Weekly Tech Tip - Scratch & Moodle

Since last week was a wash in meetings and subbing for people out sick I missed my weekly tech tip. So, I am going to attempt to do two of these this week.


Weekly Tech Tip #1: Scratch

One of our district AYP initiatives is to integrate math into all content areas. One way to do this is by having the students use a program called Scratch instead of PowerPoint for creating presentations. Scratch is a free program by MIT that is a visual programming environment where students can create movies, animations, presentation, simulations, and interactive games by clicking and dragging puzzle piece-like commands into place. In the process, they are both creating a presentation for your class and working with algebra, complex linear algorithms, numeric reasoning, and logic skills. Scratch is appropriate for grades 3 and up though I have heard of some schools using it with students as young as 7 years old. We have it installed on all of the elementary lab computers and students in the HS can install it on their own student accounts.

Click Here to watch a screencast demo of scratch.

Click Here to visit the Scratch website where you can explore Scratch resources and download the free software.

Weekly Tech Tip #2: What is Moodle


I have had a few requests from teachers to explain what Moodle is and why we should care as educators. This screencast attempts to answer those questions. I also have created a self guided Moodle course on how to use Moodle. If you are interested in taking this course or even just getting onto Moodle and playing around let me know and I will ask Aaron at WETC to create an account for you.

Click Here to watch my brief overview/tour of Moodle.

Moodle is boring! - Great Blog Post By Mike Walker at Edina Public Schools about Moodle teaching strategies.

Link Stew:

• Edina Go Wireless CoP - Great resource put together by teaching and technology staff at Edina schools exploring 1:1 laptop use.

• I have attached a great white paper describing some of the biggest 1:1 laptop initiatives in the US in recent years. This article does a great job of weighing the pros and cons of each project and gives a good overview of what worked and did not work in each case.

• eduperience.com | Bloggings for Teachers and Students - another great blogging platform for schools

• Docu-View: Free Online Documentaries

• Online Audio Editor - Aviary.com's Myna

• Clipgenerator - create music videos with your own video clips and pictures online.

• Moomeo - Turn any email into a published webpage

• inudge.net - Nudge - Make your own music, other than that this one is hard to explain.

• Ahead - Playground for creative minds - interesting new type of online presentation tool. Build nonlinear presentations.