Photo Story

Photo Story, created by Microsoft, is a photo presentation program that you can download from off the internet. Photo Story allows you to drag your photos onto a window, arrange them as needed, then provide custom narration, transitions, zooms, pans, audio soundtracks, then exports the results as a WMV file. So, if you want a quick way to create stand-out photo presentations, Microsoft Photo Story is well worth downloading.

Some Pros of Photo Story: 

-Automated effects and transitions
-Soundtrack editing system

Some Cons to Photo Story:
- Output quality isn’t the best
- No DVD burning capabilities

Photo Story is an effective tool in education because it offers yet another form for student's to express their thoughts and ideas creatively. Photo Story is a fun tool that teachers can use to incorporate technology and create a story of their own in a creative way.

Check out what I've created using Photo Story:

Sources:
http://schools.spsd.sk.ca/curriculum/techyteacher/category/photostory/
http://microsoft-photo-story.en.softonic.com/

Wordle

allows you to create word clouds from text that you provide. You type out words into a box, the more you type a word, the bigger the word will appear in your word cloud. Wordle also allows you to submit a url from a blog and it will instantaneously create a word cloud for your blog. You can edit your word cloud to your specifications by changing the fints, layout and color scheme. You can print them out, or save it to share with your friends. This has got to be one of the coolest tech tools I've used thus far.

This is an effective and fun tool to incorporate in education. It allows students to brainstorm ideas on a topic and visualize them in a creative way. Student's can get more creative with Wordle by editing their word clouds to make it an original piece of work. 

Check out two of the word clouds I created, one describing my son and the other submitted from this tech blog. Check out Wordle to create your word cloud today!

http://www.wordle.net/

Source:

http://www.wordle.net/

Weebly for Education

Weebly can be used for an online site, blog or even a store. Weebly for Education can be used as an online class for teachers, their students and parents to communicate. Weebly makes creating your online tool as easy as a drag and click away. You can add texts, pictures, videos, slideshows and more. 

Weebly for Education's special feature is that it allows you AND your students to create their own websites. You are able to create a username and password for your student and they are able to gain access to creating their very own blog, website or even class project. With this option there are endless possibilities that you and your students can create using Weebly for Education.

No need to worry if you don't know where to start, Weebly offers an array of templates, designs, and tutorials to help you every step of the way.

 I guarantee that this user friendly web design will have you creating endless activities, lessons, blogs, websites or just about anything in and out of the classroom.

Below are some sites I have created using Weebly. Although, I have not had the opportunity to use Weebly for Education in these sites, they have the same basic features.

http://bignamesproject.weebly.com/
http://ed641culturalheritage.weebly.com/
http://rsandpchapter2.weebly.com/
http://sharedreading.weebly.com/

This site is an effective resource in education because it is yet another way it connects parents, students and teachers outside of the classroom using a website creator. This site not only encourages teachers to use technology in the classroom, but it also exposes students to technology and the tools it offers. Students are able to produce something they are proud of to showcase their work in a different form.

Sources:
http://www.weebly.com/
http://education.weebly.com/

SlideShare

Throw away the overused PowerPoint presentation and get in with SlideShare ( http://www.slideshare.net/). SlideShare allows you to discover, share and present in many ways possible. And the best part yet, is you can easily share it.

This site is an effective resource in education because it allows students to be creative and explore a different way to present their ideas and work using SlideShare.

Check out what I've created using SlideShare, and create your slides today!

5 min presentation

Source:
http://www.slideshare.net/

del.icio.us

del.icio.us

This site is an effective way in education to keep track of Notable websites / pages so that your ‘Favorites’ is not all cluttered. You can Tag each site you add so that it is easy access. You modify the Tags, you write in your own notes, you know what you put and where you put it, del.icio.us host it and makes it super easy for you. I like that you can network and save others bookmarks onto your list without having to use a search engine to locate it yourself. Delicious helps teachers and students keep track of sites they want to keep. When you want others to share the websites they found delicious makes this easy with their networking system. Del.icio.us is by far, hands down, "The Tastiest Bookmarks on the Web!" 

This site is especially helpful to me because I am able to divide my tags into different subjects and types of resources so that they are easily accessible. 

Source:
https://delicious.com/
http://teachingsmarter.sfinstructionalresources.wikispaces.net/Delicious

Welcome!

Welcome to my Technology Blog!
I will be posting Internet tool reviews / articles of my personal interest.

Thanks for stopping by!

-Amber