Broadcasting 101

This Christmas season I had the good fortune to see in action a free web-based broadcasting application that worked very well.

At the church I attend, two services were broadcast over the Internet using http://www.justin.tv ("just-in" tv). The equipment used included:

1. a netbook
   
2. an Internet connection (wireless broadband card/dongle from Sprint, although one from any provider should work)
   
3. an account at http://www.justin.tv

The stronger the signal, the better will be the results (less buffering). I can only imagine how clear the viewing would be if the computer were attached to an ethernet cable!

In any case, this is one easy service to use. It's free. It doesn't require sophisticated equipment. It's easy to set up and be broadcasting live streaming video and audio within mere minutes. There's also the capability to chat with the justin.tv broadcaster while the streaming is in progress.

Of course the possibilities are endless:

1. broadcasting church functions to shut-ins is one such application
   
2. the broadcast of school-based activities and performances for folks who otherwise couldn't attend
   
3. Students could set up a quick and easy channel for broadcasting school routines, menus, and morning announcements, giving them practice with public speaking

Randall's ESL Cyber Listening Lab

Of all the ESL resources on the Web, Randall's ESL Cyber Listening Lab is one of the most informative, practical, and interactive that I've seen.

The listening lab is continually being updated. Among other benefits, the listening activities feature key vocabulary words and follow-up assessments.

Be sure to explore this site whether or not you are an ESL specialist. I firmly hold to the belief that ALL practitioners are ESL instructors.

Randall's ESL Cyber Listening Lab also has a presence on Facebook. From his Facebook page: "Randall's ESL Cyber Listening Lab (http://www.esl-lab.com) was first over a decade ago to provide language learners opportunities to improve their listening comprehension skills in English. Contact Randall at eslrandall [at] yahoo.com"

If you're so inclined, add his Facebook page to your "Fan" list. At his website, scroll down near to the bottom-left. Look for a button to add the site to your Facebook groups. Consider subscribing to his e-newsletter and keep up-to-date on latest developments to this extremely valuable resource!

Music and Art - Universal Languages!

With Christmas (not "The Holidays" - it's the Advent season) now upon us, I thought I'd share a few discoveries that you might want to explore during your down time.

The arts, particularly music, are dear to me. They are universally understood. When language fails us across geographic borders, the arts can communicate in a manner that the spoken word can't approximate.

That being said, the following are a few that you'll want to explore and integrate into your classroom instruction:

1. Paint.net
   
2. PhotoFiltre
   
3. Jam Studio
   
4. Playlist

Paint.net is for digital image editing. Likewise for PhotoFiltre. JamStudio allows one to create music with all manner of complexity (instrumentation, voices, etc.). Playlist.com is a music social networking site. There are numerous genres from which to choose, listen, and share with others.

Observations and food for thought: The first decade of the 21st century is about to conclude. Web 2.0 has matured. Web 3.0 is developing.

• What have you learned about 21st century skills since the turn of the century?
  
• How many Web 2.0 skills have you learned in the past few years?
  
• Most importantly: How have you used these powerful skills in your instruction and shared your knowledge with others (especially with students)?

A side note: Explore the amazing opportunities at SharedTalk - Your Language Exchange Network. You and your students might just establish some global connections and learn more about spoken and written languages in an interactive, real-time manner!

Merry Christmas! May God bless you abundantly in the year ahead!

The Hat

Looking for a cool tool for grouping students when you want to "automate" the process? Let "The Hat" do it for you!

From the website:

"Just like pulling names from a hat to see who goes first, second, etc., this handy little program takes the time and tedium out of randomizing the order of a list of names. Now you can use the program to select individual names from a list one at a time, making it great for selecting winners of contests, etc. It features cool animation of the names actually coming out of a hat and optional sound effects."

The URL: http://www.harmonyhollow.net/teach/

Universal Design for Learning (UDL)

Talk about your one-stop wiki for web 2.0 resources! This wiki allows you to add your own tips as well. Check it out at http://udltechtoolkit.wikispaces.com/

A quote from the site:

"Many teachers believe that assistive technology has to cost money, typically a lot of money. They tell me they are afraid to bring up AT at team meetings for that reason. Other teachers tell me that particular software or hardware is available but no one knows how to use it so it just sits in a closet, unused. Sometimes, teachers who were trained to use particular tools or devices have left the district and no one else is interested in learning how to integrate the AT. A common complaint is that the software is too complicated or there are technical issues that prevent implementation."

There's so much so see and glean from this site in the form of assistive technology (AT) that time and space won't do it justice here. So.....grab a cup of your favorite warm beverage, curl up on the couch, and dedicate an afternoon of exploring all that this treasure-trove has to offer!

WatchKnow - Videos for Kids to Learn From. Organized

Today I learned of a website possessing much potential for supplementing classroom instruction. It can engage students of all ages, in all curricular areas, in an audio-visual manner. The website: "WatchKnow - Videos for Kids to Learn From. Organized" The URL: http://www.watchknow.org

What is WatchKnow? From the website: "Imagine hundreds of thousands of great short videos, and other media, explaining every topic taught to school kids. Imagine them rated and sorted into a giant Directory, making them simple to find. WatchKnow--as in, "You watch, you know"--is a non-profit online community devoted to this goal."

After exploring this site, I have to agree that it is well organized and intuitive to navigate. With a library of over 12,000 audio-visual resources, there's a strong likelihood you'll find something that you can put to use!

Marion County educators: It wouldn't hurt to begin collecting a list of websites providing resources similar to those hosted at WatchKnow. You never know when access to the heavily used "UnitedStreaming" website we're all familiar with will become a thing of the past (hint, hint, HINT).

Other sites of this nature?

1. Thinkfinity
2. TeacherTube
3. dotSUB

Remote Observation of Interns & Student Teachers

Not long ago a supervising faculty member from an institution of higher education contacted me. She indicated that she had over 8 students to observe in our district alone...17 miles from her location...not including those from other districts. Combined with the others she has to observe, that amounts to a LOT of driving.

She asked if there was a way to observe them online in real time so as to cut down on driving time and make the observation process more time and cost-effective. There is! Using Web 2.0 technology, it's entirely possible, low-cost, and easy to implement with a minimum of effort.

Needed:
1. An Internet connection on each end (observer and student at remote location). Wireless will do but wired is preferable.

2. Web cam: Built-in web cams come with most newer laptops. Those in the $25-$40 range should serve this purpose well. Read the user reviews. Buy a recognized name rand. I've used the MACALLY USB 2.0 Video Web Camera with Microphone (http://preview.tinyurl.com/webicecam) with great success. Cost as of this posting: $27.92

3. A headphone with and microscope boom. My personal preference: CYBER ACOUSTICS OEM STEREO HEADSET from http://tinyurl.com/cyberacoustics Cost as of this posting: $6.95.

4. Software: Skype or Oovoo. In our district, we're using Oovoo. Both applications are free.

5. Optional but highly recommended: A USB extension cable enabling the web cam to be manually held and used to track the student teacher as he or she moves throughout the classroom. This can be done by the school classroom's cooperating teacher.

Following the remote observation session, the remote observer and the student can hold a debriefing session using the same videoteleconferencing software. If a "premium" plan is purchased, capabilities exist to record and capture the entire session to be saved as a movie file for inclusion in the student's digital portfolio.

Oovoo has such capabilities.

MusicNotes -WOW!

