Putting Technology in the Hands of our Students

I was recently preparing for a presentation for Texas ASCD about usteam.tv. One of the things I wanted to show was how to upload a video from http://www.ustream.tv/ to http://www.youtube.com/. I googled for instructions and the first video that I clicked was the one below. I was amazed that I was getting instructions from a 10 year old. Not only was I getting instructions, but I was watching a full scale production with advertisements. Just when I think I am doing a great job of implementing technology in schools I realized how far behind I am. I wonder how this child is being challenged in his school? I wonder if he just can't wait to get home so he make his own tutorials about the lesson that day to show the teacher?

Learning from a 10 year old.

Are You Teaching Like You Are Living?

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Region X & XI Conference at Byron Nelson HS

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How to open up an iTunes account without a credit card

We just purchased a classroom set of iTouches for students and were planning on using the paid version of iSign and then use several of the free apps for classroom projects. Our first hurdle was that iTunes requires a Credit Card, with a little bit of searching I found a solution right from the Apple help forums, so this is completely legal and not a hack. For those visual learners check out the How-to-Video


How to Open an iTunes account without a Credit Card

Time Lapse Video for your Classroom

Have you ever wanted to document what went on in your class all day, take pictures of a sprouting seedling, or watch a flower bloom in slow motion? You can do this with a webcam and free software.

If you are using a Mac try Gawker it will take pictures in intervals with your built in iSight camera and when its done Gawker will put all the pictures in to a Quicktime movie. Examples (Gawker will also let you use multiple webcams)

If you are using a PC download Microsoft's Webcam Timershot. Timershot will save all the photos into a folder of your choosing. To incorporate them into a video drop the pictures into movie maker and see your photos come alive.

Limeades for Learning

Do you ever go by Sonic and think "Do I ever need a Route 44?" Well now don't think about it just go and get one. Attached to your drinks is a little tab that peels off with a security code. Use that code and to go to the Limeades for Learning website and vote for an educational project near you. Don't forget Sonic Happy Hour is from 2 -4 o'clock and drinks are half price.

Google Picasa, It Just Got Better!

Google does a great job of taking great free applications and making them better. Picasa already crops, organizes, straightens, retouches, and adds text to photographs, but now it adds face recognition. I also appreciate the fact that it only takes up ten megabytes of space unlike other editors that are not only memory hogs but constantly run in your system tray. Plus its simpe to use. Great Job Google!

How to work Face Recognition Video