My Beauty Best Teacher

One of my best teacher-friends is a secondary math teacher (and runs the Numbers Rule My World blog), and she is always looking for ways to incorporate technology into her math lessons. She tipped me off about this site that has virtual manipulatives, and I wanted to share it with you guys!

Although my friend uses this site with her secondary students, the National Library of Virtual Manipulatives has something for students PK-12!  It's so rare to find an educational resource that can cater to all ages...I guess that's part of why I think this website is so nice.

The National Library of Virtual Manipulatives is amazing! I love that it is free and easy to use; you don't even have to register before you start using!

The homepage is relatively simple:

Notice how you can view the site in a variety of languages (at the bottom)!

But looks can be deceiving. :)


As you can see, you can access math manipulatives based on the grade of your student(s) or the target skill. Since I'm a teensy bit obsessed with organizing, I particularly love this feature.

Although the homepage isn't anything particularly mind-blowing, once you start clicking on portions of the index, you'll see that the rest of the site is!

So what kinds of things does it have to offer? Unfortunately, I'm going to have to do more telling, rather than showing, because the manipulatives are used through pop-up screens that then start using Java... I'm not even able to take a screen shot of the manipulatives in action...sorry! I've never had an issue taking a screenshot before, so I can't explain this one! Anyway, I clicked on PK-2, and I was presented with the following list of sub-topics:

• Numbers and Operations
• Algebra
• Geometry
• Measurement
• Data Analysis and Probability

And each of those sub-titles had an average of 13 manipulative options underneath it, but you should be aware that that is an average... the "data analysis and probability" sub-topic only had 3 options. Although the graphics aren't anything particularly flashy or high-tech, I feel that they definitely could be used in the classroom. I saw some time-telling activities, graphing options, pattern blocks, etc. I know that most elementary classrooms don't have a 1:1 ratio of students:computers, but you could ask a few students at a time to practice certain math skills during centers!

As for the secondary side of it, I clicked on 9-12, and I was presented with the exact same sub-topic categories as the PK-2 side, but of course, the options underneath each category were drastically different. The sub-topics in 9-12 had an average of about 18 manipulative options underneath it. I saw some great ones in this category, as well. In particular, if I were teaching secondary math (big hypothetical here, folks), I could see myself using the rational numbers triangles, the Venn diagrams, and the geoboards.

If you're a math teacher, give the National Library of Virtual Manipulatives a chance in your class and let me know how it goes!

Today's post is over SlideSnack, a child of SnackTools.

Although more than one of SnackTools's applications are not really unique to the World Wide Web, per say, I really like the fact that I just need one username and password to have access to SnackTools's current supply of 7 different applications. I have so many website usernames and passwords to remember that I am willing to abandon some of them in favor of a 7-in-1 deal like SnackTools offers!

SlideSnack is, as expected, an online presentation. The end result looks similar to a PowerPoint, but you have the convenience of never having to e-mail the show to yourself or travel with it flash drive (since it's all stored online).


Here are some cool features of SlideSnack:

1. You can use it for free. 
2. You can publish it on several different websites (think: personal website and social media websites). There's an embed code so that viewers can actually see the slideshow on your website instead of having to follow an external link to see anything.
3. It uses Flash when posted on regular websites; I'm still looking for information on how it views on an iPhone/iPad.
4. You can record your voice comments to make what SlideSnack calls a "slidecast" (presentation + voice = slidecast, according to them). *I think this may be the coolest feature of all, personally!*
5. You have the option to download your online presentation and then upload it to other video-hosting websites for easier access (think: YouTube, Vimeo, etc.).
6. You can add 500 files per presentation! (Each individual file = a slide in the show.)
7. Many, many people can view your show for free. The way I understand it, people with a free membership can have a max of 25,000 views per day on sites external to SlideSnack (VIP members get 50,000 views). Even after all the day's views have been exceeded, the embedded codes won't work until the next day, but users can still click the link and view the show on SlideSnack's webpage. Pretty convenient. I don't ever expect to reach that 25,000 view maximum, anyway, so I don't see this as a problem. 

The website allows users to upload PDF documents, but it says you can convert Word, PowerPoint, Keynote, etc. files into PDF documents fairly easily. I can personally attest to the "Word to PDF is simple" comment, but I have yet to try to convert any of the others. I assume they're easy, but...we all know what assuming does. ;)

The only other file type SlideSnack allows is .jpg, which means you can upload most of your pictures, if needed. 

Now that you know about all the great features, let me give you some details about the $$ involved:

• There is a free version, but, as with most websites, there are a few limitations. The free version puts a watermark on all slideshows. There's also an upload limitation: you can only have 20 slides (each file = 1 slide) and the show can only last 5 minutes, max. 
• You can have the watermark removed from individual shows by purchasing points. It costs 10 points in order to do this, and the price of the points varies, based on how many you purchase at a time. (A purchase of 10 points will run you $19, a purchase of 25 points will run you $39, a purchase of 50 points will run you $49...you get the picture. There's a slight discount when you buy points in bulk.)
• If you don't want to mess with the limitations at all, you can always purchase a VIP membership for $14/month. This membership actually gives you premium access to all of SnackTools's apps, so you're getting quite a bit for your money. (Although, I'd really appreciate the ability to just buy a premium membership to ONE app, but maybe they'll implement that later!)

Here's an example of a show SlideSnack made and posted on the example page.

*At the time of my writing this post, SlideSnack is still in the beta stages. It may come out with even cooler features by the time this post is published. You may have to hop on over there and see for yourself what's going on. :)

I've been on a kick about QR codes lately, for whatever reason. (You may want to read QR Codes [And How To Get Your Own] and Using QR Codes in the Classroom first.)

I've already compiled a fairly lengthy list of ways to use QR codes in education, but one thing was always troubling me: what about kids who don't have smartphones? I mean, smartphones are pretty popular, but not everyone has the money or even the desire to purchase one. And I don't have a class set of iPod Touches (yet).

So how could I utilize this tech tool without leaving out everyone who doesn't own a smartphone or iPod Touch?

Enter: Snap My Info.


I read about this on a teaching blog a couple weeks ago, and unfortunately only wrote down the name of the Snap My Info website, or else I would link up to the original poster! (Sorry, OP! If you're reading this, comment below and I'll link back to you!)

Anyway, Snap My Info is a service that allows non-smartphone holders to still use QR codes. By using Snap My Info, a person only has to have the capability to send picture messages and retrieve e-mails on his/her cell phone. That opens QR codes to a much larger audience in my classroom; almost everyone I know has the capability to send pic messages and retrieve e-mails on their mobile device!

You do have to register with Snap My Info (bummer) for their code-deciphering service to work, but their explanation page gives more details.

