EdNET's Best for 2011: Teachers Select

[#1]

The Verizon Thinkfinity site (www.thinkfinity.org) is totally FREE to educators, students, and parents! The resources have been developed by content experts for grades PreK-12 and are aligned to not only national, but state standards. Teachers have access to lessons, activities, and all materials to support each lesson. The lessons are set up to provide the standards, learning objectives, procedures, step by step thoughts about what to ask and how to approach the activities, with assessment ideas and extensions for each to support differentiation. The teachers even have opportunities for free professional development from 30-60 minute webinars, to online courses, to face to face sessions. Even better, teachers now have the opportunity to share, connect, and collaborate through the Thinkfinity Community ( www.thinkfinity.org/community)! Now you can join groups of common educational interests, make friends with teachers to share resources and ask questions of one another, and save your favorite resources all in one location. Students and parents may also connect and learn through www.thinkfinity.org by clicking on the At Home and After School tab!  

[#2]

My vote goes to Verizon Thinkfinity and the Verizon Thinkfinity Community.  The first website offers thousands of free resources for educators, parents, students, afterschool mentors, and volunteers to enhance their knowledge.  A variety of resource types are available for grades K-12 and adult learners.  Thinkfinity has a wonderful index of online interatives for all grade levels and many subject areas which teachers can use with their SmartBoards and other types of interactive boards.  The website also provides 21st century learning skills, lesson plans, today in history, and standards alignment for teachers to use in preparing their curriculum needs.  A free newsletter keeps Thinkfinity goers informed of new activities, partner updates, webinars, and other site offerings.  In addition, the Verizon Thinkfinity Community provides a global connection for educators, parents, students (ages 13+), and volunteers to collaborate and share resources and viewpoints related to educational topics.  Discussion forums provide opportunties to ask questions and reply to posts.  Blogs keep members informed of professional development opportunities, content partner updates, special announcments, contests, and so much more.  Documents offer helpful guidelines for active community participation.  Members have a number of special interest groups to join and share resources.  The website also provides members with a place to store their own "stuff" such as favorite resources, documents, discussions, groups, and blog posts.  Members can add friends, send private messages, and receive notifications from communities and groups.  Thinkfinity is the best that the web has to offer for educators, parents, and students!!!