100 Top Tools for Learning in 2014

I love when these lists come out, and particularly appreciate when they are shared as a slide deck. This one is on SlideShare.

As I go through these kinds of lists, I tend to reflect on which of the tools I use and how I feel about where specific tools fall in the list.

Twitter continues to hold the number one spot.

Top 100 Tools for Learning 2014 from Jane Hart

Which of the tools listed are your favorites? Were you surprised by any of the choices or their places on the list?

To learn more about how the list was compiled and for a partial analysis, check this post: Top 100 Tools for Learning

A Versatile Tool to Use in the Classroom: ThingLink

Check this Thinglink, created by using several digital tools. The words are ones recently added to the Oxford English Dictionary. Tagxedo was used to create the graphic. PollDaddy was used for the polling.  Thinglink was used to put together the interactive wall. Donna Baumbach, who created this interactive ThingLink quiz, has other Thinglink creations at her site: Donna Baumbach at ThingLink.




When asked how she created this Thinglink, Donna explained:

"I used Tagxedo, but Wordle would work, too. I used PollDaddy to create the polls, and to make the polls open the image, I used the URL: http://polldaddy.com/poll/xxxxxxxxx, where XXXXXXXXXX is the number of the poll from the poll's URL."

Donna read about how to embed a PollDaddy in a Thinglink in this tweet from Greg Kulowelc.

Interested in learning more about using ThingLink in the classroom, check this Thinglink that Donna Baumbach also created. Click in places to open the links in the ThingLink.







Here is a third one that Donna created that could easily be used with elementary-school children and further indicates the versatility of  Thinglink.






Given the possibilities of ThingLink's uses in the classroom, this is one digital tool looking into and adding your own imagination to create instructional materials. This is also a tool that students can use to show their research, understanding of a concept, and interest in teaching others.

Examples of Ways to Use Padlet

Here is the Padlet from the activity we did on favorite children's books. Scroll across to see the full Padlet wall with all of the contributions.

Created with Padlet

This is the Padlet the 2nd graders from Canada and Australia shared focused on facts about their countries. Scroll down to see it al the contributions.

Created with Padlet

Here is a Padlet that Richard Byrne did with a group of teachers at a professional development workshop. The Padlet was used for participants to share project samples. Note each of the contributions is inserted into the Padlet with a hyperlink to access an online resource or in some cases a video. Click on the page icon or video icon in the center of each picture to access the online source.

If you would like to view this Padlet online, at the site, use this link: Mississippi Bend AEA Sample.

In his blog, Free Technology for Teachers, Richard notes the tools that the teachers used for their original creations included: PicCollage, PicMonkey, Canva, and Thinglink. The teachers then used Padlet to insert a link to the web page resource or video they created with the other tools.





Here's a Padlet I participated in at the Building Learning Communities Conference, organized by Alan November's November Learning Company, that draws educators from around the globe. We did an exercise in which the presenter asked us about what it means to be a connected educator. You can scroll around this Padlet to see more of the contributions, and by clicking on any of the contributions, watch as a window opens to view them one at a time as slides. Once a slide pops up, using the X in the corner of the viewer returns to the Padlet to full view.

Created with Padlet

These are four varied ways to use Padlet. As you learn more about the tool, what are some of your thoughts about how this tool can be integrated into schools?

As with many online digital tools, the more we use them and see examples, the more we begin to understand their classroom applications. What tools have become your favorites to explore in the classroom?

Created with Padlet

Image Capturing the Many Facets of Blogging

Silvia Rosenthal Tolisano  shared this image in one of her blog posts entitled, "There's More to Blogging with Your Students,Version 2."


It's worth studying this carefully crafted image; it says so much about the power of blogging.

http://bit.ly/SCt94Q Silvia Rosenthal Tolisano

• What features of blogging do you consider the most important in developing students' literacy skills?
• Which features emphasized in the graphic resonates with you?

Silvia is an avid blogger and also a creator of phenomenal graphics. Check her "Teaching and Learning" Collections" on Flickr.

