In 2012, I started this journey of being a support teacher for middle and high school teachers. I guess my official title is "Technology Integration Specialist" which no one really wants to say or hear. While preparing for my first year in this role, I developed a "commitment statement". A phrase to guide my interactions with teachers.
Over three and a half years, my commitment statement hasn't changed, but my focus has intensified on one thing: Mission First, People Always!
What's behind Mission First, People Always!
My faith brings me to the story of Jesus. He had a mission to die and free us from the bondage of sin. In the midst of his death-his mission, hanging on an "old rugged cross", Jesus said, "Father forgive them for they know not what they do." (Luke 23:34) People Always! He continued to look after people in the midst of the mission. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved at the foot of the cross during his crucifixion, he stated, "Dear woman, here is your son." In the midst of His horrible death, he was taking care of people, always! (John 19:25-27) Of course, His whole mission was to take care of people always.
Our mission is to bring the best quality education to our students.
Our problem is that we DON'T put People Always. We expect teachers to continually make more with less.
We must take care of people, adults who take care of our students, and students who are going to impact the world.
The background: It's either a sunrise or a sunset.
Sunrise: The beginning of something grand.
Sunset: The sense of accomplishment: calming and complete!
As I complete my fourth year, I am focusing on people! Something I feel I always have been doing, but now with even more vigor. It doesn't matter how important the mission (coaching, curriculum, PBIS, Flex Mod, scheduling, discipline), I will take the time to talk with people and care about them.
As we move into a new way of thinking, we are encouraging students to positively portray themselves online. By "new way of thinking" I refer to a past practice where we encouraged students to limit items online. Today, we need to encourage students to have three major digital items before leaving high school. As George Courcos elaborated on these items in his 2015 TIES Conference Keynote, we must mold student's behavior and knowledge so that they are positively portrayed online.
Mr. Otto, business teacher, was already in the midst of having his students develop a resume. We decided that students would create an About.Me page so that they begin to have one of the three items they need to have before they leave high school.
Our students and instructor created some amazing pages on their way to a positive, digital life. I used the embed feature from About.Me to create the information below. If you are in the About.Me community, consider giving the students a compliment.
Writing a vocabulary word followed by a dash and the definition is fairly isolated learning. Enhancing the learning opportunity through connecting to real life situations and experiences can be so much more valuable. In the upcoming semester, provide consider using offering technology tools to solidify a student's understanding and application of vocabulary in specific content areas.
Explain Everything
With an endless stage and the ability add images, videos, web pages a student can provide imagery to words. Add in the ability for students to record their voice for understanding along with easy exporting to the camera roll, Google Drive, or Canvas and Explain Everything is perfect.
Popplet
A screen that provides web making options to tie all of the terms around a main idea fits learning vocabulary terms easier. Adding images in the same "bubble" as the words and definitions will add to the understanding. Text is easy with the typing of characters or writing with a utensil. Easy exporting to the camera roll, Google Drive, or Canvas allows for an efficient "Check For Understanding".
Skitch
While Evernote is ending it's life with Skitch in mid 2016, Skitch continues to be a tremendous tool for an image annotated with shapes, text, or drawings. The only negative would be the option to only add one image at a time. If a variety is needed before the end of the school year in 2016, give Skitch a chance.
PicCollage
With the opportunity to have a controlled, framed image or a scattered image, multiple words, pictures and definitions can be placed on to one collage. Exporting to the camera roll, Google Drive, or Canvas is simple for students.
SimpleMind
Perfect for word webs only, SimpleMind has the opportunity to be color coded with words, definitions, problems & solutions to understand the vocabulary word. Exporting is easy as an image once the web is completed. No inserting of images is available in the free version.
Stick Around
While our district has not purchased an entire district set of this app, Stick Around is perfect for labeling and practicing terms relating to images. Currently, the Science and some of the social studies' iPads have Stick Around available for use with students.
