Southwest Region http://www.edutech.nodak.edu/regionblogs/southwest/ en Copyright 2008 Thu, 10 Apr 2008 13:58:48 -0700 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/?v=3.34 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Grant County Anatomy Students Connect via Video to Live Surgery A common surgery that we hear about today is total knee replacement. However, six classes from North Dakota not only have hear about this, but can now say they actually observed a live surgery of this type. On Wednesday, April 9, Grant County High School’s Human Anatomy class was one of the six North Dakota classes that connected via video to the surgical suite at Mount Carmel East Hospital in Columbus, Ohio to observe a live total knee replacement surgery. The orthopedic surgeon removed the diseased cartilage and bone from the femur, patella and tibi and replaced these with prosthetics.

Students were allowed to ask questions of the operating room staff throughout the surgery. Comments from students following the surgery: "The surgical team was very descriptive to help us understand what was going on. Very interesting. Not as bloody as I thought it would be.” Instructor Darrell Howard conducted both pre- and post-visit activities with his 28 students.
IMG_0320.jpgIMG_0321.jpgIMG_0323.jpg


The other North Dakota schools connected were Beulah, Bottineau, Jamestown, Tioga and Glenburn. Two schools from Ohio, one from Texas and one from Alberta Canada were also connected. This live interactive videoconference was coordinated by EduTech and COSI.


]]> http://www.edutech.nodak.edu/regionblogs/southwest/2008/04/grant_county_anatomy_students.html http://www.edutech.nodak.edu/regionblogs/southwest/2008/04/grant_county_anatomy_students.html Thu, 10 Apr 2008 13:58:48 -0700 SMART Board™ Podcasts & Lessons Recently in visiting with one of my colleagues, I was introducted to a great website that contains a weekly SMART Notebook™ lesson, a podcast and resource links. Here is the site address: http://pdtogo.com/smart/ The podcast can be delivered automatically to your iTunes or email address. Past lessons can be searched by category.

Also, on March 7, 2008, SMART Technologies began working with Scholastic to design lesson plans that provide teachers with digital resources to complement their SMART Board™ interactive whiteboards and Senteo™ interactive response systems. Here is what they say "This microsite features SMART lesson activities for Notebook™ collaborative learning software, resources to help with lesson activity creation and links to customizable tools and templates. Math and science lesson activities are currently featured, and additional lesson activity subjects will be added regularly." Check it out at http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/lessonplans.jsp

]]> http://www.edutech.nodak.edu/regionblogs/southwest/2008/03/smart_board_podcasts_lessons.html http://www.edutech.nodak.edu/regionblogs/southwest/2008/03/smart_board_podcasts_lessons.html Thu, 20 Mar 2008 13:09:29 -0700 North Dakota’s K-12 Participation in Read Around the Planet is on the Rise! February 25 - March 4, 2008 twenty-five North Dakota teachers and their students traveled around the globe virtually with the use of interactive video equipment connecting classroom to classroom around the world. Activities included reading a favorite book, skits, plays, raps or songs. This years’ total number of registered classrooms hit an all time high of nearly 1,650 which is an impact of approximately 50,000 students.

Read Around the Planet, an annual reading motivation and awareness program, calls every child in every community to celebrate reading on or around Dr. Seuss’s birthday. Two Way Interactive Connections in Education (TWICE), an organization headquartered out of Michigan, sponsored the seventh annual National Read Around the Planet (RAP).

Participating North Dakota schools included: Ashley, Beulah, Bismarck, Cavalier, Devils Lake, Fairmount, Glen Ullin, Gwinner, Jamestown, Kindred, Maddock, Medora, Oakes, Williston and Wolford.

Conference technical services and facilitation of RAP in North Dakota was provided through the collaborative efforts of the Information Technology Department (ITD) and EduTech Education Technology Services.

