Flipboard: Three of My Favorite Magazines

I've been flipping and reading and reading and flipping magazines using Flipboard for a couple of years.  In the spring of 2015, I taught our teachers about Flipboard.  Three magazines have become front runners as resources for me and other educators.

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.

Apple Core

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.

Planning

• Participate in planning around the implementation of the Pulaski Digital Learning Plan
• Participate in the planning of professional development for professional staff

With this plan, our entire school district will move forward.  I look forward to the challenges that this responsibility provides.

Let's go!

2015 Lunch N' Learn Semester 2 Topics

As is my custom, at the end of each semester I provide a summary of all of the topics we introduce to our teachers.  Here's the list:

May 26: Flex Mod Blended Learning Recording Tools and Options

May 25: Flex Mod Yearly Planning Schedule (2015-2016)

May 19: Small Group Leadership & Discussion in The Flex Mod Schedule

May 12: Flex Mod - Updated Large Group Lesson Plan & Presentation Ideas

May 5: Large Group Instruction Planning In The Flex Mod Schedule

April 28: Flex Mod Digital Sign & Countdown Preparations

April 20: SMART Notebook Express

April 13: SMART Notebook New & Review

April 7: Educator's Guide To Flipboard In The Classroom

March 30: Educator's Guide To Periscope & Meerkat

March 23: Snapguide: How To Make...Tool

March 9: Facilitate Classroom Discussion Using LetsGeddit & Google Forms

February 23: Doctopus + Goobric + Google Classroom

February 13: The Sketchnote Process

February 9: iMovie: Integration Apps For The iPad

February 9: 24 Google Slides Templates You Can Use On Your iPad

February 3: Explain Everything: Integration Apps For The iPad

January 26: Recordium: Integration Apps For The iPad

Semester 1 (2014-2015)

Google Slides: Larger Area To Work

Flex Mod Blended Learning Recording Tools and Options

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
• FACS - Instructions for cooking/baking/prepping
• Business - Spreadsheet formula set up
• Agri-Science - Instructions for labs
• All Subjects - answers and reflections

Tools For Recording Screens and Educators

Screencast-o-matic

SMART Notebook Video Recorder

Storing The Video

Google Drive

Everything YouTube

Organize YouTube Per Content

Flex Mod Yearly Planning Schedule (2015-2016)

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.

View and Make a Copy

Small Group Leadership & Discussion In The Flex Mod Schedule

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.

• Scribe role
• Map role
• A student mapping who is talking
• Circles don't lie

• Moderator role

Finally, don't forget a key aspect to concluding the discussion.  Lastly, keep the conversation maps to see the progress of the small group.

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

• Google Classroom
• Today's Meet
• Edmodo
• Blogs
• Twitter

How does this look in other subject areas?

Mathematics

Harkness History

Show What You Know - Spanish Guest Blogger

(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!

Una enfermedad en el extranjero  (Smore)

El cambio de moneda (Prezi)

La pérdida de su boleto  (Smore)

This group used a tool called Emaze that was really visually attractive. 

https://app.emaze.com/@ALLQLZCC/un-viaje

While all of these are in Spanish, they are incredible examples of students creating artifacts that "Show What They Know". 

Flex Mod - Updated Large Group Lesson Plan & Presentation Ideas

Rethinking Presentations

Rethinking Presentations Part 1

Rethinking Presentations Part 2

Rethinking Presentations Part 3

Duarte - Resonate
Resonate - Free Multimedia Book

Duarte - SlideDocs

Slide:ology

Google Slides

Slide Carnival

Powerpoint

Powerpoint Templates

Haiku Deck  PCSD Examples

Images For Presentations

Photos For Class

ImageBase

Built In Questions
How many of you would an answer to this question?  Raise hand
How many of you would be willing to answer this question?

Engage Large Audiences
8 Ways To Engage Large Groups
Five Easy Tricks To Making Interactive Presentations

In Connection With: Large Group Instruction Planning

Large Group Instruction Planning In The Flex Mod Schedule

Large Group Planning takes collaboration, preparation, and follow through to be an effective means of educating large groups of students.

Lesson Plans, Student Absent Documents, and Seating Charts are important resources for effectiveness.

Each template can be digitally copied or printed.  Choose digital or paper to meet the educator's needs.

Must be signed into Google Account for templates to work.
Large Group Lesson Plan Template

Student Absent? Email Them

LGI 1, 2, & SBS Seating Charts

Attend Lunch N' Learn to add input for improvement!

Outside of Pulaski Domain
Lesson Plan

Seating Chart

Student Absent

In Connection With: Flex Mod Large Group Instruction- Presentation Ideas

Additional Points To Consider:
How Technology Is Changing The Lecture
How Digital Natives Are Changing The Lecture