Need a Little Nudge?

The word "nudge" is such a sweet verb meaning: "to push against gently, especially in order to gain attention or give a signal." While from time to time we all could use a little nudge in our lives, how about with your email?  Absolutely.

Think about how many times you have received an important email that you know needed to stay in the forefront of your mind.  Up until now, our only way to keep it from getting lost in some email folder (or even worse, deleted) was to have it clutter up our in-box. So, what if there was a way for you to receive that same email at a time/date that better suites your needs?  There is way to do this and it's called NudgeMail.

Here is how NudgeMail works.  You receive an email. You then forward that email to Nudgemail and setup the time/date you want to receive the email. Pretty slick huh?  Wouldn't this be great just for airline reservations?  I know that whenever I am flying anywhere, a day before I am supposed to leave (usually at the time I am needing to "Check-in" online, I am scrambling around trying to find my airline ticket confirmation.

Another thing NudgeMail can be used for is sending yourself a reminder and then having it delivered back to you on the day/time you specify.

To use NudgeMail you do not have to register, sign-up, or download any special software. The program works with most computer devices - Windows, Mac, Blackberry, Android, iPhone, iPad, etc. Currently the service does not support email attachments, so you should avoid sending nudgemails with any attachments (documents, graphics, audios, etc.). 

And yes... it's absolutely free.  It should be noted that NudgeMail is currently in BETA.  When it's ready to rollout out, there will be premium subscription for additional features.  However, the developers pledge that they will always offer a free service as well.

Homeschool Tech Mom
NudgeMail Demo

You Could Learn Alot From a Cat

If I told you that Garfield and friends make good teachers, you would probably think I was crazy.  However, you kids really could learn alot from a cartoon cat.  I recently came across an educational website by the makers of Garfield and found that it had a lot to offer. 

Professor Garfield is a learning portal chock-full of fun and interactive educational resources geared for elementary students. The website is a collaboration between Paws, Inc. (world headquarters of Garfield the Cat) and Ball State University. 

Jim Davis, the creator of Garfield, is the brain-child behind Professor Garfield.  The vision for the learning portal came to him over the years, as he received tons of mail from parents telling him how the Garfield cartoons helped their child to read.  Recognizing that cartoons could serve as educational tools, the idea for Professor Garfield was hatched. 

Professor Garfield is primarily targeted for kids between the ages of 5-12. However, even I had fun checking out all the goodies the website has to offer.  My favorite area was the Music Bot, which provides some really fun songs for learning.  I just loved Red Grammer's "Music of the World" song.  I think it has to be one the catchiest geography songs I've ever heard.

Here is just some of the educational content that Professor Garfield has to offer:

• Music Bot - Kids have fun with music
• Art Bot - Learn to draw cartoons the Garfield way
• Brain Busters - Word games to challenge  your brain
• Toon Book Reader - Cartoon books read outloud (in 5 different languages)
• Comics Lab - Create your own comic strips
• Transport to Reading - Fun with sounds and letters
• The Reading Ring - Reading comprehension games
• G-Cubed - Multi-player trivia game

You can really tell that Jim Davis cares about kids, because of the add-on link to the related website of Learning Lab, which provides educational cartoon videos.  On that site are two animated videos that I think every homeschooling family with younger kids (grades K-8) should watch.  These videos, which are starring Garfield and friends, cover the basics of internet safety.

Professor Garfield on Online Safety
Garfield and Friends share information about Online Safety - Who is the mysterious message-board poster trying to get his paws on Nermal’s special comic book?

Professor Garfield on Cyberbullying
Garfield and Friends share information about Cyberbullying - Who is anonymously posting bad reviews about “Animal Idol” contestant Nermal?

I think that Professor Garfield is a really good resource for homeschooling families with younger children.  Since the price is right - FREE - it is well worth a good look.  Professor Garfield is the 2010 winner of the AASL (American Association of School Librarians) as a "Landmark Website - For Teaching and Learning".

Shmoop - Digital Curriculum

When I first heard about an educational resource called Shmoop, I just had to check it out.  Afterall, with a name like that... you've got to be curious.  What I found with Shmoop was a really cool website that provides middle/high school students with a modern look at history and literature.

Shmoop is a homeschool parent's dream.  It presents literary works, historic information, and other educational resources in a way that is very engaging.  The digital curriculum gives hungry minds information that is both educational and entertaining.  At Shmoop, the developers believe that learning doesn't have to be a dull and boring chore, but instead, can be fun and relevant.  I agree.

Many subjects are covered on the Shmoop website - Literature, Poetry, Shakespeare, Mythology, Bestsellers, US History, Civics, Economics, Music, Pre-Algebra, and Biology.  The site offers a wide variety of resources, ranging from learning guides to multimedia.  Best of all, the majority of content on the website is free.  From what I could tell, the only "premium paid subscription" was for teachers who were interested in creating exams for their classrooms.

I was very impressed to see all the modern content on Shmoop.  For instance, under music, they include such songs as Pink Floyd's "Another Brick in the Wall" (homeschooling's national anthem?), Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody", and Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the USA".  There is even a feature to listen to the song and Shoop commentary online, however I wasn't able to get this to work on my laptop.  It is a listed as a "beta feature", so perhaps they are still trying to work out all the bugs. 