It's been some time since my last post. Things have been QUITE busy with technology here in the district. However, this afternoon I have a few minutes to speak about the arts and a multi-modal software tool called "MusicNotes".

The program is free. The executable install file is about 11 Mb in size. It's available from http://www.musicnotes.com/download/suite/default.asp The program will open music, play it, and highlight the notes as they're being played. The tempo can be adjusted to suit one's reading speed.

Sheet music can be ordered in downloadable digital format, printed, and played within the program. The cost is comparable to purchasing it from a retailer. I've used it for weddings and church related music. It's extremely powerful and feature-packed. The library of music available is substantial, including several genres.

The program also has a "Guitar Guru" that will guide one through the basics of playing the music shown on the computer screen. Pretty "suite"! Give this suite a try. You won't be disappointed!

Videos for ELLs with Subtitles

TeacherTube has much to offer. For the ELL (English Language Learner) or ESL student, there's yet another source of online videos worth exploring. Again - use discretion. Preview these videos for appropriateness before using them in a directed manner. Here's the URL:

http://dotsub.com

Click on the "Latest", "Genres", and "Collections" tabs to explore more options. You'll find this to be a valuable resource!

More ESL / Web 2.0 Resources

I receive a newsletter entitled "ASCD SmartBrief". The latest issue includes a link to an article, Web resources can supplement learning for ELL students. It's chock-full of links to resources for students and teachers. There are so many that you'd be remiss not to check them out and bookmark a few for use with your students as bell-ringer/anchoring activities, center-based activities, and /or individualized/prescriptive activities based upon individualized student needs.

Into the Book is but one of the MANY Web 2.0 resources listed. It includes a student and teacher area. It integrates proven ESL strategies such as visualization, prediction, and summarization to assist in student acquisition of English.

Consider signing up to receive the ASCD SmartBrief. Membership in ASCD isn't required. Give the newsletter a try. You won't be sorry! Here's the link: http://www.smartbrief.com/ascd/

Communicating Effectively in the Digital Age

Land lines, pagers, fax machines, cell phones, email, text messaging, videoconferencing, Facebook, MySpace.

With so many avenues of communication available, we can, if we choose, avail ourselves to the world 24/7 and in a multitude of ways. Managing the methods we choose to communicate requires discernment. Knowing the mode to employ in a given situation and appropriately pairing the message with the intended audience and underlying context can be challenging.

With regard to modes of communication, age-related, "generational" norms and expectations have the potential to create missed opportunities if mutual understandings and familiarities aren't established.

By way of example: A phone call is placed and voice message (with brief details) is left, including the caller's cell number. Would it be reasonable to expect the recipient to respond using the same mode of communication? Would if be fairly reasonable if both parties communicated via cell phone and were capable of texting, to use a mixed-mode form of communication (call via cell phone, leave message, return message via text)?

Consider this scenario: Call via cell phone, leave message and return cell number, respond via Facebook? Pros to that approach? Cons to that approach? Unless one is aware of the surrounding circumstances the answer may remain elusive; equally so the timing of the communication...and any potential opportunities.

Technology is wonderful!

Effective communication in this day and age requires knowing not only how to communicate, but which modes are compatible for the sake of timing, clarity, compatibility, and expediency.

Randall`s ESL Cyber Listening Lab Now on Facebook

Randall`s ESL Cyber Listening Lab has established a presence on Facebook! Here's the official "long" link: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Randalls-ESL-Cyber-Listening-Lab/131109425926

Here's the link (above) I've "customized" for you, using the free service at tinyurl: http://tinyurl.com/eslcafe/ Check out Randall's new audio format for vocabulary lessons.

A quote from his newsletter:

"Language students need to learn how to pronounce vocabulary, not just know what the words mean. For this reason, I have created a number of vocabulary listening activities just for this purpose, and each activity has an easy-to-use audio format."

Take a look at these lessons at: http://bit.ly/19xxMp
Additional links from within Randall's newsletter:

Websites for ESL Teachers and Students

NEW: ESL/EFL Culture Videos
http://www.esl-lab.com/videoclips.htm

• http://www.esl-lab.com
• http://esl-lab.blogspot.com
  
• http://www.dailyesl.com
• http://www.ezslang.com
• http://www.trainyouraccent.com
• http://www.tips4students.com

To subscribe to Randall's email listserv, go to http://bit.ly/jpv7S

So Many Choices: Which Tool To Use?

A few days ago I was asked whether a blog or a wiki was the right tool to use for a classroom project. The teacher wasn't quite sure of the difference, so I asked what the goal was; what the end product was. Once that was determined, the choice was clear.

I located a matrix (see above - click on to enlarge) charting various Web 2.0 tools and their various applications.

To realize the full impact that Web 2.0 tools have to offer, and rather than reinvent the wheel, let me redirect you to a fellow blogger's article that you'll find extremely detailed, in the form of a post using an analogy entitled The Technology Toolbox

Slide: An Alternative to Animoto

Bill Gates made it such that there are at least three ways to accomplish a task in Windows. Alternatives are a good thing because we will eventually find one that we'll naturally gravitate toward. So it should be with applications.

Not long ago I mad a post about a very cool online application called Animoto. It allows for the uploading of your pics, the addition of music, and ultimately, the automation of a "digital story" of sorts. Animoto mixes the music and creates anomations, effects, and transitions for you. Don't like the results? Click on "remix" and see the results. Post the output to Facebook or other social networking sites.

Here's an alternate service: http://www.slide.com. It does much the same as Animoto, with a few added features. One of the most notable differences? A MUCH larger music library from which to select is what immediately stands out. It's just as easy to use as Animoto. Give Slide a whirl! You'll like what you see!

mVal Poll for 2009-10

Administrators,

Please cast your vote by clicking "yes" or "no", then pressing "Vote". This poll will close at noon on Monday, August 31st. Thank you.

For the Teacher's Academy (ESL)

ESL WorkshopAugust 10, 201112:00-3:00 - EFHSCharlie PitroloTitle III Director
1.Explore CD of Resources

• Policy 2417 overview
  
• Sheltered instruction, materials, assessments
  
• Student ToolKit
  
• LEP Committee concept
  
• Student Plan
  
• Huntington/Cabell County Survival Guide on CD
  
• Supporting English Language ...(PDF file)
  
• Web resources/shortcuts

2.Print Material

• Book: 50 Strategies...) and CD
  
• Book: Teacher's Guide to Multisensory Learning:Improving Literacy by Engaging the Senses

3.Software

• IM Translator for Internet Explorer and FireFox
  
• Babylon
  
• Demoxi multilingual chat tool
  
• Lingoes and dictionaries
  
• Oxford Picture Dictionary
  
• Pix Writer
  
• Rosetta Stone

4.Hardware

• Digital Voice Recorder
  
• Lingo PacificaTalk Translator/Dictionary/Thesaurus

5.Questions/Answers
This information may also be found online at http://docs.google.com/View?id=dg9tpff7_52d6q8k7gv

For the Teacher's Academy (Web 2.0)

Also located at http://bit.ly/Il0On

Web 2.0 Resources(Sites, Apps, Software, Services)Charlie Pitrolo - Technology Coordinator - Marion County SchoolsFairmont, WVAugust 12, 2009

1. ShareTabs: http://www.sharetabs.com/?cjp or http://www.sharetabs.com/teh

A site where the URLs in this session can be previewed. ShareTabs produces a graphic representation of preselected sites for students.

