Twitter and I have had a love/hate relationship for a long time now. I've had a hard time understanding all of its functionality, but am slowly figuring it out. I like using it for educational purposes, a lot of educators share great links there, and are very active. One of the live Twitter Chats I was a part of was #stuvoice. #stuvoice contained a plethora of resources about empowering students and making sure that they were getting what they wanted/needed out of their education. One of the great links I found I retweeted on my page @jdteach36, it was from @edutopia. The article gave a list of 8 questions that are great to ask kids.
As the Student Council advisor at Carleton Washburne getting new ideas on how to increase student voice is extremely helpful, and here on Twitter there are live conversations happening and people sharing ideas daily. I'm very glad you keep pushing us to use Twitter because once you get over the hump of the terminology, the interface, and the thought of it just being another social media platform, you start to see all the amazing content inside.
Monday, August 22, 2016
Sunday, August 21, 2016
Thing 35- Hot Topics (MOOC's and 3D Printing)
One of my "Hot Topics" this week is MOOC's, which stands for Massive Open Online Course. The term MOOC came out of the Open Educational Resources movement and was coined in 2008. Thoughout this class, we have talked about a wide variety of MOOC's including Khan Academy and iTunesU.
There are two different types of MOOC's, xMOOC's and cMOOC's. An example of a xMOOC is a course you can basically audit through "Stanford University." An xMOOC is more like a traditional classroom where you learn through checkpoints, curriculum, and watch a teacher's lesson then leave. This type of MOOC is criticized for it's ability to engage the students compared to an cMOOC.
A cMOOC's is more about connectivity through pedagogy, you speak with the teacher virtually, you participate in group assignments virtually, basically you are connected with your classmates and your teacher. A cMOOC is more like this course, but it is a closed MOOK.
A lot of MOOC's are free to access, but there are some school's that have closed MOOC's that only enrolled students can "attend." MOOC's contain an almost endless amount of educational opportunity, and the best part about MOOC's is that they are mostly free! This means people who cannot afford higher education classes can "attend" classes of interest, and lifelong learners who simply don't have the time to enroll in classes can "attend" at their own pace. This is the theory behind so many MOOC's that are funded by non-profits like the "Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation" for example.
Some MOOC's offered by universities are offered at a much more affordable rate because of the cost savings to the university. These MOOC's are worth college credit and are desirable to students who can perform without direct classroom interaction.
I personally feel that a hybrid of both types of MOOC's makes the most sense. If there can be teacher and tech support but still be hands off, MOOC's will be able to remain free for students and affordable for their non-profit sponsors.
My second "Hot Topic" is about 3D Printing, something I've been interested in for a long time. Our school recently got a 3D printer and I've been very curious about it's potential with all I hear about 3D printing in the news.
The term 3D Printing is also called "Additive Manufacturing," where the printer "deposits a binder material onto a powder bed with inkjet printer heads layer by later"-Wikipedia. The process was first invented by Hideo Kodama in 1981, but was only popularized in the last decade. While "additive manufacturing" was gaining its relevance the same technology was being used actively as "reductive manufacturing" carving metal into shapes of desire.
3D printers work in correspondence with CAD (Computer Aided Design) programs, and a 3D scanner. This process allows for 3-Dimensional printing on an x,y, and z-axis. The cost of 3D printers has dropped substantially since their mainstream introduction in 2010. A printer costing $20,000 then, is somewhere around $1000 now.
One common misconception about 3D printers is that items are printed in usable condition, this simply isn't true. What happens is that each part of the item is printed independently, then you can hypothetically put the pieces together. Some of the things being printed using 3-D printers now include guns, medicine, organs, and many other items that are simply amazing!
One common and cost effective use of 3D printing is prototyping. A once very expensive tooling process is now much simpler and inexpensive due to 3D Printing. This is a very awesome use for educational purposes when students are innovating and design thinking.
There are two different types of MOOC's, xMOOC's and cMOOC's. An example of a xMOOC is a course you can basically audit through "Stanford University." An xMOOC is more like a traditional classroom where you learn through checkpoints, curriculum, and watch a teacher's lesson then leave. This type of MOOC is criticized for it's ability to engage the students compared to an cMOOC.
A cMOOC's is more about connectivity through pedagogy, you speak with the teacher virtually, you participate in group assignments virtually, basically you are connected with your classmates and your teacher. A cMOOC is more like this course, but it is a closed MOOK.
A lot of MOOC's are free to access, but there are some school's that have closed MOOC's that only enrolled students can "attend." MOOC's contain an almost endless amount of educational opportunity, and the best part about MOOC's is that they are mostly free! This means people who cannot afford higher education classes can "attend" classes of interest, and lifelong learners who simply don't have the time to enroll in classes can "attend" at their own pace. This is the theory behind so many MOOC's that are funded by non-profits like the "Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation" for example.
Some MOOC's offered by universities are offered at a much more affordable rate because of the cost savings to the university. These MOOC's are worth college credit and are desirable to students who can perform without direct classroom interaction.
I personally feel that a hybrid of both types of MOOC's makes the most sense. If there can be teacher and tech support but still be hands off, MOOC's will be able to remain free for students and affordable for their non-profit sponsors.
My second "Hot Topic" is about 3D Printing, something I've been interested in for a long time. Our school recently got a 3D printer and I've been very curious about it's potential with all I hear about 3D printing in the news.
The term 3D Printing is also called "Additive Manufacturing," where the printer "deposits a binder material onto a powder bed with inkjet printer heads layer by later"-Wikipedia. The process was first invented by Hideo Kodama in 1981, but was only popularized in the last decade. While "additive manufacturing" was gaining its relevance the same technology was being used actively as "reductive manufacturing" carving metal into shapes of desire.