Google Drive & Shared Document
Having students create a folder for images that represent the definitions or applications of vocabulary
words could be a method for putting all of the information in one place. Don't forget that a document shared with partners or groups could be a method for collaborating on words and definitions. One students could be responsible for the word and an image, while another student could be responsible for the "book definition" and parts of speech, while a third student could be responsible for an applicable activity or statement.
Quizlet
This tool can be a place for students to create "flashcards" in which to study. Images can be added. Learning is one section but two games exist, Scatter and Gravity. Surprisingly high school students like these games which is evidence by the "what time did you get" comments that occur followed by a "let's do play it again". Lastly, all of the terms can be included in a custom designed test filled with written, matching, multiple choice, and true/false assessments.
I asked the student to demonstrate how the she accomplished the required task.
In the business world, more efficient, creative ways to accomplish tasks correctly is always rewarded!
As with everything, the bad of using Snapchat can always occur.
George Couros pointed out in his TIES 2015 Keynote on Tuesday a time when he gave a hashtag out to high school students while he was presenting. I wish I could find the exact Tweets, but I can't at this moment. I can share the summary of the story. Three students immediately used the hashtag to display their displeasure with George's words while they were sitting and listening. Of course, their language was graphic. However, one Tweet by as student was noticed by George during the speech that was EXTREMELY positive! George spoke up to the crowed asking where/who the student was that posted the positive comment. George THANKED the student and told him how much he appreciated the positive comment. The student was a "larger than life" football player. Once George acknowledged the positive tweet many, many other students jumped on board the positive Tweeting bandwagon.
Sure, something could have gone wrong with the student using Snapchat, but it didn't. If it did, it would be addressed. Now, the student feels empowered and invested in this process which allows her to "show what she knows."
Let's hope that our schools and the educators involved can be more comfortable allowing creation and productivity to have a personal touch! Eventually, the innovation and creation will be rewarded.
The Market Place Project in Spanish II has always been an enjoyable experience. This year, we are continuing the project, but the students will utilize Explain Everything to demonstrate proper dialogue while bartering for a product.
This will be our third time using Explain Everything. Mini projects one and two were introduced through tutorials. We are increasing the levels of digital skills each time we innovate with Explain Everything. Our hope is to continue to build on the creativity and other modern day skills with the students. We are already seeing students not "concerning themselves with learning the tech" as Explain Everything is just "our tool". The process of learning the content is becoming the focus.
The Spanish teachers and I discussed the Unit 3 Market Project and collaborated on how it would look. Some areas of emphasis for me as a technology integration specialist include Creativity and Global Communication.
The Exceeding Expectations is highlighted because we are going to encourage students whose final products are pleasing to them to post them on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook with #RaiderStrong
Our Day 3 which is when the Explain Everything App is utilized looks like this:
As a help tool, I demonstrated the three skills that students will need to master
Background
Characters
Layering
Animation
Using Explain Everything.
UPDATE:
We played the video above and walked students through each of the three skills that were to be mastered. Students, all 168 of them, have completed the assessment. We are SO impressed!
Please view the conversations from "The Marketplace" that students created.
Providing instruction is one thing, showing it successfully in action is another. The video below demonstrates students utilizing EDpuzzle with students on an iPad through the app or in Safari. Either tech tool on the iPad works perfectly.
Listen to the teacher's reasoning and planning and feedback from a student.
Students completed their second experience with Explain Everything. Students were to create a picture with text that demonstrates the present. Along with this, students created a part of the section of the product that included video to demonstrate the pres.prog. I truly don't understand Spanish so the exact concept is new to me.
I do know that Explain Everything has become our main focus for this year to allow students to create items that "show what they know". We want students to become so familiar with the technology tool (EE) that they don't even think about the tech tool, but simply focus on getting their knowledge to a digital medium.
Below is the information given to the students. We are focusing on "Creativity" from the four c's for the entire year.
Lunch N' Learn provides multiple learning opportunities for our staff. From classroom teaching strategies and workflow to fun ideas, it's an opportunity for our staff to learn about technology.
