Google Tips

Google Tips: This looks so cool! Peruse when you have some time.

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CK-12 Foundation | Free Online Textbooks, FlashCards, Exercises, RWA's, Simulations

CK-12 Foundation | Free Online Textbooks, FlashCards, Exercises, RWA's, Simulations:

So much content, much of it great.

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EdGeekCast

EdGeekCast:

Check out the resources and geek love at EdGeekCast, starring the ever awesome Jennifer LaGarde.

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Has anyone played with Metta?

http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2013/11/metta-create-multimedia-presentations.html#.Uo1_pOoo5J8

Google Calendar for parent conference reservations

With GAFE, we can use the calendar to let parents sign up for parent conferences:

http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2013/10/create-and-reserve-appointment-slots-in.html

A great article that reinforces what we do.

Wired published this article recently.  It does a great job characterizing the benefits of technology in education. It's worth the read.

Very cool! 3D Smithsonian

Wait until you have some time to play with this, folks.  It's pretty cool.  The Smithsonian is beta testing a 3D gallery of items in their collection.

Browser | Smithsonian X 3D:

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You May Be a 21st Educator If...

If you need some chuckles, read on.

You May Be a 21st Educator If... - Getting Smart by John Hardison - 21stedchat, blended, BlendedLearning, edchat, EdTech | Getting Smart:

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SAMR in 120 Seconds

I just came across this video and thought it did a really good job of explaining the SAMR model of technology integration. Enjoy! SAMR in 120 Seconds - YouTube:

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DPI's ELA Livebinder

DPI ELA Livebinder
You all may have seen this before, but it is new to me.  It seems to be mostly for elementary folks and not too tech heavy- but this is a great resource to have available for your teachers.
And you've probably seen this... but I think it is a great visual showing the ELA continuum we are on.

Google Launches Virtual Field Trips Via New Google+ Connected Classrooms Feature | TechCrunch

Google Launches Virtual Field Trips Via New Google+ Connected Classrooms Feature | TechCrunch:

Google is using Google+ hangouts as a way to have virtual field trips. And a way to encourage google + use and get the kids hooked on the google.

Looks interesting. It seems that Google will have hosted events that one can join, listed on a calendar, but then will also help classes connect and make their own field trips.

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Synergyse Blog: Top 10 Google Apps Scripts for Education

Synergyse Blog: Top 10 Google Apps Scripts for Education:

Great tools to leverage and extend Google Apps for Education. formEmailer, formMule, Doctopus, autocrat etc...

A Step-by-Step Guide to the Best Projects

Project Based Learning (PBL) is something we all strive to perfect. I love coming across articles with lists that teachers can quickly reference like this one. Some of the ideas in this article are new to me so thought I'd share it.

From Edutopia:

Manor New Technology High School in Manor, Texas, is a 100 percent project-based learning school. They are part of the New Tech Network of schools and their approach has yielded remarkable results, including a 98 percent graduation rate, with all of their graduates accepted to college.

The success of their PBL approach is largely attributable to the fact that their process is designed to stimulate student inquiry. Additionally, their process can be applied to any project in any subject, which means there is a consistent approach across grades and subjects at Manor.

Read on for all of the steps:

http://www.edutopia.org/stw-project-based-learning-best-practices-guide?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=post&utm_campaign=STW-pbl-plan-tip

Google Apps for Education: Getting Organized with gClass Folders

I love using Twitter! I just conducted a quick search on gClass Folders and found that this article had been tweeted a lot. This is a nice overview with some screenshots.

Google Apps for Education: Getting Organized with gClass Folders:

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Why We're Here

Interesting article from Slate reiterating some of what we've been saying.  A quote of note:

"Hear Me is now less about the technology and more about the guidance and structure—the “scaffolding,” to borrow a favorite term of educators—that comes from mentors sitting with, listening to, and challenging kids to take their ideas to the next level. As Pachuta says: “Personal interaction makes technology meaningful”—and it also makes the technology secondary.

