Are you looking for a stocking stuff for your favorite tech-savvy teacher?  CNET offers this great quick-watch video with suggestions for five gifts under $50.  Enjoy!  

Sure, you have heard about the Khan Academy (and maybe even the response videos to Khan), but YouTube, the world’s largest archive of videos, has become the repository of choice for any organization to share videos to the masses.  The result is an incredibly diverse collection of videos that could be used to enrich any classroom. Chances are you don’t have the time to review many of newest uploads (and no wonder… 100 hours of video are uploaded every minute!), so here is a collection of 10 great channels that might not have heard about. The National Archives The National Archives is really a personification of the power of YouTube.  The National Archives has untold numbers of videos that would be locked away in archives minus this amazing platform.  The channel itself includes over 1,000 videos, including products by the National Archives that take you behind the scenes of their efforts to preserve our nation’s history, like this video that discusses the infamous 18 1/2 minute gap in the Watergate tapes: The Clinton Presidential Library Along the same lines, many presidential libraries, including Truman, Roosevelt, Kennedy and Clinton, have started the process of digitizing the videos in their archive and pushed the gems to YouTube.  These are also public records that have great research value, but would be nearly impossible to share before the availability of archives like YouTube.  Here is a great event from 1998 featuring President Clinton and leaders like Nelson Mandela: The Open University The Open University, one of the world’s largest institutions of higher education, has a very developed distance learning program that produces an incredible amount of educational media.  As part of its mission, it has over 1,000 videos on its YouTube channel ranging from historical content to detailed information about structural and mechanical engineering.  Here is a great example video, a well-produced video on the atomic bomb in popular culture: Harvard University Universities have been the leader in pushing out content to content channels like YouTube since the beginning.  Many prominent universities have OER ("open educational resource") initiatives that seek to push out content of all varieties via YouTube, iTunes U, and other media systems. The Harvard University channel is a great example, sharing videos ranging from archives of great campus programs on diplomacy to videos like this, which explores a prototype of a brain scanner: Dan Izzo The Dan Izzo archive is an amazing collection of short videos, most of which last less than a minute.  The collection is vast and isn’t particularly well-organized, but I have found dozens of interesting videos that could be used in a variety or teacher or student media projects, like this video of soup kitchens during the Depression: The British Monarchy I love the British Monarchy channel, the British Royal Family’s archive of videos related to the UK’s most famous family.  Sure, you may not want to watch the Royal Wedding live on YouTube, don’t miss out on this excellent newsreel footage of the wedding between the Queen Mother and King George VI: ASAP Science ASAP Science is the work of biologists Mitchell Moffit and Gregory Brown and has tens of millions of plays to date.  The videos are quick, informative and have a style you will find engaging and entertaining.  Want to know about 3D printing?  ASAP Science has you covered: C.G.P. Grey The C.G.P. Grey channel might only have 64 videos, but the collection is diverse and well-produced!  Ranging from why the penny is dying to the the US-Canadian border (in two parts), each video is produced to be efficient and entertaining, like this video in 5 different historical misconceptions: SmarterEveryDay Destin has a mission of making science fun for its viewers.  His SmarterEveryDay channel is funny, as evidenced by this cat physics video which explores why cats always land on their feet… by dropping cats in slow motion. And… the NCCE Channel! Sure… it is only 23 videos right now, but NCCE is expanding its media reach!  Subscribe to us today to get first crack at interviews, how-to videos and other content to come.  Did you miss our interview with Chelsie Jolley last week?  Check it out here!

Educators, students, and architects explore three new elementary schools designed by HMFH Architects for the Concord, NH School District and discuss 21st century learning environments that support project-based, collaborative learning.  

Via Jane Millier, the Educational Technology Coordinator in the Spokane Public Schools: Spokane Public Schools is looking to fill a full-time, continuing contract Educational Technology Facilitator opening. The position closes January 7, 2014. Applications are being taken at:  http://employment.spokaneschools.org   Educational Technology Facilitator: Education technology facilitation supports integration of the WA State Educational Technology standards into district curriculum, improvement of teacher technology integration skills, student technology skill development, and professional development for new classroom and library tools. This position relies on the planning and implementation of building-level Technology SIP plans and collaboration with multiple departments and people.

Compelling video discussing how Arizona schools have dealt with decreases in budgets at the building level.  My favorite tip is using the local hardware store to outfit the entire school with individual slate boards for under $100.  What is your best money saving tip in the classroom?  

