The document discusses free online tools and resources that can be used to create timely, meaningful, and memorable learning projects for students. It provides examples of interactive websites, Web 2.0 tools, and videoconferencing options that teachers can use to engage students and address different learning styles. It emphasizes that innovative teachers who are passionate about their content and reflective in their practice can best motivate authentic learning through the integration of appropriate technological tools and online resources.

1. Free Online Tools for Timely, Meaningful, and Memorable Projects Janet Bell Edmonton, Canada June 30, 2008 NECC, San Antonio, Texas

2. Free Online Tools for Timely, Meaningful, and Memorable Projects Interactive online resources + Web 2.0 interactive tools + Interactive whiteboards and Videoconferencing = Exciting new opportunities for teaching and learning!

3. Free Online Tools … Free? No dollar investment  No time investment  No energy/learning curve investment re: content or process  Online Tools? When a technological process automates a strategy (e.g. constructing content knowledge, scaffolding process, consolidating learning through application, constructing knowledge through forum environment) that becomes a tool  Interactive resources as tools for learning Online resources / communication processes

4. … Timely, Meaningful, and Memorable Projects Timely - “ teachable moment ” ; “ just-in-time ” learning Timely for students (student-directed, distributed learning environment) Timely for teachers (teacher-created; calendar synchronicity) Timely for society - “ seize the day ” Meaningful and Memorable Curriculum-driven; pedagogically sound Maximize learning by addressing diverse learning styles and educating the whole child/learner Projects independent and collaborative learning activities

5. The Challenge How to motivate authentic student learning through their interacting with/through online resources and tools when we don’t know what exists or whether the time and learning curve investments are worth it! Know online resource hubs (curricular samples coming up) Integrate interactive whiteboards (curricular resources identified) Integrate Web 2.0 tools (scaffold process) Use video conferencing (extension)

6. In an age of empowering students, innovative teachers are still key. Are you confident and a risk-taker ? Are you passionate about the content you teach? Are you aware of the kinds of cross-curricular learning processes that students engage in? (such as….?) Are you working from a basis of sound pedagogy ? Are you reflective ? Do you like the “tech toys”? Do you get inspired to think about what you can do with new tools educationally as soon as you see them ?

7. If you answered Yes…. Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes TPCK - Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge will interest you.

8. Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (Harris, Mishra, & Koehler)

9. Never underestimate the power of an educator! And then check out WebMath

10. Would you like your students also to become Risk-takers  Passionate about content  Articulate users of a range of learning processes, through technology or through other strategies  Aware of how they best learn and how a situation can be maximized for learning . Even reflective .  Creative responders to new inputs 

11. ISTE NETS for Students Creativity and Innovation Communication and Collaboration Research and Information Fluency Critical thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making Digital Citizenship Technology Operations and Concepts

12. Never underestimate the power of your students! If we are to achieve a richer culture, rich in contrasting values, we must recognize the whole gamut of human potentialities, and so weave a less arbitrary social fabric, one in which each diverse human gift will find a fitting place . Sex and Temperament in Three Primitive Societies (1935) (Margaret Mead) Human nature is potentially aggressive and destructive and potentially orderly and constructive. (Margaret Mead)

13. Contextualize learning for students, reinforcing appropriate actions!

16. Promote authentic learning using whichever resources and tools are most appropriate –

17. – and whatever is the best language “@hand” to achieve learning outcomes

18. Technology Integration the pervasive and productive use of educational technologies for purposes of learning and teaching ( Harris, 2005 ) (Harris, Mishra, & Koehler)

19. A. Sample Interactive Web Resources Use within larger activities to support learning through multimedia scaffold concept development simplify process inspire students to contribute their own content

20. Art, History, Culture, and Science Museum Hubs *Note curricular/pedagogical relevance Metropolitan Museum of Art How Van Gogh Made His Mark Cezanne's Astonishing Apples Explore and Learn The Louvre A Closer Look at Mona Lisa Kaleidoscope – see Liberty Leading the People, to link to Coldplay Vive la Vida on YouTube.com ; see what a modern artist has to say…. Museum 2.0 - Flickr : The Commons