3D printers work in correspondence with CAD (Computer Aided Design) programs, and a 3D scanner. This process allows for 3-Dimensional printing on an x,y, and z-axis. The cost of 3D printers has dropped substantially since their mainstream introduction in 2010. A printer costing $20,000 then, is somewhere around $1000 now.
One common misconception about 3D printers is that items are printed in usable condition, this simply isn't true. What happens is that each part of the item is printed independently, then you can hypothetically put the pieces together. Some of the things being printed using 3-D printers now include guns, medicine, organs, and many other items that are simply amazing!
One common and cost effective use of 3D printing is prototyping. A once very expensive tooling process is now much simpler and inexpensive due to 3D Printing. This is a very awesome use for educational purposes when students are innovating and design thinking.
Thing 32: Atomic Learning
Today I learned about and played with Atomic Learning. Atomic Learning is a database that teaches you about pedagogy of teaching, learning, and how to learn certain topics of your choice. I watched a great tutorial video on how to make an animation in Adobe Photoshop.
I have never used Atomic Learning before, but I think it is a great resource for teachers. One of the things I liked about Atomic Learning over Youtube is that it is very teacher/student centered. You can tell that the people making the videos are teachers by their pace and diction.
I do not think that assigning Atomic Learning sections to teachers based on their assessments is a good way to go about improving their assessments. However, sharing the links and giving the teachers the tools to improve themselves is a great idea. I feel that, as a teacher, watching videos on how to do something isn't exactly the best way to improve pedagogy. Often times, I feel that watching other teachers in action, or communicating with a teacher that has strengths where you have weaknesses is more beneficial than any tutorial video.
I could see myself using an Atomic Learning lesson as a sub activity or as an enrichment activity for a strong student, or possibly as a supplemental activity for a student that needs extra help at home.
I have never used Atomic Learning before, but I think it is a great resource for teachers. One of the things I liked about Atomic Learning over Youtube is that it is very teacher/student centered. You can tell that the people making the videos are teachers by their pace and diction.
I do not think that assigning Atomic Learning sections to teachers based on their assessments is a good way to go about improving their assessments. However, sharing the links and giving the teachers the tools to improve themselves is a great idea. I feel that, as a teacher, watching videos on how to do something isn't exactly the best way to improve pedagogy. Often times, I feel that watching other teachers in action, or communicating with a teacher that has strengths where you have weaknesses is more beneficial than any tutorial video.
I could see myself using an Atomic Learning lesson as a sub activity or as an enrichment activity for a strong student, or possibly as a supplemental activity for a student that needs extra help at home.
Thing 34: Breakout EDU
Today I learned about Breakout EDU, another great resource for "gamifying" your classroom. These Breakout games, which could be fun to do once in a while, I feel would lose their muster after one of two of them. Doing one or two of them per year though, I could see being a lot of fun for students.
"The Haunting At Farrar" is a fun breakout EDU lesson about finding a box hidden in a haunted school that can unlock the secrets of what happened at the abandoned school. I'm not sure I could use this exact lesson, but it would be fun to design a lesson similar to this as a team building activity around Halloween in my classes.
https://drive.google.com/drive/u/1/folders/0B08Di9b0sN5yelZuYWR6RG5lZlk
Below is a Breakout EDU game template I made that is my version of the above game. It's pretty funny and obviously only a template, but could be really fun to do with a class around Halloween.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1TdnTuenEyvH9UE_HfpkKn9Q32ZADj56oUmy9WfWwMtM/edit
"The Haunting At Farrar" is a fun breakout EDU lesson about finding a box hidden in a haunted school that can unlock the secrets of what happened at the abandoned school. I'm not sure I could use this exact lesson, but it would be fun to design a lesson similar to this as a team building activity around Halloween in my classes.
https://drive.google.com/drive/u/1/folders/0B08Di9b0sN5yelZuYWR6RG5lZlk
Below is a Breakout EDU game template I made that is my version of the above game. It's pretty funny and obviously only a template, but could be really fun to do with a class around Halloween.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1TdnTuenEyvH9UE_HfpkKn9Q32ZADj56oUmy9WfWwMtM/edit
Thing 33: Educators Learning Network
Below is the link for my ELN tutorial video. This video is about inspiring and engaging your students. It gives some great advice about how to get the most out of your students and to give them a real sense of accomplishment in your classroom.
https://www.brainshark.com/portal/eln/presentation.html?pid=672217632
https://www.brainshark.com/portal/eln/presentation.html?pid=672217632
Saturday, August 20, 2016
Thing 31: Gizmos
I had some time recently to play around with Gizmos, which is basically a interactive leaning tool for students to go above and beyond their typical lessons. Gizmos offer interactive tutorials for an wide assortment of topics from K-12 in Math and Science. When I was working with Gizmos I simplified Trigonometric functions in an interactive proof simulation, I did a digestion puzzle connecting the organs of digestion, and I found out how much I would weigh on the moon. All of these topics can and are relevant to curriculum taught in our math and science classrooms and should be utilized by math and science teachers. Below are a few of the Gizmos that I added to "My Class," which I called "36 Things."
Thing 30: Discovery Education
Today I learned about Discovery Education. This is a really awesome resource for students wanting to go above and beyond with their interests. There are tons of different videos and explanations about everything under the sun. One video that I watched was about how EA Sports makes the different Madden games, particularly the animation of the athletes. This is a video I think kids and adults would both love to watch. Also, kind of like Pinterest, you can then post the videos and links to your Board, so you can share and access them later.
Another cool part of Discovery Education was the "Spotlight On Strategies" portion. This is a really neat way to learn new strategies of teaching and engaging your students. One strategy that I found was called "Six Word Stories." This is a summarization activity that students can do together or independently, where they watch a video or look at a picture and try to summarize the entirety of the work in 6 words. After everyone has summarized the media, there is a share out where everyone can see the differences in what a good summary entails.
