are a tremendous amount of free websites that allow teachers to incorporate these 21st century skills in their curriculum. Quest Atlantis, Google Docs, Voice Threads, Podcasting using Audacity, Photo Story 3 & Movie Maker, Wikis, Blogs, RSS feeds, iGoogle, Pageflakes, creating global connections through video conferencing, Google tools, and Social Bookmarking are some of the many tools available. Many teachers also have Smart Boards, ActivBoards, wireless tablets such as the Mobi, Qomo, Airliner & ActivSlate, Classroom Performance Systems such as those made by eInstruction, Senteos by Smart Technologies or ActivExpressions made by Promethean or document cameras that allow the teachers to engage their students in their daily lessons.
There are many teachers that embrace technology and take the initiative to learn how it can be beneficial to the students’ education. However, there are some teachers that stay with the teaching methods that they have been comfortable with for many years. I think we can all agree that technology is an ever growing part of our lives. Since technology seems to be increasing at an exponential rate it also is logical to assume that technology will be an even larger part of our student’s lives. Now please understand that it is not about the technology, it is about how the technology can be used to increase the students’ learning. These tools allow students to be much more involved in the classroom. They can be used to allow the students to be creative, critical thinkers, problem solvers and collaborators. They can also be used to present the curriculum in an atmosphere that is more inviting and at the same time challenging to the students. These are things that help move the gears of education in a positive and smooth forward motion.
All of this may seem simple and straight forward, but in fact, we all know that it is more complex than that. But even though we know this fact, we cannot stray from our purpose or role in this mission because just one tooth in a gear of education that moves slowly or in the wrong direction will prevent us from completing what we need to do, and that is to educate our students for their future.

The "Seven Wonders of the World" & More @ History.com

Awestruck is just one way of describing my response after viewing structures like the “Great Pyramid of Giza” (Thanks to History.com for my online tour). Today’s students are no doubt fortunate to have these online resources. Included within this resource link are GeoEye satellite pictures of the “Seven Wonders”. These satellite pictures present an assortment of amazing structures which include excellent detail . Pictures of Stonehenge are fascinating. Stonehenge which is considered a “Medieval Wonder” @ History.com, looks so simplistic, however, when you think of why and how it was built so long ago, it is amazing to say the least.

It is perhaps with the same wonderment that many of us have today that some thousands years ago, the naming of “The Seven Wonders of the World” was considered. Given that, several of us have continued to ponder which of these amazing places should be most revered and is it really a “Wonder”. So, what is a Wonder? Is it something that leaves us awestruck? Since the inception of the “Seven Wonders of the World” other categories of wonders have been established. In effect, History.com has dedicated a portion of their website to providing information about the “Seven Wonders of the World”. This resource also includes facts, various satellite pictures, and a video gallery (Resources).

What I found most interesting is that there are more categories of “Wonders” than I initially remembered. One such category is the results of a recent voting campaign used to establish the “Seven New Wonders".

To view the “Wonders” visit the web links listed here:

“Seven Ancient Wonders of the World”
http://www.history.com/content/sevenwonders/wonders-of-the-ages
“Seven Medieval Wonders of the World”
http://www.history.com/content/sevenwonders/wonders-of-the-ages/seven-medieval-wonders
"Modern World Wonders”
http://www.history.com/content/sevenwonders/wonders-of-the-ages/seven-modern-wonders-of-world
"Natural Seven Wonders”
http://www.history.com/content/sevenwonders/wonders-of-the-ages/seven-natural-wonders-of-the-world
“New Wonders of the World”
http://www.history.com/content/sevenwonders/new-wonders-of-the-world

ePals - Friends From Around the World

Remember the "You've Got Mail" alert on your computer? As an educator, I like to try many different ways to help students learn about the world around them and become more connected. One way to do that is through a free, email application called ePals SchoolMail. I have worked alongside the Winston-Salem Chamber of Commerce setting up the student email accounts and monitors for three schools on a project involving the communication between students and businesses. They were working on their writing skills while finding out more information about different careers.

ePals SchoolMail is a student-only email service that was founded in 1996. It is free to the users and free of advertising as well. Tim DiScipio, epals' co-founder stated "We're looking for educationally relevant sponsors and foundations." They develop partnerships with these businesses and organizations so SchoolMail is ad free. Students can then focus on the email. Although it is a free service, guidelines and educator controls are in place. While ePals maintains the overall filtering system of content and language, the teacher/monitor for the classroom can monitor all incoming and outgoing email, adjust the level of protections, establish settings determined by student ages and needs, block or regulate attachments and even limit correspondence to certain students or classrooms.

