PowToon for Presentations

I was looking for a fast, simple, and engaging presentation tool when I came across PowToon.  PowToon is an easy tool that allows the user to create animated "slideshows."  It is fantastic to use in the classroom and there is a basic FREE account that can be utilized.  Once you log in for the first time, the PowToon Wizard will guide you through using the animation tool (which is SUPER easy).  If you desire to use PowToon with students, an $8 a month fee will allow the teacher and 60 students access to the creation tool.

PowToon Tutorials

Here is an example of a quick PowToon that I created today.

Biteslide: A free alternative to Glogster

I don't know about you, but with so many free resources available online, I am no longer seeing the need to pay for services that can be found elsewhere.  Glogster is/was one of my favorite tools to use in the classroom.  However, after having my bank account docked every year for the subscription, I decided that it was time to find something else.  After trying out a few "glog-ternatives", I came across Biteslide.  It is a little more simplistic thank Glogster, but it is super easy to use and printer friendly.  A teacher can register for a free account with 30 student accounts.  By referring Biteslide to other teachers, 5 additional student accounts can be added (with a max of 30 additional accounts=60 total).  There are paid versions of Biteslide, but the free account does the trick as well.  Unlike other sites, Biteslide is intended for school use, so I have yet to stumble across inappropriate content.  You can participate in a demo by clicking on the icon at the top of this post.  You can also find a presentation with handouts at THIS link.

Infographics

Today at ISTE2014 I learned how to create an infographic.  I tested out many different sites and found easel.ly to be the easiest for beginners (like me).  Shirley Farrell presented and shared her Livebinder of resources with us.  I think in this case you would benefit most from "playing around" on the website rather than from me trying to create a tutorial video for you because your needs for infographics will differ from person to person.

So, why use infographics in education?  You can read an online article here, but I can also sum it up by saying that infographics combine visuals, informational text, and data to assist the learner in making meaning of what they are viewing.  Hence, they are utilizing multiple modes of learning.  If you take it even further by letting the student create infographics, then they will be using their higher order thinking skills as they sythesize their knowledge and create visual products.

Below is an example of a basic infographic that I created today for my resume.

Augmented Reality Take 1

The clock just struck midnight and I am sitting in my hotel room at ISTE2014.  I came here with an agenda and a plan for what I wanted to learn more about.  First of all I wanted to learn about all things Google since I have been selected to test out Google Classroom.  Second, I wanted to attend sessions that covered utilizing technology with reading and social studies (I am switching from math and science to reading and social studies and need some refreshers).  Finally, I wanted to learn more about Augmented Reality.  Unfortunately, all of the Augmented Reality (AR) sessions were booked up, so I searched all of the presentations from ISTE that covered AR and came across this FABULOUS Prezi which took me step by step through the creation process. Major props to Lauren Tate @teachertate for creating it!

Download the Aurasma App and hold it over the picture below to see my first "Aura"