What is Blogging Anyway?

Have you heard of "blogs" but aren't really sure what they are? Click the button in the middle of the screen below to watch a YouTube video that explains "blogging" in "Plain English".

Podcasting in Plain English

Have you heard of Podcasting but aren't really 100% sure of exactly what it is? Here's a YouTube video that explains it in "Plain English". Click the play button in the middle once to play the video:

RSS Feed in Plain English

Have you heard of RSS but are not really sure what that means? This YouTube video explains it in "Plain English". Click the play button in the middle of the screen once to play:

SlideShare

I have new SlideShare step by step directions to help you use this wonderful and FREE online resource. I've talked about SlideShare in many of my workshops here at the Schultz Center, and everyone who has seen it now checks the site regularly for presentations that they might be able to use.

• Click here to download the step by step directions (Click "Download" to save a copy).
• Click here to go to SlideShare

If you're more of a visual learner, go to YouTube and check out the tutorial videos for SlideShare. Just type "SlideShare" in the search tool and you'll see that there are several how-to videos available there.

Embed YouTube Videos in PowerPoint Presentations!

Everyone loves YouTube - there are tons of good educational videos available there. There are also lots of inappropriate videos there, too. So, the next time you include a YouTube video as part of a presentation that you make, why not embed the actual video into your PowerPoint presentation, instead of putting in a link that takes you to the YouTube website? It's really lots easier than you think. I put together a quick video about it and uploaded to my YouTube account. Click the play button below, and then view it in full screen to see the details of some of the screen shots.

• Click here for print directions on how to embed a YouTube video into a PowerPoint presentation.

NOTE: In order for the video to play, you must be connected to the Internet.

Landmark Middle School Presentation

This afternoon, I had the honor of working with teachers at Landmark Middle School on their early dismissal day. We learned some PowerPoint tricks, searched for copyright free music and photos online to "spice" up our PowerPoints, and I also introduced them to blogs and Google Docs.

Here are some related links:
My PowerPoint Tips document at my Google Docs
How To Create a Blog Using Blogger
Managing Your Blog (Click "Download" - this is a PDF file.)
Adding Pictures and Video to your Blog
Harnessing the Power of Web 2.0
Blogs, Podcasts and Wiki's Handout
Pics4Learning
Free Play Music
Photobucket

Climb Aboard and Blog

Here is the link to the handout showing you how to add pictures and videos to your blogs.

NSDC Conference Summer 2008

All of our handouts from our presentation are located in our Google Docs. Click the links below to access the handouts:

• Student Project Checklist
• Student Projects Suggestions and Timeline
• Formative #1
• Formative #2

Click here for the website for "If These Chains Could Talk".

Interesting Article About Podcasting in Education

"Podcasting in Instruction: Moving Beyond the Obvious" is a new article written by Ruth Reynard for Campus Technology. It's a thought-provoking article. What do you think the future holds for podcasting?

Click here to read the article.

New Study About the Digital Divide

A new study is out that brings to light new information and data concerning the digital divide.

Click here to read the article.

Harnessing the Power of Web 2.0

On Monday, June 16, I delivered a 3-hour workshop at UNF on "Harnessing the Power of Web 2.0". During our three hours together, we created a blog, embedded a You Tube video in our blog, explored Slide Share, Photobucket, and Google Docs. Click the link below to view the PowerPoint presentation that was used during the workshop.


If you would like to see the handout that was distributed during the morning sessions of "Blogs, Podcasts and Wiki's, Oh My!" then click here for the document in my Google Docs.

To view the handout, "Managing Your Blog" click here.

To view the handout, "Adding Pictures and Video to Your Blog", click here.

For more advanced users interested in removing the navigation bar from your blog, click here for step by step directions.

I'll update this post with information on Slide Share, Photo Bucket and Google Docs soon!

Blogs, Podcasts and Wiki's, Oh My!

Here are all of the links that appeared in the slide show for the presentation, "Blogs, Podcasts and Wiki's, Oh My!" presented at the Arts for Learning: Tools for Teaching Institute on June 16, 2008.

