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This Week: Webinars!

One of the most powerful tools for fast, convenient online professional development, webinars can give you great, easy ideas for integrating technology into your lesson plans.

Let's start with the basics: What is a webinar?

Join Susan Hennessey, the Tarrant Institute's new professional development coordinator, as she breaks it down to the basics.

A still from a Tarrant Institute webinar on ...webinars!

Where to find the good stuff:

There are a lot of great websites out there that can provide you with teach-in webinars (ie you learn a new skill) as well as software that'll let you and your kids start making your own webinars today!

Keeping up with Web 2.0

  • Augmented Reality in Plain English
  • The New Teacher Tool-Kit
  • Getting up to speed with social media
  • Facebook Strategies for the Classroom
  • Social Media in Classrooms (launches elluminate on your desktop; do not panic)
  • 21st Century Skills in the Math Classroom
  • Scavenger Hunts with BrainPOP (elluminate again)
  • Podcasting with English Language Learners
    • We're excited about: TechTools for Teachers (coming this fall)

    Online PD:

      ASCD Bootcamp: Current topics include:

  • iPads in Schools: Authentic Learning Opportunities
  • Ask Dr Judy: How Can I Help My Students Remember What I Teach?
  • Launching Self-Directed Learners: Starting the School Year with Habits of Mind

    •   Edutopia:

  • Are your students learning? Insights on Authentic Assessment
  • How the Brain Learns Best: Strategies to Make Learning Stick
  • Engaging the Digital Generation

    •   BrainPOP: All are available via the elluminate platform, which runs on your desktop without installing software on your machine. We're looking forward to BrainPOP's coming season, but previous topics available include:

  • Breaking down classroom walls with Web 2.0
  • Using a multimedia approach to teach Earth awareness
  • Science behind the snowflake with netTrekker and BrainPOP
    • Make Your Own Webinar Right Now:

      Knovio.com: We used it to produce Susan's short and simple online presentation. It's free and it took us about 20 minutes, start to finish (allowing time for a few outtakes and first tries :)

    If you've got a tip about webinars or a success story from the school year, we'd love to hear about it!