Now if I could just ensure that students could have service in my classroom to send codes and receive the follow-up messages, I think I'd be ready to take off on the QR code train! :)

If you'd like to try Snap My Info, you could take a picture of the code below and e-mail the picture to x@snpmy.com. According to their website, you should receive an e-mail back with Snap My Info's contact information.

Try it and let me know what you think!

QuizSnack, a child of SnackTools, has been on my list to write about for awhile. I've already written about some of their other tools (FlipSnack, PhotoSnack, and PodSnack), so I figured it was time to try this application!

QuizSnack is an online survey/poll/quiz creator that you can embed into a variety of websites. As a teacher, it's pretty easy to see the value in this. Teachers are always being pressured to assess students, and we're oftentimes being pressured to assess students in "new and different" ways. While a quiz isn't particularly "new," the fact that it's online is different! So QuizSnack could be a plus for everyone. (It could be a regular assessment OR it could be used as online test prep!)

Besides quizzing students over virtually any topic you needed to, you could also create polls/surveys to ask for opinions and/or suggestions! (Besides using polls/surveys for the obvious, I also think they could be incorporated into bellwork!)

Here are some cool features of QuizSnack:

1. You can use it for free. 
2. You can publish it on several different websites (think: personal website and social media websites). There's an embed code so that viewers can actually view the quiz on your website instead of having to follow an external link to see anything.
3. It uses Flash when posted on regular websites...still looking for any information as to how it works on iPhones/iPads. 
4. There are several customization options so that you can personalize the quiz(zes) in a variety of way (color, size, etc.)
5. The results are recorded in real-time.
6. Many, many people can view your quiz for free. The way I understand it, people with a free membership can have a max of 25,000 views per day on sites external to QuizSnack (VIP members get 50,000 views). Pretty convenient. I don't ever expect to reach that 25,000 view maximum, anyway, so I don't see this as a problem. 
7. You can view individual responses to each quiz and/or question. There is also an option to view the IP address (if you've got a real stinky answer on your hands) or completely delete a response. 
8. You can export the data you receive! (Pretty handy!)
9. Besides all the customization options inside the quiz, you can decide which type of quiz you'd like to make: survey, poll, or personality quiz.

It's so versatile because you can ask any question you want! I'd probably use the "personality quiz" option the most so that I could get a "real quiz" on my website, but the survey and poll options both have their places in the classroom, as well (I could use them as an alternative to SurveyMonkey, which just means one less username/password for me to remember).

Now that you know about all the great features, let me give you some details about the $$ involved:

• There is a free version, but, as with most websites, there are a few limitations. The free version puts a watermark/ad on all quizzes. You can get an unlimited number of responses in the personality quiz and poll options, but you cannot view any survey results in the free version. (*Boo! Hiss!*)
• You can have the watermark removed from individual quizzes by purchasing the premium embed code. It costs 4 points in order to do this, and the price of the points varies, based on how many you purchase at a time. (A purchase of 10 points will run you $19, a purchase of 25 points will run you $39, a purchase of 50 points will run you $49...you get the picture. There's a slight discount when you buy points in bulk.)
• If you don't want to mess with the limitations at all, you can always purchase a VIP membership for $14/month. This membership actually gives you premium access to all of SnackTools's apps, so you're getting quite a bit for your money. (Although, I'd really appreciate the ability to just buy a premium membership to ONE app, but maybe they'll implement that later!)

I created a mega-simple poll just to display at the bottom of this post so you'd have a real example of how this can be used. There were several pre-made template options available, and you could also choose your own colors -- I just like purple, so that's what I chose. :) This simple little thing took me about 2.5 seconds from start to finish:

I recently posed a question on my Teacher Garden Facebook fan page, asking for ideas of how to use QR codes in the classroom. While I was unable to obtain any more ideas, Lori over at Conversations in Literacy asked for some of my ideas, so I was propelled to do some more research over QR codes in the classroom. I was surprised by what I found!

I originally posted that I was still unsure of their uses, and I could only find a few ways to use them in the classroom. Well, gone are those days! :) After using Pinterest and Google to help, I have collected a fairly wide variety of ways to use QR codes in the classroom. Here is a list of ways I've found so far. If I found the idea elsewhere, I've linked up to it, so just click the idea to be taken to the original source!

