Top 100 Education Blog Posts and Links for Teachers

AmpliVox Portable Sound Systems loves educators and students alike and produce many products perfect for educators including:

• Indoor and Outdoor Portable PA Systems
• Lecterns and Podiums with Sound Systems and
• School Listening Centers

After looking through our bookmarks and seeing a bunch of really helpful blog posts for educators, we thought we would throw them into a blog post and share with the educational community:

Top Education Themed Blogs from AmpliVox
1. Top 10 Reasons for Integrating Technology in Education

2. Top 10 Classroom Management Tips for Teachers


3. Top 15 Albert Einstein Quotes on Education


4. 20 Motivational Quotes and Sayings on Education


5. iPads in Education: Top 10 Interesting Uses of the iPad


6. 10 Ways to Use iPods in the Classroom


7. The Best School Lecterns and Podiums


8. The Best School Portable PA Systems


9. The Best School Computer Carts and Desks

10. iPod Listening Center Meets 4 Key Criteria for Learning Through Technology


11. School Listening Centers and Stations with Head phones, Splitters and a List of Ideas and Resources

12. Marching Band PA Systems

13. How Amplified Classrooms Benefit Everybody (Amplified Classroom Statistics)

Technology and Social Media in Education

14. Edtech Magazine 50 Must Read K-12 Education IT Blogs

15. DailyTekk: 100 Tech Tools for Teachers and Students

16. Emerging Ed Tech: 100 Ideas for Using Twitter in the Classroom

17. Social Media Explorer: Top Education Blogs

18. eSchool News: Ten Education Blogs worth Following

19. EdTech Magazine: 50 Must Read Higher Education Blogs

20. 100 Best Blogs for Teachers of the Future

21. edcetera: 30 Edtech Experts on Twitter

22. 3 Ways to Use Pinterest in Education

23. 100 Seriously Cool Classroom Blogs for Teaching Ideas & Inspiration

24. Edutopia: Five Minute Film Festival: Flipped Classrooms

25. Education in the Cloud: How One School is Revolutionizing the Classroom

26. How to Leverage Tech to Keep Students Focused

27. Leadership in Technology is Really Leadership in Learning

28. Mashable: 8 Ways Technology is Advancing Education

29. Certification Map: 5 Education Technology Blogs

30. USNews: 3 Tips for Integrating Technology in Education

Infographics on Education

31. Infographic on Flipped Classrooms


32. Infographic: The History of Technology in Education

33. How to Choose and use a Backpack

34. How has the Internet Changed Education


35. The Learning Power of LEGO

36. Student Bullying Infographic

37. The ABCs of the SAT Infographic

38. Education's Effect on Education

39. Technology Enhances Education

40. How Apple is Revolutionizing Education

41. Straight Facts on American Teachers

Resources for Teaching

42. Resources for Teaching Middle School

43. 5 Ways to Spice up your Teaching via SchoolsIn

44. 6 Ways to Make a Classroom Lecture Interesting

45. 80 Plus Google Forms for the Classroom

46. Emergency Communication Systems for Schools

47. 50 Little Known Ways Google Docs can help in Education

48. Story: 7th Graders Publish their Own Textbook

AmpliVox Digital iPod Listening Center

49. Mashable: 100+ Online Resources that are Transforming Education

50. Video: TedTalk | Inspiring Youth Through Inspiring Education

51. Leamore Primary School's Online Tutorials


52. TeachHub: 65 Interactive Whiteboard Resources


53. PBS: Teachers Classroom Resources


54. TES: Teacher's TV Video Collection


55. Education World: Educator's Best Friend


56. BestEdSites: List of Teacher Resources

Awesome EduBlogs from Real Teachers!

