---
title: 157 – Synapse
description: "This week on the WELSTech Podcast we return to our Leading 21st Century Schools book discussion and interview Synapse game developer, Carol Laitinen. The discussion: Web 2.0 Tools for the Classroom – Martin and Sallie talk through chapter 3 of Leading 21st Century Schools, the current book discussion.  You can catch up on previous chapters in the podcast archive. […]"
---

[WELSTech ](https://welstech.wels.org)

# [157 – Synapse](https://welstech.wels.org/2010/11/10/157-synapse)

 Written by [Sallie Draper](https://welstech.wels.org/author/sallie-draper) | Nov 10, 2010 5:00:55 AM

This week on the WELSTech Podcast we return to our *Leading 21st Century Schools* book discussion and interview Synapse game developer, Carol Laitinen.

[https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/welstech/WELSTech_Podcast_157.mp3](https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/welstech/WELSTech_Podcast_157.mp3)

Podcast: [Download](https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/welstech/WELSTech_Podcast_157.mp3) (43.1MB)

### The discussion:

Web 2.0 Tools for the Classroom – Martin and Sallie talk through chapter 3 of *[Leading 21st Century Schools](http://www.amazon.com/Leading-21st-Century-Schools-Harnessing-Achievement/dp/1412972957/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1283269279&sr=8-1)*, the current book discussion.  You can catch up on previous chapters in the podcast archive. In this chapter the book transitions from a theoretical look at the education environment of today to a practical look at some of the leading software resources that students can use for collaboration, communication and creation.

- Wikispaces
- [Edublogs](http://Edublogs.org)
- [KidBlog](http://KidBlog.org)
- [Delicious](http://delicious.com)
- Backflip is dead 
    - Consider [Backupify](http://www.backupify.com/)
- [Google Earth](http://earth.google.com) 
    - Get the [WELS KML file for Google Earth](http://welslocator.locatorsearch.com/GpsDownload.aspx)

### The interview:

(17:40) Teamwork at the Speed of Laughter – Carol Laitinen from St. John’s in New Ulm, MN joins Martin and Sallie to share the story of the development of her party game, Synapse.

- SynapseTheGame.com
- Synapse Party Game iPod App

### News in tech:

- (44:23) Drop.io is dead
- Facebook Places – [now for Android](http://www.androidcentral.com/android-facebook-app-getting-places-groups)

### Picks of the week:

- (47:40) [OpenClipArt.org](http://www.openclipart.org/)
- [Xobni](http://www.xobni.com) – Outlook plug-in

### Of interest:

(52:20) View the live video stream of WELS Regional Choral Fest from Manitowoc Lutheran High School at [wels.net/streams/live](http://wels.net/streams/live)

- Pops Concert – Friday, November 12 at 7 p.m. CST
- Sacred Concert – Sunday, November 14 at 2 p.m. CST

### Community feedback:

- (53:22) Debbie Spriggs from [Peace](http://peacehartford.org) in Hartford, WI shared a link to online tutorials for [PowerPoint in the Classroom](http://www.actden.com/pp2007/index.htm)
- Pastor Aaron Frey added a link on the WELSTech Wiki Bible Software Page to a blog post comparing Bible software packages titled [The Status Quo Has Lost Its Status](http://michaelsheiser.com/TheNakedBible/2009/11/the-status-quo-has-lost-its-status/)
- Tim Puhlmann, a member of [Mountain View](http://www.mountainviewchurch.org/) in Calgary, Alberta, asked about resources for developing online education, and we shared three possible platforms – 
    - [Moodle](http://moodle.org/)
    - [Schoology](https://www.schoology.com/home.php)
    - [Edmodo](http://www.edmodo.com/)
- Jason Schmidt from [Gethsemane](http://falconnet.gethlc.org/mambo/) in Omaha, NE shared a link to MailVu.com video e-mail service

### Coming up on WELSTech:

(57:49) Episode 158 – It’s “Office Administrator’s Week” again on WELSTech as we look at all things related to church newsletters and e-news.  (Release date 11/17/10)

### The featured artist:

(58:50) This week we feature the music of  Koine ([www.koinemusic.com](http://www.koinemusic.com) | [Facebook](http://www.facebook.com/pages/Koine/63717794924?ref=ts)) – *Built on the Rock *from their CD titled ”Koine II”

### Get involved:

- Add a comment below
- Send us an e-mail [welstech@wels.net](mailto:welstech@wels.net)
- Leave us a voice mail 405-FOR-WELS (405-367-9357)
- Add to the WELSTech wiki welstechwiki.wels.net
- Contribute to the [#WELSTech](http://search.twitter.com/search?q=%23welstech) Twitter conversation
- Follow us on Twitter – [mspriggs](http://twitter.com/mspriggs) and [welstechtrainer](http://twitter.com/welstechtrainer)
- Use the del.icio.us tag [welstech](http://delicious.com/tag/welstech)
- Use the diigo tag [welstech](http://groups.diigo.com/group/welstech)
- Join the WELSTech community: 
    - WELSTech [listserve](http://messenger.wels.net/mailman/listinfo/welstech)
    - WELSTech on [facebook](http://www.facebook.com/WELSTech)

[View full post](https://welstech.wels.org/2010/11/10/157-synapse)

```json
{
  "@context" : "http://schema.org",
  "@type" : "BlogPosting",
  "author" : {
    "@type" : "Person",
    "name" : "Sallie Draper"
  },
  "dateModified" : "2026-03-22T02:17:44.408Z",
  "datePublished" : "2010-11-10T05:00:55Z",
  "headline" : "157 – Synapse",
  "image" : {
    "@type" : "ImageObject",
    "height" : 60,
    "url" : "/hs/hsstatic/content_shared_assets/static-1.4092/img/default-amp-logo.png",
    "width" : 60
  },
  "mainEntityOfPage" : "https://welstech.wels.org/2010/11/10/157-synapse",
  "publisher" : {
    "@type" : "Organization",
    "logo" : {
      "@type" : "ImageObject",
      "height" : 60,
      "url" : "/hs/hsstatic/content_shared_assets/static-1.4092/img/default-amp-logo.png",
      "width" : 60
    },
    "name" : "WELSTech"
  }
}
```