1. Connect QR codes to a Google doc. Print QR codes on stickers and attach them to all of your library materials (could be books, iPods, etc.) available for student checkout. Ask students to scan the QR code to check out/in materials. The Technology Tips blog used QR codes to check out equipment, and the author there gives more details as to how to set up the Google doc to make it all possible.
2. Scott Sibberson blogged about connecting a QR code to the "picture of the week" and using it as sort-of an anticipatory set to get students thinking about upcoming information.
3. Along the same lines as number three, you could connect a QR code to a writing prompt (text or picture...I've heard of people using National Geographic's picture of the day as a daily bellringer writing prompt!) and ask students to scan it upon entering the room. They could then use the text/picture they receive as "writing fuel."
4. Scott Sibberson also blogged about connecting QR codes to quiz websites (like QuizStar) and asking students to take the quizzes either inside or outside of class.
5. Finally, Mr. Sibberson also suggested linking QR codes to the assessment/assignment of the day and posting each individual QR code on a large class calendar. Absent students could scan the QR code to have immediate access to information they missed. Since you can link a QR code to pretty much anything, you could show kids the Prezi presentation you made, a YouTube clip that enhanced learning, a PDF-version of the assignment, a picture slideshow of their classmates completing physical/social activity...whatever! I really like this idea, but I'm just not sure how well I would be able to keep up with it. ;)
6. I really love this idea, captured on livinglocurto's Instagram: use a QR code to connect to a Bully-reporting website or hotline! I'm not sure how practical it is -- I know a lot of kids wouldn't want to be caught scanning that code, but maybe the QR code would make it so "cool" that everyone would be scanning it, just to have something to scan. (Remember, part of the fun of QR codes is the novelty of it at this point!)
7. Along the same lines as number six, counselors (or teachers) could generate QR codes to suicide hotlines, informational websites about ADD or ADHD, etc. and post them around the school or in their office. Although I understand that not all school counselors are certified to diagnose mental disorders or learning disabilities, I think the ones who are could generate a QR code to a questionnaire about cetain disorders. For instance, if a student wanted to get a quick-read about whether or not she was depressed (to know if it was something she needed to worry about and talk to an adult about), this student could scan a QR code to a quick checklist of attributes that depressed persons usually have. If she checked positive for x number of the attributes, she would know to talk to an adult about what could potentially be clinical depression. This might be great for junior high and high school students, where a quick scan of a QR code is all you need to get the information. A lot of times, those students are too embarrassed to stand and study information on a poster like that, so the ability to scan and read on the go would be invaluable.
8. Attach a QR code to a Mapquest or Google Maps link and put it on fliers for Open Houses or seminars, particularly if you have a large school district. People could scan the code and be given directions as to how to get to an event.
9. Spinning off of idea number eight, maybe you could also attach addresses/contact information to QR codes and put them on things like basketball schedules or StuCo meeting signs!
10. When giving a presentation in class, instead of handing out paper copies of your presentation to everyone, maybe you just hand them a QR code to scan and view while you present. You're still handing out paper, but you're probably saving a ton of it, since QR codes can be pretty tiny and still work!
11. For textbooks or novels, create a QR code that links to a Wallwisher or specific Twitter hashtag. Give copies of the code to all students and ask them to participate in a discussion on that text. Mr. Mitchell's blog is where I originally found the ideas for Wallwisher and making text interactive; I added the thoughts about a Twitter hashtag myself. :) 
12. The Primary Bits and Bytes blog wrote a post about QR codes and a new thing called StickyBits. Basically, the author describes QR codes as a one-way information system, and StickyBits is the more advanced older brother: it actually allows anyone to add information to the link. (I foresee a blog post on StickyBits coming up soon!) Although the author of Primary Bits and Bytes really intended for these ideas to be used with StickyBits, there are some that can be used with QR codes. ...One of my favorites is the idea for students to review books in the classroom library on some type of website (Shelfari?). Afterwards, generate a QR code, print it onto a sticker, and stick it to the back of the library book. I love that students can get instant access to classmates' reviews -- those reviews are so powerful!
13. Also from Primary Bits and Bytes, you could create a treasure hunt for students using QR codes. Each QR code would have to take students to a clue -- text, graphic, video, podcast of you speaking a riddle...whatever! -- that they would use to find the next clue in the hunt.
14. Along the same lines as number thirteen, I like the idea of going on a textbook or novel hunt. My instructor during a Great Expectations course for secondary students detailed how to do a textbook hunt (basically asking students to get "the big picture" by way of a competitive worksheet activity), but I know there's got to be a way to incorporate QR codes! I'm still working on developing this one... when I figure it out, I'll let ya know. :)
15. Primary Bits and Bytes suggests asking students to make YouTube videos to explain how they reached the end of math problems. Instead of just writing the answer, students make the videos and attach them to the book or answer sheet for you to watch/grade.
16. Along the same lines as number fifteen, you could generate a QR code to a homework help website, a helpful YouTube explanation video, etc. on the top of homework. If students struggle at home with the assignment, they could review extra explanations instantly.
17. Primary Bits and Bytes suggests sticking a code on the front of a student's binder/folder/journal and using it as a way to add feedback. The author also suggests doing this for homework.
18. Along the same lines as number seventeen, what if we made a personal webpage or blog for each student in the class? We could generate QR codes and give them to each student and parent. Throughout the year, that could be used as an on-going feedback to evaluate not only assignments, but behavior and social growth, as well. I suppose it could also be used as sort of an instant messager system to relay information like absences or transportation changes! I would say this would be a great opportunity to use Wallwisher, but I like the idea of all feedback being obviously chronological; this way, everyone could see the student's progress as the year goes on!
19. Spinning off of number eighteen, what about using QR codes as access to a student's online portfolio? Students could link up to their Dropbox or LiveBinder accounts, and teachers could use the codes to quickly access progress or give final grades!
20. Primary Bits and Bytes suggests using QR codes to enhance hallway decorations. I like to use a "virtual 'fridge" to display wonderful work on my classroom website. I could definitely see myself generating a QR code to go directly to that virtual 'fridge to let everyone in the school know who, in my classroom, has recently done outstanding work.
21. Along the same lines as number twenty, we could also use QR codes in our hallway decor for Open House or conference nights. You could display students' pictures (or self-portraits) on the bulletin board, and attach a QR code to their latest and greatest achievement right next to each student. Parents could get a "quick response" on what positive things have been happening for that kid lately!
22. This Pinterest picture was uploaded by a user, so there's no way for me to link to any blog about it, but it suggests using QR codes as a way to spice up test reviews. I assume each of those QR codes on their test review page will show some sort of math review on the screen. It does seem like a lot of extra hoops to jump through, but it would be good to use every once in a while, just to get the kids something different!
23. As mentioned in my original post about QR codes, you could always put your contact information in the form of a QR code on a class syllabus or even at the bottom of your class newsletter! Parents/students could scan the code and automatically have their phones call or text you for help/information.
24. Maybe using Google docs, Survey Monkey, or some form of online quiz, you could use QR codes to take attendance. Post the code at the front of the room with a new "warm-up question" each morning. Students scan and input their responses as soon as they come in the door. You can take attendance by seeing who responded to the warm-up. ...Elementary students could also take a "quiz" over what kind of lunch they'd like for the day, so you'd get attendance and a lunch count, all in one!
25. Prior a field trip with younger students, you could link contact information for the school to a QR code, and print the codes onto square stickers. Each student could be required to wear the sticker all day long! It's more subtle than student name tags (which can be dangerous) and less expensive than matching t-shirts! ...If you planned on doing this often, you could always print your QR code onto something more heavy-duty, like a bracelet or necklace, and hand those out to the kids prior to the trip. Their ticket off the bus and to their home is to give you back the QR coded accessory. :)
26. As per Classroom in the Cloud: For daily homework or a study guide, link a QR code to the answers, and place the code at the bottom or on the backside of the handout. Allow students to check answers this way to make sure they're studying correctly!
27. As per Classroom in the Cloud: Have each teacher create a picture slideshow or video that tells about themselves, and post the QR codes to those shows on each teacher's door. Classroom in the Cloud suggests allowing parents/students to scan the codes and "meet" teachers during Open House night this way.
28. Spinning off of number twenty-seven: why not attach these "Meet Your Teacher" QR codes to every kid's schedule when it is mailed/given out prior to the beginning of the school year? Every kid could "meet" their teacher, even if he/she couldn't be there for the actual open house night!
29. Also spinning off of number twenty-seven, if you had to leave during conference night or Open House  night, perhaps you could post an introductory/explanatory video (in the form of a QR code) on your door so that everyone could still "talk" to you, even though you couldn't be there!
30. Also via Classroom in the Cloud: create a series of graphic/video QR codes prior to a field trip. Pass out the codes and tell kids when to scan them. It's like a personal tour without you having to yell it over the roar of the bus!
31. Twitter user @duckinwales suggested attaching audio files to QR codes and giving them to ELL students so they could listen to the correct pronunciation.
32. Spinning off of idea number thirty-one, teachers of early readers could attach audio files of themselves reading a book or giving center instructions and have students scan the code when they need help.
33. I've already mentioned placing a QR code at the top of a syllabus or classroom newsletter in order to give your contact information. But Michael Bromby also suggests linking an Amazon search for your class's needed reading material for the semester/year onto a QR code. Pretty clever! Students will have instant access to the title/author/ISBN of each book needed and can even order it directly from their smartphone!
34. Spinning off of idea number thirty-three, what if teachers created an Amazon wish list filled with the necessary school supplies for the year? Generate a QR code to that wish list and allow students to reference it on their smartphone when they're in the store or even purchase it from their smartphone and have it delivered directly to their home!
35. Twitter user @LRDow suggested generating QR codes for specific web pages on your class website and placing those codes directly on the page it links to. To share this information with their friends, students only have to pass on the QR codes -- not the entire link.
36. For art teachers who display students' artwork in your galleries: post a QR code with the child's name and mugshot right next to it so that students are credited with the work without defacing their art with unecessary writing.
37. Tired of turning in lesson plans every week, but still need to find a way for admin and parents to immediately see what your class is doing and what objectives you're covering? Upload your lesson plans to your class website and then post a QR code outside your classroom with a link to the lesson plans. Admin only has to scan your code to figure out what your students are learning at that very moment.
38. Place QR codes in yearbooks that link to audio and video of students!
39. I use a homework buddy system with my older students: at the beginning of the semester, I ask them to find 4 classmates they think they can trust and to exhange contact information with them. When someone is absent, students don't come to me to find out what they missed; instead, they ask a homework buddy (or check our class website). Twitter user @raganmd suggests asking students to fill out contact information (phone numbers, email addresses, personal website URLS) on a website called Jump Scan, and then generating the QR code for each Jump Scan profile. I could easily see this working with my homework buddies program; the information auomatically ends up in your phone!
40. Twitter user @mrrobbo suggests attaching QR codes to physical models. For instance, on a classroom skeleton, attach QR codes with informational videos/links about each part of the body.
41. Twitter user @mrrobbo also suggests creating a "choose your own adventure" story experience for reading students. (I'm thinking of those RL Stine books I used to read in elementary school; some of them were "choose your own adventure" stories.) Create an exciting sentence for a story, and then ask readers to make a decision. If they choose option 1, scan code #1. If they choose option #2, scan code #2. Brilliant!
42. Twitter user @NigelKirkham said he an audio file in his public Dropbox folder and created a QR code for the public folder's link. Scanning the code enabled users to listen to the file!

