YouTube inspiration and instruction

Here are a couple of quick and fun links I wanted to share with you about the joys and benefits of YouTube in education...

This link sends you to a collection of some of the best YouTube videos for teachers. There are instructional videos to show your class, videos to instruct YOU on how to do various things with and for your class, as well as some videos that are just mean to inspire you or make you laugh :)

This article has a very easy to understand description of various Web 2.0 tools, including YouTube, and the benefits of using them in the classroom.

YouTube isn't as controlled as other sites such as TeacherTube so you obviously need to screen all videos before sharing with your students, and take into consideration if the video is violating any copyright laws. However, if you can get past both of those roadblocks, it can be a great way to engage your students!

Continuing on the issue of organization...

With the ease of finding information internet, many people, teachers included, come across the issue not of finding information on a site, but finding that same information on that same site again later on! That's why this site is so useful. Once you create a free delicious account, you can add any URL to your account. Not only that, you can add tags to organize your links to easily find related links. You can even share your collection of links with others.

Not only can this be incredibly helpful for teachers, this can be a great tool to recommend or require of your students as well. When they are doing research, have them organize their links using this tool so that they and you can easily go back and review the sources. Sometimes, finding good, reputable, scholarly information on the Web is more difficult for students than using the information gathered.

MORE ways to show videos in class!

It's no secret that students look forward to "movie day" in class- they find it entertaining, and who are we to say learning can't be entertaining?

TeacherTube is an amazing resource for educators. It's set up in the same way as YouTube, but the goal of TeacherTube is to host instructional videos. There are TONS of great videos that you can share with your students to create background information maybe about the setting of a book, discuss a famous author, or even show examples if you are introducing your students to a new assignment.

There's also lots of videos that you as a teacher can watch for a little stress release, motivation, or inspiration. Speaking of inspiration... here's an amazing video from TeacherTube that I came across on another blog about using technology in schools.

Enjoy and be prepared to be inspired!

WebQuests

WebQuests are great ways to teach background information and to give your students opportunities to deep deeper into the content you are teaching in your class. They are primarily based on the web, but you select and organize the websites you want your students to read through before they begin their work. This is helpful for several reasons- it can avoid the "information overload" that exists on the web, keep students on track, and ensure that they are not getting distracted with other sites that are irrelevant. They also are great ways to have your students collaborate with one another and construct their own learning and meaning!

Now, to begin looking into information about WebQuests, here's the place to start. The website has tips and for creating a WebQuest and links to sites that can assist you in your efforts. Even better, you can search on the website for pre-made WebQuests about various topics!

They do take a while to create, but they are incredible resources that you can use and adapt for each class. Enjoy and good luck!

Google Earth

I heard a really interesting idea from some of my colleagues in my Educational Technology program tonight and I thought it was too cool (and easy!) not to share.

Almost everyone has heard of Google Earth, (www.earth.google.com), but you may not have heard of some of the ways that it can be really helpful with creating meaning and providing a setting and background information for a variety of literature.

If you are introducing a new piece of literature that is based in one or more actual locations, you can show these actual locations using Google Earth. In addition, there is even a collection of the 89 locations that Shakespeare references the most in his plays!

Just as an example of what it looks like in case you have not used Google Earth, here's a screen shot of the happiest place on Earth :) (Disney World)