Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Digital Storm Prep: How to Use the Internet when the Internet is Gone

The Washington Post has a great post up about how to use Twitter, which was originally a text-based service, without Internet access. But there's a lot more you can do with SMS—from Twitter and Facebook to email and search. Click the link above to learn how to access the Internet without the Internet...

This is good info in general - but Hurricane Sandy has prompted everyone to use technology to keep in touch. 

Monday, October 29, 2012

*MOSTLY* FREE WEB 2.0 SITES FROM A-Z: IMPROVE WRITING AND CREATIVITY

Super Awesome Massive List of Websites You'll Love!

 Thanks, edjudo, for compiling the original list that I enhanced. 

280 Slides – Create PowerPoint style presentations online (free)
4Shared - An online storage site allowing you to upload and share music, photos, video and documents (free 10GB)
5min Life Videopedia – Short instructional videos for every practical questions and DIY project (free)
99 Chats – Allows teachers to create customisable chat rooms that can be added to a class website or blog (free)
99 Polls – Create customized surveys and polls for your website, blog and social network profiles (free)
ABCya – Online educational games aimed at primary school levels (free)
Ahead - A web based non-linear presentation tool very similar to Prezi (free 300MB)
Alice – Alice is an innovative 3D programming environment (free)
Animoto – Creates a quality slideshow from your uploaded photos and videos (free education license available)
Audacity – Excellent audio software to record or install sounds to your computer (microphone needed) and edit them afterwards. Also great for editing or mixing songs (free)
Audio Expert - A free and simple online audio editor, file converter and sound recorder.
Audioboo – An audio-blogging site where you can send updates through the web, phone or its own iPhone app. (free)
AuthorSTREAM – Allows you to publish and share your PowerPoint presentations as video
Aviary – A suite of powerful online creation tools which allow you to create, edit and manipulate images (free)
Babbel - Interactive online language courses to improve your grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation skills
Batalugu- Create your own Children's Book
BeFunky – Get creative with your photos using many fun and simple photo editing and effects (free)
Big Huge Labs - Create puzzles, movie posters, magazine covers, calendars, badges and more from your photos.
Bit.ly – Shorten long web addresses, good for twitter users (Free)
Bitstrips – Make your own comic with this web 2.0 tool (free)
Blabberize – Animate pictures to make people, animals or objects talk (free) [edjudo review ]
Blender - Excellent open source 3D content creation suite (free, must install)
Block Posters – Make full size posters from pictures in your computer (free)
Blogger – Web 2.0 blog writing tool (Free)
Blogpoll - Simple polling tool that can be embedded into any school website or classroom blog (free)
Box.net – Online file storage where you can manage and share content with your colleagues or students (free 5GB)
Bubbl.us – Create mind-maps either on your own or collaborating with others (free)
Build your Wild Self – Crate human / animal hybrids. Good for descriptions. (free)
Camstudio – A desktop application that allows you to record your computer screen (free)
Capzles – Create rich multimedia storylines by combining your photos, videos, blogs and audio (free)
Cartoonster – Tutorials aimed at children explaining how to create animations (free)
Comic master - A free web application that allows you to easily create comics (graphic novels) online. (free) [edjudo review ]
Commoncraft – Simple three-minute videos to help educators introduce complex subjects (free to view)
Convore – Convore is a quick way to instant message with groups of friends in real-time (free)
Creative Commons Search - Find media and resources which you are legally free to use and share (free)
Delicious – Access your book-marks from any computer and share them with colleagues, students or friends (free)
Diigo – Collect, organise and share with diego. Bookmark, highlight text and images, add sticky notes to webpages
DivShare - A tool on the web for storing and sharing your media and documents (free 5GB)
DoInk – Allows you to create and share animations (free with paid extras) 
Domo – Create animations which can be embedded into blogs, wikis and other websites. Primary aged. (free)
DotSUb – Upload a video and create your own subtitles. Good for language learners. (free)
Dropbox – The easiest way to store, sync, and, share files online. Highly recommended. (free 2GB basic account) [edjudo review ]
Dropmocks – Create and share image galleries online by dragging photos into your browser
Edjudo– Supporting web 2.0 tools, teaching, learning and technology in high school
