Personal Learning Network: April 2012

Saturday 21 April 2012

I am thankful

Friday 20 April 2012

8 Gorgeous Nature Blogs for Earth Day

by Erica

This Sunday, April 22nd will mark the 42nd observance of Earth Day. According to Earth Day Network, “More than 1 billion people now participate in Earth Day activities each year, making it the largest civic observance in the world.”
To inspire you to get in on this year’s celebration, here are eight amazing nature-related blogs on WordPress.com:

Birdlightwind.com

Creating Your Personal Life Plan by Michael Hyatt

Monday 16 April 2012

ICT For Teachers: TRAINING STRATEGIES, STANDARDS AND ONLINE COURSES

LearnThat.com
This website provides free courses and tutorials in various types of commonly-used software.
Free Computer Tutorials
This section of the home-and-learn website provides free tutorials in computer basics and in word processing, spreadsheets and database software.
GFC Global Learning
This website provides free online courses in a range of computer programs, including open source software.
BBC Learning
This website provides free tutorials and courses in various forms of ICT, ranging from digital cameras to spreadsheets.
KeySkills4UThis website features online courses for teachers (trainers). Teachers can learn about finding and managing information using ICT and about using ICT to improve communication.
itrainonline
This website provides links to sites and documents that teach ICT skills in the following categories: Basic Skills, Strategic Use, Web Development, Multimedia,and Technical. It also provides resources for trainers.
Computer basics tutorials
This page from Tutorial Find lists sites covering the basics for those new to computers; networking courses, databases, word processing, as well as hardware and software instruction.
Training in basic software
This page from the educationalonline website provides information about using basic software, including word processing, databases and spreadsheets.
Databases courses
This site offers information on courses for the three main open source databases PostgreSQL, MySQL and FirebirdSQL, as well as other Linux courses.
Graphic design tutorials
More sites from tutorial find, detailing animation, and graphic and web design courses.
Online learning.net
OnlineLearning.net provides professional development courses for teachers. From certificate level to accredited Master’s programs, busy teachers can pursue lifelong learning objectives in a flexible and convenient format.
Online teacher training in a global classroom
iEARN offers five subject-specific online courses for K-12 educators around the world. These courses help teachers who wish to integrate technology into their classes using online collaborative projects that are in line with their national education standards.
Teletraining Institute
The website of Teletraining Institute, a distance-learning company which offers training for educators, corporate-trainers and government instructors. Teletraining courses help teachers make the crossover to distance-learning, converting existing curricula to an online format.
Adobe tutorials
This page lists a huge range of online Adobe tutorials. Join for free and access their entire catalogue of tutorials.
informit.com
This website has a reference library containing books that can teach you subjects ranging from Microsoft Office, Linux, Programming languages (Java, SQL, etc), and Web programming (HTML, etc). You can read these books free online, or shop online to purchase print copies.
Teach to the Future CoursesThis is a programme which aims to help both experienced teachers and pre-service teachers to integrate technology into instruction. The programme incorporates use of the Internet, Web-page design and student projects.
Innovative Teachers Programme
This website offers Professional Learning resources and Classroom resources, including lesson plans. The programme aims to assist teachers to use technology to transform teaching and learning and offers access to community discussions on topics relevant to teachers and educators.
Pedegogical ICT License
This website is although ‘European’ Pedagogical ICT Licence (EPICT) the member countries include African nations and Australia. There is also a link to International Pedagogical ICT License of Sri Lanka. EPICT course offers approach that is away from ICT-skills centred to pedagogy centred for in-service training in the pedagogical integration of ICT in education.
E-learning and Technology: Training Resources
This website provides PDF documents that contain information about various topics, ranging from creating ICT-based learning materials to developing web pages.

Designing websitesThis section of the education_online_for_computers website provides free manuals for training on web-design software and picture manipulation software.
ETraining: the Web’s newest tutorials
This page from TutorialFind lists some of the most up-to-date courses on the Web, and covers a range of topics, from graphic design to C++ programming.

Friday 13 April 2012

Top 10 Technology Blogs for Education

Education, as with all aspects of culture, is greatly impacted by the forward progress of technology. Several blogs are maintained by well-known individuals in the field of education. These top 10 technology blogs address technological developments as these innovations relate to education. Many of the top 10 blogs are maintained by those who specialize in integrating technology with education. Most bloggers on the list are renown in the educational field and all offer great ideas and insights for teachers and others interested in using technology to enhance traditional educational methods.

Check out our picks here:

1. The Innovative Educator
The Innovative Educator is a blog created and maintained by author Lisa Neilsen. Lisa promotes ideas on her blog concerning passion-based learning and embracing technology in curricula of the 21st century. Lisa is a proponent of integrating technologies, such as cell phones, into the education process, rather than “blaming and banning” these devices. A recent post on Ms. Nielsen’s blog is entitled “Twitter for Administrators, Teachers and Students.”
2. Free Technology 4Teachers
Free Technology 4 Teachers is a blog that introduces teachers to free web-based applications, such as YouTube. The site provides a wealth of information about how to best utilize free web apps to enhance the educational process. One method mentioned in a post by Richard Byrne on his highly recognized and award-winning blog is how to use YouTube to enable students to produce video montage book reports as an alternative the the traditional written summary.

3. The Pursuit of Technology Integration Happiness
Michael Zimmer, a specialist in the field of technology integration in secondary education, produces this blog. If you like “Top 10“ lists, Zimmer posts several on this blog. Zimmer examines the use of Facebook, Twitter and YouTube in the high school classroom.
4. Bit by Bit
Bit by Bit is a blog created and maintained by Elementary School Technology Integrator, Bob Sprankle. Sprankle discusses the use of LiveScribe and other new technology recording devices in the classroom, as well as posts about the iPhone’s usefulness with regards to parent-teacher communication. Sprankle also discusses how to use Google to teach critical thinking and perform accurate and compelling research.
5. Around the Corner
For those teachers who utilize Moodle for creating interactive tests and material for the classroom, Around the Corner is a useful blog resource. Miguel Guhlin, veteran educator and currently in a director’s position, discusses issues such as those surrounding students’ digital privacy and teaching students social networking etiquette.
6. Learning with “e’s”
Noted e-learning expert, Steve Wheeler, maintains the Learning with “e’s” blog. Dr. Wheeler is an associate professor, past e-Learning conference chair and educational board member who advocates the use of blogging to produce students into writers, as well as the use of blogging as a means for teachers to communicate with students and parents.
7. 2 Cents Worth
Former educator and author David Warlick blogs on his site about the use of new technology in education. Taking more of a generalist’s approach to topics of technology in education, this blog provides many of Warlick’s insights from his 35 years as a teacher.
8. Teach the Cloud
Teach the Cloud is a blog that examines the use of cloud computing in teaching, with screencast and podcast tutorials about how to utilize Google Apps for classroom application. Created and maintained by Instructional Tech Support Specialist, Derrick Waddell explains how cloud computing may be used to enhance the student experience in the classroom.
9. The Web 2.0 Connected Classroom
The Web 2.0 Connected Classroom is a blog that provides a wealth of external resources for utilizing Web 2.0 technologies and blogging to enhance the teaching experience. Steven Anderson, noted educator and technology specialist educates the reader regarding Web 2.0 connectivity. Interestingly, Anderson is a proponent of the “digital fast,” unplugging from technology for a week-long period to reconnect with life minus the technology on which we have become so reliant.
10. Doug-Off The Record
In his blog, Doug Peterson, renown technology integration specialist and veteran teacher, discusses concerns about students’ privacy on Facebook. utilizing e-books and other relevant topics