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….

Blended Learning new approch for eLearning driven Teaching

Blended Learning is the new approach for eLearning driven education. eLearning in its original form was not highly popular in education sector, but was very well used in corporate sector. The modifications needed to make eLearning popular in traditional education sector can be adapted by blended learning approach.
When I say blended learning it consist of Face-to-face (F2F), Self learning, Real Time interactive online learning environment (OLE), Work books, Projects and collaborative learning.

F2F - Face to face is all time most favorite mode of teaching and will dominate in future also.

Self Learning - Includes eLearning with Multimedia interactive contents, Video based contents, Documents (Reports, white papers, PDF documents, Drawings, Images, Research papers, Electronic Worksheets, project plans...), eBooks, Knowledge Management Portals just to name a few.

OLE - Online Learning Environment will give the basic feature of real time interactive video. Various applications like WebEx, DimDim, Interwise, BlackBoard and many more will ensure this. The quality of Service and features will depends on the bandwidth and type of classroom (There are various types of online classrooms).

Workbooks - they will be used for knowledge check and ability to pally the concepts learned to apply in specified realistic scenario. Ability to understand and apply will be tested in this mode.

Projects - Very important part of teaching learning process where ability to apply understanding in business or real time application will be tested. Student will go through the entire life cycle of application/product. This cycle will start from conceptualisation till prototype if not beyond that.

Collaborative Learning - This is one of the most preferred learning approach for young learners of current time. This includes Blogs, wiki, Forums, chat rooms, mail groups, Net Meetings, virtual laboratories, virtual group meetings and many more. This can be done in peer-to-peer, one to many and even many-to-many.

I am aware there is lot to know more still lets start with this basic understanding of blended learning approach. The proportion of these methods can very right from 0 % to even 100% depending on Subject Matter, Learners and learning objectives defined.

So it is simple make a right blend of these methods to suit your most effetive delivery and that's it -- its a blended learning model. Is it not simple? Try and see the magic... it works.

Online Learning Environment, handy tool for teachers

One of the concern for every teacher to go online is the amount of flexibility and utilities in traditional classroom delivery. Online learning provides you the host of utilities to deliver as effective class as you can if not better. Lets us see the features of Online Learning Environment.
It provides you presentation space where you can present your contents in any media format say word, adobe, excel worksheets, power point presentations, image browsers, Video players... just to name few. Whiteboard is a feature where you has a black/white board online. You can use multiple colours, draw, write and even you can ask learners to participate from where ever they are. Truly collaborative medium. You can erase others contributions merge print and so on... even more flexibility then our traditional board.

Other features like video windows, chat facility, document shearing application shearing, desktop shearing, poll facility, Emotional icons for effective easy and quick communication. Audio chat is also integrated. I am sure you don't need anything more then this. You have challange in operating this classroom you can ask for moderator and make you life easy.

I am convinced that this classroom provides me great feature rich experience. The only issue is about comfort level and that come by practice. So start looking at them using them. You have many of them available like CISCO CLE, Apple Learning environment, DIMDIM, Interwise, Blackboard ... So let set go and get the grand experience of online learning environments.

Software Tools for Academics and Researchers

MIT has done significant work in this area and they are assisting teachers and research community to use that effectively. Software Tools for Academics and Researchers was always a demand and individuals or and small institutions could not take up such projects on their own. Now we have an option to use them effectively in some specific domain.

I know you are excited to know which domains they are. Which are the tools?...

Not to worry I will not take much time but give you link. You check it yourself

http://mit.edu/star/

I really enjoyed it. I am sure you will. Please use it and share your experience with the rest of the world of teachers and educators. All the best.

Search engines for reasearchin education

The search engine should be first to discuss as it will become integral part of our life tomorrow. Doing reasearch is now far eaiser then earlier times. World is connected and full of knowledge. There are various types of search engines Generral, Context based Serch Engines and many more.
There are context based search engines, Datameshups like Google data meshups and Yahoo pipes, Federal search engines. All of them a decent job of comming closer to our expactations. I am sure they will successed to our wims and facies to give us better services in times to come. They are very large in numbers. I will give few.

www.google.com
www.ask.com
www.bing.com
www.altavista.com
www.hotbot.com

I think they will become our knowledge lifeline. Are you getting familier with them?

Teaching resources is time consuming... No way

Making teaching effetive depends on degree of interactivity. Making additional activities, aids for effetive teching is time consuming. When I say resources it means presentations, documents, posters, games, case studies, videos, images, graphics, animations, simulators, audios, activity sheets, worksheets, quizzes, posters, eBooks ... I could remember few. Well now the world is full of resources. Many good teachers have developed them tested them and made available to you.

You wish to create and feel that you need support to make them good. Well even that support is available. So why are you still thinking start using these services as well as readymade resources available for your subjects just go to search engines and boil the ocean to get your demand. Look at to these few links

http://www.playkidsgames.com/
http://www.funmaths.com/
http://www.computer.org/portal/web/csdl
http://www.shelfari.com/
http://www.teachingideas.co.uk/ict/contents.htm
Video www.jumpcut.com
Picture www.splashup.com
Sketches www.sketchcast.com
Slide presentations www.slideshare.net

Global sky eyes to see world in real time...

The ICT world and technology has created tremendous possibilities to see the world in real time mode on your computer. Now you have global eyes. We now see locations in real time mode sitting anywhere at any time real 24 X 7 and anywhere in the world* currently few specified locations. Its matter of time that we can get even /images from Satellite cameras with high resolution at your PC or mobile. The real use of this done in education will make our learners suitable for the challenging world they will face. We can now even have progression for these cameras for very long time such as 15-20 years. Showing skyline, development of the city, Environmental effects and so on. I know one website

http://www.earthcam.com/

You will find many of such to see the world with global sky eyes. Now you can also see the sky with similar sites who give you telescope view on your PC. Do you really need anything more to teach better? Try and see the world and sky and share with your teaching. You will see the magic happens... share with me once it happens .. all the best.

Virtual Laboractories used in education

There are many virtual laboratories at the disposal of teacher who can effectively use it during his delivery of lectures as well as complementary supplementary learning aids. There are virtual laboratories like iLab initiative by MIT. There are offline interactive contents for engineering education by companies like BRAINVISA under the title of "Edubytes". There might be many more. One classic one if for Chemistry http://www.virtlab.com/main.aspx .

I believe that this helps us by many ways. Students with slow learning can take advantages, students with more inquisitiveness can take advantage and teachers can use it as interactive more visually expressive teaching aid. There are many applications which give you models sometimes models are with 3D graphical user representation for better understanding. This also saves high cost of software, Hardware, need for expertise...

Just click and start... Found interesting? Start using it it will develop further.

ICT in Language learning

Globalisation has created the new set of challenges for our future workforce. The every professional wish to work as global knowledge worker needs to know about different languages of the other countries or even same country. Language learning is seen as significant advantages over professional qualification. Language learning is never so easy. Web world has given many advance portals for this as well as many ICT driven Language Laboratories functioning to make life easy and more enjoyable experience of language learning. Her are few links

http://www.byki.com/
http://www.sil.org/lglearning/developing.htm
http://www.mes-english.com/
http://www.britishcouncil.org/kids-flashcards.htm
http://englishbanana.com/index.html

I know there are many more this is just a tip of iceberg. Lets explore and get some more innovative Language Learning initiatives and best practices across the globe.

ICT in education

Hi Friends,
I believe that ICT in education can create the ICT empowered teachers who will transform education system. I will share my thoughts resources and similarly you can. Hope together we can... bring the stars on the earth.