doug --- off the record

This Week in Ontario Edublogs

dougpete — Fri, 24 May 2013 09:00:58 +0000

Yet another great week of post from Ontario Edubloggers. Here’s some of the reading that I tucked away for this week’s post.

It’s About Character

Aviva Dunsiger’s post about Track and Field Day brought some perspective to me. At a secondary school, typically track and field is a competitive event, exclusive to those who have made the team. I really like the way that she described how their event was inclusive to all students. There’s a lot to be learned from this.

—–

Saying Goodbye

Unless you’ve been in education, you probably can’t fully appreciate what it means to leave a school that you’re a part of. Yes, we’ve all said goodbye to jobs, people, friends, and family and it is tough. When you work at a school, it’s goodbye to hundreds of students, colleagues, and ultimately the culture of the school. I’ve been in many schools and no two are the same. In his post, David doesn’t say where he’s going but I’m sure that we all wish him the best. Perhaps even a move to the big office? I’m sure that will come in the future but for now, it’s very important for him to focus on Tweedsmuir.

—–

Building a Community

Jenni Van Rees describes a classroom changing activity about community building. This time, it was about the physical community. Her planning and delivery sounds like a very engaging experience for her students. I wonder if the same activity would work as well with an online community?

—–

A Bit of Fear Can Be a Great Motivator

The title of Colleen’s post drew me in and the content kept me. I was intrigued by her assertion that “technology appeals to introverted people”. I remember thinking that teaching was such a great profession but you never really understand the implications until you stand up in front of a group of students and realize that you’re it! Later as a consultant, standing in front of a group of colleagues…same feeling! During that session, my superintendent was there to see how bad or good I was going to be. I remember debriefing with him and my comment that I didn’t think an introvert like me could do this. He explained that I was probably a closet extrovert. Does that describe us? Fear can indeed be a great motivator. I think of some of the big name speakers that I’ve heard and there are a few who obviously feel no fear and, quite frankly, they’re bad. I now avoid them. I think that fear or at least nerves can be really helpful.

—–

A Day in the Life of a Connected Classroom

This is a long post. It sheds a great deal of light about what might happen in a Connected Classroom. Make sure you read all the way to the bottom and then you’ll understand why teachers are so tired at the end of the day!

—–

I hope that you’ll agree that these are some great thoughts shared. Please support the authors by visiting the blog posts at the links provided and see what else they’re sharing! The blogs and other Ontario Edublogs can be found at any time here.

If you’re an Ontario Edublogger and not on the list, complete the form and you soon will be!

This Week in Ontario Edublogs (dougpete.wordpress.com)
This Week in Ontario Edublogs (dougpete.wordpress.com)
This Week in Ontario Edublogs (dougpete.wordpress.com)
This Week in Ontario Edublogs (dougpete.wordpress.com)
This Week in Ontario Edublogs (dougpete.wordpress.com)
This Week in Ontario Edublogs (dougpete.wordpress.com)

OTR Links 05/24/2013

dougpete — Fri, 24 May 2013 05:30:35 +0000

VideoNot.es

The Easiest way to take notes from videos, everything synchronized.

tags: notetaking youtube notes GoogleApps edtech 1to1techat note taking
No niche for iPad: A cautionary tale on ‘needing a purpose’ | ZDNet

No niche for iPad: A cautionary tale on ‘needing a purpose’ | ZDNet http://t.co/WHgPGjwqYM

tags: via:packrati.us
For Public Schools, Twitter Is No Longer Optional – Forbes

“Public schools are keenly aware of the power of the mainstream media; a critical television segment or a laudatory newspaper article will be talked about in the hallways for days. But the landscape has shifted, and school leaders must embrace a new, growing reality: social media has become the source for breaking news. ”

tags: twitter schools
Now I Know – The Nose Knows

Now I Know – The Nose Knows http://t.co/3VoOV7eQNr

tags: via:packrati.us
New tablet boots Ubuntu Linux, Android, and Windows 8 | PCWorld

New tablet boots Ubuntu Linux, Android, and Windows 8 http://t.co/Qshntd5WbR via @zite

tags: via:packrati.us
What You Need to Know about Data Footprints ~ Educational Technology and Mobile Learning

What You Need to Know about Data Footprints http://t.co/daiSi1NBcr via @zite

tags: via:packrati.us
Ontario teachers ponder new school safety policy: barricading classrooms, not simple lockdowns | Toronto Star

