Nortel LearniT Resources

The people from the company who manufactures the SmartBoard have done a great job in putting together very effective, brief, mediated tutorials on how to use their products, with an academic focus. http://www.smarttech.com/trainingcenter/tutorials.asp

I think that in addition to this approach, having students and teachers, create their own version of such ‘mini-tutorials’ via digital video, would further enhance other users experiences. It is our desire to foster such a creative, and useful approach to training others on how they are successfully using technology in engaging and effective ways.

A recent inquiry from an 8th grade social studies teacher about what could Nortel LearniT offer them resulted in the following reply. I thought that I’d share that so others could see what may be helpful in getting started using Nortel LearniT.

Nortel LearniT has hundreds of free lesson plans, video tutorials and other teaching resources that are designed to integrate the use of technology into your subject based instruction. If you are new to our site, I would encourage you to take a minute to look at our Getting Started page and a short (just over 1-minute long) introduction video there. It will explain where to look for what resources would be of interest to you on our web site. http://www.nortellearnit.org/LearnitGet_Started.aspx

Once you’ve seen the basic structure and navigation tips for our site, please feel free to explore. One suggestion to help your exploration is to look at the left most panel drop down window and select a technology topic that interests. you. If you’re not sure, start with Discovering the Internet; it may be basic information for you, but it will allow you to see the format for most of our video tutorials.

Next, do a search in the Lesson Plan center section of the site. Look for something that might be of interest to what you’ll be covering in class a few weeks or month from now. I like the lesson plan on Political Cartoons and it features a hands-on project using digital imaging skills.

As you find resources in these two columns you will notice that the 3rd, right most side panel will present an assortment of related or supporting content. Here you will find items to print, evaluation tools and different types of videos, those produced by other students, that sowcase the projects that they have been involved with. Take a look at the “Kids in Action” video on Student Perspectives on Presenting with Technology. I think your 8th grade students will enjoy seeing what other kids did with Powerpoint projects in their classes.

After you have had a chance to explore our offering, I’d love to hear your opinion as to whether there is anything that you are able to use. We’re always hungry to get feedback from teachers, and we’re always looking for new ways to help educators have great experiences with the technology in their classrooms.

I have been a fan of the work that the Benton Foundation has done for years and this is no exception. The Digital Divide Network is the Internet’s largest community for educators, activists, policy makers and concerned citizens working to bridge the digital divide. At DDN, you can build your own online community, publish a blog, share documents and discussions with colleagues, and post news, events and articles. Membership is free and open to all. Check it out online at: www.digitaldividenetwork.org