Book Creator App on iPad Export as Movie and eBook

Book Creator App on the iPad which we have used since 2014, will be our creation tool of choice to create both videos and eBooks for "7 Minute Workouts" developed by students.  We chose the app because it can be published as an interactive eBook (suitable for the iBook app), a PDF, or a movie.  All of this can be sent to our Google Drive for sharing!  We also wanted the ability to have words, images, drawing, and embedded video.  Lastly, we wanted to try a different creation tool.  Readers of iPaddiction know that Explain Everything is a go to app, because it's that good!  We'll allow students to use this app to broaden their creativity toolbox. 

The Movie

The ePub Book that can be opened in iBooks. At this time, we are not sending books to iTunes so the iBooks are not interactive.

The PDF book that can be opened anywhere. Video examples of exercises won't work.

During the day, I team taught with Mrs. Logue and Mr. Karcz.  I taught two of the classes while Mrs. Logue observed.

During the third class, Mrs. Logue taught the entire technology piece.  I supported her a few times during her presentation.  However, she did a great job of teaching with confidence.  This was a perfect demonstration of the gradual release teaching strategy.

Instagram In The Classroom

Insert Video Into Explain Everything Setting

We are inserting video into Explain Everything.  It's important to have one setting checked correctly.

The Sketchnote Process

One of the twenty-four Google Slide templates serves as the backdrop for explaining Sketchnotes to students. Sketchnoting is a process that I started about two years ago.  It wasn't until the implementation of the Flex Mod schedule and true designation of "large group instruction" time, that I found a place for Sketchnoting.  Now, I am certain that Sketchnoting will fit into a student's life.

After extensive reading, speaking with educators, and practicing, I believe Sketchnoting can be and should be a tool used often in a student's educational life.  Whether completed using paper and pencil or a tremendous art app (Paper 53 now free) which is included in my "Top Tech Tool" infographic, the process can truly revolutionize one's ability to remember concepts.

A presentation intended for teachers and students on the "Art of Sketchnoting".  It will take about 25 minutes to share all the information with students or adults.  Consider giving students or staff a blank piece of 8.5" x 11" paper to "sketchnote" the presentation.  It's a great eye opener to see how the notes start with all words and progresses to images and words as the end of the presentation draws near.
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Eighth Grade Student Examples
As Mrs. Hoffmann, one of our middle school art teacher, stated,
"My 8th graders today really enjoyed it and wished that their other teachers would do this and actually give them time to do this because their teachers just rush through everything so they feel they have to write everything."

Leadership

Leadership is in the Technology Integration job description!  Because of that, I was asked to be a "guest speaker" for a class on leadership.


The students were fantastic listeners and will "lead" in anything they do!



Below is the presentation to our middle school students in  "GO Time" (Growth Opportunity) Leadership class!

CPM Tech Resource Training Day

Our teachers use CPM and time was granted to them to investigate the technology resources.  Our teachers were granted three hours of instruction and investigation time, along with food, to become more efficient with the tools to better meet the needs of students and parents.

There are three parts to the technology resources.
Teacher Resources
Student eBook Resources
Assessment Resources

View Presentation

StoryboardThat Provides Digital Plot Diagrams For Students

Our eighth grade students were learning about "plot diagrams" and constructing paper and pencil creations from the story.  I spent the day with four teachers about a month ago and upon hearing this, I searched for a "tech tool" that could provide a digital option for creating a story board featuring

• Exposition
• Conflict
• Rising Action
• Climax
• Falling Action
• Resolution

The free site allowed our students to create three storyboards up to six squares each.  Some students told their story in six squares and others used twelve and eighteen squares.  Students were totally engaged and thrilled to create and comprehend story Plot Diagrams through StoryboardThat, on Chromebooks.

Click To View Larger Version

Click To View Larger Version

Impact On Students:

Creativity: Students creating a complete story with the correct "plot diagram" elements required students to think, question, and create.

Critical Thinking: Students were required to understand the elements of "plot diagrams" and think through the elements of their story so that they coincide with the beginning, middle, and end of a plot diagram.

Google Presentation To Explain Everything

For students to discuss a Google Presentation that was created on a computer/Chromebook, we used Explain Everything to annotate and/or record audio notes to enhance the presentation.

