Live Blogging DTEC Workshop: 25 Tools for the Digital Classroom

Good afternoon, folks!  We're back and here's 25 Tools for the Digital Classroom:

3:56 Xtranormal  Animated 3-D Movies based on a user created script; $10 per teacher for classroom set-up.
        Storybird   Students add the story to a collection of related artwork; teacher account is free.

3:58 Youtube & Teachertube  We've spent a lot of time on this blog sharing our love of Youtube EDU, but did you know that Teachertube is a video hub for teachers by teachers with emphasis on educational content.

4:04  Today's Meet Discussion

4:06 Polling Websites for PollDaddy, SurveyMonkey, PollEverywhere, FluidSurveys, MicroPoll, Zoomerang, Pollmo, Twtpoll, Celly

4:19  Slideshare  Share your Powerpoint Presentations online

4:21  Audio share...Voicethread & Podomatic

4:22  Pictures & Visuals...Dipity (interactive timelines), Picnik (free photo shop), Pixlr (free photo editing), Smugmug (photo editing)

4:28  WizIQ  Fee based Test Hosting Site

4:29  File conversions with Zamzar, Free PDF Converter

Whew!  Made it under the wire...good job Julie!

What Happens in an Internet Minute?

How important do you think it is to train Sweet Home students to be competitive with technology?  Do we feel the urgency?  (picture source:  https://www.facebook.com/Intel)

ITSC 2012: Getting Social with Students

Getting Social with Students
Presented by Jeff Utecht

• We live in a world where there is no boundary between our work life and our social life. 
• Individuals have a need to be connected.  
• We know there's no way we can tell kids they can't bring cell phones to school - almost 70% of text messages during the school day are between parent and child, not kid to kid.
• We all feel the pressure to stay connected, to stay up to date, to get things done.

How do we start using this medium with kids?

ITSC 2012: Consumer, Collaborators and Creators in a Mobile World

Consumer, Collaborators and Creators in a Mobile World

• Google Forms are a great use for collecting data from students with Mobile Devices. 
• Mobile devices are kid magnets.  So maybe this is a tool that we should use in schools?
• Why should we use mobile devices in the classroom?

ITSC 2012: Recipe for Student Blogging

Mr. Miller has had his classroom blogging for a few years now!  He (and they) LOVE it!  Every year, Mr. Miller does a Blogging Boot Camp!  Here's his recipe, including daily lessons!  http://mrmillersblog.com/blogging-boot-camp/

Online Talking Dictionary!

Ever come across a word that you don't know how to pronounce?  Well wonder no longer thanks to Howjsay.com. 

According to the website's homepage, the directions are pretty straightforward: 

When your entry appears in pink, [hover the] mouse over to hear it pronounced.  You can list up to 15 entries like this: cat;cart;cut;cot;caught;coat;.  There are currently 153030 entries in the dictionary.

This is a great, free classroom tool for struggling readers and ESL students. 

Guided-Notes Maker

Summer is a great time to get stuff done!  One of my goals this summer is to (at least) organize some reading interventions for Unit #1 in September, and here's a nifty device to help me do just that!!!

I've blogged before about the site Intervention Central, but their Guided-Notes Maker is pretty darn cool and simple to use. 

Just copy and paste your lecture or activity notes into the spaces provided and voilà! You've just created a PDF/Fill-In-The-Blank Version for your struggling students.  Teachers can also customize the "blanks" to provide more or less support as students need.

'Powerpoint on Crack'

"You know about Prezi right?" one of the presenters for our GEAR UP Career Day asked me today.

"No.  What's Prezi,"  I replied. 

"Well, Prezi is like Powerpoint.  On crack."

Or, more precisely, Prezi is a pretty amazing reinterpretation of the slideshow.  Prezi's website allows users to learn about the process, create, edit, save, and present slideshows from an online account. Signing up for an account is free, and, as a bonus, educators and students can receive an upgraded account with more storage. Sweet, right?!?!

Power of storytelling on Prezi

Engage Your Students with Cell Phones

Poll Everywhere hosts a polling system which receives answers in the form of text messages.  According to the homepage, you can create a poll in 30 seconds without signing up for an account that can be accessed via text messages.  However, if you want to save the poll and/or analyze the results you do have to have an account. 

When I told my 8th graders to get out their cell phones, they all thought they were going to get another lecture about keeping them off at school.  But when I showed them how I wanted them to predict what would happen next in the story we were reading, they couldn't wait to text in their responses.  Poll Everywhere allows for multiple texts from the same phone feature, which worked well for students who finished first.  I asked them to go to a student that didn't have a phone and help them submit his/her answer.  Texting FEES/RATES do apply, so students who weren't allowed to text can submit their prediction via 3x5 card or Postit.