You Tube
Slide Share
Khan Academy
Grockit Answers
Prezi
Monday, February 27, 2012
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
New Collaboration Tool
Thinkbinder is a free web tool that can be used for collaboration both in and out of the classroom. Take a look at the demo below, then feel free to join my Thinkbinder group.
Go to www.thinkbinder.com and enter the code: 42KA.
Can you imagine the power of the collaborative whiteboard? How could the collaborative whiteboard be used in your classroom? I'd love to hear your comments!
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
State of the Union Address- Education
Visit the Washington Post's website to see what President Obama had to say in his State of the Union address concerning education.
Monday, January 23, 2012
Thursday, November 17, 2011
10 Tips for Using Videos in the Classroom
1. Establish a purpose for showing the video. The purpose should have a clear link to the content you are teaching. The video should not just be a 'treat', but should have as much rigor and relevance as any other activity you would do with students.
2. Make your purpose clear to students. Students should know what the video is going to be about, why it is important, and how it connects to what they are or will be learning.
3. When you show a video is just as important as what you show. Traditionally we have used videos at the end of a unit, as a treat or reward. If a video is going to be used as a curriculum resource that benefits your students, it needs to be shown before or during a unit, not after. Use video(s) before and during can get students excited about a topic, deepen their background knowledge, and help them to acquire the necessary vocabulary for the unit.
4. Establish expectations for behavior. Students should have a procedure for watching videos in the classroom.
5. Model your own expectations for behavior. Don't use videos as a substitute for instruction so that you can clean your desk, organize files, and get papers checked. When you are modeling your own expectations for behavior, you are showing the students that the content in the video is important and worthwhile.
6. Keep the videos short and sweet. In order to be most effective, clips should be between 3-5 minutes in length. Longer videos cause students to lose interest and forget the information presented. If you do show a longer clip, make sure you are following tip number 7.
7. Keep the remote handy. Stop the video and stop it often to deepen student understanding and keep students interested. Asking questions, clarifying vocabulary, and discussing ideas are great ways to use the teachable moments that are often neglected when showing videos and other multimedia presentations.
8. Make videos accessible. The great thing about videos is that instruction can be provided 24/7 in and outside of the school setting.
9. Always preview the video. You should be looking for inappropriate content, but also making sure the the content is age appropriate. If the video contains vocabulary words that are at a much higher level than your students can comprehend, you have just wasted valuable instructional time. You also want to make sure that the video is able to load properly with the software you have on your computer.
10. Make sure students are accountable for the information presented in the video. In order for group work to be successful, students must be accountable. The same applies to videos or any other instruction you present. By giving students accountability, we are making sure that their minds are turning on, instead of allowing their minds to tune out, which usually happens in front of the television at home.
2. Make your purpose clear to students. Students should know what the video is going to be about, why it is important, and how it connects to what they are or will be learning.
3. When you show a video is just as important as what you show. Traditionally we have used videos at the end of a unit, as a treat or reward. If a video is going to be used as a curriculum resource that benefits your students, it needs to be shown before or during a unit, not after. Use video(s) before and during can get students excited about a topic, deepen their background knowledge, and help them to acquire the necessary vocabulary for the unit.
4. Establish expectations for behavior. Students should have a procedure for watching videos in the classroom.
5. Model your own expectations for behavior. Don't use videos as a substitute for instruction so that you can clean your desk, organize files, and get papers checked. When you are modeling your own expectations for behavior, you are showing the students that the content in the video is important and worthwhile.
6. Keep the videos short and sweet. In order to be most effective, clips should be between 3-5 minutes in length. Longer videos cause students to lose interest and forget the information presented. If you do show a longer clip, make sure you are following tip number 7.
7. Keep the remote handy. Stop the video and stop it often to deepen student understanding and keep students interested. Asking questions, clarifying vocabulary, and discussing ideas are great ways to use the teachable moments that are often neglected when showing videos and other multimedia presentations.
8. Make videos accessible. The great thing about videos is that instruction can be provided 24/7 in and outside of the school setting.
9. Always preview the video. You should be looking for inappropriate content, but also making sure the the content is age appropriate. If the video contains vocabulary words that are at a much higher level than your students can comprehend, you have just wasted valuable instructional time. You also want to make sure that the video is able to load properly with the software you have on your computer.
10. Make sure students are accountable for the information presented in the video. In order for group work to be successful, students must be accountable. The same applies to videos or any other instruction you present. By giving students accountability, we are making sure that their minds are turning on, instead of allowing their minds to tune out, which usually happens in front of the television at home.
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Creating a Class Website
Explore Websites Here
For Information on Web Hosting Sites (Where/How to create a website)
HOW TO
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