Edmodo– A social learning network for teachers, students, schools and districts (free)
Edublogs – A hosted blogging platform designed for education (free with advertising)
Embedit.in – Upload and embed documents into blogs or other websites
EmbedPlus – This website allows you to add extra controls to Youtube embedded videos such as slow motion, zooming, chapters and annotations [edjudo review ]
Evernote – Collect all of your ideas, experiences, thoughts and memories into an always-accessible place (free)
Facebook – Call me if you aren't sure what this one is!
Flickr – Very popular online photo management and sharing application (free)
Flipsnack – Flipsnack will quickly convert uploaded PDF documents into a cool virtual magazine with flipping pages.
Fotobabble – Add your voice to photos and customised slide-shows
Freemind – A desktop application for creating mind-maps written in Java. Must be downloaded and installed (free)
Gimp – An excellent open source, image manipulation tool. A good and free alternative to Photoshop.
Gliffy – Online diagram software. Create professional-looking flowcharts, diagrams, floor plans and technical drawings (free)
Glogster - Create unique, media rich, interactive posters which can be shared online or embeded into wikis (free)
Gnowledge - an education platform where everyone can create, publish, share and take tests, exercises and assignments (free)
Go!Animate – Make your own animated characters and create animated comic strips and cartoons (free)
Hot Potatoes – Six applications that allows you to create interactive multiple-choice, short-answer, jumbled-sentence, crossword, matching/ordering and gap-fill exercises for the World Wide Web (free)
ImageChef – Allow you to create custom images by combining text, symbols and photos using a variety of online templates (free)
iPadio – Broadcast from any phone to the Internet live. Create phone blogs and let others know what your thinking (free)
iSendr - An easy to use file transfer system allowing people to share files with a few clicks (free)
Issuu – Issuu is another tool where students can upload almost any document format and create a virtual flipping book.
Jamendo - A community of free, legal and unlimited music published under Creative Commons licenses. Share your music or download other artists (free)
Jaycut - A free online video editor (free)
JClic – A desktop application that creates interactive exercises and multimedia educational activities using Java (free)
Jing -Take a picture or make a short video of what you see on your computer monitor. Excellent for creating video tutorials. (free or $14.95 per year for a pro account)
Kerpoof - Owned and operated by the Walt Disney Company, kerpoof allows children to draw, tell stories, create cartoons and animations and much more (free)
KickYoutube -Allows you to download and save youtube videos in a variety of formats (free)
Languages Online -Resources for language teachers and students. Ready made interactive language activities and programs for making your own interactive tasks (free)
Little Bird Tales - Check out my story- with audio.  Easy to set up classes and print login cards for students.
Lingro – A unique website that helps language learners read foreign web pages or documents and build their vocabulary at the same time. (free) 
Mahara - Open source software that allows you to create electronic portfolios, weblogs, resumes and social networking systems. It provides you with the tools to set up and share an online personal learning environment (free)
mailVU - mailVU provides the ability to record a video email at any time, and send it to recipients where they can open it at any time (free)
Make Beliefs Comix - Create comic strips online (free)
Masher - An online video editor that allows users to create by mixing together video clips, music tracks, and photos from their own uploads or from their large resource library (free)
Mindmeister - Another web application that allows you to create mind-maps (free basic account)
Mindomo – Mind mapping software tool (basic is free, $3 a month for educational pro account)
Minus – Drag files from your desktop and folders directly to your browser to start sharing (free – for now)
Museum Box - Tools to build up an argument or description of an event, person or historical period by placing items in a virtual box (free)
My Award Maker - Create your own awards to hand out to your students (free)
Myplick - Allows you to upload, embed and share presentations online with the option of adding audio narration (free)
Ning - A platform for creating your own social network. Use it to communicate and share resources with your colleagues, students or friends. (from $2.95 a month)
OneTrueMedia - Make creative slide shows from templates with your own photos and music (free – 30 sec.)
Open Office - The leading open-source office software suite for word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, graphics and databases (free)
