The movie The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring began with the phrase, "The World is changing..." This has never been more true as it is in education today.
Recently, educators seem to have aligned themselves in opposite camps of an epic intellectual battle. On one side, we find the educators who are completely dedicated to the old-fashioned, time-tested methods of education. On the other side, we find innovative individuals who seek and embrace new technology, new ways of teaching, and new ways of learning.
A recent article from Educational Leadership clearly lays out the opposing views on technology and social networking.
In the end, no one side can win. We should not use technology in school for its own sake. On the other hand, we should not maintain the status quo because it is comfortable. The only resolution is collaboration and partnership.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Square It with Google
The easiest way to get to this great resource from Google Labs is simply to Google "Google Squared" or click this link
When you enter a topic, Google will search the Internet and create a matrix of relevant information. It is a great way to give students an organized start to their research.
Click here for an example.
When you enter a topic, Google will search the Internet and create a matrix of relevant information. It is a great way to give students an organized start to their research.
Click here for an example.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Copyright and Web 2.0
Web 2.0 resources can be a phenomenal addition to any classroom, especially since it allows the ability to gather content, alter content, and then make it publicly available. This does pose some potential problems regarding Fair Use and Copyright.
Students do produce a much higher quality work when they know that the world can see what they have produced; however, we teachers often misunderstand how copyrighted materials can be used in the classroom.
I have compiled a basic overview of Copyright, Fair Use, and Public Domain on this wiki.
Students do produce a much higher quality work when they know that the world can see what they have produced; however, we teachers often misunderstand how copyrighted materials can be used in the classroom.
I have compiled a basic overview of Copyright, Fair Use, and Public Domain on this wiki.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
It all adds up with Instacalc
I just stumbled on Instacalc.com. It is an online, shared calculator. Not only does it skip the step of hitting or clicking "Enter" before getting an answer, it also allows you to create a customized, embeddable calculator.
Below is a quick travel expense calculator I created as an example. If you change the values, the result is automatically updated.
Below is a quick travel expense calculator I created as an example. If you change the values, the result is automatically updated.
Monday, May 4, 2009
If it's good enough for the White House...
It looks like social networking and Web 2.0 sites just hit the political big time! An article in ComputerWorld.com revealed that the Obama Administration has created pages on Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter as a way to provide information to the tech-savvy public.
It also looks like the Presidential Tweeter (I doubt this is an official title) is a fan of tinyurl.com.
Most of the Tweets so far involve H1N1.
One question is now burning in my head...when the President of the United States recognizes social networking sites as a valuable communication tool, why are we still so afraid of them in education???
It also looks like the Presidential Tweeter (I doubt this is an official title) is a fan of tinyurl.com.
Most of the Tweets so far involve H1N1.
One question is now burning in my head...when the President of the United States recognizes social networking sites as a valuable communication tool, why are we still so afraid of them in education???
Penn State One-to-One Conference - Dave J's Recap
Last week, I attended the One-to-One conference at Penn State University. The keynote speakers and session presenters provided so much information, I found myself a victim of cognitive saturation.
Below are some of the thoughts and tools that stood out:
The Tools
1. Tabbloid.com - This site allows you to create a PDF newsletter based on the RSS feeds of your choice. The newsletter is e-mailed to you on the day(s) and time(s) you select. This is potentially a huge timesaver if you need to frquently find current articles on a particular subject.
2. Diigo.com - This site is the next generation of social bookmarking. Not only can you make a list of bookmarks available, you can also higlight text on the site, and add "sticky notes." This ability to bookmark and annotate provides a unique way for students to collaborate on a project, or just share what information was important to them.
3. Netvibes.com - This is similar to Tabbloid in that it provides a way to collect and manage all your RSS feeds. Instead of creating a PDF newsletter, Netvibes helps you to create a completely customized start page, based on all your feeds.
4. Prezi.com - This is the next...next...next generation of PowerPoint. It is visually stunning, creating presentations that use a range of motions to proceed from item to item in what can only be described as one large dynamic slide. The only potential problems with this site are (1) the presentation can overwhelm the content and (2) an overly complicated presentation could cause vertigo.
5. DeepDebate.org - This site is an "online conversation tool" that provides the ability for students to debate a particular subject. The order and organization of the information is designed for ongoing conversation, making this a much more effective tool than a wiki or a blog for a debate.
Some Random Thoughts and Questions
* "Technology is anything that was invented after you were born." -Alan Kay
* "The blogosphere is the exhaust of the human experience." - David Warlick
* How can you continue a class discussion after the school day ends?
* How do you make the shift from teacher created Wikis to student created Wikis?
