Create and View Presentations Online

Using Thumbstacks, you can create a slide show presentation online and then share it with others by providing a link. You need to sign up for an account, but it’s free.

Here’s a quick slide show I made in Thumbstacks: http://thumbstacks.com/p/jo/Creating+JPGs
You should recognize this slide show from the instructions I provided in the last blog entry for how to create a JPG in PowerPoint.

I discovered Thumbstacks and how to create a JPG in PowerPoint at the same time as I examined some TeacherTube videos. In particular, I viewed Intro to Thumbstacks (http://www.teachertube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=6dd3cc56283f2313522d).

Creating slide shows in Thumbstacks is easy. Some of the menu choices are available at the top of the screen and some become available by right-click (on a two-button mouse) or control-click. Text-formatting options are available. You can upload images. You can drag-and-drop. Themes and styles are available.

The slide shows don’t have all the features of a full-fledged presentation tool. Options missing are transitions, sound, video, and drawing tools. A forum (bugs; feature requests and ideas; and comments, criticism and questions) is available.

Thumbstacks includes an option for real-time use during remote meetings. I haven’t tried this yet.

Thumbstacks is an easy-to-use Web 2.0 application for creating and viewing presentations. Both teachers and students would, most likely, find Thumbstacks very useful.

Creating JPGs

I’ve used AppleWorks for years to create files formatted as JPGs. The AppleWorks Draw module is very easy to use… to mix graphics and text… to create title pages, logos, and other JPG files.

The Save As options in Word do not, however, include JPG. So, I thought that Microsoft Office had not provided the option to save a file as a JPG.

I just learned that there is a procedure in Microsoft Office to do this. I was looking in the wrong application. I needed to look at PowerPoint.

Here’s how you create a JPG in PowerPoint…

• Launch PowerPoint
• Create a blank slide (slide layout)
• View > Toolbars > Drawing
• Create a image using choices on the Drawing toolbar
• Save As whatever.jpg

Use the file you create in other applications when you need an image file in a graphics format.

Here's a JPG image I created in PowerPoint using this procedure. BTW, I never said I was an artist! ;)

I’ll share in next week’s blog entry how I discovered this procedure.

TeachersFirst.com Provides High-Quality Resources for Teachers

TeachersFirst.com (http://www.teachersfirst.com/index.cfm) continues to provide useful resources. Some of these are helpful when working in the classroom with students and others help you grow as a teacher. Experienced teachers review the web sites so you know that any site listed is of good quality.

The featured classroom sites for this week include cave writings, how cells divide (mitosis vs. meiosis), and book reviews by students on podcasts. In the professional area, one of the resources I found is a list of very good ideas for working together with parents.

In addition to the many web sites TeachersFirst reviews—with suggestions for classroom use—a new feature is the TeachersFirst Edge. This section is where Web 2.0 tools are recommended. One particularly helpful feature is the page of practical tips for teachers who use these tools. You can tell the tips are written by “real” teachers.

I have listed only a few of the resources available at TeachersFirst. I’m sure you’ll find many useful ideas when you explore the site.

Ohio Treasure Chest of Technology Resources

Eric Curts, technology specialist, and the North Canton City Schools (Ohio, USA) publish a web site rich with resources to use when integrating technology in the curriculum. Their web site--the Ohio Treasure Chest of Technology Resources (http://ohiotreasurechest.org/)--is designed to work with Ohio’s technology standards; however, it can be helpful no matter which set of technology standards you’re using.

At this site you will find thousands of web sites that are aligned to the Ohio Academic Content Standards in the four core areas--mathematics, science, language arts, and social studies. There are three good features about each of these sites: (1) they have been reviewed by teachers, (2) they are interactive, and (3) they are free. If you click on the podcast link on the Ohio Treasure Chest’s home page, you find information about related podcasts and a blog.

The resources are categorized as:
• Language Arts - Reading
• Language Arts - Writing
• Mathematics
• Science
• Social Studies
• Technology
• General

The site includes a process for any user to add a resource (web site) to the treasure chest. And, in case you’re not sure if the web site you’re considering adding is good enough, there’s a link to a site—Gems vs. Junk—to help you decide.

The web sites are sorted into K-12 grade levels plus general. When you go to any category (e.g., English Language Arts – Reading – Grade 1) you find the content indicators for the grade level. You can choose web resources that support an indicator or indicators from other content areas that relate to the indicator. New areas that are being added are lesson plans, comments, and assessments. To give you an idea of the quantity of web sites in this treasure chest, in English Language Arts – Reading there are a total of 628 resources in K-12 and general and in the Mathematics category there are 1,281 resources.

