Learning with Technology...A Reflection

Describe the technology you explored and how you intend to use it in your course.  If you created anything with the tool while exploring its potential, provide us with a link (if the creation is online) or attach the product you created with the tool.  If you just practiced, but didn't create anything then share your screen shots (or phone cam images) of your practice.  

I chose to explore ThingLink. ThingLink is the leading platform for creating interactive images. ThingLink enables you to see your images come alive with video, text, images, music and more.

I intend to use this for introductions, important documents, and anything that I think would be enhanced by using this tool. I think this would be a great tool for my students to use as they complete assignments for the course.

Make sure to hover over the images to have the interactive experience begin. 

Here is a link to one I created for the SAMR Model: http://www.thinglink.com/scene/548532121413615616

Also see below:



Here is one I created for next weeks Professional Learning: http://www.thinglink.com/scene/548553086541496320



I also created these for my elementary and secondary teacher friends:

http://www.teacherpage.com/mrshernandez/interactive.htm

Describe how the use of this tool will support presence and interactions in your course and how it helps address your course objectives. 

This tool can be updated as you see fit, so you can continually be present in your images and what you want them to say. ThingLink is a living tool that is ever changing to meet the objectives of your course. It is not your standard image that you look at once and move on. There are different areas on the image that require a person to interact. It may be through text, links, or video.
This tool addresses the objectives of my course by helping students learn and plan great active learning activities based on the SAMR Model approach.


Tell us about your experiences with the tool - was it easy to learn?  Engaging?  Useful? 

The tool was very easy to learn. You upload and image and then tag away by clicking anywhere on the image. There is also a good amount of help documentation for ThingLink. It was very engaging as I enjoyed using the tool and creating what would work best for me. As I created what I wanted using the tool I started to get more ideas of how I could use it in my course. Once you get started, the ideas start flowing. I found this tool to be very useful, interactive, productive, and technology driven.

Another great thing about ThingLink is that it tracks clicks on your images. You get great stats on how many people are utilizing what you created.

10 Do's and Don't for Effective Vocabulary Instruction

Creating Meaningful and Visually Appealing Slides

Another great post from EdShelf! I love this site!

Preparing slides that are both meaningful and visually appealing has gotten a lot easier thanks to technology. Whether it is for your classroom, a departmental talk, or a conference presentation, here are resources to help craft beautiful slides.
 

• Slidebean - Web presentation software that lets you create beautiful slide design in seconds. SPONSORED LINK

• IdeaStorm - Before starting, you need a solid outline. Use this free iPad app for a visual brainstorming session.

• Veezzle - When you are ready to start filling in your slides, this image search service helps you find royalty-free stock photos.

• The Noun Project - For professionally-designed icons, this resource has thousands of icons for thousands of nouns.

• Pic Collage - Put images and icons you've found into a collage with this mobile app for ideation or your presentation.

• Flipagram - Or turn those images and icons into a slideshow with narration or music to liven up your presentation a notch.

Want more? Check out these collections of tools created by members like you.
 

• Online Presentation Tools - Curated by instructional technology facilitator Kristy Rocquin.

• Tools & Apps for Inspiring Creativity within the Common Core -  Curated by educational technology research director Dr. Annette Kratcoski.

Enjoy these great tools for educators!

- Mike Lee, Co-founder of edshelf

7 Characteristics of a Digital Competent Teacher...Are you a DCT?

As I was checking my feeds today on Hoot Suite I noticed this great tweet about Digitally Competent Teachers. I really enjoyed the info graphic and thought it provided valuable information. Therefore, I had to share with my readers = )

It is important to note that these are characteristics and not skills. 

I want to thank Daily Genius for this great info graphic.

Here is a summary of these 7 characteristics:

• You can integrate digital skills into everyday life
• You have a balanced attitude
• You are open to using and trying new stuff
• You are a digital communicator
• You know how to do a digital assessment
• You understand and respect privacy
• You are a digital citizen

Are you a digital competent teacher? I would love to know your feedback.

27 Things To Do When Students Aren’t Engaged

I love this infographic on "27 Things To Do When Students Aren’t Engaged". I think is a great list for ideas on how to get your students focused and motivated. I am also a huge fan of Mia MacKeekin as I think her resources are phenominal. She always seems to post things I am thinking about = )

Below is just one of the many great resources she provides FREE to educators.

EdShelf..Applications that are Reviewed by Educators to Save you Time!!

One of my go to sites to find great educational resources is EdShelf. I get the data and feedback I need to see if a site is worth my time, my teachers time, and my students time. I have been using EdShelf for about 6 months now and I am very pleased. I also like to give input on the different applications I use as well. Pay it Forward = )

I love that you can build your own shelf of applications for your specific content or topic. This site is well worth your time!!

Here is a great post from EdShelf for today that I wanted to share with you.