Ontario teachers ponder new school safety policy: barricading classrooms, not simple lockdowns http://t.co/FcjnpVHeY9 via @zite

tags: via:packrati.us
Education Week: Teaching Students Better Online Research Skills

Education Week: Teaching Students Better Online Research Skills http://t.co/tFCgJQpa2V via @zite

tags: via:packrati.us
Zite update is aimed at Google Reader orphans | TUAW – The Unofficial Apple Weblog

Zite update is aimed at Google Reader orphans http://t.co/s7KEw8wxZK via @zite

tags: via:packrati.us
10 Podcasting Projects Every Teacher Should Try

10 Podcasting Projects Every Teacher Should Try http://t.co/ZvoqgD1eUS via @zite

tags: via:packrati.us
8 Digital Ways to Wrap up The School Year ~ Educational Technology and Mobile Learning

8 Digital Ways to Wrap up The School Year http://t.co/zZqDRCf6xP via @zite

tags: via:packrati.us
Doctors use 3-D printer to custom-design implant for baby

Doctors use 3-D printer to custom-design implant for baby http://t.co/Vd9NdA7RHC via @zite

tags: via:packrati.us
Microsoft suggests Google is “a corporation not wearing deodorant” http://t.co/38fDPwDtuV via @zite

Microsoft suggests Google is “a corporation not wearing deodorant” http://t.co/38fDPwDtuV via @zite

tags: via:packrati.us
5 Strategies to Assess Student Knowledge | Ask a Tech Teacher

5 Strategies to Assess Student Knowledge http://t.co/5WvVDEJfJY via @zite

tags: via:packrati.us
State of Educational Use of Blogs 2013 Survey | The Edublogger

State of Educational Use of Blogs 2013 Survey | The Edublogger http://t.co/gm5h8ncayH via @zite

tags: via:packrati.us
About Keyboarding | doug — off the record

Just blogged… About Keyboarding http://t.co/l6oFcqN2zf

tags: via:packrati.us
OTR Links 05/23/2013 | doug — off the record

Just blogged… OTR Links 05/23/2013 http://t.co/KKhwIHsYdY

tags: via:packrati.us

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

About Keyboarding

dougpete — Thu, 23 May 2013 09:00:00 +0000

A great article in Dear Otto today titled “Do Students Still Need to Learn Keyboarding” had me doing a little thinking about it. Learning to keyboard was one of the best things that I ever did for myself. In fact, I took “Typing” in Grade 9 and got a mark in the 60s at the Christmas reporting period. At about the same time, they were replacing typewriters where my father worked and he bought an old Underwood and brought it home for me.

In the beginning, I used to use it as a weight and did some weight lifting with it. If you’ve ever lifted an old typewriter, you’ll know that they are very heavy. Eventually, it became part of my routine and I would type my notes as practice in the evenings. There were two side effects. I became very proficient as a keyboarder and my marks actually went up in the subjects I was taking. I guess there’s something to reviewing the concepts taught. And rhythm. You need to have rhythm.

It was a great skill to have during university – particularly in programming classes where keyboarding was a real benefit. I often joked that high school made me a good keyboarder but COBOL made me a great keyboarder. Later, working in a Business Education Department, you could see the skills in students develop and the benefits of keyboarding spill over there. On one of my first portable computers, I got really interested in enhancing the speed. I seemed to have plateaued at something like 80 wpm! We all know of the alleged story of the design of the QWERTY keyboard and how the layout was supposedly designed to stop the mechanics of the typewriter from jamming. Now that you take the mechanics out of the equation with electronics, there are other options.

A popular one is the Dvorak Keyboard. I configured my keyboard to the Dvorak layout and spent some time learning how to use it. It’s true. You are so much faster with a layout that recognizes the frequency of use of letters in the English language. I became much faster. The downside, of course, is that you don’t always have a Dvorak keyboard wherever you happen to be. Eventually, I gave up and went back to QWERTY.

DVORAK Keyboard Layout

By Kalan (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html), CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/) or CC-BY-2.5 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5)%5D, via Wikimedia Commons

My first reaction to the original question about should we teach students keyboarding was a resounding yes. After all, it was good for me, why shouldn’t it be good for them? There is another train of thought though that has seen the minimalizing or removal of teaching of keyboarding and that’s that the student will pick up the skills on their own. When you watch someone who doesn’t have even the simple skills makes you fear for a generation of hunters and peckers. Will this create yet another divide between those that can and those that can’t. To help the cause, there are plenty of free and affordable options for those who would like to learn.

