COD - 11/30/2011 - nSpaces [Tools]

 

nSpaces is a small, free utility that brings Windows users one of my favorite Mac OS X Lion features, Mission Control, which lets you create multiple virtual desktops and open different applications and windows in each one.

With nSpaces you can:

• Create multiple virtual desktops on your computer.
• Open different applications on each separate desktop to improve your productivity.
• Give a unique name to each virtual desktop.
• Set a custom desktop image for each of your desktop spaces.
• Set a different background color for each space.
• Protect your spaces with passwords.
• Hotkeys for everything.

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Classic Disney WW2 Propaganda Cartoons [Social Studies]

This collection of six World War 2-era propaganda cartoons from the Disney studios was compiled by MakeUseOf.com and could be an excellent resource in American history or media literacy classes.

These historical cartoons, many featuring Donald Duck, were intended to boost civilian morale and influence public opinion to support of the war.

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HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Catch of the Day will be enjoying a Thanksgiving break for the next few days.

We'll be back on the evening of Wednesday, November 30th.

See you then and those of you on holiday, ENJOY!

WKRP Turkey Drop in 30

Seconds

Catch of The Day - Veengle - 11/22/2011

You can easily create and share compilations of YouTube videos with Veengle.

Your Veengle creations can be shared almost anywhere, on your website, your blog, Facebook, Twitter, or other social networking sites.

To create a Veengle compilation, find a video you want to use in your project and click on the "Open Video Editor" icon. Set the start and end times, then click on "Add to My Compilation". Repeat this process until your project is ready to go. View a preview, then save your compilation and share it with others.

Veengle is still in beta and will currently work only with YouTube videos. In the future, it is planned that users will be able to upload their own videos directly to Veengle.

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Catch of The Day - Brainshark - 11/21/2011

 

The Brainshark online video software platform enables users to create, share, and track Brainshark video presentations which run on a secure and reliable cloud-based infrastructure.

myBrainshark is a single-user version of Brainshark's core online video presentation product that can be used to create, share, and track publicly accessible presentations. It is meant to address the needs of individuals and small organizations. myBrainshark is free and nothing more than an email address is needed to sign up.

myBrainshark is also a social network where you can contribute content to a public library, engage with other authors, and browse thousands of titles.

Brainshark Mobile, which is included for myBrainshark users, enables access to Brainshark presentations from almost any iOS or Android mobile device.

Watch a video overview of Brainshark

myBrainshark Pro and myBrainshark Pro Trainer are paid upgrades starting at $9.99(US) per month that can be purchased on a monthly or annual subscription basis.

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The Rearview Mirror 11/19/2011

For those of you who may have missed a Catch of the Day or who didn't have the opportunity to look at some of them during this past week, here's a second chance.

 

Monday

dotEPUBis web-based software that allows you to convert any webpage into an e-book.

Tuesday

The Math Salamanders website is a large bank of free printable math worksheets as well as many fun math activities and games, flashcards, and fact sheets.

Wednesday

The DNA Learning Center(DNALC) prides itself on being the world's first science center devoted entirely to genetics education witha mission to "prepare students and families to thrive in the gene age."

Thursday

This I Believe is a global organization with the purpose of engaging people in writing and sharing essays describing the core values that guide their daily lives.

Catch of The Day - This I Believe - 11/17/2011

This I Believe is a global organization with the purpose of engaging people in writing and sharing essays describing the core values that guide their daily lives.

About 100,000 essays by people from all walks of life are archived on the This I Believe website, They can also be heard on public radio and are featured in weekly podcasts. The popular 1950's radio series, This I Believe, which was hosted by Edward R. Murrow, serves as the basis of the project.

There are available resources designed to help teachers guide students in middle school, high school, and beyond in writing a This I Believe essay appropriate for inclusion in school writing portfolios. These materials, available for a small donation to This I Believe, can help students understand the concept of belief, explore their own values, and develop them into an essay.

Student essays are accepted at any time. They should be between 350 and 500 words, or about three minutes when read aloud. The best way to submit essays is through the online submission form.

You can download a free three-page brochure and an 11"x17" poster to promote This I Believe activities in your classroom.

Teachers around the world have used This I Believe as a powerful educational tool providing enriching writing assignments.

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Catch of The Day - The DNA Learning Center - 11/16/2011

 

The DNA Learning Center (DNALC) prides itself on being the world's first science center devoted entirely to genetics education witha mission to "prepare students and families to thrive in the gene age."

The DNA Learning Center is working toward a goal of having all elementary students exposed to the principles of genetics and disease risk, all high school students having the opportunity to do hands-on experiments with DNA, and all families being able to access and understand the genetic information they need to make informed health care choices.

The DNA Learning Center maintains several educational, media-rich, content-based websites for audiences from middle school to adults:

DNA from the Beginning - Discover the concepts and experiments that define the fields of genetics and molecular biology.

DNA Interactive - This large collection of videos and interactive 3-D animations provides an enriching experience.

myDNAi - The teacher-oriented resources include downloadable teacher guides, activities, and lesson plans.