]]> http://www.edutech.nodak.edu/regionblogs/southwest/2008/03/north_dakotas_k12_participatio.html http://www.edutech.nodak.edu/regionblogs/southwest/2008/03/north_dakotas_k12_participatio.html Thu, 20 Mar 2008 13:07:19 -0700 Hettinger Students VJ for Mega Conference Jr. On Thursday, February 21, the fifth annual Megaconference Jr. was held. This is a project designed to give students in elementary and secondary schools around the world the opportunity to communicate, collaborate and contribute to each other’s learning in real time, using advanced multi-point video conferencing technology. Hettinger high students, Sam, Joe, Logan and Colin, along with their advisor Mrs. Doe played a big role in making this a successful event. The students were not only involved as "video jockeys" to introduce and moderate the events, but they also filled in empty time slots with some entertaining videos.

1team.jpg


4team.jpg


2008 02 22_0019.jpg


2008 02 22_0027.jpg


]]> http://www.edutech.nodak.edu/regionblogs/southwest/2008/02/hettinger_students_vj_for_mega.html http://www.edutech.nodak.edu/regionblogs/southwest/2008/02/hettinger_students_vj_for_mega.html Fri, 22 Feb 2008 15:32:54 -0700 Adding Resources to Your Library in ActivStudio As teachers are creating more of their own flipcharts, this question came to me, "When creating flipcharts in ActivStudio, how do I add some of my favorite images from the shared library into my library?"

Here is the process if using a PC:
1. Open the Shared Resource library and drag the image/resource out onto your flipchart area.
2. Open My Resource Library and drag it into the area where the thumbnail would appear. You should now see that image/resource in your library.

For MAC users:
1. Pull a shared image/resource from Shared Images out onto your flipchart area.
2. Open My Images. Click on image and drag on the Hand icon to move it to My Images.

I would recommend setting up folders in your library before moving images/resources to it.

]]> http://www.edutech.nodak.edu/regionblogs/southwest/2008/02/adding_resources_to_my_resourc.html http://www.edutech.nodak.edu/regionblogs/southwest/2008/02/adding_resources_to_my_resourc.html Fri, 01 Feb 2008 09:12:54 -0700 Tracking E-mail with Outlook Have you ever sent an important e-mail that needed to arrive on a specific date and time and then wondered if the recipient ever received it? Outlook has a feature that will help you track e-mail.
To track a message in Outlook 2007
1. On the Message tab, click on Options dialog box launcher.
2. When the Message Options window opens, under the Voting and Tracking options, click on Request a delivery receipt for this message and/or Request a read receipt for this message.
A delivery receipt tells you that your e-mail message was delivered to the recipient's mailbox, but not whether the recipient has seen it or read it. A read receipt tells you that your message has been opened. In both cases, you receive a message notification when your message is delivered or read.
If you are still using Outlook 2003, this feature is available and can also be found in the Message Options window by clicking View on the menu bar and then Options.
So don’t stress out any longer when sending important e-mails as it just takes a second to set up the tracking.

]]> http://www.edutech.nodak.edu/regionblogs/southwest/2007/12/tracking_your_important_email.html http://www.edutech.nodak.edu/regionblogs/southwest/2007/12/tracking_your_important_email.html Fri, 28 Dec 2007 10:56:35 -0700 ThatQuiz With my job, I have the opportunity to visit with teachers to find out which web sites they are using to support student learning. At a recent workshop, a teacher introduced me to this site, ThatQuiz, www.thatquiz.org . ThatQuiz is a free online resource for math practice and testing. Not only is registration free, but teachers who register also receive record-keeping of scores for their classes. Teachers have the ability to create single tests with questions from different categories or access a public test library. The Math Test Directory includes Integer, Fraction, Concept and Geometry.

Other links are available are USA states and capitals, Latin American countries and capitals, European capitals, African capitals, coin guide, geometric formulas and a library. For more information, go to http://www.thatquiz.org/tq/docs/about.html

]]> http://www.edutech.nodak.edu/regionblogs/southwest/2007/12/thatquiz.html http://www.edutech.nodak.edu/regionblogs/southwest/2007/12/thatquiz.html Thu, 20 Dec 2007 13:43:25 -0700 Sharing Internet Safety Information Internet safety is something that we as educators should be constantly reminding our students, parents and community of. A great online newsletter i-EDUCATOR Times, published by iSafe, is a free download that has excellent information to share. Here are a few of the highlights of this month’s issue -

• Cyber Ethics – Taking moral principals into the online world.
• Internet Complaints – stats from the Internet Crime Complaint Center
• Voice Texting – hands free text messaging
• Hacking the iPhone – unethical or ingenuity?
• Ten Commandments of Computer Ethics
• Internet Safety Tips – Think twice before forwarding that email!

