After countless hours of searching for powerpoint presentations related to Earth and Physical Sciences last year, I've come across a site that proves to be hopeful as a powerpoint search engine. The PowerPoint-Search.com site searches powerpoints on the web by topic and provides an array of files specific to the query without having to weed through the results looking for specific file types.
Check it out.
Most authors on the web are the sharing type. Still, it's appropriate to give credit to an author when you use their work in whole or part.
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Sunday, November 15, 2009
What Do Your Students Say About You?
I just finished reading an excellent post by Paul Bogush, a colleague of mine who teaches in Connecticut. His post reminds me how important it is to never lose sight of the big picture of education and the impact we have as teachers with every comment and action we make. Our little idiosyncrasies, our grading policies, and our words shape the children we come into contact with on a daily basis.
Paul's post points to the number of hours a middle/high school teacher spends with a student over the course of a school year (170+ hours.) How do you want to shape each and every child you teach/touch?
I'd like to pass on the opportunity to add to the slideshow on Paul's blog and found below.
Just click on the link and follow the directions.
http://moourl.com/sfam1
1-Click on an empty slide to the left.
2-Click on Insert—>then image
3-Select the image from your computer or the url
4-Flickr images need to be saved and uploaded
5-Place any personal information you would like under the image
6-Click save and close
Paul's post points to the number of hours a middle/high school teacher spends with a student over the course of a school year (170+ hours.) How do you want to shape each and every child you teach/touch?
I'd like to pass on the opportunity to add to the slideshow on Paul's blog and found below.
Just click on the link and follow the directions.
http://moourl.com/sfam1
1-Click on an empty slide to the left.
2-Click on Insert—>then image
3-Select the image from your computer or the url
4-Flickr images need to be saved and uploaded
5-Place any personal information you would like under the image
6-Click save and close
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Blog Commenting
Commenting on other blogs is a skill easily attained by following a few simple practices. Take time to talk about these practices with your students and refer to them as you review blog comments together as a class.
Be nice to each other. Don't be mean to other commenters. Even bloggers have feelings. We're putting ourselves out there for the world to read our thoughts.
Connect to the post. Have a point when you comment on someone's blog. Don't ramble.
Read the whole post before you comment. Don't just comment on the comments. This will help you write a thorough and thoughtful comment.
White space is your friend. It's hard enough to read from a computer screen. Use short sentences, and short paragraphs. Write in an active voice. At least try to be grammatically correct.
Here are a few comment starters that can help raise questions and provide useful feedback for bloggers.
For more thoughts and ideas on blog commenting visit Langwitches Blog
Be nice to each other. Don't be mean to other commenters. Even bloggers have feelings. We're putting ourselves out there for the world to read our thoughts.
Connect to the post. Have a point when you comment on someone's blog. Don't ramble.
Read the whole post before you comment. Don't just comment on the comments. This will help you write a thorough and thoughtful comment.
White space is your friend. It's hard enough to read from a computer screen. Use short sentences, and short paragraphs. Write in an active voice. At least try to be grammatically correct.
Here are a few comment starters that can help raise questions and provide useful feedback for bloggers.
- This made me think about…….
- I wonder why…….
- Your writing made me form an opinion about…….
- This post is relevant because…….
- Your writing made me think that we should…….
- I wish I understood why…….
- This is important because…….
- Another thing to consider is…….
- I was reminded that…….
- I can relate to this…….
- This makes me think of…….
- I discovered……
- I don’t understand…….
- I found myself wondering…….
For more thoughts and ideas on blog commenting visit Langwitches Blog
Saturday, October 10, 2009
While I Was Sleeping
This morning I woke up bright and early for a Saturday and, after a warm cup of coffee, checked in with Twitter. People from all over the glove had been busy sharing news, websites and blog entries with anyone who happened to be tapped into Twitter while I was sleeping.
Part of my morning routine is to spend about five to ten minutes quickly reviewing old tweets and click on links that catch my eye so I can check them out later. Remember, the subjects of my tweets are specific to the people I follow. Your tweets can be as well.
I've listed a sampling of sites noted to give readers a taste of the richness of resources shared on Twitter.
Local Educators Study Promising Japanese Teaching Method
Well, in the time it took me to write this at least 20 more tweets came in with more information to sift through. I'll never have time to sift through it all, but that's not the point. You take what you can, when you can. If I have 15 minutes to look, I do. It's always better to be walking.
Part of my morning routine is to spend about five to ten minutes quickly reviewing old tweets and click on links that catch my eye so I can check them out later. Remember, the subjects of my tweets are specific to the people I follow. Your tweets can be as well.