Genes to Cognition Online - Modeled on principles of neural networking, which examines current research to discover the molecular and cellular basis of human thinking.

Inside Cancer & Inside Cancer Teacher Center - Learn more about the pathways that lead to cancer and the molecular basis of new diagnostics and treatments.

Image Archive on the American Eugenics Movement - Explore documents and photographs of the Eugenics movement from the early decades of the 20th century.

Weed to Wonder - Learn the story of how human ingenuity transformed a common Mexican weed, Teosinte, into a modern food and fuel wonder, corn.

Your Genes, Your Health - Clear explanations on the cause, inheritance, and treatment of 15 common genetic disorders.

There are many online resources available from The DNA Learning Center including the Biology Animation Library, the 3-D Animation Library, G2C Online 3-D Brain, the Gene Screen App, Gene Boy, and more.

The DNA Learning Center is an operating unit of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, an important center for molecular genetics research.

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Catch of The Day - The Math Salamanders - 11/15/2011

The Math Salamanders website is a large bank of free printable math worksheets as well as many fun math activities and games, flashcards, and fact sheets.

The materials found atThe Math Salamanders is intended for all students in grades K-5 (ages 5-10). Browsing by the age categories, you can easily find the appropriate level of printable math sheets. You can browse by topics such as fractions, place value, geometry, or money. Browse by the type of resource: help, games, facts, etc, or search by keyword.

All the math worksheets and other resources found on this website are original materials produced and copyrighted by the Math Salamanders and support the elementary math benchmarks produced by Achieve, Inc.

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Catch of The Day - dotEPUB - 11/14/2011

dotEPUB is web-based software that allows you to convert any webpage into an e-book.

dotEPUB downloads web pages in ePub format using a bookmarklet in Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Opera (not IE). Google Chrome for Windows users also have the option to install the dotEPUB browser extension. These web pages can then be read on any device that supports the ePub format. This includes iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, Nook, Sony Reader, Kobo, and many more (unfortunately, not Kindle*). They can also be read on any computer with an e-reader application that is ePub-compatible.

You must uncheck the Immersive mode setting to retrieve images. dotEPUB supports images in JPEG, PNG, and GIF formats. Images will not be retrieved if more than ten are found in the main content.

Sample viewed in Adobe Digital Editions desktop e-reader

dotEPUB can also make e-books from documents that have been uploaded to your Google Docs account. The supported formats are Microsoft Word, OpenDocument, StarOffice, rich text, plain text, or PDF.

*Note: If you are a Kindle user, the free Calibre software will allow you to convert your e-books from the ePub format into the MOBI format supported by Kindle.

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The Rearview Mirror 11/12/2011

For those of you who may have missed a Catch of the Day or who didn't have the opportunity to look at some of them during this past week, here's a second chance.

 

Monday

The TechMatrix is a web-based tool to help locate educational and assistive technology products for students with disabilities.

Tuesday

How to pronounce words and use them is a new video-based pronunciation dictionary with word usage examples from EmbedPlus.

Wednesday

Media-rich collaboration for teachers is the goal of Interface Space where you can connect and collaborate with supportive and inspiring colleagues.

Thursday

Learn to use graphing, scientific, and financial calculators more effectively with useful tips and tutorials from Calcblog.

Hotspot Shield VPN: Mobile Wi-Fi Protection for Your iOS Device

 

Last month I posted about the Internet connection protector Hotspot Shield that helps you maintain your anonymity and protect your privacy while accessing free wi-fi hotspots with your laptop.

A few days ago, AnchorFree released a new iOS app, Hotspot Shield VPN, for similarly private and secure internet use whenever you use your iOS device on a public hotspot.

Hotspot Shield VPN encrypts all your internet traffic, including apps, browsing, and emails, making all of your apps and browsing encrypted and as secure as your banking site. All HTTP traffic is turned into HTTPS.

Though the app itself is free, the service is free for only 7 days. After that, it's $0.99(US) per month or $9.99/year.

Go to the earlier post about Hotspot Shield.

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Catch of The Day - Calcblog - 11/10/2011

 

Learn to use graphing, scientific, and financial calculators more effectively with useful tips and tutorials from Calcblog.

Calcblog covers many calculator topics for students, educators, and working professionals, including basic math, calculus, finance, statistics, and data analysis. Students can also prep for such standardized tests as the SAT, GRE, and GMAT.

There are tutorials and tips in the following categories:

• TI-83 Plus
• TI-84 Plus
• TI-89
• TI-92 Plus
• Algebra
• Calculus
• Statistics

One of Calcblog’s primary goals is to be a resource for educators. There are many tips and suggestions for teachers on how to use the Calcblog website as a teaching tool.

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Catch of The Day - Interface Space - 11/9/2011

 

Media-rich collaboration for teachers is the goal of Interface Space where you can connect and collaborate with supportive and inspiring colleagues.

Interface Space is a global professional and social networking platform for educators, a learning and development platform offering master's level accreditation, and a consultancy offering online and offline coaching and support.