The move towards BYOD makes me sit up and wonder about my position to support keyboarding. With all kinds of devices finding their way into classrooms, the question soon becomes “whose keyboard?” Is it the keyboard of a traditional computer? For the most part, the layout hasn’t changed much over the years. You’ll now find ALT and FN keys and multi-function keys on most keyboards but most of the rest remains the same.

But, for those who would type on glass…

I guess it’s pretty fortunate that the traditional QWERTY keyboard layout remains the same. Is that a concession to those of us who learned to keyboard on a typewriter? When you think about it, like my experience with Dvorak, there are better layouts.

While the traditional layout remains the same , it’s the second level of characters that seem to be open to the designers’ choice of preference. Even at that, where does suggestive spelling fit? How about alternative keyboard layouts? How about sliding from letter to letter rather than tap, tap, tapping? How about voice recognition input?

I know personally that if you put me in front of an old school keyboard, I’m pretty handy. Put me in front of glass and I’m okaaaaay, but I grind to a halt when it comes to special characters. And I hate suggestive spelling – witness my “Lunch with Bobby” messages when I take Bubby out for lunch.

I wonder if the question “Do Students Still Need to Learn Keyboarding?” is the right one. Is keyboarding the literacy that needs to be taught or is it just a small part of a bigger package. Sadly, I think that most of this gets ignored. Other literacies take on more importance in the classroom. Is it going to take standardized testing done at the keyboard before we determine an answer to this?

Keyboard Layout: Dvorak vs QWERTY (forums.crackberry.com)
The Story Behind the QWERTY Keyboard (blogs.smithsonianmag.com)
Fact of Fiction? The Legend of the QWERTY Keyboard (blogs.smithsonianmag.com)
Cool Stuff Found: The Smithsonian Debunks the Myth of the QWERTY Keyboard (macobserver.com)
The Lies You’ve Been Told About the Origin of the QWERTY Keyboard – Alexis C. Madrigal – The Atlantic (theatlantic.com)
Touchscreen typists urged to abandon qwerty keyboard for KALQ (telegraph.co.uk)
What You Can Learn From The Failure of DVORAK (rohitbhargava.com)
Forget QWERTY, The KALQ Keyboard Will Make Touchscreen Typers 33% Faster (businessinsider.com)

OTR Links 05/23/2013

dougpete — Thu, 23 May 2013 05:30:35 +0000

Virginia Moves Standardized Testing to Computers

Virginia Moves Standardized Testing to Computers http://t.co/LOqWnHtHXt via @zite

tags: via:packrati.us
Rockmelt

Google now selecting “regular folk” to try out Google Glass for themselves – via @Rockmelt for iPad http://t.co/pM2aYOiZW3

tags: via:packrati.us
Rockmelt

Celebrate Pac-Man’s 33rd birthday with 33 GIFs – via @Rockmelt for iPad http://t.co/2EcGWKX1C0

tags: via:packrati.us
Rockmelt

Windows vs. iPad: Compare tablets – Microsoft Windows – via @Rockmelt for iPad http://t.co/1aOMStEhXC

tags: via:packrati.us
Rockmelt

Apple’s Smart Watch May Not Launch Until Late 2014, Use Biometrics and iPod Nano Technology – via @Rockmelt for iPad http://t.co/HG2AXZiMCF

tags: via:packrati.us
20 Tips to Protect Your Online Identity ~ Educational Technology and Mobile Learning

20 Tips to Protect Your Online Identity ~ Educational Technology and Mobile Learning http://t.co/NAJruhDtMM

tags: via:packrati.us
Parenting: More advice or more time? | SheilaSpeaking

Parenting: More advice or more time? | SheilaSpeaking http://t.co/OhyQ76i5U1

tags: via:packrati.us
Mint 15: Today’s best Linux desktop (Review) | ZDNet

Mint 15: Today’s best Linux desktop (Review) | ZDNet http://t.co/0riPK8LUV7

tags: via:packrati.us
The Doug Peterson Community News

The Doug Peterson Community News is out! http://t.co/hzjpcxUVne ▸ Top stories today via @Smith_Caroline @sjgorman @newteacherstalk

tags: via:packrati.us
INFOGRAPHIC: Before Posting Facebook Photos, Ask Yourselves, ‘Should I Upload It?’ http://t.co/hVhjeiteuU via @zite

