Set Sail with Technology

Change in the way Google creates Photo Slideshows

2011-12-01T17:44:00.000-08:00

In the past, Google users could create photo slideshows for their websites and blogs simply by clicking on Photos and then copying the Embed code. You can still create slideshows from your photos in Google, but now you must go to Picasa Web Albums. Once you have copied your slideshow code, just paste it into the html editor on your blog post. See below:

Present Like Steve Jobs

2009-10-22T13:18:00.001-07:00

Let Your Students Explore with Britannica

2009-04-29T11:28:00.000-07:00

Britannica Online School Edition is brought to you by the Alabama Virtual Library. This fantastic resource is provided free to all Alabama students and teachers. Britannica Online School Edition has articles, photographs, illustrations, student activities, and videos such as this one on how native Americans used the sassafras tree.

Explore these resources yourself or contact Technology in Motion for free training delivered at your school.

Great Idea for Student Project

2009-04-05T13:25:00.000-07:00

Looking for a new way to teach students history? This lesson, posted in the Creative Educator, features authentic learning as students take on the role of researchers who's task it will be to make a presentation to the National Parks Service, recommending the next president to be added to Mount Rushmore. Check out this great lesson at: http://www.thecreativeeducator.com/v05/lessons/Persuasive_and_Presidential_Writing

Digital StoryTelling with AMSTI

2009-03-31T19:42:00.000-07:00

This week I worked with AMSTI directors and math specialists from around the state on creating digital video-stories. They were a fun group and we had a great time learning Audacity, Photo Story, and Windows MovieMaker together. Check out the video for a sample of what we put together.

Power Teaching!!

2009-03-18T18:45:00.000-07:00

I received a wonderful tip today from a very nice intern named, Holly. She told me about "Power Teaching" and suggested I go to YouTube and check it out. So I did. I think this is an awesome way to teach! Just watch how enthusiastic the kids are about learning. Ok, I'm going to shut up now and let you watch for yourself. Thanks again, Holly!!!

Copyright Friendly Images for Students and Teachers

2009-02-01T20:35:00.000-08:00

www.pics4learning.com
Pics4Learning is a copyright-friendly image library for teachers and students. The Pics4Learning collection consists of thousands of images that have been donated by students, teachers, and amateur photographers. Unlike many Internet sites, permission has been granted for teachers and students to use all of the images donated to the Pics4Learning collection.

A Great Student Project Idea

2009-02-01T20:17:00.000-08:00

When it comes to Photo Story: Size Does Matter!

2008-05-27T20:09:00.000-07:00

By the end of training, most teachers are so happy to have created a beautiful video with images and music that they often miss some important technical information. On the last menu in Photo Story, teachers can save their Photo Story in two ways. The first way is to click, "Save Project". This is how you save your work so you can make changes later. This is a pretty straight-forward process. The other way to save your work is as a video file. Videos can be saved in a variety of resolution settings. The following video will help you choose the right setting for your project.

Click on Image

The Good You Do Will Come Back To You

2008-05-20T07:20:00.000-07:00

Click on image above

Resource for Teachers of Art and Art Appreciation

2008-05-17T08:31:00.000-07:00

Sotheby's Private View features various pieces of art as explained by the curators of the museum. You can view this using iTunes under the Podcast section or you can visit their Web site http://www.sothebys.com/video/privateview/N08437/index.html

Great Resource for Creating Graphic Organizers

2008-01-08T20:14:00.000-08:00

I have always believed that students would be better writers if only they could organize their thoughts. ReadWriteThink is a partner site of Thinkfinity (formerly Marcopolo) offering numerous interactives to assist students in writing projects. My personal favorites are the Comparison Map, Essay Map, Persuasive Map, and BioCube. Below is an example of one of these graphic organizers. If you are interested, visit http://www.readwritethink.org/

Creating Pictographs in Microsoft Excel

2008-01-02T19:48:00.000-08:00

Create visually appealing graphs by replacing the old, dull columns with pictures of what you are charting. Here's how:

Step 1: Create your Chart

Create your column chart as normal by highlighting the data and completing the four steps in the Chart Wizard. Be sure to choose the 2-D column chart.

Step 2: Replace your columns with Images
1. Click on a stack.

2. Click "Insert"--"ClipArt"

3. Choose an image

4. Double-click on a stack

5. Choose Fill Effects

6. Click on "Stack and Scale: 1unit

A Great Resource

2007-12-19T07:39:00.000-08:00

I recently picked up a new journal called, "The Creative Educator". This very informative journal features an article on "Making Time for Technology". The article was written by David Cochran, Ed.D.

Here is just a little of what they suggested:

The Cup of Time and the Saucer of Lost Learning

Imagine a cup holding all the time we have to help our students learn. Each new thing we add to the cup fills it more until something overflows into the Saucer of Lost Learning. Think for a minute about your overflowing curriculum. When you add something new, what stays in your cup and what overflows into your Saucer of Lost Learning?
One of the myths of technology use in the classroom is that it takes too much time and forces other important subjects to spill into the Saucer of Lost Learning. There is truth in this widely held belief if we envision technology as something more to drop into the Cup of Time. If we treat technology like a new subject, it will force something into the saucer, creating new problems and frustrations. If, on the other hand, we see technology as a tool to help accomplish the learning goals we would seek to accomplish anyway, then it is not an add-on subject. In this view of technology, we are trading traditional ways of learning for newer, perhaps more exciting ways of accomplishing goals. When we replace something in the Cup of Time, less, or nothing, spills into the Saucer of Lost Learning.

We need to:
(1) Keep the end in sight. We should make it clear in the beginning what we want students to know and be able to do by the end of their experience.
(2) Take a hard look at ourselves and the dynamics of our classroom to become aware of the ways we waste time. (3) Realize that we do not need to do everything with computers.
(4) Add to our repertoire over time. Each year we can add more and more lessons that involve technology.
(5) Understand that using technology is a front-loaded time consumer. The first time we do anything with a computer usually takes longer than we would like. The good news is that when we work out the details and save our lesson, it becomes a time efficient activity in the future.

Here is the link to the entire article: http://www.thecreativeeducator.com/stories/current/time.html