WEB 2.0 GURU

Facebook Page

2010-12-18T10:10:00.000-05:00

Make sure to check out my new Facebook Page. I will be using that to post short comments and resources.

2010-07-29T14:06:00.001-04:00

Ping is the way to update more than one PLN!

Week 7 Reflection

2010-02-24T14:06:00.003-05:00

I was going to create an audio file for my post, but it is not being very kind. I will try to post it again in a different format.

How has your definition of curriculum been shaped by the course readings and discussions? How and why has your definition of curriculum changed?

Wow, this course is definitely one of the most beneficial courses in the program. Not the others were not, but this really allowed me to begin understanding and evaluating current issues with what is expected in the W, T and T curricula. During the course, I began to understand more about the critical need for aligning the w,t,t curriculum. I never really knew that there were three definitive areas. Once I grasped that knowledge, I began to understand that there are many misalignments within school and state level curriculum frameworks. This has not only helped me in my role at CASA in helping to develop a school curriculum framework, but also the need for the district where I sit as a school board member. I have even begun helping with their mapping and curriculum development. http://newportsd.wikispaces.com/ Teachers are now posting their curriculum maps on this district wiki.

As a young teacher, I was often handed a curriculum guide and said here you go, now figure out how to cover the standards. There was very little in how to teach, just what to teach. Today, I understand that the written should also include how it is taught. It is vital for teachers to begin understanding the HOW as well as the WHAT in curriculum. Without best practice models, we will never reach the children.

Today, I continue to see the real need for a truly embedded technology approach while building curriculum. It can not continue to be the extra. To me it is the learning essential within the other core essentials. I will continue to train share and talk to whoever will listen to the need for school leaders to build collaborative innovative curriculum that allows our children to be critical creative innovative thinkers and doers, NOT TEST TAKERS!

This is an exciting time in education. We can be the change agents that drive local, state and national education reform. We just have to keep saying and doing it until they listen, understand and do something to build 21st Century learning experiences for all of our children.

http://blabberize.com/view?share=174601

Curriculum Development

2010-02-08T13:03:00.001-05:00

# As a school administrator and instructional leader, what instructional technology would you expect to see in the written, taught, and tested curriculum of a school or school district striving to meet the needs of 21st century learners?

As a school administrator, I will continue to be an advocate of Web 2.0 resources in education and a proponent of a fully integrated curriculum. It is critical that we create a 21st Century curriculum standards that are fully infused with technology resources and skills. Today's instructional practices and learning opportunities must reflect the times that we are living. We can not continue to practice the 20th Century methodologies with 21st Century students and desired learning outcomes. What are we doing to prepare our students for 2020? This is a question that I continue to ask myself and others in education. How are we going to get children ready for a global workforce that currently does not exist? We need to be visionary leaders who strive to design, develop, implement and evaluate the most up-to-date and sound pedagogical strategies for today's students. Instruction must be meaningful and current. The written, taught and tested curriculum must be aligned to standards and be connected at every level. If curriculum is not written or taught, how can it be tested. If written and taught yet not tested, we perpetuate a culture that creates instructional programs that have no validity in student growth and achievement. Valuable information must be gathered through reliable and valid means of assessment in order to assist in driving data based instructional decisions.

# What instructional technology would you promote to differentiate instruction for all learners? Consider some of the Web 2.0 tools discussed in Week 3 and some of the tools/ applications suggested in the UDL discussion.

Learning should be thought of as an evolving necessity for rich academic growth and achievement. Status quo in education just won't due! I will continue to promote Web 2.0 resources as well as various hardware in student learning experiences as well as teacher professional development. I have spent much time in assisting others with the integration of Web 2.0 tools into instructional practices. My wiki contains many resources and quick suggestions for integration. It really more like a hobby and fascination for me. I get so excited when I see a light bulb go off in the teachers that I work with. Simply because I know that they will share the tools and strategies with students. I have shared tools for collaborative activities during instructional practices. Please visit my wiki to get a glimpse of what I truly enjoy doing to assist with teachers, administrators and other education enthusiasts. Web 2.0 Guru My resources are listed on the resource page and my strategies can be found on my Best Practice 2.0 Some of my favorite most effective tools are scriblink.com, this helps for instant collaboration in small groups or from classroom to classroom. I also love www.notaland.com for web page development and commenting tools. Feedback can be gathered before, during and after instruction. This tool is great for formative assessment. Place your comment below. A real world example.

I believe that we need to find out how our students learn in order to provide learning experiences that meet them where they are. I have used learning profile inventories to gain insight into how students prefer learning. It is also imperative to know the readiness and interest levels of students. These steps will provide us with valuable information when designing instruction that works. I have created and used DI lesson/activity templates to assist teachers with designing strategies that work.

Twitter Venn

2010-01-29T09:41:00.000-05:00

Twitter Venn

A great way to show relationships and current trends all in one location. You have to check this out. Twitter is not just about following a posting information about personal information. It's also about posting and sharing the latest information being mentioned worldwide. One of my new faves!

Week 2 Reflection

2010-01-16T20:03:00.001-05:00

What are your philosophical beliefs about the purpose of school, about what subjects should be taught, and about how students learn? How does your work demonstrate your belief?

The purpose of school is to educate and develop all children into well rounded young adults who are prepared to meet diverse life long challenges with the necessary knowledge and problem solving skills for ongoing personal growth and success. We must inspire a passion for learning and growth. We need to teach to the whole child not to the tests. Many of today's schools inadvertently limit the amount of student experiences in self expression, productivity and success. We are so focused on them passing the tests and meeting AYP that we tend to forget about the rest of the child. Of course reading, writing and arithmetic are important, but we need to make sure that we are also teaching our children how to be hard working, self directed learners with effective communication, collaboration and creativity skills. They need to acquire skills while using relevant 21st Century learning resources to get them prepared for their future. We will continue to fall behind other countries if we do not begin to place more focus on the skills necessary for 21st Century global competitiveness. We must retool our schools if we expect our futures to be bright.

Within most schools, subject matter is still taught in stand alone courses. A more integrated or multidisciplinary approach must begin in order for children to make relevant connections. For example STEM topics could be taught in combination so that students can make those relevant connections to overlapping content. I believe that it is every teacher's responsibility to teach effective reading/literacy skills. Simply because they may teach Science or Social Studies does not excuse teacher from being expected to teach Reading/Literacy skills. Studies show that we stop teaching reading at the elementary level, though a continuation of critical reading strategies and skills is necessary for students to continue academic progress and growth.

