phET : learn about science by using simulations

The phET site has brilliantly constructed, interactive, research-based simulations of physical phenomena and is designed by the PhET (Physics Education Technology) project at the University of Colorado.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
These simulations are aimed at helping the learners with the understanding of some difficult science concepts. The simulations can be used online but can also be downloaded for offline use. [...]

Technology tips on video – Tekzilla

The school year has begun and today we had the year 7 and year 12 students back with us. The rest will join us for classes tomorrow. All the student computers have been re-imaged and they will get them back over the next few days. The Year 7 and year 10 students will be receiving [...]

Debategraph

Another visualisation tool is Debategraph,which is an online global debate map. 
A wiki debate visualization tool that lets you:

present the strongest case on any debate that matters to you;
openly engage the opposing arguments;
create and reshape debates, make new points, rate and filter the arguments;
monitor the evolution of debates via RSS feeds; and,
share and reuse the debates [...]

Useful Links (weekly)

GenoPal – Color Schemes A simple tool that allows you transfer the Color Mood from picture to graphics.

Global Voices Online ”Global Voices aggregates, curates, and amplifies the global conversation online attempting to shine light on places and people other media often ignore”

DailyLit: Read books online by daily email and RSS feed DailyLit lets you read entire books in short, [...]

Reading options and DailyLit

I have been doing a lot of reading in the holidays. It is nice to read widely and without feeling guilty about work for school that I could be doing. I have also been working on updating some tools I created for the crime fiction genre and I have been trying out some of the [...]

Real-time statistics – Worldometers

Today I have been preparing for the start of our school year next week. I have been going through files and clearing out old data files, reading and commenting on blogs that I have neglected reading over the last 6-7 weeks.
I made quite a mess and filled up the bins. I still have a lot [...]

It’s not about the technology

“It’s not about the technology. It’s about the community and shared learning.” — Clif Mims.
I was talking to a fellow teacher today about students going into teacher courses at university. She spoke about a student buying exercise books for each of her different subject, not about the student using wikis, blogs or nings. The student did [...]

Icerocket – searching blogs and other media

On Phil Bradley’s  blog I saw a post about Icerocket, a search engine with a few differences.
 
 
 The search tab options are the first difference.

 When you visit the site the search tab option is by default set to ‘Blogs’ rather than ‘Web’, which is the second tab. As web users are increasingly looking for news, sharing [...]

Useful Links (weekly)

Home | Youth Voices A meeting place where students share, distribute and discuss their digital work online.

Visual Design for Instructional Multimedia Ideas for visual design for instructional multimedia

Neil Gaiman’s Journal The talented author of Coraline, The Graveyard Book and other great books comments on the things that interest him, and I find it interesting.

ScreenToaster – Free online screen [...]

Sites gone but not forgotten

We are about to start a new year but already we have been hearing about the demise of various tools, one being Google Notes. There are many websites that are no longer with us.  It Died  tries to keep track of them. It itemises sites that have been (or will be) taken down or have just [...]