tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8335186154909115122024-03-13T22:53:21.442-07:0021st Century AcademyThis blog is about innovative learning in today's classrooms. I will share ideas and resources for using technology as a teaching and learning tool in education.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13932130725982310633noreply@blogger.comBlogger47125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833518615490911512.post-4486175203663928352016-05-02T04:52:00.002-07:002016-05-02T04:52:55.059-07:00Thinglink in Context<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/8tOJeZB2OL4/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8tOJeZB2OL4?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe>We have been training teachers in our district on various iPad apps that they can use for teaching and learning. One of these apps is Thinglink, which is a very versatile app. I started saving YouTube videos about how to use this great app within context in the educational environment. One specific way to use Thinglink is for vocabulary development. I also found videos that show you how to us this app for professional development, differentiation and much more. Check out my <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7idiCE5GQxI&list=PL9pvY5M7gpy1yx_bx4BVHr1_L3JjtoWra" target="_blank">YouTube playlist </a>for more ideas. I will continue to add to this playlist as I find more videos.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13932130725982310633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833518615490911512.post-75058868517102243642016-02-21T13:04:00.001-08:002016-02-21T13:04:09.022-08:00Showing YouTube Videos Safely <iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/eD7NVUWUv1E/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/eD7NVUWUv1E?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Teachers, especially those of younger students, are often concerned about all the other "content" that shows when you use a You Tube video. This would include the "suggested videos" as well as the comments and ads. Let's admit it; those are not always appropriate for students to view. This video, created be Eric Curts, gives several different options for getting YouTube video content to students without the questionable content. I would also suggest checking out the free tool, <a href="http://www.edpuzzle.com/" target="_blank">EdPuzzle</a>, as you can also add audio notes and questions to the videos.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13932130725982310633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833518615490911512.post-66881269218682102922015-08-13T04:49:00.001-07:002015-08-13T04:55:18.664-07:00Google Doc's New Share OptionsHave you ever had a document that you wanted to post online, but you did not want other Google users to have the option to Make a Copy or download it? This is a request I have heard a lot from users and Google now has an answer to it! They have added new features to Google Docs which you access by clicking the Share button and then Advanced near the lower right hand screen of the Sharing window.<br />
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You have two boxes to check. The first choice allows you to prevent editors on the document from changing access and adding more people. This gives you as the owner total control over who has access to the document. The second choice allows you to prevent others from downloading, printing and copying the document if they only have commenting or viewing rights. Users cannot even copy the text from the document. This comes in very handy if you want to retain ownership and control of the content.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13932130725982310633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833518615490911512.post-50591694813216006842014-10-23T19:19:00.003-07:002015-06-29T12:00:51.611-07:00Add Ons for Google Forms<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Google announced today that they have "Add Ons" for Google Forms. If you go to create a new form, you will notice the Add Ons menu is now there just like it is in Sheets and Docs. The Add Ons will allow you to add features to your forms for easing work flow or managing data. For example, Form Limiter can be used to shut off a form on specific date or close an option once a spreadsheet cell gets to a certain limit. This could come in handy when having people sign up for something where there is a limit to the number of attendees. Check out the <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1tpXJ9k1K0iFsMG8rK3SfD7P8nHBBg9bA1FN3TtVUOB0/edit?addon_store" target="_blank">Forms Add Ons Store</a> to see what is available.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13932130725982310633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833518615490911512.post-20098962306019891272014-04-19T17:46:00.000-07:002014-04-19T17:49:37.448-07:00New Google Apps Launcher is CustomizableWell, Google has done it again! They have come through on a feature for which I have been waiting patiently....or not so patiently. You can now edit the apps launcher, which many people have nicknamed the "waffle" that appears in the upper right hand corner of the screen when you are in a Google app. This means you can put the ones you use most at the top. <br />
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Take me for example. I use Gmail, Calendar, Blogger, Sites, Drive and Groups the most. I can now make sure they are at the top of the list. All you have to do is drag and drop the ones you want at the top. If there is an app that does not show on the More list, it is still simple to add them. First, go to the app and then click on the app launcher (waffle grid). At the bottom will be a shortcut to the app and a question asking if you would like to add it to your grid. How easy is that? <br />
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I can arrange my apps in my personal Google account, but can't do that in my school district Google account. I searched several times trying to find out if it is going to be released for school district accounts as well. I will keep you posted on what I find. Please post to the comments if you know the answer to that question.<br />
