NERSPSEA

toc =Technology in the Classroom= Sunday, December 4, 2011

The purpose of this session is to help make preservice teachers more aware of how technology can be utilized in the classroom setting. Many tools will be shared with a few examples. Many of the tools below won't be able to be explored in the session, but don't let that stop you from trying them out.

Twitter
Twitter is a microblogging site that many view as a way to socialize on the web and with mobile devices. But this is a great place to start a PLN. Ask a question, get an answer. Collaborate and communicate with educators in ways you never imagined. Feel free to follow me @misterlamb. Want to find educators in your field, check out @cybraryman1's twitter stars page. And check out his links on why to use twitter.
 * Another list of edutweeps
 * And another

Edchat is a way for educators to carry on a conversation about a predetermined topic. Two topics are chosen by vote each week, and hundreds of educators will discuss on Tuesdays at noon and 7 PM. There are also a large number of more specific chats that go on each week, too. Here is a list of many of them.

=Everyone=

Class Dojo
Class Dojo is a site that allows for help with student behavior through an interactive reward system. Create a class, assign positive and negative behaviors, and start the class each day. Keep track on a projected screen, you computer, or mobile device.

Word Clouds
Word clouds are tools that can be used in so many different ways, from creating a word splash for a webpage or bulletin board to analyzing a speech or literary work. Wordle and Tagxedo are the two most popular sites. Tagxedo allows for some more creative word clouds.

Edmodo
Edmodo is a social network designed for the classroom. Upload and accept assignments from students and continue discussion beyond the walls of the classroom.

Interactive Whiteboard Resources
Polvision's list of resources SMART's list of resources Exploration: =Secondary Education=
 * National Library of Virtual Manipulatives (NLVM)
 * eNLVM - Resources connected to the NLVM
 * Sample project: Patterns Webquest
 * PhET - Interactive Simulations
 * Edheads - Virtual surgery
 * Lord of the Flies - An interactive activity centering around Lord of the Flies
 * Google Lit Trips - Literature activities that utilize Google Earth
 * Jeopardy Labs - Create your own Jeopardy-like review games
 * Elementary Activities - A list of activities and resources

Poll Everywhere
Do you feel as if cell phones have a place in education? If not, Poll Everywhere might help you change your mind. Create quick polls that provide for multiple choice of short text responses. With a paid account, you can connect your students directly to your account for use as both formative and summative assessment. This can provide for a true representation of what your students may or may not know, as well as provide a reason for them to follow your school's cell phone policies.

Celly
Celly is a relatively new service that allows educators to create text message groups. Teachers can have students join a cell that can be used for quick communication without any need for a teacher to access an individual student's cell number. Invite parents to join so they always know what their child owes. This service can be set up so that students can message teachers via usernames or responding to the group text. This can also be used to poll members of a cell. Messages can be sent from the organizer's mobile or from the Celly website. Messages can be scheduled for future delivery as well.

Online Document Collaboration
The tool formerly known as Etherpad was bought by Google and implemented into Google Docs. This code allows for multiple users to collaborate on a single document with real-time results showing on all users' screens.

Google Forms
Utilize the form feature in Google Docs to create self-grading multiple choice assessments. Not sure if you can work with the formulas? Then try out Flubaroo, and extension that will do the grading for you. See a sample form here. See the results in this spreadsheet.

Online Teleprompters
Do your students have problems giving speeches? Instead of the old note card approach, why not try CuePrompter of EasyPrompter ?

=Elementary Education=

Spelling City
Spelling City allows a user to upload words for help with learning spelling and correct usage. Users can generate their own lists. Teachers and parents can create and save lists to present to the students.

Fuel the Brain
Fuel the Brain provides educational games for students to have fun while they are learning.

Education Place
Education Place is a site that was created Houghton Mifflin Harcourt to provide resources to go along with the content provided in their textbooks. Most textbook companies offer supplementary sites with their material. Most can also be accessed without having access to the textbook.

=Even More!=

Diigo
Diigo is an online social bookmarking site that allows for you to create bookmark groups, save for access from any computer, and search through sites that have already been reviewed by educators. They even have educator accounts.

Do you want to learn even more? Check out Brandon Lutz's 60 in 60.

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