Examples include:

1. Logitech ClearChat Wireless Headset Microphone ($80 @ Amazon.com)
2. Revolabs xTag Wireless USB Microphone ($195 @ GoElectric.com)

Sourced from: Vodcasting4Teachers.com (© Copyright All Rights Reserved 2010.)

Screencast-O-Matic uses a Java applet to record your screen. This means that your computer must have Java, however few computers do not. It is also web-based, so if you don’t have an internet connection, you cannot record your screen.

Screencast-O-Matic also has a Pro Version. This version allows you to edit your recordings, and it also allows a 1-hour recording time. The free version only allows 15-minute recording time. The pro version is only $5. This is very well worth spending $5.

Sourced from: Vodcasting4Teachers.com (© Copyright All Rights Reserved 2010.)

I recently purchased a used Graphire Wireless Graphics Tablet on eBay for $50. This particular model sells for $225 new.

Examples of Wireless Graphics Tablets include:

• Wacom Graphire Wireless Graphics Tablet ($225 @ Amazon.com)
• Mimio Wireless Pad (Regular Price $459, but can be found for $375 for educational pricing)
• Hitachi StarBoard BT-2G Wirless Tablet ($310 @ Provantage.com)

Sourced from: Vodcasting4Teachers.com (© Copyright All Rights Reserved 2010.)

Camtasia Studio comes with video editing software, as well as the ability to create your videos in many different formats.

Camtasia Studio is truly the Cadillac of screencasting software. The regular price for Camtasia Studio is $299, however they have a special price for educators: $179.

Sourced from: Vodcasting4Teachers.com (© Copyright All Rights Reserved 2010.)

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Dear Government:  I HOPE YOU ARE LISTENING!!

Chris Lehmann, principal of the Science Leadership Academy in Philadelphia, spoke for 10 minutes about Education today, and how technology should be used.  He makes some excellent points, but the most powerful point he makes is that because of standardized testing, we are no longer educating students; we are training them to take ONE test.  Then, everything about that students is based off of ONE test.

To see the video of Chris speaking at the 140 Character Conference, visit ChuckNeuschafer.com and watch the featured video in the upper right hand corner.

Here is a video of Chris Lehmann speaking a TEDxNYED back in March:

I am a huge fan of WordPress.  In fact, I have created more than 30 different websites using WordPress.  So…I checked WordPress.org and found several plugins that allowed you to create a web site that is also a social network.

Mingle Plugin for WordPress

In looking at various plugins to turn my classroom WordPress site into a social networking site, I found the Mingle Plugin for WordPress…and what a GREAT FIND!!  This was extremely easy to set up.  In just a few hours, I created 4 sites for my classes.  They were extremely simple to set up, and the results…well…see for yourself.

Visit CoachNeuschafer.com and choose from one of the four classes in the top menu bar.  We just started using the site with one of my classes today (6th Math).  I let the students play around with it so they could learn the in’s and out’s of the site, and I was able to “fine tune” the site as they were giving me feedback.

So, in just a few hours, and with the help of some eager 6th graders, we have a very nice site using FREE resources.

Ning…thank you very much!!  In making the move from free sites, I was “forced” to find alternatives, and the alternative I found is a great one.

One of the added benefits I found very quickly:  students always forget their passwords.  They always ask me what their password is, and I ask them “did you write it down?”  Now, with a site that I have total control over, and don’t have to worry about Ads about how to pick up women in our area, I can actually look up their username, and reset their password.  No more wasted time waiting for students to login to our Ning site!

Rosenthal has also announced that Ning will no longer offer its Free Products.  He feels the need to convert free users to paying for premium services, or transition off of Ning.

The sad part about this…I use several different Ning sites with my students on a regular basis.  This is where they get to show off things they create.  It’s also where they keep their blogs.

Mr. Rosenthal…with the state of the economy, I don’t know of any schools, let alone teachers, being able to pay for your premium services.

With this said, So Long Ning!!  We’re going to miss you.

Poor families should have their government benefits cut off if they don’t go to PTA meetings.  In explaining why, Bauer says “My grandmother was not a highly educated woman, but she told me as a small child to quit feeding stray animals.  You know why?  Because they breed.  You’re facilitating the problem if you give an animal or a person ample food supply.  They will reproduce, especially ones that don’t think too much further than that.  And so what you’ve got to do is you’ve got to curtail that type of behavior.  They don’t know any better.”

…and there you have it…the dumb keep breeding the dumb???  Maybe according to Mr. Bauer???

I will grow my hair back!!

Chuck's New Look for 2010