Digital Bookmarking and Cloud Based Storage

I am currently working to better embrace digital bookmarking and cloud based storage tools.  I am the type of person who has historically pack-ratted any and all information that I may find useful at another date.  Unfortunately, I am also a gigantic procrastinator so my filing and organizing never seems to get done.

Through the use of Diigo I have been able to resist my first response to print every article of interest. Now, instead I simply bookmark and add tags to items of interest.  Low and behold the filing and organizing is done at the same time and the mess of loose papers is dwindling fast!

Diigo -digital bookmarking

Pintrest - visually addictive bookmarking site. You can search by thematic unit, curriculum, season, etc.

LiveBinders - Web based three ring binders to store and share information in an organized searchable format. Just search "education" to view countless binders full of interesting information and wonderful resources. Here is a link to one of my most recent finds.

• New Teacher Chat - A LiveBinder that I have added to my personal binder shelf.

Image from New Teacher Chat LiveBinder

STEM Education Coalition

STEM: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math

STEM is the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education Coalition. STEM works to raise awareness in Congress, the Administration, and other organizations about the critical role that STEM education plays.

Members of the STEM Coalition believe that our nation must improve the way our students learn science, mathematics, technology and engineering and that the business, education, and STEM communities must work together to achieve this goal.

STEM Education Coalition 

This is a television spot that Brogan & Partners created for the National Defense Education Partnership to increase awareness of STEM and the importance in science, technology, engineering and math education because the jobs of the future will be in these areas.

QR Codes in the Classroom

Lately I have been exploring different ways to incorporate QR codes into the classroom.  QR codes are an easy portable way to deliver multiple types of media.

I have found multiple ideas for independent math stations utilizing QR codes as a self-check mechanism on the Flapjack Educational Resources blog.

 QR Code Math Freebies - contains multiple QR math station activities and ideas for incorporating QR codes into math class.

The Green Classroom Blog
QR Codes and Bottle Cap Fun! - Great activity for practice ordering fractions using recycled bottle caps.

Image link: Flapjack Educational Resources

 
Create your own QR codes through Visualead's Qurify2  the possibilities are endless.

This next week I would like to work with students to produce QR Codes to link fellow students to self produced book reviews for classroom reading libraries.  The QR codes will link future students to written, video or voice recordings of book reviews shared by fellow fourth grade students. These links can be used to preview and help select reading material for future classes.

Laptops, and twitter and blogs! Oh, my!

When I started my Educational Technology & Design class at UNI I felt like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, tiptoeing into the forest frightened and scared to move forward.

I can honestly say that three months ago I thought Twitter was the dumbest app ever.  How could anyone ever find a use for something so trivial and useless? In my opinion Twitter was for people who had too much time and not enough to do.  I would have told you without a doubt that Twitter would have no place in my life.

I stand corrected! Twitter is a wonderful tool for building a PLN (Personal Learning Network) and a tremendous source of valuable up-to-date information. My biggest issues with Twitter now are limiting the amount of time spent on it and organizing the wealth of information I glean from it on a daily basis.

Here are some of my favorite links to get you thinking about using Twitter in an educational setting.


The Ultimate Twitter Guide

The 20 Most Useful #hashtags In Education

60 Ways To Use Twitter In The Classroom By Category

5 Cool Ways of Using Twitter In Classrooms

Twitter Tools

If you are new to Twitter and wonder how to get started, take a look at the infographic  from Twiends.com. This fun 'How to Twitter' infographic will help you get going quickly, and assist you with beginner questions, such as: how to set up your Twitter account, how to start tweeting, how to use hashtags, and lists.

Infographic from Twiends.com design by @BlinR