2. 30 Web 2.0 Applications – a narrated, web-based PowerPoint presentation presenting 30 web 2.0 applications. http://bit.ly/Mk3hp

3. Ning – Join an interest group or create a public or private one of your own. Great for collaborating and sharing ideas across geographical boundaries! http://www.ning.com

4. Learn Central- Social networking for educators. http://www.learncentral.org

5. LiveKite – Social networking (faith-based) http://www.livekite.com


6. Etherpad - the only web-based word processor that allows people to work together in real-time. Tracks revisions for later recall. Finished products can be downloaded as .doc or .pdf. files. http://etherpad.com

7. Vyew – Host your own web-based meeting complete with whiteboard, audio, and video.
http://www.vyew.com

8. Scribblar – Simple, effective, synchronous online collaboration. Very similar to Vyew (see above). http://www.scribblar.com


9. Twiddla – Similar to Vyew and Scribblar (see above) http://www.twiddla.com

10. Elluminate – Up to 3 in a meeting at no charge. Supports audio, video, white board and more. Similar to Vyewm Scribblar, and Twiddla. http://elluminate.com

11. OoVoo – Chat, video, and audio teleconferencing. Can be recorded for playback.
Free software download required. http://www.oovoo.com

12. Skype – Similar to Oovoo (see above) but without recording/playback capability.
http://www.skype.com

13. Animoto – Quickly generate 30 second slide shows from your photos. Add music (yours or theirs). http://animoto.com

14. PhotoPeach – same concept as Animoto (see above) http://photopeach.com

15. VOKI – Used to create a character or an avatar that speaks or reads text that’s been input. http://www.voki.com

16. Jing – Create video screen captures or part of a defined area to be captured. Audio can be added. Text can be added. http://www.jingproject.com

17. WORDLE – Create visuals of text such as poems, scripture, documents (i.e. Constitution), etc. http://www.wordle.net

18. Jjot – Take notes online. Share them with others. http://jjot.com

19. NotebookG – Similar to Jjot (see above) http://www.notebookg.com

20. Pixton.com – Allows the creation of cartoon strips. May select background and characters. http://pixton.com

21. Tiny URL – shrinks very long URLS (also see bit.ly) http://www.tinyurl.com and http://bit.ly

22. Pandora – Internet radio that can be trained to learn your likes and dislikes.
http://www.pandora.com

23. Last.FM – Similar to Pandora. An Internet radio station that can be “trained” learn your musical preferences. Many genres. Includes videos. Free MP3 downloads. http://last.fm

24. Getdropbox – simultaneous synchronization of files between PCs. Makes transferring files between PCs using a flash drive a thing of the past!
http://www.getdropbox.com

25. Mediafire – Similar to Getdropbox (see above). Not as many features (i.e. synchronization between PCs) http://www.mediafire.com.

26. OurMedia – Publish and share your videos, podcasts, etc. with others. Join various “channels” or create your own. http://ourmedia.org

27. Slideshare - free online hosting of PowerPoint presentations. May be shared with others. May be set to allow for viewer download. http://www.slideshare.net

28. AuthorStream - Same concept as Slideshare (see above). http://www.authorstream.com

29. Podbean – Host your podcasts, blog, audio, and video. http://podbean.com

30. Survey Monkey - http://www.surveymonkey.com

31. MisterPoll – Create free online surveys with stats updated in real time. http://www.misterpoll.com

32. Poll4.com - Use cell phones to conduct polls via texting. (Choose “free” plan. Up to 30 responses.)http://www.polleverywhere.com/plans/retail

33. xtimeline.com – Participate in the synchronous collaboration & creation of timelines. http://www.xtimeline.com

34. Meet-O-Matic – Aids in the scheduling of meetings. Use in conjunction with Google calendars and its sharing capabilities. http://www.meetomatic.com/calendar.php

35. ZOHO - A comprehensive online suite of Microsoft compatible applications. Allows for sharing and collaboration. http://www.zoho.com.

36. ThinkFree - An online word processor. Office compatible. Saves documents as ,doc or .pdf. http://www.thinkfree.com


For the Students: A Little Interactive Fun!
(Educational, of Course)

Learn to Play Chess – An interactive chess game that displays possible moves when a piece is clicked upon. Great for beginners!
http://thedogpaddler.com/RandomUploads/FlashChess/flashChess.htm

Periodic Table Game – A fun way to learn the periodic table.
http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/Elementsgames.htm

2003 to 2007 Morphing Tool – A nifty little site that shows how to accomplish in Office 2007 what you do in Office 2003.
http://www.otterbein.edu/its/office2007help/featurefinder.asp

Add it Up! – A rapidly-paced game for students to practice addition skills.
http://schooltimegames.com/Mathematics/MP_Numbers.html

Billy Bug – Assist Billy Bug in finding food on a Cartesian coordinate system.
http://www.oswego.org/ocsd-web/games/BillyBug2/bug2.html

Story Starters – Students spin the wheel then use the topic to start writing a story.
http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/storystarters/storystarter1.htm

The Product Game – Use higher-order thinking skills to practice multiplication facts 1-9. http://illuminations.nctm.org/ActivityDetail.aspx?ID=29

If You Were President – Make decisions just as the president would. Not only do students have to answer the questions, but they have to justify their decisions.
http://teacher.scholastic.com/scholasticnews/games_quizzes/electiongame/game.asp

Inaugural Word Clouds – Each president’s inaugural speech presented in a “word cloud” (see also Wordle). A “word cloud is a representation of words; larger words being used more frequently. Great for analyzing prose (writing style, overuse of words, etc.)
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2009/01/17/washington/20090117_ADDRESSES.html

Magnet Poetry – Think of refrigerator magnets. The same, only in digital form!
http://www.magneticpoetry.com/kidspoetry/playonline.cfm

Do You Know Your States? – Identify as many as you can before the time runs out!
http://www.pibmug.com/files/map_test.swf

Changing Circuits – Use this virtual model to illustrate the operation of electrical circuits.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/ks2bitesize/science/activities/changing_circuits.shtml

Lingoes - Free Portable Translation & More

MyApps and PortableApps have been the topics of previous posts to this blog. To review, "apps" are short for "applications".

In the context of this and the two former blog posts, I'm addressing a suite (collection) of applications residing on and running from within a flash drive. They can be taken from computer to computer and require no installation other than onto the flash drive upon which they are stored.

The latest I've tried and found to be exceptionally powerful and versatile is Lingoes. This portable app features dictionaries, translators, speech, the ability to download and install multitudes of free dictionaries.

One of the most powerful dictionaries with which I've experimented is the bidirectional Chinese>English dictionary. If you interact with ELLs (English Language Learners) in any capacity, check out this free program. Click on the links above or below to learn more. You'll be pleasantly surprised at how easy it is to navigate this program.

Marion County educators: As always - If I can be of service in helping you or your students, please contact me.