PowerPoint Presentation:
Use the controls below to view the PowerPoint presentation from the workshop.

View Upload your own

What is Web 2.0?

Click below to watch the You Tube video:


Hotlists About Blogging:
A hotlist is a webpage with lots of links to other websites about a particular subject. Click the links below to go to web pages that contain links to other web pages about blogging in education.

“A Hotlist on Blogging”
http://www.kn.att.com/wired/fil/pages/listblogginga.html

“Blogging, RSS, and Wikis--Getting Started”
http://www.kn.att.com/wired/fil/pages/listrsswhahe.html

“Blogging in Education”
http://www.kn.att.com/wired/fil/pages/listblogssa.html

“6th Grade Math and Science”
http://www.kn.att.com/wired/fil/pages/listinternetre1.html

Classroom Blog Examples and Related Links
http://www.kn.att.com/wired/fil/pages/listclassrooja1.html

Classroom Blog Examples
This list includes examples of teacher blogs and student blogs. Click the links to go to the site.

• Ms. Fighera’s English Class - http://msfighera.blog.com/
• Grade 1 Classroom Blog - http://classblogmeister.com/blog.php?blogger_id=1337
• 5th Grade Classroom Blog - http://classblogmeister.com/blog.php?blogger_id=3528
• Western Civ Classroom Blog - http://mcbridewc.blogspot.com/
• High School English Classroom - http://fullerton.typepad.com/englishiv/
• Mr. Chase’s Classroom Blog - http://lpmschase.blogspot.com/
• Math Playground - http://www.actionmath.com/blog/2006/04/meet-jamie-tubbs.html

Blogging Resources
This list includes links to websites with the resources to help you integrate the use of a blog into instructional practices.

• Blogs in Education - http://awd.cl.uh.edu/blog/
• Teachers First – Gated Blogs for the Classroom - http://www.teachersfirst.com/content/blog/blogbasics.cfm
• Classroom Blogs - http://www.my-ecoach.com/online/webresourcelist.php?rlid=4992
• Steps Toward a Successful Classroom Blog - http://www.cwrl.utexas.edu/node/233
• What’s the Scoop? - http://schoollibraryblogs.blogspot.com/2006/09/classroom-blogs-examples.html
• A Practical Guide to Blogging - http://www.writerswrite.com/journal/jul02/gak16.htm

Podcasting Resources:

• Hotlist on Podcasts - http://www.kn.att.com/wired/fil/pages/listpodcastsps.html
• Exploiting the educational potential of podcasting - http://recap.ltd.uk/articles/podguide3.html
• Podcasts in Education - http://recap.ltd.uk/podcasting/info/podcasting.html

Examples of Podcasts:

· Willow Web - http://www.mpsomaha.org/willow/radio/podcasts.html
· Very Interesting Volcanoes - http://www.mpsomaha.org/willow/radio/shows/Willowcast29.html
· Kowloon Junior School in Hong Kong - http://clc.esf.edu.hk/GroupRenderRSS.asp?GroupID=410&ResourceID=73239 (Click “Radio Popcorn”)
· NPR’s Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me - http://www.npr.org/rss/podcast/podcast_detail.php?siteId=5183214 (click “Download MP3” and then click “Play” to listen)
· NPR’s This American Life - http://www.npr.org/rss/podcast/podcast_detail.php?siteId=6349076 (click “Download MP3” and then click “Play” to listen)
· Grammar Girl - http://www.qdnow.com/grammar.xml

Wiki Resources:

· What is a Wiki - http://www.editme.com/WhatIsWiki
· History of the Wiki - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_wiki
· Wiki’s in Education - http://coe.sdsu.edu/eet/Articles/wikis/index.htm

Wiki Farms:

· Wet Paint Wiki’s – http://www.wetpaint.com/
· PB Wiki - http://pbwiki.com/education.wiki (the premise is that creating a Wiki is as easy as making a peanut butter sandwich)
· Wiki Spaces – http://www.wikispaces.com/