I also like that the "Bestseller" category referred to books, which includes such popular books as:  Hunger Games, The Help, and Little Bee.  Each of the bestseller entries includes a: summary, theme, quotes, summary questions, characters, analysis, facts, and related websites.  Access to information like this is excellent for any homeschool parents who facilitate book groups or want to be be more aware of what books their kids are reading.

History lovers will be happy to know that Shmoop covers both the old and the new.  You can read about Spanish Colonization (back in 1492), or more modern topics like the History of Rock & Roll.  Being that I am a big history fan, I was very happy to discover that each topic includes a section entitled "Why Should I Care?".   I have always thought that the real lesson is learning history is not about memorizing names and dates, but instead really understanding the significance of what happened.



As a bonus, they even include related movies for each history topic.  My family has always enjoyed watching movies as a complement to our history studies.  After we learn about historical events... we like to see if Hollywood got it right or wrong.

Lastly, Shmoop offers lots of resources for the college bound.  There are test prep courses for the ACT, SAT, PSAT, and AP Exams.  There is even a College 101 section that includes articles about:  College Applications, Entrance Exams, Financial Aid, Scholarships, etc. 

So if you are looking for great resource that offers digital curriculum and test preparation, I suggest you check out Shmoop. 

Book Review - Out of Our Minds: Learning to be Creative

Out of Our Minds: Learning to be Creative
Ken Robinson
Capstone Publisher / 2nd Edition (March 8, 2011)

I first learned of Sir Ken Robinson, when I read his best selling book, "The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything".  By the way, it was a fabulous read and if you can get hold of it on CD (which he narrates himself), you'll just love it.  The book is all about how schools kill creativity and the whole time you read it ... it will validate WHY you chose to homeschool your children.

In his latest book, Out of Our Minds: Learning to Be Creative, Robinson examines the role of creativity in both education and business.  He relates that organizations everywhere are having to deal with people who have come through the educational system and have no clue what their own creative abilities are.  And as such,we need to make changes with the way we are teaching the children of today. 

"It is often said that education and training are the keys to the future. They are, but a key can be turned in two directions. Turn it one way and you lock resources away, even from those they belong to. Turn it the other way and you release resources and give people back to themselves. To realize  our true creative potential—in our organizations, in our schools and in our communities—we need to think differently about ourselves and to act differently towards each other. We must learn to be creative." - Ken Robinson 

For those of you, already familiar with Ken Robinson, I'm sure that you wouldn't be surprised to learn that  he is a big fan of homeschooling.  He likes the model of home-based learning because: it allows for personalized learning, flexibility of time, and encourages methods of teaching that are sensitive to the different learning styles of each student.  However, since homeschoolers make up only a small percent of the population, Ken Robinson has elected to dedicate his efforts to a revolution of the current Public Education model.  So even though his insights may be seen as "preaching to the choir", I think that homeschoolers can still glean some knowledge from his thoughts on creativity and education.

This RSA Animate video is a wonderful illustration of Sir Ken Robinson's theory of why the current model of Public Education is failing kids so miserably.  I encourage everyone to view this short film... and then run to their nearest library or bookstore to check out his books.

RSA Animate - Ken Robinson
Changing Education Paradigms

Postcard Geography

What if there was a way your children could  learn geography by personally connecting with people all over the world?  Well there is.  Postcrossing, the postcard crossing project, is a website designed to help you send and receive a postcard from a random person somewhere in the world. 

A fellow homeschooler (thank you Gail) turned me on this website awhile back. Knowing that my youngest son was an avid stamp collector, she thought this would be a great way for him to get more international stamps. Boy was she right. David soon had postcards from such countries as: Belgium, Chile, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Slovenia, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.

All our postcards were written in English, but they sometimes included a few lines in their native tongue. It was always fun to use Google Translate to see if we could figure out what they said. Some of the people we corresponded with, even went above and beyond the call of duty, and send us additional stamps for my son's collection.



Here's how Postcrossing works:

#1. Signup for a free account.
#2. Request an address to send a postcard.
#3. Mail your postcard (with an assigned Postcard ID number).
#4. When your postcard is received, you will then be eligble for someone to send you a postcard.

NOTE: You can have up to 5 postcards traveling at a single time. 

Whenever my son and I received a postcard, we would use it as a teachable moment to learn about where in the world it came from. One great resource to tap into was Google Earth, which allowed us to visualize where our pen pal lived.  It was so fun to learn about cities and towns that we'd never even heard of.

In addition to receiving cards worldwide, we sent postcards to people in: Austria, Brazil, Canada, China, Dominican Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Latvia, Singapore, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand, and Ukraine. It was interesting to watch how long each card took to reach it's destination and we loved the comments we'd see posted from our recipients. Several of our pen pals even scanned in our postcards and posted them to the Postcrossing gallery.

Our favorite Postcrossing connection was with a woman in the United States.  The Postcrossing member supports American soldiers by sending letters, cards, and gift packages to US Troops stationed overseas.  Striking up an email friendship with her, we ended up sending and receiving postcards to several soldiers stationed in Iraq. We later worked with our local cub scout pack to send additional cards and letters to the soldiers.  It was a wonderful feeling for the kids to reach out to the military and say "thank you" for their service.

So if you are looking for a realistic way for your kids to really experience World Geography, you might want to check out this website. There is no cost to join Postcrossing... the only expenditure required is for the postcards and stamps you will purchase.