Email is another way of providing cultural exchange for students around the world and preparing them for our global society. With SchoolMail there are no boundaries. It is easy to find another online classroom using the ePals map, which includes 8 regions with 200 countries using 136 languages. Educational projects with classrooms in the global community and virtual field trips allow students to be more connected and aware of the world around them. The email exchange with groups give them firsthand knowledge of each other's culture, help them develop a personal connection and see a lot of value in the other cultures.


Teachers monitor emails for appropriateness and being coherent; looking for correct grammar, spelling and punctuation, no texting slang, and providing more insight to different terms used in different cutures such as "football vs soccer." These guidelines have shown a positive effect and writing to students with limited English helped improved students' writing skills. They were more careful with sentence structure and helped each other with grammar and spelling.

Younger students can use email to help them learn about other local schools, counties and states, cyber etiquette, and various parts of an email as part of the Standard Course of Study. Some teachers have expanded the one-to-one email features by creating a SchoolBlog to communicate as a group. They post questions, answer others' questions, and share ideas. The enthusiasm to participate and learn more on a subject increases dramatically when the students start receiving responses. They start asking more questions, learn new terms, and will login at home if have access.

Email is another way students can live in the "now" with their global community and become stronger in their education. Let's think how we can put them in touch with the world around them and how it can make a difference.

Increasing Achievement with Comic Books

Why should teachers spend time letting students create comic books when they could draw and create comic books at home? We’ve all had the student who could draw that would spend hours creating a comic book in the back of a composition notebook instead of completing a reading assignment, or completing a math assignment or learning about the solar system. So why should teachers take valuable time away from the curriculum to allow students time to create comic books in class?

One example is Art Spiegelman’s graphic novel called Maus: A Survivor’s Tale about his father’s struggle to survive the Holocaust as a Polish Jew bringing to life his father’s recollections of the experience. In 1992 the graphic novel won a Pulitzer Prize Special Award. Maus: A Survivor's Tale has been used in the study of modern English Literature and Jewish culture. One example is Random House for High School Teachers: http://www.randomhouse.com/highschool/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780394747231&view=tg

Many teachers search for ways to bring the outside world into their classrooms and to motivate their students to read. Comic books are one way to get students to enjoy reading. Comic books engage the students; the drawings bring the story to life for them and improve their literacy skills. Never mind that students think its fun to read comic books.

When students are actively engaged they learn more and having students create comic books provides opportunities for students to learn. Instead of just studying the solar system can you imagine how students would create a means of travel to each planet and find life forms based on each planet’s composition creating a livelihood and an economy then illustrating what they’ve learned through a comic book? Students would practice sequencing, summarizing, analyzing, writing skills, story boards, art composition, linear perspectives, linguistic and non-linguistic representations requiring the students to organize and elaborate on information.

If students draw each panel of the comic book they will need to decide which points are most significant to their story while maintaining the scope and sequence of the story because of the small size of each panel. Teachers would be able to assess the depth of knowledge and understanding based on the ideas and content of the comic books created by the students.

You may read the entire article to learn more about the characteristics and composition of a comic book at http://www.thecreativeeducator.com/ from The Creative Educator spring 2009 edition.


Now let’s think about how students could create that same comic book using technology.

• Audacity to create the audio and background music
• PhotoStory to sequence images and to import an mp3 file from Audacity
• Flip video camera to create short videos or take still photos of images created by the student
• Movie Maker to sequence images and short videos importing an mp3 file
• Voice Thread to sequence a story and allow other students to submit comments about the story and/or images
• PowerPoint could be used to present the comic book with the student narrating the story and importing background music to the slides
• Word processing software to type the entire story, working thru the sequence and scope of the story before making a story board.

