2. Hello everyone. Welcome to the Winter Issue of the SIGilt
newsletter innovative learning. We hope that you will enjoy this
issue and once again, share it with your colleagues. We had a
great response from the last one.
This is an election year for ISTE. I am sure everyone has received
the email appeals to nominate yourself or someone else for a
position. Our SIG is looking for a chair-elect who will take over
the reins of this SIG in 2011. I highly recommend it. It has been
such a great experience to work with Lisa, Katie and Adam. This
SIG has really become quite active this year. Because we are the
largest SIG, we are also creating a new position to help with
communication. This position is Online Professional
Development Coordinator. We need someone who is familiar
with some (or all) of these communication avenues as another
way to help our members connect and share ideas: Second Life,
Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. We would like to start offering
webinars and the person who fills this position should be
prepared to help us in that respect by securing speakers and
running the webinars. We hope that adding this position will
help us meet the needs of you, our loyal members. Elections
will run from March 11 through April 10, 2010. Your input is
needed in these elections because without quality officers for our
SIGs and the ISTE board, ISTE cannot continue to do the quality
work ISTE does on behalf of educational technology.
SIGilt will begin collecting school policies related to new
technologies. As we have stated before, we want this SIG to be
able to disseminate information related to how people are using
technology so that we can encourage more schools and teachers
to get in the act. What is your school/district’s policy about cell
phones/iPods? Does your school/district have a policy about
using web 2.0 tools? How about using social networking sites to
create student groups for online discussions? Our SIG has a wiki
space that we hope you are all visiting – or will visit in the future
and regularly. The URL is http://sigilt.iste.wikispaces.net/. Please
use the wiki to share school and district policies or your ideas
about using technology in the classroom.
Jean Kiekel
SIGilt Chair
3. CONTENTS
Creating, Collaborating, 4
Publishing, and Sharing
– Using Google Apps
for Education in a 7th
Grade Science
Classroom
What Can We Learn 6
from the Borg? Students
Add Their
Distinctiveness to the
Collective
Differentiate, Assess, 8
and Communicate with
iPod Touch
Diversity Education: 10
Engaging Pre-Service
Teachers with Emerging
Technologies
A Classroom without 12
Walls: Using Web 2.0
tools to become 21st
Century Global
Citizens
Second Life – A 14
Technological
Simulation for Bringing
Global Perspectives of
Social Justice and
Human Rights to Every
I never realized that asking the questions, “What is your favorite Classroom
web 2.0 tool?” Would elicit such a great response. I present to
you the fall issue of SIGilt’s quarterly newsletter innovative innovative learning
learning.
Editor
However, can I ask our members to do one thing for me? Share Lisa Sjogren
this newsletter with your colleagues. Click forward on the email, _______________________
tweet the link, print out a copy and put it in your staff lounge, SIGilt Board
and then have a discussion about innovation. Jean Kiekel, Lisa Sjogren,
Katie Christo, Adam Wendt
If you would like to write for innovative learning the call for _______________________
articles for our spring issue will begin on March 1st.
Contributing Writers
Lisa Sjogren
Gerald Ardito, Cynthia
SIGilt Communications Officer
Calongne, Erik W. Parks,
Jackie Gerstein, Ed.D., Adina
Popa and Michele Rzewski-
Copeland, Maryanne
Maisano, Ph.D.
innovative learning • page 3
4. Creating, Collaborating, Publishing, and Sharing – Using Google
Apps for Education in a 7th Grade Science Classroom
Submitted by: Gerald Ardito, Pierre Van Cortlandt Middle School
A great deal has been I had one major educational of their work within Google
promised (and hyped) about goal for this project, for Apps for Education.
Web 2.0 tools, but certain students to have a deep
they provide an understanding of cells – the The Student Work
unprecedented ease in smallest living things. I also
creating, publishing, sharing, had a bigger goal, which The students did an amazing
and collaborating all kinds was for students to work job with this project. They
of products from text to together in ways that struggled with how to share
video and more. As a allowed for powerful their research in ways that
middle school science (I creation and collaboration were engaging and factual at
teach science to 7th and 8th in their work. the same time.
graders), this ease of They had to learn ways to
creation and publication has The requirements of the
project were threefold: 1) to collaborate with the Google
been especially appealing Apps tools. They needed to
and powerful for me. I have research how the parts of the
cell work together to manage their own time,
had students have working both in and out of
conversations on our class maintain the life functions
for the cell and put together school. And, most
blog (http:// importantly, they met or
arditoscience2009.blogspot. a presentation that would
teach what they had learned exceeded the educational
com/), deliver presentations goals for the project.
with Vokis and VoiceThread, to other students; 2) to write
work with Wikis, and so on. a story, song, or poem, that What was most rewarding
would be told or sung from was to see how they brought
We also work regularly with the cell's perspective; and 3) themselves to the project in
Google Apps for Education to create a scale physical really interesting ways.
(http://www.google.com/a/). model of a cell.
My own use of Google Docs Here's a sample of one
had convinced me that this The students were free to poem – Ode to Flu
suite of applications would choose the type of cell they
be especially powerful for wanted to study (animal, What they do is quite absurd
ongoing collaboration and plant, bacteria, virus, stem,
research. I was so inspired or cancer cells were If you want to trust my word
by what I saw as possible for options). They were free to
self-directed learning with work in groups of They stick themselves into
this type of tool, that I individually. They were free the cell
decided to create an entire to create work that they
thought expressed the Then squeeze out all the
project which would take RNA
full advantage of it. project's goals. They were
required, however, to do all This destroys my normal day
The Project
continued on page 5
innovative learning • page 4
5. Slowly as the message Google Docs, work can be students, and to their
spreads “turned in” by the students e n t h u s i a s m . C l e a r l y,
sharing his/her work by h o w e v e r, t h e e a s e o f
The cell makes more and adding the teacher as a creation, collaboration,
more of your friends collaborator. At the end, I publishing, and sharing
had about 100 documents to inherent in Web 2.0 tools, in
Above and Beyond work through. To make Google Apps for Education
As with any project like this, grading easier, I created a in particular, allowed their
the part I find most exciting Google Site (essentially a work to be communal and
is where the students find wiki), with an introductory public in ways that greatly
ways to go above and page, and then a page for deepened their learning in
beyond what was expected. each student's work. On ways I believe are very
Th i s p r o j e ct wa s n o each student page, I was powerful. And I firmly
exception. There was the able to post their believe that this type of
student who designed a presentations, their story/ technology allows for
scale model of an animal song/poem, and a photo of students to become true
cell using Google Sketchup. their model. owners of their learning and
Another student created his of the learning environment
Once I was done, I realized itself.
presentation as a poster in that just by setting up this
Glogster (http:// Google Site I had, _______________________
www.glogster.com/). Yet completely by happy
another student did his Gerald Ardito is a science
accident, created a virtual
whole project in Scratch teacher at the Pierre Van
science fair. Then it became Cortlandt Middle School in
(http://scratch.mit.edu/). And easy to invite others in the
a couple of students created Croton on Hudson, NY USA,
building and in other places as well as a doctoral student at
videos for their (I collaborate with a teacher Pace University. He can be
presentations. While not all in Australia) to visit our cell contacted at
of these are Web 2.0 tools, museum and leave gerald.ardito@gmail.com.
an ease of creation, comments.
publishing, and sharing.
