from Tech&Learning
Online & Software
GOANIMATE.COM
(WWW.GOANIMATE.COM)
Allows teachers and students to create animations without a drawing background or a technical understanding of advanced software such as Flash.
Price: Free
Category: Animation
Grade level: Any
Curriculum: Cross-Curricular
THE SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT NETWORK
(SINET, WWW.SCHOOLIMPROVEMENT.COM)
SINET has expanded PD 360, its on-demand professional learning resource. Over 10 hours of additional researchbased video content, divided up into over 100 segments, is now accessible for all PD 360 users.
Price: Approximate annual/site $2995
Category: Professional Development
Grade level: K-12
Curriculum: Cross-Curricular
GREENCITY
(ALTERNATIVEENERGY.COM)
GreenCity is a new 10-lesson online enrichment program that explores the causes and effects of excess pollution and energy use in entire populations using Electronic Arts' SimCity Societies, a software program that allows users to construct dynamic virtual cities.
Price: SimCity Societies run about $15
Category: Online lessons
Grade level: 6-12
Curriculum: Social Studies, Science
BLACKBOARD SCHOOL CENTRAL
(WWW.BLACKBOARDSCHOOLCENTRAL.COM)
The new Blackboard School Central online learning platform provides an affordable, customizable, entrylevel solution for schools looking to enhance classroom instruction or offer classes online.
Price: Blackboard School Central has an annual flat fee starting at $10,000.
Category: Online learning and professional development
Grade level: K-12
Curriculum: Cross-Curricular
EDUTONE ECOSYSTEM
(WWW.VIPTONE.COM)
The new EduTone Ecosystem lets users simultaneously search multiple sources of content—including internal databases as well as millions of images, lesson plans, ebooks, biographies, and games—all with a single search query.
Price: Starts at $0.10 per student to EduTone customers (free version coming soon)
Category: Research
Grade level: K-12
Curriculum: Cross-Curricular
TEACHSCAPE'S MODULE OF THE MONTH (M.O.M.) CLUB
(WWW.TEACHSCAPE.COM/XL)
Teachscape's Module of the Month (M.O.M.) Club makes available one or more courses found within the company's new online professional development platform Teachscape XL. Each monthly module has classroom video and content.
Price: Free
Category: Online courses
Grade level: K-12
Curriculum: Cross-Curricular
MEDIASILO
(WWW.MEDIASILO.COM)
MediaSilo eliminates browser-based upload limitations with an integrated FTP solution. MediaSilo's suite includes collaboration toolset, content management, and Web broadcast channels.
Price: Starts at $29 a month
Category: Online collaborative tool
SCHOOLPAL AND TEACHERPAL WEB SERVICES
(WWW.ETRONICA.COM)
These Web site management systems help educators create and maintain sophisticated Web sites at an affordable price. With the predesigned PublishPalLite platform, customers don't need to download software or spend hours becoming technology experts. Their new site is already built and ready to use.
Price: TeacherPal: zero setup cost, first month free, then $14.99/mo.; SchoolPal: zero setup cost, first month free, then $79.99/mo.
Category: Web design and management
Grade level: K-12
Curriculum: Cross-Curricular
GOOGLE'S KNOL
(KNOL.GOOGLE.COM)
Google's Knol is designed to verify the authorship of articles, so every knol will have an author (or group of authors) who put their name behind their content. With Knol, authors can work together through "moderated collaboration." Any reader can make suggested edits to a knol, which the author may then choose to accept, reject, or modify.
Price: Free
Category: Research tool
Grade level: K-12
Curriculum: Cross-Curricular
NETSUPPORT SCHOOL 10
(WWW.NETSUPPORT-INC.COM)
The latest version of this remote management tool features a dedicated Technician's Console, a Student Journal, improved Print Management, and Keyboard Monitoring capabilities.
Price: $1200 for 25 licenses
Category: Desktop management tool
Grade level: K-12
Curriculum: Cross-Curricular
IMPRINT STUDIO 1.0
(WWW.AXAMBLIS.COM)
The Imprint Studio 1.0 for Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard lets users print posters using a standard format printer by splitting up an image into several smaller tiles. These can be printed and assembled.