What other technologies could students use in your school to create comic books of knowledge?
Image from The Creative Educator: http://www.thecreativeeducator.com/

Classroom Connections with Skype

One of the best ways to introduce technology into the classroom without having to purchase a lot of equipment is to use Skype as a free video conferencing tool. Skype is the application covered in the Creating Global Connections workshop offered by my department. And it really goes a long way towards making communication and collaboration with other classrooms or Skype users easy. Many educators and classrooms in our district are already using Skype to connect with other classrooms and engage in some collaborative projects. Some are still looking for classrooms to contact. I'd like to help more classrooms get connected. If you are interested in getting started and would like to contact a classroom across the county before you communicate around the world, these are some folks who might be able to help.

Ms. Hutchens (Skype name leahhutchens) at Ward has been using Skype with her kindergarten class to contact places like California and Australia this year. Sam Walker (Skype name swalker21) at Bolton used Skype to set up a guest speaker for his school and has teachers currently working with classrooms around the district—like Ms. Lee at Southwest (Skype name heidi.lynn.lee) and Ms. Edwards from Diggs (Skype name mwedwards815). In addition to the contact with Bolton, Ms. Edwards recently skyped a classroom in Georgia she’d contacted through the Skypeinschools wiki. Her experiences are detailed on her blog. If you are looking for a middle school class to get in touch with, Nanette Naylor at Philo (Skype name nmnaylor) is looking for Skyping partners for some of her classrooms. And finally, you can always Skype with me (Skype name emaiden3). At the very least I think I can help you get started finding another class to Skype with.

Recently I was shadowed for a day by a WSFCS student for the SLIDE program. I tried to think of a ways to have her use technology in a meaningful way while she was here in the department. That afternoon I had her Skype in with classrooms at Bolton and Diggs, and I bet that was the best part of her day with me. Using Skype she was able to speak to and engage with students around our district who got a chance to ask questions of a high school student in her last semester here in WSFCS schools.

I think that is the real power of Skype—to engage students and create connections with other learners and classes far outside the walls of the building.

A computer in a keyboard?

Yes I said a computer in a keyboard.

How about just having a keyboard that does the same thing as a full desktop or laptop computer. Now I know what some of your are thinking. Hey we have cell phones that have all the functionality of a computer without the peripheral ports other than an SD card reader. Well this one seems to be something neat to me. A new cool tool that might be something fun to have.

The ASUS Eee Keyboard. It is a full qwerty keyboard minus the number pad. Now in the place of the number pad there is an 800x600 pixel resolution touchscreen display which also acts as a touch pad. What are some of the other features; a 1.6GHz processor, a possible 32GB SSD, 802.11n, bluetooth, HDMI, 2 USB 2.0, audio in/out and vga port. Not bad for a product who's projected price point comes in between $400-600 dollars.

So in the short I think it looks like a promising product that I would like to see in the retail market so that I can test it out. It may be something really good for use in the home. I would bet with some additional peripherals you can get this hooked up to your HD/LCD TV and use it sitting on the couch watching he ball game. Maybe there could be some sort of wireless monitor that could be out there you could use with this keyboard. Oh wait another on the horizon product from ASUS is the wireless monitor, but that is another post all together.

Check it out next month and make your own decision.

image provided by: ASUS

Tech Help

Technology is not JUST for fun. Nor is it only intended to connect us through networks, engage us with multimedia and great visuals or indulge us with shortcuts that are efficient and productive. Now, don’t get me wrong, (or get it twisted) - those things are pretty awesome. But, I want you to know that technology can also truly serve up some life-changing moments.

Equality. We all know what it is… everybody should have the same things and access. Right? Right! How does that apply to technology in education? Equality is key, but when dealing with student disabilities, be sure your chosen technology is the right fit.

According to the Technology-Related Assistance for Individuals with Disabilities Act of 1988 (Public Law 100-407), “an assistive technology means any item, piece of equipment, or product/system, whether acquired commercially, off-the-shelf, modified or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities.”

