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"Help teens 'own their space' online. Whether you are a parent, caregiver, or educator, you can keep up with the latest computer and online safety issues and help kids learn to avoid them. In partnership with security expert and author, Linda McCarthy, we offer a free downloadable version of her new book, "Own Your Space - Keep Yourself and Your Stuff Safe Online." Written for Internet savvy "tweens" and teens specifically, this book is also a useful resource for the adults they rely on."

"In today's Gems, we take a look at several of the most popular apps for working with Microsoft Office​ documents on the iOS platform. The first three of these are from QuickOffice and DataViz, long-term developers of mobile Office suites for a wide variety of platforms, while Office² comes from an iOS-specific developer."

"For all the enthusiasm (and budget resources) focused on the "magical and revolutionary" tablet, however, there's not much rigorous research yet on how, or if, the iPad is helping students learn more effectively. One group that's trying to quantify these benefits is the ACU Connected mobile learning program at Abilene Christian University, which has been working for more than three years to identify the specific advantages of student mobility with a new generation of devices. This week, ACU will announce some of its study results for the iPad while welcoming seven new research fellows studying the impact of digital mobility on education."

The OpenEducationDisc focuses soley on meeting educational needs of students of all ages. Software has been chosen to address specific IT needs across a wide range of subject areas. The contents of the disc therefore differ from the OpenDisc and are listed below.

Taking Center Stage-Act II (TCSII): Ensuring Success and Closing the Achievement Gap for All of California's Middle Grades Students promotes, illustrates, and supports the concepts embedded in the California Department of Education's (CDE) 12 Recommendations for Middle Grades Success. Created specifically for middle grades educators, the Web portal delivers developmentally responsive and research-based practices through videos, professional learning activities, and best practice vignettes focused on the young adolescent.

PBwiki Summer camp is structured so each week there will be a specific lesson on how to use your wiki. You will receive an email every Monday with a video, a lesson, and with links to the homework, examples and more. Review the video, do your homework and meet with us on Tuesday for a virtual presentation.

Storycaching is a proof-of-concept project combining GPS units, iPods, and laptop computers to create, store and share audio stories where absolute place is important.

Running the Numbers looks at contemporary American culture through the austere lens of statistics. Each image portrays a specific quantity of something: fifteen million sheets of office paper (five minutes of paper use); 106,000 aluminum cans (thirty seconds of can consumption) and so on. My hope is that images representing these quantities might have a different effect than the raw numbers alone, such as we find daily in articles and books. Statistics can feel abstract and anesthetizing, making it difficult to connect with and make meaning of 3.6 million SUV sales in one year, for example, or 2.3 million Americans in prison, or 32,000 breast augmentation surgeries in the U.S. every month. This project visually examines these vast and bizarre measures of our society, in large intricately detailed prints assembled from thousands of smaller photographs. Employing themes such as the near versus the far, and the one versus the many, I hope to raise some questions about the roles and responsibilities we each play as individuals in a collective that is increasingly enormous, incomprehensible, and overwhelming.

"Brainstorming is a way for an individual or group to collect ideas about a specific problem or situation. The goal is to collect as many as you can and then go back and evaluate the ones that might be worth developing further. These ideas can then be developed, enhanced and modified."

"This 49-page digital graphic novel is based on Book 1 of the award-winning Middle School Confidential series written by nationally recognized teen expert and anti-bullying activist Annie Fox, M.Ed., and illustrated by Harvey award winner Matt Kindt. This is a native iPad app, designed specifically for the iPad screen. The Be Confident in Who You Are app is available for download on the iTunes App Store."

"Twitter was one of those things that I just ignored. I thought it was a little bit indulgent and frivolous, that was until I got shown how teachers are using it for Professional Development. It is interesting how often it is now my first port of call if I am looking for a new Web 2 tool or an App that does a specific task. So how can you use twitter in the classroom? "

"Many students struggle with the skills of organising homework and studying for exams. There are a number of apps that have been designed specifically for these situation. Some are flashcard apps that work really well for dates and facts, others are apps that attempt to create some organisation around assignments and upcoming examinations. I must admit I tend to lean towards those apps that use a bit of fun to help students learn. So if you have a students needing that bit of extra help what apps could you suggest."

"The Palm Beach School System has an incredible wiki where members of the community share their favorite apps for specific disciplines. Below I've embedded their list for the top elementary school apps but they also have a curated list of apps for middle school and high school."

"Amazon today updated its Kindle app for iOS, adding a slew of new features for all users and students specifically. You can download the new version now directly from Apple's App Store."

"Pad is a versatile tool that can be used like a Swiss Knife, you mention it and there is an app for it. One of the cognitive areas we can improve through the use of iPad is creativity. There are several excellent apps out there that are specifically designed to unleash learners creativity, drawing and painting tools are some of them. Having access to apps is one thing but using them effectively is another thing and that's where a practical guide such as the one below comes in handy"

"More courses in STEM subjects, teaching more students how to code, and getting more girls and women into traditionally male professions (ie, the STEM subjects) are all big topics these days. The main issue that all of these things address is that as our world develops technologically and becomes more tech dependent, we will need more students trained in disciplines that can support that, and currently, there is a huge skills gap. The handy infographic below takes a look at how to unlock the code to student success, and addresses computer science specifically, and how few schools teach computer science courses at all."

"As a working parent, sometimes it is difficult to sign up for volunteer dates. So, when I have the chance to see what's happening inside the class or on field trips, I treasure those moments. As a teacher, I've found that the more I share with parents, the less they tend to question. When they feel like they are an active part of their child's learning experience, they are also more able to help with specific needs their child may require since they have an idea of what is going on in the classroom. "

"Periodically, I find it interesting to see what's new over at TED Talks. While not every video they have really floats my boat, there is generally a wealth of inspiration and interesting stories shared there. We've shared a number of these inspiring talks in the past - some relate specifically to teaching, others cover more general life lessons or inspiration. So it is finally May, and even the coldest of climates are emerging out of winter into spring by now, we're sharing a few more great videos to put some spring in your step. Check them out and enjoy!"

"After spending a few weeks looking at the visitor vs resident notions it became clear today why it's such a big deal. During a unconference today in Halifax a group of teachers were discussing and exploring Project Based Learning. Specifically one of the participants had been looking at the Buck Institute's resources and for implementing PBL. I told them as a kind of "fun fact" that I knew the latest consultant and that she happened to be from Canada. While that fact was mildly interesting I realized what would be more significant would be a more formal introduction. I messaged Shelley who happened to be online and she agreed to an impromptu session with this group. Within minutes she was sharing with them her own story and some advice for beginners. While the day was filled with lots of resource and idea sharing, the most impactful moment was sharing and finding new people."

"For the purpose of offering a reliable cadre of apps that teachers can plan around instructionally, Waukesha One offers all students and staff a set of apps called the Core Apps. In selecting these apps, the team looked for apps that integrate well with Google Apps for Education, are flexible and not content/subject specific, promote thinking and doing aimed at the highest levels of Bloom's, are easy to use, and can output easily for publication to the world. Book Creator fit all of those descriptors, was stable and reliable, and set the stage for teachers and students to do many different things with it once they became comfortable with the tool."