Like with Twitter, these web tools help shorten a long URL and make it easy on the eyes. Twitter's micro-blogging made is necessary to cut down on the number of characters a URL would use. Emailing or posting links can get a bit messy. So, shortening a web address has become somewhat necessary. Some of the services below allow for customizable URL's and tracking services determine the number of times it was used.
If you perform a search for URL shorteners, you will soon notice that there are several services out there. But these are some of the most popular and/or reliable. After finding this to be a fairly necessary web tool for techie-teachers, I found a blog post on the 11 Tools to Shorten URLS by Lee Odden. So, if you want more information, find it on the web. It's out there. Then, share the ed-tech tools you locate with a tiny URL.
"Did you find the end of the Internet yet?" I have heard this question as I browse through various web-related teacher resources. The answer to this question is always, "No!" It's like a never-ending-yellow-brick road on the way to OZ.
Today, I found a new website through one of my social networking accounts. I saw a post from @plnaugle. As it does so often, my Personal Learning Network (PLN) worked for me today. Connecting and plugging into these social sites encourages learning on so many levels. An older post of discusses the concept of a PLN further. Use PLNs to learn, link, and discover the your professional potential.
Follow the hypermedia path and grow professionally. Just today, I noticed a intriguing tweet by @plnaugle. The tweet mentioned inforgraphic, which is something that has caught my interest recently. So, I clicked and found this great infographic on Connected Learning.
From the Connected Learning website, I saw an interesting photo, title, and last a video by Jabiz Raisdana (aka Intrepid Teacher). On his website I saw this graphic by Andrew Churches.
So,connect to others with similar interests and learn. School isn't the only time we learn. In fact, it is truly limited piece of the pie. Encourage outside of school and create lifelong learners.
Presentations using Power Point can lull a crowd to sleep faster than a satisfied baby. Maybe that's what it is: we satisfy our expected "norm" (Power Point) associated with a presentation. We know what to expect. Several slides are displayed and even the more engaging presenter can lose a crowd if the visual aide is not dynamic enough. Liven up your presentation and keep the audience in engaged like they were watching a $500,000 firework display.
Basically, it's not Power Point or Keynote! For now, because it is different, it provides a much more engaging format than overused presentation tools. Here is an image of features users receive from Prezi. I pointed to two features with arrows. The blue arrow answer a question I get a lot. can I save the Prezi to my computer or do I have to use the Internet to access the slideshow. Well, to still answer this question, you can save the presentation to your computer. The second red arrow displays the collaborative efforts of Prezi. Regardless of a colleagues location, you can work together on a Prezi.
Getting Started with Prezi
The Prezi website is fairly user-friendly in regards to training and providing tutorials for beginners. Well, if you want to learn about Prezi with video tutorials, then go to the Learn tab. If you would like to learn with procedural-based picture tutorials, go to the Manual section of the Prezi site. The staff at Prezi really put together everything you need to learn about Prezi.
In terms of pricing, there are educational plans. To get a "Pro Account" it is only $59/year. However, my free account has provided me with sufficient features. If you want to go pro contact the Prezi sales team (sales@prezi.com) Here is a pic from their website from the edu-accounts.
Create A Great Prezi
Prezi's founder Adam Somlai-Fischer put together this Prezi to provide users with tips on How to Create a Great Prezi.
Overall, challenge yourself and change your presentations. Don't be satisfied with amazing content. Amazing content with a great visual aide can easily be overlooked.
Make it so learners can become more visually involved.
Also, make them physically involved.
While your at it, make them cognitively involved.
Anything to engage the audience. How else can you engage an audience? Get rid of the "Zzzzz's"
Watch the following video on an antiquated business procedure, which stops problem solving and critical thinking skills. How can we motivate change and learning? How can we find the answer to the most difficult questions? How can we think outside of our own frames that block us from finding the answer to a difficult question?
Since I have been on a personal learning quest to improve my understanding of digital storytelling, I thought I would compile a list of resources for teachers interested in creating digital stories with their students.
I really enjoyed listening to this video by Ira Glass on storytelling in broadcasting, which relates well to podcasting and/or digital storytelling.
Overall, this final publication will entice students to create and share their writing. When exceptional work is shared with the class, disengaged and unmotivated students sometime come to life and want to publish their own story.
Are there anymore great digital storytelling resources out there?
