Creating Surveys

If you have some ideas about using surveys in your lessons, go to SurveyGismo to help you create all types of surveys and quizzes. It's free for basic use (up to 250 responses). Add as many questions as you want and create as many surveys as you want. If you want a higher level of responses (up to 50,000) and more options, there is a monthly/yearly fee. Non-profit and educational organizations can get 50% off the fee. Embed your surveys into a Web page, add it to a wiki, etc.

Are You Wiki Wise?

We've all heard of Wikipedia, but just how can you use a wiki? In Education Week's Digital Directions, educators from Pennsylvania and California tell how they've used this technology tool for sharing best practices, video, PowerPoint notes and for editing student work. If you'd like to send your typing fingers into creating your own wiki, go to WikiSpaces and sign up for a free educator wiki space.  Keep in mind that you can set up a private wiki (with participation and viewing only by those you invite to join) and that you will be notified of any changes made in your wiki content. Some advice: carefully decide who will be part of your wiki and set up rules for use of the wiki.  If you are using wikis in your classroom or school, why not post some of your ideas here to share with everyone?

MySpace Paradox

To social network or not to social network? While politicians have discovered the Internet and social networks as a great place to share their views, the DOPA (Deleting Online Predators' Act) calls for schools to protect students by not allowing them to go to sites (such as social networking sites) that might put them in danger. In order to get erate funding schools have to verify that they are in compliance. It's an interesting paradox, isn't it? What's the answer?

Sage Advice: Connecting with Parents

Edutopia, in its Sage Advice section, asks educators to submit ideas to questions. The ideas are published online to share with all. There are suggestions about the best ways to connect with parents. Some of these include: interacting online, creating blogs, asking parents to be accountable, establishing a listserv, establishing trust, and low tech feedback. You can add your suggestions to those in Sage Advice. Some of the other questions addressed in Sage Advice that you may appreciate are: "If you had $10,000 to spend on your school, how would you spend it?", "You're sitting next to U.S. education secretary Margaret Spellings at a dinner party. What do you say to her?", and "What's your secret weapon in the classroom?"

Every Hand Called Upon

You know it's difficult to get every student in your class involved in your lessons, and it's usually impossible to call on every hand that goes up. The latest way to get kids involved is to use an in-class response system that may feature keypads and clicker-type devices. These devices may be standalone or work with computers, management systems and interactive boards. To investigate two different types of response systems, take a look at Classroom Jeopardy and also at Turning Point Technologies.

$10,000 for Environmental Excellence

Submit less than 15-pages describing your environmental project for the chance to win in the SeaWorld/Busch Gardens/FujiFilm Environmental Excellence Awards. Eight awards will be presented, which include $10,000 to benefit the project, an all-expense-paid trip for one teacher and three students to a special Busch theme park event, a FujiFilm camera, and an award trophy. From the eight winning projects, one environmental educator will be selected to receive $5000, an all-expense-paid trip to a Busch theme park special event, a FujiFilm camera, an award trophy, and an all-expense-paid trip to the National Science Teachers' Association Convention. Entries must be received by Friday, November 30, 2007.

Outstanding Teacher of American History

If you know a teacher of American history who deserves commendation, you may want to nominate him or her for the Daughters of the American Revolution Outstanding Teacher Award.  Winners are selected first at the local chapter level. Chapter winners dossiers are sent to the state level for state awards; state winners are then forwarded to the national level for national award selection. The competition each year is open to full-time teachers of Grades 6-12 who teach American history or related subjects such as social studies, government, or citizenship. To enter, contact a DAR chapter in your area.

It's a COW! No, It's the Curriculum, Computers, or a School Bus

Just when you thought you were up-to-date on techie terms, along comes the COW. Maybe you think you know what a technological COW is, but do you know all its meanings? Translated into standard English, COW may stand for Curriculum on Wheels or Computers on Wheels or Classrooms on Wheels. All three types of COWs are designed to bring technology into the lives of children, and in the case of the Classroom COW, parents and kids. Although we may not call our school mobile labs COWs, they are, and there's a purple cow (Curriculum on Wheels) and school bus (Classroom on Wheels) painted to look like a moo-cow and equipped with computers. Professor Jim Lengel's article Two COWs  gives details on two of the COWs.

Looking for Math Activities?

The EdTech Review educational technology blog lists what it considers the best in math activities sites. Some, like Aplus Math and the Drexel Math Forum are old standbys, but others may be new to you. Try the manipulatives on the Utah State site or the strategies for helping kids overcome math-related disabilities on the Learning Disabilities (LD) site. What math sites did the blog miss? How about sharing your favorites with us?

Inspire with InspireData

InspireData, a dynamic learning tool that encourages kids, Grades 4-12, to explore and manipulate data, now includes even more features such as an e-Survey function to help kids collect the data they need. But if you don't have time to collect your own data, you'll find over 100 databases to get your kids started analyzing data by creating all types of graphs, plots and diagrams. Thumbs up for this program, which can be used across the curriculum. It's easy to integrate into lessons, too. The company offers a Quick Tour and a 30-day trial, so why not get your students doing with graphing and analyzing data?