A 21st-century education revolves around the Internet for everything from collaboration, tools, lessons, and even earning degrees online. If you are looking for ways to integrate online learning into your science class, then take a look at these cool online tools that are just perfect for both teachers and students.
PBL-Online, a one stop solution for Project Based Learning! You'll find all the resources you need to design and manage high quality projects for middle and high school students. You can:
Learn how to Design your Project. Plan rigorous and relevant standards-focused projects that engage students in authentic learning activities, teach 21st century skills, and demand demonstration of mastery.
Wild Sanctuary is a great resource that allows users to listen to the "sounds of nature" as recorded around the world. Wild Sanctuary offers Google Earth and Google Maps files of placemarks containing audio recordings from around the world. Each placemark features a recording of the sounds of nature (birds, waves, rivers, mammals, etc.) made at that location.
The Technology Integration Matrix (TIM) illustrates how teachers can use technology to enhance learning for K-12 students. The TIM incorporates five interdependent characteristics of meaningful learning environments: active, constructive, goal directed (i.e., reflective), authentic, and collaborative (Jonassen, Howland, Moore, & Marra, 2003). The TIM associates five levels of technology integration (i.e., entry, adoption, adaptation, infusion, and transformation) with each of the five characteristics of meaningful learning environments. Together, the five levels of technology integration and the five characteristics of meaningful learning environments create a matrix of 25 cells as illustrated below.
60 Second Recap is a website that hosts video overviews of many classic book titles. Each title has a selection of 60 second videos explaining different parts of each book. 60 Second Recap now has an iPhone app. The app itself is free to download and comes with three book overviews (30 videos in all) preloaded on it. Additional book overviews cost $.99.
US History Tours powered by Google Earth. This new format traces historical developments across time, touching down on locations vital to our nation's heritage and development. Points of interest in each tour launch primary and multimedia sources.
