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I've been perfecting a very specific efficiency aspect of my workflow: taking notes during Skype calls. I use a Skype-in number as my primary phone number, and -- with permission -- record client calls for future reference. I can't tell you how many times this has come in handy. On long calls, though, going back and finding a specific point where something was mentioned can be a time-consuming hassle. What I wanted was the ability to record a Skype call while taking notes, and to then be able to reference my (abbreviated) notes back to the exact point where they were taken in the conversation.

Take the simplicity of Twitter, add some features such as sending attachments, redesign the software to appeal to teachers and students, what you end up with is Edmondo.com, a young site that is rapidly gaining converts in the education community. It is a great example of using digital tools to organize a student's day-to-day workflow. Edmodo provides a way for teachers and students to share notes, links, and files. Teachers have the ability to send alerts, events, and assignments to students. Privacy is the biggest drawback to using traditional web 2.0 tools in a k-12 classroom setting.  (Has Twitter been around long enough to be called traditional?) Edmondo promotes itself as "a private communication platform for teachers and students." I'm not a teacher, so I'll defer to the views of someone who is. Mark Warner is a primary teacher in the U.K. who runs the successful www.TeachingIdeas.co.uk and blogs on MrWarner.com.  He and his students (ages nine and ten) just recently started using the site, and they think it's great.

A production time primer for the podcasting beginner. BY RYAN IRELAN So, you've decided to start a podcast. Good for you! For some people, recording and publishing their voice and thoughts is a huge deal. It is for me. You have a great idea, the energy to do it and the hardware you need. All set, right? So, what kind of time commitment should you be prepared for when embarking on producing your podcast? The bad news is that I don't have the perfect answer. The good news is that I can give you some rough estimates of the time it would take and then from there you can plan accordingly. Let's figure it out, shall we?