Weekly Tech Tips - Google Earth Jockeys

Google Jockeying is the practice of having a student perform searches on a classroom computer with projection display while the teacher is either lecturing or conducting a group discussion. In this week's tech tip I explain a bit about Google Jockeying and a spin-off I call Google Earth Jockeying and how they can increase engagement in your classroom and serve as a classroom management tool.

Weekly Tech Tip:


[EDIT NOTICE: I fixed the audio in this video. It worked fine before on my headphones but realized that when I listened using the computer speakers the audio was dismal.]

related links:

• Educause: 7 things you should know about Google Jockeying
• Google Earth
• Google Maps
• Moster Milktruck!
• Stellarium
• Celestia
• World-Wide Telescope
• Photosynth

Thought I would follow this Tech Tip with a look at what the next evolution will be for these technologies I have demonstrated here:



Link Stew:

• Live Webinar on March 30th with Sir Ken Robinson http://bit.ly/aT86ZZ
• (Gmail Hack!) How to create unlimited student accounts for any website using only 1 teacher email address http://trunc.it/6jstp (via @JohnMikulski)
• Free Adobe Flash Platform Technologies
• The Internet of Things
• A Is for App: How Smartphones, Handheld Computers Sparked an Educational Revolution
• Twitter in the classroom: 10 useful resources: http://bit.ly/5UOOtv
• We're apparently one step closer to an invisibility cloak: http://bit.ly/bwAXcK
• Social Bookmarking in Libraries: Simply del.icio.us: http://url4.eu/1tshg
• Are You Ready for the 21st Century ? by Michel Cartier
• Neofonie announces WePad 11.6-inch Android slate #pc - http://bit.ly/cxnkm7
• LifeYo http://www.lifeyo.com to assist teachers w/ website creation.
• How to use Twitter for social learning http://is.gd/aQhhr
• Education Week: Mobile Learning Makes Its Mark on K-12 http://bit.ly/bCACwE
• Morning Joe on Charter Schools http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036789/vp/35946995%2335946995
• Late Night Learning LIVE!
• Welcome to Fotobabble - Talking Photos
• Start your own school with Supercool School
  
• Craig Ferguson 7/21/9A Late Late Show beginning
• Sir Ken Robinson - THE BONNIE HUNT SHOW

Blog Carnival:

• A Response to Diane Senechal by Mike Walker on Edina Technology Integration
• Schools on Motivation & Technology? by Aaron_Eyler on Synthesizing Education
• Should we be ashamed of our ability to predict dropouts? by Scott Mcleod on Dangerously Irrelevant
• "School is really, really boring. I hate coming here." by Scott Mcleod on Dangerously Irrelevant
• Courses in Online Learning to Be Encouraged at Colleges of Education By Alison Leithneron Change.org
• If we truly cared about authentic accountability, we'd ask the kids by Scott Mcleod on Mind Dump
• Teachers computers on lockdown…By Jen Hegna on Grin and Bear "IT"
  

Weekly Tech Tip: The 21st Century Teacher as Sorcerer

Rather than give you a self-produced tech tip video this week I would like to turn your attention to a keynote address by Clay Burell from this fall's Learning Technologies Conference in Australia. I think this is a must-see for all educators. In his keynote, Clay takes us on a four year journey from self-described technology illiterate to internationally known edublogger. Clay has come to be know in the edublogosphere for both his deeply insightful reflective writing on teaching, policy, learning, and schools as well as his mastery of the social web and it's impact on his students (both in and out of his classroom). Enjoy!

Weekly Tech Tip:

Part 1---------Part 2

(This presentation requires Microsoft Silverlight. Click here to install.)

Link Stew:

• Learning Technologies Conference 2009 - Free Conference Session Recordings, enjoy the openness!
• FRONTLINE digital_nation
• Voicethread4Education - Wiki to find other classrooms to collaborate with on Voicethread projects
• 6 Best Sites to Share Files on Twitter
• Dragon Dictation for iPhone & iPod Touch - Free app that types what you speak
• Storykit - Free iPod app that lets you edit classic children's books and publish your own versions or write and publish your own book from scratch.
• Acrobat.com - Free iPod version of Adobe Acrobat. Create and edit PDF files from your iPod Touch or iPhone.
• SimpleMind Express - Free mind mapping iPod app
  

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.