Free Ebook

I thought some of you might be interested in this free ebook.  Just enter your name and email address, then confirm and download.  It's a PDF document with some good stuff!  Did I mention it is free? Did I mention I adore teachers who share what they know and do!?

I Told You So....

Remember earlier in the semester when I said I was sure you will have etextbooks and online teaching in your future if you're going to be  teacher?

Discovery Education is making the etextbook part come true for science teachers already. Discovery Education’s new “Techbooks” expand on an instructional delivery model that Discovery launched for K-8 science in 2010. Much more than just digitized versions of static textbooks, the Techbooks include videos, embedded assessments, and other interactive features that leverage the power of the internet, the company says.

Florida is one of the states that Discovery is targeting. "Built from the ground up to address Florida Next Generation Sunshine State Standards, Discovery Education SCIENCE TECHBOOK is the new primary instructional resource for Florida’s elementary schools. Dynamic, interactive resources support the 5E model of instruction and capture digitally native students’ attention. Coupled with a real-time assessment component that measures students’ progress, it recommends individualized resources that reinforce classroom instruction."

Read more about Techbooks and see some samples of the content.  Pretty impressive.

Utah's Developing eTextbooks!

Utah's Office of Education has announced plans to develop open online textbooks for language arts, science, and mathematics. The press release also reveals that early pilot programs were able to provide 3,800 high school students with science textbooks at $5 each, a drastic savings from the average of $80. (--via EdSurge)

Do you think there will be ebooks in your future?  For sure!

By the way, I've been very impressed with the state of Utah's web presence.  Take a look!

photo credit: nikkorsnapper via photopin cc

Don't Copy!

You heard about TurnItIn during the FLVS webinar.  It's a tool for detecting plagiarism that FLVS teachers use.  UCF also uses TurnItIn.  Why?  Because with the web, copy and paste sometimes takes the place of original writing and critical thinking.

The TurnItIn folks recently completed a study related to plagiarism.  You can see the details in this infographic and, if interested, download the whole report.  Be sure to see the bottom with ideas for combatting this growing problem.

Things That Inspired Me Today

I read all three of these today, and they each inspired me and made me think about teaching.  I hope one or all will inspire you or make you think about teaching and learning in a different way.  Enjoy!

• I Teach Because I Can't Do Anything Else
• The Unsung Heroes in Our Schools
• The Omari Effect:  How a 12 Year Old and His Bicycle Deepened My Appreciation for Learning

BONUS:  Characteristics of 21st Century Teachers