TechBits

Jeopardy Labs

2009-03-10T10:44:00.006-04:00

http://jeopardylabs.com/

Jeopardy Labs is a cool site that lets you create online jeopardy games without using Powerpoint. Simply type in your categories, questions, and answers then you are ready to go. Creating a using name and password allows you easily find your game at a later date and also makes sure that no one else can edit your game. The best part about it is that it's free!

Technology Tips From a Student's Perspective

2008-11-19T13:25:00.002-05:00

http://studenttechspot.edublogs.org/

Check out this site. 8th grade students from a middle school have created a blog that gives technology tips over a variety of topics. Each entry is categorized and has directions as well as pictures. Pretty cool.

Voicethread

2008-11-03T17:51:00.007-05:00

http://www.voicethread.com

Voicethread allows people to comment on documents, slides, and other types of files. The person's profile image is shown along with his or her comment. You simply upload your file and then begin commenting. You can enter comments in by phone, audio file, webcam, live recording, or type. You can sign up for an educational account and get several free options. If you don't have an educational account there is a fee. You could create a class voicethread and have your students comment on various topics. See the example below. Click on each individual profile to hear their comments.

Mathway

2008-10-31T14:43:00.004-04:00

http://www.mathway.com/

This site is really cool. Mathway is a step by step problem solving site. It does anything from algebra to calculus. You basically enter in a problem and then click "solve." It then shows you step by step how to do the problem. I wish I had this when I was in upper level college math classes! The one thing it doesn't do yet is geometry. Try it out.

Glogster

2008-10-24T09:10:00.007-04:00

http://www.glogster.com

Recently, I came across this site called glogster. It gives you a blank slate and allows you to add text, pictures, links, videos, clipart etc. I decided to use it for a technology newsletter. It took me about an hour to do this (and that’s without ever using it before), so students should be able to do one even faster. As far as using it with students goes, you could create a class glog or have students create glogs over a particular topic they are studying. It would be a great way to have students creating projects by using technology while learning about content. Click the link below to access a glog made by a history class.

History Class Glog

Updated: I just found out that they have an education section in glogster. You can sign up for an account and they will send you student glog accounts. Students don't have to have email accounts to get their own glog. Find out more here.

Bibomatic

2008-10-14T10:07:00.002-04:00

Bibomatic automatically creates a bibliography entry for any book. Simply enter in the book's ISBN and select the format. It can currently do MLA, APA, and Chicago formats. This is a great tool when writing research papers.

http://www.bibomatic.com/

Jam Studio

2008-09-22T12:49:00.004-04:00

http://www.jamstudio.com/

This site allows you to create your own music. Here are some screenshots.

Magic Pen

2008-09-02T10:49:00.001-04:00

This is a great problem solving site. It involves a lot of geometry and physics.

http://magic.pen.fizzlebot.com//
The goal is to get the red ball to the flag(s). To do this, you have to draws shapes and design bridges as well as drop shapes from the sky to get the ball rolling.

To Get Started:

1. Go to http://magic.pen.fizzlebot.com//
2. Ignore the links to other games and the advertisements on the page.
3. Click the Play button between the two snowmen.

Imagination Cubed

2008-05-13T12:53:00.002-04:00

http://www.imaginationcubed.com/

This is a cool site that allows you to draw, stamp, type, make shapes, etc. Once you have created your product you can save it to a file, share it through email, or print it. Check out the example below.

Click this link to see a drawing come to life at Imagination Cubed

Zamzar

2008-05-02T11:00:00.002-04:00

http://www.zamzar.com/

Zamzar will convert document, image, music, and video files as well as various other files. It will do this for free for files up to 100mb. You basically upload the file, pick which format you want it converted to, and then they send you an email with the converted file. Educational uses: have the correct file type to load into movie maker or other programs.

Graphita

2008-04-25T11:03:00.003-04:00

http://www.graphita.com/

Graphita allows you to take an ordinary picture and add captions, objects, words, doodles, and bubbles to it. You can then save, email, share, or even get prints of the picture. Possible educational uses: have students take a picture of a famous person and add captions to it, create extraordinary pictures for presentations, websites, movies, slideshows, etc. Comment if you can think of more ways to use this. Check out this sample picture below. Some of you may recognize this person:

Animoto

2008-04-19T07:06:00.005-04:00

http://animoto.com/

Animoto allows you to create free 30 second picture videos. Simply upload in the pictures you want and select the music from the site or upload your own. You can then put the pictures in whatever order you want. The site then automatically creates a video using various transitions. Possible education uses: have students create a video showing a process or "how to", create a picture show to reinforce a concept or introduce a concept.

Slideshare

2008-04-17T13:27:00.002-04:00

http://www.slideshare.net

Allows you to post powerpoints online. Possible uses: Students could create powerpoints and post them on the web. You could create a PowerPoint as a class for others to view/use. Here's an example of one I pulled off the site:

| View | Upload your own

Bitstrips

2008-04-17T12:50:00.001-04:00

http://www.bitstrips.com/

This is a comic strip creator. Possible uses: have students create a comic strip over something they are studying, create a comic strip as a class to reinforce content, use a comic strip to represent a common misconception of a topic.

Bubbl.us

2008-04-17T12:46:00.002-04:00

http://www.bubbl.us/

This is a brainstorming site. Possible uses: have students come up to the computer and brainstorm open response questions, what they know about a new concept, or what they’ve learned about a particular topic (I created this one below in about 5 minutes).

Del.icio.us

2008-04-17T12:17:00.000-04:00

http://del.icio.us

Allows you to organize and keep all of your internet bookmarks in the same place. Possible uses: You could set up sites for students to use in your class by posting them on del.icio.us. Students could then go to this site to access them (similar to the student common folder).

Here is my del.cio.us page:

http://del.icio.us/briangover

Xtimeline

2008-04-17T11:34:00.000-04:00

http://www.xtimeline.com/

This is an interactive timeline. Possible educational uses: create a timeline as a class about a particular topic, add to a timeline that has already been established, have students research using a timeline.

Scrapblog

2008-04-17T10:31:00.000-04:00

http://www.scrapblog.com/

This is a web scrapbook. Possible educational uses: have students create a scrapbook about a topic or create a scrapbook as a class. The pictures below are from a scrapblog teaching students how to use clay animation.

Be Funky

2008-04-17T10:22:00.002-04:00

http://www.befunky.com/

This site allows you to turn pictures into paintings or sketches. Possible education uses: Use this site to create extraordinary pictures for presentations, websites, movies, slideshows, etc.