As a supporter of extracurricular courses, I believe that all schools should continue teaching the Arts and Phys. Ed./Health courses. We can not move away from those avenues of learning. We must support those learning opportunities since they may be the one place where so many of our students learn and succeed. Schools that look to eliminate these courses, will contribute to our short comings as a nation.

In today's classrooms we are still not focusing on the skills necessary for students to be fully capable in the 21st Century. I witness this first hand on a daily basis. Students know how to use digital tools for their own interests, but not very much for their personal learning experiences. Continuing to block web sites from our students does not offer them the opportunity to responsibly utilize many 21st Century tools for their own learning. I believe that it is our job to teach students about the web tools for productivity, research, communication and collaboration. We must teach children how to be responsible digital citizens. If they aren't ever given the opportunity to demonstrate ethical, safe and responsible online practices, how will children ever become morally sound digital citizens?

I believe that we over utilize standardized assessment results and test kids far too much. We need to use authentic means for progress monitoring. Simply knowing that a student is not proficient in a skill does only half of what we need. When will we focus on the "How"? How do children learn? What are their learning styles, where are their assets and learning weaknesses? If we teach the same way as we always have, we will never reach them. Students must learn how they learn best and then be supported with activities that support those learning styles. We need to reach the whole child when teaching. Learning experiences must be differentiated based on needs, readiness and styles, not solely on standardized learning outcomes.

Since working in a school for the arts, my philosophy in continually supported by the level of student engagement, learning experiences and success. Students are measured through various means, primarily through authentic demonstrations of their new skills. Students are expected to demonstrate learning through physical representations or their original works of art, dance routines, video and music productions, and theater reproductions. During my intern, I have begun to support these students with the integration of various technologies. The teachers and students have been introduced to online learning networks, eportfolios, online gradebooks and video recording opportunities. This has added a new dimension to their learning. Students are excited to be able to share with each other and their teachers within their new student learning portal. They were surprised when they heard that a new private school network was created just for them. Students have been utilizing the video camera and laptop to record their work and self evaluate their learning and demonstrations. I could not believe how excited they were to do this. They have never used these tools in class. I continue to share web tools that will enhance their learning and will begin working with staff and students to create online eportfolios. Students are excited to begin working on this culminating project as they create a true representation of themselves through their work.

Education Week: Scholars Test Emotion-Sensitive Tutoring Software

2010-01-09T21:00:00.000-05:00

Education Week: Scholars Test Emotion-Sensitive Tutoring Software

Tutoring program the senses emotions. Wow, this is so revolutionary it's scary! I am anxious to see if this truly does come to fruition. Carnegie does it again. Check out their Cognitive Tutor tool. What is coming in 2020? Anyone want to predict the future of education?

Better teachers, the union way - latimes.com

2010-01-08T11:19:00.000-05:00

Better teachers, the union way - latimes.com

A great way to help teachers move from good to great! Evolving takes support and time not punitive measures. Accountability yes, but only based on student standardized test scores, NO!

Supervisory Post Conference Reflection

2009-11-09T14:20:00.001-05:00

During the post conference I felt a bit uncomfortable since it was my first time conducting a full clinical observation as an interning supervisor. I had a difficult time playing the role of supervisor. I have always enjoyed coaching in other facets, but feel as though in this environment it is more difficult since I do not feel expert enough to make professional unbiased judgments as a supervisor. However, I do think that supervision/mentoring will become easier and occur more naturally over time through increased experiences. I specifically wanted to meet in the Mr. B’s classroom since it would be on the teacher’s turf and help to establish a level of comfort for him. We sat face to face in student desks to begin our post observation discussion. Our dialogue began as I asked if he felt as though he met his lesson objectives. Mr. B responded with a yes and began to explain. We then moved onto discussing each component of his lesson, Mr. B. seemed comfortable about discussing his strengths and weaknesses, although he began to fidget in his chair as our discussion continued. I think it was more about the small chair than being emotionally uncomfortable.

The conference began easily, however, I could have been more direct and clear about the lesson observation content. I didn’t believe that my discussion started well since Mr. B. was unsure of which lesson that we were speaking of. I needed to present my observation notes to open our conversation and remind him which lesson that we were currently reviewing. When asked about his objectives, Mr. B. responded with “Which lesson are you referring to?” Once clarification was made, we could then move forward. I found myself reflecting or echoing back to Mr. B. for clarification. I have learned and practiced the skill of reflective listening and try to practice it often. I specifically spent time asking questions about his type of formative assessments and how it was used to analyze student progress. I wanted to find out just how Mr. B. uses it to motivate and push students to self evaluate. He uses ongoing observations to collect data about student progress and learning.
Mr. B. provides students with open ended activities where student creativity and individuality is fostered. He gives students the opportunity to improve upon individual understanding, skills and knowledge. I found this to be one of his biggest strengths.

Throughout the post observation conference, I felt that I provided feedback that was positive, and also made simple suggestions for simple instructional practices that Mr. B. felt as areas of weakness. He stated that he is not the most organized and tries to stay on top of providing his students with daily lesson objectives and desired outcomes, but admitted to not doing such a good job of it. I suggested using planning templates and an area designated in the classroom for the display of goals and objectives. Mr. B. also discussed the uniqueness of CASA and how curriculum design is tricky since there are repeating students and they all remain in the same classrooms. He could potentially see one student for four consecutive years. I found this to be an area for growth and discussed scaffolding the core content and learning activities. I will be giving this instructional/curriculum development challenge more consideration for areas of revision.

The conference was definitely one of a more collaborative feel on my end. I tried to encourage Mr. B. to continue his instructional strategies since they worked to motivate students to work cooperatively to produce specific musical improvisational compositions. In asking more probing type questions, I felt that Mr. B. was able to find solutions for many of his own areas of need. It was my goal to lead him to the possible strategies that he could try in order to evolve and strengthen his weaknesses. I had some ideas as to what could help and suggested them. I will support him in trying to accomplish his goals to be more organized. Some things that we are working on as an entire staff is creating a customized curriculum with student learning map templates. I hope to assist with this during the year. I felt that this conference was more collaborative in nature and it served as a reinforcing or encouraging conversation. Mr. B. seemed very satisfied with my feedback, but I want to be more specific about areas of strength and need. I also think that the conference could have been more concise. I will keep working on how I provide feedback as well as ask probing questions.