* How do you plan and prepare for a complete failure of all technology in a class? (The internet was down for almost the entire third day of the conference.)
Blogs to Follow:
tipline.blogspot.com - Jim Gates
davidwarlick.com/connectlearning/ - David Warlick
www.practicaltheory.org/serendipity/ - Chris Lehmann
Below are some of the thoughts and tools that stood out:
The Tools
1. Tabbloid.com - This site allows you to create a PDF newsletter based on the RSS feeds of your choice. The newsletter is e-mailed to you on the day(s) and time(s) you select. This is potentially a huge timesaver if you need to frquently find current articles on a particular subject.
2. Diigo.com - This site is the next generation of social bookmarking. Not only can you make a list of bookmarks available, you can also higlight text on the site, and add "sticky notes." This ability to bookmark and annotate provides a unique way for students to collaborate on a project, or just share what information was important to them.
3. Netvibes.com - This is similar to Tabbloid in that it provides a way to collect and manage all your RSS feeds. Instead of creating a PDF newsletter, Netvibes helps you to create a completely customized start page, based on all your feeds.
4. Prezi.com - This is the next...next...next generation of PowerPoint. It is visually stunning, creating presentations that use a range of motions to proceed from item to item in what can only be described as one large dynamic slide. The only potential problems with this site are (1) the presentation can overwhelm the content and (2) an overly complicated presentation could cause vertigo.
5. DeepDebate.org - This site is an "online conversation tool" that provides the ability for students to debate a particular subject. The order and organization of the information is designed for ongoing conversation, making this a much more effective tool than a wiki or a blog for a debate.
Some Random Thoughts and Questions
* "Technology is anything that was invented after you were born." -Alan Kay
* "The blogosphere is the exhaust of the human experience." - David Warlick
* How can you continue a class discussion after the school day ends?
* How do you make the shift from teacher created Wikis to student created Wikis?
* How do you plan and prepare for a complete failure of all technology in a class? (The internet was down for almost the entire third day of the conference.)
Blogs to Follow:
tipline.blogspot.com - Jim Gates
davidwarlick.com/connectlearning/ - David Warlick
www.practicaltheory.org/serendipity/ - Chris Lehmann
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Wow...Harry Kalas Died
At about 1230 on Monday April 13th, a Philadelphia Phillies legend passed into the history books. The first news articles indicating that veteran broadcaster Harry Kalas had passed out in the broadcasting booth in Washington DC began to hit the web almost immediately, with more detailed stories emerging within a half hour. Throughout the Philadelphia area, cellphones buzzed with calls, twitter updates, and text messages came in. By 1:37, well-wishers began to leave hopes for his recovery on the ESPN website . However, despite the hopes of all of his fans, a post on the ESPN website reported receiving a Twitter message that told of the passing of this Philadelphia icon.
As David Montgomery said, "We lost our voice today."
As I took a moment to reflect on what had happened, I was struck by the speed at which the news was relayed. I remember working in Philadelphia almost 20 years ago on the day a former Mayor(Frank Rizzo)passed away, and I recall the length of time it took the news to spread.
As I thought about events of the day one thought lingered...Our students can ill afford not be taught to operate efficiently in a time when information moves at the speed it did on Monday.
"It's outta here!!!"
As David Montgomery said, "We lost our voice today."
As I took a moment to reflect on what had happened, I was struck by the speed at which the news was relayed. I remember working in Philadelphia almost 20 years ago on the day a former Mayor(Frank Rizzo)passed away, and I recall the length of time it took the news to spread.
As I thought about events of the day one thought lingered...Our students can ill afford not be taught to operate efficiently in a time when information moves at the speed it did on Monday.
"It's outta here!!!"
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Clusty and Grokker - Unique Alternatives to the Almighty Google Search
Many students initiate any and all research projects with a Google Search. While this generally provides a plethora of responses, many of the hits are only loosely connected to the subject, or are completely irrelevant. Google is a very powerful tool for research; however, there are several alternatives to Google that each have a unique way of organizing the search results.
Clusty, at first glance, looks like any other search engine. The difference is in how results are reported. The full list of search results appears on the right side of the window. On the left, results are clustered by subject. This allows students (and teachers) to look at results that are more likely relevant to the particular issue or topic they are researching.
You can see an example of the results page below.
Grokker provides two options for viewing search results. The first is an Outline View that groups the results by keyword or subject. You can see below the results from a search on Project Based Learning.
You also can select the Map View which provides a visual representation of the categories and sub-categories that appeared in the search results. You can see an example of this below.