Homeschool Tech Mom
Postcrossing Demo

Kindergarteners and iPads

At the risk of shooting myself in the foot, the Homeschool Tech Mom needs to rant.  Is it just me, or do other people feel that outfitting an entire kindergarten class with iPads is just insane?

While you may think such a thing is laughable, there are lots of people taking this issue very seriously.  Last week, educators from all across the United States met at a conference in Auburn, Maine, to learn how kindergarten students are using iPads for reading and math.  The "Leveraging Learning: The iPad in Primary Grades" conference attracted such keynote speakers as the former Govener of Maine and the Maine Commissioner of Education.  (source: "Maine Hosts National iPad Education Conference", Education Week, November 15, 2011)

Last year, the Auburn, Maine, School Department decided to buy iPads for all of their 285 kindergarten students.  The plan, which is costing $240,000, is being implemented in two phases: half of the classes received iPads in September and the other half will get their's in December.  Educators are planning to compare test scores to see how students with and without the technology learned.  It's expected that those with the iPads will learn more.

Teachers in the schools have already reported that the students using the iPads are learning numbers and letters better.  One of the kindergarten teachers, who was highly supportive of the program, says the iPads give her 19 students more immediate feedback and individual attention than she ever could.  "As much as you would like as a person to get to everyone right away and individualize, sometimes you can't." Kelly McCarthy said.  (source: "Kindergarteners get iPads for School", New England Cable News, September 12, 2011)

In direct contrast, I recently read a different article about how a Waldorf school in Los Altos, California (aka "Silicon Valley") has taken the complete opposite approach to using technology in the classroom.  Their teaching tools are anything but high-tech.  They use - pens and paper, knitting needles, and occasionally, mud. In the classrooms of this school, there is not a computer to be found.

What's a real shocker is that the parents of these kids, are the movers and shakers of the digital world, employees of such technology giants as: eBay, Google, Apple, Yahoo, and Hewlett-Packard.   One of the parents, totally rejects the notion that technology aids are needed in the classroom. “The idea that an app on an iPad can better teach my kids to read or do arithmetic, that’s ridiculous.” says Alan Eagle.  (source: "A Silicon Valley School that Doesn't Compute", New York Times, October22, 2011)

Even though I am a HUGE proponent of the marvels of technology and it's impact on education, I just don't think that it's neccessary, or even desirable, to outfit a class of 5 year olds with their own iPad.  While playing games on a tablet (or computer) is fun for kids, I don't think that it's the ideal way to learn the basics of reading and math.  The very thought of a classroom filled with small children, each of them using their own iPad as a teaching tool, leaves me feeling cold and sad.

In direct contrast, I think back to when my own children were that age.  The picture I remember is a warm and happy one.  During the so called, "kindergarten years", my boys were "learning how to read" by sitting with me on the floor reading stacks of library books.  Library day (every Thursday) was one of our favorite days of the week.
  

For math, my kids learned the basics by counting cookies, M&Ms, or anything else they could get their little hands on.  Edible math manipulatives were always the favorite!  I can remember many afternoons spent "learning math" by playing Candyland, Dominoes, or setting up an imaginary store.  My kids always loved playing with real money.

Do I think that computers and other computer devices have no place in "teaching" the very young?  Of course not.  As Homeschool Tech Mom, I saw first-hand how fun and educational using computers can be.  Even at a young age, my kids loved using computers.  When we'd visit the library, I'd always make sure we stayed long enough so my kids could have some time on the computers.  Magic Schoolbus was their favorite computer game.

However, it was always my belief that when my kids were young, learning with computers was the side-dish, not the main course.   I thought that computers could be used to help reinforce learning, but that they should be closely monitored.  Watching young children progress (or get stuck) using a computer program allows parents to observe how kids are applying what they already know.  When I read about a classroom of 19 kindergartners all using their own iPads, I can't help but wonder how much supervision is going on?  Do educators really believe that an iPad can provide the same type of feedback as a human being?

For some reason, this all reminds me of the mistake many rookie homeschoolers make when they first begin homeschooling.  In response to a fear that their kids might somehow "fall behind", many homeschoolers search for "the best" curriculum to use with their 3-5 year olds.  If they ask a homeshool veteran for advice most will hear the same suggestion - don't buy anything.  Instead, they urge newbie homeschoolers to read lots of books, play games, study nature, do arts and crafts, and let their kids enjoy being kids.

When schools decide that kindergarteners should be outfitted with their own iPad, I have to wonder if they are letting those kids enjoy being kids?  There is also the question on whether this wise choice with regards to using school funds?  At around $500 a pop -  iPads aren't cheap.  Is it reasonable to assume that the taxpayers should be required to support this expenditure?  Do kindergarten students even have the skills and maturity to take care of such an expensive piece of equipment? And finally, if children receive free iPads at 5, what are they going to expect when they're 15?

While I think that acquainting our children with the use of technology is critical to developing educated adults that will succeed in the 21st century, I think it must be done with careful consideration and planning.  Just like we learn how to walk before we can run, children need to learn the basics before they can be left alone with an iPad as their teacher.

At the end of the day, I think this is another great example of why children are better off learning at home.  When we see such extremes in the classroom - schools teaching kindergarteners with iPads - to schools that ban all technology - homeschooling provides a happy medium.  Unlike in the classroom, where a teacher complains that she can't address the needs of all her students, a homeschooling parent can.  When you are teach your own kids at home, you are much better equipped to provide access to and monitor how technology is best used in your child's education.

