Wednesday, November 18, 2009

What if schools could...

I thought this was interesting and worth reposting. What if schools really had access to innovative tools that students and teachers are using outside the school day and not just on their laptops...?

Tools - Banned and Mobile


Thanks to Jane Hart coming up with a list of tools. There is a lot to like in the list but I can't help but ask, "How many of these tools are banned in public schools?" For example, here's the list of top 50 that includes tools that are banned in Texas school districts I'm familiar with...of course, not ALL school districts ban all products at the same time, although some districts sure try to! (smile)

Aside from how many of the tools are banned, what does the selection of these by voters mean? If many of these tools are banned, how many are accessible by mobile phone? How many are used after-hours?

Ah well, just playing with the list. What other questions would you ask?



Current ranking in 2009
2008
2007
TOOL
#
Votes

Name
Platform
Cost
1
11
43=
Twitter
BANNED in K-12

MOBILE PHONE
Microblogging tool

O
F
159
2
1
2
Delicious
MOBILE PHONE

Social bookmarking tool
O
F
95.5
3
18
22=
YouTube
BANNED in K-12

Video sharing site
O
F
79.5
4
3
7=
Google Reader
MOBILE PHONE

RSS / Feed reader
O
F
79
5
7
14
Google Docs
BANNED in K-12

MOBILE PHONE

Office suite
O
F
78.5
6
5
6
Wordpress
Blogging tool
O
F
69
7
20
31=
Slideshare
BANNED in K-12

MOBILE PHONE

Hosting presentations
O
F
64

8

6
3=
Google Search
BANNED in K-12

MOBILE PHONE

Web search tool
O
F
56

9=

12
11
Audacity
Sound editor and recorder
W M
F
54

2
1
Firefox
Web browser and extensions
W M
F
54
11=
16
31=
Ning
BANNED in K-12

Social networking platforms
O
F/C
49

4
3=
Skype
BANNED in K-12

MOBILE PHONE

Instant messaging/VoIP
W M
F/C
49
13
8
5
PowerPoint
Presentation software
W M
C
47

14=

10
9
Blogger
BANNED in K-12

MOBILE PHONE

Blogging tool
O
F
45




9
12=
Moodle
Course mgt system
S
F
45
16
17
17=
iGoogle
Personalised start page
O
F
37.5
17
13
26=
Wikipedia
Collaborative encyclopedia
O
F
36
18
15
16
flickr
BANNED in K-12

MOBILE PHONE

Photo storage/sharing site
O
F
35
19
23
101=
VoiceThread
Collaborative slideshows
O
F
33
20
26=
-
Jing
Screen captures/ casting tool
W M
F/C
30.5

21

14
7=
Gmail
BANNED in K-12

MOBILE PHONE

Web-based email
O
F
30
22=
27
17=
Adobe Captivate
Demo and scenario tool
W
C
29

35=
72=
diigo
Social annotation site
O
F/C
29

24

25
22=
Articulate
Presenter/Engage/ Quizmaker
W
C
27
25
21
26=
SnagIt
Screen capture tool
W
C
26.5
26
26=
50=
Camtasia Studio
Screencasting tool

W
C
25.5
27
-
-
Evernote
Note taking tool
O
F
25
28
-
-
Prezi
Presentation software

O
F
24
29
19
15
Wikispaces
Wiki tool
O
F/C
23
30
-
-
Wordle
Word cloud generator

O
F
22
31=
-
-
animoto
Create videos from your images

O
F
21




24
17=
Facebook
BANNED in K-12

MOBILE PHONE

Social networking site
O
F
21

50=
43=
iPhone/iPod/ Touch and apps
-
-
21
34
35=
43=
PBworks (prev PBwiki)
Wiki tool
O
F/C
19
35
59=
50=
Adobe Photoshop
Photo/Image editing tools
W
C
17
36=


Blogs
-
-
16

22
10
Word
Word processing software
W M
C
16
38=
38=
43=
Flash
Animation authoring tool
W M
C
15

66=
101=
Google Apps
BANNED in K-12

Google application suite

O
F/C
15

30=
31=
LinkedIn
Professional social network

O
F
15

41=

66=
72=
Adobe Connect
Web meeting/ conferencing
O
C
14.5




28
26=
iTunes/iTunes U
Music/podcast player and site
W M
F
14.5

43=

-
-
Dimdim
Web conferencing
O
F/C
14

50=
50=
Elluminate
Web conferencing

O
F/C
14

40=
40=
Google Earth
Satellite and aerial imagery
W M
F
14

-
-
Tweetdeck
BANNED in K-12

MOBILE PHONE

Desktop social software client
W M
F
14



Wikis and wiki tools
-
-
14
48
65=
72=
Keynote
Presentation software

M
C
12

49

59=
72=
Edublogs
Educational blogging tool

O
F
11.5

50=

29
36=
Google Calendar
Web-based calendar
O
F
10

Friday, October 30, 2009

Trick or Tweet...