Paint – Free image and photo editing software for computers that run windows. Support for layers, unlimited undo, special effects, and a wide variety of useful and powerful tools (free)
PDFCreator - Open source desktop application that creates PDFs from any Windows program (free)
Photo Story 3 – A windows desktop application that makes slideshows using your digital photos (free)
PhotoPeach - Easy to use slideshows creator. Supports background music, captions and comments (free)
PhotoSynth - A Microsoft web application that takes your photos, mashes them together and recreates a 3D scene out of them that anyone can view and move around in. Windows only. (free)
Photovisi - Online tool to create photo collages using templates (free +paid extras)
Picasa - Free photo editing software from Google. Download and install (free)
Picasa Web Albums - Create online albums to share photos (free)
Picnik - Powerful and easy to use photo editing application online (free +paid extras)
Picture2Life - Online image editor which also allows you to edit photos, create collages and animated gif’s (free)
Pinterest – An online pin board. Organise and share things you love
Piratepad - Work collaborately online via a simple text editor updated and shared in real time
Pixer – Edit your photos online using your browser (free)
Pixorial – Upload, edit, convert and organise video files (free for a basic account only)
Pixton - An online drop and drag comic creator with a paid education section for teachers and students to work in a secure environment. (14 day free trial)
Podomatic - A podcast community and publication tool (Free – first 500MB)
POPPLET-
Polldaddy - Create online surveys and polls (limited free account)
Posterous - Easy to use blogging platforms which lets you post media online fast using email, your mobile or the web (free)
Prealoadr - Online tools to upload and optimize photos (free)
Prezi - A web2.0 application that allows you to create stunning visual presentations by zooming in, out and around a large, flat canvas or workspace (free)
 PrimaryPad - Work collaborately online via a web 2.0 word processing document
Quiz Revolution – Easy way to make a multimedia quiz for your website or blog (free)
Quizlet - Create and share flaschcards with your own terms and definitions. Excellent for language learners or to help students revise material (free)
Sclipo - A set of eLearning tools to teach and collaborate with students (free basic account)
Scratch – Create and share your own interactive stories, games, music and art
Screenr - An online tool that allows you to record what’s happening on your screen and share it with others via twitter, blogs or embed it on your website. Great for online tutorials (free)
Screentoaster - Another online screen recorder that allows you to capture and share what is happening on your computer screen (free)
Scribblar – Designed for creative, real-time collaboration. Users can collaborate on the creation and editing of images, drawings or even mathematical equations (free)
Scribd - A document sharing service that allows you to upload, store and share almost any document format for easy viewing online. You can also download millions of books, manuals and articles based on various topics. (free)
Scribus – An open source desktop publishing application that lets you to create professional documents and page lay-outs and then exports them into PDF format (free)
Sharendipity - A web based creativity suite where anyone can build and deploy engaging and interactive games and other web applications (free)
SketchUp – A desktop application from Google that allows teachers or students to create and share stunning 3D models from coffee pots to skyscrapers (free)
Slatebox – A Tool for collaboratively creating mind maps and organizational charts (free for teachers)
Slideshare – Upload and share your PowerPoint presentations (free)
SmashMash.tv - Animates pictures and photographs by making them move or add speech bubble, audio or video. However you will need to download and install a plug-in (free)
Smilebox – Create e-cards, scrapbooks, slideshows, invitations, collages and photo albums from your photographs. More than 1000 customizable templates to choose from (free premium subscription for teachers)
Spicynodes - Allows you to create mindmaps or organizational charts with bits of information — such as text, links, photos, and other media — placed into “nodes,” which are then linked together. You can then embed them into websites, blogs and wikis (free)
Spider Scribe - An online mind map creation service where you can add Word documents, images, maps and more
Stixy - Create your own online bulletin boards by sticking notes, appointments, files, photos on the screen for yourself or for others to see (free)
Storybird – Short art inspired, visual stories you can make, share, read and print (free- upgrade to Pro- differences hereClick here to see my sample masterpiece.