57. Larry Ferlazzo Education Blog | Twitter

58. Kleinspiration: Connecting Tradition and Technology to Inspire the Seeds we Plant today | Twitter

59. Principal's Page | Twitter

60. Two Teachers who Read a Lot | Follow Franki Sibberson and MaryLeeHahn

61. A Principal's Reflection: 10 Roadblocks to Change | Twitter

62. Science Fix | Twitter

63. Regurgitated AlphaBits | Twitter

64. 99 Motivators for College Success | Twitter

65. Help Kids Learn | Twitter

66. Cool Cat Teacher Blog | Twitter

67. The Innovative Educator | Twitter

iPod Portable PA System

68. Tech Blog: The Nerdy Teacher | Twitter


69. Web 2.0 Classroom by Steven W. Anderson | Twitter


70. Hooked on Innovation | Twitter

The Importance of Education

71. Pick the Brain: The Importance of Continuing Education and How to Achieve It

72. Forbes: What does it mean to be educated?

73. The Lesson Locker: Why Be Educated? Show Me the Money Follow @TheLessonLocker

74. Should Boys and Girls Be Educated Separately?

75. Buzzle: The Importance of Physical Activity in Schools

76. Physical Education is Key to Complete Education

77. WebMD: Physical Education: What do you know about PE Class?

78. Video: Why is Student Engagement Important?

79. National Center for Education Statistics: Extracurricular Participation and Student Engagement

80. Why Teens Drop out of High School


Video Games in Education


81. Edutopia: Educational Resource Roundup: Video Games

82. Video: Best Educational Toys for Teens

83. 6 Unexpectedly Entertaining Educational Video Games for Kids

84. 12 Educational Video Games That Were Actually Fun

85. Top 20 Educational Video Games

86. Top Sites with Free Games that Make Learning Fun

87. Squidoo Lens: Educational Video Games for Kids

88. Research from Rice University: Video Games and the Future of Learning

89. YouTube Video: The Best PC Educational Games for Children...EVER!

90. The Today Show: Technology to Keep Kids Learning Year-Round


Fun Stuff
91. EdTechDigest 50 Fascinating Edupreneurs

92. Orangutans Communicate with Zookeepers via iPad

93. Video: Top 10 Things You Didn't Learn about Teaching in College!

94. 100 Video Sites Every Educator Should Know


95. 25 Funniest Academic Raps on YouTube


96. 100 Awesome YouTube Channels for Teachers

97. 48 Ultra-Cool Summer Sites for Students and Teachers

98. Video: How to Maintain Classroom Discipline (1950's Era)

99. 10 Education Blogs Worth Following

100. Education Week: 10 Tips for Selecting the Best Educational Video Games

What is the most helpful link? What should we add?  Share in a comment!

Tweet this Post!

AmpliVox Attends Stampede's "Big Book of AV Tour 2012" in Detroit

AmpliVox attended Stampede’s “The Big Book of AV Tour 2012” in Detroit, Michigan on September 13^th. The tradeshow, which was held at the Sheraton Detroit, was one stop in a nationwide tour that drew local audio-visual dealers to meet with some of the nation’s largest manufacturers in the industry, including Sony, LG, Sharp and Mitsubishi, as well as learn about new product offerings. Find out what we had on display after the break.

AmpliVox's new Line Array Speaker

AmpliVox was represented by account executive Dan Kreusch, who hosted a booth that showcased several AmpliVox products. Among them was the new Line Array Speaker, which has the flexibility to provide sound as an attachment for interactive whiteboards in classrooms and business settings, or as a standalone PA system for smaller venues. 

The S1732 iPod Charger/Adapter
utilizing our SW805 amp

The S1732 iPod Cable and Adapter Kit was another exciting product on hand, which enhances the capabilities of AmpliVox’s lecterns and speakers by providing an easy method to play music off your Apple mobile device (while it automatically charges!). Better yet, this adapter kit is no additional cost to dealers.

According to Kreusch, “The show was a great opportunity to showcase some exciting products and meet with local dealers, from owners to systems installers, who often are unable to attend bigger tradeshows like InfoComm and CES. Like Stampede, AmpliVox values any opportunity to have face-to-face interaction with our dealers.”

The “Big Book of AV Tour” is part of a larger effort by Stampede to provide regional tradeshows for smaller, local dealers so they can meet with manufacturers directly and learn about new products and opportunities. Stampede’s “Big Book of AV” is an online resource designed to help buyers select the right audio and video equipment for their needs. If you would like to view the book, which features several AmpliVox products, head to bigbookofav.com.

For the latest AmpliVox updates, follow us on Twitter @AmpliVox and like our Facebook page.

Lectern Etiquette: 13 of the Best Suggestions for Speeches

Ever get nervous or worry about what you look like when you are presenting? Have a big presentation, speech, or proposal coming up?

Don't worry! 

Just read these tips and you will pass with flying colors.

Here are some tips to maintain a professional look and nail the presentation.

1. Do not lean on the Lectern. It makes you look uncomfortable as a speaker. Stand straight up with good posture to maintain a professional look.

2. Eliminate any habits that take the attention of yourself (the speaker). Do not fiddle with a pen or any other object. Fiddling with something shows you are nervous. Be yourself and look confident.

3. Men, have your suit coat buttoned up when approaching the lectern. If your need to unbutton it while you are presenting that is fine. But, it is proper to have your suit coat buttoned up when you are announced.