Classroom Seating Arrangements

2009-10-03T21:23:00.002-04:00

Seating arrangements within classroom environments will vary from room to room and content to content. Since my school experience is going to be different, it will be exciting to observe how flexible arrangements effect levels of student engagement, collaboration, communication, productivity, learning and achievement. The Capital Area School for the Arts is a high school Arts school that focuses primarily on the Liberal Arts. The intensive high school level classes focus primarily on Music, Art, Video Production, Dance and Theater. Each classroom is very spacious and uniquely designed for it's content area. The Art room is very spacious with good natural lighting. It is arranged with large easels and several small groups of tables for student activities. These tables are used for collaborative learning activities and the easels are for independent Art activities. The teacher's desk is set in the far right back corner of the room. It is not a focal point in the room. Students are able to move freely around the room after direct instruction takes place. All activities are student centered, but very independent in nature at this time of the year. As the school end of the year performance is developed by the students, collaboration on the production's set will begin. The room was also equipped with a teacher's computer and three student computers and a printer.

I observed a dance class where there was a large dance floor and mirrored walls. There was a smaller location for 5 small rectangular tables with chairs and a small dry erase white board for direct instruction. Again, the teacher's desk was in a back corner and obviously not an important fixture for learning. The large dance floor was where active student learning took place. Students sat comfortably on the floor while the dance teacher instructed and then became involved in dance demonstrations and skill practice. Every student was completely engaged in the learning activities planned for the day. If only every content area could be so engaging and motivating. There was a teacher's computer, but no evidence of student computers in the room.

As I moved from the Dance room to the Video Production room, I found students moving freely around the halls into their respective classes. The Video room was arranged with 27 IMACs placed around the perimeter. There was a teacher station with an LCD projection and large white screen for instruction and student presentations. Students were assigned seats since they worked on the same computer for the entire year. There room was spacious and very easy to move around. I did not see tables for collaboration, but students were allowed to move to collaborate.
and share. Every student was engaged in their learning experiences while working on technology integrated projects.

Movement in the classrooms and halls of this new building is very flexible. Since there are only 75 students in the am and another 75 in the pm, it allows for a more intimate type atmosphere. Students are very well behaved and respectful. They are there because they choose to be. They are dedicated to their passion in the Arts. The atmosphere is very positive and uplifting. Teachers are very flexible and seem to practice a wide range of instructional practices. Most classes are very student centered. Students express themselves through their work in Art, Dance, Theater, Video Production, Song, and Music. The building is filled with the sounds of authentic learning. This small urban based school is not typical in any form. It is not typical at all. For more detail about the school, visit their school here http://www.casa-arts.org/. I am so excited to be working in such a unique school system. This will be a uniquely different experience, but I believe that it will allow me to think, learn and grow outside of the box.

Since staff is very experienced in their subject areas, I feel that it is a true learning environment. I did not see much as technology integration in many of the classes. I hope to make some recommendations with my ITS background and get some of the staff excited about using some online tools as well as digital cameras, microphones and recording devices. Some of these kids can really play their instruments beautifully. I don't see the seating arrangements as any type of concern since it really is not a focal point in any of the classrooms. It will be interesting to see how the room arrangements change as time goes on.

Mixbook Sample

2009-10-01T11:40:00.001-04:00

| View Sample Photo Books | Create your own Photo Book

Blogger

2009-10-01T10:24:00.001-04:00

So what do you think about blogging in education?

School Culture and Effective Leadership

2009-08-24T12:34:00.006-04:00

A positive school culture must be created and cultivated in order for reform to take root and grow. A culture can make or break school reform initiatives.
"Schools with toxic cultures lack a clear sense of purpose, have norms that reinforce inertia, blame students for lack of progress, discourage collaboration, and often have actively hostile relations among staff. These schools are not healthy for staff or students." (National Staff Development Council, JSD Summer 2002) School culture that is negative will have detrimental effects on student learning and achievement. Students deserve leadership that seeks to build positive school culture through ongoing, collaborative, and trusting school community relationships. As stated by Barth (2006), "Probably the most important and most difficult job of the school-based reformer is to the change the prevailing culture of a school.(Fullan, p. 159)" School cultures are resistant to change, but effective leaders know how to create the desire for change within difficult environments. Positive school cultures foster school environments that are responsive to the diverse needs of all students. They promote supportive environments where professional development opportunities are valued and welcomed. Shared efforts are sought after to assist with decision making and planning of effective reform practices. Positive school cultures cultivate a passion for life-long learning within all of its members. "If the first major purpose of school is to create and provide a culture hospitable to human learning, the second major purpose of a school is to make it likely that students and educators will become and remain life-long learners."(Bart,p.167) Schools must not only focus on standardized test results, but the true development of their students as life-long learners. I hope to cultivate this type of atmosphere within the school that I will be working this year.

How has what you have learned so far in the course shaped your concept of an effective leader?

Effective school leaders are people who can work collaboratively with others to establish a positive school culture and climate. They are focused on creating a school foundation grounded in student learning and success. Effective leaders know how to communicate effectively in order to mobilize others in the pursuit of academic and professional excellence. As a leader, I will strive to act as a leader who not only talks the talk, but walks the walk as well. I will keep Kouzes' and Posner's five characteristics of exemplary leadership as a set of principles to work from while establishing my role as a innovative and effective leader.
- Model the way
- Inspire a shared vision
- Challenge the process
- Enable others to act
- Encourage the heart
Successful leadership presents many challenges, but met with someone who is committed to educational reform and educating all children, it can be reached. Leaders must speak from the heart and a set of core values and guiding principles. Leaders are pioneers and will most often step out on the limb for the sake of establishing innovative reform efforts. They strive for personal and professional learning, growth and improvement. There are many hats that leaders must wear, but with integrity, honesty, and humility, they will find success in whatever they do. As a true educational innovator, I will continue to lead by modeling effective instructional practices as well as in my continued passion and dedication to student learning and 21st Century educational reform efforts. I take my educational oath very seriously. I will continue to stay true to my personal and professional convictions and values in providing the ongoing necessary support for productive 21st Century community learning environments.

