This week on the WELSTech Podcast we review Tech & Learning magazine and talk with Rachel Malkuch about using tech tools for student evaluation.

A magazine for today’s teachers – Teacher Gail Potratz from Emanuel in New London, WI makes her once-a-month guest appearance on WELSTech and joins Martin and Sallie in a discussion of the online and print magazine Tech & Learning.

(19:55) Alternative assessment with technology – Teacher Rachel Malkuch (aleixa on Twitter and blogger at Learn for a Lifetime) from Trinity in Waukesha, WI chats with Sallie about her recent presentation to the Milwaukee-Metro Teachers’ Conference on the use of Technology as means of Alternate Assessment.

(34:16) Release of the Glo Bible for Mac and iPad – Watch the iPad demo

(45:21) FinalWeb Training in New Ulm, MN and Milwaukee, WI

(55:43) Episode 178 – A month of “April Showers” await WELSTech listeners, and first up is a shower of webmaster resources.  (Release date – 04/06/11)

(56:51) We close the podcast with the music of Mike Westendorf (www.mikewestendorf.com and mikewestendorf on Twitter) – Blessed is The One from his CD titled “Undefined”

This week on the WELSTech Podcast we explore memorization tools and learn about the new STEM Academy at Fox Valley Lutheran High School.

Memorization tools – ‘Tis the season for confirmation examination, and what better time for Martin and Sallie to take an in-depth look at the variety of techie helps for memorization.

(10:56) STEM at FVL – Academic Assistant Principal Alan Nolte talks with Martin about Fox Valley Lutheran High School’s new STEM Academy.  STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, and through this new program FVL will be offering students the opportunity to take specialized courses in these fields over their high school years.

(26:22) Why churches and Christian groups should use mobile QR codes

(38:04) FinalWeb Training in New Ulm, MN and Milwaukee, WI

(46:55) Episode 177 – Gail Potratz joins Martin and Sallie to share her unique edtech experience. (Release date – 03/30/11)

(47:10) We close the podcast with the music of Cross To Glory – Thy Will Be Done from their CD titled “Life’s Song”

This week on the WELSTech Podcast Microsoft Office and Staff Minister Dan Schoeffel share center stage.

Is your office a Microsoft Office? – Martin and Sallie discuss the “mature” Microsoft Office suite and share links to a robust list of support resources.

(16:08) Tech Solutions – Staff Minister Dan Schoeffel from St. Paul’s in Onalaska, WI talks with Martin and Sallie about the various hardware and software solutions that have been implemented in his congregation and school.  From scrolling announcements in the church narthex to innovative time keeping to wise stewardship of hardware, St. Paul’s has their tech bases covered.

(32:22) Free introductory online course from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary

(34:10) iPad 2 Reviews from Cnet

(40:35) FinalWeb Training in New Ulm, MN and Milwaukee, WI

(50:38) Episode 176 – Alan Nolte from Fox Valley Lutheran High School shares news of their upcoming STEM Academy, and we review techie aids for memorization. (Release date – 03/23/11)

(51:21) We close the podcast with the instrumental music of In His Service (www.adagioconcepts.com) – I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say from their CD titled “In His Time”

This week on the WELSTech Podcast we return to our book discussion and take a closer look at techie outreach resources.

Communication for School Leaders – Listen as Martin and Sallie discuss Chapter 7 of Leading 21st Century Schools which covers tech-based ideas for school leaders to engage parents, alumni, school boards and other “stakeholders” in education initiatives.

(13:51) WhatAboutJesus.com – Access and share outreach oriented resources covering questions about Jesus and God, life concerns, introduction to worship, worship helps and much more.

(19:08) iPad2 announcement – Recently Joshua Johnson from Nebraska Evangelical Lutheran High School posted a question on the WELSTech Facebook page looking for 1 to 1 computing recommendations.  If you are considering iPads for 1 to 1 computing in your school, check out these resources:

(28:23) FinalWeb Training in New Ulm, MN and Milwaukee, WI

(46:03) Episode 175 – The Microsoft Office tool set is the discussion topic of the day, and Staff Minister Dan Schoeffel shares his tech favorites. (Release date – 03/16/11)

(47:20) We close the podcast with the music of Corban Creek  – Psalm 13 from their CD titled ”Could It Be Me”

This week on the WELSTech Podcast we look at examples of WELS congregation’s Facebook pages .

Facebook pages – A question from Cindie Walker about the new facebook page for Cross of Life in Mississauga, Ontario was the spark for Martin and Sallie’s discussion today.  Adding a Facebook page to your communication strategy provides a platform for sharing events, announcements and audio/video content, and it also allows members to easily practice “lifestyle evangelism”.

(23:45) WELS on Facebook – Alicia Neumann from WELS Communication Services talks with Martin and Sallie about the content and maintenance of WELS official Facebook presence – facebook.com/welslutherans.