INFOGRAPHIC: Before Posting Facebook Photos, Ask Yourselves, ‘Should I Upload It?’ http://t.co/hVhjeiteuU via @zite

tags: via:packrati.us
Infographic: The Evolution of the Airline Logo

Infographic: The Evolution of the Airline Logo http://t.co/gFdWcXZdy0 via @zite

tags: via:packrati.us
A Flowchart To Find Great Advice About Anything [INFOGRAPHIC] http://t.co/O6J5WJoItV via @zite

A Flowchart To Find Great Advice About Anything [INFOGRAPHIC] http://t.co/O6J5WJoItV via @zite

tags: via:packrati.us
Brainology: 15 Intriguing Facts About Your Brain [Infographic]

Brainology: 15 Intriguing Facts About Your Brain [Infographic] http://t.co/LFW1abLwDC via @zite

tags: via:packrati.us
Infographic: The Evolution Of The iPhone » Macgasm | Macgasm

Infographic: The Evolution Of The iPhone http://t.co/3j4Wn6m24f via @zite

tags: via:packrati.us
Home Buying: You vs Your Parents | NerdGraph Infographics

Home Buying: You vs Your Parents http://t.co/YVJS0PawHP via @zite

tags: via:packrati.us
Ubuntu vs. Windows 8: Which Is Better Overall? – Datamation

Ubuntu vs. Windows 8: Which Is Better Overall? – Datamation http://t.co/SIpv6ddGaV via @zite

tags: via:packrati.us
A Convergence of Thought | doug — off the record

Just blogged… A Convergence of Thought http://t.co/nbux48tbze

tags: via:packrati.us
OTR Links 05/22/2013 | doug — off the record

Just blogged… OTR Links 05/22/2013 http://t.co/rdYlaGYdWT

tags: via:packrati.us

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

A Convergence of Thought

dougpete — Wed, 22 May 2013 09:00:21 +0000

A couple of things entered my reading today. The first was an infographic asking “What Does An Educational Technologist Do?” It’s an interesting graphic and worth the time to follow the link and take a look.

The second reading was a blog entry from George Couros titled “What should a networked educational leader tweet about?” Just as the infographic is worth the time to study, so is Mr. Couros’ blog entry. In particular, the summary at the bottom of the article about what or what not should be tweeted.

In both cases, I would suggest that these are significant descriptors. For those of you who have access to the services of an educational technologist, I would think both are good standards for the position and worthwhile discussion with them.

But, I would take it even further. Not only should these be considered, there is another aspect.

How often does this communication happen? Is it sufficient when the educational technologist is in attendance at a conference or a presentation and parrotting points made by a speaker? I would say no. Doing so is like saying “I’m here and you’re not”.

The message that an educational technologist often gives is one of you needing to be a lifelong learner and get with the program. But what about her/him?

If you believe in lifelong learner for others, how about yourself? If you believe in visible learning, how about yourself?

Is it not desirable, heck, even a requirement that you show how it’s done? If it’s important to learn, I would suggest that it’s at least as important to illustrate that. Only then, do you lead and learn by example. Are you not learning something new every day as you would expect others to do?

Take another look at the two resources. They really show a great convergence of ideas and should be part of a roadmap for success. Otherwise, it’s pretty difficult to answer the question “Just what is it that you do?”

An inquiry into educational technologists’ conceptions of their philosophies of teaching and technology (distance-educator.com)
Getting Started with Twitter for your PLN (mguhlin.org)

OTR Links 05/22/2013

dougpete — Wed, 22 May 2013 05:30:35 +0000

RT @sylviaduckworth: Still no laptop! Set up YT chnnl 4 unhappy @AirCanada customers http://t.co/wjILNTptcW Plz RT! @tk1ng
@dougpete…

RT @sylviaduckworth: Still no laptop! Set up YT chnnl 4 unhappy @AirCanada customers http://t.co/wjILNTptcW Plz RT! @tk1ng@dougpete…

tags: from:dougpete via:packrati.us
RT @jpkitchener: Thesis proposal done. Ethics approved. Now to find some participants. Please share! http://t.co/V9EW27H8Bh…

