How do you use technology?

We want to know how are you using technology with your classes? We need to celebrate the awesome things that happen in our rooms! Please share ideas in the comments below!

So how do we incorporate technology into the classrom?

I don't have a one size fits all answer to that question. But I did want to share what we have been experimenting with in my classes.

Google Drive:
My 8th graders completed their first paperless writing assignment last week. They typed their drafts on their Google Drive and shared them with me. I also edited them online and sent them back for revision. I will be spending a portion of Christmas Break, grading that batch of papers on the iPad.

This week, my 7th and 8th graders have received their assignments through Google Drive. When we go over the expectations in class, we view it on the Smartboard and they have the doc available to view as they work. No papers to lose and no websites to remember for the 7th graders. The 8th graders saved a copy of the file, filled out their reading schedule and set it back to me all within the class hour.

If you are curious, check them out here:
                    7th Grade - http://goo.gl/qYScN
                    8th Grade - http://goo.gl/54f7R

Blogger:
The English 8 class is currently reading a choice novel. Usually we have use lit circles or journal entries to facilitate discussion. This time we are blogging. I will admit there has been a steep learning curve for myself and the students, and I am not always one step ahead of them. We are learning together what the program can do and its limitations. But the students overall are excited about having their thoughts out for the public to view. (There was lots of moans and groans about having to journal, until I said it would be on a blog.)

You can follow their blogs from my website: https://sites.google.com/a/isd002.org/ms-waterworth/English8
 Both their blogs and my site are works in progress.

Youtube:
I love youtube as resource for information for my classroom. But I never thought of using it for my sub notes, until a teacher at the TIES conference mentioned it. Genius!!! You are there even when you are not there. My students no longer have the excuse that the sub did not tell them because they listen to you tell them. The two times I have used Youtube for sub notes, I arranged them into playlists. All the sub had to do was click play. I even used the Smart Recorder to make a video for the 7th graders, because we had to move on to a new topic and they needed a demonstration.

My youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/ShariWaterworth?feature=mhee
(I hate being on camera! But the kids love to critique the videos after you return!) 

I am excited about this technology adventure and see positive things for the future!!!

Spend some time with Google

We are slowly switching over to using Google apps with our students. The Junior High students are learning how to use Google Drive and Gmail in their English and Science classes as we test out paperless classes. So far I am loving it despite the growing pains. There are so much potential for enhancing our students learning and making grading less work for teachers.

I invite all of you to take some of your time to explore the Google apps for education. They have a site dedicated to training people in their apps. And in this class apps does not mean that you need to have an iPad.

http://edutraining.googleapps.com/

Or

http://learn.googleapps.com/

The nice thing about these training site is that you can jump around or just focus on the apps you are interested in. I would encourage you to at least take the time to look at Google docs and Google Drive.

Not just Powerpoints anymore!

Meet Glogster otherwise known as Glogs!
Below is a Glog which is an interactive poster where students can include videos, audio, images, and links to other sites. Don't be afraid of the text! Just click on the video in the top right hand corner.

Todaysmeet

Good news the tire is being fixed while we are in sessions. Another tool that you might find useful to use in your class is what is referred to as a back channel. The web site is todaysmeet.com. It is a discussion tool that allows your students to post questions during lecture, videos, student presentations, etc without stopping or interrupting what is happening. It is also a great tool for keeping our teaching student centered because our students give us immediate feedback.

In todaysmeet.com, you create class. The students go to the site for the class and post questions. You as the teacher get a list of questions as they come in and can pick and choose which ones to answer.

TIES Day 2

We continue on the technology adventure.

Today's agenda: Web 2.0 Staff Development, Technology tolls for Math and Science rooms, Moving beyond PowerPoint, flipping the classroom, ePortfolios, SalKhan from the Khan Academy, Youtube in the classroom, and fixing a flat tire.

Stay tuned!

Playing for Change

Looking for a tool to start a conversation with your students? What if a group traveled the world and had found musicians to play the same song? How could you use this in the classroom?

http://youtube.com/user/playingforchange

TIES 2012

Your technology specialists (Christy and I) are taking in the TIES conference today and tomorrow. (I am blogging this as I wait for the keynote speaker to start) We felt the best use of our time and your's was to split up and hit as many sessions as possible. We selected our breakout sessions based on the technology we have in the building, technology our students have access to and what we know you are trying to do in the classroom.

After the first session, I am mind blown as to how many tools there are to enhance what we are already doing in our classrooms (and they aren't all apps). The key word is enhance! We are the students best tool. We integrate technology to engage the students and enhance their learning experience. Not to replace us. Technology can not replace a good teacher.

Two tools to look into:
Capzles.com - this is an online presentation tool. The information is arranged in a timeline format. Students can import photos only. Which means no more reading the screen while they present.

Dipity.com - This is an online timeline tool which is designed less for presentation and more for grading. No more handwritten, hand drawn outlines showing the life of so and so or the events of the major event. Students design and email you a timeline with pictures and text.

Stay tuned for more ideas from TIES!!!

Remind 101

One more tool that I want to share with you is remind101.org. This is an app and website for teachers that allows us to send reminders to our students and parents via text messaging or email.

The students sign up by texting Remind101's number with a code, that we assign to our class. Remind101 then sends out a message asking for their name and adds them to your class list. The great thing is that there numbers are confidential. When I have work that is due, I schedule a text message on the website and Remind101 sends out my message in mass to my class.

I am currently trying this out with my 7th and 8th grade students and so far they seem to like it. It is a free site. They don't need to download anything. They just need texting.

Google and Education

I have heard tell that it takes a while to establish a routine or habit. Unfortunately this is one habit that is taking a while to stick.  The focus for the next few posts will be on a tool that we already have at our disposal, that I have fallen in love with and our students are already using: Google. That's right Google. Google is no longer just a search engine. They are expanded into everything from emails, blogs (they host this blog), maps, and cloud servers.

So the question is how can I use Google in the classroom. One fantastic tool that is available to us is Google Maps. Google Maps has a street view option that lets us explore the street view of a particular town or the ocean floor.




They also have collections that you can browse through without having to search the maps. You can find them here: maps.google.com/ocean.

I will leave you with a teaser video on Google Apps. Think of it as a preview of what I will be researching and blogging for you in the weeks to come!

Wikis

Last week we focused on using blogs in the classroom. An alternative to blogs is a wiki. A wiki is basically an webpage where readers can contribute content. PBworks is a free source for wikis.

Here are some ideas for using a Wiki in the classroom.
50 Ways to use Wikis for a more Collaborative and Interactive Classroom

Interested in setting up your own Wiki? Check out the video below to get started!
PB Works Basic Edition

Blogs in the Classroom

Blogging is about conversations.

We are taking a change of pace with this week's post. Blogs are an easy way to manage information for the classroom as well as an interactive space for students to work with technology. They are also fairly simple to get started with.

What can you do with a blog in your classroom? Check out these links to see.
10 Ways to use Your Edublog

33 Ways to Use Blogs in the Classroom

There are two commonly used sites to create a blog. One is blogger and the other is Edublog.  The folowing video takes you through starting with blogger.

Smart Recorder

Screen Capture

 Using the Screen Capture Tool: 

The Smartboard and Notebook Software have some great features to help us build presentations for our classroom. This short video will walk you through using the Screen Capture Tool. This tool is awesome because it saves you from having to copy and paste and flip between windows!