Today, with the "shopping season" about to be upon us, I am providing ten technology tools, that for the most part are $60 or less, to our staff. Two of these tools, The Tile App and Google Cardboard, will be experienced by the staff during Lunch N' Learn.
If providing a technology tool to one of your loved ones is on your horizon, consider these options.
Celebrating Christmas! For me it's Christ's birth and providing gifts to loved ones and friends just as gifts were brought to Him after He was born. These technology gifts may just be what brings a smile to someone on Christmas Eve or Morning!
To allow students to "Show What They Know" in seventh grade, Mrs. Burch provided students with an introduction to the SimpleMind app and smashed it with Notability. Google Drive and Canvas were used to finalize the workflow of product to instructor.
The SimpleMind app is a tremendous app that serves as a "graphic organizer" with multiple options for colors. This was the best app for creating a web graphic so students could describe the Three Branches of Government.
We found that when we smashed the SimpleMind app into Notability the students were able to include images of topics described in the SimpleMind app. Students were also able to add hand written annotations using tools in the Notability app.
As students took more than one day, we were able to export the Notability and SimpleMind creations to students' Google Drives via the app. This allowed for students TO NOT need to same iPad each day of creation as the Notability app allows for importing of content from Google Drive.
As part of the assessment, Mrs. Burch chose the creativity portion of the four c's standards to assess along with the content.
From a tech coaching aspect, I (the tech coach) taught the the features of the app and the workflow needed completely to the first group of students. During the second group of students, Mrs. Burch taught the features and workflow, while I was in the class for support. It was a great interaction between Mrs. Burch as she was able to teach almost all aspects of the project while asking a few questions of me in front of the students if needed. For the remaining two classes I was not in the room, but followed up with an email to see how the day progressed.
Overall, Mrs. Burch and myself believe the process worked well.
After understanding effective researching strategies, I would absolutely download the Flipboard app and create an account. Searching any topic in Flipboard will provide digital magazines for the students to follow. I would also have the students create a magazine that they would "flip" potential resources into as students are researching.
Our Civics teachers are formulating a plan to enable groups to gather information, interpreting of that information, and providing the information for other students enrolled in the course.
Prior to the flex mod schedule, students (about 280 of them) would be assigned the project, work in groups on consecutive days, and present those findings to their classmates. With the flex mod schedule (and unless a person is in it, it may not actually make sense) students are together on Monday in a lab, but the same group of students are NOT together until the following Monday. Our workflow for this project provides an opportunity for students to complete the project outside of class via Google Documents and Canvas. We have chosen Thinglink as our creation tool as it provides the same user experience on the iPad or on a computer. Below is a tutorial to explain Thinglink.
While thinking through the project has required some time, we believe that the project has retained its integrity minus one element. In the past, students have presented their information in person to their classmates. We were unable to work that aspect into this particular project. We will find another project to practice those skills.
Some forms that were used to facilitate the process.
In Spanish II, students created a postcard in Spanish that pertained to a place that they visited. With Explain Everything's features
Easily crop images
Layering
Multiple text font and size options
Exportable as a PDF to Google Drive
the students were able to create their two slide PDF, export it to Google Drive, and share it on Canvas. All within a 55 minute mod.
The students who were prepared simply copied their paragraph from their Google Doc app into the Explain Everything text boxes.
As a technology integration coach, I presented the features to Explain Everything for about 5-6 minutes using AirServer. Since this learning opportunity was multiple sessions, I taught the first Explain Everything tutorial and stayed in the classroom for the entire 55 minutes. The second time I taught the tutorial, but then left the classroom. The third and subsequent times after that the content teacher Ms. Slusarek taught the entire lesson. This will be the case when I am in Mrs. Van Gheem-Rottier's room tomorrow. As the first slide of the video displays, while the instructor is focusing on the content, we have instilled an expectation of creativity which aligns with the four c's.
Four members of the Lake Forest High School staff joined us today to discover and ask questions as they determine if the flex mod schedule is right for them.
