bubbl.us

My tool for this post is another very user friendly free web based tool. It is called Bubbl.us. You can find it at http://www.bubbl.us/ . Bubbl.us is a simple and free web application designed to allow you to create colorful mind maps /concept maps online. The maps can be embedded into your blog or website or can be emailed to your friends/coworkers or students. The maps can also be printed from the site.

For classroom application - you can give read only access so the maps can be viewed but not edited or Full Edit access which allows users to make changes and rename sheets.

Twitter

Twitter - www.twitter.com

OK - if someone asks you if you Twitter - do not be wary - they are asking if you participate in a popular social network. I almost did not choose Twitter for this post because I find it very difficult to describe. But Twitter is a favorite Web 2.0 tool for my own professional development. I have been Twittering for about 3 months and have learned so much from my friends and followers. So what is Twitter? According to Wikipedia: Twitter is a free social networking and micro-blogging service that allows users to send "updates" (text-based posts, up to 140 characters long) to the Twitter website, via short message service, instant messaging, email, or an application such as Twitterrific or Snitter .

I follow 36 different individuals from around the world and have 20 individuals who follow me. However, some of the people I follow are the guru's of educational technology (Tony Vincent, Bernie Dodge, David Jakes, David Warlick, John Peterson - to name a few). Since CTG, I have also been fortunate to add a new group of Twitter friends that have an interest in assistive technology (Paul Hamilton from SETT BC, Brian Wojcik AT consultant from IL, Karen Janowski OT /AT from Boston, Maddie Pugliese from STAGES fame to name a few).

Think of Twitter as a really small blog (140 characters or less). How does it provide Prof Dev? Twitter asks you to answer a question - What are you doing? I might post - working on a presentation on Internet Accessibility. Within seconds I will receive suggestions from my followers who are online. Or I will read others posts - like David Warlick posting that a URL of a keynote he will be giving in Chine in a few hours. I get to see his keynotes before the folks who will see him in person. Here is a video describing it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkd-Kft1xy8 . Someone else might post a great resource that they just found on the web.

Here is a post that was just sent: ok time to get professional :) Looking for samples of STUDENT created enhanced math podcasts...anyone? Friday Paul Hamilton from SETT BC was posting about his success with a particular piece of assistive technology. I know a few folks at the other CESA's who are also Twittering - so if you are interested - go to Twitter and create an account. I will watch for you

My Twitter name is : Pswalser Feel free to follow me!

Resources

While recently presenting a breakout session at the Closing the Gap conference I was asked why I did not have a blog or wiki to share the Internet resources that I have been collecting. So here we go....

My primary focus of this blog will be to discuss free web based resources for all. While focusing on special education students for the past 20 some years I have come to realize that the tools that work for our students with special needs are some of the same tools that work for all learners. Go figure - why did it take me 20 years?

The first web tool I will share is http://www.crickweb.co.uk/ . This site includes over 142 interactive educational resources for elementary grades. Activities are sorted by Key stages

Early Years/Foundation Stage for 4 to 5 year olds.
Key Stage 1 for 6 to 7 year olds.
Key Stage 2 for 8 to 11 year olds. v

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