What can assistive technology hardware or software look like in the classroom?

- Talking/Large Print Web Browsers
- Audio Books
- Magnification Hardware (or Software for your Desktop)
- Speech-to-Text software
- Text-to-Speech software
- Talking Calculators
- Computer-Assisted Captioning
- Alternative Keyboards
- Amplification Systems
- Page Turners
- Touch Screens
- Electronic Pointing Devices
- Refreshable Braille displays
- Light Signal Alerts
- On-Screen Keyboards (or Keyboards that have Speech Capabilities)

… This list could literally go on and on because it is so adaptive and dependent upon the students’ particular disability.

If you have any students that can benefit from some type of assistive technology within your classroom, please let us know. We are happy to come up with customized solutions on how to best fit the needs of your students using technology! Our district also has an EC department that can work hand-in-hand with us in determining your students’ particular needs. The incorporation of technology within your classroom should equal success for ALL of your students.

Want to do more research on your own? Check out these websites:

The Alliance for Technology Access
http://www.ataccess.org/

Discovery Education: Special Education Resources
http://school.discoveryeducation.com/schrockguide/edspec.html

Lesson 25 Assistive Technology (Look at what other teachers are doing!)
http://www.k12.hi.us/~tethree/00-01/content/lesson25.htm

Introduction to Assistive Technology
http://atto.buffalo.edu/registered/ATBasics/Foundation/intro/index.php

Education World: Assistive Technology
http://www.education-world.com/a_tech/tech/tech086.shtml

Assistive Technology Website Directory
http://www.familyvillage.wisc.edu/education/at.html

Looking for a Child friendly Operating System?

I know that there are a lot of available offerings for parents to have a safe friendly environment for their small children to use the computer. I have looked a number of them but have settled on one that I like.

Qimo (pronounced "kim - oh") is a customized, and customizable, operating system built off the Ubuntu Linux platform for children ages 3 up to about 12. The interface has been optimized and designed for a child with lots of interactive features and what I call "big kid buttons." Take a look at the screen shots here.

The system really looks good with the added features that will help children grow in a safe computing environment. Michael and Michelle Hall are the founders of QuinnCo Inc. which is a non-profit organization that helps put computers in the homes of children with special needs. What they do is to take older computers and remove all data files and load them with educational games that teach computer literacy. It is fun, it is interactive and that is what our kids need to get them interested the appropriate use of computers.

The system requirements are very low "...needs a minimum of 256MB of memory to run from the CD, or 192MB to install. At least 6 GB of hard drive space is recommended, and a 400MHz or faster CPU." So if you are planning to donate they can take computers ranging from a Pentium III class to current machines. You can read about other opportunities to donate at the link above.

National Parks Services Teaching Resources

Several Government agencies offer free resources for teachers and the National Parks Services (NPS) is one of those agencies. This agency has established the “Teaching with Historic Places (TwHP)” program.The National Parks Service Provides the following explanation about this program:

According to their website, http://www.nps.gov/history/NR/twhp/about.htm,
“Teaching with Historic Places (TwHP) is a program of the National Park Service's Heritage Education Services office. Over the years TwHP has developed a variety of products and services. These include a series of lesson plans; guidance on using places to teach; information encouraging educators, historians, preservationists, site interpreters, and others to work together effectively; and professional development publications and training courses. Initially created in collaboration with the National Trust for Historic Preservation, TwHP grew out of a desire by both organizations to expand educational outreach. “ (Quoted from NPS website)

Once more, the above quote from the National Parks Services (NPS) website best describes the agency’s initiative. I encourage you to visit their website to find lesson plans, teacher guides, teacher tools and information that will prove valuable when studying topics that reference historic events and places such as “The Trail of Tears”, “The Great Smokey Mountains” and the culture of the Gullah and Geechee people. When visiting this resource, you are sure to find information on other North Carolina Parks as well as National Historic locations throughout the Nation. http://www.nps.gov/learn/curriculum.htm.

