You may have noticed that Guroo was the Web 2.0 tool I included on day 25 of my 2012 Web 2.0 Advent Calendar. While Guroo calls itself a "Search Engine for Learning" it is soooo much more. I recently had the opportunity to use Guroo and showcase its features while presenting to a teachers collaborative group within my district. The group was discussing and learning about Flipping the Classroom. I used Guroo to create my own collection of "Flipping the Classroom" resources and then used it to present the information to the group. I found this to be a wonderful and dynamic way to present information and resources to a group.
As 2012 comes to a close the folks at Flocabulary have created a look back at the events of the past year. What makes this summary different from those you will see on television is that it is done with a rap. You can see a number of videos created by Flocabulary on their site or on their YouTube channel. Enjoy!
I was asked by a colleague in late November if I was going to do an advent calendar again of my favorite web 2.0 tools. I had actually forgot about this and hadn't realized the time for putting that together had snuck up on me so fast. For those who don't know this, last year I put together a web site in the form of an advent calendar. Each day was a link to one of my favorite web 2.0 tools that could be used in the classroom. So, I have put together a new advent calendar for all to enjoy. Feel free to open one each day. If it is something you might want to use, bookmark it. As an added bonus, I have placed on the new calendar a link to last year's advent calendar. I hope you enjoy opening a new tool each day. Here is the link:
http://ryanpalmer.wix.com/adventcal12
Happy Holidays!
Infographics are really becoming a popular way of presenting information to visual learners. Being able to not only read them but create them as well is becoming an important part of literacy. Infogr.am is an online tool where teachers and students can create their own infographics. There are several different chart types that you can create on Infogr.am. You can enter in data directly on the spreadsheet for your chart, or you can upload a spreadsheet from your computer in order to make the chart display your data. The information in that spreadsheet will be displayed in your customized chart. When you place your cursor over your completed chart the spreadsheet information will appear in small pop-up window. You also have the options of embedding a video or using a map for your infographic. When you have finished creating it, your Infogr.am charts can then be embedded into your blog, website, or wiki. Below is and example I made using data from a math activity I taught to some sixth grade students.
