Monday, February 27, 2012

Tech Tip #1 - Microphones and Speakers



Now that we are using more interactive websites and multimedia software, it is important to know how to check to make sure your speakers and microphones are working correctly.   Sometimes children have a hard time speaking loud enough for microphones to pick up their voices nicely.  Adjusting sound settings can help even the quietest child be heard loud and clear.

In Windows 7, the taskbar on the bottom of your screen has a little speaker icon.  


Left clicking the icon, allows you to adjust the volume of the speakers.


















Right clicking the icon, allows you to test, set the default and adjust the levels on  speakers (playback) or microphones (recordings). Just choose the device you would like to adjust, click properties and set the levels to the appropriate volume.


Friday, January 20, 2012

World Wild Web!


http://www.itvwild.com/ 


itvWild contains thousands of videoclips and information about wildlife facing challenges around the world.  The site, designed for elementary school students, is a great way to quickly explain or elaborate on classroom topics  in a visual way. Try searching for a particular animal, a habitat, a geographical location, characteristic or animal behavior!  

Friday, January 6, 2012

...it's Relevant


Looking for kid friendly current events?  Check out DOGO News.  

http://www.dogonews.com/


The articles are timely, interesting and written for children.   Each article has pictures/videos and an integrated dictionary for quick definitions of difficult vocabulary.  There are special student/teacher features available if you sign-up, but no registration is required to read the articles and explore the variety of resources available.

Whether you need to fill 5 minutes with an interesting class discussion or you need a daily writing topic, DOGO News is a great site for teachers and students.

Monday, December 12, 2011

Reality TV for the Classroom!


Last spring I watched eagles hatch in Decorah, Iowa.  

This fall our second graders watched fruit bats feed in England.  

This fall I watched as 1,000 polar bears migrated to to the Hudson Bay in Canada!  (The polar bears go there to wait for the bay to freeze so they can hunt for seals!)

Live webcams allow you to take your students anywhere in the world - virtually!  They can spark excitement, awaken curiosity and create an emotional bond between students and subject matter that makes learning personal and meaningful!

WebCam Feeds for Use in the Classroom!

Visual Field Trips
 http://mrssmoke.onsugar.com/Visual-Field-Trips---Webcam-Feeds-Classroom-Viewing-2959452 

EarthCam For Kids
http://www.earthcamforkids.com/

EarthCam
http://www.earthcam.com

Teachtopia
 http://teachtopia.com/webcams.html

Education World
http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/tech/tech100.shtml 

Friday, December 2, 2011

Get Your Head INTO The Cloud!


Did I save that on my iPad?
Is it still on my iPhone? 
How can I finish a document at home that I started on my work PC? 
I just took a great video of Oscar playing in the park… it’s too big to email!  How can I easily share it with my mom?

Smart Phones, iPads, tablets, laptops… all these devices were supposed to make life less-complicated!  Now that so many of us multiple, digital devises, it has gotten increasingly more confusing to keep track of and share files. 

Introducing…. The Cloud!  

Ta-Daa! OK, I know The Cloud isn’t new.  It is really just the internet.  Without knowing it, we’ve all been using the cloud for years.  Anytime you upload or share a file, picture or video to a website, you have been using the cloud.

Why use The Cloud?  The Cloud is faster and more versatile than emailing yourself copies of pictures and files.  It also usually comes with features that allow you to share files with friends, family, colleagues or the world!  But wait… it gets even better!  The Cloud is web-based, so I don’t have to worry about storage space, computer crashes or out-of-date software!

Check out this video I found on YouTube that explains The Cloud
http://youtu.be/TTNgV0O_oTg  

There are many cloud storage services (websites and apps) out there.  My favorite is DropBox.  After signing up for an account and downloading a small app/program onto all my devices and computers, I can easily drag files and pictures into a little box.  That box, and everything inside it, is instantly on all my devices!


I can take a picture on my iPhone and when I get home, it is waiting on my computer ready for me to use it in the PowerPoint I’m creating for school!  Quick and easy!


Here are some other Cloud services you might want to try out!
Collaboration Cloud Services - store and share calendars, bookmarks, documents and more!


File storage and Sharing Cloud Services –Store and share files, folders, pictures, videos and documents.


Picture/Video Cloud Services – share and store pictures and video.



Friday, November 11, 2011

PBS Website


Need a quick video clip to introduce a lesson?
An interactive lesson kids can watch to reinforce a skill? 
An educational, online game to play with your class?

PBS has a website especially designed to help teachers quickly find educational videos, audio, documents, online games, interactive lessons and more!




The site has PK-12 resources for math, social studies, language arts, science, the arts, health and physical education.  Some of the videos are excerpts from great PBS shows like Cyberchase and Arthur that focus on specific skills like estimating, decimals, grammar skills, and analyzing ideas.

Friday, November 4, 2011

Google Apps


Our district has created Google Apps accounts for all our staff member and is piloting Google Apps with a few classrooms. This means it is time to start exploring the amazing tools Google offers to enhance learning and productivity in the classroom.
Once you have a google apps username and password you can acess and use hundreds of Google's programs!
Here are some resources to get you started. ( A big thank you Karen Klawans who shared the last two with me!)