VoiceThread How-to
August 19th, 2010
I made this VoiceThread how-to to help teachers in my buildings get started using VoiceThread.com. Feel free to use as you see fit.
Using VoiceThread (pdf)
Archive
Archive for the ‘Tools’ Category
A few Web 2.0 Tools for Classrooms
May 21st, 2010
Web 2.0 has been a buzzword for the last few years and none of the tools that I’m about to tell you about are necessarily new, however, sometimes it’s good to create a list for teacher use. While there are 10 tools here, I don’t mean to make this a top 10 list. Think of it more like a cross section of some of the tools that are out there. So, here, in no particular order are 10 Web 2.0 tools to engage students and make your life easier.
1. Wallwisher – Basically, this is like an online bulletin board that doesn’t require a login for students or teachers to leave a comment, message, image, music or links.
Possible uses:
- Use it as a parking lot for collaborative groups or professional development
- Post assignments
- Student reflection of an activity or daily learning
- Question forum
- Parent sign up as field trip chaperones, sign up to bring things to a party, etc.
- Interest inventory or assessment of prior knowledge
2. Etherpad – Etherpad was a startup company that was purchased by Google last year. Google decided that they would release the code used to create Etherpad as an open source project for anyone to use. So, Etherpad.com is no longer in existence. But, there are a number of people who have taken the open source project and created their own, free Etherpad sites for public use. Two that are readily available are ietherpad.com and typewith.me. Basically, etherpad is a free online collaborative writing space which requires no login for students and is immediately updated on everyone’s screens. Just send or post the link to your webpage and anyone will be able to join and etherpad gives all users their own text color.
Possible uses:
- Brainstorming
- Schedules
- Group writing
- Group reflections
- Peer editing
3. Weblist.me – Weblist is a bookmarking portal where a user can create smart lists from URLs, photos, music, videos, documents and files that can then be shared. The smart list is then displayed in thumbnail view for browsing, sharing, and organization.
Possible uses:
- Resource portal for assignment or lectures
- Presentation url list
- Bookmarks
- Organizing research
- Sharing images and video
Sample Smart list
4.
Delicious – A social bookmarking site that allows you to tag and keep bookmarks like you would in a browser, but allows access on any computer with an internet connection. Each time the user bookmarks a site there is the option to categorize the site using tags that you generate that can then be sorted and searched. Each tag and bookmark list also creates an RSS feed for subscriptions.
Possible uses:
- Resource list
- Research
- Annotations
- Sharing sites with classmates
Delicious Examples:
5. Skype - Skype is a great instant messaging/VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) allowing you to use your computer as a phone of sorts. Using Skype you can make voice and video calls to another computer as well as communicate with any of your Skype contacts through text as an instant messaging client. When making a voice call, you can even share your screen with whomever you’ve called to show them a document or how to do something on the computer. The Instructional Technology department uses it every single day to communicate across the district.
Possible uses:
- Virtual office hours
- Remote assistance
- Video conferencing with experts
- Homework help
- Video conferencing with students who are absent (long term illness)
6. Mailcatch – Mailcatch is a service that provides disposable email addresses so students that don’t have email addresses can sign up for services like Google Docs or Voicethread. So many services require valid email address in order to create an account and then they send a link to that email account to verify that whoever is trying to sign up for their service is actually a person and not a automated computer. I have not been comfortable having students create email addresses without their parents’ permission, yet I still want them to have access to the tools we are using. Enter mailcatch. Students can sign up with a mailcatch.com email address, but they can’t actually send email from it, they can only receive email, click the verification link and then they can sign in to the web service with an account, but no email. To see an example of how this might work, I’ve created a video that walks you through the steps to sign up for Voicethread.
7. Glogster – Glogster is a tool that allows users to create virtual, multi-media posters that can include text, images, and video. Teachers can create glogs for their students to use and students can make glogs as class projects. Here are some examples categorized by content area.
Possible uses:
- Webquest
- Projects
- Anything that you’d normally create a print poster could be made into a glog
8. Google Squared – Google has given educators a ton of tools for use in the classroom, but their main purpose is still a search engine. Google can find information for us in seconds, but so many times that information is spread across so many different sites that deciphering it becomes the real challenge. Google Squared is an attempt to make those search results a little more usable. When doing a search in Google Squared, the search term pulls what it sees as the relevant information and puts it into a grid with categories to organize the information. Here is an example of one I did on film makers. If you visit the site, you’ll see that the search has pulled the name, picture, description, date of birth, etc. into a grid allowing students to compare the film makers in a meaningful way without have to visit site after site. They can then use their critical thinking skills to decide what information is important and what is not. They can even change the categories, share their “squares” or export them to a separate spreadsheet program. It uses Google’s searching techniques, but organizes the information differently.