I will definitely be using Discovery Education in my classroom as an enrichment activity.
Below is my board.
https://app.discoveryeducation.com/builders/boards/assetGuid/9C45AA86-972C-8523-33AA-951CB932D327/#mode=preview
Another cool part of Discovery Education was the "Spotlight On Strategies" portion. This is a really neat way to learn new strategies of teaching and engaging your students. One strategy that I found was called "Six Word Stories." This is a summarization activity that students can do together or independently, where they watch a video or look at a picture and try to summarize the entirety of the work in 6 words. After everyone has summarized the media, there is a share out where everyone can see the differences in what a good summary entails.
I will definitely be using Discovery Education in my classroom as an enrichment activity.
Below is my board.
https://app.discoveryeducation.com/builders/boards/assetGuid/9C45AA86-972C-8523-33AA-951CB932D327/#mode=preview
Thing 29: Professional Development
Today I watched two conferences on Youtube from the K-12 Online Conference site. The first one I watched was called "Our Journey To Innovation," hosted by Don Wettrick. Don started a new class at his high school called "Innovation," which is very much like a STEM or STEAM course we offer today. His class is built on the idea that students should have the freedom to learn about what they are interested in, not limited to technology. I like this idea in theory, but am still unsold on giving students complete creative freedom to "innovate" without direction. To many students this just ends up being too relaxed of an atmosphere, and can lead to little getting done with their time. In the situations where students are self-determined it can be an amazing thing.
The second video conference I watched (I literally watched from my PJ's) was about Gamification. Gamification is a huge buzz word around our district and the nation right now. Kids love games and if you can "gamify" your curriculum you can really engage students beyond what they would typically give. The video conference I watched was by a teacher named Sarah Thomas @sarahdateechur, she teaches English and Technology in Maryland. She is a very upbeat teacher who was inspired by a professional development her school put on, to redesign her class into a gamified classroom. Sarah explains how she "gamifies" her curriculum, and shows her website that shows the students current levels and how to earn points to gain levels. Sarah meets with her students in person to discuss leveling up, and when they are ready to start the next level of their "gaming." This is a really cool concept, where kids have to earn points to be awarded privileges in the classroom and choice of topics. I really like the idea of gamifying the classroom, but there are a couple of things I would change regarding her "game." For one thing, the kids "score" was visible for all students to view, which means that the low score students are known by the whole class, which can be embarrassing to those students. She gives the students an option to use a "gamertag" which is cool, but I'm sure kids will figure that out pretty quickly. This concept is really cool, and I am very interested in learning more about it.
Thing 25-28: Formative Assessment tools
Hello Learning 2.0 colleagues and friends,
This was a challenging, yet effective group of things. I really enjoyed learning about Google Forms, Flubaroo, Socrative, Kahoot, and Padlet. Each of these forms of assessment are innovative and fun new ways to gauge our students understanding. I particularly like Kahoot and Padlet because they are fun and exciting new ways for students to be assessed.
I can see myself using Formative assessment tools like Kahoot and Padlet in my classrooms. Kahoot is basically a gamification assessment tool and kids LOVE IT! Padlet is a cool and artistic way for our students to share their ideas, in real time, and facilitate an open dialogue regarding a wide range of topics. I chose to do my Padlet on our school's yearbook theme. This is always a big discussion and it might be better to do it through something like Padlet. I may also use a Padlet for assessing our episodes of our school T.V. Show "Washburne Live." Each week we do a critique of the episodes and this is a way better way to organize our ideas.
Google Forms and Socrative are both assessment tools, but they are a bit more traditional. When you add add-on's like Flubaroo, these traditional assessing tools become more state of the art. Google Forms is an incredible program, and I plan to use it more and figure out how to sync in with Schoology.
Have a great day!
This was a challenging, yet effective group of things. I really enjoyed learning about Google Forms, Flubaroo, Socrative, Kahoot, and Padlet. Each of these forms of assessment are innovative and fun new ways to gauge our students understanding. I particularly like Kahoot and Padlet because they are fun and exciting new ways for students to be assessed.
I can see myself using Formative assessment tools like Kahoot and Padlet in my classrooms. Kahoot is basically a gamification assessment tool and kids LOVE IT! Padlet is a cool and artistic way for our students to share their ideas, in real time, and facilitate an open dialogue regarding a wide range of topics. I chose to do my Padlet on our school's yearbook theme. This is always a big discussion and it might be better to do it through something like Padlet. I may also use a Padlet for assessing our episodes of our school T.V. Show "Washburne Live." Each week we do a critique of the episodes and this is a way better way to organize our ideas.
Google Forms and Socrative are both assessment tools, but they are a bit more traditional. When you add add-on's like Flubaroo, these traditional assessing tools become more state of the art. Google Forms is an incredible program, and I plan to use it more and figure out how to sync in with Schoology.
Have a great day!
Friday, August 19, 2016
Thing 23 and 24: Creative Commons and OERs
Hello everyone. Today I learned about Creative Commons. I already knew a little bit about Creative Commons from taking the Google class in the Spring but this was also very helpful. Creative Commons is a great resource for my students to learn about because we do use a lot of images, snippets of movies, and songs from artists, but we do not "broadcast" so it's a gray area. Creative Commons and the specific Google Image search are great tools for using images and using them safely. Below is a Creative Commons photo of Croatia, I used Croatia because I just got back from a trip there. Thanks!
Next we have OERS, Open Educational Resources, like Khan Academy and iTunes U. These online sources are making it possible for someone in a third world country "attend" a class at MIT. Khan Academy lessons are typically watching a person work out problems or demonstrating a procedure, while OER's are often video's of teachers teaching a lesson, or animations made from those lessons. I looked into an OER on filmmaking and it was from a teacher named Ms. Black, who had a variety of resources about preproduction, production, and postproduction, along with a lot of great ways for students to work together and compromise during the filmmaking process.
http://ia.usu.edu/viewproject.php?project=ia:7024
Here is a cool graphic representation of how to graph functions.
https://acswebcontent.acs.org/scienceforkids/index.html#Graphing
These types of OER's are great for teachers and kids who may have forgotten how to do a task, missed a day, or just want extra help.
