Over the past two decades the Internet has made it possible for anyone anywhere to pursue an affordable degree; for adults to continue their education in efforts to remain productive; and for universities to reach a greater number of people who want to learn. Infusing online learning into higher education provides educators with innovative ways to connect with students, wherever they are, and offers incredible, new career opportunities. This infographic by the Online Learning Consortium highlights a few of these changes.

Ready to help NASA with a science project? NASA is inviting people around the globe to go outside during Earth Science Week and observe the sky, clouds, etc. and share those observations as ‘citizen scientists’. Earth Week is October 12-18, 2014 and is a great time to work on STEAM projects that have to do with weather and atmospheric conditions. I included the ‘A’ in STEAM as artwork can be done based on observations of what a students views in the sky. Clouds are an important part of Earth’s atmosphere, and NASA scientists are studying how they affect our weather and climate. Clouds cover about half of the planet at any one time, ranging from high, wispy cirrus to dark, rumbling thunderheads. By participating in #SkyScience you will help NASA learn more about the types of clouds where you live, work and play, and help all of us celebrate the beauty of Earth’s atmosphere, and the science behind it. Learn more: What Are Clouds? Earth Observatory: Clouds & Radiation Improving Climate Change Predictions, One Cloud at a Time What’s #SkyScience? You don’t need a Ph.D. in a field of science to be a scientist. All it takes is curiosity and a bit of planning, and you’ll become a "Citizen Scientist" in no time! #SkyScience is part of an annual event founded by the American Geosciences Institute to every ‘citizen scientists’ to engage in Earth Science by observing, photographing, drawing or reporting on clouds where they live and go to school. To report your observations, share on Twitter, blog posts, Instagram, Flickr, Facebook or any other social media outlet and use the hashtag #SkyScience. During Earth Week, NAZA will share of most interesting photos on NASA’s social media outlets. For years, NASA has been involving students in cloud observation via the Students’ Cloud Observations On-Line (S’COOL) Project. #SkyScience is one more opportunity to obtain a variety of reports in a short period of time and enable NASA scientists and personnel to study and analyze the reports shared with NASA. To get more information and find out how the steps so you can participate, visit: http://go.nasa.gov/skysci.  Please share your form of participation with this blog - what an exciting activity for your students!

The depths of the ocean and other bodies of water can seem like another world, with different creatures and terrain than you’ll find anywhere else on Earth. Taking photographs underwater can be challenging, because of water pressure, the issue of waterproofing hi-tech gadgets, and also the dangers of drowning. However, with the proper precautions, and a little practice, the results of underwater photography can be beautiful: Landslide Hall by Viktor Lyagushkin Shipwrecks by Matthew Fischbach love under the sea by Kenvin Pinardy Underwater 8 Sodaro,k Hunting bubbles by Dmitry Laudin Wreck by Tim Briggs Underwater Garden by Ladigue_99 Underwater fairy by Dmitry Laudin Underwater by Xelor (on and off) Whirpool by Andrey Narchuk Underwater world by ???? ? ??????? Underwater foliage by Daniel Silverman The Death of a Shark by Csaba Tokolyi underwater by Schattenwerk Underwater Sunset by Naomi Roe Underwater Canyon by Julio Sanjuan underwater world by Peggy J Hughes Manta Ray by Kjersti Busk Joergensen Underwater by Grant Stirton Hai Siang Wreck by Barathieu Gobriel Cathedral by Andrey Narchuk underwater colors by Green.pit Underwater 12 by Archangem Underwater Traffic by Pete Leong Underwater Tabletop by Josh Mazgelis A last glance by nini_filippini Underwater Scene by Parée Life Underwater by Ed Melendres Not a creature was stirring by Justin Salzer Related Posts 30 Amazing Underwater Photographs Beautiful Photographs of Movement in Water 30 Photographs of Bicycles 30 Intense Hunting Photographs 30 Majestic Photographs of Horses

