Picnik add-on for Firefox

I have blogged before about Picnik..a web 2.0 photoshop style app. Stumbled upon this post about an add on for Firefox... read about it here. Actually this whole blog is excellent, definitely worth a read.

CEGSA Conference

This annual conference is a great opportunity for educators to get together and get new ideas and learn how others are implementing ICT across the curriculum. My first workshop focussed on web 2.0 tools... tag galaxy, bubbl.us, slideshare, glogster, dipity and dvolver. If you want to check out some more, try picnik (a web 2.0 photoshop) and animoto, and of course blogspot, wikispaces etc etc.

If you want the handout for the first workshop click here

The second workshop was very full and very enjoyable. A quick tour of some resources... images, powerpoints and videos, then we got down to the point end - Stellarium. We covered all the basics then finished with watching a lunar and solar eclipse. Find the handout here.

Afterwards I was kicking myself I should have shown everyone that you can go to other planets etc. Select the object (those red cross hairs) and then ctrl "G". You can then look at the Earth. If you go to the Sun (not as hot as you would expect) watch Australia come into view (sun rise) and spin out of view (sun set). Then advance a week at a time "]" to watch the tilt of the Earth change with the seasons.

For all those people in my workshops thank you for your participation... just make sure you take the word back to your schools and share your knowledge with your colleagues. Perhaps run your own session and a staff or faculty meeting. Feel free to use my worksheets, powerpoints etc and modify them how ever you want.

Glogster Tutorial

Fast easy tutorial demonstrates how to use Glogster.




Get GLOGGING!

A teacher's adventures into cosmology

You may have noticed that my astronomy posts have disappeared from my blog... I have migrated all those blog posts to a new blog "A teacher's adventures into cosmology".




It's main aim is to trace my journey finding web pages, web tools and software to help teachers teach astronomy.

Google Earth in Action

Here is a great site with some ready to use activities in the classroom.

My fossils Bubbl.us

"

Debate Web

http://debategraph.org - This concept map allows people (or your class) to participate in a public debate. Very appealing interface, loads of issues to put your point of view forward.

Online Photo Editing

I have already been thrilled by the online mind mapper Bubbl.us. There are quite a few online photo editors, but none as smooth or fun as Picnik. It has similar effects to expensive propriatary software such as Photoshop. It is free and you can import your pictures from many online photostorage sites like Picasa Web Albums, Photobucket or Flickr. The interface is easy and fun to use.... even my six year old had fun with it for hours.

JibJab

Wow, those great guys from science 21 at Flinders Uni have blown me away with their use of the online card creator JibJab. To check Wardy's, Debra's and Martin's effort see their animated JibJab card look at their site (great stuff on their site for science educators).

I simply HAD to make one for myself despite my tiredness and the lateness of the hour. The best ones come at a price, however some are free.. some are animated and others are static postcards, to embed or email - go NUTS.

I had embedded my personal JibJab, however my son protested, so I removed it.