Examples of Wiki’s:

• Psychology Wiki - http://psychology.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page
• World Wiki - http://world.wikia.com/wiki/World_Wikia
• Cancer Wiki - http://www.wikicancer.org/
• Celtic Football Club - http://kerrydalestreet.com/
• Wiki Fido - http://www.wikifido.com/
• Wikipedia - http://www.wikipedia.com/
• Wiki Books - http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Main_Page
• Wiki Quotes - http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Main_Page

Microsoft Producer for Microsoft PowerPoint

At the Leadership Academy you learned about Producer for PowerPoint. Use Microsoft Producer 2003 for Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2003 to capture and synchronize audio, video, slides, and images, then preview and publish a rich media presentation virtually anywhere for viewing in a Web browser.

Click here to download Microsoft Producer.

Click this link to visit a website to view video tutorials of how to use Producer.

Note: Your STC will probably have to download and install this program on your computer for you.

Project STRIVE Follow Up - Whiteboards

If you are able to attend the Project STRIVE follow up meeting on April 14th, it will be all about using your interactive whiteboard. Each Project STRIVE classroom has an interactive whiteboard by Numonics, an "Intelliboard".

Here are some links to some websites with resources for teachers using the interactive whiteboards:

• Ideas for the Middle and High School Classroom
• Smart Rooms - High School (Note - these utilized a "Smart" board but can also be duplicated using an Intelliboard).
• Interactive Whiteboards in the Classroom
• Smart Technologies - High School Lessons (Note - there are 10 pages).
• Interactive Whiteboard Lesson Ideas

I will update this post with more online resources for interactive whiteboards as I find them.

Pay Attention - Interesting Video

This is a great video with some interesting facts and figures about today's 21st Century learners. Click the You Tube video screen below to view the video.

Examples of Blogs in Education

Here are some of the blogs that we looked at during the "Climb Aboard and Blog" workshop this afternoon:

• Reni Fenton's Blog
• Love Four Teaching
• Osman Demirel
• Once Upon a Teacher
• Live From the Creek
• Coaching Chronicles
• Timmons Times
• Thoughts
• 2nd Gen Talk
• Young Believers

FETC 2008

Hi everyone!

I'm blogging from FETC 2008 in Orlando, FL. So far the conference has been really great! Unfortunately for me, I had major tech problems with my movies that were embedded in my PowerPoint. I am going to put those videos on this blog as soon as I have a little bit of spare time. Right now, I'm headed back to the conference to attend a couple of afternoon sessions. Check back either tonight or tomorrow for those videos of student created projects, and teacher and principal testimonials about Project STRIVE.

Cheers,

Paty Savage

Teacher Leader - Blogging Presentation

Here are the links from my Blogging presentation made on 1/18 to the Teacher Leaders at the Schultz Center. I hope that this information is helpful and that you will soon be blogging with your students, parents and communities.

Here are links to sample classroom blogs:

• Curious Kindergartners
• Ms. Ross’s Second Grade
• Mrs. Cassidy’s Classroom Blog
• Research Fun
• Classroom Blog
• Hetherton’s Blog
• Schultz Center Blog
  

Here are the links to blogging resources:

• Blogger.com
• Blog.com
• Squarespace.com
• Blogstream.com
• Typepad.com
• Edublog

Some Articles About Instructional Technology

Here are some links to some articles about the importance of technology in education today.

• The 21st Century Learner - a compilation of research study findings by Apple. This is a PDF which you can save to your computer.
• Are 21st Century Skills Right-Brained Skills - this is an article by Doug Johnson for Education World.
• 21st Century Skills Include Digital Literacy - this is an article from NCREL.
• Six Key Elements of 21st Century Learning - an article from the consortium for 21st Century Learning.
• Teaching 21st Century Skills - a short article from USF about teaching 21st Century skills

This is just a little "taste" of the articles and research studies that are out there. Happy Reading!