Flockdraw: An interactive Whiteboard

Have you ever wanted to collaborate visually or artistically like you would with a Google Doc. Flockdraw allows you to collaborate in real time with others while you draw your idea. Its simple and its free. Think of it as Kidpix or MS Paint that students can work together on, it saves your work automatically and you can embed it to your website.

Ideas for the classroom: "Pictionary" game with vocabulary or spelling words, practice drawing maps. work math problems with other students

Start Collaborating in 5 easy steps

Step 1: Go to the Flockdraw website

Step 2: Click on the Start drawing button

Step 3: Copy the address from the address bar and paste it into an email

Step 4: Send it to collaborators

Step 5: Start drawing / collaborating

Google Earth Play and Learn

Google makes it easy to start implementing Google Earth in your classroom. They have created an online game that teaches students and teachers how to implement Google Earth. The game start off with finding your house and it leads you through the process of creating content. Google has done it again!

Go Check out the game: Get started with a Practice Quiz


Here is short video over viewing what google earth can do.

Is This the Future...

Google is coming out with their own operating system, it is cloud based and will boot in seven seconds. Google is betting on the fact that most users use the computer to get on the internet so why not make the operating system the browser.

Google OS

TimeMe: Classroom Timer for Free

Time me is a very simple timer that can be used in the classroom. Make sure you click on the Time / Stop watch settings to select an alarm sound if not the timer is silent. It is ad supported and therefore free. However, you can purchase the download verision and the ads will be removed. Go check it out at www.timeme.com

Google has Changed the Way we Teach

Several weeks ago a friend of mine sent me the Bart Simpson episode that talks about cellphones in the classroom. One of my favorite quotes is from Bart's new teacher, "Are you telling me you memorized that fact when anyone with a cellphone can find that in thirty seconds?" The truth screamed out at me. We can no longer use low level questions in the classroom or for homework. A student does not even need to read or even use his textbook to find the answers they only need keyboarding skills and Google

How do we fix this?
1. Ban Google

2. Google proof questions.

Students must be challenged to use the upper level of Blooms Taxonomy. Questions must make them apply, analyze, synthesize, and evaluate.

I wish I could take credit for all these thoughts, but I cant please check out the ElectronicEducator's blog.

Classroom Response for the 21st Century.

When I think of a Classroom Response System I think of a remote like device that uses infrared or radio frequency to transport information from the student's device to the teacher computer. I came up with an idea this week for a system that just might work in the classroom. You can take any internet enabled device whether wi-fi or a student cellphone on a data plan and point them at a Google Form (Quiz) created by the teacher. Teachers would create their own content post the link on their website and have students take the quiz from their device. Teachers could even form cohorts and share quiz folders in Google Docs and build the school or districts Quiz / Test database.

Schools could even purchase a classroom set of iTouches for teachers or grade levels to share for almost the same price of a reponse system. In addtion to the "response system" you have 100,000 apps from the Apple Apps Store. Sounds like a much better use of money.

Try it from your device <-- Click here

Screen Shot from iTouch of Google Forms Quiz: (Click on Picture for full size image)

How to Create a Quiz Using Google Forms

Make Your Own Animated Video with Xtranormal

Have you ever wanted to make your own animated video? Xtranormal make this process easy and free. You can either do your own voice overs or it has a speech-to-text option where your characters have computer generated voices.

How to Video: by YutubeMedia