Ideas #35, 39, 40, 41, and 42 were found on @TomBarrett's Google docs presentation on ways to use QR codes in the classroom.

These are all the ideas I've been able to find so far, but I think it's an excellent starting point! If you have any other ideas for using QR codes in the classroom, I would love it if you left them in a comment! You could also scan this QR code and leave a comment on The Teacher Garden Facebook fan page. :)
Happy QR-ing!



P.S. There's a great website I just found out about (courtesy of commenter #1, Matt) that is centered around using QR codes in the classroom! Here's the link in case you'd like to check it out!

Since my first post over FlipSnack -- SnackTools's free eBook-making website -- I have been excited about trying other applications by SnackTools. My last review -- PodSnack -- was a bit of a bust. (Although I think it's neat, I don't think it can have much real value to me in the classroom. Darn.) I'm hoping this post, featuring PhotoSnack, will be better!

Put simply, PhotoSnack is a photo-slideshow-maker.  I know there are lots of photo-slideshow-makers available on the webs, but I really like that users who have signed up for any of SnackTools's other applications would have easy access to PhotoSnack. That's just one less username and password we'd have to remember, and God knows teachers have enough on their minds already! :)

Before I begin talking about all the details of this website, let me list a few ways you may be able to use PhotoSnack in your classroom:

• Attach it to your "virtual 'fridge" and play a slideshow of outstanding student work.
• Attach pictures from last year's class -- having a blast, of course -- and show it on the first day of school to let your students know what they're in for this year!
• Attach pictures of your current students working hard and/or having a ball and show it on Open House Night or on the class website.
• Upload samples of a student's work (like a mini, photo-portfolio) and show it during P/T conferences to help parents get a better grasp of what kind of work their child is producing in class.

OK, now that we have some ideas, let's dive into the logistics of PhotoSnack.

Here are some cool features:

1. You can use it for free. 
2. You can add music to the background of your slideshow, if you'd like.
3. Import photos from several different (and common) photo-hosting websites. 
4. You can download the slideshow to the computer and burn it onto a DVD (a cool goodbye present for students on the last day of school!). 
5. Add titles and captions to each photo if you want.
6. You can publish it on several different websites (think: personal website and social media websites). There's an embed code so that viewers can actually see the slideshow on your website instead of having to follow an external link to see anything.
7. It uses Flash when posted on regular websites. Still looking for information about viewing it on iPhone/iPad....
8. There are several customization options so that you can personalize the slideshow(s) in a variety of ways. 
9. The end result looks very professional! 
10. Can add up to 100 photos to each slideshow
11. Many, many people can view your slideshow for free. The way I understand it, people with a free membership can have a max of 25,000 views per day on sites external to PhotoSnack (VIP members get 50,000 views). Pretty convenient. I don't ever expect to reach that 25,000 view maximum, anyway, so I don't see this as a problem. 
12. Besides all the customization options inside the slideshow, you can decide which type of album you'd like to be featured in the show: professional photo album, product presentation, personal portfolio, real estate slideshow, or web-designer portfolio. 
13. There are several widget-options you can use to display your show(s) on your websites.

PhotoSnack allows users to upload documents in a few different formats: .jpg, .gif, and .png. No file over 10 MB may be uploaded to the slideshow.

Now that you know about all the great features, let me give you some details about the $$ involved:

• There is a free version, but, as with most websites, there are a few limitations. The free version puts a watermark on all slideshows. I didn't see an additional upload limit; it appears that the free version also has an upload limit of 100 photos, just like the paid version! Whoo-hoo!
• You can have the watermark removed from individual slideshow by purchasing points. It costs 6 points in order to do this, and the price of the points varies, based on how many you purchase at a time. (A purchase of 10 points will run you $19, a purchase of 25 points will run you $39, a purchase of 50 points will run you $49...you get the picture. There's a slight discount when you buy points in bulk.)
• If you don't want to mess with the limitations at all, you can always purchase a VIP membership for $14/month. This membership actually gives you premium access to all of SnackTools's apps, so you're getting quite a bit for your money. (Although, I'd really appreciate the ability to just buy a premium membership to ONE app, but maybe they'll implement that later!)

 Overall, I really like the ease and convenience of PhotoSnack. Like I said, there is no shortage of photo-slideshow-making websites available on the web, but I like that this one can pull photos from a variety of popular photo-hosting websites and you can access it through your SnackTools's username and password. Pretty nifty!

After my last post over FlipSnack, I've sort-of been salivating over the rest of SnackTools's apps. I thought I'd go ahead and do a series of posts over the rest of their options, too. This particular post will feature PodSnack, the free audio playlist you can embed onto your social networking pages, blogs, and classroom websites!