Conclusion
Happy Accident
This project far exceeded my
One of the benefits of work expectations. A great part of
with Google Apps for that was due to the
Education is that, as with incredible work done by the
Connect With Others!
Follow Us On Twitter:
SIGilt Wiki: http://sigilt.iste.wikispaces.net/
www.twitter.com/sigilt
SIGilt on ISTE: http://www.iste.org/sigilt
SIGilt on Facebook: Search ‘SIGilt’
SIGilt on ISTE ’10 Ning: http://www.iste2010.org/group/sigilt
ISTE Blog: http://www.isteconnects.org/
ISTE ning: http://www.iste-community.org/
innovative learning • page 5
6. What Can We Learn from the Borg? Students
Add Their Distinctiveness to the Collective
Submitted by Cynthia Calongne, Colorado Technical University
Diversity in a Virtual World share one mind and work designing a self-assessment
Learning Environment c o o p e r a t i v e l y. T h e y version of a trivia game for
appreciate what makes each the new Mars Expedition
Th e I S T E N E C C 2 0 0 8 person distinctive and want Challenge [4], an
conference showcased to benefit from these educational space
James Surowiecki's research different cognitive processes. simulation in Second Life by
on The Wisdom in Crowds Dr. Andrew Stricker and
[1], and the NECC session Unfortunately, once they are Mike McCrocklin from Air
noted how diversity in the a s s i m i l at e d , t h e s e n e w University, our hosts at the
classroom, coupled with additions to the Borg share Global Learning Forum
effective collaboration and the same thoughts and (GLF).
communication tools, fosters behaviors with the
enhanced learning collective, stifling Diversity in a virtual world
experiences. This paper independent thought and broadens the horizons for
examines diversity in a creativity. self expression and creative
virtual world learning freedom. One example is
environment as Air Where all think alike, no the GLF's multiplayer
University researchers and one thinks very much. [3] educational game in Second
C o l o r a d o Te c h n i c a l Life and how it benefits from
University (CTU) students We are horrified to consider community collaboration.
collaborate on a team-based a world in which everyone
game in Second Life. looks and thinks alike. We Lunch Money Well Spent
work hard not to stifle the
The Borg: You Will Be natural flow of ideas, even How did it all begin? A
Assimilated as teach compliance with group of educators and
classroom decorum and researchers from Air
Why does the Borg, a race of how to work well with University saw the potential
cybernetic humanoids that others to foster better of virtual world design and
were introduced in the c o l l a b o ra t ive b e h av i o r. used their lunch money to
television series Star Trek: Educators seek opportunities design the game simulation
The Next Generation [2], to explore the boundaries of kit.
come to mind when we our students' imaginations
think about diversity? and to encourage creativity. The first game is called
Operation Relief Worker
Borg Culture Rescue Challenge [5], a
hostage rescue game for
Distinctiveness and This is not your team interaction. It is called
inclusion awareness are grandmother's Internet. a game simulation kit
integral to the Borg as they because a variety of different
absorb new civilizations into Diversity and the Borg games may be played within
their collective, where they analogy came to mind while the same environment.
continued on page 7
innovative learning • page 6
7. winning the game and assess Limited. Retrieved January
h ow t h e g a m e p l aye r s 18, 2010, from http://
Are We Just Playing Games? behave under stress, www.bbc.co.uk/cult/st/tng/
communicate with other borg_more.shtml and from
Exploring the marketplace of team members, adapt to a http://www.startrek.com/
ideas is integral to the GLF, changing environment and startrek/view/series/TNG/
as educators, researchers share the leadership role. episodes/index.html
and students collaborate to
build, test and document the Add Your Distinctiveness to [3] Lippmann, W. (n.d.). The
benefits of game simulation the Collective Quotations Page. Retrieved
in a virtual world. Guests January 17, 2010, from
who attend the GLF events Since 2008, Air University, h t t p : / /
have an opportunity to NASA, CTU, the Air Force, www.quotationspage.com/
participate and add their Navy, Army and researchers quotes/Walter_Lippmann/
distinctiveness to this from Vanderbilt University,
growing repository of Stanford, and other [4] Calongne, C. (2009).
educational content. universities share their Slides on Diversity, the Mars
research every 2-3 months Expedition Challenge and
We use rubrics to recognize during GLF events held in Evaluating a Game
when game participants Second Life on one of the Simulation Kit. Retrieved
understand what they are Huffman Prairie regions. January 19, 2010, from
doing, how they http://www.slideshare.net/
communicate and adapt to We need students, lyrlobo/presentations
new situations, when they educators, instructional
are working cooperatively designers, librarians, [5] Calongne, C. (2009).
and how the leadership role administrators and people Game Simulation Tour in
is passed among team from all walks of life to S e c o n d L i f e . [ Vi d e o ] .
members. stimulate new ideas and Retrieved January 19, 2010,
perspectives, not only in from http://
A C o l o r a d o Te c h n i c a l how future simulations are ctusoftware.blogspot.com/
University doctoral student designed, but in their 2009/09/game-simulation-
is researching transactive assessment and growth. tour-in-second-life.html
memory and how it affects
player behavior within the Join us at the next GLF _______________________
hostage rescue game. These event!
rubrics may help us to
understand how leaders References Cynthia Calongne is a
emerge amid a flood of Professor with the Institute
information while navigating [1] Surowiecki, J. (2005). of Advanced Studies at
unfamiliar territory. The Wisdom in Crowds, C o l o r a d o Te c h n i c a l
Anchor: New York. University. For information
While the game is on GLF events, contact her
immersive and engaging, [2] Star Trek: The Next at calongne@pcisys.net
our focus is on assessing Generation. (1989). Episode:
interdependent group work. Q Who?. May 8, 1989.
The benefits extend beyond Pa r a m o u n t Te l e v i s i o n
innovative learning • page 7
8. Differentiate, Assess, and
Communicate with iPod Touch
Submitted by Erik W. Parks, Summit Public Schools
Textbooks have become process, or outcome. As a particular cards within the
obsolete in my classroom. way to differentiate basic set.
The limited, unresponsive vocabulary and concept
nature of textbooks does not retention, I often use gFlash Another way to differentiate
adequately provide for the +, a free application by instruction through the use
needs of our digital age gWhiz, LLC, at the of iPod Touch is by utilizing
students. Mobile learning introduction and closure of their audio and video
devices, such as the iPod units. Utilizing gFlash+ capabilities. Large amounts
To u c h , h a v e r e p l a c e d begins with using Google of classroom content are
traditional content resources Documents to create a two- communicated in written
and provide my students column spreadsheet of form. However, auditory/
with engaging, up-to-date, questions and answers. The visual learners might often
and student-generated content in this document is struggle with large amounts
sources of information. custom designed to meet the of reading and text analysis
Google custom searches, needs of my students and common in some
downloadable handouts, curriculum. This Google classrooms. As a way to
and multimedia videos and spreadsheet is then assist these struggling
presentations are all electronically shared with students, I often use iMovie
available within this single, the gWhiz server, which to create movies of still
compact, device. Thanks to automatically adds the file to images with narration to
a grant from the Summit their database. Once this supplement the written
Education Foundation, my sharing takes place, students resources of large classroom
classroom has been can search for the name of assignments or projects. The
equipped with 25 iPod the question set in gFlash+ iPods, which will be already
To u c h d e v i c e s a n d a and download the questions stocked with the necessary
specially designed cart to and answers directly to their movies, will be made
hold, simultaneously sync, iPod Touch. The application available to any student in
and transport these learning will then transform the the class who would like to
devices. These iPods have Google spreadsheet into attempt learning from a
revolutionized the ways in flashcards, which students varied resource. These
which I am able to can view and interact with movies can also be created
differentiate, assess, and in a variety of ways. Based by the more advanced
promote communication on whether or not students students in a particular class.
within my classes. answer each card correctly, The advanced students will
the application will benefit from the thorough
As educators, we are differentiate the learning understanding required to
continually differentiating experience by either create the movie and the
our assignments and projects omitting or repeating remainder of the class will
according to content, ability, benefit from the knowledge
continued on page 9
innovative learning • page 8
9. of their peers. Using teacher or student created movies that
are simultaneously uploaded to all 25 iPods via a cart,
students are able to benefit from their own personal viewing
experience in a way that caters to their learning style.