From elementary school to college, students of all ages have a growing pool of educational tools available to them. Here are a set of tools you might not be aware of, and have been recommended by students to their teachers.   StudyRoom - Form online study groups to connect with classmates, get help on homework, share notes and get better grades.  ClassOwl - A student planner that also tracks how long assignments should take, based on teacher estimates and classmate feedback. CAST Science Writer - This free website helps students write science or lab reports using scaffolds for each step of the writing process. Easy Blog Jr - An iOS app designed so early childhood to elementary school students have an easy way to publish a online journal. National Geographic World Atlas - Need a handy comprehensive world atlas and encyclopedic info on all the countries of the world? Let Me Google That For You - Perhaps a bit snarky, this website can also be a useful demo of complex Google search queries. Want more? Check out these collections of tools created by members like you. Student Organizers - Curated by high school district librarian Shonda Brisco. Class Activities - Curated by middle school world history teacher Charsta Simmons. Enjoy these great tools for educators! - Mike Lee, Co-founder of edshelf

Videos for Professional Development

As I was researching today I came across a new site that I have really enjoyed. It is called Moving at the Speed of Creativity. I love the site and the resources provided.

I really liked the section on Videos for PD. The list has some very important topics as educators we should be aware of and on the top of our game with.

Make sure to check out their site Moving at the Speed of Creativity.

Videos for PD

The following are links to educational videos I use for professional development workshops and presentations with teachers, students and parents. If you know of other videos that should be included in this list, please add a link as a comment to this page. Some of these videos are hosted on YouTube, TeacherTube, or other sites as embedded Flash media – Tips for downloading offline copies of Flash videos are also available. Also be sure to check out Alex Couros’ post, “90+ Videos for Tech. & Media Literacy.” If you’re interested in inviting me to present for your organization, please use the contact form on my “Speaking” page.

Schools Need to Change:

1. It’s Time for a New Kind Of University – Kaplan Univ advertisement
2. No Future Left Behind – Suffern Middle School, New York, USA
3. Learning to Change, Changing to Learn – Kid’s Tech (COSN / Pearson)
4. Expect Differentiation – Australian Leadership Video (Marco Torres)
5. 21st Century Schools (Dr. Stephen Heppell)
6. A Vision of Students Today (Michael Wesch)
7. Did You Know 2.0 (Karl Fisch)
8. Pay Attention (Darren Draper)
9. Digital Students @ Analog Schools (Students of Marco Torres)
10. Teacher Movie (Marco Torres)
11. Do Schools Kill Creativity? (Sir Ken Robinson)
12. Urban Academy: Where Testing Is Anything But Standard (EduTopia)
13. Administrator Movie (Wesley Fryer)
14. Strive to Engage not Enthrall (Wesley Fryer)

Web 2.0

1. The Web is Using/Us (Michael Wesch)
2. Information Re/Evolution (Michael Wesch)
3. Educational Podcasting in Woodland Park, Colorado (Lecturecasting / Coursecasting)
4. Blogs in the Classroom (Will Richardson, made by Intel for NECC 2004)
5. Perspectives on Classroom Blogging (Wesley Fryer)
6. RSS in Plain English (Common Craft)
7. Wikis in Plain English (Common Craft)
8. Social Bookmarking in Plain English (Common Craft)
9. Google Documents in Plain English (Common Craft) – On BlipTV also
10. District Policies Regarding Blogs and Wikis (YouTube user gfrancomtube)
11. Blogs and the Juvenile Delinquent (YouTube user gfrancomtube)

Humor

1. Intel’s “Sponsors of Tomorrow” advertisement (Our rock stars aren’t like your rock stars)
2. Joe’s Non-Netbook (a student has cognitive dissonance using a non-hyperlinked textbook)
3. The Internet Has Crashed (The Onion Spoof video)
4. Introducing the Book
5. Father Guido Sarducci’s Five Minute University (Saturday Night Live Skit)
6. Walkthroughs and Learning Objectives

Student-created Digital Storytelling Examples

1. SFETT (Students of Marco Torres)
2. MabryOnline Podcasts (Students of Mabry Middle School, Cobb County, GA)
3. The Networked Student (Wendy Drexler)
4. UthTV Media Gallery
5. Apple Education iLife Award Winners
6. Center for Digital Storytelling Examples (not all made by youth, however)
7. First and Second Grade Films (Mr. Needleman’s Classroom)

Cyberbullying Prevention, Internet Safety, Safe Online Social Networking

1. Digital Dossier (Encouragement to think about digital footprints)
2. Digital Footprints – Your New First Impression
3. A Common Sense Approach to Internet Safety (Common Sense Media and Google)
4. Think Before You Post (Ad-Council Advertisement) – Also on TeacherTube
5. Delete Cyberbullying (Ad-Council Advertisement)
6. Ad-Council Advertisement (kitchen table conversation)
7. Hero in the Hallway (story of students banding together to stop bullying)
8. Growing Up Online (PBS FRONTLINE special from January 2008)
9. Predator Movie (Video created by a Utah student and his principal to warn about online and F2F stranger danger)
10. Social Networking: What Parents Need to Know (Broward Co, Florida Sheriff’s office)
11. The Ryan Halligan story (click “video” in sidebar)
12. Social Networking in Plain English (Common Craft)
13. For Parents: Why do Teens Use Social Networking Sites (YouTube student video)

Creative Commons / Copyright / Fair Use

1. Get Creative (my favorite)
2. The Cost of Copyright Confusion for Media Literacy (also available from Temple Univ)
3. Other Creative Commons Videos

Additional resources and links used in my professional development workshops and presentations are available on teachdigital.pbwiki.com. Karen Montgomery’s excellent PD resources are also available on her wiki “Thinking Machine.”