With the maker space theme becoming a big trend in current classrooms in today’s schools, trying to come up with learning activities and materials for a classroom that fits the maker theme can be a difficult and daunting task. I found several at ‘The Grommet’ website. First is a circuit board kit that turns objects that conduct electricity into user interfaces and keyboard controllers. It is designed for ages 12 and up but can be for any age with supervision. Just complete the circuit to create the objects students want to make or run. The next ‘toy’ or explorative activity item is called OgoSport constructive toy sets. These sets allow students to create open ended items and put the pieces into an endless number of configurations. The YouTube video explains more about this item. The next item is the Sphere 2.0 app controlled robot ball. The balls are programmable with a smartphone app, can fit in your hand, light and do a variety of things once programmed. The YouTube video below shows more about what robot balls can do. Next up is the remote-controlled robot. The robot is controlled with an iPhone or iPod Touch and can dance, walk, and talk. You can let the robot more about freely or use the remote-control to program and control the robot. You can do a great deal with the programming of the robots and I highly recommend you explore this ‘toy’ as well. The last item is the littleBits modular electronic kits. It is described as: Just as LEGO enables kids to build complex structures with very little engineering knowledge, littleBits are small, intuitive blocks that make it a snap to create sophisticated electronics. Each bit consists of a tiny circuit-board with its own specific function (light, sound, sensors, buttons, thresholds, pulse, and motors). littleBits are color-coded and magnetic making it simple to build large circuits in seconds. No soldering, no wiring, or programming necessary. In combination with everyday materials, littleBits can be transformed into working LEGO bots, clay cars, toy nightlights—you name it, you can create it. There is a YouTube video that explains the item in more detail. All of these items would make great additions for coding, programming and creating things that fit the maker theme type of classroom and align to the CCSS featuring creativity. The prices vary and you can read more about each item on the Grommet toys and games page. They also have other interesting items to explore to enrich your classroom. You can apply for grants or use sites like http://donorschoose.org and http://classwish.org. They have some very interesting items that kids would love to explore and create with!

Love is a common concept that businesses try to market. Whether it’s a dating website or agency, a company that wants users to feel passion about the product or service, or something else, love and hearts are frequent components. The best way to show this concept in a logo design is to use a heart shape of some kind. Because of the simple shape, hearts can show up in different styles and with different effects. Here’s some examples where the love is literally in the logo: LoveBiites TrueLove Lovehook LoveGeek Love Mouse Love Letters BeeLoved Love Clip Half Loved Infinite Love Related Posts Cute Cat Logo Ideas Motor and Car Themed Logo Designs Christmas and Holiday Logos Burning Hot Fire Logo Designs Deliciously Creative Food Logo Designs

Have you ever needed one of your SlideShare files on a mobile device for a presentation? If so, you can now download, view and upload SlideShare files using their new app. The app was just released on October 2, 2014 and is available for iOS and Android devices.    Discover New Presentations The new app lets you browse the 12 million presentations that have been uploaded to Slideshare or discover new presentations based on a variety of topics. SlideShare gets 60 million unique visitors a month allowing you to view presentations and learn new content at the tip of your fingers from a wide variety of resources and networks. Now that the app is released it is even easier to view presentations uploaded to SlideShare.net.   Expand your Network and Make Connections You can view presentations uploaded from people in your network in addition to the presentations that result from a general search. This month is Connected Educators Month now is the time to take advantage of this great opportunity to expand your network and learn from one another via SlideShare presentations whether you are an educator or not. We can all learn from one another and serve as educators in a variety of capacities and this is the perfect time to reach out to those in your network and download or view their presentations offline or online using the new app. Before the release of the app you were limited to viewing presentations online only and did not have the ability to download for offline viewing. Share your Work with SlideShare Community Additionally, you can share your own presentations by uploading them and connecting SlideShare with your favorite networks like the SlideShare community, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter or Plurk - quickly and easily using the SlideShare app. Viewing the slidedecks shared on SlideShare is even easier on your mobile device as you can view them in full-screen mode. Before the app release it was difficult to view the presentations online as the images were very small and details were not as visible as they are now. Be sure to download this app and view on the go!  

