California DEN

We all have our favorite websites for learning.  I’m talking about sites that provide useful tools, frequently Web 2.0 style.  These are mostly things that we couldn’t even have imagined in a desktop environment a few years ago, let alone on the web.  With thousands of great sites out there, and more coming every day,  it’s tough to narrow down what works for you.

Larry Ferlazzo (not a DEN member :(  but an Edublog award winner nonetheless) has done his version of list creation that seems to have gained some attention.  Here is a link to his :

The Best Web 2.0 Applications For Education — 2007

Check out some of the other links on the bottom of his page for other great ideas too.

Last week I decided to do my periodic check of Google’s latest products. I usually just go here and scan the list to see if there is anything I haven’t yet used. One tool that has been around for a little while is Google Notebook. I’ve heard about educators and students using it, but had never used it myself. So of course I surfed on over to check it out.

When the interface came up I noticed that there were many notes that were already filled in with my information! It turns out that I have actually been using Google Notebook for a long time, but within the context of my iGoogle page! So I guess I was thinking ahead in terms of using the latest tools.  However, I was a bit behind in that I was rather oblivious to the fact that I was actually using them.

My point is that some of the widgets that are available in aggregators and feedreaders are incredible tools. Some are unique to the aggregator, while some are adaptations of other tools that have  been “widgetized.”  With several thousand widgets out there, all with various levels of compatibility for individual aggregators, what are some of your favorite widgets or custom feeds?

Here are some of my most checked custom widgets or feeds:

I love having the ability to check the weather in several parts of the country on one page.  I also love to  use Twitter on my Netvibes, create Craiglist searches and communicate with my Meebo page.

What are your favorites?

“The last few decades have belonged to a certain kind of person with a certain kind of mind – computer programmers who could crank code, lawyers who could craft contracts, MBAs who could crunch numbers. But the keys to the kingdom are changing hands. The future belongs to a very different kind of person with a very different kind of mind – creators and empathizers, pattern recognizers and meaning makers. These people – artists, inventors, designers, storytellers, caregivers, consolers, big picture thinkers – will now reap society’s richest rewards and share its greatest joys.”

~Daniel Pink

Daniel Pink, bestselling author of A WHOLE NEW MIND, will describe how three powerful economic forces are putting a premium on right-brain abilities in the workforce. He’ll describe the six artistic, empathic abilities that now matter most — and discuss how educators are beginning to surface and sharpen those abilities in students.

Daniel is a contributing editor at Wired, where he has written about topics ranging from grassroots solar power to the rise of Wikipedia to the economics of creativity. His articles on business, technology, and economic transformation have also appeared in The New York Times, Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, and other publications.

A popular speaker, Dan lectures to corporations, associations, and universities around the world. He’s provided analysis on dozens of television and radio broadcasts -including CNBC’s “Power Lunch,” ABC’s “World News Tonight,” NPR’s “Morning Edition,” and American Public Media’s “Marketplace.” And as an independent business consultant, he’s advised start-up ventures and Fortune 100 companies on recruiting, business trends, and work practices.

RSVP at http://tinyurl.com/2y6f9c

I’m sure you’ve heard, but we are lucky to once again be hosting a fantastic training event. It’s the “Day of Discovery” hosted by KLCS in downtown LA on Saturday Dec. 8. All the great Discovery celebs will be there, including Hall Davidson, Steve Dembo and . . .you!

There’s already been a big response so make sure you RSVP soon - check out the flyer below for details. This is a great chance for DEN educators to get involved in training, networking, and sharing of ideas.

KLCS Flyer