Online Visual Dictionary and Thesaurus

Visuwords is an online visual dictionary and thesaurus based on an opensource database, WordNet, built by students and language researchers at Princeton University. You can even download a local copy of WordNet from the Princeton site (without the visualization however).



With Visuwords, you can look up words to find their meanings and associations with other words and concepts.

It is very easy to manipulate Visuwords as you can click and drag the background to pan around and use the mouse wheel to zoom in and out. To see a definition you just hover over its node. You can also click and drag individual nodes to move them around to help clarify connections.

I think this is a great tool for all us visual learners out there. First spotted it on Judy's blog.

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Technorati Tags: dictionary, thesaurus, visuwords, wordnet

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Networking with Del.icio.us

Make the most of your del.icio.us account by using its networking capabilities. If your not sure how then have a look at this short informative screencast by Liz Davis, an Instructional Technology Specialist.



I haven't really been using this aspect of del.icio.us but I will be from now on!!

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Technorati Tags: del.icio.us, networking, screencast

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Access your Gmail Space as a Drive

With 6GB of space provided with your Gmail account it seems a waste just to use this storage space for emails and attachments. Though, I am told this space is really for your Google Docs files and not just the emails!

Nevertheless, I have been testing two tools that allow you to access the space like a drive - so you can carry out all your normal file management functions using this space.

 

For all those still using Internet Explorer, GMail Drive is a third party addon which creates a virtual drive that appears on your computer and acts as any other installed hard-drive. You can copy files to and from the GMail Drive simply by using drag'n'drop like you do in Explorer.

When you create a new file using GMail Drive, it sends an e-mail to your account, which appears in your normal Inbox folder, and the file is attached as an e-mail attachment. It is a good idea to create a filter in Gmail to automatically move the files (prefixed with the GMAILFS letters in the subject) to an archived mail folder - so that the Inbox does not become cluttered up.

The latest version 1.0.12 is supposed to work with Google Apps accounts but I have not had any success in that area. Has anyone else???



For those using Firefox, there is GSpace, a Firefox extension, which turns your Gmail account into free online storage. With GSpace, you can store all types of files. Its simple, user friendly interface allows for all file management tasks to be carried out. GSpace is easily accessed from the 'Tools' menu within Firefox.

Both of the tools work perfectly - except with our hosted domain on Google Apps :-( which is where I really wanted to use them, since my students all have college email addresses.

Mind you, I've just had a thought, next year the students could create their own individual gmail accounts and then use one of these very useful tools :-)

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Technorati Tags: email, gmail, gmail drive, google apps, gspace,

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Make Your Own Widget!!

Did you ever wish you could have a widget for your own Website or Blog??

Well now you can!

Sign up with Widgetbox and you can create your own widget or blidget, as it is known there, in three easy steps.

No programming or technical knowledge needed. You can instantly turn your site or blog into a widget and share it with the Widgetsphere.

Once created, the widget can be published in the Widgetbox gallery so that others can find and use the widget on their own sites.

Here's one I created for the International Edubloggers Directory site.

Click on the picture to take you to the widget where you can edit it and get the code!

And if that was just too easy, then try out their recently released App Accelerator and turn your newly created widget into an app!

Yes it works - the International Edubloggers Directory widget is now available for Facebook!

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Technorati Tags: international edubloggers directory, widget, widgetbox

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Language Learning as Gaeilge

A new Irish language learning tool hit the Web this week, which is really cool as we are in the middle of "Seachtain na Gaeilge 2008".

Talk Irish is a new Irish language learning project, aimed at adults, which will contain many resources enabling you to learn Irish online, anytime, anywhere.

Talk Irish is the brain child of Michelle Gallen.

Free Irish word-a-day emails, podcasts and flashcards are all on offer. The daily emails will include an Irish word, example sentences, and a link to a free podcast and flashcard.

Talk Irish also contains a page detailing links to some excellent resources.

And later this year Talk Irish will be launching a free audio dictionary and even "more great free learning resources – including games and quizzes".

It's never been easier to learn the cúpla focal !!

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Technorati Tags: irish language, talk irish

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An Alternative to Windows Explorer

ExplorerXP is a handy little file manager for Windows 2000/XP - for those still not using Vista or Mac! ExplorerXP is very fast, small and compact.

Unlike the standard Windows Explorer, ExplorerXP "displays the total size of each folder and allows you to browse multiple folders from a tabbed interface".

Some other features include:
* renaming multiple files in one step
* displaying folder size information and the real size of compressed files/folders
* merging and splitting tools
* advanced copy/move
* grouping folders
* configurable keyboard shortcuts

But, most importantly, ExplorerXP supports USB devices which will show up even when, for some reason, they do not show up in Windows Explorer!!!!

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Technorati Tags: explorerxp, file management, windows explorer

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Encyclopdeia of Life is here!!

First wrote about the impending arrival of the Encyclopedia of Life back in August last year.

Well now it has arrived. :-)

This first release of the portal includes twenty five exemplar species pages which "have been authenticated (endorsed) by scientists" and show a rich environment, with extensive information.

The Encyclopedia of Life also includes tens of thousands of additional species pages which are "authenticated, but do not contain the rich array of information found on the exemplar pages".

Finally, about 1 million minimal species pages "containing the scientific and common names for a species and often have a distribution map, but lack other authenticated information" are also included in this edition of the Encyclopedia of Life.

The Yellow Fever Mosquito is just one of the current exemplar species available!

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Technorati Tags: eol, encyclopedia of life

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Yacapaca for your Online Assessment

If you haven't tried it already then you should sign up for Yacapaca immediately!

Yacapaca is an excellent online assessment resource. In Yacapaca you can create and access quizzes, surveys, tests and eportfolios.

Yacapaca allows you to make student sets, containing your list of students, or simply allocate access keys. Once you have created your assignment it becomes available at a given address on the Internet.

For corrected assignments, not only is a markbook provided, which can be downloaded in csv format, but also detailed analysis of how the assignment was completed.

Authoring groups are available and once you have joined a group you can:

• use assessments that are only available to group members
• compile your own quizzes and surveys from the group question bank
• create short-text tests, eportfolios and more
• clip them together into complete courses

There is an astonishing 554 courses available to use, across a big range of subjects, including mainstream and niche areas.

This is a truly amazing collaborative resource and all free!!!

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Technorati Tags: assessment, eportfolio, yacapaca

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