My colleagues and I at NIU were recently notified of the publication of our article, Measuring digital professional development: Analytics for the use of web and social media. Purpose As faculty professional development increasingly occurs online and through social media, it becomes challenging to assess the quality of learning and effectiveness of programs and resources, yet it is important to evaluate such initiatives. The purpose of this paper is to explore how one faculty development center experimented with using analytics to answer questions about the use and effectiveness of its web and social media resources. Design/methodology/approach The case study was based on direct observation of the center’s practice and review of selected data generated by the analytic tools. Findings Unfortunately, while some analytics are available from a variety of sources, they are often distributed across tools and services. The center developed an analytics strategy to use data from Google Analytics and social media reporting tools to assess the use of online and social professional development resources. Initial results show that the center’s online and social professional development resources are widely used, both within and outside the university. However, more work is necessary to improve the strength and scope of the available analytics. Practical implications As a result of the analysis, the center has streamlined online resources, targeted social media use, and has begun developing methods to allow faculty to report online resource use as professional development for academic personnel purposes. Originality/value Many faculty development centers have not explored methods of evaluating online and social media resources. This paper outlines a strategic evaluation plan to measure the usage of online resources as well as engagement and interaction through social media. Citation Rhode, J., Richter, S., Gowen, P., & Krishnamurthi, M. (2015). Measuring digital professional development: Analytics for the use of web and social media. Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education, 7(1), 19-31.

Today I’m sharing with you 10 textures of old tile glue. I’m in the process of redecorating my bathroom, and I after tearing down the tiles the old glue was left on the wall in all it’s beauty. I hope you can use them for something cool. Enjoy! Download all textures as ZIP from copy.com (57.2Mb) Did you like these textures? Let us know by leaving a comment, and you can even post a link if you used them in your artwork. Related Posts Free Texture Friday - Black Leather Free Texture Friday - Grunge Screens Free Texture Friday - Worn Concrete Free Texture Friday - Misc Wood Free Texture Friday - Vintage Stone Wall 2

The 13th Annual SLATE Conference will be held on October 21-23, 201 at the Northern Illinois University regional campus/conference center in Naperville, IL, which is along the Illinois Technology and Research Corridor (thirty minutes from downtown Chicago). My colleagues from NIU Faculty Development and Instructional Design Center will once again provide logistical support for the conference and look forward to participating in the conference, having already submitted several presentation proposals. This conference has become a premier event in the Midwest and has attracted participants interested in supporting learning and technology in education from around the world in higher-ed, K-12, government, and the corporate sector. Over the past twelve years more than 3,200 people representing almost 200 unique institutions from the Midwest, across the country, and around the world have attended this conference. Recognizing that deployment issues, support concerns, teaching strategies, learning styles, best practices, etc. are common among the varied CMS/LMS clients (Blackboard, Moodle, Sakai, etc.), this conference invites all faculty, system administrators, CIO’s, Web developers, instructional designers, librarians, students, and user support staff from institutions that are deploying and/or currently using any Web-based tools, applications or programs, in their teaching and learning. Call for Presentations Submissions are invited for presentations, panel discussions, or working group activities (now through June 30, 2015) which can cover a broad range of topics that relate to best practices, innovative, engaging, and pedagogically sound uses of technology in teaching and learning, etc. Speakers are encouraged to submit proposals whose general focus is the use of technology in teaching and learning regardless of the platform or tools being used. Other topics and ideas will also be considered. If you have an idea for a panel discussion and need some help in getting people together, contact the conference coordinator, Ken Sadowski, and he can help to connect you to others who may have already expressed similar ideas. Some of the topics presented in past conferences included: Using Podcasting to Meet the Needs of Millennial Students Platform-Independent Course Design Teaching Writing Using Blogs and Wikis Student GPA and Course Delivery Methods Using Technology Tools to Ensure Faculty Success Online Assessment Strategies Using Your CMS as a Retention Tool More detailed information can be found at the following: SLATE Conference home Proposal Submission Form SLATE home page I hope to see you @SLATEConference #slate15! If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact: Ken Sadowski SLATE Conference Coordinator email: ken@slategroup.org cell: 708.744.9448

