If you have been reading my blog for a while you know that I enjoy working with photographs. I recently came across a new Web 2.0 Collage generator, Photovisi, and took a few minutes out of my day to play. I found Photovisi intuitive and especially liked the fact that you do not have to set up an account to generate some excellent collages. The application offers numerous options and could be used by students to display photographs as a compliment to their “what did I do over the summer” essay. The college application could also be used to display art work, photos from a field trip, family photos for a family tree, etc. The product makes it simple to upload multiple photographs and offers the option to download collages using various resolutions. You can also crop and layer images. I have posted some of my favorite samples below. I hope you and your students enjoy using this new collage generator!

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If you enjoyed this post you might enjoy the following archived posts:

• Mosaic/Collage Generators
• Tuxpi Foto Fun
• Generate Some More Fun Photos
• It’s a Frame-up
• PictureTrail Photo Albums

What kind of book-lover/mother/educator would I be if I did not acknowledge Dr. Seuss’s birthday today? I dedicate this post to the memory of the man who made so many children and adults happy, successful readers.

Click on the screenshot image (found at the top of this post) to access the Happy Birthday Dr Seuss portal site I researched and developed as we celebrated Dr. Seuss day in our school. The site includes information about Dr. Seuss, his books, quotes (with buttons that students can use to have the phrases read to them), and links to games and online activities that feature the characters and imagination of the beloved Seuss. Explore the orange circles found at the top of the site to access the numerous links and resources I put together.

You can also gain access to four free digital Seuss books when you download and open a free kidthing account (you do need to download and install the program on your classroom or home computer). Use the code KTCODE-NEA5RAA to receive free books that you can project from your computer. The offer is good through March 30th, do don’t wait too long! I have pasted a copy of the offer I received below. I know it sounds too good to be true, but believe me these books are free!  Click on the image below to go to the site and register for your free account. And, yes, they are trying to sell books, but I have to tell you I was impressed with kidthing. Let us know what you think by using the comment link found at the bottom of this post.

In addition to being a Dr. Seuss fan, I have been a long-time fan of the International Children’s Digital Library site. Whenever I share this site with librarians, foreign language teachers, general education teachers, and of course students we are all in awe at the number, quality, and diversity of books found on this site. Registration is optional, but if you register you can…

• select the language you prefer to use
• return to the last page you were reading
• save your favorite books in a personal bookshelf
• access these features from any computer

Enjoy the books and resources I have shared today and send happy thoughts upward (and around you) as you think of all the wonderful men and women who have shared their writing talent over the years.  Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss!

By now anyone who reads my blog is no doubt aware that I am a strong advocate for the use of technology in education. I also value the potential of all the free Web 2.0 applications that are available if we choose to open our filters and our minds. Still, I am very aware that we need to help our students understand the impact that their computer input may have on their future. And, for that matter we need to be aware of our own digital footprint.

After watching the marvelous BBC film series Virtual Revolution – Cost of Free, I was compelled to further think about my own computer use and that of our students. Thus, the following poster. I have embedded the video series (found on YouTube) below my Sunday poster for your convenience. The hour you spend watching the series is truly worthwhile. Feel free to share your thoughts about the “Cost of Free” and the following poster with your students. You can share your thoughts using the comment link found at the bottom of this post as well.

The images used to create this poster were posted to Flickr by Nik McPhee and William Brawley. Click on this mini poster if you would like to view a larger version for printing. Click on the title of this blog if you would like to email this post to a friend.

You might also enjoy revisiting my following post: Digital Dossier…Footprints…Shadows