Weekly Tech Tip - Technology Enhanced Active Learning Strategy - KWL

Weekly Tech Tip:

Online interactive whiteboards are online tools that let multiple people collaborate in real time on the same blank page. These tools can be useful for facilitating different collaborative learning activities. In this video I demonstrate how they can be used to facilitate an active learning strategy known as KWL. These whiteboards can be found in the Digital Backpack under "Diagrams/Concept Mapping."




Link Stew:

• Illuminations - Illuminations is a fantastic math curriculum site.
• Open Thinking Wiki - Digital Storytelling resources by Dr. Alec Couros
• Laptop for every pupil in Uruguay - BBC
• English Companion - online community of English teachers.
• Tony Vincent's learninginhand.com - great resource for information about mobile learning
• Umapper - tool that lets you turn any photo into an interactive map
• Building Maker - Create 3D buildings online
• Recording of a session on video games in education
• Best Online Collaboration Tools 2009 - Robin Good's Collaborative Map - MindMeister Mind Map

Blog Carnival:

• Why backward social-network-banning education authorities are wrong - by Ewan McIntosh

• 16 Top Augmented Reality Business Models | PERSONALIZE MEDIA

• Acceptable Use Policy for teaching with laptops - Learning in Maine

• Teacher layoffs: Should seniority rule? -Dangerously Irrelevant

• SpaceFish and the Primary Crowdsource- Ira Socol
  

Edusim3d - New Virtual World for your SMARTbaord

I spent a little bit of time playing around with this new program today called Edusim3d. It is a virtual world platform that is intended for use in front of a classroom on an interactive whiteboard. I have barely scratched the surface with this tool. According to the website it has only been available for one week. You have to register for a free account to be able to download Edusim3d and I would quantify the download and installation as moderately difficult but once you have it installed it appears pretty easy to navigate and build. The coolest feature I played with is the paint program. It lets you freehand drawings that are turned into 3d objects in the environment. I will definitely be playing around with this tool in the near future. Thank you Jo McLeay for the links in your blog post: The Open Classroom: It really makes you think#links#links#links#links

Inexpensive Multi-Point Interactive White Board

I just read about this on Will Richardson's blog. I absolutely have to try this out when I have some spare time. If anyone reading this blogpost has tried this please let me know how it worked for you.