Links:

• Download Lingoes: http://tinyurl.com/lbvp3a
  
• Lingoes dictionaries: http://tinyurl.com/l593al
  

MyApps - Create your Own Suite of Portable Software

From Scotland comes "MyApps", which consists of a set of free and open source applications ("apps") broken down into three categories:

1. EduApps
2. AccessApps
3. LearnApps

Each of these programs run from a flash drive, making setup a breeze! A quote from the website:

"Tired of grabbing application suites in which you only end up using five percent of the listed programs? Think you can do better than your average suite developer when it comes to picking and choosing the top apps that should go in a bundle? Alright, tough person. Hit up the Regional Support Centre Scotland North & East's official Web site and create your own customized MyApps listing. Pick the programs you want to have on your key, and the site will automatically create the single install file for you. It's as easy as that (or, if you're stubborn, grab one of the three pre-built packages: AccessApps, LearnApps, or TeachApps)

You have three options:

1. http://www.rsc-ne-scotland.ac.uk/eduapps/download.php
   This link takes you to the Access, Learn, and Teach packages (both "full" and "core" versions, and the informs you of the differences between them.
   
2. http://www.rsc-ne-scotland.ac.uk/eduapps/compare.php: The page to download the core and full versions of the Access, Learn, and Teach versions of the portable applications.
   
3. http://www.rsc-ne-scotland.ac.uk/eduapps/selection.php?ID=OTMyNQ==&suite=EduApps&clientID=1: The page where you can go to "mix and match" your own customized, zipped package of downloadable applications.

Looking through the list of available applications, you'll be pleased to find some assistive software for those who may be visually or hearing challenged. I customized my suite to include these programs as well as concept mapping, word processing, antivirus, browsing, and touch typing software.

Highly suggested: Secure a dedicated 2 GB flash drive for these portable applications. The make and model I'd recommend is the Sandisk Cruzer. The first thing I'd do after unpacking it is to uninstall the U3 system from the flash drive using the U3 uninstall utility located at http://u3uninstall.s3.amazonaws.com/U3Uninstall.exe

eSchool News - OUTSTANDING!

Not often does a publication cross my path that grabs my attention quite like this one: eSchool News. There's an online version, a paper version sent via mail, and an e-newsletter. Information covers the entire K-20 spectrum. There's news for parents, teachers, administrators, and higher education.

What really caught my attention was eSchool News TV! There were several engaging videos to view, all professionally rendered. The segment reviewing the NECC 2009 conference in Washington D.C. was especially enjoyable. If you've not yet experienced a technology conference of this scale and calibre, watch the video. You'll get a sense of the scale of this event. This year's conference attracted a crowd of 18,500+ attendees from all over the globe!

While visiting eSchool News, I also visited the Resources section. It was there that I found a link to royalty-free stock footage, sound effects, and motion background collections for $8.41 per DVD! Basically the disc collections are free. The charge is for shipping and handling per disc.

I could go on and on about what I found at eSchool News. Why not visit it for yourself and see the wealth of useful, practical, relevant information that awaits you? Set the egg timer, though, because you might forget to eat supper!

Enjoy!

LPs & Cassettes to MP3s

At this summer's NECC conference, I was reminded of devices that convert the old vinyl LP records (remember those?) and cassette tapes into digital MP3 files - great for using with PowerPoint or incorporating into digital storytelling projects.

I found a company called FirstStreet that sells both devices, and at reasonable prices, too!

Check out their USB turntable and USB cassette player, then download Audacity, CoolEdit96, PhotoStory, MovieMaker, or use Animoto and have a BLAST making your digital creations!

Animoto - Digital Storytelling Made Simple!

A gem of a tip from the SREB conference in Atlanta I want to share with you:

Animoto

This web-based application makes digital storytelling as about easy as easy as can be! A basic account is free. All you'll need is a computer, Internet access, an email account, and a digital camera.

Apply for an account at http://www.anomoto.com. Upload your pictures from your digital camera, sort them, then choose from the royalty-free music listed in their library OR upload your own music. This application even integrates with FaceBook if you have an account. It draws upon the pictures listed among those found in your FaceBook albums.

Once the photos are uploaded and sorted in the manner/sequence you desire, let the application do the rest. If you don't like the manner in which it "mixes" your photos and applies the effects and transitions, you simply press the "remix" button to generate a different set of transitions. No two renderings are the same.

Children will have this program figured out within on class period, if not less. You'll be extremely pleased with the results.

If you really want to "take it up a notch", use the FireFox web browser with the "NetVideoHunter" Add-In to download your flash video file for downloading and playback on your local computer.

Have fun experimenting. Request an educator account with extended features. They'll review your request. Here's the link to apply:
http://animoto.com/education/signup

In the meantime, sign up for a guaranteed free account that offers you a "30 second spot" capability to explore the features and the simplicity of this engaging application that your students are certain to learn from and enjoy!

SimSchool

Computer program aims to prepare teachers for the classroom

Click the link above to read the article about SimSchool. It's extremely informative! When you're finished, why not browse on over to http://www.simschool.org/ and register for a free account to see how it works?

This resource looks like it might be a way to:

• refresh skills
• assist a student teacher or intern
• prepare a new substitute teacher
• orient a high school student who's thinking of going into the education profession!

CRSTE to be at the WV Technology Conference

CRSTE (The Capital Region Society for Technology in Education) will be present at the West Virginia Statewide Technology Conference on August 3-7, 2009 at the Charleston Civic Center in Charleston, West Virginia. See http://www.wvnet.edu/conference/ for more details.

What is CRSTE? From the website:

"A 21st Century Organization
CRSTE is a different kind of professional organization. Designed to meet the needs of 21st century educators, CRSTE promotes collaboration among existing professional education and educational technology organizations. Free of traditional geographic and political boundaries, CRSTE reaches out to educators across the national capital region and around the world. We promote the global sharing of ideas, energies and resources, modeling the collaborative skills necessary in the Information Age.

Reflecting the values of Generation Y, CRSTE is truly a 21st century organization. CRSTE does not maintain a large overhead or incur ongoing expenses. We do not require individual memberships or host annual events. Rather, we earn the interest and support of educators by providing timely, flexible, high-interest initiatives that meet their ever-changing professional needs. CRSTE embraces administrators, technical staff, teachers, pre-service teachers, higher education and business. CRSTE also promotes green computing; we strive to be a paperless organization, conducting all correspondence and posting all announcements and resources online, and promoting virtual meetings and professional development events."

The cost to become a member? None. Zip. Zilch. Nada. Looking for an opportunity to become involved? Now's your chance!

Executive Director Walter McKenzie will be the presenter. If you've not had the opportunity to meet him, you're in for a special treat! He's a knowledgeable, passionate, and humorous man whose energy and enthusiasm knows no bounds that I've been able to discern over the 10+ years we've been friends. Click here to see a summary of his conference presentation.

Visit Walter's Surfaquarium website at http://surfaquarium.com/

See you at the state conference in August!

Download Online Videos the Easy Way

I used to have a separate application to download those flash-based videos embedded within web pages such as news websites, YouTube, and the like. No longer!

Ever since making the move from Internet Explorer to FireFox, I've made use of the Add-on called NetVideoHunter. This little gem makes downloading embedded videos a snap! The free FLV or GOM player renders them beautifully.

Give these applications a try. You won't be sorry. The "learning curve"? There's no curve at all!

eSchool News: Worth Every Penny!!! (Cents-Less!)

Not often does one gain access to a publication in either digital or print format that is worth its weight in gold, but here's an exception: "eSchool News".

Check out the website at http://www.eschoolnews.com. Registration is free. Sign up to receive their free newsletters. Here's the link: http://hb1.eschoolnews.com/registration/

Taking the time do access the information offered by this publication will be time well spent!

EtherPad - Online Document Collaboration in Real Time!

I've just discovered this collaborative source via Twitter called EtherPad. It allows multiple participants to collaborate simultaneously on a document in real time.

