This course that I am taking, Communicate and Collaborate Online, is bringing me to a new understanding on how I can use technology in new ways. I remember explaining how many Web 2.0 tools at the beginning of the course Sadly, I realized that I haven’t introduced many of these same technologies to my students. I have now. My students have begun to use technology to complete projects.

I have introduced my students to blogging and using Edmodo. My students have begun to create their own learning communities. Communication has increased between myself and my students, and we have just successfully completed an online project. It Is exciting to realize the future. The video below has been my inspiration. It’s time we take advantage of the tools we have and not run from them.

This year I decided to try something different. This year we used an iPhone. RulerPhone is an app that I bought a long time ago, but I never had the occasion to use it. It's an app that lets you measure the distance of anything using the camera of your iPhone. Here's how it works:

1. Take your picture.

Take a picture of the area you want to measure. When you take your picture, place a credit card somewhere in the picture. RulerPhone will need this to determine the distances.

2. Align your card.

Align the placeholder card in the RulerPhone app so that it is the same size and in the same position as the card in your picture.

3. Make your measurement.

Use the measuring tool to make your measurement.

I had my students help me take pictures and use the RulerPhone app to measure the distances. We did this for every section of wall in our classroom and add the distances to find the perimeter.

The measurements were more accurate than ever. I only wish I had a document camera to show the use of the app for all students at once.

Here are my DonorsChoose.org tips. This is in now way scientific. They are the tips that have brought me the most success in getting great resources for my classroom.

1. Believe in your project.

I mentioned I wanted a Flip Video Camera, but that is not to say that I didn't think of a purpose for it. I had one in mind for a long time. Knowing exactly what I wanted—and being able to share that vision—helped me sell my project to my donors. So before you say, "I sure would like an LCD projector for my classroom..." consider why you need it. Imagine explaining it to your principal.

Speak from your heart and give your potential donors a good view of what it's like to be in your classroom. Let them know how they can help.

2. Double your money.

Many DonorsChoose.org partners will double money for projects.  I recently got an HP printer as the company matched donations dollar for dollar. DonorsChoose.org has many different partners. It may depend on your project or location. Pay close attention to your email or to the DonorsChoose.org Blog for announcements of special programs and partnerships.

3. Get social.

Promote your project on social networks like Twitter and Facebook. In one click you can create a teacher page with a custom URL (mine is DonorsChoose.org/armitage). From your teacher page, you can easily submit your sites to many different social networks. Be careful not to overly promote your projects. You don't want others to feel like they are being spammed.

4. Pick your photo carefully.

Every teacher has to submit a photo. I always used a photo to show students learning or the fun of my classroom. Of course, you will have to get clearance from parents before publishing any photos. I frequently snap photos of my students or have them snap photos of me teaching. I want my donors to see what it's like to be in my class.

5. Be patient.

Some of my projects were funded quite quickly. Others took some time. Most of my projects have gotten funded in December. Perhaps, people are feeling a bit more giving during the holidays. Or maybe they are quickly making charitable donations before the end of the year. No matter what, just be patient. Good projects, in my experience, get funded.

6. Add your own money.

DonorsChoose.org sent me a gift card this year, a gift card that allowed me to make a donation to a project. I donated to my own. I think it might make a difference for potential donors to see someone else has donated. It's kind of like putting the dollar in your own tip jar at the deli. It tells others that you're worth it. I have also added money to fulfill a project. Adding $25 is worth it to me if it means my students are getting a netbook computer or an iPod Touch.  It goes to a great cause is tax deductible.

This year I provided my fourth grade students' and their parents with my GV number. I have always encouraged this type of communication, but in the past, I was a bit weary to give them a number that could possibly disrupt my life with late night calls or excessive calls to my cell phone. Using GV, I can choose exactly where those calls are routed to. I can choose what times my landline number or cell phone number will ring, or if it will ring at all.

Receiving Calls

I currently have my GV number forward to my cell phone from 7:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. and to my landline from 4:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Note the overlapping times. GV can forward to several numbers at the same time. For the other times, my callers will have to leave a voicemail message. You can configure GV to do different things depending on who is calling you. You can have callers routed differently to all your phones, maybe just to one phone, or directly to voicemail.

Voicemail recordings are emailed to me as is a transcript of the message. While the transcript is sometimes laughably inaccurate, it's great to have another record of the communication.

Making Calls

Google Voice Chrome extension

Because I want my students' parents to call me back at my GV number, I use the GV service to make calls too. From the website, I select the contact to call. GV will then call you at your number. When you answer, GV will begin to connect you with the number you chose. Calls are free in the United States.

If you use Google Chrome (and you should), the Google Voice extension is a quick and easy way to connect to numbers. Any number you see in your browser can be easily dialed using GV.

Text Messages

From the website, you can also make SMS messages. Many of my students' parents prefer this communication today (as do many of my students). Each side of the SMS conversation is saved by GV, giving me another log of communication.

Going Mobile

GV has a great application on its Android phones, so if you have a Google Phone, everything is truly integrated. But I have an iPhone, and Apple will not approve the Google Voice app. The good news is you can have most of the functionality on the iPhone by simply going to http://m.google.com/voice. You can add a Google Voice icon to your home screen as well.

Looking Forward

I wish were able to configure GV to dial numbers with extensions. That way I could have my calls routed to my classroom phone.

Google Voice is still by invitation only. If you need an invite, contact me. I will give mine away until I run out.