Back to School with Elementari

Elementari is a wonderful new site for digital storytelling and project based learning.  Educators are using this easy-to-use tool to have students create interactive digital stories, digital portfolios, presentations, and even choose-your-own-adventures.  Stories can contain, custom made illustrations, sound effects, or even have a user record their very own audio.  Also, a teacher can customize an already created project as a template to help integrate into their own classroom.  Best of all, the educational portal allows for educators to create student accounts and approve all stories before being published "(ideal for COPPA/CIPA compliance).

Back to School updates:

New Classroom Features

Classroom analytics - Measure how your students engage and learn with Elementari with key metrics such as time spent writing, time spent coding, and the number of characters written day by day. Personalized student feedback -  Provide specific page to page feedback on ongoing stories. Students will be able to review, make changes, and resolve that feedback directly within the authoring tool. Beautiful classroom library - Classroom libraries not only showcase your students' published stories but also include class highlights and class awards. Check it out!

Below is an example...



I highly recommend checking out Elementari by clicking here!!!

Use the coupon "BackToSchool" to receive 20% off of educator and school plans!

Stick Pick

Stick Pick is a nice iOS app that replaces the "old" popsicle sticks on a teacher's desk by helping teachers guide classroom instruction in a nice convenient way.  Not only does Stick Pick let teachers easily and track which students they are calling on, it records student's progress and lets teachers assess and differentiate instruction on the fly.

I highly recommend checking out Stick Pick by clicking here!!!

while True: learn()

while True: learn() is an innovative new iOS game that educators can use to not only integrate Game Based Learning into their teachings, but introduce STEM skills such as: programming, coding, and logical thinking.  This is done through a fun game where a cat has learned how to code but not speak, and it's up to the player to communicate w/ the cat and solve the problem by creating a speech system.  This is done through puzzles and easy to use drag-n-drop system.

I highly recommend checking out while True: learn() by clicking here!!!

For a more detailed review click here.

30hands Learning

30hands Learning is the excellent company for creating an innovative LMS (Learning Management System) as well as the popular mobile iOS app that is ideal for digital storytelling 30hands Pro.  The 30hands community is a perfect cloud based solution that allows educators to: manage/track students, hand in/out assignments, schedule events, and more.  While the mobile is being used in education for project based learning, digital storytelling, and more.

More features...

• Video clips as slides

• Google Drive + Dropbox Integration

• Importing of Google Slides and PDFs as 30hands slides

• Backgrounds and scenes

• Higher quality videos

• Advanced drag-and-drop drawing with editing 

• Slide sharing with parents and students 

• Slide Transitions 

• Unlimited presentations

• Unlimited saves to Camera Roll

For more info on how your school can participate, email info@30hands.com.

Join our newsletter here: http://30hands.com/newsletter.

*30hands Learning is an advertiser of Technology Tidbits.hand

Unicheck

Unicheck is an excellent plagiarism checker that is super fast and easy to use.  It's ideal for K-12 schools and checks everything from citations and references to quotes making it perfect for authorship authentication.  Unicheck can even check in multiple different languages.  Best of all, Unicheck will scan any paper/document, works w/ any LMS (i.e. Google Classroom, Moodle, etc), and generates detailed reports.

Below is a brief demo...



I highly recommend checking out Unicheck by clicking here!!!

Back to School with Storyboard That

Storyboard That the wonderful learning tool that educators are using in a wide variety of ways (i.e project based learning, timelines, digital storytelling, etc.) recently released a link w/ lots of ideas on how to use their site.  Teachers can find lots of ideas on how to use Storyboard That for "back to school" such as: all about me posters, ice breakers, new school year storyboards and more.

I highly recommend checking out Storyboard That back to school ideas by clicking here!!!

*Storyboard That is an advertiser of Technology Tidbits.

Socrates

Socrates is an innovate new site where educators can seamlessly differentiate instruction for each student through a unique game based learning system.  This is done through fun and engaging learning games w/ educational portal where teachers can track and monitor student progress, assign educational videos, use a digital badge system, testing, benchmarking, and much much more.

Below is a brief demo...



I highly recommend checking out Socrates by clicking here!!!

*Socrates is an advertiser of Technology Tidbits.

Math and Sorcery

Math and Sorcery is a free iOS app that is quickly becoming one of my favorite educational games for my iPhone/iPad.  Math and Sorcery uses a familiar RPG gaming element to reinforce basic Math skills (i.e. addition, subtraction, etc.).  RPG fans will love the 8bit style graphics as they defeat enemies by solving equations, buy/sell items, and unlock different characters/animals to join their party.  This is an excellent app for parents/educators looking to introduce "game based learning" into their student's life.

I highly recommend checking out Math and Sorcery by clicking here!!!

Below is a brief demo...



For a more detailed review click here.