Naturally it's free (at least for now), and no account is required! Couple it with the power of Skype or Oovoo, and you've got a really powerful set of collaborative tools at your disposal!

An excerpt from the site: "When multiple people edit the same document simultaneously, any changes are instantly reflected on everyone's screen. The result is a new and productive way to collaborate on text documents, useful for meeting notes, drafting sessions, education, team programming, and more."

Check out EtherPad and the awesome demonstration at http://etherpad.com

PhotoPeach: A "Peach" of a Way to Create Digital Stories!

You won't believe just how simple and intuitive it is to create web-based presentations using photos with a service (still in Beta) called PhotoPeach. Create an account at http://photopeach.com, upload your pics, sort them, choose your music, and enjoy the results! It took me all of 5 minutes to produce the movie below.

Strife in Ethiopia on PhotoPeach



Get more great "Web 2.0" ideas from a fellow Blogger Peggy George at http://www.pgeorge.net

Librarian? NO! Media Specialist? YES!

Gone are the days of the school librarians as we once knew them. They now must be fluent with technology, and often assist students in locating primary and secondary resources online. They also assist children with the development of multimedia projects. Many assist in maintaining school websites.

Is it fair to expect them to be responsible for helping all students to become fluent in technology skills? Yes, it is. It's also fair to expect regular classroom teachers, art, music, and physical education teachers to do likewise.

The link below will take you to a site (a wiki) offering a multitude of ideas that can be implemented by ALL educators. The opportunities for implementation are limited only by one's initiative and imagination. Here it is:

http://webtools4u2use.wikispaces.com

"Lost" The Real Life Episode

There's "Lost" the TV series, then there's "Lost" as in losing data files. There are a plethora of utilities that exist, all claiming to recover lost files.

This review focuses upon a utility that's free, and which locates and restores accidentally deleted files.

The name of the utility is Recuva. It's available from http://tinyurl.com/quswbp. It's easy to learn. It works. I tried it and can attest to it's ability to perform as described.

From the website, the following summary:

"Chances are that if you've accidentally erased a file, or something malicious like a worm of virus has done it for you, Recuva will find it. And if it hasn't been overwritten, this program will recover it for you.

We did say delete. Despite the name, and the company's description of it as a "file recovery" utility, Recuva's not a recovery program in the accepted sense because it works only with an intact file system. If you've reformatted your drive, or there are physical errors, you'll need something else.

But if you just want a good un-delete program with a small disk footprint (and no financial cost), then Recuva is what you're looking for. It works on both FAT and NTFS file systems so you can undelete files on virtually any Windows PC ever made, and the interface is the very model of restrained style and efficiency.

--Jon L. Jacobi"

Enjoy!

"Manual" Labor

To the best of my knowledge, manuals for computers don’t exist (at least for us "consumers").

Usually a “quick setup guide” ships with computers, but I've yet to see full-blown "manual" as in the case of printers, cell phones, MP3 players, etc. Manuals for most consumer electronics (such as printers) exist, and may be downloaded from the manufacturer’s website.

Many computer manufacturers have a user’s Forum that provides a means of support.

• HP has one located at http://www.hp.com/#Connect. Click on the “HP Consumer Support Forum”.

• Dell's user community is located at http://tinyurl.com/9ep493

• Acer online support: http://tinyurl.com/q2vscl

• Toshiba's laptop user's Forum: http://laptopforums.toshiba.com/tshb

Time to Clean Your Filters!

With the changing of the seasons, it's always a good idea to clean your filters, whether they're furnace or air conditioners, and yes - digital projector filters!

Eventually your digital projector will prompt you that it's time to clean the filter. If you're left wondering what to do, check out the owner's manual. Can't find it? You might locate it online at the manufacturer's website.

Don't seek to just reset the warning - doing so will shorten the life of the components! Clean the filter (it's easy to do), THEN reset the warning (equally easy to do).

Another source for manuals is at http://www.scribd.com. It's here that I located a manual for a bluetooth headset I own, as well as for a Viewsonic digital projector manual that specifically addresses the cleaning of the unit's filter.

Locate the manual/tutorial for cleaning the Viewsonic's filter at http://tinyurl.com/qvuuu5

PDF Power! (free- naturally)

PDF forms are great. They are cross-platform documents that take up little space. Cross-platform? That means they run on both PCs and Macs. A Word document converted to a PDF document is smaller in size than a PDF file, and keeps others from making changes to the original. The PDF format does quite well at preserving the original layout of the document in which it was created. Get your Word documents converted to PDF format at http://www.zamzar.com.

Ever received a PDF file that required you to "fill in the blanks", then print and mail the form?

Why not fill in the blanks, save the form,then email it? Wouldn't that be easier? Sure! The software exists, but it costs BIG BUCKS! There is a free alternative. Read below from http://www.pdfill.com

"Many of you are aware that Adobe Reader is a software program that has been installed in almost every computer and is used to view and fill PDF forms. With Adobe Reader, if the file is an interactive form, you may enter data on the form and print the form with the data, but the PDF file can not be saved locally. If the PDF file is a non fill-in form, Adobe Reader has no way of entering data on the form. The only solution to this up until now was to dish out more than $500 to purchase the complete Adobe Acrobat program in order to perform those tasks. But now with PDFill PDF Editor you can do all these tasks at a fraction of the cost. Furthermore, you can open PDF file, add commenting annotations or draw shapes. The edited documents can then be saved directly back to the original PDF file."

Center For Interactive Learning & Collaboration (CILC)

What a resource! CILC's newsletter alone is worth the time it takes to subscribe. You'll receive in your email inbox regularly updated opportunities to connect with others on a global scale, and on a variety of issues and topics.

Be sure to delve deeper into the website! There you'll find a variety of videoconferencing resources for teachers and students, all related to collaboration and free professional development.

The collaboration index features something for everyone from primary grades to secondary levels and all curricular areas. There's something for everyone!

http://www.cilc.org/collaboration_all.aspx

Couple the videoconferencing resources at CILC with Videoconferencing for K–12 Classrooms, Second Edition and Interactive Videoconferencing from ISTE. You'll pave the way for a winning experience for your students!

Global Connections; Cultural Connections

Looking for a safe source to connect your classroom with others throughout the world?

Here's THE place to go to:

http://eflclassroom.ning.com/page/classroom-connecting

'Nuff said!

;-)

Collaboration for ESL Practitioners & With ELLs

If you've read through the posts I've made to date, it should be apparent by now that there are a myriad of tools for online collaborating with practitioners. Some tools offer more features than others. Most all are free.

Below is a link that has a list of URLs to collaborate with those whose audience is a bit more focused: ESL (English as a Second Language). What a great way to get involved in eTeching and eLearning!

http://cli.gs/bXaJEM

eWalk Report

How to Create and View an eWalk Report
Charlie Pitrolo

Log in at https://mxweb.media-x.com/home/marionboewv. Click on the eWalk icon. From the next screen, click on Reports.

On the next screen, click on the “Subject” tab.

Select the Walkthrough 08-09 template from the drop-down menu.

Select the date range to the right of that section (section 3), then click on “Submit Report”.

WebTop? iCloud!!!

In the schools, LoJack was installed on laptops to track them in case they are stolen. This year recoveries have been made. In an earlier post to this blog (see the March 14th entry entitled "Lock & Trace Your Other Laptop(s)", I mentioned a product that you could download to your laptop (or desktop), and that does the same. It goes by the name of LaptopLock.