Encyclopedia of the Future?

When I first came across Qwiki, which is like Wikipedia on steroids, it was as if I'd walked onto the set of Star Trek.  I was reminded of  how Mr. Spock would ask "Computer" to answer a question.  Regardless of the subject matter, she always patiently provided all the data he needed.  However, in contrast to fictional world of the USS Enterprise, Qwiki, the encyclopedia of the future, is real.

Qwiki claims to know millions of things and she probably does.  Whether you are looking for today's top news stories, or information on anything under the sun (over the sun and including the sun) Qwiki probably has the information you need.  Instead of just providing static information with a few lines of text and a photo, Qwiki provides you with a complete interactive experience that combines both sound and visual images.

This is a really cool program that will attract "learners" of all ages.  If you are a curious person, Qwiki is for you.  The program is free and available on a wide variety of platforms including: Windows, Mac, iPad, iPhone, and Android.  If you use Qwiki on an iPad you'll notice that you have the added feature of being able to browse through topics.  You can browse such categories as: news, geographic locations, popular culture, actors, cities, natural wonders, and monuments. 

I especially like how Qwiki aims to just serve as a launchpad for doing research.  After each Qwiki presentation, you will see references for other related Qwikis and external websites (such as Wikipedia, You Tube, etc.) where you can get additional information.  With Qwiki you can learn about ANY subject in a way that is not only interactive and fun, but informative too.  It is a perfect learning tool for all ages.

Homeschool Tech Mom
Qwiki Demo

National STEM Video Game Challenge

I recently learned about a Video Game Design competition open to homeschoolers.  Details on the 2012 National STEM Video Game Challenge, have finally been released this week.  Since I know that many homeschoolers have a passion for playing video games, I thought they might want to try their hand at designing one too.  And for those homeschoolers that have already began delving into the world of video game design - let the games begin!

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) have been identified as disciplines that are most critical for success in a 21st century workforce.  These academic areas are becoming more digitally oriented, networked, and are rapidly changing. Unfortunately, students in the United States have fallen significantly behind the rest of the world in terms of STEM learning.

• Compared to other developed countries, American students ranked 25th out of 30 in math and 21st out of 30 in science (OECD Program for International Students Assessment);
• In 1970, half of the people in the world who held science and engineering doctorates were Americans, but by 2010 projections show that figure will have dropped to 15 percent (U.S. Department of Education);
• Children ages 6-12 report a high level of interest and belief in their sciences abilities. But by age 14, interest and self-confidence related to science drop off. (U.S. Department of Education).

Source:  www.stemchallenge.org

So what exactly is the Stem Video Game Challenge?  It is a country-wide competition being launched in partnership with "Digital Promise", an educational initiative created by President Obama and Congress.  Backed by the Department of Education, this program was designed to better integrate technology and education.

The competition is hoping to motivate and engage middle school and high school students to become interested in science, technology, engineering and math by challenging them to design an original video game.  As a reward, each individual winner (or member of a four-person winning team) will received an AMD-powered laptop computer with game design and educational software.  In addition, each winning entry will earn an award of $2,500 for their school (or the non-profit organization of their choice).

The competition is open to students in Middle School (grade 5-8) and High School (grades 9-12).  Students must be U.S. citizens, plus enrolled in a school in the United States (50 states or DC) or be homeschooled. Registration opened this week and the competition closes March 12, 2012. 

For complete details, visit the National STEM Video Game Challenge website.

Here are some of the suggested video game platforms that students can use to design their video game:

Gamestar Mechanic

Scratch

Gamemaker

Kodu

Open Platforms

For those homeschooler students already familiar with game development software programs (such as Multimedia Fusion 2, Unity, Flash, or ALICE), not listed on the STEM Video Game Challenge website, you should contact STEM directly for advice:  support@stemchallenge.org.

I think the National STEM Video Game Challenge is great opportunity for homeschoolers to try their skills at creating a video game.  I am especially glad to see that this competition is open to homeschooled students.  To be honest, I would be thrilled to see a homeschooler win first prize in the 2012 competition. So please spread the word, to all the homeschoolers you know.

To Do Lists - Nice & Easy

One of the key ingredients to homeschooling successfully is finding a way to stay organized.  Homeschool parents and their kids have lots on their plate, so it's great when we discover tools to help us manage our time more effectively.

For my family, we have found that the best way to get more done is to create "to do" lists.  Recently I discovered a website that allows us to create these lists online.  Introducing Wunderlist... which in my opinion is absolutely "wunderful".

Wunderlist is a free and easy to use task manager.  This web-based tool allows you to create a to do list for anything you need to get done.  Science Fair projects.  Field trips.  Library books to check out.  College applications.  Saturday morning cleaning.  Whatever list you need to create, Wunderlist can handle it.

When you create your to do lists with Wunderlist, you can choose a date for when each task item needs to be completed, or no due date at all.  Plus you can add a note with additional details to any task on your list.  If you are the kind of person that has multiple to do lists (and who isn't) you will appreciate that Wunderlist has a a feature that allows you to see EVERYTHING you have do Today, Tomorrow, Next 7 Days, Later, and No Date.  It's a great way of having a birds-eye view of everything on your plate.

