-
USTREAM -
http://www.ustream.tv/
- "Ustream.TV is a live interactive video broadcast platform that
enables anyone with a camera and an Internet connection to quickly and
easily broadcast to a global audience of unlimited size. In less than
two minutes, you or your students can become broadcasters by creating your own
channel on Ustream or by broadcasting through your own site,
empowering you to engage with your audience in many different ways. Follow the next link, and see how easy it is: http://www.ustream.tv/get-started.
In addition, the streaming video capability is an excellent tool for
teaching concepts that students can replay over and over. Think about
what you can do with ESL..ABE..GED..ANYONE.
-
AUDACITY -
http://audacity.sourceforge.net/
- Audacity is a free, easy-to-use audio editor and recorder for
Windows, Mac OS X, GNU/Linux and other operating systems. You can use
Audacity to..
Record live audio.
Convert tapes and records into digital recordings or CDs.
Edit Ogg Vorbis, MP3, WAV or AIFF sound files.
Cut, copy, splice or mix sounds together.
Change the speed or pitch of a recording.
And more!
The site has
links to loads for tutorials and FAQ resources. Listening and
speaking often take the back seat as we prepare students to
enter higher levels of education. Yet, it is through those
avenues that many of our students develop knowledge. Windows XP/VISTA also has a
very simple and easy voice recording tool with an attached editor. Look
for it under your accessories list. -
DISCOVERY CHANNEL
- http://dsc.discovery.com/videos/-
Use them in class or assign them individually (remember the
earphones!). So many times, we don't write well, not because we can't,
but because we lack information about topics we are given. Movies offer
great content for later discussion and project assignments. Click on
the video tab and enjoy the resources.
-
IMAGES and SOUNDS GALORE
- Using online images is a cinch, and there are many ways to help
students integrate images into their reports, presentations, booklets,
and other projects. In most cases, if you see an image you like on the
Web, Right Click on the image and select the options you want. You can
copy the image and paste it into your application, or you can save the
image (Save As) onto your desktop and later move it to your images
folder, or you can simply drag the image onto your desktop. Depending
on the site and your operating system, those options vary.
One
great way to get to see images online is to type the word into a Google
search and then select "Images" from the Google menu. Google Images
will give you hundreds of images all over the Web that represent that
word. For example, if you want to know what an Akbash looks like,
you'll find hundreds of pictures of that beautiful dog breed.
Researching plants in your area? Type in the name and see what a
Highbush Blueberry looks like. Teaching health concepts, and want to have
students see what you are you are talking about? Type in the
term "atom" or "heart", or "skull" or "circulatory system,"
and watch the amazing results. Students can download the
images and label them, or enter them into a presentation, or
create a picture dictionary, or anything they want!
There
are also many free image sources that students can use to create
cartoon dialogs or to illustrate their work. Google search "free images," and
explore the list. Many are royalty free, but even if they aren't, you
can still use them for strictly educational purposes.
Microsoft
also has a huge library of images, animations and sounds that you can
download and use freely for educational purposes. If you use a Windows
platform, you may download images into your clipart program and make the image
available for other projects. Go to http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/clipart/default.aspx and scroll through the categories, or type in the name of the image you want and scroll though the selections.
To download sound clips for students projects, simply Google
search "sound clips," turn up your volume, and select from the sources.
You can enter sound clips into any MS Office application to
enhance it in very creative ways. Hear famous speeches with
a click of the mouse. Listen to dialogs or create dialog
clips (See Audacity above) and embed them into student work.
The resources are there and they are getting easier and
easier to use. And you can't beat the cost: free!
"Oh, I
don't have time to do all of those techie things," I often
hear. Time? For those who want to remain content experts on
the stage (sages on stages), yes, time is a big factor.
However, consider relinquishing the center stage. Show a
student a tutorial or give him the assignment of learning to
do something on the Web, give him clear instructions about
what you want, and walk off. Let the student then do the
teaching. That leaves you free to plan, assess, watch, and
learn.
Pretty
soon, you may find that you have more time, not less.
Featured Resources
(not free, but cheap!)
