ETIPS - Make Thinking Visible
Ready Access
Ready access to supported, managed hardware/software resources is provided. Teachers must be provided with convenient and flexible access for educational technology. Although part of this is provided by the work environment, this resource area provides some access points and resources for classroom utilization and further exploration of the subject matter.
Web Site Hubs
These sites have some of the best listings of Social Sudies websites on the Internet. Each of these sites has set high standards for including sites in their “hub”of listings. Good annotations help the discerning educators select the site to best meet their needs.
Learning in Motion: Top Ten Lists
URL: http://www.learn.motion.com/lim/links/soclinks/soclinks.htm
Description: This extensive website has an annotated list with ideas for how to use the sites in the classroom.
Sponsors & Affiliates: Learning in Motion
Kathy Schrock’s Guide for Educators: History and Social Studies
URL: http://school.discovery.com/schrockguide/history/histg.html
Description: Kathy Schrock was one of the first educators to mine the resources of the Internet and she continues to provide some of the most reliable educational listings around. This site also contains many online tools to help with every day tasks in the classroom.
Sponsors & Affiliates: The Discovery Channel
Social Studies Sources
URL: http://education.indiana.edu/~socialst/socialst.1.html
Description: Broken down into specific social science content areas, this site provides extensive annotated listings. The site was created by Fred Risinger, a regular contributor to the NCSS journal “Social Educator.”
Sponsors & Affiliates: Indiana University
Blue Web’N
URL: http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/bluewebn/fr_History.html
Description: Blue Web'n is a searchable database of (over a) thousand outstanding Internet learning sites categorized by subject area, audience, and type (lessons, activities, projects, resources, references, & tools). Blue Web'n does not attempt to catalog all educational sites, but only the most useful sites especially online activities targeted at learners.
Sponsors & Affiliates: Pacific Bell
PBS Teacher Source: Social Studies Recommended Links
URL: http://www.pbs.org/teachersource/recommended/rec_links_social.shtm
Description: Websites selected for this PBS list are presented based on the following criteria: innovative content, wellmaintained sites, easy to navigate, and contain source information that is reliable and original.
Sponsors & Affiliates: Public Broadcasting Service
Maps and Mapping Resources
American Memory collections: Maps
URL: Link to American Memory collections: Maps
Description: The American Memory Collection archives nine diverse historical map collections. A handy online viewing tool enables users to zoom, crop, and enlarge maps.
Sponsors & Affiliates: Library of Congress
National Mapping Information from USGS
Description: Digital mapping data and information from the USGS is housed at this site. A unique feature, entitled Terafly, allows users to interactively fly over the Earth's surface and explore spatial data such as aerial photography, satellite imagery, street maps and locale information.
Sponsors & Affiliates: United States Geology Survey
PerryCastaneda Library Map Collection
URL: http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/index.html
Description: This is one of the most extensive online collections of historical and contemporary maps.
Sponsors & Affiliates: University of Texas at Austin
Mapquest
Description: Mapquest is the leading online road atlas. It provides driving directions between two locations as well as a zoom feature on maps to show greater detail.
Sponsors & Affiliates: R. R. Donnelley and Sons
National Geographic Xpeditions Atlas
URL: http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/atlas/
Description: Xpeditions has printable blackline masters, with or without place names. Region, country, and state maps are also available at this site.
Sponsors & Affiliates: National Geographic Society
National Geographic’s MapMachine
URL: http://plasma.nationalgeographic.com/mapmachine/
Description: A dynamic, layered mapping tool will produce world, continent, country or state/province “printer friendly”maps. This site requires a fast Internet connection and at least 128 MB of RAM.
Sponsors & Affiliates: National Geographic Society
ESRI Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
URL: http://www.esri.com/industries/k12/index.html
Description: ESRI is the leader in GIS software for education. This site has information for ordering free software. Also available are many lessons, for various grade levels, using GIS software and data in the classroom.
