Techie Tuesday - Version 2.7 - Reviewing for Finals with Technology

Good day to you all!

It is almost the end of April which means that final exams will be here before you know it.  I believe that our kids learn so much, but then forget it if they do not use it for months at a time.  (Makes sense right?)  Last year I took the time and started reviewing for finals after each chapter test and during the month of May.  This greatly helped my students score much higher on the semester exams.  Which directly affected my SLO score.  (Woohoo!)  So I thought I would give you 3 fun technology tools that you can also use to get your students prepared for their final exams.

1.  ExitTicket
This is my FAVORITE tool I like to use in my classroom.  Aside from the pretty colors, it gives the teacher, and the students, tremendous and immediate feedback!  There is a student app for ExitTicket, but there is not a teacher app.  There are 2 different modes--Presentation mode and Teacher mode.  I leave the "Presentation Mode" on the front board as no student names are shown.  Students can then see how the class is doing as a whole.  I pull up "Teacher Mode" on Google Chrome on my iPad as I walk around the room.  This allows me to see a heat map of how well the students are doing during the assessment.  It allows me to step in and help a student if they are having difficulty as well.  

Like I said before the best part of ExitTicket is the data that you get back.  Below is an image of the class data and question data that is returned to you and the students as they work through the questions.

As evidenced by the data, I need to review questions 3-5, but I do not need to spend as much time on questions 1 and 2.  This helps me plan my review.  The class average gives the teacher a quick glance at how the students are doing on the review as well.  The average is not too bad, but I should be worried about how many "mastered" the content.


2.  Socrative - Online Quizzes, Exit Tickets, & Space Race

Socrative is a wonderful online quiz platform that teachers use across the world.  It is both an app AND a website.  There is a Teacher App for you, and a Student App for the students to use.  You may choose to have the students attempt your questions via the phone app or by using their laptop.  If they use their laptop, then they need to go to the web address:  www.socrative.com  Here they will use the Room Number that you provide to the class.  Then you can choose to have the students participate in the quiz as a Teacher Run activity, or Student Run Activity.

As the teacher, you can create multiple choice, true/false, and short answer questions.  They have also added the function of being able to include an image with your question.  Once the activity is complete, the teacher can download a report via email or through Excel.  Teachers can use Socrative as an Entrance Ticket to check student prior knowledge, or they can use it as an Exit Ticket to see what the students learned during the day.  My favorite feature is the Space Race.  It really gets the competitive juices flowing for the students!  

3.  Kahoot is a FREE blended learning and online gaming platform that is available for all.  If you have ever been to BW3s, you will find that Kahoot is similar to the NTN Buzztime game that they offer. Teachers can create their own multiple-choice questions that students must answer either by using their smartphones or their laptops.  

Students will need to go to the web address:  kahoot.it  This will get them to the game lobby where they will input the game pin provided by the teacher.

They will then be prompted to insert a "nickname". Once all the students have given a nickname, the teacher may start the game.  THIS is where the fun begins!  Once the teacher starts the game, the students get to see the question for about 3 seconds, then the multiple-choice options will appear. Students will be rewarded points for each correct answer, PLUS how fast they answer the question. After all students have answered the question, then the top 5 scores will be displayed for all to see. Students really enjoy being able compete for the top 5 spots!  

I wish you and your students the best of luck with the upcoming final exams!

Techie Tuesday - Version 2.6 - Engaging Students with Alternative Technologies

Hello, all.  It has been a little while since I last posted.  I have had plenty of "fun" activities that have taken up some time in my life lately that I'd like to share.  Now I can't share all of it because I am sworn to secrecy, as is Marcus P., but I can tell you, it's been pretty awesome!!

For the past 4+ months Marcus and I have had the kind of professional development experience that most educators dream about.  We have met some of the most inspirational educators and advocates for all ages of students.  We have met with representatives from the Indiana Department of Education.  We have planned lessons with some of the hardest working individuals that Indiana has to offer.  We have traveled to Indianapolis multiple times.  We have even made a trip out to California to fly drones on a beach and make a video with a GoPro in one of the tallest buildings in Los Angeles.  We have worked countless hours, on top of our normal teaching job, to create something that is original and powerful for teachers and students alike.  In due time, you will get to see some of the work that our group has created.  But for the present time, I will let you in on one little secret...each lesson plan hinges on one major hook--technology!