Students have the power to pause, replay, or skip sections of
the video at will, thereby customizing their experience in the
classroom. Videos are often not required viewing, rather a
resource available for students who may need supplemental
Housing reservations open information or a varied way of experiencing traditional
printed textbook content.
March 31, 2010
Super Early-Bird
Registration closes Obtaining quick, frequent, high-quality data in the form of
formative assessment is often a challenge for even the most
May 1, 2010 seasoned educator. By utilizing the Forms feature of Google
Early-Bird Registration Documents, I often create short, objective-related quizzes for
closes my students. These quizzes are posted to my website for
student access from the classroom and at home. To assess
June 18, 2010
Web, phone, and fax student knowlewdge at either the beginning or end of a
registration closes lesson, students will use their iPod Touch to navigate to my
webpage, complete the “entrance” or “exit” quiz, and submit
June 21, 2010 the results to my Google account. Google immediately
Deadline for cancellations arranges all student responses into a spreadsheet, which can
(accepted in writing) then be quickly sorted, evaluated, and even graphed. This
formative assessment data is so immediate, it allows me to
generally assess student competency levels with a particular
subject at any given time during a lesson.
When combined with other effective teaching strategies, the
incorporation of the iPod Touch into my classroom has
Your SIGilt Board increased overall summative assessment scores, student
interest in the subject area, and motivation to succeed. In
Jean Kiekel addition, the introduction of this technology has
Chair demonstrated, through class participation and marking
University of Houston quarter grades, to reduce the achievement gap for at-risk
students. Students are accustomed to a digital world that
Lisa Sjogren
Communications Officer
engages, stimulates, and interacts. The iPod Touch allows
Osseo Area Schools classroom to adapt, at least partally, to this digtal world that is
rapidly growing around us.
Katie Christo _______________________
Member-at-Large
American International School Erik Parks is the superisor of social studies for grades 6-8 for
Summit Public Schools, NJ. He can be contacted via email at
Adam Wendt
Member-at-Large eparks@fc.summit.k12.nj.us.
IRIS Media, inc.
innovative learning • page 9
10. Diversity Education: Engaging Pre-Service
Teachers with Emerging Technologies
Submitted by Jackie Gerstein, Ed.D.
Most universities or colleges central location for posting
offer some type of online assignments and having Oral History Digital Story
learning. These institutions discussions with WebCt The students created oral
typically employ learning being used primarily to post histories/digital stories of
management systems (LMS) grades. What follows are people from cultures
such as Blackboard, descriptions how different than their own.
Moodle, or WebCt. Such technology-enhanced Directions were given to ask
was the case for a WebCt projects addressed the major at least 20 questions and
course in Diversity course goals. take and/or acquire 20
Education I was asked to pictures/images. To tell
develop and instruct for the To explore current issues their story, a choice of the
teacher preparation program related multicultural following was given to them:
at Bluefield State College education. • Take Pictures, Make a
during Fall of 2009. Given The textbook for this course Slideshow, and Write
the proliferation of and my was James Banks’ Up Your Interview
affinity for Web 2.0 Introduction to Multicultural • Make a Audio
technologies, a desire to go Education. A VoiceThread Recording/Podcast and
outside of the walled-garden (a multimedia slide show Use Images
of the LMS, and a need to that allows users to leave • Make a Voicethread
provide learning experiences messages) was set up to with images and
more closely aligned to the include a slide/comment commentary
goals of the diversity area for each of the • Make an Animoto Video
education course, I chapters. Students used the http://animoto.com/
structured the course to use Voicethread to react to their
technologies outside of this text readings. The direct link See http://
LMS. The creativity and to the course VoiceThread is diversityandeducation.ning.c
innovation inherent to many h t t p : / / vo i c e t h r e a d . c o m / om/video/oral-project?
o f t h e We b 2 . 0 t o o l s share/577162/ x g _ s o u rc e = a c t iv i t y a n d
facilitated more authentic h t t p : / / p h o t o p e a ch . c o m /
learning experiences helping To gain knowledge and album/5u7rl0# for student
students to gain a greater awa r e n e s s a b o u t o t h e r samples.
and deeper understanding of cultures.
diversity and multi-cultural Several assignments Virtual Field Trips
education. addressed this goal: (1) an For the virtual field trips, the
Oral History Digital Story, students were provide with
A Diversity Education Ning, (2) a Virtual Field Trip, and the following directions:
h t t p : / / (3) a Glogster Poster of You are going on four virtual
diversityandeducation.ning.c Another Culture field trips. As with any good
om/, was established as the field trip, you need to take
continued on page 11
innovative learning • page 10
11. pictures and write a journal. Instead of just reading about groups.diigo.com/group/
You are to take 5 to 10 other cultures, students were DiversityEducation.
pictures, or in this case asked select a culture and
screenshots, for each field create a Glogster about that Live Binder of Lesson Plans
trip. Write notes about your culture. Glogsters are Each student created her
picture/screenshot. Include: electronic posters that own Live Binder (http://
• Location permit photos, audio and livebinders.com/) that
• Basic facts about the video media. Sample contained at least 20 online
location Glogster projects can be lesson plans for multicultural
• A postcard-type found at: http:// education through an
commentary (what you rebeccajones.glogster.com/ I n t e r n e t s e a r c h . Th e s e
would say about the culture-identity-Africa and lessons needed to (a) address
location in a postcard to h t t p : / / one or more of the topics
a friend) kimberlydawn.glogster.com/ covered in the course and
kmatney/. Following the (b) be targeted towards the
You can select from the creation of the poster, pre-service teacher’s targeted
following Virtual Field Trips: students shared their grade level. Example Live
• Care Virtual Field Trips “culture” in real time Binders of Lesson Plans can
Archive - http:// conversations via Etherpad be viewed at http://
www.care.org/features/ (e.g. http://etherpad.com/ livebinders.com/play/play?
vftarchive.asp SXmR7r3vcp). id=4988 and http://
• Virtual Tourism - http:// livebinders.com/play/play/
www.virtualtourism.blog To l o c a t e c l a s s r o o m 5168
spot.com/ resources appropriate for the
• Global Online grade level for which you The experiences of these
Adventure Learning Site plan to teach. students can be summarized
- http://www.goals.com/ Two assignments provided with one student’s reaction:
Index.htm the pre-service teachers with “I've really enjoyed this
• 100 Educational Virtual the opportunity to collect class. In the beginning I was
To u r s http:// resources for their worried about all these
www.onlineuniversities. classrooms: (1) Diigo different websites and pages.
