Midge Wrote This!

Midge Wrote This!
Originally uploaded by midgefrazel

The big news is that my latest book from Teacher Created Resources has been released. Using Google and Google Tools in the Classroom is an 80 page book, reasonably priced (at $13.99) resource for teachers in grades 5-12.

Now that it is finished, it becomes important that teachers buy it and then continuing learning about Google from my other educators friends like Miguel.

Miguel Guhin's blog post in, "Around the Corner" lists some links to screencasts that help users learn more about Google's newest and sometimes changed Google applications.

iPod Touch 2G

My iPod Touch
Originally uploaded by midgefrazel

Tappedin Session Resource Links
"Getting Started with the iPod Touch"
iPod Touch 2g [screenshot]

Don't Be "iPod Challenged"
Apple's iPod touch Main Page
Video Tutorial
iPod touch 2.2 [2G] Manual (in PDF) and there in a bookmark in Safari on your iPod touch for the manual so you can have it in your hand

Resources for Education
Tony Vincent's 12 Days of iPod Touch
Tony Vincent's Do So Much with an iPod Touch
Top 50 iPod touch/iPhone apps for Education
Kathy Schrock's blog: Living with the iPhone and iPhone apps that sync

Apple's Learning Interchange: iPod touch. Touching student lives in the classroom
Wes Fryer's Lesson: Numeracy and Reading Development with the iPhone Weather App
Students with Disabilities and iPods

Examples of PodCasts
Example iTunes Link to Podcasts/Education/K-12
Example to a specific set of Podcast: Edutopia Technology Integration

Free Apps to Try Out!
White Noise Lite [TM Soft] Category Lifestyle
iHappy Days [Birthday Reminder] Productivity

Ears Hurt?
JVC Marshmellow Ear Buds Blog Post

For Techno-Family Historians
Family History Made Easy by Lisa Louise Cooke Free Podcast
Genealogy Gems by Lisa Louise Cooke Free Podcasts
Denise Olson's: eBooks and other Mobile Goodness
Denise Olson's: Got the Touch
Reunion (Mac) for the iPhone/iPod touch

eReading on an iPod touch

Murder List
Originally uploaded by midgefrazel

I have been a fan of electronic reading for some time now and reading on my new iPod touch is a much improved experience from ereading on my Palm or Windows Mobile platforms.

The ease of page turning is made possible by the touch interface and the screen is clear and easy to read from in both bright light and in the dark.

The ebooks I purchased previously from eReader.com are downloadable from my bookshelf stored on their server. Now if I could only remember which ones I have already read! I have followed the directions to download several to my iPod touch 2g. [After signing up for a free account, and logging in you can look at the free ones here.]

I also enjoy listening to spoken text books from Audible. I purchased a small speaker system for my kitchen table so I can "read" while cleaning or preparing dinner.

A fan of Flickr Groups, I have joined an interesting one this week called 25 Book Challenge for 2009. The idea is to post a photo of the book cover and discuss each book you are reading. I think it will be interesting to find out what books are being read.

I am starting my book challenge with Murder List by Julie Garwood, which is one of the FREE ebooks available at the ereader Web site.

Computer Genius

Computer Genius
Originally uploaded by midgefrazel

Well, this is IT. I have been declared a computer genius by my friend Kathy Schrock. She gave me this huge cup for my birthday yesterday. If I drink this much coffee I may expire!

If you know Kathy, she doesn't hand out a compliment like this every day. I am honored, flattered and thrilled. I guess I am also thirsty and over caffeinated.

Notice that the words on this mug face the "audience" of the person drinking it. That's an ego-booster. I wonder how far I can push this?

Education Expert iPod Touchers

After spending some time yesterday working with my new iPod Touch, I knew I'd better get some expert help. My friends, Kathy Schrock and Tony Vincent, long know for their "handheld" computer expertise, have resources to help me investigate what's "out there"!

Kathy's blog lists the apps on her iPhone (she upgraded from her Touch to the iPhone) and some of them I have already downloaded using both the method of downloading directly from the Touch itself and also from the iTunes interface. I like to read the description on the computer screen to see where the directions for use (such as games) and for the user reviews. I still keep a paper list of which ones I have installed with any comments I have while working with them.

Tony Vincent's blog, Learning in Hand, also has an excellent set of resources, with tips and hints. That's my next step, check what I have downloaded and read Tony's advice.

iPod Touch

iPod Touch 2d gen
Originally uploaded by midgefrazel

I knuckled under to the tech gods and bought an iPod touch, 2nd generation on Cyber Monday. This is what it looks like (with the fake cover) when you open the box. MacMall did a great job shipping it overnight to me and I had it in my hands at noon yesterday. (I got a free case when I sent in the rebate as shown here)

Despite almost 25 years of working with technology, I still feel the thrill of shiny new stuff to learn about. I spent so long with it yesterday, I felt like an iPod newbie, even after owning a shuffle and a 5Gen Classic. Both of my iPod's still work and I am still using them.

This iPod is quite different and feels more like my Palm handheld as far as being versatile. The adventure continues....

Holiday Pressure

Past Stats
Originally uploaded by midgefrazel

In 1999 I bought my first digital camera and went to nearby Plymouth, MA to take some photos to practice. I was teaching workshops then and decided that it might make a good topic for teachers to explore. I began to develop the idea, make Web pages and then in my graduate work for Lesley University, I upgraded many of those pages for a closer focus to curriculum needs.

I deleted most of the frivolous material, like Thanksgiving greeting cards, mazes, placements etc. (leaving only one for very young students and some coloring pages that depict things as we think we know it in the time of the Pilgrim forefathers.) I continue to receive requests from Webmaster to include crafts, cards, etc. Teachers are busy people. Do they have time for non-curriculum areas?

As you can see by this screenshot of the stats for my Web site, the number of visitors skyrockets in November. I have my links to check and so I must go now.

Storage Options

Storage Options
Originally uploaded by midgefrazel

Every teacher used to need a file cabinet and bookshelves to hold their precious classroom materials. There were teachers that kept them locked to prevent sharing with other teachers. Now that teachers create materials that are electronic; does this change their attitudes about storage and sharing?

Many teachers learn the hard way that the computer in their classroom belongs to the school district and not to them and they return to school in September to discover that their files, bookmarks and even applications are gone because the school decided to upgrade the computers over the summer. What can teachers do about this?

Some teachers use online bookmarking tools like Furl, Diigo, or Delicious so that they can access their bookmarks from any computer. Most browsers offer "exporting" bookmarks/favorites to a format that can be stored for backup or to "import" to another computer.

Online storage is a popular solution but you should consider that it should not be the only location for the storage of an important file. You can use this to share a large file (that won't fit in an email) with another person or for access if you are traveling. DropBoks, MozyHome, and Box.net are three which offer a small amount of storage space for free or for a small fee. If you want to know more or compare features, check out this review.

I am writing an article about the usefulness of USB based desktop and portable hard drives. I own two and am considering a third.