21st Century Library Tech Tools, Part 2

by Parkway School District Librarians

Shannon Burger, Katie Pendleton, and Kim Wren

 

New Stuff May 2010

http://senduit.com/

 

http://www.tagxedo.com/

 

 

 

Connect to the JOG of our presentation here

 

Our Favorite Tech Tools 2010

 

1.  Webspiration - Think visually, work collaboratively, online, anytime - Shannon

http://www.mywebspiration.com

Use Webspiration to map out ideas, organize with outlines and collaborate online with teams or colleagues. Works like Inspiration, but more features and allows collaborative work.

Webspiration Diagram Directions.doc

Webspiration Sign-Up Directions-1.doc

 

 

2.  Middlespot

http://middlespot.com

Middlespot is a way to visually collect and organize what you like.  With a mashtab you can collect webpages, images, music, videos, web widgets, files, documents, code, and more in one central spot.  You can add, annotate, cluster, layer, pan, resize, tweet and share the content you've collected like to embed them in my blog.  Watch a quick how to video.

 

3. Polleverywhere - Katie

Create a poll where audience can text in a vote. Download to a powerpoint slide or post online.

PSH teacher Teen Tech Month voting:   

MASL Poll

 

4.Jing - Katie

I heart Jing & Jing video. Create snapshots or videos of anything on your computer screen.

My example  of Jing video for library instruction

 

5.Google Docs - Katie

Including Google Forms & Spreadsheets for use as surveys.

PSH Student Technology Survey - FEB 2010

Survey on my Library homepage

Wordle- Create word clouds from text. I've used it here to analyze the data returned on our student technology surveys.

     Tagxedo now available for word clouds in shapes

 

6. Google's custom search engine - Kim

Build your own customized search engine.  Choose which sites your students are searching, so younger students can safely search and learn about boolean operators and such, without as much worry of what might pop up while they search. Here is an example of one I've made which is an easy way for kids to find an author's website: Kids Favorite Authors You can embed this into your own blog, website, or igoogle page.

 

7. Mixbook - Kim

Create photo stories, embed on website  Here are a couple of examples of how it is being used: The First 10 Presidents     

 

This is one that my 5th grade student made on Earthquakes after researching, and we used Camtasia to add in her voice reading it for our district's upcoming film festival.

 

See a bunch of other photo apps and tools listed below you can explore on your own! :)

 

8. Dropbox - Kim

Free online place to store files, pics, music, etc. You get 2G for free.  This is something I use alot as it allows me to share files across computers. Can make it at home- and use it at school.

 

9. Jog the Web - Kim

Connect to the JOG of our presentation here

This online tool that allows you to create a guide of web sites for your students. You can use it to present. You can use it to create a track of sites based on a theme your teachers ask for. Here is an example of one I have created for our math specialist to use: http://www.jogtheweb.com/run/8numvzLPOX7m/Math

This is an example of one I used with my students to learn about Website Evaluation: http://www.jogtheweb.com/run/umTCaEW3LKtL/Website-Evaluation

 

Other cool tools we just don't have time to share: 

 

http://www.spreeder.com -A free speed reading trainer. 

 

http://bubbl.us/  -Similar to inspiration but on the web, you can collaborate on webs and share files.

 

Wallwishers -  

 

Storybird - This is a brand new storytelling tool similar to Mixbook. 

 

Mailcatch Disposable email for sign-ups 

 

Google Images with licence filter

 

Evernote -Use Evernote to save your ideas, things you see, and things you like. Then find them all on any computer or device you use. For free.  I have added a "Clip to Evernote" on my menu bar.  If I see something I like and don't want to add to my bookmarks or del.icio.us account I add to Evernote.

 

embed.in/ - a site that lets you embed anything so if you are using a site that doesn't give you the code, or you want to upload a doc or something from your computer, you can embed it into your blog.

 

Wheresmycellphone.com -Just for fun -  It'll make your cell phone ring if you've lost it.

 

Keyboarding Sites that are great to use:

Dance Mat Typing     - Kim's favorite kids typing program. My son is learning to type with this and LOVING it!! 

E Learning Kids Typing Post - Online kids typing course. 

 

Other keyboarding sites/games: 

http://www.powertyping.com/fog/foggies.html

http://www.netrover.com/~kingskid/typing_spell/typing.htm

http://www.willard.k12.oh.us/mrwhitescomputerlab/typinglinks.html

http://www.typingtest.com/default.asp - this is an assessment of their typing skills, can be used as a pre-test and post-test to show improvement

http://www.freetypinggame.net/

http://play.typeracer.com/ - my favorite typing game.  Very addictive as you can race against your friends and others!!

 

Online photo tools and uses in the classroom:

http://bighugelabs.com/ - Kim's number one pick for fun stuff to play with photos

http://www.picnik.com/

http://www.dumpr.net/

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/digitalphotography/PhotoStory/default.mspx - an absolute must for every teacher as it's the EASIEST tool to make slide slows with your pictures.

http://voicethread.com/#home - also a great tool not just for photos, but for collaborating with each other as well

http://www.biguniverse.com/createkidsbooks - this one is really great for having lots of online storybooks, and kids can make their own, but it costs. Cheapest membership is $7 a month.

http://flickrcc.bluemountains.net/index.php - this is a place it will only search Creative Commons photos

http://www.zoo-m.com/flickr-storm/ - another great one for finding Creative Commons photos with the advanced search option

http://thinkingmachine.pbworks.com/Think-Photo-Sharing-with-Flickr   A very thorough WIKI by Karen Montgomery about how photos can be used in the classroom.  Careful- you can get lost in here for days!! 

http://docs.google.com/present/view?id=ddc8kjwf_690d94mn7fz And more great ways to use digital images in the classroom...

Animoto.com - makes your photos dance to the music you pick. 30 seconds videos are free. See the Parkway Summer Reading list movie made by a South High student here.