Chris Ryan in our office brought this site to my attention. Thanks Chris.
The internet is full of data. Maybe it’s in the form of a report, a spreadsheet, an online database, … this just keeps going. In-house, we use dabbledb to help capture, organize and report data. It rocks and if you’re looking for a easy to use database, you know get rid of the 20 or so copies of that one updated spreadsheet, then I suggest giving dabbledb a chance. The one component of Dabbledb I wish was a little slicker is the visualization of the data.
In comes, Many Eyes with a very cool interface for visualizing large and small amounts of data. Check out my quick visualization above, Many Eyes is a part of IBM’s alpha works. A ton of data has already been uploaded by users. Data you can pick through and create you’re own visualization with or, like I did, upload your own data set. The data set I uploaded comes from The National Center for Education Statistics.
I’d love to hear what you think about the site as well as see some visualizations you create.
A huge thank you to all that participated in the webinar this afternoon. Great group with great questions and I look forward to working with them as Discovery Educator Network STAR members, as they are all logging on now and registering. (here’s the link in-case you’ve misplaced it) I have to give a shout out to Frank Miracola with the Macomb ISD and my teammate Matt Monjan, without their work today’s webinar would not have been possible. Matt’s work on the streaming A-Z blog is jam packed full of DE streaming tips and tricks, including information from today’s “The Rise of The Video Game” webinar. The “Earth Day” assignment can be found here, on the Digital Passport’s blog. This blog is all about web2.0; specifically web2.0 apps we find useful for educators. The assignment incorporates VoiceThread, the site we discussed during the webinar and incorporated into the Writing Prompt. Below you will find links to the powerpoint, the entire archived webinar from today and a quick, 5 minute overview of voicethread. I’ve also placed links for some powerpoint sharing websites other than slideshare.
Building a Bigger Builder
PowerPoint Presentation
Archived Entire Webinar
Macomb ISD Advanced DE streaming Webinar 04/09/2008
5 Minute VoiceThread Overview
Quick video overview using Jing on Voicethread.com
Slideshare.net alternatives
Remember if you have any questions please contact me and if you’re in the Macomb area, look for more information from Frank Miracola for a professional development opportunity in August.
The World is Just Awesome!!
Lets not trash it, heat it up or waste it. Look around you. Look around class, the school, the community and your own home. How can you make a difference? Get a little info by watching, reading and listening to others. The share your thoughts. The only wrong answer is no answer.
I created an assignment in Discovery Education streaming for Earth Day. I also incorporated the use of a great site, voicethread.com. If you haven’t heard of it check out the assignment below by clicking on the link.
Teacher Printable Version: Earth Day streaming and voicethread assignment
Student Link to Discovery Education streaming Student Center.
Direct VoiceThread link.
Teacher Notes
Extension Hands-on: Trash sorting Lab
Never heard of it? It’s simple. Collect trash for a few days. (Important: No animal by-products! Don’t want to send anyone to the emergency room. Plant material perfectly ok, but put that left over pot roast in Fido’s bowl or simply another trash bag) Bring trash bag into school and have students sort it. You can give them sorting categories or even better have them come up with their own. Also throw in come process skills here, how do you measure how much? Let them figure it out.
Main Point: A lot trash, well just isn’t. How much(grams, volume, other) needs to go to the landfill?
Extension Media:
Got DE Streaming Plus? Have them watch a Planet Earth segment. The world rocks. Any will do, but “The Future” one is on topic. Don’t have DE Streaming PLUS.
Psst!! You can become a STAR Discovery Educator and get it for free through the end of this school year. No really, just another benefit of being a STAR. Find out how here.
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