News and reviews of children's interactive media

Build an awesome class website with Google Apps Let’s face it: Teachers can use all the help we can get. To have the most impact, we need to form partnerships with those other educators who spend even more time with our students than we do — their parents. Parents haven’t always been welcome in schools as partners. In the past, many students’ lives were segregated into two distinct realms: school and home. But in today’s always-on, 24/7 learning environment, that dynamic is changing. In the Mankato (Minnesota) Area Public Schools, we believe that teachers should share everything about their classroom with parents. One of the most efficient ways we have found for teachers to develop a culture of transparency and trust is by communicating with parents through a class website. Class websites 101 Since our district signed up for Google Apps for Education in 2010, our staff has been able to easily post class information online and organize it so that both students and parents can find and understand it. Start with a Google Site.

Top 100 Sites & Apps of 2014 Well, it's that time of year again for my favorite and most robust list on the top 100 Sites/Apps of the year. As with the previous year's list, more and more mobile apps are making the list as mobile learning continues to be the rising trend in education. However, that's not to say that there aren't plenty of websites and Learning Management Systems showing up as well. Finally, any site or app that was in a previous year's list will not be in this one. * mobile app Been for Education - Innovative site for social learning that allows educators to surf and collaborate on the web with their students in a safe environment where educators create/manage student accounts.* Otus - A fantastic and easy to use 1:1 learning solution for mobile classrooms (i.e iPads/Chromebooks).

Technology and Young Children Key Messages When used intentionally and appropriately, technology and interactive media are effective tools to support learning and development. Intentional use requires early childhood teachers and administrators to have information and resources regarding the nature of these tools and the implications of their use with children. Limitations on the use of technology and media are important. Special considerations must be given to the use of technology with infants and toddlers. Attention to digital citizenship and equitable access is essential. View Key Messages Summary (PDF) Examples of Effective Practice View Examples of Effective Practice (PDF) Technology That Supports Early Learning Pre-recorded Webcast: Technology and Interactive Media as Tools in Early Childhood Programs This prerecorded 21-minute webcast addresses key messages in the position statement. View the webcast

Apps Sign up for a YogiPlay Parent Center Account* Sign Up Now! *you can also do this from within any YogiPlay-boosted app From your Parent Center, access these great benefits Get great insight… Find out how long your kids are playing with apps How much time are they spending on educational apps? App recommendations.. Based on your children’s progress You get custom, age-appropriate app recommendations based on their favorite appsNOT generic recommendations based only on age Motivate your children! Kids get to play in YogiWorld Kids earn points by progressing through YogiPlay-boosted appsThey can redeem these points to play with cute virtual pets in YogiWorld! Know what your kids’ favorite apps are What type of educational apps are they playing with? Screened by educational experts App recommendations are chosen by our educational experts, who have more than 100 years experience behind them! Get custom reports for each child Children get to play as themselvesYou get to see their individual progress!

Overview - Welcome to Flubaroo The grades created by Flubaroo will be located in an adjacent worksheet called "Grades", as shown: For each submission, Flubaroo will show which questions were answered correctly ("1" point"), which incorrectly ("0" points), and which were not graded. If less than 60% of students got a question correct, the question will be highlighted in orange to alert you. Additionally, students who scored less than 70% on the assignment will be highlighted in red. The Flubaroo menu will now offer you the ability to email each student their grades, view a summary report, or regrade the assignment. If you choose to email each student their grade, you'll be given the option to include an answer key in the email. Choosing "View Report" shows you a summary report of the grading. Want to try it out?

The Joel Test: 12 Steps to Better Code by Joel Spolsky Wednesday, August 09, 2000 Have you ever heard of SEMA? It's a fairly esoteric system for measuring how good a software team is. No, wait! The neat thing about The Joel Test is that it's easy to get a quick yes or no to each question. A score of 12 is perfect, 11 is tolerable, but 10 or lower and you've got serious problems. Of course, these are not the only factors that determine success or failure: in particular, if you have a great software team working on a product that nobody wants, well, people aren't going to want it. 1. 2. If the process takes any more than one step, it is prone to errors. For this very reason, the last company I worked at switched from WISE to InstallShield: we required that the installation process be able to run, from a script, automatically, overnight, using the NT scheduler, and WISE couldn't run from the scheduler overnight, so we threw it out. 3. Read more about daily builds in my article Daily Builds are Your Friend. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

