Here’s a compilation of ideas for teachers interested in using Google forms. Click on the following screenshots to view the associated resources.
Featured Image from Atomic Learning
Tag: lessons
Google+ Communities
I’m a big, big fan of Google+. It’s a very big component of my personal learning network (PLN). Here are some thoughts about about why I prefer Google+ over the other social media platforms (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.). I encourage everyone to take a look at Google+’s services and consider taking advantage of them.
Friend Me
Please feel free to friend me on Google+. Then browse through my Links and Other Profiles to make connections, collaborate, and share resources through other networks. As I frequently say, “Together we learn more.”
Google+ Communities
I’ve developed several Google+ Communities where we can interact and share resources around particular topics. I invite you to join and actively contribute to all of these groups in which you have an interest/expertise.
- EdTeach and Professional Development
- Making Thinking Visible with Technology – Tipton County Schools
- School Technology Leadership – Sponsored by CASTLE
- I have also been using Google+ Communities to support the classes that I teach since Fall 2012.
Blubbr: Play & Create Video Trivia
Blubbr is a free website that makes it possible for you to create and play trivia games with embedded videos. Blubbr calls the games trivs. You can play trivs in different categories, from celebs and music to sport and education. Click on the image below to play a sample triv now.
I setup my Blubbr account (I’d be glad for you to connect with me) and gave it a test drive. It seems that at its core, Blubbr is about making interesting things into fun games. I see many potential educational connections and personal uses.
Educational Connections
Here are a few ideas that might be useful to teachers and students.
- You and your students can create trivs focused on the unit you’re currently studying.
- Students can develop a triv focused on personal interests and then extend that into research, writing, journaling, etc.
- It can be a useful strategy for pre-testing, review and as a study guide.
- Trivs can be an engaging alternative strategy for book reports, science presentations, social studies reports, and more.
- Allowing students to design quizzes puts them in the role of the teacher. This technique can encourage higher-order thinking.
- You and your students can create trivs to introduce yourselves at the beginning of the year.
- Developing trivs can be a fun way for students to reflect on a novel, science unit, historical event, poetry, or the highlights of their school year.
You can challenge your students and their families by sharing trivs on your website, via email, through social networks, or by sharing the links in your print-based newsletter.
Personal Uses
In addition to it’s many educational uses, Blubbr can also be used for fun with family and friends. Here are a few ideas that I considered.
- Develop a triv about your parents and share it with your family to celebrate your parents’ 50th wedding anniversary.
- Prepare for the sights you’ll be visiting during vacation by sharing a triv with your travel companions.
- Show your support for your favorite team or athlete with a triv about them.
- Challenge your family to a scavenger hunt with a series of trivs that will lead them to a surprise.
You can challenge your family and friends to complete trivs by sharing them on your blog, through Google+, Facebook, and Twitter, or via email.
Your Turn
Blubbr is simple and fun. With well-designed activities it can make significant educational contributions. So what are you waiting for? Go triv something…and share your trivs in this post’s comments so that we can play, too.
Related Articles
- Blubbr – Create Interactive Quizzes Using YouTube Clips (freetech4teachers.com)
- Play & create video trivia games (philbradley.typepad.com)
- Blubbr – Create Interactive Quizzes Using YouTube Clips (lovetoreadlovetolearn.wordpress.com)
Happy Pi Day: Vi Hart Challenges What We Know about Pi
(Repost from 03/14/2011)
Happy Pi Day!
What is Pi Day?
I’m a math educator and I’ve celebrated Pi Day for many, many years. It isn’t the most widely celebrated holiday, so let me explain what it means. Today is March 13, which can also be noted as 3/14. The mathematical notation Pi is rounded to 3.14, so math classrooms around the world celebrate Pi Day today.
Do We Have It All Wrong?
Vi Hart shared this video which challenges what we think we know and understand about Pi.
Related articles
- Pi Day Is Coming – But Tau Day Is Better (science.slashdot.org)
- Games with a “Pi Day” Flavor to Them (valueoverreplacementgrit.com)
- Are Shakespeare’s Plays Encoded within Pi? (Vi Hart’s YouTube Channel)
Interactive Panorama of FedEx Forum via Photosynth
I used the new Photosynth app to create my first panoramic. It is a view of the FedEx Forum about an hour before tip-off at last night’s game. It was Game 4 of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs between the Memphis Grizzlies and the San Antonio Spurs.
The Grizz won and lead the series 3-1!
Believe Memphis.
Educational Connections
The app is free, works easily, and the educational implications are exciting and interesting.
- Create virtual field trips
- Students can collaborate and develop virtual tours of a series of related landmarks, cities, etc. (Sites of the American Revolution, artworks from the Renaissance, and more).
- Bring new creativity to book reports, presentations, research, and much more.
Related Articles
- Microsoft’s Immersive Photosynth Camera App Lands – on iOS (nytimes.com)
- Microsoft Releases ‘Photosynth’ – Great New Panorama App for iOS (cultofmac.com)
- Microsoft’s Immersive Photosynth Camera App Lands – On iOS (gigaom.com)
- One Win Away: Grizzlies 104, Spurs 86
- Grizzlies’ grit comes to surface in Game 4
Free Apple Education Workshops
The Instructional Design and Technology program at The University of Memphis (UM IDT) is pleased to offer FREE workshops on Apple tools and applications. These will be conducted by Tim Matheny, a Senior System Engineer with Apple. Seating is limited and registration is required…but these top-notch workshops are FREE.
