Will is talking now (his [...]]]> Today K-6 Tech Talk is coming to you from the 24th Annual NJECC  conference.  There will probably be many tips and tricks to pick up today (and the next two days as the conference continues), but we’re starting off with a keynote address from Will Richardson.  Keep checking today for news from the conference.

Will is talking now (his wiki is http://willrichardson.wikispaces.com) , and he’s all about the need for kids (and adults) to know HOW to learn.  With the capabilities of technology, learning can happen nearly anytime nearly anywhere, but how can kids possibly know what to do with that information?  What is valid and what is not?  Who are their models?

One thing adults can do is learn social networking skills.  This is considered a “tectonic” (or “techtonic”?) shift in how people relate to each other.  Consider the way gamers came to the aid of a blind person who wanted to learn how to play a video game.  This video on YouTube may help.  How are we, as teachers, preparing students to engage in this type of exchange?

The sounds of silence–or not!  So your students have been using Audacity to record news events, interesting science facts, or stories they created, but getting the recording just right is a bit troublesome, and no one wants to try 15 takes.  Can the audio be edited?

Absolutely!  Audacity has some pretty [...]]]>

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The sounds of silence–or not!  So your students have been using Audacity to record news events, interesting science facts, or stories they created, but getting the recording just right is a bit troublesome, and no one wants to try 15 takes.  Can the audio be edited?

Absolutely!  Audacity has some pretty advanced features, but removing unwanted bits is extremely easy.  Let’s take the simplest case: A student begins recording but doesn’t start talking for a few seconds.  Those seconds can seem like an eternity to a web-raised fourth grader, so she may think something is wrong when no sound is coming out of the speakers.

Step 1.  A recording has been made, and you can see the “vibrations” of the recording.

Step 2. Looking at the recording “vibrations” you’ll see that the line is quite flat where there is no talking.

Step 3. Simply highlight (just like you were selecting a word to change its font) the flat area where there is no talking in the recording.

Step 4. Hit the Delete key on your keyboard one time.  The silence was eliminated!

Step 5. Play the recording to make sure no part of the good content was eliminated.  If it was, just click Ctrl+Z to undo the deletion and try again.

These steps are particularly useful when a student is far into a recording and stumbles a bit but finally gets the speaking correct.  You (or the student actually) can simply edit the recording by deleting the bad segment!

Tip: If a recording is completely bad, and the student wants to delete it, then he needs to look for the little X in the upper-left of the recording bar.  That takes away that track, and allows the student to start anew.

Students can download, for free, software from SMART called Notebook Viewer which will allow them [...]]]> You’ve reached a new height in creative SMART Notebook lessons, and you’ve posted all your glorious work on your teacher website (or moodle site), but your students are complaining that they cannot open the files at home.  What can they do?

Students can download, for free, software from SMART called Notebook Viewer which will allow them to see and use your Notebook files, but that is a software download, and (shh, here’s a secret: SMART will not be supporting it for long) there is something better.

SMART Notebook Express is the way of the future!  Yes, it is in Beta (test mode) right now, but it’s certainly worth promoting to your students.  This application runs within a web browser, so there is no need to install anything.  Students can easily open and use your Notebook files online.  You can even allow people to edit a Notebook file online if you are working on a lesson activity collaboratively.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Using Audacity, you [...]]]> Did you know that you can download sounds and sound effects from our Clipart.com for Schools subscription?  These sounds are great to use in SMART Notebook lesson activities, but they are all in the WAV format, and SMART Notebook really only likes the MP3 format.  How do you convert them?  EASILY of course!

Using Audacity, you simply open the sound file you have saved from the clipart site.  You then use the Export feature to save it as an MP3.  If you’ve ever recorded student voices, the Export feature is old hat!  Do you need to see this in action?  I thought so–look at the video below for help!

By the way, when you log into http://schools.clipart.com  at school, the clipart site is ready to use, but from home you need the user name and password.  You can find them in First Class by going to District Conferences, then K-6 Technology, and opening the Websites for Teachers file.

Click here to view the embedded video.

While [...]]]> After having a SMART Board in your classroom for a couple of years, you are probably familiar with many of the things you can do with the SMART Board and Notebook software.  The next level of SMART Board use is to focus on how your subject area can be enhanced by using the SMART Board.

