How can we design the ideal learning experience for students?

Watch Dan Meyers' talk at TED on creating the ideal learning experience for students.  Math teachers takes note. This isn't an interactive resources, but something worth sharing.  Also take a look at Dan Meyer's Blog.

Stage'D

What is it: Stage'D is a digital resource that allow students to create animated comics on a virtual stage for free.  Student become the director of their own stories!  You can choose up to two characters and create a dialog between them. Customize your actors with actions, costumes and backgrounds.

Stag'D is definitely in its beginning stages, but it is great tool to use in the classroom.  It definitely introduces digital storytelling on another level. There is even a place for student to put their name as the director.

How to integrate it into the classroom: There are various ways that you can integrate this into your classroom.  Thanks to the Edublogger, iLearn Technology for some of the suggestions.

•  Re-tell a story to demonstrate comprehension
• Illustrate historical events
• Create commercials that persuade or inform
• Create social stories for students to practice dialog
• Using the visuals to help with creating descriptive narratives
• Use the characters to introduce a new lesson
• Use the story to come up with various conclusions

Take a look at my attempt at directing a play!.

http://stagedproject.com/comic?id=1273610185

Picasa In Education

If you've never used Google's Picasa (I highly recommend it) or you can't think of ways to integrate it into the classroom, take a look at this .pdf info sheet that has links and resources. Check out the link to the Picasa In Ed Wiki. This has quite a bit of inspirational classroom ideas! I've also included an Intro to Picasa video.

Why Schools Are Turning To Google Apps

Here's a great article from Mashable! on why school districts are using Google Apps on student laptops to boost academic performance.

Why Schools Are Turning To Google Apps

Article: Visual Learning In Autism

Here is a recent article I read in the publication Advance for Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists.  The article describes how the Monarch Center for Autism, in Cleveland, OH, supports children with autism through the use of interactive whiteboards, touch screen computers, video modeling and web-based programs.

Interactive Classroom Resource - Tripco E-Learning

What is it: Triptico E-Learning is a simple website with a growing library of GREAT interactive classroom resources and tools.  You can submit your comments about a resource and the developer will attempt to make some modifications based on your feedback.  I've seen resources change quite a bit!  When I first started looking at this site it only had a handful of tools.  It has grown pretty fast.

Tripco's tools are very modern looking and BIG.  Most of them are customizable to fit your classroom. There are spinners, scoreboards, and a name selector. I like the "Find Ten!" resource.   Try the demo activity.

Need Student Response Devices? Try "Poll Everywhere"

What is it: Poll Everywhere is a free resource that allows you to create multiple choice or free form text questions that participants can reply to via their cell phone.  They can text in the answer or send it from their Twitter account.  Poll Everywhere will update your results live on your blog or in your class PowerPoint! Turn a cell phone into a Student Response Device!  Subscription accounts are available for an audience larger than 30 participants. But with that small student to teacher ratio, who needs more than 30, right?!  Give it a try! Here's my question below.

Replace your audience response systems with Poll Everywhere

5 Ways Classrooms Can Use Video Conferencing

Need some ideas for that webcam in your classroom collecting dust?  I personally like #5.  Also read about a 12 year old who recently spoke at the TED Conference. 

5 Ways Classrooms Can Use Video Conferencing

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Wis Web Interactive Website for IWB

What is it:  Wis Web is simple interactive website for secondary math classes that focuses on the use of applets to allow students to explore problems, discover concepts and construct 3D objects.  With a background in teaching 8th Grade math , I would have to say that the applet called "Building Houses with Side Views" is one of my favorite. 

How to integrate it into the classroom:  How could you not integrate this into your interactive classrooms. Setting up learning stations, with your IWB as the "main stage", would be a great way to keep ALL of your students engaged in their learning. It covers measurement, geometry, algebra, number sense and more.  What I really love about this site is that the design of the applets is large and simple.

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Shared Whiteboard Space on Google Docs

What is it:  I am an avid fan of Google Docs and they now have a new feature! Google Docs now has the option to create a "shared whiteboard space" called Google Drawing.  Google Drawing allows for the collaboration process to happen, on a blank drawing space, in real time.  If you are familiar with Google Docs, the privacy settings are the same as other documents.  You, as the creator, are allowed to adjust these settings and it is up to you to decide who has access to view or edit the document. The Google Drawing can be published to a blog or site and it will be updated in real time!

How to integrate it into the classroom:  This is a wonderful tool for those who have an interactive whiteboard! This will allow multiple classrooms to interact with each other using one document in real time.  Each class can provide input and the other classes can see it happen. Students can work different math problems or answer questions that are provided by the other class.  Involve Skype and the possibilities are endless!