Use the links below to discover additional information and register.
MONDAY, MARCH 21
Accessibility: Technology Enabling All Students
Register at http://umidt-accessibility.eventbrite.com.
Time: 4:30 PM – 5:30 PM
Place: 310 Ball Hall, University of Memphis
ILife ‘11 in Education
Register at http://umidt-ilife.eventbrite.com.
Time: 5:45 PM – 7:15 PM
Place: 310 Ball Hall, University of Memphis
—————-
TUESDAY, MARCH 22
IPad Tools
NOTE: This workshop is also offered on Wednesday.
Register at http://umidt-ipad01.eventbrite.com.
Time: 4:45 PM – 5:45 PM
Place: IDT Studio, 320 Ball Hall, University of Memphis
—————-
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23
iPad Tools
NOTE: This workshop is also offered on Tuesday.
Register at http://umidt-ipad02.eventbrite.com.
Time: 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Place: IDT Studio, 320 Ball Hall, University of Memphis
Creating Media for iPods, iPads, and iPhones
Register at http://umidt-iosmedia.eventbrite.com.
Time: 5:15 PM – 6:15 PM
Place: IDT Studio, 320 Ball Hall, University of Memphis
—————-
Vi Hart Challenges What We Know about Pi
Happy Pi Day!
What is Pi Day?
I’m a math educator and I’ve celebrated Pi Day for many, many years. It isn’t the most widely celebrated holiday, so let me explain what it means. Today is March 13, which can also be noted as 3/14. The mathematical notation Pi is rounded to 3.14, so math classrooms around the world celebrate Pi Day today.
Do We Have It All Wrong?
Vi Hart shared this video which challenges what we think we know and understand about Pi.
Educational Technology: Current Trends and Future Directions
This is my slide deck for my keynote presentation at today’s Tennessee Administrator’s Technology Academy. The following serves as an outline of some of the topics that will be highlighted and demonstrated.
- Standards, 21st Century Learning, and Higher-Order Thinking Skills
- Classroom Examples
- Web 2.0 Tools and Services
- Benefits and Barriers
- “Telecollaboration”
- Audio and Video
- Mash-Ups
- Mobile Learning
- Interactivity
- State of Innovation
- A Personal Experience
- Conclusions and Discussion
Educational Technology: Current Trends and Future Directions
View more presentations from Clif Mims
Image Source: http://www.hackstacks.com
Related Articles
- The Rise of the Teacherpreneur (growvc.com)
- current conditions and future trends of educational technology for 2012 (compassioninpolitics.wordpress.com)
DEN SciCon 2011 Is This Saturday
(Cross-posted from TN DEN LC Blog)
The Tennessee Discovery Education Network Leadership Council (TN DEN LC) is hosting 3 live events for the DEN SciCon Virtual Conference happening January 22nd! So, no matter where you live in TN, you can attend a live event with relative ease and be part of one of the most fantastic groups of educators anywhere on the planet…the DEN!
So why go to a live event? First, you will get to spend quality time with educators who share the same passions for Discovery and science that you have. Second, there will be live workshops at the events that will not be available to you online. Third (as if you need another reason), the food is on us! And fourth, we will be skyping all three groups together so we can all meet one another across the state!
Join us for all of the event or just part of it. Breakfast and lunch will be provided to registered participants (and this event is FREE)!
Here are the locations and links to register:
Cleveland, TN
Register at: http://tinyurl.com/38bue6n
Knoxville, TN
Register at: http://tinyurl.com/2b4vuvz
Memphis, TN
St. George’s Independent Schools, Germantown Campus
Register at: http://tinyurl.com/29v9qzw
On site registration begins at 7:30 AM. The first session kicks off promptly at 8:00 AM.
You must pre-register online to attend the live events of the conference. This will help us coordinate room space and food expenses. If you register, but later decide you cannot attend, please contact the coordinator for your event at least 48 hours prior to let him or her know you cannot attend.
This year’s SCIcon will have a special presentation from Reed Timmer, Extreme Meteorologist and TVN team leader, for Discovery Channel’s hit series Stormchasers.
Join thousands of educators from around the world for an amazing day of professional development sessions, networking and sharing.
Agenda (all times CT)
8:00 AM
Opening Keynote
The Five E’s of Inquiry-Based Instruction
Patti Duncan, DEN Guru
9:00 AM
The Student Experience: Engaging and Assessing Young Scientists
Mike Bryant
10:00 AM
Spotlight Session
Real Students, Real Teachers, Real Results: Implementing Discovery Education Science
Cindy Moss, Director of Science and Math, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools
11:00 PM
Top Ten Free Science Resources from Discovery Education
Porter Palmer
12:00 PM
Hands-On Digital
Brad Fountain and Lance Rougeux
1:00 PM
Closing Keynote
Into the Storm: Following the Love of Science
Reed Timmer, Extreme Meteorologist
Related Articles
- An Innovative Way To Participate In Life Science Conferences At Target Meeting (prweb.com)
- Discovery Education launches iPad-optimized Web app (reviews.cnet.com)
- TV Junkie Interview: Reed Timmer from ‘Storm Chasers’ (laist.com)
10 Best Uses for the Internet in Art Education
I recently discovered the following ToonDoo created by Angela Christopher and thought it was certainly worth sharing. I’m also pleased to mention that Angela is a doctoral student in our IDT program.
For Discussion
What additional uses would you suggest for those integrating the Internet with art education?