RT @jpkitchener: Thesis proposal done. Ethics approved. Now to find some participants. Please share! http://t.co/V9EW27H8Bh…

tags: via:packrati.us
CEO Cook To Defend Apple Before Senate Committee Hearing : NPR

RT @nprpolitics: CEO Cook To Defend Apple Before Senate Committee Hearing http://t.co/M3jyIZacEr

tags: via:packrati.us
25 Things Teachers Should Know About Gamification | Edudemic

25 Things Teachers Should Know About Gamification http://t.co/Vbi0cWlii2 via @zite

tags: via:packrati.us
Computer Science Teachers Association: Meet The Statistically Average Computer Science Teacher

Meet The Statistically Average Computer Science Teacher http://t.co/hjO6UquUPx via @zite

tags: via:packrati.us
Can Yahoo Ignore Tumblr’s Dark Side?

Can Yahoo Ignore Tumblr’s Dark Side? http://t.co/0Bgc8zdjrR via @zite

tags: via:packrati.us
Teacher’s Guide to Creating Facebook Group for Students ~ Educational Technology and Mobile Learning

Teacher’s Guide to Creating Facebook Group for Students http://t.co/kS5ltCCQEL via @zite

tags: via:packrati.us
A Comprehensive Index to Educational Hashtags Teachers Must Know about ~ Educational Technology and Mobile Learning

A Comprehensive Index to Educational Hashtags Teachers Must Know about http://t.co/0RqauEW5en via @zite

tags: via:packrati.us
Teen Develops Computer Algorthim to Diagnose Leukemia http://t.co/k6E2Un0fk7 via @zite

Teen Develops Computer Algorthim to Diagnose Leukemia http://t.co/k6E2Un0fk7 via @zite

tags: via:packrati.us
Opera’s WebKit-Powered Browser for Android Comes out of Beta

Opera’s WebKit-powered browser for Android comes out of beta with full launch http://t.co/EQy7p6XX0A via @zite

tags: via:packrati.us
Clipping Magic Brings Photo Background Removal To Your Mac’s Browser | Cult of Mac

Clipping Magic Brings Photo Background Removal To Your Mac’s Browser http://t.co/wbMSpH30WN via @zite

tags: via:packrati.us
Top 25 Free iPhone Apps of All Time http://t.co/GhmHw6dDBR via @zite

Top 25 Free iPhone Apps of All Time http://t.co/GhmHw6dDBR via @zite

tags: via:packrati.us
Fond Atari Memories | doug — off the record

Just blogged… Fond Atari Memories http://t.co/ctmNCaYiwC

tags: via:packrati.us
OTR Links 05/21/2013 | doug — off the record

Just blogged… OTR Links 05/21/2013 http://t.co/C72obU677S

tags: via:packrati.us

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Fond Atari Memories

dougpete — Tue, 21 May 2013 09:00:00 +0000

In celebration of the 37th anniversary of Atari’s Breakout game, Google has created and released a version that you can play on your computer. Accessing is Easter Egg-ish in nature. Go to a Google Image Search and search for “Atari Breakout”, wait a couple of seconds and you’ll be presented with a version of the game. Use your left and right arrows for fine control or your mouse/trackpad to move the paddle left and right and keep the bouncing ball alive.

Pretty primitive by today’s standards but addicting, nonetheless.

But my memories go far beyond the game which was groundbreaking and part of the reason why we have such great gaming options available to use today.

I think back to a ground of computer science students I had once who also loved their gaming. My students, with previous permission, were allowed to “dine” with me and work on their projects if my classroom was vacant during their lunch period. Take that, English teachers! One day, the topic turned to Breakout and they discussed how they would make the game better.

So, I said “Why don’t you write one then?”

This was a group of Grade 11 students and I distinctly remember that we had talked about directly accessing video memory at the time. They looked around the table at each other and soon they were off.

The teacher in me was so proud that they didn’t start at the computer. They started with logic flows, screen layout and design, pseudo-code for what they anticipated to be challenges later, dividing and assigning tasks, and documentation. If you’re a computer science teacher, you know that these things can be like pulling teeth with students who just want to head to the keyboard and start coding.

Within a couple of weeks, they had a working model that was a pretty faithful reproduction of the original game. To be honest, development stopped for a while as the joy of playing and obtaining high scores took over.

But then, development took over again. I recall customized music, customized targets, spinning actions for hits. I was into this like a dirty shirt. We were all learning on the fly.

