Google Earth
Google Earth is a program that allows people to explore both the Earth and sky with accuracy and style. You can view the constellations in the sky and get the names of stars. The Earth has satellite coverage, as seen in “true-image” photos. The photo images can be additionally layered with political borders, roads, and even weather, among other options. You can also create “plane trip” videos that fly around to different locations on your timing with a click.
For this assignment, think of a location that you can discuss with your students in the context of a lesson. Some examples might be the Grand Canyon, the Great Wall of China, the Pyramids of Egypt, Washington D.C., Easter Island, etc. Using Google Earth (which can be downloaded for free at http://earth.google.com), perform the following:
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Google Earth is a program that allows people to explore both the Earth and sky with accuracy and style. You can view the constellations in the sky and get the names of stars. The Earth has satellite coverage, as seen in “true-image” photos. The photo images can be additionally layered with political borders, roads, and even weather, among other options. You can also create “plane trip” videos that fly around to different locations on your timing with a click.
For this assignment, think of a location that you can discuss with your students in the context of a lesson. Some examples might be the Grand Canyon, the Great Wall of China, the Pyramids of Egypt, Washington D.C., Easter Island, etc. Using Google Earth (which can be downloaded for free at http://earth.google.com), perform the following:
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Concept Maps
Inspiration/Kidspiration/Webspiration are programs that help create graphic organizers that help with concept mapping and creating relationships. View the tour video to see how it works and what it can be used for: http://inspiration.com/videos/Inspiration.
For this assignment, you are going to be creating a concept map of a lesson you may use in class. Examples could be Newton’s Three Laws of Motion, Fractions, Basketball, the Declaration of Independence, etc. Using Inspiration (you can use Concordia's computers or get a free trial of Inspiration here: http://inspiration.com/Freetrial; or a free trial of Webspiration here: http://www.inspiration.com/WebspirationClassroom), perform the following:
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VoiceThread
VoiceThread is a website that allows you to have group conversations around media like photos or videos. You can remotely participate in conversations either with a microphone or a webcam. See the site’s description of itself here: http://voicethread.com/#home.b409.i848804
For this assignment, you are going to be creating your own VoiceThread on pictures you may use in a lesson. Some examples could be comparing different animals and their adaptations to their environment, writing the back-story to an unknown photograph, finding all the emotions, politics, and symbols in Vietnam photos, etc. Using VoiceThread (which you can register for at http://voicethread.com and then click on create and find the Register! Link) perform the following:
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Comics/Books
All the computers at my school have Comic Life installed on them. It is software that allows you to create your own comics with pictures from your own life or from the Internet. It’s a way to create a storyboard or a graphic novel without the ability to draw. The description on the website states “Expand what you can do with your digital photos! With a comprehensive set of features, Comic Life gives you numerous ways to explore your creativity - liven up holiday snaps, tell a story, create astounding comics, beautiful picture albums, children's storybooks and even how-to guides. This award winning software is fun and useful for kids and ...big kids!” However, there are also now web based comic creation programs, like MakeBeliefsComix, which can be written in English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, German, or Latin, or even book making programs like Bookemon where you can even eventually get your book printed in full hardback quality.
For this assignment you will be creating your own comic that could be the example end product of a lesson you will have using this software. Some examples could be that you show a play by play of a football game with what the players are thinking or doing, create a museum guidebook, make story about a day in your own life or your pet’s, etc. Using Comic Life (a free trial can be downloaded here: http://plasq.com/downloads), or MakeBeliefsComics.com, ToonDoo.com, or Bookemon (found at www.bookemon.com) perform the following tasks:
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Interactive Timelines
If you will ever teach about how things have changed over time (I’m looking at you, history teachers, though I do this in my science class, too…), I’m sure a timeline is something you will have to deal with. But, there are fun ways of doing students assessment that involves more than just writing dates on a paper. Dipity is an interactive time line creator that boasts: “Our mission is to organize the web's content by date and time. Users can create, share, embed and collaborate on interactive, visually engaging timelines that integrate video, audio, images, text, links, social media, location and timestamps.” Xtimeline says it “is a free web-based timeline. Easily create and share timelines with pictures and videos.” Vuvox say that it “is an easy to use production and instant sharing service that allows you to mix, create and blend your personal media – video, photos and music into rich personal expressions.” All of which I have deemed better than what I had when I had to make a Civil War timeline for my US History class.
Using either www.dipity.com, www.xtimeline.com, or www.vuvox.com, perform the following tasks:
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Screenr
Screenr is a program that you can film your own movements and narrations on what is happening on your computer screen. Remember those video tutorials from earlier in the class? This program makes those, except they are less fancy and can last only up to 5 minutes, but is free! You will also need a Twitter account to use the program.
Using Screenr (found at www.screenr.com), perform the following tasks:
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Glogster
Allow me to let the website speak for itself: “Simply put, a Glog is a kind of poster —fully designed by you! A Glog is a unique creation made up of text, images, music, and video. It can be colorful, edgy, emo, or rock—it’s up to you to make your Glog stand out. Glogs are a perfect way to express who YOU are!”
Glogster has a teacher-specific version of their program (edu.glogster.com), so you can stop wasting money on physical supplies (oh, and you will spend that money, trust me). It costs money, but it has several useful features like student collaboration and teacher management systems.
Using Glogster (found at www.glogster.com), perform the following tasks:
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Word Clouds
Word clouds are popular in my school to show words related to a certain topic in a fun, graphic way; however, I’ve also seen word clouds used to represent the amount of times a work shows up or a percentage of something in relative size to something else. Wordle is an easy program to use for creating these word clouds.
Using Wordle (found at www.wordle.net), perform the following tasks:
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Electronic Flashcards
I could always know who was taking Anatomy & Physiology in college because they were always staring at their giant stack of multicolored index cards. Well, apparently they stare at their smartphone or tablet now since flash cards have gone digital. Study Stack is one such program, but allows you to connect your computer account to an app on your phone/tablet. And it’s not just flashcards, but you can create other memory games like matching games, hangman, crossword puzzles, and more.
Using Study Stack (found at www.studystack.com), perform the following tasks:
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Fakewall
Updating old characters from literature or historical figures/events or even personifying things in nature has always been a fun task to assess students’ synthesis skills and their true understanding of the concepts. MYFAKEWALL is a site that allows students to create fake Facebook profiles, complete with fake friends, fake wall posts, and fake “likes,” for anyone they can dream up. Let the parodying begin!
Using MYFAKEWALL (http://myfakewall.com/), perform the fallowing tasks:
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Videos
Not only is it easy to create videos with all the handheld devices out there, it’s also easy to create your own animations, without learning how to draw. One of these requires just your ability to type, called Xtranormal, to animate characters interacting with one another. Go! Animate lets you create cartoons with a little more options. Animoto lets you create a fantastic looking slide show with music.
Using Xtranormal (http://www.xtranormal.com/), Go! Animate (http://goanimate.com/), or Animoto (http://animoto.com/), perform the following tasks:
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Content generated by Shawn Daley & Rhiannon Boettcher for Concordia University - MAT 533 Educational Technology - Technology for Teachers.
