Tech For Your Class

Student ePortfolios I spent time learning about ePortfolios.  In the Show with Media article, it breaks ePortfolios as having three uses: storage, a workspace and a showcase.  Our district is has adopted Google App for Education so I immediately think of using the Google Drive, Google apps for reflection and Google Sites for a showcase. Another article emphasized that student portfolios are most effective when they are used to evaluate student learning progress and achievement.  This reflection on work come through as so important.  This process is part of the learning and including the reflection in the portfolio is so important. This then brings up what the portfolio is used for either as a Student portfolio vs. Student showcase. Student show case would house the student's best work where the Student portfolio would include the examples that show growth and include reflection. I would like to focus on using G Suite for portfolios.  The Google Tribe Podcast had some poi

Blogging with students gives them a venue for their thoughts with an authentic audience.  I liked the video with the students saying that they liked comments from their teacher but then when asked if they liked comments from their peer, they all perked up and were excited.  Using the class to comment on each others posts is a good way to start.  They all agreed that they tried much harder if a peer is going to read their post.  This class also connected with a class in England so that was an additonal push to reread and publish. I found the edublog resources with topics very helpful.  It is a lot for teachers to begin so I like the idea of using Padlet to start blogging to see if it is something that they would like to keep up.  It is no set up comparatively and would be good then move into teaching appropriate commenting. This would work better for gr 3-5 to get started. My real push was to find the best blogging tool for a moderated class blogging.  We have google accounts and c

Explainer Video Online Resources I have used Explain Everything and Educreations on the ipad in the past.  In the last couple years, both resources have changed.  I wanted to spend some time to figure out if and how these resources could still be used by teachers in our district.  Both resources are now available on the chromebooks as web resources so this could be used by students in our district. Explain Everything web version: + I created a teacher account using 'Login with Google'. + You can share your created video with a code or you can download it. + You can join a collaboration. - I found the video editing extremely difficult to use.  I couldn't figure out how to delete the track even after googling it and watch a video that showed an outdated version.  I ended up creating new videos. Below is my 3rd try.  I do want to say that I do know how to use iMovie editing and have used the Expalin Everything app video editing in the past. - The free version o

Online Math Exit Tickets This year, I spent time exploring Formative assessment tools for a PD that a colleague and I created.  So we created an outline and had about 12-16 tools and ideas.   We ended up cutting down the resources to about six tools in the end as otherwise it was too overwhelming.   I really like Quizziz as teachers can create a Quizziz and students can play/complete in a rotation in a blended classroom, together with the class or at home.   I like this flexibility that it provides.  The resource that I have always heard about and often checked out and then never have used is Formative.  A teacher emailed with a wonderful resource Embarc online .   It is math resource that breaks down all of the Engage NY modules for every grade level.  There are google docs, slides resources and many of the lessons have already created “Formative” exit tickets.  It is an amazing wealth of resources.  So I spent time to really understand and try out Formative.  I will add more o

    My final reflection is below in the Google slides presentation.

This year I have worked with Book Creator in chrome as our students in grade 3-8 have chromebooks.  Once teachers have the class set up, students are easily able to login and create an ebook.  Students really like the comic book options and they are able to navigate and use the comic book features, for example... shapes, and pow!  At the bottom of this post is a Book of the Month for School 28. The book is read by the principal.  We used Book Creator for this as all teachers would experience the view side of the book to get a feel for an ebook created in Book Creator. I also tried out calibre with a purchased ebook and the Book Creator created ebook.  I wasn't able to change the format of the purchased book on Amazon to a PDF. I wanted mark up the text.  That ebook was locked and couldn't be converted.  I also tried to convert the ePub that I made with Book Creator to a MOBI file type so it could be read on the kindle.  This worked well. Lastly I looked at publishing ebo