I asked a scientist a question about my endangered species project. I asked, "Are there genetic factors that are contributing to the endangerment of the Indiana bat? Are there any genetic links between the Indiana bat and its resistance or susceptibility to white nose disease?" Unfortunately, I have not had a response to my question and will need to seek this information elsewhere.
I do like the website. There are a lot of interesting links. One that leads to health areas has a link called "BAM! Body and Mind" that targets 9 - 13 year olds. It's a bit corny, but appropriate for that age. There is also a link for teachers with activities to use in the classroom. There are also interesting links about science career choices specifically for kids.
I did like reading the top 10 questions in each of the science categories. Some were similar to questions my students have asked me. Some were waaaaaay over my head, but there were snippets I understood. I think this would be a good starting point for some topics of conversation in the class. Based on the slow response time to my question, I would not rely on it for immediate answers for my students.
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Sunday, May 8, 2011
multimedia tools
I am NOT technologically savvy, so each time I have to explore a new venue I get a bit panicky. This task was no exception. I was particularly looking for ease of use and support services as I explored some of the sites. One note: some sites worked better through regular Google and others worked better with GoogleChrome. I'm not sure if that's just because of my browser and older Microsoft version.
Prezi
My first introduction to Prezi was actually through my boyfriend's daughter. She was very excited about using it because of the way she could manipulate all of the components. I had to agree with her. I found this tool to be a combination of PowerPoint and a webbing program, Inspiration. The tutorial was extremely useful and I liked the ease of using this tool. I think the big picture layout gives a better opportunity for editing and rearranging material. Because you set up an account, access can be from any computer. That is a bonus because I can work from home, school, or any location without having to worrying about having an external storage device. This is a definite front runner in my choices.
ZohoShow and 280Slides
These two sites offered similar features. An interesting difference was Zoho worked better on regular Google and 280Slides on GoogleChrome. Both sites were able to use a collection of clipart, upload photos and videos, or import from other sites. Each site could also be accessed from any computer. Your presentation can be downloaded to PowerPoint or presented directly from the browser. There were tutorials for each. The ZohoShow was easier to follow and offered more follow up support. Of the two, I would be more inclined to use ZohoShow.
Finally, I looked at Ahead presentations. This layout of the slides and high resolution were very nice features. The tutorial went very quickly and there was no sound, so I got lost very quickly. It also seemed to be more geared toward business presentations than ones for school. I'm sure there were other positive features, but the complexity made my brain shut down and I knew it was not the program for me.
I am still feeling slightly queasy over creating this type of presentation. I have two experts in my daughter and son to help me make my way through this process this first time.
Prezi
My first introduction to Prezi was actually through my boyfriend's daughter. She was very excited about using it because of the way she could manipulate all of the components. I had to agree with her. I found this tool to be a combination of PowerPoint and a webbing program, Inspiration. The tutorial was extremely useful and I liked the ease of using this tool. I think the big picture layout gives a better opportunity for editing and rearranging material. Because you set up an account, access can be from any computer. That is a bonus because I can work from home, school, or any location without having to worrying about having an external storage device. This is a definite front runner in my choices.
ZohoShow and 280Slides
These two sites offered similar features. An interesting difference was Zoho worked better on regular Google and 280Slides on GoogleChrome. Both sites were able to use a collection of clipart, upload photos and videos, or import from other sites. Each site could also be accessed from any computer. Your presentation can be downloaded to PowerPoint or presented directly from the browser. There were tutorials for each. The ZohoShow was easier to follow and offered more follow up support. Of the two, I would be more inclined to use ZohoShow.
Finally, I looked at Ahead presentations. This layout of the slides and high resolution were very nice features. The tutorial went very quickly and there was no sound, so I got lost very quickly. It also seemed to be more geared toward business presentations than ones for school. I'm sure there were other positive features, but the complexity made my brain shut down and I knew it was not the program for me.
I am still feeling slightly queasy over creating this type of presentation. I have two experts in my daughter and son to help me make my way through this process this first time.
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