Resources
The ABEL Program offers access to an exciting variety of learning resources and content. ABEL Members will gain access to content provided though our website and ABEL online community, as well as partner-supplied content.
Partner and external content:
The following provide an incredible array of content, including video, interactive and more! Please note that these sites are accessed externally to ABEL and may require registration and/or login.
Educational Content
Collaboration
Online Streaming and Digital Media
Gaming in Education
Professional Learning
Educational Content
Designed for students in grades six to 12, from Discovery Education and INTEL, this website offers online resources inlcuding lesson plans, activities, lesson overviews, web links and more.
Europeana enables people to explore the digital resources of Europe's museums, libraries, archives and audio-visual collections. It promotes discovery and networking opportunities in a multilingual space where users can engage, share in and be inspired by the rich diversity of Europe's cultural and scientific heritage. The more than 15 million objects accessible include images, texts, sounds and videos.
Independent Learning Resource
Web-based interactive tutorials complement text-based courses by demonstrating concepts that are difficult to express in words alone; includes graphics, audio clips, interactive exercises, games, quizzes, etc.
Math Forum at Drexel
Provides resources, materials, activities, person-to-person interactions and educational products and services; online community includes teachers, students, researchers, parents, educators and anyone interested in math and math education; material includes problems and quizzes, teacher exchange lessons, workshops, online math library, math tools, discussion groups and more!
Microsoft Partners in Learning
Microsoft helps educators and school leaders connect, collaborate, create and share so that students can realize their greatest potential.
Ontario Educational Resource Bank
For all Ontario teachers and students; 3,000 high-quality resources including lesson plans, student activities, multimedia projects; offered in convenient formats (word documents, PDF, flash); easy to use, oragnized by grade and by subject/course; both public and Catholic school systems.
Open Educational Resources
Provides open learning network of shared educational materials based on the Open Commons copyright licenses; access other teachers' course materials, share your own and collaborate with each other; materials include syllabi, lectures, homework assignments, coureses modules, classroom and lab activities, pedagogical materials, games, simulations and much more!
Smithsonian Shout Online Conference Series
Shout invites educators and students to take an active role in global environmental issues. Connect online to interact with experts in the field, share ideas and collaborate with people committed to solving environmental challenges. Shout gives participants a framework for success, with resources and tools for exercising responsibility while building the 21st century skills of collaboration, innovation and critical thinking.
Statistics Canada
E-STAT is an interactive learning tool that offers reliable and timely statistics about Canada; uses approximately 2,600 tables from CANSIM (Canadian Socio-economic Information Management System), track trends in virtually every aspect of the lives of Canadians. It is updated once a year.
Virtual Field Trip Programs the the Royal Botanical Gardens
No matter where you are, your class can interact with RBG educators and scientists and explore topics like biodiversity, conservation, botany, plant ecology and the environemtn. Experience engaging programs using videoconferencing and Internet technologies. These award-winning interactive programs are plant-based and linked to curriculum. Teachers receive packages with a presentation outline, and pre- and post-conference activities.
Back to top
Collaboration
Creative Commons
Non-profit organization that promotes online publishing, distribution and reuse of cultural, educational and scientific work; artists, educators, researchers, and creators of content share their work; browse through published music, sounds, speeches, illustrations, designs, movies, animations, books, blogs, lesson plans, course packets, textbooks, etc.
TakingItGlobal
International organization led by youth that connects young adults to find inspiration, access information, get involved and take action to improve local and global communities; works with global partners to build capacity of youth for development, artistic and media expression, make education more engaging and involve young people in global decision making. TIG is currently working with educators and schools from around the world to help introduce students to a broader perspective on important social issues and to give them the opportunity to interact with other students from around the world.
TWICE
ABEL has acquired an organizational membership with TWICE. Promoting and supporting collaborative connections for the benefit of all students, TWICE stands for Two Way Interactive Connections in Education. All ABEL members can participate on a greater range of events, and will also receive discounts on other collaborations that are affiliated with TWICE. Go to http://projects.twice.cc/ and choose 'Create a New Account' to get started. Please contact the ABEL Program Office if you have any questions.
Back to top
Online Streaming and Digital Media
Annenberg Media Learner
Distributes educational video programs with coordinated web and print materials for the professional learning of K-12 teachers; helps teachers increase their expertise in their fields; free teaching resources and professional learning programming delivered through satellite channel and video on demand.
COSI
Science Delivered at the Speed of Light: Videoconferencing connects your students with scientists, doctors, and experts in their fields with a LIVE interactive two-way experience with your school or from COSI.
Discovery Streaming
Largest online digital media library with over 50,000 video segments; easy to use library organized by subject (math, social science, etc); create online media interactive quizzes, assignments and writing prompts; personalize content for any grade or subject.
