Annotated+References

1.) Teaching Today: Teaching Tips, Lesson Plans & More – Blog Basics [] This article discusses how an education blog can be a great tool for students and teachers. This article touches on the benefits of blogs such as classroom management, collaboration, discussions, and student portfolios. The article wraps up with discussing potential risks, how to prepare students for blogging, and how to get started using blogs. 2.)Screencasting in the Classroom http://eduscreencasting.wikispaces.com/ I loved this website…it was full of great information; however, I was not able to view the “presentation” and “sample screencast.” Chris Bell states that screencasts are great because they are visual, auditory, and kinesthetic. The author incorporates free screencasting software as well as software that can cost money J. He also has pages with examples of screencasts and how to begin preparing a screencast. 3.) __Twenty-Two__ Interesting Ways to use Twitter in the Classroom [] This is a PowerPoint presentation that gives great examples on how to incorporate twittering into a classroom. For example, I could have my students twitter what the current weather conditions are outside. This presentation also mentions how this is a great way for parents to follow what is occurring in the classroom. I love the idea of how tweeting can be used to monitor the students learning. Also… keep tweets “Short but Sweet.” 4.) Video Blogging for Teachers [] This article explains that you as a teacher or even a student don't need to be an expert in technology in order to video blog. All you need is a camcorder, an internet connection, and free editing software to begin. Ideas for vlogs include school events, school projects, and important lessons. This article also suggests adding video to your blog to help supplement the idea you are trying to portray. To wrap up the article it lists benefits to video blogging and considerations to take into account before you have your students start vlogging.

5.) Using Shared Online Video to Anchor Instruction: YouTube and Beyond [|http://www.facultyfocus.com?p=7870] Curtis J. Bonk, PhD, does a great job of listing 10 ways to integrate online video into the classroom. Tips include using videos to anchor a lesson, end a lesson, pause and reflect, anchor competitions, anchor debates, anchor creator interviews, anchor creators, demand key concept reflections, online class previews and discussions, and cool resource provider handouts. The author does a great job describing what each of these titles mean. 6.) Lessons Come Alive with Digital Storytelling [] Digital Storytelling is a great way to incorporate multiple senses. Digital storytelling always a teacher and/or student to present lessons using text, graphics, videos, music, recorded narration, etc. This article offers recommendations before you begin incorporating digital storytelling, such as taking into consideration if you want to make a connection between two ideas/themes, etc. The article also says photographs can have just as much impact as a video clip. To wrap up the article it gives popular programs to use. 7.) Using Flickr in the Classroom: Illinois Education and Technology Conference [] This article addresses how Flickr can be used to in lessons to promote and build visual literacy skills in students. Flickr also helps teachers instruct on intellectual property rights. Flickr has the RSS capability which allows schools to pool photographs in a database. This article also offers 16 ways to use Flickr in the classroom, such as: single image writing prompt, virtual field trips, using Flickr with Google Earth to teach Geography, delivering school/classroom information via RSS, etc.

8.) How to Teach Anyone RSS (The Moleskin) [] The big idea with RSS is to get people hooked. they need to see why RSS can be so useful. The first tip offered in this article is to form a brief description (RSS is essentially a notification system). Second, support your brief description with analogies. Third, ask questions to see if RSS is right for them, for example, do they check multiple news sites and subscribe to dozens of email newsletters? Fourth, teach by showing. Fifth, use examples other than blogs and podcasts. Sixth, Avoid technical jargon. 9.) Using Chatting and Instant Messaging in the Classroom [] Chatting is a easy way to get several people to voice their opinions at once and it allows shy people an opportunity to speak up (they are typing their thoughts). Basic guidelines for group chat include: having students work in groups of 3-5, giving students clear expectations for grades, requiring students to email you their work, encouraging students to challenge each other and draw for the sources they are using, and giving students a few questions to work on and then allowing them to come up with a few questions of their own. 10.) Teaching with Technology, Educational Podcasting: New Classroom Technology Tips and Equipment to Upload Podcasts [] This article addresses how easy it is for students to create their own podcast. All they need is a microphone (or .mp3 recorder) to record their voice and recording software. This article recommends free software from Gcast.com. Editing software allows students to remove slips of the tongue, rambly portions, and silent gaps. Garbageband.com has a huge selections of free, podafe music to choose from. Garbage band and Gcast are sister sites and easy to work with. Once the podcast is created, students can upload their work to a free hosting site. 11.) 50 Awesome Ways to Use Skype in the Classroom [] Skype is a free and easy resource. This site says "students can learn from other students, connect with other cultures, and expand their knowledge in amazing ways." This article offers ways to promote education (#'s 1-10) such as chatting with an author the students studied. It also promotes community (#'s 11-20) such as connecting with families from around the world. The next section offers ways in which Skype can help parents and teachers (#'s 21-30), such as professional development opportunities. The next section (#'s 31-40) offers basic directions/suggestions on how to use Skype (how to take advantage of Skype). The last section (#'s 41-50) offers suggestions on how to find others that are using Skype.

