I am in Austin working with incredibly talented people who have a real understanding of technology integration. These folks are leaders in their fields and it is amazing being in their company. What a wonderful place to find some great resources to share with you all. Here are the sites discovered today:
- The Concord Consortium (http://www.concord.org/resources/browse/172/): Here you will find software for education free-of-charge. One of my favorite was “The Broken Calculator” designed to help students develop computational fluency as they solve problems with a “broken” calculator. They must work with their problem-solving skills to solve the problem and explain their strategies! There’s much more! You’ll have to explore!
- Cornell Science Inquiry Partnership (http://http://csip.cornell.edu/): You’ll find projects resources for high school and middle school Science. From the high school level “Roller Coaster Project” to the middle school “Gingerbread House Design,” you’ll find innovative projects to spark your students interest and increase their academic understanding!
- Topology and Geometry Software (http://www.geometrygames.org/): Here you’ll find downloadable FREE games to introduce students to the multi-connected universe!
- Youmail! (www.youmail.com): OK, this is a great tool for your voice mail. This program gives you visual voice mail, use your phone or your computer for your messages, has voice-to-text, create different greetings for your callers, share your voice mail messages, unwanted caller blocking. Free and premium service available and the premium service starts at $1.99 a month.
- Learn Alberta (www.learnalberta.ca): This is an incredible resource for all content areas provided by the Canadian government. There are instructional videos that connect concepts to the real world, interactive activities that provide guided practice, and independent practice opportunities ready to be printed. You truly should visit this site…I am sure you will be impressed!
- Shodor (www.shodor.com): Shodor is a compilation of incredible interactive resources including Interactivate (previously featured). I was very impressed with the Deaf CS activities. DEAF CS is a collection of activities and lessons that use modeling and simulation technologies to help students and their teachers explore math and science concepts. But, there is so much more!
- SAILOn Subject Area Interactive Lessons Online (http://www.pasadenaisd.org/sailon/): For Texas teachers, this is a must-use resource. For ALL grade levels PK-12, this site takes the TEKS for ALL content areas and links them to interactive resources that provide engaging activities for students! Fine arts is included! Take a look!
Carol Mortensen has nearly twenty-three years of educational experience. She began as a substitute teacher as she worked toward her degree. Upon graduation, Carol began teaching middle school Math and Algebra I and served as the technology liaison for her campus. She served as a teacher for 16 years and was lucky to have taught at Hillcrest Middle School, a 1:1 campus where every student was issued a laptop computer. She also worked as an Instructional Technology Trainer for her district providing training and technology integration support for campus and district staff, faculty and administrators. Currently, Carol enjoys her position as the Campus Technology Integration Specialist for Deer Park High School – South Campus. Before taking this position this year, she served for three years as the Campus Technology Integration Specialist at Fairmont Junior High in Deer Park Independent School District. In this position, Carol provides integration support and training to the students, staff, faculty, and administrators at the campus and district level. In addition, Carol is an online Math instructor for Aventa Learning and K12. The Texas Computer Education Association (TCEA) named Carol the Classroom Teacher of the Year for her innovative and creative use of technology to create a 24/7 virtual classroom using her classroom website. Carol has presented at school districts throughout Texas as well as state and local conferences on a variety of technology integration topics. Her article on the use of websites as an instructional tool was recently published in the TechEdge Magazine. In February 2011, her article, Lessons Learning In a 1:1 Classroom, was published by TechEdge. The article was republished in ISTE’s Learning and Leading magazine in August 2011. She was named Fairmont Junior High’s Teacher of the Year for the 2011-2012 school year. Carol is passionate about the positive impact that technology has on student achievement. Her presentations are packed with real-life solutions, quality resources, and humor. She has an ability to connect with her audience and motivate them to take technology integration to a higher quality level.
