The Tech Guy

Enter the 9th annual Win a Wireless Lab Sweepstakes for your chance to win one of three grand prize wireless computer labs for your school, including 20 notebook or tablet computers, interactive whiteboard, mobile cart, projector, printer, wireless access points, portable document camera, digital camcorder, and a $5,000 digital media grant from Discovery Education.

Plus, 25 additional technology prizes! In addition to the three grand prizes, we’re giving away 20 additional prizes, including projectors, notebook computers, and digital camcorders! Each month one lucky winner will receive a projector from NEC.

Enter once per day until May 3, 2010 at discoveryeducation.com/cdwg. Share with your friends and colleagues on Twitter and triple your entry each day.

*No purchase necessary. Sweepstakes runs through May 3, 2010. For complete details, see the official rules posted at discoveryeducation.com/cdwg.

Michael J. Elson Technology, teaching Contest, Discovery Education, Interactive whiteboard, Laptop

Please take a moment to read this post and take a look at the list of items not going away in education and technology.  How are you addressing these in your classroom?

http://doug-johnson.squarespace.com/blue-skunk-blog/2009/11/23/these-horses-are-out-of-the-barn.html

Michael J. Elson WWW, teaching

Stumbled upon this very comprehensive list of websites to learn and teach about Thanksgiving.

http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2008/10/27/the-best-sites-to-learn-teach-about-thanksgiving/

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Michael J. Elson WWW, teaching Children and Youth, classroom, History, Holidays, Holidays and Special Days, Thanksgiving

Pupils are not allowed to email each other or anyone else during exams

Denmark makes a bold move in technology integration.  While the US still worries about letting students use calculators, Danish students get full web access.  Read the article below and then comment back here.

BBC NEWS | UK | Education | Danish pupils use web in exams.

Michael J. Elson teaching bbc, danish, exams

I found this fascinating quote today:

Looks like Notre Dame high school in the UK is taking the bull by the horns and moving forward with an initiative to allow the use of mobile phones for educational purposes during class time.

Assistant headteacher Paul Haigh said mobiles, MP3 players and gaming devices were “untapped resources” for teaching and learning.

“We realise as a comprehensive state school we could never afford to buy every student all the IT and mobile devices we would like them to have.

He added: “But most students own many of these devices anyway – they’re just hidden in their schoolbags. What’s more they’re experts in using them, knowing all the short cuts and characteristics of their own equipment as they use it every day.”

Image via Wikipedia

Mr Haigh said there was little logic in allowing pupils to use a netbook in school while banning mobile phones, many of which could access the internet, record sound and take digital photographs.

teach42.com, Teach42

You should read the whole article.

Michael J. Elson Gadgets, Technology, teaching education, High school, Mobile phone, UK

Did you know that Google Earth Pro is *FREE* if you are an educator? Yep! Basically, all you have to do is download the PRO trial version at http://earth.google.com and then follow these instructions, direct from Google:

Our program involves outreach and distribution of Google Earth Pro to qualified educators affiliated with (employed by) lower, middle, and upper grade schools, accredited community and four year colleges, universities and graduate schools, selected vocational training programs, certain education oriented NGOs, public access museums, and academic libraries.

This wide distribution of Google Earth Pro is provided for one full year as a means to increase the use of Google Earth in core curricula.

In return, we ask for your yearly contribution to one of two forums facilitated by the Google Earth Community: http://groups.google.com/group/google-geo-education/topics (geared towards K-12) and/or http://bbs.keyhole.com/ubb/ubbthreads.php/Cat/0. There, you will be joined by other educators seeking collaborative opportunities with their peers for the benefit of students. Whether it be information in the form of a lesson plan, detailed testimony outlining your successes, or questions for fellow teachers, these contributions will foster incentives for creativity and innovation which that can ultimately evolve into Google Earth enhancements geared specifically toward curriculum development.

To apply, please return your updated application to GEEC@google.com. Should your organization qualify you will receive notification via email with detailed instructions on setting up your account and contact information for Google online tech support.

Information required:

1.Your name (key contact person)
2.Organization / Institution
3.A brief description of the Institution / Organization
4.Full mailing address
5.Telephone number
6.User name (complete email address that will be assigned to the license key)
7.Institution’s web address
8.Your Institution’s Tax ID (if applicable)
9.Your Institution’s 501©3 number (US only, if applicable)
10.A description of the intended application including grade level(s), discipline(s) or subject.
11.What features in Google Earth Pro are important to you and how do you wish to use them in your classroom.
12.Number of computers you are requesting to download this software on.
13.Prior license key information [if a renewal].
14.URL or description of contribution to Google Earth Community or Google for Educators message boards
We look forward to working with you to create a one-of-a-kind, global resource for educators.

Google Earth Education
http://www.google.com/educators/geo.html

Michael J. Elson WWW, teaching education, free, Google, Google Earth, mapping, Tools

Need a quick writing prompt?  Stop by The Brainstormer.  Filled with great ideas, this flash-based tool allows you and your students to compile writing prompts quickly and in a unique way.  From a downtown wagon disaster to the loss of your favorite prehistoric bear, the ideas are limitless.

Michael J. Elson WWW, teaching brainstorm, prompt, writing

Michael J. Elson teaching obama, president, speech, white house

Heard of Delicious?  Diigo?  No?  There are just two of the most popular sites providing social bookmarking services.  Social Bookmarking is a method for you to store, organize, search, and manage bookmarks of web pages on the Internet.  And lucky for us, the good folks at Common Craft have created a simple video to explain what this is all about.

After watching the video, stop by the school’s Delicious and Diigo accounts for some link goodness.  The school’s Diigo account is somewhat limited so stop by mine for a better example of what it looks like.

Note:  Diigo has special education accounts for teachers and classrooms, so be sure to visit.

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Michael J. Elson Social Networking, Tech Links, Technology, del.icio.us, teaching Bookmark Managers, Common Craft, del.icio.us, Diigo, Social bookmarking

Twitter actually can be a helpful study tool, some students and educators say
Tweeting Your Way to Better Grades – US News and World Report.

Michael J. Elson teaching education, Social Networking, Twitter, US News & World Report