Historica Minutes
One-minute movies that portray important stories from Canada's past; organized by comprehensive easy-to-navigate categories; provides lesson plans prepared for all grades. Students are also encouraged to submit their own minute-movies.
iTunes U
Area on the iTunes store that is dedicated to providing users with educational video and audio content. Gain access to lecutures, debates, archival footage and more. All content can be easily downloaded to a PC and transfered to an iPod or MP3 player.
MITOpenCourseWare
New Massachusetts Institute of Technology resource site for K-12 students and teachers includes more than 2 600 audio and video clips from college lectures as well as assignments and lecture notes.
National Film Board
Hundreds of NFB films available online.
NASA Digital Learning Network
Part of the NASA LE&RN Project (Learning Environments and Research Network), the DLN connects students and teachers with NASA experts and education specialists using online communication technologies like video/web conferencing and webcasting, DLN events featuring science, technology, engineering and mathematics or STEM content that highlights NASA missions and research. Register for free, interactive events or watch webcasts.
PBS Learning Media
PBS Learning Media, a next-generation digital media service, empowers educators to re-imagine classroom learning, transform teaching and creative engagement. Teachers need to sign up for a free account to have access streaming videos or linking to a simulation.
Siemens Stem Academy
STEM Connect Webinars have a science-based focus directed at students and educators. The site has a list of upcoming webinars as well as an archive.
Videoconference Program Database
This database, sponsored by Polycom, Inc., contains programs from content providers such as zoos and museums that off IP (H.323) videoconferencing programs.
Back to top
Gaming in Education
Darfur is Dying is a narrative-based simulation where the user, from the perspective of a displaced Darfurian, negotiates forces that threaten the survival of his or her refugee camp. It offers a faint glimpse of what it's like for the more than 2.5 million who have been internally displaced by the crisis in Sudan. Brought to you in partnership with the Reebok Human Rights Foundation, the International Crisis Group and mtvU.
Foldit Science Puzzles
The current series of Science Puzzles, the Grand Challenges, are meant to generate the evidence needed to prove that human protein folders can be more effective than computers at certain aspects of protein structure prediction.
FloodSim
FloodSim is a serious game with the aims to raise awareness of the vast number of issues surrounding flood policy and Government expenditure and to increase citizen engagement through an accessible simulation.
Math Frog at University of Waterloo
Free mathematics resources and online games for grades 4, 5, and 6; provides self-contained 45 to 60-minute lessons with math games addressing the expectations in the Ontario curriculum.
Back to top
Professional Learning
EduGAINS is a portal to resources developed and provided through the Ministry of Education and focused on learning - student learning, educator learning, and researcher learning about students and teacher learning. This site is for all teachers, Kindergarten to Grade 12.
Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration (CILC)
The Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration (CILC), established in 1195 as a not-for-profit, specializing in the access to applications and the utilization of videoconferencing for live interactive content and professional development, as well as web-based collaborative learning environments for K-20 education, CILC provides consulting expertise in videoconferencing, integration, problem-based learning projects, school-community partnerships and effective techniques for the delivery of quality programs.
e-Workshop
This workshop is developed by the Ontario Ministry of Education. This website features a series of new learning modules which serve as an additional source of instructional guidance and professional learning for teachers and principals.
The IRIS Center
The IRIS Center for Training Enhancements for free online interactive resources that translate research about the education of students with disabilities into practice. Our materials cover a wide variety of evidence-based topics, including behaviour, RTI, learning strategies and progress monitoring.
MAGPI
Their mission is to deliver regional infrastructure in a cost-effective manner and promote applications for the region's research and education communities through high performance network technology. ABEL is not a member of MAGPI but ABEL members have accesssed non-member events such as content specific videoconferences, webcasts and professional development opportunities. They use H.323 as their connection platform (Polycom or Tandberg).
SNOW - Special Needs Opportunity Window
SNOW is the branch of the Inclusive Design Research Centre at OCAD University that focuses on inclusive education and learning. Their goal is to provide information and training for educators, parents and students with disabilities on technologies for learning both in and out of the classroom as well as promote understanding of inclusive practices. Their resources are free whenever possible and SNOW focuses on providing open source tools that can be adapted and used freely.
Back to top
Third Party Sites: This page may contain links to third party Web sites or resources. These links are provided solely as a convenience to you. The ABEL Program is not responsible for the content of any third party Web site or resource. While the ABEL program identifies this web site or resource as having potential value, it does not control the information contained therein to wholely guarantee its quality, accuracy, reliability, completeness, currency, timeliness, non-infringement, merchantability or fitness for any purpose.