VSTE+Links

VSTE Resources: From VSTE 2009 Spring Conference Heather Blanton, ITRT, VBPS http://cogdogroo.wikispaces.com/StoryTools This site offers 50 ways to tell a digital story. There are tons of Web 2.0 tools represented here. [] This site offers students a new way of understanding literature by exploring the locations and settings of the story. This site offers tons of wonderful “trips” for K-16. [] This is one of the most off the cuff and best examples of using cell phones in education. The premise is this: sign up on the web site, at some random time you will get a text message with an assignment, within 24 hours you must complete a video using your cell phone that addresses your assigned topic. Steve Dembo from Discovery made one and you can view it at: [] [] Ok, so this link isn’t really educational, but if you take the idea you could have students summarizing concepts, literature, events in history, and much more. Hamlet in 2 minutes or less? In order to be successful in a “sweded” film format you have to really understand what the important events are. [|www.blabberize.com] I’ve shown this one at conferences before and I love it. During one of Steve’s sessions, he took the idea a step further by having us think about how powerful it would be in foreign language to have items actually explain themselves. Ex. A picture of a book, speaks to us in Spanish, “Yo soy un libro.” Biographies, reports, and more were addressed. [] This tool is an online comic creator that allows you to import your own drawing, create from their content, and creates single strips or graphic novels, and so much more. ToonDoo is much easier and more kid friendly than other comic tools such as Pixton. [|www.ourstory.com] This is an online timelining tool like Scholastic’s Timeliner but it is free. With ourstory.com students create a time line that can include pictures and full length article text, multiple students can work on the same timeline. One way to use this resource would be a research project such as “The Causes of the Civil War”. Students could research different events and place them on the timeline with pictures and essays that explain the events. [|www.capzles.com] This site is ourstory on steroids! It allows you to combine videos, photos, blogs, and mp3’s into a multimedia storyline. The user interfaces are flash animations that have a futuristic look. [] Jaycut is an online video editing tool. It allows you to edit and mix photos, videos, and music all online. One big advantage to jaycut over movie maker is students aren’t tied to one computer to edit a video which makes scheduling labs easier for video projects. [] This is one of the best tools that I didn’t know I needed. Myplick helps you to sync powerpoint slide transitions to music with an upload and then just click when you want to go to the next slide. Super easy to use and share. This would be a great tool for students to create music videos that demonstrate a concept. [] Thought flickr was a one trick pony? Think again! There are tons of greats tools at this site including, name badge makers, billboard maker, calendar makers, the Warholizer, and much more. General Resource link: [] Presentation Resource Link: [] This is the presentation resource page on a session that Loudoun County’s assistive technology dept put together on Universal Design for Learning. It was a great session about how the brain works. Ideas included foldable pocket handouts, tech tools, UDL planning guides, and more. [] This could be the next great hands on technology tool. They won’t be available for sale for a few more months, but take a look at the video to see how powerful a computing and interactive tool they could be. Another Loudoun County Assistive/instructional Technology presentation: [] This presentation was about how they put out a tip of the day calendar. The calendar was a peel off desk type calendar that they created in Powerpoint. Some schools who have html desktop capabilities placed the images on the desktop backgrounds each day. 76% of staff surveyed thought the calendar was a tremendous resource, the other 24% had no idea the calendar existed so they have looked for alternatives to printing for next school year. [] This tool is so cutting edge I think I bled a little. I’m not sure it will be embraced by educators just yet, but as cell phones become more and more common place in education, we might just see some class discussions aided by the visual real time wiffiti board. [] This is Alfred Toole’s portaportal links about moviemaker, general classroom resources, and more. The following are link posted by people during the conference on Twitter: ·  []  This was apparently Obe Hostetter’s Smart Board presentation. I hate I missed this one. ·  [] This was from Augusta County’s ITRTs who presented on creating graphic novels using comic life. ·  http://vste09.wikispaces.com/  This is Augusta County’s ITRT’s wiki to gather all the information they learned at VSTE. ·  http://schoolweb2.wikispaces.com/  This is the presentation link from Spotsylvania’s ITRTs. ·  http://schoolweb2.wikispaces.com/Collaborating+in+Web+2.0+Style  More from the Spotsylvania crew, this one is about collaboration using all things Google. ·  []  Fairfax County’s session on MS Word stratagies. ·  http://vstesl.wikispaces.com/  This site is about VSTE’s journey into Second Life. It gives you a calendar to see all of the events that are taking place in SL and directions on how to get “in world” to see some of the nation’s hottest presenters live on VSTE island. ·  []  Established in 1998, the Global Nomads Group (GNG) is an international NGO that creates interactive educational programs for students about global issues. GNG’s educational programs include (1) four types of [|videoconferences] — The PULSE, Currents, Innovations and Rapid Response — where students learn about and discuss subjects with their peers from around the world in live, facilitated sessions; and (2) [|videos] and [|learning content] on a variety of international issues relevant to teachers and students . ·  []  Free, interactive programs allow you and your students to learn more about our home planet and the universe beyond through video-conferencing and Web casts. Students of all ages can participate in live events featuring NASA experts and education specialists. Take a look at the catalog of events and Web cast announcements to find lessons, activities, and presentations that meet your instructional objectives. ·  []  ClassChatter offers free blogging and web tools for teachers at all levels of education. http://smartboardproject.wikispaces.com/ This is a sharing point for Smart Board activities from five Norfolk Public Schools
 * // Day of Discovery links and resources:  //**
 * // Regular Conference Session Resources  //**