INSPIRATION: http://www.inspiration.com/
Inspiration
is a recognized leader in promoting visual thinking and
learning. Students, educators and 21st century business
professionals use the products to think, brainstorm, organize, analyze
and write. We know that writing and problem solving do not happen on
paper. They
happen in minds that have practice with organizing and sorting
ideas. From inspiring students to study and learn successfully to
helping adults and project teams work more productively, Inspiration
offers an ideal tool to improve academic and professional performance.
Take less that eight minutes to examine some of the possibilities to getting students to use visual organization options for projects
in all curriculum areas by watching the intro at
http://www.inspiration.com/videos/Inspiration . Yes, all MS Office
applications have access to visual tools, but they are not put into a
package like this one. The site also has lesson plans in a number of
different content areas, including math. Simply click on Lesson Plan
link to select your area of interest.
http://www.inspiration.com/InspireData
- InspireData, is produced by Inspiration to help students investigate,
analyze, and represent data and information in dynamic graphs and
charts. InspireData tools make it easy to change variables and plot
types so students can explore data in multiple, meaningful ways. This
encourages them to investigate data analytically, ask more questions,
and apply their understanding of the data to form better conclusions
and continue exploration. Help students visualize and interpret
concepts in preparation for the GED, which emphasizes the skill; help
your ESL and ABE students put concepts into visual form and
explain them or interpret them for themselves and each other.
You may download a
free trial copy of either program, or buy a single license for $69 and $79.
Licenses are also available. On a tight budget, have
students share the program on one computer.
PD360 - http://www.pd360.com
PD
360 is an on-demand library of professional teacher development
resources that leverages technology to make professional learning more
effective, convenient, and sustainable. With over 200 hours of
research-based video content, plus tools for follow-up, tracking,
reflection, and group training, PD 360 is the most comprehensive
solution to professional teacher development needs.
More
than 120,000 educators across North America already use PD 360 to
access individualized support on the most relevant topics, like
differentiation, minority student achievement, English language
learners, classroom instruction that works, leadership, assessment, and
many more. PD 360’s content is divided into hundreds of indexed and
searchable segments that make it easy for teachers, administrators,
aspiring leaders, coaches, mentors, paraprofessionals, and professional
learning communities to find the answers they need. New content is
continually added to keep you up-to-date. Although the site does not
target adult education specifically, the resources represent best
practices among any group of learners.
The
video presentations on this site are clear and up to date. I've
benefitted from what the best minds in the world have to say on
different topics. This is a PD tool to enhance your own or your
programs' knowledge of best practices.
We
will negotiate a license for PD360's content if your program is
interested. In the meantime, get a free trial with a tour or resources
by contacting Troy Williams, as follows:
Contact me thereafter if you would like to pursue this PD opportunity.
TECH SOUP -
http://www.techsoup.org/
TechSoup
is a technology resource site aimed at nonprofit organizations, featuring NPO
discounts, discussions, articles, and recommendations. TechSoup Stock is
a philanthropy service just for nonprofits. Launched by TechSoup Global
in January 2002 (as DiscounTech), this service is a unique
collaboration with corporate and nonprofit technology providers. Thanks
to their partners' generous product donations and discounts, TechSoup
Stock is able to facilitate and distribute multiple product
philanthropy programs in a centralized, Web-based platform.
You
will go through an approval process, after which you'll have access to
many products, depending on the nature of your organization. I found
the staff very open to discussing options with me and helping me
through the application approval process.
Finally, don't forget to check our growing resources on our wiki:
http://www.chiresources.pbwiki.com
Tech Ladder Certification
You still have time to certify at different levels of our state certification ladder.
Please
contact
leecy@coloradoadulted.org to open or re-open your Tech Ladder process.
Tutorials
are listed and constantly being
added to help you increase your
technology skills on our wiki. Go to
http://www.chiresources.pbwiki.com
and
wear the pearls that await you
there! Start showing paper for what
you know!
Lunch
and Learn (LL)
Thank
you, Kathy Ellithorpe, for your expert guidance through different
Moodle classes and Moodle tools for teaching. Thanks to all of
you who participated in learning more about this extraordinary
and free learning tool.