Wakelet

Wakelet is an excellent social bookmarking tool that I just found out about from the amazing educator, Ana Lopez.  Wakelet lets educators easily bookmark any item on the web (i.e. article, blog, tweet, etc) and then curate them in stunning visual ways (add an image) to curate w/ others.  Teachers can use this in a wide variety of ways such as: digital storytelling, project based learning, professional development, and more.  Best of all, there is a free detailed Educator's Guide to help teachers integrate Wakelet into their curriculum.

I highly recommend checking out Wakelet by clicking here!!!

Parlay

Parlay is a very innovative online tool that educators are using to take classroom discussions to the next level.  Teachers can use Parlay in a number of different ways such as: browsing through a robust library of discussion prompts (w/ resources), creating a online roundtable, or by creating a "live" verbal roundtable.  Also, Parlay is great for assessing students making it easy to differentiate instruction and for "blended" learning.

Below is a demo of a "live" roundtable discussion...


Parlay - Live Round Table Demo from Parlay Ideas on Vimeo.

I highly recommend checking out Parlay by clicking here!!!

Edpuzzle Update

Edpuzzle the world's leading digital tool for taking a video and making it your "own" has released a bunch of new updates for the upcoming school year.

New Features

• Live Mode - project Edpuzzle videos up on a screen and have student answer questions in real-time on their won devices
• easily assess and differentiate instruction
• Open Class - student's can join an existing class w/out having to create an account
• ideal for PD or El Ed students
• LMS Integration - Edpuzzle synce w/ most popular LMS such as: Google, Moodle, Blackboard, etc.

Below is a brief demo on their latest features...

Teacher are using Edpuzzle to flip their classroom, assess student's learning, and easily differentiate instruction by assigning videos and then adding questions to gauge student's understanding.

I highly recommend checking out Edpuzzle by clicking here!!!

*Edpuzzle is an advertiser of Technology Tidbits.

Back to School with Buncee

Buncee the amazing learning tool that educators around the world are using to integrate technology into the classroom has updated their list of ways to use Buncee w/ the school year approaching.  Teachers are using Buncee for project based learning, to "flip" a lesson, digital storytelling, create beautiful presentations, and much much more.  Best of all, Buncee Classroom their educational portal, allows educators to manage/monitor student projects, differentiate instructions, etc to engage students and maximize their learning.

Below is a list of ways to use Buncee for back to school...

• Community Engagement - a wide list of ideas on how to use Buncee w/ Back to Night and more
• Summer Recap
• All About Me
• Meet the Teacher

Be sure to enter the Back 2 School w/ Buncee contest for a chance to win a $50 Amazon gift card, click here for more details.

*Buncee is an advertiser of Technology Tidbits.

nawmal

nawmal is an simple-to-use innovative site for digital storytelling and project based learning.  nawmal is an excellent learning tool that educators are using in a wide variety of ways to integrate technology into their classroom, such as: introducing a topic, create animated videos, and much more.  Best of all, nawmal can be used by any subject to teach any curriculum.  All a user has to do is choose a set/background, select their characters, and add their dialogue, and press play, nawmal takes care of the rest.  A finished animation can the be shared via a link or embedded into a site/blog.

Below is an example...



I highly recommend checking out nawmal by clicking here!!!

Super Teacher Worksheets for Back to School

Super Teacher Worksheets is one of the best sites around for educators looking for printables, worksheets, puzzles, activities, and much much more.  Also, all items are labeled if they are aligned to Common Core Standards and there are even generators/wizards for users to create their very own worksheets/puzzles/etc.  Best of all, teachers can use STW for any subject and browse through 1000's of educational resources that can work for them.

*Be sure to check out STW for all back to school activities such as: classroom scavenger hunt, "All about Me" worksheets, puzzles, and more.

I highly recommend checking out Super Teacher Worksheets for all Back to Schools needs by clicking here!!!

*Super Teacher Worksheets is an advertiser of Technology Tidbits.

NameCoach

NameCoach is a wonderful web service that educators are using to learn student's names and pronounce them correctly.  This is especially useful w/ school starting up and teachers want to learn the correct way to pronounce their student's names.  The way this works is simple as a teacher creates a name/web page and then has the student's speak their names.  The audio gets embedded into a page and a user can access them all on one page at anytime.  Also, NameCoach makes it very easy to share recordings and keep track of student's name/email.  It's easy, accurate, and 100% safe for schools to use.

I highly recommend checking out NameCoach by clicking here!!!

Below is a brief demo...



*NameCoach is an advertiser of Technology Tidbits.educational resources

TeachVid

TeachVid is an amazing online tool for learning foreign languages that I just found out about from Larry Ferlazzo's blog.  TeachVid reminds me a tad like EDpuzzle where educators use interactive videos to assess student's learning.  Also, educators can create a "virtual" classroom and create assignments that contain: videos, worksheets, etc.  Finally, TeachVid makes it easy to flip a classroom or lesson and let student's learn at their own pace.

I highly recommend checking out TeachVid by clicking here!!!