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Photos For Class - The quick and safe way to find and cite images for class!

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Photos For Class - The quick and safe way to find and cite images for class!

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Search now to download properly attributed, Creative Commons photos for school!

Teachers have told us they need a place to access safe images that are available to be used in the classroom and for educational purposes. Plus, they want accurate image citations. We’ve heard you and created “Photos For Class” to meet your needs for images!

Age Appropriate Images - All images are appropriate for the school setting, thanks to Flickr and Pixabay SafeSearch and our proprietary filters - Read More

Automatic Citation - Downloaded images automatically cite the author and the image license terms - Read More

Creative Commons - All photos shown are, to the best of our (and Flickr's / Pixabay's) knowledge, licensed by Creative Commons for public use

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Photos For Class - The quick and safe way to find and cite images for class!

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The World’s easist way to search for safe, creative commons images and cite them.

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Top 100 Tools for Learning 2015 | Centre for Learning & Performance Technologies

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Top 100 Tools for Learning 2015 | Centre for Learning & Performance Technologies

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This article was written by Jane Hart, for November 2013 edition of eLearning Age magazine.

As it's Award season, I thought I would write my column this month about my own survey of learning tools that I have been running for the last 7 years and from which I compile an annual Top 100 Tools for Learning list.

These lists have now become very popular, and at the time of writing this article (mid-October 2013) the 2011 list of tools has been viewed nearly 1 million times, and the 2012 list nearly 600,000 times on Slideshare. Furthermore, the 2012 list was also included in the Kleiner Perkins Caulfield Byers Internet Trends 2013 slideset viewed over 2.5 millions on Slideshare. KPCB is, by the way, a venture capitalist firm, so their presentation is used to identify worldwide trends in many different areas of Internet life and use.

Back to this year's list, and I released the Top 100 Tools for Learning 2013 on 30 th September, which I compiled from the votes of over 500 learning professionals - from education and workplace learning - working in 48 countries worldwide.

You can view the full list at C4LPT.co.uk/top100tools where there are links to pages with further information about each of the tools appearing on the list - for example their cost, availability, past rankings and some of the comments from those who voted for them. But here are some of the highlights from the Top 10 of the list.

Twitter retains its #1 position for the 5th year running.

Google Docs (now known as Google Drive) moves up to 2nd place and takes YouTube's place from last year.

PowerPoint regains its 2007 position on the list at No. 5.

Evernote moves up into the top 10 at No. 6.

Google+ and Google Hangouts takes the No. 10 position on the list

This year's list, like previous lists, is once again dominated by free online social tools - which are being used for a range of personal and professional learning activities. However, a number of e-learning authoring tools have made a good showing this year.

But this year, I thought I would add an extra dimension, and highlight some of the key tools by awarding some Best Of Awards. These are shown in the table below - and I also include (in brackets) their position on the list.

If you'd like to find out more about how to use these tools, I have also produced a Practical Guide to the Top 100 Tools for Learning 2013, which is available in both a web-based and PDF format.

Best presentation tool

Best e-learning authoring tool

Best screencapture or screencasting tool

Best live e-learning/webinar tool

Gold: Jing (27)
Silver: Camtasia (28)
Bronze: Snagit (31)

Gold: Google Hangouts (10)
Silver: Adobe Connect (30)
Bronze: Webex (44)

Best learning management system
or learning platform

Best file sharing tool

Gold: Moodle (11)
Silver: Coursera (38)
Bronze: eFront (67)

Gold: YouTube (3)
Silver: Slideshare (16)
Bronze: Flickr (52)

Best social network

Best private social networking platform

Best collaboration tool

Best curation tool

Best file storage / synchronization service

Best newcomer
(not appearing in another category)

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Top 100 Tools for Learning 2013: Best Of awards

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This article was written by Jane Hart, for November 2013 edition of eLearning Age magazine. As it's Award season, I thought I would write my column this month about my own survey of learning tools that I have been running for the last 7 years and from which I compile an annual Top 100 Tools for Learning list.

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Here Is A Very Good Chart Featuring Over 33 Educational Apps and Tools for Digital Storytelling ~ Educational Technology and Mobile Learning

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Here Is A Very Good Chart Featuring Over 33 Educational Apps and Tools for Digital Storytelling ~ Educational Technology and Mobile Learning

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January 15, 2016
As you have probably already noticed, we have started a new series of posts where we feature curated lists of the best educational apps and web tools we have reviewed in our blog over the last couple of years. With over 5000 published posts, a lot of good stuff is buried in our archive. So we decided to re-organize these resources into handy charts to make it easy for you to browse through, access and use these resources in your instruction. Here are the collections we have created so far:

Today, we are adding this collection of some good web tools and mobile apps to use for digital storytelling activities in class. Check them and share with your colleagues. Enjoy

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Here Is A Very Good Chart Featuring Over 33 Educational Apps and Tools for Digital Storytelling

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January 15, 2016 As you have probably already noticed, we have started a new series of posts where we feature curated lists of the best educational apps and web tools we have reviewed in our blog over the last couple of years. With over 5000 published posts, a lot of good stuff is buried in our archive.

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WordsEye lets you type a picture! Create 3D scenes simply by describing them and share your creations with friends. A new world of visual expression and a new way to communicate and express yourself online.

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Here Is An Interesting New Tool for History Teachers ~ Educational Technology and Mobile Learning

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Here Is An Interesting New Tool for History Teachers ~ Educational Technology and Mobile Learning

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December 21, 2015
Chronas is an interesting new web tool we discovered through Larry Ferlazzo. This is a history application that link Wikipedia and Wikidata with a chronological and cartographical view. Chronas allows you to explore the world history through the use of a colourful map together with a time slider beneath it. You can use the time slider to select a given period in time and view the events that marked its history. You can also click on the different regions and locations on the map to access and read Wikipedia articles related to them.

To start using this application , head over to Chronas.org/history and click on 'Enter'. Adjust the time slider to the period you want to research and select a region on the map to see how it looked like then. Chronas provides few customization features that let you change area dimension and add markers, centre map on your location, and change map background and colour. Chronas is still in beta phase and you might run into few inaccuracies. Watch the video below to learn more about this application.

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Here Is An Interesting New Tool for History Teachers

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December 21, 2015 Chronas is an interesting new web tool we discovered through Larry Ferlazzo. This is a history application that link Wikipedia and Wikidata with a chronological and cartographical view. Chronas allows you to explore the world history through the use of a colourful map together with a time slider beneath it.

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Here Is An Interesting New Tool for History Teachers ~ Educational Technology and Mobile Learning

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Here Is An Interesting New Tool for History Teachers ~ Educational Technology and Mobile Learning

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December 21, 2015
Chronas is an interesting new web tool we discovered through Larry Ferlazzo. This is a history application that link Wikipedia and Wikidata with a chronological and cartographical view. Chronas allows you to explore the world history through the use of a colourful map together with a time slider beneath it. You can use the time slider to select a given period in time and view the events that marked its history. You can also click on the different regions and locations on the map to access and read Wikipedia articles related to them.