Sponsors & Affiliates: ESRI
PDAs for Social Studies
Explore lesson plans and ways to use PDAs in your classroom. Learn about special software applications and hardware/peripherals to use with a PDA. Find resources, readings about using PDAs in Social Studies
Ways to Use PDAs in Your Social Studies Classroom
In the geography classroom, middle school students can use the free drawing
program called Sketchy to draw a mental map of a continent at the beginning
of their study. These maps can be downloaded to the teachers computer by
synching the students’PDAs. Students can once again create mental maps
at the end of their continent study and compare them with the first maps
they drew.
Studying current events needs to be a part of every social studies classroom and PDAs can make that study more immediate and interesting. Using Avantgo software its possible to synch the most current news from a source such as CNN. Then teachers can create a knowledge comprehension quiz for that day’s news with HandySheets that can be “handed in”when the students synch their PDAs at the end of class.
In an American history class, secondary students can read primary source documents using an eBook program such as PalmReader and free downloadable eText resources from the University of Virginia. Students can outline the reading using a graphic organizer software such as PicoMap. Students, working with a partner, can compare and contrast their understanding of the article by beaming their maps to one another.
Some social studies facts just need constant drill and practice, whether its fifth grade or eleventh grade. But why tie up an expensive multimedia computer when it’s possible to create or download recall facts with quiz software for PDAs like Quizzler. Students can periodically practice their facts, attempting to increase their scores each time.
Software Applications and Hardware/Peripherals
All software titles highlighted here are available for free download from the indicated internet sites.
Software:
FreeWrite
http://goknow.com/Products/FreeWrite.html
Word processing tool with 109,000 word spellchecker. Use for note taking, journaling, peer editing, group writing. Allows you to print directly from PDA. Free download.
PalmReader
Read electronic text (eText) on the PDA. Pages advance one at a time, just like a paper book.
Sketchy
http://goknow.com/Products/Sketchy.html
Sketchy is a simple drawing program with a standard tool set. The program also allows students to animate objects and play the animation.
PicoMap
http://goknow.com/Products/PiCoMap.html
PicoMap enables learners to create, edit, and share concept maps on their PDAs.
HandySheets
HandySheets is a program that allows teachers to create custom worksheets, quizzes, and surveys online which can then be downloaded onto student PDAs. Once students complete the worksheet, they can turn in their work when synching their PDA.
Quizzler
http://www.pocketmobility.com/quizzler/quizzler.html
Quizzler is a drill and practice application that helps students with factual recall. There are several geography and history quizzes already available on the site or its possible to create your own quizzes.
AvantGo
AvantGo is an application that, when syching the PDA, will download content from the internet. This application is particularly relevant to current events in social studies classrooms.
Hardware/Peripherals:
Flexcam
http://www.imagiworks.com/Pages/Products/FlexCam.html
A document video camera that, in tandem with a LCD projector, will allow the teacher to project the PDA screen and buttons.
ImigiProbe
http://www.imagiworks.com/Pages/Products/ImagiProbe.html
Probes and software to conduct environmental water studies. Tests that can be conducted include temperature, pH, and dissolved oxygen.
Resources and Readings
Resources
Learning in the Palm of Your Hand
URL: http://www.handheld.hicedev.org/
Description: This site provides excellent PDA resources for K12 teachers. The HiCE (Center for Highly Interactive Computing in Education at the University of Michigan) has developed a collection of Palm applications for the classroom along with instructions for each. This website also offers a monthly newsletter, downloads and a message board areas for teachers to share ideas.
K12 Handhelds: Handheld Solutions for Educators
URL: http//www.k12handhelds.com/
Description: K12 Handhelds provides schools with curriculum idesa for handheld use in K12 education. For successful handheld implementation, this website offers handheld applications, an online store, free downloads, staff development ideas and product information/comparisons on the various types of PDA’s on the market.
Electronic Text Center, University of Virginia Library
URL: http://etext.virginia.edu/ebooks
Description: The University of Virginia Library system provides a free Ebook library for the Microsoft reader and Palm users. 1,600 publiclyavailable ebooks from the Etext Center’s collection, including classic British and American fiction, major authors, children's literature, American history, Shakespeare, AfricanAmerican documents, as well as other titles.
Handheld Education.com
URL: http://www.handheldeducation.com/
Description: The goal of this website is to help K12 teachers and students to improve learning through the use of handheld computers. This site includes software downloads, reviews of products, and a myriad of ideas on how to use handheld computers to enhance teaching and learning.