9. Bubbl.us – Mind mapping software is not anything new, we’ve been using Inspiration in the district for years, but Bubbl.us is an online version that seems to work really well. What’s nice about this version is that it’s sharable and since it’s online, no software is required on your computer, everything is online. That means that when you (or your students) need to work on a project on different computers, there is no need to try to transfer via a flash drive or save it to server space, Bubbl.us stores it online. Just login and all your mind maps are right there. Below is an example of part of a mind map that I made as a part of a presentation that I did on writing in the 21st century. The audience gave me suggestions and we plugged them in as we went.
10. Dropbox - Do you use more than one computer? I do. Actually, I use lots of them. Dropbox allows me to share my files across computers by syncing anything that I place in a specific folder to their webservers. The client can be installed on any number of computers and all files that are synced to the Dropbox servers are then synced across any computer (regardless of operating system) with the client installed. Additionally, all files can then be access from any computer with an internet connection as well as many mobile devices. You can also share your Dropbox folder with other people so if you’re collaborating on a project, sharing files is a snap. All files are backed up to the Dropbox service included as a part of the basic service.
This is not an exhaustive list of Web 2.0 tools by any means but it does give you a starting point for some that are less well known. Good luck and enjoy your online journey.
This post was written in response to a request made at a technology meeting by teachers looking for some new tools to use with their students.
21st Century Education, Education, Google Tools, Online Apps, Technology, Tools
“Teachers matter.” Well, duh.
March 24th, 2010
I know it’s been out for awhile, but over the last few months it seems that I’m inundated with references to Marzano and his Interactive Whiteboard research (sponsored by Promethean). I have many misgivings about that research project but that’s an entirely different issue. However, one of highlights that I found in that study is that student achievement can be enhanced through the use of an IWB when used effectively by a well trained teacher (not the exact wording, but what I took from it).
Today, I was perusing the March issue of eSchool News and found an article citing new research from Boston College suggesting that “1 to 1 laptop programs are only effective as the teachers who apply them”. My response? Obviously!!
I don’t know when it happened that we thought that laptops and IWB’s were going to magically educate all of our children, but it seems as though that’s the attitude by many. I’m glad that there’s research out there to support this (I guess), but we have to realize that technology is still just a tool. It’s kind of exciting and I, personally, love to play with the toys as much as the next person, but we must remember the most important piece of this puzzle, the teachers. Giving them a tool and walking away expecting them to use it will never be the answer. The first time I received a laptop from a school district was many years ago. I remember going into a little room with boxes stacked everywhere and checking my laptop out. I was given a computer, a case and a cord and sent on my merry way. There was no training, no instruction, nothing to show me how to use it effectively with my students. I checked it out and was on my own. Luckily, I already knew my way around a computer and had been using them with students in my classroom for a number of years. This was not the case for many of my colleagues who struggled, became frustrated and walked away from it only indulging in the frustration to take attendance. While the district successfully checked out laptops, I considered the launch a failure because of a lack of support.
I have the privilege of spending every day supporting teachers in their endeavors. We work through problems and find solutions. We collaborate and explore. Most importantly, they have someone who they know will support them. I readily admit that I don’t have all the answers, but I also refuse to leave them alone to “figure it out”. There is a certain point at which professional responsibility kicks in, but for the most part, when new equipment comes in, I know that I need to make an appointment to walk through some things.
Marzano and Boston College say that teachers are the single most important factor in student achievement yet budget cuts, new initiatives and time constraints continue to impede on professional learning. Maybe these studies will bring new light to teacher needs. But in the meantime, it’s important to remember that there is support out there by way of Nings, twitter and other online professional development groups. Find a podcast in iTunes, read a blog, find an article that speaks to you and run with it. We don’t have time to wait for research studies to prove that teachers are important for student achievement, we know that. We don’t have time for federal, state and districts to see the need for professional learning, we need to act with a sense of urgency and take that learning upon ourselves and utilize these tools in spite of the obstacles, too much is at stake.
21st Century Education, Education, Professional Development, Technology, Tools, teaching
Give me the web
January 8th, 2010
Over winter break I took advantage of a little time off to upgrade one of my laptops and one of my desktops to Windows 7, Microsoft’s newest operating system. Both of these computers were running Vista prior to their upgrade and I must say that I do like the new OS. During the same time period, I installed Google’s Chromium OS onto a 4 gig flash drive and boot my eeepc from it. Showing my true inner geek, I thought that it might be fun to have a 5 computers running 5 different operating systems all at the same time just to see what I thought of each one in a side by side comparison.
