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Espresso Education: FREE trial for the new kid on the block
November 19, 2011 (0 Comments)
Posted by:
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Espresso...the very name invites the vision of a rich and stimulating experience. As a new potential resource in the Online Reference Centre's lineup, Espresso seems set to deliver just that type of experience to Alberta elementary students and their teachers.
Designed to be a mulitsensory, media-rich, differentiated learning tool, Espresso can be used with an interactive whiteboard, projector, or individual computers. While content tends to be American-based (what isn’t, these days?), Espresso strives to focus on general curricular skills for kindergarten to grade 5. There are some resources that could be used as an introduction for grade 6 curriculum as well, especially for Sky Science. With it’s emphasis on including video, text (which can be read to students), and games for learning, Espresso is clearly designed for the differentiated classroom! As all of the Online Reference Centre’s resources, it is web-based, requiring only an Internet connection.
Espresso provides animated stories on video similar to another ORC resource, Bookflix. However, during Espresso’s video, text comes up at key points, assisting students with vocabulary and word recognition. Not only that, but the video can be downloaded to a USB key or embedded into a class website or blog. This is one of the most useful features about Espresso, that resources can be taken, copied, pasted, and reused. Audio files can be downloaded as MP3 files and imported into iTunes, then repurposed, rebroadcast in Windows Movie Maker, or used to voice over with a different language. Sound a little too technical for you? No worries, Espresso has the resources for the less technically inclined, including videos that tells you how to embed or download. There are many teacher resources on how to use the platform with interactive whiteboards or projectors, as well as teacher resources and ideas on each page.
Espresso is for more than Reading and Writing, however. Looking for Science or Social? Espresso has a multitude of resources for each area. While these resources are not expressly aligned to the Alberta curriculum currently, there are still many that fit: Animal Habitats, Sky Science, Electricity, Forces and Motion, Plants, Insects, Communities, Canadian Provinces, Our School, and more. Math topics include Number Sense and Operations, Measurement and Shape and Space. Other curricular areas covered are Art, Music, Health and PE.
Looking to increase the 21st skills of developing communication and global communities? Each week, there is a news roundup with different themes. News articles are differentiated and will be Lexile scored. All of the news reports are archived and searchable by themes. The news does come from USA Today, however, they are looking at adding in Canadian news feeds in the future.
One of the best features about Espresso is it’s Lesson Planner. Teachers can create their own pathway through the site, adding pages in the order they wish with a click of a button. Instructions for the page and quizzes can be added as well, if desired . As you create your Lesson Plan, using the Lesson Planner, there is a “Show me” video link for each step of the way, with video instructions.
All of these Lesson Plans can be loaded onto a USB or emailed to others as an XML file. Schools/teams can create Plans, and there are pre made Plans as well called Lesson Ideas. Those plans can be edited to suit your needs, adding or deleting pages or changing instructions, etc. Once you have created a Lesson Plan, you then create a class, adding individual students. Assign each student the Lesson, and then they are assigned a log in code which takes them directly to the Lesson you have created for them. As they travel through the Lesson, they ‘fill up’ a milkshake glass. Differentiation is key to the Espresso experience. You can create different routes for individual students. Include more video for ELL students, or different pages for those working at a lower level.
Espresso is available FREE to Alberta educators for this month. The trial period ends December 31st. The Online Reference Centre is considering purchasing it for Alberta educators. Try it and tell us what you think!
Click here to get instructions to start increasing technology use and engage your students!
Check out these New Resources for School Libraries
November 04, 2011 (0 Comments)
Posted by: ASLCCarol Koechlin sent this out to the ASLC today.
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Great resources for TLs! The Library 2.011 Conference was international. As well as there is a keynote by Stephen Abrams and webinars by library leaders we know like Doug Johnson, and Gwyneth Jones. Thus there is lots of FREE professional learning for teacher librarians at this link.
