Week 11 - SMARTBoard Activities

Today you will present a SMARTBoard activity as required for Assignment #5. Click here to sign up. MIT students and School of Education faculty have been invited to join us.

Monday Night Practice Schedule

TeacherWeb.com

Week 10 - Individual Time with the SMARTBoard

Come at the time you signed up for to practice the activity that you will be presenting in class next week (Assignment #5). Let me know if you would like to have additional time before next week.

Monday Night Practice Schedule

Week 9 - Internet Safety & Cyberbullying

Children’s Internet Protection Act (2000)

Resources: WebSites
CyberSmart – Online Professional Development and Curriculum
Surf Swell Island: Adventures in Internet Safety (Disney)
SafeKids.com SafeTeens.com
Pacer Center's Kids Against Bullying
A Parent’s Guide to Online Safety: Ages & Stages (Mircosoft)

Resources: Articles
"ABC's of Bullying Prevention" by K. Stone (2006)
"As bullies go high-tech, lawmakers say schools should be fighting back" Seattle Times (2007) "Educator's Guide to Cyberbullying: Addressing the Harm Caused by Online Social Cruelty" by N. Willard

Resources: Software & Options
iSAFE - Internet Safety Instruction
iSAFE statistics
Websense – School & Library Internet Filtering Software
iProtectYou – Web Filtering Software
NetNanny – Popular Software for home use
Google Safe
Yahoo SafeSearch

Acceptable Use Policies
K-20 Network Acceptable Use Policy - Sample

In Class Project: Use a "new" search engine or metacrawler (See Class Blog - Week 3) to search for the "Acceptable Use Policy" in the school (or district) where you are doing your observation or at the high school you attended. What does the policy cover? What will be your responsibility as a teacher if you teach in this school district?

Week 9 - Productivity Software

How-to Articles for Teachers (Tips on using Word, Excel, PowerPoint & other software) by Microsoft
Microsoft Lesson Plans for Students & Teachers
Help and How To: All Microsoft Office Products
2007 Microsoft Office System Courses (free)

Word Processing

Tools:
Word (Microsoft)
Pages (Apple)
Google Docs & Spreadsheets

Some Resources:
Word 2007 Tutorial
Interactive: Word 2003 to Word 2007 Command Reference Guide
Pages Tutorials

Spreadsheets

Tools:
Excel (Microsoft)
Numbers (Apple)
Google Docs

Some resources:
Excel: Excel Basics for Beginners
Article: Excel in the Classroom
Using Spreadsheets in K-12 Classrooms
M & M Graphs Math Lesson
Microsoft Excel Modules (Internet4Classrooms)
Interactive: Excel 2003 to 2007 Command Reference Guide
Numbers Tutorial

Presentation Software

Tools:
PowerPoint (Microsoft)
Keynote (Apple)
Google Docs and Spreadsheets

Some Resources:
Tutorial: Electric Teacher - PowerPoint Tutorials
Article: Create Great Classroom Presentations
Article: Google Docs Presentations
Teacher Templates: PowerPoint
Brainy Betty PowerPoint Menu
PowerPoint Games
Interactive: PowerPoint 2003 to PowerPoint 2007 Command Reference Guide
Keynote Tutorial
Artic

Adding Voice Narration to PowerPoint: Microsoft: “Voice Narration”

Back to School with the Class of Web 2.0: Part 2 Office Applications

Week 8 - K12 Online Conference

The theme of the K12 Online Conference is Playing With Boundaries and runs from October 8th - October 27 with the Preconference Keynote by David Warlick on October 8. The conference schedule is available here and links to each session will be added as they are held.

We will not meet as a class on Tuesday, October 16th. Instead we are going to be part of the K12 Online Conference. Please do the following by our class on Tuesday, October 23rd:

1. "Join the Attendr map". The link is on the left side of the conference web page. You will need to set up an Attendr account by clicking on "add yourself". Add only as much information as you want. I didn't add our class blog to my profile as I didn't want to provide access to your blogs without your permission. Also sign the guest book if you would like to.

