Google Apps - Presented in Prezi

I created a mini-library to house some important videos for those who are interested in using Google Apps. Prezi is an online presentation tool that changes the way people convey information. Check out my 1st presentation below:

Google Apps on Prezi

Notebook Lesson Using Discovery Education

Discovery Education is a great service that enables teachers to show video segments and photo clips from various content areas and topics. The link below is a Smart Notebook lesson on Gettysburg created by Jeannine Shields using images from Discovery Education. Students can definitely benefit from this lesson because the images provide them with a visual representation of the battle, where it took place, and the people who were involved.

Click the link below to download Jeaninne Shields' Gettysburg Smart Notebook Lesson:
http://mediashare.discoveryeducation.com/mediashare/index.cfm?event=pushFile&guidAssetMediaFileId=d4e9e59c-237d-0718-d896-5de5b5b1a590

Timeliner 5.0

This technology is neat and can really add to the learning environment. Students who are visual learners can really benefit from using this technology. I advise that you check out the website and watch the video.

The only problem I have is that there are links to a free download; however, it does not seem as if it is free. Free or not, Timeliner 5.0 definitely seems like a reasonable purchase that teachers would definitely take advantage of!

http://www.tomsnyder.com/timelinerxe/index.asp

Need help developing arguments?

aMap is short for 'argument map'. The idea's very simple - to get more people arguing by mapping out complex debates in a simple visual format.




http://www.amap.org.uk/

Blogging Permission Slip

This is a great example of a Blogging Permission Slip by Cheryl Terry. It is detailed and provides parents with examples and resources to help them gain a better understanding of what their child will be participating in while in school.

Blogging Permission Slip Isb

View more documents from Cheryl Terry.

Cool Technology Worth Sharing

www.wordle.net - Allows you to create "word clouds" from text you provide.

For this one, I entered my own words:
http://www.wordle.net/show/wrdl/2066152/Wordle_Blog_Practice

For this one, I chose the 2nd option - paste blog URL
title="Wordle: Blog Practice II"> src="http://www.wordle.net/thumb/wrdl/2066197/Blog_Practice_II"
alt="Wordle: Blog Practice II"
style="padding:4px;border:1px solid #ddd">

Cluster Maps



Flip Cameras

A Successful Change Agent - Reflection

The learning activity I created was based around the Oregon Trail computer game. In the activity, the computer game is a supplement to instruction on the history of the Oregon Trail. As the students play the game, they are to record information about their journey into an online journal, or blog. The information includes:
• An overall history of the Oregon Trail.
• An analysis of how geography impacted the lifestyle of pioneers on the Oregon Trail.
• Evidence demonstrating that students understand the realities of 19th century pioneer life on the Trail.
• A comparison of their own journey on the trail to the actual experience of the settlers of the Trail.
• A description of the decisions they made and the reasoning behind each decision.
• An analysis of how they feel their decisions affected the outcome of the game.
When students have completed their online journals, they are to share the link with their fellow classmates. Each student is to leave a comment on each of their classmates’ blogs about the experiences, provide feedback and compare/ contrast it with their own.

Video Games are an emerging technology [in education] that promote learning and are fun. According to a 2008 study conducted by the Washington D.C. based Pew Research Center, 97% of children between the ages of 12-17 play computer, web, portable, or console games (Hoffman, L. (2009). I believe that because video games are a big part of our society, students will enjoy participating in this learning activity. Although video games have been a part of our society for over 20 years, they are not a technology that was always welcomed in the classroom. However, that view is changing and because of their potential to make learning fun, more and more schools are adopting this method of learning.

This course has made me realize the importance of being on the cutting edge when it comes time to integrating technology in the classroom. I am actually very fortunate to have taken this course because I was just hired as a technology specialist for my district. I will be responsible for providing professional development to teachers within the county I work in. Being on the cutting edge will enable me to provide teachers with the best tools for their classrooms. In addition to being able to introduce emerging technologies, I must be able to provide teachers with innovative ways to integrate the technology. I have to make sure that I am providing them with ways for their students to gain the most out of their learning experience. I believe that the activity I created is a good way to integrate technology into the classroom. It is one example of how I can use what I have gained from this course to help teachers create meaningful learning activities that are fun.

Hoffman, L. (2009). Learning through games. Communication of the ACM, 52(8), 21–22.