Friday 31 May 2013

Delicious

Delicious allows the user to store the URL's of the sites that they want to visit most regularly. By logging in to the site they can effectively 'carry' their bookmarks to any internet connected computer that they use.

Simple to join and use it is an easy way of never losing the addresses of those sites that you find most useful, with the added bonus of being able to search for articles and sites that other people have bookmarked. This can be useful as you can search for a subject and then see what sites other people have found to be informative enough to keep returning to

ProProfs Quiz

Of the two quiz generating sites I have tried (the other being Quizlet) I think that this is the most useable. Instead of just matching words and phrases this can be used to ask specific questions on a given subject in a fun way that could engage the students and help them learn at the same time.

Here is an example that I designed around the theme of flying times.




Hope you enjoy!

Tuesday 28 May 2013

Quizlet

Quizlet is a fun way of testing yourself on a number of subjects. I particularly liked the 'Scatter' option, where you have to match two words or sentences together, and they then disappear from the playing board.  Great fun, and I could see students getting a kick out of trying to complete the task quickly.





This is a Quizlet that I have created, in its 'Scatter' mode. just to give you a taste of how to use the program.

Generally very impressive and engrossing. just takes a little time and effort to set up, and it is then a resource that can be used repeatedly in classes. Could even be a task to be given to the students to do!

Thursday 23 May 2013

Tagul

Been trying for two days to get a password from this site.

Needless to say I am less than impressed!

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It is now the 5th of June, and there is still no word from this site. Perhaps it has imploded?

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9th June 2013

At last! After what seems like months of silence, I finally got an email from Tagul, and can now use the site!!!

Here is the Word Cloud I have created, and it is, of course, based on the Greek Islands (I wouldn't say I was obsessed, but you may be of a different opinion).


Get Adobe Flash player



Tuesday 21 May 2013

You Tube Extra

Couldn't NOT put this in.

What is the coolest thing to see in space?

Sunrise from the Space Station


Courtesy of:

Chris Hadfield


You Tube

A revised version of David Bowie's Space Oddity, recorded by Commander Chris Hadfield on board the International Space Station.

Not only is this one of my favourite songs, it is given added poignancy being sung in space.

Wednesday 15 May 2013

Using Google Maps

Google Maps lets you 'see' places without actually going there. You can search the globe, either using the town name, the name of a destination or tourist attraction or either a postal (in the UK), or zip (USA), code.

Street view is available in most of Europe, Japan and North America, parts of South America, South Africa and Coastal and Central Australia.Coverage is patchy across the rest of the globe, but does increase steadily as the mapping project continues. Click here for an up to date map of the coverage available

Once you have found the place you are looking for, on the map, you can 'pull' down to street level and look at photographs.


View Larger Map

Here is a map that I have customised to show some of the Greek Islands that I have visited over the last few years: Greek Island Holidays

There are other sites that deal with maps available on the Internet. some are similar to each other, such as Bing Maps, which has a clever and realistic 'Birds Eye' view and others are more specialised, e.g.

These are just a sample of the many varied offerings available on the Internet. It is worth searching to see if someone has created a website that will provide that extra tweak that you are looking for...


Tuesday 14 May 2013

QR Codes

A QR Code is a coded URL, or web page address. If it is scanned by a reader it will generate the web page on an internet connected device such as a mobile phone, or a tablet computer.

They are often used as an advertising gimmick, and can be found on shelf edges in supermarkets and on the products wrapping, and when scanned will link to a web page that gives the consumer more detailed information about the product. They can also be found in magazines and papers for the same purpose.

In and education setting they can be used as a revision aid for students to be able to link easily to websites where they can read information, or watch videos, about their subjects. To that end they can be employed to create a study. or reminder, page or wall, where the student can scan the code, then revise the subjects covered on the page.

Here are a few examples:

Here is a QR Code to Thomson holidays!


Link to Jamie Oliver's website 



I created these links using http://www.mobile-barcodes.com

Here is a link to their website, created using their website!



Wednesday 1 May 2013

RSS Feeds embeded into a Blog

This type of feed appears to be more useful to the casual user. Using the Layout tab in blogger, it is possible to insert an RSS Feed using the 'Insert a gadget' option.

It follows the same process as inserting gadgets (like the fish tank and the clock), just scroll down through the options until you get to the 'Feed' option. It is just a question of copying the URL address from the web page, containing the XML code, and pasting it into the space provided. Following this you get a couple of options to edit what will be displayed (i.e. the number of posts from this feed).

I have chosen three feeds to add to this blog,
  1. '48 Hours in RSS Feed' is from the travel section of the Independent Newspaper
  2. 'Word of the Day' from wordsmith.org
  3. 'Whats on at Buxton Opera House'
I have selected these to illustrate the variety that is available.

Using this type of feed to add to a Blog is a good way of telling readers what your interests are. If a student is going to produce a Blog to act as an online addition to their CV then these Feeds could, and should, reflect their interest in the subject they are studying, and hope to work in.