Flipboard Magazine Resource For Journal Reflections in Communication in Writing

In the past, one printed article was handed to the students for a "response journal" in Communication in Writing class.  Students read the exact, single article that was given to them from the teacher.  Reflect and apply it to their life and the assignment was complete.

With the implementation of Flipboard we accomplished two objects:

1.  Introduce students to a tool (Flipboard) that can provide quality written and visual resources to get them interested in topics they love.
2.  Create a quality magazine developed by the teachers that centers on  articles based on Communicating in the Workplace.

Introducing Flipboard reminds of the times in elementary school that we

used Play-Doh.  The teacher always let us "create whatever we wanted" for about 10-15 minutes and then it was time to develop a clear product based on teacher direction.  The way Flipboard sets up their "Get Started" page on a mobile device sucks users in because the students get to choose the topics they love.  As soon as they are done choosing topics based on their interests, Flipboard immediately populates riveting articles and resources to view and read.

Even the most reluctant students get sucked into the greatness of Flipboard.

While students choose one article to reflect on via the magazine that
Mr. Mentink created they respond to questions on paper.  (Created by Mr. Manning)
View Action Photos

View Flipboard Magazine.

Soak Time

Mr. Mihalski, a high school math teacher, shared with me his plan for one class period during this week.

Soak Time.

Allowing students to process, engage in conversation and questions, and to confirm their knowledge needs to take place.  Hear how Mr. Milhalski provides this opportunity for students!

View Video
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Explain Everything - Inserting Objects For Creating & Reflecting

Our Lunch N' Learn topic for Tuesday, March 4, 2014 and Breakfast Bytes topic for Thursday, March 6, 2014, will be a quick tech tool follow up to "What's Your Clock?"

Explain Everything is an app from the TOP TECH TOOL list that can help with one of the quarters in your class, week, or unit preparation.

View The Topic


After viewing the video I noticed the last portion of the video with a video inserted caused an echoing effect.  I immediately contacted Reshan Richards who steered me in the direction of MorrisCooke, the iPad app company.

My email stated this:

I am trying to have students/staff realize the power of inserting video for authentic reflection using the EE app.

I am finding that when I record a video, insert it into EE, and then record movements on the canvas while the video is playing a echoing affect is taking place.

Here's the example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8I4I4XC5eo#t=59

Am I missing something?  Do I have the steps correct?

  1.  Push record for the EE slide.

  2. Push play on the video.

  3.  Use annotating tools during video playback and canvas record.

Thanks for any help you can provide.

Within five minutes, I received a product response!  Awesome!

Hi Clay,

thank you for contacting us!

The echo problem occurs when the sound of a video played within Explain Everything is also carried over to the microphone - this might happen when playing a video within the app and simultaneously recording. 

To fix that in a new recording, you may use 2 approaches:

1. If you want to just have the sound from the video - since 2.05 there's a setting (see attached screenshot) that will mute the sound from your microphone when exporting an XPL project with a playable inserted video. Setting this to "ON" will fix the problem with the echo.  

2. If you want to record your voice over the video - you can use the volume control to turn down the sound from the video, and additionally use iPhone headphones with a microphone, so that the sound from the video is not heard. You can also turn down the volume on the iPad speakers as well. 

Let me know if this helped!

Best regards,

Daria

MorrisCooke Support

e-mail: support@morriscooke.com

I completed OPTION 1 from above with great success!
View The Topic Without Echoing and How It Was Done!



See you tomorrow for Lunch N' Learn!

Flipgrid - Student and Teacher Video Response

Flipgrid NOW AVAILABLE ON iPAD

UPDATE: 4/18/2017
Flipgrid started charging for their service, however, they do allow one "grid" for free at a time.  This presents a new opportunity for teachers to utilize this tool for feedback from students or anyone.  No "code" or "password" is needed by the students or teachers who want to add to the grid.  Additionally, text and videos can be added to the question of the grid to help participants understand the question.  Finally, assessing the students is so easy with built in assessment tools provided by Flipgrid.

I created a grid which allowed teachers to quickly state what "drives them nuts".  Listen to what they say or add to the grid!

VIEW THE GRID

5/16/13
Flipgrid allows for questions to be written by the instructor.  Below is a question that I wrote.  I was able to create a video board of responses.  The board can be public or private which is password protected.

