Google Docs

• What is Google Docs?

Google Docs is a free, Web-based word processor, spreadsheet, and presentation application offered by Google. It allows users to create and edit documents online while collaborating in real-time with other users. Google Docs combines the features of two services, Writely and Spreadsheets, which were merged into a single product on October 10, 2006. A third product for presentations, including technology designed by Tonic Systems, was released on September 17, 2007.

sources:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Docs

• What is Google Docs' features?

1. Create documents, spreadsheets and presentations online
2. Share and collaborate in real time
3. Safely store and organize your work
4. Control who can see your documents

sources:http://www.google.com/google-d-s/tour1.html

• Google Docs

• Using Google Docs for Virtual Collaboration

Mind-mapping

• What is mind-mapping?

A mind map is a diagram used to represent words, ideas, tasks or other items linked to and arranged radially around a central key word or idea. It is used to generate, visualize, structure and classify ideas, and as an aid in study, organization, problem solving, decision making, and writing.

sources:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mind_map

• How to do a Mind Map?

Mind mapping (or concept mapping) involves writing down a central idea and thinking up new and related ideas which radiate out from the centre. By focussing on key ideas written down in your own words, and then looking for branches out and connections between the ideas, you are mapping knowledge in a manner which will help you understand and remember new information.

1. Look for relationships


2. Draw quickly on unlined paper without pausing, judging or editing


3. Write down key ideas


4. Put main idea in the centre


5. Leave lots of space

sources:http://www.jcu.edu.au/studying/services/studyskills/mindmap/howto.html

• How Mindmaps can help you learn a language

Issues with Technology in the Classroom

Technology in language teaching is not new. Indeed, technology has been around in language teaching for decades. In my opinion, I agree with using technology in classroom. The reasons are that younger learners are growing up with technology, and it is a natural and integrated part of their lives. Besides, technology, especially the Internet, presents us with new opportunities for authentic tasks and materials. Therefore, the use of technology in the classroom is becoming increasingly important.Some advantages of technology in language teaching are also presented.
Technology offers new ways for practicing language and assessing performance, for example,Online Assessment,teachers can create their own tests online through their own website. Besides, using a range of ICT tools can give learners exposure to and practice in all of the four main language skills. Although, technology provide many resources, it all ties down to the teacher's ability to create interesting and motivating activities not only for those working at the computeres but also for those working at their desks.

• Technology Tips for Classroom Teachers

• Tools for the TEKS: Integrating Technology in the Classroom

Hayley Westenra & Andrea Bocelli - Vivo Per Lei

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0l5Hw3-4wqM&feature=related

Celtic Woman - Someday

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNWgTmkbgtw

Someday, when we are wiser

When the world's older

When we have learned

I pray someday we may yet

Live to live and let live

Someday, life will be fairer

Need will be rarer

And greed will not pay

Godspeed, this bright millenia

On it's way, let it come someday

Someday our fight will be won, and

We'll stand in the sun, in

That bright afternoon

'Til then, on days when the sun

Is gone, we'll hang on

If we wish upon the moon

There are some days, dark and bitter

Seems we haven't got a prayer

But a prayer for something better

Is the one thing we all share

Someday, when we are wiser

When the whole world is older

When we have love

And I pray someday we may yet

Live to live and one day, someday

Someday life will be faire

Need will be rarer

And greed will not pay

Godspeed this bright millenia

Let it come

If we wish upon the moon

One day, someday....soon

Learning Languages

This website is made for people who love languages. It is totally independent and is based on my personal experiences with languages and on the site's discussion forum. Information about all languages. Advice on selecting a language to learn. Suggestions on how to best learn a language, and information about Mezzofanti who spoke over 40 languages fluently.

website:http://how-to-learn-any-language.com/e/index.html

Time for Kids

This website is from the well known TIME magazine but is made especially for children. This website includes current event articles, grade appropriate activities, games, trivia, etc.

website:http://www.timeforkids.com/TFK/

BookPALS Storyline Online

A website with stories read aloud by adults. Each story has activities and follow-up resources for the student. Students can follow along as authors read their favorite stories outloud. Using this interactive site to supplement an activity where students will read aloud to classmates would be a wonderful way to encourage oral langauge.

website:http://www.storylineonline.net/

Web1.0-Web2.0-Web3.0

• What is Web1.0,Web2.o and Web3.0?