The 10 iOS Apps You've Never Heard Of (But Should Use) Apps keep this mobile world rolling along, and they play a vital role in helping small business owners stay effective and competitive while on the road. With 1.2 million apps in Apple’s iTunes store, there are plenty of unsung heroes—apps that are worth your while, but most likely have escaped your attention. The following are 10 lesser-known iOS apps that I use regularly, both in my small business as well as for personal reasons. I list them here in alphabetical order. GorillaCam This free camera app combines two great features: (1) a self-timer with countdown notification for selfies or group shots (with your iPhone on a tripod); and (2) a time lapse mode, which lets you take a series of shots one after the other. PaperKarma Liberate your mailbox from unwanted catalogs and other junk with this free app. Figure 1: PaperKarma Postagram This free app lets you snap a photo or use one from your iOS camera roll and turn it into a postcard that’s sent via snail mail to one or more recipients.

Common Sense Media Workshops | CUE Students grow up in a digital world with the potential for communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creation. Yet schools face challenges concerning behavioral and ethical issues that arise from students’ use of technology, such as cyberbullying, inappropriate sharing, and plagiarism. Digital citizenship is an essential 21st-century skill that guides students to think critically, behave safely, and participate responsibly in our digital world. Not only is digital citizenship an essential component of any school’s technology program, it’s also necessary for CIPA compliance and schools receiving E-rate funding. In this workshop, participants will learn about essential skills for digital citizenship, how to teach students these skills, and how to create a positive school culture around technology. CUE provides workshops on Common Sense Media’s Digital Citizenship programs. Request Form For more information about workshops from Common Sense Media, contact:

Common Sense Media Certified Educator "I'm inspired to teach digital citizenship and become a Common Sense Digital Citizenship Certified Educator because I see the excitement, engagement, and passion from my students when using technology in a way that is safe and enhances their individual learning experiences." Nicole Swick, Common Sense Certified Educator, CICS West Belden Charter School, Ill. Being a Common Sense Certified Educator is an official stamp of recognition from Common Sense. Once certified, you'll receive a digital badge that you can put in your email signature (among other places) so others know about your efforts, and it's a great addition to your résumé. If you give permission, Common Sense Education also will list your name and school on our website. Last, but not least, you'll have the satisfaction of knowing that you've helped your students develop essential skills to learn and thrive in the 21st century.

eHandouts eHandouts SLATE Materials Intel Education: Powering Up the Promise of Digital Learning >> Visual Ranking Teacher Guide >> Mobile Scenarios forr K-12 >> Online Collaborative Tools >> Intel Elements Support Resources and Websites >> Intel Teach Elements What Would you Like To Create Today with iPad Technologies >> Master Presentation >> List of Apps for Students with Autism >> Naomi Harm’s iPad Educational Apps List >> Student Job Task Cards >> Apptivities Design on a Dime: Flipping your Instructional Learning Spaces >> Backchannel Chat

20 Great Rubrics for Integrating Bloom's Digital Taxonomy in Your Teaching June 15, 2014 I have always been inspired by the great work of Andrew Church. This guy has been one of my authority sources for everything related to Bloom's digital taxonomy. Andrew provided a detailed account of how teachers can align the thinking levels of Bloom's original taxonomy with the different digital tools. I have already shared here several examples of web tools and mobile apps that can be used to promote Bloom's digital thinking skills; but today I am sharing with you some wonderful rubrics to help you integrate Bloom's digital taxonomy into your teaching. These rubrics are designed by Andrew Church and are available for free download from this page. Each of these rubrics is related to a tinkling stage of Bloom's taxonomy. Here is a quick round-up of all the Bloom's digital taxonomy rubrics created by Andrew: Remembering:

GetEdFunding - Free grant finding resources for educators and educational institutions - GetEdFunding Media Literacy Fundamentals What is Media Literacy? Media are powerful forces in the lives of youth. Music, TV, video games, magazines and other media all have a strong influence on how we see the world, an influence that often begins in infancy. To be engaged and critical media consumers, kids need to develop skills and habits of media literacy. The importance of media education in Canada can be seen through the inclusion of media literacy outcomes in provincial and territorial curricula. This section has been created to clarify what media literacy is all about, and to offer practical suggestions to help you make media education happen What is Media Education? Media education is the process through which individuals become media literate – able to critically understand the nature, techniques and impacts of media messages and productions. Media education acknowledges and builds on the positive, creative and pleasurable dimensions of popular culture. For example: Who is the audience of a media production and why? 1.

Toni Plourde