I enjoyed reading about different OER summits happening around the nation and learning about how different teachers are using OER's in their classrooms. I enjoyed reading @mpowers3 article about how teacher-created free online classrooms are changing the classroom.
I look forward to using these classes as teaching tools, and learning tools as I continue to learn everyday.
John D.
Thing 22: Powtoon
Hey gang.
Just got back from Europe and am back working on my 36 Things. Last night I learned about Powtoon which is a lot of fun. It reminds me of a super simple version of Adobe After Effects, which is totally awesome if you like animation. Powtoon is super basic, but is a great alternative to buying expensive animation software. I could see this program being fun for my students to work on in my T.V. Studio class to tell a story, or make a storyboard. However, I do feel like there is quite a bit of a learning curve and I'm not sure if I would want to work on Powtoon for more than a day or two. Here is the link to my Powtoon.
https://www.powtoon.com/online-presentation/fsS1ljcCucA/?mode=movie#/
I hope you like it!
Just got back from Europe and am back working on my 36 Things. Last night I learned about Powtoon which is a lot of fun. It reminds me of a super simple version of Adobe After Effects, which is totally awesome if you like animation. Powtoon is super basic, but is a great alternative to buying expensive animation software. I could see this program being fun for my students to work on in my T.V. Studio class to tell a story, or make a storyboard. However, I do feel like there is quite a bit of a learning curve and I'm not sure if I would want to work on Powtoon for more than a day or two. Here is the link to my Powtoon.
https://www.powtoon.com/online-presentation/fsS1ljcCucA/?mode=movie#/
I hope you like it!
Tuesday, August 2, 2016
Thing 19-21: Prezi, Voki, and Animoto
Today I used Prezi and Voki to create some really cool content. In Prezi, I'm allowed to zoom in and zoom out seamlessly during a presentation. This is pretty fun for viewers and presenters. There are a lot of themes to use and it can be more fun than a basic Powerpoint or Keynote. Here is a screenshot of a demo Prezi I made regarding some of my favorite "Things" in this class.
http://prezi.com/rk2do1dvbhik/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy
I also used Voki, a Avatar talking program, that allows you to make a fake person talk. You can create any avatar and have it speak via a microphone recording or a type format. Pretty cool stuff. Below is an example of one of my Vokis.
http://www.voki.com/site/pickup?scid=12961784&width=575&height=323&chsm=95f45ea5836b43a898b6ab35cbc224d4
This could be a lot of fun for my CWB class.
The last app I learned was Animoto, a really neat online video editing software. This software would be great for little kids because it is very easy to use. You can add videos and photos very intuitively and it doesn't give you tons of editing options to keep the interface clean and simple. I don't foresee myself using this app because of it's simple approach, my students tend to use more advanced features of even iMovie. I would like to move into using Adobe Premiere in the fall, which is is 1000 times more complex and creative. This is a great app for the younger grades.
<iframe id="vp1hoIsE" title="Video Player" width="432" height="243" frameborder="0" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/embed.animoto.com/play.html?w=swf/production/vp1&e=1470152910&f=hoIsEoSpNka1v8yjUTnt1g&d=0&m=a&r=360p&volume=100&start_res=360p&i=m&asset_domain=s3-p.animoto.com&animoto_domain=animoto.com&options=" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Thanks!
http://prezi.com/rk2do1dvbhik/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy
I also used Voki, a Avatar talking program, that allows you to make a fake person talk. You can create any avatar and have it speak via a microphone recording or a type format. Pretty cool stuff. Below is an example of one of my Vokis.
http://www.voki.com/site/pickup?scid=12961784&width=575&height=323&chsm=95f45ea5836b43a898b6ab35cbc224d4
This could be a lot of fun for my CWB class.
The last app I learned was Animoto, a really neat online video editing software. This software would be great for little kids because it is very easy to use. You can add videos and photos very intuitively and it doesn't give you tons of editing options to keep the interface clean and simple. I don't foresee myself using this app because of it's simple approach, my students tend to use more advanced features of even iMovie. I would like to move into using Adobe Premiere in the fall, which is is 1000 times more complex and creative. This is a great app for the younger grades.
<iframe id="vp1hoIsE" title="Video Player" width="432" height="243" frameborder="0" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/embed.animoto.com/play.html?w=swf/production/vp1&e=1470152910&f=hoIsEoSpNka1v8yjUTnt1g&d=0&m=a&r=360p&volume=100&start_res=360p&i=m&asset_domain=s3-p.animoto.com&animoto_domain=animoto.com&options=" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Thanks!
Monday, August 1, 2016
Thing 18: Paper 53
Over the past few days I have been toying around with the Paper 53 app, which is really neat. In this app you can do a lot of things you can do in Photoshop, but it is more basic in terms of capabilities. The real feature I found applicable to my classroom is the Storyboarding format. This would be a really fun way for my students to use their iPads on their storyboards they do in my class. Another way I could see this app being used is in the Math classroom. I noticed that you can utilize many math symbols and it's very easy to write over shapes, and make shapes. This is a really fun app and I can see this being useful in many different ways.
Thanks.
Thanks.
Thing 17- Notability
For the last few days I've been playing with Notability on my iPad. Notability is the most comprehensive note-taking application I've ever used. It allows you to color coat your notes, organize your notes by topic, it allows you to choose the backgrounds of the notes, and much much more.
One of my favorite features of Notability is the ability to draw over pictures. I could see this being very beneficial in a class that provides the slideshow prior to the lecture. This way I could write notes on the topics I'm confused on directly on the slides I'm confused on. There are many other ways to use this feature which are very cool.
