Seattle Schools Network on Ning
Posted by Harvey on November 13, 2009 in Blogging, Web 2.0
Ning is a social networking site that allows anyone to create an online network for almost any purpose. The Instructional Technology group has created a Seattle Schools social network on Ning to allow educators an online space to connect and share with others. (more…)
Banned social networks can mean missed opportunities for student (and adult) learning
Posted by Harvey on September 23, 2009 in Web 2.0
Student social networks are banned in most schools as disruptive distractions or potentially unsafe and unmoderated spaces that can put students at risk. However, students themselves use technology tools like cell phones and social networks as integral parts of their world, a world that includes school and classroom learning. Students are online and using social networks, and preventing student access at school does little to address the real need to help students to safeguard their well-being. Like any other health or safety issue, the real solution to protecting students lies in education. (more…)
Slashdrive- A student solution
Posted by Harvey on May 26, 2009 in Web 2.0
Whether for expository writing in MS word, or for some other electronic project, many students rely on the use of digital tools to create products for school that demonstrate their learning. With the District commitment to create secure school networks that are free from malicious or inappropriate content, one of the challenges facing Seattle students is ensuring that their learning is as mobile as they are, and can be easily moved between home and school. (more…)
Google Tools in the Classroom
Posted by Gary on May 7, 2009 in Excel, Language Arts, PowerPoint, Science, Web 2.0, Word
Nathan Hale science teachers Matt Hinkley and Karl Englert are always searching for useful technology tools for their classrooms. One of their favorites is Google Tools for Educators. Google Docs is one component of the Google Tools suite (Sites, Calendar, RSS Reader, Picasa Photos, Maps and more). Specifically, Google Docs contains a word processor, presentation, and spreadsheet application. All 3 of these are stand-a-lone applications but also integrate well with Microsoft Office. Also in Google Docs is Forms, an easy-to-use survey tool. In addition, they use Google Calendar. All of these are available with a free Google account.
Here are a few descriptions of how these teachers are using Google Docs in their classrooms…
Twittering and tweets- What’s all the chirping about?
Posted by Harvey on March 16, 2009 in Web 2.0
Twitter is a social media service that has been generating significant buzz for a while now. It seems almost everyone in traditional media is now using twitter, and letting you know you that can follow their tweets @someaddress.
Okay, but what is Twitter? The following video from the nice people at Commoncraft can get you started in understanding this service a little better:
So now maybe you have a better understanding of how Twitter lets you send quick sms messages of 140 characters or less, but you may still wonder what’s the point and what relevance does this service have for Education and learning? (more…)
RSS, podcasts, and media resources
Posted by Harvey on November 20, 2008 in Podcasting, Web 2.0
The wealth of resources available on the web for use in education make it more important than ever to be effective at managing the firehose of information that exists on the Internet. Rich media like video and audio files, including podcasts can greatly augment the learning experience of students, but managing the information to support curricular goals can pose a problem for teachers and students alike.
RSS or Real Simple Syndication creates a feed from a web server hosting content to allow users to readily subscribe to frequently updated information (For more information about RSS, view this short video). This stream pulls content into an aggregator or Feed Reader like Google Reader, iTunes, or newer web browsers.
One popular way of distributing RSS content is by using podcasts. (more…)
Why Should I Blog With My Students?
Posted by Janice on October 22, 2008 in Blogging, Podcasting, Web 2.0
Many teachers want to have a place where they can easily post materials for student use, showcase student projects and provide a forum for online discussion. Blogs provide this venue for teachers and students by offering a community forum for their use. Posts to the blog can be photographs, video, audio or word processed, making blogs a good place to post student and teacher multimedia projects which can be viewed from any computer, anywhere, anytime. This allows student, parent and teacher interaction from home, school, the library, and web enabled cell phones.
Here are some reasons to use a classroom blog:
1. Post materials and resources for students and parents
2. Host online discussions based on books your students are reading, discussion topics from your classroom, etc.
3. Create a class publication such as a monthly newsletter that can be read online.
4. Post student projects and writing for peer and teacher review.
5. Share your lesson plans and web links
6. Integrate multimedia of all kinds
7. Organize projects, events, information
8. Get feedback from fellow teachers, parents, students which builds a community around your classroom.
(more…)
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