Resources
The Jossey-Bass reader on educational leadership By Jossey-Bass Inc, Michael Fullan

Authentic Unheroic Leadership - Week 3

2009-07-30T11:58:00.000-04:00

How has what you've learned so far in this course shaped your concept of an effective leader?
Over the past several weeks I have learned a wealth of valuable information about authentic administrative leadership. It is amazing to me that I was thinking many of the concepts mentioned in Burrello and Fullan. The passages about trust, honesty and integrity really hit home with me. I have always taken integrity seriously in every aspect of my life. Without integrity and honesty, you may lead a personally unfulfilled life. A person may go far professionally, but continue to search for something to fill the void where the lack of honesty and integrity has left the gap. People that lack both qualities, lead with ego not core beliefs. I have encountered many of these types of administrators that are not effective and normally face staff resistance and low staff and student morale. Administration that does not see the value in community involvement and others knowledge, skills and wisdom, risk constant conflict and resentment. If value is only placed on one's own ideas and initiatives, schools change or reform will most often not occur quickly or at all. In order to breed trust, honesty, respect, and loyalty, one must practice display and model these qualities as well. As a teacher, I have always communicated with students my relationship philosophy, "you get what you give" and this is a philosophy that I truly believe in and live by. If you give respect and practice honesty, integrity and loyalty, you will get in return. Authentic leaders, lead by example and use the unheroic skills to build a highly motivated transformative school community. Reculturing takes more than just a shared vision but a shared set of personal core qualities and beliefs.

Transformational Leadership - JHU Week 2

2009-07-25T23:08:00.000-04:00

• How do you define transformational leadership based on your reading?

Transformational leadership is an adaptive process in which school communities work together to build a cohesive understanding and collaborative actions to ensure the attainment of the school’s purpose, collective goals, and shared vision through the development and sustainability of a successful learning environment thereby promoting and supporting highly personalized, differentiated, student-centered, self-directed, educational learning experiences for all of its members.

• How can transformational leadership impact the way an administrator leads a school?

In order for administrators to lead a school community into a 21st Century reculturing, it is critical for them to create a democratic professional bureaucracy within the school environment. He or she must consider the collective intelligences of all school members and stakeholders. It is up to the administrator to identify how each school agent plays an essential role in student learning, achievement and success. An administrator will not lead anyone anywhere if he or she can not enroll others in the school’s shared vision and purpose. Through open dialogue and collaborative discussions, an administrator can begin to educate school community members to promote understanding of the school’s core values, purposes and vision. By allowing stakeholders ownership of a collective plan, they will more willingly enroll and openly commit to steps in moving their school forward. Administrators need mobilize people to accomplish tasks. A team concept is necessary for school and student success to be achieved.

Within the transformational leadership concept there are five linked attributes that are significant in fostering school environments that have the capacity to change. There is a true need for diverse interrelationships that can co-evolve through rigorous interchanges. Relationships between students and teachers, teachers and departments, departments and school and so on can heighten the level of communication and foster an environment where growth flourishes. A school can capitalize on its own diversity promote and support global awareness, understanding, tolerance, and relationships. Diversity is a school asset not a hindrance, and most often it is not seen in this way.

School environments should also be nonlinear in nature as change will become more rapid and innovative in these types of environments. Interactions in nonlinear environments are multidirectional and mutual and are key catalysts for transformation of student-centered schools. Through richer, diverse, more unstable learning conditions there is more potential for continual growth and learning to occur. Status quo mentalities and environments do not promote the necessary change or growth for effective learning to take place.

Student and teacher learning must also be given the opportunity to be more independent in nature. Student centered classroom environments allow for rich self-generated and self-guided learning opportunities. Assuming responsibility for ones own learning will attract a real desire to learn and grow. Promoting independent learning will foster growth and ultimately achieve the shared vision and goals. Administration, at any level, should support the continual school improvement towards district benchmarks, values, vision, goals and core technologies. (Burello, p. 41)

• How can transformational leadership impact the school administrator as he/she leads integrating technology with instruction?

As an administrator develops a continuous 21st Century transformation, they must take into consideration time and resource availability. Technology can assist with the overall democratic practice in sharing information with school community stakeholders. Innovative collaborative online networks could open up more dialogue and discussions about the school vision, goals, needs, accomplishments and overall progress. Technology can also make meeting synchronously or asynchronously much easier. Everyone can contribute at their own pace or conviction. The network can enhance open communications and build trust within the community. Administrators must be proactive in their own learning and need to develop skills to be superior users of innovative technologies. While modeling how to integrate these tools into real world situations, administrators will lead others to do the same. They can empower teachers to build open communications and create more democratic diverse learning communities within their own classrooms. It only takes a few teachers, parents and students to become excited about connecting, collaborating and sharing to create an environment that begins to inspire others behave the same.

JHU - Week 2 Reflection - Act. 4

2009-06-08T00:22:00.000-04:00

Now that you have a good sense of the types of online activities and the rhythms of an active participant, what steps will you take to be successful in this program?
As an active participant in the JHU Program, I will strive to do my best in the online activities and communications. I will make sure to use my Outlook calendar and itouch to stay up-to-date with all activities, assignments and expectations.

How will you be a contributing member of your team? How will team activities impact your time management?
As a team member, I hope to contribute reliable, relevant and useful information and resources to teammates. I will make sure to read and respond to comments, perspectives and ideas with support and open mindedness. I am excited to learn from others and will take back a wealth of information by connecting, communicating and collaborating with others from around the globe.

What have you learned about your communication style? How will this impact you as an online learner?
After taking the communication style inventory, I found that I am a "feeler" communicator. The characteristics for Feelers fit me perfectly. I agree with the description and count on my communication style to assist me with effectively communicating and contributing to group discussions and activities.

Where do you still need additional support?
I am fine at this point and do feel that I need further support. I am so excited to be getting started with this program and learning from others expertise and experiences and sharing mine as well.

JHU / ISTE Cohort Post

2009-06-01T19:52:00.001-04:00

I just started my coursework for Johns Hopkins University /ISTE Admin and Supervisory Certificate program. I just spent the past hour or so completing assignments and posting to the discussion forum inside the ELC system. I feel very comfortable with ELC and look forward to using it to complete my course requirements. I only have one concern about the online learning and that would be completion of assignments over the course of one year. I have never taken so many courses in a year so I hope it's not too difficult. I never mind hard work since it pays off in the end. I am excited about my learning opportunities and professional growth as well.

Real Time Reading Collaboration

2009-05-22T09:43:00.000-04:00

I just wanted to share this tool again since it is now working with another incredible Web 2.0 tool. If you go to the Project Gutenberg, you can find thousands of online texts for download. One of the best comprehensive databases of online text that I have ever seen. Once you download the desired books or text, you can open and create an account at BookGlutton and read them online with your friends. As you read you can chat and annotate together. Discuss parts of the text, read at your own pace, summarize together. Together, these two tools are so powerful. They not only allow students the opportunity to connect and share with others reading similar content, but collect and return to their content and annotations at any time. Think about the study groups that could be created with these tools. At BookGlutton you can also write and publish your own works. Imagine editing works together at any time. The learning and creating will go on after school hours. Truly amazing learning at its highest level.

