Accessible Online Physics Simulations

PhET is a service that provides free interactive math and science simulations covering topics in physics, chemistry, biology, earth science, and mathematics. It has been popular with science and math teachers for many years. Recently, I learned that PhET has been developing some simulations that offer online accessibility features including alternative inputs for navigation and interactive descriptions. 

There are only nineteen accessibility enabled PhET simulations available at the moment and they are all still prototypes. You can try them here. 

PhET's full library has nearly one hundred simulations. Those simulations can be included in PowerPoint presentations and embedded into Google Sites. 

Practical Ed Tech Tips on Instagram

If you're an Instagram user who likes to find new ideas for using technology in your classroom, I have a new Instagram account for you to follow. It's mine! I created a new account that is simply titled Practical Ed Tech. This will be where I share some short video tips like this one containing five exit ticket questions and this one about using the I'm Feeling Lucky feature in Google Earth. 

Why?
There are a few reasons for this change. 

• I've wanted to do something like this for quite a while but it was always a hassle to edit the video on my desktop then upload it via the Instagram mobile app. Now that Instagram allows you to post from a computer it's a lot easier to edit and post as part of my normal workflow.
  
  
• I've always had a personal Instagram account, but I like to keep business and pleasure separate as much as I can. Creating the new Practical Ed Tech Instagram account accomplishes that. 
  
  
• I went with Practical Ed Tech rather than Free Technology for Teachers because it's slightly shorter and because it better aligns with my feelings about where the educational technology market is headed over the next decade. 

Free Webinar on Thursday - Two EdTech Guys Take Questions

This Thursday at 4pm ET/ 1pm PT Rushton Hurley from Next Vista for Learning and I are hosting the second episode of the second season of Two Ed Tech Guys Take Questions and Share Cool Stuff! We'd love to have you join us! You can register for the session right here. 

In every episode we answer questions from readers and viewers like you. We also share some cool and interesting things that we've found around the Web. Rushton tends to share cool videos and pictures while I tend to share cool tech tools. And we both try our best to give helpful answers to your questions about all things educational technology. 

Please join us! And feel free to email me in advance with your questions or send them in live during the webinar. 

Recordings and resources from our previous episodes are available on this Next Vista for Learning page.