The resources at this web site don’t stop there. There is a page of “Viewers, Helpers, and Plugins” should you need to download a utility such as Adobe Acrobat Reader, Java, or a PowerPoint viewer. There are tools that Eric Curts and the North Canton City Schools used to help implement the Ohio Technology Academic Content Standards in their district. And a page of ideas for how to use the Ohio Treasure Chest resources is also available.

This truly IS a treasure chest!

Picnik... Really Good Online Photo Editing

Wow! I’ve been testing a Web 2.0 application that’s a winner. Picnik (http://www.picnik.com/) is an online photo-editing tool. It does a very good job and it’s incredibly easy.

You can access photos you want to edit from your computer, from any web site, even Flickr, Picasa Web Albums, and Facebook. You can also email your photos from Picnik.

You can:
• fix underexposed photos,
• crop,
• rotate,
• resize,
• remove red-eye,
• sharpen,
• or apply special effects to your photos.

Because Picnik is an online tool, there is nothing to download and it works on Mac, Windows, and Linux operating systems. I tested the free version, although there will soon be an additional version for a fee. While the company is in beta testing, you can use all features for free. When the beta is completed, basic photo editing will be available in a free version and a premium (fee-based) version will be available with more tools, storage, and content.

The company provides some tools to make it even easier to use Picnik.
• Bookmarklet makes it possible for you to grab an image from any web site.
• The Firefox extension enables you to grab a screenshot of any web site. This could be very useful for handouts or blog posts.
• The Yahoo Widget allows you to upload a photo directly to Picnik by drag and drop.
• It’s easy to take an image from any web site to Picnik in one click in Firefox, Safari, and Explorer.

The company maintains a blog so you know what’s going on and a forum so you can ask for help.

Minimum system requirements are:
• Microsoft Windows XP or Mac OS X
• 1GHz processor or better
• at least 256 MB of RAM
• Internet Explorer version 5.0 or higher or
• Firefox 1.0 or higher.

Attending NECC… Virtually

I’d love to be at the NECC Conference in Atlanta this week!

The NECC conference has been around for approximately 30 years. It has workshops and other sessions, keynotes, and a very large vendor exhibit. ISTE sponsors the conference with the help of the Georgia Department of Education, Georgia Public Broadcasting and Georgia's Leadership Institute for School Improvement.

Topics at the conference include social networking and virtual worlds; 1-to-1 and mobile computing; 21st-century literacy and standards; and the globalization of education. Themes include school improvement, ethics and equity, technology infrastructure, professional learning, 21st-century teaching and learning, and virtual schooling/e-learning.

When the conference has concluded, we will be able to access selected content as video-on-demand and also as podcasts.

We can download handouts from some of the sessions now. So far I’ve found a list of web tools to use to differentiate instruction and also instructions for creating a virtual museum in PowerPoint (including a good looking building with halls and rooms to explore).

There’s a lot of blogging going on at the conference. I’ve been following David Warlick’s blog. He’s sharing his experiences as the day progresses. I feel like I’m at the conference!

Gliffy--an Online Diagramming Tool

I'm continuing my exploration of Web 2.0 tools. This week I tried several applications and found Gliffy to be the most helpful, friendly, and potentially useful.

http://www.gliffy.com/

Gliffy is an online diagramming tool. No download is necessary. I tried making a simple chart to see how it works. It was pretty easy. I exported it as a JPG. I can keep it as a private diagram or I can allow others to access it and work on it, too. I used flowchart symbols to create my (non-flowchart) diagram. There are, however, symbols for a variety of types of diagrams -- including network diagrams, mindmaps, seating charts, and floor plans -- in addition to flowcharts. The diagrams that you create are stored on Gliffy’s servers, although you can export them to your own computer, too.

You can sign up for a free account which is supported by ads. The free Basic account has limits on the number of private diagrams you may have and the amount of storage space you use. A Premium account (with a fee) has no ads and less limits.

You and/or your students could use this tool from school or home... anywhere you have Internet access. Try this tool for yourself at http://www.gliffy.com/ and read more about it.

Schoolr... a handy reference tool

I’m checking out a variety of Web 2.0 tools this summer. This week I found one that is a useful reference tool. It’s called schoolr (http://www.schoolr.com).

From this one web site you can perform searches in…
Google,
Wikipedia,
Dictionary,
Thesaurus,
Acronym,
Urban Dictionary,
Encyclopedia, and
Book Summary.
It will translate text between a variety of languages.
It can convert a wide variety of units.