You can type using the iPad keypad, or you can write with your hand directly onto the iPad and with it's modern features, it will reduce the size of your handwriting down to the size you want it to appear on the note.
This type of notetaking is new to me, but I can see our students using this a lot and using it well. The one thing I would have a hard time with by using my iPad as a notebook, is staying focused. When apps like Facebook, Gmail, and other media outlets are at my fingertips, it can be hard for me to focus on the topic at hand.
Very cool app.
Thanks.
One of my favorite features of Notability is the ability to draw over pictures. I could see this being very beneficial in a class that provides the slideshow prior to the lecture. This way I could write notes on the topics I'm confused on directly on the slides I'm confused on. There are many other ways to use this feature which are very cool.
You can type using the iPad keypad, or you can write with your hand directly onto the iPad and with it's modern features, it will reduce the size of your handwriting down to the size you want it to appear on the note.
This type of notetaking is new to me, but I can see our students using this a lot and using it well. The one thing I would have a hard time with by using my iPad as a notebook, is staying focused. When apps like Facebook, Gmail, and other media outlets are at my fingertips, it can be hard for me to focus on the topic at hand.
Very cool app.
Thanks.
Thing 16: Haiku Deck
For today's "thing" I learned about Haiku Deck, a presentation software for the iPad that is actually pretty cool. This presentation software is easy to use, has a large database of images for you to use in your presentations, and is very intuitive in terms of layouts allowed.
One of my favorite aspects of Haiku Deck is the versatility in the text layouts. Another thing I like about this app is that it is compatible with Keynote and Powerpoint, which adds even more versatility to your presentations if you are more comfortable with those apps, or if you the computer you are using to do the presentation only has those apps.
I'm not sure I will use Haiku Deck in my everyday life, but it is nice to know there is a free easy to use software for the iPad if I ever need one.
Thanks!
One of my favorite aspects of Haiku Deck is the versatility in the text layouts. Another thing I like about this app is that it is compatible with Keynote and Powerpoint, which adds even more versatility to your presentations if you are more comfortable with those apps, or if you the computer you are using to do the presentation only has those apps.
I'm not sure I will use Haiku Deck in my everyday life, but it is nice to know there is a free easy to use software for the iPad if I ever need one.
Thanks!
Thursday, July 28, 2016
Thing 15- Book Creator
We have been began the "Getting Appy" portion of our 36 Things WU course, and the first app we played with was Book Creator. Book Creator is exactly what it sounds like, it's a way for our students to create interactive stories and presentations to share. One of the coolest things about Book Creator is the fact that students can collaborate on projects via their iPads. Collaboration through technology is one of the best new uses of technology I have seen. It allows technology to not be so individual, and more "social."
This app is not too different than other presentation software, besides the fact that it breaks it down into a page-by-page, book style format, instead of a slide-by-slide format. This app could be a lot of fun for many classes, by using your own voice, videos, photos, and more to easily personalize your book. The app is also very conducive for sharing your book via pdf, email, Google Drive, and more.
Thanks!
This app is not too different than other presentation software, besides the fact that it breaks it down into a page-by-page, book style format, instead of a slide-by-slide format. This app could be a lot of fun for many classes, by using your own voice, videos, photos, and more to easily personalize your book. The app is also very conducive for sharing your book via pdf, email, Google Drive, and more.
Thanks!
Friday, July 22, 2016
Thing 14- iTunes U
I recently learned about iTunes University and am super psyched! I had no idea this existed and it's like free school for all! I just read over an awesome digital photography class that is going to be an awesome aide in my Yearbook course. The classes have homework assignments, examples, and basically powerpoint demonstrations of the lessons, they rock!
One class that I found that would be cool for a colleague of mine would be the class entitled "AP Studio Art: Drawing." We have been kicking around the idea of having an advanced art class at Washburne and this course has a ton of cool ideas for projects for the more advanced artist. This class is targeted toward high school students, but there are some really awesome project ideas with good instructions inside the course materials.
I plan to incorporate iTunes University into all of my classes! I will develop materials out of different courses to fit the needs of my students in my classes, and share the best of iTunes University.
Love iTunes University!
One class that I found that would be cool for a colleague of mine would be the class entitled "AP Studio Art: Drawing." We have been kicking around the idea of having an advanced art class at Washburne and this course has a ton of cool ideas for projects for the more advanced artist. This class is targeted toward high school students, but there are some really awesome project ideas with good instructions inside the course materials.
I plan to incorporate iTunes University into all of my classes! I will develop materials out of different courses to fit the needs of my students in my classes, and share the best of iTunes University.
Love iTunes University!
Wednesday, July 13, 2016
Thing 13- Blogging
I enjoyed viewing all of the professional educators blogs. They gave me ideas about what a legitimate blog should look like and what is popular in today's blogging world.
As I'm sure I could have concluded, popular blogs include videos and photos not just text. One thing I've learned from my students since I started teaching our school's Yearbook course, is that students are developing a shorter attention span when reading social media and blogs. Getting my students to write captions for pictures was like pulling teeth. They aren't even the Instagram era anymore, where there was at least a sentence with the picture, now they are the Snapchat era where there is no text supporting the photo.
The point I'm making is that some of these blogs are very wordy and I'm not sure kids would enjoy reading them. They are good for adults, but I think the majority of students would rather watch a video or look at picture directions than read a page of explanation.
I enjoyed looking at Dan Meyer's blog, I've followed him in the past, and he gives great examples of how to do math with real world examples. He also loves to "tear apart" old text books language, and rewrite the questions to me more progressive and thought provoking.
The blog "Cool Cat Teacher" was more broad to all types of teachers, giving cool tips, ways to raise money, ways to improve your classroom environment, etc. I liked this blog and will continue to follow both of these blogs.
