Tech For Your Class

This year through Cool Tools I was able to explore and learn about tools that I have wanted to look into but hadn't made the time.  I plan to work more with blogging and getting classes started.  Weebly blogs is free moderated blogging site that doesn't have all the advantages of Google integration that Kidblog has, but it a nice option.  I didn't have much luck with the explainer videos that I looked into.  Explain everything was too complicated and I wouldn't suggest teachers use the web version.  I did really like educreations but I got errors on the web version.  This was disappointing.  I will follow up to see if there is something that we can do to get educreations working.  I also looked into ePorfolios.  I find the topic overwhelming but if taken one step at a time with a school or a grade level, I thing it would be exciting to start.  I will refer back to the Cool Tools resources as I continue to work on ePortfolio...

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 ...

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....

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. - T...

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 spen...

    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. La...

I tried out DoInk app on the iPad to create greenscreen videos.  We used a cloth green sheet for the background and tacked it up on the wall in a classroom.  I have found that using tacks and taking the green screen to the wall is much easier that using tape or other methods.  The green screen was out of the way and we were able to leave it up for a few days to catch students who were initially absent.  I also use the iRig microphone which is really amazing for quiet students. It really projects their voice and sounds great. Students in an autism class worked on poems for their mother's for mother's day.  It was fun to work with the students.  Some felt comfortable and recording went quickly.  Others were camera shy and I we had to limit the camera time and try not to have them redo too many time.  After editing the video in photos. I just cropped the beginning and the end of the clip with the tool in edit mode.  I ...

A new resource that I tried out is TweetDeck.  TweetDeck has four columns that allowed me to follow at twitter chat and other hash tags without constantly having to reload. I liked using TweetDeck as I felt more organized to follow a chat, I could follow other related #hashtags and also was able to see my home feed.  I have been working to create a formative assessment tech tools PD and was able to find quite a few resources by following the #formativeassessment and #assessmentforlearning. I also participated in a few twitterchats.  I signed up for reminders on #formativechat and this really helped.   A few hours before the chat, a reminder was sent out.  The #formativechat moved really quickly but was helpful.   This chat moved had quite a few tweets,  I felt like there as time between questions but it was challenging to keep up with the feed. I found a few resources.  I did try to tweet at least a few times during the chat. ...

Formative assessment is a process and the articles that fit tools into categories or parts of this process were most helpful to me.  I looked at using Google Forms Quizzes, Socrative, and Kahoot all of which can be used to check for understanding. Google Forms is a great way to assess what your student learned in a lesson.  I use Google Forms quite often but haven't looked at the new self-grading quizzes.  After creating a new quiz, in the settings, you can turn on "Make this a quiz".  Teachers can choose the correct answer in the answer key and assign the points for the the question.  I also really like that you can add feedback for when the question is answered correct and incorrect.  This immediate feedback can help students when they are still interested and have their mind on the  topic.   Google Forms can be used at an exit ticket, mid-lesson check, or within a blended setting where students are working at their own pace...

My goal is to always apply tech tools for practical classroom use to enhance learning.  I enjoy trying out tech tools but am really working to make sure I apply this knowledge.  In my posts comparing parent/teacher collaboration tools, trying out a new presentation tool, and highlighting online sound recording tools, I have given examples of how the tech tools can be used to enhance learning.  All of the work was very helpful in my position as an instructional technology resource teacher.  I often do this type of investigating on my own or when working with a teacher.  It is definitely the fun part of my job.  I also was reminded about the work that needs to be done in reading about Evidence Based Practice.  This should be by project or overall work for the year in which my own research is combined with research studies to really show the importance of instructional technology support.  Sometimes we let this fall to administration, but in fact ...

I researched Evidence Based Practice which brought together a lot of work that is currently happening with our Instructional Technology department.  The articles were on using Evidenced Based Practice to promote and advocate for your library.  It isn’t enough to show research from the field about the importance of libraries.  Often this research is dismissed as it was conducted in another state or because the district has a different student population.  Coupling your own Evidence Based Research with current research can be very powerful. This easily applies to Instructional Technology as well. This makes sense. We want to see research with our students and this can be the same research or highlights that can be used to promote or advocate for your program.  A take away from the readings was the importance to publicize and promote the learning that is happening in the library.  This holds true for Instructional Technology.  We know that technolo...

ClassDojo -Remind-Seesaw: Which one is best?  What will meet my needs as a teacher?  Which will meet our school needs? These school home connections can be powerful, effective tools that make your life easier. Each has it's specific niche.  After spending time working with teacher, trying the tools out, and speaking with users, this breakdown might assist. School communication:    Class Dojo and Remind both connect you with your school for free.   It is easy to add other teachers to your class.  In Class Dojo, administrators and teachers can post to the whole school to send out updates, announcements, links to newsletters, and event pictures.   This is shown in the School Story.  Remind for Schools is a paid service that allows for school level statistics and reports as well as the ability to send communication to the school.  Seesaw has a cost for the Pro account which allows for the reports and communicat...

The book of the month is read by the principal or an administrator at James PB Duffy School No. 12.  Each book highlights the character trait of the month.  As classes listen to the book of the month, and engage with the activities. I work with the school to create the book of the month video and now created a page in Adobe Spark that has the video along with links to websites, guiding questions and images.  It is a sample to try it out. Below is a link to the page and the page embedded. It looks professional and makes the presentation flow since everything is linked together. https://spark.adobe.com/page/wLNOx6WfxzXrJ/ I would also like to try to use the page in Adobe Spark for a newsletter. I have had schools ask about different formats. I definitely recommend it.  I am also going to show to teachers as a presentation tool for upcoming student projects.

Challenge: Fluency Center utilizing Chromebooks  Students practicing a book or passage increases their fluency and confidence.    It can be a great exercise in learning a second language or practicing fluency in a first language.  So whether in English, Spanish or another language, have students use a chromebook to record. Teachers with a fluency center or rotation can now incorporate a Chromebook and Google Classroom to increase efficiency.  This center can run itself with teacher check ins of the recordings.  Students also will be engaged as they can listen to themselves and record until they like the recording.  Both the efficiency and increased engagement are an enhancement through the use of technology.  Below are two web recording tools can be used. Sample posts by the teacher and student in Google Classroom are also included. After looking through various recording tools, here are two that I would try with students in a fluency ...