I was first introduced to podcasting in 2010 while I was teaching 8th grade ELAR. A history/government teacher from down the hall used them to record her lectures and post them to her class webpage. I thought it was so neat and began to do the same thing. Now, of course, I realize there are lots of ways to get students involved with the podcast project, but I was young and naive at the time. :) If you've read other parts of my blog, I'm sure you know now that the super-easy podcast hosting website I was using in 2010 no longer works (*cue my hysterical sobbing*), and I have been unable to find a replacement that I love just as much.

I've posted a few other websites that may be able to help me fill my podcasting-void, but I just haven't been able to love them as much as I loved my original hosting site.
After further review, I think PodSnack may be able to help me, but I'm still on the hunt for a replacement to my beloved hosting site. (PodSnack has some great features, but the free version doesn't allow me to upload anything longer than 5 minutes. My podcasts are always longer than 5 minutes!) Although I probably won't use PodSnack extensively in my classroom, I'll go ahead and tell you about it, just in case it can help you.

PodSnack is actually intended to host music files, but I detest putting musical playlists on websites (unless you're a music or drama teacher). I think it's so pretentious to assume that all of my readers will enjoy my type of music! So I would never post a musical playlist for you. Instead, I would use PodSnack in a slightly unconventional way: to post podcasts.
Since PodSnack is FlipSnack's sister site (all children of SnackTools), there are many similarities. Although, since FlipSnack is for PDF files and PodSnack is for mp3 files, there are some slight differences. See for yourself all of PodSnack's cool features:

1. You can use it for free. 
2. You can publish it on several different websites (think: personal website and social media websites). There's an embed code so that viewers can actually see the playlist on your website instead of having to follow an external link to see anything. I really like this because it might allow me to continue to use the free version of Weebly and still upload audio files!
3. It uses Flash when posted on regular websites. Still hunting for anything that tells me it's available on iPhone/iPad...
4. There are several customization options so that you can personalize the playlist(s) in a variety of ways. 
5. You can upload up to 100 tracks per playlist!
6. You can insert links into your playlist (say, if you're a budding artist who wants to sell your new jams...this may be for you).
7. Many, many people can view your playlist for free. The way I understand it, people with a free membership can have a max of 25,000 views per day on sites external to PodSnack (VIP members get 50,000 views). Pretty convenient. I don't ever expect to reach that 25,000 view maximum, anyway, so I don't see this as a problem. 
8. You can display your playlist in a few different ways: audio player with a playlist (so you can see all the songs on the list), progress bar player, or mini player. I think each is nice in its own way!

The website only allows users to upload mp3 files. If you don't have the proper files, you can actually select songs from YouTube to add to your list. I think that feature is pretty neat!

As for podcasting, I'm not sure exactly how it works on a PC, but I know that I make my podcasts on my Mac with GarageBand. Those usually record in a .band format, but I found a way to convert them to mp3. This seems like a long process just to get an audio file on the web for my kids, but... dedicated teachers must press on!
Anyway, now that you know about all the great features, let me give you some details about the $$ involved:

• There is a free version, but, as with most websites, there are a few limitations. The free version puts a "watermark" on all playlists. Actually, the way they describe it, it's more of a "jingle" that gets attached to all of your songs (I'm thinking cheesy/annoying catchphrase or something, although I haven't verified this yet). 
• There's also an upload limitation that goes into effect for each free playlist: 5 tracks, each with a max time of 5 minutes. (Sigh.)
• You can have the watermark removed from playlists by purchasing points. It costs 8 points in order to do this, and the price of the points varies, based on how many you purchase at a time. (A purchase of 10 points will run you $19, a purchase of 25 points will run you $39, a purchase of 50 points will run you $49...you get the picture. There's a slight discount when you buy points in bulk.)
• If you don't want to mess with the limitations at all, you can always purchase a VIP membership for $14/month. This membership actually gives you premium access to all of SnackTools's apps, so you're getting quite a bit for your money. (Although, I'd really appreciate the ability to just buy a premium membership to ONE app, but maybe they'll implement that later!)

Unfortunately, I don't think I'll be including an example in this post, like I did for my FlipSnack post.  I don't have any current podcasts I'd like to share, and my hopes have been slightly deflated, since the free PodSnack version only allows 5 minute uploads. If you've used PodSnack in your classroom, please free to comment below and tell me how it's worked for you!

I don't even remember how I stumbled onto this particular website (blog-hopping, most likely!), but its Firefox tab has been staring me in the face for about a week, so I figured I'd better go ahead and write about it! :)

Have you ever made a classroom book? I have yet to do that as a teacher, but I made one myself when I was in the 4th grade. I created the entire thing (from cover to illustrations to text), and my beloved teacher had it bound professionally so it looked as though I had been "published." She made two copies: one for me and one for my school's library, so that my peers could actually check the book out and read it! I was in awe.

Fast forward to this Christmas, when I had the pleasure of watching my niece give her dad a very similar book as a gift. There is just something priceless about seeing your own words and illustrations look like a "real" book. There's no doubt in my mind that being a "published author" in elementary school is something that would drive kids to write more!

Unfortunately, while it doesn't have to be expensive to professionally bind a book, it's not necessarily cheap, either.  And, if you follow this blog, you know how I am: rather geeky and tech-oriented in my classroom. I won't ever go so far as to say that "real" books are out of style, but I do know that many people gravitate toward eBooks. I also know that eBooks are a lot easier (and cheaper) to get published. So...why not use that to our advantage in the classroom?

Enter FlipSnack (a part of SnackTools). This website gives you the option to upload PDF documents and convert them into an eBook of sorts.

FlipSnack was originally intended to help website users/bloggers "create stylish digital flipping books out of your PDF documents. You can use it to share or embed into your website or blog all kinds of documents, from books to newspapers and magazines."

I could see myself and fellow teachers using FlipSnack to post assignments to our classroom websites, examples on our blogs, and/or eBooks that feature student work! While the think the first two are really cool, it's the last option that excites me the most. I've been posting assignments and examples to my websites ever since I got into teaching. But making eBooks out of student work?? I've never done that before!

