Analyze your writing over a cup of "expresso" with Hemingway.

 Have you ever wondered if you're getting your message across when sending an e-mail or writting a letter? Maybe your writing could be clearer, or more to the point. There are several online tools that can analyze your writing and give you suggestions on ways to improve it.

My favorite site for this type of tool is Hemingway. Other sites to check out include Expresso, The Readability Test Tool, and https://readability-score.com/.

BTW, this post scored an 8th grade reading level. :-)

I wonder if "there's an app for that"?

There are numerous educational websites and apps available for use. The trick is to find the good ones. That takes time that most teachers can't spare. edshelf.com is here to help.

Edshelf is "a discovery engine of websites, mobile apps, desktop programs, and electronic products for teaching and learning." You can filter by Platform (iPad, Chrome, Windows, etc) Age, Subject and more.

I like the collections feature and the reviews of all of the apps listed there. Check it out!

PDF "On the Cheap"

Do you need to create PDF documents, but can't afford Adobe Acrobat?

No problem! Tracker Software Products is offering their PDF-XChange 'Lite' 2012 product for free to Home and Academic users.

You can't beat the price. What do you have to lose? Check it out today -  
http://www.tracker-software.com/free_lite_home.html
*PDF-XChange Lite 2012 supports all Windows (32/64 bit) operating systems from Windows XP and later.

Get Going With Google

Just getting started with Google? Or, are you a seasoned user that would like to pick up a few new tips?

Richard Byrne, the creator of the great tech site, www.freetech4teachers.com, has some AWESOME resources to help you become a master Google user.

Check out his Google Drive for Teachers tutorial for tips on using Google Drive and Google Apps.
Be sure to visit 10 Google Search Tips All Students Can Use for a super Top 10 infographic that also includes a link to Google search lesson plans.

If you're more of a video guy/gal, Anson Alexander has a nice tutorial posted on YouTube that covers the basics of Google Docs.

No Email? No Problem. Great websites for your classroom

Many schools do not provide e-mail addresses for their students. Unfortunately, this makes it hard for a teacher to utilize websites that require an address for account creation and verification. Tech & Learning has compiled a list of 20 sites that do not require student e-mail accounts. Check it out!

http://www.techlearning.com/Default.aspx?tabid=67&EntryId=4761

Sync Multiple Google Calendars on Your IOS Device

So, I finally got an iPad. I was surprised to find that I couldn't get all of my shared Google calendars to show up.
Fortunately, I found this great post that describes an easy (and free!) way to make it work: http://www.dacko.ca/blog/sync-multiple-google-calendars-to-ipad2-calendar-app/ . Thanks Joanna!

Got an iPad for Christmas? Try this resource for great Educational Apps.

Scoop.it has a super collection of resources for those lucky duckies that have an iPad.

Thank you to Vicki Windman who posted a great article on Tech & Learning that provided this and many other resources for using the iPad.

Socrative - Engage Your Class Using Any Device

Want a quick and easy way to engage your students and find out what they know? 

Try socrative.com! Produce quick interactive polls and quizzes that your students can access on any web-enabled device. They also provide ipod and android apps too. The site is currently in beta and is free to use. 

Be sure to check out their classroom integration ideas that are posted on their blog site, Socrative Garden. In addition, you may check out their video howtos on vimeo: http://vimeo.com/channels/233370

As for me, all I know is that I know nothing. - Socrates

What a Bloomin' Great Idea!

I love Google Apps for Education. Educator Kathy Schrock has put together a great visual tool to break down the application of Google tools as they relate to Bloom's revised taxonomy.

Check it out here: http://kathyschrock.net/googleblooms/

Blogging about Blogging- Cart Before the Horse?

I read a great post on the langwitches.org blog today. The author makes the case that in order for teachers to effectively use blogs in the classroom, they need to start READING blogs first. Only then, can they get a sense of what makes a good blog stand out. She offers several interesting Ed Tech blogs, broken down by topic to get you started too.

Once your ready to jump in to your own blog adventure, be sure to check out her other posts, such as "We are Blogging... Now What?"

The Whiteboard Blog

I just came across a cool blog that features LOTS of great tips for using Interactive Whiteboards (IWB) in the classroom. The Whiteboard Blog's October 4, 2011 post, Five Funky Flickr Tools for Teachers, allowed me to create the cool graphic in this post.

Bloom's Taxonomy in Technology

Tech specialist, Lichelle Leonard posted a nice interactive compilation of web tools and their placement in Bloom's taxonomy:

http://www.res.rcs.k12.tn.us/teachers/leonardl/blooms_pyramid.html

Student Created Textbook

The Students' History is a super example of how technology can be used to get kids involved in class. These students are definitely not the "sit and get" type. They're creating their own online history textbook!

Bye-Bye To My TI?

I love my TI graphing calculator. But what if you need a powerful graphing calculator and don't want to spend a lot of money? The free, online, Desmos graphing calculator is a lot nicer than any other online tool of its type I've ever seen.

It instantly draws the equations as you update them, expressions can be color-coded, and you can share any graph online, or export it.

PBS LearningMedia - It's More Than Just Sesame Street!

PBS LearningMedia offers thousands of free high-quality public media resources specifically for PreK-16 educators.Sign up today and get access to downloads, content, professional development and more!

I Before E... What About Me?

No one can dispute the fact that the web has provided an unparalleled explosion of writing. But, much of it isn't worth the digital bits it's written on. In order to foster better writing skills and a love of good literature, we need to teach our kids the difference between treasure and trash.

Indiana teacher, Carla Beard has created the Web English Teacher website as a resource for teachers of all levels. She describes the site: "At Web English Teacher educators can take advantage of online technology to share ideas and to benefit from the work of others. Beginning teachers can find guidance; experienced teachers can find inspiration. Think of it as the faculty library and faculty workroom on a global scale.
Because the most important part of teaching isn't the technology."

Ghost Stories - Bring Dead Presidents Back To Life

Students sometimes have a hard finding significance in the study of historical events. The National History Education Clearinghouse has created Teachinghistory.org to help teachers spice up their teaching. The site offers teaching resources, best practices, and lots of history content that can be used in your classroom.

Get a Few "Benjamins" & "Grants" For Your School

Tech and Learning has posted a wonderful calendar of technology grant opportunities for schools.
http://techlearning.com/article/39802

Get Help From "The Cloud". Fly Over To Brightstorm.com

If you can't believe you've already exhausted Khan Academy (or even if you haven't), check out BrightStorm.com.

They offer short, to-the-point FREE STEM videos covering topics in Algebra, Geometry, Algebra 2, Trigonometry, Precalculus, Calculus, Biology, Chemistry and Physics. 

I've Got a Theory... You'll Learn Something If You Take Advantage of Einztein.com

http://www.einztein.com/ is a database of FREE online courses.

There are a wide variety of topics available. Most are aimed at High School and College students. Get some help with Algebra or Chemistry. Like Programming or Poetry? They've got you covered.

Of course, you'd need to have a brain like Einstein to understand some of the topics, such as Electron Microprobe Analysis by Wavelength Dispersive X-ray Spectrometry...