Josh+Hicks


 * Pete & C 2011: **


 * Highlights: **


 * Comic Integration—Add POW to Your Classroom! **

The first session introduced the idea of integrating web-based comics into the curriculum. The presenter stressed that using comics as a vehicle for content can help to enhance interest in the material. The sites provided below allow teachers to integrate curriculum and content with comics to add flair to lessons. They make great icebreakers and attention-getters for students of any age. A few sites listed were:

[|www.toon-books.com] [|www.professorgarfield.org] [|www.rabbitandbearpaws.com] [|www.makebeliefscomix.com] [|www.readwritethink.org]


 * iPad—Personalizing Learning, Creating and Sharing **

The presenter detailed several iPad programs (which also work on the latest iPods) to enhance learning and creativity in the classroom. I felt this was a worthwhile presentation because each year more of my students are showing up with iPods. Instead of punishing students for bringing these devices to school, it would be nice to use them to the students’ educational advantage. I firmly believe that the educational potential of these devices is immense.

Some ideas presented:

· Using autotune to tap into students’ creativity (check out the viral videos under [|autotune the news] on youtube).

· Livescribe (take written notes that also record voice and tap on the notes to replay what you were saying at that moment).

· Puppetpals (similar to the comic integration above)

· Thumbjam (music creation tool) 


 * Using Tech to Create Independent Learners **

This session detailed programs that could be used to help struggling readers in the classroom. Some of the highlights were:

· Read Please—A free program that will read any online text for students who have difficulty with fluency. The teacher does not need to read the text to struggling students (saving the student from added embarrassment). This also encourages independence among struggling students. (readthewords.com was offered up as a similar program) Both can be accessed online.

· Dragon naturally speaking. You speak, it types.

· Oatsoft.org—Allows you to search for assistive technologies for use in the classroom (To help those with disabilities such as hearing, vision, etc).

· Kerpoof.com—A suite of online learning programs designed by Disney. Good for elementary (specifically primary) students. Students can create a picture and use it to tell a story. Spell a picture is also very nice. Students pick background, spell words, and create pictures.

· [|www.voki.com]—Teachers and students can create characters and have them speak the lessons with illustrations.

· [|www.qwiki.com] —The site uses pictures and reads you a bit of text that was written. Teachers can add their own text and the computer will read it. Pictures cycle as you read. 


 * Oh, the Places You Will Go-ogle **

The session covered little known tools within Google. For example:

· The Wonder Wheel—The wonder wheel takes related subjects and graphs them to the topic. It shows connections between disciplines and ideas that may not otherwise be apparent.

· Reading level Google searches—The presenter explained how to organize google searches by reading level via the advanced search section in Google.

· Application specific Google searches—The presenter explained how to use Google advanced to find only powerpoints, word files, etc.

Interesting websites (honorable mention):

[| www.linoit.com] (Allows you to stick post it notes over an existing webpage) [|www.read-able.com] (Calcula†es the readability, i.e. reading level, of webpages). [|www.twurdy.com] (Similar to read-able.com) translate.google.com (Translates to and from many languages and will even read the text aloud in the chosen language) [|vark.com] --Ask an expert site. The site pairs you with an expert in the field to answer the question presented. The answer comes back in an email. 


 * Flip video **

This session covered movie making and video/sound editing to create student projects with flip video cameras. Ignoring the obvious brand pushing, the session did include some valuable tips on editing and creating student videos for classroom projects.

One very useful tool covered in the session was anyvideo, which converts between video file types. This is an extremely useful tool for helping students’ projects to be compatible (and viewable) across platforms (Mac/PC).