One of the Curated Resources I really liked was the "SmartBrief on EdTech." This resource shared "10 Takeaways from #ISTE2016 conference in Denver, and each of these are suggestions that could be laminated and put above every teachers desk. One of my favorites being "When students bring their passions and insights to the table, they become "creators and not just consumers of ideas and technologies produced by others." This is very applicable to my classes.
Thanks!
As I'm sure I could have concluded, popular blogs include videos and photos not just text. One thing I've learned from my students since I started teaching our school's Yearbook course, is that students are developing a shorter attention span when reading social media and blogs. Getting my students to write captions for pictures was like pulling teeth. They aren't even the Instagram era anymore, where there was at least a sentence with the picture, now they are the Snapchat era where there is no text supporting the photo.
The point I'm making is that some of these blogs are very wordy and I'm not sure kids would enjoy reading them. They are good for adults, but I think the majority of students would rather watch a video or look at picture directions than read a page of explanation.
I enjoyed looking at Dan Meyer's blog, I've followed him in the past, and he gives great examples of how to do math with real world examples. He also loves to "tear apart" old text books language, and rewrite the questions to me more progressive and thought provoking.
The blog "Cool Cat Teacher" was more broad to all types of teachers, giving cool tips, ways to raise money, ways to improve your classroom environment, etc. I liked this blog and will continue to follow both of these blogs.
One of the Curated Resources I really liked was the "SmartBrief on EdTech." This resource shared "10 Takeaways from #ISTE2016 conference in Denver, and each of these are suggestions that could be laminated and put above every teachers desk. One of my favorites being "When students bring their passions and insights to the table, they become "creators and not just consumers of ideas and technologies produced by others." This is very applicable to my classes.
Thanks!
Thing 12 - ICE to NICE
I have had the privilege of attending the ICE Conference over the past few years and I always walk away with new ideas for my classroom. I typically have to choose one day that has the most relevant information to my curriculum, and it's always tough, but with their awesome website, you can see all the presenter information and notes even if you cannot attend the talk.
One of the presentations I enjoyed reading about on the website was by Matt Miller : Video Projects Making them Fun and Practical. This presentation shares a lot of cool resources for screencasting, video sharing, and more that will definitely be useful in my classroom.
If you use a lot of technology in your classroom, I would advise taking a look at the presenters and topics at next year's ICE Conference and if there are speakers you are interested, put in a request to attend.
Thanks!
One of the presentations I enjoyed reading about on the website was by Matt Miller : Video Projects Making them Fun and Practical. This presentation shares a lot of cool resources for screencasting, video sharing, and more that will definitely be useful in my classroom.
If you use a lot of technology in your classroom, I would advise taking a look at the presenters and topics at next year's ICE Conference and if there are speakers you are interested, put in a request to attend.
Thanks!
Tuesday, July 12, 2016
Thing 11- Google Hangouts
Ever since I was introduced to Google Hangouts, I've been teaching people to use it. It is a great (free) way to stay in touch with friends overseas, across the country, or across town. You can hangout with more than one person so a whole group of college buddies can have a digital reunion, you can conduct a video conference, or you can show your mom and dad your child's first tooth LIVE!
Google Hangouts is a great alternative to apps like Skype that cost money. Whenever I get a new friend to Hangout with me, they are shocked at how easy it is. This is one of my favorite apps Google has come up with.
I struggled a bit with Google Hangouts on Air, but I intend to try more at this one. I believe that one of the perks of this app is that people don't need a gmail account to participate in the Google Hangout. Another perk of this feature is that you can conduct a class without having to look at all of your students, like in a Google Hangout.
I can see myself using both of these features often in my classrooms, especially if students have problems or trouble with an assignment, I can have online office hours.
Thanks!
John
Thing 10- Google+
I was introduced to Google+ during the Google Educators WU course and I'm still learning all of its nuances. I personally like how I can easily use it as a 'professional' social networking site with my colleagues at my school, in my district, and in nearby communities. I'm aware that I can use this site nationally and globally, but I feel that circles like GEG Chicagoland, and other local circles, you can network and actually go see what other teachers are doing instead of just see pictures or videos online.
Since Google+ and Twitter have a lot of the same applications, I'm still trying to differentiate the pro's and con's of both, but I'm definitely digging the "circles" aspect of Google+ for social networking and collaboration. I recently made a circle of members from this class, so I can ask questions about the course as they come up.
One of the groups I follow is called "Learning Photoshop" and even though I consider myself proficient in Photoshop, this page is full of cool new tips and tricks that I haven't seen before. Another page I follow is Filmmaking Inspiration and Tips. This site shares tips to screenwriting, shows inspirational clips of movies, etc. It is great for new ideas for my classroom.
Thanks!
Since Google+ and Twitter have a lot of the same applications, I'm still trying to differentiate the pro's and con's of both, but I'm definitely digging the "circles" aspect of Google+ for social networking and collaboration. I recently made a circle of members from this class, so I can ask questions about the course as they come up.
One of the groups I follow is called "Learning Photoshop" and even though I consider myself proficient in Photoshop, this page is full of cool new tips and tricks that I haven't seen before. Another page I follow is Filmmaking Inspiration and Tips. This site shares tips to screenwriting, shows inspirational clips of movies, etc. It is great for new ideas for my classroom.
Thanks!
Monday, July 11, 2016
Thing 8 - Google Photos
Thing 8- Google Photos
I have been meaning to get familiar with Google Photos for awhile now and am happy I did. Google Photos has many applications, including sharing photos with family and friends, editing photos and video, backing up photos to save space on your device, and much more.