Readings
“Handhelds Go To Class”
By Diane Curtis
Edutopia, The George Lucas Educational Foundation (GLEF)
http://www.edutopia.org/php/article.php?id=Art_955
Learn about how teachers in all subject areas are using PDAs in the classroom.
“A Report Card on Handheld Computing”
http://www.techlearning.com/db_area/archives/TL/2002/02/handheld.html
This article from Technology and Learning Magazine details the use of PDAs, their potential for use in schools, and tips for integrating into instruction.
Lesson Ideas for PDA’s in the Social Studies Classroom
Todd Pierson, EdUTech Social Studies Fellow, May, 2002
Introduction:
PDA’s are gaining popularity in classrooms today. They are relatively inexpensive and have instant on capabilities. In addition, the beaming feature of PDA’s is a great way to promote collaborative work in the classroom.
However, it is easy to get caught up in the need for lots of costly “addon”like keyboards, software programs, or internet interface cards. Consequently, the following lessons have been developed to utilize free software and content only, thereby making it possible to use a moderately priced PDA right out of the box. Elliot Solloway from the University of Michigan has developed a suite of applications geared for the classroom and distributed free through his Highly Interactive Educational Computing (HICE) website.
Mental Maps (with animation)
Application: Sketchy (HICE) See “Quick Guide to Sketchy”for overview of tools
Context: Mental maps of United States and Oregon Trail
Lesson:
Introduce Sketchy drawing tools and provide for some free explore time.
Clear screens and start a new project and title it “US map: <your
name>”
Direct students to draw an outline map of the United States from memory. Place
the Great Lakes and borders with Mexico and Canada.
Students then beam their map to a partner who adds the Mississippi River and
labels St. Louis and Oregon.
Partners beam back the modified maps and decide on one that they would like
to use for animation. They then work together on one PDA for the remainder
of the lesson.
Students “duplicate”the map to 5 additional frames. Then they draw
a small “covered wagon”and use the selection tool to copy it.
On each of the 5 additional frames paste the wagon as it moves along the Oregon
Trail. When done “play”the animation.
Current Events Quiz
Application: Avantgo and Handy Sheets (HICE). See “Quick Guide to Handysheets”
Context: Daily current events
Lesson:
Set up Avantgo Channels to download CNN. Download news onto one PDA.
Review news articles to determine which ones to use in class. Create a multiple
choice/true or false quiz to cover chosen articles.
Set up quiz in Handy Sheets.
Download news (by synching PDA) to all PDA’s. This will take about two
minutes for each PDA. Download Handy Sheets quiz simultaneously.
Students should read article(s) and complete the quiz. You can set up Handy
Sheets to show the correct answer for self correcting if you want or students
can “submit”their quiz and synch their PDA’s thereby sending
results to teacher account on Handysheets.
Variations: Have different students read different articles and create a worksheet
for the article using Free Write. Then have pairs of students beam their worksheets
to each other and have them each read the respective news item and complete
the quiz.
Unit Opener: Brainstorming Shared Knowledge
Application: Pico Map (HICE)
Concepts: Shared knowledge about continents of the world
Lesson:
Divide class into groups of seven. Assign each student in a group a different
continent.
Students create a graphic organizer for their continent using PicoMaps. They
name their Pico Map project with the name of their continent and their name.
Each student starts out by adding the following nodes to their continent organizer.
land features, culture, language, climate, habitat.
Each student beams their organizer to the person to their right who then adds
two ideas (nodes) to the continent organizer just beamed to them. This continues
until the graphic organizers move all the way back to the original creator.
Students delete all continent organizers on PDA’s other then the completed
one beamed to them last.
Synch graphic organizers on teacher’s computer to hand in.
Primary Source Readings on PDA’s
Applications: PalmReaders and free eBooks available on Internet
Context: Reading primary source document, Booker T. Washington, “Heroes in Black Skins”
Lesson:
Download “Heroes in Black Skins”from University of Virginia
eText Library and beam to PDA’s.
Assign a hero to a group of three students. Students should read about their
hero and determime why their person is designated a hero by the author. Each
group then plans presentation introducing their hero.
Groups present their hero to the class.
