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=California Geograpy Alliance= =Summer Institute San Diego '08=

Selected technology resources for CGA teachers
**Google Earth**
 * Download this free software to get a fantastic simulated 3D view. Click the boxes on the left to display certain demographic features (more features slows down the loading time).

**Google Maps** > > > **[|Nationmaster.com]** Stats, maps, and profiles in an easy to use platform. Students should be able to find lots of world information here with not much effort. **[|Slideshare.net]** Huge web site for sharing slide shows. Discover, search, or download from thousands of shows. Connect with other professionals too, check it out! >
 * Click on //More..., Photos//, to see user uploaded pictures. It's a great way to introduce an area.
 * My Maps - You and your students can create your own geographic zone maps. Put lines and markers on maps. You can add comments and pictures to the markers. You can then save your map for the public (or an email list of friends), or even put it on your website. Search or browse other "my maps" and find some great things like sea level rise maps.
 * Terrain - click this to see shaded topographic maps.
 * Street view - 3D panoramic view from a growing number of places, (now in Paris too).
 * More information about using [|Google tools for Educators]
 * Mash-ups **
 * A mashup combines two or more things. Many new combinations of software are increasingly being created. Often combinations of Google maps and data are used. Here are some examples: [|crime watch mashup] (works only in certain cities), [|Gas prices], and [|criminals living near you].
 * Slide Show Suggestions **
 * Use pictures instead of text
 * look for high resolution pictures
 * Make pictures large
 * “Crop” pictures - cut out unnecessary parts
 * Avoid distracting animations and sounds
 * Create timelines - In PowerPoint, draw a small line (while holding shift key to make vertical line). Copy and paste the line, once for each time number needed. Select all of the lines, go to //Draw// (usually this is at the bottom left//), Align or Distribute, Align Middle.// Then move one of the lines all the way to the right. Select all of the lines again and choose //Align or Distribute, Distribute Horizontally.// Use //Insert, Text Box,// to put in labels.
 * Create organization chart - An easy way to make a bubble chart etc. In PowerPoint, choose a shape from the Drawing Tool Bar (usually at the bottom). After drawing the shape, just type; the words will appear as a label to that box or oval. To connect the shapes, go to //Autoshapes, Connectors// and click a line. After you connect two shapes, they will stay connected even when you move them around.

** Wikispaces.com **(you are here)
Students can quickly and easily create a web space for class. Spaces can be collaborative – in other words, two students (or groups of students) could work on the same document from different places in the world. Not only can you see exactly //who// edited and //when//, but it shows //what they added and what they deleted//. You can also revert to any previous version! Love to decorate Their place Send messages
 * Features **
 * wiki wiki = fast, quick
 * History
 * Shared - This is great for teamwork, collaboration, peer editing, group authoring, etc.
 * Portable - Work at any Internet connection.
 * Statistics - How many and what types are viewing your pages?
 * Email Notification & Page Feeds - Be informed of any changes
 * Kids like it!

[|Wikispaces] **Uses** Collection for sharing Peer edit Group authoring Journal
 * Create a Space Here:**
 * check the box to indicate you are a teacher and get no ads for free!
 * Data
 * References
 * Stellar examples
 * Pictures
 * Other files
 * Collaboration
 * Debate
 * Compare & contrast
 * Organization of Users**
 * Organizers - accept members
 * Members - edit (join space)‏
 * Public - can view
 * Caveats**
 * User remains signed in until you click on sign out
 * Members (Join space) can edit (so don’t give membership to someone unless they need to edit pages)
 * Originators can’t remove organizers, so don't make //others// organizers unless you want them to take over

Some of the sites used by Educators: Many examples of how teachers are using wikis. By the way, if you go to the wikispaces home page, and click on the most edited pages, chances are they are education pages! Educational Wiki Examples
 * More info and how to**

Intro Video This video helps demonstrate the usefulness of wikis: > > Great videos of how-to in Wikispaces: Wiki Phenomenon Google search trends - blogs & wikis compared
 * [|Teachers talk about using wikis]
 * [|Quick demo Camping analogy of how wikis work]
 * http://www.wikispaces.com/site/tour
 * [|Wikipedia Article Count]
 * [|Wikispaces Education Page Count]
 * [|Trends]