12.) Tips for Using Wikis for Teaching and Learning: Implications of how this Web 2.0 Tool in Transforming Education [] This website gives a variety of ways on how to use wikis in the classroom. Ideas are endless as long as the teacher is creative in thinking up new ideas. Examples given are teaching lessons, e-portfolio of student work, glossary of terms, taxonomy, investigations. This articles also gives tips to avoid when using wikis. These include but are not limited to controlling access and locking designated areas for protection. The last part of the article offers ways on how to collaborate with wikis. 13.) Use of Wikipedia in the Classroom http://bcejan08pls.wikispaces.com/Use+of+Wikipedia+in+the+Classroom This wiki site makes a great point of letting students know that Wikipedia is a great starting point, but can not be the only place a student does research. Also, they can not take all the information at face value. Students need to examine different sites when researching the for the same information. Students need to look at the date on the Wikipedia site or see when it was last updated. They need to examine the author for credentials and look for biases the author may have included in the entry. This site also lists an excellent Wikipedia Resource Page (gives the link), Information to Share with Parents (gives a link), and an example page of how Wikipedia could be used in a lesson.

14.) Ning [] This site begins by giving the definition of Ning, background information, features, and how to join. It then goes into classroom applications. It states Ning could be used for an individual classroom or even a pod. Classroom assignments/homework could be posted on the site. It could be a place to discuss ideas/answers to homework problems. The article goes on to list downfalls of Ning. However, my favorite part of this article is the sample lesson plan. The articles concludes by telling how Ning has an international connection. 15.) 100 Ways you Should be using Facebook in Your Classroom [] What a great site! Teachers are able to use Facebook for class projects, enhancing communication, and engaging students. This site offers 100 ways to accomplish these goals. Number 1-11 offer ways to use Facebook for class projects. Next are examples on how to facilitate communication (numbers 12-24). Benefits of Facebook are numbers 25-33. Tips for educators is the next section (numbers 34-43). Numbers 44-57 offer Facebook resources for students. Facebook applications is the next section (numbers 58-65). Facebook application for both students and teachers, Facebook groups for teachers, Facebook in K-12, and Facebook to help find a job make up the 35 examples. 16.) Teaching Today: Teaching Tips, Lesson Plans, and More - Social Bookmarking [] This site provides a great introduction to social bookmarking, such as, what it is, how it moves beyond Google, why it is user-friendly, and why it is so powerful. It then gives ideas on why social bookmarking should be used in the classroom. This article states social bookmarking provides classroom management, collaboration, and news gathering. To end the article, steps are provided on how to get started and other sites to gather more information about social bookmarking.

17.) How to use Google Apps in the Classroom [] This website shows why Google Apps is so powerful. There are short video clips explaining the wonderful features of Google Apps. There is an introductory video, as well as, videos on collaboration and sharing, how to create forms, how to use the drawing tool, and how to use Google calendar. There are also short explanations on accountability, writing, spreadsheets, and presentations. 18.) 5 Collaborative Learning Options to Improve Development of Writing Skills [] This article discuss how to use collaborative learning while teaching writing skills, which is important in every classroom. There are five levels, at level one, students need to know very little about writing and at level 5 students need to know a considerable amount about writing. Level 1 is the novice level or peer coaching, level 2 is peer tutoring, level 3 is peer review, level 4 is peer editing, and level 5 is collaborative writing. 19.) Publishing it Yourself: Experiences with PoD [] This article is on publishing on demand. It compares and contrasts several different sites that allow you to publish. Looking at just Lulu in the article, it states it is quite expensive, but it is also a service agency. You can upload word documents to Lulu and create a cover. Lulu has a publishing wizard and you HAVE to order a book through them to make sure it looks right (I think this is a nice feature).