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Many teachers use a blog to facilitate the typical activities of the classroom: post homework, celebrate student achievements, communicate with parents, stimulate interest in subject matter, link to useful Web sites, promote writing for an authentic audience, etc. All these things are wonderful and easily accomplished by any teacher with average technical skills. The ClassPortal is a natural extension of this approach to using an online space to enhance student learning. Quite simply, what sets it apart is that the ClassPortal focuses on a particular topic or question and uses the power of the Web to fuel this shared interest. This one difference holds the potential to transform classroom learning from a series of engaging activities to actually building a body of knowledge and expertise.

Preparing and developing e-learning materials is a costly and time consuming enterprise. This paper highlights the elements of effective design that we consider assist in the development of high quality materials in a cost efficient way. We introduce six elements of design and discuss each in some detail. These elements focus on paying attention to the provision of a rich learning activity, situating this activity within an interesting story line, providing meaningful opportunities for student reflection and third party criticism, considering appropriate technologies for delivery, ensuring that the design is suitable for the context in which it will be used, and bearing in mind the personal, social, and environmental impact of the designed activities. Along the way, we describe how these design elements can be effectively utilized by contextualizing them with examples from an e-learning initiative.

Some of the other resources I have come across since my last post that you might find useful are: Apptivities - A great website with reviews and activity ideas for the use of apps by educators organized by grade level. Math Apps - Top 10 Apps to use in Math class on the iPod Touch. Apps for Educators - Top 200 iPad Apps in the United States for Educators Digital Storytelling with the iPad 38 Interesting ways to use the iPad in the Classroom 28 Interesting ways to use the iPod Touch in the Classroom iPods, iPhones and iPads in Education Teach with your iPad The Best iPhone apps for Kids, 2010 50 Must Have Educational Apps iPod and iPad Usergroup Wiki

The Meaning of Numeracy The complex world of the twenty-first century places demands on its citizens that require them to engage competently with an ever-increasing range of activities that have their basis in the world of mathematics. As a result, there is a rapidly growing emphasis on the importance of creating numerate school leavers. The connection between numeracy and mathematics and the tendency to use the words interchangeably can lead to confusion as they are not synonyms of each other. However, to be numerate requires mathematical skills. The term 'mathematical literacy' is becoming more widely used both in Australia and overseas and is defined by the OECD (2004) as:

A movie showing how numeracy can be used in everyday activities, even cooking! 

Explain Everything is an easy-to-use design tool that lets you annotate, animate, and narrate explanations and presentations. You can create dynamic interactive lessons, activities, assessments, and tutorials using Explain Everything's flexible and integrated design. Use Explain Everything as an interactive whiteboard using the iPad2 video display.

A great resource for cybersafety activities

In this upcoming series, I will highlight apps useful for developing higher order thinking skills in grades K-5 classrooms. Each list will highlight a few apps that connect to the various stages on Bloom's continuum of learning. Given the size and current exponential growth of the app market, I will also assist educators in setting criteria necessary to identify apps that maintain the integrity of teaching for thinking.

This site is excellent if you are looking at purchasing numeracy resources. Although they are only for purchase you could still take away ideas and make them yourself.

This numeracy stimulus video explores the answers to every child's problem, and indeed their parent's, of the amount of time it takes to arrive at a destination when driving. Considering the variables of speed and distance, what is the amount of time for our travellers to arrive at their destination?

This video is a great resource for an upper primary classroom and provides opportunities for critical thinking and offers ideas for extension activities.

This movie clip is intended to be an introductory activity to the concept and properties of shape, aimed at students in Year 1 students. We have developed the movie to help students make links with Numeracy in the community.