These tools were suggested by the secondary teachers within the class…

Donna Brasher,  Betsy Chalenburg, Caitlin Meador, and Jenn Sallee

Table ofContents

• EDU.Glogster ~ Donna Brasher • Middlespot.com ~ Caitlin Meador • Google Earth ~ Jennifer Sallee  • Moodle ~ Betsy Chalenburg

 

GlogsterIntro

• Edu.Glogster allows you and your students to make online posters.   

• As an educator, you can set up a classroom so you can view your students' work. Individuals may add pictures, backgrounds, graphics, links, animations, school tube videos, and sound for an interesting online presentation.  Posters may be printed if desired.

• This is a great alternative to traditional posters!  

Setting UpYour Account

• Go to edu.glogster.com and click on the bright pink register virtual class button.  Set up an account using your e-mail. You can ask for up to 200 nicknames (usernames) and passwords.  You do not give them student names.

 

• Glogster will e-mail you a list of nicknames and passwords for you to give to your students. 

 

Be sure to go to the address above not the one mentioned in the video.

Advantages

• It's a fun, imaginative, and powerful learning experience which fosters independent self expression, positive learner-teacher relationships, and teamwork on collaborative class projects. 

   • It's a creative teaching tool that integrates diverse  subjects

for individual learner portfolios, unique alternative assessments, and instructional activities. The glog may be embedded in or linked to a wiki or blog.

• It's a private and safe platform, monitored directly by teachers. Teachers control the activities of their learners.

Why Glog?

Trouble Spots

• There is a regular Glogster available.  It operates the same as the edu site, but it is not as closely regulated.  Some of the posters would not be school approved content.  Going through this part of their site would not allow you to monitor student progress.

  • Like all creative content sites, a student could get so

busy focusing on the layout, artistic design, etc. and spend less time on important content.

• You need to be sure to save frequently.  If you click off the page to search, it does not prompt you to save before proceeding and any unsaved work will be lost.

Conclusions

I will use this site with my classes as an option for a learning activity. I recommend it to other teachers.Glog Examples:Modern Chair DesignersCheer '09 (this one has video and animation)Eat Your VeggiesTypes of Pies

Introduction

• Middlespot.com is a search engine that allows you to save the websites you like best in to different tabs-called mashtabs.

•  Very similar to Delicious-in that you can access your information from any computer. 

•  Allows you to view websites as you search•  Free membership•  Allows you to share what you find with others. •  Can embed your mashtabs into your wiki or website•  Great way to organize informaiton about selected topics for

yourself or your students.  

Setting Up Your Account

• Open up a web browser and type in www.middlespot.com • You will be directed to the site.• Once there click on the "Sign Up"  icon• You will be directed to a page where you enter your email

and create a password. 

It's that easy!!! You are now ready to begin searching! 

Classroom Advantages

• Webquests• Easy access to websites on any computer• You control what students see.• You can group specific sites together for thier usefulness or

similarities• Create a tab for each unit of study-• Create a great database of useful resources.•  Personally I like the webquest idea!

Trouble Spots

• Sometimes the search doesn't return exactly what you are looking for.

• The amount of information that is included is enormous.• Can be frustrating when you are looking through sites and

you accidentally click on one you don't want.• Sorting through the websites can be frustrating

   

Great Things• Middlespot is really easy to use• You are in control of what you add to your Middlespot tabs.• You can search for images relating to your unit of study.• You can embed your mashtab in your wiki or website.• You can collaborate with others over what you have found in

your searches.• Tutorials are easy to understand

One of my mashtabs over DNA.  It has resources and pictures!

My Links! TutorialsMy Middlespot

A Recent Search

Google Earth Intro

• Google Earth is a program that shows images of the world and planets created by superimposing satellite images, aerial photos, and GIS 3D globe.

• It includes different layers which provide links, images, videos, and information which all run within the program itself.

 • Below is a timeline of the development of Google Earth from its

humble beginnings as Keyhole, Inc.’s EarthViewer 3D to a program available on the web, iPhones, and for download on both Macs and PC’s.

Setting up Google Earth

Here is a video that shows how to download and set up Google Earth.

 Or....1. Go to http://earth.google.com/. 2. Click on "Download Google Earth 5"3. On the next screen, click on "Agree and Download"

Classroom Advantages

How I have put Google Earth to use: • Google Lit Trip –a series of placemarks strung together

and embedded with information, pictures, videos, etc. that relate to a text that is being read in class. Advantages:o Builds the setting for a novel, play, story, etc.o Shows locations for significant events in sequenceo Traces the steps of a character on a journey (i.e. Odysseus in The Odyssey)  

• How others have put Google Earth to use:            Here is a website that includes instructions and                      educational uses for Google Earth. It also has instructions               and uses for other instructional technologies as well.

TroubleSpots

There are a few difficulties that may arise when attempting to use Google Earth.

• If you do not already have Google Earth installed on a school laptop or desktop computer, you may not be able to install it. If you were not given administrative privileges on your computer, you will have to get your school's IT person to install it for you.

 • If you are unfamiliar with html code, special additions to the

descriptions in placemarks may be difficult unless you are using code that is already designated for embedding (such as we used when placing YouTube videos on our wikis).  

            For links: <a href="address of link here">Text you                  want displayed</a>            For images: <img src="address of the image file">

Conclusion

Here is how I take my kids to London

and fair Verona without the students ever even having

to leave their seats. 

Google Earth creates acontext for the students. I will continue to use thisprogram with every new textI introduce to my classes.

Moodle Info

• Moodle is a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). It is a Free web application that educators can use to create effective online learning sites.

• Moodle allows teachers to create an online course with lessons, surveys, quizzes, wikis, discussion boards, slideshows, videos, and much more.

• There are over 10 million registered moodle users in over 200 different countries across the world!

Setting Up Your Account

            A free Moodle account can be set up on moodle.org, but I have found it easier to work with accounts that are set up through a school that has chosen to make moodle part of their online curriculum. Ask your administrator about making moodle part of your school!   

Classroom Advantages

• Moodle is a cost free way to set up online courses.

• With one site, your students can complete surveys, take quizzes, view lessons and turn in assignments all outside of school!

• Students can make up work on their own time when they are absent.

• Administrators can easily see lesson plans and assignments given in class.

• Students can be taken to a computer lab and stay on schedule when a substitue has been called into your class.

Trouble Spots

• Moodle is a committment. It's not like bringing a video into class. Once you decide to introduce moodle to your students, they will expect you to keep it up to date.

• Moodle is sometimes hard to manage for all of the constraints you can place on lessons or quizzes, but moodle.org has set up demonstrations and tutorials for every aspect of the moodle process.

• Walk through a moodle demo without signing up! Click on the link below, and Login as a guest.

http://demo.moodle.org/login/index.php

Conclusion

• Moodle is going to be a fabulous tool in my classroom!• The rest of my department is already wanting to create their

own online courses!• The kids will love being able to see where we are headed,

and work toward that final week of the course.

What We've Learned

• Glogster:o We can create online posters with links and video!

• Middlespot:o We can share favorite links with our students!

• Google Earth:o We can bring the outside world into our 4-wall classroom!

• Moodle:o We can take our classroom with us!

 Technology is a wonderful asset that every teacher can utilize in their classroom in some way. Find what works for you, and get your students involved!