I often start presentations and classes with pre-service teachers noting that the future is here, whether we acknowledge it or not. Need evidence?  Look what AT&T was touting 20 years ago as "the future," which looks awfully close to our current technology landscape:

If you haven’t seen the Light-bot app from created by Danny Yaroslavski you need to check it out.  I first came across this app during the recent Hour of Code campaign.  My middle school students loved the app so I thought I would try it with my daughters (both elementary age).  They are both still asking to play with the app weeks after they were first introduced.  I have to admit I have developed a slight addiction to the app myself.  Light-bot is a programming puzzle game: a puzzle game that uses game mechanics that are firmly rooted in programming concepts.  Light-bot lets players gain a practical understanding of basic control-flow concepts like procedures, loops, and conditionals, just by guiding a robot with commands to light up tiles and solve levels.  There is both a free (lite) app and a full version for $2.99.  I highly suggest the full version.  Check it out and let me know what you think in the comments section below. Lite Version - https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/light-bot-lite/id659285751?mt=8 Full Version - https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/light-bot/id657638474 Google Play Lite Version - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.lightbot.lightbotlite&hl=en Google Play Full Version - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.lightbot.lightbot&hl=en

Christmas break is great for many reasons, but as a teacher I love the opportunity to have time to watch, read, and learn more about my profession.  One such video that really made me think is a TEDx video by Grant Lichtman.  If you are unfamiliar with TED or TEDx videos then I am glad you are reading this post.  TED Talks began as a simple attempt to share what happens at the TED Conference with the world. Under the moniker "ideas worth spreading," talks were released online and rapidly attracted a global audience in the millions. Indeed, the reaction was so enthusiastic that the entire TED website has been reengineered around TED Talks, with the goal of giving everyone on-demand access to the world’s most inspiring voices. As of November 2012, TED Talks have been viewed more than one billion times. The TEDx program gives communities, organizations and individuals the opportunity to stimulate dialogue through TED-like experiences at the local level. TEDx events are planned and coordinated independently. A summary of Grant’s TEDx talk: The rate of change in the world demands that we re-imagine and restructure the foundational learning relationship among students, teachers, and knowledge. In September 2012, pursuing a decades-long passion for transformational education, Grant packed up his Prius and set off on a solo, nationwide research tour to discover what schools are doing to prepare students for an evolving future. Find out what he learned from three months on the road visiting 21 states, 64 schools, and the great ideas of 500 educators. As always please share your thoughts in the comment section below.

Farmers Insurance is giving away up to $1 million dollars in increments of $2,500 to classroom teachers across the country in their "Thank a Million Teachers" campaign.  This is a tremendous opportunity for teachers across the nation!  You have to be nominated by a student, teacher, or individual that wants to say thanks for all the work you do for children.  Once nominated you are eligible to submit a 1,000 word essay on how you would use the grant.  Grant proposals are weeded down and then a voting round starts.  The teachers with the most votes in each state will receive $2500.  The website to thank a teacher is: www.thankamillionteachers.com In 2013 Montana and Nevada were chosen as pilot states.  Through a great network of coworkers, friends, and family I received the most votes in Montana and tomorrow I will be helping launch the national campaign by riding on the Thank a Million Teachers float in the Rose Parade. Watch Twitter (@mikegusto) as I will be tweeting pictures and behind the scenes happenings!  Follow the hashtag #ThankATeacher to join the conversation and spread the word about a teacher who has made a difference in your life.  The parade begins at 11:00 am EST/8:00 am PST on January 1st.  I am so excited to be part of a program recognizing the amazing job teachers across the country do everyday. Below is my proposal and this link will take you to the other successful proposals in Montana and Nevada. Recognizing Greatness Everyday A positive school community is vital to successful academic achievement in students. We are working tirelessly to find ways to recognize greatness at our school. Our plan is to create a digital display showcasing student greatness. By combining a multimedia computer, camera, Apple TV, and a digital display we will be able to achieve our goal. Our student council has already acquired the display and this grant would go toward finishing our vision. Our student leadership team will be tasked with documenting student greatness throughout our school. Our weekly leadership meeting will plan areas of focus for the week. Areas of focus will be in the classroom, in activities, and around town. We will profile 12 middle school students each week on the digital display. By utilizing these tools, students will create video loops to display greatness. This will allow our students to feel connected to the school community and will foster a positive school atmosphere. As always please share your thoughts in the comment section below.  

Just before the new year, I joined two other educational technology prognosticators, Wes Fryer (@wfryer) and Jennie Magiera (@MsMagiera), for a Google Hangout to look at the "2014 EdTech Crystal Ball."  The conversation was interesting, fast-paced and informative! My thanks to Wes for organizing the Hangout! Happy new year from all your friends at NCCE!