Tuesday, July 28, 2009

10 Technology Enhanced Alternatives to Book Reports

1. Let students create a cartoon version of the book they have just finished.
2. Let students create a short video clip about the book.
3. Create a virtual poster advertising the book.
4. Encourage students to create their own virtual bookshelves with Shelfari http://shelfari.com.
5. Book Adventure http://bookadventure.org is an online reading motivation program.
6. Bookcasting is a recorded audio podcast about a book.
7. Allow students to create a timeline of events in the story they just read in an online timeline.
8. Wikis are an excellent place for students to share book reviews.
9. Excite and motivate students to read with Book Wink http://bookwink.com.
10. Voice Thread http://voicethread.com is an amazing site that allows students to create web 2.0 slide shows that become interactive and collaborative.

From:
http://www.theapple.com/benefits/articles/8529-10-technology-enhanced-alternatives-to-book-reports

Friday, July 17, 2009

Goodhue Public School's Online Teacher Technology Training program

Here are some new training modules to Goodhue Public School's Online Teacher Technology Training program.

The following are free training modules anyone can use. Goodhue Teachers get a stipend for completing a set amount of these modules. So far this model of technology training has been fairly successful. Feel free to use and share:

1.1 -
Understanding File Properties
1.2 - File Formats & File Extensions
1.3 - Hooking up a Periphials
1.4 - Burning CDs and DVDs
1.5 - Backing Up Your Files
1.6 - Wireless vs Ethernet
1.7 - Dealing with a frozen computer
2.1 - Search engines
2.2 - Language Translators
2.3 - Databases – ebsco, Google Scholar
2.4 - Anatomy of a URL
2.5 - Netiquette & Internet Safety
3.1 - Fair use
4.1 - Google Docs & Spreadsheets
4.2 - Zoho
4.3 - Presentation Programs
4.4 - Online Storage
4.5 - Emailing Large Files/Batch Files
5.1 - Digital Cameras + Digital Image Basics
5.2 - Digital Image Software (Gimp, Photoshop, Picassa, Splashup, Picnik, etc.)
5.3 - Image sharing – Flickr, Photobucket, etc.
6.1 - Capturing Video
6.2 - Digital Video Content
6.3 - Video Editing
6.4 - Publishing video online – YouTube, TeacherTube, etc.
6.5 - Online Broadcasting
7.1 - Podcasts
7.2 - Audacity
7.3 - Creating a podcast
8.1 - Concept Mapping Software
8.2 - Wikis
8.3 - Self Publishing
8.4 - Building a Custom Search Engine
9.1 - Blogs
9.2 - Social Bookmarking (del.icio.us)
9.3 - RSS
9.4 - Power of the comment
9.5 - Skype
9.6 - Educational/Social Networks
9.7 - Microblogging
9.8 - Virtual Meeting Rooms
10.1 - Updating your website (basics) / webpage design considerations
10.2 - HTML tricks to enhance your webpage
10.3 - Embedding Video
10.4 - Widgets
10.5 - Online Quizzes and Worksheets
10.6 - Digital Drop
10.7 - eFolio
11.1 - Rubistar
11.2 - Online Lesson Plan Sharing
11.3 - SMARTtech lessons and teacher toolkit
11.4 - WebQuests
12.1 - Open Source vs. Proprietary Software
12.2 - Serious Games
12.3 - Virtual Worlds

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Wired Science Top 10 Science Videos

http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2009/07/sciencemusic/

Music can make the driest scientific concepts entertaining, or even hilarious. Catchy tunes about DNA blend genetics with jokes. Ballads about the heart and pi bring dull facts to life. Here are some videos that show how hard science rocks.

Also check out

Monday, July 13, 2009

Animated engines

http://www.animatedengines.com/

Here you'll find animated illustrations that explain the inner workings of a variety of steam, Stirling, and internal combustion engines. Enjoy.