Do you have an Elmo?

ThenElmo document camera now has a slate. The slate is cool in and of itself, functioning as a remote for the document camera, but with the accompanying software, you can write on the screen with interactive board-type pens and highlighters.

The software is so advanced, ELA teachers can split screen and freeze one paper, then display notes or revisions on the other side. All you need to work the ELMO or document camera is a laptop or computer, the slate a screen, and data projector.

The software will also do screen recordings or experiments or revision steps, problem-solving, etc. I'm going to encourage my Science and ELA teachers who already use the document camera to get the slate now. They will not necessarily need an interactive board.

Using Blogs in the Classroom - Still

So if you've been using blogs in the classroom, it is not passé. If fact, it is easier than ever before to keep a website going that is fresh and student-created.

Posterous is free online blogging software where the user can create more than one blog or space on every topic in the classroom. To differentiate, students can post to the blog or space associated with the group in your class, like a book circle based on their reading level or a project based on their interest level.

Vocaroo permit the user to go to a website and record their voice. No need to have an email account -students can send voice capture to a blog. It will show up as a link.

To make this recording into a podcast that will appear in the subscribers iTunes library simple post the link but change the http:// to itps://. When the subscriber clicks on the link from the blog, it will open in their iTunes.

More tips like the above from Tony Vincent @ tonyvme.posterous.com