Book Glutton

2009-05-06T08:39:00.002-04:00

You have to check this one out. It's called Book Glutton. Bookglutton.com. You can read online. Embeddable books and annotate and chat with members and people that you invite to read along with you online. Wonderful tool for education.
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Book Glutton

2009-05-01T19:38:00.001-04:00

One of the better book sites out there! Visit Book Glutton and register to read books online with others. Chat and annotate together. Talk about a better experience in reading, this is truly one of the best aps that I have seen in a long time! A must see if you are trying to read difficult texts like Shakespeare, thrillers like Steven King and many more. This site can only go up. Oh and did I mention, you can embed the books into a web site or wiki.

PA Educators Professional Learning Network

2009-04-23T12:00:00.005-04:00

If you are a PA educator, I invite you to join the new PA Educator Ning Network at http://paeducators.ning.com . Currently there are 191 members, which is great, but it would be more beneficial if we could get hundreds or thousands of teachers to join this network. We can build capacity through our connections and collaborations across the state. Imagine what we can do together without anyone directing us. The network is for all of us! We can connect, share and build! The potential is limitless! Join if you are interested in building a professional learning network where you can find and even add events from around the state. If you are reading this from another state or country, you too can create a network at ning for your educators. If you are looking for a network of educators to make connections I would suggest Classroom 2.0. Over 20,000 members world-wide active members post and share all of the time. Network creator Steve Hargadon, is one of the best education advocates around!!

Public Education in the 21st Century - Public Education in the 21st Century

2009-02-14T20:00:00.001-05:00

Public Education in the 21st Century: ""

Post your comment by clicking on the Nota Page.

Academic Earth

2009-01-25T12:17:00.001-05:00

This has to be one of the best sites for finding quality lectures and information. Top lectures from thousands of lectures from the world's top scholars! Amazing, join and create playlists and favorites. This is a must see! http://academicearth.org/

Researching Collaborative Sites

2009-01-14T16:09:00.002-05:00

Just doing some research and trying to find a way where students can collaborate and work together on projects. Now we know that Google docs is an option and students can collaborate with documents whatnot. But I really like Zoho Notebook. Zoho Notebook allows for audio and video embedding in the actual online page and then allows for playback and sharing. It's so much more than a conventional notebook. You have to see this resource for yourself! It's a must use!
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WiiMotes in School!!! Great Low cost option for IWB

2009-01-12T07:35:00.002-05:00

I just got finished configuring my Wii remote and my laptop computer with the bluetooth connection and found out that it was extremely easy to do to create a instant interactive white board device with the Wii remote and infrared beam that actually detects a signal and allows you to create any wall space on. The board or wallspace then becomes an interactive device. It's really easy you have to try it go to wiiremoteproject.com and read the instructions and watch the video tutorial and give it a shot. $45 and plus maybe $7 charge for an IR device. Pretty cheap pretty inexpensive when it comes to purchasing something really inexpensive to hang on your wall. Check it out.
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Showing My Colleague Dial 2 Do

2009-01-06T12:36:00.002-05:00

Sitting here with Jill Machemer. It's our second day at the CAIU and we're just talking about some things we're going to be working on. I wanted to show her dial2do so she can learn how to post right to her blog or a twitter account live from your cellphone. Yep, she's losing it!! Anyway, we're going check it out on Blogger in a couple of minutes.
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KIDO'Z Browser

2009-01-03T15:08:00.002-05:00

A great free kids browser. This browser is kid friendly and allows you to safely navigate the internet in search of content, games, videos and more. Check it out here. http://kidoz.net/beta/index.html

Mixbook Changes Their User Agreement

2008-12-19T22:22:00.001-05:00

Mixbook has graciously updated their end user agreement!! They have now made it possible for kids under the age of 13 to be able to use their tool. I can't even begin to tell you how excited this makes me and so many other educators that were limited in integrating such an incredible tool into classroom writing projects. If you haven't seen this tool yet you must check it out!! www.mixbook.com , it is one of absolute favorites, oh and did I mention, their CEO, Andrew is a great guy too. He actually responded to my email and concern about limiting this tool to kids over 13. He was able to change this agreement within a weeks time. Hows that for working with educators and the desire to be recognized as a valuable educational online tool! Thanks Andrew for working with me and allowing us to utilize this tool with younger kids! It will add to the writing projects that they need to create while doing research and more. I will continue to support and recommend Mixbook where ever I go and present!

Mixbook!!

2008-12-18T14:33:00.001-05:00

So I just got off the phone with Mixbook's CEO, Andrew Lafoon and realized what a great little company it is. First of all let me just tell you that Mixbook.com is one of the best sites around for building online ebooks. They also offer a printed version of the books that you create. Well the reason for the call was in regards to an email that I sent concerning their user agreement. It clearly states that you have to be 13 years old to use the site, but that just didn't seem fair so I took it upon myself to write to them. I got an email back that very next day asking to share more information about what we "teachers" would need to make is so that kids younger than 13 could use the site. I recommended that they put a clause in their user agreement if under 13 must be under the supervision of an adult. Then teachers teachers using the tool with younger students would be protected and in compliance with the license agreement. Andrew and his associate were very open to the suggestion and said that it would soon be updated and would let me know when. They also asked how to make the tool better for teachers.... they didn't know what they had just done.... opening that can of worms. I asked if they could add audio and video capabilities to the site, recommended that they allow for pdf print outs and even suggested a coloring book mode to print. Other than that, I told them that Mixbook is an awesome tool for getting kids interested in writing and producing some incredible interactive written ebooks. You have to check this site out. Kids and you will love it! As for the guys at Mixbook, I thank you for your time and consideration in making your site and tool better for teachers and students. It was a pleasure working with you! Hope to see you at NECC and PETE&C.

Post to your Blog from iGoogle

2008-12-14T22:47:00.001-05:00

Wow!!! How easy this just became...I can now post directly to my blog from my iGoogle page. No log in needed. Just type and post. You have to add this to your igoogle page if you enjoy blogger and posting easily!

WebNotes - Annotate the Web

2008-12-14T21:00:00.000-05:00

Visit any website and annotate and share it. This si so easy and worth using especially if you have students working together to discuss topics and research. Place a sticky note or tack where you want to make the note and you are on your way. Great for sharing and collaborating on the web. http://www.webnotes.net/ give it a shot and be creative when annotating.

