Read the EdTech Times - A Daily Magazine about Educational Technology

Nancy Rooker recently asked me where I get my ideas for technology integration.  My answer is really quite simple.  I use Twitter.  Currently, I am following more than 600 teachers, administrators, and consultants from every level of education.  They post their ideas, successes, failures, and dreams in short bursts of 140 characters.  I find them by using hashtags like #edcur, #edtech, #edchat, #sped, and more.  I look at who is making active contributions and I choose to follow them.

I just put a link on this blog to the EdTech Times, a magazine created from gleaning the blogs and other writings of the people I follow on Twitter.  The magazine is published free for me and for others who choose to use the services of PaperLi, the company that aggregates the information.  The articles you read here are fresher than any newspaper.  They are the gleanings of some of the best people who are passionate about teaching, learning, and technology.  You won't agree with everything you read.  Neither do I, but they will make you think.  They will help you fight complacency and challenge you to move outside the boxes that are either created for us or created by ourselves.  Just perhaps, they will validate what you are doing and encourage you to continue making a difference in the lives of your students.

If you would like to know more about Twitter and creating your own magazine, please let me know.  

Thanks,

Rick

National Geographic Kids

The National Geographic Kids website has been a great help to our 2nd grade students. They are researching an animal and writing a report for one of our non-fiction unit projects. In the search box at that site type in the name of your animal. Several links should pop up that you can go to. Look for the link about your animal that lists photos, video, facts, e-card, and map. When you click on that a screen should pop up with a picture of your animal and a Print tab at the top. Click this and you get a printable animal flash card that you can cut out and glue together or just use as part of a report. Many of the animals we chose had lots of other facts that printed with the picture. The KidsBiology website is another good source of friendly readable information about animals and other topics for kids.

Internet4classrooms

My 4th graders used "internet4classrooms" this morning. I had the children go to Google to access this "learning center". They eased into Internet4Classroom HomePage; we used the whiteboard to discuss how to get to the "practice lesson". The boys and girls quickly picked up how to get to appropriate grade level, subject area, and Mrs. Kinsey's assignment.

FYI-we went to language arts, parts of speech and "gorilla grammar". I liked this "lesson" because "GG" had a mini-glossary with examples as well as levels (beginner & advanced).

Looking forward to hearing your recommendations.

Welcome new authors

This is a great beginning.  Our Husky Bytes blog now has six authors and we're looking for a couple of dozen more.  Yes, we will all fit just fine.  Post your comments, but more importantly share how you are integrating technology into your classrooms.  We can learn from each other.  Have questions?  Post them here.  Between us, I'll bet we can come up with some workable answers.  When you're surfing the web and find a great link for learning or an article about tech, teaching, and learning, post the link so we can all check it out.  Glad you're here.

The weather's fine!

I like it here. It's like a little island. I hope we all fit.

I'm in too...

Hello!

I made it, I am in!

Advanced Forms in Google Docs Webinar

Ever heard of Google Docs?  Eve wonder how to create or use them.  This webinar might answer some of your questions.  I use Google Docs in my classroom.  I am happy to share some of my templates with you.

If you are trying to view this on your school computer, you are, no doubt, blocked.  We are working on that.

Thank you,

Rick Glass

That Quiz - Excellent Practice, Differentiated Assessments

That Quiz provides provides a variety of ways for students to improve their skills and for teachers to assess that improvement.  The greatest variety with the program is in the area of Math.  Assessments can be presented in a nearly infinite number of ways.  The assessments can be adjusted by levels of difficulty, time, and number of questions.  Nearly every type of math is included, making the program useful for nearly every grade level.  Students may be permitted to freely explore the site or the teacher, with a free account, can create specialized assessments that match the current curriculum.  A nice feature is that the program grades the student work and provides feedback on incorrect questions.  The site also features assessments on vocabulary and comprehension, science,  and national, geography.

Create Word Clouds with Wordle

Wordle is a fun way for students to play with words, any words; spelling words, vocabulary words, math words, social studies words, science words, thematic words.  Wordle is completely free.  Start creating your word clouds todays and share them with each other.