Download i-EDUCATOR Times today and share it with your students, family and friends! To subscribe to i-Educator Times, go to www.isafe.org, sign in and update your account to receive email updates.

]]> http://www.edutech.nodak.edu/regionblogs/southwest/2007/11/sharing_internet_safety_inform.html http://www.edutech.nodak.edu/regionblogs/southwest/2007/11/sharing_internet_safety_inform.html Tue, 06 Nov 2007 09:37:20 -0700 Are you missing out on this great United Streaming component? As more and more schools in North Dakota are obtaining licenses to United Streaming, I know many are excited about all the video and video segments that are available. However, there is a component that many may not be aware of, the Discovery Atlas Interactive Map. This atlas has a unique video guide to our world, featuring exclusive clips from Discovery's Atlas series. The interactive maps provide thousands of videos that show off the wonders of countries ranging from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe.
1. Log on to www.unitedstreaming.com
2. Enter your login and password.
3. Click on the Discovery Atlas Interactive Map link under Teacher Center on the right hand side of the window.
4. Click on Launch Atlas button on the Discovery Education Atlas window that opens.
5. Select the desired country from the drop box.
6. Click on the links to the left of the country image to learn about the Culture, Government, History and the Natural World of the selected country. Note how the list of available videos appears in the mini window on the right as you click on one of the four options. A yellow dot will appear to indicate the current selection.


united streaming picture.jpg

Click on image to enlarge.

]]> http://www.edutech.nodak.edu/regionblogs/southwest/2007/10/are_you_missing_out_on_this_gr.html http://www.edutech.nodak.edu/regionblogs/southwest/2007/10/are_you_missing_out_on_this_gr.html Good Web Sites for Classrooms Mon, 08 Oct 2007 13:00:47 -0700 Connecting to the Real World in Math and Science As schools are beginning a new school year, I have been busy conducting "Video Streaming in the Classroom" workshops to help teachers become more aware of what's available for them to use with their students. Even though the majority of the time is spent on exploring the contents of the United Streaming site, other sites such as National Geographic, eField Trips, Tumblebooks and See More Wildlife are also introduced. This past week, I was informed of another great site that connects math and science to the real world,
The Futures Channel Check it out for some good stuff!

]]> http://www.edutech.nodak.edu/regionblogs/southwest/2007/08/connecting_to_the_real_world_i.html http://www.edutech.nodak.edu/regionblogs/southwest/2007/08/connecting_to_the_real_world_i.html Good Web Sites for Classrooms Tue, 28 Aug 2007 08:09:05 -0700 Using Digital Photos in the Classroom Most classrooms now have access to digital cameras and/or digital camcorders. With all the user-friendly and free software, there should be no excuse for students not using this equipment. Besides iPhoto, iMovie and Windows Movie Maker, there are some programs that are free; Picasa, PhotoStory, My Publisher, and Image Well are some of the more commonly know ones. The biggest problem is coming up with project ideas for students to use this digital equipment in the classroom. Here are some ideas that I found want to pass along to you:

• Take pictures of various objects that represent letters of the alphabet
• Take pictures of objects that form letters of the alphabet. (For example, letter T could be a picture of an electrical line post)
• Demonstrate emotions, compare/contrast
• Take pictures of scenes to expand on a favorite poem
• Document with pictures of different phases of a project—great for science projects
• Create advertisements
• Produce a pictorial timeline
• Take pictures while on a field trip and produce a document/movie of highlights from the student prospective
• Creative writing--write their own story books with pictures
• Create passports and plan a trip when studying foreign countries
• Email photos to ePals or pen pals
• Use pictures that students take as story starters
• Create individual electronic portfolios to follow students through their school years
• Use photos to create bulletin boards about units of study
• Create calendars, posters, flyers, business cards and newsletters with photos
• Make a map of your community and include photos to highlight specific locations

