21st Century Teaching TIPS

See on Scoop.it – iPads and Apps in Education

A blog about implementing online portfolios with Evernote and the ipad.

Caroline Bucky-Beaver‘s insight:

#ISTE13 Session link

See on ieasg.blogspot.com

See on Scoop.it – iPads and Apps in Education

Grant Wood AEA’s iPad Professional Development Site for learning about using iPads in education.

See on sites.google.com

See on Scoop.it – iPads and Apps in Education

Creativity in the classroom is more abundant than ever as teachers and students are using iPads in amazing ways.

Caroline Bucky-Beaver‘s insight:

Great list of iPad apps here that can be used to create…

Digital Wish - Virtual Volunteers

via digitalwish.com

5 Tech-Friendly Lessons to Encourage Higher-Order Thinking -- THE Journal

via thejournal.com

Over 40 Lesson Ideas Based on Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - HOME - Edgalaxy: Where Education and Technology Meet.

via edgalaxy.com

Pinboard for Pinterest (Free) by Silviu Stefan is a Pinterest client for the iPad. It may just be the best Pinterest-related app for Apple’s tablet so far. It doesn’t revolutionize viewing of the social networking site, but it does work well and it is free.

The app offers three different ways to pin, as well as complete access to your Pinterest account. The account access is just a port of the website, so there is nothing special with that. However, the pin options are what make it stand out, that and the fact that it is free.

Users can copy and paste a JavaScript code directly into their Safari Web browser on the iPad. This is a function that is not readily available to everyone. There are ways to find the code online, but the average user will have trouble figuring that out. Now, users can have a “Pin It” button right in their bookmarks bar, just like a computer’s Web browser without any effort.

I’d like to take a minute to tell you how to get the button to show up in your browser because the app doesn’t explain that part clearly. First, go to the settings section in your device and set your Safari browser to “always show bookmarks bar.” Then, open Safari and, after you have entered the JavaScript code from the app, find “Pin It” in your bookmarks list and hit “edit” in the upper left corner of the bookmark list. Tap and hold the pin and move it into the bookmark bar folder, and then move it to the first place. Once you have done that, the button will always be in your Safari browser on the left-hand side.

In addition to an easy way to add the Pinterest bookmarklet to the Safari browser, users can upload images by entering a website link into the “Pin It” URL bar. This part is no different than what can be done directly from the Pinterest website. It is nice to have it, but by no means special.

The third way to pin images is to use the app’s internal browser. This browser comes with its own “Pin It” button that works perfectly. Use the Internet the same way you would in Safari, or any other browser and when you come across something you’d like to add to your Pinterest board, just hit the “Pin It” button in the upper right corner.

The fact that users can pin in three different ways, plus have complete access to their Pinterest account makes this iPad app amazing. The fact that it is free makes it the best app you can get for Pinterest thus far. Pick it up today. You won’t regret it.

via appadvice.com

How does the site work? Here's a quote from the "About" page that tells you more:

  "This site, designed by Fuel Industries, includes three main components that are meant to be explored together.

Videos: Each location -- Home, School, Mall -- includes several video shorts about a modern family's experience online. You determine which path the family members take at the critical decision point. Do you text that to your boyfriend? Do you purchase that ukulele? These shorts are just snapshots of more complicated issues. But, they all attempt to address a fundamental message of taking a moment to think before acting.

Interactive Objects: As you view each video, you can collect interactive objects! An object opens up a quick game about the subject of the video. Once you collect the object, you can access it at anytime during your session.

Messages: When you scroll down the site, you will find complementary messages targeted for each audience -- Students, Parents, Educators. These messages intend to strike a quick educational point. If you want to find out more about the subject, just click the link below the message. This will open up a pop-up with tips, advice, and links to partner resources.

Make sure to check out the resources as linked in the educators' and parents' sections of the site! These resources point to curriculum and advice provided by Common Sense Media, ConnectSafely, and National Consumers League."

via thinkb4u.com

              ThinkB4U is the product of a collaboration between Google and safety partners Common Sense Media, ConnectSafely, and National Consumers League. It's objective is provide instruction about online safety through in an interactive way. There is content geared directly to students, parents, and educators.

60 instructional technology websites.  I found this resources via Sherry Dorman's Pinterest page.  You never know what kind of new stuff you'll find when you flip through a resource like this.  The variety of teacher and student tools and resources spans across many grade levels, so be sure to flip through the whole Issu.  You never know what you'll find.