To start using this application , head over to Chronas.org/history and click on 'Enter'. Adjust the time slider to the period you want to research and select a region on the map to see how it looked like then. Chronas provides few customization features that let you change area dimension and add markers, centre map on your location, and change map background and colour. Chronas is still in beta phase and you might run into few inaccuracies. Watch the video below to learn more about this application.

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Here Is An Interesting New Tool for History Teachers

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December 21, 2015 Chronas is an interesting new web tool we discovered through Larry Ferlazzo. This is a history application that link Wikipedia and Wikidata with a chronological and cartographical view. Chronas allows you to explore the world history through the use of a colourful map together with a time slider beneath it.

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A Very Good Guide to Help You Integrate Aurasma in Your Teaching ~ Educational Technology and Mobile Learning

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A Very Good Guide to Help You Integrate Aurasma in Your Teaching ~ Educational Technology and Mobile Learning

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December 11, 2015
Aurasma Lesson Ideas is a free short guide created by Apple Education to help teachers explore different ways to integrate augmented reality in their instruction. This book embeds 'a collection of activities that let students ages 5 to 14+ use Aurasma to demonstrate their learning across a range of subjects.'

For those of you who are not yet familiar with Aurasma, this is an augmented reality app that's changing the way millions of people see and interact with the world. Bring tagged images, objects and even physical locations to life with interactive digital content, such as video, animations and 3D scenes ( called Auras). Aurasma allows you to:

Use the simple tools within the app to create your own Auras and share them with friends and other Aurasma users

Create Auras by choosing from thousands of digital animations already on the platform or alternatively use your own photos and videos

Use the map feature to discover Auras at nearby locations

Browse the 'explore' and 'featured' sections of the app to find the latest and most popular Auras.

Check out this video to learn more about Aurasma

Follow us on : Twitter, Facebook , Google plus, Pinterest

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A Very Good Guide to Help You Integrate Aurasma in Your Teaching

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December 11, 2015 Aurasma Lesson Ideas is a free short guide created by Apple Education to help teachers explore different ways to integrate augmented reality in their instruction. This book embeds 'a collection of activities that let students ages 5 to 14+ use Aurasma to demonstrate their learning across a range of subjects.'

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Apps, Online Tools, and More! - ALSC BlogALSC Blog

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Apps, Online Tools, and More! - ALSC BlogALSC Blog

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Being a children's librarian has to be one of the most fun and rewarding jobs a person could have, but that doesn't mean it is easy! Balancing multiple responsibilities, tight scheduling, and having to constantly be "on" are just a few of the everyday challenges. Luckily, for us, there are tools out there to help us along the way. I posed the question to the ALSC Listserv "What are your favorite apps or online tools that help you stay organized, focused and energized?"

Here are some of the ways youth service staff are using technology to their benefit.
Productivity:
Google Keep is a post-it style system for checklists and notes. Share across your devices or with others. See real time progress on collaborative checklists or setup location reminder notifications.

is a task management system with a built in timer that tells you when to move on to your next task. The task list is controlled completely by gestures, and is the recipient of many awards and positive reviews.
Professional Development:
Many people use for note taking, but it can also be used for much more. Save program resources and collection development resources, tweets, bookmarks and more!

allows you to store articles, videos or anything else to read at a later date. Save directly from your browser or from apps and access anytime, even without internet.
Wellness
is a meditation app that provides personal training for your mind. Learn the basics of meditation and participate in guided or unguided exercises ranging from 2 minutes to one hour.

Pocket Yoga lets you take your yoga instructor with you anywhere you go! Choose between different practices, different durations and different difficulty levels.
Programs:
allows anyone to create visually appealing graphics. Flyers, social media posts, ads, and even presentations can be created by dragging and dropping images and fonts. Canva for Work is coming soon.

Finally, this one isn't available yet but I know it will be worth the wait!

The Mother Goose on the Loose Online Construction Kit (OCK ) is a free cloud- based tool developed by Mother Goose on the Loose, LLC that is designed to make planning storytimes easy by utilizing three big databases. One database aggregates nursery rhymes information such as: lyrics, instructions, pictures, relevant illustrations, etc. The second database stores titles and bibliographic information of quality children's books. The third database consists of developmental tips that can be used to explain the value and purpose of certain activities being done with children. There is also a wizard friend who will help users combine information from all of the databases mentioned above to generate either a barebones outline or a fully-fledged script with lyrics and instructions to help make planning high-quality programs for young children a breeze. OCK is still in beta testing, and anyone who is interested can contact info@mgol.org

We hope these tips will help you further the amazing work you are already doing!

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ALSC Managing Children's Services Committee

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Apps, Online Tools, and More! - ALSC Blog

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Being a children's librarian has to be one of the most fun and rewarding jobs a person could have, but that doesn't mean it is easy! Balancing multiple responsibilities, tight scheduling, and having to constantly be "on" are just a few of the everyday challenges.

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Office Mix- An Excellent Free Tool for Creating Interactive Flipped Lessons ~ Educational Technology and Mobile Learning

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Office Mix- An Excellent Free Tool for Creating Interactive Flipped Lessons ~ Educational Technology and Mobile Learning

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August 14, 2015
After we have seen how to easily create educational posters using PowerPoint, today we are sharing with you another free handy tool from Microsoft called Office Mix. This is basically an add-in for PowerPoint that allows you to create and share interactive online lessons. You can record yourself talking through your lessons, add drawings and images to your slides, and embed interactive features such as quizzes and polls. Upon sharing your interactive slides with students, you will also get to see who watched it and get assessment reports on how they did on quizzes. You will even know which slide they spent more time staring at.

Here are some useful video tutorials from Microsoft in Education to help you learn more about how to use Office Mix in your class:

1- Create Virtual Science Experiments in Office Mix

2- Insert Quizzes to Check Knowledge in Office Mix Lessons

3- Flip your Classroom by Creating Office Mix Lessons

Follow us on : Twitter, Facebook , Google plus, Pinterest .

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Office Mix- An Excellent Free Tool for Creating Interactive Flipped Lessons

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August 14, 2015 After we have seen how to easily create educational posters using PowerPoint, today we are sharing with you another free handy tool from Microsoft called Office Mix. This is basically an add-in for PowerPoint that allows you to create and share interactive online lessons.

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Another Great Tool for Creating Buzzfeed-style Quizzes ~ Educational Technology and Mobile Learning

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Another Great Tool for Creating Buzzfeed-style Quizzes ~ Educational Technology and Mobile Learning

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August, 2015
Riddle has recently rolled out some new features that should be especially useful for the upcoming school year. For those of you not yet familiar with Riddle this is a great web platform that allows teachers to create their own PlayBuzz and Buzzfeed-style quizzes, lists, polls, and more. 'Riddle's goal is to provide best-in-class tools that making creating interactive content simple, so you can concentrate on the content instead of worrying about the tool.'

Here are the newly released features as communicated to us by Mike Hawkins:

1- Quizzes with individual answer submission - teachers can now create quizzes, and instead of anonymous answers, they can have each user submit their choices ( here's an example):

2- Rich text formatting - students and teachers can now jazz up their Riddles with bold, italic, bullets, and embedded links for better readability.