There are lots of great sites on the Internet to help come up with project ideas. Here are some to get you started:

• Kathy Schrock’s Guide for Educators – Digital Gadgets http://school.discovery.com/schrockguide/gadgets.html
• Using Digital Camera’s in the Classroom (Wacona Elementary School) http://www.wacona.com/digicam/digicam.html
• 1001 Uses for a Digital Camera http://pegasus.cc.ucf.edu/~ucfcasio/qvuses.htm
• Adobe Digital Kids Club http://www.adobe.com/education/digkids/

Hope all this information helps you get started. Have fun!

]]> http://www.edutech.nodak.edu/regionblogs/southwest/2007/06/using_digital_photos_in_the_cl.html http://www.edutech.nodak.edu/regionblogs/southwest/2007/06/using_digital_photos_in_the_cl.html Mon, 18 Jun 2007 15:11:37 -0700 Ideas For Using The ActivBoard in the Classroom Get the most out of your lessons by using the ActivBoard in your classroom. Here are just a few ideas that I found on the Promethean Planet website:

• Annotate over an image or text (pen or highlighter) to make corrections or add punctuation
• Draw lines to match concepts
• Use images from the resource library to tell a story
• Link to a short video and ask students for the main idea and supporting details
• Create templates for completing story elements such as background, character, and plot
• Use spotlight to illustrate location or identity of an object
• Use the paint bucket to color certain words or objects.
• Travel to different continents and explore foreign countries using "Google Earth"
• Drag objects into Venn diagram to establish similarities and differences

]]> http://www.edutech.nodak.edu/regionblogs/southwest/2007/04/ideas_for_using_the_activboard.html http://www.edutech.nodak.edu/regionblogs/southwest/2007/04/ideas_for_using_the_activboard.html Mon, 30 Apr 2007 10:01:49 -0700 Interactive Whiteboards Whiteboard Interactive Links

These links are not just for whiteboard use, but work well with them because of the interactive factors each contains.

1. EdHeads is a science site containing interactiveness with simple machines, virtual knee surgery, and weather. http://www.edheads.org
2. K-3 math sites http://www.juliethompson.com/SMART.html
3. K-12 math sites http://www.d131.kane.k12.il.us/Bardwell/smartboard.html
4. Learning Planet http://www.learningplanet.com PreK-8th Grade Math & Science
5. Set Game http://www.setgame.com/index.html
6. eFieldTrips http://www.efieldtrips.org
7. National Library of Virtual Manipulatives http://matti.usu.edu/nlvm/nav/vlibrary.html
8. Various Science Sites for High School Students http://jc-schools.net/tutorials/tools/science-hs.html
9. Various tools to enhance Math education for Elementary and Middle School students http://www.arcytech.org/java
10. Various engaging math games for students grades preK-7+ http://www.learningplanet.com
11. Interactive lessons to boost a child’s success in school. http://www.dositey.com
12. A multitude of web sites aimed at assisting foreign language teachers. http://www.internet4classrooms.com/flang.htm
13. Another site that contains foreign language resources. http://www.csun.edu/~hcedu013/eslsp.html
14. Comprehension and phonics site for pre-school to 2nd graders. http://starfall.com

Interactive Research Sites

1. The National Student Research Center recommends these science sites for high school students. http://www.youth.net/nsrc/webs.html
2. Locate historical pictures, maps, music and more at The National Geographic site. http://www.nationalgeographic.com