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For more information and more detailed directions, check out the Google support information page on <a href="https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/1714464?p=google_bar&rd=1" target="_blank">how to switch between products</a>. Scroll down to the section on how to "customize your menu".Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13932130725982310633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833518615490911512.post-2137698144293958972014-03-16T19:22:00.001-07:002014-03-16T19:22:35.117-07:00Google Drive Add Ons - Mindmeisterhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GR4PJI4GtM4&feature=youtube_gdata_playerAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13932130725982310633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833518615490911512.post-67518816770310303112014-03-08T08:56:00.000-08:002014-03-08T08:57:23.081-08:00Google+ for BusinessOn March 12th, I am conducting a training for Kewaunee County Economic Development with a focus on Google+ and Google Drive. I have a lot of experience using Google Drive, so I am just looking for ideas on how businesses can use these tools. In education, we use them for student work, planning agendas, gather data, and more. I am looking for more ideas specifically for businesses, so please post them in the comments below.<br />
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I use Google+ for myself and just create my Google+ page for my 21st Century Academy business. There are a ton of videos out there that give you ideas for using Google+ to connect with customers and grow your business. Here are a couple that I have watched. Please share more resources if you have others you think are helpful.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13932130725982310633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833518615490911512.post-12384132282416835492014-01-14T19:43:00.002-08:002014-01-14T19:45:02.018-08:00Embed Videos in Google Forms I LOVE Google's newer feature! Google now added the ability to embed a <a href="http://youtube.com/" target="_blank">YouTube </a>video or another video that is posted on <span style="text-align: center;">the web into a Google Form. This makes it possible to post a video and then have students answer questions about what they learned. This is great for formative assessment especially in a flipped classroom setting. If you are familiar with embedding an image, this will be super easy! </span><br />
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When you have your Google Form created, you click on the "Add item" button and then click on "Video". If you want to insert a You Tube video, put in the name of the video and click the search button. Select the video you want from the list of search results and then click "Select" at the bottom of the window. You then get back to the Form where you can add a title and a caption for the video. You can select to have the video aligned to the right, center or left. Then click "Done". Your video is now on your form.<br />
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Below the video, you can add questions about the video just like you normally add questions to a Form. This allows you to actually build a quiz or formative assessment related to the video. Students don't have to go to another website to find the video...the video is embedded into the Form!<br />
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If you want to have a self-scoring quiz, check out <a href="http://flubaroo.com/" target="_blank">Flubaroo</a>. It is a free script that you can use with Google Forms to auto-score the quiz. It is super simple and saves you a ton of time!<br />
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I plan on using this feature as I build modules for my upcoming grad class on Google Tools. I am building modules that participants will work through. This will allow me to get some formative feedback as they work through the training videos. How do you think this feature can enhance teaching and learning?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13932130725982310633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833518615490911512.post-65018702345722604472014-01-08T08:30:00.000-08:002014-01-08T08:37:09.063-08:00Master Slides in Google SlidesI really like a lot of the features in Google Slides (formerly called Google Presentations). The ability to create a presentation collaboratively allows users to work together in a way that was not possible before. Crowdsourcing presentations is a great way to gather information. Pulaski Community Schools' K-5 Assessment Committee created a <a href="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1dvNwADygxZkhKzovdjxxI4ax_GThVMkjmdfQmJ8sVjE/edit?usp=sharing" target="_blank">presentation on formative assessment</a> to be used at each school. Committee members were each assigned certain topics and created their slides when they had time. The presentation was used and shared with all K-5 staff at each school's building inservice. As teachers shared additional formative assessment ideas, they were added to the presentation. We now have a great resource for our teachers when they are looking for formative assessment ideas! I even found it on someone's blog! That was encouraging to know that what we created was found valuable outside our organization as well.<br />
