Although this is an ad by PolyVision, it does show examples of interesting ways to use an interactive whiteboard.

I've seen way too many Powerpoints, so this web page is cool in that it shows many other uses for projectors and integrating technology besides electrifying overheads.

This is going to be a great incentive to progressive schools which want to implement 21st century skills. The 21st Skills Incentive Funds Act provides a way for schools to compete for funds that they can use to implement 21st century curricula.

In my class students create a video. One team recorded the video using a Sony DVD camcorder one student had. I had no experience with a DVD camcorder and thought it would be compatible with either iMovie on the Mac or MovieMaker on Windows. So plan A was to try importing to iMovie 6 and then 7 with no luck. Plan B was to try MovieMaker in Windows. Windows knew the camera was connected but MovieMaker had no clue. I then remembered that one of our old camcorders had pass-through. This allows a signal to go through the camcorder right into iMovie by way of firewire. I thought, this would work! Then I realized that I needed to connect two sets of male composite cables and I had no gender changers. The only thing I could think of was
to connect the two sets of wires was the Elmo which had composite in and out. So, hooking it up this way finally worked! Here is the set up. A long way around but they got the video in!

Save the Words is a project sponsored by the Qxford University Press. I'm murklins on most of these words. Enjoy!

My university students are so great at finding good resources for teachers. This one from Education World called "Technology Integration Made Easy" shows 20 simple and low-impact ways to use technology in your classroom. This would be great for beginning teachers. Thanks Chelsea!

Tags: integration

This is an interesting article about a large Colorado school district (10,000 students) which is getting rid of grade levels. They are using a standards based curriculum where students advance on their performance. How would you feel about this if you were a teacher there? How well do you think it will work?

The phishers are becoming more creative. They are using more social engineering to scam computer users. This article shows the newest iteration. Parking tickets in North Dakota instruct the "violators" to go to a web site where their computers are infested with malware.
"Expert: Fake parking tickets a new phishing tactic"

I guess I'm in the mood for people who have overcome adversity such as the last post. This guy is as much an inspiration as the twins. His adversity is almost as bad as possible, yet he finds the inner strength to stand up in front people and ask them if they are going to "finish strong."

This is an amazing story of two girls who are conjoined. They are truly inspirations to the rest of us.

Michael Wesch, a professor at Kansas State University, produces video and gives lectures on the new media and how it affects the classroom. His youtube channel features some great videos especially this one: "A Portal to Media Literacy." His new article, "From Knowledgable to Knowledge-able: Learning in New Media Environments" describes what he calls “the crisis of significance.” This is very intriguing material.

Have you patched your Windows computers? If not, it may be heading into trouble. There are reports that the Downadup worm is spreading like wildfire. Microsoft recommends that users should update and patch their machines and make sure malware software is up to date.

Here is a very interesting video and a great exercise for critical thinking!

Here is a blog by a 12 year-old girl which has had almost 50k hits. We definitely need to rethink how students interact with the world and develop ways to facilitate this in schools.

The article “The Fitness Revolution: A Video Game Makes Gym Class Fun Again” in Edutopia describes using the popular game Dance Dance Revolution in gym class. I have watched young people play this and have seen how involved they get. They really enjoy it and seem to get a great work out. Have you tried it? PE teachers, what do you think!

Tags: PE

This article that Erica found tells of a calculus teacher who sells advertising on his tests to raise money for the paper they are printed on. How do you feel about this? Would you do it? Do you think it's okay? Leave a comment!

Here is a great article Becky found that highlights new technologies that the Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library is implementing. Many of this would work well in a school setting too.

Tags: library

This is a very funny (yet educational) look at how not to use PowerPoint. Enjoy!

The iTeachers went on a field trip and learned about Bee-Bots and GPS. The activity was given by Melanie Campbell who is an Instructional Technology Specialist with the Seaman School District.

Here is an inspirational teen who doesn’t let his disability keep him down.

Here is a great website with interactive learning activities for preschool and primary grades. Check it out!

Here is another great video by Michael Wesch of Kansas State. (It’s over an hour long but well worth it.)

Here is an example of students at the Kentucky School For The Deaf using videos to understand idioms. Here is their SchoolTube page. Very cool!

This is an interesting article speculating on what learning with technology will look like in 2115. The speaker and author being reported on, Christine Borgman, makes a a distinction between “learning” and “education.” How will these predictions affect the role of the teacher?

Tags: future

Okay, I admit it. I’ve heard of the “Are you smarter than a 5th grader” TV show but had never watched until tonight. It seems to me that almost every player should be able to win the million dollars. The questions are quite easy. It surprised me at the ones they got wrong and they really struggled with simple questions. Is it funny, embarrassing, or sad?

I finally ran across the Antivirus 2009 trojan on the web. Here is a screen capture. If you run across this, probably the best thing to do would be to quit your browser because no matter what you do, it’ll try to install the trojan. Nasty stuff!

Two great websites for viewing and creating multimedia timelines are Dipity and AllofMe. Here are a couple of examples I found that are interesting--20th Century Art History at Dipity and US History at AllofMe. Just think of how interesting it would be to have students research local, national, or world events and create their own timelines using pictures and videos.

The website Periodic Table of Videos has a video explaining each of the elements. Take a look. Very cool!

Edutopia interviewed Dylan Field who is a senior at Technology High School in Rohnert Park, California about what he sees about teaching, learning, and technology. Dylan really gives an intelligent look at kids and technology. I wonder what percent of teens have similar thoughts? Is he the exception or the norm?

NewTeacher.com is a website and foundation funded by The First Days of School Foundation and created by Rosemary and Harry Wong. One of the studies titled “On Their Own and Presumed Expert: New Teachers’ Experience with Their Colleagues“ looks like it would shed some light on why 40% of new teachers leave the profession within five years. I hope that more educational leaders find ways to create “integrated professional cultures” that are so important to the successes of schools.