Symbaloo

What a great way to organize your favourite websites visually using colorful icons. Set up an account to create your own WEBMIXES and add Collections of Webmixes that suit your interests. Each icon can be edited with a custom image and color (just right click).Watch this to get started.  

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Want to Improve Your Search Skills while Earning Game Points?

A Google A Day is a puzzle game from Google, the gameplay involves the player to solve a lateral thinking puzzle by using Google to find the answer. A new puzzle is added every day.^[1] The questions may be any of the following categories: Sport, Science, Pop Culture, History, Arts and Literature, or Geography. (Wikipedia)

Give it a Try! I did and I discovered I got better at which keywords to use to quicken my search. 

TECH TRENDS

Check out trendy teachers who are writing to share tips and good practices with the community.

Apps For School

 Mashable.com is one of my favourite places for personal learning. I came across this article on the 10 best apps for highschool about a week ago and bookmarked it with a Facebook like . If you own a IOS device it would be a shame not to be taking advantage of it in every way.  On a personal note, I love Evernote for taking notes, embedding images and recordings so looking forward to seeing if Evernote Peek lives up to my expectations. The range of suggestions cover apps for:  science, maths, language, english and geography students. And if you are having a hard time keeping track of the chaos then the Studious App might be the right tool for you. Signing off to install and play with the Frog Dissection App.

What is a QR code?

Where Does This QR Take You?

QR Code is short for Quick Response Code. This 2-dimensional black on white patterned square reads quickly and can store more data than the standard barcode. The encoded information can now consist of almost any type of data. Initially it was developed to read numeric, alphanumeric byte/binary and kanji (adopted chinese characters used in japanese). Purposefully invented in 1994, for the automotive industry to track vehicles during the manufacturing process. 

Today anyone can join in to discover the fun uses of QR codes using a mobile device that has a camera and QR Reader App installed. Last year, in America 14 million people were scanning QR codes and the phenomenon is now growing in Hong Kong for personal and commercial purposes. 

QR Generator Websites such QR Stuff, Kaywa and SnapVu have made it easy for anyone to create a QR code for a URL, phone number, text , SMS, map location even music. Try using your mobile device to read QR codes around town, with a free QR Reader App such as Scan, QR Reader, I-nigma or Easy QR. You might discover some fun uses for them. I have seen them used at parties for treasure hunts and recently hearing that teachers are using them in classrooms to prompt students to particular websites.

Check this out.

Well another new year begins and as the the new year 8's are finding out school with laptops provides some interesting opportunities to show understanding and what you know.  Animation is always fun, although it is challenging and tests creativity.

 So simple tools to help with this process are always of interest to the folk at the Tech-know Blog!  During the recent laptop induction session I was going through the use of delicious as a search tool and came across Kerpoof!  So what is it?  Kerpoof is a simple animation and graphics tool that can also help with language development/.  There are some language building exercises on it which some of the younger students might find interesting but it is perhaps that animation part of the site that could really help students.  A simple time line and with the ability to make cartoon like call outs to characters from a library could be a useful and innovative way for students to show what they know in foreign Langauges, Humanties, Maths or science or tell a digital story for English.  SO give it a go and see where your creativity takes you! www.kerpoof.com

Top 10 iPad apps.

With thousands of applications for accessible download, the iPad is one the most accredited gadgets today. From having incredible portability to the ease of use, people around the world are buying iPads…Most of them being students.

For those of you who may already own an iPad and to those who are planning to buy one, explore your options with the top 10 tried and tested educational apps!

1.   Pages

There’s no need to worry about the fact that the iPad doesn’t have Microsoft Word®, Pages is probably the best word processor ever been on a Mobile device. With Pages you can create, view and edit documents wherever you go, there are also numerous templates to create flyers, posters and letters. Plus, the best part is you can export it to a PDF or Word doc via mail to e-mail, share and print your work.

2.    Numbers

Other than creating documents, you can no also produce spreadsheets and graphs on your iPad with the easy use of Numbers! There are over 200 functions to help you create the perfect graphic design, spreadsheet or graph you need.

3.   Flash my Brain

Flash my brain is an excellent app to create Flash Cards for revision study. You can customize the settings to help you learn the way you like. Also, add photos and different languages on your cards to suit all purposes!

4.    iStudiez

iStudiez allows you to input all your block schedules and timetables for school (alternating week 1 and 2), it also has an additional project reminder function, which makes a student’s life easier by reminding you when your project or homework is due in.

        5.   iSource APA

This App is just the one for research projects. You can come up with a perfect bibliography using iSource APA and you can take all the credit! All you have to do is enter your resource information it asks you for, and the app does the rest.

        6.   iBooks

iBooks helps you save your notebooks and PDF’s for school and various subjects. You can also download numerous free classical books and educational teachings by professors and teachers.

        7.   Instapaper

Save all your favourite web pages for later offline reading. Everything you save on Instapaper is changed to an offline mode, which enables you to read your saved articles at libraries, airports, classrooms and non Wi-Fi Public spots.

8. Evernote

With Evernote you can save things you like, ideas and things you see. The best thing is that Evernote works on every nearly every device out there. 

          9. TED

TED lets viewers browse 800 educational talks on a wide range of topics. Talks that last from 3 to 30 minutes long have you hooked on to the most interesting facts and opinions from some of the most famous and inspirational people in today's world. 

10. GEO Walk HD

This is an educational app loaded with tons of useful information about more than 500 people, places, animals and plants. Every piece of information has a vivid picture to help bring it to life. This app is extremely captivating in every aspect and all you Geo lovers must try it out!

Although some of these apps aren't free, they're are definitely considerable.