3- YouTube-friendly - any teacher can embed any YouTube video in their Riddle... perfect for showing a new clip, then asking for class opinions via a poll.

Riddle is totally free for individual users. It only charges for features that larger companies want.

Follow us on : Twitter, Facebook , Google plus, Pinterest .

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Another Great Tool for Creating Buzzfeed-style Quizzes

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August, 2015 Riddle has recently rolled out some new features that should be especially useful for the upcoming school year. For those of you not yet familiar with Riddle this is a great web platform that allows teachers to create their own PlayBuzz and Buzzfeed-style quizzes, lists, polls, and more.

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How To Embed Just About Anything - The Edublogger

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How To Embed Just About Anything - The Edublogger

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Embedding videos, photos, or other types of content in your blog posts is a relatively simple way to enhance your posts with informative, attention-grabbing content. In this round up post, we'll share posts from the Edublogs community (and beyond) explaining how to embed just about anything into your blog!

Use Just A Simple Link

We'll begin with an Edublogger post from last year - Blogging Tip: Embed Content With Just A URL. This post will explain how to embed content from a number of well know content and social media platforms directly into your blog using nothing but a simple URL. It really is just that easy!

News & Stories

An embed feature we added last fall was the DOGO plugin that lets you add news and reviews written just for kids to your blog: Do You DOGO? Embed DOGO News, Books, and Movies On Edublogs!

The folks at livefyre published a post on how to embed a Storify story to your blog. Edublogs users can follow the first set of directions under section titled "Do you run a self-hosted (wordpress.org) blog?" explaining how to use Storify's Embed button.

Google & Other Files

On Mr. Lister's Class Blog, Mr. Lister shows us how to embed a video file from Google Drive into your blog post.

Blackberry Alley explains how to embed charts created with Google Spreadsheets and a few tweaks that will ensure your embedded chart looks amazing.

Read Chris Lema's post about embedding PDFs that users cannot print, download or share without permission.

Media

If you use Audacity to record audio files, Mr. Lister also has a post explaining how to embed your Audacity files into your blog.

Larry Ferlazzo recently informed us that the popular website Imgur now provides embed code for their images that includes automatic attribution.

Connecting

Edublogs Award Winner Richard Byrne explains how you can embed a TodaysMeet room in your blog post to host an online discussion in Embed TodaysMeet Rooms Into Your Blog or Website,

We've covered videos, images, audio, Google, meetings, documents, and more in this post. If there is a specific source or network from which you would like to embed content and you did not find the answer here, let us know in the comments. We'll be happy to do our best to get you an answer.

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Embedding videos, photos, or other types of content in your blog posts is a relatively simple way to enhance your posts with informative, attention-grabbing content. In this round up post, we'll share posts from the Edublogs community (and beyond) explaining how to embed just about anything into your blog!

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An Update to the Upgraded KWL for the 21st Century | Langwitches Blog

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An Update to the Upgraded KWL for the 21st Century | Langwitches Blog

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In 2011, I wrote a blog post, titled Upgrade your KWL Chart to the 21st Century. It described how I learned about a new version of the traditional KWL (What do I Know, What do I Want to know and what have I Learned) via Chic Foote as it snuck in an " H"(How will I find out). That "H" seemed to make the increased importance of the information literacy visible. I ended up on Maggie Hos-McGrane's blog, which, according to John Barell's book Why are School Buses always Yellow?, added yet two other abbreviations (" A"- What action will I take and " Q"-What further Questions do I have?) to make up a KWHLAQ acronym.

Interested in learning even more about Upgrading the KWL chart to the 21st Century? I created a course that walks you step-by -step through applications in the classroom.

The blog post included the visual chart below, which seemed to have made it the most popular blog post searched for and shared on Langwitches of all times. That seemed to demand an update to the visual after 4 years. 🙂 I have used the chart consistently over the last few years as a framework to upgrade FOR the 21st century in lesson planning, professional development workshops, coaching and working directly with students and teachers. An essential component of sharing, as a teacher, is the knowledge that one's work has an impact on other teachers and students, who most likely one will never meet. It is even more gratifying reading of the excellent work others have done:

I have also used the KWHLAQ chart as one framework to promote Reflection as Part of the Learning Process, Not as an Add-on. In the following visual below I share ideas of how to embed the KWHLAQ framework in analog and digital activities. I am continuing to be intrigued by John Barell's original inquiry strategy, how to use to bring awareness and experience opportunities for modern learning skills and literacies. Since Project Zero's Visible Thinking Routines have been playing an integral part of my continuous work of Documenting4Learning, is was an easy connection to bring in the routines as a strategy in the KWHLAQ flow.

The new visual below is intended to give teachers and students more choices of make their thinking and learning visible using the following platforms, activities, tools, Visible Thinking Routines as an option or starting off point. The suggestions include tools and platforms that are specifically suited to connect, collaborate, communicate and create, 21st century style, one's process and make it easier to amplify and to document4learning. The framework is based on

REFLECTION being an integral part of the learning process

the understanding that through technology tools our access to INFORMATION has exponentially expanded as well

our ability to take ACTION beyond affecting people we are able to reach face to face

that technology tools allow us to express and communicate in OTHER FORMS of media beyond words and text

What do you think? What other platforms, tools and activities would you include and organize according to the KWHLAQ chart? Let's crowdsource more resources for the use of KWHLAQ for the 21st Century!
Interested in learning even more about Upgrading the KWL chart to the 21st Century? I created a course that walks you step-by -step through applications in the classroom. Head on over to amplifiEDucation to check it out.

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An Update to the Upgraded KWL for the 21st Century

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In 2011, I wrote a blog post, titled Upgrade your KWL Chart to the 21st Century. It described how I learned about a new version of the traditional KWL (What do I Know, What do I Want to know and wh...

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iPaddling through Fourth Grade-Encourage...Engage...Enlighten...Empower: Essential Apps for a 1:1 Classroom

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iPaddling through Fourth Grade-Encourage...Engage...Enlighten...Empower: Essential Apps for a 1:1 Classroom

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I am often asked what are some of my favorite and most frequently used apps in our 1:1 classroom. Using technology provides numerous tools to enhance and enrich student learning. There are a lot of different apps that we use, depending on the learning goal and outcome. Now that I have been 1:1 for over a year, here some of our favorites that we use in all curricular areas.

Classroom Examples

iMovie and Movie Trailers

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I am often asked what are some of my favorite and most frequently used apps in our 1:1 classroom. Using technology provides numerous tools to enhance and enrich student learning. There are a lot of different apps that we use, depending on the learning goal and outcome.

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The Do’s and Don’ts of Slide Design for Students

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The Do’s and Don’ts of Slide Design for Students

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I have spent most of educational technology career supporting secondary students. Projects and Presentations are always a plenty... but what I noticed is typically students have great presentations and poor content or great content and poor presentations.

"Rarely, are students able to deliver a compelling message in a visually stimulating and engaging way with purposeful use of media and graphics." - Lisa Johnson

So... being Type A, a perfectionist, and someone that relies on visuals to communicate... I went a googling in order to create a comprehensive guide ( and yes, I also staged a few Lego Minifigure pics in my back yard for emphasis too.)

