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What's
New
The following
announcements
are compiled from press releases that come into the ISTE
editorial
office. The products and resources are not reviewed by
the L&L
staff and are offered here without recommendation. Send
press
releases and suggestions for entries to products@iste.org
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Software
PhotoImpact XL is an image editing application for
Windows that,
according to the company, lets users enhance digital photos,
create
graphics, and produce Web pages. It includes Photo Explore 8
to organize
and manage images. It provides graphic design options such as
painting,
drawing, and cloning tools; particle, texture, and lighting
effects;
and tools to create 2D/3D vector graphics. It has Web tools
for creating
Web graphics as well as interactive JavaScript effects, Web
slide shows,
animation (GIF Animator 5), and 360º panoramas (COOL
360), and
it outputs Web pages. The enhanced version includes more than
4,500
royalty-free images and textures, filters, and a video
tutorial. The
cost is $89.95.
Ulead Systems, Inc.
1.800.85.ULEAD
http://www.ulead.com
IntelliTools Classroom Suite includes IntelliPics
Studio, IntelliMathics,
and IntelliTalk. The Suite merges the multimedia presentation
tool,
virtual math manipulatives tool, and the talking word
processor into
a network-ready, Mac OS X compatible program. According to
IntelliTools,
the program offers teachers the choice of using predesigned
standards-aligned
activities or authoring their own. The single unit price is
$299.95.
The upgrade is $89.95. A lab pack is $1,275. Site licenses and
network
packages are also available.
IntelliTools, Inc.
1.800.899.6687
http://www.intellitools.com
Voyages Through Time is a year-long, standards-based,
9th and
10th grade curriculum that leads students through a wide
variety of
scientific investigations. The laboratory and computer-based
research
activities are complemented by scientific reference databases,
image
libraries, and videos. The program is composed of six modules,
beginning
at Cosmic Evolution and moving all the way through Evolution
of Technology.
The modules can be purchased as a set or individually. Each
5-6 week
module includes teacher and student CD-ROMs and printed
student readers.
Individual modules cost $199; the set is $999.
Learning in Motion, Inc.
1.800.560.5670
http://www.voyagesthroughtime.org
The AutoSkill Advantage Program is designed to
interface with
the company's Academy of Reading and Academy of Math programs,
to help
principals and district administrators track student progress
in basic
skills. The Advantage program provides reports and analyses
about achieved
gains at the school, class, and individual levels; suggested
areas for
improvement; and details about the program's usage in
classrooms. The
reports are for sharing with teachers, parents, and government
agencies.
Pricing depends on configuration.
AutoSkill International, Inc.
1.800.288.6754
http://www.autoskill.com
xSphere Student, from TENEX Systems, is a school
administration
software based in a Web browser environment. According to the
company,
with the system, teachers and administrators can track various
student
information including demographics, attendance, schedules,
discipline,
and bus information. The software also interfaces with an
online grade
book and other tools. For a price quote, contact TENEX.
TENEX Systems, Inc.
1.800.295.3975
http://www.tenexsys.com
According to the developer, Ace-Reader Pro 3.0 helps
learners
read faster, on and off the computer. The new version includes
various
display modes such as highlighted text that moves at preset
speeds,
display text, and a mode designed to reinforce proper eye
movement.
The product also has new games, game features, and new tests.
The deluxe
version includes a readability statistics tool. AceReader Pro
costs
$49.95. AceReader Pro Deluxe is $79.95. A 10% educational
discount is
available.
Step Ware, Inc.
1.800.ACE.READ (223.7323)
http://www.stepware.com
Hardware
Toshiba announced its A15-S129 and
A25-S279
notebook PCs priced for students and families. The A15-S129 is
equipped
with a DVD-ROM/CD-RW drive, 15.0" diagonal XGA display,
and 40GB
hard disk. Upgrades to wireless connectivity are available.
The A25-S279
comes with wireless connectivity, a DVD-ROM/CD-RW drive, 512
MB of memory,
and 60 GB hard disk. Pricing starts at $1,049.
Toshiba
1.800.316.0920
http://www.toshiba.com
PLUS Vision M-Series copyboards allow text and
drawings to be
copied directly from the board's surface to a memory card,
eliminating
the need to connect to a PC. The memory card saves the images
on the
whiteboard-like surface into a PNG format, which is readable
by PCs
or Macs. Users can either save their work onto the memory card
or print
it directly from the board onto plain paper (in four colors),
using
any compatible printer. The M-Series copyboards come in a
standard size
and a wide size. Pricing depends on configuration.
