Core Learning has made available over 1.5 GB of new online math and language arts learning resources for access by teachers worldwide. The content can be accessed and subscribed to through the web portal http://www.globalgridforlearning.com/, and is managed by the Global Grid for Learning, a Cambridge University Press company. The portal gives teachers and schools access to full lessons and other instructional materials and practice sheets on fundamental math and language arts topics.
In addition to instructional materials, the Global Grid for Learning web portal also contains images and other learning objects for classroom use by teachers. Access is provided by subscription and is based on the amount of digital content downloaded from the web portal.
Online Math, Language Resources Available For Teachers
New Audio Book of Original Bedtime Stories
Creator of Bedtime Stories My Kids Love, early and popular children's podcaster, Mark Linder, has reached an agreement with the newly formed PodShow Press (a division of PodShow, Inc.) to publish in both audio and print form his first book of bedtime stores named, "Bedtime Stories My Kids Love Presents: The Adventures of the Man in the Can."
The new work is a collection of stories about a character named The Man in the Can, and are from the original Bedtime Stories My Kids Love podcast. The stories follow the life of a tiny man that lives inside a soda can in a park. The stories are filled with adventure, intrigue and always a surprise ending. Author and podcaster, Mark Linder describes the new book, "The Man in the Can is one of Bedtime Stories My Kids Love most beloved characters. The tiny man always seems to find himself in impossible situations and somehow, through his ingenuity, steadfastness and the help of his animal and bird friends, always seems to find a way to persevere. This is a great bedtime story that kids will look forward to hearing as an audio series, or hearing you read to them once the book is published."
The audio version of the book can be found on the PodShow Delivery Network at http://bedtimestoriesmykidslove.podshow.com/ or at http://bedtimestoriesmykidslove.com/. The printed version of the book is scheduled for release later this year. The first audio book chapter of the series is available now for listening.
Indigo Finds Booklovers Reading by Example
March Break is the perfect time for parents to read by example suggests the Indigo Family Reading Survey which recently polled Canadian booklover families to discover what they do to make reading a priority for both parents and kids. Survey results showed:
- More than nine out of ten (92%) respondents with children under 12 years old read with their kids whether or not their kids are able to read on their own
- Almost two-thirds (61%) of parents read with their children daily
- More than half (52%) enjoy daily reading time at bedtime
- Nearly one quarter (22%) of booklover families indicate anytime is reading time
- One-third of families (35%) polled offer rewards or incentives to encourage reading
- "More books" is the most popular incentive enjoyed by young readers
As indicated by the Indigo Family Reading Survey, booklovers read together every day and as Steven, proud father of four adult children recalls, bedtime reading "was just what we did, we read together and it drew us close. It was a time of peace every night; it brought closure to the day and introduced all of us to adventure and to knowledge and a shared love of reading."
Indigo operates http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/, an onlineretailer of books, music, DVDs and toys.
Surge in Students Searching Online For Local Lessons
Students and consumers are now relying upon online searches to find services in their local area, finds a recent study by comScore Networks, an Internet marketing data analyst group. It revealed that the Internet is the first place students of all ages go for information concerning lessons, classes, tutoring and other educational assistance. Will Riley, private drum tutor and founder of findmeateacher.com, says "it doesn't hold true any longer that classified ads and personal referrals can effectively spread the word about any teacher or tutor's expertise."
These latest findings uncovered that the majority of people, 66.67 percent of those surveyed, now use online search as their first source of all local business information. This fact is supported by TMP Directional Marketing (formerly Yellow Pages Online Search and Marketing), which estimates that local online search is a $1 billion market and still growing. TMP's CEO Stuart McKelvey strongly suggests that advertisers compare the allocation of offline resources with online search investments.
This study, the first of its kind, also found that only 33 percent of consumers still use printed Yellow Pages when trying to find any type of local services. Since people appear to be spending more time connected to the Internet than reading the newspaper or watching the news, Will Riley concludes, "If you want to get noticed in today's world then you must advertise where the eyeballs are ... and these days those eyeballs are on the computer screen."
The overwhelming success of Facebook and Myspace sites have re-enforced people's desire to spend an increasing amount of time online. Smart advertisers have caught on to this and are now using the Internet's scope and flexibility to attract a larger target audience.