Google - Finally you can export your blog...

2008-12-14T20:21:00.002-05:00

Well they have finally gone and done it... we can now merge, export, and import from other blog hosts. Makes it much easier to manage your blogs if you have more than one. Reada more here.

"Google’s Blogger team introduced probably the most long awaited upgrade to the system ever, the ability to import and export in and out of Blogger powered blogs. "

Oh and how about this one... put your favorite songs on your site... listen while you post. i love it!!! AAAAAAAAHHHH! I love Nickelback!!!! Check out my side bar widget.

Plagarism Tool From U of Md.

2008-12-13T01:49:00.002-05:00

You have to check this out!! A simple plagarism tool to help teachers identify plagarized papers.
http://www.dustball.com/cs/plagiarism.checker/ How can it get any easier than this!! Check the validity or something you know is copyrighted and see what you get in return.

Clarkson's Museum Box Creator

2008-12-03T13:52:00.002-05:00

Wow this site http://museumbox.e2bn.org/creator/ is a must see and try!! Create a free teacher account and have your students build a box or interactive cube to demonstrated their mastery of specific content and skills. You can add video, audio, images, text, files and links to the cubes and click on the side that you would like to see. What a fun tool to have students build throughout the course of the year. This is a great site to actually build a portfolio!! Check out some of the samples here!!

Microsoft's Sticky Sorter

2008-11-23T18:40:00.000-05:00

A great free download that creates sticky notes for projects and other collaborative events needing some organization. Sticky Sorter can be dowloaded in seconds and up and running without much instruction at all.
A great simplistic way to organize and collaborate during project plans. It's a must see.

LIFE Photo Archive on Google

2008-11-20T22:23:00.000-05:00

Wow you have to see this. http://images.google.com/hosted/life LIFE Magazine's fully archived photographs will now be hosted at Google. Amazing!!

A Sad Day for the CAIU

2008-11-14T14:05:00.006-05:00

I usually only post links to favorite sites and tools for integration, but today is like non other. I will post about one of my favorite teachers, technolgy enthusiasts, colleagues, mentors and dearest of friends. Today I share with you a true gem of the Web 2.0 world. Over the past several years I have had the pleasure of working with and learning from one of the best! One of the most well respected educators and educational technology specialists around the world has retired from his "official" job today, however, for those of us who know him, know that he is not "done today". This retirement will just free him up to do more of what he loves to do; share, inspire, teach, travel, collaborate, post, and oh let's not forget - visit his cabin to hunt. It's so hard to believe that he will no longer be walking the halls of the IU and sharing a great Web 2.0 tool/tip during an in person TAC meeting or simply sharing a laugh over one of his funny and enlightening stories. Jim, your positive influence and profound impact on Pennsylvania's classrooms, teachers, students, administrators, and even state officials will resonate in PA forever. Your legacy "it's about the kids" will live on through all of us who have had the opportunity to experience your dedication, passion, expertise and yes especially those "tips" on best practice and educational reform. Jim Gates, I want to thank you for your enthusiasm, kindness, charm, inspiration, mentoring, guidance and friendship. You will always be an inspiration to me. I look forward to working with you, yes working... you are not getting off the hook that fast, in the future. Have a drink on me big guy! Enjoy your rest and relaxation at least for a few days. For the rest of us who follow Jim's blog, it will surely be more than we could hope for since he will have more time now to post and share more often. http://tipline.blogspot.com/
Thanks for everthing Gatesy! You're the best.

Sitting with Julia. Just...

2008-11-14T12:18:00.001-05:00

Sitting with Julia. Just got done eating and we're discussing how educational institutions could actually change to better accomodate the 21st century learner. We'll be posting more about this in the next hour so check back in with us.
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Just hanging out and...

2008-11-08T15:20:00.001-05:00

Just hanging out and taking a look at dial2do.com and posting a message from my cell phone to my blogger account. Um just seeing if this really does work and I will check my blog in about five seconds and then make a recommendation if this is a good tool or not.
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Big Huge Labs

2008-11-05T21:19:00.003-05:00

Do something really creative with your photos and images. Give students the chance to create and learn with some of these fun imaging tools. Create online customized embedable maps, personalized badges and trading cards, magazine covers and wallpapers. It is so easy and fun to use. You have to check it out. This is one that students will love and it is now at the top of Bloom's thinking skills. Create and share!! http://bighugelabs.com/flickr/

OpenCongress - OpenCongress Tools

2008-10-26T00:27:00.000-04:00

OpenCongress - OpenCongress Tools
Learn everything you ever wanted to know about congress. This site offers a ton of information and is easy to navigate. A great resource for studying congress and the debates of 2008.

Splicd

2008-10-25T20:08:00.000-04:00

Don't want the entire Youtube video? Capture the frames you need with http://www.splicd.com/ . It is so simple grab the url, choose the time duration and click continue. The movie clip will open for embedding and linking. A great way to capture the clips that you want.

Show Document

2008-10-25T16:39:00.000-04:00

Instant Collaboration on any file!! This is a must see!! http://www.showdocument.com/ It is one of the easiest collaboration tools that I have ever seen. Simply upload a file and share it. As soon as the invitees join they can annotate, comment, highlight and chat about the document. Save as a pdf. What a wonderful tool for editing papers and reports together. Students could do this in pairs, small or large groups and learn from eachother in an instant. The origianl file stays in tact. I love this tool. Give it a try in your classrooms!

Cullen's ABC's

2008-10-18T19:19:00.002-04:00

This site is full of resources for the early learner. Primary and even Preschool children can benefit from this site. Cullen sings and shares so many activities that will engage young children forever. She is really doing a great job with this site. If you teach K-3 you will love this site. http://cullensabcs.com/

Edmodo - Safe Social Networking For School

2008-10-18T15:50:00.000-04:00

Edmodo is a great way to allow your students to create an educational social networks. Imagine a social network for kids that is absolutely safe. How about creating a group for students and for their parents as well. Opening up the communication with students and parents will prove to be invaluable!! Give it a try. It may just be worthwhile.

Jigsaw Planet

2008-10-18T13:28:00.001-04:00

Cool site! Upload your photos, choose the type of jigsaw and level of dificulty and create your personalized puzzle. When finished, you receive timed results. Great for uploading pics and giving kids a chance to solve puzzles and touch visual concepts. Jigsaw Planet, a must see and play.