Technology is all around us.  It is embedded in our every day lives.  I bet as you are reading this, it is probably on your desktop...or your iPad...or your phone.  Heck, it may even be from a link shared on Twitter.  Regardless of how you read this post, it is online and it is accessible everywhere.  This is how students live their lives.  They have profiles on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and SnapChat just to name a few.  Some may even have Google+ profiles.  And so do you!  You also have a Google Drive.  You have your own YouTube channel.  And you also have your own Gmail account.  Did you know that?!?!

So how can we leverage these technologies to better engage our students?  It takes time.  It takes time to be able to think "outside the box".  It takes working with one another to look at a lesson plan and discuss "How can this be better?"  "How can I get my students engaged more in class?"  You must use technology for more than how it has been used in the past.  I will let you know, it is not by just having a student word process a paper.  That is not the best use of technology in your classroom.  How many years have we been doing that?  I know I was doing it in high school 20 years ago.  (Oh man, I just dated myself.)  Instead, have them start their own blog for your class.  Have them write for a worldwide audience!  Everyone reads the school newspaper.  But does everyone read a student narrative on Julius Caesar?  How can this lesson be better with technology?  Marcus did a wonderful job incorporating Sphero balls and mazes in a lesson from the book, Flowers with Algernon.  He made the comment that his students have never been so engaged.  (If you want the whole scoop then you need to speak with him on the lesson.)

So this brings me back to the point, "How can we get our students more engaged?"  The ultimate solution for this teacher is technology.  This is the world we live in now, folks.  It is the world our students need to be prepared for.  And it is the world in which we should be preparing them to be successful.

Techie Tuesday - Version 2.5 - Are You Using Technology Effectively in Class?Here's What Kids Think.

As I was going through my Twitter feed this past weekend I found a pretty interesting tweet that involved how teachers view they use technology in the classroom versus how the students view technology should be used in the classroom.  

This girl is a junior in high school and actually keynoted a teacher conference this past Saturday!  Here's what she posted on Instagram:  http://instagram.com/p/pm2nG9lMZI/.

I want to show you my sophomore year in a nutshell. This isn't even including things I have turned in, thrown away, etc. I want to show you all the amount of paper. I want to explain I, went to Santana. I was in classrooms that had chrome books, tablets, and every class had access to one of the many nice computer labs at Santana. Almost every student had access to technology at home, in their pockets or at least in the library if needed. I want to point out all my teachers had said to me at least once throughout my long year, we are going to use technology. This is not using technology. Google docs, I used that program so many times this year I cant count, but to do things I eventually printed. To do things I could've done on multiple cool websites/programs. These teachers need to understand, we are in the 21st century. I want them to understand "using technology" is not typing up essays. I do not want to sit while you explain how to type. I know how to type. I guarentee you I know most things you do not. These teachers are scared of technology. Having a website, using google docs, or even recording a really crappy music video on Windows movie maker is barely reaching the low bar on "using technology." Maybe I'm a total technology snob, but I'm sick of paper. I'm sick of the way teachers teach when you expect better- especially from those who have 24/7 access to technology. Just felt like ranting, but it's important and I really want to write every one of my teachers since I won't be returning to Santana, but that is a whole other problem. #technology #paper #teachers #snob #rant #helpthem #twentyfirst #century #21century #santana #highschool

I feel this post is very important because of all of our eLearning days so far.  Are we just having the kids do worksheets or are we having them create something worth saving?  Are we just giving kids assessments because that is "how it's always been done"?  News flash!  That saying is just an excuse for us.  We need to do more to get our kids 21st Century ready.

Now I know some of you may be saying, "Well yeah, that's easy to say.  But how do I do it?"  Or some of you might also be saying, "Oh isn't he just so wonderful." in a sarcastic voice.  Ha!  Obviously, I am not the poster boy for this as I too continually fall short of assessing students with more than paper-and-pencil on most days.  But every once in a while I find a spark and it translates into some magical!  Most of this magic comes from taking the time out of my busy life to check my PLN (Professional Learning Network) on Twitter.  I know I have mentioned Twitter before on multiple occassions, and I still cannot stop singing it's praises, but it is my "GO TO" for finding new activities.  It is much better than just "Googling" something.  So what if you do not have Twitter, you can Google some blogs to follow and sign up for those posts to be delivered to your email inbox.  These are some ways we can learn new methods that will help us educate our 21st Century Learners.

So...what can you add to this conversation?  PLEASE share with the rest of us how you assess our 21st Century Learners.  This is the best way we can learn...from one another.