com/blog/2010/01/100- Bookmarking, and (2) a Live Some of these assignments
incredible-educational- Binder of Lesson Plans. were different from what I
virtual-tours-you-dont- was used to, but in the end I
want-to-miss/ Social Bookmarking of have learned a lot using the
Resources c o m p u t e r, a n d h ow t o
Students were provided with For this assignment, students incorporate multicultural
several option for publishing collected online resources education and diversity into
their journals but most related to multicultural the classroom.”
selected Letterpop – see education including: _______________________
student examples at http:// readings, lesson plans,
letterpop.com/newsletters/? articles, and class projects. Jackie Gerstein, Ed.D., is an
Assistant Professor of Teacher
id=132280-235064 and Each student found and
Education at Bluefield State
http://letterpop.com/ bookmarked at least 15 College and an online Graduate-
n e w s l e t t e r s / ? resources using Diigo to do level adjunct faculty member for
id=132324-4f7f55 so. The Diigo group for the Kaplan and Boise State
class can be found at http:// Universities, and may be
Cultural Poster - Glogster contacted at jgerst1111@aol.com
innovative learning • page 11
12. A Classroom without Walls: Using Web 2.0
tools to become 21st Century Global Citizens
Submitted by Adina Popa and Michele Rzewski-Copeland
Learning in a 21st Century international audience motivates children to study
classroom is an exciting t h r o u g h e P a l s . c o m . harder and perform better.
endeavor for our students. Videoconferencing
Eliminating the classroom connections through All of our students’ activities
walls in favor to a world full cilc.org, with music are accompanied by
of adventure, exploration, conservatories, enhance our extensive research. In our
collaboration and learning is endeavors. 21st Century classrooms, we
a desirable alternative to incorporate multimedia in
traditional acquisition of In Loudoun County, we our quest for knowledge. A
knowledge. Through web started a few blogging popular product is BrainPOP
2.0 tools, third, fourth and projects. Through “book (brainpop.com). Through
fi f t h g ra d e s t u d e n t s i n bloggers” students post their the use of animation, voice,
Loudoun County Public book reviews on-line. diagrams, characters and
Schools participate in Children read each other’s more, students learn about
projects that are either posts to get ideas for new the research process, and
reinforced or culminated by books to be checked out then start their own hunt for
collaborations with experts from their school library. In information. A 2009 SEG
or peers from around the Social Science 4th graders report announced that
world. become historians, students who use BrainPOP
recreating colonial life “experience substantial
Music composition in the through journal entries, growth” in comparison to
math curriculum, a unique using ePals SchoolBlog™. students who don’t use this
way to teach the subject, Through the same service in m u l t i m e d i a p r o d u c t .
allows students to the science curriculum, 5th BrainPOP educators is a free
collaborate and learn in a graders keep blogs s u b s c r i p t i o n s er vice, a
global environment. Four of describing their science teacher community in which
the six 3 rd – 5 th grade experiments and projects, members exchange ideas
mathematical concepts have the steps they take to arrive and best practices, as well as
a direct correlation to music at their finish line, and the retrieve free lesson plans,
(numbers and number sense, obstacles they meet along video tutorials, professional
computation and estimation, the way. Some activities are development and
probability and statistics, culminated with presentation tools.
and patterns, functions and videoconferences with
algebra). At the end of each NASA (dln.nasa.gov/dln). Another web 2.0 project is
unit students compose beats Having to record a school podcasting. Students create
and melodies through Finale activity and receiving podcasts about their favorite
NotePad (finalemusic.com/ responses from an books and post them on
notepad), and then present international audience as their school web site. During
their products to an well as experts in the field, book selection time in the
continued on page 13
innovative learning • page 12
13. library, students, through live simulation conducted I n o u r 2 1st C e n t u r y
posted podcasts, get advice via the Internet. Through classrooms, where
from peers about what this e-mission students work communication is essential
books to read. Podcasting as scientists on crisis teams, in the learning process, web
has been a great tool to not analyzing authentic data and 2.0 applications and
only encourage reading but responding to a hurricane/ distance learning
to also link kids with other volcano disaster that possibilities offer exciting
students in the school who actually occurred in 1996 environments in which
have similar reading on the Caribbean island of children thrive. These tools
interests. With basic Montserrat. present an effective way to
recording tools (computer, get today’s generation of
microphone, and editing learners connected with
software such as the free Th e I n 2 B o o k s p r o g ra m students and adults
Audacity), students’ (www.in2books.com) is throughout the school
messages could reach a another effective web 2.0 building, in the community,
global community that is tool. 3rd-5th grade teachers and around the world. Try
otherwise inaccessible. use supplemental materials using a new web 2.0 tool
Odeo.com or from In2Books, email and today and tear down those
schooltube.com are good videoconferencing to classroom walls – your
online places to host support learning strategies. students and community will
students’ podcasts. Students read different types be very glad you did!
of text (fiction, folktales,
An exciting way to teach biography, and informational ________________________
science and math is through nonfiction), and record
simulations conducted by passages that spark ideas, Adina Popa is a Technology
the Challenger Learning interests, or encourage Resource Teacher at Steuart
Center (e-missions.net). E- personal connections. Weller Elementary
missions are simulated, Children are then paired up in Ashburn, VA. She may be
problem-based learning with adult mentors, who are contacted at
adventures performed via carefully screened, and apopa@loudoun.k12.va.us
distance learning. Through together discus the assigned or
its website, Challenger text via email exchanges. @adinapopa (twitter)
Learning Center offers lesson Meeting asynchronously
and materials aligned with eliminates time and space
state and national standards, limitations. Furthermore, Michele Rzewski Copeland
technical and teacher communicating in writing is a Librarian at Potowmack
support, and the ‘live event’ allows parties to compose Elementary in
connection with the Mission meaningful and correctly Sterling, VA. She may be
Control Distance Learning expressed messages, thus contacted at
Booth. An example of the taking away the pressure michele.rzewskicopeland@l
activities offered is accompanied by immediate oudoun.k12.va.us
“Operation Montserrat,” a verbal responses.
NASA-approved two-hour
innovative learning • page 13
14. Second Life – A Technological Simulation for Bringing Global
Perspectives of Social Justice and Human Rights to Every Classroom
Submitted by Maryanne Maisano, Ph.D.
