What+is+it+and+how+do+we+use+it?


 * =How to's-Guides to using 21st century tools for class and how set them upStarter sheets The Starter Sheets are resources for the classroom teacher. The intention of each sheet is to introduce a tool, technology or activity that could be easily adapted for use in the classroom. Each sheet is created to a template design and have the following features: linked to Bloom's Digital Taxonomy and Sensory learning styles using VARK=


 * = Smart Board (Interactive WhiteBoard) =

Interactive whiteboards are used in many schools as replacements for traditional whiteboards or chalkboards. They provide ways to show students anything which can be presented on a computer's desktop such as educational software, and web sites. (Smart Technologies, 2011) The Smart Board is a digital whiteboard that is touch sensitive. Students are able to write on the board using plastic pens that contain no ink, or their hands. The Smart Board can save and store any information that is written on it, as well as enable both teachers and students to refer to notes downloaded from the Internet or other sources. The interactive whiteboard allows teachers to enhance their instruction and student learning through utilizing a program entitled Smart Notebook software, where teachers can create dynamic, interactive, lessons based on their students skills and needs. The Smart board also allows teachers to display videos both online and on DVD to further visually aid their lessons and learners (Smart Technologies, 2011) Educational consultant David Thornburg states in the article Technology and education: Expectations, not Options, “Teachers have the capacity to use technology to transform educational practice in ways that were impossible twenty-years ago…it is commonplace for technology to be used to do different things, not just do old tasks differently.” (Thornburg, 2004) The board has allowed students to instantly interact with our modern day world through the internet, and participate in hands-on-learning through the multitude of activities that teachers can create. The Smart Board technology supports 21st century skills and learners. __**Links: **__ [] [] []

= ﻿Glogster - EDU =  The Education version of Glogster is an awesome resource for teachers and students. It replaces the old poster board presentations. It is basically an electronic poster, but it is also so much more. It has the capability to incorporate video, audio, images and text to create a unique presentation of facts and information. It is environmentally friendly in that no more paper posters! It is easy to use for teachers and students. It is a free site! Teachers can sign up and get student accounts and passwords for all their students. Students love the resource because they don't have to have awesome drawing skills or neat handwriting to present a top notch poster to their peers. Students have the freedom to make their presentations unique and individual as they present what they learned. The skills learned while using Glogster can easily reinforce 21st century skills that they will continue to use as they grow. This resource may even spark new ideas about technology as students master the use of this tool. When you're ready to give it a try just go to [], sign up and start creating. The first Glog I made was an instructional glog of how to use glogster. This is a very easy to use tool. Have fun!

= ﻿Letterpop =  ﻿ @http://letterpop.com/ - Create newsletters, posters, brochures, pamphlets, collages, etc. Provides free templates.

=** Kerpoof **= kerpoof.com/teach - Kerpoof allows users to create cartoons withstock shapes and character bubbles, but can also be used to create movies, cards, t-shirts, and more.

= NCES.ed.gov =

= Google Docs = https://docs.google.com - Create documents, forms, spreadsheets, presentations, drawings. Publicly share the documents or only with a select group. For more information on how to use Google docs in the classroom, check out our Resources page .

= Springnote = @http://springnote.com/ - Collaborate by sharing “Notebooks”, that users can edit and organize individually and as a group.

= Storybird = @http://storybird.com/<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> - <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Collaborative storytelling, skews to a younger audience. How much more fun can storytelling be than to get to watch it/write it and have it animated/images created to go along with it.


 * [|Learn How to do Digital Storytelling]: a free online curriculum designed to bring Digital Storytelling training to the widest possible population. This powerful new medium allows ordinary people, with little computer experience and with readily available electronic tools, to create three- to four-minute video clips that can be played on a computer, shared as an email or played on a television.

= epals = <span style="color: #ff00ff; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[] : Finding, Choosing and Collaborating via ePals.

= Voicethread = <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[] Audiovisual tool that gives users the ability to upload images or video files and then add audio or text comments. The power of this is in the commenting. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Sample HERE: http://voicethread.com/#q.b45226.i236813

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Education DEMO” HERE>> []

= Voki = Voki a text to speech generator that has a lot of very interesting applications. Animated figure being projected on the screen. "What if the Voki was reading a list of spelling words? What if it was speaking another language? The site offers a high level of customization ranging from the overall look of the Voki to the sound of its voice. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[]

= Flashmeeting﻿ = <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">FlashMeeting [] Flashmeeting is an academic research project aimed at understanding the nature of online events and helping users to meet and work more effectively. = = = Animoto = Animoto is an automated presentation generator that focuses on using images to communicate a message.This tool is great for class collaboration and it is easier than using PowerPoint. http://animoto.com/ <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Check out the education version: []

= OnLine Tests and Quizzes = Take a look at Web 2.0 educational site for quiz creation: <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[]

Google Reader <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Google Reader - I was able to subscribe to certain YouTube vidoes and watch them from within the app, not having to visit YouTube itself. [|www.**google**.com/**reader**]
 * **<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 110%;">[|21st century learning YouTube playlist] **

= Classroom Management = <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">classroom tools that span the needs of Students, Parents, Teachers and School Administrators

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1. My Note It - http://www.mynoteit.com/ <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">2. Schoopy - http://www.schoopy.com/ <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">3. School Tool - http://www.schooltool.org/ <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">4. Teach Learning - Free K-12 curriculum materials on any topic <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">5. Engrade - http://www.engrade.com/ - online grading tool <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">6. Moodle* - http://moodle.org - open source course management system (CMS) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">These are additional resources for setting up and keeping track of classroom management that can be easily accessed anywhere.

= Etc. = <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[] This is a great site that introduces and explains many 21st century tools and technology available and how to use them.