I booted up my eeepc with Chromium OS, started up my work XP laptop, brought out my laptop with Windows 7 installed, dug out a MacBook with OS X and set all of these up beside my desktop with Vista running. Granted, my wife and kids looked at me like I was a little insane, but I wanted to see the differences. What I found is that I simply don’t care. Sure, I like having Windows 7 and the new features that accompany it, but I also like the tried and true nature of XP. OS X has some great features but, as I said, I had to dig out that computer so it’s not one that I use all the time. Then there’s Chrome OS. As it’s in beta and really hasn’t been released, I’m sure there will be more coming in the future, but right now, I don’t see that as my primary operating system.
As I was looking at all these systems and computers, I started wondering about the operating systems that my kids will use in their futures. Will they beg me for a Mac in the future or will they just want a computer and an internet connection? I imagine it will be the later. Thinking about my computing habits, with the exception of some specialized software, almost all of my work is now done online. Sure, I still want to be able to launch Photoshop or do some higher end video editing, but I think that for the most part I could do 90% of what I want to using online tools. Maybe Google is onto something with their OS that’s really just a browser. Regardless, I think it’s time that schools start thinking about their computing needs differently. License fees for software and operating systems may heed way to inexpensive hardware allowing for a more integrated experience. Regardless, the idea that students or teachers NEED to have a Mac or a PC may be on its way out. Instead, they need a computing device and a broadband connection so that they can complete projects and access information at will. That may be a tablet, a phone or an ipod touch, who knows?
I’m running Windows 7 and I like it, but the more I (as an adult and an educator) don’t care about what’s running on my computer, the more I wonder how important it is to students. Mac or PC, I don’t care, just give me the web and I’m all set.
Let Google Alert You
December 11th, 2009
One of my favorite tools in the Google arsenal is that of Google Alerts. Essentially, Google Alerts is a tool that will do an ongoing search for you automatically and then email you the results on a regular basis. So, imagine that you are in the market for a new netbook (as I was last summer). Asus had just come out with the eeepc 1000HE and I was interested. However, I wanted to let some of the early adopters get one and make their recommendations as to the feel and workings of the machine. Instead of going everyday and doing a blog search looking for reviews, I set up a Google Alert to do a comprehensive search on the term “eeepc 1000HE” and to email me the results once a day.
From then on I got a daily email anytime there was a website that would have shown up in my search results. I love Alerts for the same reason that I love RSS, it saves me time and energy. My searches come to my inbox automatically and I can use my time in other ways. Give it a try.
My files, where I need them
November 11th, 2009
For the last year or so I’ve had a little application called Dropbox installed on my main laptop. I hadn’t used it much for no reason other than I just never really got to it. For those of you that aren’t familiar with Dropbox, here’s the description from their website
“Dropbox is software that syncs your files online and across your computers. Put your files into your Dropbox on one computer, and they’ll be instantly available on any of your other computers that you’ve installed Dropbox on (Windows, Mac, and Linux too!) Because a copy of your files are stored on Dropbox’s secure servers, you can also access them from any computer or mobile device using the Dropbox website.”
On any given day I use up to four different computers for various purposes and it’s nice to have my commonly used files (mostly pictures and a few documents) on any of those computers. While there are many cloud services that will let me access files online, this one actually copies them to the server as a backup and syncs them to all my computers. Bottom line, I think it’s fabulous.
How important are the tools?
February 26th, 2009
I’m stuck in a routine. Some may even say that I’m addicted. Almost every day for a good portion of the day I sit in front of my computer. I have it set up the way I want it. My desktop is organized according to my tastes. My Firefox plugins anxiously await my use. Bottom line, my computer and I have a very special relationship because I have personalized it for my uses. My home row keys letters are slowly wearing away and there’s a shiny area on my space bar that shows the wear of my fingers. I know where to find my files and I know which programs will greet me upon startup. This is the very reason that, while I always like the boost in performance, I never truly look forward to getting a new machine. I always have to reconfigure everything. I hard drive failure not only runs away with my data, but it also causes me several hours of preparing my system for me to use meaningfully.
