At the beginning of 2008, I started a collaborative VoiceThread project “What Could It Mean?”Almost 1700 views and over 350 comments later, I have added two more images from Perú and I am inviting you and your students to add their comments on (from their perspective) what it could mean?
It is a perfect opportunity to [...]

So, while I was listening/watching Kim and Jen’ presentation  Connecting Classrooms Across Continents: Planning and Implementing Globally Collaborative Projects and taking notes, my thoughts were with our current collaboration project with Argentina.
We started out with a shared Google Document (screenshot below) to create a time line of shared activities as well school specific tasks [...]

Connecting Classrooms Across Continents: Planning and Implementing Globally Collaborative Projects
Kim Cofino and Jen Wagner
Here is the teaser of the presentation

While listening to the Kim and Jen’s presentation, I took the following notes

Getting started

You need a technology toolbox- become familiar with different types of tools
Get connected yourself- then your class- use existing network

Implementation

Create your [...]

Have you ever had this “real” feeling that something you did had an impact on someone else? That is what we as teachers and parents live for. Right?
Well,thanks to Melanie Holtsman and her team of teachers at Chet’s Creek Elementary school, I got goosebumps, when I received the link to the following VoiceThread.

It gave me [...]

We all know that collaboration and communication are 21st century skills. We all want to incorporate these skills. What pushes us? What holds us back? What works? What seems to stall?
At the beginning of this year (January 2008), I wrote a blog post titled Collaboration Projects- Doomed to fail? that drew many comments.  I was [...]

If you have followed Langwitches Blog for a while, you know that my elementary school has received a grant to allow two teachers to travel abroad for two weeks each year. The experience is being shared and involves the rest of the school through technology, a year long study of the country and an immersion [...]

Need a laugh? Check out this Skype Laugher Chain and if inclined, add you laughter to the chain.

Laughter is a universal language
It’s no accident that LOL (Laugh Out Loud) is one of the most popular acronyms on the web – we all love to communicate, to share and feel part of a community. Laughter brings [...]

I have decided to introduce Scatch in my upcoming TechCamp.
Scratch is a new programming language that makes it easy to create your own interactive stories, animations, games, music, and art — and share your creations on the web.
Scratch is designed to help young people (ages 8 and up) develop 21st century learning skills. As [...]

Fourth Graders in our school study the state of Florida and “Explorers”. Traditionally they would research and create a written book report.

THIS YEAR…
The social studies teachers assigned one explorer to a group of 3 students. They did their research in the Media Center from a wide variety of sources.

The teacher created an account with [...]

In the middle of the school day, I received the e-mail with the news that one of my favorite tools, VoiceThread , has added a new service:
The ability to download a VoiceThread
as a widescreen movie, this version of a VoiceThread will play offline, stored on your computer, iPod or other portable device and can be [...]