Link, App, and Information Overload
The TechChickTips blog had a list of Links and one in particular caught my attention. It’s called Litesum and it was created by high school freshman Jake Jarvis. You type a topic in the searchbox and it brings up a summary of the corresponding wikipedia page. This led me to start searching for web apps or mashups that were created by students. While that search took my down several very interesting rabbit holes I didn’t have a lot of luck. I am still searching and if anyone out in the blogosphere knows of more I would be very interested in hearing about them.
One of the sites I found while I was searching for student created apps was called TerraClues. TerraClues is a game played using google maps. There are already some games created but you can create your own too. Using text, pictures, and maps you leave clues that send the player on a search of google maps to find whatever you want anywhere in the world. There is even a teacher area where you could use the game with your class. There is a tutorial game that you can run through without signing on for an account that gives you examples of the type of clues and how it works. Fun stuff!
Another great idea that I was led to was on the Tech Savvy Educator site (which will rapidly be on my blogroll – great stuff here). To recycle keyboards take the keys off and use them for scrabble! The board is created using excel and there is even a hint to tell you that the squares need to be 3/4 inch. I just happen to have a collection of dead keyboards and if anyone at school is interested in giving this a whirl I would be glad to supply them with a sack full of keys!
This site led me to a lesson plan and directions for students creating “MySpace Like” webpages on Medieval characters. The link to the directions is here and the link to the students’ completed pages is here.
This landed me finally at Think:Lab, a blog I plan to spend a lot more time! Lots of food for the brain there. I read a post there that taught me a new term – Participation Culture. You can click and go to an online presentation by Steve Borsch of Connecting the Dots. This term makes more sense to me that web 2.0.
Our students are completely at home with technology. They’ve never known a time without computers and the internet is a part of normal life for them. As they navigate through the information and often as in the case of Jake Jarvis, not only participate but create new ways to utilize it, I look ahead with anticipation to see just where technology will take us next. The interesting question is who will be driving the bus?
Thanks for the kind words, Dee. I’ve since taken some of my old keyboards and completely re-arranged the keys as well so that I can use them for students working on their homerow typing that still have trouble looking down at the keyboard
Dee, I’m one of the designers of TerraClues. We really appreciate you mentioning the site in your blog. We are very proud of the site and hope that students will find it fun and interesting. I came across your blog through a Google search. It’s an excellent blog. I am impressed with the clean layout and I really like the butterflies in the header, they remind me of my daughter.
If anybody has any suggestions for us for things we can improve in the TerraClues for Schools area please let us know. Maybe you have an idea for a good TerraHunt but don’t have the time to set it up. We would be happy to take the idea and create the hunt for you. Send us a note at info@terraclues.com if you have any suggestions or comments.
P.S. I did notice that the link to the site in the blog posting isn’t working. It looks like it’s missing the “http://” in the tag.
Thanks for the nice comments Bryan and I have fixed the link!
Ben – thanks for the additional suggestion for uses for old keyboards! Now I just wish someone could tell me a use for an old mouse!
Old mouses are easy…
tie the cord up in a loop and they make great hall passes
paint them up like real mice, fill them with sand or other heavy substance and you have a paper weight to give as a gift
make a loop like the hall pass, only a much bigger loop, and you can create medals and/or badges of honor
Oh man – hall passes! I love it! And awards – I see them spray painted gold, silver, and bronze! Great ideas – I hate waste and I hate to throw things away. I’m still chuckling – thanks.