Pecha Kucha: Get to the PowerPoint in 20 Slides Then Sit the Hell Down
This technique should be universally adopted. This is absolutely awesome in the classroom. Just make a PowerPoint template for your students with the correct timing and let the kids do their stuff. I wish every administrator would learn this technique. Facilitate this exercise by loading all the presentations on one flash drive. This is also a great wrap up exercise for workshops.
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Check out The Google mac blog for a new free app called vidnik. Vidnik streamlines video blogging using you isight camera and a bulk uploading option to youtube. While your there check out some of google’s other offerings for mac users.
Recently I can across a really neat little script for making an audio book out of any text. The possibilities are endless. This could really be neat for kids needing accommodations. I made a screencast so if you want to see it in action just watch the video.
Pretty cool little trick for adding a keyboard to a screen cast or in a screen shot. You could also use it to demonstrate keyboard shortcuts. http://macmost.com/
Please Check out some animoto examples on my YouTube channel. Animoto is awesome for showing off student work, or displaying pictures of a school event. Check out animoto and everyone will ask how you did such an awesome video.
I came across this post in undernews and thought I would share it you. It is the story of Mr. Chew and his convictions regarding standardized testing. Please read and comment.
Webware just released the top 100 web 2.0 sites of 2008. Check them out! There is a lot you probably already use but some that I am sure you could have fun exploring. I am bookmarking this site for future reference. If you know of any innovative ways these sites can be used in the classroom please leave a comment and I will be sure to include it in my next post.
I have been fooling around with ustream tv and CamTwist over the last couple of days and I am really impressed. Ustream tv is a service which allows anyone to to have their own internet tv channel and record show or stream live shows. CamTwist is a Mac application that allows you to add various quartz elements to you webcam, things like an RSS feed, Scrolling text, Pictures, and tons of visual effects. In fact CamTwist has so many features and is so user friendly I can’t believe its free! How could you use all this in your class? Start your own channel. Imagine having the kids script and record there own T.V. show. Or how about using your class as a studio audience and streaming your own show. You could then download a copy of your show to your hard drive and post it to YouTube. The possibilities are endless. Check it out for yourself.
Recently I came across a report about social networks in schools on the National School Board Association website. This report is food for much thought but the report does not contain anything those of us involved with social networks and educating did not already know. Social networks are the least of our problems. In fact Social networking might be the answer to many of our problems. With violence, drugs, and gangs in our schools are we really going to worry about kids socializing on the internet? Are we crazy? Are we really preparing kids for the future by blocking social media? Maybe our kids need to socialize a little more on the web, after all I’ve never seen of a kid getting punched or stabbed over the internet. I’ve never seen kids pass drugs to one another over the web. I have however seen these things in the hallways of our public schools. The web has its dangers but our school’s hallways are a far more real threat. Education is the answer, in the hallways, in the home and on the web.