Granted, the "Best of" are always a matter of opinion, but I never fail to find a gem or two when I look through collections such as this one from Free Technology for Teachers.  This "Best of" compilation is about "good" free web resources for teachers.

Original Post: Google Voice on my Syllabus

The first day always has me handing out my syllabus in each class. This year I have put my Google Voice number at the top of my syllabus with a note for students and parents to "please text me if you have a quick question." From my Google Voice inbox I can reply to text messages and the other person never sees my real cell phone number. Furthermore, it's free for my to send text messages back to anyone who texts via my Google Voice number.

This YouTube playlist walks you through many of the other Google Voice features.

On a related note, Wes Fryer recently wrote a post with detailed directions on how to send text messages from a Google Docs Spreadsheet.

Applications for Education One of the reasons that I have put my Google Voice number on my syllabus this year is because I know that students are much more likely to text a question than they are to email me with a question (nevermind call, that's so 20th Century). The other reason is that I am hoping parents too will prefer the text option over the calling option because I am notoriously slow at checking the archaic voicemail system at my school (I think it still uses actual cassette tapes). If I'm at my computer I can provide almost instant responses to my students' questions.

  via freetech4teachers.com

Caroline's Comments

If you've never heard of Google Voice, you're not alone. It's one of those Google nuggets that hasn't been around all that long and in the beginning was invitation only. Now anyone can get an Google Voice account as long as you have a Google account. You are given a phone number where you can receive both text messages (no multi-media) and voice mail, both of which can be forwarded to a personal phone number of your choice - or not. It's great for those times when you don't want to give someone your phone number, but they need to get a hold of you.

But what about its use in Education?

The first time I heard about using Google Voice in Education was from the ACTFL Teacher of the Year, Clarissa Fletcher of Dunwoody High School, when she presented her uses of technology to the World Language Coordinators in my state (Georgia). I have a Google number, but for some reason never though about how it could be used in the classroom. That's probably due to the state policies that restrict student cell phone use in the schools.

However, Clarissa's use of Google Voice didn't call for her students to use their own cell phones in school. Her own ways of using this tool included responses to assignments, asking questions about assignments, and having students call in to provide oral answers to questions for grades. Most kids these days have cell phones, and by providing a way for her students to text and call her (without giving out her own personal number), she was able to provide a whole new means of communication between herself and her students and a new means of assessment.

Byrne's post on his own use of Google Voice provides another means of providing a communication bridge between teachers and students and parents. For our Title I schools, they are required to document their contact with parents, and this would be just another possible tool they could implement to increase school to parent communication.

What I really love about Google Voice, aside from the fact that it is free, is the ability to listen to voicemail on the computer! We aren't to the point yet where we have VOIP telephone systems so the ability to check voicemail from a computer is far more efficient and timely when it comes to responding to parents and students alike.

Be sure to read the blog post by Wes Fryer who has written detailed directions on how text messages can be sent from a Google Docs spreadsheet. That's next on my list to read!

Artsonia Art Museum :: Artwork by Major20

via artsonia.com

Artwork by student Major20.

Recently, I visited one of the high schools in my district and was amazed by the talent of our students. Even the halls of the building showcased samples of their creations, which I found myself taking a lot of time to enjoy. Then I started to think about the limited audience this school gallery was exposed to and how wonderful it would be if they took their artwork digital.

Then today I stumbled across Artsonia. Teachers can build multiple galleries of their students’ art projects, which can be organized by grade. What I found to be particularly intriguing about Artsonia was the social aspect of it. Student artwork is posted with their first name (or pseudonym) and an ID number . Family and friends can comment on artwork and even sign up for alerts when new pieces are uploaded.

The Teacher’s Guide To Using Posterous Spaces - Edudemic

via edudemic.com

The 35 Best Web 2.0 Classroom Tools Chosen By You - Edudemic

via edudemic.com

I love posts like these for several reasons. One, it demonstrates just how social networking tools like Twitter can be used to harness feedback. However, the power of such tools is determined by the PLN behind it, which is my second reason for liking this post.

What is a PLN? It's a Personal or Professional Learning Network. In this case @chickensaltash has over 4,000 followers who potentially could have responded to this question. Does that mean you have to have that many in your PLN to gain benefits from it? Not in the least. If you take the time to build a quality PLN, even a small one can be an asset.

Microsoft Commits to Bringing Technology Access to 1 Million Low-Income Youth

via microsoft.com

via criticalpast.com

View more than 57,000 historic videos and 7 million photos for FREE in one of the world's largest collections of royalty-free archival stock footage. Offering immediate downloads in more than 10 SD and HD formats, including screeners in all formats.