Stripgenerator - A web 2.0 cartoon strip generator (free)

Stupeflix - Use templates to make creative online videos by combining your images, videos and audio (free basic account)

Sugarsync - Online storage and sharing of files via computer and mobile phones (free 5GB)
Sumo Paint - A professional image editor and painting software in your browser (free to use, paid features available)
Survey Monkey - Create online surveys and polls with ease (free basic account)
Sync.in - A web 2.0 based word processor for people to collaborate in real-time
TagGalaxy – A simple, yet amazing web application that searches Flickr tags and displays the results in a creative way. Good for starting a topic and brainstorming on an electronic whiteboard (free)
Tagul - A follow on from Wordle, create customisable word or tag clouds which can be embedded into blogs and wikis (free – still in beta version)
Tagxedo – Following Wordle’s idea of creating visually stunning, customisable word clouds. Tagxedo, however, allows for greater customisation of the final cloud including its shape and file format output (free)
TeacherTubeYouTube but for educational purposes. This site is moderated so content is suitable for students. (free)
TED - Riveting talks by remarkable people, free to the world (free)

TikaTock-
Timeglider – Allows you to create timelines which you can zoom in and out from and span from hours to centuries. Great for history or discussing your family tree (free)
Timetoast – Create interactive time lines in minutes and share them on the web (free)
Tinychat - Allows you to video chat online with up to twelve people in a room with HQ video at once. Protected by passwords and moderators, you can even share your desktop or record the conference and embed it onto your website or wiki (free)
Titanpad – Lets people work on one document simultaneously. Good for collaborative teaching and learning tasks (free) [edjudo review ]
Toondoo – Create your own comic characters and comic strips. (free for basic features only)
Tricider – Team decision making, brainstorming and collaborative solution web 2.0 tool (free)
Tubechop – Allows you to cut YouTube videos and share only the section that interests you (free)
Tumblr – A simplified blogging platform that allows you to share anything online. Post text, photos, quotes, links, music, and videos, from your browser, desktop, email, or phone (free)
Tutpup – Compete in fun, educational games against other kids from all over the World (free)
Twiducate - Based on the idea of Twitter, Twiducate is a micro-blogging service for schools. You can post resources for students, rhare readings, reflect and encourage discussion (free)
Twitter - Twitter is a real-time micro-blogging service that connects millions of people. It’s a great way for educators to share information, ideas and experiences. Why not sign up and follow me (@edjudo2011) to get started and then see who I follow or serach for topics that interest you (free) [edjudo review ]
TypeIt- Allows you type in text requiring foreign accented characters in a variety of languages using your keyboard and online accent keys. You can then email it to yourself or copy paste it into another document. Unfortuantely Asian languages are not yet supported (free)
TypeWith.me - Web 2.0 tool that allows users to collaborate on a single document  [edjudo review ]
Udemy – Lets you to create online courses, upload presentations, videos, host live classroom sessions and write blog posts (free)
UJAM- UJAM is a cloud-based platform that empowers everybody to easily create new music and share it with friends (free)
Vimeo - A simple yet effective video sharing site (free)
Vocaroo - Still under development, this simple website allows you to record your voice and email it or post it online for others to listen (free)
Voicethread - A collaborative, multimedia slide show where many people can add comments online. Store images, documents, videos and audio files (limited free educators account)
Voki - Allows you to create personalised speaking avatars and use them on your blog, profile and in email messages. Great for teaching languages. (free)
Voxopop – A bit like a message board but using voice rather than text. You can set up a private talk group and help students develop their speaking skills. Great for language activities (free)
Vuvox - Web application allowing you to turn their digital photos, videos, text and audio clips into interactive stories (free)
Wallwisher - An online notice board maker where anyone can place messages or other media on the screen. Good for group discussion and collaboration (free)
Wikispaces – Educators are given a free 2 GB to develop wikis for their classes. Members can create, edit or contribute to pages making it a great collaborative tool. (free for teachers)
WiZiQ – A web-based platform for anyone who wants to teach and learn live, online. A virtual classroom, to create and share online educational content and tests, and to connect with people sharing subject interests (free)
Wordle – The original and still one of the best tag cloud creators. Allows users to create customisable word clouds from any text with the most prominent words highlighted via size (free) [edjudo review ]
WordPress – A blogging platform and content management system. You can set up your own blog using a variety of templates and choose from hundreds of features as you need them. (free)
Writing Fun – Explains the types of text commonly written in schools with printable organizers and examples showing text structures, grammatical features and publishing ideas (free)
Xmind - A mind mapping desktop application (free)
Xtranormal – A simplistic but versatile moviemaking system that uses virtual characters and a text to speech facility (free)
Yammer - Allows you to create your own, private social network. Users can then communicate and share easily and securely (free)
Youconvertit – Converts most file formats to any other file format including videos, documents, audio and images. (free up to 100MB file, pay for extra features)
Youareyourwords- Add a photo of yourself, text, and watch the image become your words.  Fantastic, easy, requires no login or account setup.


