You don't have to wait for a school vacation to try out the latest educational technology trend. Richard Byrne at the Free Technology 4 Teachers blog writes about 3 useful website that teachers can use to hone their technology skills, practice new technologies, and gain confidence. Think Tutorial, Learn It In 5, and MakeUseOf all contain digital tutorials designed for busy teachers. Richard also has his own collection of helpful tutorials on Google Tools. 

Jonathan Wylie writes in his Education Technology Blog about Remind101, a new service that can connect students and parents with real-time updates generated by the teacher. It works outside of the internet realm, and allows teachers to send updates, alerts, and other one-way text messages to students and parents that have signed up with the free service using a unique code. If your district currently blocks Facebook and Twitter, or you're away from your school's email and you want to send an alert, Remind101 might be right for you. Currently, about 1500 teachers have signed up. Have you used this service? Let us know what you think!

The Next Web reports about a new Twitter account that World History teachers are going to want their students to follow. @RealTimeWWII is the Twitter handle for 24-year-old Alwyn Collinson, a former history student at Oxford University. His goal is for followers to have a "breaking news" experience about WWII, and aims to write from a journalistic, not a governmental point a view. A typical Tweet (the Tweets started August 31, 2011 as "Day One") was "SS Troops dressed as Poles are attacking radio transmitter in Gleiwitz, to provide pretext for Germany to attack Poland." It's making history relevant through a modern medium, and it's very powerful.

If you're a fan of the Flat Stanley children's book series, you'll want to download this *free* app from The Flat Stanley Project. Create your own Stanley, then take photos and send Stanley on his own adventures. Share with friends and family. It's COPAA compliant with safeguards for children under 13. It has a clean and simple interface, and is easy to use. Bon Voyage, Stanley! Currently for iPhone, iTouch, and iPad, but Blackberry and Android editions are in the works!