It’s a lesson that bears repeating as Smart Boards have become ubiquitous in today’s classrooms and school districts, such as Los Angeles Unified, are spending millions on fleets of new iPads. Technology rollouts can become a waste of time and money if there isn’t adequate focus on the people who will be interacting with students while using the technology."

Evernote

Hey gang. I have a brief moment and have decided to post something quick. I requested that the Evernote Web Clipper Chrome extension be allowed for installation. If you use Evernote, it looks to be fairly useful. More info:  http://evernote.com/webclipper/whats_new/chrome/?firstlaunch

Writing Instruction & the Common Core

Response: Writing Instruction & the Common Core - Part Three - Classroom Q&A With Larry Ferlazzo - Education Week Teacher:

and  Writing for an Audience in Edutopia

thinking about support writing and thinking.

Writing is about communicating ideas and thoughts. Writers are authors. Authoring means much more than writing though, as we approach common core writing standards, how bound by traditional written text do we need to be?

Net Texts Launches Free OER Textbook Replacements -- THE Journal

Net Texts Launches Free OER Textbook Replacements -- THE Journal:

Free digital textbooks, from the OER community, organized into courses by subject matter.

Their may be some real gems in these collections.

Definitely worth perusing for 1 to 1 and other use. Here is the US History Collection http://www.net-texts.com/Courses/2683/Simple-US-History-

gClassFolders v2

gClassFolders v2:

gClass folders puts a layer on top of google docs that promise to simplify classroom tasks.

On YouTube You Can Now Find Free Music to Legally Download and Re-use

From Free Tech 4 Teachers / R. Byrne -- Tons of free-to-use music for student projects

On YouTube You Can Now Find Free Music to Legally Download and Re-use

People, Partnerships, and Participatory Culture–The Core of School Librarianship, NCSLMA 2012 | Buffy J. Hamilton

People, Partnerships, and Participatory Culture–The Core of School Librarianship, NCSLMA 2012 | Buffy J. Hamilton:

Great advocacy consideration there in.

Get 10GB free on Google Drive with Quickoffice - CBS News

Get 10GB free on Google Drive with Quickoffice - CBS News:

Google is giving away QuickOffice for 2 years (?) and free 10 gigs of storage in your Drive account.

WooT

Klikaklu: Picture Treasure Hunts and Scavenger Hunts on Your iPhone

Klikaklu: Picture Treasure Hunts and Scavenger Hunts on Your iPhone:

A blend of a treasure hunt, QR code, Augmented reality, and geocaching. This would work well on an iPad or Mini. Get the kids up and moving. Get them engaged. Have fun. Teach.

Watch the video - in 180 seconds you'll get it.

graphite | The best apps, games, websites, and digital curricula rated for learning

graphite | The best apps, games, websites, and digital curricula rated for learning:

graphite from Common Sense media is a directory of digital teaching tools are resources. All are sort-able / filter-able by grade, content area and other variables. Teachers can make accounts and rate the resources, so over time you will be able to find resources that other teachers say are good.

iOS 7: What it means for Enterprise, Education, and Government | iMore

iOS 7: What it means for Enterprise, Education, and Government | iMore:

This is a good article on the changes to iOS and how we can more easily support iPads in our schools. I used to be able to multitask like that on my palm pre, worked great, but might be a battery issue if folks leave too much running. MDMs will now be able to do a lot over the air! very nice update for the enterprise.

Home Base IIS Webinar for Teachers - Using Home Base to Support Formative Assessment (09/12/13) on Vimeo

Home Base IIS Webinar for Teachers - Using Home Base to Support Formative Assessment (09/12/13) on Vimeo:

Webinar screen grab of NCDPI pushing schoolnet for formative assessment.

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Home Base IIS Webinar for District Administrators (09/05/13) on Vimeo

Home Base IIS Webinar for District Administrators (09/05/13) on Vimeo:

this video is recording of webinar on HomeBase about creating benchmarks with Schoolnet. May be worth a look if you are working on this.