Useful Information In and Out of the Classroom 08/01/08

Here are some interesting sites that I’ve found interesting this week. As a teacher, I feel we have to keep up to date concerning research in our field and current issues in the education system. I hope some of these inspire you, inform you, and even have you asking questions. Thank you for coming by and visiting!

F1 for Kids – their mission is “to help kids use computer technology productively. Kids develop 3D design and spatial-relations skills using F1 for Kids and Google SketchUp (TM) , which architects, designers, math teachers, and art instructors say is the easiest and most powerful modeling application available!”

New Vista for Learning - “With the resources of the library available for free to anyone at any time, students will be in a good position to learn when they are most ready to do so. For teachers, the available videos can be used in the classroom to generate discussion, or even when planning lessons to generate ideas. Having a simple system for watching others’ work will strengthen professional development, which is one of NextVista.org’s goals.”

My Oats – “Myoats is a place where people can create, download & showcase beautiful designs.” If you ever grew up with spirograph, you will feel like this is spirograph on computer and it’s a lot of fun!

Information Technology in Science Instruction – ‘This comprehensive information technologies (IT) project for middle and high school teachers prepares diverse students for careers in IT by engaging them in exciting, inquiry-based science projects that use computational models and real-time data acquisition. The project provides over 126 hours of lab-based, credit-bearing activities for 90 teachers and full support for classroom implementation.

Participants will learn basic electronics and design skills that will enable their students to install, configure, and use a wide range of sensors. They will also learn to teach students to use, modify, and create computational models. The skills students will learn will greatly enhance their ability to undertake investigations while giving a solid foundation for IT-based careers in programming, computer hardware, and software engineering.”

Finding Dulcinea – “Our mission is to bring users the best information on the Web for any topic, employing human insight and methodical review. FindingDulcinea presents only credible, high-quality and trustworthy Web sites, saving time for the novice and the experienced user alike. Each piece, whether a Web Guide, a Beyond the Headlines story or a Netcetera article, receives the same meticulous research. The Web sites included in each piece are connected through original narrative, providing users with information on each site before they even click on it.”