While there are many things you can do if you are interested in creating your own work, there are many sources of pre-made Notebook lesson activities.  For example, a great source of SMART Notebook lessons in math can be found at Harvey’s Homepage.

Harvey Almarode is a retired math curriculum supervisor who now works at James Madison University in their education department.  He seems to spend most of his time creating SMART Notebook lesson activities for math teachers.  It’s probably the most valuable math resource for SMART Boards in existence.

If you’re an elementary teacher, you might want to check out the Number Sense area, or if you are at the middle school, you may be interested in the Patterns, Algebra, and Functions area.

Something to look forward to?  How about SMART Notebook Math Tools?  This is a software plug-in for Notebook that adds a secondary toolbar which gives you access to an equation editor, math ink recognition, math actions (automatic simplification of terms and graphing!), irregular polygon creator, and MUCH MORE!  Holy cow, if you are a math teacher and are wondering how to add afterburners to your SMART Board, this is it!

From websites, to [...]]]> Remember the technology survey you took a short time ago?  At a meeting on Tuesday, Anne Dudley mentioned that after reviewing the results, she and our Director of Technology, John Abdelmalak, were ecstatic about the improvement in our technology use compared to the survey from three years ago–so CONGRATULATIONS to all of you!

From websites, to blogs, wikis, podcasts, moodle pages, and PowerPoint use, you and your students are doing a lot with technology!  You all deserve a pat on the back for your energy and enthusiasm as you have embraced technology.

On a personal note, I would like to thank the teachers with whom I work because I have been to a few workshops lately, and, while interest in using technology at the K-6 level is there, you are really putting it to good use.  I am always proud to share your Teacher Triumphs with the instructors and colleagues at these workshops, so thank you for all your hard work, dedication, and willingness to try new things.

What is this good for?  If you are simply a science aficionado, it’s fun, but in the classroom, the podcasts [...]]]> What can you learn about science in 60-seconds?  How about the fact that chickens see more colors than we do?  Scientific American posts daily facts about science that are available as 60-second audio files–yes, a podcast!

What is this good for?  If you are simply a science aficionado, it’s fun, but in the classroom, the podcasts are great openers for class, or you can use them as a model for students to create their own podcasts about scientific topics.

Student podcasts can be limited to 60 seconds as well, be recorded with Audacity (on our computers), saved to a Student Share folder, and uploaded to your teacher website.

Do you want to try this with your class?  Drop me a note, and I’ll help you get started!

The Magic Pen Tool in SMART Notebook allows you to do three things (see that there are three stars around the pen?).

1. Write with disappearing ink.  Sometimes you just need to make a quick note that does not [...]]]> What one tool makes writing disappear, spotlights items onscreen, and magnifies the minute?  The Magic Pen of course!

The Magic Pen Tool in SMART Notebook allows you to do three things (see that there are three stars around the pen?).

1. Write with disappearing ink.  Sometimes you just need to make a quick note that does not need to hang around.  Tap the Magic Pen button once and use your finger to write or draw.  The digital ink will fade away as you continue talking.

2.  Spotlight that content!  Do you need to draw your students’ attention to a particular area of the screen?  Tap the Magic Pen button once then draw a circle around the area you’d like to spotlight.  Cool, eh?

3.  Magnify the miniscule: A tiny icon, a web address, a particular cell; any of these can be magnified by tapping the Magic Pen button once and then using your finger to draw a rectangle around the item to enlarge.

Want to see this all in action?  Have a look at the short video below!

Click here to view the embedded video.

We love our Discovery Streaming subscription, and it’s nice that YouTube is not blocked for us, but sometimes you need something a [...]]]> After emerging from the mountains of snow in our yards, it’s back to school and back to the blog!  Media Monday’s tip today is a bit of a blend between media and Website Wednesday.

We love our Discovery Streaming subscription, and it’s nice that YouTube is not blocked for us, but sometimes you need something a little different.  Have you tried Teachers TV?

Teachers TV is a British site devoted to high-quality professional development video production that you can download, but many of the subject area videos are also appropriate to use in the classroom.  One example I love is a university professor demonstrating some amazing sound vibrations.  Common vibrations are slowed down with high-speed photography and the segments give teachers great openers to show on their SMART Boards.

Teachers.TV is also a good starting point for administrators looking for videos to show during a faculty meeting or professional development workshop.