1. Web1.0: The information published on the web in a static manner. It is like your word document on the web with pictures and formatting done neatly. Hyper-linking the web-pages and bookmarking were two of the most important aspect of Web1.0 world. . Even today more than 70% users are only familiar with Web1.0.


2. Web2.0: This term was coined by Tim O’Reilly The information published in web2.0 world is very different from web1.0. There is a very high importance given on usability and sharing. The information published in Web2.0 world travels like wild fire, either partially or in full. Web2.0 world has less clutter coupled with easy retrieval of precise information and furthermore building upon that information and sharing it further. Widgets and Tagging are two important features of Web2.0. For a comprehensive information on web2.0, click here


3. Web3.0: To be honest, there are varied perceptions of what Web3.0 is. It is purely a word coined as the next version of Web2.0. One basic thing that everyone accept is Web3.0 will be a maze / network of application working together homogeneously. The users can do anything and everything they want from a single source on the web. There is yet a lot of time for Web3.0 world to arrive.

sources:http://trak.in/tags/business/2007/08/13/what-is-web10-web20-and-web-30-simple-explanation-for-non-techies/

• Web2.0 Meme map

• Google’s Eric Schmidt on his comparison of Web2.0 and Web3.0.
  
  

• Good websites for web2.0

Video:

1. YouTube: YouTube is a popular free video sharing Web site which lets users upload, view, and share video clips.


2. Meta Cafe: Metacafe - Get the best internet videos - Funny videos, Amazing clips, Rare movies


3. Vimeo: Share your video clips. Upload video that you shoot with your digital camera, mobile phone, or camcorder. Share video by linking to Vimeo.


4. Daily Motion Publish, tag, organize and share your video clips.


5. Imeem: imeem is a social media service where users interact with each other by watching, posting, and sharing content of all media types, including blogs, photos, audio, and video. In one sense, imeem is a media-centric social network service, and in another sense, it is also a user participation service for online content.


6. ClipShack: ClipShack is a community for videophiles; a destination where people can post their video for general public viewing and comment, share clips with friends and family, post video to blogs, share…


7. vSocial: The fastest, easiest way to upload, watch and share your favorite video clips.


8. Jumpcut: The best place to create, remix and share movies and slideshows online. There’s nothing else like it. Jumpcut Makes Movies, Simple.


9. Video Bomb: Video Bomb filters up the hottest videos on the internet: people submit links to the ‘Incoming!’ page and you bomb the best ones. If a video gets a lot of bombs quickly, it makes it to the front…


10. eyeSpot: Shoot, Mix, and Share your Video. Use the eyespot Mixer to edit and combine your videos, music and photos online! Share your video and mixes with the world for Free
    revver : Upload, share videos


11. Avidbeauty: Avid Beauty is an entertainment community for iPod users. We offer iPod downloads which are available in playlists known as Podcasts. We also offer Flickr photo, YouTube video and LiveJournal integration into your member profile.

Music:

1. last.fm: Generate custom streaming music stations with Last.fm by searching for and tagging your favorite artists. Build your own library and search the libraries of others to find who likes the same music as you


2. Musicovery: Discover new music based on your mood, this free webradio let you browse music styles and epochs


3. read.io :Read.io converts RSS feeds into podcasts via TextToSpeech. Many languages supported.


4. MusicStrands: Search MusicStrands to discover new music. Listen to samples, then tag good tracks and exile the ones you don’t like to get clear recommendations, either on site or with an optional iTunes plugin. Then purchase music from a variety of vendors.


5. PODZINGER: PODZINGER - the world’s premiere audio and video search engine


6. Upto11: Using tags and rankings, Upto11 suggests new music for you. Create and share your recommendations, tags, and playlists via a personal user page.


7. Pandora: Pandora is the music discovery service that helps you find new music based on your old and current favorites.

Images:

1. Flickr: The best way to stor, search, sort and share your photos


2. Zooomr:Universally the best way to share, search, store and sort your photos online.


3. 23HQ:Are your photos stuck on your hard drive, instead of being shared with the people who matter to you?


4. Mybloop: MyBloop - sharing pictures, audio, and video for free, whithout storage limits and additional software to install

Blog:

1. Blogger: your easy-to-use web site, where you can quickly post thoughts, interact with people, and more


2. Weblogs, Inc: Creating trade weblogs across niche industries in which user participation is an essential component of the resulting product.