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A new feature that Google just added to Slides it the ability to create a Master slide. We all have to admit that the themes in Google Slides is a bit limiting. That is the one thing I miss from PowerPoint. Well, now it will be really easy to create Master slides for each slide type. This allows you to have the same background and header or footer on each slide. Previously, you had to go to each slide and recreate this. Even with the "Duplicate Slide" option, you often had to recreate text boxes and bulleted lists in order to get the slide to do what you want. It is really easy to do as well! Check out this <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5XWMioTapk&feature=em-uploademail" target="_blank">two minute video</a> for instructions. (Note: The video title at publishing was Master Slides in Google Sheets...this was a typo on their part.)Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13932130725982310633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833518615490911512.post-43224870480318003772014-01-02T04:50:00.003-08:002014-01-02T04:50:53.017-08:00Content Discovery Tools - How to find great online content with less effort<a href="https://content-discovery-tools.zeef.com/robin.good">Content Discovery Tools by Robin Good | ZEEF</a> is a blog article listing tons of content discovery tools by focus. I was pleased to see that several of the tools I use made it to the list. <a href="http://flipboard.com/">Flipboard </a>was the top one listed for News Discovery tools. I love how Flipboard allows me to create my own online magazines and share them with others. I am looking for a new RSS reader since Google Reader has gone away. I have been trying to use Feedly and see that it also has the top spot on Robin's list of RSS readers. I just have to get comfortable with it. There are several other tools that I had not heard of and will have to check out. Which tools do you use?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13932130725982310633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833518615490911512.post-27297157496400986822014-01-02T04:50:00.001-08:002014-01-02T04:50:45.477-08:00Content Discovery Tools - How to find great online content with less effort<a href="https://content-discovery-tools.zeef.com/robin.good">Content Discovery Tools by Robin Good | ZEEF</a> is a blog article listing tons of content discovery tools by focus. I was pleased to see that several of the tools I use made it to the list. <a href="http://flipboard.com/">Flipboard </a>was the top one listed for News Discovery tools. I love how Flipboard allows me to create my own online magazines and share them with others. I am looking for a new RSS reader since Google Reader has gone away. I have been trying to use Feedly and see that it also has the top spot on Robin's list of RSS readers. I just have to get comfortable with it. There are several other tools that I had not heard of and will have to check out. Which tools do you use?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13932130725982310633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833518615490911512.post-27971783513929832232013-11-06T04:54:00.000-08:002013-11-06T04:54:19.783-08:00Google Slides updatesChanging......As always, Google is continuing to improve their products. That is one of the things I really love about the Google Apps suite. They are looking for ways to make their tools more user-friendly all the time. <br />
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Google Slides, which is their version of presentations, is adding more features all the time. Some of the most recent changes are being able to more easily see the name of the person who is editing a slide, being able to add content to a custom theme by just right-clicking and saying "Add to Theme", and being able to reuse custom themes by clicking "from another presentation" on the themes pop up window. For details on how to use these new features, check out the Google Blog article,<a href="http://real%20time%20text%20cursors%20and%20other%20enhancements%20in%20slides/" target="_blank"> "<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">Real time text cursors and other enhancements in Slides</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">"</span></a>.<br />
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Another newer feature is how you access your various Google Tools from the home page. When you log into Google, you now get the Google search bar, your frequently used web sites AND access to your various tools all on the same page. I find this very convenient. <br />
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One feature I would like them to add is that I can customize order of the tools. I would like to be able to either select the tools that appear at the top OR have the ones I use the most automatically appear there based on my usage statistics. For any Google product, you can submit suggestions through their Feedback link. This is located by going to the gear button in any tool. It is either directly listed on the gear options OR you click on Help and then you see the link on the next popup window. You type in what your suggestion is and then you are able to send them a screenshot showing them exactly what you mean. This is so easy! I just submitted my feedback, so we will see if they can engineer that feature.<br />
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Be on the lookout for more changes in the Google products. Just as I enjoy seeing the seasons change, it is fun to see the Google products change and improve.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13932130725982310633noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833518615490911512.post-53743697496758845832013-09-23T18:36:00.001-07:002013-09-23T18:36:29.802-07:00Connected Educator MonthOctober 2013 is deemed as Connected Educator Month. Over the past several years, I have built my personal learning network using <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/saellner" target="_blank">Diigo </a>for bookmarking, <a href="https://twitter.com/saellner" target="_blank">Twitter</a> for quick reads, <a href="http://blogger.com/" target="_blank">Blogger </a>to build this blog, and <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/pub/sharon-ellner/13/729/29a/" target="_blank">LinkedIn </a>to connect with other professionals. It is through a combination of all of these that I am able to keep up on the latest trends in education. <br />
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As in most districts, ours is struggling with tight budgets. Gone are the days when we are able to attend conferences. I still need to learn about new technologies and how to best use them to impact student learning.<br />