Price: About $22
Category: Poster design program
Grade level: K-12
Curriculum: Cross-Curricular
REAL U COURSE FROM CHILDREN'S HEALTH EDUCATION CENTER
(WWW.BLUEKIDS.ORG)
The Real U course from Children's Health Education Center uses an interactive, Web-based format that mimics a late night talk show to introduce students to the inner workings of their emotions.
Price: About $12 per student
Category: Online Behavior game
Curriculum: Health, Life Skills
ADOBE COLDFUSION 8
(WWW.ADOBE.COM/PRODUCTS/COLDFUSION)
Teachers and students can now use ColdFusion to connect to databases, Web services, and any other server-side infrastructure to create Internet applications for learning purposes.
Price: Free
Category: Internet application development
Grade level: 10-12+
Curriculum: Cross-Curricular
Hardware
The eInstruction "Classroom Performance System" (www.einstruction.com) is available in either RF or IR versions. It generates detailed reports about how each student performs in class and contains an integrated gradebook. CPS users also have access to thousands of teacher-created lessons with graphics, display options, and other features to enhance instruction. (32 pad IR $1995; 32 pad RF $2995)
Troxell Communications (www.trox.com), in conjuction with Hitachi and Lumens, introduces a new Multi-Function Learning System that includes essential interactive classroom tools in one integrated package. The Multi-Function Learning System (MFLS) includes the Hitachi CP-A100 Short Throw Projector with optional Peerless Wall Arm, Hitachi Starboard FX DUO-77 Interactive Multi-Touch Whiteboard with optional FloorStand, Lumens DC260 Visual Presenter-SXGA resolution output, full-frame video/audio recording, and a 1080p HDMI output. Also included are classroom response systems, speakers, and room control systems.
Vivitek Corporation (www.vivitekcorp.com) introduces its D732MX projector. The new unit has a built-in carrying handle and a selection of features tailored to assist the mobile educator. The lightweight projector (7.3 pounds) packs heavyweight features such as full XGA (1024 x 768) resolution, 2100:1 contrast ratio, and 3200 ANSI lumens of brightness. Vivitek has also added its own Turbo-Charge Light Engine with a new 'Boost' mode that can add up to 130% more brightness when needed.
American Audio's Pocket Recorder (www.americanaudio.com) is a handheld, fully digital audio recorder perfect for recording notes during class lectures. This little gadget is especially helpful during more complex lectures, and the saved audio files can also be shared as part of a Podcast or downloaded to an MP3 device. With no tapes to change, it's always ready for recording quick thoughts, homework tips, or reminders. And, with the ability to record up to 16 hours of audio using a 1 GB SD card, students never have to worry about not having enough recording space. Recordings can also be downloaded from the Pocket Recorder to any computer via a standard USB cable or SD card reader.
The Scope On A Rope (SOAR, www.strscopes.com) is a high-tech yet simple version of the old school microscope. The SOAR is a handheld, touch and view camera with output to a computer, projector, TV, or LCD display. The SOAR consists of a small, self-lighted video camera with interchangeable magnifying lenses. Each lens has a "contact tip" that operates by touching the tip to the sample. A teacher or student automatically sees an in-focus image on a TV or computer. The SOAR can identify images as small as the active sweat glands in fingerprints and provide sophisticated observations such as micro-ecosystems in drops of pond water and flower centers. The live images are instantly shared with the whole class.
Turning Technologies' ResponseWare Web (www.TurningTechnologies.com) is a Web-based polling application that allows participants to submit responses to interactive PowerPoint questions via Internet-connected devices. These devices include the iPhone, BlackBerry smartphones, other cell phones, and mobile devices, laptops, or a standard desktop computer. Currently, Response-Ware Web is certified on the AT&T wireless network. Turning's Web-based response solution allows alphanumeric entry for single response, multiple response, fill-in-the-blank, and essay questions via a cell phone style input or a QWERTY style keyboard. ResponseWare Web also displays the question and answer choices on the device while polling.