I've listed a sampling of sites noted to give readers a taste of the richness of resources shared on Twitter.
Local Educators Study Promising Japanese Teaching Method
- An article from the Washington Post discussing a new form of Professional Development that made me think of our recent Tech Fair and what Tech Tuesday's is all about.
- This site has many classic books in comic book form. I can imagine how much fun it would be for kids to check out this site either before, after, or instead of reading one of the great classics. Options are endless, titles are plentiful.
- Another New York Times article written by Google co-founder Sergey Brin defending the Google Books Project, one of Google's newer projects attempting to digitize the world's books. I support Google's efforts which is what caused this tweet to catch my eye. If you haven't checked out Google Books, it's worth some sniffing around time.
- This tweet was a surprise because I was expecting a video or a blog entry and not the image that showed up when I went to the site. I kept thinking about th emany possibilities of using this image for independent research when I was teaching Astronomy.
- The space news agency reporting on Obama's letter of acceptance.
- Now that I'm working with sixth graders on wikis and blogs I have the chance to introduce HTML code to them so they can design their pages to look like they want.
- Who doesn't want to easily download those YouTube videos when you find them so you can show them multiple times. YouTube videos aren't on YouTube forever.
- Great explanation supporting blogging in a classroom. Edublogs use a WordPress environment but allow the teacher to have a bit more control of the blogging environment. Edublogs also allows users under 13 to participate. This blog is written using Blogger.
- A Google blog entry about the number of improvements to the amount and quality of information you can find with Google Squared, as well as new tools to sort and export the data.
- A few days ago an I read an article by Ruth Reynard in The Journal ” More Challenges with Wikis: 4 Ways to Move Students from Passive to Active.” I use a wiki in my classroom now and it is largely teacher driven. I'm trying to change that by having the students become authors of pages themselves, editing the How-To pages, etc.... But, at the end of the day, the wiki is primarily teacher driven. Any time I can read about the like struggles of other teachers and how they are compensating for them I'm interested.
- I'm always interested in what users of these boards have to say about them, especially in classrooms. This site was a double bonus because this teacher has a large number of other resources on her wiki - definitely a keeper.
- Just a ton of links related to computer labs and technology. Nice find.
- Larry Ferlazzo's latest blog entry has amassed a great number of resources related to digital storytelling. In addition, several comments also point to further resources. Just in time!
Well, in the time it took me to write this at least 20 more tweets came in with more information to sift through. I'll never have time to sift through it all, but that's not the point. You take what you can, when you can. If I have 15 minutes to look, I do. It's always better to be walking.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Tech Tuesdays - Back in Action
The first quarter of the school year is just about ready to come to a halt. How does time ever pass so fast? I feel like just yesterday we were all unpacking our summer boxes and preparing for a new round of students to stream through the doors.
I'd like to kick off a new round of Tech Tuesday meetings at the start of the second quarter. Tech Tuesday's will continue to be a time to get together as a staff to "talk tech." I'm becoming more and more of a believer that to really understand technology integration in the classroom you have to spend time in the environment and play. Talk Tech is an informal yet informative time to grow together as avid users and integrators of technology in the classroom.
Just a few weeks ago Edutopia launched their Top Ten Tips for Teaching with New Media download. I thought this list would be a great place to start our discussion in Talk Tech. Each week we can delve into the topic just a bit deeper. I thought these 10 Tips would be a good focus for Tech Tuesday's. And, should you feel the need to focus on a tool other than what I'm proposing below because you want to discuss something specific to you, no worries. This is a start and by no means is it a permanent list. Suggestions are always encouraged and appreciated.
I'd like to kick off a new round of Tech Tuesday meetings at the start of the second quarter. Tech Tuesday's will continue to be a time to get together as a staff to "talk tech." I'm becoming more and more of a believer that to really understand technology integration in the classroom you have to spend time in the environment and play. Talk Tech is an informal yet informative time to grow together as avid users and integrators of technology in the classroom.
Just a few weeks ago Edutopia launched their Top Ten Tips for Teaching with New Media download. I thought this list would be a great place to start our discussion in Talk Tech. Each week we can delve into the topic just a bit deeper. I thought these 10 Tips would be a good focus for Tech Tuesday's. And, should you feel the need to focus on a tool other than what I'm proposing below because you want to discuss something specific to you, no worries. This is a start and by no means is it a permanent list. Suggestions are always encouraged and appreciated.