Washington Monthly.com posted a list of the top 10 worst colleges in the U.S. The ranking was based on a variety of reasons. The list and reasons the colleges made the list are below: First was high tuition fees with a poor quality education leading to a high drop out before graduation. This leaves students with huge loans and a large amount of debt with no degree in sight.                             A second chart lists the top 20 worst colleges using the graduation rate as the criteria for rankings.                         The third chart ranks the worst 20 colleges according to, "… debt statistics using its borrowing rate. This acknowledges that a college where 90 percent of students borrow and many default is much different than a college where only 10 percent of students borrow and, of those, many default. This grouping also sidesteps the problem of part-time students being excluded from graduation rates by only counting the ratio of degrees per 100 full-time equivalent students, which includes all students, full-time and part-time."               The last ranks the worst colleges according to minority numbers. This uses demographic and socio-economic statuses to set the rankings.

Tilt-shift photography is a type of selective focus and perspective control photography that makes even large objects seem smaller, almost like toys, and has a selected area of focus with the rest out of focus. Usually, such effects are created with tilt-shift lenses, but the effect can also be produced digitally. The results can be very cool to look at, especially with things that normally are quite large such as cities. Here’s some examples: Berlin Bundestag - Tilt Shift by Thpx Tilt n shift by Amsler Miniature Beach 2 by Noam Gordon Mall access by Nicolas Mini world by Simon Tidd Tilt Shift by Mtheis1987 Tilt shift by T? Lê Hùng Down town by Brad Marks NYC Tilt Shift byJewltUp Park Guell tilt shift by Andre Davis Adventures in Tilt Shift 11 by umblowsthebig1 Tilt shift by Andrey O NanoWorl:China by Blazej Mronzinski Olympiacenter Munich - Tilt Shift Pictureby Maaster Tilt Shift, Lamayuru Ladakh by Vivek Sheel Singh NY…TS by KOS TAS Tilt Shift F1 Racing 2008by MowCroft Tilt Shift Cannonsby Patrick Buechner St Geniez d’Olt by Bastien HAJDUK Tilt-Shift Castleby Hazza42 James Young Tilt Shack Fontanges Tilt Shift by Ali Bentelkhokh Crossing by Ahmad Amarullah Tilt Shift III - EPFLby b4silio Lionat Natalia Petri tilt shift Adventures in Tilt Shift 10by umblowsthebig1 Flat Iron by Rafael Peixoto Ferreira City lego tilt shiftby MrMixiz Tillt! Siena! Shift! by Vidar All the little people by David Merron Related Posts Fascinating Tilt-Shift Photographs 30 Marvelous Underwater Photographs 30 Photographs of Bicycles Rocks, Stones and Pebbles in Photography 30 Majestic Photographs of Horses

Have you read a blog post or article that stated that technology will be the saving grace for solving the problems with education today? In my opinion, technology alone is not enough to make a difference. Is technology enough? No, it’s not enough. Is technology with training enough to positively impact instruction? No, it’s not enough. Is technology with training, time to practice enough? No, it’s not enough. Is technology with quality, time to practice and time to debrief and share experiences? Possibly. As long as the professional development is quality and effective, building technology leaders and creating motivated users with a common vision. If it isn’t, it’s not enough. Debriefing and reflecting is an important part of the process and without the time to practice, try, fail, succeed and reflect upon a teacher’s strength and weaknesses using new technology hardware or software instruction will not significantly improve. Time to collaborate, take risks, share what worked and what didn’t is so important to professional growth and not enough time to learn and expand a teacher’s knowledge base will not happen without just that - time to learn. Just having the latest technology, even in a one-to-one situation, will not magically transform teaching. But having training on using digital media and slowly adding more technology tools to a teacher’s toolbox - that will pay off dividends in transforming teaching and learning. Real learning occurs when the three C’s take place - collaboration, communication and creativity. Just as students are learning and exploring how to effectively use technology in the classroom so should teachers. When something exciting happens while a student is using technology they share it with everyone. Same should be happening with educators. Unfortunately, our enthusiasm has been stifled by testing pressure and demands, ignored discipline issues in the classroom, just another program ideals, and a host of other personal and professional issues and demands that sap the life out of educators. This is why quality professional development is needed. Create leaders who can assist other teachers. Have teachers team teach with one another. Have the media specialist and technology specialist work with the teachers and model lessons. Do everything possible to share the good things instead of focusing on negativity to transform the teaching and learning culture. It isn’t an easy task but it is doable if you have effective professional development to train the teachers. Enthusiasm is catching and when you have teachers and students excited about learning to use technology, coupled with continued quality, effective, and innovative professional development you have quality, effective and innovative learning happening in the classroom. That’s my two cents - what are your thoughts? Is technology enough?