"The Great Smokey Mountains" @ http://www.nps.gov/grsm/
"The Gullah & Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor" @ http://www.nps.gov/guge/
"The Trail of Tears" @ http://www.nps.gov/history/NR/twhp/wwwlps/lessons/118trail/118trail.htm
References: www.nps.gov

Advanced Thinking in Digital Storytelling

The Creative Educator Spring 2009
http://thecreativeeducator.com

The foundation of any digital story begins with a good story, one with a point of view, a dramatic question, and emotional content. Bringing the story to life for the reader through the words of the story should be more important that all the transitions, visual and audio effects, background music and text styles that the students can add to the digital story. As an example of visual effect, instead of writing “He was walking down the street,” the student may choose verbs and adjectives to describe how a character was walking down the street, “With his head slightly cocked to the side and held high, teeth clenched, and shoulders back he strutted down the street like he owned the town” draws the reader into the story allowing the reader to be a more active participant.

Once a story is mapped out on a storyboard the students will be able to decide which technology tool will best add the effects, transitions and sounds to bring their stories to life. If the students are using still images to illustrate their stories, panning and zooming can add a certain impact and dynamic feel to the story. But transitions can be a problem. Help students understand there should be a reason for using transitions to tell the story, not distract from the story. A great story could be lost to the viewer because the students crammed all the effects they could into the finished product. Just because the students knew how to add all those effects doesn’t mean that those effects added anything to the story. Students need to learn that "less is more."

So what about the background music? Does the story need music to give a dramatic impact to the story? The background music should set the tone, add to the pacing of the story and augment the emotional content of the story, not distract from the story. Let the students’ own voice personalize the story. Teachers can help students decide what sounds, soundtracks, or sound effects can best enhance their stories.

The main focus in digital storytelling should be the writing experience with the technology as the tool to enhance and bring the story to life. There are many tools that students can use:

• Audacity for podcasting the story
• PhotoStory 3 to enhance the story with images and music
• Movie Maker to add images, video and music to the story
• Voice Thread to allow other students to add their comments to the story and the images
• PowerPoint presentations
  

To read the entire article please goes to http://thecreativeeducator.com Spring 2009 edition of the magazine.

Traditional Textbooks

What do you think of when someone mentions a textbook? Does a big, thick book with lots of information that was written for a specific grade and course come to mind? As I work with the Software Clearinghouse committee, I see more challenges arising in ways to meet educational needs of the students.

The times are "a changing." Information is out there for anyone to claim and use. Events are current, posted online almost to the minute of them happening. Several school systems are taking a look at the way information is given to students. They are making allowances for all the newer technologies - internet resources, interactive media, data devices. Districts are looking for ways to incorporate these technologies into their existing textbook curriculum to help with budget concerns and to help make the curriculum more interesting.

Our textbooks come up for adoption renewal every five years and the decisions are made for the next term based on information that has already happened and organized to fit our standard course of study. Some of the facts are already "wrong" before we start using the new texts because of the fast-paced changes in our world and society. Publishers have begun to use CDs with their textbooks, but even that is static information. They almost have their hands tied when it comes to textbooks because of having to prepare for all the different states' requirements, standards, and budgets.

Indiana has taken the initiative to ask publishers to provide better and more interesting materials that incorporate the newer technologies. Virginia is using a nonprofit organization to help them develop their own content and has textbooks in physics, math, and biology online. Chapters and lab experiments have been developed by teachers and are posted for other teachers to use. Textbooks haven't been replaced, only supplemented with online instructional materials. Florida is trying to provide more flexibility in their budget by allowing the school districts to use instructional material funds for texts or anything else. Once the teachers and students have gotten a taste for materials that are online, interactive, or otherwise digital, I think it would be much easier to bring the textbooks to life.

I believe we need textbooks, whether they are paper or a digital resource. As our world changes minute by minute, hopefully publishers will try to keep up (or ahead) and provide us with more possibilities for teaching materials. Learning styles, as well as ways to find and receive information, have changed. Let's try to keep improving the quality of the educational materials we provide for the students.

