Blogging for Literacy?


Steve Wheeler raises some interesting points here.


We should be teaching technological literacies - just as we should be teaching digital citizenship.

Block Posters

Don't know about you - but I love the oversize infographics that seem to be in abundance right now.
But seem to have huge difficulty printing them.

Found Block Posters the other day - and it allows you to create any sized wall posters from any sized image.

Might make sprucing up the classroom a little easier!

Teach Parents Tech

The perfect web site for all the ICT questions you wanted answered - but were too afraid to ask...

Teach Parents Tech

Teach Parents Tech lets you select from over 50 basic how-to videos to send to anyone who could use a little help with tech tasks—whether it’s how to make a blog or create a fat32 hard drive partition (yeh, me either...). 

Wrap up your video with a custom email and off it goes! The recipient will receive your message and a link to the video(s) you selected.

Must send myself some...

Online Safety

Thanks to Mark Brumley, of Educational Technology, for posting this timely reminder.

Tips for Keeping Students Safe Online

With all the focus on using new technologies and online resources it is important for us to model (and teach) safe and appropriate behaviour.

80 Alternatives to YouTube

Thank you Educational Technology and Mobile Learning

I could not say it better

'Kids learn best when they see how things work, when, where and why they happen. Watching educational videos is a great way to learn because it allows kids to build a visual picture or model in their mind. The visual dimension not only helps them understand concepts better but also stimulates curiosity and encourages self-training'

They have come up with a document that lists heaps of alternatives to YouTube...

Have a look

Need an Excuse...

to get a new iPad (cue dreamy sigh...)

Check out this Google presentation over over 100 ways to use an iPad in your classroom.

Ted Goes to School

So, we all love TED. Go on, admit it, you do (and if you don't, well you should...)

Now another good idea: TED-Ed - which will be a collection of animated videos less than 10 minutes long, based on lessons taught by teachers.

This isn’t a comprehensive curriculum (like Khan Academy but ideas that aim to fire students’ imagination and curiosity.)

TED-Ed has a YouTube channel  with no pre-roll ads or advertisers inappropriate for students - so you can show them in class or ask them to watch them for homework. 

And TED is inviting you to nominate a great teacher - including yourself - to create one of these lessons.

You teach the lesson; they’ll supply the animator and your lesson will be available for millions. Nominate an educator or suggest a lesson.

The full TED-Ed site will launch in April.

If you, or your class, cannot wait check out how a cockroach's brain works  or why simple words are so powerful.

Are You a Member of the Rebel Alliance?

If you read closely, it's part of the Twitter Terms of Service.

It probably trumps your membership to the Galactic Empire found in the iTunes Terms. 

May the force be with you.

Google Image Search

Just to keep it simple, in Google image search you can upload an image and use it as your search criteria.

Cool.

Watch the video here

(thanks to EmergingEdTech)

The New iPad

Regardless of what you think about Apple and its closed source platform, we can't ignore what is out there (and being used in the classroom)

If you have never looked at Apple - Education - have an investigate.

You can't fault them for making things of great design (and shiny to boot).

Is this part of the future in our classrooms?

The Rise of Generation C

Forget Gen X or Gen Y. In our classroom we are face to face with Gen C.

"...connected, communicating, content-centric, computerized, community-oriented, always clicking..."


The Rise of Generation C

Pinterest

You may already know, but bear with me.

Pinterest

All very nice you say - but how does that help me?


Tips for using Pinterest in your classroom

Just like that ;)

Mix and Mash

The National Library has recently up dated this great resource.

Mix and Mash

It deals with how to reuse digital content and shows how and why copyright laws exist.

Creative Commons anyone?

What if... My Teacher WAS an App

The Wall Street Journal published this article at the end of last year.

My Teacher is an App

It looks at the increasing trend, in America, for high schooling to be delivered entirely on line.

Slideshare

Slideshare is an easy, popular, and free tool for putting PowerPoint or OpenOffice slides, as well as many other file formats like PDFs and Word docs, online.
Which means - you can upload your work for easy access (for at home viewing or embedding for blogs and websites) - or you can search work that other people have made public.

Slideshare


You can download and use these presentations in your teaching.

A personal favourite

For a quick introduction to using Slideshare to share course materials, watch this 4 minute Youtube video from instructor D. Caskey.

The Beginning

We are all busy.
So I'll keep it short.
Technology is changing everything around us. We all know it.

If you are interested - then subscribe to this blog - click on the subscribe to widget to the right. Or follow by email... whatever works for you.


I'll aim to introduce you to different ideas related to the use of ICT in the classroom. Some you may know of, some that may be new.
I plan to differentiate and cover as wide a range as possible.
Some, hopefully, may find their way into your teaching or planning or lives.
And please comment and suggest - I would love your input!


To start it off?

I love the iTunesU app. iTunesU is a must see.

Whether you’re into in molecular biology, Spanish or just interested in European history, you now have a valuable tool to help you learn anytime, anywhere.

iTunesU