Recently Edudemic wrote about three free coding websites for kids. They based their criteria on ease of use, aesthetics, effectiveness, and it had to be free. The article also discussed each website’s strengths and weaknesses. Drum roll please, the 3 best free coding websites are:
Check them out or tell us how you’re already using them in your class. Need more? Here’s the trailer for CodeCombat where kids learn to code by playing a game!
A message from our friends at the College of Saint Benedict.
CSB has over 100 6”x6”steel bookends free for the taking. The bookends are grey with a small label identifying them as from the College of Saint Benedict. If your library can use these, please contact Bonnie Kalla at Clemens Library (bkalla@csbsju.edu) to arrange pick up and delivery.
Come one, come all to the central Minnesota EdCamp on June 10, 2015. The EdCampMidMN event will be at the ISELF building on the St. Cloud State University Campus (St. Cloud, Minnesota). EdCamp follows the unconference process and is:
Registration is open so sign up now!
Tuesday, January 27, 2015
1:00 PM–2:00 PM (Central Time)
Over the past two years, the University of Minnesota Libraries eLearning Support Initiative has invested in numerous projects designed to encourage and support faculty exploration of alternative and affordable course content. This webinar will:
Presenter:
Kristi Jensen
Program Development Lead, eLearning Support Initiative
University of Minnesota Libraries – Twin Cities
Google Tools as Teaching Tools: Creating Infrastructure, Assessment, & Saving Time
Wednesday, February 4, 2015
1:00 PM–2:00 PM (Central Time)
This webinar will share examples of the use of Google Tools to create learning infrastructure and assessment tools for both online and in-person learning environments. The presenters will cover uses of Google Sites, Google Drive, and YouTube as platforms for teaching and assessment. The presenters will also provide an overview of Google “plug-ins” and “add-ons” that can help content creators and instructors create and manage their tools more efficiently. Attendees will take away:
Presenters:
Jon Jeffryes
Interim Director of Social Sciences and Professional Programs
University of Minnesota Libraries – Twin Cities
Lisa Johnston
Research Data Management/Curation Lead and Co-Director of the University Digital Conservancy
University of Minnesota Libraries – Twin Cities
Fabulous and Free Open Online Resources for Teaching
Wednesday, March 4, 2015
10:00 AM–11:00 AM (Central Time)
Attendees will learn about sources of high quality, free online education resources for teaching and learning. Participants will walk away with multiple resources for teaching in all content areas, strategies for integrating digital resources with curriculum, and how to use these resources to engage and inspire students. Tools for game-based learning, flipped learning, and inquiry based learning will be discussed, along with opportunities for participants to share other resources used in their classrooms.
Presenter:
Mary Mehsikomer, CETL
Technology Integration Development & Outreach Facilitator
2014-2015 President, Information and Technology Educators of Minnesota (ITEM)
The school year is in full swing, and we are well on our way to parent-teacher conferences! Minitex and MNKnows have some great – and FREE – promotional materials for you. In their post about the free products, Minitex says the materials “can be displayed in your library; used in welcome packets; distributed to patrons, teachers, students, and parents; and for a multitude of other uses.” Act now to get them in time for those parent-teacher conferences! You can order the materials here.
Image credit: http://tinyurl.com/lgvcfl6, licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0