PLUS Vision Corp.
1.800.211.9001
http://www.plus-america.com
SMART Technologies has introduced overlays for flat-panel
displays
that make them touch-sensitive. With the PN340 and the PC340,
you can
turn plasma displays and LCD panels into touch-controlled
surfaces.
According to the company, the SMART Board for Flat-Panel
Displays
supports all point-and-click programs on Mac and PC. The
system also
has annotation capabilities, so that users can write notes
over the
top of an application in electronic ink and edit, save, and
print those
notes for future reference. The list price is $3,299.
Educational institutions
may qualify for a grant worth 30% of the list price through
the SMARTer
Kids Foundation; see Web site.
SMART Technologies
1.800.42.SMART
http://www.smarttech.com/overlay
Books
GIS in the Classroom:
Using Geographic
Information Systems in Social Studies and Environmental
Science:
Marsha Alibrandi examines teaching social studies and
environmental
education using geographic information systems (GIS). A
computer application
for urban planning, weather reporting, and geological and
demographic
studies, GIS has been increasingly employed by teachers to
help students
improve their geographical and critical thinking skills.
Alibrandi presents
an overview of this technology and examples of how it can
transform
your classroom. The companion interactive CD-ROM provides the
GIS software,
plus sample projects and activities for GIS integration,
developed by
the author and Shannon White, that are closely tied to the
text. The
cost is $20, or $18 if ordered directly from the publisher's
Web site.
Heinemann
1.800.225.5800
http://www.Heinemann.com
Making Math Success Happen-The Best of Learning &
Leading
with Technology on Mathematics: Editors Ivan Baugh and
Anne Raymond
have selected and put together 37 articles from L&L
on mathematics
along with their thoughts on integrating theory into practice
and specific
suggestions for how to integrate technology into math
curricula. The
cost is $34.15 for ISTE members or $37.95 for non-ISTE
members.
ISTE
1.800.336.5191
http://www.iste.org/bookstore/
Never Mind the Laptops-Kids, Computers, and the
Transformation of
Learning: Bob Johnstone, in addition to tracing the
history of the
educational use of computers around the world from the 1960s
to the
present, also records and analyzes the experience of educators
and students
at the all-laptop school, Methodist Ladies' College in
Melbourne, Australia.
Their first laptop course began in February 1990. The cost is
$23.95.
iUniverse, Inc.
1.877.823.9235
The Computer Lab Teacher's Survival Guide-K-6 Units for
the Whole
Year: Holly Poteete has written a year-long curriculum for
teaching
technology using a project-based approach. The units are
computer basics,
keyboarding, technology ethics, real-world solutions, Internet
research
and creativity, telecommunications, multimedia presentations,
graphs,
and inside a computer. The book is $31.45 for ISTE members or
$34.95
for non-ISTE members.
ISTE
1.800.336.5191
http://www.iste.org/bookstore/
Resources
The International Education and Resource Network (iEARN)'s
BRIDGE
(Building Respect through Internet Dialogue and Global
Education) Program
focuses on building links between students and teachers in the
United
States and countries with sizeable Muslim populations to build
cultural
understanding in an educational context. iEARN is expanding
the BRIDGE
program for an additional year through a grant from the U.S.
Department
of State Bureau for Cultural Affairs and through matching
funds from
iEARN partners. With the continuing funding, iEARN will
increase the
number of participating countries and expand the range of
programs offered
within each.
iEARN
http://www.thebridgeproject.org
The Federal Resources for Educational Excellence (FREE)
Web Site
has been updated to help users do more precise and faster
searches.
In addition, FREE added new resources (one of which includes
an animated
illustration of a raindrop traveling through the water cycle).
Examples
include Exploring Earth: Visualizations-100 animations and
images from
the National Science Foundation illuminate key concepts in
earth science-and
Reading Rockets: Launching Young Readers-parent tips, video
clips, and
transcripts from experts from the U.S. Department of
Education, including
motivational e-cards that teachers and family members can send
to children.