(38:44) TableProject.org – a private social platform for churches

(55:56) Episode 174 – We discuss school administration communication, the focus of Chapter 7 of our current book selection, Leading 21st Century Schools. (Release date – 03/09/11)

(56:43) We close the podcast with the music of Michael Schroeder (www.michaelschroeder.com and on Facebook) – The One from his CD titled ”Fuel For The Soul”

This week is education week on the WELSTech Podcast, and Gail Potratz joins us to take a look at Google Earth.

Tour the world – Google Earth is a powerful desktop mapping tool that has many uses in the classroom.  Martin and Sallie welcome back our semi-regular classroom technology correspondent, Gail Potratz, from Emanuel in New London, WI, and we discuss the many uses of the software.

Getting started resources:

Eight uses for Google Earth in ministry:

2. Historical maps

3. Bible land tours

4. Geography class

5. WELS locations

6. Map your members and prospects

7. Ocean exploration

8. Astronomy

(33:44) Proclaim – Cloud based worship presentations

(34:46) Google Docs Viewer Now Supports 12 More File Formats

(52:55) We close the podcast with the music of Mike Westendorf (www.mikewestendorf.com and mikewestendorf on Twitter) – You Are Amazing from his CD titled ”Undefined”

This week the WELSTech Podcast topic is blogging, and we talk with Pastor Dan Walters about his post-a-day efforts.

Blog topics – Martin and Sallie share ideas for your blog, and invite you to take the WELSTech Blogging Challenge.  What better way to learn more about blogging and find your personal blogging niche than to post to your blog at least once per week for the rest of 2011.  Share a link to your blog so we can follow!

(12:48) Pastor Walters is a blogger – Pastor Dan Walters from Our Savior in Springville, NY is blogging every day in 2011! He joins Martin and Sallie to share his experience and tips for successful blogging.

(26:50) Video presentations of Martin Luther’s Morning and Evening Prayers

(28:14) New features on Vimeo and ScreenCast.com

(45:04) Episode 172 – Gail Potratz joins the conversation, and we take a virtual tour of the world using Google Earth. (Release date 02/23/11)

(45:40) We close the podcast with the music of Stephen Bautista (www.stephenbautistamusic.com or stephenbautista on Twitter) – The Man Who Drove the Nail from his CD titled ”Abandon””

This week on the WELSTech Podcast we return to our school technology book discussion and interview Mexico Missionary Mike Hartmann.

Inspire and Assess Technology Integration – Martin and Sallie discuss chapter 6 of Leading 21st Century Schools which focuses on school leaders motivating technology changes in education.  Practical guidelines for assessing tech enhanced lessons are shared as well.

(14:13) The Proclaimer – Missionary Mike Hartman from Leon, Mexico joins Martin and Sallie to share a story of outreach using a solar-powered, wind-up MP3 player in remote Mexico.

(53:18) Episode 171 – We’ll answer the question “What should I blog about?” and talk with Pastor/blogger Dan Waters about his motivation and topics for blogging. (Release date 02/16/11)

(54:01) This week we close with the music of Kevin Loersch – Amazing Grace from his CD titled ”Abide With Me”

This week the WELSTech Podcast focus is evangelistic web sites as we discuss a new e-book on that topic.

A WELSTech e-Book  Release – Martin and Sallie discuss recent work on Websites and Missions: Reaching Out in a Digital World.

(23:00) Crosswalk Communications – Staff minister Jonathan Favorite from Crosswalk Lutheran Ministries in Phoenix AZ joins Martin and Sallie to share details about their use of technology to communicate the Gospel.

(38:44) Do you accept online donations on your church web site?  Share your experience!

(40:41) Port your existing mobile number to Google Voice (Video tutorial)

(54:28) Episode 170 – Missionary Mike Hartman joins us to share news about the newest “Proclaimer” of God’s Word in Mexico, and we discuss chapter 6 of Leading 21st Century Schools. (Release date 02/09/11)

(55:20) This week we close with the music of Crosswalk Lutheran Ministries featuring our interviewee, Jonathan Favorite- Dive Into God’s Word from their CD titled ”Crosswalk Lutheran Ministries”

This week on the WELSTech Podcast the focus is the use of copyright-safe audio in the 21st century classroom.

Audio Resources for Students – Gail Potratz (gailpotratz on Twitter), our semi-regular classroom technology correspondent from Emanuel in New London, WI, joins Martin and Sallie this week as we review 21st Century Skills, specifically the use of audio resources for communication and problem solving.

(8:31) Copyright friendly- Barry Britt from Soundzabound.com talks with Gail about the development of the copyright-safe-audio-for-education web site.

(32:18) my.BrainShark.com is a simple way to narrate files and embed them on your web site – View a sample WELSTech presentation

(36:38) DimDim.com web conferencing is no longer free (FAQ).  There are many free alternatives, including a few we’ve recently discussed on WELSTech …

(59:33) Episode 169 – Evangelical websites is the planned discussion topic as we chat with Staff Minister Jonathan Favorite from Crosswalk Lutheran Ministries in Phoenix, AZ. (Release date 02/02/11)

(1:01:01) We close with the music of Koine (www.koinemusic.com | Facebook) – Christ is our Cornerstone from their CD titled ”Koine II”