Students or teachers can respond in a simple video format.  First they must provide a snap shot of themselves.  After that, they allow the program to use their camera and record their response to the question.

The final piece is the moderation.  The instructor can watch the videos prior to them being available for others to view.  Once approved, members who have the password to the video response board can watch other members responses.  They may then "like" the video.  The responses can be sent out as a link, embedded, tweeted or sent to Facebook.

All of the videos can be placed separately or as a continuous slide show.

Introducing Google Voice To Students

After much planning, Mr. Rodal introduced the steps for students to use Google Voice to respond to a final reflection question from a web quest.

How could I use Google Voice?

• Reading Reflection
• Answer To Assessments
• Political Cartoon Interpretation 
• Musical Lessons
• Foreign Language Reading Assessment
• Individual Ideas For Class Response

View how the students were introduced to Google Voice.

Google Voice For Political Cartoon Interpretation

Because of another teacher, a colleaugue set up her Google Voice.  It will be used for students to call in their interpretation of a political cartoon that she has emailed to them.  Her customized greeting pertains directly to directions for the assignment.  This will be the first thing the students hear from the teacher.

Outstanding!
Create a new Google Voice Greeting For Each Assignment


Checking to see how it works!

Google Voice Reading Reflection

Today, Mr. Rodal set up his Google Voice account in under 15 minutes.  His thinking was to create a different tool for students to reflect on readings that occur in his history class.  Setting up a Google Voice account allows for connection to our school phones.  Also, most students have cell phones with them and can reflect during class or after school.  We will also be able to set a deadline for the assignment as each voice mail is time stamped.  In addition, and probably the great addition, Google Voice will transcribe each message.  This way the instructor can listen or read the response.  Furthermore, the teacher can click on the TEXT link under the transcribe voice mail and send the student a quick text message to the phone in which the original student message was sent from.

Now that the initial set up and brainstorming has taken place, I can't wait for the implementation with students.  Hear from Mr. Rodal on how EASY the process was!



Additional Google Voice resources here and here.

edCampGB Final Thoughts

As my first edCamp got underway, I somewhat had an idea of what an edCamp is.  After experiencing it, I now know.

Educators.Relaxed.Collaborating.Learning.

Four fellow teachers joined me that really haven't been exposed to technology as much as maybe other people.  It was a thrill for them to become so excited about the format (relaxed) and the learning that they experienced.  We had a multiple hour conversation after the conference and really became excited about what can be incorporated. Awesome!

My personal experience was fantastic!  Meeting people from twitter was one of the best aspects,. but other aspects of the day rocked as well.

There are so many great options for the schedule, that it is always difficult to choose.

I decided to attend the Evernote, iTunes U, and Tech Coach Sessions.

Evernote: We discovered that we could make a class account and had many people using the account on iPads at one time.  Updating and adding to a note worked flawlessly.  We talked about the benefits of Evernote over other options, due to the ability to upload everything: words, pictures, videos, links, audio.

iTunesU:  This was really an introduction to what iTunes U is.  I enjoyed learning about the "Beyond Campus" and "K-12" section.  I added

• AP European History  (For introduction to our high school AP teacher)
• TED Education Creative Problem Solving
• Google Apps in the Classroom
• Apps for the Classroom
• On The Road To Implementation Common Core with Common Sense
• Common Sense Ending Cyberbullying and Online Cruelty

I will be share the iTunesU resource with our teachers some time during the year as a Tech Tool Tip.

Tech Coach:  Discussed strategies for teaching teachers technology.  We focused on

• ISTE standards
• How to move the non users in our district to users
• Offerings of teaching tech in our district, learning at different times (Learn @ Lunch)
• How we obtain our resources, Twitter, Google+, Facebook, ZITE app
• How we save the resources we find, Evernote, Google Docs, Diigo, all over the place :)

Overall, the day was fantastic and many resources were obtained!

Our tech director would like to incorporate this edCamp idea into a day of professional growth for our teachers in our district.

We can...more details to come!

Best Learning Experiences of 2011-2012

Taking an idea from @coolcatteacher as seen below...

I asked each of our students the following question,

"What was your best learning experience of the year?"

I created the entire movie on an iPad with iMovie and can't be more thrilled with the result.  Not only by their answers, but by the quality of the video.