The University of St. Thomas Information Resources and Technologies and Faculty Development Center have created this excellent guide for faculty on how to structure a course for online learning and addresses both fully online and blended/hybrid delivery methods. There is a checklist at the end of the booklet to assess your "course readiness," and to help minimize any problems your students may incur as they acclimate to the online material, navigate the course and complete online activities. Also included is assistance for incorporating active learning strategies to help you plan your class time more efficiently and to assess where students are in understanding the material. Lastly, the basic tenets of how to design for accessibility, especially if you are using the Blackboard learning management system, are introduced.

With the holidays fast approaching, close attention should be paid to this blog post. Every woman loves to receive and wear jewelry and the items featured in this post might be on many holiday gift wish lists. Smartphone jewelry has arrived in the form or a necklace and several bracelet cuffs. There is a masculine cuff for the guys too! The items are similar to the fitbit cuffs but these are considered more of a jewelry item. The featured necklace has two gold overlays and communicates with the smartphone to let the wearer know that a phone call or text message has been sent to their phone. No more missed calls or texts when wearing the necklace! The cuffs let designed people know you need help. The app communicates with the jewelry via an electronic module and is charged in a mirrored jewelry box. The cuff is designed for activity tracking or safety purposes. One type of cuff tracks like the fitbit cuffs and ones similar to the one on the right informs those selected of your location with live audio and any other relevant information necessary to let selected parties know how to help reach you. This is great for those who travel or teach in areas that might be considered dangerous or are involved in abusive domestic relationships. You can pre-order the items now and read more about the details on their website http://cuff.io. You can view the informational video below on the three types of items offered. The cuffs start at $49 and are really pretty. The module with a simple charger is $29. Check out the website to see all of the different items that can be ordered and how they are used. I just love these technology items - so exciting! What do you think? Are these items on you or your family members’ gift wish list?  

One of the best ways to show off a web app or service is to show a screenshot of it. However, a standalone screenshot isn’t nearly as effective as showing it within a browser. This method of showing a contextual example helps reassure your users that your app looks good, works well and is compatible with their given browser. To show them off properly, you’ll need a browser to use, and luckily, designers have created tons of PSDs that you can download and use: Metro Browser Firefox on Freya Line Browser OSX Yosemite Chrome PSD Dark Browser Minimal Browser Free Flat Browser Mockup Simple Flat Browser Minimal 4K Browser Related Posts Free Flat Icon Sets to Download Free iPhone 6 Templates, Mockups and PSDs Free T-Shirt PSD Mockups for Designers Awesome New CSS3 Tutorials to Try Out Free Flat Icon Sets You Must Download

This checklist shared by Charles Graham can be used to assess where your institution is at in terms of providing strategy, structure, and support for blended learning.

