A Year End Review of Over 50 Blog Posts!

Greetings,

What a year we had with all the blog entries we wrote over the past year.  Here is a detailed list of all the articles.  All you have to do is click on the blue underline link and it will take you to that specific article.  If you click on the black underlined link for the month, it will take you to all posts published for that month.

November 2009
November 14, 2009: Welcome!
November 22, 2009: Power Point Resources - Free!
November 29, 2009: Making Professional Movies with Digital Pictures/Videos for Free!

December 2009
December 6, 2009: Valuable Writing and Brain Based Resources!
December 13, 2009: Express Your Next List of Words With Creativity!
December 20, 2009: Tell the Whole World!
December 27, 2009: $30,000,000 Deal for Sharing Video!

January 2010
January 3, 2010: The New Flip Camcord Camera by Pure Digital
January 10, 2010: How to Take Pictures of Your Computer Screen Using MS Office 2007
January 17, 2010: How to Take Pictures of Your Computer Screen Using MS Office 2003
January 24, 2010: How to Turn any Room into a Presentation Room with Your Computer Part 1
January 31, 2010: How to Turn any Room into a Presentation Room With Your Computer Part 2

February 2010
February 7, 2010: How to Copy and Paste
February 14, 2010: Free Resources You Can Download and Use in Your Classroom!
February 21, 2010: How to Create a Podcast or Vodcast Part 1 of 3
February 28, 2010: How to Create a Podcast or Vodcast Part 2 of 3

March 2010
March 7, 2010: How to Create a Podcast or Vodcast Part 3 of 3
March 14, 2010: 1 Week to 5,000,000 Hits!
March 21, 2010: Why You Need to Back Up Your Files and Data Every Week!
March 28, 2010: How to Find Free Microsoft Office Power Point, Word and Excel Templates

April 2010
April 11, 2010: The Flip Digital Video Camera Introduction: Part 1
April 18, 2010: Digital Video Cameras in the Classroom: Part 2
April 25, 2010: How to Use the Pocket Digital Video Camera: Part 3

May 2010
May 2, 2010: Working with Video Footage and the Software: Part 4
May 9, 2010: Using Video Footage with Other Compatible Software: Part 5
May 16, 2010: What is Scribd and SlideShare?
May 23, 2010: How to Download Videos From YouTube
May 30, 2010: The 21 Best Free Web Sites for Learning!

June 2010
June 6, 2010: Remembering Coach John Wooden
June 13, 2010: The 18 Best Subscription Based Web Sites for Learning
June 20, 2010: What Is IVC?
June 27, 2010: Part 2 of What is IVC?

July 2010
July 4, 2010: Happy 4th of July!
July 11, 2010: What is Cool Timer?
July 18, 2010: What is the Hat?
July 25, 2010: How to Search Google?

August 2010
August 1, 2010: How to Get a Free E-mail Account
August 8, 2010: How to Access Free Movies, Music, Books and Audiobooks!
August 15, 2010: How to be an Effective Teacher: Part 1 of 3
August 22, 2010: How to be an Effective Teacher: Part 2 of 3
August 29, 2010: How to be an Effective Teacher: Part 3 of 3

September 2010
September 5, 2010: 30 in 48 Days!
September 12, 2010: Teaching with Claymation: Part 1 of 3
September 19, 2010: Teaching with Claymation: Part 2 of 3
September 26, 2010: Teaching with Claymation: Part 3 of 3

October 2010
October 3, 2010: What is Scholastic Study Jams?
October 10, 2010: What is Storyline Online?
October 17, 2010: Free Quick References for You
October 24, 2010: What is a Pocket Projector?

November 2010
November 1, 2010: Power Point Keyboard Shortcuts
November 7, 2010: Creating Your Own Blog
November 15, 2010: Teaching Children Presentation Skills
November 22, 2010: What Are The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs?
November 28, 2010: What is Google Docs?

December 2010
December 7, 2010: What is Atomic Learning?
December 13, 2010: Free Multiplication Tables and Games!
December 19, 2010: Free Addition Tables and Games!
December 26, 2010: A Year End Review of over 50 Blog Posts!

We will see you next week with a new and exciting topic.  Happy Holidays!  See you next year.

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What is Google Docs?

Greetings,

Hope you had a great Thanksgiving Holiday this past week.  Today I am blogging about Google Docs.  According to Wikipedia, Google Docs has been around for since 2005, but was made available to the public in 2007.  If you are not using google docs, you are probably curious about all the buzz on this free application.