Clusty, at first glance, looks like any other search engine. The difference is in how results are reported. The full list of search results appears on the right side of the window. On the left, results are clustered by subject. This allows students (and teachers) to look at results that are more likely relevant to the particular issue or topic they are researching.
You can see an example of the results page below.
Grokker provides two options for viewing search results. The first is an Outline View that groups the results by keyword or subject. You can see below the results from a search on Project Based Learning.
You also can select the Map View which provides a visual representation of the categories and sub-categories that appeared in the search results. You can see an example of this below.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Engaged, Online Communication through Blogs
The ways we communicate are changing dramatically. Web 2.0 tools have broken down walls and built bridges between people divided by age, culture, socio-economic class, and geography. In the United States, we celebrate and treasure our right to free speech; technology has now provided us with the ability to be heard...loudly.
Blogs (short for "web logs") have allowed individuals to publish their thoughts, observations, and opinions to an almost limitless audience. Now, from the comfort of your living room, you can be an author, a reporter, or a columnist. This "participatory journalism," in part, lead to Time Magazine's 2006 Person of the Year - You!
This shift in how we communicate could be an invaluable asset in classrooms at any level. Blogs, in particular, allow for a new frontier in classroom communication and collaboration.
First, blogs can be accessed both in and out of school. So, the conversation does not need to end immediately when the bell rings at the end of class. In fact, the conversation could continue indefinitely. In addition, conversations on a blog are not limited by geography; students in different classes, schools, states, or even countries can all be a part of one conversation.
Second, blogs provide a written record of the conversation. In any small or large group project, at least one student is given the task of recording the information. When the conversation is done through a blog, all responses are stored and available for later review. And, you do not need to worry about sloppy penmanship!
Third, blogs allow students to focus on ideas, not personalities. Presenting information in front of a class can be, for some students, a very awkward, uncomfortable experience. Some students are so intimidated by public speaking that their voice often goes unheard. Blogs allow a means for students to freely share their knowledge, ideas, and opinions, without worrying about their voice, or appearance, or fashion sense. This can, in some cases, be a life-altering moment, bringing someone from the fringes into the classroom community.
Some educators are concerned about blogs in the classroom because of the possibility of students posting inappropriate material. Most blog sites do allow the author to determine who can see the site and who can post to the site. In addition, the author can choose to moderate comments; posts and comments will only be published with the approval of the author.
Blogger is one of the many available blog sites. It is a free service owned by Google. You can see some examples of blogs created for student communication and collaboration below:
SHS Inauguration Project 2009
SHS Presidential Watch
SHS Constitution Project 2008
Blogs (short for "web logs") have allowed individuals to publish their thoughts, observations, and opinions to an almost limitless audience. Now, from the comfort of your living room, you can be an author, a reporter, or a columnist. This "participatory journalism," in part, lead to Time Magazine's 2006 Person of the Year - You!
This shift in how we communicate could be an invaluable asset in classrooms at any level. Blogs, in particular, allow for a new frontier in classroom communication and collaboration.
First, blogs can be accessed both in and out of school. So, the conversation does not need to end immediately when the bell rings at the end of class. In fact, the conversation could continue indefinitely. In addition, conversations on a blog are not limited by geography; students in different classes, schools, states, or even countries can all be a part of one conversation.
Second, blogs provide a written record of the conversation. In any small or large group project, at least one student is given the task of recording the information. When the conversation is done through a blog, all responses are stored and available for later review. And, you do not need to worry about sloppy penmanship!
Third, blogs allow students to focus on ideas, not personalities. Presenting information in front of a class can be, for some students, a very awkward, uncomfortable experience. Some students are so intimidated by public speaking that their voice often goes unheard. Blogs allow a means for students to freely share their knowledge, ideas, and opinions, without worrying about their voice, or appearance, or fashion sense. This can, in some cases, be a life-altering moment, bringing someone from the fringes into the classroom community.
Some educators are concerned about blogs in the classroom because of the possibility of students posting inappropriate material. Most blog sites do allow the author to determine who can see the site and who can post to the site. In addition, the author can choose to moderate comments; posts and comments will only be published with the approval of the author.
Blogger is one of the many available blog sites. It is a free service owned by Google. You can see some examples of blogs created for student communication and collaboration below:
SHS Inauguration Project 2009
SHS Presidential Watch
SHS Constitution Project 2008
Use Cellphones to Your Advantage
www.textmarks.com allows you to configure a blog, wiki, or any webpage to send a text message to a phone when requested. Imagine that you have assigned homework and have put the assignment on your webpage. Students would be able to utilize the text mesaging feature of thier cellphones (standard charges apply) to easily access that information no matter where they are.
