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A CMLE member librarian, representing our special library types, suggested an educational technology tool called Ngram Viewer, a subsidiary of Google Research. It illustrates (often in table or graph format) how a word or phase has been used over time including its root, compositions, use in parts of speech and so on.
In May, David Brooks, a political and cultural commentator, wrote an article in the New York Times Opinion Section on how this tool can be used to identify social and cultural paradigm shifts. Click here to read the full article, What Our Words Tell Us.
In March 2010, the first beta (prototype) site for Pinterest was launched with limited access to a small group of professional colleagues along with close friends and family of it’s co-founders. The purpose of the site was to allow users to bookmark or “pin” images, videos, etc. in which they found of “interest” to virtual bulletin boards, categorized by themes.
By February 2013, Pinterest boasted more than 48 million users and was valued at $2.5 billion dollars (Reuters). Growing in popularity among students of all ages, Edudemic posted a quick guide to rethinking how students could effectively use Pinterest. Click here to read the full article.
Digital Learn.org is a new beta website-launched this month!
If you have learners that struggle with the computer basics this site is for you. It provides free tools, techniques and tips to help build confidence with technology (email, internet searching, etc.) It is sponsored by the Public Libraries Association (PLA) and the Institute of Museum and Library Services, however the tutorials can be viewed by any patron looking for help.
The main page is divided into two sections, one for the patrons (learn) and the other for support staff (help learners). The link for support staff will take you to a form to request additional information about future services and tools; so for a quick application of this ed-tech tool the “learn” tab will be extremely useful.
Please keep in mind that because this is a new beta site, the contents will continue to grow over time!
This Free App from Educreations blends the functionality of a traditional dry erase board with standard presentation software. The user can easily create quick tutorials and how-to videos. With multiple applications in and out of the media center or classroom you might want to add this APP to your list of must haves!
Teachers can enhance lessons on the presidential election by using news websites, online polling and social networks, K-8 technology teacher Mary Beth Hertz writes in this blog post. Hertz suggests using online tools such as PollEverywhere to have students vote on issues or candidates and compare results to national data, and using Skype or Google Hangout to set up political discussions or debates. “Students can now participate in online polls, read news at their reading level, and play interactive games that help them understand political issues and processes,” Hertz writes. Edutopia.org/Mary Beth Hertz’s blog (10/8)
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