Here are some cool features of FlipSnack:

1. You can use it for free. 
2. You can publish it on several different websites (think: personal website and social media websites). There's an embed code so that viewers can actually see the eBook on your website instead of having to follow an external link to see anything.
3. It uses Flash when posted on regular websites, but is also optimized for iPhone and iPad! 
4. There are several customization options so that you can personalize the book(s) in a variety of ways. 
5. The end result looks very professional! 
6. Many, many people can view your eBook for free. The way I understand it, people with a free membership can have a max of 25,000 views per FlipSnack book per day on sites external to FlipSnack (VIP members get 50,000 views). Even after all the day's views have been exceeded, the embedded codes won't work until the next day, but users can still click the link and view the eBook on FlipSnack's page. Pretty convenient. I don't ever expect to reach that 25,000 view maximum, anyway, so I don't see this as a problem. 
7. You can enable the ability to download the file(s) inside your book.
8. Besides all the customization options inside the eBook, you can decide which type of book you'd like to make: hard cover, soft cover (looks like a magazine), or wire bound (looks like a notebook). 
9. You can display your collection of eBooks in a widget on your website. My favorite has to be the "bookshelf." ...I am already picturing converting my students' stories into FlipSnack books and then displaying them on my "virtual bookshelf" on the classroom website! (Eek! So exciting!) It will look something like this:

Source

The website only allows users to upload PDF documents, but that might actually work to your advantage. I mean, PDF documents are pretty much "un-editable," right? (I post a lot of things for my students on our classroom website in PDF format...there's no way it can print all wonky in their houses!) And it's so easy to convert files to PDFs that it really isn't a burden, even if you're originally working with Word files or something.

Now that you know about all the great features, let me give you some details about the $$ involved:

• There is a free version, but, as with most websites, there are a few limitations. The free version puts a watermark on all eBooks. There's also an upload limitation that goes into effect for each new FlipSnack book: 3 PDF files (that have a maximum of 15 pages each). So really...it's not that bad. You can work with this, folks! 
• You can have the watermark removed from individual eBooks by purchasing points. It costs 10 points in order to do this, and the price of the points varies, based on how many you purchase at a time. (A purchase of 10 points will run you $19, a purchase of 25 points will run you $39, a purchase of 50 points will run you $49...you get the picture. There's a slight discount when you buy points in bulk.)
• If you don't want to mess with the limitations at all, you can always purchase a VIP membership for $14/month. This membership actually gives you premium access to all of SnackTools's apps, so you're getting quite a bit for your money. (Although, I'd really appreciate the ability to just buy a premium membership to ONE app, but maybe they'll implement that later!)

I went ahead and created an eBook, just so I could test the website and embed my book into this post for you guys. You'll have to excuse the content of the book; the only PDF I had handy was a a set of labels I made a week or so ago in order to better organize my home! lol. But you'll still get the idea. I chose the hard cover book option, simply because it allowed me to type a title onto the cover, instead of having to make one and include it with my file uploads. I could've chosen to feature this on a bookshelf widget, but since I only have one book to show you, I figured I'd just stick to the traditional widget for now. I only uploaded one file, and it was 6 pages long. I'm going to have to play with this website a little to figure out how I'd need to arrange multiple-file uploads. Anyway, here's what I made:



(By the way, I enabled the ability for readers to download the PDF file in my book. So feel free to download these labels and use them for yourself, so long as you abide by my policies!)

So...what do you think about FlipSnack? Could you think of another classroom use for it, other than the ones I listed above? I'd love to hear your ideas! I'm seeing real potential in this website...can't wait to try out SnackTools's other apps!

I love books, and I always hope to instill a love of reading in my students. We read whenever we get a chance!

While I love reading actual books, I must admit that audiobooks also have a place. They are a life-saver in a pinch when there's a sub, when I don't own the book I want to read to the kids, when I have to crank out grades before a very tight deadline (*ahem* We've all been there, right?!)....
So I've compiled a list of website that feature audiobooks for future reference. Maybe this list can help you, too!

1. Audible. Not free, but tons of books are available. 
2. Books Should Be Free. Free public domain books. 
3. Librivox. Free. 
4. Audio Books Corner. Free.
5. Kids Audio Books. Free.
6. StoryNory. Free.
7. Robert Munsch books. Free. 
8. Storyline Online. Free.
9. Children's Books Forever. Free.
10. Read To Me. Free.
11. Children's Books Online. Free.
12. The Story Home. Free.
13. Georgia Read More. Free.
14. We Give Books. Free.

Which great websites did I miss?

A lot of teachers struggle with classroom management. If you teach, you know that managing your student's behaviors can be like walking a tightrope! There are lots of management ideas out there (some of which I listed in this post and this post), and it's wonderful to be aware of all of them, just so you know what your options are.
Anyway, I was blog-hopping, and I happened to come across this post from Miss B, Busy Bee about ClassDojo. The behavior-managing website looked so amazing that I decided to try it for myself. After I signed up, I realized it was really something that needed to be shared with other educators, so... here's my blog post about it! 
It is completely free because it's in its beta stage, but I read that there is limited sign-up available during the beta stage, so you might want to jump over there now and sign up!

The website is called ClassDojo. Like I said, it's a behavior management tool. I think this could be used for elementary or secondary students, which I know is pretty rare.
Besides it being free, here are some other perks to ClassDojo:

1. ability to add multiple classes (with individual students in each one)
2. ability to add a list of positive behaviors and negative behaviors to track
3. ability to project the running tallys of behaviors on a whiteboard/smartboard so that students can see results in real time
4. ability to record data from any computer in the room (including smartphones or tablets!)
5. ability to create a color-coded graph of the overall day for the class in one click
6. ability to create a color-coded graph of the overall day for one student in one click
7. ability to print/e-mail said graph to anyone who needs it (parents? principal?)
8. ability to view each behavior throughout the day for each individual student. Can also comment on the day to clarify each behavior further, if needed. 
9. ability to change the avatar picture next to student names (would be especially great for subs, if you allowed them to use ClassDojo while in your room -- no need for a manual seating chart or worrying about whether or not kids will try to switch seats!). This is a free feature if you recommend ClassDojo to someone else (I e-mailed a suggestion to a beloved colleague of mine), or you can pay $3 for this feature. You could upload students' actual pictures OR you could sort them into groups based on your school's yearly theme. For instance, I know a school that separates students into 2 major groups. Their theme for this year is "Under the Sea," and they have named their students Starfish and Stingrays. You could upload a starfish graph for each student in that group and so on. The possibilities are really endless...
10. ability to vote for new features! (From what I can tell, ClassDojo really pays attention to the voting and puts a lot of suggestions into action! I can get on board with that customer service!)

This behavior management system seems fairly simplistic to me, and I love that you can print/e-mail the class graph or an individual student's daily behavior, if needed! I cannot wait to try out this website.

Here are a few screenshots, in case you're curious. ClassDojo sets up a demo class for you so you can get used to the set up. I used the demo class to take my screenshots so I could keep student information private. :)

A class view of my pre-loaded Demo class, complete with instructions.

Overall performance of the class in a graph. Red = negative behavior. Green = positive behavior. I just clicked randomly on my Demo class.

Megan had a hard day in Mrs. K's class today! lol. But this is her personal graph. Notice at the bottom that I have the ability to make it visible to a parent or other teachers, and that I can comment on her behavior to clarify, if needed!

What do you think about ClassDojo? Will you use it, or do you already have a stellar management system in place? Share your thoughts in the comment section!

I've talked before about podcasting in the classroom, so you know that I'm a fan of recording information for my classes to hear later. Podcasts can work beautifully sharing lectures or Q&A sessions with students.

