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Character Pinterest Boards
For years now, teachers have allowed students to do creative online projects over popular literary characters: a MySpace page for Romeo, chronicling his star-crossed love affair with Juliet; a Facebook...
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Picmonkey for Graphics
Many teachers would like the option of editing photos and creating their own graphics, but some professional software, like Adobe Photoshop, is expensive. One alternative is the completely online...
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Only 135 Hours
There’s a new cost-saving proposal out there for Texas higher ed, and the idea is to get students to graduate in close to four years by slapping a major financial penalty on those who need too many...
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Easel.ly for Infographics
Creating slick infographics can add a professional touch to a web site, blog, classroom bulletin board, or presentation. I decided to try out one tool currently in beta testing: Easel.ly. Playing on...
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Real College Readiness
I have a 9th grader and a 12th grader this year, which has made me think a lot more about how high schools prepare students for college, at least in my district. My 12th grader took a career aptitude...
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From Teacher to Principal
from the Microsoft Office Image Gallery In the May/June 2009 edition of Principal, a publication from the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP), Mary F. Borba starts her article...
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EC-6. Too Broad, No Essay.
In Texas, teachers can seek certification in EC-6, which means they are capable of teaching all subject areas from preschool through 6th grade. Let me repeat: a certification in EC-6 means you should...
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TenMarks
Free for schools. Aligned with the Common Core Standards used in most states (or state curricula where applicable). Full of video tutorials. Did I mention free? TenMarks offers public school teachers...
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The Things I Carry
In today’s e-world, sometimes we forget about the tangible, physical thingness of things. This blog entry is dedicated to things that I hold, literally, to remember how I got to this place. Like most...
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Text 2 Mind Map
These days, teachers of all subjects expect students to find, if not to create from scratch, quality graphics for class projects. An English teacher might ask for a web / cluster prewriting assignment...
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What to Leave Out?
Creative Commons licensed content from http://www.flickr.com/photos/fredcavazza/2564571564 I teach a class on using social media in professional contexts, particularly in the classroom. With a 15-week...
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Science Professors & Web 2.0
According to a newer infographic on “Professors & Social Media,” 39.7% of humanities and arts professors use social media for teaching, compared with 24.3% of those in the natural sciences. What’s...
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Paying for School Tech
Technology is expensive when you start considering rolling it out not for your family but for an entire school or district. According to Laurie Fox’s Dec. 2012 article for the Dallas Morning News, many...
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My 0.02 on MOOCs
A recent review of MOOC stats at http://augmentedtrader.wordpress.com/2013/01/27/mooc-student-demographics/ has me thinking about the promise of this next-big-thing in online education. 53,205 students...
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My Coursera Experience So Far
I am enrolled in “Critical Thinking in Global Challenges,” a 5-week Coursera offering. The class uses global issues to help participants hone their ability to assess and create solid arguments....
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Diipo Review
Still in beta testing, DIIPO bills itself an all-in-one social networking platform for teachers. I thought I’d check it out. Signing up was easy. I created an account as an educator and immediately was...
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How Short Is Too Short?
In the November 2012 Chronicle of Higher Education article “Need 3 Quick Credits to Play Ball? Call Western Oklahoma” by Brad Wolverton, many concerns are raised over the two-week versions of the...
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Coursera Class #1? Done.
I have finished my 5-week “Critical Thinking in Global Challenges” class from the University of Edinburgh. It wasn’t a bad experience. I don’t think I learned anything new in terms of content or that I...
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2013 Trends in eLearning
Charlie Osborne over at SmartPlanet published his “Top 10 Predictions for Online Learning in 2013″ back in January. Photograph from the Microsoft Office Image Gallery Here are some of my thoughts on...
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Yet Another Pro/Con List
In “A Teacher’s Take on Online Education,” Jeff Kolnick writes about the endlessly discussed topic of Whether or Not Online Classes Are Okay. Here’s a summary: PROS “improve written communication...
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