Until recently, watching a video in a classroom setting meant sitting through lots of unnecessary information in order to catch a few minutes of relevant information. Sure, you could rewind and fast forward, but there was no quick and easy way to get to what you, the teacher, really wanted to show. Today, that has all changed!
Now, not only do we no longer need to walk to the library to check out a video, but we don't even need to watch the whole thing to get those few moments of important information. Online video streaming has made this process as easy as a simple search and the click of a mouse.
While Teacher Tube is great for sharing teacher and student made material, Discovery Education Video Streaming (DEVS) is the place to find video that specifically supports state standards. Discovery Education United Streaming is the only digital video-based learning resource scientifically proven to increase academic achievement. Featuring more than 5,000 full-length videos divided into 50,000 content-specific video segments, United Streaming enables you to seamlessly integrate digital media in the classroom.
Keep in mind, however, that Teacher Tube is free....and DEVS is a subscriber only site.
You have been sent two documents via email. One is a guide to setting up on account on the Discovery Ed site. The second one is a detailed guide to using the site. You will see on the more detailed one that there are some excellent resources available through the DEVS site. There are lesson plans, quiz builders, atlases, etc.
ASSIGNMENT:
1. Click here to go to the DEVS site.
2. Set up your account using the set up code. (Included in the emailed directions.)
3. Using the detailed guide, explore the site. Be sure to experiment with the search options using your own search criteria.
4. Locate two videos/segments that would support the implementation of a VA SOL that you hope to teach. Save them to the MY CONTENT section of the site. (You will share these at our next class.)
5. Also be sure to explore the Teacher's Center and find out more about the Discovery Atlas Interactive Map, the Lesson Plan Library and the Quiz Builder.
6. Do your usual blog posts about the DEVS experience and how it compares to Teacher Tube.
Monday, November 1, 2010
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Google Custom Search Engine
DUE MONDAY OCTOBER 4!
Ever wish you could create a customized search engine that searches only across sites that you specify and displays results that you know will be appropriate for you or your students? Google Custom Search Engine (CSE) allows you do do just that. All you need to do is choose the websites and pages you'd like to search, then follow a few simple steps to create a CSE. Think of it as putting the power of Google web search to work for you.
Let's say you're a teacher and you want your students to access only school-safe sites. (Ones that won't be filtered!) Using Google's Custom Search tool, you can pre-select the sites, list them in the settings of your new search engine, and then let your students use it -- knowing that they're searching the web safely. And because you choose the sites to search, they'll get a limited number of highly relevant search results, making the time they spend online more efficient and rewarding.
With Google Custom Search Engine, you can:
This Revolutionary Times CSE contains approximately 180 web sites.
Try searching this site using one of the following: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Betsy Ross, revolutionary weapons....or anything else that you can think of that has to do with the American Revolution.
So, you use the CSE and think, so what? Looks like it is just searching the web! But, remember, when you search using a CSE you are ONLY searching the sites that were included in the creation of that CSE. This translates to safer searching for students and also better, more narrowed results. For students learning to do web research and navigate the internet, this allows them to be in a controlled environment while gaining the skills needed to become information literate.
ASSIGNMENT:
Now it's your turn...
1. First, watch this video about creating a Google CSE:
2. Now, come up with a varied topic that would be applicable to what you teach or hope to teach. (For example, if you hope to teach physical education, your topic might be sports. If you hope to teach elementary school, your topic might be Virginia Studies.) The varied topic will allow you to encompass a large number of sites within one CSE.
3. Next, you might want to spend some time finding some sites that fit your chosen topic. You can always add more later, but it is a good idea to have a few to get you started.
4. To get started creating your CSE you can:
5. You should include at least 25 sites in your CSE. Keep in mind, however, when creating a CSE, that QUALITY is just as important as QUANTITY!
**The Google CSE has the potential to be a very useful and powerful tool. Its potential goes far beyond what is covered in this assignment. It can also be used collaboratively and /or integrated into a personal / business web page. If you'd like to know more, spend some time exploring the Google CSE site!
Ever wish you could create a customized search engine that searches only across sites that you specify and displays results that you know will be appropriate for you or your students? Google Custom Search Engine (CSE) allows you do do just that. All you need to do is choose the websites and pages you'd like to search, then follow a few simple steps to create a CSE. Think of it as putting the power of Google web search to work for you.
Let's say you're a teacher and you want your students to access only school-safe sites. (Ones that won't be filtered!) Using Google's Custom Search tool, you can pre-select the sites, list them in the settings of your new search engine, and then let your students use it -- knowing that they're searching the web safely. And because you choose the sites to search, they'll get a limited number of highly relevant search results, making the time they spend online more efficient and rewarding.
With Google Custom Search Engine, you can:
- Create a CSE at any time and Google will give you unique URL for easy access by you and your students.
- Control the look and feel of your CSE.
- Invite friends and colleagues to collaborate and contribute to your search engine, enhancing its usefulness to your community.
- Easily add more sites to your search engine's index as you surf the web.
This Revolutionary Times CSE contains approximately 180 web sites.
Try searching this site using one of the following: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Betsy Ross, revolutionary weapons....or anything else that you can think of that has to do with the American Revolution.
