Blog Post

10 Potentially Helpful Resources

Here is the most recent set of helpful resources that I have sort of stumbled upon out of well over 200 hundred that I’ve looked at today:

1.  Broad Texter – This is a service that allows you to create a group so that your students can join so that they can receive text messages from you.  In fact, I’ve set up one for my students that I hope to use in the near future.  Feel free to sign up at the top of the page if you’re so inclined.

2.  Smart Teaching Blog – My biggest advice when looking at this blog is to start scrolling down and to not get overwhelmed, as there are probably 1000s of resources listed, including this list of the 100 Best YouTube Videos for Teachers.

3.  Get the Math – This the link to ‘Get the Math, an initiative out of the PBS Station in NYC, which has challenges related to fields such as Fashion and Video Games.  I know I posted this on twitter earlier, but that’s why you need to follow along (if you’re not already).

 

4.  Bubbl.us – This is a simple and free web application that lets you brainstorm online (essentially a stripped down version of Mindomo), so it would be ideal for those who are beginning into the world of Mind-Mapping.


5.  CamStudio – Free streaming video software.  I mean, does the name remind you of something?  Personally, I’m doing just fine with Jing! for now, but some people may want to check into this.


6.  Poll Everywhere – Allows you to create a poll that your audience can participate in using their cell phones, twitter, or the web.  I’ve personally used this in a classroom before as a quick and simple alternative to using clickers.  It doesn’t give you a person-by-person tally, but you can get an overall idea of if your students understand a concept.


7.  Super Saas – An online scheduler, which I want to try out for future semesters to have students self-schedule for my office hours.  I think that they may be more likely to come if they can schedule themselves.  Has anyone tried this successfully?  I would love to hear!


8.  ToonDoo – The online cartoon, comic strip creator.  Create your own cartoons, comic strips, publish, share, and discuss!  In fact, I’ve mentioned something similar, called ‘Make Belief Comix’ in the past.  The major difference upfront is that ToonDoo is in color.


9.  Transfer Big Files – Transfer files up to 1 GB.  This would have been especially helpful when I was having trouble with students sending me their homework assignments last semester.  Another similar website is You Send It.  


10.  Motivational Posters – This actually could be turned into a great class project if the students created a mathematics-related image themselves, along with a descriptor to put along the bottom.  Another similar website is The Parody Motivational Generator.

By Jon Oaks

College Math Instructor. Tech Enthusiast. Visionary. Creative Genius. But above all, I enjoy what I do. That is why I am a teacher. Because I like to teach.

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