Using Scribble Maps to Draw on Your Google Maps

Do you use Google Maps at all? If you do, you need to check out Scribble Maps http://www.scribblemaps.com/#id=oPV2Vq9_N2. This site allows you to draw on the maps and share them with others. You still have your terrain, satellite and hybrid options as well as the regular map view of course. However, in Scribble Maps you have the option of adding a place marker, text, shapes, lines and scribbles on top of your map. Furthermore you draw those shapes in any color and opacity. You also have an eraser tool to erase the things you erroneously place on the map. The site also allows you to create a custom widget, and save it as a KML or GPX file. Accessing the menu allows you to send the map you created to a friend, save the map or load or import an earlier map you created.

Simple, yet Great Sites - Vol. 1

Sometimes - we all run across websites we think are simply great. They can be very simplistic in nature but achieve huge things! Well... here are 5 that I want to share with you.

1- http://www.rhymezone.com/

Writing poetry? Stuck on a word that rhymes with "__" Check out this site... it adds to your creative juices by quickly giving you rhyming words!

2 - http://www.ocrterminal.com/

Need to convert scanned images or .pdf's into editable text? This online optical character recognition site gives you that ability!

3- http://www.wdl.org/en/

Need to find some historical maps or documents within a certain time period, in ANY country? This site is the place!

4- http://www.climate-charts.com/World-Climate-Index-Map.html

Want to know about the climate in ANY region of the world. This user-friendly site gives you climate information quickly!

5- http://langid.net/

Trying to figure out which language you are looking at? This website allows you to paste in the text and it instantly recognizes what foreign language the text is written.

Ahead in the Cloud

I love cloud computing. Cloud computing refers to having your files and content stored not on the physical computer, but rather "in the cloud" that is the Internet. In a cloud your information is no longer tied to a specific computer or device but can be accessed from any computer. So you don't rely on the computer hardrive or flashdrive. In a recent workshop I commented to the group that if my computer fell in a lake I would be sad, but it wouldn't be the catastrophic event it would have once been because I have some of my content stored online.

Now there are drawbacks to being in the cloud. In order to get to your stuff you have to be online, and if you can't connect to the Internet, you can't get to your data. In addition, you must be willing to give into the idea that your data is online, and security for that data is in the hands of an online entity. There is a trust issue with cloud computing, so I don't plan to have all of my data online. But if Google wants to scan through my Google docs for my Powerpoint presentation files or my fantasy football draft 2008 spreadsheet, so be it. If the price for having all my delicious bookmarks available to me all the time from any computer is having them available to everyone, then count me in. And many of us have used some form of web-based email account (or accounts) for years. Now most of the applications I use on a daily basis could be described as cloud applications.

I'm not the only one that is onboard with cloud computing and thinks it could impact the future of education. The 2009 Horizon Report, which identifies emerging technology trends in education, listed cloud computing as one of the six technologies likely to enter future mainstream adopted use in K-12 education within the next two to three years. Part of the draw is how easy it is to collaborate using cloud applications, but another benefit that might drive this will be the money saved. When data is in the cloud (in most cases) you're not paying to store and back it all up. At this time I am using 24 MB (0%) of my 7323 MB inbox. And in a cloud, you don't spend funds on software. I'm not sure I would spend any money on programs that need to be installed on a workstation or server because in many cases there is a good web-based alternative that is often free.

Sometime soon maybe all students will really need on a computer will be a browser; everything else could be up in the cloud.

The National Constitution Center

Studying the Constitution of the United States is a grand accomplishment. However, if you could visit the National Constitution Center this will no doubt provide a bridge to understanding and appreciating Appreciating its significance. Nonetheless, for those unable to visit and tour the center, the National Constitution Center offers a website that provides educational resources. Among the resources they offer are both online and printable resources. One key resources is a link that offers teachers materials that they may find helpful when discussing the constitution as well as current events that are impacted by the constitution. Also included among the links are lesson plans. This website also proves to be a vital resource for student research when studying the constitution; among the resources is a copy of the constitution, a timeline and copies of primary and secondary documents. Listed within the sites contents are important facts about the constitution, the people, and the time in history when the constitution was written as well as an interactive constitution link.