So, you use the CSE and think, so what? Looks like it is just searching the web! But, remember, when you search using a CSE you are ONLY searching the sites that were included in the creation of that CSE. This translates to safer searching for students and also better, more narrowed results. For students learning to do web research and navigate the internet, this allows them to be in a controlled environment while gaining the skills needed to become information literate.
ASSIGNMENT:
Now it's your turn...
1. First, watch this video about creating a Google CSE:
2. Now, come up with a varied topic that would be applicable to what you teach or hope to teach. (For example, if you hope to teach physical education, your topic might be sports. If you hope to teach elementary school, your topic might be Virginia Studies.) The varied topic will allow you to encompass a large number of sites within one CSE.
3. Next, you might want to spend some time finding some sites that fit your chosen topic. You can always add more later, but it is a good idea to have a few to get you started.
4. To get started creating your CSE you can:
- Click here to begin on your own.
OR
- Use the Google Custom Search Engine Tutorial. This page walks you through the creation of your first custom search engine and gives you a tour of the control panel.
5. You should include at least 25 sites in your CSE. Keep in mind, however, when creating a CSE, that QUALITY is just as important as QUANTITY!
Visit the Google Custom Search Help Center
for answers to FAQ.
6. Once you are finished, be sure to post the URL (web address) and the title of your search engine on your blog page.for answers to FAQ.
**The Google CSE has the potential to be a very useful and powerful tool. Its potential goes far beyond what is covered in this assignment. It can also be used collaboratively and /or integrated into a personal / business web page. If you'd like to know more, spend some time exploring the Google CSE site!
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Flickr
Blogging provides a way to share your thoughts and ideas. Delicous provides ways to store and share your favorite web pages. Now that you have explored those a little bit, let's look at ways to share photos.
Click to view: Online Photo Sharing in Plain English
Photo sharing websites have been around since the 90s, but it took a small startup site called Flickr to catapult the idea of “sharing” into a full blown online community. Flickr has become the fastest growing photo sharing site on the web and is known as one of the first websites to use keyword “tags” to create associations and connections between photos and users of the site. For this assignment, you are asked to take a good look at Flickr and discover what this site has to offer. Find out how tags work, what groups are, and all the neat things that people and are using Flickr for.
Note: click each of the links above to learn more about the Flickr site, using tags and groups.
Flickr Tutorials and Resources:
Flickr Learn More tour (6 steps)
Mediamazine Flickr Tutorials
Flickr: Popular tags Interesting- Last 7 days
Flickr Services (3rd party applications & mashups)
Assignment Two DUE MONDAY SEPTEMBER 27!
Take a good look around Flickr . Then, create a Free account and upload some photos to your Flickr account and tag at least one of the images “T21C” and mark it public. Then create a post in your blog about your photo and your Flickr experience. Be sure to include the image in your post. (See mine above.) Once you have a Flickr account, you have two options for doing this: through Flickr's blogging tool or using Blogger's photo upload feature. So go ahead, explore the site and have some Flickr photo fun and if you're interested in looking at some other photo hosting sites, then why not check out this Wired story.
After you have figured out how to navigate Flickr, read this article The Promise of Social Networks and give some thought as to how Flickr might fit into the K-12 classroom.
Also, remember to search Flickr by our T21C tag to see what other photos have been posted by others.
PS: A quick word about photo posting etiquette - When posting identifiable photos of other people (especially minors) is it advisable to get the person's permission before posting their photo in a publicly accessible place like Flickr. Never upload pictures that weren't taken by you (unless you have the photographer's consent) and always give credit when you include photos taken by someone else in your blog.
Click to view: Online Photo Sharing in Plain English
Photo sharing websites have been around since the 90s, but it took a small startup site called Flickr to catapult the idea of “sharing” into a full blown online community. Flickr has become the fastest growing photo sharing site on the web and is known as one of the first websites to use keyword “tags” to create associations and connections between photos and users of the site. For this assignment, you are asked to take a good look at Flickr and discover what this site has to offer. Find out how tags work, what groups are, and all the neat things that people and are using Flickr for.
Note: click each of the links above to learn more about the Flickr site, using tags and groups.
Flickr Tutorials and Resources:
Flickr Learn More tour (6 steps)
Mediamazine Flickr Tutorials
Flickr: Popular tags Interesting- Last 7 days
Flickr Services (3rd party applications & mashups)
Assignment Two DUE MONDAY SEPTEMBER 27!
Take a good look around Flickr . Then, create a Free account and upload some photos to your Flickr account and tag at least one of the images “T21C” and mark it public. Then create a post in your blog about your photo and your Flickr experience. Be sure to include the image in your post. (See mine above.) Once you have a Flickr account, you have two options for doing this: through Flickr's blogging tool or using Blogger's photo upload feature. So go ahead, explore the site and have some Flickr photo fun and if you're interested in looking at some other photo hosting sites, then why not check out this Wired story.
After you have figured out how to navigate Flickr, read this article The Promise of Social Networks and give some thought as to how Flickr might fit into the K-12 classroom.
Also, remember to search Flickr by our T21C tag to see what other photos have been posted by others.
PS: A quick word about photo posting etiquette - When posting identifiable photos of other people (especially minors) is it advisable to get the person's permission before posting their photo in a publicly accessible place like Flickr. Never upload pictures that weren't taken by you (unless you have the photographer's consent) and always give credit when you include photos taken by someone else in your blog.
Monday, August 30, 2010
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