These 2nd 3rd Graders Say It Best: The Benefits of Blogging

For some time, I have been keeping up with California 3rd grade teacher Linda Yollis and 2nd grade Australian teacher Kathleen Morris. Both have been using blogs with their students for several years, and they have participated in projects such as Quad Blogging.

Students in each of their classes made these videos a few years back, but they are still very relevant today, especially for teachers who are in the initial stages of thinking about implementing blogging in their classrooms.

What I love about these videos is that the students have a voice. Not only do they speak about the benefits of blogging, but they also practice oral presentation and video production skills.

3rd Graders: Meet Linda Yollis's Students

Listen to these 3rd graders from Linda Yollis's class talk about blogging. They offer a wealth of information in this short video.

2nd Graders: Meet Kathleen Morris's Students.

In this video, 2nd graders outline several ways that blogging promotes literacy skills for 21st century learners.

• What do you consider the best piece of advice these 2nd and 3rd graders offer? 
• How convincing are they about the power of blogging?
• If you visited the blog of Linda Yollis or Kathleen Morris, what resources did you find helpful ?

Look What These Kindergarteners Did with iPads

You all know the story If You Give a Cookie to a Mouse. Well, take a look at this Little Bird Tale to see what happens when you give kindergarteners an iPad. Click on the image to view the kindergarteners' story of what they accomplished with their iPads. Their story, "If You Give Kindergarteners an iPad," is both amusing and enlightening, and also reminds us of how given the technology tools and a teacher willing to integrate the tools well, what young children can accomplish. We can stretch their literacy skills as far as possible when we put the tools in their hands and plan our lesson well. This Little Bird Tale illustrates not only effective use of iPads, but also the value of using a tool such as Little Bird Tales for students to create their own books.

• Click to view my tale.
• 

Should Schools Have Internet Filters?

"Teach Kids to Be Their Own Internet Filter," an article that appeared in Mind/Shift, highlights building trust in students by not blocking websites. The article includes a student-produced video made at the end of the year to introduce incoming students to media resources at the school. The premise behind the video is that teachers, administrators, and students need to work in unison to build an environment of trust. Here's the video, produced with iMovie.




For further information, refer to the article: "Teach Kids to Be Their Own Internet Filter."

What is your position on schools blocking sites? Should schools have filters in place? Should we trust students to act responsibly online? How can an environment of trust be fostered in schools?

How and Why Teachers Should Blog

In my readings today, I came across an additional source about why teachers should blog as well as why they should have their students blogging. I posted the article on Twitter, and given it attracted "favorites" and "retweets," thought I should share the information here. Among the reasons listed for teachers to introduce their students to blogging are these, in paraphrased format:

1) Encourage Collaboration Among Students

2) Teach Students How to Write Blogging Comments to Learn How to Give Feedback

This point reminded me of a video students in Linda Yollis created about how to write good blogging comments, which I am embedding here--a reminder for teachers when they respond to blog posts and a video to use with students once they are introduced to blogging.



 
3) Provide Evidence of Student Achievement

4) Encourage Students to Write and Gain Practice with Writing

To access the article, click on the word cloud above, which I found in the article, "How (And Why) Teachers Should Blog." Do you truly believe teachers should blog and that they should teach blogging principles to their students?

Additionally, this morning I came across an excellent blog post written by Lynn Hilt, a former K-6 elementary school principal and now the instructional technology coach for her school district. Click on the image to access the post:

Lynn offers links to a variety of resources in the post. Consider checking some of these out.

Will Chamberlain, an elementary school teacher maintains the blog, Comments4Kids, which is an excellent way for teachers and their students to respond to students who are blogging and to make global connections.

So, are you convinced teachers and students should be blogging?

And, last did you know October is Connected Educators' Month? No better way to connect than finding teachers who want to do cross-class blogging projects.

