Posted on November 30th, 2008 by davisjames
As I have investigated the sample Pageflakes pages, I have found that their judicious use could be truly beneficial for keeping a group on the same page, literally! Of course, this concept can work well in a classroom, grade level, special subject or school-wide environment. In any of these groups, there are multiple possibilities: homework [...]
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Posted on November 28th, 2008 by davisjames
Google Docs is extremely easy to use and intuitive in its design. If you’ve worked with any of the Microsoft Office applications, then creating documents on Google Docs will be a breeze! I created a list of information literacy terms and invited viewers to add their own terms. There are many ways in which Google [...]
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Posted on November 24th, 2008 by davisjames
One of my first You Tube finds could be a good tool for helping our fourth graders better understand Boolean operators. It gives a dry, but easily understood, explanation of how to use various combinations of “and,” “or,” and “not” to define searches. Then, I stumbled across a really useful set of research videos (Part [...]
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Posted on November 16th, 2008 by davisjames
I just listened to the most delightful group of 3rd graders’ production of Ms. Edminson’s Weekly Podcast. It is entitled Eagles’ Nest Radio Episode 1: Take a BITE Out of Shark Facts. This is a well produced radio show, structured in four segments, with one student, Anna Catherine, acting as host and introducing other students [...]
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Posted on November 15th, 2008 by davisjames
What librarian, or other book lover, would not be enthusiastic about Library Thing? Create you own catalog. Organize your personal collection. Use multiple search and social options to connect with people and books! All for free!! Sound to good to be true? Well, no, except for the free part. If you plan to catalog more [...]
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Posted on November 14th, 2008 by davisjames
A key feature of the bookmarking site, Delicious, is its social aspect. Would it be Web 2.0 without interactivity? Perhaps not. Nonetheless, the ability to access and share the bookmarks of literally thousands of Internet users, with your same interests, provides you with a filter that few search engines can achieve.
I immediately found a need [...]
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Posted on November 9th, 2008 by davisjames
An interesting facet of reading blogs is the international aspect of the flow of information. There are no physical boundaries. As long as you understand the language of the blogger, you can exchange information. (Although, I’m certain that there are translation tools that I have yet to hear about.)
One of the blogs which I initially [...]
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Posted on November 2nd, 2008 by davisjames
Wordle Rules! By using Wordle, I’ve discovered a new way to incorporate an old idea, namely word walls, into an Info Lit lesson. As our 4th Grade students build their information literacy skills throughout the year, they are introduced to many new and familiar words related to developing their research skills. So, for a culminating [...]
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Posted on November 1st, 2008 by davisjames
I found Mathew Needleman’s conference presentation for the K12 Online Conference 2008, “Amplifying the Possibilities,” to be interesting, informative and entertaining. Entitled, “Film School for Video Podcasters,” it presented very specific techniques and tools that will allow even elementary students to produce their own videos.
Mr. Needleman made a convincing argument for teaching students critical thinking [...]
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