Process:

• Create Google Presentation on Chromebook/Laptop
• On iPad, Use Google Drive App
• Find Presentation
• Touch i button for information
• Open in -->
• Explain Everything

Every Google Presentation slide will be placed on a separate Explain Everything slide.

Begin to enhance the presentation with audio and visual cues.

View the Process

Impact On Students:
Critical Thinking:  Creating a slideshow is one thing, however, annotating and recording audio to explain aspects in detail takes script writing and planning.

Effective Approach To Integrating

A different idea!  Instead of spending the day trying to visit with as many teachers as possible during my day at the middle school, I decided to spend the entire day in one content, one grade level.

Thankfully, four teachers, Mrs. Mills, Mrs. Yarbro, Mrs. Foote, and Mrs. Albers allowed me to observe their classroom when they taught the lessons.

As I was observing, I would listen for key words and concepts that they were discussing or presenting to their students.  As soon as I heard the concepts, I would scour my Evernote resources that I have accumulated over the years or search Google using key words and categories.  I found a number of resources and accumulated those resources on collaborative documents.

After the class period, I discussed some of the resources that I found and why I placed them on the document.  Spending the class period in their room allowed me to have a deeper understanding of the content and educational aspects of their class for the upcoming weeks.  In addition to the resources and thoughts already included on the document, I will add any further resources found in the next couple of weeks.

I truly believe this was a successful utilization of a technology integrator's time.  Instead of short conversations, I had an opportunity to immerse myself into their classroom and provide resources that they may use in the future.

The lists of resources created:

Mrs. Mills (Writing)    |    Mrs. Yarbro (Reading)   

Mrs. Foote (Writing)   |    Mrs. Albers (Reading)

I am truly thankful to these teachers for their willingness to allow a support teacher to visit their classroom with the sole purpose of collaborating!  They are ROCK STARS!

Environmental Health Using Haiku Deck

Mr. Bock, one of our middle school health and physical education teachers, wanted to covert the presentation of an Environmental Health project from paper to digital.  Students needed to know about the constraints and requirements for the project.  I suggested Haiku Deck because obtaining stunning copyright free images is so easy.  In addition, the simplistic word presentation grabs the viewer's attention with simple words that allows the viewer to listen intently to the presenter's words.

The first three slides were at one station while the remaining slides were at another station.  Mr. Bock reflected on his experience working with Haiku Deck,

     "...really easy to work with....enjoyed working with it..."

Presentation Link


Impact On Students:
Critical Thinking:  With the images on the slides, students need to decide what tools they want to use to complete the project.  While many pictures were provided of possible solutions, the students were not instructed as to the ACTUAL tool they should use.

Art Teacher Present In Content Area Via Video

I really appreciate Mrs. Hoffmann using the power of technology to meet the needs of teachers and students to understand new concepts.

From Sara Hoffmann, Middle School Art Teacher

It seems to be a common theme among teachers that they want their kids to know how to draw PEOPLE either correctly or cartoonish.  So I did a step by step for figure drawing video...the quality is a bit better and I'm getting better at editing too.

We teach figure drawing as a 7th grade project in art, but now art is an elective in 7th grade...so not everyone gets to learn how, so this is great that they can learn quickly through my video.

Promoting Optional Technology Training For Teachers

A colleague in the education world, @helpreaders , is starting his schools version of Lunch N' Learn or Breakfast Bytes.  He wanted to know tips for making it successful.  Since we have conducted these over the school year and started year two, I thought I would outline successful strategies to include while conducting optional tech tool tip sessions.  We have Lunch N' Learn every Tuesday for high school teachers and Breakfast Bytes every other Thursday morning for middle school teachers.

• Play music as teachers enter!  Make it as festive and non intimidating as possible!  Food a few times throughout the year.
• Choose a topic to begin that they already have...Google is a great place to start!  Our topics from last year are located here.
• Create something that you can send to teachers so they can follow up on their own.  Blog posts serve as a great tool for this.
• Promote the crap out of it!  Send Google forms once in a awhile with choices of topics.  Most votes for a topic is the one that is discussed.  Plan ahead for this!
• Personal face to face interaction with teachers inviting them is THE single best way to get people to attend.
• Post, tweet, and brag about teachers who attend!

Of course videos like the one below are a great help as well.  This is our 2013-2014 promotional video for the middle school Breakfast Bytes.