Google Maps Tour Builder

Because of @rmbyrne 's FreeTech4Teachers post on Google Maps Tour Builder, I was able to create a tour of our school district's schools.  Our district encompasses a large geographical area consisting of five elemendary schools, one middle school, and one high school, a Google Map Tour was a perfect medium to show case our schools.

In 2009, my students created Google Earth Flying Tours.  While it was easy in the end, there was a learning curve that caused some students to struggle.

Google Maps Tour Builder required little to no learning curve.  Since we are a Google Apps For Education school, logging in and creating a tour will be a very simple process.

An additional bonus is the ease at which one can keep the tour private or share with a peer or staff member. Sharing documents through Google is second nature to our students so this process will be efficient.

View My Tour   View How To Make A Tour

Google Earth is available in BETA for Chromebooks
Google Earth integrated with Google Maps

The impact on the students...

• Collaboration--Students could work in partners or groups to create their tour
• Creativity--adding additional pictures that students take or find to each destination can provide additional insight.  The opportunity to include additional comments for each destination is important for deeper understanding.  Students need to determine the best path for their tour.
• Critical Thinking--similar to creativity
• Citizenship--students will understand that the map while by default is private, it may be shared with peers and teachers.  The map is on the web!

Google Presentations For Student "Life Choices" Choose Your Own Adventure

This was truly a collaborative effort between staff members in our district.

Last April, Mrs. Hocking asked me how to digitize a "choose your adventure" experience with sixth graders. After it was a great success, I blogged about it.  Some time later, Ms. Barszcz inquired to me about resources for a "life choices" experience that our middle school physical education/health teachers wanted our students to experience.  I immediately thought of the "choose your own adventure" experience with Google Presentations.

It has taken a great deal of planning by Ms. Barszcz, but the final products are outstanding!
*Material may be sensitive, but is in our health curriculum.

Information Provided To Students

Presentation Link


Presentation Link

**If you are a tech coach and haven't started making your teachers rock stars by blogging or video taping them integrating technology, consider promoting them so as to move your entire staff forward!

iOS 7 For Pulaski Educators and Students

We have now updated our school district iThings to iOS 7.  What does that mean for you (T-Teachers) and your students (S-Students)?  There are many new features that you should know about!

• Slide To Unlock (T & S): finger to the right if passcode is on
• Camera (T & S): shoot in burst mode with volume up button
• Multitasking (T & S): 
• Double Click Home Button>quit multiple apps with swipes of as many fingers as you can
• Control Panel (T & S): quick calculator, flashlight (only iPhones)
• Apps (T & S): swipe backwards
• Location Services (T): 
• Settings>Privacy>Location Services>System Services>Frequent Locations
• Messages (T): See the time stamp on SMS, MMS, or iMessage by swiping left
• Accessibility Settings (T & S): Settings>General>Accessibility
• Sounds (T & S): Settings>Sounds>Sounds and Vibrations
• Siri (T): Hold down Home button and say, "Read my emails"
• App Folders (T & S): No limit to number of apps in a folder
• Apps Background Refresh (T & S): Settings>General>Background App Refresh
• Apps Automatic Updates (T & S): Settings>iTunes  & App Store
  Source

AirServer (T & S): Swipe up>AirPlay

Spotlight Search (T & S): Swipe Down

Photos (T & S): Collections>Years>Months>Day

Photos (T & S): Edit-Upper Right, Share-Lower Left, Delete-Lower Right
Source

Video Link

I created the video using AirServer and Camtasia.
Get AirServer to work on your computer with your iOS devices.

It Ain't About The Device, It's The Impact That It Has

Coach My Video has so many options for physical education class. Last January, Mr. Goodness made the jump into using Coach My Video to aide in the student's understanding of a concept that was being taught. The iPad video and the drawing tools provide instant feedback to the student as to what they can improve so as to accomplish a task.

While this is great, the purpose for this blog post is the following email received yesterday from Mr. Goodness.