My Mini City

2008-10-18T08:57:00.001-04:00

Wow this is the neatest site for building and growing a city. No downloads, or registration. Create a city, grab the link and send invitations out to your friends to get inhabitants and grow your city. Chat features are included. Manage the entire city from your web browser. http://myminicity.com/ Check it out now, you will have a blast watching your city grow. Kids would love this activity. Imagine the graphing and math calculations that could happen with this type of site. They could also manage population, industry, transportation, environment and more. What a great way to see just how a productive they could be in growing their own city or paradise. Visit my city here to help me grow my population http://land-oftech.myminicity.com/ Have fun building your own as you click the build my city button.

Ustream.tv

2008-10-12T20:56:00.002-04:00

I know that I have shared ustream before, but I just stumbled upon some of the latest new ustream features. It's becoming increasingly easier to share your streams. You can now embed your favorite ustreams right into your igoogle page, your blog sidebars, netvibes and more. Ustream is one of the best tools on the net. If you don't have your free private or public channel yet, you must get one now. It is really revolutionizing how media comes to us. You can watch some of the best streams there or create one of the best when you get started. All you need to have is a webcam and some creativity. Make sure not to record anyone without permission though. It's a must see and do. Ustream.tv

Dabbleboard

2008-10-12T20:49:00.003-04:00

Create an instant collaboration board online. No registration necessary. Share instantly!! A great tool for school and collaborative activities. Check it out. Dabbleboard is really a fun tool integrate. Copy image galleries to help with diagrams and drawings. It's a must have.

Scribblar - Online Webinar Tool

2008-09-30T15:16:00.001-04:00

Another online webinar meeing tool. This is completely free for up to http://www.scribblar.com/. Grab a room for free and send out your invitations. Give it a try. A great tool for creating online meeting solutions.

Science Stage

2008-09-17T12:29:00.000-04:00

A great Science website that allows you to create, share, and download Science related videos, audio, and documents. Talk about a WOW website http://sciencestage.com/ currently in its beta stage. Create a free account, upload audio, video, documents that you want to share. Create groups to share content with.
Share this with your Science teachers!

Talk to Abraham Lincoln

2008-09-14T13:40:00.001-04:00

Visit Virsona.com to meet and chat with Abe Lincoln. A site devoted to bringing personas back to life through investigation and personal interest in the past. A fun and new way to offer learning. Visit back often since the site is in its infancy and has only just begun. Create a free account and start your very own Versona. Be who ever you would like to be.

Kwiry - Mobile Learning

2008-09-07T00:12:00.002-04:00

The cell phone is no longer just for calling and texting friends and family. It is truly revolutionizing daily interactions. Instead of having to sit down on the internet to retrieve information about any given topic, you can now simply send a text message to Kwiry. You will then receive an email with related resources to your text or desired topic. Conduct your research with a cell phone. Who would have ever thought of such a thing? Create an account and give it a try. Pretty darn amazing! Text rates do apply.

2008 Election Resources

2008-09-04T15:56:00.005-04:00

So who isn't posting and writing or following the convention? I just wanted to share some great resources from colleagues and searches for useful links. Check some of these out!!

Templates and scoring rubrics for debates and more http://www.educationworld.com/tools_templates/index.shtml#election

Cool, Interactive and Fun!! http://www.ciconline.org/elections A great interactive online game that allows students to choose and rate topics then compare them to other states. An interactive board game that allows players to act as candidates while running a campaign. You have to see this one!

The Online News Hourhttp://www.pbs.org/newshour/vote2008/primaries/states/

NPR - http://www.npr.org/templates/topics/topic.php?topicId=1102

ECO Research - http://www.ecoresearch.net/election2008/ and http://www.ecoresearch.net/election2008/technology discover and track media attention and sentiment about candidates.

YUUGUU - Free Webinars - 30 free seats

2008-08-11T14:17:00.002-04:00

This is another great tool to begin using when trying to share and train online. It is free for up to 30 participants. Just download, install, create an account and share you link. It's truly as simple as simple can be. You can share your desktop, chat, speak together for free. Check it out. It's worth trying if you can't afford high costs. Yuuguu try it out for yourself.

Power Up The Game!!

2008-08-11T12:15:00.002-04:00

Wow, this is a must see. Play a virtual game to help save the earth. If this doesn't catch your students' interests, I don't know what will. "Motivate your students to apply science and math concepts to real world problems, spark student interest in pursuing a career in Science or Engineering, students work together in teams to investigate the rich, 3D game environment Players take on the role of Engineers, working together designing and building energy solutions to save the worldand learn about the environmental disasters that threaten the game world and its inhabitants." There is a teacher guide to assist with the integration of this game simulation in class. http://www.powerupthegame.org/home.html Check it out here. Demo it first with a few pilot students. Get their feedback and procede with a solid plan. Learn while playing and collaborating with eachother. What a great way to reach kids and teach important concepts in Science.

Redzee

2008-08-11T12:10:00.002-04:00

A great visual search engine that gets rid of the inappropriate hits. I love the rotating pages. Simply click the thumbnail page that you would like to visit to find what you are looking for. Check it out Redzee find out what your students think about it.

A New Tool For School

2008-08-02T17:47:00.003-04:00

This one is really fun and can actually be used to get kids interested in writing, creating plays and more. You have to see it. Goanimate allows you to choose various settings, characters, and actions to create and active story with animated characters. Now I have to warn you, that some of the settings and characters are a bit questionable, but for the most part they are harmless. There are many themes for scenes and the only one that I saw to be questionable was the latrine. The only character was a shapely woman in a bikini. Just direct your students to steer clear of those. They will have a blast creating live animated cartoons depicting many topics and story lines. Very fun. A must see!!

NECC 2008

2008-07-04T19:21:00.004-04:00

I wanted to share my experiences about NECC 2008 in San Antonio Texas. While there were many sessions worth attending many were full even before the start time. I was turned away at 3 consecutive sessions. A bit frustrating, but once I became adjusted to the situation and session locations it got better. Sessions attended were informative. I learned about lit2go , Florida Educational Clearing house fulll of audio books mp3 files for download and use with classroom multimedia projects. Very nice presentation and examples offered. I participated in and attended other Blogger Cafe presentations which I found quite informative. However, even after sharing and meeting others from around the globe, I learned that I am still way ahead of the instructional technology curve. It was comforting to know that I am still on top of things.

