Creative Commons Webcast

Classroom 2.0 is hosting a webcast this Saturday. Check it out:

This Saturday, Apr. 25th, Peggy George, Lorna Costantini and Kim Caise will be hosting another Classroom 2.0 LIVE web show. As an extension to the Classroom 2.0 Ning community, Classroom 2.0 “LIVE” shows are an opportunity to gather with other educators in real-time events, complete with audio, chat, desktop sharing, and sometimes even video.  A Google calendar of shows is available at http://live.classroom20.com/calendar.html. If you haven’t used Elluminate before, we encourage you to view this tutorial to prepare for the Elluminate session: Elluminate tutorial video.

The topic this Saturday is: “Copyright and Creative Commons”. Our special guest will be Kristin Hokanson, author of the “Connected Classroom” blog. Please join us to share your ideas and questions. Links for more information can be found at http://live.classroom20.com. We strive to make our shows beginner-friendly although they are designed to be conversations around using Web 2.0 tools in the classroom. If you’ve never participated in a live web meeting, don’t be afraid to come and observe. ‘Dip your toes in’ the conversations until you feel comfortable enough to “jump into the conversations with both feet”! We want to encourage “experienced Web 2.0 users” to join us by contributing and extending the conversation by sharing real-life examples and tips/suggestions.

On the Classroom 2.0 LIVE! site (http://live.classroom20.com) you’ll find the recordings from our recent “Digital Storytelling” show with guest Rushton Hurley. Click on the “Archive” tab.

Special thanks to our sponsor, Elluminate, for providing the forum that allows us to do this!

Visit Classroom 2.0 at: http://www.classroom20.com

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Proof that technology can enhance your curriculum (Part 1)

I just learned about this website and am so excited to try my own hand at Illuminated Texts (an iteration of digital storytelling)! Kudos to Mr. Scotese of Whitney Young Magnet High School in Chicago and his students.

Visual Metaphor for the Intersection of Technology & Critical Thinking Skills

Sharepoint Services Courtesy of Dennis Dranchak

If you are interested in exploring Sharepoint Services (a Microsoft solution to course management software), Dennis Dranchak of Holy Cross High School, Delran, NJ  has graciously agreed to let you explore his school’s site. Visit his webpage (http://hcteachers.org/DDranchak/default.aspx)  or the page he created for the participants in this month’s seminar (http://hcteachers.org/blogsandwikis) or send him an email for a guest login and password to further explore (dennis.dranchak  at holycrosshighschool.org).

Science Wikis

I came across this book in the junior reference aisle at Barnes & Nobles a few years ago… I’m intrigued by the way Basher and Dingle convey basic chemistry facts through image, accessible writing, and popular culture. I think that it could be the inspiration for an interactive chemistry wiki. (Read Kingfisher’s press release here.)

You can visit Adrian Dingle’s website to find a plethora of materials for chemistry, including links, AP prep, practice questions and much, much more.

Similar books about biology , physics, and astronomy are also available…

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Check out this online community of bloggers:  http://scienceblogs.com/

Just for fun, here are some resources that appeal to the English teacher in me that you might be able to use in science class.

Uncle Tungsten: Memories of a Chemical Boyhood

In the Laboratory with Professor Agassiz

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How do you use wikis to teach science?

Small ways to start integrating technology…

I just got this message from Jack at Brainyflix and it occured to me that this is a perfect way to start small. If you’re worried about the learning curve of a particular technology (esp. for digital storytelling or podcasting…) this is a way to both meet content standards and introduce students to the technology in a limited, non-threatening way.

Hey guys,

The winner of the Brainyflix video contest will be announced on Monday, but in the meantime, I wanted to share some exciting news with you.  Our corporate sponsor was so happy with the videos we received that they are willing to fund more contests.  So we bring to you…

*THE BRAINYPICS DOUBLE-UP CONTEST*!!!

Get your kids to teach each other SAT vocab by making Brainypics, and we’ll give out $$$ to the student and school with the best Brainypic & iTunes prizes for top contributors.  This is called *double-up* because if we receive 4 unique Brainypics for every word on our list of common SAT words, our sponsor has agreed to double the prizes.

— Grand Prize Winner: $100 & $100 for student & school becomes $200 & $200 for student & school.
— Finalists: $10 iTunes gift certificates for the 9 runnerups becomes $10 iTunes gift certificate for 19 runnerups.
— Contributors: 1 iTunes for every 10 Brainypics submitted (good for the first 1000 submissions) becomes 1 iTunes for every 5 Brainypics submitted (good for the 1st 2000 Brainypics submitted).

We’ll count Brainypics that have already been submitted and will do so til May 22nd.  As for how the winners will be determined, we’ll select the Finalists and then the public will vote to determine the grand prize winner.  You can get all the contest details at http://www.brainyflix.com/main/contest_rules

P.S. — To help you guys double-up, we’ll show the number of flashcards submitted for each word next to the word itself on this list http://www.brainyflix.com/words

Of course, if you have any questions, feel free to message me directly here or email me at admin@brainyflix.com.

-Jack

Holy smoke, Batman!

Thanks to Prof. Wesch for introducing me to this fabulous application via the Digital Ethnography Blog. Check out how he is using Netvibes in his own teaching. I’m going to play with this and see what I can do… What about you?

Ginger: the new Netvibes.

TeacherLED — Interactive Whiteboard Resources For Teachers

TeacherLED — Interactive Whiteboard Resources For Teachers.

Resources for teachers who have interactive whiteboards

Getting Rid of the “Next Blog” Button in Blogger

Getting Rid of the “Next Blog” Button in Blogger.

For teachers who want to blog and need to ensure that inappropriate material doesn’t inadvertantly make its way into the classroom…

ISTE Webinar: Stimulus Funding Webinar

If you’re a member of ISTE — check with your tech coordinator if you don’t have a membership — there is a free webinar about stimulus funding coming up this week. Here’s the invitation that was sent out:

It is an exciting time for Ed Tech in the U.S., and we want to make sure ISTE members are up to speed on the technology legislation recently passed on the national level. Join ISTE CEO Don Knezek and Director of Government Affairs Hilary Goldmann on Thursday April 2nd for a FREE webinar exclusively for ISTE members titled “So The Stimulus Passed…Now What?” Knezek and Goldmann will lead a panel discussion featuring guests David Byer of Apple and the Chair of ISTE’s Public Policy and Advocacy Committee, Deborah Rigsby of the National School Boards Association, and Davis Brock of Elmore County Public Schools in Alabama. This group of policy experts will discuss the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) and how these dollars can be used for classroom technology purchases and professional development initiatives. Attendees will leave this webinar with an understanding of the K-12 education components of the stimulus package, how and when money will flow, as well as how ISTE members can leverage these dollars to fulfill the Obama Administration’s vision to invest quickly to benefit long-term student achievement through school innovation and reform.

Click here to sign up for the webinar.

Date: Thursday April 2, 2009
Time: 10 a.m. PST/11 a.m. MST/12 p.m. CST/1 p.m. EST