Technology Integration, May 2007

Atomic Learning
K-12
http://www.atomiclearning.com/
Would you like to have a technology specialist available in your classroom or at your side everyday? Would you like to learn some new software applications such as PowerPoint, Excel, iMovie, or GarageBand from your home as you enjoy your summer break? Atomic Learning provides web-based software training and support for more than 100 applications students and teachers use everyday. You get just-in-time answers to your “how do I do that?” software questions. The short, “easy to view and understand” tutorials can be part of a professional development program, a valuable curriculum supplement, and an anytime/anywhere training resource.

Atomic Learning features over 25,000 tutorials on more than 100 applications. These tutorials will help you incorporate more interactive, engaging course activities through ready-made, project-based lesson plans. This reduces the time needed to “teach the technology” and increases time spent on course content. With Atomic Learning, you don’t have to know everything about the software.

Atomic Learning is easy to navigate with the blue tabs across the top. Click on the Our Tutorials link in the navigation bar to access an index of tutorials. From there, you can sort the tutorials by application, platform, or publisher. Once you click on the set of tutorials you want to view, you’ll be taken to the list of tutorial movies by topic. You can also look for tutorials by using the search feature at the top of the page—just type in your software question.
To access Lesson Accelerators, click on the Resources tab in the navigation bar. Lesson Accelerators are ready-made student projects that incorporate technology. All Lesson Accelerators include a lesson plan, tutorials to guide students through the project, and a sample finished product. From the Resources tab, you can also access Workshops. These are a great tool for professional development. Learn about mail merge, designing newsletters, creating podcasts, and more. Atomic Learning’s Digital and Video Storytelling Guide is another valuable resource. This guide will help improve the quality and effectiveness of your video stories. You can also download the free Video StoryBoard Pro software, which many teachers and students use to create video projects. Atomic Learning also has many software tutorials for Spanish-speakers. To access these tutorials, choose the Español link in the upper right part of the tutorial page. In addition, thousands of Atomic Learning’s tutorials are closed-captioned. Look for the closed-captioning icon on a tutorial page and turn this function on or off by clicking the link in the right column.

For helpful tools and resources, you can access a Getting Started Tutorial, FAQs, support materials, and online training sessions. You can also sign up to receive AL’s Weekly Tech Tips and e-newsletters. From the home page, select the newsletter link in the right column.
__________________________________________________________________

Bloggers' FAQ - Student Blogging
K-12
Students seem to push the limits of free speech hourly on the Internet. Students write about themselves, their friends, their teachers, their schools and everything else in their lives with very little thought given as to who might read their writings and how they might react. The adults in their lives are often clueless about what is going on. Even worse, adults rarely know how to handle the situation if what is written upsets other adults or students. The result, all too often, is a total ban on student blogging while at school. However, it is still the responsibility of schools to show students what the limits are and to help students understand the consequences of pushing those limits. Making students aware of the issues before they begin to blog can often prevent problems caused by students pushing to hard or too far later on.

In an effort to inform educators, parents, and students of their legal rights as they relate to blogging, Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) has created a Legal Guide for Bloggers. The Bloggers' FAQ on Student Blogging addresses legal issues arising from student blogging. It focuses on blogging by high school (and middle school) students, but also contains information for college students. To access the Student Blogger FAQ, go to http://www.eff.org/bloggers/lg/faq-students.php.
________________________________________________________

Kathy Schrock’s Guide for Educators
K-12
http://school.discovery.com/schrockguide/eval.html
Discovery School’s Kathy Schrock has developed guides, which provide educators with critical evaluation tools for podcasts, Weblogs (blogs), virtual tours and many other resources on the Web. The materials are available in html and .pdf format for easy printing. Students need to be able to critically evaluate a Web page for authenticity, applicability, authorship, bias, and usability. The ability to critically evaluate information is an important skill in this information age.