Another interesting thing that I found out was ISTE's ICOT or Classroom Observation Tool that provides online data collection about teacher, or district instructional technology practices. An excellent tool to identify instructional strengths and weaknesses base upon the New 2008 NETS for Teachers and Students.
I will be using this for sure in the very near future.

Lastly, I enjoy finally meeting some of my favorite online networking friends. Steve Hargadon of Classroom 2.0 is truly a diamond in the rough with great knowledge and expertise in a variety of Web 2.0 and Open Source resources for education. What an inspiration to me. Jeff Uttecth now from Wetpaint, was fun to listen and speak to. All of the PA folks that I have been collaborating with over the past year, what a great bunch of people. PA has got some fabulous teachers, technology specialists and coordinators, and state level directors. It is an honor to be a part of such a wonderful group of educational leaders. I am looking forward to D.C. next year and already have plans on bringing my own children to present what they already do in virtual worlds and online.

Oh and how could I forget Cyote Ugly, what a fun place to hang out and dance. Sorry no photos were allowed. :) My husband enjoyed it all, but had to get a break from us tech geeks.

Tutpup

2008-06-06T13:04:00.002-04:00

A great interactive game website for learning and competing. Create a free account and play games to reinforce Math and Spelling skills. You get to compete against the clock and other children from around the world. How much fun is that. You have to give this a try, I will be sharing this with my own kis over the summer!! Tutpup is a great resource for SMART Boards or other interactive devices.

TotSpot

2008-06-05T12:42:00.003-04:00

Finally a site for parents to safely post and share information about their children. How fun for a young child to see their photos and read about their lives as they grow up. I will be using this for my kids this summer. They will be able to build their own pages. Check it out. TotSpot

ClassTools

2008-05-29T12:25:00.003-04:00

Classtools is a great way to get interactives into the learning hands of students. Create fun flash based games that support you curriculum content standards. There are great games for reinforcing learning. Try some of the games and see what you think.

Doodle 4 Google Winners - Today's Google is the Grand Prize Winner

2008-05-22T13:22:00.000-04:00

Check out some of the great artwork that was submitted by kids. http://www.google.com/doodle4google/index.html The winners are very impressive.

Penzu - Free Online Notebook

2008-05-22T10:50:00.000-04:00

Create a free simple to use online notebook at Penzu. It is so easy to use. Just type, add pics and save or share. If you have a classroom with computers, have you students take notes here and share them with you. Get the paperless classroom environment with 24/7 accessibility. How wonderful for students who miss school, can’t write well, or just need note and info. updates. Very easy to use. Give it a shot.

Atomic Learing - Lesson Accelerators and Workshops

2008-05-22T09:50:00.000-04:00

Atomic Learning Lesson Accelerators – this is one of the most comprehensive sites for lesson ideas and quick video tutorials!!! I know about Atomic Learning’s training videos, but this module is very nicely done. Need a lesson idea for a specific tech. tool and subject matter? Check it out!!
http://movies.atomiclearning.com/k12/atomiccurriculum The lesson accelerators provide step by step video tutorials for integration of specific software applications, system preferences, and specific standards. It can’t get any easier than this to help spark an idea for quality integration! You can even become a lesson accelerator contributor. http://movies.atomiclearning.com/k12/la_dev_info . There are many of you who have built some incredible lessons and tutorials, why not get some recognition for it! Oh, and coaches, check these out. http://movies.atomiclearning.com/k12/workshops these might help with the training of applications that you are not completely familiar with. Hope you can use these.

Tweet Cube

2008-05-18T00:25:00.003-04:00

If you use Twitter, then you will love this one. Tweet Cube, allows you to post files directly to your Twitter account. I will use it as an alternative to posting since Twitter is blocked where I work. Upload files of 10mb or less, but you have unlimited uploads. Check it out!

GWAP- By Carnegie Mellon

2008-05-17T19:29:00.005-04:00

Another great one by Carnegie Mellon!! It's called GWAP or Games With A Purpose, an interactive live game that lets you and an unknown partner compete against a clock. Ok this is what they say "By playing our games, you're training computers to solve problems for humans all over the world." I am not really sure how this works, but it's fun!! I am getting addicted. They record the guess tags related to the answers that each partner takes and helps the search engines get smarter. There are 5 Games, ESP, Verbosity, Tag a Tune, Squigl, and Matchin. They are all pretty fun. You have to give this a try. See what you think. Register free!!

Tikatok-Build a Free E-Book

2008-05-16T22:16:00.003-04:00

I just had to share this one. Tikatok, create an online ebook and get it published. Very much like Mixbook. You can choose from story templates and topics or create your ebook from scratch. If you choose a to use a template students can complete a simple form to customize their story characters, settings, and events. I know it’s elementary, but HS kids actually like writing to younger audiences. They are great at making more complex ideas very simple. However, the content doesn’t have to be elementary at all. Give it a shot. I bet they will enjoy it.

Have fun.

NOTA - Web tool for posting your notes and more

2008-05-16T20:49:00.007-04:00

This is a new one. I have been testing out many note-taking Web 2.0 tools and love this one. Create a free Nota page and allow others to edit and/or comment. It reminds me a little of voicethread, but allows for much more. Check out the how to page. It is so easy post photos, clipart, google maps, movies and more…. Jpeg, png, bmp, gif, mp3, swf, doc, xls, ppt, pdf, and any other formats are allowed. Big image files will be automatically compressed. I’m thinking (virtual fieldtrips, digital stories…J, collaborative projects etc… ) Embed the page or share the link. Get students to build content and collaborate. They will love this one! It’s a wiki, but without the boundaries. Leave me a comment or join and edit my page. Have fun with this one.

CCDT - Collaborative Curriculum Design Template

2008-05-16T20:47:00.004-04:00

I was just reading and catching up on my blogs and I stumbled across this interactive curriculum design tool. It is part of Harvard Graduate School of Ed. It's called the Collaborative Curriculum Design Template! WOW … if it comes out of Harvard, it’s got to be pretty good. The tool models the principles of the The Teaching for Understanding Framework. This is the link they provide for TFU design principles. This curriculum building tool is not like most, but sure looks very effective. Our district is currently using the LFS framework and online toolbox to build curriculum and it is working for us. However, I do know that not everyone is using the LFS structure or tools, yet still need something for interactive and collaborative curriculum design. If you are looking for an effective online curriculum design tool, the CCDT might be worth investigating.
Oh did I mention it’s FREE, imagine that one, me send a free resource. J Register, and watch the tutorial. It will guide you through steps for building curriculum content.