I'm Ravenous for Research... What Resources Do You Have For Me?

While I found several excellent articles, I didn't want to share a list of articles and resources with students and teachers. That would be overwhelming at best and neither party has time to dig through each resource and make sense of it at this time of year ( or frankly... at any time of year).

So, I combed through the 80+ articles, slide decks, and infographics curated above and condensed them in to one infographic with 7 distinct categories. My favorite resources I gleaned were:

After perusing the slide decks on presentation savvy... it became abundantly clear that it is not PPT or Keynote that is the problem... but the lack of slide design and visual acumen that plagues presentations... so I took the best tips and ideas from the pros and created a menu of Do's and Don'ts for students and teachers alike.

What Have You Cooked Up For Us Today?

So naturally... I decided to put an end to the drama and support the visual literacy cause with the infographic below ( offered as a FREE PDF download). I spent countless hours dissecting the 80+ slide decks, articles, and infographics from the pros to curate the Ultimate Guide of "Do's and Don'ts for Slide Design for Students" which addresses theme/template, layout and slide design, use of images, visuals, video, color, text and font.

Translating the Resource: Yolanda Barker, my former colleague now stationed in Qatar, asked me if I would share the graphic so it could be translated in to different languages... in her case... Arabic. If this is an interest of yours as well, please email me lisa.johnson@techchef4u.com and I would be more than happy to share the Canva design with you so you can translate it for your students and/or teachers.

What Does This Mean for Teachers?

While I ultimately designed this resource for students... I can tell you that everyone benefits from a clear and compelling message devoid of extraneous bullet points, wonky text formatting, and awkward stock templates... Truthfully, many of these design principles can be adapted to our emails and other communications as well... so...

"the next time you send out an email communication or prepare a handout or presentation... remember a dose of design goes a long way for readability and retention..." - Lisa Johnson

My new favorite blog, "The Visual Communication Guy" posted this MUST READ article "Why Ugly Handouts Are Bad For Teachers (and everyone else)" which not only provides a rationale for basic editing principles but a fantastic before and after pic too.

Beyond the need for clear communication, providing students with opportunities to excel at media literacy ultimately prepares students for the labor force and beyond...

Stay Tuned for The TechChef Visual Design Summer Challenge

I didn't learn and adopt visual design principles overnight... but I will say that I have come a long way from the original presentations I created 5+ years ago. If you are looking for a summer PD challenge, dig up one of your old or particularly bad PPT or Keynote presentations and stay tuned...

TechChef Techucation Gazette: Sign up to receive future issues of the monthly e-Newsletter: There are many more learning app-ortunities and professional development toolkits to come. If you don't want to miss a morsel of this techucation feast, sign up today.

***Where Will TechChef Be Next?***
Contact TechChef4u to schedule Fall and Summer PD and Workshops: lisa.johnson@techchef4u.com or request booking here.

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The Do's and Don'ts of Slide Design for Students

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I have spent most of educational technology career supporting secondary students. Projects and Presentations are always a plenty... but what I noticed is typically students have great presentations and poor content or great content and poor presentations. "Rarely, are students able to deliver a compelling message in a visually stimulating and engaging way with purposeful use of media and graphics."

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Some Good Educational Web Tools Recommended by Teachers for Teachers ~ Educational Technology and Mobile Learning

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Some Good Educational Web Tools Recommended by Teachers for Teachers ~ Educational Technology and Mobile Learning

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Educational Technology and Mobile Learning

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Digital permission slips, forms, and payment collection for K-12 schools (PTAs & daycares too!) Free to use! Easy setup.

Convert any PDF file, MS Word document, and e-book to spoken words.

Facilitate controlled online classroom discussions, often called "backchannels."

Read daily news that has been curated for tweens and tagged by reading levels.

Create professional-looking presentations and videos that look like the ones on company websites.

This is curated by teacher and technology integrator Tom Mussoline.

This one is curated by consultant and educator Polly-Alida Farrington.

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Some Good Educational Web Tools Recommended by Teachers for Teachers

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Digital permission slips, forms, and payment collection for K-12 schools (PTAs & daycares too!) Free to use! Easy setup. Convert any PDF file, MS Word document, and e-book to spoken words. Facilitate controlled online classroom discussions, often called "backchannels." Read daily news that has been curated for tweens and tagged by reading levels.

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Augmented Reality in Education – update | ResourceLink

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Augmented Reality in Education – update | ResourceLink

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About 3 years ago, I wrote two posts describing Augmented Reality and exploring the potential of Augmented Reality in education and the workplace: Augmented Reality - Even Better than the Real Thing? and Bringing Augmented Reality to Life - in the classroom and the workplace. Take a moment to re-read these posts, or, if time...

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Welcome to Living Maya Time | Living Maya Time

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Welcome to Living Maya Time | Living Maya Time

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Welcome to Living Maya Time | Living Maya Time

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Through systematic observations conducted over thousands of years, Maya skywatchers developed complex and accurate calendars that continue to mark agricultural and ceremonial cycles today. Join us in an exploration of the Maya Calendar system and its intricate cycles.

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50+ Tools for Differentiating Instruction Through Social Media | Edutopia

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50+ Tools for Differentiating Instruction Through Social Media | Edutopia

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If you experienced none of these scenarios, then you live in a world of possibility because you grew up with the many social media tools available to support all learners. If any of these scenarios bring back memories as a teacher or student, then you understand that we have many more tools today to ensure that learners succeed despite struggles, because students and teachers have so much more available to meet every learner's needs.

Selecting the Right Tool

For educators differentiating instruction, social media tools embrace collaboration and global access to people and other resources. We give students a variety of learning experiences that incorporate the capability to:

Exchange ideas

Provide positive, constructive, and kind feedback

Provide avenues to connect content with our learners' many different interests

The list of social media tools to differentiate for learning is increasing. This updated post explores more tools. At the end, I've included a link to twice as many tools that have become available in the year and a half since original publication: 100+ resources. First, let's consider the important framework to successfully use these tools for and by the learners.

Differentiating with social media is most effective when we plan learning experiences based on content, process, and product (our lesson structure) and incorporate readiness, interests, and learning profiles (student voice). The following guidelines can help any classroom teacher ensure that the tool used will address students' needs:

1. Be clear about the academic learning outcomes.

2. Assess what students know and don't know.

3. Identify related student background connections.

4. Utilize social networks that can:

Address needs for struggling learners

Ensure that advanced learners are growing.

Connect content to authentic purposes in the world beyond school.

5. Use fog-free assessments that track learner progress.

While the collaboration capabilities of many social media tools can overlap, some may be more effective than others depending on how they're customized for student voice.

Readiness

Readiness focuses on a student's current academic skill level. Work is structured to help them address any gaps or needs for enrichment. Students work in like-skill groups for specific, targeted support to address a common need, such as guided reading or tiered (leveled) activities. They also collaborate in mixed-skill groups to support struggling students with needed skill development. Additionally, experiences can stretch the advanced students in a mixed-skill group -- they may have the core skills, yet the critical thinking challenges them and their teammates.

