Optional Post #2: Tis the Season of Giving

This week's assignment is optional--you only need to complete it if you missed one of the previous weeks' posts. In the spirit of the holidays, I thought we'd give someone who isn't in our class the gift of something you've learned. Here's how it works:

1. Look over the past posts and find something you think you'd like to pass on to someone else.
2. Pick a person on your staff to receive your "gift of knowledge."
3. Visit that person and say, "Hey, do you have minute so I can show you this cool thing I learned?"
4. Show them. (Don't forget, let them "drive." Only in dire situations should you take over the keyboard or mouse of another person--we learn best by doing.)
5. Come back here and tell us what you shared and why, and a little bit about the experience.
6. Enjoy your break!

Week 8: Podcasting with AudioBoo

This week you get to listen instead of read:

Your assignment:

1. Learn about AudioBoo from the Learn It in 5 website.
2. Create an account at AudioBoo and make a sample podcast. Ideally, if you're a classroom teacher, I encourage you to create something you'll actually post to your SWIFT site for students or parents to access. You can watch this little demo for how to embed the podcast on your SWIFT site: Embedding an AudioBoo Podcast into Your SWIFT Site from 10Tech on Vimeo.
   (Also, remember, whenever using your built in microphone, you may need to play around a little with your levels, etc. Here's the link to the demo about adjusting your microphone settings: http://vimeo.com/8228250.)
3. Come back here and tell us about your experience and how you imagine you could use it in your classroom.

REMINDER: This post isn't really due until we get back from break. Next week, I'll post an optional assignment for those who need to "make up" a week they missed.

Week 7: Free Online Test/Quiz Maker

Testmoz is a handy little tool does just what it says it does: allows the teacher to easily make simple tests/quizzes/checks for understanding that don't require a login by either the teacher or the student. Follow the directions--when they say "make a note of the URL and don't lose it," they mean it--it's your only link to your quiz. I used it for the F1 Tuesday Quiz several weeks ago and was, indeed, impressed by  how easy it was AND the best part is that the quiz was scored for me! Yahoo!

This week's assignment: Try it out yourself and use it with your students if possible. Report back here what you think about the tool. Do you think you'll use it? I was happy with how it worked for the F1 Tuesday quiz, but I'll need your feedback regarding use with students.

Week 6: Ready, Set, Read!

This week I'm sending you to a collection of articles that address best practices with technology from the University of North Carolina School of Education. Your assignment is simple: visit the collection, pursue the articles, select one you want to read, read it, come back here and tell us what you learned. Include the link to the article you read as well as what you plan to do with the information now that you have it.