Our schedule was filled with different professionals from our school answering questions. Everyone who participated in the different panels was open and honest with our visitors about positives and challenges of the flex mod schedule. Teachers truly stated more positives than challenges.
If you are interested in how the flex mod schedule works, please contact Pulaski High School.
As we are in our second full month of the flex mod schedule, students continue to communicate with teachers on a variety of topics. From missing assignments to acquiring resources, students must provide proper, professional emails.
On Thursday, our homeroom will focus on teaching students the proper way to email teachers to get fast, productive results.
The presentation provides a great video from Forbes magazine on proper business emailing techniques and a specific example of an email conversation between a student and a teacher. Combined with discussion questions and after participating in this educational setting, students will know the correct aspects of properly writing an email to their teacher.
For the first time, Mr. Krause, Mr. Rodal, and Ms. Krause (Mrs. Schartner) implemented aspects of the Harkness Style of discussion. While we didn't have a large wooden table, we were able to have comfortable dialogue among a group of students ranging in number from 10 to 16.
Students focused their discussion on the interactions of the American Government with Native Americans. Students needed to complete the discussion questions prior to small group. The students utilized their Google Doc on their personal mobile device or on a class provided iPad. In addition, main points of the discussion were written down by the students on a paper version.
The discussion questions completed during the conversation. The TOR is the "Teacher of Record" and this completed sheet is turned into that teacher.
Our classroom set up. Students used personal mobile devices or classroom iPads to access their Google Document prepared prior to the discussion time.
I was responsible for drawing the conversation path. Each line represents a speaking opportunity from a student. The lines are connected from person to person as they spoke. We created a template that was created for each class. Once students sat in a specific spot, students wrote their name prior to class.
To be fair, this was the first attempt by the teacher. The teacher is in the top right corner with all of the lines.
The very next mod, after reviewing the above discussion diagram, students in the next mod conducted this conversation. The only change in this discussion would have been more teacher directed dialogue for question number 3.
Overall, having the flex mod "small group" classes provides a tremendous opportunity for a small number of students to discuss topics in an in-depth and engaging way.
At the SITA conference last week, I presented "Social Media Successes!" This presentation was all about REAL, actual successful social media classroom uses.
I used Periscope to record some features of the presentation.
I used a Slide Carnival templates. I love the colors of yellow and black in this presentation.
Digital Workflow View my Flipboard Magazine.
This magazine is everything I can find on the web (via Flipboard's curation) that helps students or teachers with efficient work flow with digital tools.
Apple Ecosystem for Educators View my Flipboard Magazine.
This magazine focuses on anything, and I do mean anything, that will help our staff and students migrate from a PC way of doing things to a Mac, iPad, iPhone, Apple TV way of doing things. We have a plan of being 1:1 with iPads in three years.
Flex Mod Schedule View my Flipboard Magazine.
Our high school is truly innovating with a "Flex Mod" schedule in 2015-2016. Students will have more flexibility and responsibility to harness their educational time in high school. This magazine contains all resources that can help with any aspect pertaining to the flex mod schedule.
Whether on the iPad, iPhone, or using a computer, Flipboard has become and incredible learning and teaching tool.
It's been announced that we will have an "Apple Core" training team in our school district for the first time staring this school year. Twelve people working toward teaching other staff members in our district specific technology skills to enhance student learning.
Apple Core Technology Training Team
Engage, enhance and accelerate learning for all students with the iPad.
To accomplish our mission, your role would be to
Become experts in using iPads for student collaboration, creation, critical thinking, content consumption, digital citizenship
Assist staff in being effective users of iPads both personally and professionally as outlined above.
Help build confidence of staff in using and integrating iPad apps and content with all curriculum through instructional coaching, training, conversations and positive attitudes.