Discovery Education will host another virtual field trip free for students of all ages although the resources and virtual field trip will feature 6th-8th grade students. This field trip will show middle schoolers getting a personal tour of a working copper mine live from Arizona. According to Discovery Education, During this live event, students will get a behind the scenes look into the copper industry and meet with a local Geologist and Mine Planning Engineer as they reinforce STEM and core math and science concepts within real world careers. The event will take place November 13, 2014 from 1-2pm EST and the registration page can be found here: http://www.eventbrite.com/e/metals-in-your-everyday-life-virtual-field-trip-registration-13623473175. Check out the teacher resources on this page: http://www.digintomining.com/teacher-resources. Teachers can submit questions prior to the event so the questions can be answered during the live event on this page: http://www.digintomining.com/virtualfieldtrips.   Photo Credit: Discovery Education

Today I’m sharing 5 crystallized silica textures I shot close to the Blue Lagoon in Iceland a while back. This is a crystallized form of the silica mud people use to treat their skin and has a beautiful deep blue and white color. I hope you can find good use for them Download all textures as ZIP from copy.com (15.5Mb) Did you like these textures? Let us know by leaving a comment, and you can even post a link if you used them in your artwork. Related Posts Free Texture Friday - Smoke Free Texture Friday - Abstract Grunge 4 Free Texture Friday - Worn Concrete Free Texture Friday - Black Leather Free Texture Friday - Vintage Stone Wall 2

Ever searched for a great SAT prep app in iTunes? There are hundreds of apps and it is extremely time-consuming to read the descriptions and decide if the app is valuable, offers tips or information that will be beneficial to the user and aid in actually preparing for the college entrance exam. What is unique is that most of the apps have game like features as there is an abundance of current research that shows many students learn more when games, challenges and levels are involved, especially with gamification becoming a large trend in education. Below are six apps that will benefit any student preparing for the SAT/ACT that are free to download with a few offering in-app purchases for additional features or content. SAT Up Score Beyond - This is a free app that does off in-app purchases for additional preparation content. This app offers over 3,000 prep questions and users can personalize the content based on strengths and weaknesses. The app tracks progress and compiles performance data from the app for you. The app is free but there is a $4.99 monthly fee that can be cancelled at any time. Looks like a great app if you don’t mind the subscription fee. Ace the SAT - This app focuses on mathematics questions. You can use the app without an Internet connection and there are no in-app or subscription fees like some of the other apps. Each quiz you take will feature new questions and incorrect questions show the correct answer with some explaining how to solve the question correctly. The test section tracks progress as well as allows you to take a screenshot to share with someone if you need additional assistance or clarification on the solution. Play2Prep - This app customizes training and is in a game format. You can practice with tough test questions and improve your time on each section with this app. You can create customized practice tests and track your progress, simulate real world tests and track strengths and weaknesses for future improvement. Additionally, you can play games against other or individually to practice test questions. College Passport - SAT Edition This is more than just an SAT prep app. You can get information about colleges and track your applications all in one place. This is the only app that is similar to a flipped classroom with practice questions and video tutorials with online office hours to ensure that students receive assistance when needed. The instructors that provide assistance are trained in the same proven methodologies that the app is based. This features can be great advantages over some of the other apps. Kaplan’s SAT Quiz U - This app gives you free practice SAT questions in timed mini quizzes, helping you study the most valuable, score-raising topics in each area tested on the SAT. You get access to 450 questions with the option for in-app purchases to gain access to more questions. Receive immediate feedback on your progress as you work through the features of the app with the ability to submit discussion questions to Kaplan SAT teachers and get a response within 24 hours. SAT Prep TestBank 2400 - The app is free but there are in-app purchases that are required to gain full access but there is a great deal here for free and a minimal cost. The authors of the app supposedly earned perfect scores on the SAT so the quality is high. The app re-calibrates based on your responses and avoids repeat questions. The app contains tips and strategies to achieve a high score on the SAT in addition to the practice elements. All of the above apps offer great features that will greatly help any teen studying for one of the college entrance exams even though the apps are focused on the SAT. The features, questions and tips are applicable to all kinds of tests in and out of the classroom that students will encounter so take some time to explore the apps and find out which best fits your needs. If you find a great SAT prep app that isn’t listed above or find the ones shared above valuable, I invite you to leave a comment and let me know!   Cross posted at: http://elearningindustry.com/6-great-sat-prep-apps