A TECHNOLOGICAL Second Life at the a n d i n t e ra c t w i t h
PERSPECTIVE FOR PRE- University colleagues
SERVICE AND IN-SERVICE Virtual Classroom
TEACHER PREPARATION In 2008, one of the authors Development
of this paper initiated a
For generations, desks and Second Life component to SL allows the teacher, as
chalkboards have been the the teacher training program. well as the students, to
centerpiece of the While adhering to the in- continuously “modify the
classroom, with a teacher as place curriculum and classroom.” While most
the expositor of information conceptual framework for c l a s s r o o m s t o d ay h ave
to [hopefully] attentive this course, she explored the desks, chairs, only a few
students. And while that possibilities of using SL with classrooms are set up as
image still persists for those her students. As this laboratories of learning. In
of us beyond the childhood component was developed, an SL scenario, students can
years, the new generations many significant principles set up virtual environments
of learners will gradually of learning (Vygotsky, 1978, of cities, countrysides,
find such an image quaint Gardner, 1983, Marzano, museums, wildlife settings or
and archaic. Because, Pickering, Pollock, 2001, whatever is related to the
already there is a “second Strong, Silver, Perini, 2001) curriculum. By creating
life” poised to enrich the became available to all the these simulated settings,
current physical classroom, participants, principles that teachers and students are
beginning with a Virtual were previously unavailable involved in active research
World called Second Life. in a “regular” classroom. from the Internet and other
We merge SL with the media which they can then
With SL, already a virtual following for teacher present to colleagues or
reality, the author of this preparation: classmates for true sharing
paper will present the and discussion. Through this
current possibilities and • Virtual Classroom simulation, the teacher
advantages of connecting Development which guides the students in a true
traditional classroom can be modified cross-cultural model for
preparation of pre-service c o n t i n u o u s l y, a s individualization of
teachers and in-service required, for specific instruction (Maisano, 2004).
preparation with the subject area learning
expansive opportunities for and attention to Subject Area Learning &
classroom instruction individualized needs Individualized Needs
provided by this technology • P ra c t i c e Te a ch i n g Through Virtual Classroom
format which is part of the Simulations and Role-
system known as immersive Playing allowing • “Planet earth is
learning. every pre-service inhabited by all kinds
student to participate of people who have
continued on page 15
innovative learning • page 14
15. all kinds of minds. “Characteristics of Futuristic which the authors
The brain of each Education” 270-281, much emphasize is predictive of
human is unique. of which they have said is not only success in school,
Some minds are wired not only relevant, but still but success on the job and
to create symphonies needs to occur. They begin in life (Pulliam and Van
and sonnets, while with the axiom that Patten 274). And interacting
others are fitted out to “Education is more than cooperatively encompasses
build bridges, training”. The true purpose the qualities cited by Pink.
highways, and of education, they state, In an SL setting, pre-service
computers… (Levine, “requires an environment in teachers can be involved in
2002. 1) which students are not asked all or most of these
questions for which the simulation activities.
This opening statement in A answers are known”, but
Mind at a Time, while which develop the “ability to _______________________
undoubtedly reasonable to solve problems and
most educators, rarely serves communicate in a Dr. Maryanne Maisano, …
as the basis for subject area meaningful way” (272). The aka DrM Magic currently an
i n s t r u c t i o n i n s ch o o l s . classroom is a limited setting Assistant Professor serving in
Standardized tests and even for pre-service teachers to the Department of
standards drive the practice teaching Professional Education at
curriculum, setting goals that simulations and to role-play University of North Carolina
all children must achieve if not only the teacher, but the at Pembroke, strives to make
the school or schools are to learners. The teacher who a positive impact, focusing
be deemed successful. And lectures can only hope that on implementing and
even though Levine states the “wisdom and sustaining educational
that “tragic results are seen knowledge” emanating from change in the lives of her
when we misconstrue and the lecture reaches and students. She brings a history
possibly even misuse a interacts with the brain of of educational involvement
child’s kind of mind,” (2), the learner. in both public and private
competitive testing, pacing education, from being a
guides, and grade level Fi n a l l y, S L p r e - s e r v i c e classroom teacher to
requirement often take teacher preparation is creating her own private
precedence over the needs designed by its structure to school dedicated to the
of the individual child’s foster and promote principles of diversity, social
mind (Maisano, 2004). continuous interactions and justice, and community
r o l e - p l ay i n g , b a s e d o n participation. Dr. M is
Practice Te a c h i n g solving problems that currently involved in
Simulations confront learners and research using Immersive
learning, stretching their World Technology in both
SL gives every participant minds to be disciplined, online and face-to-face
student multiple synthesizing, creating, classes to facilitate
opportunities to participate respectful, and ethical. instruction as well as
and interact with colleagues.
Every participant in a SL professional development
In the History of Education setting must interact teacher training seminars
in America, published in c o o p e r a t i v e l y, ( n o t and workshops.
1994, the authors Pulliam competitively) a behavior
and Van Patten wrote of the
innovative learning • page 15
16. What is Your Favorite Web 2.0 Tool?
saved as .jpg into 30-second free Blackboard as teachers enjoy
videos set to royalty free music in using the discussion board, digital
10-15 minutes. It is fast, dropbox, and some teachers even
evocative, makes my work look embed .swf files of their narrated
great, and embeds easily on my lecture slides. If material is
blog with a click of a button and available before class meets that
a paste command. Cynthia may prepares students, then class time
be contacted at is more efficiently used for
calongne@pcisys.net problem solving,
individualization and enrichment.
Kathleen McClaskey of EdTech Nancy may be contacted at
Associates (Amherst, NH) nwitick@ortn.edu
integrates Awesome Highlighter.
By placing it on your FireFox Terry Kaminski of Cold Lake HS
toolbar, it highlights key notes in (Cold Lake, AB) uses Blogger to
Barbara De Santis from Sayreville
web pages, extract notes, create a write a blog called the
Public Schools (Sayreville, NJ)
short url, share or save. Awesome "Transformed Educator" It allows
uses Animoto to allow teachers to
Highlighter can be used as a web me to publish the details of what I
share classroom activities (think
note taking or reading am doing to integrate technology
of a video newsletter) and to
comprehension tool. It certainly into my HS math classroom.
allow students to create projects
can save thousands of trees with a
to demonstrate understanding. Randy Rodgers of Birdville ISD
digital note taking environment.
Animoto is easy to use, creative, (Haltom City, TX) uses Blogger,
Kathleen may be contacted at
student friendly, and can be Drop.io, and Wallwisher to
khm@edtech-associates.com
adapted for many grade levels produce a student-created online
and content areas. You can also newspaper at Haltom Middle
email the link or embed the School. Students use Wallwisher
video. Barbara may be contacted to brainstorm story ideas, Drop.io
a t and student email to submit
barbara.desantis@sayrevillek12.n stories, and Blogger to publish
et their final product. Randy may be
contacted at
Matt Gehrett from Fresno Pacific randyrodgersits@gmail.com
University (Fresno, CA) utilizes
Animoto to quickly produce Candace Hackett Shively of
awesome unique videos using TeachersFirst.com, part of The
photos, video clips and a wide Samantha Reid of Tulsa Public Source for Learning, (Reston, VA)
array of popular music. He finds Schools (Tulsa, OK) enjoys enjoys Bubbl.us. Bubbl.us lets us
this tool to be user friendly and BigHugeLabs.com. With many visualize ideas in a concept map,
powerful at the same time. It is an different applications with this return to it over and over,
effective tool for student one website, from creating allowing others to make changes,
presentations. Matt may be puzzles, motivation posters, and embed the results or share by
contacted at mgehrett@fresno.edu magazine covers, movie posters, URL. Bubbl.us users can revisit,
and many many more. No matter change, color code, and "see"
what I am creating, there is a tool connections. Visual thinkers of all
Cynthia Calongne from Colorado on bighugelabs.com! (and ages can share their visions very
Technical University (Colorado students love it too!!) easily within other web pages.
