Learn it in 5

"At Learn it in 5, you'll learn what is Web 2.0, and strategies for using Web 2.0 technology in the digital classroom - all in 5 minutes or less.

Learn it in 5 is a powerful library of how-to videos, produced by technology teachers, for the purpose of helping teachers and students create classroom strategies for today's 21st century's digital classroom. These step-by-step how-to videos walk teachers through Web 2.0 technology, demonstrating how to use Web 2.0 applications like blogs, social networks, podcasts, interactive videos, wikis, slide sharing and much more."

National STEM Video Game Challenge

Inspired by the Educate to Innovate Campaign, President Obama’s initiative to promote a renewed focus on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education, the National STEM Video Game Challenge is a multi-year competition whose goal is to motivate interest in STEM learning among America’s youth by tapping into students’ natural passion for playing and making video games... Check out the Website for more information. http://www.stemchallenge.org/about/Default.aspx

@author

 

@author is new feature in a limited beta release on Kindle and Amazon Author Pages that connects readers with their favorite writers and their books. It's easy: Readers can ask questions directly from their Kindles, or post them to Amazon Author Pages. Anyone who has purchased items from Amazon.com can reply to an existing question or ask a new one, and all visitors to Amazon.com can read any current question or response. Some of the authors participating in the @author beta include Brad Meltzer, John Locke and Deborah Ree. For more information, click here.  

Did you watch 60 Minutes last night?

Last night on 60 Minutes, they featured a story about Khan Academy. Khan Academy is a non-profit organization founded by Sal Khan, which hosts FREE online tutoring.  According to the Website, they have "over 3,000 videos covering everything from arithmetic to physics, finance, and history and 311 practice exercises," and they are on "a mission to help you learn what you want, when you want, at your own pace." It's like having a private tutor. The "library of videos covers K-12 math, science topics such as biology, chemistry, and physics, and even reaches into the humanities with playlists on finance and history. Each video is a digestible chunk, approximately 10 minutes long, and especially purposed for viewing on the computer." Definitely check this one out!

Destiny Quest Mobile App is Here!

With the new Destiny Quest mobile app, students and teachers can search and access library resources in a way like never before - from your iOS or Android mobile devices. This means that you can find resources you need anytime, even after the school day ends or before it begins. This new app is easy-to-use and FREE to download. It is compatible with iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad with iOS 4.2 or later. Requires Android 2.1-2.37. It allows students and teachers to:

• Search for resources in your school library
• Place holds on materials and add items to My List
• Discover the top 10 most popular titles and new books in your school library
• View account information including checkouts and holds
• Submit and read ratings and reviews from other students
• Students can easily maintain lists of books they are now reading, want to read, and have read

Here is a YouTube Video that explains how to download and configure the Destiny Quest Mobile App for Andriod and iPhone Mobile Devices. Enter this URL: http://destiny.bellmore-merrick.k12.ny.us

It's Here! Follett Digital Reader Mobile App!

Finally.... It's here! I just downloaded the Follett Digital Reader Mobile App to my iPad 2! Using any Internet browser, you can go to our school's Follet Shelf and log in using the same username and password that you use to log in to the computers at school. Then, check out any one of our 16 eBook titles (more to come this summer!). After you download the Follett Digital Reader Mobile App, click on the app. It will ask for part of a URL, type in "wbb04971." Again, use the username and password that you use to log in to the school computers. Click on the app and download the book. I just checked out The Help and literally it only took seconds to download. This is super easy to use and you have instant access to your ebook.

Geek Out @ your library®

This Teen Tech Week™ (March 4–10) invites you to Geek Out @ your library! There are a lot of fantastic FREE web resources you can use right here in school:

BibMe- Works cited and bibliography pages created for you with full citations and correct formatting. Don't worry about where the comma goes ever again!

DropBox- Online file storage. Has handy apps for smartphones and tablets that mean no more hoping you remembered to email yourself the final draft of the paper that's due in about ten minutes.

Picnik- This photo editing site is free and easy to use. Graphics and photos are easily edited and enhanced on Picnik.

Zamzar- File conversion system. Turns any file into any other kind of file. A life-saver for getting around those "My file won't open on this computer!" freakouts.

Sponsored by the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of the American Library Association.

Read Across America Day