The “r” in schoolr stands for research. The site’s blog indicates that schoolr was launched in December 2006 by a university student in Canada and that it is available in both English and French. The author of the site states that he is receptive to adding other useful reference tools to the site.

Schoolr is a handy one-stop reference utility.

Virtual Field Trips

Have you viewed some of the virtual field trips available on the Internet?

From ancient Indian mounds to paintings at the Louvre to a tenement to mummies… your students will enjoy their field trips as they’re learning new information. They can share their new knowledge with their parents as they examine these virtual field trips with them at home afterwards.

I have provided a glimpse into three web sites and just a few of the links available from each. In addition, I have listed some individual sites worth checking. Enjoy!


eSchoolNews
http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/showStory.cfm?ArticleID=7097
An article in eSchoolNews talks about the use of video, animation, and graphics to showcase places and events from the past. View ancient Indian mounds, museum exhibitions, or a Mandan village.

Earthworks: Virtual Explorations of the Ancient Ohio Valley
http://www.earthworks.uc.edu

Learning Sites Inc.
http://www.learningsites.com

On-A-Slant Virtual Village
http://onaslant.ndsu.edu


Edutopia
http://www.edutopia.org/node/4073

Tour Colonial Williamsburg, the solar system, or the Louvre. View the universe through Chandra’s X-ray astronomy. Learn about the lives of the immigrants who lived in a New York tenement in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Check out the electronic field trips from Ball State University. The series for this next school year includes topics in ecosystems, civil rights, migration, and science and mathematics. These field trips include “webisodes,” website, classroom lessons, and two live, 90-minutes TV broadcasts. (There is a fee for schools to participate.)


Internet4Classrooms
http://www.internet4classrooms.com/vft.htm

In addition to many links to virtual field trips, this site provides lots of good ideas for educators who are considering using virtual field trips.

Visit the Smithsonian’s collaboration with the National Zoo for a walk along their Asian Trail.
http://www.si.edu/natzoo

Watch the Franklin Institute Science Museum’s view of the human brain as it follows bicyclists on the Tour de France.
http://sln.fi.edu/


Additional Sites

Virtual Field Trips
http://campus.fortunecity.com/newton/40/field.html

The Teacher’s Guide: Virtual Field Trips
http://www.theteachersguide.com/virtualtours.html

The “OOPS” Virtual Field Trip Page!
http://oops.bizland.com/vtours.htm

VolcanoWorld Virtual Field Trips
http://volcano.und.edu/vwdocs/kids/vrtrips.html

Geology Field Trips
http://www.uh.edu/~jbutler/anon/anontrips.html

Field Trips
http://www.ibiblio.org/cisco/trips.html

Apple Learning Interchange 2007 Virtual Field Trips
http://edcommunity.apple.com/ali/search.php?text=virtual+field+trips

Virtual Field Trips
http://www.oswego.org/staff/cchamber/webdesign/virtual_fieldtrips.htm

Homework Spot Field Trip Archive
http://www.homeworkspot.com/fieldtrip/

Lesson Plans, Interactive Web Sites, and Other Good Ideas

Three sources on the web are highlighting some very good web sites for the classroom. Check out these resources for all grades--both elementary and secondary--and for teachers as well.


TEACHERSFIRST web site (http://www.teachersfirst.com/index.cfm)…

http://www.zerofootprintkids.com/kids_home.aspx
Zero Footprint: Kids Calculator - Grades 3 - 8
What impact does your lifestyle—and that of your students--have on our environment? This interactive online calculator can help your students look at their use of natural resources, land, water, and trees after they answer questions about transportation, what they eat, what they throw away, what they use, and home and school. They can then compare their “carbon footprint” to the averages in other nations.

http://www.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/1986/4/86.04.07.x.html
Painless Writing - Grades 3 - 9
This site has both old and new ways for teachers to get students writing painlessly. The procedures, lessons, prompts, and interesting combinations of approaches may be just what you’ve been trying to find.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/specials/2005/hurricane_katrina/default.stm
Hurricanes - Grades 1 - 8
Use an interactive whiteboard with this site’s animated guide to hurricanes to understand this type of weather. There are also quizzes, pictures of Hurricane Katrina’s destruction, reference information, and other helps.

http://www.history.org/media/interactive.cfm
Colonial Williamsburg Interactive - Grades 3 - 12
Your students will enjoy playing games and learning about Williamsburg at this interactive site. You can show coinage and Gilbert’s paintings. Looking at Queen Elizabeth’s visits to Williamsburg in 1957 and again in 2007 opens the door for examining the differences in our world over 50 years. You can even explore the Constitution interactively.


