Background Thing on Ning

Sorry, it’s hard to resist coming up with goofy rhymes when you’re talking about Ning. I love Ning. Ning is a free web 2.0 site that allows you to create a custom social network for your own needs. It’s a terrific site, one that can be used to communicate on all levels with colleagues, parents, [...]

Managing Laptops and Carts in the Classroom

Many times I am asked the best ways to manage laptop carts in the classroom.  I do have quite a bit of experience using laptop carts successfully, but have also worked at schools where the carts quickly deteriorated into disarray.
My suggestions follow, but with one disclaimer: each school has its own culture. What works well [...]

SMART Board Workshop

Boy, I get asked to do a lot of SMART Board workshops these days.
Today, I spent the morning at the lovely PS124 in Chinatown. My presentation can be found here (it’s a Google Doc).
Here are some links I have found helpful for learning how to use the SMART Board and how to integrate in as [...]

Bronx Little School Workshops

Today is Chancellor’s PD Day for NYC public schools. I’m conducting 2 workshops for Bronx Little School today on SMART Boards and integrating technology in early childhood.
Here’s the link to my PD page via Google Sites:
http://sites.google.com/site/sscraggtechpd
The page has links to SMART Board resources, and some early elementary podcasts.

Google Docs

I really love Google Docs. I’ve used it pretty extensively in my professional life (collaborating with colleagues & sharing information), in the classroom (to facilitate peer editing, receiving work from students, providing digital feedback), and even in my personal life (creating posters for my son’s schoo and sharing them with other parents, sharing a family [...]

A Podcasting Primer

Why Podcasting?
I’ve got to admit that podcasts (or video/visual podcasts) are among my favorite classroom projects to produce. Mostly, it’s the excitement of the students who immediately come to life when media is introduced, but there are other good reasons.

In their media-saturated world, it can be very powerful for students to learn the behind-the-scenes craft [...]

Podcasting Resources on teachersnetwork.org

“Podcasting in the Classroom,” a curriculum project by Rian Wilkinson
“The Podcasting Project,” a curriculum project by Christine Southard and Lisa Parisi
“Podcasts: Evolution & Biology,” a curriculum project by Annie Chien
Video from Making the Most of the Web with Your Students, part of double CD-ROM set:
Podcasting in the Classroom (also available at teachertube.com)
“Creating Classroom Podcasts,” Allisyn [...]

Podcasting @ MCA

Hello everyone–
I hope you had a great holiday & break. I’m back today to discuss podcasting, which is one of the best ways to integrate technology across the curriculum (in my opinion). For our workshop today, we’ll be using this resource, a post of mine on podcasting which is still useful.
Welcome to the workshop!

Technology PD at PS 254

Introductory Lesson: Student-Created Digital Ecosystems
Friday, December 5, 2008

1) Students will brainstorm/review what they already know about ecosystems. Ask students, “What are some things that you already know about ecosystems?” Responses will be compiled in a Dabbleboard mindmap chart.
2) Using Google Earth, students will locate some ecosystems that they already know. “Where are some ecosystems located [...]

Collaborative Writing Tools Workshop

Hello MCA teachers, today we’ll be focusing on collaborative writing tools in our workshop this afternoon.
Today’s Agenda:
1) Blog Check-In: mcanyc.blogspot.com. Using Blogger, how to post, how to login. Responding to my invitation. What kinds of communication will be happening, follow-ups on workshops, more resources, questions answered.
2) Intro to Google Docs: How it works, what it [...]