Interesting Ways - Crowdsourced Classroom Ideas

Hi,

How would you like to have 100 knowledgeable people working for you (for free) providing tips and their expert input on classroom topics such as using Google Tools in the classroom or Using an iPad in the classroom? Well, "crowdsourcing" allows a crowd of hundreds or thousands of people to group author "How to" documents and tip sheets.

One example of crowdsourcing that is focused on classroom topics is the "Interesting Ways" section of the EDTE.CH blog. Check it out here: http://edte.ch/blog/interesting-ways/

EDUCAUSE podcasts - check them out!

Looking for a selection of free podcasts (often including slides as well as the audio) on topics including Educational Leadership, Policy and Law, Teaching and Learning, Emerging Technologies, Open Source, Research Computing, Cyberinfrastructure, and Digitial Libraries, then check out the EDUCAUSE podcasts website at: http://www.educause.edu/podcasts

You will find topics such as:

• How Are Mobile Devices Affecting Higher Education IT?
• The Open Textbook Puzzle,
• Gathering Evidence to Make an Impact: How Less Can Be More,
• and many others
  

Twitter for Teachers

Ran across this resource today, very nice: Twitter for Teachers – Support Videos
Thanks to "Shannon in Ottawa" http://shannoninottawa.com/?p=1922

Shannon authored a nice set of three brief but clear instructional / demo videos showing instructors how to create a Twitter account and get rolling with Twitter.

The YouTube version of the videos are here: http://www.youtube.com/user/shannoninottawa?feature=mhum#p/u

The same videos posted to Vimeo are here: http://vimeo.com/22317797

West Valley Spokane - Teachers Get Technical

Teachers in the West Valley School District are changing the way they communicate with students and their parents, thanks to a technology levy that has enabled them to upgrade their websites. Click for the full article.

EDUCAUSE ELI 2011 Annual Meeting

All - visit the site below access recorded versions of some of the excellent presentations at the 2011 Annual meeting of the EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative:

http://educause.mediasite.com/mediasite/Catalog/catalogs/ELI2011AnnualMeeting.aspx

iPad Applications

Here are a few links to reviews or lists of iPad applications. The iPad is an extremely versatile device - it can act as a business / productivity tool for email, calendaring, to-do lists; but also take on the role of a media device - playing video, displaying photos, slide shows, etc.; and it can be a musical instrument, a tutor for many topics, a foreign language translator and much, much more. Check out these links to get an idea of the kinds of applications you might find of interest on an iPad:

Review of iPad applications from Educational Origami: http://edorigami.edublogs.org/2010/12/22/on-the-wire-ipad-away/

List of iPad Tips and Tricks from How to Geek:  http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/14529/the-complete-list-of-ipad-tips-tricks-and-tutorials/

EWU Wiki posting regarding iPads: http://wiki.ewu.edu/oit/EWU_E-Learning:_Getting_Started_with_an_iPad

Take 10 minutes and check out a "Learning Talk" at the MASIE Center

Elliot Masie's learning consortium involves over 240 organizations who develop, partner and share ideas focusing on benchmarking, networking, research and collaborative projects in the Learning and Training field.

The MASIE Center (http://masieweb.com/) has just launched a "LearningTalks" web site that features a series of short, free, video interviews on learning.

According to their press release, "this project of The MASIE Center is modeled after the valuable TED Talks, and begins with the release of over 40 segments from Learning 2010. There are interviews with Apolo Ohno, Marshall Goldsmith, Learning Leaders from JCPenny, Yum! Brands, CNN and Peace Corps and many more."

These 3 to 9 minute learning segments are now live at: http://www.learningtalks.com

Check it out!