BP15_2009103_Peer Comments

With a name like this, one does not know what to expect. I thought of the Hulk, (lol) but have come to use this resource for many things. Princeton University continues to update and enlarge this site that I have used for years. My favorite aspect of the site is that is is kept updated and always has new things. It has become my go-to place for the latest art gadgets. Like the Getty, it is well-funded and thus reliable.
The screen shot makes it clear just how many different aspects of teaching art are facilitated by this site, since each word surrounding Mona Lisa is a link. From blogs to suppliers; from lessons to games and activities; from links to association resources for advocacy, this site has it all. When I am in need of some lesson resources, it is always my first stop, and often the only one. For inspiration or even for sub plans, this is site is the best one I know. Check it out for yourself.

BP14_2009103_Best Web 2.0 Tool for the Week

This is my favorite Web 2.0 tool for the week. Edu2.0.org.

http://www.edu20.org

BP13_2009103_Web 2.0 Tool 6

http://www.ctap4.net/projects/middle-school-math/52-middle-school-math/134-middle-school-math-project.html

This site is a site sponsored by the State of California is a Web 2.0 references tool for their state standards for middle school math it is called the Middle School Math Project. As you can see on the image above there is a color code system that teachers and students to the appropriate web 2.o resource. Despite the fact that I live and teach in the state of Florida I can use this matrix as a cross-reference. I think this is a valuable tool for me to check another system to see if there are different methods of teaching the same concepts that might be more effective. This site also list math project that center around central themes like measurements, functions, integers, fractions and geometry just to name a few.

BP12_2009103_Web 2.0 Tool 5

http://www.exambuilder.com/

Exam builder is another site that could be useful in teaching math. This site allows teachers to do everything they would expect to do with an exam builder. Teachers can create exams in many different formats like fill in the blanks, essay, multiple choice, and matching. Exams can be administered on paper or on line. This is a really good tool to use when students have been absent for a long time to keep up with the progress of the class. There is also a test item analysis feature that shows class and individual performance on each test question. This is an excellent way for the teacher to know if a particular concept is being understood. If 75% of the class is missing questions 15 through 20 then the teacher will have to readdress that concept in a different manner in order to promote greater understanding. Over time or working with other teacher a department can build large test bank pool of questions that will cover every area of the curriculum. This would be an excellent resource to collaborate with fellow teachers.

BP11_2009103_Web 2.0 Tool 4

http://www.edu20.org/

This is an awesome website. You can become a student and join a school, you can join a school to become a teacher, or you can start your own school and recruit your own students and teachers. You can join districts. This web 2.0 tool states that it has over 95,000 members and it is growing fast. This site contains every academic area that you would find in a traditional school. Each school has its own administration, facility, and parent participation. This is a way for anyone to start a virtual school. This is a good opportunity for certified teachers to become entrepreneurs in the field they know best, “education”. The site is easy to use and it has many video tutorials to guide you through the process. I also see this as a way to offer web 2.0 content to augment regular classroom instructions.

BP10_2009102_Flickr Lesson Plan

I found a lesson plan titled “Tagging with Flickr”. The lesson takes about 30 minutes. Students will open a flickr account with 8 untaged photos. This lesson stresses the importance of tagging. Tagging is something that individuals usually do to share their work. Students are to work in groups to share their observations about tags for different photos. Students should consider with deliberate thought, Why we tag, Who we tag for, and How to make tags better.

The instructor also wants students to become comfortable using Flickr as a tool to search for tagged photos. I can see this as an excellent source to search for photos for different purposes. The instructor describes tagging photos as a skill and I agree. If a student is looking for photos that depict outdoor activities, then that student must use the search terms that would produce such photos. This is where tagging comes in. For example a photo is tagged with the word “homer” you will get images of Homer Simpson and images of baseball players hitting home runs and you will even get photos of things that have to do with neither. This is why the instructor stresses that careful consideration should go in creating tags. This is a good lesson plan; I hope to find a way to use it myself.

http://capping.slis.ualberta.ca/cap07/SarahPolkinghorne/lessonplan.html

BP9_2009102_Favorite Web 2.0 Tool of the Week

My favorite Web 2.0 tool for this week is GoAnimate.com, I really like this site, I hope that you will also find it useful.

Here is my latest creation using GoAnimate.com