It is barely September, but our school, students, teachers, and parents will be experiencing their first eLearning day of the 2018-2019 school year. Students have had devices in their hands since the first week of school. Which means they have had quite a few opportunities to do some work on their Chromebooks--whether it is with the Google tools or other online learning experiences. However, with an eLearning day looming, some teachers may not be 100% sure of what to do as an assignment or how to make it an online assessment or activity. This is where I step in to give some options. Check out my top 5 education tools below.
1. Flipgrid - I just LOVE Flipgrid! What a wonderful way to give kids options to give their input and to record their thoughts and/or feelings. Prompts can be given to students in the form of an article to read, a YouTube video to watch, or a Google Slides presentation to view. My recommendation is to have students respond to your prompt, and then respond to one of their classmates as well. Ask Angie Murray or Nicole Nelson how they have used Flipgrid in their classrooms in the past. The other cool thing is that students do not have to have a laptop or Chromebook to respond...they can use the FREE App from their smartphone or tablet!
2. Quizizz - This is such a fun website for in class or for use as a homework. Many teachers love using it because it "gamifies" the learning for the students. Students love it because they get a funny meme after every question, whether they are correct or incorrect. If you haven't used Quizizz yet, you will also love the option to choose (or better yet, create your own) which meme set students will see when they answer their questions. This also has a FREE app that students can use on their smart device to answer your questions. Just share your code through Google Classroom and then students can join in just a few clicks. You will love how easy it is for students to complete this assignment.
3. Google Slides - This may seem like an unlikely option, but it is
wonderful because students can actually open the Google Slides assignment on wifi, take their device offline, edit their Slides offline, and then once they return to wifi, their Google Slides will sync. It is a pretty awesome way for students without home internet to be able to complete an eLearning assignment. Here are a couple of fun ways you can use Google Slides as learning activities.
4. Hyperdocs - How about supercharged Google Docs? Want to streamline a way for your students to do some of their own learning? Then look no further than Hyperdocs. Hyperdocs contain many parts of a lesson, but the main parts are: Engage, Explore, Explain, Apply, Reflect. The most important aspect will be the "Reflect" part. Check out the templates that are given on the webpage. Also search for examples from the content areas. If you would like to create your own Hyperdoc, let me know and I'd be happy to work with you.
5. Edulastic - Now we get to one of my all-time favorite websites! Edulastic has the ability to transform your classroom, and not just on an eLearning day. With the ability to sync your current Google Classrooms, upload PDFs, and create well over 30+ technology enhanced questions, it is a wonder it is still FREE. If you have any questions about Edulastic, I will sing its praises all day long. But don't just listen to me, talk with Mr. Burpo, Mrs. Gasser, or Mrs. Johnson.
So those are my suggestions for this eLearning day. Let me know your thoughts in the comments!
Back in the winter I came across a tweet from Google About a month ago, I received an email from Google confirming that Delphi Community High School was going to be able to participate in its #LoveWhereYouLive Expeditions Beta program. I was ecstatic! I was super pumped to get to use one of Google's tools to create something exciting and unique. But it wasn't just for me...it was for the kids at my school as well. It is for the kids that are tired of worksheets and book work. It was for students in classes that don't get to "create" something authentic for a global audience. It was for the kids and families in the Delphi community.
When I originally submitted my application for the Expeditions Beta program back in the winter, I focused on the 10 miles of beautiful trails that surround the Delphi community. If you have paid any attention to the news over the past year, the trail system has received plenty of media surrounding the passing of two of Delphi's angels, Abby and Libby. Since that time, there has been a large support for improving the safety and security on the trails. One of the immediate upgrades will be improved lighting and cameras along the trails. These upgrades and improvements will be wonderful for the trails and for the community. But what will we do for those that cannot travel to view the 60-foot Monon High Bridge? What will we do for those that are physically unable to get out and walk along the trails on a sunny afternoon and feel the calm breeze and listen to the birds speak? How about the folks that have never seen the beauty of Sunset Point on a late summer's night? What will we do? Well, we will build a virtual tour for those people. In fact, we will build virtual tours of various places around Delphi and Carroll County!