A Google site for each webinar is available free:
Site for Knowledge Building Centers in Library and Learning Commons https://sites.google.com/site/library2011kbc/
Site for Creating a School Learning Commons https://sites.google.com/site/library2011lc/
Also, don't miss this create video on the Learning Commons in British Columbia.
News
Judith Sykes publishes new book on Action Research
Conducting Action Research to Evaluate Your School Library
http://www.abc-clio.com/product.aspx?isbn=9781610690775
How should teacher librarians or instructional leaders engage in action research to improve their school library and benefit students' learning? This book provides the answers.Teacher librarians need to get directly involved with the research process in the learning commons in order to create actions and strategies that will enhance student learning—and benefit their own professional development as well as demonstrate accountability through their action research efforts. This book provides practical tips and work spaces for educators at the local, state, and national levels, clearly modeling and explaining the process and the tools for conducting action research in a school library setting that will identify the program's strengths and weaknesses. The author coalesces current expert opinions on the topic of action research in the school library environment and highlighting what other teacher librarians in the field have identified as the pros and cons of using the process. Readers are directed to focus on mitigating the "cons" through the use of specific working pages and templates and by initially exploring "five favorite" links, thereby encouraging those who are new to action research to try what might otherwise seem a daunting process. School principals K–12 who read this book will be better equipped to support their teacher librarians and teachers in this important professional process.
Highlights
• Supplies invaluable insights from experts and practitioners on the subject of action research
• Provides a clear model of the process in action
• Directs readers to additional resources that facilitate effective action research and timely topics for school library research, such as time management and technology in learning
ThingLink and Rosen Digital Launch Interactive Image Contest for K-12 Students
Students create digital projects with images, music, videos, and websites to win an iPad Mini or annual subscription to one of Rosen Digital's online databases
New York (Feb 27, 2013) -- Help your students harness their creative energies while putting their 21st-century skills to use with a new contest from ThingLink and Rosen Digital. Students in grades K-12 can create Interactive ThingLink images, providing the opportunity to explore their interests and passions, connect multiple resources into a cohesive presentation, and share their projects with a large community. Visit ThingLinkContest.com for more information.
ThingLink allows students to connect audio, video, images, websites, and text into one interactive image presentation. Projects deepen learning as students delve into content through research to present knowledge and ideas as they learn while practicing digital literacy skills of image creation and selection, content curation, tagging, and sharing.
"ThingLink is o ne of my favorite and most frequently used tools because it supports active student participation and requires users to construct ideas as they create," says Susan Oxnevad, Instructional Technology Facilitator and educator for 26 years. "The tool can be very useful for designing and implementing the types of deep learning experiences required by the Common Core and it is also an effective way to help students develop digital literacy skills. ThingLink is fun, flexible, and intuitive!"
Eligibility: All students K-12 are eligible to enter. Teachers and parents may enter an image on a student's behalf.
Submission Deadline: Images may be submitted through May 1, 2013. Enter images at ThingLinkContest.com.
Winners will be announced on May 15, 2013.
Categories: There are 10 categories:
My Favorite Books or Authors
Science -- Think Like a Scientist!
Health & Well-being -- You, Your Family, Your Friends
Environment -- The World Around Us
Community -- Volunteering & Making a Difference
Money Smarts -- Earning, Saving, Spending
Art & Music -- Express Yourself!
Sports -- Game On!
History & Social Studies -- From Yesterday to Today
Animals -- Furry, Friendly, & Fierce
Students can enter as many images as they like. All entries are viewable on ThingLink.com.
Voting: Friends and family can vote on their favorite images by using a "touch" icon on a ThingLink image. The most "touches" counts for a portion of the score. A team of educational advisors will review entries and determine winners.
Prizes: One iPad Mini will be awarded to the top winner in each category. The winning school in each category will also receive one Rosen database subscription for a year (Teen Health & Wellness, Digital Literacy, Financial Literacy, or the PowerKnowledge Science Suite). Certificates will be awarded to second and third place winners in each category.
For more information: Write to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). Sign up for a free account at ThingLink.com.