4. Do not free walk or pace without a purpose. Move to demonstrate or emphasize a point. Moving without purpose will take away from you as a presenter and cause your audience to loose focus.

5. Thank the person who introduced you. It is proper, shows good manners, and will make a good first impression on your audience. It will make you look better and it will open a gait way to starting your speech.

6. Rehearse your speech. It makes you look confident, will insure that you will not stutter, and will help your nerves. You do not need to memorize your speech word for word. Just remember your key points and the order they are in.


7. Make eye contact. It will help direct attention to an individual and will give you cues to improve your speech. It will also personalize the presentation to everyone you make eye contact with.

8. Use gestures, looks, and sounds to elaborate a point. Volume and physical movement will place emphasis on a point in your speech. If a point in your speech is important raise the volume of your voice and throw in some hand gestures.

9. The closing line of your speech should not be thank you. It is not proper to end your presentation in "thank you". (See tip number 10 for how to close out a speech)

10. Use lines like I will now turn it over to (blank) to end your speech. It properly ends your speech and sounds professional. This will create a good last impression on your audience and will end the presentation in an original way.

11. Do not use a verbal or physical crutches. Habits such as hands in your pockets, jingling change, using words like "um" and "uh" can take away from your speech. It shows that your are nervous and do not know your speech well. It is more professional to leave these habits out.

12. Do not apologize for a mistake. It is unprofessional and is not good presenting etiquette. Most people will not even recognize if you mess up. Continue on in your presentation like nothing happened.

13. Be polite and courteous to your audience. It is implied to be kind to your audience, it will let them feel like you care about your presentation and them.


Here are some Lecterns that make your presentation even better:


The Executive Column Wood Lectern has a great professional look. With optional sound which allows your voice to be heard thought the room. It comes in four different wood finishes to fit your every need.


We also offer Acrylic Lecterns. These lecterns have a contemporary look and would look great in any room. They are lightweight so they can be moved from room to room with ease.

Related Links:
Blog: Professional Presentation Tips from Kay Meyer
Blog: Presentation Tips for the Size and Shape of Rooms
Video: 

PA System Installation Tips for Indoors and Outdoors

Indoor Installations

Rules to follow for successful indoor audio.

1. Don’t set up too many speakers. This will cause echoes, dead spots and oddball reflections. Remember, the presenter is not a stereo sound source. Use only enough speakers to cover the area. Be aware of the coverage with just one speaker. Aim the speakers to cover the crowd without too much overlap. This is very important as the size of the area increases.

2. Use full range speakers for small groups, horns for larger auditoriums. Remember that too much bass will cause a great deal of “boominess” towards the back of the room. That’s great for rock and roll but will be counter-productive where you are trying to sell fine antiques.

3. Elevate the speakers if possible. This will stop the feedback from reflected sound bouncing off the front row and help the folks in the back row hear better.

4. Ring out the system before your event – turn on our sound systems and find out how high you can turn your system with all microphones on (open) before feedback. Turn up the volume while talking until you start hearing a faint ringing sound. Back off the volume a bit and mark that spot on the control. Then, when the event starts, you know where the maximum point is. Remember that the presence of the crowd can affect the actual final point. If you know the limits before you start, the better off you will be.

5. Don’t try to use too many microphones. Every time you double the number of open microphones in the system, you will have to reduce your amplification by 3dB (half as loud as before). For most events 2-3 microphones should be all you need active at any time.

6. Finally, you may have enough gain in the system to be too loud. Remember that hearing comfort is extremely important to your bidders. If your system is too loud, they may leave before the end of the event just to get a break from your PA. The following illustration shows you an actual room where the systems have been set up for maximum gain. This set up will work in rooms that seat up to several hundred people. In
larger indoor spaces, such as warehouses, you can have problems with time delays and echoes similar to those described in the next section, outdoor installations.

GRAPHIC

Outdoor Installations

1. Keep the microphone as close as possible to the presenter.
2. Set the speakers away from you. Don’t put them too far away or you will get long delays where you say something and the sound is heard ½ to 2 seconds later. Working in an echo chamber is no fun and confusing to the crowd.
3. Keep the speakers as close together as possible. Remember that sound only travels around 1,100 feet per second. If you place your speakers too far apart an echo will result. Ideally the speakers will be right next to each other pointed in different directions where they can be heard anywhere. Each speaker should cover its own unique territory. For example, you have your speakers placed about 225 feet apart. Your customer is standing close to the first speaker. He will hear what you say immediately from the first speaker, but
the sound from the second speaker, 225 feet away, won’t get to him until ¼ second later. He hears a confusing and annoying echo. Since he can’t understand the presentation, you have lost your customer and a potential sale.