This application allows you to create ,edit and share documents, spreadsheets, presentations, forms, surveys and drawings.  It works with Microsoft Office products without requiring the user to have the program loaded onto their computer.  You can also upload your own documents to store online. 

The best way to tell you about this application is through videos.  Listed below are a collection of links that will educate you more on how you can use this application.  The 4 links below will show you videos from Youtube.  If you are unable to view these videos from your school.  You can always check them out at home.

1. Google Docs in Plain English (3 minute video) - If blocked, click here.


2. Teachers and Principals talk about Google Docs (4 minute video) - If blocked, click here.

3. Google Docs: A Love Letter (2 minute video) - If blocked, click here.


4. Learn More About Google Docs (step by step video tutorials)

To get started with this application, you can try it for free by visiting: http://www.docs.google.com/demo/ 
To start using Google Docs visit: http://www.docs.google.com/

Hope you enjoy the videos and tutorials above.  Remember, you want to spend time playing with the different applications that google docs has to offer.  I will see you next week with another topic.  Take care.

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What Is IVC?

Greetings,

What an awesome week we had this past week! I had the great opportunity to participate in a 5 day (IVC) boot camp. If you were not able to partipate in this Conference then you are probably asking, what does IVC stand for? Well it stands for Interactive Video Conference.

By using videoconferencing technology, two or more people at different locations can see and hear each other at the same time, sometimes even sharing computer applications for collaboration. This rich communications technology offers new possibilities for schools, colleges, and libraries, who are now using videoconferencing systems for a variety of purposes, including formal instruction (courses, lessons, and tutoring), connection with guest speakers and experts, multischool project collaboration, virtual field trips, professional activities, and community events. Remember all activities are live.

We were able to collaborate with 7 different sites or locations from all over the world including the following cities:

1. Berrien RESA, MI
2. Killen ISD, TX
3. Hays CISD, TX
4. Torfaen LEA, Wales
5. Kamloops, BC
6. El Paso ISD, TX
7. Edu Tech, ND

18 out of over 50 Teachers were selected from our Texas site to participate in this conference. This IVC project allowed participants to create project simulations and learn effective collaboration techniques to enrich curriculum with interactive experiences for many curriculum areas. This conference focused on leadership in K-12 videoconferencing. Participants created a plan for a student project for the next school year.

The goal of the conference was to get to know participants all over the world and to learn how to put together a video conference project. The 10 collaboration outcomes included the following:

1. Shared objectives
2. Sense of urgency and commitment
3. Dynamic process
4. Sense of belonging and connecting
5. Create an open communication
6. To develop a mutual trust and respect
7. Complementary, diverse skills and knowledge
8. Intellectual agility
9. Share valuable resources
10. Create memorable experiences

If you get a chance to participate in an IVC in your area, I encourage you to sign up fast because the experience was very enlightening. We were able to collaborate with the NASA Kennedy Space Center and learn all their fantastic virtual field trip programs they have to offer. To learn more about virtual field trips please visit: http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=2507464n and http://vcoutonalim.org/2007/05/05/vc-on-youtube/ We also learned about the many collaborative features of Google Docs, Google Site, Skype, Flickr, Email list serves and more.

We were introduced to The ASK Program. For more information on this program please visit: http://www.misd.net/DistanceLearning/ASK/ASKProgramOverview.htm Here is one of the ASK Program activities that we had the opportunity to participate in:

ASK Specialist: The Wall by Eve Bunting
Grade Level: 5-8
Topic: Memorial Day, the Vietnam Memorial and War

This simple picture book will introduce your students to the Vietnam Memorial and will help you teach them about Memorial Day and Vietnam. Materials about "The Wall" and the Vietnam War will be included in the kit.Students will interview a Vietnam Veteran.

This experience was very touching and emotional with some of the participants. We had the opportunity to interview 2 outstanding Vietnam Veterans (http://www.lestweforgetusa.org/) We were able to interact with them, see them and ask them questions via video conferencing. For more information on this program and others please visit: http://www.remc11.k12.mi.us/dl/ASK.htm This is just one activity we participated in.

Next week I will be sharing more activities and details about the conference. Remember if you are interested in participating in a conference like this, talk to your Computer Specialist, or your Campus Technician on your school campus. See you next week with more exciting details.

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