166 – A Chatter-Free Podcast

This week the WELSTech Podcast looks at school technology during a book discussion and an interview with Greg Schmill, Director of WELS Commission on Lutheran Schools.

Podcast: Download (44.1MB)

The discussion:

Teaching and Learning With Technology – Martin and Sallie discuss Chapter 5 of Leading 21st Century Schools which looks at specific web-based tools and strategies that are useful in the classroom.

Just joining the book discussion? Review previous chapters in the WELSTech Archives.
WebQuests
- WebQuest.org
- QuestGarden.com
- WebQuest 101 Videos – Part 1
- Sample WebQuest – Technology Over Time
Virtual Field Trips
- Check out the listing from the Utah Education Network
- Sample Virtual Field Trip – Medieval Castles
Learning Objects
- National Library of Virtual Manipulatives
- Shodor Interactive
- Merlot.org database of learning objects
Video
- TeacherTube.com
- YouTube.com
- SafeShare.TV
Open Source Initiatives
- en.Wikibooks.org
- A Broken World – Student Written wiki history textbook

The interview:

(16:06) Generations – Greg Schmill, Director of WELS Commission on Lutheran Schools, shares insights from his recent presentation titled Bridging the Generation Gap. He examines each of the generation’s needs and specifically how different uses of technology can assist in engaging Builders, Boomers, Gen Xers and Millennials in our schools.

News in Tech:

(37:51) The 2011 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is history. WELSTech brings you the event buzz:

Cnet’s Best of Show – The Motoroal Xoom
Cnet’s Best of CES Awards
PC Magazine’s Best Tablet at CES
From The Huffinton Post – CES 2011 – 15 Awesome Products From the Future

Picks of the week:

(40:12) iOS Apps for Productivity and Fun
Create your own Andriod app with your RSS feed using Feed.nu
- Check out the WELS Podcast Android app

Community feedback:

(47:00) Nancy Marks from Immanuel in Missoula, MT repurposed the WELSTech QR Code contest for catechism students
Larry Sellnow from Holy Trinity in Wyoming, MI shared his positive review of SnapGrades.com on the WELSTech Listserve
Mark Jackson from Immersion Digital, creators of the Glo Bible, shared news that Glo was featured on the Windows 7 Slate devices at CES.
Laura Schwertfeger is looking for software to create a church anniversary DVD. We recommend Animoto.com.
Pastor Rob Guenther from Grace in Kenai, AK shared two Web 2.0 tools for distance Bible class
- Voxli.com – Voice chat
- Join.me – Screen sharing
Pastor James Borgwardt from Risen Savior in Pooler, GA wrote looking for a WELSTech recommendation of an e-News tool . We pointed him to MailChimp.com.
Martin shared a link to an article reviewing the results of Maine schools 1-1 computing initiative
Jeremy Provost sent us a link to a new iPhone app, Clean Tunes, for editing objectionable content out of songs

Coming up on WELSTech:

(58:40) Episode 167 – Administrators and office personnel will want to tune in as we discuss solutions for sharing files in the church and school office. (Release date 01/19/11)

The featured artist:

(59:56) We close the podcast with the piano music of Dawn Michelle Williams (www.dawnmichellewilliams.com | Twitter | Facebook | My Space) – Beautiful Savior With Canon in D from her CD titled ”Inspirations”