Fisher's Landing Elementary

For visual learners Spider Scribe could be a great way to organize information. Students can upload pictures about a subject then organize them into a sequence or pattern that explains a concept or event.

ou can add text, images and links and share the board with others.

Allows you to post and move post it notes on a shared wall. Embed images by pasting in their URL.

Scrumblr is a very simple brainstorming tool. The post-it notes you can add to the page are purely text - you can't add links, images or videos like other tools such as Wallwisher or Stixy. It's basic, but this can be a useful feature as there are less distractions or things to confuse learners. Simply click the + icon to add more notes and double click on the notes to add text. You can also add text to the backgound to create different zones.

Stixy allows you to create tasks, appointments, files, photos, notes, and bookmarks on their Stixyboards, organized in whatever way makes sense to them. Then they can share Stixyboards with friends, family, and colleagues. You could set up a Stixy board for class projects, for brainstorming or for the collection notes and resources. You can control who has access, and whether visitors can read or amend the board.

Unlike some of the other Walls out there, PrimaryWall was concieved by a teacher and is built for schools so they deliberately kept things simple, fast and user friendly. The font size of the notes is quite large when typed to make it easier for younger users. Some lesson plans and ideas for teachers are provided on the site.

A popplet is a big pinboard that you can put boxes or "popples" onto. A popple is container that holds text, photos, and other interesting things such as Google Map or YouTube video. The whole thing was very simple to use, it was very easy to get started. You can also upload media from your desktop to your board. Popplet offers a browser bookmarklet that you can use to add content from other webpages to your Popplet pages. An iPad app is also available.

It gives you a virtual space where you can post short text notes in the same way that you could put post-it notes onto a notice board in your classroom. But this noticeboard can be shared between people all over the world. As well as text notes you can add images, video and links to other websites.

While there are some UK-specific terms thrown in here and there, a simple preview of the activity yourself will determine if it's significant enough to be a concern. (I'm willing to bet it won't be.) I can see these activities used in a whole-class setting for formative assessment, to introduce topics or reinforce skills, especially where Interactive White Boards (IWBs) are available. Bring students up to the board and let them explain how they are solving the problem! The site could also be used effectively in centers, especially given the ease of navigation. Finally, since each activity has its own unique URL, it's easy to add Favorites or Bookmarks to local browsers, making immediate access a snap.

 A comprehensive collection of VoiceThread examples from students and teachers of all ages and groups. The purpose of this wiki is to gather examples of how educators are using Voicethread in their classrooms (or for professional development) and to share those examples.

Making a comic is a wonderful way to involve children in some creativity and storytelling. Although writing is limited in the actual online comic maker, kids can still use it as a spark for a story of their own. They could handwrite or type a story, and use printed cartoons from Pharaoh's Quest as their illustrations. Younger kids will relish the opportunity to make stories that revolve around their toys. Play with literacy even more, and work out children's names according to the Egyptian Hieroglyphic Alphabet.

Change begins with a no-excuse mentality. Don't waste one more minute pondering what could be. There is a revolution going on right now in learning, and it is up to us to lead the way. Please share any leadership strategies that are making a difference in your building.

A list of apps (most reviewed, some not) that left a lasting impression in 2011.

The January issue of the ICTmagic Show online magazine is out, full of my favourite recent finds and how you can use them in your class.

Effective communication can be key when confronting parents about an issue with their child.

Reflection, Motivation, and Inspiration

If there is something you want to do, check out this list first. Has a search function.

The most effecient way to create and memorize new words, idioms, terms or any other types of information!Easily import sets of existing flashcards from websites like Quizlet.com (one of the largest flashcard websites featuring over 3 million free sets)

Use shapes, arrows, sketches and text annotation to get your point across fast. Mark up photos, screenshots, maps, and webpages then share them with anyone you like.