I have found that Adobe AIR apps are often buggy and simply don’t measure up to the competition.

So, for me, a Twitter app needs to meet a few qualifications:

It must be a native Mac app. I don’t want to have to install a runtime just for that application.

The program must be exceedingly stable. I hate programs that crash.

It must have a clean, fluid interface without the clutter of most Twitter clients.

The application must have the standard Twitter features: block/unblock, follow/unfollow, user profile viewing, trend searches, and direct messaging.

Finally I have found an application that is fun and easy to use: Tweetie.

First for Atebits was Tweetie for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Now it has made it’s way to the Mac platform.

Tweetie quickly became a popular download in the Apple App store as one of the best Twitter clients for such a low price.

Because of Tweetie’s iPhone version success, Atebits developed a full-featured version of the software for the Mac platform.

Tweetie is a 100% native Mac Twitter application. Based on Cocoa, Apple’s native programming workflow, Tweetie meets my first requirement.

Tweetie has yet to crash for me. I have it open nearly any time I’m at my computer (which is often) and I have yet to see a single crash or slowdown. So it meets my second requirement.

Tweeties UI is nothing short of impressive. It’s beautiful and powerful but not overworked. It isn’t littered with useless buttons and widgets. At the left side of the screen are four buttons:

Timeline (for updates from you and your friends) Mentions (for all tweets that mention you with an @yourusernamehere ) Direct Messages Search

You can also get to several unlisted functions by using key combos – as shown in the program’s menus. In the notification area of your Finder bar sits a notification icon that glows blue when new Tweets arrive. This beautiful UI satisfies my third requirement.

Tweetie does sport an impressive set of features. You can drill down into your conversations and see a detailed display of what you said and what was said in reply.

Tweetie for Mac also supports user profiles. Read bios, find out who is following you and who isn’t. You also have the option to block a user from his profile.

By using the search function, you can find hot topics, users, or even phrases. See who is talking about a given topic and follow or block users from this screen.

Tweetie even includes a nifty “bookmarklet” for your web browser so you can quickly send links via Twitter.

For photo uploads, Tweetie for Mac uses yFrong, TwitPic, Posterous, Twitgoo, Img.ly, and Pix.im

You can even shorten long URLs directly in Tweetie with it’s support for Bit.ly, TinyURL, Is.gd, tr.im, and even DiggBar.

Multiple user accounts are also supported by Tweetie.

With such an extensive feature list, Tweetie more than fulfills my fourth requirement.

Tweetie is a free to download and try as long as you want. The free version is ad supported. You also have the option of buying a license for $20 which removes the ads.

I have no complaints about this amazing little app. It does everything I need and more. If you are seriously looking for a Twitter client for you Mac, take a serious look at Tweetie. I think you will be impressed.

If you want more info about Tweetie, check out the Atebits website.

Who Wants to Be a Millionaire – The Science Game

Study Tag – thanks to Mr. Byrne who states “Study Tag is a good resource for students to study and develop academic skills independently or collaboratively. Study Tag has a fun, motivating aspect for students, a virtual trophy room. Study Tag is organized by lessons and courses. At the end of each lesson and course students can test their knowledge. High scores are rewarded with online trophies that students can display in their Study Tag “trophy room.”

Forces of Nature – “Watch a preview of the giant-screen film, find out where to see it, get wallpapers, view lesson plans, contribute to our Forces of Nature grant fund, and more.”

Reach the World – geogames

Mind 360 – scientific brain training games

Original image: ‘With this screwdriver bit set… I can take apart the universe‘ http://www.flickr.com/photos/37996580043@N01/2182059775 by: Chris Metcalf

Source: loonyhiker

Original image: ‘Not allowed to say the truth 4, B&W‘ http://www.flickr.com/photos/53904676@N00/2194707165 by: Green Chameleon

Source: loonyhiker

I have said this before and I’ll say it again, though many might disagree with me. It is about Quality, not Quantity! It seems like so many non-educators think if we stuff kids in classes for more time, they will suddenly become smarter. Unless we improve the quality of learning that our students are receiving, I don’t care how long they actually sit in a desk, they are not going to learn more. Our schools become warehouses, teachers become high priced babysitters, taxpayers become resentful because they still do not see better results for their money. Is this the kind of educational future we want for our students?

This made me think of a youth league baseball team. Many young boys sign up with dreams of being great ball players and the league doesn’t turn anyone away. Many of the players have different levels of skills and they may all play on one team. Hopefully by the end of the season, many of them have learned new skills or improved on old ones. But do we honestly think if we add more innings, play more games, and extend the season that they become pro baseball players? If the players have certain abilities, I’m not sure that having them play more and longer will actually help them. I see it causing them to burn out, hate the game, resent the coach, and wanting to quit.

What about the other things in life that our children need to become well rounded citizens. What about the families who are involved in their church or other community organizations? Do we think that spending more time warehoused in a school is more important than their family or their church? Do we want our government to determine this? This situation scares me. It seems like the government wants more and more control and is allowing parents to have less and less control. The Revolutionary War happened because citizens felt the government had too much control and now it seems like we are moving backwards instead of forward.