2. Listen/watch session of your choice.

3. By class on October 23rd add a post to your blog regarding the K12 Online Conference. Include title and name of presenter(s), a link to the session, along with a summary of the session and a reflection of what you learned.

Week 7 - Inspiration and Kidspiration

Inspiration and Kidspiration are just two of the many software available for classroom use. This software can be used to create a concept map, an idea map and many other mind mapping projects.

Examples & Quick Tours
Kidspiration Example - Social Studies
Kidspiration Quick Tour

Inspiration Example - Language Arts
Inspiration Quick Tour

Sample Projects
Kidspired Tales Collaboration projects using Kidspiration (K-2)
TOGETHER - Exchange Resources for Kidspiration
Teachers Using Inspiration & Kidspiration
Inspiration & Kidspiration: Teacher-Created Projects (University of Wisconsin-Stout)

Lesson Plans & Ideas
TALK: Technology Assisting Literacy Knowledge Kidspiration Inspiration
Kidspiration and Inspiration Lesson Plan Ideas (Fayette County Public Schools - KY)
50 Uses for Inspiration and Kidspiration (University of Wisconsin-Stout)
Inspiration and Kidspiration in the Classroom

Standards
Washington State Standards & Inspiration & Kidspiration
Information & examples are given on how this software supports the Washington EALRS

Other Resources
Using the Kidspiration Activity Wizard
North Canton City Schools Technology Tutorials: Kidspiration
Educators Review Kidspiration 2
Inspiration/Kidspiration Tutorials and PowerPoints
Inspiration Basics
Learning Electric Inspiration Tutorials
Software ReviewsInspiration 8

Inspiration Web Page
List of Training Opportunities
Inspiration & Kidspiration and White Board Support

IN CLASS
Play around with Inspiration or Kidspiration and create a document called "Why I want to be a teacher". Save this in a format that will allow others to open it if they don't have the software on their computer (see below) and use Box.net to add a link on your blog. Add a few comments regarding using this software in your classroom. If you have time create a document that a student in your class might create.

To save in Inspiration: First save as an .isf Then click on "transfer" button and transfer to Word or Apple Works. If you are using a Mac, please save in both Word and Works format so I can view it from your blog.

To save in Kidspiration: When you finish your project "go to writing" and click on "publish". Choose format and save. See note above if you are using a Mac.

Week 7 - Gradebook Software

Web Based: Free
Engrade is web based. A “tour” of the software as well as a “features” page and a page with user comments is available.
Chalksite is web based. An individual subscription is free, however only 5 students are able to have accounts. Subscription options are available.
GradeSource is web based and the free version comes with advertising. Subscription options are available.

Web Based: Free Trial Available
MyGradeBook is web based. A 30 day trial is available. ($49.95 per year)
GradeQuick is available as web based, or for Win or Mac. A 30 day trial is available. (school wide license only)

Web Based and/or Download: Free
Thinkwave (Win) has a free version with limited features. A subscription option with additional features and technical support and a web version are now available. ($35 - 80 per year)
ClassRoom GradeBook (Win) has a free version. A Pro edition is available with additional features. Subscription with 30 day trial

Download: Free Trial Available
Easy Grade Pro (Win or Mac) provides a free download for demonstration purposes, but once twelve or more students or assignments have been added, some of the features are disabled.Subscription options are available. ($48 per year)
Grade Point (Win or Mac) provides an evaluation copy for 30 days. ($26.06 per year)

Other Gradebook Software
Grade Machine, MicroGrade & Web Grader

Using Excel
Create an Electronic Gradebook (Excel 2003)
Managing Grades with Excel 2002
How to Create a Simple Grade Book Using Microsoft Excel 2007

School Management Systems
Software Directory

One Example
PowerSchool

Articles
Million, J. (2000). Get Parents Tuned into Online Gradebooks