Consider these tools to assist with readiness:

Interests

Allowing students to tackle work based on the option that makes the most sense to them is crucial for cognitive connections. Seeing a concept in context of a topic in which the learner has great interest -- and possibly expertise -- can help him or her turn abstract ideas into concrete purpose. For example, a young lady's vlog series about her visit to a different country or maintaining and marketing a personal gaming channel opens up many possibilities for demonstration of skills in several content areas.

Here are some tools to help focus on student interests:

Youtube Playlists: There are many videos that address content from different perspectives, including the one way that a particular student or teacher needs to see it. Create playlists (like this one) to provide that variety.

Screencastify, Jing, and Snagit are tools that enable students to capture video of their screen. Video capture software allows students to use their resources such as gaming, coding, or productivity software, and capture it for video uploads. Here's an example using Minecraft: Building a Fusion Reactor from my Minecraft for Learning playlist.

Zoom, Skype, and Google Hangouts are video conferencing tools that include recording. They enable students to connect with field experts on relating content to the world outside of school. Experts are more likely to participate in mentoring and sharing their knowledge when they save time by not having to travel to the school.

Learning Profiles

When students address concepts from diverse perspectives, especially in collaborative groups, it can lead to in-depth understanding. Learning profiles are about providing each student with experiences that incorporate a variety of learning style elements, not just one. Such activities help students find deeper connections, especially if they share points of view via peer reflection and dialog.

Try these tools:

Thinglink uses pictures to place links in different locations where viewers can click to learn more. Here's an example.

Piktochart lets you create infographics to offer a visual explanation of a concept or idea.

Tackk lets you create small interactive pages or build a portfolio of work using different media tools.

Moovly, MindMup, PowToon, and Dipity are tools that provide students with different ways to express their ideas, such as mindmaps, timelines, and video presentations. Give students a mix of tools and they will find what works best for them.

And the List Keeps Growing

Here is the complete list of 100+ social media tools for exploration. Consider which will best fit the current needs of your diverse learners. More will be added on a regular basis. What tools do you use? Please share in the comments section below. They'll get added to the 100+ list.

Endless Possibilities

We truly are in a brave new world -- the good kind -- where differentiation opportunities evolve due to the variety of social media tools available. No longer are students and teachers limited to resources purchased for the classroom. For example, 1:1 computing grows as schools understand the value of student contact with outside resources. As more schools allow students to use their "internet devices" (i.e. phones), learning options increase with access to social media apps and other online tools such as those mentioned above.

In the past, limited access placed a hardship on teachers to meet the diverse needs of their students, especially when school resources were limited. In this brave new world, we are fortunate to live and work in an environment where the possibilities are endless for getting students what they need when they need it, and in a format that works best for them. How are you tapping possibilities to meet learner needs?

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100+ Tools for Differentiating Instruction Through Social Media | Edutopia

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If you experienced none of these scenarios, then you live in a world of possibility because you grew up with the many social media tools available to support all learners.

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How to use Osmo in the classroom - Daily Genius

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How to use Osmo in the classroom - Daily Genius

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Today the field of educational technology is literally bombarded with new ideas and devices that promise to revolutionize the way we teach. Some of these newcomers have strong potential and promise a unique learning experience. One such product is Osmo. Osmo is an innovative device that transforms an iPad into an interactive classroom accessory able to add a level of excitement that engages students in the learning process.

Osmo is made of a vertical base for the iPad, and a reflective mirror that sits in front of the camera. These two unassuming accessories work together to change the physical space in front of the iPad into an area of active engagement that interact with a number of iPad apps made for Osmo.

Osmo Kit

Osmo will only set you back $79, but for that money you get a well-designed Kit along with four Osmo apps you can download for free. Aside from the base and the reflective mirror, Osmo comes with a set of tangrams and two color-coded sets of alphabet letters. This may seem simplistic at first, but these modest accessories can guarantee hours of enjoyable learning and turn mundane and repetitive learning activities into highly appealing and engaging lessons.

Words App

Words is the most interesting, and the app with the highest educational value of all Osmo apps. Words has a lot of potential in the elementary classroom and the fact that it is highly customizable makes it ideal for all elementary grade levels, from Kindergarten to 5 th grade. The app consists of two sets of color-coded alphabet letters that the students can use to interact with the app. The objective is to guess and use the correct letters in order to match the target word on the iPad's screen. Words does a superb job in differentiating and offering diverse levels, which enhances the experience. For instance, K-1 students can start using the Junior level, while everyone else can use the standard level that comes with the app. Even within the standard level there are four different difficulty levels. Depending on the level you choose, words may be single or multi-syllable words, and a picture in the background may provide little, some, or a lot of support.

Users who own an Osmo unit can create an account at playosmo.com, and this is where things get very interesting. From there the teacher can generate his/her own lists of words and pictures. The implications of this are staggering.

Due to its highly customizable nature, Osmo allows teachers of all subjects to create their own albums, therefore making Osmo relevant to any subject, math, reading, social studies, or science. Creative teachers can design spelling bee contests, math games, science vocabulary quizzes, social studies puzzles, Cloze sentences, and the list goes on. Furthermore, at my.playosmo.com/ teachers have access to a growing number of public albums they can download on their iPad for free, ensuring that there is always something new to engage the students.

Masterpiece

The newest addition to the Osmo family, Masterpiece, is a fun and super engaging drawing app that can elevate the excitement in any art class. The app contains a good number of curated pictures that, when selected, transform into drawings that you have to recreate. The camera tracks your pencil's every move while it guides you to follow the lines, which allows you to be incredibly accurate while drawing. In addition, the app records in real time every line you draw, and comprises a time-lapse video of your drawing, which is a very neat feature.

Following in the Footsteps of Words, Masterpiece allows the user to import his/her own pictures, opening the door for some quite astonishing challenges. Self-portraits, familiar landscapes, and favorite pets are only some of the things the students can interact with and draw using this truly intuitive app.

Tangram App

Tangram is an old Chinese game made of a square divided into seven basic geometric shapes that can be put together to create hundreds of other shapes. Osmo's twist on this old game is ingenious and highly interactive. The tangram app displays a shape on the screen and the objective is for the students to recreate this shape using the real life tangram pieces that come with the Kit. The app is designed to adjust the difficulty level and the support it provides to the student, therefore the teacher can differentiate lessons and activities to meet the needs of a diverse group of students.

Although tangram is ideal for K-2 students, as it can be used to introduce students to the properties of 2- dimensional shapes, upper elementary students can benefit from working with the app as well. The app can be used to teach students how to visualize 2- dimensional shapes, and to think out of the box in order to combine commonly used shapes to create unusual forms and arrangements.

Newton App

Osmo's doodle application easily earns the title of the most basic app of Osmo. Newton is a game in which the objective is to draw lines on a piece of paper placed in front of the iPad, in order to force the balls falling from the top of the screen to hit certain targets. This is the equivalent of a pinball game played on the iPad. Although Newton falls short in providing some strong educational value, it is still great for hand-eye coordination practice for K-2 students, not to mention the hours of fun students can have challenging each other.