Will Riley reminds all teachers, tutors and instructors that the Internet is an ideal vehicle for anyone who doesn't have a huge marketing budget. However, even though countless web sites offer free directory set-up for anyone wishing an Internet presence, Mr. Riley warned that majority of these sites only ever provide users with a small spot buried in between tacky advertising.
"There is more to online success than simply being mentioned on any old web site. We give teachers, tutors and instructors their own individual and professional web presence. The only visible advertising is about them, their services, their conditions and their contact information. We also train them how to get this online presence to the top of the search engine results. When that happens, so do calls from prospective students; and that's where the success really lies."
For additional information or a free copy of the report "Tips You Can Use Right Away To Attract Cash Paying Students To Your Lessons" simply visit http://www.findmeateacher.com/free-report and find out how easy it is to take advantage of the Internet to attract targeted, local students in an efficient and cost-effective manner.
eHarlequin.com Issues 100,000 Book Reading Challenge
eHarlequin.com is challenging its community members to read an astounding 100,000 books in one year in the 2008 eHarlequin.com 100,000 Book Challenge. When the reading challenge ends on December 31, 2008, Harlequin will make an unprecedented donation of an equivalent number of books to the National Center for Family Literacy (NCFL). The estimated retail value of a 100,000 book donation to the NCFL by Harlequin Enterprises Ltd. is $700,000 U.S.
There are no hard and fast rules other than participants being asked to have at least 50% of their list be novels published by Harlequin. This allows readers to discover the outstanding breadth of editorial Harlequin has to offer. The other 50% of books can be any genre by any publisher. Likewise, all formats-print, eBooks, audiobooks, etc.-are acceptable, and readers are encouraged to seek them out and give them a try.
The range and diversity of Harlequin readers is not confined solely to the type of books they read or the medium in which they enjoy them. The online nature of the eHarlequin.com community illustrates the significant power of books to unite readers in a global way. Geographic boundaries have become meaningless in this venture as the challenge brings together readers from countries as varied as Germany, France and the Philippines, as well as Harlequin editors in Toronto, New York and London and Harlequin authors from around the world.
The 2008 eHarlequin.com 100,000 Book Challenge is taking place right now at http://www.eharlequin.com/.
Pennsylvania Teachers to Receive Free Educational Resources and Training
The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) has received a $100,000 grant from the Verizon Foundation to train teachers to use the free educational resources available on Thinkfinity.org and to raise awareness of the program within the state.
The Verizon grant, announced Monday (Feb. 11) by the PDE during the Pennsylvania Educational Technology Expo & Conference here, will be part of a three-year partnership with PDE and will help Pennsylvania teachers quickly gain expertise with, and access to, the online resources of Thinkfinity.org.
Thinkfinity.org is the Verizon Foundation's free, comprehensive program and online portal to 55,000 educational resources, including standards-based, grade-specific, K-12 lesson plans and interactive tools and materials for students provided in partnership with many of the nation's leading educational and literacy organizations.
Thinkfinity.org offers elementary through high school teachers resources across eight academic disciplines, from science to English to mathematics, to improve student achievement. Thinkfinity.org is designed to help teachers gain access to online resources quickly and requires no passwords or software downloads.
In addition to providing standards-based resources from the nation's leading educational and literacy organizations, Thinkfinity.org also offers a free, robust professional development program for teachers and trainers.
Website: http://www.thinkfinity.org/
Free Podcasting Guide Available to Students and Educators
PoducateMe: Practical Solutions for Podcasting in Education is a comprehensive, fully illustrated guide detailing how to create and distribute podcast recordings to students through the Internet. Students and educators have a new and free online resource available to help them use podcasting in the classroom.
"PoducateMe contains the information I wish I had available to me in one resource when I first started investigating how to podcast," said Micah Ovadia, the guide's author. "I believe people interested in learning the technology will find the information I've assembled very helpful."
With more than 190 pages of searchable, step-by-step instructions, the easy-to-use guide, available now through the PoducateMe website, takes the mystery out of topics including:
* What is a podcast?
* Selecting appropriate podcasting equipment and software
* Recording, editing and polishing a podcast
* Creating an "enhanced" podcast containing links and graphics
* Uploading a podcast to the Internet
* Creating a podcast blog
* Sharing podcasts with students
The entire guide is available to read for free online at http://www.poducateme.com/