Try it...text "mrnelson" to 41411 and see what you get.
Try it...text "mrnelson" to 41411 and see what you get.
Ask Here PA - Live Librarians, Ready to Help You!
Despite the fact that the internet is seemingly saturated with information, it can often be difficult to separate the accurate, relevant, credible information from the myriad of data that is available online.
Students often start and finish online research with a simple Google search, or a brief review of Wikipedia. While these can be helpful tools for a research project, they do not always lead students to the best sites and resources.
AskHerePA.org is a website that allows individuals to contact a librarian via a live web chat. This is a free service, staffed by trained librarians who will help you find any information you may need. You can also have a transcript of your web chat e-mailed to you. In addition to helping individuals locate information online, the librarians at AskHerePA have access to other resources such as databases and electronic journals.
AskHerePA provides individuals with all the benefits of a visit to the local library without having to leave the living room.
AskHerePA is primarily a resource for residents of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. There are similar services provided by the Library of Congress and the Internet Public Library. Also, many other states provide a similar service such as Florida and California.
Students often start and finish online research with a simple Google search, or a brief review of Wikipedia. While these can be helpful tools for a research project, they do not always lead students to the best sites and resources.
AskHerePA.org is a website that allows individuals to contact a librarian via a live web chat. This is a free service, staffed by trained librarians who will help you find any information you may need. You can also have a transcript of your web chat e-mailed to you. In addition to helping individuals locate information online, the librarians at AskHerePA have access to other resources such as databases and electronic journals.
AskHerePA provides individuals with all the benefits of a visit to the local library without having to leave the living room.
AskHerePA is primarily a resource for residents of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. There are similar services provided by the Library of Congress and the Internet Public Library. Also, many other states provide a similar service such as Florida and California.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
An easy to use classroom response system.
Do you want to use classroom response systems but don't want to setup one for just one or two questions? You may want to consider using www.polleverywhere.com. This website allows you, after a quick setup, to gather responses by using the student's cellphones.
The free version allows 30 responses per question and also allows you to make different versions of the same question to use in seperate classes. The poll can be embedded in blogs, wikis, or just used as a stand alone webpage.
The live poll updates as students vote, take a look.
Texting charges do apply, however the website provides an option to use a classroom computer as a polling station
The free version allows 30 responses per question and also allows you to make different versions of the same question to use in seperate classes. The poll can be embedded in blogs, wikis, or just used as a stand alone webpage.
The live poll updates as students vote, take a look.
Texting charges do apply, however the website provides an option to use a classroom computer as a polling station
Creating Word Clouds with Wordle
Word Clouds can be a great tool to help students dissect complex text. In a word cloud, the text is arranged and sized based on usage in the particular text. For example, the most frequently used words will be larger and more prominently featured.
Wordle is a Google application that will generate a word cloud based on text you have entered (by pasting the text, or entering a URL for the text location).
Below, you can see an example of a Word Cloud that I created in Wordle based on the text from Obama's speech on race that was delivered at the National Constitution Center on March 18, 2008:
Obama's Race Speech Wordle
Wordle is a Google application that will generate a word cloud based on text you have entered (by pasting the text, or entering a URL for the text location).
Below, you can see an example of a Word Cloud that I created in Wordle based on the text from Obama's speech on race that was delivered at the National Constitution Center on March 18, 2008:
Obama's Race Speech Wordle
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Build your own Jeopardy game at http://jeopardylabs.com/
If you have been using PowerPoint to develop Jeopardy games for your classes, this website might just speed up the process for you. All you need is to establish a password for your template and follow some simple directions and you are quickly on your way to a way for your students to review information. The site also allows you to post the game on your website and has a manual scorekeeping feature.
http://jeopardylabs.com/
http://jeopardylabs.com/
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Social Bookmarking with del.icio.us
Most frequent internet users have a list of "Favorites" or "Bookmarks" saved in Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox. These links can only be accessed on one computer. Social bookmarking allows you to save links to your favorite sites in one location that can be accessed from anywhere. In addition, you can share those links, making them available to other teachers, parents, and students.
This also is a "green" alternative to printing handouts of articles on the web. Since most of our students now have laptops, you can give them your del.icio.us address, and they can access all relevant articles.
Currently, I use del.icio.us in my Computer Graphics classes. When students show proficiency in PhotoShop, they can access my page, del.icio.us/shscgv, and select from the list of PhotoShop Tutorials.
This also is a "green" alternative to printing handouts of articles on the web. Since most of our students now have laptops, you can give them your del.icio.us address, and they can access all relevant articles.