- Break the Digital Ice
- Find Your Classroom Experts
- Get Off to a Good Start
- Think Globally
- Find What You Need
- Make Meaning from Word Clouds
- Work Better, Together
- Open a Back Channel
- Make It Visual
- Use the Buddy System
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Online Communities
Today I spent some time with authors Leland Anderson, Visiting Research Fellow; and Michael B. Horn, Executive Director, Education; of Innosight Institute. They have authored Alpine Online School - A Utah School District’s Move into K–8 Online Education - An Education Case Study. Some well know names were in the room, Bernie Dodge and Steve Hargadon to name a few, asking questions right along side of me; a classroom teacher in Colorado. How did I get so lucky?
Online learning communities such as Classroom 2.0 are social networks for those interested in Web 2.0 and collaborative technologies in education. I happen to be a member and that's how I was able to spend an hour with the authors of the above mentioned case study as well as many more fascinating people over the past two years.
Membership is Classroom 2.0 is free. Live events like the examples listed above occur on a weekly if not daily basis. Each week I get an email of those events. Here is a sampling of this week's events. I think you'll see there is something for every teacher.
Online learning communities such as Classroom 2.0 are social networks for those interested in Web 2.0 and collaborative technologies in education. I happen to be a member and that's how I was able to spend an hour with the authors of the above mentioned case study as well as many more fascinating people over the past two years.
Membership is Classroom 2.0 is free. Live events like the examples listed above occur on a weekly if not daily basis. Each week I get an email of those events. Here is a sampling of this week's events. I think you'll see there is something for every teacher.
- Tues, Sept 15th, 11am Pacific Daylight Time (US): I interview Anne Gilleran, the coordinator of the European School Leadership Network, who will give us a tour of their 60,000-school eTwinning program. http://www.futureofeducation.com/forum/topics/anne-gilleran-on-the-etwinning
- Wed, Sept 16th, 1pm Pacific Daylight Time (US): The weekly MSP2 Tech Talk with Todd Williamson on "Interactive Whiteboards." At LearnCentral.org: http://www.learncentral.org/event/19505
- Wed, Sept 16th, 5pm Pacific Daylight Time (US): The Classroom 2.0 LIVE Beginner Series with Sue Waters on "RSS Widgets and Personalized Home Pages." http://live.classroom20.com/classroom-20-beginner-series.html
- Wed, Sept 16th, 6pm Pacific Daylight Time (US): Maria Droujkova convenes the Math 2.0 weekly meeting, this week's guest is Troy Peterson, the creator of Nibipedia. At LearnCentral: http://www.learncentral.org/event/21595
- Thurs, Sept 17th, 3pm Pacific Daylight Time (US): I interview Michael Horn (Disrupting Class) and Leland Anderson about the new Innosight report on a small district's use of online learning to reach underserved students. http://www.futureofeducation.com/forum/topics/michael-hornan-innosight
- Sat, Sept 19th, 9am Pacific Daylight Time (US): The weekly Classroom 2.0 LIVE show. This week: Dr. Helen Barrett the creator of ElectronicPortfolios.org, shares the electronic portfolio tools that can be used in the classroom. http://live.classroom20.com/index.html
- Sun, Sept 20th, 8am Pacific Daylight Time (US): The world-wide meetup for those with Vitiligo and their frends and families, special guest this week: Emmy-award winning journalist Lee Thomas, author of the book Turning White. LearnCentral Link: http://www.vitiligofriends.org/forum/topics/our-fifth-worldwide-vitiligo
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Something to Write About
This evening I came across a suggested link on Twitter that pointed to a Flickr Page dealing with Great Quotes on Learning and Change. The images, along with the quotes, were very thought provoking. These images and the accompanying quotes could easily be used a blog prompts and conversation pieces. Some may be agreeable to all but most, I suspect, would stir controversy and debate; something every good blog post needs. Of course, Flickr is blocked in most school districts so most of you will need to copy and paste the photoquotes you like onto your own wikis or blogs in order for students to view and comment.
For instance, take the image from Scott McLeod, an Associate Professor in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at Iowa State University. Teachers better be talking about the future of technology in a school district or others are going to decide it for us. If you haven't gotten in on the conversation, join in. Do some research. There are lots of visions for what Technology and Technology Integration will look like in year 2010, 2015, 2020 and the best part is that teachers can be active in the design if they jump on board.
For instance, take the image from Scott McLeod, an Associate Professor in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at Iowa State University. Teachers better be talking about the future of technology in a school district or others are going to decide it for us. If you haven't gotten in on the conversation, join in. Do some research. There are lots of visions for what Technology and Technology Integration will look like in year 2010, 2015, 2020 and the best part is that teachers can be active in the design if they jump on board.
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