Tidertechie

While digging through some old files, I came across an old PowerPoint, ABC Teacher Resource Websites.  Of course it was fun going through the old resources, but it also got me to thinking about all the numerous websites currently available.

I sent out a few tweets, dug through my Diigo files, and the result is a current A – Z of Awesome Resources!  @melching5 also sent an awesome link to numerous resources!

Would you like to add to the links?  Visit my wiki page to continue building this list of resources!

Inspiration Software has been around for several years, but have you been inspired to check it out?  For this week’s Techie Tuesday we will look at Inspiration and how it can be used in the classroom.

According to their company website, Inspiration is an essential tool to visualize, think, organize, and learn.  What makes this software special?  With the explosion of web 2.0 sites, there are numerous free online graphic organizers such as bubbl.us and Mindmeister.

If you simply want to create semantic maps/webs, one of the free online organizers would probable fit your need.  If you want more, keep reading for highlights on Inspiration Software.

One nice component of Inspiration is how you can create a graphic organizer and with one click it can be changed into a formal outline.  Students can create a web with shapes and/or clip art filled with information.  Then it is transformed into an outline using the hierarchy of the web.  These graphic organizers include concept maps, webs, and idea maps.  The outline can be built upon using other components such as a dictionary.

Other key components include the following:

• Video and sound integration
• Templates
• Curriculum Packets

To get a varieties of class integration possibilities, I asked my fellow teachers for ways to integrate Inspiration in their classroom.  Of course bribing them with a free copy of Inspiration always helps them respond quickly:)  Here is a list of ideas to integrate Inspiration into your classroom:

• Draft and Revise writing assignments
• Research
• Visually explain math concepts and problems
• Planning (project, web site,etc)
• Semantic web of a Country
• Transform the semantic web to an outline
• Use the audio part for students to review
• Concept mapping
• Brainstorming
• Story maps
• Character analysis
• Book reports
• Creating storyboards for PowerPoint presentations
• Defining new terms
• Assist teachers in planning lessons or units
• Plot Summaries
• Historical Cause and Effect
• Cycles (recycle, weather, etc.)
• Developing a course or workshop
• Lab Procedures
• Show relationships
• In foreign language classes create an organizer that shows the English word on one side and the foreign language word equivalent on the other side with pictures as hints.
• When studying a poem, in the center concept list the name of the poem and the connecting lines contain phrases from the poem. The sub-concept explains the words in the phrase and the literary technique used such as personification.
• Faculty/district – responsibilities of committees

So are your Inspired?  What other software or sites for graphic organization are your favorite?

This week’s Techie Tuesday focuses on a new online assessment tool provided for Louisiana teachers.

Louisiana, the Pelican state, has created an EAGLE:  Enhanced Assessment Grade Level Expectations.  This program provides immediate feedback to teachers of their student’s knowledge of designated GLE’s.

Don’t worry, we are still the Pelican state!

Basically a teacher logs into the Eagle system, creates a test, and distributes it to his/her students.  All test items are aligned to GLE’s and teachers can use the Eagles pre-made tests or create one using the item bank.

Creating your own test from scratch takes four easy steps.  After you fill out a test overview:  select the area of content (ELA or Math), grade level, and test name, you select “assemble test”.

• Select your Content Standard, Comprehensive Curriculum, or Passages (ELA only).
• Pick a standard/unit, GLE, and items that correspond.
• Click “add to test”.
• Repeat this process to add additional items.

So, you don’t have time to create a test from scratch?  EAGLE has you covered.  Just go to the “Edit Test” tab and click “pre-made.”  Select the subject area and grade level and this opens a list of pre-made tests including one for each Comprehensive Curriculum unit.

Tests can be pre scheduled giving teachers the option to set class and individual goals, time limits, and calculator options.  Scores are immediate for multiple choice, short constructive response, and interactive items.

You can analyze your student’s performance using any of the six progress reports.

• Content Standard
• GLE’s
• Test and Content Standard
• Test and Question Type
• Test Questions
• Instructional Need by GLE

Are you ready to get started?  Each Louisiana Parish has trained personnel.  Contact your Region TLTC or parish school board office.

If you aren’t from Louisiana, do you have a similar program you would like to share?

A Blog, web log, has a variety of purposes in education. Why don’t all educators blog? Probably one of three reasons:  they don’t feel “tech savy” enough, aren’t aware of the various uses, or think it will be time consuming.

