tkjudas: Week 7: Webinar: ThinkFinity

Thinkfinity - Verizon Foundation Partnerships

www.thinkfinity.org

What is Verizon's ThinkFinity Webinar

I watched a prerecorded Thinkfinity Webinar from Thinkfinity.org. This was a training webinar in how to use the site and resources. I found the information helpful, informative and applicable in a number of ways. First, in the things that I could possibly use in my classroom. Second, things that others in my building might be able to use. Finally third, things that might work with members of my family. I am always hesitant when I see a major corporate connections to “educational” offerings. I really feel like any corporate connection is minimized by the quality and quantity of information and partnerships. I am including some of the links to some of their partnerships at the end of the blog.

The search engine that Thinkfinity uses only searches within their partner sites. They support educational resources in all subject areas. The history resources supply a great number of primary source documents, like the Gettysburg Address from the Smithsonian.

Thinkfinity offers free professional development through their webinars. They supply certificates after completion of webinars and completion of survey. This is a great supplement for rural communities like ours. What I found really useful, even in the recorded webinars, are the active links to presenter notes, partners and resources.

I have found a number of things in their podcasts that I am going to integrated into my current practice. I have shared the CreditCard Simulator and lesson plans with our Family Consumer Sciences educator. She has used a couple of the lesson plans. I have also shared this with the middle school history educator. She is always looking for primary source resources. One for the greatest teachers for my son has been game-based applications. There are many links to resources that are partnering with Thinkfinity.

RESOURCES

1. Thinkfinity

http://www.thinkfinity.org

2. Multimedia Explorations

Gettysburg Address-

http://logs2.smithsonian.museum/FlashBrowser/viewfa.htmlpath=kioskinteractives/GA_final/Document_gallery2.cis&aratio=1.77

Lewis and Clark-

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/lewisandclark/

The Price of Freedom: Americans at War

http://americanhistory.si.edu/militaryhistory/

Great Game based activity

http://sciencenetlinks.com/interactives/messenger/makeAMission.swf