FREE
http://www.ed.gov/free
The Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST)'s Online Teacher Toolkit:
Digital Content in the Classroom is a free tool kit to help teachers find
and use digital content for their classrooms. Developed using a grant from Verizon
Foundation, it provides information about software tools and model lesson to
reach and teach diverse learners. Learn how to find digital text, images, sound,
and video for curricular needs or to create digital learning materials using
downloadable content and commercially available software.
Each month, the staff at The Instructional Technology
Resource Center
(ITRC) at the University of Central Florida takes a look
at one
of the National Educational Technology Standards for Teachers
(NETS)
at http://cnets.iste.org/teachers/t_stands.html
and identifies resources for helping teachers meet those
standards.
The resources are included in their monthly e-mail newsletter,
NEON,
along with other useful news for educators.
NEON
http://www.itrc.ucf.edu/neon/
Weatherclassroom.com, from The Weather Channel, is a
collection
of weather-related resources and information. There are
individual sections
for students, teachers, and parents and reference sections,
including
a glossary of weather terms. Students can also make their own
interactive
weather forecast with a flash activity.
The Weather Channel
http://www.weatherclassroom.com
Developed by experts and researchers in space-based design,
habitat
design, and Web development, the Explore Mars Now Web
site allows
users to "walk" around the Mars Habitat to be used
by a team
of six astronauts. Users can explore the exterior, the
airlocks, galley,
bunks, and everything else. Throughout the tour, there are
rollover
descriptions of what things are and how they work. The site
also includes
scientific data about Mars and specific information about the
mission
to Mars.
Explore Mars Now
http://exploremarsnow.org
The International Center for Leadership in Education's (ICLE)
Curriculum
Matrix is completed for all 50 of the United States. The
matrix
correlates each state's standards in English language arts,
mathematics,
and science with state assessments required by NCLB and the
results
of the Survey of Essential Skills, in which 18,000 educators
and community
members identified the most essential curricular content for
high school
graduates. The matrix indicates which state standards,
benchmarks, performance
indicators, and topics should be high priorities, based on
whether and
how frequently they are tested and how highly they are rated
in the
essential skill survey. According to ICLE, educators can use
the tool
to make informed decisions about whether to place more or less
emphasis
on a particular standard. Several resource kits are available
to help
schools to access and use the matrix data. Kits including the
state-specific
matrix are $295 each, with a quantity discount available.
International Center for Leadership in Education
1.518.399.2776
http://www.LeaderEd.com
International Schools CyberFair is an authentic
learning program
where youth conduct research and publish their findings on the
Web.
Recognition is given to the best projects in each of eight
categories:
local leaders, businesses, community organizations, historical
landmarks,
environment, music, art, and local specialties. Students
evaluate each
other's projects using an online evaluation tool. On the Web
site, you
can view past winners and take a virtual journey around the
globe to
learn about people, programs, and their communities.
International Schools CyberFair
http://www.globalschoolhouse.org/cf/
The National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) and Court
TV's Forensics
in the Classroom is a free, standards-based forensic
science curriculum
for middle and high school students. Students use biology,
chemistry,
and physics to solve mysteries such as The Celebration and The
Car that
Swims. There are two new units; one for high school students
called
Cafeteria Caper, where students try to identify culprits using
DNA analysis,
and one for middle school students called It's Magic, where
students
help find a missing dog through hair analysis and other
techniques.
The curriculum units are free to educators.
Forensics in the Classroom
http://www.courttv.com/forensics_curriculum
SEIR*TEC has developed two new WebQuests for students
to learn
more about hurricanes using the Internet as an educational
research
tool. Mother Nature's Fury is aimed at students in Grades 3-5,
and Hurricane
Warning is meant for students in Grades 6-8. In addition to
these WebQuests,
there are many more about various topics related to the
southern United
States. The WebQuests are on the GRITS (Great Resources for
Integrating
Technology in Schools) Web site.
GRITS
http://www.gritsonline.org/trails.htm
The Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) has
created a pamphlet
titled, Accessible Information Technology Resources. The
publication
includes numerous links to Web resources to help educators
assist students
with disabilities to use the Internet. Topics covered include
how to
evaluate your site for accessibility, what the IT
accessibility laws
are, and how to comply with 508 requirements. The pamphlet is
available
free as a PDF from SREB's Web site.
SREB
http://www.sreb.org/programs/EdTech/pubs/PDF/AccessibleInformationTechnologyResources.asp
Copyright © 2004, ISTE (International Society for Technology
in Education).
All rights reserved.
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