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I am always interested in ways to more efficiently share information that I find. Once example is <a href="http://bethstill.edublogs.org/2013/08/18/using-diigo-twitter-to-deliver-a-powerful-one-two-punch/" target="_blank">this blog post</a> about how to connect your Diigo account with your Twitter account and your Blogger account. This allows you to easily share finds which you post on Diigo. You can also send it out in a Tweet or post your description to your blog. I plan on giving these a try .<br />
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How do you use personal learning networks to share with others?<br />
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For ideas on getting started with personal learning networks, check out the <a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/bwggme08hbhf06r/CEM%202013%20District%20Toolkit.pdf" target="_blank">Connected Educator Month </a>.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13932130725982310633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833518615490911512.post-40323589436460346242013-01-03T19:39:00.003-08:002013-01-03T19:39:34.517-08:00How Much is Technology Woven Into the Fabric of Learning in Your Classroom?<div>
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The <a href="http://fcit.usf.edu/matrix/index.php">Technology Integration Matrix</a>, produced by the Florida Center for Instructional Technology, is a great tool for schools to use to see how deeply technology is woven into the fabric of learning in their school. The matrix shows how teachers can use technology to improve student learning. What I really like about the matrix is the range of use across the levels of technology integration. Regardless of a teacher's knowledge or comfort level with technology, there are ideas for technology use at all the stages. The earliest stage is Entry, followed by Adoption, Adaptation, Infusion and Transformation. The other axis of the matrix is related to the characteristics of the learning environment. These learning attributes include Active, Collaborative, Constructive, Authentic, and Goal Directed. If you click on the arrow on the name of the stage or learning attribute, it brings up a new webpage with more information. Near the bottom of each new page, are videos that show that level and attribute in action! As a teacher, this is extremely helpful for me to see a lesson at that level and attribute in action. Give it a try! I am sure you will find new ideas for technology use in your classroom.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13932130725982310633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833518615490911512.post-70647162723540598702012-11-21T05:10:00.000-08:002012-11-21T05:10:14.949-08:00Back in Good HealthFor the past few months, I have not posted any blog articles. I was busy with the start of school and also having surgery for breast cancer. I really missed posting articles and seeing who was reading them. I am cancer free now and feel more like my old self. You can expect me to start posting articles on a more regular basis now. Thank you for continuing to follow my blog!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13932130725982310633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833518615490911512.post-3851189446229610462012-08-02T04:31:00.001-07:002012-08-02T04:31:37.849-07:00TED Ed - A Source for Educational VideosHave you heard of TED Ed? It is a free resource of educational animated videos for teaching and learning. The purpose of this initiative is to help teachers to either "flip" their classroom or make their teaching more self-directed for their students. Check out the video below to learn more....in true "flip" style.<br />
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<object width="320" height="266" class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://3.gvt0.com/vi/JQDgE_eJGTM/0.jpg"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/JQDgE_eJGTM&fs=1&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/JQDgE_eJGTM&fs=1&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></div>
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The site has many tools for teachers including how to assign the videos, include a quiz to determine if students learned the information, and find out which students have watched the video....plus a lot more!</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13932130725982310633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833518615490911512.post-26176111909158742892012-07-10T06:23:00.001-07:002012-07-10T06:23:10.124-07:00Free Google Sites Guide<div><p>Richard Byrne, author of the blog, Free Technology for Teachers, has created a new guide for people who are just getting started with Google Sites. If you are creating a site with Google, this would be helpful as you get started. It includes directions and screenshots for adding images, videos, pages, and much more. Check it out. It is a Scribd document which you can print or read online.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2012/07/47-page-guide-to-google-sites-for.html#.T_uh9A9kvdA.facebook">Free Technology for Teachers: 47 Page Guide to Google Sites for Teache</a>rs</p>
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13932130725982310633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833518615490911512.post-18208672749824177022012-06-19T05:16:00.001-07:002012-06-19T05:16:12.462-07:00iPad Apps - Listed by area<div><p><a href="http://www.AppsinEducation.blogspot.com/">Apps in Education</a><br>
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One of the time consuming tasks for teachers is finding iPad apps that work with their curriculum. Here is one site that lists the apps by subject area. They also have a category for special needs. This is very helpful for teachers as it saves them the time of having to search through the iTunes store trying to find apps that work. If you have another site that lists iPad or Android apps with reviews by an educator and categorized so that it is easy to find useful apps, please post them in the comments below.</p>