On another, similar note:

Some of you may be familiar and in fact may have received training on WebTop. Whether or not you have, there's a similar product that takes WebTop to a new level. Consider it a portable operating system that follows you from computer to computer, no matter from which computer you login, and from any location!

This "virtual operating system" offers a generous 3 GB of storage space, email, a web browser, a writing application, calendar, file sharing, calculator, desktop with customizable desktop, chat client, and much, MUCH more!!! It offers most everything that WebTop does, and more.

Of course, iCloud is free. Check out the iCloud virtual operating system at http://www.icloud.com. It works very, very well on Internet Explorer, and fairly well (with some minor glitches) in FireFox, although it appears that strides are being made in this area.

Collaboration Tools Revisited

As your team or PLC seeks alternative ways to communicate (aside from SLOW, clunky, outdated, one-way email), consider at the possibilities afforded to you by the free service called Scribblar. It offers a whiteboard that can be marked up, a private room that accommodates audio and multiple users, uploadable documents, and more.

http://www.scribblar.com

To complement your collaborative efforts and make them as portable as your collaborative environment, consider the wealth of free, cross-platform (they work on Macintosh or PCs) applications that run from a flash drive OR an SD card (often used in digital cameras) if your laptop has a card reader slot. These applications, like the OpenOffice Suite, are Microsoft Office compatible. In other words, OpenOffice Writer will save files in .doc format to your flash drive or SD card, then, when inserted in another computer with Microsoft Office installed, the files will open.

The really attractive feature about portable apps (applications) is that they take up NO (0%) room on the computer's hard drive! The web browser leaves NO trace of Internet activity (like cookies, passwords, or History) on the computer to which the flash drive or SD card was inserted and the program run. Likewise with the portable email program. Get the idea?

Free, portable, small, private, and compatible. What's not to love? Get a flash drive or SD card then be prepared to feel the freedom! The larger the capacity, the better. While a 4 GB unit will suffice comfortably , I use an 8 GB drive. They're inexpensive; the latter costing $20.00 or so at Radio Shack.

Download the PortableApps from http://portableapps.com.

Homes That Promote Learning

What Kind of homes promote learning? The answers to those of us in education may be obvious, but to those who are new to parenting (or who have less than adequate parenting skills), the answers may be elusive. Check out http://tinyurl.com/d62sw8 and the other videos to learn more, or to provide parents with timely information.

---

Take Note!
In past entries, I've mentioned online resources that allow for journaling and retrieval of notes. Here's another that takes journaling to another level. It also accommodates video and movie clips. Of course it's free. Check out http://www.evernote.com Learn how to journal or send notes, photos, movie and audio clips from your cell phone, iTouch, or other mobile devices and send them to your Evernotes web account. Great for students with cell phones when on field trips or other out-of-classroom situations. The applications are endless!

Sending Email Using Gmail

Create an email account at http://www.gmail.com.

Write down your email account name and password.

 

On your Centro, open Versamail.

Create a new account.

 

Enter a name for your new account (i.e. "access")

 

Enter your login name: (i.e. yourname@access.k12.wv.us)

Enter your access.k12.wv.us password.

 

 

Mail type: POP

 

username: yourname@access.k12.wv.us

Incoming Mail Server: access.k12.wv.us

Outgoing Mail Server: smtp.gmail.com

 

Advanced:

 

Incoming Server Settings:

Port Number 110

Both Boxes Unchecked

• Use Secure Connection (SSL)
• Use Authentication ((APOP)

 

Next>>>

 

Outgoing Server Settings:

Port Number: 465

Check Both Boxes:

• Use Secure Connection (SSL)
• Use Authentication (ESMTP)

 

Username: yourname@gmail.com

Password: Gmail account Password

 

Click "Done"

Professional Learning Communities - Outside the Box

Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) are wonderful entities. Time, distance, and location will always be factors that present themselves as obstacles to be overcome.

Enter Twiddla - a virtual meeting space that's free, offers co-browsing, a white board, conference-calling, document-sharing, and more! You can open an account or conduct a meeting without an account. There's even a "sandbox" for you to practice learning the features of this powerful "virtual meeting space". Give it a try!

When logistics are critical, Twiddla might just be the answer your PLC is seeking!

http://www.twiddla.com

Charlie

Pre-Algebra, Algebra 1, and Algebra 2 Freebies

Check out the vast multitude of free printables for Pre-Algebra, Algebra 1, and Algebra 2, at
http://www.kutasoftware.com/freemain.html You'll save hours of time. You won't regret the visit to this site. 'Nuff said! (for now)

ESL Resources

The following are some "tried and true" web resources for supplementing your ESL materials and instruction:

• http://www.literactive.com/Home/index.asp (interactive, downloadables, free!)
• http://www.eslcafe.com (THE ESL Guru!)
• http://www.esl-lab.com (Grab your headphones, kids!)
• http://eflclassroom.ning.com (Network with ESL educators from the world over!)
• http://cuentacuentos.ning.com (Storytelling and Song For English Language Learners)
• http://a4esl.org/q/h/grammar.html (Oh, those parts of speech, contractions, plurals, and more!!!)
• http://www.manythings.org Do NOT pass this one up! You'll regret it!
• http://www.tesol.org/s_tesol/seccss.asp?CID=113&DID=1583
• http://babelfish.yahoo.com Translate between many languages. Great for sending home notes in native languages.
• http://imtranslator.net/plugin-tr.asp(ImTranslator 3.2 for Internet Explorer and Firefox - WAY COOL!)
• http://www.literactive.com/Home/index.asp Great for beginning readers AND for English Language Learners, too! VERY interactive.
• http://www.readwritethink.org/index.asp Set the alarm, or you'll lose track of time at this site!
• http://a4esl.org Powerful! Talk about a site that covers the parts of speech! This is the place!
• http://english-zone.com/index.php (...the BEST English-Learner's site on the 'Net!)
• http://www.mes-english.com Free printables For teachers.
• http://www.readingrockets.org Focuses upon reading for early childhood, but many strategies can be adopted for ESL students, too.
• http://www.theschoolbell.com/Links/read_enviro/read1.html Try the “Word Detective” game, which uses signs found on many school campuses. Students are asked to use what they know about spelling and decoding to answer prompts about the words. Teachers can print pages to send home; encouraging parents to read and decode street signs with their children.
• http://www.quia.com/shared Check out the ESL and ESOL sections for activities that are interactive. Those related to irregular verbs are numerous and engaging!
• http://medtropolis.com/VBody.asp Learn about the human body in a virtual environment. Available in English and Español.
• http://public.research.att.com/~ttsweb/tts/demo.php Type or copy/paste in the text, select a voice (American, of course), and let it speak for the students. Pronounces contractions and suffixes properly.
• http://www.proteacher.net/discussions/forumdisplay.php?f=156 The ProTeacher Community forums cover so many topics, but this link in particular goes directly to the ESL message board and subtopics. To see what all else is available, go back to the main page at http://www.proteacher.net
• http://www.harcourtschool.com/storytown Check out "Grammar Glossary"!
• http://np.harlan.k12.ia.us/reading_center.htm Different facets of reading instruction with a multitude of links to many entertaining activities. From the Harlan Community School District's New Park Elementary School (New Park, IA).

享用 (Enjoy!)

