Exploring Digital Knowledge

I have been playing tourists as I journey through the web. Stopping at great landmarks and being awed at the grandeur. I have noticed some icons during my wanderings (I guess they are called badges.) These badges proclaimed "Google Certified Teacher". What's up with that?

Well today I learned, "the Google Teacher Academy is a FREE professional development experience designed to help K-12 educators get the most from innovative technologies. Each Academy is an intensive, one-day event where participants get hands-on experience with Google's free products and other technologies, learn about innovative instructional strategies, receive resources to share with colleagues, and immerse themselves in an innovative corporate environment. Upon completion, Academy participants become Google Certified Teachers who share what they learn with other K-12 educators in their local region."

Two of the three blogs that caught my interest are written by Google Certified Teachers: Educating Educators by Charlene Chausis; Free Technology for Teachers by Richard Byrne; and Technology Tidbits: Thoughts of a Cyber Hero by David Kapuler. Charlene was blogging about the free Google Guide for Teachers written by Richard Byrne.

I found a terrific slide show called 50 Sites in 60 Minutes. Lots of great links. I just skimmed the surface and found several I want to explore in more depth. I have some ideas of how I want to use them with my students.

The Art of Storytelling from the Delaware Art Museum. They have developed some units for connecting art and storytelling. I see lots of possibilities for connecting it to reading, writing and fluency.

The Digital Vault is part of the National Archives. You can explore using visual connections, a really intuitive research model. It's like being invited by your favorite relative to explore that big trunk in the attic. Knowing that there are surely some secrets worth examining.

Primary Access is program at the Center for Technology & Teacher Education in the Curry School of Education at the University of Virginia. I see lots of potential for this link. PrimaryAccess was developed for K-12 classrooms to develop higher level thinking skills, teach content knowledge and even help with storytelling skills. One feature i really like is you can make a rebus with primary sources, there is also a moviemaker and a storyboard.

I am just learning how to embed information so I am excited with EmbedIt. I think this will help me as I learn how to work with all the technology and applications that are out there.

The other link that intrigues me is BookRix. this site lets you make and read free ebooks. I see this working with language, reading, writing, and revision. Having an authentic audience, how exciting for the kids!

All of these bloggers have valuable insight to offer teachers about digital knowledge. They are committed to sharing ways to integrate technology into the classroom.