History Timeline posters for power learning

Teaching history effectively by using Timeline diagrams, Posters, eContents to teach history, geography, environment science, civics, social science and many more are new and innovative method of teaching. It is found that visual expression to history gives better references as well as understanding then just remembers and recall. The focus from just remembering shifts to relate and remember. Believe me this is technique is effectively used in memory development training. Now it is very simple download timeline software to create history on timeline. Look at to one of the OpenSource tool on
http://www.smartdraw.com/downloads/
You can make timelines for Science, culture, History politics, religion, people, region even specific events. You can view many of them already prepared online like
http://www.hyperhistory.com/online_n2/History_n2/a.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_Indian_history
http://www.history-timeline.com/
So, try something this time and see the effectiveness of this delivery method of teaching. You can even get printout of already prepared timelines. All the best.

Its beginning of the new academic year, time tables … you need Time Table software?

New academic year is just ahead and few teachers have real tough responsibility of making time tables for various stake holders and logical units with all types of constrains in place. Satisfying everybody with time table is difficult task; the people involved in this process will appreciate my words. Well just to get you the glimpse of complexity will mention few points needed to be considered. Normally there are three broad resources involved Data resources, Time resources and space resources. Now each of them will have various elements like Institute information, Calendar, Days schedule/s, Subjects, Events and Activities, Teachers, Students and their logical groups, Buildings, Classrooms, Laboratories, Workshops, Seminar Halls, Amenities and many may constrains. I know you even there are already documented over 2 dozen of constrains still no wonder if you will need few more for your institute. No issues, we have all of this along with rules and regulations and we are on the job.
We have to satisfy all our stake holders within constrains and rules and regulations. Believe me it is very simple. Download the small software. Start entering data/masters once and then you will see the magic time-tables are almost done with all conditions considered. You may have to refine critical conditions and you are done. Yes it is so simple. I tried many of them recently I tried FET free Time Table software. You make your own choice from wide variety of software available. Few links are here for your ready reference
http://www.brothersoft.com/timetable-9054.html
http://lalescu.ro/liviu/fet/download.html
http://www.topshareware.com/SchoolTime-download-46148.htm
http://www.timetabler.com/
http://www.supertimetable.com/
http://www.lantiv.com/
We do intelligent job as teachers, let mundane job done by computer and the software. It really works well and you will appreciate the use of ICT in education in most minimal efforts with high impact. So thank all those who have developed these free software as well as low priced software to make you life easy. So, ready-set-steady-go. …

Do you know storytellingAlice.. free gift from CMU to Teachers?

,The Carnegie Mellon University has given a valuable gift to teaching community that is story telling Alice. You will know all details on http://www.alice.org/
Alice is an innovative 3D programming environment that makes it easy to create an animation for telling a story. In fact teachers always want ways to make teaching interesting so that learning impact should be higher. Telling a story and teaching is always preferred as high impact teaching right from our ancient times. Now it is easy and you can create it on your own. Get it done from your students or young enthusiastic techie collogues. You need not be great programmer. Give this as a project work and you become guide. You can create teaching contents which can be used over years. I downloaded and start developing a small story and in few hours it starts taking shape. I know you should be excited. Just download and give expressions to your teaching contents without much technical hassles. The talking 3D story is one of the best way to ensure student engagement as well as high impact learning. If you agree then start downloading and playing with it. After certain degree of efforts will bring you confidence and then you have the powerful tool with you to teach. Thanks to CMU on the behalf of all teaching community.

Open Source LMS Moodle.. the most widely used application by Teachers.

Learning Management System in Open source was the most sought after application by teachers and Moodle standby to its promise. Moodle stand for Modular Object Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment. This application is developed to support the learning communities, eLearning services, for Schools as well as enterprises, it supports activities, resources, assist in collaboration and communication. Moodle also provide you choice of customization and high end capability to seamlessly integration with open source or many standard commercial applications. Moodle becomes entry point for many in the space of ICT driven education. Most of small and medium size companies customize Moodle Application for their eLearning initiatives. Teachers are using it very effectively in different parts of the world. Believe me it is simple, not very complex. You need to take initiative to understand and use it. All details are available on www.moodle.org become member and you will see all support systems are available. Moodle is currently offering version 2.1 (HD) very interesting product. Have a look at to its presentation on youtube on this link

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4mmMeMDMic

This application is really wonderful and every teacher will see the power of ICT in education if you use effectively in your delivery. Students also love it. No wonder it is used by over 45,000 communities, 32 million users around 200+ countries and over 80 languages. This shows that it’s not one of free Open Source product but a well established movement to use ICT in education. I have no hesitation to say they did maximum efforts to demonstrate power of ICT in education. Where are you? You are not member of Moodle? Than please become and enjoy the pleasure of teaching and learning in 21st century..