One of the ways I plan to utilize this app in my teaching this year is through our school's yearbook. Throughout the year my students take hundreds of photos, many of which are taken on their iPads. If a photo is taken on the iPad it can instantly sync to their Google Photos and will be easily added to eDesign, the online software we use to edit our yearbook. Google Photos will also be very helpful for sharing photos with my students instantly, allowing them to take the next step in uploading and editing them.
One of the ways I plan to utilize this app in my teaching this year is through our school's yearbook. Throughout the year my students take hundreds of photos, many of which are taken on their iPads. If a photo is taken on the iPad it can instantly sync to their Google Photos and will be easily added to eDesign, the online software we use to edit our yearbook. Google Photos will also be very helpful for sharing photos with my students instantly, allowing them to take the next step in uploading and editing them.
This is a great app.
Thanks!
Sunday, July 10, 2016
Thing 7- Google Keep
Google Keep
One if this week's things we learned about was Google Keep. Google Keep is a live notebook, to-do list, grocery list, etc. It can be shared with a love one, and best of all it travels with you so it's always on you, unlike the traditional grocery list we often forget at home. I like Google Keep, but just need to become more disciplined in using it instead of making paper and pencil lists, or Microsoft Word lists like I'm so used to.
Thanks!
Saturday, July 9, 2016
Thing 4
Using Google Apps In My Classroom
The most innovative thing about Google Apps in my opinion is the ability to collaborate on projects, word processing documents, sheets, forms, etc. This ability allows all types of people to work together on items from across the world. This feature connects us in a way that we have never been connected before and opens a lot of doors in efficiency and creativity.
One of the ways I plan to use Google Apps in my classroom is through scriptwriting. In my Movie Makers course, students work together to modify a short story into a shooting script. Through Google Docs students can work together not only in class, but at home at any time they feel necessary. Group projects that were once difficult to organize outside of school, can now be done together from the comfort of your own living room. My students can modify scripts, add notes, give comments, etc.
Another way I plan to use Google Apps in my classroom, is through Google Drive. In my classes, students make many great projects and in the past we have made DVD's at the end of the trimester, which was cool, but a technology of the past. Now everything is digital, so my students are going to make folders and organize their videos inside their Google Drive. I'm still trying to figure out the most intelligent way to do this so my students will still have these videos after they leave Washburne and their email expires. Also, I would like to make it more artistic, making a folder in Google Drive is not as pleasing to the eye as a DVD was.
The last way I plan to use Google Apps in my classroom is through Google Forms. Google Forms are very easy to link through Schoology and a great way to get the pulse of my students through a survey. In our yearbook class, I can see this being a very valid lesson to teach, so my students can conduct polls for inserts in the yearbook.
Thanks for reading!
Thing 6
Thing 6
Using a Chromebook
For the past few days I have been using a Chromebook for the first time. I actually really like it for around the house functioning, it is light easy to use, and best of all opens the internet extremely fast. Another thing that I like about it is that it seems to hold a battery for a long time because there aren't any other applications open that cause it to drain battery.
However, the fact that it is strictly internet based is also a problem for most consumers that depend on the functionality and expansiveness of applications like Microsoft Word. I'm sure that there are comparable apps in the Chrome Store, but that would require more work and than many people would like to do. I feel that most people, as they get older, like to use a program they've learned and learn as it develops, not necessarily learn a whole new program.
Overall, I see the value in the ChromeBook, it's easy to use and it's cheap, but it does have a target audience, and I don't think the art or business world are that target audience.
Thursday, July 7, 2016
Thing 5
Google Chrome Review
I've been using Google Chrome as my main web browser for over a year now and it is fantastic. It works very well with the Gmail apps, and has a world of apps inside itself. One of the apps I played with during this "thing" was the Desmos Graphing Calculator. This is a lot of fun and very easy to use and check your answers with. In a way, it "gamifies" graphing and makes it more interactive for our students.
I also got to play around with "Typing Club" which is essentially like "Ultrakey" which I grew up with, but free to use. This also "gamifies" the learning of typing, encouraging you to type faster and more efficiently to break records.
Last but not least, I used "Biodigital Human," an interactive health app that allows you to investigate the different parts and conditions of the body. This app is very intuitive and allows for deep analysis of the human anatomy. Very cool!
There are endless amounts of apps inside the Google Chrome App Store, one of my favorites being AdBlock, which protects you and your students from annoying and often inappropriate ads when they are searching on the web.
I am a big fan of Chrome and plan to use it until the next big breakthrough in web browsing.
Thanks!
I've been using Google Chrome as my main web browser for over a year now and it is fantastic. It works very well with the Gmail apps, and has a world of apps inside itself. One of the apps I played with during this "thing" was the Desmos Graphing Calculator. This is a lot of fun and very easy to use and check your answers with. In a way, it "gamifies" graphing and makes it more interactive for our students.
I also got to play around with "Typing Club" which is essentially like "Ultrakey" which I grew up with, but free to use. This also "gamifies" the learning of typing, encouraging you to type faster and more efficiently to break records.
Last but not least, I used "Biodigital Human," an interactive health app that allows you to investigate the different parts and conditions of the body. This app is very intuitive and allows for deep analysis of the human anatomy. Very cool!
There are endless amounts of apps inside the Google Chrome App Store, one of my favorites being AdBlock, which protects you and your students from annoying and often inappropriate ads when they are searching on the web.
I am a big fan of Chrome and plan to use it until the next big breakthrough in web browsing.
Thanks!
Wednesday, June 29, 2016
Thing 3 - Stretch
The article "9 Reasons Teachers Should Blog" was very interesting to me. It inspired me to want to use blogs in my classroom, with my students, and potentially keep one of my own. Blogs can be a great way to track student work and participation.
I was particularly intrigued when I read the line "no more papers written to be read by no one." All too often we write or have students write papers that no one besides the teacher ever reads, this is a very interesting concept to me. We put so much work into writing papers, and if the student is ok with it, it would be awesome to display that work in a positive way.