Research and share best practices with technology integration and bring innovative ideas to the training team and all district staff
Assist in training staff, specifically those whose classroom would see an increase of devices each year
Being a member of an innovative group of people will continue to challenge and stretch me so that I can learn and instruct all at the same time. As a member of the 2013 Apple Distinguished Educator class, I'm reminded of the saying on our shirts.
"To educate, I innovate."
I believe this group will be the essence of the same people that are ADEs. How awesome will that be!
Some of our specific tasks include.
Apple Core Team Tasks
Training
Train PCSD staff in iPad content and websites including but not limited to
District Apps
iTunes U
Integration with GAFE
Learning Management Program
Train staff on effective ways to integrate technology/personalize learning using the frameworks of SAMR model and 4 C’s.
Some teachers have requested technology tools that will aide in providing video resources pertaining specifically to content material. These video recordings are ideally less than five minutes and will be viewed during student Personal Learning Time (PLT). This is referred to as a Flipped Classroom. Personally, I don't believe a complete flipped classroom is an idea that will work for the majority of content areas in a flex mod schedule. However, a blended classroom environment can be a perfect fit. About two years ago, I taught a two day workshop on the Flipped Classroom Learning Experience. Many of the resource from that will be helpful during this preparation phase.
Reasons for creating video resources for students:
Science - Demonstrate lab instructions for viewing prior to class
Math - Graphing calculator instructions for settings
English Language Arts - How to start a research paper
Social Studies - Project requirements
Foreign Language - Grammar rules
Physical Education - Game Rules and options for personal fitness time
Planning phases for courses in a flex mod schedule requires thinking that our teachers have not experienced. Mrs. Van Gheem-Rottier and Mrs. Titler collaborated to produce a yearly planner that could be used by teachers and teams of teachers to organize the upcoming year.
Because a Google Doc was used, teachers can collaborate at their own time and in their own place ideas pertaining to their class. If a printed copy is desired for a collaboration time, that can be accommodated as well.
Almost all courses in the flex mod schedule have a small group connected with it that meets one to two times a week. These small group discussions will include one instructor and 13-15 students. Most small groups meet for one mod which is thirty minutes.
What should the learning environment look like in a small group setting?
Face to face conversation in a comfortable and safe atmosphere is first and foremost. "Collaborative Learning Builds Deeper Understanding" is a documentary about a school that focuses on small group discussion as an integral aspect of learning.
Specifically, this part of the video demonstrates the Harkness-Style Roundtable Discussion. As is shown in the video, the instructor describes the step by step process to developing a "great conversation" from day one.
To make the students feel as comfortable and safe as possible to be able to take risks that will create a good conversation, the instructor...
Asks, "What are the values implicit in sitting around this large, wooden, oval table? Now, every classroom won't have that, but how can that type of environment be created in a classroom?
Students respond with respect, listening to each other, and being courteous.
Creates the right geography in the classroom. She asks, "Can you all see each other? Can you make eye contact with your classmates?" If the students can't see each other, they adjust their chairs so that they can.
Always tells the students, "Check your ego at the door." "Be willing to take risks, just have fun, and throw out ideas." She adds, "if you throw something else out and it's not fully formed, that's great because somebody else can jump in and build on an idea."
Also starts with a reflective moment, a moment of silence, or a moment of writing.
While all educators may not feel comfortable with all of this at first, finding a comfortable, inviting atmosphere to conversation will create a tremendously, positive learning environment.
It is important to have a set of guidelines for the conversation. Watch how she describes one of the "discussion styles". There are three roles students will fill during the discussion.
Of course, all of this is NOT easy. However, teachers have noticed that students will talk with them at the end of the small group session and say, "I didn't get to say everything I wanted to." That's where technology can continue the discussion. Tools that can assist with this include
(Ms. Slusarek & Mrs. Titler) developed a unit for our Spanish III students where they were asked to identify and solve potential problems while traveling abroad. Students were given the task of identifying a potential problem, brainstorming solutions/advice, and then asked to select a tech tool to share that information with other travelers. Here are a few of the examples from my class in case you are interested. (Mrs. Titler) was really happy with the results!