What I especially like is that because it's web-based you can access it anywhere.  So if you get to the library and don't remember the books you wanted to check out, you could use the library's computer to access your list, or if you have mobile device (iPhone, Android, iPad, etc.) you can quickly look them up.

Wunderlist also gives you the ability to share your to do lists with other people.  So whether you wish to collaborate with family members or friends, you can share specific tasks or an entire list by email.  Wunderlist even helps you to stay on task by sending you a friendly reminder when you've got tasks that are overdue.

I really like Wunderlist.  It's clean, simple, and easy to use.  Best of all ... it's free.

Homeschool Tech Mom
Wunderlist Demo

Video Games - Not So Bad After All?

In our house, we have had our share of worries about whether video games are good or bad for kids.

Our first concern was whether we should even allow a game console to enter our house in the first place. Not really wanting our children to indulge in the "time wasting" habit of playing video games, my husband and I decided we agreed we weren't willing to part with our hard-earned money for an Xbox, Wii, or PlayStation.

Eventually our kids worked together and presented us with a compromise. In exchange for our "blessing", they would put up all the money to pay for their own Nintendo Wii.  Since this seemed fair, we agreed to the purchase, providing they understood that there would be restrictions on the specific games they purchased, as well as limits on how long/often they could play.
 
With that, our boys pooled their money and bought their first video game console and a few games.  Several years later, I don't have any regrets about this decision.  Because my sons used their own money to purchase the Wii and the majority of their games, they have done a pretty good job of taking care of their investments.  Rarely do I find game disks laying around and my kids have always followed the guidelines we put in place regarding the types of games they can buy and the number of hours they can play.

To be honest, I used to think that playing video games was a complete waste of time.  But, over the years, my attitude has changed.  While I still wouldn't want my kids playing games 24/7, I now actually think that video games are not so bad after all.  In fact, I even admit to seeing some inherent value in playing video games.

 

Physical Skills 
Video games can greatly improve hand-eye coordination.  To really know this, all you have to do is try playing a video game yourself.  When you see how poorly you do, compared to your child, you will be impressed with their new found skills.  Nothing makes my boys laugh more, than watching my character die because I repeatedly run him off a cliff.  Try as a I might, I just can't get Donkey Kong, or his little pal, Diddy, to jump.

Further supporting the benefit of improved physical skills, video game consoles are now being used in Senior Centers to help keep the 65+ crowd active. While it's true that they lean more towards tamer games like Bowling or Tennis, they are still using video games as a way improve their hand-eye coordination.

Quick Thinking
Believer it or not, video games actually make kids think. While there is a wide variety of games - ranging from educational games to first person shooters, they all have something in common - they require the player to think.  Unlike television shows or movies, which are extremely passive, video games require constant input from the users.  Contrary to public opinion, video games aren't mindless, instead they require a significant amount of quick thinking.

Strategic Planning
Video games require strategic planning.  In addition to eye-hand coordination and quick thinking, many games require players to problem solve using complex strategies.  It might not be enough to just have Mario battle Bowser in the castle.  Instead, the player might have to beat Bowser, do a triple spin, and then quickly jump through the green tube on the right to escape.  I always find it fun to see my kids figure out how they can finally beat the level, that up until now, seemed totally impossible.

Hard Work
Video games require players work hard.  I have yet to see a video game that doesn't require the player to advance one level at a time.  As the player progresses through the game, they can only move on by working hard to master each level.  Rarely (or never) do players just get to move up because they get tired of a particular level.  As such, I have watched my kids struggle for days or weeks to with a tough level and then celebrate when they've finally mastered it.  This kind of tenacity provides kids with a good lesson - success requires hard work and that sometimes the only way to reach your final goal is to fail repeatedly.

Socialization
Video games can help kids develop social interactions. Like most families of teenagers, my boys often have friends over to "play video games". These group encounters can consist of anywhere from 4-8 kids all playing together.  Rarely do I hear fights, and instead I'm serenaded with roars of laughter and squeals of delight.  In essence, playing video games with a group of  kids seems pretty fun.

Even when my kids are playing video games online, I have witnessed socialization benefits.  I have heard the conversations of all the online players as they work together as a team. Since I believe teamwork is an important lesson in the real world, I am glad to watch them develop these skills online.

According to a recently published book, Reality Is Broken: Why Games Make Us Better and How They Can Change the World by Jane McGonigal,  we learn more than 174 million Americans are gamers.  Furthermore, the average young person in the United States will spend ten thousand hours gaming by the age of twenty-one.  

While some people may look upon video games as a complete waste of time, other people see them a tool that can engage both kids and adults. Forward thinking parents should look at the positive aspects of video games and begin thinking about how we can use this technology to create educational programs that are so fun - kids won't even realize they're learning!  At the very least, parents can't afford to turn a blind eye to the impact that video games are having on our world.

Despite whether we love video games or hate them, I think that we can all agree this form of entertainment is here to stay.  While I still feel that it's a parent's job to monitor and impose limits on when, how often, and what type of games our kids are playing, I think that video games can have a positive role in our children's life.  The more that parents and educators get learn about video games, the more input we will have on the future of gaming and have an say in whether this technology helps or hurts our kids.

Liven Up Your Language Arts

Language Arts is a core area that many homeschooling parents struggle with to make fun.  Try as we might, most textbooks and/or workbooks out there....just don't do a very good job of engaging our kids.  And sometimes, learning English can be pretty boring. 

