A convenient use of Google

When you run into any kind of error message, and I mean, any kind, first "google it." Most likely, google will direct you to a number of message boards where people dealt with this specific issue and found out the fix. I can't tell how many issues I've solved this way, both at work and at home. If your computer has a recurrent issue but no error message, google a description, or several ones using different key words, of this problem. For instance, "windows live photo gallery installed but not opening", or "windows livephotogallery problem" etc. Jude

25 Tools every Learning Professional should have -Free

In 2008 223 learning professionals worldwide contributed their Top 10 Tools for Learning. From this, the Centre for Learning & Performance Technologies compiled the Top 100 Tools for Learning 2008 list. These tools are the most popular free tools in 25 tool categories. They are a mix of personal productivity tools (for managing personal learning) as well as authoring tools (for creating learning solutions). Many of them are Web 2.0 tools that promote a social, collaborative, sharing approach to learning. Jude

Printable Computer Quick Reference

This free gift from K12.Customguide.com consists of downloadable reference sheets for many different softwares used by teachers. Scroll down their homepage to see the whole list. Enjoy. Jude

Teachers love Twitter

From the NHOET Blog- While some educators are just getting familiar with the term Web 2.0 and all the various tools that can be classified as “web 2.0 tools,” other educators are already immersed in using them. Of course everyone has their favorites. My current favorite is GoogleDocs, but that’s a topic for another post. Today I thought I should share a few interesting articles about how Twitter (one of those Web 2.0 tools) can be used for language arts, community building, and many other things.
Search Engine Watch has an article by Ron Jones about Twitter
David Parry has a blog called academHack with a lengthy interesting post about how he uses Twitter in his university classroom at U Texas in Dallas.
EdWeek’s Digital Directions June 2008 issue includes an article about Twitter. One of my favorites was how this teacher used it:
created a Twitter account called Many Voices and invited his students, and students around the world, to add a sentence or two to the ongoing story through tweets. Within six weeks, the rolling story, written 140 characters at a time, was finished—with the help of more than 100 students in six different countries.
Have you used Twitter? Cathy Higgins

New website for online learning resources for everyone

From the NHOET blog-This morning, Governor Lynch was joined by state education officials in unveiling a new Web site that will serve as a one-stop, online learning resource for students, parents, teachers and school administrators. The new Web site provides information about online learning course work available — at schools in NH and beyond — which can be counted toward high school graduation credit. The comprehensive site also presents information and studies regarding the benefits of online learning. More…

Green curriculum

GreenHearted.org is a primer on transformative education for sustainability ...what you'll need in order to green your classroom, your curriculum, your students' learning, your school community, and your life's work as a teacher. Definitely inspiring. Jude

PBS online courses -PSU graduate credits

PBS TeacherLine offers more than 130 top-quality, graduate-level online courses for educators and has offerings that span the curriculum.
PBS TeacherLine's online courses were developed to align with national standards developed by leading professional organizations such as NCTM, ISTE, and NCTE.
Graduate credit is available from Plymouth State University. Fall courses start October 22, 2008. Check out the website. Jude