The National Constitution Center ‘s website provides a plethora of information for teachers, students as well for anyone interested in learning more about the constitution. Also of value to students are the pictures of artifacts which include a copy of a signed copy of the Constitution. The direct link to various the online resources is: http://www.constitutioncenter.org/ncc_edu_Online_Activities.aspx or to visit the National Constitution homepage visit http://www.constitutioncenter.org/ncc_home_Landing.aspx

Picture Citation: Signed Copy of the Constitution of the United States; Miscellaneous Papers of the Continental Congress, 1774-1789; Records of the Continental and Confederation Congresses and the Constitutional Convention, 1774-1789, Record Group 360; National Archives. Retrieved from http://www.constitutioncenter.org/ncc_home_Landing.aspx on May 4, 2009

Imagination at Work

Imagination. Webster defines it as “The act or power of forming a mental image of something not present to the senses or never before wholly perceived in reality.”

Personally, I define imagination as the ability to incorporate personal perspectives, ideas, and visuals to change or impact a goal, topic or thing CREATIVELY. Overall, using the imagination causes impact to output – whether idealistically-speaking or methodologically-speaking.

So, the million-dollar question? How can teachers allow imagination to make a difference right in the classroom? Lots of ways…. And it is easier than you may initially think.

From the Unified Schedule Workshop last Friday, Professor J. Allen Queen from UNCC made some interesting comments that tie in nicely with this post

• Every lesson should never be taught the same way twice
  
• With your lessons, make sure the students are interacting and experimenting
  
• Teachers should focus on student learning over teaching!
  
• There should be an acceptance for change and desire for future refinement
  

How does imagination go hand-in-hand with these?

Never teaching a lesson the same way means tailoring the lesson to the personality of each class! Making the lessons more interactive/experimental, by default can be geared towards success with the integration of 21^st century skills. Also, with the incorporation of technology-based projects, learning-based activities, etc. the lessons given by teachers will automatically be/become interactive. When students are allowed to use their imagination, their finished products/projects will be focused on and produced from different types of student learning!

How does all of this even come into play? The teacher must, I repeat, MUST be willing to have an open mind-set for change in the classroom. This is the crucial first step. An open mind will allow teachers to see the individual personalities of each of their classes, each period of each day. An open mind will allow teachers to reconstruct their lessons in a way that allows for more interaction and less lecture. Open-minded teachers will look less at themselves as presenters and “head” of the classroom and more at student perception, intake and learning style. Imagination is the catalyst to incorporating change and opening the mind.

Need a place to start? Don’t change your curriculum – you don’t even have to write completely new lesson plans… Simply choose one lesson you already have in place, and tweak it so the output and objectives can be met differently. Want an example? Instead of having the students write the same ole’ research paper… Have them write the paper and then use Photo Story to capture the story with photos while using their voice to narrate it. Or… Have the students use VoiceThread and get feedback on their paper from other peers. Or… have them use a Wiki and use classroom collaboration to write the paper along with another classmate. Or… have them design a “movie poster” using graphics and some text to advertise the plot/storyline – this goes right along with summarization skills.

Same research paper… different output. Student engagement achieved.

Imagination is not just for use with crayolas.

Excel Tips

I've been working in Excel with several teachers lately. They have found the program as a great resource tool for all subject areas. Sometimes we needed basic tips and then that information led to more advanced features. We built spreadsheets for K-5 students that displayed as labeling games, pictographs, questionaires, and much more. The help menu in Excel is great, but it always helps to have more backup.

While searching for more tips and suggestions for them, I found a really great resource website called ExcelTips. It is one piece of the Tips.net publication which is a division of Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.. Allen L. Wyatt, writer and editor, started it ten years ago and has over 39,000 subscribers. He freely shares all the tips, tricks, and tutorials online or in a newsletter.

The free subscription to his site must be confirmed through your provided email link. Your email is not made public and they don't sell their mailing list. Watch for the latest publication every Saturday and it covers all the versions from Excel97 through 2007. The tips are noted with the version when it calls for different information. The site is searchable with links or keywords and information from past issues can be accessed online. If you want to have all the information available when you aren't online, a CD is available for purchase. He does have a version that provides more that the free version called ExcelTips Premium and has a nominal annual charge.