Once thing I also use podcasting for is when my students are reading a novel in class together. I have some students who may not be reading as quickly as the others and students who are absent for whatever reason, so it can be a real challenge to read a novel together as a class. In the past, I've created podcasts of me reading a book from cover to cover. But you have to be really careful about copyright laws on that one. I never post a fully read novel online, and I can't burn my podcast(s) onto CDs to distribute to students (which is sometimes a downer, because some of my students could really use that!). But we have to obey the laws. :)

There are other times when my class will be reading a very long novel and, quite frankly, I just don't have the time to record myself reading it entirely. (Do you know how exhausting it is to read an entire classic novel aloud in a short period of time? Your throat gets reeealllly scratchy and sore...trust me!)
Luckily for me (and you!), I found this website that contains the recordings of hundreds of classic novels!

Archive is a completely free (and legal!) service. It has much more free material than I'm about to showcase in this blog post, so if you're in need of other free, online materials, hop on over there right now and check it out!

But this post will focus on Archive's free audio book library. There are several companies that contribute to Archive's audio book library, but I find two companies particularly helpful: LibriVox and Gutenberg.While the Gutenberg company mainly produces books with a "computer voice," LibriVox has a collection because random people have volunteered to read the books and allow LibriVox to use their voice.

Much like a podcast, users can download the file to their computer (to put on a mobile music-listening device) or listen to the file directly from the website by simply pressing the "play" button and turning up the sound on their computer's speakers!
Can you imagine how much time and throat-soreness this is going to save me?! I'm thrilled!! Because the books featured here are past their copyright date, it's completely legal for this site to be operating and for you to use it. It may take you a little while to get accustomed to the entire site's layout, so you may want to head straight over to the Archive's free audio book library, LibriVox's audio library, or Gutenberg's audio library and begin browsing from there!

If you're just anxious to hear how it sounds, click here to be taken to a reading of Wuthering Heights in the LibriVox archives!

On a side note, you can also get free access to the actual text of these open source materials. Check out all the available titles on their text archive!

Teachers are (or should be) always looking for ways to motivate students to read. Teachers around the country use prizes, points, and even threats as a means for getting their kids to read.

The Sylvan Learning Center has produced a website called Book Adventure, and it is designed in a way that reminds me of the Accelerated Reader program in a way. But not all schools pay for AR access, so if you're into AR and want it in your classroom, this option may be a cheap and easy way for you to implement it.

Kids can sign up and take quizzes, and when they get great scores, they can earn points. The points can be redeemed for prizes. There are some prizes already listed on the site, but then teachers can go on and upload their own prizes for their own personal classroom and students, too. Other perks for teachers: preview quizzes and generate reports of student progress.
I like the book finder provided. It's almost like the Scholastic Book Wizard that I wrote about a while back. In any case, book finders are always useful tools, in my opinion!
The kids' section of the site also provides some games that try to make learning more fun. A parent section makes the website complete for anyone and everyone.

It's a simple site with simple, yet effective features. Sylvan is a good company, and I don't think they would steer your student wrong.
Let me know what you think of Book Adventure!

Today, I'd like to bring the Screencast application to your attention.

Screencast is a way for users to store information online. Now, you may think that this sounds similar to Dropbox, but Screencast throws in a couple of curveballs in order to make it one of the best online storage systems available! Read on for more information!

If you've read my post about Dropbox, you know that Dropbox is really an online flash drive system. Using DB, you can share information with others, but you have to go through the hassle of creating a public folder, making sure the other person is a current user of Dropbox, sending the link...yadda, yadda. It's a whole ordeal. If you've read my post about Dropbox, you also know that it is free to use if you only need 2GB of storage. I'll come back to this point later.

Screencast makes sharing information with users much easier. If you've tried to share something using Dropbox, you understand that there's a whole process you must go through in order for that other person to see your materials: you must create a public folder, you must make sure the other person has a current account with Dropbox, and then you must send that person the link. When that's all you know, it doesn't seem like such a hassle. But if you're a Screencast user, you're going to find sharing material with other people so much easier.

And that 2GB of free storage I mentioned for Dropbox earlier? You can have the exact same amount of storage plus 2GB monthly bandwidth for free using Screencast! Users have the option to upgrade to 25 GB of storage and 400GB monthly bandwidth for $10/month or $100/year. Whoo-hoo!

You may be worried about privacy with Screencast because I'm making it sound like it's open to everyone. Fear not; Screencast offers 4 different privacy options so that you can make sure only the "right" people see your materials.

So what does Screencast do, exactly? I mean, we know it stores materials, but if we're already using Dropbox, why would we get a Screencast account, too?

Allow me to enlighten you.

The biggest plus to this account is that you can upload viewable movies, music, and presentations. With Dropbox, you can store the files, but people have to download them in order to play them...and what if that person doesn't have the correct computer programs in order to view the presentation? Time wasted. With Screencast, you pretty much just embed the video into your website and then anyone can view it with the proper privacy settings and link(s).

Speaking of privacy, I mentioned earlier that there are 4 privacy settings available on Screencast. Here they are:

1. Public: Anyone and everyone can view your materials. It will be listed in the library content of the site's general search engine, and to share things with others, just give them the simple URL. 
2. Hidden: You must specifically give the URL to people before they can view it; searching for this material won't produce any results.
3. Password Protected: You must have the URL and a password in order to view it. 
4. Authenticated: You must have a Screencast account in order to view it. 

While I'm not quite sure about the purpose behind privacy setting number 4 yet, I could see settings 1-3 as a very positive addition for classroom use. Let's say I want to post materials ahead of time (I'm a planner, people! I like to plan lessons a month or two in advance!). I can go ahead and store the materials on my Screencast and click "hidden" until I'm ready to share it with my students. If you have pictures or videos of students that you'd rather not allow the general public to see, a password protected privacy setting would be ideal. Parents, students, and administrators would have the password to access the materials, but Joe Shmoe down the street would not have access. I like it!

If you're a teacher that likes to use Prezi presentations, podcasts, iMovie clips, etc. in your class, you may need a place to store all those files so that your students can find them any time they need to. Screencast seems like it would get the job done!

Try it out and let me know what you think!

The website I'm reviewing today targets a very unique audience. I probably won't be using this site in my classroom, but I could see it being wonderful for yearbook or photography classrooms.

The technology I'd like to share today is a website called CameraSim, and it's main feature is an interactive SLR camera simulator.

The simulator features a moving subject for the photographer to work with. The subject is a little girl, standing outside in front of a playground, and she's holding a pinwheel that is spinning crazily in the wind.

This website allows the user to play with the "camera functions" (that simulate a real SLR camera) and try to get the best shot possible.