Drill and Practice on PDA’s
Application: Quizzler
Context: Drill and practice on geography vocabulary and facts
Lesson:
Download Quizzler “Geography”quiz from Quizzler site and beam
to PDA’s
Students individually take quiz periodically (once a day) attempting to improve
their scores.
Test students on their factual knowledge retention at the end of the week.
PDA Websites for Teachers:
· HICE’s (Highly Interactive Computing in Education) Learning in the Palm of Your Hand,”message boards, free downloads, demonstration videos, this site has it all and is definitely a teacher’s starting point
http://www.handheld.hicedev.org/
· AvantGo, setup “channels”and download current news and information when synching PDAs
· PalmReader, a free ebook reader for the PDA
· Electronic Text Center, University of Virginia Library, free ebooks for downloading to your PDA
http://etext.virginia.edu/ebooks
· Quizzler, free quiz taking, study guide software with hundreds of downloadable quizzes
http://www.pocketmobility.com/quizzler/quizzler.html
· K12 Handhelds, curriculum ideas, free downloads, and staff development ideas
http://k12handhelds.com/overview.php
PDA Website Resources for K12 Teachers - General Curriculum Resources
Learning in the Palm of Your Hand
URL: http://www.handheld.hicedev.org/
Description: This site provides excellent PDA resources for K12 teachers. The HiCE (Center for Highly Interactive Computing in Education at the University of Michigan) has developed a collection of Palm applications for the classroom along with instructions for each. This website also offers a monthly newsletter, downloads and a message board areas for teachers to share ideas. HiCE offers eight new applications for Palms in the classroom, all FREE of charge!
The Educators Palm
URL: http://educatorspalm.org/
Description: The Educator’s Palm provides a wealth of information about using PDA’s in K12 settings and how educators can use the emerging technologies to improve learning communities. The site offers teachers news and academic articles on PDA’s, a Teaching and Learning section, and tips and ideas of how handheld computers can enhance teaching and learning.
K12 Handhelds: Handheld Solutions for Educators
URL: http//www.k12handhelds.com/
Description: K12 Handhelds provides schools with curriculum ideas for handheld use in K12 education. For successful handheld implementation, this website offers handheld applications, an online store, free downloads, staff development ideas and product information/comparisons on the various types of PDA’s on the market.
Education @ Palm
URL: http://www.palm.com/education/
At this Palm education site, discover information about Palm's latest developments for K12 schools and for college campuses. This site provides news on handheld computers, reviews on hardware and softwar, promotions and classroom success stories and testimonials from teachers on how to best integrate technology into teaching and learning.
Handheld Education.com
URL: http://www.handheldeducation.com/
Description: The goal of this website is to help K12 teachers and students to improve learning through the use of handheld computers. This site includes software downloads, reviews of products, and a myriad of ideas on how to use handheld computers to enhance teaching and learning.
pdaED.com
Description: This site especially for educators, offers general information about various handheld devices and extensions, articles, “how to guides”on downloading and installing software, and a discussion area with lesson plan ideas contributed by K12 teachers. This site has separate areas for doctors, lawyers and realest ate brokers.
Paperless Classroom. org
URL: http://www.paperlessclassroom.org/
Description: The Eminence Middle School in located in Henry County, Kentucky is experimenting with Personal Digital Assistants. All homework and reading assignments for 7th and 8th grade Language Arts are done on the PDAs. To learn more about their story, and recommended links see their website.
The Busy Educator's Guide To The World Wide Web
This site is a collection of Internet resources produced for and by educators (teachers, librarians, administrators, parents and others) who know that there is a wealth of information out there to make our jobs easier.
Electronic Text Center, University of Virginia Library
URL: http://etext.virginia.edu/ebooks
Description: The University of Virginia Library system provides a free Ebook library for the Microsoft reader and Palm users. 1,600 publiclyavailable ebooks from the Etext Center’s collection, including classic British and American fiction, major authors, children's literature, American history, Shakespeare, AfricanAmerican documents, as well as other titles.
PromoNet Global Communiations
Description: Fine Literature Digitally RePublished. The Oldest (since 1971) and The Original Internet Information Provider.