Using the Helpful Links and Newest Tips sections on the website, we were able to learn more ways to make Excel become an integral part of our curriculum. All we had to do was think of an activity to be used in a lesson and the tips, tricks, and tutorials were there waiting for us. If you want to find out what is happening at the moment, just follow him on his twitter account or sign up for the RSS feed that will give you an ExcelTip daily or weekly.

Virtually Restored Egyptian Temple

USA Today – April 22, 2009

Students who are studying Egypt and the Ancient Temple of Karnak can now virtually visit the temple. Thanks to the University of California, at Los Angeles team who created the “Digital Karnak” students can visit a three-dimensional 69- acre site that’s filled with temples, gateways, obelisks and 100 sphinxes dating back to 1951 B.C. to 31 B.C.

Similar virtual sites have been created by this team – Rome Colosseum, Roman Forum and Pompeii’s Villa of the Mysteries. These virtual models can be seen through Google Earth. To read the complete article pleas go to:
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/2009-04-22-temple-karnak_N.htm


So let’s look at Digital Karnak with Google Earth. Teachers and students will download the link to the desktop of the computer and once Google Earth is launched the file should appear in the left sidebar. No special hardware or software is needed. Begin by clicking on this link:
http://dlib.etc.ucla.edu/projects/Karnak/google_earth.

Students will be able to trace the development of the temple from the Middle Kingdom (1950 BCE) through the Greco-Roman Period (31 BCE). The model shows the chronological change in the temple as it was being built.

To access the Digital Karnak click here: http://dlib.etc.ucla.edu/projects/Karnak/ Once you have arrived select from one of the following sections to begin your adventure.

1. Time Map
2. Experience Karnak
3. Browse Archive
4. Google Earth

There is also a large gallery of pictures at the Temple Complex Overview link found on the Digital Karnak page. What a great way to have your students take a field trip !!!

Image from Google Earth and the Digital Karnak: http://dlib.etc.ucla.edu/projects/Karnak/google_earth

Mobi - Not the Artist the InterWrite Tablet

So we have been talking a lot about collaboration and how to get students involved in the classroom. So what is it about kids today? Are they bored, unchallenged, tired? Where is the motivation for them from the instructor.

Let's get them involved and with the new InterWrite Workspace 8.01 software and the InterWrite Mobi Tablet that just might do the trick.

The InterWrite Mobi tablet is the first multi-user, multi-tablet collaborative solution for classrooms instruction. What is it you ask. Well the Mobi is the next generation of interactive tablet in which the user can manipulate desktop or laptop applications without being locked into one location in the room. You have the ability to roam free and be a part of the learning environment. The one nice addition to the Mobi over its predecessors is the addition of a 2.5" lcd color screen which allows you to link up with another product from eInstruction, the Classroom Performance Systems (CPS for short). Check out Brian Piekarski's previous article in our blog. All response information is sent to the display as it happens so that you can see where the students are without having to go back to the desktop or laptop. The board has also been redesigned to be more ergonomic for the user as well as lighter in weight and sturdier for in class use. Previous evolutions of InterWrite tablets had a rechargeable pen that had one contact point for charging the newly designed pen has a 360 degree contact point for charging and fits inside of its own holster built into the back of the boards hand-hold.

Now to talk about one really new cool feature of the InterWrite Workspace software that come with the Mobi Tablet or can be downloaded from the eInstruction website. It is the ability to use the collaborative workspace. While inside the workspace software the instructor can have up to 9 tablets interacting with the display at one time. it is very simple to use you click on the multi-user icon and drag and drop the tablets into the areas of the screen you want them to use. You are the instructor and have control of the page and all users. Each tablet has access to their own space only and cannot write in an another users defined space. Now those of you who have a previous incarnate of the the InterWrite tablet can still use the multi-user feature of Workspace v 8.01 software so do not worry at all.

Check out the eInstruction website for more information about the Mobi tablet, CPS and Workspace software.

video images and image provided by eInstruction