Clay,
I just had an amazing session with a student.  I was using the CMV app
with a student to help illustrate what he was doing and then used the
drawing tool to show what to change.  He got it!!  The best part was
that we sat down together and he was able to communicate to me via
drawing on the iPad what form was better and why.  It gave me
goosebumps.
Have a great day,
Kare

Using technology is tremendous if it's used beyond "this app is cool".  In the above situation, the student couldn't visualize what they were doing.  However, with the use of a portable tablet (iPad) the student was able to instantly visualize what was being performed correctly and what needed to be fixed.  The inspirational part was that they student and teacher were able to communicate via the drawing tools from Coach My Video.

Techcoach's need to continue to know that what they are doing is for a purpose.  The purpose is to implement the correct tool at the correct time for the correct reason.  This truly points our focus to the SAMR model.

I am so blessed to work with teachers who understand it isn't about the coolness of the tool, it's about how the tool impacts a student's life.

Video Link

Attachments For Gmail Extension...In 20 Seconds

GET THE EXTENSION



Video Link

Attachments For Gmail is a great way to quickly get a visual of what type of attachment is connected to Gmail.  I used the Google Translate option for creating a different introduction.  Consider getting this extension to help make sorting through Gmail easier.

Lunch N' Learn: SAMR Model and iPads

The Poster

Pic Collage For European Beverage

Mrs. Brylski, World Geography teacher, challenged her students to create a beverage to sell to customers after they had learned about their culture.  Using Pic Collage on the iPad, students created a marketing tool to sell their created beverage. Upon completion, the flyer will be evaluated by the teacher and by an ad marketing agent using a Google Shared Folder.  Inside the folder will be the ads and a Google Document that will provide an area of comments for the marketing agent.  Students will take these comments and improve their add for an ultimate "winner" to be chosen.

Video Link


ITLS Strand 1
SAMR Redefinition

App Launcher Customizer For Google

The black bar has been replaced by the Google App Rubric Cube.  There is a way to customize this bar to your liking.

•  Chrome Store > App Launcher Customizer
• Add To Chrome
• Click 3 x 3 App Launcher
• Bottom of Box > Configure
• Drag & Drop The Apps You Want To Show

View It

iDevices, Google Drive, and Over App To Document Successes

Mr. Fullerton, our middle school principal, and Mr. Krause, our middle school assistant principle, created an opportunity for staff to use two and one half hours of a professional development day to allow staff to create their own learning environment.  Staff were able to choose their own area to think, question, collaborate, and create.  Some staff chose our own school forest and made bacon over an open fire, some chose a local coffee shop, while others chose a comfortable couch in our school.

To document these great areas of learning, Mr. Fullerton and Mr. Krause asked staff to send in a picture via email or text of their learning environment and who they were with.  After receiving the pictures a place to house the photos was needed.  Before doing this, the Over App was used to include messages that were sent with the picture.  The Over App allows for text to be placed on a picture.  A Google Drive folder could be accessed by both men so they could simultaneously upload pictures to the same digital area.  To share the folder, the two gentlemen placed the link on their Google Docs agenda.  This work flow provides digital documentation of successes from the original agenda.

I am extremely proud of our middle school administration team as they are utilizing the technology to enhance their learning environment.  As they become familiar with the technology, they can offer innovative technology solutions for our teachers!

View Their Story!

Lucid Press In Family And Consumer Science

I stopped into to see if Ms. Treptau needed any assistance with technology integration.  After some talking, she mentioned that she discovered a great use for Lucid Press, a Chrome Web App.    LucidPress is providing her students with a digital resource to create an informational brochure on a health career. LucidPress is a great tool that fits in the Augmentation category of the SAMR model. The Pulaski Middle and High School teachers are so great as they are not afraid to try implementing different technology tools for the right purpose.

Hear her story and how easy it is to use.

Video Link
ITLS Standard 1