Resource of the Week - iSpeech

This week marked a new milestone as we added the 500th title to the eLIS Digital Resources Collection. The collection is growing rapidly and new titles are added daily, so be sure to check in frequently.

And now for the Resource of the Week.

iSpeech is a tool for instantly converting text to audio files. Text may be entered manually on the iSpeech site, uploaded from a file, or uploaded from a URL. iSpeech then converts the text to natural-sounding audio. Users may listen to the audio files on the iSpeech site, download them to the computer, or convert them to a podcast.

The personal version of the program is free and premium services are available for either a subscription fee or a pay-as-you-go option.

iSpeech also features a free tool for bloggers, transforming blogs in to podcasts. Bloggers enter the blog URL or RSS feed and iSpeech converts the blog to audio, providing the blogger with a widget to embed on the blog.

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Resource of the Week - The Great Flu

The Great Flu is a simulation designed by Erasmus MC Medical Center Rotterdam to show how a pandemic spreads. As the leader of the fictitious "World Pandemic Control," players must try to control a flu pandemic and prevent a worldwide spread of the disease by selecting actions (i.e. distribute face masks, close markets, isolate infected people) and distributing research teams. The goal is to contain the virus before it becomes a worldwide pandemic and to minimize the number of people infected or killed by the virus.

Want to find more resources like this? Check out the eLIS Digital Resources Collection.

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Resource of the Week: Allies and Aliens: A Mission in Critical Thinking

Allies and Aliens: A Mission in Critical Thinking is an activity designed to help students recognize bias, prejudice, stereotyping, misinformation and propaganda both on the Internet and in other media. Students play the part of an agent on an intergalactic mission for earth and must visit sites on the "Galactic Web" in order to determine whether or not an alliance with the United Planetary Alliance is in Earth's best interest. On their journey they will learn about bias, prejudice, stereotyping, misinformation, propaganda and how it is used. A comprehensive Teacher Guide is available, providing background information on these topics as well as classroom activities and handouts.

Want to find more resources like this? Check out the eLIS Digital Resources Collection.

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Resource of the Week - The Blobz Guide to Electric Circuits

The Blobs Guide to Electric Circuits is an interactive learning tool designed to teach 7-11 year-olds about electric circuits. Five sections are available, each containing information on the topic, an activity, and a quiz. Students will learn what makes circuits work, the function of conductors and insulators, how switches work, what happens when the circuits are changed, and how to create circuit diagrams. Upon successful completion, the student will receive a printable certificate.

Want to find more tools like this? Check out the eLIS Digital Resource Collection.

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