Springs, CO) integrates Animoto
as it enflames the imagination as Nancy Witick of Oak Ridge High
it transforms images and slides School (Oak Ridge, TN) utilizes
innovative learning • page 16
17. everywhere and also share them content management system with
with others. It also always has tags thousands of plug-ins available. It
where I can personalize the tags i s e s s e n t i a l l y a We b 2 . 0
to get my own or use it as a construction kit. My students use
search engine of what others have Drupal to blog and to work
found. I can annotate a site to collaboratively on creating wiki
have an overview, travel between books. We also use Drupal for our
computers and share with friends. department web presence. Doug
Maryjane may be contacted at may be contacted at
mfinne@rahway.net doug.holton@usu.edu
Nancy Witick of Oak Ridge High
School (Oak Ridge, TN) promotes Shabbi Luthra from American
Cell Phones in World language School of Bombay (Mumbai,
classes. Students are using their India) enjoys Diigo a social
cell phones in class to practice bookmarking site to annotate and
conversation skills in the target share sites. This tool allows teams
language. Since most students of educators to share sites and
have cell phones, it bridges the build a community of learners.
availability gap. It is a natural Shabbi may be contacted at
extension of the way students luthras@asbindia.org
already use technology for
learning. Nancy may be contacted Alice Schmitz of SET Connections
at nwitick@ortn.edu Clarena Renfrow from Fair Haven
(Illinois) uses Doris (http:// Union High School (Fair Haven,
beta.dorisapp.com/) to organize, Vermont) utilizes Edu 2.0 to
prioritize and group tasks. Better create an on-line learning
than Outlook in that it is environment for both public
accessible anywhere I can get to school students and college
the Internet. Plus, the very visible students. This web tool is user
groupings help me organize my friendly and enjoyable for both
days. Alice may be contacted at teachers and students. It allows
aschmitz@setconnections.org the teacher to upload lessons,
assignments and resources.
Michael Taylor from International Clarena may be contacted at
School of Amsterdam iteachtechnologynow@gmail.com
(Amsterdam, Netherlands) uses
Ellen Afromsky from SMART DropBox. By downloading
Technologies (New York, NY) Lynn Hughes from The Miquon
DropBox onto your machine/s School (Conshohocken, PA) uses
values delicious. As it allows the you can access, store and sync
user to save bookmarks online so Edublogs. Students post their
files wherever and whenever. You author study notes, comment on
they may be accessed at any time, can also share files with
whether your computer is with classmates' notes, love being
collegues/ family/ friends without "real" online. We're planning to
you or not. Wherever I am I can clogging up your email. (No I am
access my extensive collection of do more -- this was our maiden
not receiving cash for comment.) effort. Kids feel more committed,
bookmarks; and when I save them Cloud storage, cross format,
I can tag them with my own more in control as they choose
access to files wherever you have and modify their blog theme, love
keywords so that I may gather Internet connection. Makes it
them in sub-categories that are to write for a wider audience than
easier to sync versions of files at just their teacher. Lynn may be
useful to me. Ellen may be different locations. Easier to share
contacted at contacted at lynnh@miquon.org
and/or transport images. Michael
eafromsky@gmail.com may be contacted at Mark Nichols from Loudoun
mtaylor@isa.nl County Public Schools (Ashburn,
Maryjane Finne from Rahway
High School (Rahway, NJ) uses Virginia) utilizes EduBlogs to
Doug Holton of Utah State provide school administrators
delicious. Delicious lets me take U n ive r s i t y L o g a n , U T u s e s
my bookmarks with me with an easy avenue for
Drupal. Drupal is a open source
innovative learning • page 17
18. disseminating information document as they can work that use creative commons
surrounding instructional and together on a document and see l i c e n s e . N o t o n l y a r e yo u
assistive technology updates and changes as they occur. Chuck respecting copyright by using
providing professional may be contacted at Flickr's creative commons search,
development on these resources cholland@richland2.org but you are able to sort your
within Loudoun. Administration results by "Most Interesting" to
of the blog is very easy and a Bea Cantor of Goochland County find the best photos available...
wide variety of plug-ins and Public Schools (Goochland, VA) for free! Bill may be contacted at
widgets exist to provide a rich loves Etherpad. Etherpad lets billselak@gmail.com
multi-modal avenue for many people collaborate on a
interacting with the content. Mark single document simultaneously.
may be contacted at It was recently acquired by
mark.nichols@loudoun.k12.va.us Google. Etherpad does not
require registration. All anyone
Teresa Ilgunas of Lennox Middle needs to have in order to joint-
School & Loyola Marymount edit your document is the URL.
University (Lennox & Los Angeles, There is an attached chat window
CA) integrates Edublogs. Tech so collaborators can
students use blogs to display communicate about the edits they
projects (Flash, Animoto), share are making. All versions are
opinions, and results of research. stored. When the document is Linda Dougherty of Northwest R-I
Language Arts students write and done, users can download the Schools (House Springs, MO)
embed other Web 2.0 tools. file. shares Glogster with high school
Students are proud of their teachers across the curriculum:
websites and motivated to edit Kel Hatahway from Canberra Psychology, Aerobic Training,
since classmates read, leave CEO Australia uses Etherpad. American History, Current Events,
comments on their blog. Teacher Etherpad allows real time Pop Culture, World History,
uses a blog as class website. c o l l a b o ra t i o n o n t h e s a m e German Language, and Art
Teresa may be contacted at document with changes instantly Fundamentals. Glogster has been
teresa_ilgunas@lennox.k12.ca.us viewable by all users. Best way to easy to implement, teachers have
collate responses or to work control over student accounts,
B o n n i e B ra c e y - S u t t o n f r o m collaboratively on a whole and the students themselves enjoy
Emaginos (Haymarket, Virginia) document or sections of a the graphic medium which
uses emerging technologies to document. Love the real time replaces powerpoint
talk about the next level of interaction. Kel may be contacted presentations. Linda may be
technology supercomputing. at kel@edugator.net.au contacted at lindou@charter.net
Facebook is in the cloud and I
c a n r e a ch o t h e r s t o s h a r e
information for deeper thinking Lynn Reedy from Stafford Public
and learning in the participatory Schools (Stafford, CT) integrates
culture. I like to use this because I GoAnimate which is an animated
am not just sending out messages comic strip creator where you can
but involved in networking and add your own images, voice, and
sharing, and receiving. Bonnie music to make a unique
may be contacted at multimedia project. Great for
bbracey@aol.com student projects, recreate a scene
from a book, tell a story. Lynn
Chuck Holland from Blythewood may be contacted at
High School (Blythewood, SC) reedyl@stafford.ctschool.net
uses Etherpad which is a
collaborative tool that allows Bill Selak of Azusa Pacific Skip Zalneraitis from Pioneer
multiple people to simultaneously University (Los Angeles, CA) loves Va l l e y R e g i o n a l S ch o o l
edit a document. This is a great Flickr. The advanced search (Northfield, MA) uses Google
tool for student collaboration on a allows you to search for photos Apps which is a suite of online
innovative learning • page 18
19. apps that maintain your data in Google Apps for Education Google Docs to collaborative
'The Cloud'. The learning curve Email, Wikis, Calendars, preservice/inservice projects
for using them is virtually flat. collaboration, everything, is right easy, intuitive, truly collaborative
Skip may be contacted at there. Jeff may be contacted at - there is no hierarchy of user
z a l n e ra i t i s s @ p i o n e e r va l l e y. Jcohen@redoaksschool.org once you are in a document.