Apple TV & Osmo

I am a strong believer of the fact that an Apple TV can make a great classroom accessory, and I have written about that in the past. Using Osmo in conjunction with an Apple TV opens up a wide range of possibilities in the classroom. One of Osmo's greatest strengths is its ability to make the learning experience social. However, you are still limited by the small size of the iPad's screen, so only a small number of students can share the experience. Mirror the iPad to an Apple TV and you have a very different picture. The whole class can participate and be part of a lesson, in which physical interaction goes well beyond the usual tapping of the iPad's screen. That's learning at its best!

Nik is going to be presenting about apps and web tools at the Superior Tech 4 Teachers conference in Clearwater, Florida this coming June. Make sure to check out this excellent professional development opportunity!

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How to use Osmo in the classroom - Daily Genius

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Today the field of educational technology is literally bombarded with new ideas and devices that promise to revolutionize the way we teach. Some of these newcomers have strong potential and promise a unique learning experience. One such product is Osmo. Osmo is an innovative device that transforms an iPad into an interactive classroom accessory able ...

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Chalk- A Great Tool for Managing School and Class Forms

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Chalk- A Great Tool for Managing School and Class Forms

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Educational Technology and Mobile Learning

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March 22, 2015
Chalk is an excellent web tool that teachers and educators can use to reduce their paperwork. Chalk allows users to convert any document into a form that can be easily signed or filled out online. As a teacher you can use this tool to distribute forms to be filled out and signed by others (e.g parents, students, school personnels...etc).

Chalk works with all kinds of forms including permissions slips, registration forms, evaluation forms, staff time sheets and many more.If you want to use data you have in store to prefill forms, you simply upload the spreadsheet containing that data into Chalk and use it to personalize your own forms.

Some of the interesting features offered by Chalk include: the ability to track people who have filled out your form, share forms using a generated link, recipients do not have to have an account with Chalk to fill out received forms, distribute the same form to many recipients, collect attachments along with forms, and many more. Chalk offers a free trail period after which you will have to pay to use it.

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Chalk- A Great Tool for Managing School and Class Forms

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March 22, 2015 Chalk is an excellent web tool that teachers and educators can use to reduce their paperwork. Chalk allows users to convert any document into a form that can be easily signed or filled out online. As a teacher you can use this tool to distribute forms to be filled out and signed by others (e.g parents, students, school personnels...etc).

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Excellent Tool for Accessing Multiple Search Engines with One Click ~ Educational Technology and Mobile Learning

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Excellent Tool for Accessing Multiple Search Engines with One Click ~ Educational Technology and Mobile Learning

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Educational Technology and Mobile Learning

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February 27, 2015
Search All is a cool web app that allows you to conduct a quick search on different search engines. With one click you can search for the same topic on a wide variety of search platforms that include : Google, Bing, Yahoo, Wikipedia, Amazon, WolframeAlha and eBay. You can also use social networking websites such as Twitter and YouTube to run your searches. The app works perfectly on Chrome and can really speed up your search process.

Search All is also great for online shoppers. It lets you search similar products and add a price comparison feature in some e-commerce sites such as Amazon and eBay. Here is a list of all the features Search All provides :

1) Fast switch between different search engines.
2) Support search engine customization. Add your favourite search engine now!
3) Add bookmark search. Now when you do a google search, the extension will also search your bookmarks and display the search results on the google search result page.
4) Multiple search in the right click menu.
5) Record search keyword history, so you can use it in different search engines.

Follow us on : Twitter, Facebook , Google plus, Pinterest .

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Excellent Tool for Accessing Multiple Search Engines with One Click

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February 27, 2015 Search All is a cool web app that allows you to conduct a quick search on different search engines. With one click you can search for the same topic on a wide variety of search platforms that include : Google, Bing, Yahoo, Wikipedia, Amazon, WolframeAlha and eBay.

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Imagistory- Awesome Digital Storytelling App for Kids ~ Educational Technology and Mobile Learning

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Imagistory- Awesome Digital Storytelling App for Kids ~ Educational Technology and Mobile Learning

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Educational Technology and Mobile Learning

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January, 2015
Imagistory is a creative storytelling app which uses wordless picture books. The idea behind the wordless books is that kids get to be the storytellers, simply by using their imaginations to tell the story using the pictures, creating it as they go. It's a new way for kids and parents/teachers to share a story together, ones which can be told a different way every time. It's also a great tool for engaging the imagination and helping to foster creativity and language skills.

Imagistory provides an entirely new reading experience, not only is it very fun and easy to use, it's also highly educational! Helping foster creativity, imagination and to develop language and early literacy skills. Kids have the wildest imaginations and are already natural storytellers, so help them discover this and unleash their storytelling potential!

Follow us on : Twitter, Facebook , Google plus, Pinterest .

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Imagistory- Awesome Digital Storytelling App for Kids

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January, 2015 Imagistory is a creative storytelling app which uses wordless picture books. The idea behind the wordless books is that kids get to be the storytellers, simply by using their imaginations to tell the story using the pictures, creating it as they go.

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3 Wonderful Google Apps Proficiency Checklists for Teachers and Educators ~ Educational Technology and Mobile Learning

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3 Wonderful Google Apps Proficiency Checklists for Teachers and Educators ~ Educational Technology and Mobile Learning

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Educational Technology and Mobile Learning

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January 25, 2015
Below are three excellent Google Apps checklists to help you make the best of Google Apps in your instruction and also in your professional growth as a teacher and educator. These checklists are prepared by Google certified teacher Neil Charlet and are part of a series Neil is actually working on titled" Google Apps Proficiency Checklists". Still to come in this series are : Google Calendar Proficiency checklist and Google Gmail Proficiency checklist. Follow Neil to stay updated of his upcoming work.

Here are the three checklists Neil prepared so far:

1- Drive Proficiency checklist
This is a comprehensive checklist that features almost everything teachers and students should be able to do on Google Drive.

2- Chromebook basic functions and features
As its title indicates, this checklist maps out the different Chromebook features and hacks. Almost all the tips are hyperlinked so you can learn more about each of them.

3- Google Sites Checklist
This one includes everything you need to know to better use Google Sites in your instruction. Again everything is hyperlinked so you can learn more about them.

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3 Wonderful Google Apps Proficiency Checklists for Teachers and Educators

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January 25, 2015 Below are three excellent Google Apps checklists to help you make the best of Google Apps in your instruction and also in your professional growth as a teacher and educator. These checklists are prepared by Google certified teacher Neil Charlet and are part of a series Neil is actually working on titled" Google Apps Proficiency Checklists".

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12 Ways Teachers Can use Google Classroom ~ Educational Technology and Mobile Learning

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12 Ways Teachers Can use Google Classroom ~ Educational Technology and Mobile Learning

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Educational Technology and Mobile Learning

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For those of you who are not familiar with google Classroom, here are some of the things you can do with this platform:

1- Teachers can use Google Classroom to create and collect assignments paperlessly.
2- Automatically make copies of Google documents for each student
3- Create Drive folders for each assignment and for each student to help everyone keep organized
4- Provide direct and real-time feedback and grades
5- Keep track of who has turned in assignments
6- Quickly review assignments
7- Send announcements and start class discussions instantly
8- Students can see all of their assignments on an assignments page
9- Students can share resources with each other or provide answers to questions on the stream.
10- Students can open their assignments and work on them right from their phone or tablet.
11- Students and teachers can view their classes and communicate with their classmates in real time
12- Students can keep track of what's due on the Assignments page and begin working with just a click

Watch this video to learn more about Google Classroom

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12 Ways Teachers Can use Google Classroom

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For those of you who are not familiar with google Classroom, here are some of the things you can do with this platform: 1- Teachers can use Google Classroom to create and collect assignments paperlessly.