KDP ROUNDUP (http://www.kdp.org/)…

http://www.lessonplanz.com
Lesson Plans for Preservice and Beginning Teachers
Here’s a site which has thousands of free online lesson plans. You can search by grade or subject or both.

http://www.keepschoolssafe.org
Keeping Students Safe
Information about school safety from the playground to gangs is available at this site.

ANNENBERG MEDIA (http://www.learner.org/index.html)…

http://learner.org/redirect/march/view14.html
Annenberg Viewing Options
See an overview of Annenberg’s viewing options, including their free Video on Demand.

http://learner.org/redirect/march/aecl6.html
The Arts in Every Classroom: A Video Library, K-5
Integrate art, mathematics, and science.

http://learner.org/redirect/march/sim7.html
Surprises in Mind
This documentary looks at mathematical creativity and the brain. Art, architecture, music, and a 12-year research study all play a role in looking at instruction designed to help children use their natural mathematical inclinations.

http://learner.org/redirect/march/geom8.html
Learning Math: Geometry
View polygons, dissections, symmetry, and more.

http://learner.org/redirect/march/math12.html
Mathematics: What's the Big Idea?
Examine the use of geometry in art and architecture. Visit classrooms where students are engaging in hands-on activities.

Shakespeare and Web 2.0 in the Classroom

Web 2.0 Applications in the Classroom

I just read an interesting article by Brian Benzinger called Back to School with the Class of Web 2.0: Part 3. He shares stories of teachers and students who are using blogs, photo sharing, podcasts, wikis, videos, and other Web 2.0 applications in their classrooms. Very interesting article.

A couple of quotations from the article illustrate some of the experiences…

… many students became so attached to their blogs that they made it a responsibility to keep consistent.

… “hot-spot learning objects.” … he created a volcano ... If you are to hover over one of the volcano’s [sic], a Flickr note will appear containing more information about it.

Shakespeare Podcasts

Teachers and students who are studying Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing can download—for free--a podcast of the play from a UK government web site. The play was performed at the Globe Theatre in London for younger teenagers. Interviews with the director and the actors are also available for download.

Read the BBC News article about this podcast and other related podcasts. Links for downloading the podcasts are available in the sidebar to the right of the article.

Copyright and Digital Media

Whenever we or our students are working with digital media (e.g., clip art, photos, music, text, movies, scanned information, web sites), we need to be aware of copyright and fair use laws. Bernajean Porter’s DigiTales web site--a great tool to use when combining the arts of storytelling and digital creativity--provides some very helpful resources, including copyright information.

Learn about...

• Creative Commons licenses,
• access a variety of permission forms,
• read a summary of fair use guidelines for education,
• learn how to cite web sites you’ve used, and
• learn about the various types of copyright by following the links on this web page...

http://www.digitales.us/resources/copyright_savvy.php

Podcasts: Resources, Tutorials, and Classroom Uses

In January, I listed some podcast directories in this blog. Each one of the directories listed interesting podcasts in a variety of areas. This month I am sharing podcasts or information about them with respect to three categories: resources, tutorials, and podcasts that were either created in the classroom or for the classroom. Both students and teachers are producing some awesome podcasts which can be accessed on YouTube, TeacherTube, iTunes, and other directories. Some innovative, interesting, and exciting ideas are showing up in podcasting. Read on!


Podcasting Resources

Odiogo
http://www.odiogo.com/
This product automatically converts text to audio files which can be played on MP3 players, including iPods.

Skypecasting
http://www.cscout.com/blog/2006/10/02/trend-skypecasting.html
Millions of registered users make free phone calls over the Internet using Skype software. Users can now have conversations with up to 100 people using Skypecasting. The conversation can then be recorded and shared like a podcast. Some interesting uses for Skypecasting include mystery writer Michael Connelly talking about his newest book, networking calls for business, and a live concert by the Dutch band Johan. Moodle even has Skypecast as a new feature.

How to YouTube Podcast
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNQLDgkUXvk&mode=related&search=
This video shows how to watch YouTube video subscriptions on an iPod.


Podcasting Tutorials…

Learning Podcasting
http://www.wise-women.org/tutorials/podcast/
This tutorial provides an overview of podcasting with sufficient detail that you develop an understanding of what is involved with creating and publishing your own podcasts. The information is not geared toward educators. However, it is certainly well worth reading and following the provided links.

