Z is for Zamzar

Do you ever need to open a file that is in a format not recognized by your computer?  Do you ever need to convert a file to a PDF file?  Zamzar allows you to convert up to five files at a time when using the free account.  You simply select the file, choose the format you wish to convert the file to,  enter your email address and agree to their terms!  Voila, within an hour the converted file should be in your mailbox.

I was wondering where the name came from - according to their website  "The name "Zamzar" is based on a character from the German author Franz Kafka's book "The Metamorphosis". In the novel Kafka describes the extraordinary story of a young man who is transformed whilst sleeping into a gigantic insect. The man's name - Gregor Samsa - was used as the basis for our company name because of its' powerful association with change & transformation."

Y is for You Tube

I am constantly amazed by the videos I find on You Tube and its sister Teacher Tube.  You can view YouTube videos on your computer, your phone, your TV, your site.   I'm dating myself but I remember when a filmstrip once every few months was a big deal!  Students today are bombarded with an incredible number of images daily - helpful to remember when trying to capture their attention!   From the sublime to the ridiculous, it's a site to consider for inspiration and information however using it in a school setting can be somewhat problematic.  Some schools block access to the site and some of the suggested videos and comments can be inappropriate for school.

X is for XtraNormal

One of my favorite sites.  I've created a few animations now and they really do grab the student's attention. I found the program to be fairly intuitive and really enjoy the process.  I am hoping to create some with the sixth grade students.  The only glitch I've found so far is that some pronunciations aren't quite right but it is not a huge issue.  My first XtraNormal is on the top left side of this page and my second is on the Dennett Elementary School Geography Project.

I found a discussion on using Twitter in Education using XtraNormal.  Wow, we've got web 2.0 apps promoting web 2.0 apps.  Is Hal far behind?

W is for Wizard of Apps

Joyce Valenza is one of the powerhouses of the library world.  Somehow she manages to teach, blog, present, wiki, create pathfinders, innovate and probably makes a mean batch of brownies also.  When I saw that she was one of the presenters at the online conference, I had to watch her.  I ended up with a 5 page handwritten (how non 21st century of me) list of websites and apps.   I was pleased to see how many of them we had covered in class.  Now, I'm rethinking the project on demonstrating our digital learning.  I'm not sure if I'll change it but I want to try out some of the new tools to see if they would be a different way to approach the project.  

If you watch her presentation, be prepared for the possibility of being a little overwhelmed - did I mention I had five pages of links?  I almost wish she had broken it down into shorter videos - maybe one on online safety and ethics, one on research, one on creativity & innovation and one on collaboration.  I would have liked to have seen more examples for each website, they sounded so intriguing.  But, I can put on my own ruby slippers and follow the yellow brick road of links that wait for me.  I'm off to see the Wizard!

V is for Voki

As part of a unit on poetry, students in Fourth Grade chose a theme and selected three poems that illustrated this theme.  Next, they practiced the poetry and then performed in front of a peer for some suggestions on ways to improve their delivery.  Finally, they chose a Voki to narrate their poetry.  They loved the project and became proficient not only with the technology but with ways to communicate effectively and respectfully with their peers.  Three C's in action!  Creativity, communication and collaboration.  

U is for URL

Imagine your street address is 40 South Alexandria Drive,  Swampscott MA  01907 and how long it would take to write or type it.  Now imagine that the Post Office in an unexpected burst of generosity told you that you could use 40SAl instead as your address and your mail would still get to you and people could still find your house.   That's a little bit of the theory behind Tiny URLs.

I have seen Tiny URLs and not until this class had I tried them.  How easy and quick and what a great idea to use with students!  Not only are they shorter (less chance of error) but when you create one, it is automatically copied to the clipboard.

http://dennettgeographyproject.wikispaces.com/ became http://tiny.cc/7TUiM in the push of a button.
46 characters down to 20

Try it at www.tiny.cc!

T is for Time

Flash-Widgets
Flash-Widgets
If the Mayans were correct and we only have a limited number of days until the end of the world, we better make sure we're using our time wisely.  (Yes, I know that many believe it just means a new cycle is starting but really how dramatic is that?)  Time has been both a friend and enemy during this class and I'm sure as I go forward.  I need to remember to continue to focus on small slices of the watermelon and to reflect on how far I've come.