WigFlip for Student Products!

Just a quick post from my late night investigations of popular social bookmarking websites. When I was working with teachers today, many mentioned that as the end of the school year draws near they are looking for students to create "products" that demonstrate learning for a content topic.

WigFlip is a little tool to spice up some of the products that students make. These callouts can be added to presentations, reports, etc.

Teach Yourself with Online Videos

Today, with the plague of shrinking educational budgets, especially for professional development, teachers need access to "free" resources to help them learn. I just came across a video/animation resource, Wikivid, which will help educators learn more about so many of the software applications that are used in school districts. This resource is full of beginning, intermediate and advanced ideas related to popular software. My favorites are the advanced Excel formulas! I am one of those people who need to "see" how those formulas work! I have always had a need to do some advanced "exceling" but struggled with getting some of the advanced formulas to do what I wanted.

Use this resource next time you are struggling with a software issue!! What a great anywhere, anytime tool!

A Technology Conference for Educators

I am just finishing up an exciting week as a technology staff member for the IL-TCE Conference in Illinois. Organizers of the conference brought a great group of state-wide school technologists together to support over 50 pre-conference sessions and two days of breakout sessions by teachers and administrators.

Our technology staff volunteers started the day with a 7 AM meeting. Not only did we provide the BEST support to presenters and participants, we had FUN and were able to do alot of networking! However, as the week progressed it seemed the team found it harder and harder to be punctual for our 7 AM start...perhaps a little too much FUN was had at Lilly's.

FYI--Just in case you plan a conference
Here are some of the excuses technology staff use to explain why they are late for the 7 AM briefing and room assignments.
Yes, you know who you are!

1. The "network" guys work "different" hours.
2. I had an ironing problem.
3. No, really, my email server is down and I was trying to fix it remotely!
4. My daughter is spending the night and she does not get up until 9 or 9:30 AM.
5. Wow, I am sorry I got here so late, I think I am coming down with something, I almost hurled this morning.
6. I couldn't find a clean red shirt.
7. I had to get a massage at the salon because I had cheeleading practice last night and I pulled my muscle.
8. I got the golf cart stuck in the snow!
9. I was out in Gallery unlocking the doors.
10. I had a friend visit last night.
11. I went back to my room to get my ID because the security guard wouldn't let me in without one.
12. I had to upload my pictures to Flickr.
13. I just had someone relay the messages by radio to my room.
14. A MacBook with iSight streamed the video right to my PC in the F-Wing.
15. I was trying to find the answer to the "lurker" question.

Thanks to all who made this a memorable week!
Tech Rocks!