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Lots of good resources and teaching ideas, apps & games. This site should help stay current in regards to what's out there that is new and exciting

more support and how to for Information literacy 

Great way to introduce material with video and participate in learning (individual student work, group or teacher). Allows for collaboration, enhancing communication skills in portraying important information to class

Two teachers collaborating together with Biology, art and technology to create a video on DNA.

For any teacher that wants to experience what cross disciplinary, project based teaching and learning can be, I recommend the short video, " Team Teaching: Two Teachers, Three subjects, One Project http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=ASO9FM6gDLs The video explores the opportunities that exist when a traditional physiology topic, blood, is integrated with multimedia. The results are motivating. The viewer experiences art and science coming together under the umbrella of one topic. The team teaching approach is aided by the fact that teachers begin their day an hour before students in order to meet and coordinate the team approach. Students engage in research as they work toward creating multimedia presentations that are placed on display at a local art gallery in order to promote blood donation. This project based approach allows students to share their works with a large audience while creating a community connection with the local blood bank as well as the local art gallery. The teachers guide students through the project and become a resource, rather than only a "holder of knowledge". Students are given real world deadlines and are held accountable by their teachers through online digital portfolios. The exciting part of this project, for teachers interested in attempting this approach to learning, is the opportunity it provides for the teacher to grow outside of their normal curriculum.

Kae, Key points: --"reliable, valuable, and up-to-the-minute information."(web 1.0) --"content-creating process". (Web 2.0) --"the idea of K-12 education being tailored to students' own interests is becoming more commonplace."An old idea whose time may have come due to access to information through technology. --"Democratizing education." Huge implications for poorer school districts. The focus moves away from bricks and mortar to learning and access to information. The big question becomes,"As the culture of the school diminishes in the role of traditional learning, will the culture of the home be equipped to encourage the child? Will underperforming students start to perform better by providing equal access to all information? Tom

I found this article quite informative and wrote a blog entry about it. That can be located at http://alwaysjan.edublogs.org/2013/02/17/if-we-teach-today-as-we-taught-yesterday-we-rob-out-children-of-tomorrow-john-dewey/ . I hope you take the time to read my blog post.

This articles talks about our current college graduates being "digital natives,"  teaching digital natives, and how the use of  technology must be tied to subject matter, and  pedagogy.  

This article views a bold move by two Standford professors, ditching lectures and webcam lectures for hands on learning in the classroom. They do rely on technology to flip their classroom. Here is a quote "in an era with a perfect video-delivery platform - one that serves up billions of YouTube views and millions of TED Talks on such things as technology, entertainment, and design - why would anyone waste precious class time on a lecture?,"

This article reviewed or introduced some free or mostly free software that could be used for classroom collaborations across the miles. I liked the information on VRoom from Elluminate that is free for three people. Many others were noted such as Skype, UStream, and TalkShoe.

This article is lists and explains resources that can be used to bring classrooms together as mentioned 'Services that bring together distant colleagues or classrooms' listing software such as Skype, Ustream, Elluminate, Talkshoe, SightSpeed, and Vyew.

The article discussed the idea that higher order thinking skills can not be disconnected from the content of the classroom. The author stated in a traditional teacher-centered classroom higher order thinking skills such as "analysis, problem-solving, investigation, participation in developing reasoning and meaning, questioning, discussing, engaging students, and relevance are short-changed." Think of the possibilities for all students in the room to be able to engage in meaningful conversation, investigation and analysis with the use of group work and web 2.0 technologies.

Zamzar is an awesome tool for educators who are going the extra mile trying to use technology in the classroom. Too many times educators receive files from other schools or colleagues that just don't work on their computer because of different operating systems and software platforms. With Zamzar you can take files of many different file types and have them be converted to another file type. There isn't any software that needs to be downloaded; just internet access.

A very cool site that matches up iPad apps with learning objectives.

There are so many things out... some good, some bad, so when I find a resource that has done some of the leg work for me, I'm always interested.

Wow, What great tools? We are thinking about incorporating apps into the Web Development class next year. Very excellent sources and information. Thanks for sharing Sterling!

" I know now the secret to using any piece of technology in the classroom is to begin with clear learning goals and intentions that are based on "big understandings." Once students know what they need to learn, they will often find a way to express their ideas. Providing tools such as iPads for students enables them to use the items and skills they use outside of the classroom to communicate their knowledge. Furthermore, they are building the skills and learning how to use the tools that they may be required to use in the workplace."

Motivate and Engage Students with Web 2.0 Teaching Tools Hook even the most reluctant learners with Web 2.0 teaching tools. Boost your students' academic achievement with these Web 2.0 applications. Revitalize your lessons by integrating these instructional technology tools into your teaching plans.Web 2.0 sites come and go.

This article discusses collaboration on a large corporation level and allows for small businesses to conduct important daily activities and decision making using social media as well. The article states the Top 5 must have tools, how to set your goals, and how to choose an appropriate vendor.  I think the article can be viewed when working in our classrooms and we are trying to incorporate social media with collaboration tools.

This article proves that we need to prepare our students for the world of work. Companies and corporations are using social networking and social media tools for their employees to communicate and collaborate around the world. The Top 5 tools include several we are learning in our class.

Social media tools can be adapted inside of your company to share data, support employees, and facilitate the exchange of ideas. These days you can find a lot of advice about how to use public social media-such as Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter-for marketing your company to prospective customers, partners, and employees.

In this book there introductions to more than six dozen web tools for K-12 teachers. Additionally, you will find sections devoted to using Skype with students, ESL/ELL, blogging in elementary schools, social media for educators, teaching online, and using technology in alternative education settings.

This is one teacher's case study on the use of Social Media, in particular blogs, to evaluate student engagement and whether "whenever technology is used effectively, learning outcomes do improve". The essence of this teacher's conclusions? "The effectiveness of the application of technology is heavily dependent on how it is put to use."

A timeglider is a web-based timeline software for creating and sharing history and project planning. Our computer apps students learn about the history of computers and technology. The timeglider I looked at could incorporate video sound and images. I also think the timeglider would be fantastic in a history class. It could make the lesson so much more interactive and engaging, rather than just listening to a teacher lecture.

I enjoyed this scholarly article because it provided an explanation of the purpose of the threaded discussions, then provided some samples of discussions in a variety of classrooms, and then it provided a sample rubric. I was most impressed with the rubric because embedded in the rubric were samples of appropriate and inadequate responses. Finally, the article addressed some of the positive elements as well as drawbacks to this type of digital learning. The most important element or focus of this article, however, was demonstrating student learning using technology instead of using technology but not necessarily improving student learning.

An overview commentary on the use of EPortfolios for teachers and students. The article addresses what and how to use electronic portfolios and addresses how one should go about setting one up and how to assess the contents. One point not addressed but one I encountered in another technology class I took was what happens when the computers or programs are incompatible between the teacher and the student (using a mac versus a pc for instance). Very interesting.