Today’s webinar resource is a blog called Classroom 2.0 Live!  This blog contains weekly shows on a variety of education technology topics.   The webinars are hosted by educators and technology leaders from around the world.  Each week there are a variety of topics to chose from.

The webinars and the resources associated with them are all archived on the blog.  That way you can pick an chose what you want to learn about when you want it.  You will also have access to all the Livebinders associated with the presentations.  That way you can learn on your own.  Past topics include: iPads, Evernote, Kidblog, Digital Portfolios, etc.

Happy tech trails Blue Devils!

Here are a few Livebinders I have found with some great resources for your interactive white boards.  If you click on the tabs, you will be directed to the site and you can bookmark the ones you like for future use in your classrooms.

For those of you who do not have a meeting scheduled today, Brainpop has an interesting webinar on using Google Apps and Brainpop.   Even if you cannot “attend” this session live, you will be able to view the archived presentation on your own time.

Wednesday, January 23rd at 3:30 PM ET- Google This: BrainPOP and Google Apps for Education

Explore BrainPOP’s integration with Google Application for Education and the Google Chrome web application. Andrew Gardner, BrainPOP Educators Senior Manager, will discuss the benefits of integrating Google and BrainPOP, including single sign-on, the ability to collect quiz score data directly into a spreadsheet, and more.

Today I am blogging from Nancy Latimer’s PD class on the app Socrative.  “Socrative is a smart student response system that empowers teachers to engage their classrooms through a series of educational exercises and games via smartphones, laptops, and tablets.”

You can use this on any device including laptops and desktop.  It is a response system that allows you to ask question and get student responses in real time.  It is a great tool for students who may be shy about raising their hands.  The answers are secret, but you can track their progress.

Questions can be asked orally or you can create quizzes on Socrative to give to your students.  The students results can then be emailed to you to view the results for each student.  Quizzes can be teacher or student paced.

There is a great game called “Space Race”  that students compete in teams to answer questions as quickly as possible.  When they answer correctly their rocket moves across the screen.  The team with the most correct answers wins the race.

Here is an example of a teacher using Socrative in her classroom:

If you are interested in learning more about Socrative, please email me and we can work together.

Happy tech trails Blue Devils!

I am currently running a series of professional development classes on educational technology.  These classes are Tuesday afternoons and the new list of topics should be coming out shortly.  Many of you have expressed interest in attending a class, but you may have not been able to.  There is a way for you to get some of the benefits of the classes online.  I have created Live Binders with resources used in each class.  You can then use the information to learn on your own.  Hope this helps.

Happy tech trails Blue Devils!

If you are attending any of my professional development classes or using the resources on your own, you will notice that I am using a service called Livebinders to organize my resources.

Using Livebinders you can do the following:

Take Control of Information

• View links like pages in a book instead of URLs on a page
• Combine uploaded PDFs and Word docs with links in one binder
• Go paperless one LiveBinder at a time

Save Time

• Update information conveniently without having to resend links
• Avoid layout issues – all documents are organized by tabs and subtabs
• Edit LiveBinders anytime, any place

Make an Impression

• Share all your documents in an easy presentable format
• Use LiveBinders for SMART Board® and laptop presentations
• Build a library of binders and become a valuable resource for others

LiveBinders is Free!

• Sign Up to create an account so you can store your livebinders right away
• Add the ‘LiveBinder It’ Bookmark Tool to your browser toolbar
• Start browsing the web. Find a link you want to save then click on the ‘LiveBinder It’ to automatically add the link to a new livebinder
• Edit your livebinders with our edit tool to retitle tabs and upload files or start from a blank binder.

This is a great site with many Livebinders relating to education.  Each binder contains links and resources to some great content.

Happy tech trails Blue Devils!

I know that many of you would like to attend some of the Teachnology classes that I am offering but are very busy with conferences.  I will be offering some of them again in January and February.  However, if you would like to learn about some of the topics on your own   you can.  I will be putting up the resources I have used to teach the classes on the blog.  All you have to do is click on the tabs in the Livebinder to review that information that is used in the class.  These resources can be found under the Teachnology Classes tab the day after the class takes place.

Happy tech trails Blue Devils!

This Wednesday I wanted to share with you a great way to attend a conference without actually attending at all.  Many of you checked out my live blog of Tech Forum East this past Friday.  Many conferences also offer their presentations from the day live online, or they archive the videos.  Here is a link to the sessions from Tech Forum:

Many conferences are now offering these options and they are free!  A great way to “attend” a conference that you may not have the money or time for.

Happy tech trails Blue Devils!