This is where the power of collaboration will come in. I knew I could do this project on my own, but where would the fun be in that? So I enlisted the help of Laurie Kinzie and her Interactive Media 2 & 3 class. We have started to list different areas around Delphi and within Carroll County. (We don't want to limit ourselves with just the trails system. We want people to come to Delphi for the other amenities this little town offers.) The students have also started researching these different sites for their Expedition. This research is necessary as we will need to include beginner, intermediate, and advanced questions within each Expedition. This part is not as much fun. But since we are a G Suite for Education school, the group collaboration has become much easier with the use of shared Google Docs. Each group must share with myself and Mrs. Kinzie as well. It's always important to have a "fact checker". So in conclusion for this post, we need to remember that collaboration is one of the 4 C's of education. Collaboration is key, and collaboration is power. Sure, I could have been selfish and kept the Google Expeditions Beta to myself and hogged all the glory. But where is the fun in that? And how is that helping my kids? Giving the kids the power to collaborate is going to give them the power to do our next couple of "C"s. Never fear kids, we are almost to that next step--the "Creation" step!
Hello all! I figured I better resurrect this blog as I have not been posting about all the awesome things that are happening in Delphi Community Schools in a while. As one of my New Year's Resolutions for the ICE community, I chose to make blogging more of a habit and to make sure I get "our" story out there. So without further ado, let the resurrection begin...starting with one of my all-time favorite topics--Google Expeditions! I have spoken about Google Cardboards many times in the past. In fact, I previously posted about it back in February...of...2016... (Oh dear, where did 2017 go?) Virtual reality (VR) has many educational implications, but honestly, it is just plain fun! Just check out these lovely faces.
This past year Google created an app for teachers to actually be a tour guide for these destination travels. This app is called Google Expeditions. It allows the teacher to have some control over what the students are viewing. This is sooooooo much easier than having students open the Google Street View app, type in a destination, click on the image they want to view, and then put their phone in the Cardboard. Now, image doing that about 5-7 more times for each different 360 photo they want to view. Bleh!
So far in 2018, our 7th graders have taken a trip to Egypt and the Pyramids of Giza. If you could have heard the "oohs" and "aahs" from the students, you would have been just as excited! Mr. Burpo holds a wealth of knowledge about all things Social Studies. He was able to guide the students around the pyramids, across the Nile, and through different parts of Cairo. By using Google Expeditions, students were immersed into the landscape and the beauty of Egypt. They were able to experience Egypt, and not just passively view it on a 2-dimensional image. Check out the images below.
Mrs. Kahl chose to use Google Expeditions to view the Circulatory System with her Introduction to Health Care class. Students were able to go inside and view different parts of the heart, as well as see how arteries and veins work within the system. One of my favorite comments from a student was, "This is cool to see how the different tubes work within the heart!"
Google Expeditions is a wonderful app and an activity that can "tech up" any lesson plan. There are expeditions for all curricula, such as, Business, health care, culinary arts, science, Social Studies, etc. With over 700+ expeditions, there is something for everyone. Take that leap, and try something new! Your students will thank you.
A while back I shared a new and fun resource called Flipgrid. Flipgrid is a fantastic platform that lets a teacher post a prompt, a video to view, or other question and then have students create a quick video response that goes into a "grid". As students complete their responses, they become a part of the grid where others can see their videos. (See example photo below.) Students can get feedback on their feedback!
One of the best features of Flipgrid is that students can respond with their iPads, Chromebooks, or even on their own smartphone. They do not have to have a different device than what they already have in their hands. Another neat feature of using Flipgrid is that students are not turning in an assignment to an audience of One. This helps produce a better, more thoughtful response from the students. I know my work is better when I know I will have a larger audience to critique my response.
Recently, Mrs. Nelson used Flipgrid in her Project Lead the Way class as students worked on designing games for those with cerebral palsy. Mrs. Nelson posted the assignment as follows:
You and your group need to record a commercial that explains what your toy does and why it would be good for therapists to use with children who have cerebral palsy. As of this blog post, just this one assignment has the following statistics:
32 responses
148 replies
2263 views
42.1 HOURS OF ENGAGEMENT!
Um yeah...you read that right! How cool is that?! As a math guy, I love stats and these cannot be ignored. Kudos to Mrs. Nelson for engaging her students in a new and interactive way that has really paid some dividends for her and her class!
