Monthly Archives: July 2010
Searching Beyond google.com: Lesson Possibilities
While pondering what kind of “goodie” to post for this month, I came across these 10 suggested search engines. David Kapuler’s listing here provides some excellent alternatives to google searching. Now, google is still my (and his) favorite engine, but educators might just find some of these to be better for various educational requirements. For example, Eyeplorer is outstanding!! Hits are “sorted” by content in a pie shape so that you can quickly go to the content area of hits that will most likely answer your search question. And Oamos entertains you with music when searching…I searched “Georgia weather” and automatically listened to Rainy Night in Georgia playing as the hits were displayed. Check these out, because they may be well worth integrating into specific lessons for students!!
Kapuler’s top 10 search engines other than Google:
1. Eyeplorer - A unique and excellent search engine designed around a wheel format that lets a user take notes via an online widget.
2. Oamos - A wonderful visual experience that is unlike anything else around.
3. Quintura – A fun “tag cloud” style site that lets users embed word chains into a site.
4. BevyFind – A search engine that speeds up the searching process by combining different elements into one page.
5. Kngine – An excellent “Web 3.0″ search engine built on semantics.
6. Spezify - Get visual results with a sticky-type interface that incorporates all sorts of media content.
7. Scoopler – One of the best real-time search engines on the way w/ a built in button to share results across multiple social networks.
8. Webkruz - Get search results in visual thumbnails w/ blurbs of text underneath.
9. Sputtik - A great way to search for results on the web w/ a variety of content covered in different visual ways.
10. Feedmil - A nice way to search where users can adjust their results via a sliding panel that controls the searching criteria.
David Kapuler was the media and technology specialist at Greendale (Wis.) School District. Read his blog at cyber-kap.blogspot.com.
Phyllis R. Snipes,
University of West Georgia
Digital Storytelling
I just finished up participating in a three day digital storytelling workshop taught by an elementary school teacher and teacher librarian from Forsyth County, and boy am I excited! We spent the first day on nothing but the writing process and writer’s workshop, which set the tone for the most important part of digital storytelling – the story! The second and third days were spent learning how to gather images and sounds ethically and how to use technology tools such as Audacity, Adobe Photoshop Elements, and Ulead VideoStudio. Finally we shared our masterpieces and celebrated our hard work.
The 21st Century Information Literacy skills that made their way into this workshop made me see why digital storytelling is so helpful for students to do versus traditional processes. From choosing their own topic to gathering and synthesizing information that will fit into a three to five minute movie, students are working at the highest levels of Bloom’s traditional and digital taxonomies as well as engaged by the fact that their published product will be seen by an audience much larger than that contained within the four walls of their classroom.
“Docudramas,” or digital stories based on research, also piqued my interest as I learned about how students produce products that add to the topic rather than just “smooshing” together information that is already “out there.”
I can’t wait to try digital storytelling with our teachers and students this year!
P.S. This video shown at the end of the workshop was also very inspiring!
Emily Hodge
Instructional Technology Support
University of Georgia Educational Technology Center
Free: August Wednesday Webinars!
The Georgia Library Association and Georgia Public Library Service are
pleased to announce the August sessions of the Wednesday Webinar series,
which highlights trends, innovation, and best practices in Georgia
Libraries. The webinars feature Georgia speakers, but registration is open
to anyone, anywhere. Topics are chosen to be of interest to employees of all
library types, and each session is approved for one Georgia Continuing
Education (CE) contact hour each. Please forward this announcement as you
see fit.
~~~
Free Learning: Developing No Cost, Online Learning for Patrons and Staff
Jay Turner
Wednesday, August 18, 2010, 10:00am – 11:00am Eastern Time
Separate registration is required for each hour-long session.
Jay Turner, maverick Training Manager of the Gwinnett Public Library knows
that keeping library staff current and up-to-date when valuable resources
(time and money) are decreasing can be challenging but not impossible. He
uses free and low cost authoring tools to create customized e-learning
courses to meet his library’s specific learning needs. Attend this webinar
and learn how you, too, might use these tools to your library’s advantage!
For details and to register:
http://georgialibraries.org/events/wed-web-series/free-learning-developing-n
o-cost-online-learning-patrons-and-staff-jay-turner
You will be sent additional information prior to the event including the
link to join.
~~~
Tech Tips Training Series
Karen Douglas
Wednesday, August 18, 2010, 11:15am – 12:15pm Eastern Time
Separate registration is required for each hour-long session.
