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Great keyboarding lessons!

Asa Spencer of the Thomas B. Fordham Institute writes in the Education Gadfly Weekly: "Traditionalists cringe, tech buffs rejoice: This latest NAEP writing assessment for grades eight and twelve marks the first computer-based appraisal (by the "nation's report card") of student proficiency in this subject. It evaluates students' writing skills (what NAEP calls both academic and workplace writing) based on three criteria: idea development, organization, and language facility and conventions. Results were predictably bad: Just twenty-four percent of eighth graders and 27 percent of twelfth graders scored proficient or above. Boys performed particularly poorly; half as many eighth-grade males reached proficiency as their female counterparts. The use of computers adds a level of complexity to these analyses: The software allows those being tested to use a thesaurus (which 29 percent of eighth graders exploited), text-to-speech software (71 percent of eighth graders used), spell check (three-quarters of twelfth graders), and kindred functions. It is unclear whether use of these crutches affected a student's "language facility" scores, though it sure seems likely. While this new mechanism for assessing kids' writing prowess makes it impossible to track trend data, one can make (disheartening) comparisons across subjects. About a third of eighth graders hit the NAEP proficiency benchmark in the latest science, math, and reading assessments, compared to a quarter for writing. So where to go from here? The report also notes that twelfth-grade students who write four to five pages a week score ten points higher than those who write just one page a week. Encouraging students to put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) is a start."

This is an amazing site which allow up to 4 people to collaboarate and play virtual instruments over the web in real time. Play a variety of guitars, drums and drum machines and keyboards. There is no sign up needed and you just invite other 'musicians' by sharing the link and begin jamming. Set to 'pro' mode to play using your computer keyboard. Requires Google Chrome. http://ictmagic.wikispaces.com/Music%2C+Sound+%26+Podcasts

Let's jam!

See helps to assessing how well Web resources meet accessibility guidelines. ☐  Can the application be used with only the keyboard? ☐  Do images have appropriate text descriptions? ☐  Do pages have a consistent look-and-feel? ☐  Does text have enough color contrast? ☐  Do pages includes headings and landmarks? ☐ Do form controls and widgets have labels? ☐  When styling and layout is removed, is the document understandable? ☐  Does audio content have transcripts? ☐  Do videos have captions?

PresentationTube Recorder is a simple tool designed to help instructors, students and business professionals record their PowerPoint presentations from the comfort of home or office, and without the need to have Internet connection while recording. The Recorder synchronizes presenter's video, PowerPoint slides, drawing board, and whiteboard and generate videos ready for uploading to PresentationTube network. With visual aids, like the drawing board, presenters can draw lines, curves, graphs, and shapes on the screen to emphasize or clarify their ideas, so the demonstration can be clearer. The whiteboard also allows the presenter to type text while presenting using the keyboard making it an ideal tool to add more details, or explain equations using words, numbers, and symbols. Just follow the instructions below to download and install PresentationTube Recorder. Recorder in your computer. Load your PowerPoint presentation, record your show, upload your video file, and share real video presentation with others.

shows a smart phone hooked up to computer monitor, keyboard, etc to be functional desktop PC (running Android OS)

Three pages designed to provide elementary teachers resources for 1. Interactive Sites 2. Research & Internet Safety skills and 3. Keyboarding skills.

A great space invaders typing practise game. Type the key to destroy the alien before it's too late. http://ictmagic.wikispaces.com/ICT+%26+Web+Tools

From the comfort of your keyboard, browse the wonders of the underground! As a caver and photographer for over 35 years, I've shot photos in caves all over the world.

Visual shortcuts for popular apps. Press modifier keys to see more. Mac/PC

fun!

KneeBouncers is a whole lotta fun. Educational games, fun and activities to stimulate your baby or toddler and begin the learning process. Colorful animated graphics combined with great sound effects, excite and entertain babies and toddlers alike. Kneebouncers is educational. Your budding genius will start to understand the cause and effect principle, ABC's, numbers, colors, shapes, but mostly they'll just squeal with delight. So if you have a little one clamoring for the keyboard, plop them on your knee and let the bouncing (and learning) begin!

This guide will walk you through all the steps you need in how to take a screenshot on a Mac with keyboard shortcuts, the Grab utility and 3rd party software options.

This is a great downloadable application that give you up to 4 desktops on your computer for different activities and tasks. Have one for children and one for teachers. Switch with a keyboard hotkey and you can even set a password to keep your desktop private. http://ictmagic.wikispaces.com/page/edit/ICT+%26+Web+Tools