July 30, 2008

Episode 030 – Jul 30 2008

50 minutes

Our semi-regular classroom technology correspondent, Gail Potratz, is back with Martin and Sallie to continue the discussion of Web 2.0 tools in the classroom. This week we focus on wiki and blog tools for education enhancement.

The discussion:

Wikis and Blogs in the Classroom – Gail Potratz, Technology Coordinator at Emanual in New London, WI, joins Martin and Sallie to share her experience and ideas for bringing Web 2.0 tools into the classroom. As we continue our discussion of this topic with Gail (previous installments during Episode 021 and Episode 025), we zero in on uses for wiki and blog tools, both for teachers and for students.

Wikis

Gail’s sample Wikispaces.com page

Sample 8th grade History wiki

Create your own wiki

Wikispaces.com

PBwiki.com

Blogs

Video of a 1st grade teacher’s blog usage in the classroom

Video of a paperless high school classroom

Create your own blog

Edublog.org

WordPress.com

The tidbits:

Picks of the week (25:40)

Create an avatar – www.voki.com

Sample Voki avatars used for a Spanish assignment – Link 1 | Link 2

Wacky Wonderful Web sites (WWWs) – www.stjohnsse.com/wwws

Manage multiple computers with one keyboard and mouse using Synergy

WELS.net feature (37:29)

Monthly prayer calendar – www.wels.net/jump/prayer-calendar

August 2008 prayer calendar (PDF)

Of interest (39:30)

Planning is under way for WELS International Youth Rally 2009

www.welsyouthrally.net

Iowa State University – Ames, IA – July 8-11, 2009

Rally Commercial Contest

WELS Got Talent Contest

Subscribe to rally updates

Community feedback (42:11)

David Scharrer of Hemlock, MI shared an idea for involving youth in loading MP3 players for shuts-ins to listen to Streams devotional podcasts

Cindy Krueger, member of Shepherd of the Hills in Lansing, MI, shared links to Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) online training from EASI (Equal Access to Software and Information) easi.cc and an ADA training listserve

Julie Duran, WELS.net webmaster, shared a link to a Lynx browser add-on that will allow users to view text versions of their links and check for accessibility

The featured artist:

We close with music of WELS musician, Mike Westendorf (www.mikewestendorf.com) – Look Out from his CD titled Climb the Mountain (46:20)

Get involved:

Add a comment below

E-mail: [email protected]

Voice mail: 414-375-2334

del.icio.us tag: welstech

Join:

WELSTech listserve

WELSTech on facebook

...more

View all episodes

By WELS