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13932130725982310633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833518615490911512.post-82366085212708421572012-04-26T18:18:00.001-07:002012-04-26T18:19:46.911-07:00New Feature with Evernote<div><p>I just downloaded Evernote for my Asus Transformer Android device.  One of the new features is the ability to record an audio message into a note.  Evernote then converts it from speech to text. This could be a very useful feature for students with reading and writing issues. If you are using Evernote, be sure that you update your app to get this feature.</p>
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13932130725982310633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833518615490911512.post-35211320983509007272012-03-05T13:08:00.003-08:002012-03-05T13:08:01.204-08:00Pedagogy First, Tech Second<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://ideas.wisconsin.edu/lp/imageideas/1/img_33764.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="159" src="http://ideas.wisconsin.edu/lp/imageideas/1/img_33764.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I was reading a blog article by <a href="http://darrencoxon.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Darren Coxon</a> about his travels through an iPad deployment. The intent of the article was to save others from having the same frustrations as his school had, which is great sharing. What hit me, however, as a key point was in this passage:</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"There are some schools that went all out, investing in one iPad per student from day one, but I have been to some of these schools and they are not using the iPad in a way that can be truly transformative. For me, it is about more than just the device; it is about getting the infrastructure in place. And this does not only mean things like wireless: it includes the intellectual, pedagogical infrastructure that brings with it an understanding of both the benefits and pitfalls of bringing these devices into the classroom. They have the powers to be truly game changing, but only if they are handled correctly. Remember the interactive whiteboard when it was first brought in? We thought it would change things completely. The reason it did not was that no one really thought through the pedagogy behind it. It became a glorified, expensive projector, little more. The iPad has the capacity to become nothing more than a glorified iPhone without the phone, or a nice way to look online."</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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<span style="color: #555555; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;">Darren, you hit the nail on the head. Don't get me wrong....I think technology rocks....but only when it fundamentally changes the thinking and learning of the students. If we are going to have students taking lecture notes on an iPad or netbook, does that really change the learning? Perhaps, as the students can collaboratively share the notes and hopefully build some knowledget together, but is that really a game changer? If we have students taking quizzes with clickers rather than paper, does that change their learning? Perhaps, as the teacher can get quicker results, but is it a major game changer? If we have students playing an iPad app for Everyday Math instead of the same game with cards and paper, are we really changing what they are learning?</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #555555; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><br />
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<span style="color: #555555; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;">What I really see as the value of technology is when it allows students to think and learn in ways they could not otherwise do. For example, if we have students in the United States collaboratively trying to solve a water pollution problem in a third world country with students in that country, now THAT is a game changer! How else could they get first hand knowledge of the problem? How else could they see how their ideas would be feasible in another country? Without the technology, they could not complete this task at the same level.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #555555; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #555555; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;">I would love to hear more examples of how technology is being used to really raise the level of thinking and learning of students. What are you all doing out there to accomplish this? What are the students doing differently? Could they do that same thinking and learning without the technology? </span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13932130725982310633noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833518615490911512.post-85114920723095077472012-02-29T12:58:00.000-08:002012-02-29T12:58:15.419-08:00Student Technology Team<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://ideas.wisconsin.edu/lp/imageideas/1/img_40575.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://ideas.wisconsin.edu/lp/imageideas/1/img_40575.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Our elementary school was lucky enough to win a $1200 <a href="http://www.wemta.org/" target="_blank">WEMTA</a> PET Grant from our state association for library media and technology. This grant will allow us to implement a STAT - Student Technology Assistance Team. We got the idea a few years ago, but are really seeing the need for it now. Our school is blessed to still have a half-time library media specialist. Teachers are starting to use more technology and our district has embraced more mobile devices and web 2.0 tools for use with students. These are all wonderful things!<br />
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What we found as a struggle was meeting the needs of the teachers and students at the exact time they planned to use the technologies and other tools. Even though our LMS has a flexible schedule, she cannot be in our building every time a technology project is going on. Hence, we decided to leverage the knowledge of our students and their enthusiasm for learning technology! We are planning to recruit 2 or 3 students per homeroom to be trained as STAT members. They would be extra helpers and trainers in their classrooms.<br />