So as first semester closes and as we begin to create goals for the 2nd semester and think about what we would like to try or change for second semester, I recommend you try giving Flipgrid a whirl. I doubt you will be able to say "Hum bug!" to it.
It is that time of year again when we are to be thankful for the many blessings in our lives. Many of us are appreciative of our strong friendships, healthy families, and love for life! I try to remind myself of the many things that I am thankful for on a daily basis.
Since it is the week of Thanksgiving, I figured it is time to write about 5 things to be thankful for in the world of education technology. Check out my list below. Feel free to comment with what you are thankful for in your world of education.
1. Evaluations
I know, I know. I am crazy. But how many times do you look back at a lesson and wonder just what others think? Over the years of teaching math, I had many lessons that I looked back over and critiqued. Considering the fact that most of my lessons were written and created by me, I didn't always have very much input from outside sources. Maybe I am hard on myself, but I feel that most of my lessons could have been much, much better, if I had someone else view it, give some positive feedback, and have their own ideas of how to make it better. I actually enjoy the process of being evaluated. And I'm sure that ever since teacher pay has been linked with evaluations, most of us feel like Dwight from "The Office".
2. Professional Development
Of course professional development (PD) would be in my top 5! It is one of my most favorite parts to my technology integration specialist position. I enjoy attending professional conferences so I can learn from others. But I really LOVE presenting PD to others and watching them when their light bulb goes off! You start to see the gears turning in their head and then see them start to think how they can implement that tool or tactic into their own class. It is a priceless view from a presenters standpoint.
3. Professional Learning Networks
We all have our professional learning networks (PLNs) that we rely on to become better at our passion--which is teaching. Lifelong learning is a topic that gets thrown around quite a bit, but it is an attribute that I believe all of the best teachers possess. PLNs help shape the way we learn and teach within the walls of our own classroom. I am fortunate to belong to a couple PLNs (EdTech Heroes, Indiana Connected Educators, and Indiana Council of Teachers of Mathematics) that always challenge my thoughts, beliefs, and educational theories. Without being challenged I feel I would be stuck in my ways and never try anything new. Most of my communication with my professional learning networks occurs through Twitter. My wife actually makes fun of me because I do so much reading, retweeting, and collaboration through Twitter. But it is so easy to communicate with others from around the state, not to mention the world!
4. Innovative Technology Tools
Innovation springs from creation. If you don't give students and teachers the proper tools, it may be difficult for them to be very creative. Which in turn, makes it difficult to be innovative. I am very fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with and to bring many innovative technology tools to my current school corporation. I am very thankful to work under some administrators that are forward thinking and believe that we need to get these tools in the hands of our students. My favorite innovative technology tools are drones, 3D printing, Google Cardboards, and 360 degree cameras. Just a few years ago, none of these items were invented, let alone were they present in a school environment. What kinds of tools do you have in your school that allows your students to be creative and innovative?
5. Google Suite for Education
Google has revolutionized education with their Google Suite for Education. G Suite is not just for producing a paper or creating a presentation. Its tools allow for collaboration, sharing, and efficiency. There are so many apps, extensions, and add-ons that work with each of the individual Google apps to make life so...much...easier... I just love most things that Google features within its G Suite for Education! Of course there are those naysayers out there that say Google will never make it in education. Well, I think the same thing was probably said about cell phones, cars, and the light bulb. Ha! Going forward I believe Google is really onto something with their G Suite for Education. Considering it costs thousands of dollars to stick with Microsoft, there have been many public education school corporations that are turning to Google.
So there they are--my 5 favorite edtech items that I am thankful for in my life. I am sure there are many that I could have also posted about, but these are the ones that make my professional life the most exciting and productive. Feel free to leave some comments below with what you are thankful for in your edtech world.
Hello, all and welcome back to the Land of the Teacher!
