Group items tagged

"You may know what a VPN, or Virtual Private Network, is; you probably don't use one. You really should be using a VPN, and even if you don't think so now, at some point in the future you may consider it as important as your internet connection. When we took at look at your five favorite VPN service providers, we noticed a few things. First, being the "best" is big business for VPN providers, and they'll fight dirty to be one of them. Second, there are so many VPN providers that it's difficult to choose a really good one. VPNs are not all created equally, and in this post, we're going to look at what a VPN is, why you want one, and how to pick the best one for you. Let's get started."

"If you can access it in your school, YouTube has a ton of useful educational content. Here are ten tools that can make using YouTube in your classroom a better experience for everyone."

"Spongelab Interactive is a group of scientists, teachers, animators, artists, and programmers passionate about science education. We believe that cutting-edge technology and stunning interactive media should be available to everyone, regardless of fiscal constraints. Most of the content on our site is free. Like what you see? It's yours. To use anything identified as premium (usually full games, interactives or case studies) you can: Redeem the credits you have earned while using our site - each piece of premium content is marked with a "P" and can be redeemed when you select it from the search results page Buy a bank of credits through our PayPal ordering system - In the My Profile area, order blocks of credits in the Buy Credits section. Purchase a Site License - Get access to all content, unlimited student seats, all for $600 CAD, contact us and we do the rest. "

Well on one random post, I grabbed one random picture off of google and then a few weeks later I got contacted by the photographer who owned that photo. He sent me a takedown notice, which I responded to immediately because I felt awful that I had unknowingly used a copyrighted pic. The pic was down within minutes. But that wasn't going to cut it. He wanted compensation for the pic. A significant chunk of money that I couldn't afford. I'm not going to go into the details but know that it was a lot of stress, lawyers had to get involved, and I had to pay money that I didn't have for a use of a photo I didn't need.

The Gallery is a showcase of e-learning possibilities We've included the best available samples of the many different e-learning strategies we have identified, ranging from quizzes and demonstrations to role plays and simulations. You can use the Gallery to answer these questions: What learning strategies can you use online? Where can you find examples? When would you use a particular strategy? How do you do it, and what's involved?

"The use of Twitter to collecting tweets around an event hashtag allowing participants to share and contribute continues to grow and has even become part of mass media events, various TV shows now having and publicising their own tag. This resource is often lost in time, only tiny snippets being captured in blog posts or summaries using tools like Storify, which often loose the richness of individual conversations between participants. It doesn't have to be this way. Using a combination of Google Spreadsheets as a data source and a simple web interface to add interactivity it's possible to let users explorer your entire event hashtag and replay any of conversations."

Welcome to the NSW Draft Syllabuses Version 2 presented in interactive online format. Consultation on the content of English K-10, Mathematics K-10, History K-10 and Science K-10 (incorporating Science and Technology K-6) Draft Syllabuses Version 2 is to be conducted from 13 February to 31 March 2012. Consultation includes meetings and online surveys. The online presentation of the syllabuses is new and additional features and functionality will be made available throughout 2012. Please tell us what you think and let us know how we can make it more useful.

Creating an iBooks 2 book with 3D models, Dashcode widgets and interactive Keynote files. Create a Seller account, buy an ISBN, use iTunes Producer to manage your content and track sales using Connect. Download the sample "Kids Love Bugs" here: http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/dr.-kemps-kids-love-bugs/id497852225

"Privacy issues are a very hot topic for anyone using social media. As educators, I believe it is our responsibility to teach our students the ins and outs of how to responsibly use social media. ...... I believe social media is important for educators and students. But I also believe it must be used responsibly and that cannot be accomplished without knowing the intricacies of social media privacy. Take a look at this infographic from MDG about the sad state of social media privacy."