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This month, we are gathering names of interested students. They need to have teacher and parent approval to be considered for the STAT. Although our student council requires students to be up-to-date on all homework, we don't want to exclude students because of that. We are hoping that some disengaged students may want to participate, thus hoping to increase their connection to school.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://store.storeimages.cdn-apple.com/2409/as-images.apple.com/is/image/AppleInc/step0-ipad-gallery-image4_GEO_US?wid=553&hei=445&fmt=png-alpha&qlt=95" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="http://store.storeimages.cdn-apple.com/2409/as-images.apple.com/is/image/AppleInc/step0-ipad-gallery-image4_GEO_US?wid=553&hei=445&fmt=png-alpha&qlt=95" width="200" /></a></div>Our LMS is going to check with the classroom teachers to find out what types of technology projects they are planning on implementing yet this spring. Each classroom is also getting 2 iPads, so we can use the STAT to help implement and troubleshoot those. I am very excited to get this started. We are hoping that most kids can stay after school for training. If not, we will use their noon recess/lunch block as that is our only other time to meet with them.<br />
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Do you know of any schools that have implemented a team like this at the elementary level? I would love to hear what they have found that works well and any challenges they faced.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13932130725982310633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833518615490911512.post-73491605958384692762012-01-09T17:20:00.000-08:002012-01-09T17:20:06.545-08:00Striking a Balance Between Showing and Guiding<a href="http://ideas.wisconsin.edu/lp/images/tmb_26312.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ideas.wisconsin.edu/lp/images/tmb_26312.jpg" /></a>Over the past 15 years, I have provided a lot of technology staff development for educators. Originally, I would create step-by-step handouts for the participants. This was more in teaching like the "sage on the stage". I would guide them through with "click here" and "click there". What I found was that the educators generally felt very comfortable in the initial training and liked the step-by-step directions. It seemed to work!<br />
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But....after they left the training, I found that they were very attached to their step-by-step directions. If they wanted to do something that wasn't in the instructions, they usually felt like they needed help from someone to do the task. In the long run, this is not effective. It might have worked OK when we bought static programs like Office 2000 and we kept the same program with the same features for several years.<br />
<a href="http://ideas.wisconsin.edu/lp/images/tmb_23834.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ideas.wisconsin.edu/lp/images/tmb_23834.JPG" /></a><br />
Enter Web 2.0.......things are constantly changing like the leaves in the fall. There are new tools each day. There are updates to existing tools. Take Google Apps for Education as an example. Google continues to update the product. If I create step-by-step handouts this month, the screen shots and menu items may be different in one month. How do I effectively teach educators about these tools?<br />
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I started to go the route of teaching them the very basics of a tool and then focusing more on how to find their answers within the help options of the program. This seemed to work very well with educators who were comfortable with learning new technologies....those who were not afraid to try something. I did, however, find a portion of the teachers who were less comfortable with technology who still wanted the step-by-step directions. While I still strongly believed that I wanted them to learn how to "think technology" and figure out how to find the help themselves, I also recognized that some need the step-by-step to get past the uncomfortable feeling of learning a new technology.<br />
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I have now changed to doing a combination of demonstrating how to use a technology, providing some handouts (but just for the basics), and spending time teaching others how to learn new skills on their own. I am finding that this approach differentiates the needs of educators just like we differentiate for the needs of our own students in our classrooms.<br />
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How do you best learn technology? Please take my poll to let me know what works for you.<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="723" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/embeddedform?formkey=dE1oTlRLZW5RdEtsWTBrYzVRdFBTVmc6MQ" width="760">Loading...</iframe>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13932130725982310633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833518615490911512.post-62098746959706979142011-12-04T20:32:00.000-08:002011-12-04T20:32:03.292-08:00You Don't Have to Be a Pro Photographer!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.google.com/images/icons/product/picasa-32.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.google.com/images/icons/product/picasa-32.png" /></a></div>I am not, by any measure, a great photographer. I am very much an amateur. That is why it amazes me when easy-to-use tools come along that make my photos look great! My latest tool is <a href="http://picasa.google.com/intl/en/" target="_blank">Picasa</a>. This is another Google tool that is free and very easy to use. I logged into my Google account, clicked on More...Even More and scrolled down to <a href="http://picasa.google.com/intl/en/" target="_blank">Picasa</a>. There is a part that you install on the computer and another part that sits in my Google Account. I decide if I want to upload a photo or an album to the web to share with others. It is a great way to organize school photos for a website.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kzXn3qCnHc8/TtxGvoOUq9I/AAAAAAAAATc/SAX7Ozi07o0/s1600/PRMS0384.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kzXn3qCnHc8/TtxGvoOUq9I/AAAAAAAAATc/SAX7Ozi07o0/s320/PRMS0384.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>We have a deer cam on one of our wooded areas in northern Wisconsin. The camera took this great photo of a mother deer and a yearling. It looked very similar to the right with the camera info at the bottom and the photo looking a bit "blue".<br />