It was great to watch the students take on their own project and develop the passion to make it the best they could be. When they would run into a roadblock because of something they had not been taught/learned yet, they dug deeply into the technical manuals. Sadly, our course work became almost trivial in nature!

Thanks, Google, for releasing this version of Breakout. It brought back some great memories to this teacher.

Type ‘Atari Breakout’ Into Google Image Search for a Cool Surprise (mashable.com)
Google Image Search Salutes Atari Breakout (wafflesatnoon.com)
If you do a Google Image search for Atari… (rivalanimus.com)
Play the Atari Breakout Game on Google Images (geekalabama.com)
Google Turns Image Search into an Atari (putthatback.org)
Atari Breakout doesn’t boost work hours (phonesreview.co.uk)
Type ‘Atari Breakout’ Into Google Image Search for a Cool Surprise (clixto7.com)
Celebrate 37 years of Atari’s Breakout game: how to play via Google image search (telegraph.co.uk)
Google Commemorates The 37th Anniversary Of Atari’s Breakout With Image Search Easter Egg (techcrunch.com)

OTR Links 05/21/2013

dougpete — Tue, 21 May 2013 05:30:41 +0000

Sorry, Bub (@ Arby’s) http://t.co/1bRtzNUVgt

Sorry, Bub (@ Arby’s) http://t.co/1bRtzNUVgt

tags: via:packrati.us
Fiddler on the Roof (@ Festival Theatre – @stratfest) http://t.co/3yK3EON6Lh

Fiddler on the Roof (@ Festival Theatre – @stratfest) http://t.co/3yK3EON6Lh

tags: via:packrati.us
Yahoo Deal Shows Power Shift – WSJ.com

Yahoo Deal Shows Power Shift http://t.co/THeBXuOAfA via @WSJ

tags: via:packrati.us
iPads In The Classroom: The Right Questions You Should Ask | Edudemic

iPads In The Classroom: The Right Questions You Should Ask http://t.co/Qa1SqnpJZI via @zite

tags: via:packrati.us
Infographic: What Does an Educational Technologist Do? | infogr.am

Infographic: What Does an Educational Technologist Do? http://t.co/Vlzu83cROP via @zite

tags: via:packrati.us
The Digital Footprint Of 3 Different Generations | Edudemic

The Digital Footprint Of 3 Different Generations http://t.co/a8gObCKtFN via @zite

tags: via:packrati.us
When Can I Start Teaching Again–Instead of Testing? | Diane Ravitch’s blog

When Can I Start Teaching Again–Instead of Testing? http://t.co/aY8C6JcV24 via @zite

tags: via:packrati.us
When employers duck responsibility for training, Canada loses – The Globe and Mail

When employers duck responsibility for training, Canada loses http://t.co/nsgD5owcdD via @zite

tags: via:packrati.us
10 Google Plus Communities Every Teacher should Know about ~ Educational Technology and Mobile Learning

10 Google Plus Communities Every Teacher should Know about http://t.co/i193QsCQAK via @zite

tags: via:packrati.us
Study challenges data and ideas behind grade inflation in higher education | Inside Higher Ed

Study challenges data and ideas behind grade inflation in higher education http://t.co/WMMwvZyOxC via @zite

tags: via:packrati.us
Video Transcoder `HandBrake` 0.9.9 Released With Blu-ray Subtitle Support, More ~ Web Upd8: Ubuntu / Linux blog

Video Transcoder `HandBrake` 0.9.9 Released With Blu-ray Subtitle Support, More http://t.co/B7aI2oHEoP via @zite

tags: via:packrati.us
New Handy Chart on The Difference Between Projects and Project-based Learning ~ Educational Technology and Mobile Learning

New Handy Chart on The Difference Between Projects and Project-based Learning http://t.co/xa5oF8CekS via @zite

tags: via:packrati.us
The History of Infographics (an #infographic) | Soshable | Social Media Blog

The History of Infographics (an #infographic) http://t.co/fvj1tQkDHw via @zite

tags: via:packrati.us infographic
How Firefox Is Integrating With Facebook and Other Social Networks

How Firefox Is Integrating With Facebook and Other Social Networks http://t.co/6HNPphWBo6 via @zite

tags: via:packrati.us
Elementary math focuses on real-life problem solving | Windsor Star

Elementary math focuses on real-life problem solving | Windsor Star http://t.co/sjFkkIoJh7

tags: via:packrati.us
GeoGuessr | doug — off the record

Just blogged… GeoGuessr http://t.co/rZAwgwiqco

tags: via:packrati.us
OTR Links 05/20/2013 | doug — off the record

Just blogged… OTR Links 05/20/2013 http://t.co/ElfwsjhnMf

tags: via:packrati.us

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

GeoGuessr

dougpete — Mon, 20 May 2013 09:00:00 +0000

@nobleknits2 owes me a few hours of my life back!