A Bad Setup
In this set up the speakers are so far apart that the sound is getting to the audience at two separate times. They get a confusing echo about four tenths of a second apart.

A Good Setup
By placing the speakers together, the confusing echo is gone and the speaker can be heard
more clearly. The audience can follow the presentation.

4. Watch which way the wind is blowing. It can blow sound around and interfere just as well as hats, litter and certain species of small dogs. Take advantage of this if you can by pacing speakers upwind if it looks like a windy day.

Download entire Wireless Sound System Setup Guide Here.

Providing an Extra Shade of Pink for the Komen NYC 5K

The 2012 Susan G. Komen Greater New York City Race for the Cure 5K was successfully held in Central Park on Sunday, September 9^th, with tens of thousands of runners participating in the 5K to raise money and awareness for breast cancer research.

Through AmpliVox’s “Pink Podium Promise” program, we donated 40 of our special pink 10-watt megaphones to Komen race organizers. These were used by personnel during the race to direct runners and ensure the event ran smoothly. As you can see in the in the picture to the right, the megaphones perfectly complimented the pink tone of the race.

AmpliVox CEO Don Roth said providing the Komen Race for the Cure 5K with the special megaphones is what the Pink Podium Promise is all about, “We’re delighted to supply our pink power megaphones to the New York City Komen Race for the Cure. This event exemplifies the power of people coming together in a big way to accomplish great things and AmpliVox will improve communication every step of the way. We’re happy to do our part in what we hope will be another record-setting year for fundraising in the continuing fight against breast cancer.”

To learn more about our involvement with the Komen Greater NYC Race, head over to our website to view the official press release. For the latest AmpliVox updates, follow us on Twitter @AmpliVoxSound and like us on our Facebook page.

Lectern Etiquette: 5 Presentation Tips for Speakers

AmpliVox Acrylic Lectern

“Three things matter in a speech - who says it, how he says it and what he says, and of the three, the latter matters the least.” 

This quote, said by English Statesman John Morley, emphasizes an important point: the delivery of your message is just as, if not more, important than the content. 

One way to improve your delivery is to use the lectern effectively.   Here are a few tips:

1.    Podium vs. Lectern - Know the Difference
Most people use these terms interchangeably, but a podium and a lectern are not the same thing. A podium is a raised platform you stand on; a lectern is a reading desk you stand behind.

2.    Preparation Pays Off

Before you begin your speech, spend a couple seconds at the lectern re-adjusting the microphone and organizing your notes. It’s better to delay the speech now than to stumble in the middle and lose your audience.

3.    Stay Visible to the Audience

Ideally, the audience should be able to see your upper body behind the lectern. If you’re short and the occasion allows, stand to the side of the lectern. You can still reference notes if needed. When the audience can see you, they feel more connected to you and your message.

4.    Stand with Confidence

The general rule is to stand about 10 inches behind the lectern. If you need to rest your hands on something, set them lightly on the edge closest to you. Don’t lean on the lectern, grip the edges of it or pound on it to make a point. Your point will come across more clearly if the audience isn’t distracted by unnecessary body movements.

5.    Pass the Lectern Baton

When you’re finished with your speech, wait until the emcee comes to the lectern, then shake his hand and exit the stage. Do not leave the lectern unattended at any point. It looks awkward and unprofessional.

Good luck!

SCHOOLSin offers competitive prices on the top school and office furniture brands. Find great deals on school chairs, school desks, lecterns, public address equipment and more.

Top 10 Tips for Tourist Industry and Tourism Management | Equipment

Vacationers spend big money on tourism.
Are you giving them a great experience?

Those in the travel and tourism industry know that they have the great opportunity to create lasting memories for the vacationers who patronize their workplaces.

In a high-competition industry, avoiding common pitfalls are important, and can make the difference between a successful business and a wasted opportunity.

How are you set apart from the competition?
How do you market yourself?
Do you have fun with what you do?

These are questions that those with tourism businesses need to answer.

Here are the Top 10 Tips for the Tourism Industry and Tourist Management:

1. Build Strong relationships. Good businesses turn great with strong business relationships.  Brainstorm
local hotels, universities, tourism offices, trade shows, and other tourist places that could be a partner and refer people to your attraction.

Building strong relationships with customers is also extremely important in today's internet age.  Engage with customers with email marketing, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and YouTube.  It doesn't take a lot to make a difference!