Streaming Video Sites

1. Brainpop contains K-8 math, science, social studies, technology, math, English, and health video clips and quizzes that are tied to standards. http://www.brainpop.com Many videos are targeted toward 3rd Grade and up, but Brainpop junior is found at http://www.brainpopjr.com and is targeted for the lower grades.
2. United Streaming is a digital video-based web site featuring more than 5,000 full-length videos divided into 50,000 content-specific segments. This site contains lesson plans tied to standards, quiz builders, writing prompts and more. http://www.unitedstreaming.com
3. KidsHealth contains an abundance of health information pertaining to kids, parents, and teens. Phy-ed and health teachers will find this site useful as it has streaming videos, an interactive treasure hunt, healthy recipes and more. http://www.kidshealth.org
4. Google Video contains free and for pay videos for educators. http://video.google.com

Smartboard and Activboard resources

1. K-12 whiteboard templates http://www.center.k12.mo.us/edtech/SB/templates.htm#K2

2. SMART Technologies web site http://www.smarttech.com

3. SMART Technologies education site http://www.smarttech.com/education/

4. EdCompass http://edcompass.smarttech.com/ec/en-us/

5. Promethean Planet site http://prometheanplanet.com

]]> http://www.edutech.nodak.edu/regionblogs/southwest/2007/04/interactive_whiteboards_in_the.html http://www.edutech.nodak.edu/regionblogs/southwest/2007/04/interactive_whiteboards_in_the.html Interactive Whiteboards in the Classroom Wed, 25 Apr 2007 20:23:34 -0700 Keyboard Shortcuts Here are some keyboard shortcuts you can use in Microsoft Windows if you cannot (or do not wish to) use the mouse. When you are told to use two keys, such as [CTRL] + [ESC], you should hold them both down at the same time.

The Windows key looks like a flag made of four squares and is usually located between the ALT and CTRL keys. In the image below, the windows key is on the left and the AppsKey is on the right.

Picture of Windows Key and AppsKey The PC Guide (http://www.PCGuide.com)
  • Open the Start Menu: [Windows key] or [CTRL] + [ESC]
  • Simulate a Right-Click: [AppsKey] or [Shift] + [F10]
  • Open the System Properties: [Windows] + [BREAK]
  • Move through objects/options: [TAB]
  • Move backward through objects/options: [SHIFT] + [TAB]
  • Move forward through window tabs: [CTRL] + [TAB]
  • Move backward through window tabs: [CTRL] + [SHIFT] + [TAB]
  • Move around between objects (or inside a menu): Arrow keys
  • Quick Shortcut for an action: [ALT] + “any underlined letter”
  • Perform the command for the active option: [ENTER]
  • Select or clear the check box if the active option is a check box: [SPACEBAR]
  • Close current window: [ALT] + [F4]
  • Change the size or position of the current window: [ALT] + [SPACEBAR]
  • Display Help: [F1]
  • Display the items in the list: [F4]
  • Display the desktop [Windows]+ ”D”
  • Minimize all of the windows: [Windows] + “M”
  • Restore the minimized windows [Windows] + [Shift] + “M”
  • Open My Computer: [Windows] + “E”
  • Search for a file or a folder: [Windows] + “F”
  • Display Windows Help: [Windows Logo] + [F1]
  • Lock the computer (welcome screen): [Windows] + “L”
]]> http://www.edutech.nodak.edu/regionblogs/southwest/2007/02/keyboard_shortcuts.html http://www.edutech.nodak.edu/regionblogs/southwest/2007/02/keyboard_shortcuts.html Wed, 14 Feb 2007 13:29:52 -0700 Websites for SmartBoards TOP 10 WEBSITES FOR SMARTBOARD

1. http://www.brainpop.com

2. http://www.edheads.org

3. http://www.juliethompson.com/SMART.html

4. http://www.d131.kane.k12.il.us/Bardwell/smartboard.html

5. http://www.learningplanet.com

6. http://www.setgame.com/index.html

7. http://www.education.smarttech.com/ste/en-us/

8. http://pbskids.org

9. http://www.efieldtrips.org

10. http://www.Starfall.com

]]> http://www.edutech.nodak.edu/regionblogs/southwest/2007/01/web.html http://www.edutech.nodak.edu/regionblogs/southwest/2007/01/web.html SmartBoard Fri, 12 Jan 2007 11:15:24 -0700