// Langwitches Blog

I created the following video clip, as a follow up to the Connected Learning Possibilities post from yesterday. It is to illustrate the ability we have (through technology) to extend learning, take learning further than and off the pages of a book for our students.

Extend Learning from langwitches on Vimeo.

I prepared the following video for the parents and the school community about 21st Century Learning at the Martin J. Gottlieb Day School.
Students and teachers at the Martin J. Gottlieb Day School are learning 21st Century skills, such as collaborating, communicating, creating and connecting. The technology is merely the tool to prepare for the present [...]

Middle School students are working hard on their Math Wiki. They are using a variety of tools to create tutorials (Garageband, SmartBoard Notebook, PowerPoint, Animoto).

Their latest creation to be embedded into the Wiki were Animoto Music Videos.
They created PowerPoint slides, then exported them as jpg files to be imported into Wiki were Animoto
Students [...]

I am honored to have been chosen the “Skyping Teacher of the Week” by one of our local TV stations, First Coast News
Silvia Tolisano, the school’s 21st Century Learning Specialist started the program ‘Around the World in 80 Schools’ to bring more awareness to students. “We are promoting global awareness and global connections. Yes, today [...]

Mrs. Z’s 4th & 5th grade math class read the book “The Math Curse” by Jon Scieszka and illustrated by Lane Smith.

The plot summary of the book from Wikipedia describes it nicely:
The book, which is told by a nameless female student, begins with a seemingly innocent statement by her math teacher- “you know, almost everything [...]

K12Online Conference is coming to a computer near you in December 2009 (or any time thereafter).
Since 2006, the K-12 Online Conference has provided outstanding opportunities for free, collaborative, accessible professional learning for educators around the globe. The 2009 conference promises to again provide more exemplary learning opportunities in the same spirit of collaboration and sharing! [...]

Cisco has some fun and interesting commercials about the Human Network. Just learned from Alec Couros during his ustreamed  session of Summer PD 09 about another one. This one just reminds me of our Around the World with 80 Schools connections. Point is, that the Human Network IS ALREADY happening. Cisco’s ads are not science [...]

Kids explain their passion for technology. How can we not LISTEN to them and CONTINUE to teach them like NOTHING has CHANGED?

I watched this recording from one of Alvin Trusty’s presentations and thought it was well worth sharing.
He gives great ideas and logistical how-to in order to create better PowerPoints. Here are some techniques and points I will want to experiment and consider further:

motion path
animation grow/shrink
graying out items on list
“fade smoothly” transition
cropping images within PowerPoint
contrast/repetition/alignment/proximity

At the [...]

Although an advertisement from Intel, this video clip transmits a powerful message. I will use this clip in an upcoming professional development workshop with my faculty. The kids in the clip will automatically appeal to educators and hopefully support the message that TIMES have changed and we HAVE to as well.