Resources To Help Teachers Prepare For Flipped Classrooms

There are a great many resources available to help teachers "flip" their classroom.  It could easily take hours for me to write about them and hours for you to read about them.  We're not going to go down that road, at least not today.  What we are going to do is simply look at two resources.

The first resource is Podbean.  Podbean is a FREE (this is in all caps because teachers love FREE) podcast hosting service.  Teachers can easily set up their podcast site and begin podcasting right away.  This service allows teachers to present information to students in a way that they can access through a computer at home or at the library.  Students can also easily access this through their smart phones or can download each podcast to their MP3 player so they can listen to it on the bus ride to and from school.  Did I mention this is FREE?  It's definitely worth your time to check it out.  I've also used this with students.  It was definitely motivating for students to post their first ever podcast and hear back from peers who took time to listen.

The second service I want to tell you about is GoAnimate.  GoAnimate is an online service that allows users to make and share animated videos.  You don't have to be an artist to produce these videos.  A variety of preset characters and scenes allows you great flexibility in creating your videos.  Unfortunately, this service isn't free but the plans are fairly reasonable once you consider what you get for the cost.  GoAnimate also offers a service called GoAnimate for Schools.  This service is geared toward teacher use as well as teachers using the service with their students as part of their instruction.  It's a great alternative to the typical PowerPoint project.

I hope you enjoy checking out these resources.  Going to a flipped classroom concept takes a lot of time and resources.  Hopefully these two suggestions will help save you a little of both.

SuperMemo-Is having a great memory worth the risk?

This article is about learning technology-SuperMemo.  SuperMemo is a software application that enhances your memory, teaches learning techniques and strategies.  I like how the software application allows you to choose what you what to learn and remember. I believe this tool can be affective for children who have a stable environment.  When I say stable environment, I mean the ability to purchase a home computer or laptop, etc.  I am also referring to a parent or peer that can help them stick to the schedule/routine and encourage them to be successful while using the SuperMemo Application.  I believe anyone is capable of utilizing SuperMemo, young and old (any age).
The one dangerous condition mentioned is an overload of information which is believed to cause Alzheimer's Disease.  Is having a great memory worth the risk?