Connecting with Good People

Below are some people you might want to follow on Twitter.  I had the opportunity to see and hear these people talk at BLC11 in Boston.  They spoke on various topics regarding education and technology.  They are:

Garth Holman - @garthholman - online textbook and collaborating from a distance - blog
Mike Pennington - @professormike1 - online textbook and collaborating from a distance - blog
Jon Bergmann - @jonbergmann - flipped classrooms - ning
Aaron Sams - @chemicalsams - flipped classrooms- ning
Chris Bell - @cbell619 - google docs for collaboration - web info
Marco Torres - @torres21 - using technology to engage students - web info
Jeff Utecht - @jutecht - using QR codes in schools - blog
Angela Maiers - @angelamaiers - social networking and web 3.0 - web info
Rob Evans - dealing with change in schools - web info
Kathy Cassidy - @kathycassidy - digital portfolios - blog
Seth Bowers - @sethbowers - student tools for collaboration - blog

If you get a chance, read the material these people write about or see them in the future.  They have good insights into helping students succeed.  Their ideas are good and materials are helpful.

Screen Chomp

Screen Chomp is a new piece of free software that is out for the iPad.  TechSmith Corp has developed this software to help make it very easy to capture work off of an iPad.  You can record writing and audio to create videos of your work, creating a screencast of what was happening.  Screencasting is an outstanding way to create tutorials for sharing what you learn and know.  

Using Screen Chomp, you have the ability to change text color, display photos that are on your iPad, and easily save the video.  It also has the ability to send directly to Facebook.  It is a new piece of software and the developers are looking for feedback.  Students have found this software easy to use to demonstrate what they know - allowing them to share with other students.  

ShowMe App

A few of our teachers at school are going to use iPads in class.  They are going to use the iPads to control their LCD projectors and whiteboards.  I will write about that process as it unfolds, but today I want to share with you an app that I just found and have been playing with.  It is the the app called ShowMe.  It is an app that allows the iPad user to write on the iPad and record what is written, as well as any audio that you provide while working.

On the left-hand side of the page, you can see that you have a pencil tool, an erase tool, a clear-screen tool, and a picture insertion tool.  You can choose pencil colors.  And at the bottom of the page is a record button, so you can record what is written on the page.  It also records the audio so you can describe what is taking place.  This is outstanding for recording tutorial work.  It would also be an excellent way for students to demonstrate their understanding.  They can do the work and explain as they go.  You can save the recording for sharing later with other students.

Once you record your video, you can upload it to ShowMe's website.  You will be given the choice of making it public or private.  If private, you'll be able to share it with a link.  If public, anyone on the ShowMe website would be able to search and find it.

You can title the video, provide a description, and also keyword tag it for future reference.

As you can see here, you can share it on facebook, twitter, or email.  I think that this application may prove helpful and easy-to-use for teachers to create tutorials for their students.  Give it a try.