Learning in the Lou

 Did you know it is easy as pie to upload a video to YouTube?  You can add video to your YouTube account directly from a student device or from your computer.  This video will instruct you on how to upload from your laptop.

Animoto allows you to create a "music video" style presentation. See below for upgrading your account to the educational version. Animoto Resources: Click on the provided link to create a free Animoto account: https://animoto.com/sign_up Animoto Intro video from their site: http://animoto.com/ Audio Sites: Here are some free audio sites you can use to put music into your Animoto video: http://freeplaymusic.com/ http://audacity.sourceforge.net/ Animoto for Educatiors: Apply for Animoto plus for educators: http://animoto.com/education

The teacher had her students tie the gift bag underneath the desk.  When they use them, there is Velcro on the top of the desk so they are secure.  Allows for easy access and ensures the students will be using their clickers throughout class.

Did you know that the default setting in your profile takes a screenshot every time you ask a question?  If you want to change this setting, follow these steps: Go to ActivInspire Select "View" Select "Customize" Choose the 4th tab "Settings" Select "Learner Response" Under ActiVote-uncheck "Append question to current flipchart"

  All of these clickers are ready to be deployed at any time.  This is a very easy way to store and track your clickers in the classroom. What do you think? Where do you store your clickers?   Are they easy to get to?   Do you know where they are right now?   Are they taking up valuable desk or table space? Leave a comment.  How do you store your clickers when they are not being used?

That you can integrate your Promethean Clickers and Brainpop?  AMAZING!  Also, here is the link to Promethean's website if you would like to have your clickers work directly with BrainPOP.  

Audacity is a free tool that allows students/teachers to record audio on their computer. It is as simple as clicking record, stop, and export. Using Audacity will: Increase engagement Allow students to create original audio recordings Give students a voice by creating audio files How: Audacity Download Basic Tutorial Video (I may want to change this one) Examples: -Anything in which you would want students to record their voice.

Y odio allows students to create audio recordings using their cell phones. Students or teachers can then add pictures and the recorded audio to a “Yodio” in the same way one might do with Photostory. The key with Yodio is that students can record audio with their cell phones initially to work with later using Yodio’s site. Yodio provides a phone number to call to record an audio clip.  You can then add that clip to pictures that you can upload to Yodio’s site. How? Yodio Site Yodio how to/FAQs Examples and Ideas: -Anything regarding digital storytelling -Anything you would want students to create that you could embed in your blog

Using a Device to Record Audio Clips (***To publicly share this type of file, students need to have an e-mail account associated with their device.***) Creating an audio file using a cell phone, iPod, or iPad is amazingly simple. When choosing this method of recording, you would first record audio file with the device and then share it by emailing the file.  Many students already have devices that would allow for this type of recording right in their pockets. They will most likely be familiar with this tool.  How To: Using an iPod to record Voice memos Take Away Activity: Create at least one audio file for students OR have students create an audio file using a cell phone.  Share the clips to your public portal.

Getting a Google Voice account and creating instant oral recordings is easy as pie!  Basically, the teacher creates a Google Voice number and then the students or teacher can call in to leave a message.  This produces a recorded audio file to be played back, embedded on a website, emailed, or downloaded to a device. Why choose to create a Google phone number? Majority of students have a cell phone Students love using their phone Facilitates learning anytime, anywhere, from any source, at any pace How? Go to voice.google.com to create an account. Learn more about Google Voice. Take Away Activity : Experiment with Google Voice.  Create an account and phone number.  Create at least one audio file for students OR have students create audio messages.  Share the clips to your public portal.

