Thing #6 iTouch Apps

I have wondered about what I could use an I-touch or and I-pad for Reading though the list I could see the students using:
Ifbphone for collaboration
bookshelf for a book and acrobat reader
Poptiq for videos would be good for instructional videos
Google earth is good for word problems using real places
I also found on my own a Pod cast that explain several middle school math concepts with the quick and dirty tricks The Math Dude These are quick 10 min lessons that explain how to do math TEKs I will use this with the project base learning I am planning the first unit this year.
I my children have Ipods and Iphones but I do not have one I have touched them at the Apple store
I also did my research and this update on the MacBook.

Thing #5 Microblogging

I had heard of all the wonderful things that could be done with face book so last summer I had started a face book account to use with my students but when I returned to school and spoke with our assistant principal he recommended that we not friend the students. His reason is that there is just too much drama going on to get involved. So now I use the face book for keeping in touch with my high school friends and people I’ve work with.
I have also joined some great groups like Edutopia. They have a recent article:
How to Use YouTube in the Classroom
www.youtube.com
Educational consultant and former Edutopia.org blogger Chris O'Neal demonstrates educational uses for YouTube.
So it is great for keeping up with new ways of teaching.
There also seems to be a lot of videos on how to do. These quick videos could be used as a hook for a lesson
I have also used it to put out information. I have posted the link to the YouTube video and with in 24 hour I have had a 10 viewer. I have also posted a link to raise money for a cause and was able to raise my goal of $150.
I also have a twitter account but have not figured out what to tweet about I know there are a lot of research on all the social network like
Is The West Coast Happier? Twitter Says Yes

It is great having videos on line that can be added to a lesson. Back in the old days you had to order videos or movies from the service center than wait at least a week for them to come in then barrow the equipment needed for viewing and preview the material then schedule the best time for the class to view the material
Now you can preview the night before and use it the next day. There are also a lot more available.
I also like student created materials because then the students can actually see that they can make their own and if they create the instruction they own the learning.
I have given a student created video a chance. Making the movie was easier than remembering my user name. This year I discovered it is connected to my goggle account. Hopefully I will remember that next time I go to upload.
Here it is
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NK__GOdh5Q

Thing 3 Skype communication in the class room

I do like Skype and have had lots of use with it. When my daughter moved to Japan we used Skype a lot for special day we would have a meal together. We also use Skype with my son in law while he is in Iraq. Though as the popularity has grown and the internet connection has not the quality of the picture has gone down. I do find using the instant messaging helpful.
My favorite classroom use was years ago when I taught in an elementary classroom. My brother is a university professor in France. I was teaching my students about communication on the computer and we connected to the university in France. Most of the student’s primary language at that time was Spanish and my brother’s student’s main language was French. The 2 classrooms connected and the students on both ends shared a lot as we were finishing up. The French side was getting their first snow fall for the season so they turned the camera to the out side window and my Houston students were able to see snow it was very exciting.
I hope to be able to connect my middle school math students to gather with another class room. I think they could both present how to solve a particular problem having the student do the actual teaching . I feel that the size of the active board would help in the process.

Thing #2 = Wordle or Wordshift, Glogster or VoiceThread, Animoto or Voki, and Bookr

Wordle or WordSift, Glogster/edu or VoiceThread, Animoto or Voki, and Bookr
So I have viewed the great web designs and wonder how can I use this in a 7th grade math classroom
Wordle can be used for students reflections put into wordle to see if they are suing rich math vocabulary
Word shift is an interesting ways to visualize text I tried last years blog and found word I sued most often. I liked that it also gave back the original text
Glogster Inter active poster project here is one on graphs
http://edu.glogster.com/edit/glog/?action=glogs_create
Voice thread could be used for students to comment on a problem and re- teach each other how to solve problems
Aminto The students would enjoy this but when they finish their video it would have to be purchased
Voki create you own Avatar this could be good for having the student explain math
Bookr uses flicker to create photo books this could be used for geometry but why not use the apple software to do the same thing?