The Podcast Recipe: Producing a Successful Show
http://seminars.apple.com/seminarsonline/podcast/apple/index.html
Apple, Inc. has produced a three-part video tutorial for creating, producing, and promoting podcasts. You can learn about different types of microphones and how to use them, how to decide what content goes where in your podcast program, and how to use GarageBand, iWeb, and iTunes to help with the whole process. This series focuses on using Macintosh products; however, information and recommendations appropriate to podcasts created on any computer are included. Although not directed to educators specifically, all three sessions have good ideas that the classroom teacher can use.

How to Podcast
http://www.voxmedia.org/wiki/How_to_Podcast
This section of the VoxMedia wiki is not finished yet, but the links are enough to recommend it for individuals who are looking for introductory instructions.

Audio Podcasting
http://www.teachertube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=c02f9902576ec55ebbe7
This video provides very detailed instructions for creating an audio podcast using mypodcast.com and mypodcast recorder.

Podcast Tutorial: How to Post a Podcast
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBH9l_6iPEM
This video tells how to use PodOmatic to post a podcast to the iTunes Store. You can record your podcast directly to the web using this free service. It works with both Windows and Mac computers.

Creating Video Podcasts on Mac OS X
http://www.apple.com/quicktime/tutorials/videopodcasts.html
This tutorial provides instructions for creating a video podcast on a Macintosh and posting it to iTunes.

Podcasting for iTunes & iTS podcast directory
http://www.mvldesign.com/itunespodcast.html
This podcasting tutorial guides you through creating a podcast of your own (on either Macs or Windows computers) and posting it on the iTunes Store podcast directory.


iLife Tutorials for Macs

iLife GarageBand: Recording a Podcast (Part 1)
http://www.zoom-in.com/tutorials/Apple/garageband/recording_a_podcast/index.php?part=1

iLife GarageBand: Recording a Podcast (Part 2)
http://www.zoom-in.com/tutorials/Apple/garageband/recording_a_podcast/index.php?part=2

Creating a Podcast Page
http://www.zoom-in.com/tutorials/Apple/iweb/podcast/index.php


Podcasting in the Classroom

Frog Dissection and Technology
http://www.teachertube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=3b337800875b5d382a07
Watch grade 8 students document their frog dissections.

Guerrilla Season Book Blog Project
http://www.teachertube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=c4d7336496819a46a1b6
A junior high school history teacher decided to teach the Civil War through a historical novel and a blog. In the book, the Civil War is seen through the eyes of two teenage boys. This video is an overview of the project.

Human Survival on Mars
http://www.teachertube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=923770b2c360eefa2674
The host interviews astrophysicist Dr. Devon Hamilton about how human beings will be able to live on Mars.

Poetry and Multimedia
http://www.teachertube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=f7736089c757404650e4
Junior high school students present poetry using multimedia tools.

Public Service Announcements in Health Class
http://www.teachertube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=2cea2f369918c5e1e12b
Grade 8 students produce public service announcements in health class.

Real Life Applications of Parabolas
http://www.teachertube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=1daabe3de1d76a6739cc
Students explore parabolas in real life.

Student Animations
http://www.teachertube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=e7c3f6f3f1f37029303c
Students create Flash© animations.

Venus: A Hollister View T7
http://www.teachertube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=9ab842e05382dc235f69
Students share information about Venus in an effort to interest other students.

Variety of Ideas for Using Moodle

In a previous blog entry, I talked about Moodle… what it is, its capabilities, learning how to use it, and a small bit about actually using Moodle in the classroom. Today I’m sharing web sites which include information useful to both users and administrators of Moodle and which give some ideas about how to use Moodle.

If you currently use Moodle or if you’re thinking about using it, I think you’ll find some interesting ideas here.


Moodlebug: Josie Fraser’s Moodle blog: Moodle and Learning Communities
http://fraser.typepad.com/moodle/
Josie Frazer, a consultant based in the United Kingdom, operates a blog dedicated to Moodle and learning communities. Periodic posts discuss Moodle, including its various versions, and customizing it to serve an individual or a school or district’s needs.

Moodle Journal
http://moodletraining.blogspot.com/
Bromley College uses Moodle. Their web site discusses using Moodle and training to use it. Topics may include

"using podcasts, streaming, downloads, training, metadata, scorm, lessons, quizzes, forums, chat, journals and assignments."

Some of their experiments are quite interesting (e.g., combining Second Life with Moodle).