Why Allows you free and instant access to amazing audio content created by professionals and classrooms everywhere.  iTunes enables you to consume and share media in a very familiar application. **The sharing of media can be done through your school center account. How Download and install iTunes. Open iTunes Navigate to the podcast section. Select the education section. Podcasts in the classroom http://www.bobsprankle.com/bobsprankle/page8/page8.html Take Aways Search the podcast section of iTunes. Subscribe to a podcast(s) that is of interest to you. http://itunes.apple.com/us/genre/podcasts-education/id1304 Top Podcast Picks: Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing CNN Student News TED Talks TWiT

Why Posterous Spaces is your destination for sharing online.  It allows for sharing any type of media from a mobile device or your desktop.  The advantage of using this service is that you can create public and private spaces and share your content with specific groups. **This requires the teacher to create a free account. Students can use their own email account to post to this space. How FAQ for using Posterous Introduction Videos - Posterous Spaces Linking your Audioboo directly to Posterous Spaces Take Aways Using Posterous Spaces to create a private classroom blog. Posterous Spotlight: Back to school edition

Why Audioboo is a mobile and web platform that effortlessly allows you to record and share audio for your friends, family or the rest of the world to hear.  It allows you and the students to capture those teachable moments and preserve them on the web.  Creating these clips has never been easier with the use of the website or the Audioboo app.  Turning these clips into a podcast is dead simple with a simple click of a button. How This resource is a vailable on most every mobile device and c an record directly from the website. The final product can then be embed in your site or played directly from Audioboo. Want the exact steps on creating the boo? See the Take Aways section below. Audioboo in the elementary classroom. Here are the latest boos created by and for elementary kids. More examples of how Audioboo is used in a modern classroom. Take Aways How to create an Audioboo for your classroom: http://audioboo.fm/about/audioboo

Here is a list of ideas for using audio in the classroom: Use to give an oral quiz-Students call the number, listen to a greeting, and speak their answers. Create an announcement in your Moodle Course. Vocabulary: Learners can speak sentences or paragraphs that demonstrate knowledge of vocabulary words. You could even embed these in a class website, to serve as review/reference materials. Audio Study Guide: Have students call in the content as a message. Math Solutions: Allow students to "talk" through the steps of a math problem.. Audio Field Trip Journal: Have kids leave messages throughout the field trip that documents their experiences. Speech: Learners can record speeches via the phone. Get in Character: Let the learners have fun by leaving messages in character. Reflection Tool: After a class discussion or project presentation, have the learners record a reflection via Google Voice. Embed a call on your blog. Field Trip Reflections Discussion Reflection Descri...

Here are a few apps that that cover a few different topics... Brain Pop Featured Movie This app offers free brain pop movies that cover a lot different topics. There are also two upgrade options if you want to receive more Brain Pop movies. An app for Moodle There are a couple of different apps for moodle, this one seems the most user friendly even if it does have some limitations on what it can do. STLToday Great app that allows for an ipad friendly experience on stltoday.com. This article should take you to the app and provide for some explanation on what the apps capabilities are.

Sammi reading to Vincent What a way to start the day! Coffee, a bagel, these cute kiddos, and some new apps!  For the Bloggers out there, my newest personal favorite is Blogsy for the iPad. So easy to use-adding photos and video are as easy as dragging from the sidebar and dropping them into blog post. Want to make life simpler in the new year?  Then this app is for you! Scan your prescription refills, order photos, shop, and locate your nearest Walgreens...all with this simple app. If you are looking to lose weight, check out these Weight Watchers apps: Allows you to track all of your food easily with a smart device-phone, iPod, iPad SOOO cool!  Scan the barcode of your favorite food and it quickly calculates the points and allows you to add to your tracker. For the iPad only-this one is AWESOME!  Let's you bookmark recipes and make grocery lists.

Our first app club met today.  This post will give you some idea on what we did. FYI - sometimes we will talk about apps that may only work on Android or iOS(Apple).  There are times when an app will work one way on an iPhone and work slightly different on an Android phone. Gas Buddy Ever fill up your tank and drive a mile down the road and see a station selling it for less per gallon?  This app will prevent that from ever happening again!  (Click image to visit the site.)     Foursquare A location based social networking app.  It will let you check in at the venues you visit on a daily basis.  Each check in can earn you points, badges and discounts.  Whoever checks in the most is the mayor of that establishment.  Example: Colin is the mayor of his gym.  Every 50 check-ins he earns a free smoothy.  He the goes to Bed Bath & Beyond and checks in.  That earns 20% off his purchase. (The foursquare page is ...

Check it out- Sylvan Dell's free e-book for the month of January ! This is a free e-book that can be used with your IWB.