She introduced me to GeoGuessr and it’s been an obsession ever since.

It’s a geographic game and the “Guessr” part of the name is unfortunate. If you enjoy geography and can get clues from images, it’s really all about inquiry and discovery. All in a game format.

The premise is pretty simple. Start a game and the application pulls an image from somewhere in the world, courtesy of Google. Look around in 3D for clues about the location. Some are fairly intuitive; some may take some noodle scratching; and, I guess some just require a guess.

No matter how, you end up with an idea of where in the world the image is. Click as close to the location as on the map as you can and then “Make a Guess”.

Score is determined by how close to the actual location you got.

Play a number of rounds and the game is over. Check out your score.

Embarrassingly, here’s one of my games that I hammered through to do a screen capture for this post. I need to brush up on my Portugese language skills and learn the difference between Australian locations and New Zealand locations!

If you’re a geography fan, you’ll enjoy it. I think this would be a wonderful competitive activity for the geography classroom.

Give it a shot. If you get hooked, be like me and blame @nobleknits2!

GeoGuessr: An utterly addictive geography game (theatlanticcities.com)
There Goes Your Entire Day: GeoGuessr (rockpapershotgun.com)
GeoGuessr Asks, “Where Are You Now?” (escapistmagazine.com)
Geographical Guessing Games – Test Your Google Mapping Skills with GeoGuessr and Explore the World (TrendHunter.com) (trendhunter.com)
GeoGuessr (curiousfridays.wordpress.com)
Do You Know Where This Dusty Country Road Is? (businessinsider.com)
GeoGuessr Tips: How To Master The Internet’s Amazingly Addictive New Obsession (huffingtonpost.co.uk)

OTR Links 05/20/2013

dougpete — Mon, 20 May 2013 05:30:39 +0000

Learning about being a better blogger

Reading: “Learning about being a better blogger” ( http://t.co/ECP58Dl1Zl )

tags: via:packrati.us
I’m at Tom Patterson Island (Perth County, ON) http://t.co/ogyeYMS9iM

I’m at Tom Patterson Island (Perth County, ON) http://t.co/ogyeYMS9iM

tags: via:packrati.us
I’m at Beach (Goderich, ON) http://t.co/VWJ8I85mIe

I’m at Beach (Goderich, ON) http://t.co/VWJ8I85mIe

tags: via:packrati.us
I’m at Clinton, Ontario (Clinton, ON) http://t.co/YhsejAzbNw

I’m at Clinton, Ontario (Clinton, ON) http://t.co/YhsejAzbNw

tags: via:packrati.us
Cube for Teachers – Online Teaching Resources for Ontario K-12 Educators

“Unique, innovative, and truly cutting-edge, Cube for Teachers is an interactive database created exclusively for you, the Canadian K-12 educator. With its simple and user-friendly design, The Cube is progressively changing the way you store, share and search for your teaching resources.”

tags: cube teachers online teaching teaching resources resources ontario educators
An Essential Web Tool | doug — off the record

An Essential Web Tool | doug — off the record – http://t.co/UNUMc1E7Pf

tags: via:packrati.us
8 Must Have Tools for Dropbox Users ~ Educational Technology and Mobile Learning

8 Must Have Tools for Dropbox Users http://t.co/76T1xwlppL via @zite

tags: via:packrati.us
Why It’s Always Worth Asking for a Hotel Upgrade http://t.co/nhSD20KPMk via @zite

Why It’s Always Worth Asking for a Hotel Upgrade http://t.co/nhSD20KPMk via @zite

tags: via:packrati.us
An Essential Web Tool | doug — off the record

Just blogged… An Essential Web Tool http://t.co/zJVB6imQDl

tags: via:packrati.us
OTR Links 05/19/2013 | doug — off the record

Just blogged… OTR Links 05/19/2013 http://t.co/vacLWNbjsz

tags: via:packrati.us

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

doug --- off the record

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