Mathematica

My first Eye-Fi photo

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Originally uploaded by jdornberg

I just got my Eye-Fi Share card today. This amazing SD card turns my digital camera into a wireless device, and it was VERY easy to use.

In about 2 or 3 minutes the card installed the software on my computer (connected to a USB port with the included card reader), I created my Eye-Fi account, connected the card to my home wireless network, and configured the software to send my photos directly to my Flickr account.

Then I popped the card into my Kodak digital camera, snapped this photo of yours truly, and within a minute the picture was sent via wi-fi to my computer, and from my computer to Flickr. That's right, no more USB cables, the pictures are automatically transferred.

I don't know if I can use the Eye-Fi on more than one wireless network or on more than one computer, but I am very pleased that it worked as advertised. Now I can share my photos with relatives and friends that live far away within minutes after I take them.

I got my Eye-Fi Share on Buy.com for $60 shipped (it retails for $99). They also make two other products. Check out the details on their website: http://www.eye.fi/ Their most expensive card automatically geotags your photos and will upload them from anywhere (if I remember correctly) that there is wireless access.

HP Netbook $360 shipped

This price on the HP Mini 1000 is much more competitive with the Acer Aspire One that I love so much... $360 shipped!

It even comes with Windows XP!

Learn more about it on HP's website.

Voicethread for K-12 education

You can purchase a 1-year teacher/classroom subscription for $60 that will allow your students to create their own Voicethreads.

Christmas 2004

I can't believe it's already been 4 years since the Griswold Family Christmas tree. I can laugh about it now!

Now, four years laters, we've downsized to a 7-8' tree.

A Voicethread about Voicethread

Since I'm a firm believer in not reinventing the wheel, permit me to embed this excellent introduction to Voicethread by Dianne Krause. Add Dianne's blog to your aggregator, and check out her wikispace.

Testing Voicethread

Google Earth Image

David Jakes has written about using Google Earth as a tool to teach students about the Kennedy Assassination (see http://newtools.pbwiki.com/JFK+Assassination and http://strengthofweakties.org/?cat=22). Today I noticed that many of the buildings in Dallas have been rendered in 3D, making the view of Dealey Plaza, the book depository, and the "grassy knoll" even more stunning. The picture shown here was captured in Google Earth.

Get Google Earth. Put the world in perspective.

( http://earth.google.com)

What a coincidence!!!

In an earlier post I talked about the need to further explore the many excellent resources on the Teaching With Google Earth website.

Well, I did start to explore, and was VERY surprised to see this picture of a KML file and placemark bubble:

The reason for my surprise???

Lodge Grass, MT was my first teaching job! It is a very small, remote Montana town on the Crow Indian Reservation. What are the odds????

More Google Earth goodness!

I am fortunate to learn of a number of great websites from the people I follow in Twitter. Today "cliotech" (be sure to check out her excellent blog) posted a link to this one, Teaching with Google Earth.

Topics include: What is Google Earth?
Becoming Familiar with Google Earth
Why Teach With Google Earth?
How to Teach With Google Earth
User Guide
Working with KML
Google Earth API
Google Maps
Examples of Google Earth Activities
Complete List of Google Earth Activities

I'll need lots more time to explore this site, but it looks very promising!

The Gift Hunters

When our boys were little I came up with a brilliant idea... I hid clues all over the house about where to find one of their presents. We videotaped the whole thing. They were outside in the backyard, out to the mailbox, upstairs, downstairs, inside the dishwasher. I think even they would admit they enjoyed it.

Well, now Best Buy has taken my scavenger hunt for Christmas presents into the 21st century. Enjoy this video. It has me thinking...

Mathway

Step by step solutions to math problems. Enter the problem in the space provided, or click one of the samples (like this one). They are embeddable!!!



Check it out! http://www.mathway.com

Edublog Award Nominees

Some wonderful exemplar blogs for the rest of us! Vote for your favorites:

http://edublogawards.com/

Add some of these to your Bloglines or other aggregator of choice.

Google Custom Search Engine

Another of my favorite bloggers... Dean Shareski

Take some time to read this post by Dean Shareski, and the many thoughtful comments that follow. This is a great example of the "conversations" that take place on a lot of blogs.

This is why Sheryl Nussbaum Beach is one of my favorite bloggers

"Why do we need to understand the shift in education? Because they can learn and teach themselves anything they want to know without leaving home. When you move from a classroom structure to a community structure- the students become teachers AND learners and so do we. 21st Century teaching and learning is about shifting classrooms to learning ecologies."

Add Sheryl to your aggregator: http://21stcenturylearning.typepad.com/blog/

Creative Commons Defined

This short video provides an easy to understand explanation of what "Creative Commons" is all about. My epiphany was the statement that CC is about moving away from CONTENT and focusing more on COMMUNITY. Thanks to Darren Draper for embedding this video on his blog. Share this video at your next faculty meeting to make teachers aware of the tremendous amount of content that is freely shared by people all over the world.

Copyright tells you what you CAN'T do, Creative Commons tells you what you CAN do.