I look back at the education system from the one room school house to today’s system. I know we have made changes and great strides. But I also see over the years that there has been more government involvement, more red tape, and more hoops for teachers to have to jump through. Teachers in the classroom barely have time to teach any more for all the paperwork that has to be done. And every time the powers that be say they will “reduce paperwork,” it seems like 5 more pages of required paperwork are added in order to document what has been eliminated. If it wasn’t so sad, it would be funny!

Instead of increasing the hours and days that students are in a classroom, maybe the President needs to look at how we can increase the actual quality of the time that the students are already in the classroom. I have talked to lots of teachers that have great ideas and are truly motivated but then are stifled by the overwhelming responsibilities they face every day. Maybe the President should teach a day in a school that follows the exact schedule that a teacher does (along with the 25 min. lunch period that the students and teachers get), and have to follow all the rules, regulations, standards that the teacher actually has to do, plus complete all the paperwork required for that day also. Maybe he might have a different perspective. I foresee adding more time in the classroom, whether more hours or more days, will only increase the paperwork that the government will require to validate this change.

I also haven’t heard of how the government plans to fund this new adventure (and believe me, I do see this as an adventure). Will they increase the educator’s salary for this extra time or do they expect educators to do it for free? If they do plan to increase the salary, will they raise taxes some more? How will homeowners who are struggling to pay the taxes they are already burdened with find money to pay for additional taxes? During these economic times when people can’t get health care, feed their families, and are losing their homes, is this the time act foolishly?
I honestly don’t see how this can be successful. If you do, please share with me your thoughts so I can see it differently. I’m not sure I will change my mind, but I am open to listening.

Original image: ‘veritum dies aperit‘ http://www.flickr.com/photos/73584213@N00/322654818 by: John Harvey

Source: loonyhiker

Source: loonyhiker

Source: loonyhiker

In Kathy: Are WE ready for Our Students to Date?

from CEC Blog, Kathy states,

“As educators, we have to teach what dating behavior is appropriate in public. I think we often have to fill in the sex education gap that may exist in our students’ home life. This is a tough area that I have just begun to explore. “

This brings back memories of when 15 year old student, A. called me one evening around 11pm, crying on the phone. She had been on a date with her boyfriend and told her that if she loved him, she would have sex with him. She remembered things I had said in class and refused him, so he broke up with her. I tried to reassure her that if he loved her, he would not be giving her ultimatums like that. Of course my husband is now in the background having a “heart attack” because I’m talking about sex to one of my students! I encourage her to talk to her mom but she is afraid mom will never let her date again. Finally I convince her to let me talk with her mom, which I do the next day. We have a great talk and then both of us talk with my student so all ended up well.

Now I can hear some of you saying that this isn’t my job but if my students trust me and confide in me, I feel it is my job. Like Kathy says, I have to teach my students about dating behavior.

I don’t get in the nitty gritty about sex or birth control but I do have my class do a project to see how their lives will change with a baby. We do research and figure out the cost of giving birth, infant care, all the way up to graduating high school. Many of the figures are estimated but I think it gives a realistic picture about the costs.

I also have my class create a budget according to their dream lives. I have them figure out if they will be married or single, how many children they will have, what kind of car they will drive, and what kind of house they will live in. They figure out the yearly cost to live the way they like and then they job hunt in the classified to find a job that will pay for this way of life. Many of them get a huge reality check when this happens. They find out that they need to do better in school or change their expectations. One little girl looked up in shock and said that she would be living in a cardboard box if she didn’t do better!

We also talk about dating procedures from where to go on a date, asking a girl out on a date, accepting a date, logistics of a date, making reservations, what to wear, tipping, how to act, and even ending a date. Of course the more experienced students like to give their input and we get to discuss recent behaviors. Sometimes we even get to do some role playing which helps out the shy students.

As an adult, I think we take a lot of these situations for granted. With today’s economy and cost of things going up, it is really hard for teens to date. Brainstorming as a class would be a great way for discussion and ideas for those who are having trouble. If everyone talks about cost saving ideas, it won’t be so bad as if only one person thinks it.

I think lessons in dating behavior would not only be successful but also appreciated by the students in my class.

Posted on the Successful Teaching Blog by loonyhiker (successfulteaching at gmail dot com).

Original image: ‘Dating for Domokuns‘
http://www.flickr.com/photos/10899777@N02/2522262234 by: Isaac Hsieh

Source: loonyhiker

“Read these blogs to find ways to bolster your lessons, learn how you can use technology in your classroom, stay on top of current education news and policy, or get resources for a specific subject.

I like how the blogs are divided into different areas. There are sections for inspiration, technology, pre-k, Science and Math, English and Language Arts, Special Ed, Assistive Technology, Reform, News, Politics, and Policy, and Teaching and Professional Development.

If you get a chance, please check out this post and see what blogs might tickle your fancy.

Posted on the Successful Teaching Blog by loonyhiker (successfulteaching at gmail dot com).

Original image: ‘LIKE / DISLIKE‘
http://www.flickr.com/photos/37996588780@N01/65775598 by: John Manoogian III

Source: loonyhiker