So what will you dress up as this Halloween?


Create your joke with The Dark Knight iPhone App
The Dark Knight iPhone app takes your picture and allows you to add your own Joker elements to it.

That got me thinking about the thought of a Web 2.0 Halloween. Not just with technology website, activities or tools for use with the kids, but simply dressing up. So here are a few that I found online as possible costumes for this year's Web 2.0 Halloween.




Have a great Web 2.0 Halloween!


Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Project Pic In Review...

On September 25th I began my Project Pic 365 with the notion of taking one picture a day for 365 days and posting it to my blog.

This proved to be more difficult that it seemed... There were days I'd forget; days that were so last minute and days that my iPhone battery died before I could get my project pic in for the day. My goal was to take all of the images and compile them into a quick preview to see what it had to say...?


I think what this says is that I like shoes, family, blue skies, technology, my faith. Oh, and did I say my critters? Curious to know what you think?

This was my very first pic.

Project Pic365 - day1

Posted by ShoZu

Social Media site falling...

I've never actually joined MySpace, but I do recall when it was big for music fans and mostly the younger generation. Recent posts, including a tweet I shared yesterday point to the fact that folks migrate to certain social networks. While the article points to the fact that age, class and other demographics point folks to MySpace or Facebook, the reality is that MySpace is falling off a cliff. I don't believe it has anything to do with class or age as much as Facebook is just more direct and relevant. Folks gravitate to where their friends are. Initially, Facebook was for the college crowd, then us "older" folks jumped on board and now the MySpace gen is quickly joining on board. The other day, my 10 year old nephew joined... Is it quickly becoming a fad only to become the next Walmart we all despise? As will all fads, will this to pass and a far superior online community come about? Let's see what the wave of Google brings about...

MySpace’s U.S. Traffic Falls Off a Cliff (Mashable)

Here are some major takeaways from the data:

- MySpace’s downfall is accelerating. It lost a little over a million U.S. visitors between June and July, but more than 4 million between July and August and over 5 million between last month and this month. I don’t think I have to tell you what will happen if this trend continues.

- MySpace is quickly shedding value. In fact, it’s losing hundreds of millions for its parent company, News Corp.

- Its change in leadership has not yet produced results. In fact, MySpace now has less visitors than it did in April, when it kicked out Chris DeWolfe and hired former Facebook (Facebook) executive Owen Van Natta to save MySpace.

Social Media Change Agent

Friday, October 2, 2009

21st Century Schools

Post from Cliff's Notes

Dr. Stephen Heppell’s video about 21st century schools provokes you to consider what lies ahead. Wes Fryer states that this video “makes a strong case for blended learning where the learning connection between home and school is seamless.”

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Digital Text

I could not have said this any better... Here is a repost:
I totally agree with David Warlick. If we look at the mobile technology available today, there is absolutely no reason students cannot have all their books and content on a laptop, Kindle-like device or iPhone/Touch... Textbook publishers have a great opportunity to truly impact education...


September 2, 2009

The Answer for Textbook Publishers

Filed under: education, textbooks, warlick
Tags: , , , , — David Warlick @ 9:35 am with (6) Comments

Listen to this article. Powered by Odiogo.com

Flickr Photo by Judy Baxter

We all know how much our students love technology. They spend so much time on their mobile phones reading and typing, conversing, Googling, playing, working, and living — it’s a given that our students live in their pockets.

So, if we want to continue to be relevant to our students lives and their future, and the textbook industry wants to be a part of this reinvention of teaching and learning,

Then they must make their textbooks smaller.

It is obvious that for our children, the optimum size for instructional delivery is about 2 x 3 inches, the size of my iPhone display. Think of the trees that could be saved. Think of the reduced load on the vertebra of our little darlings. You can even fit the little books with Velcro so that they could be attached to our students phones. They could hold their tech-of-choice while engaging in the night’s reading.

Not to fear. For those of us older than 39, the teachers edition would have to remain the standard 9×12 inches and 12.23 pounds — and textbook companies could continue charge their just fees.

If we are going to truly address the needs of today’s children, we must be able to do it where they are — from their pockets.