So on those days when you are being met with groans, complaints, or a minor mutiny, it might be nice to have some fun websites on hand to help liven things up a bit.

In my cyber travels, here are are the top five Language Arts websites I've come across.  They can either be used to reinforce what your kids have already learned or teach them something new in a fun and interactive manner.  Best of all, they are all free.

#1. Grammar Ninja 

Really fun way for kids to develop a working knowledge of the parts of speech by throwing ninja stars at words. Correct answers allow you to continue, while wrong answers literally explode. Has three levels for students to work through: Beginner, Skilled, and Master.  Even has an option that allows you to play the game using a Wii console. 

 

#2. Word Dynamo 

A great program to help kids increase their English vocabulary by playing fun games. Good for kids of all ages: elementary, middle, & high school level.  Added features include: help preparing for such standardized test as:  PSAT, SAT, GRE, etc.  You can also use the website to strengthen foreign language vocabulary: French, Latin, and Spanish.

#3. Interactive Proofreading Practice

Simple website allows kids in grades 1-8 test their proofreading skills.  For each grade, the difficulty of the assignment gradually increases.  I especially like how the site teaches real world proofreading marks.

#4. VocabularySpellingCity.com

If you are looking for a way to make spelling fun, you will love this website.  Using a variety of learning activities and fun games kids can improve their spelling and increase their vocabulary.

  
A special thank you to Linda who left a comment on one of my blog posts, reminding me about this great online resource.   

#5. Discover Education - Online Videos

Collection of online videos that help with written and verbal communication skills. Content includes: grammar, composition, and the mechanics of writing.  Ages: Kindergarten to Grade 12. 

 
BONUS


For the youngest homeschoolers out there, I'd like to suggest one of the best websites I know for helping kids learn how to read. 

Starfall
Fun and interactive lessons that sequentially teaches young children to read phonetically.  Children learn the alphabet, vowels (long and short), vowel blends, silent letters, sight words, and more.  The cute little cartoon characters (like Zac the Rat) help make this an engaging website for even the youngest students. 

Read It Later

Every once in awhile I come across a nifty tool that is so cool, I'm compelled to share it with others.  The Read It Later program, is one of them.

I am just passionate about reading. With the wealth of information on the internet, I often feel like there is "so much to read and so little time".  Read It Later solves that problem for me.

When I'm surfing the web, I often come across articles, websites, news stories that look so interesting... but I don't have the time at that moment to stop and read them.  In the past, I have tried to save something for later by saving it to my bookmarks, and hoping I will remember to read it later.  Unfortunately, what usually happened is that I soon forget about it and when I do remember, I discover the article is now lost in a sea of bookmarks. 

Read It Later is such a smart web tool.  It creates a temporary list of bookmarks to be read at a later time and can be removed when you no longer need them. Adding an item to your reading list is easy, all you have to do is click on a bookmark in your web browser's toolbar to save the page.  Then, when you finally have the time for some leisurely reading, you can simply bring up any item from your saved list.  You can either configure Read it Later to automatically remove items once they've been read, or remove items manually one at a time.

One thing I really love about Read It Later is that it copies your reading list down to your computer, allowing you to read offline.  This is especially handy for people who own laptops and/or tablets and often find themselves in a place with no internet connection. Read It Later also allows you to synchronize your reading list with other computers and mobile devices.  Which means if you save an article while using your desktop, you can read in on your iPad and vice-versa.

Finally, the best feature of Read It Later is the price - which is free.

Homeschool Tech Mom
Read It Later - Demo

Online Learning in UT - An Excellent Model

In the summer of 2009, someone in my homeschool group forwarded an email announcing an educational program that was about to be launched in Utah.  This technology based program, called Hi-Tech High, planned to offer a $1,000 scholarship and free laptop to the first 50 homeschooled students (ages 10-18) that enrolled.  My son, who was 14 at the time, was very interested, so we hopped right on it.  I think we were probably one of the first people to sign-up! 
 
Hi-Tech High is the brain child of Matt Bowman, who works at Novell, a hi-tech software company in Provo, UT.  Together with a group of parents, Matt founded Hi-Tech High with the goal of increasing the educational resources available to Utah youth.  The group's long term goal was to ensure that Utah would have one of the most tech-savvy workforces in the world.  

So in the Fall of 2009, Hi-Tech High was launched with 200 students.  Homeschoolers from all across Utah were able to enroll in such technology classes as:

• Computer Basics
• Game Design
• Website Design
• Digital Photography & Graphic Design

Since then, Hi-Tech High's initial course offering has grown to an incredible lineup of classes which includes: Audio Engineering,  C++ Programing, Digital Arts, Entrepreneurship, Flash Animation, Robotics, and more.  In addition, they now offer a variety of core classes that homeschool parents can choose from to build a custom-tailored curriculum for their children.   These core classes are top notch programs:  ALEKS Math, Rosetta Stone, and BYU Independent Study, to name just a few.

While Hi-Tech High could have launched it's program as a private education option, the board felt that this technology-based program should be accessible to all homeschoolers.  As such, Hi-Tech High is partnered with two UT Charter Schools, Gateway Prepatory Academy and the American Leadership Academy, and is considered a "Virtual Charter School Program".  They are funded by the same tax dollars that are used to support other schools in Utah.  