The site polled readers as to which Moodle features they found most useful. The results for 54 persons—when I reviewed them recently—were:

• Forums 38.9%
• Assignments 20.4%
• Quizzes 16.7%
• Lessons 14.8%
• Journals 3.7%
• Workshops 3.7%
• Chat rooms 1.9%
• Choice polls 0%

Shambles
http://www.shambles.net/pages/learning/ict/moodle/
This Moodle section is one part of a web site which supports schools in 17 countries in South East Asia. Several interviews discussing Moodle are quite interesting. Check these:

• Gareth Davies / Moodlestick
• Drew Buddie / Moodle user
• Ray Lawrence / Moodle training, and
• Michelle Moore / introduction to Moodle.

Gareth Davies: Moodlestick
http://www.blip.tv/file/135552/
Gareth Davies discusses the Moodlestick in a video interview. His company produces a USB jump drive on which Moodle has been installed. With this you can learn about Moodle at home or practice using it where and when best suits you. A web site (http://www.moodlestick.co.uk) for teachers provides support.

Drew Buddie: Long-time Moodle User
http://www.blip.tv/file/135687/
Another video interview—this one with Drew Buddie—allows you to hear someone who has been using Moodle for several years talk about it. You can visit his school site (http://www.merapolis.co.uk/moodle/).

Ray Lawrence: Moodle Training
http://www.blip.tv/file/135605/
Ray Lawrence is an official Moodle partner. His business, HowToMoodle, helps schools as they install and implement Moodle. In this video interview, he explains how Moodle is developed.

Michelle Moore: An Introduction to Moodle
http://educationbridges.net/k12opensource/?p=9
Michelle Moore describes, in an audio interview, Moodle, how it is used, and how this affects education. The interview is long, but contains information useful to both users and administrators of Moodle.

Moodle E-Learning Course Development: A complete guide to successful learning using Moodle
http://www.packtpub.com/moodle/book
This web site describes a book (also available as a PDF) which covers:

• installing Moodle
• using Moodle
• designing Moodle courses and
• best educational practices for using Moodle.

The emphasis goes beyond using the technology and focuses on

“better teaching, more motivated students, and more successful courses.”

You can learn how to create courses

“where the group works through the classes with a shared schedule, or where individual students work through at their own pace, or courses where students are free to explore the different topics in their own time.”

e-subjects.co.uk
http://e-subjects.co.uk/
This site has a variety of courses that you can download to use in your Moodle… free of charge. The courses are designed for the UK; however, many could be used anywhere.

Moodle Statistics
http://moodle.org/stats/
If statistics sound boring, check out this site about Moodle and its users anyway! You'll be glad you did.

The Edu Techno Revolution: A Classroom Without Walls
http://edutechnologyrevolution.blogspot.com/2007/04/rss-and-moodle-or-your-website-blog-etc.html
Moodle is one of several topics discussed in this blog. The blog entries which cover Moodle topics could be called “tech tips for Moodle”… a variety of useful ideas and techniques are explained. One interesting idea involves posting an RSS feed in Moodle.

Techlearning blog: Wiki, Blog or Moodle?
http://www.techlearning.com/blog/2006/10/wiki_blog_or_moodle.php
Moodle is similar to Blackboard. Courses can be organized by topic or by date. Students can use wikis, blogs, and threaded discussions in addition to many other resources. Moodle is easy to use. You can start with just one or two resources and add others as need and/or time suggests.

eduspaces: e-learning 2.0
http://eduspaces.net/moodlenews/weblog/
This blog includes postings from http://moodletraining.blogspot.com, interesting comments from an individual at Bromley College as he experiments with Moodle, experiments include Second Life and a vlog from an avatar. Interesting reading!

opensource classroom: I know what the title says, but don’t box me in man!
http://opensource.christophercraft.com/?p=58
The author shares how he succeeded in getting Slideshare to work with Moodle.

Blog Juice for Educational Technology: A Moodle Keynote Conversation
http://www.schwoebel.net/wpjoe/index.php/2007/04/23/a-moodle-keynote-conversation/
Teachers list their favorite Moodle features… with comments.

From where I hover… Information and Community for Educators using M.U.V.E.’s
http://www.simteach.com/blog/?cat=11
Another educator experiments with Moodle and Second Life.

Mr. Fjelstrom’s Geometry Blog
http://mrfsgeometry.wordpress.com/2007/02/26/moodle/
Whether you’re into geometry or not, check out this site and follow some of the links. You’ll find lots of good ideas for any course.

anne marie’s ls590 blog: some firm ground in the metaflow…
http://blogs.slis.ua.edu/slis/courses/ls590/spring2007/maccall/01/03/wordpress/?cat=18
This educator examines growth in Moodle course content over a two-year period. She shares some very good ideas.

