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This is a must try site which provides an amazing 3D world which teaches English and maths core skills. Players race against two other randomly chosen online players of a similar level. The questions start out very easy and adapt to the performance of the player. The questions are read out and some are displayed on the screen. The player just clicks on the correct multiple choice answer to increase their speed. There is a download for PCs and Macs as well as apps for iPad and Android. There are teacher accounts which allow you to make logins for lots of children quickly. When there log in students will be asked to design an avatar. Because the resource requires a sizeable download it takes a little time to set up, but because it runs on your local device game play is very smooth and quick. http://ictmagic.wikispaces.com/ICT+%26+Web+Tools

I'm embarrassed to admit, but two weeks ago I didn't even know anything about  Angry Birds. It looks like this addicting little game has been around for a while. I know … Where have I been? I guess I've been spending time with a less angry little bird … I'm really not the angry type! I guess I see Twitter as better use of my time and professional collaborative learning than shooting birds out of a slingshot. A casual conversations with my hairdresser a few weeks ago about the game led to a quick demonstration on her phone. Another reference came last Friday while attending a session on Instructional Coaching for principals. Some areas that Instructional Coaches can assist schools with are referred to as the Big Four: Classroom Management, Content, Instruction, and Formative Assessment. While the presenters facilitated dialogue around the topic of formative assessment the analogy was made to video gaming; and specifically Angry Birds. This piqued my curiosity.

One of the concerns about ipads is the inability to use flash or javascript. This can be done. Here are the top 10 flash players. If you limit down to those that can do Flash AND java - the options are a bit pricey - Cloud Browse does both but only lets you have 10 minute browsing sessions. Virtual Firefox ($4.99) and Virtual Browser for Chrome (19.99) each can allow Java and Flash and also bookmark/sync services with your desktop browser (5.99 and .99 respectively.) This may be a tad expensive but show it can be done. The highest rated is virtual browser for chrome. I think the chrome browser is a tad pricey. You do have to be 17 to download these apps, I guess because you can use them to access video. 

LIstening to Lauren Ferro talk about Gamer Types and how it relates to designing games for education in the OOC Hangout now. #gamifi-ed - Great article to read about this. They are relating player types to personality types as they design games. The four main types are :killers, achievers, explorers, and socializers. This is fascinating.

By focusing tightly on instructional strategies and PD, educators at Cochrane Collegiate Academy saved their school from closure. In just three years, they have doubled student performance, and they continue to reach higher. Read the article. [Interactive Video Player: Look for downloadable PDF worksheets and other resource links to appear under the player as you watch the video.]

Today there are new creative ways to use an iPod and similar Mp3 players to support learning in adult education programs. These handhelds or portable digital devices were originally developed as a convenient way to listen to music. Now their uses have evolved beyond just music, their new expanded role is providing both audio and video learning applications for education. Online tool and application resources are provided for completing adult education and training programs using internet-based audio and video technology.

The game occurs inside the ecosystem of an estuary on the West Coast of the United States. Following a young girl named Valerie, players interact with Oscar the sea otter and the fictional Claminator, a geoduck clam. To succeed, players must learn about the factors that produce healthy estuaries, food webs, and why estuaries are essential to both ocean life and humans. During the course of the game, students recycle and clean up trash, remove obstructions in waterways, replant the habitat to bring back food webs, and battle pollution monsters to restore Oscar's home

"Flowplayer is an Open Source (GPL 3) video player for the Web. Use it to embed video streams into your web pages. "

Embed this Google Earth player on your webpage. Point it to a kmz tour file. This is great! Check out this example: http://www.gearthblog.com/blog/archives/2009/07/best_google_earth_tour_to_date_apol.html

Embed this Google Earth player on your webpage. Point it to a kmz tour file. This is great!

VLC free player can convert videos

This is a fun logic game where players must rotate the platforms and objects on the screen to collect tokens and touch the orb. http://ictmagic.wikispaces.com/Educational+Games

This is a wonderful maths puzzle site where players must use + - x or ÷ with a set of four numbers to equal 24. There are many modes to choose from, including an easier 'kids' version of the game, timed games and even a battle mode where you can challenge other people. http://ictmagic.wikispaces.com/Maths

Kenken is a logic puzzle game similar to Sudoku, but players are given + - x or ÷ questions to solve the area and complete the grid. This site has a range puzzles at various complexities and difficulty levels. http://ictmagic.wikispaces.com/Maths

This is a wonderfully entertaining maths game where players adjust the force and angle to throw bananas at the opponent gorilla to score points. http://ictmagic.wikispaces.com/Maths

This is a fun programme and control iPad app where players must programme the crane to move the boxes into the correct configuration. It's a great way to introduce the basics of programming to your class. Go to https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/cargo-bot/id519690804 to download the app. http://ictmagic.wikispaces.com/ICT+%26+Web+Tools

In 2011 footballer Xabi Alonso gave an interview to the Guardian on his experiences as a young player moving from Spain to Liverpool.  He describes the most significant difference here. I don't think tackling is a quality," he says. "It is a recurso, something you have to resort to, not a characteristic of your game. At Liverpool I used to read the matchday programme and you'd read an interview with a lad from the youth team. They'd ask: age, heroes, strong points, etc. He'd reply: 'Shooting and tackling'. I can't get into my head that football development would educate tackling as a quality, something to learn, to teach, a characteristic of your play...

"Waste too much time playing Asteroids in your youth? Perhaps it was worthwhile after all! This is a quirky assessment/quiz tool where players answer questions by playing Asteroids. Add questions by typing, uploading from a spreadsheet, or import from Quizlet."

Civilization is a popular series of strategy games where players must build empires, trade and wage war. It is also a personal favourite of mine. This is a fab free downloadable version which could be useful in many areas of the curriculum, including money and area in maths and learning about cultures from the past. http://ictmagic.wikispaces.com/History

A logic game where players must drag objects around to hit targets and get the egg into the cup. http://ictmagic.wikispaces.com/Easter