The Center for Distributed Learning at the University of Central Florida has launched the Teaching Online Podcast (TOPcast) hosted by Dr. Thomas Cavanagh and Dr. Kelvin Thompson, a monthly podcast for online and blended learning professionals. Tom and Kelvin are rockstars of the online and blended learning world with decades of experience growing and learning blended and online programs. In their podcast they discuss current issues in online and blended learning relevant to leaders and practitioners. Any online instructor, instructional designer, or aspiring online learning leader will find benefit from the insights shared. You might also learn something new about different coffee blends in the process You can share with the hosts your thoughts on past episodes or ideas for new episodes via email (topcast@ucf.edu), follow on Twitter at @topcastnow, or join the conversation on Twitter with the hashtag #topcastnow. Subscribe (via iTunes or RSS) to never miss an episode.

Volcanoes are openings in the Earth’s crust, caused by the pressure of magma underneath the surface, usually from the collisions of tectonic plates in Earth’s crust. Volcanoes are very powerful, with two types, those causing red eruptions, with liquid magma (lava) oozing from the volcanic opening, or those causing gray eruptions, which are powerful explosions of ash and pumice into the atmosphere. Photographing active volcanoes can be quite dangerous, with hot lava, noxious gases, and sudden eruptions that can kill almost instantly. However, the results are beautiful when they are photographed: Etna, nocturnal awakening #1 by Claudio Carpinato Ph. Dancing with the Devil by Skarphedinn Thrainsson Startrails on Mount Etna’s eruption by Angelo T. La Spina 1-CATERS-Lightning-Volcano-Eruption-03-JPG 184136 by Colonelengle Evil Eye by Boris Behncke Opera of Fire by Karsten Wrobel Etna 2014! by Pietro Giannitti Flaming Seashell 5 by RGDart Alaska’s Pavlof Volcano: NASA’s View from Space by NASA Goddard space Eruption of Semeru volcano in early m. by Adrian Rohnfelder The crater Baugur by Tómas Freyr Kristjánsson Camp on the volcano Etna by Marco Calandra Lava Falls by Bragi Ingibersson-BRIN Etna: smoke ring on first 2014 paroxy by Fabio Caltabiano Volcano Arenal by fortuna1 Lava boat by Cory Stromboli Island by Rudolf E.Thomi Colours of iceland by Kerstin Langenberger Rolling Heat by Adam Goldberg Icelandic volcano by schwartzschildradius Lava Field of the Pu’u O’o vent by Wayne Pinkston Mount Semeru Explosion by Jasnl Muda Ocean Entry and surface lava at Kilau by Adrian Rohnfelder Hawaii Lava Rope Closeup by Eric Schaer Oozing Lava by hitokirivader Apríl 2010 Valcano Fimmvörðuháls by Agnar Hermannsson Edge of Creation by Andrew J.Lee Firefall by Wendy Hudnall Lava Lake Break by Tom Kualii Pahoehoe Tongue by Grant Kaye Related Posts Powerful Examples of Volcano Photography 30 Marvelous Underwater Photographs 30 Majestic Photographs of Horses Rocks, Stones and Pebbles in Photography 30 Photographs of Bicycles