Blogs are one of the easiest ways for an educator to interact with students, parents, and the community.  You are able to post information, keep an online journal, disperse information, and share.

Are you still asking yourself, “What is a blog”?  Visit this video, Blogs in Plain English,  before proceeding further.

So, what about the need for technology skills?  If you are able to send an email, you are able to blog.  Free sites such as edublogs and blogger have made it easy!  For either, you basically create an account, activate the account via email, and sign in.  For those with technology phobias, edublogs has you covered with a quick post option right when you log in.  Simply type and publish.

Are you not sure of how to use a blog?  Here are some ideas to get you started:

Share materials and resources
Create a class website
Hold online discussions
Start a book club
Invite guest student posters
Set-up student blogs
Establish a newsletter via blog posts
Create an administrator blog for your thoughts and invite guest posters
Personal webpage on your favorite topics

Check out other blogs for ideas.  Do you need even more ideas? Check these out.

Now, how about time consumption?  If you focus on your thoughts and not the coolest theme or pictures to add to posts, then it only takes as long as it would to send a detailed email.  Some of the best blogs are the simplest in form.

Are you feeling bloggy?

As an educator,  it is often hard to narrow down favorite websites much less find new one’s to test-out.  So, this week Techie Tuesday is bringing you ten favorite sites to check-out.

To select sites, I simply sent out a quick tweet to my Twitter PLN, Personal Learning Network, and as always within a few minutes my top ten list was formed.  Humm, was this just a quick way for me to get this week’s blog post out?

Well I must admit, the post and subsequent message board are usually completed on Monday night, but no, this was a great way for me to get other people’s website ideas.  This blog wouldn’t be as fun if you just listened to me!

Let’s get right to it.  Here are ten sites for you to check out including a brief description:
1.  Blabberize blabberize.com

Any picture can be turned into a blabbering picture.  Just select a picture, pick a mouth, record sound, and your picture is blabbering! What could students blabber about for your class?  How about that book you had them read or maybe last week’s report.  They could even give you current events from the news or review for a test.

2.  Trailfire  trailfire.com

Do you have a list of favorite websites for a particular lesson or unit?  With Trailfire you can place a sticky note on each website.  These notes can be questions or other dialogue for your students.  Each note connects to the next webpage you want them to visit thus making a trail.  Need a variation?  Maybe your student could make the trail and add notes for key facts.

3.  Lesson Writer lessonwriter.com

Are you reading across the curriculum?  This is your one-stop-shop:)  You simply find a text you would like to use, copy and paste into Lesson Writer and it creates vocabulary, grammar, comprehension questions, and graphic organizers for you from the text.  Maybe you need help differentiating.  Yes you can even differentiate instruction!

4.  VoiceThread  voicethread.com

VoiceThread allows you to group conversations in one place from anywhere in the world.  Load documents, images, videos about a topic and share!  Comments can be left via telephone, websites, audio file, video, or voice text.

5.  Posterous posterous.com

Have you wanted a class website or maybe even a blog, but thought you weren’t tech savy enough?  Can you email?  Then Posterous is the site for you!  With a simple email you add to the site.  YES, really!  The subject is the title of the latest post, and what you type is the body of information. You can add pictures straight off the internet with a simple drag drop of you mouse onto your Share on Posterous toolbar. You can see where I checked out posterous here.

6.  SlideShare slideshare.net

Have you been wanting to use slideshows in your class, but just don’t have the time to make them?  SlideShare is the place where people all over the world share their slideshows.  You simply search for the topic for which you are searching.

7.  Wikispaces www.wikispaces.com

A great wiki site with the option of an educator site, so you don’t have ads appear.  Check out last week’s post for more wiki information.

8.  Diigo  www.diigo.com

A great social bookmarking site that allows you to not only organize your bookmarks but also to share with others, post stickies, and more. Here’s another previous post for more Diigo information.

9.  Ning  www.ning.com

Have you ever wanted your own social network? Nings can be used by students or teachers. When you make a Ning it is focused on a particular topic such as a unit or subject.  Members are then allowed to join the Ning.  Together everyone adds information through posts and message boards.

10.  Twitter twitter.com

Now what top ten would be complete without a mention of Twitter especially since these suggestions came via tweet.  A special thanks @kimwoodard @sheasmith @ericcole @teachntech00 and @wavewash

What is your favorite site?