Google Classroom has been and will be our learning management system at Delphi Community School Corporation for the foreseeable future. That is why it is so great that they just came out with some awesome #backtoschool updates! Check out this article on the newest updates. A few of these updates can have an immediate impact in a teacher's classroom tomorrow! Below are the updates I think you will be most excited about.
1. Classroom Summaries for Parents and Guardians
The most requested feature for Google Classroom has finally made its way to the teacher's classroom---the ability to keep parents and guardians informed of the "goings on" in their student's daily lives. Parents may choose to receive a Google Classroom summary for their children either on a daily basis or on a weekly basis. Here is a screen shot of what a parent email looks like when they need to accept your invitation.
It is up to the teacher to invite the parents. Therefore, it does require some initial set up time. However, if you someone adds a parent email invite before you do, then that email address will be there when you are ready to send an invite. So my tip would be to share the work load and divide up the parent emails so one person does not do it all themselves.
Here is a short video on how to set up parent/guardian invites.
2. Google Cast for Education
Google Cast for Education will allow students to mirror their laptops and Chromebooks to the teacher device. This will be great when a student wants to share something they found online or share their presentation without having to send it to the teacher in order to see it on the screen. Since most teachers now have SmartBoards, it is nice to be able to share and view student work. However, some times it is cumbersome to have a student email or turn something into Google Classroom and then the teacher must share it. Teachers need to download the Google Cast for Education Add-on through the Chrome Web Store. (Hint: Use the link I just shared.) Once it is downloaded, teachers may name their machine and fix their settings for each of their Google Classrooms.
If you have questions about set up or want to see a demonstration, download the teacher add-on and contact me for the demonstration. 3. NEW Google Expeditions
Last spring the Delphi Community Schools Education Foundation blessed us with a grant to purchase some nicer, newer, and more sturdy Google Cardboards. As I have already written about the power of being immersed in virtual reality with the Google Cardboards, I have not really spoken much about Google Expeditions. Well wait no longer! Google Expeditions allow the teacher to take control of the content the students view and how they can interact with the surroundings. There are over 200 different expeditions that a teacher can take their class through. These journeys are anywhere from Machu Picchu to underwater in a coral reef to the anatomy of the body. (For a list of them, click HERE.) The Expeditions app is already available through the Google Play Store, but it will coming VERY soon there will be an app for teachers to download from the Apple Store.
With all these new #BacktoSchool updates, I'm sure it is difficult to contain your excitement! Well DON'T! Jump in feet first and I'll help you swim.
This week's blog post will actually feature Mrs. Amy Tonsoni and her experience with "Unlocking Shakespeare" with the BreakoutEDU boxes in her English 12 classes. Enjoy the read and don't hesitate to try something new, just like Mrs. Tonsoni recommends below!
I was excited and nervous about having the seniors participate in a BreakoutEDU game. I struggle with the unknown. I struggle when I don't feel totally in control. Often, using technology and trying new things makes me feel out of control. This year, I saw something on Twitter that spoke to me and gave me strength. I wish I remembered it verbatim because it was succinctly and eloquently stated, but the gist of it was...we teachers do not have to be tech experts. We just need to provide opportunities to our students and they will figure it out. You may ask: What if they don't figure it out? That has been a scary experience, too. I have had to learn to say, "I don't know. Keep trying or ask a classmate." Think about how exciting that is. I am out of the equation. Students either have to have the grit to figure it out themselves, or another student is given the opportunity to be the teacher. THAT is a GOOD thing.
So - back to the BreakoutEDU experience. It was fun! I did not take the time to write a puzzle of my own. I simply went online and found one that fit. Shakespeare's birthday was coming up and another English teacher had developed a puzzle titled Unlocking Shakespeare. Mr. Kline helped me get the boxes, locks, and clues set up. We met a couple of days before to talk through the puzzle and ease my mind. We scheduled a day that he could be in my room helping for this first attempt. It worked SO WELL. Basically, I got them started and then just stood back and watched great things happen. I watched my students COLLABORATE. I watched them THINK. I listened and was amazed at where their minds led them. I watched them having FUN. I watched them being ENGAGED while learning about Shakespeare - and remember, these were seniors and it was late April! I am so glad that I took a leap of faith and tried BreakoutEDU. I will definitely be doing it again.