Homeschoolers enrolled in the Hi-Tech High program take all their classes tuition-free and even receive a technology bonus to purchase equipment to assist them with their studies.  Last year, my eldest son upgraded his personal computer, while my younger son purchased a digital camera.

Of all the classes my kids have taken with Hi-Tech High, I'd have to say the Robotics class was one of their favorites.  While everyone in my family has always been big Lego fans, exploring the world of Lego Mindstorms was out of our price range.  So when the Robotics class was offered last year, my oldest son thought he had died and gone to heaven!  This technology class exceeded expectations.  My son had an absolute blast learning all the ins and outs of making his Lego Robot (who bore a striking resemblance to WALL-E) zip across our kitchen floor.  Even our two dachshunds got into the action, charging at the robot because they thought an alien invasion had taken place.

Hi-Tech High is an incredible opportunity for homeschoolers in Utah and plans are now underway to expand into Arizona, California and perhaps even Idaho, Nevada, and Colorado, in the near future.  In addition, Matt Bowman and his team, have discovered that homeschoolers of "all ages" (not just high/middle schoolers) have a keen interest in technology, so they are looking at providing educational resources for younger kids (the 9 and under crowd).

Whether you live in Utah or a neighboring state, I encourage you to check out Hi-Tech High to see if it's a good fit for your family.  For those of you in other states, you might want to consider building a program like this in your state.  Afterall, Hi-Tech High was created from the vision of a few parents banding together with the shared goal of offering kids additional educational resources.  If they could do it... you could too.       

To learn more about the history and vision of this pioneering program, I invite you to listen to  my recent phone interview with Matt Bowman, the founder of Hi-Tech High: 

Print Friendly & Keep the Trees Happy

I hate it when I send something to my printer and discover (usually when it's already too late) that the one page of text I need is going to be surrounded by ten pages of junk.  Let's face it, while some websites strive to create printer friendly pages, most of them don't.

I recently discovered that there are several web-based print tools out there to control how you print.  Who knew?  After checking out a few of them, I've decided that PrintFriendly is my favorite.  While all the other web-based applications I looked at still "got the job done", PrintFriendly was by far the easiest to use. 

PrintFriendly lets you take any webpage and create a clean page to print.  Gone are all the advertisements, comments, sidebars, etc.  You even have the option of printing with or without graphics.  Plus you have the added flexibility of changing the font size of your text.

Once you are ready to print, you have the option of: sending your document to your printer, creating a PDF, or sending it as an email link.  The folks at PrintFriendly have even created a bookmarklet (ie. a little icon) that you can drag to your internet browser's toolbar.  By installing this nifty little feature, you are one click away from using PrintFriendly any time you need it.  Plus, using launching the bookmarklet will automatically format the webpage you're currently viewing.

Folks, it just doesn't get any easier than this. PrintFriendly is a free web-based service.  There's nothing to download, and they don't even require you set up an account. So if you're sick of killing a forest everytime you want to print something, I suggest you take a look at PrintFriendly.  The trees will thank you.

If you would like to check out similar programs, that have even more customized features (but are a bit more complicated to use), here are other application to create printer friendly documents:

• PrintWhatYouLike 
• Printliminator 
• Joliprint

Homeschool Tech Mom
PrintFriendly Demo

Limiting Computer Time

One of the challenges of homeschooling, especially when your kids use the internet for the majority of their school work, is balancing how much time they should spend on the computer.  I know I'm not the only homeschooling parent that struggles with this.

Some parents create a system of rewards and demerits that boggles my brain.  Their children earn (or lose) computer time, based upon doing chores, completing school assignments, and reading books.  I have never wanted to do this, mostly because using such a complex system is too much work.  I'm kind of lazy. 

In my house, there has always been the understanding that school work comes first and electronic activities come second.  Since my kids LOVE playing computer games, surfing the web, or playing on the Wii, they are very motivated to get their school work done each day.  What we struggle with is what exactly constitutes "too much" computer time?  Once my kids have completed everything on their "to do list" they feel they should be allowed to use electronics for the rest of the day.  Given their choice, my kids would be "plugged in" 24/7.  As their mom (aka "the bad guy"), I think there should be limits.  Figuring out those limits is the hard part of parenting.  It's all about finding the right balance.

For us, the easiest way to set limits was to devise a set of house rules declaring when electronic devices can be used.  Our defintion of "electronic devices" includes: computers, gameboys, Wii, Playstation, iPad, and television.  Currently, my boys have a four hour window each day.  Two hour block in the afternoon (3:30 to 5:30) and a two hour block in the evening (7:30 to 9:30).  I leave it up to them to decide how they will use that time.  They can play a game of Portal 2 with friends on the internet, watch a family movie, or jam by themselves with Guitar Hero. 

My husband thinks I'm being far too generous.  If he had his way, our boys would be limited to 1-2 hours a day.  However, I feel that as long as they are spending the rest of their day pursuing other interests it's okay.  So even within my own family, we are still struggling to determine the optimal amount of computer time.  

I encourage my kids to get together with friends and urge them to spend time interacting with each other.  Whether those interactions constitute playing board games or playing frisbee in the park.  Even though I know they'd all rather play on the Wii, I try to get them to do other things.  As a result, they usually find that a mix of movie watching, playing video games, and doing something non-electronic works best.  It doesn't take long for them to see that playing a good game of Carcassonne or Risk is more enjoyable than watching Star Trek for the twentieth time.