Youtube/edu - The world most popular online video sharing website sorted to show only videos from education institutions like universities and colleges.
Yudu - A digital publishing library allowing anyone to share content with a wide audience
Zamzar – Online file conversions sent to your email (limited free account)
Zimmer Twins - A website devoted to children and creative storytelling. Children can create and share their own animated stories (free)
Zoho - A comprehensive suite of online web applications that includes a word processor, spreadsheets, a presentation tool, a wiki editor, an e-mail client, online storage, quiz maker and too many other features to mention (all free for personal use)

Friday, October 26, 2012

Weebly Student Accounts- 40 per teacher!

I use Weebly.com for my Junior Media Specialists to each have their own book review website/blog.
If you're interested in a SIMPLE and FANTASTIC site for website building and/or blogging- please use my link to sign up.  They'll give me a few extra student accounts if you use my link.
http://education.weebly.com/referral.php?1ZjSFi

Each pro education account comes with 40 student accounts- I really love the options and ease of use- my students are 4th and 5th graders, and most figured it out on their own without any instruction from me. :)  It has excellent tech support, allows you to print user ID cards with one click so you can hand out user names and passwords, and you can easily manage all the blogs and websites your kids make.

Happy website-building and blogging!


Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Let Them Eat Facts! Free Webinar About Non-Fiction and Common Core

From Booklist and World Book on Oct 25, 2012
Join us for this free Booklist presentation!
Let Them Eat Facts!
Leading Students to the Nonfiction Revolution
World Book offers essential information on coupling informational texts with contextual information to engage and inform K–12 students, especially in light of the Common Core State Standards. This webinar will explore methods of getting students the background, overview, and multiple perspectives they need to interpret what they’re reading in fun and inventive ways.
Can't make the date? Register anyway so a link to the video archive of this webinar can be e-mailed to you after the event. 
Please note: As a webinar registrant, you will receive follow-up correspondence from Booklist Publications and may receive other special offers from our sponsors.
EVENT DETAILS:

Thursday, October 25

Time:
2:00 PM Eastern
1:00 PM Central
12:00 PM Mountain
11:00 AM Pacific



If you register you'll get a link to the recorded session- the live session is during the school day. Looks interesting though!

http://ala-publishing.informz.net/InformzDataService/OnlineVersion/Individual?mailingInstanceId=2740888&subscriberId=1030859342

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Monday, October 22, 2012

DEN Virtcon 2012- Tricks or Treats?

The Discovery Educator Network has done it again!!
They always pull together the best and brightest presenters and share the smartest, trendiest topics in education with the world via their virtual conferences.
This year's conference archives are located here: http://lanyrd.com/2012/denvirtcon/

Here's the list of ringers they had lined up to share knowledge with you and the rest of the world:

19 sessions


Wednesday, October 17, 2012

ION Piano Apprentice Keyboard for ipad

I love woot.com. Not just because I love strange gadgets, but because I like the 'limited time and limited quantity' once a day philosophy-  they seem to enjoy finding things and marketing them to people who are risk-takers. The site is always interesting.
Today I saw this cool ipad keyboard adapter- it shows you exactly where to place your hands and teaches you to play- you pop your ipad right onto the top and viola- instant piano.
While music teachers might disagree and say the abbreviated keyboard isn't correct, I say it looks like fun, and is a heck of a lot cheaper than buying a piano and paying for piano lessons that might not last. And it's 29.99....for the next 5 hours or until sold out. :)

ION iCK05 Piano Apprentice 25-Key Piano Learning System for 30-pin iPad, iPod touch & iPhone

$29.99 
$129.99 77% off List Price
 New
 
5 hours left - OR - until sold out
buy now

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

e-Readers Launching next week in our Media Center!

Ready, Set, Nook.
We decided to go with the Nook Simple Touch as an affordable, simple, portable e-reader for our 4th and 5th graders.
I'm starting a Nook blog to document everything - more info to follow!
PS- I really couldn't have done this without the help of our awesome Barnes and Noble Community Relations Manager, Gabriel.

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/u/NOOK-in-Education/379003215/