Really Nasty Malware - AntiVirus 360

Recently several people have contacted me, reporting that their PCs have been infected with a "virus" that keeps bugging them to purchase a program called "AntiVirus 360". it reports that their computer is loaded with all kinds of viruses, malware, and trojans.

Antivirus 360 is a rogue anti-spyware program intended to fool users into purchasing a fake product. Persistent pop ups and system tray warnings pound users with fake system alerts. Often -- without knowing -- users are tricked in to thinking these fake alerts are official "Windows Alerts". AntiVirus 360 is a nasty program running silently in the background which kills PC performance.

So...the facts is that AntiVirus 360 IS malware. Really REALLY bad malware. Some have taken their computers to repair shops and had the hard drives totally reformatted to get rid of it. That doesn't have to be done, though. There's a "triple-whammy" that I've used to get rid of the pest.

First, I disable "System Restore", the screen saver, and disable Hibernation mode.

I start by keeping my LEGITIMATE antivirus program, Norton Antivirus, up-to-date. I don't use the Norton Security Suite. It's a resource hog. I just use the plain-Jane Norton AntiVirus. It's updated at least every week, then I run a full system scan.

I also use Malwarebyte's Anti-Malware. It's free. I also update it and run a scan to remove threats. Ad-Aware is also used. It, too, is free. It requires updating, scanning, and the removal of any threats found.

Using all three of these programs in concert has successfully removed AntiVirus 360 from three PCs without having to reformat the hard drives. Keep the programs up-to-date. Scan your PC regularly. Make backups of your files.

Hint: Be wary of buying a program claiming to be a tool that removes AntiVirus 360. It just might be more of the same.

Lock & Trace Your Other Laptop(s)

Our district has installed software that traces stolen laptops, and has successfully proven itself.

You, too, can install similar software on your own laptops for FREE. You can also control it remotely once you realize that it's been stolen, as long as it's been connecting to the Internet. Best of all, you can delete or encrypt files and even track the location right down to the state, city, and street location!

Did I mention that the cost is zero, zip, zilch? I've tried it. It works!!! Go to http://www.thelaptoplock.com and learn more. You can register as many laptops as you want. For free. All you need is an email account.

Now: Couple that service with another FREE program that serves as a motion sensor and, if your laptop has a built-in web camera, will take a picture of the suspected thief, upload it to an FTP server of your choice, and record the IP address from which it connected to the Internet. Couple this information with that provided by LaptopLock, and you've got a powerful security suite that increases the chances of recovering your laptop and securing or even deleting sensitive data. The name of this additional program? Yaw-cam. Get it from http://www.yawcam.com.

Next: Where to get a free FTP server? Try http://www.drivehq.com/ftp. You can get 1 GB of free storage; more than enough for this setup.

Enjoy the feeling of added security!

Student Writing: Online, Anywhere, Anytime, Integrated

WRITEIT! LIVE, an online student writing platform, appears to offer a untold potential! Accounts start as low as $4.00 per student as of this posting. The publisher offers a myriad of educational products, but this one in particular catches my eye.

Visit the publisher's site at http://www.ftcpublishing.com or go directly to the writing site and sign up your school (up to 250 free fully functional trial accounts) at http://www.writeitlive.com.

Another site to explore is JAYCUT. This site is free, and allows you to audio, video, and photos. You can also create transitions and special effects. Great for podcasts and digital storytelling! http://www.jaycut.com.

As an aside: While performing recent installs of DIBELS software, I can say with confidence that the vast majority of computers need antivirus definitions updated. This is a very important "maintenance" procedure. If you'd like a refresher on how to perform this simple task, let me know. I'll be glad to assist you.

NING and Elluminate: Architectural Scaffolding for PLCs

NING

http://www.ning.com

Social Networking 2.0

Interactive
Multimedia
Scalable
Public/Open community
Private/Closed Community
Local
Global

Get your feet wet – Explore!

•http://www.classroom20.com
•http://nextgen.ning.com
•http://digistories.ning.com
•http://eflclassroom.ning.com
•http://k12opensource.ning.com


Couple the power of NING with the capability of Elluminate to bring members together for sharing information, planning, and problem-solving. How? Consider the limited, free, cross-platform service provided for by Elluminate, or the fuller, yet economic version.

ELLUMINATE:

http://www.elluminate.com

Free for three (3) simultaneous connections. Hint: Three connections could be equal to three rooms with ten people each. The cost for additional connections is very reasonable…as low as $33.00/month.

To view a recorded demonstration, or to schedule a live, online demonstration go to http://www.elluminate.com/demo/live_demo.jsp

I’d be glad to go through these services with you and your staff. Please contact me to schedule a demonstration. Sessions include file sharing, PowerPoint-sharing, audio and video, co-browsing, markups on whitespace, and more!

Journaling & Reading: Lost Arts?

Do you feel like students aren't writing enough, or that getting them to write is like trying to floss fish teeth? Try appealing to their "inner digital native". A simple and easy way to get them up and running in no time is at http://www.notebookg.com

As far as reading: Consider the iTouch or Amazon's Kindle. Pricey? Maybe OR maybe not. If the goal is to get children to read, the medium in which the written word is consumed is wide-open. You can always start small. You can also ask to see a demonstration. That's why I'm available to you as your county technology integration coordinator. Give me a call and ask to arrange a demonstration of the iTouch or the Kindle. I'd be glad to come into your classroom and let you see them first-hand!

TED

There's YouTube (sorry - if you're trying to access this extremely beneficial site from school, it'll be blocked), TeacherTube, GodTube (now called Tangle), Facebook (yet another blocked website), Blogger, MySpace (you guessed it - blocked), Ning, TBD, and a host of other Web 2.0 sites that provide dynamic content.

Take social networking to another level! Consider TED as your next stop to gather information and exchange ideas with others, upload and download videos, and acquire new, global perspectives!

A visionary think-tank I am fortunate to be a member of, Master Minds, held a teleconference today. One of the "speakers" we listened to was Benjamin Zander, a classical music afficionado. We discussed how the related arts MUST be made part of the STEM approach to assessment, and how they were, for the most part, being overlooked. We also discussed left and right-brain studies as they relate to assessment and the arts.

What I'd like to introduce to you, however, is the immense potential for gaining new insights and networking potential with educators from all over the world! Check out TED. You won't be sorry!

Collaborating With Others - It's How We Grow & Learn

One of the blessings of networking with colleagues is the knowledge that's shared. In doing so, all reap the benefits of growing - even more so when that knowledge is "brought home" to those with whom we associate.

Janet Bennincosa, a friend and colleague in Harrison County, wears one hat, and one hat only - Technology Integration Coordinator. She has developed a set of resources that I'd like to share with you. It's packed with information focusing upon 21st Century Tools, resources, and curricular resources, K-5, covering all content areas. I know you'll find some very useful resources that you can put to use.

Click on the URL below:

http://www.wvschools.com/harrisoncounty/csos/elementarycsos.html

Music & Technology in the Classroom

There are a wealth of resources available to the classroom teacher, whether choral or instrumental, that can be used to augment the music program and bring technology into the curriculum. These resources can also be used to enhance instructional delivery.

