Christine Harmes, Ph.D., an Evaluation & Research Consultant, is working with the Florida Center for Instructional Technology at USF on our Technology Integration Matrix tool and she would like to gather information about iPad use in the classroom. Please share the linked survey with educators in Florida and encourage their participation.

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/VRDPJ2H

I have been asked to pass this along.  If you choose to participate, kindly post back and share your experience with the Thinkfinity Florida group.

If you teach near the beach, it's time to sign your 2nd-4th grade classes up for the Great Beach Exploration Project at http://beachbums2012.wikispaces.com/. Teachers will request access to the investigation questions from me via email and I will then add them as collaborators on the wiki as well.

 

So far we have my classes near Saugatuck, MI on Lake Michigan committed as well as a classes from Craig AK, Encinitas CA, and Racine WI. It would be great to get participation from all regions of  the country as well as outside of the United States.

 

Thanks to all who responded to my earlier email on this. I will be contacting those resources very shortly.

 

This by no means is an ADE exclusive project. If you know of a teacher who may want to join in on the learning, please forward this to them.

 

Here's to a great collaborative learning experience.
--
Andy Losik
Elementary Infotech Teacher
Hamilton Community Schools
 Distinguished Educator - '11
Google Certified Teacher - '08

FloridaDisaster.org held a severe weather awareness week in January this past year.  This is an opportunity for Floridians to learn about various hazards associated with weather conditions. Topics focused on included lightning, marine currents, tornadoes, thunderstorms,hurricanes, flooding, and high temperatures and wildfires.  Best to review these topics throughout the year.

I discovered Mark Hayes' YouTube Science videos while reading a post "How do you motivate the unmotivated?" I so enjoy learning from others! 

Hi there,

You may have noticed your iPad didn't come with
an instruction manual...

But we can help get you up and running, using your
iPad with confidence in just 60 minutes!

Join Chris Casal, iPad trainer extraordinaire, for a brand new
online workshop (100% FREE) designed specifically for teachers
that will get you started on your iPad journey.

==>Register Now

Chris has helped 1,000's of teachers learn about this new
teaching tool, and all the basics of getting started.


During this online workshop, you'll...

- Learn about the basic, out-of-the-box settings
- Build confidence navigating and operating your iPad
- Discover the power of Apps, and how you can add them to
   your device
- Receive a list of "starter apps" to get you going
- Increase your confidence using the iPad as a teaching tool


Join Chris Casal on Tuesday, March 13, 2012 from
4:00 pm - 5:00 pm EST (USA).

Hurry - space is limited.

==>Reserve Your Seat Now


Don't miss your chance to learn the basic in's and out's
of using your iPad.

See you there,

Kimberly from SimpleK12


P.S. Feel free to invite your educator friends and colleagues
(and anyone else that would enjoy this free, online workshop!)

http://simplek12.com/tlc/webinars/#NowWhat

Check this site for activities in Florida.

http://www.ffea.com/

The FCAT Writes test will be on February 28th.  Students across Florida will be participating in "dry run" days to be sure students know what testing rooms to go to and to be sure the schedule has no issues.  There are a variety of ways to offer students reminders.  Signs posted to "get a good night's sleep" and "eat a good breakfast" will be around the school.  We'll be broadcasting a few videos that we recently found on YouTube after the morning use. One video for older students is FCAT Video-Author's Purpose and here's one on Main Idea for Primary.

Tuesday morning, January 25, I headed to Orlando to attend the Florida Educational Technology Conference.  I arranged for several meetings while there to discover some new resources for teachers.

FPBS, the association of public media in Florida, has announced the launch of Florida PBS Learning Media.  This is a free resource public media platform that will be an education resource for PreK-12 classrooms tailored to the needs of Florida students. Take a look: florida.pbslearningmedia.org.

Inspiration Diagrams is an App for the iPad!  This visual mapping and outlining program is designed for students in grades 6-12.  Many schools use Inspiration, Kidspiration and Inspire Data.  A lite version of Inspiration Diagrams will be available at the iTunes Store soon. Look for the full version to use on the iPad in school or at home.  More information is available at www.inspiration.com.

Google's Chromebook received attention from teachers, administrators, technology coordinators and other exhibitors!  I had the pleasure of attending a round table discussion about 'one to one' initiatives using Chromebooks.  Imagine a tool for students that requires little tech support!  The simplicity of use, speed, and long battery life make it a good choice for many classrooms.  Immediate access to the web, and all that it offers, makes kids work longer and harder due to total engagement.

This year many presenters used a variety of  Web  2.0 tools to share their information. Here's one worth reposting; Top 10 Web 2.0 Tools for Educators.  Interested in more? Check the homepage at fetc.org.