Inspiration

Inspiration is a great way to graphically organize information for students who have difficulties organizing information for themselves. Inspiration has a kids version called Kidspiration as well that is more student focused. I greatly enjoyed making this web but the project as a tool for me use in the classroom is significantly time consuming however if I had free time I would be all over that!

Google docs wins again. For most likely to save the universe time and energy. This energy conservation tool allows for creation, modification, and transportation all without leaving the land of Google. O.K., in the real world this means that we teacher, citizens, whomever, can create a presentation using Google Docs on one computer, and then proceed to work on it from any computer anywhere with an internet connection. We can also invite collaborators so that we don't have to do all the work by ourselves. Additionally, it uploads nicely to any computer, flash drive, or directly to the internet such as into one's blog or other website. Really Google Docs should be recognized as a LEAD Platinum certified facility. Or at least energy saver of the year!

Digital collection activity

Collecting digital images to enhance learning is a wonderful advantage of the technology age. This collection is comprised of a picture I took on my digital camera while I was in England, a scanned image of my friends and I in old time-y dress, a clip art picture that was stored on my apple, a picture from the web of a student who has a learning disability's artwork, and a screen shot of my current favorite store anthropologie. These are five different modes of collecting digital images. Of course four of the five images are most probably copyrighted. Or all of them except my picture form England which you can pay ten cents per view of my photo via pay-pal as you leave my blog (Just kidding). I would like to acknowledge the sources: anthropologie, National Center for Learning Disabilities, The old timey photo place in Gatlinburg, TN, and Mac. The collection here is embedded from animoto, a great way to integrate images and music into one thirty-second clip for free.

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

This is a news map that aggregates news in an aesthetically pleasing view. Check it out. Use it.

WebQuest...Ever heard of 'em?

So here is a new tool for teachers specifically. I had never really heard about WebQuests before but they do make sense. A WebQuest is a way for students to go online and learn interactively and innovative-ly about something new. The content can vary and is limited to items search-able on the internet (I guess then it isn't really limited). Students are then required to look up searchable facts but then also incorporate higher level thinking about their newly acquired knowledge. For example, the WebQuest could be about authors. The students would be required to look up biographical information about a specified list of authors. From there the students could then write a journal from the authors perspective about writing the book the class has already read. All of this would be facilitated online of course which makes it more interesting and fun for the students. Overall, WebQuests seem like a nice classroom tool. Especially for older students. I am looking forward to creating my own WebQuest that maybe one day I can use in my classroom.

The Internet Saved the Day

It's really great to learn about all the internet has to offer us these days. Just last week I learned that the Wiki in Wikipedia has an application for casual patrons like me. A wiki is a type of webpage that can be edited by multiple authors; hence wikipedia and it's own validity crisis. However, a wiki can really prove useful. For example, in a class that I am currently taking this semester I am required to participate in a group project on learning disabilities. We were slow to start so when we finally got organized we needed quick ways to communicate information that didn't a) require that we were all together for the whole time (becuase that is now impossible for five college seniors) and b) didn't leave a huge mess in our respective inboxes. So we enlisted the Wiki. I started one on PBworks.com for free and invited all my group memebers to join too. Here we are all posting what we find that is relevent, important in a quick and effective mannor. I am pretty sure this is the best invention since sliced bread!

Also for the same project we have to present a PowerPoint presentation. I decided that again since time wasn't on our side that I would create this document in Google Docs so we could collaborative work on it as well. The internet is really going to help five college seniors over come our choronophobia.

Funny Video