"Google Docs is a fantastic tool for professional and student collaboration. After using Google Docs for an extended period of time, it becomes evident to most Google Docs users that your inbox can become a cluttered, hectic and confusing mess. Magnify that confusion X 100 when you start to have students share their documents with you for evaluation and grading and you can have a colossal mess on your hands. Based on my experience using Google Docs for the past two years, I have come up with a strategy that I think may help anyone who plans on using Google Docs with students next year. "

This video introduces the best ways to use search engines to find information on the Web. It uses real-world examples that illustrate ways to reduce useless results and includes: How search engines work Picking the right key words Using quotes and the minus sign Combinations of strategies

"Although statistics show that the use of the Internet by adults is high and continues to rise,3 McGrath (2009) suggested that young people use technology in a different way to adults - adult use tends to be for more practical or business purposes, whereas for young people, technology is a vital part of their social life and identity development."

"The Little Data Book 2013 is the pocket edition of World Development Indicators 2013. It is intended as a quick reference for users of the World Development Indicators database, book, and mobile app. The Little Data Book 2013 contains 55 key development indicators such as population and population growth, GNI, GDP, GDP growth, exports and imports, and gross capital formation, deforestation, water use, energy use and electricity use per capita; and more."

Lots of real world data to interrogate in many different ways

"The Google Docs collection provides a streamlined, collaborative solution to writing papers, organizing presentations and putting together spreadsheets and reports. But besides the basic features, there are lots of little tricks and hacks you can use to make your Google Docs experience even more productive. Here are 100 great tips for using the documents, presentations and spreadsheets in Google Docs."

"The SAMR model was developed by as a framework to integrate technology into the curriculum.  I believe it can also serve as a model to establish and assess if and how technology is being used to reinforce an old, often archaic Education 1.0 or being used to promote and facilitate what many are calling 21st century skills, i.e., creativity, innovation, problem-solving, critical thinking; those skills characteristic of Education 3.0.  Many look at SAMR as the stages of technology integration.  I propose that it should be a model for educators to focus on Modification and Redefinition areas of technology integration.  Why should educators spend their time recreating Education 1.0 using technology at the substitution and augmentation levels when there are tools, techniques, and opportunities to modify and redefine technology integration for a richer, more engaging Education 2.0 or 3.0?"

"Back to the title: was the SMART Board a dumb choice?  I'm going to say yes, only because of the way that it was brought to bear.  Without a plan, without training, and without supplement, it was nothing more than an expensive, fancy toy for teachers (and the occasional student).  If we are to justify the funds that we need for instructional technology, we must be smarter about how we approach and implement them.  We must be ready to show real power to boost student achievement and motivation using these magnificent tools.  To do so, we must be prepared to use these tools in the same ways that our colleges and top employers are using them-to solve real problems."

"Found this fantastic infographic touting the success of infographics. Reading it ( or more correctly, viewing it) immediately focused my thoughts on the use of visual texts in classrooms today. Click on the screenshot above to view the animated, interactive info graphic that presents  13 reasons why we should use infographics ( or visual texts in general). Unlike other infographics I link to on Mr G Online, I'm not going to discuss the specific points presented - that would be contradictory to the message of the infographic. I'll let you get your own meaning from it. However, I am going to reflect on how it made me consider the use of visual texts in education."

"Middle to late in term 2 of this year we decided to survey a large cohort of our Middle Years students (Yrs. 6, 7, and 8), all of whom are involved in our 1:1 iPad Program. Over the past two years we have decided to survey our students about their iPad, or more so Mobile Technology use to assist us in gaining a slightly better understanding of their feelings and perceptions relating to the use of their devices to support their learning. I have included aspects of the completed data below. Our next step is to unpack this a little further with both teachers within their teams as well as the students themselves."

Links to many useful forms for teachers to facilitate the use of technology with students. Templates include: questionnaires, permission forms, preparation sheets, outlines, reflection, self-assessment, guideline contracts. From Ed Tech & Mobile Learning

Electronic portfolios are gaining so much popularity among teachers and students. Their easy accessibility and availability anywhere anytime make them really worth trying. There are actually several web tools that you can use to create digital portfolios and I have already reviewed some of them in this post, however, today I am sharing with you an excellent video tutorial from EdTechTeacher on how to use Google Drive as a portfolio solution in iPad classroom. Check it out below