Rainbow Tech: Teaching and Learning with Technololgy
URL: http://www.rainbowtech.org/Palm/index.html
Description: This website offers teachers a host of handheld resources including websites, workshops, website links, and a rich Cyber Library with lesson plan ideas, special projects, virtual fieldtrips, and assessment rubrics by which to evaluate projects.
A Valuable Technology Tool for Student Teachers
Authors: Anna C. McFadden, Barrie Jo Price and George E. Marsh II
URL: http://glef.org/
AvantGo.com
Description: AvantGo the leading provider of mobile enterprise software. The AvantGo Mobile Internet service provides free interactive and personalized content and applications for handheld devices. They also have Internetenabled mobile phone realtime via wireless connection or desktop synchronization.
PEP: Palm Eduction Pioneer Grants
URL: http://www.palmgrants.sri.com/
Description: SRI International, a nonprofit research and organization, invites teachers in the fifty United States to apply for a Palm Education Pioneer (PEP) grant. To qualify, teachers need to develop creative ways to use handheld computers in the classroom. The grant provides Palm handhelds for teachers and their students and evaluates the variety of uses of handhelds in the classroom. This site also include teaching ideas for using PDA’s in K12 settings. Check with Palm to see when the next round of grant applications is being offered.
Handango
Description: Handango is the world's leading publisher of handheld and wireless software, serving more than 5,000 handheld software companies through international distribution channels. Handango has thousands of education and reference applications to use in K12 settings. Refer to education/reference section.
Teacher Information Network
Description: A host of ideas and articles
Freeware Palm
URL: http://www.freewarepalm.com
Description: Download free software to your Palm handheld.
Handwatch
Description: Software to view JPEG’s on a Palm and allow two Palm users to share a sketch pad via infrared beaming.
eSchool News Online
URL: http://www.eschoolnews.com/
Description: eSchool News provides essential technology news and internet information for the K12 professional. Type in the keyword “PDA”or “handheld”and a list of current articles pops up which discuss using pocketsize computers in K12 education.
CITE: Contemporaty Issues in technology and teacher Education
URL: http://www.citejournal.org/vol2/iss1/toc.cfm
Description: Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education (CITE) is a publication of the Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education (SITE), established as an electronic counterpart of the Journal of Technology and Teacher Education. Cite is funded by a US Department of Education PT3 catalyst grant.
Classroom Wizard
URL: http://www.classroomwizard.com/
Description: Classroom Wizard is breakthrough technology brought to you by Scantron that allows educators to quickly quiz, grade and report simultaneously right in the classroom.
Hardware Resources
Pocket PC
Description: Microsoft's Web Page that is designed to educate PocketPC and WindowsCE users.
WiredGuy.com
Description: WiredGuy.com is the first Pocket PC related website that delivers video/audio content over the web. Using the latest in digital video technology, this site posts video reviews, interviews, and related information. At WiredGuy, viewers can read about newest hardware products and accessories. A weekly email newsletter is available that offers Pocket PC tips & tricks, download suggestions, and more.
PocketGear.com
URL: http://www.pocketgear.com/mobile.asp
Description: This site, PocketGear.com, provides tools and services that will simplify and extend the use of your PDA.
Pocket PC Magazine
URL: http://www.pocketpcmag.com/
Description: This company publishes a magazine for Windows Powered Handheld and Pocket PCs with reviews, a support area, how to’s and 1000’s of product reviews.
PalmGear.com
Description: This site is the one stop source for your Palm connected organizer. This site that offers a deluge of software, hardware and accessories from which to browse. To view educational resources, type “teaching”or “teachers”as the keyword word.
Yahoo Software for Handhelds
URL:
http://dir.yahoo.com/Computers_and_Internet/
Personal_Digital_Assistants__PDAs_/Software/Palm_OS/
Description: At this site, get products for Palm OS powered handheld, including your Palm V, Palm m100, m105, m500, m505, Handspring Visor and Visor Prism, Sony CLIE, Handera and others
Motorola’s Bluetooth Website
URL: http://www.motorola.com/webapp/sps/site/overview.jsp?nodeId=03M0ymVXlR5M0zk3j7Tr
Description: Scenarios about how Bluetooth will revolutionize living digitally.