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Two Great Lego Tools to Enhance Students Creative Thinking (Work on Chromebooks too) ~ Educational Technology and Mobile Learning

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Two Great Lego Tools to Enhance Students Creative Thinking (Work on Chromebooks too) ~ Educational Technology and Mobile Learning

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Educational Technology and Mobile Learning

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January 16, 2015
Below are two useful apps that allow students to engage in creative activities through building and experimenting with Lego bricks.These apps are easy to use and students will definitely enjoy working on them. They are also compatible with Chromebooks.

1- Lego Builder
This app, which works on both Chrome and Firefox, enables students to easily create models using different Lego pieces. These models can be saved online or can be shared with others. Students will also be able to view models created by others to get inspirational ideas on how to design theirs.

Watch the video below to learn more about Lego builder.

2- Build with Chrome
Build with Chrome is an app that enables users to create anything they want using Lego Bricks on Google Maps.The process is pretty simple. just pick out a plot on the baseplate which is Google Maps, build whatever you like with Lego bricks, publish it on the map and share it with others.

I learned about these apps from this excellent article " Beyond Google Drive: Apps, Extensions, and Websites for Chromebook".

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Two Great Lego Tools to Enhance Students Creative Thinking (Work on Chromebooks too)

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January 16, 2015 Below are two useful apps that allow students to engage in creative activities through building and experimenting with Lego bricks.These apps are easy to use and students will definitely enjoy working on them. They are also compatible with Chromebooks.

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Great Tools to Help Teachers Keep Track of Online Educational Content ~ Educational Technology and Mobile Learning

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Great Tools to Help Teachers Keep Track of Online Educational Content ~ Educational Technology and Mobile Learning

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Educational Technology and Mobile Learning

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January 13, 2015
RSS readers are tools that allow you to track new released content and updates of the website you are subscribed to. They aggregate content of your favourite websites into a single platform accessible across various devices. Every website or blog has an RSS feed that is automatically generated for it the moment it goes viral. There are actually three ways to keep track of new online content: The first one is through social media such as Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Google Plus...etc. But this only works when the content publishers have a presence on these social media sites and keep posting there regularly. The second way is through email subscription but this too is not very practical as it could flood your inbox with too many emails especially when you are subscribed to a blog that publishes a lot. The third and most practical way to read new online content of your favourite websites is through RSS readers.

Below are some of the best free RSS readers out there. I have been using these tools since the demise of Google Reader and I found them really wonderful. These tools provide you with a platform where you can customize the look of your feeds, organize your feeds into categories, tag content for easy access and many more. For more options, check out this list instead.

1- Feedly: Web, iPad app, Android app, kindle app

This is my favourite. Feedly is an open system: you can add any RSS feed to your feedly and easily read the content of that feed on the go. Just enter the URL of that feed in the search bar. Feedly integrates seamlessly with Facebook, Twitter, Evernote, Buffer, OneNote, Pinterest and LinkedIn so that you can easily share the stories you read in your feedly with your friends and colleagues. Fee

2- Digg Reader: iPad app, Android app

This is my second in line. Although it is not as powerful as Feedly, Digg Reader remains a decent tool compared with the rest of other RSS feed readers, Digg allows you to find and follow your favourite online publishers, writers and blogs.You can also share your favourite stories on popular social media (Facebook, twitter) or through email or save them to read later on Digg, Instapaper, Pocket, or readability.

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Great Tools to Help Teachers Keep Track of Online Educational Content

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January 13, 2015 RSS readers are tools that allow you to track new released content and updates of the website you are subscribed to. They aggregate content of your favourite websites into a single platform accessible across various devices. Every website or blog has an RSS feed that is automatically generated for it the moment it goes viral.

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Top 100 Tools for Learning 2014 | Results of the 8th Annual Survey of Learning Tools

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Top 100 Tools for Learning 2014 | Results of the 8th Annual Survey of Learning Tools

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5 Ways school administrators can use Google apps - Daily Genius

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5 Ways school administrators can use Google apps - Daily Genius

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One of the most powerful ways that administrators can encourage their faculty to adopt new technologies in their classroom and curriculum is by modeling effective application of new digital tools. With Google Apps for Education, there are many tools that are helpful for administrative tasks, providing a number of ways to effectively model technology usage on a daily basis.

Create a Shared Google Doc for Faculty Meetings

Use Google Docs to create and share meeting agendas. Not only will it prep your faculty for meetings, but they can use the document to keep shared, electronic notes; this is especially useful if you have a designated individual to keep minutes. You can include live links for content, embed materials, create & share calendar events, etc. These are not possible in a static, paper document and not only demonstrate your commitment to adopting new technologies, but also help spark the imaginations of your teachers in applying these new tools in their own classrooms.

Use a Google Form for Classroom Observations

If you visit and observe classes, then turn your classroom observation forms into Google Forms. Having an electronic form will save you time and space. If you have a tablet or smartphone, you can complete the form easily on a portable device. Also, by using a Google Form, you can quickly email the contents to faculty, department chairs, and HR. Here is an example form for observation.

Use Google Forms for Sign-Ups

If you need chaperones for a school dance or field trip, lunch duty, or detention, Google Forms is a simple way to have faculty and staff respond. You can easily share a form via email or post it on your school's website. With the new Google Forms Add-Ons, you can limit responses by automatically turning off the form when you reach maximum participation, set up notifications when faculty respond, and export it to a shareable Google Doc when you need to share information (such as chaperone contact information or time slot sign-ups for an event).

Use Google Calendar's "Appointments Slots" for Meetings

One of my favorite features in Google Calendar is setting up "Appointment Slots." Keeping an "open door" can be tricky; it's difficult to get your work done when you are regularly interrupted. Posting your calendar can also be problematic as even if you have nothing scheduled, you may want that time reserved for administrative work, phone calls, or lunch! With appointment slots, you can designate certain times you are available for meetings. This is a great way to have your faculty sign up for face-to-face time with you as well as keep you organized.

If you would like a step-by-step tutorial, check out this great video by The Gooru.

Collect Images & Videos via a Shared Folder

Schools often struggle collecting images of field trips, school plays, and other activities. If you would like to facilitate this process, then share a folder with the community that they can use to upload videos and photos. When you designate a shared folder, be sure to explore the various options available to you and apply them appropriately. You may want to share the folder only with the certain teachers and students, the whole school, or the broader community like parents and alumni. The flexible sharing options make it easy to individualize. What makes Google Folders such a great way to collect materials is the fact that most people use their phone as their camera. With the free Google Drive App for Android or iOS, they can upload directly from their device.