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I uploaded the file into Picasa when I was uploading all the photos on the SD card. Picasa automatically put all the photos into a folder with the date. I could easily change the name of the album if I like, but I left it with the date because that made sense to me. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rL3mrJJieCc/TtwrBdC7d_I/AAAAAAAAATM/cpVk_p71yOQ/s1600/PRMS0399.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="227" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rL3mrJJieCc/TtwrBdC7d_I/AAAAAAAAATM/cpVk_p71yOQ/s320/PRMS0399.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Next, I double-clicked on the photo in the album and several editing options came up. First, I clicked on "Crop" and quickly got rid of the camera information at the bottom of the photo. Next, I clicked on "I'm Feeling Lucky" and it changed the picture into the great photo I now have. (Please note this photo is copyrighted as I plan to make prints from it.) That was so easy!<br />
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Because the photos are now uploaded into my Picasa web album, it is really easy to insert into my blog. When I am editing my post in Blogger, I click on the insert image icon, click on "From Picasa Web Albums", and I just had to find the photo in my Picasa Dropbox. How simple is that? <br />
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We use Google Apps for Education at school, so I always have to check to see if the same features are available at school. I was thrilled to find that Picasa Web Albums is there under under More....Photos. Tomorrow, I will test it out with one of my student's accounts. That would be really slick for sharing field trip photos and class project photos on our website.<br />
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How do you use photos for education? What other free and easy tools are out there? Please add a comment to share with others who read this blog.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13932130725982310633noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833518615490911512.post-11481438803701570642011-11-27T20:16:00.000-08:002011-11-27T20:16:14.481-08:00Learning With Your PLNI often get asked how I learned what I know about technology. That is not a simple question to answer as there are so many different avenues I use to learn about new technologies or how to use older technologies in newer ways. I think of the <a href="http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/with-a-little-help-from-my-friends-lyrics-the-beatles/3c1c6a1954b8e1e848256bc200140856" target="_blank">Beatles song</a> "With a Little Help From My Friends". Now, not all the lyrics support my process but the "help from my friends' part definitely is. "My friends" are the people in my Personal Learning Network, my PLN.<br />
<a href="http://media02.linkedin.com/media/p/3/000/057/1cd/029ee98.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://media03.linkedin.com/media/p/1/000/008/25e/1139961.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://media03.linkedin.com/media/p/1/000/008/25e/1139961.png" /></a></div><a href="http://media01.linkedin.com/media/p/1/000/000/007/01b665d.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://media01.linkedin.com/media/p/1/000/000/007/01b665d.gif" /></a><br />
<a href="http://media02.linkedin.com/media/p/3/000/057/1cd/029ee98.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://media02.linkedin.com/media/p/3/000/057/1cd/029ee98.png" /></a>I use a few different sites to connect with others interested in how to use technology to improve teaching and learning. The most effective one for me right now is <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/groups" target="_blank">Linked In</a> Groups. I have joined three groups: International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), Technology Integration in Education (TIE), and Wisconsin Educational Media and Technology Association (WEMTA). These three groups provide me with answers to questions I post as well as allows me to learn from others' postings and questions. If you have not already joined these groups, I suggest you give them a try. Create yourself an account at Linked In, join these groups, and start adding colleagues into your professional circle.<br />
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Another way that I learn about ed tech tools is to search sites like <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/" target="_blank">Slideshare </a>and <a href="http://prezi.com/" target="_blank">Prezi </a>to find presentations created by others. Often times, there are wonderful presentations posted there that make it easy for me to quickly scroll through the presentation, stopping only at the points where I will learn something new.<br />
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<a href="http://youtube.com/" target="_blank">YouTube</a> is another great place to search for tutorials and presentations to learn about any new ed tech tools. Create an account for yourself and you can save favorites as well as subscribe to "channels". These channels are created by individuals or organizations and are gold mines for learning about ed tech. For instance, if you subscribe to <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/GoogleApps" target="_blank">Google Apps channel</a>, you can get an email each time a new video is uploaded. The same is true for <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/TEDtalksDirector" target="_blank">TED talks</a> and many other great YouTube channels. Check out Michael Welsh's video on Reinventing Education. It took me two minutes to find this on YouTube.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/5Xb5spS8pmE?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://encrypted-tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTsLTx4Cd_aQ2uOpj5DWOeWG7rUZIWC6hf9odCD3_zY2o4X-SEs" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="195" src="https://encrypted-tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTsLTx4Cd_aQ2uOpj5DWOeWG7rUZIWC6hf9odCD3_zY2o4X-SEs" width="200" /></a></div>At times, I use <a href="http://www.twitter.com/" target="_blank">Twitter</a> to find information, although, I have to admit that it is less productive for me. I use <a href="http://www.tweetdeck.com/" target="_blank">Tweet Deck</a> to easily see others' tweets as well as to follow specific hashtags such as #edtech. I also contribute by tweeting things I find on the Internet as well as retweeting posts that I think others will find valuable.<br />
