Wissahickon Staff Developers

EtherPad is the only web-based word processor that allows people to work together in really real-time. When multiple people edit the same document simultaneously, any changes are instantly reflected on everyone's screen. The result is a new and productive way to collaborate on text documents, useful for meeting notes, drafting sessions, education, team programming, and more.

If you... * email files to yourself * want to share large files but can't * rely too much on USB drives * need automatic backup of documents * want to access your files anywhere * want to share photo albums

Picnik makes your photos fabulous with easy to use yet powerful editing tools. Tweak to your heart's content, then get creative with oodles of effects, fonts, shapes, and frames.

whyzz is the place where parents with curious young children can find and contribute kid-ready information about how the world works!

DigiTales ' website provides ideas, resources and inspiration for families, individuals, schools, organizations, corporations, churches and everyone else ready to discover the power and magic of merging the art of storytelling with the enchantment of using digital tools. Let all DigiTales StoryKeepers be heard far and wide!

Please join us in discussing how the National Educational Technology Standards for Students are being implemented in classrooms around the world.

I must admit I have a bit of an aversion to drill-type activities, but I realize there are times that students need to practice and memorize certain concepts in order to succeed. Certainly we all know that studying makes for more successful learners. Abraham Lincoln clearly knew the value of studying when he said, "I will study and get ready, and perhaps my chance will come." I doubt that Abraham could have imagined the neat Web 2.0 flashcard-type applications that our students can now use to help them with their studies.

Scribble Maps is the quick and easy way to rapidly make and share maps! With Scribble Maps you can: -Draw shapes and Scribble! -Please Markers and text -Create a Custom Widget -Save as KML/GPX -Send maps to friends Whether it is planning a vacation, or plotting a hiking trail, Scribble Maps can help you out!

In a learning community, ice breaker activities loosens the group dynamic with an engaging activity that pertains to the topic being studied or a topic that is completely irrelevant to the learning material. It causes people's shoulders to relax, mouths to grin, and warms up the room and provides a segue to the task or topic for discussion. Whether you are in a traditional classroom setting, or an online learning community, ice-breakers play a vital role in developing a sense of community in a learning environment

True tech integrators know the digital projector can be used for much more than projecting. Here is a sampling of some creative ways to use your projector in any curriculum.

FREE makes it easier to find teaching and learning resources from the federal government. More than 1,500 federally supported teaching and learning resources are included from dozens of federal agencies. New sites are added regularly.

One of the major benefits of using technology in the classroom is the ability to differentiate instruction to meet the needs of every student in every lesson. Just as every student grows and develops at different rates, they learn in different ways and at different speeds. Technology makes it possible to pace lessons appropriately for each student's learning level and can be used to promote learning in the multiple intelligences. Below you will find website suggestions that address the different learning styles in your classroom with the help of technology:

Teaching and learning math with SMART Notebook software is now easier, more interactive and, of course, more fun. That's because the SMART Notebook Math beta is now available to download. SMART Notebook Math extends the capabilities of SMART Notebook software with a dynamic set of math-specific tools and features, so when you create and explore lessons on your SMART Board interactive whiteboard, you only need one application. Designed specifically for middle and high school math classrooms, SMART Notebook Math has built-in features such as an equation editor and custom graph builder. You can manipulate shapes, use interactive measurement tools and even launch your Texas Instruments brand emulator from right within the software. SMART Notebook Math is also the first interactive whiteboard application to have handwriting recognition for mathematical symbols. Try the beta today, and you'll discover that everything you need to make math more interactive is in the software you already love. The beta ends October 1, 2009, and the Microsoft Windows version will be available to purchase in fall 2009.

Digital citizenship can be defined as the norms of appropriate, responsible behavior with regard to technology use.

Digital citizenship can be defined as the norms of appropriate, responsible behavior with regard to technology use. This could be used to help our students how to be global citizens and how to live in a global society.

It seems to me that a challenge for us is to bring Wordle to a wider audience, but only if we are convinced ourselves that teachers would benefit from having the knowledge.

The following tips are from the series Empowering the Beginning Teacher in Mathematics, by Cynthia Thomas.

ASCD's - Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development- journal - all online. View the current issue or browse archives, all from your computer.

My passion is to remove the obstacles to learning for all students and these free tools offer opportunities for struggling learners that promote academic success. When material is digital or electronic, it is flexible and accessible. It is our responsibility as educators to provide materials that promote success. Please encourage all educators to consider using these free tools.

Under the literacy icon, there are UDL Editions by CAST where you don't have to log in and can just read novels online. There are different support levels to choose from.

Sammy Garey, a recent graduate of Burlingame High School in Burlingame, Calif., is a devoted user of Twitter. She's used the website with her classmates for online book discussions for her AP English class, in which they post and share feedback, analysis, and questions about novels such as Crime and Punishment. Garey also turns to the website to check breaking news and feed her interest in science by following the tweets of specialized Twitter accounts such as MedUpdates and DrugInfo.

You can find just about anyone on Twitter, and leaders are no exception. Whether you're looking for motivational speakers, authors, social media experts, or politicians, you can find quite a few interesting personalities. Read on to learn about 100 leaders on Twitter that you can learn from.