CameraSim allows users to adjust 7 functions of a usual SLR camera: lighting, distance, focal length, mode, ISO, aperture, and shutter speed. It also gives a short definition/description of these terms underneath the background image and sample shot.

I'm honestly disappointed that I can't think of any reason to use this in my own classroom; students usually love (and benefit from) simulations like this so much! In any case, I'll be passing the link to CameraSim onto all the yearbook/journalism/photography teachers I know!

I love podcasting in the classroom. I just think there are so many uses for it. But sometimes it can be difficult to find a program that allows you to record and publish for free or minimal costs. I'm always on the lookout for a good, free website that might fit my needs more closely.

I recently stumbled upon Audioboo, and I thought I would share it with you. Like most other recording and/or hosting sites I've found for podcasting in the classroom so far, there are pros and cons to the system, but I'll let you decide for yourself whether or not Audioboo is for you.

Before I write anything further on Audioboo, you should know that Audioboo classifies users' uploaded/recorded audio files as "boos." Knowing that information will make deciphering some of my points below much easier! :)

Pros

1. Anyone can sign up for Audioboo for free. 
2. You can record/upload "boos" straight from your smartphone, via the free apps. I love that you can record/upload on the go like that! Audioboo is also in the process of adding more apps for other smartphones and products, because its mission is to become the "go to" audio file website.
3. Other users can choose to "follow" you, which means they will see all of your updates automatically. 
4. You can link to various social networking sites (Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, etc). 
5. Your "boos" can be listened to via iTunes, which I find really neat!
6. You can add photos, tags (to categorize your "boos") and locations to your uploads.
7. If you've upgraded to a Plus account, you have the option of recording up to 30 minutes. If you've upgraded to a Pro account, you can record for as long as you'd like. 

Cons

1. Recorded files can only be 3 minutes long, unless you want to upgrade your account.
2. The company is based in London, so the upgrade cost is not in USD. The upgrade cost for a Plus account is £60, and you have to contact the company directly to inquire about a Pro account's costs. According to this London Currency Converter website, that equals about $83.25 in USD, which is much more than I'm willing to pay yearly for 30 minutes of recordings...
3. No real privacy options. I'd be wary of letting my students post much on the "boos" because I'd be scared that there would be too much identifying information included. Private "boos" are available for the Pro account, but

In any case, as long as you're willing to limit your recordings to <3 minutes each,  I think Audioboo would be great for the classroom! You can check out my ideas for podcasting in the classroom by clicking here, and you can check out my other suggestions for recording/uploading audio files here by clicking here.
How Do I Start?

1. Go to http://audioboo.fm and click "sign in/sign up" in the top right corner. 
2. Verify your account via an e-mail that Audioboo sends to the e-mail address with which you used to sign up. 
3. Make sure your pop-ups are disabled.
4. Once you're logged in, click the "start recording/upload file" in the green button on the upper right side of the screen. 
5. A pop-up window will appear and ask if you want to record or upload. I clicked record, but I suppose you could click upload and add a file that you've created with another program (such as Apple's GarageBand). 
6. Start talking and recording (with the help of your computer's microphone). Save and upload it to your profile. 

It's really that easy. 

I'm attracted to Audioboo because of the free 3 minutes deal, but I LOVE the fact that it has its own free iPhone app. I use my iPhone for everything, and I'm so much more likely to use a product when there's an app for it, just because it presents such flexibility, mobility, and convenience. I'm anxious to try Audioboo in my classroom!

I've done posts about using Facebook in the classroom, but I know that it is still a bit of a hot topic. Because of all the scandals that arise on Facebook from those few unprofessional co-workers, lots of schools are being forced to crack down on social networking tools in the classroom. Because of the strict social networking rules in lots of districts, many teachers are wary to use even a Facebook fan page in their classrooms, for fear of violating a policy.

The bad news is, if you abandon social networking in your classroom, you will miss out on lots of teaching and discussion opportunities. The good news is now, though, is that there are alternative social networking websites besides just Facebook. For one thing, there's Twitter (which has a multitude of uses in the classroom; read more about my thoughts on that here). But Twitter doesn't exactly have the user interface or multiple capabilities that Facebook has.

Even more good news: there's a new social networking site out there that was created specifically for schools.

My Big Campus is a social networking site that is only available for students, school staff members, and parents. Just like Facebook, My Big Campus features notifications and comment sharing via "walls." Also like Facebook, My Big Campus allows for instant messages and posts on discussion boards, which enables students to collaborate online. Unlike Facebook, however, My Big Campus gives teachers the ability to group her students by class and/or period. The teacher can also upload documents (homework, notes, pictures, videos, etc.) and assign quizzes. One nice feature is that My Big Campus will grade the quizzes you post and gives you the option to export those grades to your computer and/or other online gradebook system. Another nice feature about My Big Campus is that students can submit homework online through this application. Some of you may remember a post I did about creating your own classroom website. In that post, I mentioned Class Jump (which reminded me of Blackboard), a no-frills way to post classroom documents and allow students to submit work. The ability to submit assignments through My Big Campus reminds me of Class Jump, but Class Jump doesn't have all the discussion features, so I think My Big Campus is definitely the way to go!

In addition to the ability to submit assignments online, My Big Campus allows teachers and students to easily see which assignments are past due and which are upcoming. The teacher has the ability to easily see which students still need to turn in work, which sounds like a real time-saver to me!

Another feature of My Big Campus is that the teacher can actually post comments and give grades to an assignment -- all online. The more I look at My Big Campus, the more I'm convinced that it will help schools transition to a paperless system!

Finally, there is an app for this. Connect your smartphone to My Big Campus and take a piece of the classroom with you wherever you go.  The My Big Campus app is free, too, which is an added bonus in my book!

Administrators, if any of you are feeling uncomfortable with this description of My Big Campus, rest assured that you have a lot more control with this online tool than you do with Facebook. As an admin member of your school, you can join My Big Campus and link up to your teachers' pages. You can manage their content and decide what everyone is allowed to post in each class. Perhaps you dislike the idea of an instant messaging feature for whatever reason; you can disable this feature on one class or all of the classes in your school -- it is completely customizable.

My Big Campus requires school staff members to submit the name of their school upon sign-up. I suppose this is so parents and students can more easily find their teachers' webpage. This feature probably also prevents the general public from overtaking My Big Campus and using it as the next Facebook, which also keeps this website a bit safer than a run-of-the-mill social networking opportunity!

When signing up, the teacher has the option for the basic, standalone (and free) version, or he/she can sign up for the integrated version. The paid version (which does not list a price...there is only a link to request a quote) allows teachers to post content from regularly-blocked sites to My Big Campus and has a few other nice perks. Once one teacher in the school has created a profile using My Big Campus, he/she can hand out the invitation code so that other teachers, students, and parents can easily find and connect with that school's sites.

I'm anxious to know how your experience with My Big Campus goes! Leave me a comment and let me know!