Wikipedia: if you build it, they will learn August 31, 2004
Posted by Jeff Giddens in : Uncategorized , comments closed
Here’s a new term for you to learn if you’re serious about integrating technology–wiki.
Just to bring you up to speed: wiki wiki means “Hurry, quick!” in Hawaiin. A wiki is a colaborative web site that is designed to grow and evolve as visitors add new pages and change existing pages. It’s like a community effort. Wikipedia is an excellent example. It’s a free, roll-up-your-sleeves-and-help-us kind of resource. Brian Lamb has a great deal of useful information about the topic.
CONTENT WARNING:Though Wikipedia contains an impressive collection of information, not all of it is appropriate for students. As with many resources, Wikipedia is something that educators should be aware of but not necessarily use in their classrooms. Slang/vulgar/prurient terms are extensively referenced within this resource meaning that pupils could easily call forth objectionable words and definitions–all the more reason for educators to understand this tool for learning.
Can’t afford a movie screen–use ScreenGoo instead
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Need an instant movie screen? Want to make one inexpensively? Take a look at ScreenGoo. It’s a carefully formatted, highly reflective acrylic paint, designed specifically for the video projection industry. Just apply ScreenGoo on a smooth paintable surface and–presto!–you’ve got a high performance projection screen.
Now, if someone can tell us how to rig up a homemade digital projector we’ll really be in business.
e-Books―could it be that we’re ready for them, now?
Posted by Jeff Giddens in : Uncategorized , comments closedDavid Becker, a staff writer at CNET News, thinks that the reality of e-books may be coming to fruition. He says, “After more than a decade of false starts and empty promises, publishers may finally be starting to understand what consumers want from electronic books.” Given that e-book sales recorded a 28% jump from a year ago, technology specialists, curriculum directors, and teachers might want to read Becker’s article.
Get ready now→US DOE to focus on student data management, online assessment, and eLearning
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Technology directors and other policy makers might want to start preparing now. According to Cara Branigan, the associate editor of eSchool News, the next national educational technology plan presented to Congress by the U.S. Department of Education will “…continue the shift from counting the number of computers in each classroom to improving student achievement with technology.” The US DOE’s new plan (reportedly comprised of a 20-page document, case studies, and a wealth of web resources) will scrutinize “…where educational technology stands today, who today’s students are, and what they expect from their education.” The plan will also outline an agenda with approximately seven steps that teachers and other decision-makers should follow.
Read Branigan’s article to get all of the details.
Physics resources
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Joe, our intrepid man in Effingham, just clued me in to one of his recent finds– a very impressive poster about Physics. If you like the poster, you really should check out the rest of the World Year of Physics 2005 site because it has all kinds of information (a program where teachers can request a guest speaker, classroom projects and other events that focus on physics, and on online newsletter).
Kindergarten resource→finding patterns
Posted by Jeff Giddens in : Uncategorized , comments closedStacey from GES has ferreted out another great resource for kindergarten teachers. This one is an online game from ABC Learn Online (an Australian provider) called Count Us In. It’s great for preschool students! Pupils can use objects to create their own patterns and the teacher can vary the difficulty of this game by asking learners to place two objects together or match objects. Thanks for another great resource, Stacey!
Article on Wi-Fi
Posted by Mike in : Uncategorized , comments closedHello World,
Here is a quick and simple guide for wireless security: http://money.cnn.com/2004/08/25/technology/komando/wi-fi_safety/
Take a look….
Tensegrity–cool science in action August 30, 2004
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Tensegrity. I’ll bet you’ve never heard of it. Kenneth Snelson can explain it better than I. If you’re looking for something interesting to explore in science this should do the trick.
Getting what you need from Google
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Of all the directories and search engines available, Google is quickly becoming the standard for finding what you need. In fact, googling is being absorbed into our daily language. You might want to hop over to Techlearning and read Jeffrey Branzburg’s article How To: Maximize Google if you’re interested about learning how to get the most from Google. By the way, did you know that there was a Google resource as early as 1919?
Social Studies®Maps as time machines August 29, 2004
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David Rumsey, president of Cartography Associates, a digital publishing company based in San Francisco, says that maps, “…serve as time machines, transporting us hundreds of years into the past and showing us extraordinary views of history through the eyes of the mapmakers of the time.” Rumsey’s stunningly beautiful site also offers detailed overlays of maps and geospatial data. If you’re a Social Studies instructor and you want to integrate technology into your daily teaching, this resource is a must.