Monday, June 20, 2011

Tool #4 - Using the Clouds

While working on my Master's, every semester we were assigned at least two group presentations. On several occasions my group used Google Docs Presentation which is the equivalent of PowerPoint presentation.

In 2009, when our library received the Macs, the group of 5th grade students used Presentation to do their Science Project... it always amazes me how kids adapt to technology easier than adults do.

I am really excited about using Form to create a "beginning-of-the-year" questionnaire of "favorites" for students to fill out. As a class, we can go back and graph the information using Spreadsheet (equivalent to Excel), as a math lesson... I also think Form can be used to create reflection questions on what students have learned -- or have students create reflection questions for each other on what they have read, i.e. for a book club extension project.

Sunday, June 19, 2011

Tool #3 - Using Videos/Images

Science

Benjamin Franklin: Scientist/Inventor


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Social Studies

Students need to know information on local, state, and national governments. This video is the inauguration of our mayor, Annise Parker.




Other videos that can be used are of the Texas Governor and of the U.S. President. This will allow students to be able to associate a face with the name...

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I located the Benjamin Franklin photo on Picasa Web Albums; I found the Benjamin Franklin video using Google videos even though the name "Discovery Education" appears on the segment; I located the CNN video of Annise Parker via Blinkx. In order to use it in the classroom, I would pass it through snipsnip.it in order to reduce the size of the video and only show what's necessary.
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Fair Use: we can use copyrighted material for educational purposes in limited quantities and not in its entirety as long as long as we don't make money off the material...

Saturday, June 11, 2011

Tool #2 - Online Community

I enjoy exchanging ideas with my colleagues; a lot of times it reaffirms what/how I do things by comparing outcomes and what lead to them. Sharing is also a great way to receive information from another perspective and tweeking ones own way of doing things.

I visited all the blogs listed. I located other useful blogs from the ones visited and I subscribed to "Technology in the Middle" and "Technology Tidbits:..." Part of the reason I was not thrilled with most of the blogs listed is because they were too "busy" for me.

I have used "Delicious" for a couple of years and am really grateful I have it... I did signup for a "Diigo" account but I am not sure how I will use it... time will tell.

This summer, I have decided to go completely mental and begin training for a triathlon race some time in the near future, so I "Googled" triathlon blogs and found the information I read to be very helpful, so I also subscribed to one of these blogs.

Monday, June 6, 2011

Tool #1 - Blog/Avatar/Voki

I have created Avatars before but I like the idea of the Voki that's an Avatar that talks. I didn't like the Voki characters that they had to choose from; therefore, I am glad that there was one of a chocolate lab --reminded me of my dog-- that I could make talk. This was cool. Students would really get into this...