The “Tech Tips” series at the Athens-Clarke County Library was created in
2009 to provide public and staff training on current software, technology,
and social media trends. “Tech Tips” sessions have included live, how-to
demonstrations including Facebook, Adobe Photoshop, Skype, Twitter,
Podcasting, YouTube, eBay, etc. as well as recorded sessions available for
those unable to attend the face-to-face training sessions. Join Karen
Douglas as she describes various aspects of this highly successful
program…. including finding trainers, scheduling sessions, necessary
equipment, advertising and creating a video recording of the session.You’ll
leave with an arsenal of tips for setting up your own version of “Tech Tips”
in your library.
For details and to register:
http://georgialibraries.org/events/wed-web-series/tech-tips-training-series-
karen-douglas
You will be sent additional information prior to the event including the
link to join.
We hope you’ll join us for one or both of these webinars. To learn more
about upcoming and archived Wednesday Webinar sessions, please visit our
site at http://georgialibraries.org/events/webinars
Sarah Steiner, Georgia Library Association, PACE Chair, ssteiner@gsu.edu
Pat Carterette, Georgia Public Library Service,
pcarterette@georgialibraries.org
Buffy Hamilton, Wednesday Webinars Steering Committee,
buffy.hamilton@gmail.com
Linking to GALILEO Resources
Chain Link Sculpture, Berlin
Did you know that you can link directly to GALILEO databases from your media center site – and that your teachers can link to them from their classroom pages as well? Did you know that you can also link to magazines and many articles? Let’s take a look at how you can do this.
*Linking to GALILEO*
First, let’s talk about linking to the entire GALILEO site. If you just want to use one link to GALILEO, the best URL to use in the main URL: http://www.galileo.usg.edu
When your students go to this link, GALILEO automatically recognizes your school system and allows them access (and if it doesn’t, let us know). If your students are at home, this link will just ask for their GALILEO password, and they should then be able to access any of the GALILEO databases without entering another username or password.
*Linking to Databases*
Every GALILEO database has an Express Link, which you can use on any website to take students directly to the database. The best thing about using Express Links is that students can access resources at school or from home. At home, the will only need their GALILEO password.
You can see a list of all of your Express Links in the High School view under Databases A-Z > Express Links. We have a handout that offers step-by-step instructions for using Express Links. Please note the GALILEO policy related to the use of Express Links.
*Linking to Magazines*
Yes, you can link directly to magazines, newspapers, journals, or other periodicals available through GALILEO. These links can be created by going through Magazines A-Z in the High School view. See our handout for step-by-step instructions (the instructions use the Scholar view, but it works the same way).
If you would like ideas of magazines and journals to which you can links, we have a nice list on the Presentations and Materials page as well as lists mentioned in these three previous posts.
*Linking to Articles*
Finally, you can create links to articles in many GALILEO databases, particularly the EBSCO and ProQuest databases. We have another handout with instructions for doing this.
*Learning More*
All of this information has been included in a GALILEO training session. The slide presentation and archive are available in the Self-Guided Sessions section of the GALILEO Training site if you would like to see them.
Keep up with GALILEO news through the email list and the GALILEO Planet News.
As always, if you have questions or comments or need to report any problems, please Contact Us.
Courtney McGough
GALILEO Support Services
Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia
Chain Link Sculpture from slideshow bob on Flickr
Get Your Brain Back in Shape for School
It’s back to school time, time to get the old noodle back in gear and start thinking again. And I have just the tool to help you out–Lumosity. Lumosity is a great Web 2.0 tool for your students–and for you! Lumosity’s free brain games have been shown in randomized, controlled clinical trials to improve basic cognitive functions. And Lumosity is a secure site trusted by the Better Business Bureau and McAfee Security. You can sign up to create a free account, or just begin playing the free games that help your brain improve its memory, problem solving, focus, and other cognitive abilities. It’s fun!
According to their site, Lumosity users have reported gains in:
- Clearer and quicker thinking
- Improved memory for names, numbers, directions, etc.
- Increased alertness and awareness
- Elevated mood
- Better concentration at work or while driving
Lumosity Scholar and Lumosity Math Tutor are designed specifically for students. Other brain games were developed for adults to deter cognitive decline. For a fee, users can access even more content. And Lumosity is not just for students and those needing a little brain polishing. They also offer “courses” for medical conditions ranging from ADHD to cancer recovery to post traumatic stress disorder. So whatever help your brain needs, stop by Lumosity for a quick workout or some major TLC.
Ruth Fleet, Ed. S.
National Board Certified Library Media Teacher
Dean Rusk Middle School