12.ma.us Marilyn may be contacted at
Rosemary Wagoner of Kate mault@altec.org
Deb Reynolds of Stevens High Collins Middle School
School Rapid City, SD uses (Waynesboro, VA) uses Google Wendy Liska from School District
Google Apps in her advanced Docs which allow users with of Waukesha (Waukesha, WI)
Information, Communications Google accounts to share word uses Google Docs which offers
and Technology class. She also processing, spreadsheet, and word processing, spreadsheets,
uses the Gmail, IM, Calendar, presentation documents. form/survey creation and
Google Docs, Spreadsheets, Sites Rosemary works primarily with presentation tools. All are
and Web pages. The digital teachers on how to integrate ava i l a b l e o n l i n e f r o m a ny
natives may be techno-savvy, but technology and the tool she internet connected computer.
only to those items they use. The enjoys using and getting them to Google Docs provides the ability
natives need to experience other use is Google Docs. We use it for to share these documents with
areas. Deb may be contacted at several items to help the teachers others so you may have multiple
deborah.reynolds@k12.sd.us interact with each other. It has editors or reviewers of the work.
caught on more this year and I'm Google Docs allows valuable
Ryan Semans from Tierney very proud of how they're using collaboration with others without
Brothers, Inc. (Minneapolis, MN) it. Rosemary may be contacted at a need to be face-to-face. The
integrates Google Apps which rwagoner@waynesboro.k12.va.us forms tool allows me to quickly
creates and environment for and inexpensively determine
content creation, Gerald Ardito of Pierre Van needs and wishes of my staff.
c o l l a b o r a t i o n , a n d Cortlandt Middle School (Croton When using it with students I've
communication inside and on Hudson, NY) enjoys Google found great power in the time to
outside of the physical Docs and loves being able to formulate ideas and collaborate
classroom. Ryan may be work on documents of all types to create a better product. Wendy
contacted at from any computer. Creation, may be contacted at
RyanSemans@tierneybrothers.co Publishing, Sharing, Embedding, wliska@waukesha.k12.wi.us
m Collaborating. Gerald may be
contacted at K ay C o n n e r s f r o m Au b u r n
Valerie Becker from West Tisbury gerald.ardito@gmail.com Middle School (Warrenton, VA)
School (West Tisbury, MA) enjoys utilizes Google Docs. Google
and integrates Google Apps Anita Harris of Sussex County Docs is a free online tool for
which allows students and staff Public Schools (Sussex, Virginia) document sharing. It has a
to: work anywhere at anytime, utilizes Google Docs which calendar for organizing, and
comment, correct, collaborate offers users online docs, other project tools. It takes
and share. We use Google Apps spreadsheets and presentations learning to a new level. Google
across all subject areas. that can be created, uploaded, Docs is used for student
imported, converted or exported collaboration, study, writing, and
Alan Brown from Cedar Fork from or into other formats. I am group projects. It has been a
Elementary (Morrisville, NC) "google-eyed" for Google Docs great motivator with students
utilizes Google Apps for online and use them every day! Great because they can work anytime
word processing, spreadsheets, for meeting notes for immediate and with anyone. It breaks down
presentations, calendars, video sharing and collaborating. Anita barriers and gives all students a
sharing. Free, easy to use, up-to- may be contacted at voice. Kay may be contacted at
date. itechspec@gmail.com kconners@fcps1.org
Jeff Cohen of The Red Oaks Marilyn Ault of University of Michelle Hapich from Ambridge
School (Morristown, NJ) utilizes Kansas Lawrence, Kansas applies Area High School (Ambridge, PA)
innovative learning • page 19
20. daily uses Google Docs and to use and to transition into downside is that it is not available
wikis. On our district wiki, we "working" components. Karen to everyone. But when it
have links to Google Docs for may be contacted at is...watch out. So far, I like that
computer lab sign ups. Class karen_finter@westiron.monroe.ed Google Wave integrates features
wikis and Google Docs to u of several types of programs: e-
collaborate are also indispensible! mail, social networking, word
They allow both teachers and Tia Simmons of Prince George's processing. It is collaborative and
students to find and share County Public Schools (Upper interactive. There are small
information from a central Marlboro, MD) uses Google Sites. applications that can be used to
l o c a t i o n . M i ch e l l e m ay b e Google Sites is a free web page plan trips, organize projects, take
contacted at builder by Google. You can notes by a select group of people
mhapich@ambridge.k12.pa.us create pages for/from training who are on a "wave" together. It
sessions to share additional has a lot of potential. Judy may be
Jerry Lester of Plainfield Academy information with participants. contacted at
for the Arts and Advanced Studies jahoffman@wisela.org
(Plainfield, NJ) utilizes Google Dr. Mary Waker from Wayne State
Docs, Flickr, and VoiceThread. As University (Detroit, MI)
a technology educator, I use uses Google Sites. This tool
Google Docs as a classroom blog, creates professional looking
bulletin board for assignments websites online with no
and classroom file sharing. I use knowledge of HTML. If you're
Google Docs because of the large looking for a way to publish
memory storage space and the content online without a huge
security. commitment of time, this tool is
perfect. Great tool for teachers!
David McCarthy of University of Mary may be contacted at
Minnesota Duluth (Duluth, MN) m.waker@wayne.edu
uses Google Docs, wikis, and
blogs. I use these tools to have Carl Lyman of Utah State Office David Huston from Laurel School
students work on group projects of Education (Salt Lake City, UT) (Cleveland, OH) utilizes iCyte.
(2-3/group). I also have all utilizes many Google tools iCyte is a very easy to use social
students in the course use the (Forms, Sites, Docs, photos) to bookmarking tool; that works
tools to create a large written collaborate with Information with your browser to save, tag,
project with about 25 subtopics. Technology teachers & students, annotate, collaborate, embed,
Finally, I use to blogs for by making it easy to publish and share links with others. Easy,
additional discussion on course lessons, surveys, signups, simple, elegant. I can store,
topics. Students can work contests, projects, etc. (See http:// collaborate, and share links with
cooperatively at remote locations umaf.utite.net) Google tools are others very easily and quickly.
