If you do, here is a link to a very comprehensive listing of the educational apps available to you. And with all the recent iPad buzz, it might be time to jump on the bandwagon.
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.
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
Through engaging videos, practical resources and an active online community, Teachers TV supports the professional development of anyone working in school, enabling them to widen their skills, develop their practice, and connect with others in the field.
* Instant access to up to date professional development videos and resources
* Learn from other education professionals by going inside their classrooms and into their schools
* Save time with practical tips, lesson ideas and classroom resources
* Help across the year to meet classroom targets and achieve personal goals
* Keep informed with content covering the latest developments in the education agenda
In addition to the website, Teachers TV programmes are available on the TV Channel on Sky 880, Virgin Media 240, Freesat 650 and Freeview 88 (4-6pm) and, most recently, through iTunes U.
Twitter’s popularity has soared recently, and for good reason. What started as a simple way to update friends about daily life has grown into a powerful tool for business, communication, and education. While many campuses are just picking up on the educational rewards possible with Twitter, there is still plenty of room to create new and exciting ways to use Twitter on campus. The following tips will help you know just how to get started using Twitter in academia, teach you etiquette, offer strategies and benefits, provide suggestions for specific ways to use Twitter, list tools to use with Twitter, and more.
100 Serious Twitter Tips for Academics | Best Colleges Online.
Twitter actually can be a helpful study tool, some students and educators say
Tweeting Your Way to Better Grades – US News and World Report.
Twitter can feel like a strange new landscape when you first jump in. It is not always clear what its professional uses are, or what to post in 140 characters or less. But when you start to think of Twitter as a micro-blog (and not just a forum for the personal minutiae of people’s daily lives), you will find that Twitter can be a valuable tool for professional development. Here are 25 ways that teachers can use Twitter to ask for help, get lesson plan ideas, book and professional resource recommendations, connect with other professionals, and even host an online book club.
via 25 ways to teach with Twitter by Sonja Cole.
With so many students, teachers, and librarians on Facebook these days, the social media site has become somewhat of a platform, offering developers a way to create and share applications for education. This, of course, is great news for online education, as it provides all sorts of great tools designed to make learning and administration easier. Check out these applications that represent some of the ideal tools Facebook has to offer for online education.
via The Facebook Classroom: 25 Facebook Apps That Are Perfect for Online Education – College Degree.com.
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=b544ccec-0745-46ba-906b-ccfcaa23c549)
I found this fascinating quote today:
What if our educators took time out of each day to reinforce the proper, safe and secure way of using these devices – not only inside the walls of the classroom – but outside as well? Don’t you believe that would begin to reduce the number of inappropriate uses (sexting)?JDS-CIO, CIO Corner, Jun 2009
You should read the whole article.
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=3a098550-19f4-41ee-aa79-579668f29962)
Although YouTube has been blocked from many/most schools, for obvious reasons and not so obvious ones. YouTube does provide great resources and content for teachers and students. View the list of the Top 100 Videos for Teachers. This list is provided by SmartTeaching.org, a leading online resource for current teachers, and aspiring education students and student teachers.
100 Best YouTube Videos for Teachers – Classroom 2.0.
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=e4bac857-ce72-448a-86fe-264d546952b4)
Michael J. Elson