This month, The Education Technology Blog was proud to be added to the Top 50 Education Technology Blogs on The Learning Master. There is some very esteemed company there, so I feel honored to be included. If you are looking for some new technology blogs to add to your RSS reader, you will find plenty here on this list. Some new ones to me included The Whiteboard Blog and Ewan McIntosh's edu.blogs.com.
 
 
Did you know that you do not need a SMART board to take advantage of all the great Notebook lessons you find at  SMART's Exchange website? All you really need to know is how to open Notebook files, and you can use them on your Promethean board, or project them onto a wall with an LCD projector to share with a class. Luckily, there are a couple of free and easy ways to do this. Read this article on How to Open Notebook Files and you will be up and running in no time.
 
 
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Sortfix is a new search engine that endeavors to provide you with the most relevant results in a new and innovative way. Search for a term like 'lincoln' and you get the usual random page of search results. However, at the top of the page there are a list of keywords that you can choose to focus on, or ignore. Just drag them to the relevant box and search again to find a more focused search results page.

With the term 'lincoln' for instance, you can throw out all references to cars, and cities by dragging those terms to the red remove box. You can also add words like 'government' and 'Abraham' to your  green search box, and before you know it you have gone from 8 million results to 61,000.

Basically it functions the same way as an advanced search on Google, but the keywords it generates are good for students who may not know exactly what to search for, or how to spell the words they need. It can also be good for brainstorming around a topic. You can have results from Google, Bing, YouTube and even choose from images too. Sortfix is well worth checking out.
 
 
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I have a few more articles to share on education technology topics that you may be interested in. The articles relate to SMART technologies in school.

SMART Response Systems for the Classroom gives an overview of the SMART Response devices and shows the differences between them. It does not yet include information on the VE or XE systems, as they have yet to be formally released, but I will update it to include them in the coming weeks.

Setting up a SMART Response Class tells you all you need to do to get started using the SMART Response systems with your students. It includes everything from adding and deleting students, to tagging and importing student information.

How to Use a SMART Response System in the Classroom gives you hints and tips on the best ways to deliver assessments with the SMART Response system, and explores the various question types you can ask.

Finally, you can learn the best ways to Find Free SMART Board Resources on the SMART Exchange Website. It includes useful tips on how to filter your results by file type,  or how to search for resources that are specific to your textbook series, and content standards.
 
 
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Google Earth is nowhere as good as this. The Paris 26 Gigapixel Project has 2346 high resolution pictures of Paris stitched together to make one monster panoramic view. Take the virtual tour, or skip directly to some famous sites. Interactive pop ups give you all the details about the places you choose, and zoom controls let you get exactly where you want to be. This kind of has to be seen to be believed. Go check it out, and bookmark it for the next time you talk about Paris in class.
 
 
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SMART has recently announced a new addition to its SMART Response lineup. SMART Response VE is a mobile version of SMART Response for use with smartphones, iPod Touch/iPhone, or other internet enabled devices. It sounds like a great idea and a good way for teachers who are integrating the use of cell phones in schools to expand their options. Currently they are looking for schools to beta test the new product, so if you are interested, follow this link, or click below to read the full SMART Response VE press release and get further information.
 
 
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I recently came across Tony Vincent's Mobile Learning Blog, and this article on Dos and Don'ts for Classroom iPod Touch devices really caught my attention. It is an amazingly useful guide to using an iPod Touch in the classroom from someone who has obviously had the experience of being able to do it, make the mistakes, and learn from them. There are lots of handy tips here that include everything from how to store earphones, to the best way to sync your devices. Check it out, and consider subscribing to this useful blog like I did if you find it helpful.
 
 
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Share the Top 100 Sites on the Web with your students as part of a technology unit you may be studying, and you might  actually be surprised by some of the sites on this useful list. The treemap can be sorted into social media sites, news sites, retail sites and more. It is an interesting look at the web today and how it is being used by people. You can also view the web's richest entrepreneurs, and see how much the internet has grown in popularity since 1998.  This is a useful snapshot of technology today and how it is being used.
 
Scribble Maps 03/07/2010
 
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Scribble Maps has been around for a while now, but it recently came to my attention again because of the new Smart Board in my room. I think that this is a really good tool for Smart Board users. For those new to Scribble Maps, it is a version of Google Maps that lets you add shapes, doodles, text or other annotations. Customize the map the way you want it, and then send it to friends and colleagues by email., print it, embed it as a widget or share it on Facebook. The interface makes it great to use on an interactive whiteboard, but it works just as well with keyboard and mouse.
 
Apple Pro Tips 03/03/2010
 
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Do you think you know all the tips and tricks for your Apple computer? Well, check out this list of pro tips from Apple and see if you really are as good as you say you are. Want to remove all the icons from your desktop? Interested in a super fast way to email a URL? Can you make your Mac speak? All these tips and many more are present on this  useful reference page for Mac users.