I also liked the idea of "building your own library of content and resources and share it with others." I think a blog or website would be a really cool way to organize content to use in my class.
Thanks,
John D.
I was particularly intrigued when I read the line "no more papers written to be read by no one." All too often we write or have students write papers that no one besides the teacher ever reads, this is a very interesting concept to me. We put so much work into writing papers, and if the student is ok with it, it would be awesome to display that work in a positive way.
I also liked the idea of "building your own library of content and resources and share it with others." I think a blog or website would be a really cool way to organize content to use in my class.
Thanks,
John D.
Thing 2
Thoughts about Web 2.0
Web 2.0 was an amazing break though in internet technology, allowing people to not only read but also write in webpages (wikis). Students can talk to students down the street or across the world via webchats and video conferencing. The web has opened up many doors for all teachers to access knowledge and experience without ever having to leave the classroom.
For example, in my yearbook class, we could Skype or Google Hangout with a professional photographer, without that person actually having to come in and speak with the class. Students could ask questions live, and the guest speaker could respond immediately via video chat. Another thing students can do is work together on projects via functions like a Google Docs. This technology allows students to work together on a paper or a presentation from anywhere. This was not an available technology during Web 1.0.
This kind of technology and others can make the collaboration experience a lot more versatile, opening up a lot more opportunities for our students. Students can use different digital storytelling softwares to explain their ideas, if they aren't confident in their writing.
Another piece of technology that I use via Web 2.0 is Schoology. It allows for students to communicate with their teachers outside of school which has been revolutionary for my classes and the clubs I sponsor.
Here is a video I enjoyed about Web 2.0 and the evolution to Web 3.0.
Thanks!
John D.
Web 2.0 was an amazing break though in internet technology, allowing people to not only read but also write in webpages (wikis). Students can talk to students down the street or across the world via webchats and video conferencing. The web has opened up many doors for all teachers to access knowledge and experience without ever having to leave the classroom.
For example, in my yearbook class, we could Skype or Google Hangout with a professional photographer, without that person actually having to come in and speak with the class. Students could ask questions live, and the guest speaker could respond immediately via video chat. Another thing students can do is work together on projects via functions like a Google Docs. This technology allows students to work together on a paper or a presentation from anywhere. This was not an available technology during Web 1.0.
This kind of technology and others can make the collaboration experience a lot more versatile, opening up a lot more opportunities for our students. Students can use different digital storytelling softwares to explain their ideas, if they aren't confident in their writing.
Another piece of technology that I use via Web 2.0 is Schoology. It allows for students to communicate with their teachers outside of school which has been revolutionary for my classes and the clubs I sponsor.
Here is a video I enjoyed about Web 2.0 and the evolution to Web 3.0.
Thanks!
John D.
Thing 1
Hello!
Welcome to my first official blog post. Below are the 7 1/2 habits of being a lifelong learner.
Begin with the end in mind.
Accept responsibility for your own learning.
View problems as challenges.
Have confidence in yourself as a lifelong learner.
Create your own learning toolbox.
Use technology to your advantage.
Teach and mentor others.
Know the value of play.
The most challenging habit for me will be "Viewing Problems as Challenges." Often times we can be very busy and see all NEW work as a problem because it is distracting your from other work you need to do, however it would be best if we could see these "negatives" as "positives" and work through them and come out stronger than ever.
Another challenge I think I encounter is "Begin With The End In Mind." This habit requires thorough organization which I admit isn't one of my strong suits. The problem I have is that I have the end in mind, it's just all the parts in the middle that sometimes get lost.
I've acquired a lot of these habits, which makes me feel like a lifelong learner, which makes me happy. One that I do a lot is "Teach and Mentor Others" and "Know the Value of Play," in my field of work I am constantly showing others new technologies and showing them how to use them in fun ways, which is like play. I am confident in myself as a lifelong learner as I am always learning new technology and new ways to teach it.
As I work through this course, I need to focus on "Beginning with the End in Mind." Taking a fully online course on a beautiful summer day can be distracting, without goal setting and time management I will struggle with this course. However, I am confident in myself as a lifelong learner and know that I will overcome all distractions.
Thanks for reading!
John D.
Welcome to my first official blog post. Below are the 7 1/2 habits of being a lifelong learner.
Begin with the end in mind.
Accept responsibility for your own learning.
View problems as challenges.
Have confidence in yourself as a lifelong learner.
Create your own learning toolbox.
Use technology to your advantage.
Teach and mentor others.
Know the value of play.
The most challenging habit for me will be "Viewing Problems as Challenges." Often times we can be very busy and see all NEW work as a problem because it is distracting your from other work you need to do, however it would be best if we could see these "negatives" as "positives" and work through them and come out stronger than ever.
Another challenge I think I encounter is "Begin With The End In Mind." This habit requires thorough organization which I admit isn't one of my strong suits. The problem I have is that I have the end in mind, it's just all the parts in the middle that sometimes get lost.
I've acquired a lot of these habits, which makes me feel like a lifelong learner, which makes me happy. One that I do a lot is "Teach and Mentor Others" and "Know the Value of Play," in my field of work I am constantly showing others new technologies and showing them how to use them in fun ways, which is like play. I am confident in myself as a lifelong learner as I am always learning new technology and new ways to teach it.
As I work through this course, I need to focus on "Beginning with the End in Mind." Taking a fully online course on a beautiful summer day can be distracting, without goal setting and time management I will struggle with this course. However, I am confident in myself as a lifelong learner and know that I will overcome all distractions.
Thanks for reading!
John D.
Monday, June 27, 2016
My First Blogpost 36 Things WU
Hello internet and colleagues. This is my first post for our summer WU course.
Hope you're all having a great summer!
Sincerely,
John DeGiulio
Hope you're all having a great summer!
Sincerely,
John DeGiulio
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