testing

A free tool that allows teachers to publish emails in one spot (ie newsletter), post links and files for students and parents, and have students hand in assignments. Free up to 100mb, and you can create as many drops as you like, so you can have one for news, one for files,one for that special unit you are teaching, etc. At the least it is a quick way to share files too large to pass via email

Found this in the latest issue of Educational Leadership. Also found several posts at the "Free Tech 4 Teachers" Blog. Looks very handy and EASY to use.

iRead is a group of teachers in Escondido Union School District dedicated to the idea that digital audio can be a powerful learning tool for all students. This learning community of teachers is using digital audio tools (iPods, mics, iTunes, Keynote, Garageband, etc. and various accessories) to improve reading processes.

Use of iPods to improve reading skills.

Powerful report from federal gov't in 1994(!!!) about how learning is a prisoner of time. Very interesting.

A pad site that develops Smart Board lessons. Schools can purchase sire licenses. Might be useful when schools are looking for a good way to stretch tech budget money.

Preliminary Analysis of the changes coming in July at Ning!

Ning will stop being a free service in July. Here are some thoughts and details about this transition from Steve Hargadon, creator of the Classroom 2.0 Ning.

60second Recap™ wants to make the great works of literature accessible, relevant, and, frankly, irresistible to today's teens. 60second Recap™ video albums seek to help teens engage with the best books out there ... not just to help them get better grades, but to help them build better lives.

Interesting site designed to engage kids with great literature using the media of the day: video. Check out the Library, and check out Recap Resource.

Here's one of my favorite EdEtch blogs. Right now Wesley Fryer, the author, is collecting 6 word stories that communicate the essence of 21st century learning. He also shares some interesting links and tells us about the K-12Online Conference...

I highlighted and made notes on many pages of the first three chapters of our class text. Although many ideas and facts hit me hard, I think one idea that really resonates with me right now is this: "The National Council of Teachers of English released a new definition of 21st-century literacies in February 2008..." (p. 15) This revised definition must be used to guide our curriculum decisions and our district's own revision of our literacy standards.