Instructional Technology Blog

Google Docs has now added an Equation Editor as part of their Back-to-School features for students.  The equation editor allows you to easily complete problem sets online or write papers that include equations. You can even take notes in your math class or answer questions using Google Docs. Also added is superscripts and subscripts that can be used for expressing chemical compounds or algebraic expressions. Check it out on the Google Docs Blog which also has a list of links to other sites of interest at the bottom of the page.

Wordle is a cool tool for generating “word clouds” from words that you provide. You can make some words that appear more often than others to stand out more. You can also use different fonts, layouts, and color schemes. The end result is a page that is unique as you are. This cool tool allows you to express yourself with words. Check it out, creat one, print one, or even save it to the Wordle gallery to share with your friends. This would be great to use with students for them to have a place to display key content words and then share it with the class. Enjoy!

Google has released the Google Earth 5 beta adds the ability to explore below the oceans and also incorporates features for exploring portions of the surface of Mars. It includes a feature called “Ocean in Google Earth.” It offers users the ability to explore the world’s oceans using materials from several National Science Foundation-funded ocean and climate researchers. Version 5.0 also introduces Martian landscapes, adding new capabilities for exploring some areas of the Martian surface. Check out this video which shows an example of this new version and Mars. The new version also adds historical imagery that users can access, rather than simply the latest satellite imagery. Download Google Earth 5 beta today and try it for yourself!

Inspiration software has launched the public beta of Webspiration, the new online version of Inspiration. With Webspiration, Inspiration Software offers powerful visual thinking tools combined with Web 3.0 capabilities to create a visual thinking and collaboration environment that creative thinkers can use anytime and anywhere. For those of us who are having budget cuts and need more Open Source applications, this is it! What a great resource for teachers and students. Plus, it can be accessed from anywhere! Cool tool!

I have been working on a staff development session on Marzano Strategies Using Technology. Below are some slideshows I found on Marzano strategies. Here is a Slideshare on Marzano’s take on homework.

Here is a SlideShare on Marzano’s Summarizing and Notetaking Strategies.

Ever want to insert a balloon into a movie and type in your own words?  Well, you can with Callouts for Movie Maker!  It is a fun and easy trick that will allow you and your students to add callouts and balloons to your Movie Maker movies.  Check it out at: http://tinyurl.com/5naxq6