Canada Reads
Want to join a Canada-wide book conversation? The Canada Reads panel
discussions February 11, 12, 13 and 14th may be an inspiration. Go to the Canada Reads web site to check out
the five contending titles, or join the Twitter book club @cbcbooks
#CanadaReads2013. This is a great opportunity to be part of a larger reading conversation
focused on Canadian literature, even though it can be difficult to find the
time for personal reading.
- Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese
- The Age of Hope by David Bergen
- Away by Jane Urquhart
- Two Solitudes by Hugh MacLennan
- February by Lisa Moore
****************************************************************************
Podcasting
Students can record themselves easily with many simple free tools
(Audacity is installed on all TDSB systems, we have microphones in the
library). The .mp3 podcasts can then be simply dropped in your DropOff folder,
or can be published online for more sharing options.
A few sites online offer free podcast hosting:
*****************************************************************************
APPS
If you haven't yet noticed, Google search has a new tab category:
Applications. It will search for apps by topic (all platforms).
A few apps that let you use your mobile device to control your home
computer, from anywhere. I have tried each of the following. Some are free,
some charge a fee up front, some annually. Come and see me for a demo if you
wish.
Teamviewer
LogMeIn
Splashtop
iTeleport
*****************************************************************************
Blooms
With several incarnations over the decades, and the essential question
of whether the "lower" levels are necessary before the
"higher" levels in learning activities, this latest version of
Bloom's Taxonomy provides some practical categories of thinking activities that
students engage in with different learning technologies.
*****************************************************************************
More BLOGGING
http://studentchallenge.edublogs.org/: “The Student
Blogging Challenge runs twice yearly, …March and September, each year. It is
made up of a series of 10 weekly tasks all designed to improve blogging and
commenting skills while connecting students with a global audience. The
Challenge is open to both class blogs and to individual student bloggers from
all over the world and of all ages…”
KidBlogs offers a very controlled blogging platform
for classrooms, students do not have to create accounts
and you can manage and edit entries. See me if you would like help setting one
up.
*****************************************************************************
Google Docs
Here is a 1.5mn video showing some of the features of Google Docs, which
TDSB students and staff have protected access to with AW: http://www.udemy.com/googledriveeducators/.
Great for collaborating, but also for commenting on works in progress.
As with any new technologies, there are blips. Here's a fun look at some
benefits and drawbacks of digital student work and google apps: http://doug-johnson.squarespace.com/blue-skunk-blog/2013/2/4/10-sentences-google-students-never-hear.html
*****************************************************************************
APA MLA Details Schmetails
We encourage students to use the online apps that create citations
automatically (allowing students to focus more on content and logic than
technical details). EasyBib, Citation Machine, BibMe to name a few. Some will even scan a
barcode using your mobile device to create the entry.
But they do have flaws:
- They don't always recognize when a word or proper name is to be capitalized;
- APA now includes an extra identifier called a DOI. If you see one in a student reference list, it is not incorrect (the DOI refers to the Direct Object Identifier for online resources, primarily journal articles, but the online systems may add DOIs to other sources when they find one).
- Students still need to edit spelling, and format double spacing and hanging indents correctly.
*****************************************************************************
Screencasting:
Useful for flipped lessons, and you don't have to be on camera! These
tools let you 'record' what your computer screen is doing (so you can
demonstrate anything online). You record your voice on top for instruction.
http://www.screencast-o-matic.com/
(others such as http://www.techsmith.com/jing.html and http://camstudio.org/ require
you to install software before using).
One enterprising teacher is grading papers this way: students send her
the essays, she screencasts as she reads it online and leaves voice feedback
instead of written comments. http://www.friedtechnology.com/2012/02/friedenglish-video-grading-using-google.html
*****************************************************************************
Virtual Museum of Canada
|
Not new,
but worth a reminder that the Virtual Museum of
Canada is a great source of images that represent Canada's arts, culture,
science and history. Over 600 virtual exhibits are provided and a Teacher's
Centre provides lessons. Visit museums from all across Canada from the comfort
of your desktop! Thanks http://ramott.wordpress.com/2013/01/30/virtual-museum-of-canada/
*****************************************************************************
