Excellent technology resources on the web

If you attended one of my Speed Learning Sessions today, thank you for your interest and support! I thought it would be easier if I added the resource links here rather than emailing them out to everyone. If you are interested in an excellent 3 minute video explaining the use of Blogs check out Blogs in Plain English. If you are feeling confident go to Blogger to set up your first blog in 3 easy steps.

Are you ready to try a Wiki??? Before you start I highly recommend you watch this quick video that really hits the mark...Wikis in Plain English. When you are ready to set-up your first wiki, go to PBWiki for a simple start. They will walk you through the process!

I mentioned that I had a few favorite TeacherTube videos, but for some reason the website is not working tonight....sorry about that! I'll let you know when the site is functional again. One of the things that really surprised me as I learned about technology is that YouTube has some excellent technology training videos (it has lots of junk too, but we can overlook that for now). If you are an educator and haven't seen Shift Happens it is well worth the 8 minutes of your time.

Get started and let me know how you are using these technologies in your programs!

Time flies when you are a community educator!

It is amazing how time has flown this summer! I have been involved in many exciting projects with our Rutgers FCS Educators, a Penn State graduate course, and preparations for the Galaxies III conference. I have learned that there is a need and an interest in learning more about how blogs, wikis, and podcasts can be used in all areas of education.

I have found the following book to be extremely useful when trying to understand the connection between today's technology and its application in education:
Richardson, Will. Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms. Corwin Press, 2006.

Links to web resources for PSU participants

Welcome the the PSU summer focus on technology! Together we will learn about using blogs, wikis, and podcasts in Family & Consumer Sciences programs. The journey will be exciting, so be sure to keep your eyes and mind open to the potential of using technology to enhance your program. Don't fret because there will be lots of assistance along the way!
To link to my website check out the following:
Rutgers Cooperative Extension
Atlantic County Extension Office

AAFCS Presentation in Milwaukee

Thanks to all of you who attended the Creating an Online Learning Community with Blogs, Wikis, and Podcasts presentation at AAFCS in Milwaukee on June 20! It was exciting to inspire fellow professionals on the use of technology in our Family & Consumer Sciences programs. I look forward to hearing your success stories in the future! Please let me know how you are using technology in your program currently and how you envision using it to reach you community!

In the session I spoke about the Electronic Resource Directory that my assistant Ashley and I have created. The directory is intended to be a useful resource for FCS professionals, families, and educators. You can access the Resource Directory at this link Resource Directory. As we continue to expand the directory will do our best to make sure the links are updated.

Please feel free to use this blog as an annotated resource for your program. You can scroll through the previous posts to link to excellent online resources.

NBC40 Health Update

This past week I had to opportunity to tape a spot segment on NBC40's Health update. The channel is available in the Atlantic County, Cape May County, and part of Ocean County area of New Jersey. The segment I taped was on Summer Food Safety and will be aired during the week of June 20-27. The segment airs 10 times over the course of the week and will be available online at www.nbc40.net. If you have ideas for segments that can be suggested to the local station please let me know!!!

Cooking Across America

If you (or your students) are interested in learning more about the history of American food then you must visit the Key Ingredients America By Food website. The site allows you to learn about food and recipes by various regions of our country. You can also submit your own recipe to the collection that has been created by numerous people across the nation. If you are looking for food related events you can locate them too. The America By Food exhibit features 500 years of our food history and is traveling across the country... it could be stopping at a community near your town this summer. The exhibit is in Allentown, New Jersey now and will be in Cape May County, New Jersey between July 19 and August 31! Check it out!

About Podcasts

Podcasts are simple radio-like programs that are available on the Internet. The purpose of a podcast is to share information, to educate others, or to demonstrate a concept. Podcasts can be an excellent instructional tool or a means of having your students share their knowledge with the global community. Before launching podcasts in your classroom, take a look at a few sites that offer educational podcasts for educators. Here are a few good starting points for your search:
National Public Radio
The Centers For Disease Control
University of Michigan