Useful Information In and Out of the Classroom 12/18/09

Here are some interesting sites that I’ve found this week, thanks to my Personal Learning Network (PLN). 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!

Verbalearn – free tool to use! “VerbaLearn has grown into a comprehensive vocabulary building service that offers audio, video, flashcards, games, and much more. In countries all around the world, people are building their vocabulary faster with VerbaLearn's innovative review tools and adaptive technology…VerbaLearn attempts to bridge the gap between traditional print flashcards and the methods that today's internet users gather information with; video, audio, RSS feeds, games, etc. Because VerbaLearn allows users to study with a variety of tools that they are comfortable with, users actually enjoy the learning process and can accomplish much more in shorter period of time.”

Livebrush – “Livebrush is a drawing application. It employs an easy-to-use brush tool that reacts to your gesture. By combining simple motion controls with brush styles, Livebrush offers a fun and unique way to create graphics.”

Celestia - The free space simulation that lets you explore our universe in three dimensions. Celestia runs on Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X. Unlike most planetarium software, Celestia doesn't confine you to the surface of the Earth. You can travel throughout the solar system, to any of over 100,000 stars, or even beyond the galaxy.

Big Huge Thesaurus – “Synonyms, antonyms, and rhymes (oh my!) (Also blog post ideas and story plot/logline resources for writers.)”

We Seed – “WeSeed EDU offers educators a free, hands-on tool to help teach their students about the stock market and the world of investing. WeSeed shows users how to invest in what they know — the products, brands and companies that they use everyday — to help them grasp the concepts behind the stock market and the importance of investing.”