Cranes for Peace: A Global Project

Once we introduce technology in our classrooms and schools, we open up opportunities for students to collaborate in ways unfathomable before. One excellent example is a quad blogging. The Cranes 4 Peace Blog, a collaborative project, follows this format, with students from countries around the world contributing to a common blog. Here is an image from just one of the posts on the blog,

http://cranes4peace.wordpress.com/2013/09/04/st-thomas-more-cps-peace-cranes/

Check the About page for the project, and then go to the blog itself, The Cranes 4 Peace, to see what the children in this collaborative blog are posting.

http://cranes4peace.wordpress.com/about/

Take some time to look. Don't rush. Leave your comments on this post after you've looked around. Have you gotten any inspiration from The Cranes 4 Peace blog? Would you consider implementing a similar project in your school?

See this website to learn more about the Peace Crane Project. The site will offer ideas for ways you can celebrate in your own schools and bring awareness to world peace.

Here is a video about the project:





For more information about the International Day of Peace, celebrated, Sept. 21, 2013, also  check this website: International Day of Peace, Education for Peace.

Literacy Shed

Stuck at home with our snowstorm, I'm on Twitter, Google+, reading class blogs, and just surfing around. One of my Twitter friends, tweeted out about this exciting resource that fits with our course, Integrating Technology and Literacy. The site's title, Literacy Shed, caught my eye, so I started exploring, and invite you to, also. Take a look at what the site offers, and let us know if the site sparks ideas for your teaching or in general. Without further ado, link to the site; just click on the image.

Okay, I know you can get lost in exploring the site, but come back here to post a comment to share what you find and like.

Blogging in the Elementary School Classroom

I found a link to this great YouTube video on "Blogging in the Elementary Classroom" while reading Lesley's blog, Teaching in Heels, and just had to share it. I appreciate that Lesley posted this video. Check her blog for other valuable resources.

The video captures teachers and students speaking about the value of blogging. I like that the teachers also address how blogging promotes literacy skills. After all, we should be first figuring out our goals and not just implementing tech for the sake of tech. The real goal is to expand students' literacy skills.

Let me know if this video gives you ideas for expanding students' literacy skills. For those who teach young learners, who might be too young to blog, does the video give you other ideas for how you might promote students' engagement in the literacy process in other ways?

Additionally, today a principal I follow on Twitter put up a link to blog post that Karen Lirenman wrote in which she embedded a video about how she uses blogging in her first grade classroom: "Blogging in Grade One". Karen's blog, Sharing and Learning with Ms. Lirenman, is an excellent one to follow. I am embedding the video she posted here.

After viewing her video, share what ideas you gained from her presentation. As always, comments are welcomed. How are you feeling about blogging as a professional, as a teacher, or with students? What advantages are you seeing in students blogging?

Watch These First Graders on the iPads

Speaking about literacy skills, watch how these first graders engage in a poetry workshop and how the teacher organizes it. What's your take on this kind of workshop? How are you feeling about iPad integration into the lower grades? Do you see them as valuable tools for promoting students' literacy skills?

Click on the image to view the video in Vimeo.

Empowering Students with Google Docs

The Ning Classroom 2.0 featured a video of an 8th grade language arts class using Web 2.0 tools to engage and empower students and promote literacy skills.

I have embedded the video because it offers firsthand experience of what the students are doing in the classroom and in particular how they use Google Docs to enhance their literacy skills.

What is your response to the video?

Find more videos like this on Classroom 2.0

50 Sites

As a fan of SlideShare, when I come across an excellent slide presentation there, I save it to my favorites for quick access.

Screen shot of My Favorites in SlideShare

Today, I was emailed a link to an excellent slide presentation, and once I opened it in SlideShare and viewed it, I marked it as favorite. Here it is embedded for your easy access. 50 Sites in 60 Minutes is an overview of new websites organized by categorized with direct links to the sites and a review of each site. Given these are newer sites, you might not know of many of them. All have applicability to education. Let us know which are of interest to you and why. If you check into any of the sites, let us know your reaction.

50sites ver3

View more presentations from David Kapuler