Most of us will not
use Moodle as an exclusive instructional tool although many do
and very successfully. However, you will find it very useful as
a supplement to other vehicles you use. It is also an ideal tool
for working with students in multi-level classes. We will have
an additional LL session on June 12 to walk you through the
process of adding an activity for your students on our Moodle
site. Mark that date and join us to learn more!
Our next two LL
sessions will teach you how to use Elluminate to connect with
students and give you practice moderating a session and
presenting short content sessions to each other. If you combine
Moodle with Elluminate, Web tools, and onsite instruction, you
have a winning combination. However, any of those computer vehicles can
also work exclusively to teach students in remote areas, those
who do not have the means to access onsite instruction, or those
who simply prefer a different way of learning.
NOTE: Our license
for Elluminate is now limited to ten people per
session. That means that you will have to sign up for sessions
beforehand. If enough people get on a waiting list, we'll
probably offer a repeat of the session. You will find
registration forms for each session posted at
http://coloradoeducation.wufoo.com/forms/lunch-and-learn-sign-up.
You will be sent a separate email confirming your registration
for each session with instructions on how to join the meeting.
Following are the
topics presently scheduled through mid-June.
-
Introduction to Elluminate
5/1 – This session will introduce you Elluminate as a
vehicle of instruction and practice taking turns being
moderators. Have your mikes connected for the session and be
ready to laugh. See following session.
-
Elluminate Practice Teaching
5/8 – Pre-req: Familiarity with Elluminate or completion of
previous LL session introducing you to Elluminate. You are
invited to present a five-minute segment in Elluminate and
participate as other teachers present their segments.
-
Intro to Word 2007
5/15 – This session is an introduction to Word,
its
basic features, and its menu items.
You may use this session as a
template to introducing students to Word. You’ll be given
handouts links and to easy tutorials through which to build
additional skills.
-
Intro to Excel 2007
5/22- This session is an introduction to Excel, its
basic features, and its menu items. You may use this session as a
template to introducing students to Excel. You’ll be given
handouts links and to easy tutorials through which to build
additional skills.
-
Intro to Power Point
2007 5/29- This session is an introduction to Power Point,
its
basic features, and its menu items. You may use this
session as a template to introducing students to Power
Point. You’ll be given handouts links and to easy tutorials
through which to build additional skills.
-
Adult Ed Moodle
6/12 - – This is a follow up session on April’s Introduction
to Moodle. You will be taken step by step through the
process of entering a simple Moodle activity for your
students on our state site. You will be shown how to work
with information columns for all students (calendar,
calculator, contact, grades), how to enter assignments, how
to create quizzes, and how to open discussion forums and
generate dialog. You’ll be given links to easy tutorials
through which to build additional skills in Moodle. Spend
some summertime setting up your segments to the fall!
-
Second Life
6/19 - Travel with us through this amazing virtual world,
and watch avatars interacting with each other in educational
environments. This is one of the still underused free tools
on the Web. Once you experience it, you won't be able to
resist it - for yourself or your students. See you in Second
Life!
You are invited to
email us with topics that you would like for us to cover this
year or next
Rendezvous 2009 - http:www.caepa.org
Be sure to register
for Rendezvous 2009 to be held August 6-7, Beaver Run,
Breckenridge, Colorado. If you want additional information,
contact CAEPA president Glenda Sinks: (720) 944-2438 or
Glenda.Sinks@denvergov.org.
Thanks, Glenda, Jolene Goerend and others helping now and in
previous years, to promote this conference!
Think
Again
Which
word,
name or expression is depicted in each box? (I don't make up
these things, so don't blame me!)
A
B
CLICK FOR ANSWER
"Man invented language to satisfy his deep
need to complain." Lily Tomlin
That's why the Navajos have a tradition
of leaving a basket outside the door. You are invited to drop
your complaints there before entering!
PLEASE SEND ME A SHORT ARTICLE OR RESOURCE FOR OUR NEXT ISSUE.
WHAT'S WORKING FOR YOU?
Your feedback,
suggestions, questions and error reports are most appreciated!
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