when they have access time to do wonderful because of the ease of David may be contacted at
so. David may be contacted at use with any Internet connection dhuston@laurelschool.org
dmccarth@d.umn.edu and everything can be
collaborated and shared. Carl Jenna Cestone from SUHSD
Karen Finter of West Irondequoit may be contacted at carl.lyman at ( B e l m o n t , CA ) i n t e g ra t e s
Te a c h i n g L e a r n i n g C e n t e r gmail.com iPod Touch Apps - Animoto,
(Rochester, NY) integrates Google Stickes, Dragon Translator. I use
F o r m s ( a p a r t o f G o o g l e Judy Hoffman of Stephen S. Wise so many tools in class, I guess
D o c s ) . T h i s l i t t l e s u r v e y Elementary School (Los Angeles, because I have Macbooks and an
instrument has been invaluable to CA) uses Google Wave. I have just iPod Touch lab, as well as SMART
collect data regarding the needs started using Google Wave (in Boards. I use Google Docs, and
of our faculty relative to beta) as a planning tool for school Google Reader and almost every
Professional Development and projects. The upside is the tool available to me on Google in
study group interests. It is so easy simultaneous editing ability, the class. Since I am a virtual class
innovative learning • page 20
21. Program Developer, I am always same company, they are terrific. learning process. Wendy may be
looking for free tools to use. I get Easy, convenient. contacted at wdrexler@gmail.com
this from many sites like Edutopia,
NPR, etc. It's easy and free. The
key is developing intuitive tools Hadley Ferguson of Springside
wit a wide range of applications. S c h o o l ( P h i l a d e l p h i a , PA )
Jenna may be contacted at appreciates Ning. Ning allows me
jcestone@seq.org to create a multi-page website
that includes personal pages for
each student, blogs, chats,
forums, and groups. It allows my
students to collaborate: sharing
research, editing, commenting
and posting links. They grow and
Joquetta Johnson from Milford learn together. Hadley may be
Mill Academy Baltimore, MD contacted at
utilzes LiveBinders. Livebinders is hferguson@springside.org
an online 3-ring binder that
Judy Kroboth from Chestnut Hill allows you to gather and share Andrew Wheelock of Erie 1
College (Philadelphia, PA) utilizes websites, files, and documents. As BOCES WNYRIC (Buffalo, NY)
Jing. Jing allows users to snap a a library media specialist, it utilizes Ning. I use Ning to
picture of their screen, create a allows me to provide my students, collaborate and share technology
video of on screen action, and teachers, and other learners 24/7 and education ideas. Ning
share immediately on the web or access to quality resources. networks allow for
through email. Jing also allows Joquetta may be contacted at communication in a variety of
you to add tools for emphasis. jjohnson@bcps.org ways from files-sharing,
This is a fabulous tool to help m u l t i m e d i a , t e x t , a n d ch a t .
struggling students review specific Andrew may be contacted at
tools in Office Applications, awheelock@e1b.org
especially if they are absent from
the course. Judy may be Greg Farley from Matawan-
contacted at A b e r d e e n R e g i o n a l S ch o o l
jakroboth@comcast.net District (New Jersey) utilizes
Ning.com as a component of a
Leigh Zeitz of University of Virtual Learning Community.
Northern Iowa (Cedar Falls, Iowa) Ning is a part of our After School
uses Jing. Jing is a free screen Wendy Drexler of University of Teacher Academy and is used to
capture/casting program that will Florida (St. Petersburg, FL) uses share ideas and lessons. Ning is
capture up to 5 minutes of screen NetVibes and Symbaloo to easy to navigate and provides
activity. It stores the files on their construct professional learning busy educators with a way to
server for your access. Jing is free, communities and personal share lessons and projects with
easy and quite useful for those learning environments for her the entire district without the
times that you want to show students to explore inquiry hassle of meeting in a classroom.
someone how to do something learning. NetVibes and Symbaloo Our teachers have embraced
instead of creating written use API widgets to create personal Ning and our virtual community
directions. pages. They are great tools for i s t h r iv i n g w i t h i d e a s a n d
organizing content. Both are very resources. Greg may be contacted
Donna Murdoch from Villanova at gfarley@marsd.k12.nj.us
easy to use and highly
University (Villanova, PA) enjoys,
customizable. They support my
uses, and integrates Jing and Cheryl Capozzoli of Capital Area
research on Personal Learning
Snagit. Jing is a great presentation Intermediate Unit (Enola, PA)
Environments and provide an
tool to make recordings of what is utilizes Notaland (Nota). Nota
option for students of all ages to
on the screen. Snagit capture allows users to create notebooks
contribute and/or control the
pictures or screenshots for use in pages full of interactive content.
other applications. Both from the Once the pages are created, they
innovative learning • page 21
22. can be easily embedded for and images into a blog. Picasa is l e a r n i n g ! D a r l e n e m ay b e
viewer comments and more. Nota an easy tool for students to share contacted at
is one of the easiest tools to use movies and photos through their dwesting@ulsterboces.org
when creating online note pages blogs. Lynn may be contacted at
intended for audience reactions lynn.lester@clarke.edu Corey J. Peloquin of Techno Savvy
and comments. A simple and Teacher Educational Consultants
powerful learning tool. Cheryl Ouida Myers from North Carolina (Tampa, FL) uses Poll Everywhere
Capozzoli may be contacted at Department of Public Instruction which allows the teacher an
ccapozzoli@caiu.org (Raleigh, NC) loves Plurk. Plurk is opportunity to gain instant
a microblogging social media tool feedback through multiple choice
that utilizes a time line with or open ended response from
edible themes or backgrounds. A students via cell phone text
user may post or respond to message for free! Don't spend
comments, questions, links, hundreds of dollars on clicker
images, and videos. I consider devices when nearly all middle
Plurk as my Professional Learning school students have cell phones
Community for instructional and text regularly. Use the
technology. Many of my "plurk technology they have! Corey may
buddies" are people who provide be contacted at
professional development to k-12 corey.Peloquin@technosavvyteac
educators in the US, Australia, her.com
Roberta of Boulder (Billings, MT) New Zealand, and South Africa.
enjoys PBworks. I use PBworks We all speak the same language:
for students to share information Learning. Plurk is a great network
and work on research projects. It f o r s h a r i n g wh a t wo r k s i n
allows for student accounts to be instructional technology. It also
set up so students can log in provides a supportive network for
without having an e-mail address. day-to-day occurrences like
It also allows for students to give birthdays, illness, encouragement.
each other constructive feedback. A fun part of Plurk is karma,
Roberta may be contacted at points that you get for posting and
fullerr@billings.k12.mt.us responding. As your karma rises,
new animated icons become Sally Garza of Lawrence School -
Erik Brillon of University of available for inclusion into posts. Upper (Sagamore Hills, Ohio)
Bridgeport (Bridgeport, CT) Ouida may be contacted at teaches with Saywire. Saywire is
intergrates PBworks. A PBWworks blue.celica@gmail.com an online collaboration and
wiki allows you to place specific communication suite of tools
content, limit the content to such as eNoting, blogging, wiki,
specific people, and allow them Darlene Westinghouse of Ulster threads, chatting, publishing and
editing options. Erik may be BOCES (New Paltz, New York) shared calendaring. It provides a
contacted at enjoys Poll Everywhere. This is a safe, contained environment for
ebrillon@bridgeport.edu great tool to get feedback from staff and students to communicate
your audience or class without with each other that can be
Lynn Lester from Clarke College using expensive clickers. Just set it monitored, which is also easy to
(Dubuque, IA) integrates Picasa. up on the website and have use. Sally Garza may be
Picasa is a tool for uploading students text in their answers. It contacted at
photographs and storing them on utilizes many features and has sgarza@lawrenceschool.org
the Picasa site. The Picasa instant feedback, charts, etc.
software lets you organize, edit, (http://www.polleverywhere.com/) Sandra Wozniak from Mt. Olive
and upload your photos in quick, It is a great tool for instant data Middle School (Mt. Olive, NJ)
easy steps. Picasa Web Album feedback from your class. It u t i l i z e s S CA N . S c a n i s a
provides one GB of free storage facilitates data-driven decision collaborative tool featured on the
that makes sharing your photos a making and understanding website, www.yourtake.org. The
snap. One can make photos into without a cost. It is mobile website offers scenarios based on
a movie as well as upload movies current topics and historical
innovative learning • page 22