One such product is a piece of hardware called the MusicPad Pro Plus, from http://www.freehandsystems.com/products.html This product is an electronic-touch-screen based notebook. Scan your music, save it to a flash drive, then insert the drive into the MusicPad. It can then be opened up and read sheet music electronically. Pages can be turned by touching the screen or optional foot pedal. The unit comes with a stylus that permits one to make markups to the music, then saves the markups for rehearsal. The unit will also connect to a digital projector so your students can view the music on a large screen. You'll then be able to see their faces as they read the music behind you. No more "hidden faces" looking down at the music! I have such a device. It's easy to learn how to navigate this piece of equipment. It mounts on a music stand and is portable. It has a battery that is good for 2 or so hours between charges.

Another item is a free piece of software called Anvil Studio. This program creates midi files that can be played on a computer or through a clavinova. You can then accompany the clavinova with another instrument such as a trumpet or guitar. Chad Davis, a local musician, has used this program with great success. Get the program from http://www.anvilstudio.com

Another program that is similar to but much more versatile than Anvil Studio is one called FL Studio. The demo version is fully functional, but will not save your projects, HOWEVER, it will allow you to export them as .wav or .mp3 files. The program allow for multi-track composition and looping. I've not worked with it but have seen it in action. Local musician Dusty Merrill has used it with success in our church as part of the worship and praise team. It is VERY impressive. The fully functional version is $99.00. The demo version, though, should do what you want it to do if .wav or mp3 files will meet your needs. Download FL Studio from http://flstudio.image-line.com

Charlie

Students Gathering Data - It CAN Be Fun!

As educators, when we hear the word "data", we know the importance that it plays in decision-making. West Virginia CSOs require students to be able to read and interpret data in the form of charts, diagrams, tables, and a variety of other formats.

Many times, the data presented to them in curricular materials is irrelevant to them; to their interests. Why not provide for them a set of tools whereby they can construct their own questions, gather their own data, then render it in a variety of graphical forms for the purposes of interpretation and presentation?

Fortunately, there exist a few simple, free, and easy-to-learn online resources to help them do just that!

1. PollDaddy http://www.polldaddy.com See it in action at http://cpitrolo.wordpress.com/2009/01/26/poll Click on "View Results" to see the rendering of results in graphical format.
2. MisterPoll http://www.misterpoll.com See samples at http://www.misterpoll.com/directory See a possibly relevant sample at http://www.misterpoll.com/polls/392490 Click on "Results" to see the rendering of results in graphical format.
3. For a simple website that allows students to create various charts (i.e. bar graphs, pie charts, line graphs) visit http://nces.ed.gov/nceskids/createAgraph/default.aspx. There's even a "classic" interface available at http://nces.ed.gov/nceskids/graphing/classic for those wanting a more simplified interactive experience.

Simply put: Let the children develop their own topics, design their own hypotheses or predictions, design their own questions that address those predictions, then conduct the poll(s).

The results can be used to explain and or justify their predictions and refine or rationalize the "why" of the outcomes. Now there's learning that's relevant, involves students in higher-order thinking, real-world, and engaging!

From The Voices of Youth

Ever wonder what our youth feel it takes to be successful in the 21st Century workforce? Listen to what they have to say! Log in to http://edutopia.org/youth-voices.

One of the skills that can't be emphasized enough is that of journaling. For a free, simple, no-nonsense web-based service, check out http://www.notebookg.com.

For a true-to-form webquest that illustrates and integrates both collaboration and 21st Century skills applications, check out http://www.questgarden.com/66/37/6/080530203752/

Discipline Strategies for the 21st Century Classroom - Ruby Payne

The software-based simulation program and companion book, Working With Students: Discipline Strategies for the 21st Century Classroom, by Ruby Payne is an engaging program available at three programmatic levels . It's ideal for teacher candidates (i.e. student teachers, participants, tutors, and interns), as well as those taking teacher education coursework. It can be reviewed and ordered from the following:

http://www.ahaprocess.com/store/Sims.html

My wife uses this program with her EDU200 students at WVU. As I stated before, it is engaging and gives people the experience (albeit vicariously) of developing discipline strategies within a 21st Century context.

Best of all, the software and book won't bust your budget! It's very affordable!

A Collection of Web Pages for Teachers

Over the years I've assembled a collection of web pages for teachers. They span all curricular areas and programmatic levels. They are content-oriented and address professional as well as personal productivity. To visit this collection, click View My Complete Profile, then scroll down to and click on "My Web Page".

Add A Little Speed to Your PC

Here are a few easy tips (in addition to the periodic maintenance in a separate entry made earlier) that you can perform periodically to keep your computer humming along:

1. Open "My Computer".
   
2. Right-click on the C: drive.
   
3. Left click on "Properties".
   
4. Uncheck the box at the bottom of the screen to dis-allow the Indexing service.
   
5. Click on the "Tools" tab.
   
6. Click on the "Error Checking" button.
   
7. There are two boxes for error checking. Click to place a check in both.
   
8. Click "Start", then "Yes" to the prompt".
   
9. Restart your computer.
   
10. Your computer will run the two routines you checked in step #7 above.

Windows has a built-in disk degragmenter, but it's marginally effective. Below are links to two free utilities I've used that will defragment your disk much faster and oprimize your hard drive more effectively than Windows "Disk Defragmenter. I'm more partial to the first one listed, although both are good products in their own right, and free, to boot!

1. Auslogics Disk Defrag http://www.auslogics.com/en/software (They also make a product called Auslogics Registry Defrag that is free and effective.
2. PerfectDisk 2008 http://www.download.com/PerfectDisk/3000-2094_4-10349543.html

Feeling Disconnected?

Ever lost your Internet connection? Don't reboot! Try these two simple commands for Windows XP:

1. Click Start, then Run. In the text box, type ipconfig /release (NOTE the space after the "g" in "ipconfig"). Click "OK". A black screen will quickly appear then disappear. This is normal.
2. Click Start, then Run. Type ipconfig /renew. (NOTE the space after the "g" in "ipconfig"). A black screen will appear and last a little longer as your Internet connection is reestablished.

This trick works better more often on wired computers, but does work with wirelessly connected workstations. In any case, it's faster than rebooting!

Periodic Maintenance

At least once a month, it's a good idea to keep the files on your computer in order. Here are 2 things you can do to help keep your computer running faster and more smoothly:

1. Run the "Check Disk" utility (for Windows XP). How? Click on Start, then Run. In the box, type the following: chkdsk /f. Note the space after the "k". After you've typed that, click on "OK". At the black screen prompt, type Y and press the Enter key on your keyboard, then restart your computer.
2. Run the Disk Defragmenter utility. How? Click on Start, mouse up to Programs, mouse over to Accessories, then to System Tools, then down to Disk Defragmenter. Click the "Defragment" button.

   Note: Disable your screen saver before running disk defragmenter.

Performing these two routines once a month will pay big dividends in helping to keep your computer running more optimally!

Stay Ahead of Adware, Spyware, & Malware!

It used to be that Ad-Aware was the venerable tried-and-true utility of choice for removing malware from computers. Recently I've discovered and begun using a much more thorough utility called Anti-Malware from http://www.malwarebytes.org. It's free. Give it a try! You won't be disappointed!

Welcome!!!

It's great to see you here! Periodically I'll post tech tips and thoughts for the educational community. Many of the thoughts will take the form of practical ideas and suggestions that I've personally tried, so as to remove any concerns with whether or not they're "safe".

While I won't be providing technical support for the products, I will answer questions to the extent that my experience with them will allow. Thank you for your dedication to learning and passion for helping the children through advancing technology, not for technology's sake alone, but for helping children to realize its potential as a tool to help themselves!

-Charlie