Good morning Blue Devils.  I am attending Tech Forum East in Tarrytown New York.  I will be live blogging all day and letting you know what I am learning.  So check back in and see what’s new in educational technology.

8:30 Keynote Speaker Patrick Higgins – “Edubranding via Social Media”

Patrick is discussing the value of schools using social media to communicate what and how we are doing to educate our students to a community who wants digital information.  He is saying that your school should have a brand that reflects you mission statement.  Your brand should be the promise to your district makes to the community.  Patrick mentions that districts should be putting out there what we are doing and not let the gossip run the narrative.  Blue Devils how would you “brand” Westfield’s mission?

Mission of the Westfield Public Schools

The mission of the Westfield School District, a system built on successful cooperation among family, school and community, is to prepare all students to reach their highest potential, and to become productive and responsible citizens through rigorous educational programs which respect individual differences and diversity.

He is now talking about Simon Sinek and his Ted presentation on how great leaders inspire action. Three points: What you do.  How you do it.  Why you do it.  The why being the most important when we are getting our message out to the public.

9:00

Patrick just mentioned one of the reasons I started “Terrific Teacher Thursday” – ‘To make changes find bright spots within you organization and make them stand out.

What are the pitfalls we would face as a district if we started incorporating Twitter, Facebook, etc. to communicate?

9:30 iPads in the Classrooms

Rob Miller Vicki Windman Patrick Fogarty

Rob is talking about iPads in the elementary level.

He is discussing how they are rolling out the carts.  K-1st Have one per classroom.  3-5 share 15 for math instruction.  Instructional coaches are using the iPads for remediation and enrichment.  They are sending home information on what apps are being used with the students.

In his district, the science leader has used the iPad to record video tutorials on science kits.  The video is then uploaded to You Tube for teachers.  The social studies leader is recording teachers doing lessons for review and training.

Apps:  CloudOn,  Seat Charter,  AppTracker,  Keynote

Vicki is now talking about iPads and special education.  Here is a link to her Youtube channel showing how her classified students are using the iPads: http://www.youtube.com/user/vwindman

Apps: Footsteps2Brillance, TeachMe, See.Touch.Learn,  injini,  Jungle Coins,  Rainbow Sentences, Inspiration

Patrick is speaking on the 1:1 Programs his high school is using.  “We have a responsibility to bring the world our students will be entering into our classrooms.”  Talking about creating a “Cloud Classroom” .  My favorite slide:

11:00  Visiting Vendors

Check back after lunch!

11:45 ePals Presentation

A way to collaborate and connect with classrooms across the world to do project based learnig.

Gaggle Presentation

A way to differentiate content in a safe environment to create college and work ready students. They have developed an iPad app that allows students to safely log on and have cloud based access to their work on the iPads.  Could this be a solution to getting work off the devices?

Lunch

1:30 Round Table Discussion on iPads for Movie Making

Here is a link to the Google Doc for this discussion.

Videos can be used for creativity,  explanation, demonstration of knowledge, and increasing engagement.

Great idea:  Create a video based on an endangered animal from a visit to the Bronx Zoo!  Here is an example of one.

You can also videotape book club discussions.

Pics 4 Learning – Copyright free pictures

Royalty Free Music– Copyright free music

2:30  Great Tools for Kids and Schools Lisa Thumann and Samantha Morra

Web 2.0 – an application that you can use without having to install anything on your computer.

Titan Pad great way to have an online collaborative conversation.  The information can be exported at the end of the discussion.

Today’s Meet Site to hold a back chat conversation. Great way to be available to chat safely with students throughout the day.

Meograph allows you a way to create really cool digital stories.

Screenleap let’s you share your computer screen with anyone through an internet address!!!

ABCYA allows students to create animations similar to flash.  They save as a gif file and can be exported anywhere.

Apps:

ComicBook!, ClassDojo, PuppetPals, WhiteBoardLite

“At EdTechTeacher, we recognize this challenge and provide educational technology professional development to teachers who are dedicated to using technology in order to create innovative learning opportunities for their students.”  – edtechteacher.org

This past weekend, I attended Edscape at New Milford High School.  I had the opportunity to meet Beth Holland who is a teacher that works for edtechteacher delivering professional development.  We talked about the use of iPads in the classroom and the challenges that districts face.  She mentioned that her company offers free webinars on a variety of technology topics, but specifically iPads.  Like most webinar sites, there are live sessions but also archived ones that you can use at your leisure.  Click on the link below for a list of  their future and archived webinars.

Happy tech trails Blue Devils!