Classroom Meets Technology: Kraemer’s Tech Blog
http://www.wayzata.k12.mn.us/sunsethill/kraemer/?p=41
I think I found a really good Moodle training blog! The links at this site should help to provide a sound foundation for an educator who cares about pedagogy and who wants to learn how to use Moodle well.

moodlicio.us: Support site for K-12 educators who use Moodle
http://moodlicio.us/
This is two sites in one… a blog about using Moodle and a link to a web site where you can find tips for using Moodle in the classroom.

MACUL Conference Blog: WebQuest and Moodle: The Perfect Pair!
http://macul.edublogs.org/archives/100
This educator talks about using webquests with Moodle. Excellent idea!

Sites to Check for SMART Board Ideas

SMART Boards--and other interactive white boards--continue to increase in popularity as classroom technology tools. Ideas for using SMART Boards in all grades and subjects can be found (http://www.waukesha.k12.wi.us/WIT/SmartBoard/specificapps.htm).

• Save lessons for students who have been absent.
• Record short tutorials for using various software packages and then burn these tutorials to CDs.
• Prepare lectures and training sessions and then burn them to CDs to use as lesson plans for substitute teachers.

At least one school district suggests having students use the SMART Board to present their research projects. If these presentations are recorded, they then can be played for parents during parent-teacher conferences. And, in fact, if the students are involved in the conference, the students could go to draft presentation to make modifications so parents could see the teaching/learning process in action.

YouTube has some interesting videos showing SMART Boards. At http://youtube.com/watch?v=6owh452aJCI you don't have to understand the speaker's native language to appreciate his demonstration of Google Earth. And the simulation at http://youtube.com/watch?v=1l2tDiyRWvw&mode=related&search= is very interesting to watch.

Some of the videos do a very nice job of illustrating the possibilities for using SMART Boards to enhance teaching. I recommend watching these three...

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iAiEOGMqGjQ
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjdNPMZJbLs
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26_KTWzVX8E&mode=related&search=

And, finally, I cannot close without listing some additional web sites to visit for lesson plans, activities, and templates. Enjoy!

• http://its.leesummit.k12.mo.us/smartboard.htm
• http://www.edwardsly.com/character.htm
• http://www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00001794.shtml
• http://www.ict.oxon-lea.gov.uk/whiteboards.html
• http://www.internet4classrooms.com/smart_board.htm
• http://www.kenton.k12.ky.us/SmartBoard/smartboardindex.htm
• http://www.theteachersguide.com/SmartBoard%20Templates.htm
• http://www.theteachersguide.com/SmartBoards.htm

Lots of Labels

This week I attached labels to each of the entries in this blog. If you (or I!) want to view a previous post to check something, we can search for the appropriate label. Just scroll down the list of labels and click on one. The blog(s) containing that label will be displayed. All new entries added to the blog will have labels. This should be helpful! :)

Google Book Search Can Help with Research

You’ve heard of Google Book Search. You’ve seen books show up on your Google.com searches. Have you checked out all the information that Book Search provides? Have you used it by itself?

For some books, Google Book Search lets you search the entire book. For others, you can read portions of the book. Current estimates are that Google has scanned one million books into their database… some popular titles, some out-of-print books, and some in public domain. Book Search can help you and your students find books to help with research and projects. Using Book Search is a fast way to examine a large number of books.

You can use Book Search by itself… and your search results will show only books. Or you can search on Google.com… and if there are books relevant to your search, up to three of those books will be listed along with the other results of your search.

When a Google.com search yields a book, you can…
• browse some pages in the book,
• do more searching in that book,
• view reviews of the book,
• find where to buy the book,
• find a library from which you can check out the book, and
• for some titles, read the entire book.

What information is provided for each book? You’ll find…
• title,
• author,
• publication date,
• length,
• subject,
• links to bookstores where you can buy the book, and
• links to libraries where you can borrow the book.

For some books you will find…
• key terms,
• key phrases,
• references from scholarly publications or other books,
• chapter titles,
• a list of related books, and
• the publisher’s web site.

You can download, save, and print a PDF version of books that are in the public domain. There are limited previews (a few pages) of books whose authors have “partnered” with Google.