Interface Space lets you do the following for no charge:

• Create a professional profile so others can easily find you.
• Create and edit documents, upload files, videos, and presentations.
• Share a project or start a new one using Project Builder.

Learning Labs©, expected to launch this month, offer enhanced learning experiences, engaged participants, and enriched opportunities for educators and their students to collaborate. Learning Labs will provide the capabilities to create and deliver on-demand meetings, conduct interactive virtual classes, and manage any level of collaborative learning or activity.

Other paid features from Interface Space include face-to-face consultancy, online coaching, and a master's degree program.

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Catch of The Day - EmbedPlus - 11/8/2011

 

How to pronounce words and use them is a new video-based pronunciation dictionary with word usage examples from EmbedPlus.

How to pronounce words and use them leverages the EmbedPlus enhanced YouTube video player to add a visual dimension to the audio pronunciations of words currently available from most online dictionaries. Videos are tagged and time-stamped for pronunciations, allowing learners to jump directly to the point when a given word is used by a speaker.

How to pronounce words and use them is a beta project with the focus on American English pronunciations and support for Princeton University WordNet. Support for other varieties of English is promised for the future.

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Catch of The Day - The TechMatrix - 11/7/2011

 

The TechMatrix is a web-based tool to help locate educational and assistive technology products for students with disabilities.

The TechMatrix is searchable by keyword and lets visitors find and compare educational and assistive technology products side-by-side to help them make informed decisions. Resources are grouped into four main content areas: math, science, reading, and writing.

The TechMatrix offers these tools to educators of students with disabilities:

• Consumer Guides (downloadable PDFs) help school administrators and educational technology vendors learn what questions to ask and how to make informed decisions.
• The EdTech Locator for Technology Implementation and related materials are designed to help you evaluate where you stand in the integration of technology.
• Hot Topics InfoPages help you find more information on specific topics by accessing targeted resources, research, professional development materials, and custom-designed searches.

The TechMatrix is a product of the National Center for Technology Innovation and the Center for Implementing Technology in Education with support from the US Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs and the NEC Foundation of America.

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BetterLesson New Lesson Management Features

BetterLesson, a website to connect teachers and enable them to create, organize, and share their best curricula, has been the subject of several earlier posts this year.

Several new features have recently been added to BetterLesson:

• You can now embed lesson plans written in MS Word, Excel, or other kinds of document templates directly into the "Lesson Plan " area of the lesson page.
• You can now pull resources directly into the lesson page using the "My Files" browser. From the "Edit Lessons" page you can now add files in either of two ways: use the "Upload" link to add files from your computer or "My Files" to add files already in your curriculum.
• As you modify and improve your lessons, you can replace old files with their latest versions using the "Upload New Version" feature.
• With a Premium account, teachers who are members of the BetterLesson community can now collaborate on full courses.

Go to earlier posts about BetterLesson

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The Rearview Mirror 11/5/2011

For those of you who may have missed a Catch of the Day or who didn't have the opportunity to look at some of them during this past week, here's a second chance.

 

Monday

HP Teacher Experience Exchange is a community for teachers that offers lesson plans, discussion groups, professional development, and web tools.

Tuesday

Alliance for Climate Education (ACE) is a national leader in high school climate science education dedicated to educating students about the science behind climate change.

Wednesday

Google Exploring Computational Thinkingpromotes computational thinking throughout the K-12 curriculum to support student learning of this important 21st century skill.

Thursday

Puzzlemaker from Discovery Education is a puzzle generation tool for teachers and students. Users can create and print a variety of custom puzzles.

Catch of The Day - Puzzlemaker - 11/3/2011

 

Puzzlemaker from Discovery Education is a puzzle generation tool for teachers and students. Users can create and print a variety of custom puzzles.

Make ten different kinds of puzzles with Puzzlemaker such as word search and crossword puzzles (using your own word lists), math puzzles, mazes, cryptograms, and more. Puzzles are generated as PDF documents to download and print.

The Puzzlemaker website is free to use. Also available for $49.95(US) is a Puzzlemaker CD-ROM with lots of extra features, including searchable Merriam-Webster dictionaries and over 350 clip-art images.

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Catch of The Day - Exploring Computational Thinking - 11/2/2011

Google Exploring Computational Thinking promotes computational thinking throughout the K-12 curriculum to support student learning of this important 21st century skill.

Computational thinking (CT) involves problem-solving skills and techniques often used by software engineers in creating the computer applications you commonly use. However, computational thinking is applicable to nearly any subject.

Specific computational thinking techniques include: problem decomposition, pattern recognition, pattern generalization to define abstractions or models, algorithm design, and data analysis and visualization.

Google Exploring Computational Thinking in collaboration with several teacher-contributors have put together classroom-ready lessons and examples showing how you can incorporate CT into the K-12 curriculum.

Starter materials and related teacher resources can help you begin building your own CT curriculum. Google Exploring Computational Thinking Discussion Forums provide the opportunity to join in CT-related discussions with other educators and to find more resources.

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