The computer using teacher is always looking for high quality resources. In an ever-changing technology world, there are always new and better resources available for classroom use. You just have to find them.
Many of us will use bookmarking services like Delicious or Diigo or a Wiki to collect and share resources. Another alternative is to look for resource repositories where a lot of the resource gathering and cataloguing has been done for you. At that point, you just have to search until you find what you need and go ahead and use it(them). Typically, a good repository will allow you to upload your best stuff to share with others.
Cube for K-12 Teachers is a repository for teachers that went live in Beta the first of October. While the opening screen indicates that the resource will ultimately be available to all Canadian teachers, at present registration is limited to Ontario teachers.
Upon logging in, you’re dropped into your repository dashboard. If you’re familiar with large online resources, a place like this is invaluable. There are so many resources that it may be difficult to track back something that you’ve found. So, having a dashboard which is a lot like leaving cookie crumbs so that subsequent visits are more productive.
You’ll want to bookmark the good resources into your favourites so that they’re not lost. From the favourites, you can select up to 30 resources to go “on deck” for immediate use. So, I’m envisioning that you spend some time finding resources and favouriting them. During lesson preparation, you might select a couple for use the next day and moving them “on deck” makes them readily accessible.
You find the resources that may be helpful from the powerful front end search. No “I’m Feeling Lucky” here. You have the ability to really granularize your search as you’ll see below.
Search by grade, subject, course, strand, and even down to the expectation level. You can even determine what type of resource you want retrieved.
Cube for K-12 Teachers seems off to a good start. There is no charge for the service and so if you’re an Ontario educator and potentially more, this will prove to be a resource of increasing value as it expands. Jump on board now!
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The content of this blog is generated by whatever strikes my fancy at any given point. It might be computers, weather, political, or something else in nature. I experiment and comment a lot on things so don't take anything here too seriously; I might change my mind a day later but what you read is my thought and opinion at the time I wrote it! My formal education includes a Bachelor of Mathematics degree from the University of Waterloo and a Bachelor of Education degree from the University of Toronto. Ontario Ministry of Education and Training qualifications are in Data Processing, Computer Science, Accounting, and Mathematics. My personal website is at: http://www.dougpeterson.ca Follow me on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/dougpete I'm bookmarking things at: http://www.delicious.com/dougpete
It WILL cost money once it’s no longer in BETA version. If it were going to remain free I would be more likely to use it.
Great Resource! Thanks for the post. I checked them out after reading your post and found so many great resources. The website is http://www.cubeforteachers.com
It looks like they also started blogging here: http://www.cubeforteachers.com/blog/
Thanks for the post Doug — I will help drive this new resource — it could be the next big thing for education! We just need to get everyone on here!
Hi Aplus. The Cube for teachers as you know is in Beta right now. Through ongoing feedback from Cube members we have decided to remain free post Beta. We hope you get a chance to check it out.