Google has shared the reactions of some Book Search users…

"I LOVE Google Book Search! I have purchased an extra dozen books this year I would otherwise not have. Being able to look inside and search for key terms helps me decide which books I need to buy. In the past, I found books online but was usually not willing to gamble the cover price for the chance it would have what I need..." – High School Teacher

"I recently used Google Book Search to research a paper on the civil rights movement and found so many great books that I never would have found otherwise. Google Book Search sped up my research 10 times. Thanks for the help…”
– Student

"While trying to write a comparative paper on a novel, I remembered a passage of text I wanted to reference, but had no clue where it was in the book. I was able to find the novel with great ease on Google Book Search and then search for the passage I was looking for. The page I needed was restricted, however enough of the context appeared to guide me to the right spot in my own copy of the book… I'm… saving time by not having to read large swaths of the book again." - Student

Read more about Google’s Book Search in Wikipedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Book_Search.

C-SPAN Helps You Bring the 2008 Presidential Campaign to the Classroom

C-SPAN Classroom can help teachers bring the 2008 presidential campaign into the classroom. In fact, C-SPAN has already started to do so. They are providing resources, discussion questions, and free, downloadable video clips every week at http://www.c-spanclassroom.org.

In addition to providing these resources at their web site, C-SPAN also has a Campaign 2008 Bus that is traveling to classrooms throughout the nation. If the bus is stopping nearby, you can visit it. Or you can request that it come to your middle school or high school. For more information on the bus tour, visit http://www.Campaign2008Bus.org.

Plus, you can watch C-SPAN’s campaign coverage on the Road to the White House series on television on Sundays. And for additional campaign video, go to http://www.CampaignNetwork.org.

PBS Teachers

PBS (Public Broadcasting Service) has created a portal--PBS Teachers (http://www.pbs.org/teachers)--to all their educational resources and services. Through this web site, teachers can access free standards-based lesson plans, classroom activities, videos, on-demand streaming video, blogs, and professional development information. Resources are organized by subject, grade level, and curriculum topic. The portal started this month (April, 2007). This summer the ability to bookmark, annotate, and share the resources will be available.

In addition to accessing national PBS resources through this portal, you can localize the web site to your local PBS station and access resources from there.

Professional Development is available through PBS TeacherLine (http://teacherline.pbs.org/teacherline/). Teachers enrolled in PBS TeacherLine can earn graduate credit and CEUs.

The PBS Shop for Teachers (http://teacher.shop.pbs.org/home/index.jsp) can help you find DVDs and other education resources linked to PBS series and specials.

PBS has been an excellent source of information and materials for teaching and learning for a long time. This portal web site simplifies access to their educational resources for teachers. This will be very helpful.

Teacher Magazine: Lead. Learn. Innovate. Inspire.

Interesting articles. Great photos. Inspiring ideas. Best practices. Quick reads for busy lives. And--best of all--you can subscribe via RSS! Check out this web site / magazine...

Teacher Magazine: Lead. Learn. Innovate. Inspire.
http://www.teachermagazine.org/tm/index.html

Teacher Magazine is available on the web and in print. It covers news--local, state, and national--and preschool through 12th-grade issues. The site offers content for educator-leaders, best practices, and encouragement for reflection by educators.

The articles are an interesting collection of projects that other teachers are doing, information about issues that affect all of us in education, activities that we might want to implement in our teaching, and stories that inspire. And great photos... teacher-submitted photos that draw you into the teaching-learning process.

The current web site includes three stories from the current print issue (March/April 2007), two stories from the archives, photos submitted by teachers sharing their learning communities, highlights of three stories, one from the web and two from print, blogs, an interview, a book review, a poll, and an interactive section: talkback, blogs, chat transcript, feedback, and jobs.

Topics available on the web site include instruction, profession, technology, school environment, students and community, sports and activities, non-traditional schools, and lifestyle. Several opinion options are present: first person, perspective, classroom tech, letters, and book reviews. Web Features are the web watch, blogboard, curriculum notes, trend tracker, audio, and photo galleries. The community area has talkback, chat transcript, blogs, calendar, grants, ask the mentor, and teachers with cameras.

Articles available on the current web site include…
• Marty Mentzer’s Basketball Poets club… student achievement levels have risen
• Some California students may be able to increase their grades based on their state test results
• The 10th annual survey of educational technology from Education Week
• Blog by a teacher who has just completed his portfolio for the National Board
• Bus duty
• Interview with a new congressman who is a former educator
• A field trip to test students’ practical mathematics skills
• Book review of The Hurried Child… the disappearance of playing
• Shakespeare’s sonnets for special education students
• Learning advanced mathematics via machining
• Year-round schooling
• Value-added measures
• Middle-school students
• Reaching gifted children

This web site has…
• articles to help you teach,
• articles to help you take care of yourself and meet your goals and needs, and
• articles to inspire you.

Check it out!