3. BlogCode: BlogCode.com is a fast, easy and intuitive source of blog recommendations based on the StoryCode.com model. It allows you to start with your favourite weblog (or perhaps even your own) and find…


4. blo.gs: lets you keep an eye on your favorite weblogs via the web and email. you can even put the list on your site: a blogroll that knows what is new!


5. BlogLines: a FREE online service for searching, subscribing, creating and sharing news feeds, blogs and rich web content.

Game:

1. Trendio: Trendio.com is an online prediction market. Users, instead of buying stock in companies with real money, buy stock in certain news subjects with fake money. Words available include those from the world of politics, sport, and entertainment. The more the word appears in the news, the higher the value of the stock. Currently, the site uses about 3,000 online internet sources to gauge the value of each word.


2. GameSnips: online games list, digg style. voting for each game, sort lists by latest or by votes


3. Pictaps: Roxik Pictaps - Draw a Character and Watch It Dance in 3D


4. Broadcast Game: The objective of the Broadcast game is to connect all of the terminals and cables on the grid to the central hub by fixing their orientations. All you need to do is click and rotate the cables, the terminals, or the hub.


5. Pikipimp.com : Ever wanted to add bling to your iomages? Pikpimp is a relly cool ajax application that allows you to drop and drag objects on your image. Save the image and add to your site!


6. Mainada: How aobut Comic Sketch (thanks Tiago)

Mail:

1. Gmail: Gmail is an experiment in a new kind of webmail, built on the idea that you should never have to delete mail and you should always be able to find the message you want.


2. 30 Gigs: 30Gigs.com is invite-only web-based email that offers, you guessed it, 30 gigabytes of space.


3. Zookoda: is an email marketing application designed specifically for bloggers. Zookoda enables you to send a daily, weekly or monthly summary of your latest blog posts directly into your visitors inbox.


4. Sprout: osted email management for your sales and support email. No IT department required. Mailroom can organize your email and suggest replies to save you time and keep you better in touch with your customers. There is nothing to setup and it takes only a minute to get started


5. Gawab: Offers a web mail service with a number of features. Supports POP/SMTP.

News:

1. NewsGator: Read all of your favorite news, websites and blogs all in one place.


2. newsvine.com: Keep track of breaking news with Newsvine: read "The Wire" for a direct stream of articles from the AP and ESPN, and read "The Vine" for Newsvine user submitted content and columns. Interact with other Newsvine readers by voting for and commenting on news, and write/maintain your own Newsvine column.


3. Gabbr :Gabbr is a community-based social news and blogging network which allows users to save and share their favorite top news headlines and blog posts.


4. wired: News site and magazine, covering technology, culture, business and politics.


5. Clipmarks: Bite-size hiligh-lights on the web

Voki

• What is Voki?

Voki enables users to express themselves on the web in their own voice using a talking character. You can customize your Voki to look like you or take on the identity of lots of other types of characters… animals, monsters, anime etc. Your Voki can speak with your own voice which is added via microphone, upload, or phone.
Voki lives on your blog, social network profile and will soon be integrated in various instant messaging platforms. You will also be able to download it to most video supported phones.

websites:http://www.voki.com/

• How to use Voki

http://blog.pixnet.net/prb999/post/4714502

Super Simple Songs

websites:http://www.supersimplesongs.com/

It's also great for children to learn English by songs. It includes more new songs and old favorites made simple for young learners. Teachers can use it to teach. Its features that easy-to-teach, easy-to-learn, music and movement-based songs perfect for at home, in the car, or in the classroom .Besides, thear are worksheets, flashcards and so on.

• Free Songs for Kids :http://www.supersimplesongs.com/freekidsongs.html


• Free Worksheets :http://www.supersimplesongs.com/freeworksheets.html


• Free Flashcards :http://www.supersimplesongs.com/freeflashcards.html


• SuperSimpleSongs's Channel :http://hk.youtube.com/SuperSimpleSongs

Alphabet Soup

Alphabet Soup is a site for the young and the adults!!! It contains thematic units, holiday units, games and activities for kids; teacher and parent resources; and crafts, humor and recipes for all! Includes plenty of free printables!

websites:http://www.alphabet-soup.net/