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While these tools are not the only tools I use to learn on my own "with a little help from my friends", these are some of the key ones. Look for a future post about how to use Google Reader to stay on top of the blogs you want to read the most.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13932130725982310633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-833518615490911512.post-27516810958656057022011-11-06T17:26:00.000-08:002011-11-06T17:26:51.704-08:00Problem or Project Based....Does It Matter?<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5185/5650719702_4b089f2b6a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="228" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5185/5650719702_4b089f2b6a.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Tomasz Stasiuk on Flickr</td></tr>
</tbody></table>For the past 5 years, I have been guiding teachers as they write problem based learning units. I often get asked the question, "What is the difference between project-based and problem-based?" While I know some people use these terms interchangeably, I believe their is a difference. <br />
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In project-based, the students are working on a project with a product as the result of their work. In problem-based, the students are solving a real-world problem and produce a product to show their solution. While both approaches involve students working on developing some type of product, the problem-based task is focused more on the problem solving process and less on the product. As stated on the <a href="http://edutechwiki.unige.ch/en/Project-Based_and_Problem-Based:_The_same_or_different%3F" target="_blank">EduTech wiki:</a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">"Project-based learning typically begins with an end product or "artifact" in mind, the production of which requires specific content knowledge or skills and typically raises one or more problems which students must solve. Projects vary widely in scope and time frame, and end products vary widely in level of technology used and sophistication. Problem-based learning, as the name implies, begins with a problem for students to solve or learn more about. Often these problems are framed in a scenario or case study format. Problems are designed to be "ill-structured" and to imitate the complexity of real life cases."</div><br />
I find that problem-based tasks are also more rigorous and often involve higher level thinking skills. If the problem task is well-defined and "ill-structured", students need to work collaboratively with other students as well as experts to figure out the best solution for the problem. <br />
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Designing the problem-based learning task scenario is often to most difficult part of the unit design. You must begin with the end in mind, determining what you want the students to learn. Then you must figure out what real-life scenarios would lend itself to this learning. That is often tough to do. You might want to contact your local Chamber of Commerce to see if they have a list of experts who are willing to help teachers come up with real-life problems related to the content they are teaching.<br />
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In problem based learning, there is a process the students' use to solve the problem. The <a href="http://pbln.imsa.edu/model/template/" target="_blank">Illinois Math and Science Academy</a> has defined the process as shown in this image:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://pbln.imsa.edu/images/pbl_template.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="229" src="http://pbln.imsa.edu/images/pbl_template.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>There are also other problem solving models such as the <a href="http://www.big6.com/" target="_blank">Big6</a> Research Model and the <a href="http://www.tcpd.org/McCain/Handouts/FutureTense.pdf" target="_blank">4D's</a>. While the Big6 process works well for initial teaching of researching information to solve a problem, it seems that middle and high school students would best benefit from using either the IMSA model or the 4D's model. It focuses more on the problem solution rather than specifically information research. While information research is necessary when solving problems, these two models seem to work better for older students who have information research skills already.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Our district did a lot of work on problem based learning several years ago. We did a <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1s9Pvvp-WE-zJzpSvoHrCeSMfQD5GQhJGh7Pvk2DmHj0/edit" target="_blank">comparison of Big6, Super3 (Big6 for primary students) and 4D's</a>. While these all will work to some extent, I really like the IMSA model for upper elementary through high school. It seems to give enough guidance through the process without feeling to rigid. I am teaching a graduate course this spring which is a one-credit introduction to problem-based learning. As I prepare for this course, I will add blog posts with resources I find. I would also like to know what questions teachers have about problem-based learning. Please share in the comments below or by emailing me.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13932130725982310633noreply@blogger.com0