Some students gave detailed answers, some shortened them up.  Either way, I am thankful I took the time to ask!  My advice would be Vicki's advice, "Take one day to LISTEN to your students talk about their best learning experience in your classroom this year."

iPad Apps Review & Leads Into Today's Lesson

Students provided a list of apps that could be great for quick creation on the iPad.

Their list included:

• Whiteboard 
• Noterize (Notes)(PaperPort Notes) All the same
• Tactilis
• Skitch

Having the students review the formula for Simple and Compound Interest revealed that while the students knew the formula through their findings in yesterday's lesson, they did not know what each variable stood for.  For example, r = rate, t = time, P = principle.

I would not have known this had we not reflected by creating something and posting it to their blog.

Students View of iPads in the Classroom

For my first attempt with students and the MadPad HD app, I decided to ask students to state one word that describes using the iPads in the classroom.

***First attempt using the app...certainly will improve.

Take a view and listen to what the students think.

iPad Camera & BYOD Perfect Tool For Self Assessment

Our students are preparing for a debate with a partner against another two students from our class.  Today we created an itinerary for the afternoon block.  As part of this, students needed to filming their partner talking about the section they must present on Tuesday.

Advantages of using iPad camera (compared to other device) for video assessment and prep!

• Ease of use
• Large screen for viewing
• Front and rear facing camera
• Instant clear access to video for review

Advantages of using BYOD camera's for video assessment and prep!

• Students can still use iPad for viewing notes
• Have video on device for use and practice at home
• Students were able to blog (see last video) while other student has iPad

Words spoken after reviewing (blogging) about their video and speaking presence on camera!

• I move a lot
• I need to look at the camera
• I need to talk slower
• I need to know the material better

Words of reflection can create actions of change!

See how we did it!

Integrating Technology, Group Work, Individual Work

Once again, implementing tech at the right time is crucial.  Today our lesson was displayed in depth for the students to follow.

Items In Today's Lesson:

• Group Work
• Individual Work
• Google Forms (for submitting homework scores)
• Contextual Problems
• Drill & Practice
• Choice
• Web 2.0 - GoSoapBox.com
• Graphing Calculator
• Blogging

See It:

Student Blogging Allows For Personalized Understanding

I can't emphasize enough how blogging has positively affected my students' understanding of concepts.  After some small instruction, students are so efficient at blogging about concepts that we can complete great blog posts in minutes.

It has taken some time (about 5 months), but students really can blog quickly!

For me it proves that digital devices can't be in a lab.  They have to be with students, a part of students, an extension of students.  Having them accessible all the time, allows for efficient reflection and creation!

Reflection Just Before Assessment

Interactive White Board and iPad Apps

Having the iPads plus an interactive SMARTboard really engages students to the point that I believe students are not thinking about anything but our lesson.

See the process:


Finding that color and the ability to customize the writing motivates students to be creative.


All important reflection!  Students complete the learning process by posting their creations from above to their blog!  They do this by holding the home button and the top button of the iPad to create a screen shot.  Students are able to access that picture through the Blogger app.  This allows for summarizing of concepts and finalization.

We Like Technology!

In preparation for our model classroom presentation in two weeks at the WASB convention in Milwaukee, we are creating short videos with student responses to two questions:

1. How has technology changed the way you learn?
2. What do you most enjoy about the technology in our classroom?

After receiving emails from all students, I chose the responses that seemed to be well thought out.  I then filmed the students using the iPad and created the video using REEL DIRECTOR on the iPad.  I finalized the video by creating notes for some of the students who may have talked softly during video taping.  This was completed using the YouTube video annotation editing option.

I may be biased, but I think it turned out quite well.  Who says one can't create on the iPad?!

Students Thinking Before "School"

I utilize every minute I can.  Today, I asked the students two questions in an email.  The students responded before the actual bell that starts our day.  They even seemed happy about it.  The questions were the following.
(some responses will be in a coming video)

1. How has technology changed the way you learn?
2. What do you most enjoy about the technology in our classroom?

Individual Learning: Infusing Collaboration, Reflection, and Drills

Technology really gives us the opportunity to do so many things in our classroom during different times.  Students can take each opportunity for learning at their own pace.

U.S. Historical Documents App from Standard Works LLC

Our use of the app...




Student interviewing student and reviewing the app's bookmarking features.