Research shows that October is a difficult time for new teachers. The excitement of a new school year, pristinely decorated and organized, ready to greet your crew of new students wanes around this time.  For some, this school job poses as a new job, first time being on your own in your own classroom and reality is starting to set in that things are not as you were taught (in some cases). Unfortunately this phenomenon is not related to new teachers only. It happens to all teachers. In a way, the honeymoon period is over and it becomes apparent that you are now responsible and accountable for a group of 25 to 40ish students per class. You are responsible for preparing your students for either the CCSS assessments or state standardized testing. The pressure can be daunting. But there is good news! 1. This too shall pass. This rut or wane of energy will pass and you will resume your confidence and continue to demonstrate your expertise whether you are a first year teacher or experienced teacher. Start an exercise regimen if you don’t already have one to release stress. Start a blog so you can reflect upon your teaching or keep a journal of your daily adventures so you can express your feelings. 2. Find apps on a smartphone, tablet, or mobile device of some kind to help you be more productive. Whether you use Nearpod for interactive PowerPoint presentations, Dropbox or Evernote to have immediate access to your files or student work on any device - find what works for you. There is a complete educator’s section in iTunes to help you identify great productivity apps. Use them to ease some of the teaching responsibilities that you feel are looming over your head. Use the apps to help make tasks that you dislike more interesting or fun to do instead of dreading them. 3. Find a quality mentor. Find someone that has their act together, and is well respected for their classroom management and teaching strategies. Find a colleague that uses technology to integrate innovative learning activities into the curriculum. Find someone that has a positive attitude and is realistic about the expectations and responsibilities you face every day as a teacher on your campus. You will be surprised how much talking with someone who can relate and offer you advice that will benefit you will be a great relief and motivator. You can be re-energized again and have that same excitement that you started the year with if you take certain steps to ‘protect’ that special feeling when the new school year starts. Remember, every educator has been at this point at some time in their academic career and feeling frustrated and tense is commonplace. Talk with your mentor on ways you can relieve those negative feelings and ways you can stay on track on focused on your campus vision. 4. Be positive and share your heart. Let your students know you care about them and want them to be successful. Let them know you believe in them and they won’t let you down. Don’t be fake or phoney though as kids can see right through that. One campus started giving bucks for behaving, following rules, being prepared for class, completing homework, etc. and discipline referrals declined by 75%. Being positive and caring for your students is catching and you will see that your students will want to please you and will work to the best of their abilities and beyond. 5. Involve your parents. Send home positive notes for even the smallest thing. I have had parents say that my phone call home was the first time a teacher called or sent a note for something positive. With parents on your side, your classroom will run smoother as you have the support and backing of your parents and your students know you are in close communication with their parents. This will alleviate and present discipline problems from exacerbating and becoming huge problems for you while you are teaching. Trust me on this. I have been in education for over 20 years and the students I had the most trouble with I made extra efforts to contact parents at the onset of a concern and continued that line of communication. Parents appreciate knowing what their children are doing in your class and that is why a blog or website for your classroom is so helpful. There are many more things that I could share with you to help make the school year a success but I will finish with this. Teach your heart out and make a difference in the lives of your students. It will be challenging to not lose your temper and to be positive but the effort will pay off in dividends and you too will receive many paychecks of the heart as I have over the past 20 some odd years. Never give up and remember, this too shall pass!

The Center for Teaching and Learning at the University of Texas at Austin has developed some outstanding resources for faculty interesting in "flipping" their classroom instruction. What is a flipped class? This 1 minute video introduces the flipped classroom model of instruction. What is a flipped class? from UT Austin CTL on Vimeo. A flipped class is one that inverts the typical cycle of content acquisition and application so that students gain necessary knowledge before class, and instructors guide students to actively and interactively clarify and apply that knowledge during class. Flipped Classroom Quick Start Guide How to Flip a Class The videos and recommendations with guiding questions on the UTAustin CTL website, walk you through the steps of flipping a single class; the process is scalable for flipping portions of each unit or an entire course. Thank you to the UT Austin CTL for developing and sharing such a comprehensive set of flipped classroom resources!

Brushes are very useful in graphic design, for applying effects, layer masks, textures, patterns and more. While in their simplest form, brushes simply paint colors onto a canvas, in Photoshop, brushes can have all sorts of textures, effects and controls to achieve nearly any effect imaginable. Most designers have a few favorite brushes they go to, and some have a whole arsenal to choose from. There are tons of great free brushes to download and use, and here’s some examples: Grunge Brush Clouds Brush Watercolor Brush Ornamental Corners Brush HUD Brush Pack Paint Splats Brush Watercolor Brush Paint Trails Brush 2D Tech Brush Set Smoke Brush Set Related Posts Photoshop Brushes - Fractals by ekamanganese Free Texture Friday - Grunge Borders April design goodies, tips and tricks 250 Splatter, Spray & Watercolor Brushes 10 Awesome Photo Retouching Tutorials