Finally, I think it is important for kids to experience some downtime each day.  They need to find things that they like to do - just for the sheer pleasure of doing them.  My younger son likes to work on building airplane models.  We recently bought him a second hand desk (so we could stop worrying about him spilling paint) and he now has a workspace he can call his own.  He is happy to listen to his CDs and build models for hours on end.  My older son has recently developed a passion for chess.  We have tried to support him by having a chess board always set up in the house.  With a chess board always at the ready, he is more likely to work on chess puzzles or ask a family member to play a game.

Why and how, we limit our children on the computer is a personal decision.  What works for one family, may not work for another.  I think what's most important is to consider your motivations for limiting computer use and then keep evaluating to see if your plan is meeting your goals.

Backup Plan

Last Friday, I had one of those dreaded moments.  There I was, happily surfing the internet, when up pops a little message warning me that a "potential threat" has just been detected on my computer.  Oh dear.

Within moments, my internet browser closed itself down.  I tried to run a virus scan, but it was too late.  Seconds later the virus scan shut down too and I was staring at a gazillion windows opening up on my desktop. I had encountered a very nasty bug.

Luckily, I'm married to an IT guy and he was at home when this all happened.  Even though he was sick in bed (he'd come down with a nasty bug too), he agreed to take a look at my ailing computer.  To make a long story short, my laptop had indeed fallen prey to a virus and it ended up taking the whole weekend to clean it up.  I am happy to report my hubby was able to restore my laptop using a backup from last week.  I am very glad that he insists on backing up our home computers on a regular basis.  The only catch was that any files I had worked on within the last few days were now lost.  But, as luck would have it, that was not an issue for me, because I store the majority of my files on the internet.

I first started keeping my data files on the internet a few years ago.  Mostly, it was because I wanted a method to access my files from multiple locations.  Since I own both a desktop and a laptop, I needed a way to transfer files back and forth without having to use USB stick (aka "jump drive" or "thumb drive).  I know another way to move files is by emailing yourself a copy, however, I don't like to do that because I get confused about WHICH file is most current.

So, when my husband came home from work one day, raving about Dropbox, a web-based program that could do exactly what I wanted... I got excited.  When he told me that it was free... I was ecstatic.  I have been a regular user of Dropbox for years now and have been 100% satisfied.

Dropbox

I love using Dropbox for storing files I'm currently working with.  What I especially like is Dropbox's ability to automatically sync these files for me.  This means, if I create a document in Word on my deskop computer and save it, I can later open up that same file on my laptop and continue working on it.  Also, unlike other web-based programs that require a constant Internet connection, Dropbox allows me to work even when I'm offline. Which means, that even when I'm away from home I can still use my laptop to work on a file.  Once I get back home (or somewhere that has free Wifi), Dropbox knows to automatically sync the file for me.

One question I first had when I began using Dropbox was whether my files were going to safe on their servers.  If I stored my files on the internet, wouldn't that mean that other people could access them too?  Luckily, Dropbox has several layers of security.  First, when you sign up for Dropbox you create a user name and password.  Secondly, Dropbox uses SSL and file encryption to protect your files when they are being sent between your computer to their server.

Another Dropbox plus is that you have the ability to share your files with other people.  However, I have to admit that I really haven't explored using this feature.  Only because, I already have another program that I use regularly to share my files with others (see below for details on Box.net).

Dropbox was recently in the news for reaching the 5 million user marker.  The article also leaked that back  in 2009, Steve Jobs tried to buy Dropbox (for an undisclosed 9 figure number).  Dropbox's founder, Drew Houston, turned down the offer, saying he didn't want to sell and instead was planning to build a big company himself.  I guess you must have something good if Apple came knocking at your door?  Who knows, maybe if that acquisition had gone through, Apple would have had the iCloud a few years earlier.

Boxnet

I am a big fan of the www.Box.net website.  This web-based application allows you to store different types of files and share them with others. Last year I taught a Hebrew class for some teens and parents in my local homeschool group.  I used the Box.nest website to set up a shared folder for our class.  In the folder, I was able to include a calendar, notes, lessons, audio, etc. from our weekly classes.  The files included: PDFs, MP3s, and JPGs. What was really good, is that my students could browse through the website at their leisure.  They had the option of accessing the files on-demand with web-based applications (a PDF viewer, embedded MP3 player, etc.) on the web, or, they could download any of the files to their own computer.  A year later, these files are still accessible to all the members of my class.

Just like Dropbox, you can register for a free Box.net account.  This basic account comes with 5 to 50 GBs of disk storage space on the web, which seems to be more than enough for personal use.  While file size limits range from 25 MG to 1 GB, I have found that is ample for even storing MP3 files.

To share your files you have two choices: you can create "file sharing links" which can then be copied into an email, or you can permanently share a folder with specific people you want to grant full access.  Finally, the program also allows for access to such mobile devices as: iPhone, iPad, Android, BlackBerry, etc.

So whether you use Dropbox, Boxnet, or some other file storage application, it's always good to have some sort of backup plan.  You just never know when you're computer is going to come down with a virus.  In the words of Ben Franklin, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure".
 

Homeschool Tech Mom
Demo of Dropbox & Boxnet