Top 10 Hospitality Management Tips for Hotel Managers

2. Be web savvy.  Having favorable reviews on sites like TripAdvisor and Yelp, getting placed in a Lonely Planet type guidebook, and incentivizing referrals could open great long-term streams of revenue for you.

Stay up to date with emerging internet trends in your industry and engage with others to see how they are able to leverage available internet tools (many of which are free!).  Don't let the best tourism marketing tools go to waste!

The Belt-Blaster Waistband Amplifier
is a favorite among tour guides.

3. Have the right equipment.  Any business needs certain tools to get work done and provide the most value for customers, clients, and patrons.  The tourism industry is no different.

Since it is an industry built upon communication, it is vital that tour guides and other professionals are able to amplify their voices to their crowd.  AmpliVox's portable PA systems range from a 5-watt small pa system to a 250-watt all-in-one PA system.

Outdoor PA Systems like the Sound Cruiser Car PA System provide flexibility and power by projecting your voice or music up to one half mile.

4. Be adventurous.  In adventure tourism, tour guides have the great opportunity to set the tone for the group.  Be a high-energy, spirited leader who is adventurous, even if you have given the same tour hundreds of times.  You will make it a more enjoyable experience which will mean more referral traffic and larger tips.  When hiring professionals for tourism management, make sure they have energy and love having fun.


5. Think like a Tourist. Put yourself in the shoes of your customers, and not just their wallets. Think of things that have made trips you have taken memorable, and do your best to harness those opportunities.


6. Make it a cultural experience. For international tourism destinations, make it a cultural experience by serving the food specialties of your location.  The "foodies" in your group will appreciate being able to tell their friends about all of the exciting new foods they tried.  This is also a great way to portray a great image of your country to the world.








7. Location, Location, Location.  
Tourist destinations are all about location.  Do you have the best real estate that you could possibly have?  If not, it is always beneficial to be on the outlook for ways to improve your location or even leverage potential assets where you currently are.  Urban or rural, location is important!






8. Be environmentally friendly.
Eco-tourism is bigger than ever.  People want to see animals and scenic sites when they travel, so show them!  Also, make sure you do everything you can to minimize your environmental footprint, especially if your location is known for the wildlife.

Posting ways you "Go Green" on both your website and in your physical location will set you apart from the competition and leave a good impression on visitors.  AmpliVox is a Green Company!



9. Safety First!  Because tourist attractions and those providing accommodations potentially hold legal safety liabilities.  Whether you are leading tours or have a business in hospitality and tourism, it is vital that you have an emergency plan and the right Emergency Communication System.

Every travel management professional needs to have the right supplies from the tourism supplier.

The Safety Strobe Megaphone has an emergency siren and whistle along with a voice recorder that will then project your recorded voice through the megaphone, adding another member to your emergency team.

10. Every moment is an opportunity to make a memory.  Sometimes the best stories from trips are not how beautiful the scenery is, how fun the attractions were, but are fun times with a goofy tour guide or trying a new type of interesting food.  Every little decision can be an opportunity to WOW your guests and turn them into 'brand evangelists' who want to share the awesome experience they had with their friends.


Blog: Restaurant Hostess Stands and Restaurant Audio
Blog: 10 Tips for a Hotel Manager
Video: Valet Parking Stands for Valet Services

Cruise ship PA System Prankster Causes Panic

Cruise Ship Tells Passengers to Abandon Ship 
A thousand cruise-ship passengers got the fright of their lives when a prankster took over the vessel's public-address system and told them to "abandon ship."

"When the alarm went on the second time and we came out here, we were just thinking, certainly, it's something silly, surely someone just bumped the door or something, certainly they didn't come back," said Linda Huggins, who owns the store with her husband Randy.

Powerful equipment in the wrong hands could mean trouble for your business or organization.

It is important to have a back up communication plan if your main one malfunctions or gets into the wrong hands.


The Radio Hailer Emergency Communication System is a powerful way to communicate to large crowds of panicked people in emergency situations.

  
For more information please call (800) 267-5486. 

Acylic Lectern Testimonial from the Dow Chemical Company

I just wanted to take a moment to thank you both for all that you did to get the lectern order processed and the lecterns made. It was so exciting for me to get back from NY to see them here. 

In addition, you went above and beyond by drilling the holes for the goose neck microphone mounts. I can’t thank you enough and I will always recommend and encourage our team to work through AmpliVox in the future.

Kindest Regards,

Melissa M. Polega

The Dow Chemical Company

www.dow.com