21. Museum Hubs *Note curricular/pedagogical relevance United States Holocaust Museum Ripples of Genocide: Journey Through East Congo Life in Shadows: Hidden Children and the Holocaust Student project: The Eleventh Hour Collection Project Children’s Museum of Indianapolis The Power of Children Making a Difference The Tech Virtual Museum design your own exhibit

22. Museum and Media Hubs – Science Exploratorium ( main ) The Exploratorium – Seeing Not Fade Away - contribute to the conversation Discovery Channel ( main ) The 1903 Wright Flyer (view lots of games) PBS: Nova

23. Critical Thinking and Language Arts ReadWriteThink.org ReadWriteThink – Student Materials Line Break Explorer ReadWriteThink Printing Press Stapleless Book Story Mapping Character Trading Cards

24. Cross-Curricular Hubs BBC - for younger students The Little Animals Activity Centre Hansel and Gretel

25. Cross-Curricular Hubs BBC - for older students Skimming quiz Types of Listening: Casualty Challenge Summarizing Game Listening for Specific Information Activity -

26. Independent Sites http://www.starfall.com It’s Fun to Read: Music Starfall ABCs Dynamic Geometry

27. Other Resource Hubs – “Metasites” www.2Learn.ca Shakespeare : Subject to Change Frog Game SAT : Identifying Sentence Errors SAT : Critical Reading Make Beliefs Comix Comic Creator Lord of the Flies

28. Emerging spaces – looking for explanations? CommonCraft YouTube Wikipedia

29. B. Sample Interactive Tools Tools facilitating individual learning ReadWriteThink Puzzlemaker Bubbl.Us PBL Checklists (from 4teachers.org) Web 2.0 tools (starter hub) Lots of online resources (Part A)

33. Project support – Tools within a more prescribed curricular context Interpersonal Projects Epals Gaggle.net Wordpress Luminotes Social Networking sites (e.g. Facebook ) Vimeo.com - videos Information Collections Slideshare Drupal , e.g. http://thevintageaviator.co.nz/ Blogs (e.g. Ning , Wordpress , ) Wikis (e.g. PBWiki ) Problem-Solving Zazengo (Harris, Activity Structures)

39. Mapping and timelines http://earth.google.com/ http://docs.google.com/ http:// picasaweb.google.ca/ http://www.readwritethink.org/calendar/

40. C. Interactive Projects

41. Multimedia contributors History by the Minute: Student Minutes - http://www.histori.ca/minutes/default.do?page=.studentMinutes

42. Videoconferencing Join a project (samples) Biosphere Video Conferencing Canadian Space Agency – Telelearning Forest Canopies – A Walk Through the Woods Puppet Art Video Conferencing

43. Create a project Scaffold resources, tools and video conference components to maximize student engagement and allow for differentiated instruction. See www.2Learn.ca. Ambassador Project Gateways 2Learning 2Learn.ca VC-RLN

44. Use emerging tools to help you put it all together Wiz IQ – a virtual classroom, where you can work synchronously and asynchronously – available for unlimited free use. Add a calendar from ReadWriteThink. Check out the Zoho tools – free for single users, includes word processor, spreadsheet, planner, presentation builder and more.

45. The Reality! The tipping point of technology integration is now . Research that supports judicious use of online resources exists . Access to online interactive curricular resources is becoming increasingly pervasive . A critical mass of online interactive curricular resources , created by media giants and special interest groups and coalitions, many of whom are represented at NECC, exists . Web 2.0 tools, video conferencing and interactive whiteboards, technologies that enable unprecedented kinds of resource sharing and collaborative knowledge-building exist .

46. The Reality! More importantly, Increased distributed support is available to help teachers access online curricular resources , Web 2.0 tools , and new opportunities for interaction available through video conferencing and interactive whiteboards NECC community of learners Subject-specific professional learning communities Online PLCs – www.2Learn.ca

47. The Reality! Most importantly, we can connect with our students in unprecedented ways, empowering them to engage in multimodal learning, and consolidate that learning through collaboration and meaningful activities that can truly make a difference.

48. Contact information [email_address] Thank you – Enjoy the conference! Survey: http://www.iste.org/byol2008