Currently, I use del.icio.us in my Computer Graphics classes. When students show proficiency in PhotoShop, they can access my page, del.icio.us/shscgv, and select from the list of PhotoShop Tutorials.
odiogo.com - Incorporating text-to-speech on your blog
Many teachers in this school are already using blogs as a way to communicate with their students. Blogs are a phenomenal tool that allow written assignments to become dynamic discussions between teachers and students.
Odiogo.com is a tool that allows you to add text-to-speech to your blog. If you use blogger.com, and register your blog address on odiogo.com, it will provide you with a widget (basically a small web tool) that converts each of the blog entries into an audio file. The audio file can be streamed through a button on the blog entry itself. In addition, you can download the audio as an mp3 or subscribe to a podcast of your blog entries.
The ability to instantly convert your text to an audio file is potentially invaluable. It allows students to have the information from your blog on their iPod or mp3 player, where they can review it at their convenience, wherever they may be. In addition, this is a great alternative for students who are auditory learners. Text-to-speech tools can also provide you with a way to accommodate the needs of a visually impaired student.
As of this point, odiogo.com is a free service. It does work best (and is the most convenient) if you are already using blogger.com.
You can listen to an example of the odiogo.com by clicking the "Listen Now" button at the top of this entry.
Odiogo.com is a tool that allows you to add text-to-speech to your blog. If you use blogger.com, and register your blog address on odiogo.com, it will provide you with a widget (basically a small web tool) that converts each of the blog entries into an audio file. The audio file can be streamed through a button on the blog entry itself. In addition, you can download the audio as an mp3 or subscribe to a podcast of your blog entries.
The ability to instantly convert your text to an audio file is potentially invaluable. It allows students to have the information from your blog on their iPod or mp3 player, where they can review it at their convenience, wherever they may be. In addition, this is a great alternative for students who are auditory learners. Text-to-speech tools can also provide you with a way to accommodate the needs of a visually impaired student.
As of this point, odiogo.com is a free service. It does work best (and is the most convenient) if you are already using blogger.com.
You can listen to an example of the odiogo.com by clicking the "Listen Now" button at the top of this entry.
Welcome to the SHS - Web 2.0 Teacher Resources Blog
On this blog, we hope to provide you with an overview of many tools that are freely available to you on the internet. We will provide links to helpful Web 2.0 resources, examples of how we have used them, and suggestions of how you can incorporate these resources into your lessons.
This also will provide you with an opportunity to share your experiences with various Web 2.0 tools, and discuss with other teachers, ways to communicate and collaborate with colleagues and students using these tools.
For those of you unfamiliar with the term Web 2.0, it refers to the "second generation" of web design. It does not refer to any actual change in technology; it recognizes a change in design and usage. Originally, the web was used by individuals for gathering information from various sites. But, with Web 2.0, individuals can create content, share information, communicate, collaborate, and form online communities.
Web 2.0 provides almost limitless potential in the field of education. It allows teachers and students to bridge the gaps between grade levels, levels of ability, and subject areas. It also allows students in different classes, different schools, and even different countries to communicate and collaborate. It gives a needed voice to students who are uncomfortable or unable to communicate verbally in front of a class. It also allows students to share information with a focus on ideas rather than appearances or personalities.
Because of sites like YouTube, MySpace, and Facebook, students are accustomed to using technology purely for entertainment. Rather than dismissing Web 2.0 resources as a distraction or a nuisance, we should embrace their potential, and help our students see them as a powerful tool for learning through communication and collaboration.
This also will provide you with an opportunity to share your experiences with various Web 2.0 tools, and discuss with other teachers, ways to communicate and collaborate with colleagues and students using these tools.
For those of you unfamiliar with the term Web 2.0, it refers to the "second generation" of web design. It does not refer to any actual change in technology; it recognizes a change in design and usage. Originally, the web was used by individuals for gathering information from various sites. But, with Web 2.0, individuals can create content, share information, communicate, collaborate, and form online communities.
Web 2.0 provides almost limitless potential in the field of education. It allows teachers and students to bridge the gaps between grade levels, levels of ability, and subject areas. It also allows students in different classes, different schools, and even different countries to communicate and collaborate. It gives a needed voice to students who are uncomfortable or unable to communicate verbally in front of a class. It also allows students to share information with a focus on ideas rather than appearances or personalities.
Because of sites like YouTube, MySpace, and Facebook, students are accustomed to using technology purely for entertainment. Rather than dismissing Web 2.0 resources as a distraction or a nuisance, we should embrace their potential, and help our students see them as a powerful tool for learning through communication and collaboration.
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