Google Apps is a flexible and robust tool that can facilitate not only teaching, but also administrative duties. Additionally, by modeling effective use of technology with your own administrative tasks for your faculty, you familiarize them with available tools and encourage them to apply them in their own classrooms.
For an opportunity to learn more about using Google Apps for Education, join EdTechTeacher and Google for the first EdTechTeacher Google Jamboree. Registration is FREE! The deadline to apply is January 7th.

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5 Ways school administrators can use Google apps - Daily Genius

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One of the most powerful ways that administrators can encourage their faculty to adopt new technologies in their classroom and curriculum is by modeling effective application of new digital tools. With Google Apps for Education, there are many tools that are helpful for administrative tasks, providing a number of ways to effectively model technology usage ...

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Download The Google Search App and get the best answers and assistance using voice search. Available on Android and iPhone. Get the mobile app today.

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Scratch is a free programming language and online community where you can create your own interactive stories, games, and animations.

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A Step By Step Guide On How to Create Flashcards Using Google Spreadsheets ~ Educational Technology and Mobile Learning

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A Step By Step Guide On How to Create Flashcards Using Google Spreadsheets ~ Educational Technology and Mobile Learning

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Educational Technology and Mobile Learning

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January 1, 2015
Flippity is a very good tool that you can use on Google Spreadsheets to create flashcards and quizzes. The flashcards you create can be either printed or shared online through a generated link. The process to create a flashcard using Google Spreadsheet is pretty easy. Here is how to do it:

1- Click on this template and copy it to your Google Spreadsheet by clicking on "file" and " make a copy"

2- Now that you are on the copied version of that template, edit the text and type in the data you want to include in each side of the flashcard

3- Name your flashcards by clicking on "Flashcards" in the bottom.

4- Publish your sheet by clicking on "file " then "publish"

5- Copy the link under the link tab

6- Now click on the "get the link here" tab of your template which is at the bottom

7- Paste that link in the light blue cell to get the link to your Flippity flashcards

8- Click on the generated Flippity link to see and share your flashcards with others.

When you open your flashcard link on Flippity you will be able to :

View your flashcard

View your flashcard in list format

Share your flashcards

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A Step By Step Guide On How to Create Flashcards Using Google Spreadsheets

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January 1, 2015 Flippity is a very good tool that you can use on Google Spreadsheets to create flashcards and quizzes. The flashcards you create can be either printed or shared online through a generated link. The process to create a flashcard using Google Spreadsheet is pretty easy.

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A Media Specialist's Guide to the Internet: Have You Heard of the Adobe Education Exchange?

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A Media Specialist's Guide to the Internet: Have You Heard of the Adobe Education Exchange?

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You don't have to be an graphics arts teacher to appreciate what the Adobe Education Exchange has to offer. Subject areas include business, education, English, humanities, law, math, science and social studies. With all grade levels and products covered, you can scan the discussion boards, read about other teachers and find lesson plans. All you need is a free account, so sign up here to get started!

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Have You Heard of the Adobe Education Exchange?

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You don't have to be an graphics arts teacher to appreciate what the Adobe Education Exchange has to offer. Subject areas include business, education, English, humanities, law, math, science and social studies. With all grade levels and products covered, you can scan the discussion boards, read about other teachers and find lesson plans.

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A Media Specialist's Guide to the Internet: Google Can Do That?

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A Media Specialist's Guide to the Internet: Google Can Do That?

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It's true that Google is constantly adding and modifying things. One place we have all seen changes is in the Gmail account. One day, I opened up my inbox and found the black strip across the top was missing. So how do you get to everything like Google Drive, Blogger etc.? Look for the little box in the upper right hand corner which is made up of nine dots. When you click on it, there is a drop-down menu of all the apps. Here's a screenshot which shows where you can find everything:

Google search is another place where things were changed. Advanced search used to be located at the bottom of the page, but now things are easier with "Search Tools" added under the search box. Look at all the choices you have, including the time, ( past week, past month, etc.) and the reading level of the webpage.

You can now see that 82% of the articles are on the intermediate level, with 14% basic and 4% advanced. Click on your level and only those articles will appear.

On the left you can see an example of your choices for the currency of the article. If you would like a specific range of time you can choose "Custom range".

Search tools also work when you are doing an image search. Choose your size, type of image, ( clip art, photo, face, line drawing, animated) usage rights and whether or not you want the sizes of the images to be show.

When you choose to show sizes ( you can choose the exact size, if you like) it makes it easier to find what you need. For printing, choose "large"; for PowerPoint presentations or websites, choose "medium". There is also a choice for choosing icon size.

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It's true that Google is constantly adding and modifying things. One place we have all seen changes is in the Gmail account. One day, I opened up my inbox and found the black strip across the top was missing. So how do you get to everything like Google Drive, Blogger etc.?

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A Media Specialist's Guide to the Internet: 4 Free Programs to Create a Poster from a Letter-Sized Print

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A Media Specialist's Guide to the Internet: 4 Free Programs to Create a Poster from a Letter-Sized Print

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Seems that there aren't many free online programs to create posters from a letter-sized document. Here and there, I found a few to download, but it is much safer to work on the site itself. So, if you can't afford to make 20x30 or 24x36 poster prints, do a little creative cutting and pasting and you can make you "poster" as large as you like. ( I print on photo paper, so it's a sturdier sign.) There is a video below which shows you how to put together your poster.
Block Posters- I've used this one many times and like it

Easy Poster Printer- XP, Vista, Win7 & Win8 download (no Mac)
Faster Poster- download .exe file for your Windows computer Posterazor- cuts your image into pieces and gives you a PDf file to print and cut/paste together
Rasterbator- upload your file and choose how many sheets wide it will be

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4 Free Programs to Create a Poster from a Letter-Sized Print

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Seems that there aren't many free online programs to create posters from a letter-sized document. Here and there, I found a few to download, but it is much safer to work on the site itself. So, if you can't afford to make 20x30 or 24x36 poster prints, do a little creative cutting and pasting and you can make you "poster" as large as you like.

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youtube download addon safari chrome firefox internet explorer

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Youtube fastesttube downloader will make your internet expirience faster harder beter stronger.

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A Good Chart Comparing The Best Tools and Apps for Creating Educational Presentations ~ Educational Technology and Mobile Learning

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A Good Chart Comparing The Best Tools and Apps for Creating Educational Presentations ~ Educational Technology and Mobile Learning

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Educational Technology and Mobile Learning

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December, 2014
In today's chart I am sharing with you three good web tools and iPad apps that you can use with your students to create visually appealing presentations. Again, I included only the tools I deemed to be the simplest to be handled by any student without the need for any advanced technology knowledge.

You can access and download the Google Doc version of this chart from this LINK.

N.S: This chart is inspired from similar charts created by Richard Byrne in Free Technology for Teachers.

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A Good Chart Comparing The Best Tools and Apps for Creating Educational Presentations

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December, 2014 In today's chart I am sharing with you three good web tools and iPad apps that you can use with your students to create visually appealing presentations. Again, I included only the tools I deemed to be the simplest to be handled by any student without the need for any advanced technology knowledge.