Tuesday, August 9, 2011

GVC Free Programs for Education

Our Global Virtual Classroom [GVC] Project is a worldwide program for any primary or secondary school that chooses to participate. Approximately 33,500 students and 1,920 teachers from over 600 schools in 62 countries have participated in this project over the years.

The GVC is now accepting applications for the 2011-2012 web design contest.  Contest has cash awards for top winners and software awards for Merit Award winners.

Registrations for the non-competitive Clubhouse program are also being accepted. For more about both programs, check our website: http://www.virtualclassroom.org

New GVC Wikis - viewable by the world, but participation is by invitation only.  Teachers must register for the contest or clubhouse.

The Teacher's Lounge Wiki, will provide a summer of learning and getting to know other teachers.  In September teachers can request one partner; the other will be assigned. Enrollment in this wiki is for teachers only.

The Clubhouse Wiki not only has lessons to use with students, but discussions, and projects in which to participate.  This wiki is for teachers and students. Students do not need email, and cannot be contacted by anyone not a member of the wiki.  One on one paring of schools is still also available.

Record and Share Presentations

With Present Me, you can now record yourself AND your presentation!  What a great way for students to learn the real power of PowerPoint.  With design aimed at the essentials not every single word on the screen, PPT (or a PDF) along with audio/video content equals one complete presentation.

To carry it a step further, think of the students who were sick or had and early dismissal, and missed the presentation for your class.  Now with Present Me, they can pick it up anytime from home.  What another use?  How about the time that it takes in the classroom for each student to get up in front of the class and give their presentation on the assigned topic?  By the end of the 10th or 15th or 20th student, even the teacher isn't paying attention anymore.  What if students created their presentation and delivered it using Present Me, then were each assigned 5 other students presentations to view and evaluate? Valuable class time saved and a much more meaningful opportunity both for presenters and listeners.

Editing is simple, so no problems with doing it all in one shot.  If you make a mistake.  Just do that 'slide' over again.

Say goodbye to 'death by PowerPoint!'

Thursday, August 4, 2011

Twitter blocked?

Well, it might well be in classrooms around the world, and for many reasons.  However, at the urging of fellow teachers, a tech guru (who is also a teacher) in Canada, has created a closed, safe system for education.  It's called 'twiducate' the social networking program for schools. Teachers need to sign up in order to participate and students are given access only through their teachers.  No student email is needed.  Access can be via computer and/or cell phone.

Great blog post on 35 ways to use twiducate for deeper learning. Really a great way to bring the 21st century into the classroom!  As this blog post says, the best thing about it is that it is free!