Tech Tips for Teaching & Learning

Best of the Web

Some great websites I've come across recently...

• National Geographic Interactives - This site is an amazing example of the power of the web to enhance learning. It is absolutely beautiful, and includes interactives, quizzes and maps on many subjects. Don't miss the More Interactives link toward the bottom of the page!
• Tolerance.org - This site from the Southern Poverty Law Center has won numerous awards. Topics include The ABC's of Domestic Poverty, Bullying, Respond to Hate at School, and my personal favorite, Explore Your Hidden Bias.
• Smithsonian Institution - The name speaks for itself. Don't miss the Smithsonian Channel programs!
• I recently had the opportunity to visit the United States Holocaust Museum in Washington D.C. Their website includes thought-provoking online exhibitions.

Have some favorites of your own to share? Please comment!

Public Speaking Resources for Teachers

Here are some interesting and inspiring Public Speaking sites for teachers.

• Allyn & Bacon's Public Speaking Website                                                                           Contains six modules about the process of public speaking -- Assess, Analyze, Research, Organize, Deliver and Discern.
                        http://www.abacon.com/pubspeak/
• Strategies to Succeed in Public Speaking
    Includes goals, success requirements, preparations, resources, and related information.
    http://www.school-for-champions.com/speaking.htm
• American Rhetoric
    An impressive index of thousands of famous speeches.
    http://www.americanrhetoric.com         
• Advanced Public Speaking Institute
    Choose from 20 categories and over 100 articles to help with public speaking.
    http://www.public-speaking.org/default.htm
• Public Speaking Skills from Mind Tools
  Learn to speak and present clearly and effectively. Improve your speaking skills with this Mind Tools guide to speaking effectively in public.
    http://www.mindtools.com/CommSkll/PublicSpeaking.htm
• Study Guides and Strategies: Public speaking
    Features techniques and strategies for speaking in public and presenting presentations.
    http://www.studygs.net/speaking.htm

This information is from the EduHound website:
http://www.eduhound.com/cttarchives/030608ctt.cfm

 

You can make a quick survey with Google Docs!

Google Docs now includes an easy survey maker through the Spreadsheet tool. This is well suited to collecting simple information from your classes (like an evaluation or a getting-to-know-you activity), or gathering information from your department or a committee. It doesn't have a ton of bells and whistles, but that's part of what makes it so simple! Several teachers at CDH have already tried this tool, and they're raving about it!

For a quick demonstration see Drape's Takes.