Concepts map an excellent technique and tool for teachers.

Let us start with history from WIKI “The technique of concept mapping was developed by Joseph D. Novak[6] and his research team at Cornell University in the 1970s as a means of representing the emerging science knowledge of students. It has subsequently been used as a tool to increase meaningful learning in the sciences and other subjects as well as to represent the expert knowledge of individuals and teams in education, government and business. Concept maps have their origin in the learning movement called constructivism. In particular, constructivist hold that learners actively construct knowledge.” In simple words the technique for visualizing relationships among different concepts is called "Concept mapping". Collaborative teaching and learning always need powerful methodologies and concept mapping is one of them. There are many websites which provide concept mapping tools free. One of them is
http://eduwithtechn.wordpress.com/2007/04/14/some-free-concept-mapping-programs/
You can also read material available on subject and try using them effectively. In industry every employee is asked to think innovative and come with innovative changes in products and processes to give better value added services at lower cost. The incubation of these thought can be done in concept mapping. You will find very interesting outcomes if it is used in really free flow mode, students do come with innovative thought process and demonstrate their creative thinking ability.
So, let’s start understanding first get into some concept mapping exercise and then start of your own. All the best.

Cyber Tutor initiative is an opportunity for teachers.

Cyber Tutor is a concept developed on ICT based education. Internet has brought the world closer we deal with netizens not necessary only with citizens. Teachers can use it effectively to provide problems and solutions to students, do peer-to-peer teaching or group teaching and most importantly use it as research tool to analyze the learning impact on learners. We can now not only take individual care for our students, but many across the globe who need your teachings. Teachers can use some library of problems-solutions already created on fundamental topics to keep their brilliant students occupied in best possible way. Teachers can now coach their average and below average students also by similar methodology. In the recent past students are invited by teachers at his home for extra teaching is now it is in cyber space.
Cyber Tutor can form community and provide services to learner in retail mode also. There are Cyber Tutor community developed by MIT many in UK and many more but I may not be aware. They are doing excellent job. You can join similar community, it is border less and you can be part of it till you know English and your domain. You can do your research on the similar portals. You can contribute problems and provide solution on tutor mode. Don’t you feel that is an opportunity with lot of convenience? If yes then start making a cyber community. Just do the search for various portals providing such support. There are many innovative engagement models with them. You have a wider choice, read it and take a wise decision which suits you most. The day is not long that you will have students studying across the globe and you teach them in your extra time to get an extra dollar… excited then don’t wait start exploring.

Teacher centric Education Management System...the best

Best configured Education Management System for our purpose is a call of time. Teacher centric education management systems will have higher importance in near future. We are aware that there is static information and dynamic information about every element of education system during the process of education. All stake holders like students, parents, teachers, principals, director, chairman, university authorities and government authorities all are interested to know various snap shots of this static as well as dynamic data-Information. The dynamic integrated communication really makes the difference for the stakeholders. It helps in decision making, important feedback and situation assessment.
Teachers can do wonderful education management function with Education Management Systems. Globally there are many Education Management Systems, Campus Management Systems, integrated Learning Management Systems in product domain as well as Open Source. Companies like SAP, PeopleSoft, Oracle, Sunguard, 24X7, SABA…. has developed very comprehensive products to meet the needs of various verticals as well as stakeholders. On the other hand we have Moodle, LogiCampus, Schoolforge, SAKAI … all in OpenSource. They have already captured the best practices globally for our benefit. They are evolved and evolving to give advantage of best practices and technology edge. These initiatives now are ready with subscription models and even retail models, so no worry for Hardware, Software, configuration, Bandwidth…just needs to provide base data, periodic data and customization requirement. It looks easy, but not easy unless faculties and stakeholders make active participation. It requires lot of kinetic energy, inertia once starts moving it really give you a great feel, advantage and leverage.
Teachers should know the functionalities of Education Management System as well as Learning Management System and try to use one. It’s an experience; believe me once you get a test of it you will see happiness among your all stakeholders and well integrated system for next level of service experience and of course yourself. This will take out your mundane work and give you quality time. Timely and quality services to all stake holders will definitely increase your credibility and respect with them. Teachers must treat the students and other stakeholders as clients and give the best service and experience. It is easy you need to get first step. So can we do it together….