Pin to Win an iPad Mini from MasteryConnect

Last month MasteryConnect launched a new Pinterest-like feature called Resource Boards. This is a free feature that teachers can use to create collections of resources that are aligned to Common Core standards. You can add materials to your MasteryConnect Resource Boards through the MasteryConnect browser bookmarklet available here.

At the end of this month MasteryConnect is going to give away an iPad mini to the teacher who has pinned the most resources. Resources must include alignment to Common Core standards. Second prize and third prizes are $100 and $50 Amazon gift cards. You can learn more about the contest here.

Disclosure: MasteryConnect has been an advertiser on Free Technology for Teachers since 2011.

Tweet #ClassDojoLove to Enter To Win an iPad Mini

The popular student behavior tracking service ClassDojo is currently running a contest in which you could win an iPad mini or a Nexus 7 just for Tweeting about how you use or plan to use ClassDojo. To enter simply post a Tweet a response to this question: what learning habits, behaviors, or skills do you want to build with your students this year? Use the hashtag #classdojolove in the Tweet and you're entered. You can read more about the promotion here.

About ClassDojo
ClassDoJo is a free online service for recording and generating data about your students' behaviors. To get started using ClassDoJo you create class lists and select the behaviors that you want to track. Then assign each behavior as a negative or positive behavior. Once you have created your class lists and selected behaviors to track, actually tracking behaviors is quite easy.

To track your students' behaviors just sign-in, select your class, and start marking student names with positive or negative points. When you mark with positives or negatives you can state the reason by selecting from the menu of behaviors that you created while creating your ClassDoJo lists. You can use your computer or your mobile device to make entries in your ClassDoJo account.

Students can view their records by signing into their records through secret Clas DoJo codes assigned to them. Parents can have reports about their children sent to them by you.

Applications for Education
One good use of ClassDojo is projecting the "positive behaviors only" screen while giving out positive recognition at the end of the school day. I've also had a conversation with a high school teacher who is using ClassDojo as a way to award points for participation in classroom discussions as the discussion are happening. And if students are logged-in to their accounts they can track their progress too.

FTC Disclosure: In 2012 ClassDojo ran an ad campaign on Free Technology for Teachers. I do not currently have any financial or in-kind relationship with ClassDojo.

Create an Interactive Image for a Chance to Win an iPad Mini

ThingLink and Rosen Digital have teamed up to run an interactive image contest for K-12 students. The ThingLink Interactive Image Contest for K-12 is giving away ten iPad minis, one to each category winner. All K-12 students are eligible to enter in one or all ten of the categories. Entries are now being accepted through this form.

The contest categories are as follows:
My Favorite Books or Authors
Science — Think Like a Scientist!
Health & Well-being — You, Your Family, Your Friends
Environment — The World Around Us
Community — Volunteering & Making a Difference
Money Smarts — Earning, Saving, Spending
Art & Music — Express Yourself!
Sports — Game On!
History & Social Studies — From Yesterday to Today
Animals — Furry, Friendly, & Fierce

Voting: Friends and family can vote on their favorite images by using “touch” icon on a ThingLink image. The most “touches” counts for a portion of the score. A team of educational advisors will review entries and determine winners.

Prizes: One iPad mini will be awarded to the top winner in each category. The winning school in each category will also receive one Rosen Database subscription for a year (Teen Health and Wellness, Digital Literacy, Financial Literacy or the Power Knowledge Science Suite). Certificates will be awarded to second and third place winners in each category.

Applications for Education
Even if your students don't or can't enter the contest the list of categories is worth looking at for some ideas for using interactive images in your classroom. I like the idea of having students create interactive images about their favorite books. Students could create story maps then upload them to ThingLink to make the map interactive with pinmarks that contain additional images, video clips, audio clips, or links to additional reviews of their favorite books.

Disclosure: ThingLink is currently an advertiser on Free Technology for Teachers. 

Win an iPad Mini from MasteryConnect

Do you use MasteryConnect to plan lessons and keep track of your students' progress toward meeting Common Core standards? If so MasteryConnect would like to hear from you. Create a short about how you use MasteryConnect and submit it to the MasteryConnect video contest. The person submitting the winning video will receive an iPad Mini. Click here for more information from MasteryConnect.

Learn more about MasteryConnect in the video below.

Disclosure: MasteryConnect helps feed me and my dogs every month through their advertising payments.