Tots and Technology Conference, Part 3 - Word Clouds and Tagxedo

One of the really neat discoveries I made at the conference was the use of Word Clouds. Now, Word Clouds are not new. A lot of bloggers use them instead of the standard number index. You can find them at the bottom or side of a blog. With the number index, let's say a blogger uses "summer activities" as a frequent label. In the index, the name "summer activities" will show up, followed by a number. This number represents how many times the blogger has used that tag with a post. So if you're interested in finding out all of her posts regarding summer activities, you can click on that label, and all the blogs will pop up for you to peruse. With a Word Cloud, instead of a number, the SIZE of the word gives you an indication of how many times that label has been used. The bigger the word, the more it's been used.

Tagxedo is a terrific site where you can build and save Word Clouds from any website or blog of your choice. Plus you can pick what style, color, font, and design you want! The above Word Cloud is from this blog.

So what can you use a Word Cloud for? The possibilities are endless! For one, I can see how many words they can find and write. You can graph the words by size, estimate how many times the word's been used (if you presume that the smallest words = 1), and so forth.

Have fun with it! Experiment! I know I will!

Tots and Technology Conference, Part 2 - Great Websites!

I was directed to this website because they understand what it means to be a teacher without the proper resources to keep up with today's changing world. And they also realize how much of our own salaries we put back into the classroom. DONORSCHOOSE is there for us. Try it!

AbleNet as some great curriculum software and product ideas. This company also focuses on children with disabilities. Like them on Facebook and check back on occasion to see what neat projects and tips they have.

Although this site is primarily for upper grade teachers, I've joined just so I can connect with other Kinder and primary teachers. In short, it's similar to Facebook, but aimed toward a teacher with a classroom. In short, teachers can open up their site and invite their students. (And they can CLOSE the room and restrict others from coming in.) Teachers have access to a grade book, among other really neat tools. Students have a way to ask the teacher about an assignment, and can even turn in an assignment that's due. There are a whole slew of great things this site can do! It's simply a matter of going in and browsing to see what else is available.

Tots and Technology Conference, Part 1 - QR Codes

I recently attended the TOTS AND TECHNOLOGY conference in Galveston, Tx. During this three-day convention, we were given many wonderful and useful ideas, tips, and tricks in using our classroom smartboards and iPads. We were also given some wonderful websites for teaching tools. And, of course, there were the new tools and gizmos demonstrated for us to buy.

One of the most-used gimmicks was the QR Codes. They were everywhere, and many sessions gave some great ideas how to use them. One of the better online sites where you can generate your own codes is here. Of course, a major restriction is having the scanner(s) to reveal what the codes are. At the conference, it was suggested the students use iPads, or use the classroom computers with video cameras attached to the monitors.

I heard a few teachers mention that the codes for classroom use are more gimmick than practical. Personally, I agree (as of now.) But to me there's always a time and place when the codes can be used for a special assignment, and not necessarily for everyday use.