Last year, one of the biggest parts of my job was to hand out new laptops to teachers in my district. To make matters worse, we weren’t just handing out laptops, we were stripping these teachers of their beloved Macs. Over a year and a half later, I still hear comments about how much better the Macs were than these stupid HP laptops that we are now “stuck” with. We develop a personal connection with our tools. The problems, while frustrating, become somehow endearing over time. We know what to expect, we understand the challenges of these tools including their limitations and, however maddening, we get beyond it. Mac or PC, it’s simply a computer… a tool that we use to complete tasks. The passion that comes from these tools I don’t necessarily understand, but I find myself falling into passionate discussions over tools. My phone is one such tool. It’s not that it’s the best, but it certainly suits my needs and I’ve set it up exactly how I want it. They are very personal things and we become attached and fanatical about them. I use OSX, XP, Vista and now Windows 7 and, truly, don’t have a huge preference. My main machine is a PC because that’s what my district uses, but to me, they’re just tools.
What about the students that we teach? Does it really matter whether they’re sitting in front of an HP or an Apple when they’re typing a paper? They’re simply word processing. Even when it comes to video editing, there are tools on both platforms that students can use to create their movies. Is one easier than the other, maybe. But is the tool really that important? I say No. The skills that students (and adults) take away from any training or class is the important element in the equation. The logo doesn’t matter. The name of the software is immaterial. Do all secondary students need to be able to move through Excel or PowerPoint or is it more important that they understand and adapt their spreadsheet and presentation skills to any computer that is put in front of them? The classroom tools (SMART, Prometheon, Mac, PC, Web 2.0, etc) do not make for learning. Let’s start discussing skills instead of tools and end the argument over which one is better.
Even as I write this, I understand that there are tools that I would have a hard time living without. When Google announced that they were ending their support of Notebook, I was far from amused. However, there are other tools out there. Do they work the same way? No. Is their integration with other Google tools as seamless? No. Do I have the skills to use them effectively? Yes.
Yes, I’m attached to my computer and, yes, it’s a love/hate relationship. But the tools that I use in my daily routine as I work with teachers doesn’t make my work better; it makes it more convenient. I’m not interested in getting rid of my tools that I’ve grown so fond of, but I am interested in helping students acquire the skills to be able to move beyond a tool and still succeed in their tasks.
Image from http://www.sxc.hu/index.phtml
Education, English, Google Tools, Online Apps, Reflections, Technology, Tools, leadership
Disposable Email
February 9th, 2009
As of late I’ve been helping teachers sign students up for accounts for various services. The question I often get from teachers has to do with student email accounts. Granted, many of the students in secondary schools already have email accounts, but, as we’ve found recently, many do not. With so many websites asking for a valid email account in order to sign up for their services, I’ve been suggesting Mailcatch.com to those teachers. Today I ran across a blog post via Twitter that lists a number of temporary email services. Enjoy.
My Poor Dead Computer
September 12th, 2008
Yesterday the hard drive on my computer passed into the electronic afterlife. Don’t know what happened, but I know it’s dead. Even though I enjoy the technology and messing with new stuff, one thing that I really dislike is setting up a new computer. My old browser was set up just how I liked it, my desktop shortcuts were only the ones I wanted… I had a workflow. I knew what I would find when I booted up every day.
So I lost some documents, a database I was working on and a few spreadsheets. So be it. It’s my own stupid fault for not backing those things up. I preach that to teachers but I know and readily admit that I have a very haphazard approach when it comes to computing. This is not the first time that I’ve lost stuff and I know it won’t be the last. As most of us know… it’s not “if” your computer will break, it’s “when”.
So now I’m preparing to regroup and recreate some of the items that I lost. What I’ve begun to notice though is that it’s not all that hard. When most of the things you do happen online in the “cloud” the idea of a computer breaking down is not all that daunting. The one thing that I will recommend is to back up your browser. I use Firefox almost exclusively (although I’m dabbling in Chrome) and there’s this nifty little backup tool called MozBackup that I’ve used for about 4 years now. What’s great about it is that once I have one Firefox installation the way I want it I can just run it on all the computers that I frequently use and have my environment back. I haven’t used Foxmarks yet but I understand that it works well and would take care of part of my issue with syncing bookmarks across computers. If you are a Firefox user and you do as much work online as I do, I suggest backing up your data and your browser settings as well. Hopefully you won’t have a computer crash soon. For me, it’s back to re-establishing my workflow and getting up and running.
Open Source Social Networking
June 30th, 2008
Jim Klein is talking about Social Networking using Open Source software. Didn’t realize that he was going to talk about Elgg. I installed Elgg to use with my students about 3 years ago. When I used it with students it was a really good experience for my students. The part I liked best was the Access Restriction selection project so that they could decide who could see a post. If you’re interested in social networking with students, I encourage you to look into Elgg. If you’d like to take a look, you can use James Klein’s demo site at http://demo.saugususd.org.
