NearPod APP

Instruction just got easier.  The NearPod APP allows teachers to share content on student devices and manage the flow of the lecture, turning the lesson into an engaging and collaborative activity.  For more information and how to videos- visit the iTunes Store for NearPod or www.nearpod.com.  The free APP allows you to save up to 10 lessons and have 30 students signed in at one time.  The free APP does not allow you to upload an internet address or picture slideshow but does allow you to add videos.  You can choose from lessons already created or create your own.



Google Drawing

Google Drawing

Google has a product in Google Docs called Drawing.  You can use Google Drawing to make charts, diagrams, designs, and more.  You can create everything from timelines to detailed images.  With Drawing, you can insert text, shapes, arrows, scribbles or add images from your hard drive or from the Web. 
This tool is a great way to work together with a class where images and drawings help with learning.  Drawings can be shared with others as you draw.  You can simultaneously edit drawings with others.  There is a revision history so you go back and see all the edits that were made to the drawing.  The drawing can be copied and pasted into another document.
Here is an example:

Evernote is Very Noteworthy

Do you find that you have too many notes or have a great idea and nowhere to jot it down? I have been using Evernote for about 4 months now and I love it. It is an online application that is free (for a certain amount of monthly usage). You can upload from any computer that has internet access. You can also downloaded it to your computer, so when you are not connected to the internet, you can work and when you connect it synchronizes with your online account and computer. I also have an App on my phone which allows me to enter notes when I am away from my computer. It has really helped me organize all my notes, ideas, and made me a more effective planner.

OPEN Educational Resources

Learning Is Sharing!

OER is a global Open Education Community serving education leaders K-12 and beyond. This free resource is divided into OER Materials and the OER Community. Browse the OER Materials to find video lectures, simulations, or teaching and learning strategies. In addition, there are several Open Textbooks under the Recommended Resources section.

Visit the OER Community and you'll find OER Community Topics (How & Why of OER, Intellectual Property, Technology, Open Source) and OER Community Types (Tools & Technology, Discussion Forums, Blogs & Wikis) for building connections and sharing resources across the globe.

To learn more and join, visit: http://www.oercommons.org/

Explore and Enjoy!

Realtime Collaboration

This week we found ourselves in need of a way to have all 11 of us collaborate at one time in real time. We ran across the site EtherPad

"EtherPad is the only web-based word processor that allows people to work together in really real-time."
You begin by creating a new pad (document). Then you can invite people via email or share the URL with students. Then the work begins. When changes are made to the document, they are instantly reflected on everyone's screen. Often times you have to either email drafts back and forth, use Google Docs (which take several seconds to see changes) or waste time writing and rewriting documents. EtherPad is a new and productive way to collaborate. The web site offers a free service. You can create your own pad (document) and share with up to 16 people, with some minimal security through a randomized URL. There are no accounts needed and all that you need to remember is the Pad URL. The site offers customized URL's and ideas of how to use it. We used it very successful this morning to write a vision. The downside is that when you export it, it does not export the colors. So if you want to see who contributed what you will need to take a screen shot. There are so many possibilities! It is worth checking out!