*DISCLAIMER: I’ve hesitated to share this resource because of the advertising and economics tied to it. I have given it a quick test and think that all of that stuff remains invisible. I’m sharing this resource because, in the right context, I see true potential in its integration with teaching and learning.
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Have you seen Squidoo? I would roughly describe it as a means of mashing up information from a variety of resources into a lens (as in the eye of a giant squid; fancy word for webpage). This is accomplished through customization and pulling together a good number of RSS feeds, favorites, bookmarks, page rankings/voting, etc. Lenses are ranked, money is given to daily winners, etc.* You can actually earn money for charity or for yourself just by using the service.* I have browsed through many of the existing lenses and been impressed by their quality. I am guessing that the whole free market competition model encourages quality effort as those with lenses with the highest use and approval are rewarded. Most of the ones I reviewed were by doctors, therapists, professors, etc. and all seemed well-credentialed. It is likely that you will find some lenses that you can use in your own classroom.
I haven’t completely made up my mind about what I think of Squidoo (I found it very, very late last night) but it has certainly given me some things to consider. Ideas for integrating it with learning and instruction have flooded my mind. In the right context it would be an interesting tool for teachers and learners to use for webquests, research, scavenger hunts, presentations, cooperative learning, online classes, a Web 2.0 activity, etc. Additional ideas and strategies are very end of this post.
There is also a section called Hey Monkey Brain where students can pick, research and debate a topic. Again, in the right context this feature has several positive educational implications.
I joined and threw together my own lens on the topic of educational technology. Take a look…
You can setup your own free account using here.
Integrating Squidoo
I thought it might be helpful to all of us if we brainstormed ways to integrate the use of Squidoo with teaching and learning. Here are some of the ideas (classes, lesson topics, activities) that came to me.
This is the most natural use of vlogging that I have seen, yet. Take a look at what folks are doing with online video. I stumbled across this while trying to install a video/audio commenting plugin for my new and improved blog. I was blown away by the idea and excited for those that clearly are enjoying a medium that is a perfect communication tool for them. I will be sharing these ideas with all the teachers in my classes.
Oscar shares his book review of Deaf in America.
Celebrating his 1 year vlogging anniversary, Oscar compares and contrasts himself today with a year ago.
This is an assistive technology that is likely to grow in use. I am glad that I am now aware of this use and some of its possibilities.You can view Oscar’s blog here.
Sickness has finally made its way into our home. All but one of us have been sick since the weekend and I am not that lucky one. As a result, I have had lots of time to grade, plan and read. I though I’d share these particularly interesting posts with you this evening.
Web 2.0 Is the Future of Education
Student Voices on Cyberbullying
RE Social Network Sites-An Open Letter to the Superintendent
If you’ve spent much time in the blogosphere in the last six months you have likely heard about Twitter. I have mentally been writing this post for about ten days. I want to provide my critical review and share the pros and cons as I see them. I realized that many people have already covered the bulk of this information and I just found it unnecessary for me to fully cover this topic with my own original post. Therefore, here are a few BIG points that I briefly want to make followed by valuable resources to further pursue this topic.
Resources
Here is a great introduction to Twittering.
This video provides a full overview for setting up and using Twitter.
Twitted, Tweets and Young Learners
Twitter – Meaningful or Trivial – Up to the Writer
Tips for Using Twitter in the Classroom
I’ve found the following to be interesting reading material. I’d like to write a full post regarding each but I just don’t have the time. Instead, I’ll just mention them and suggest that you take a look at them.
Top 10 Ed-Tech Stories Still Resonate in 2008 – from eSchool News
Taking the One Laptop Per Child XO Laptop to the Preschool Classroom – Anne provides several strategies that she has used with preschool children.
Carl Dickerson gives the gift of literacy to low-income children – We need more people like this.
What I’d Teach the Teachers – An interesting perspective on effective teaching.
Is Plagiarism a Problem for eLearning?
Take a free course from MIT.
Have you ever seen cell phones used in the classroom? Have you ever considered using cell phones in the classroom? If you keep an open mind you’ll find that there are some potential benefits in integrating cell phones with teaching and learning. “This video highlights the work of Carla Dolman and Gord Taylor and the grade 8 and 9 students of Craik School.”
Certainly there are things that must be considered when using cell phones in the classroom, but the effective use of math manipulatives also takes careful consideration and preparation. I’m just throwing the idea out there for discussion.
One of my brothers sent me the link to this mini-game. It’s a very quick game, but it’s addicting. My best time so far is 11.625 seconds after 9 attempts. How well can you do? Post your best time in the comments and let’s declare the king of the red square.
What are some ways that this could be used in the classroom?
Let’s discuss the following quote in regards to teaching, learning, technology and the future.
The future is already here – it is just unevenly distributed. — William Gibson (Attributed)
The following free software programs are good alternatives for concept/ semantic mapping technologies like Inspiration and OpenMind. These are helpful in the development of concept/ semantic maps, flow charts, diagrams, timelines, and more.