Techie Tuesday - Version 2.4 - "Flipped Learning Day"

For the past two years I have "flipped" my PreCalculus classes.  If you do not know what a flipped class is, then you may have been under a rock for the past few years.  The flipped classroom originated by a couple of chemistry teachers from Colorado, Aaron Sams and Jonathan Bergmann.  They really started this revolution on taking the teacher from being a lecturer in front of the class to being a facilitator of learning activities during class time instead.  This method really resonated with me because I was tired of seeing this in my classroom looking like this...

Little did I know there were going to be so many more positives (and a few negatives) with implementing this methodology into my classroom!

So I decided to jump in feet first.  Creating the videos is the most time consuming part of the entire process.  However, once they are created, you will feel a sense of accomplishment (or disgust when you listen to your own voice).  I recommend creating your own YouTube profile and uploading your videos to your channel. I have had one for the past couple of years and it is wonderful having your content out where students can access it from their laptops or other devices.  Once you have your videos uploaded you can share them via Twitter or embed them onto Canvas (TL Campus).  It is also fun to add other videos you may create to your channel.  Below is how visitors are greeted to my YouTube page.

So, with all this being said, I would like to give you a little challenge.  Thursday, October 1st is "National Flipped Day" hosted by the Flipped Learning Network.  I am challenging you to flip your lesson for next Thursday.  (I will be flipping mine because I will be at an in-service the whole day.)  Your lesson does not have to entail the students watching videos all hour, but it can include a video reviewing a previously learned topic, or a video giving them directions.  However you want to do it.  A good place to start creating your videos could be by using Camtasia on your desktop, or by using your iPad with the Educreations or Explain Everything app.  After you create your videos, curate your videos to share with others.  One great recommendation could be reading about Nikie Jenkinson and how she uses Lesson Paths for her students when she is gone.  (The previous week's post.)  So......

I CHALLENGE YOU!

If you have any questions about where to start and how to share your videos with your students, feel free to contact me.  I'll be here all week!

Techie Tuesday - Version 2.3 - I'm absent today! Now what will my kids do?!

School's back in session!

But now you're sick after inhaling all the germs that the students brought into your classroom.  What do you do?  Do you just make it a study hall (not recommended, by the way)?  Do you have the kids just work in groups to learn new material?  Or do you give a review assignment, even though it is going to set you back a day off of your schedule?  

With the invention of technology, you do not have to choose any of those options.  Instead you can create some visually stimulating lesson plans for your students.  Ever wonder what that large paper weight some of us like to call an iPad is for?  You can use it, with a multitude of apps, to create your lesson plan for students to view.  Last year I shared Mr. Painter's great use of the app Educreations and how he used it to share his lesson plan with his students.  (Excellent work, Marcus!)  

Educreations, ShowMe, or Explain Everything are all great apps for writing and/or inserting images on your iPad.  However, what if you want to make your video interactive.  "There's an app for that."  I call it TouchCast.  Touchcast is an amazing (FREE) app that lets you create videos with interactive elements in the actual video.  Here is a TouchCast video I shared with my students last year when I was going to miss a day during 2nd semester.

I LOVE this because all of my links (called vAPPS) are interactive and the students can just click, or touch, them to go to that website, vote on a poll, or send me a message on Twitter!  Do you think this could be useful in your classroom?

Featured Techie Of The Week - Nikie Jenkinson

Lesson Paths gives teachers the option to offer a fully-integrated digital lesson that is located online for all platforms. Teacher-generated components are not excluded, as the tool allows document uploads and comprehension quizzes as formative assessments throughout. The best part of Lesson Paths is the clear linear organization of each unit. Students may easily access each step of the lesson, called a "playlist," by hovering over the menu pop-up on the left of the screen and scrolling down to the correct step. However, students are encouraged to work through the lesson one step at a time with a large, clear "next" button on the top of the screen. A title bar on the top left indicates the lesson title and page heading while a horizontal bar on the top right shows students' progress through the lesson. To draw student interest, each link is fully clickable within the tool's window, so the student may access other dynamic content within the specific lesson. However, when a student is ready, the linear organization of the lesson allows him or her to easily jump right back in at the last step visited. I appreciate the opportunity to encourage student engagement with content while sharing educational and informative digital materials.

Thanks, Nikie!  If you would like to see an example of how Nikie used Lesson Paths in her classroom, just click HERE.  As always, feel free to contact the Featured Techie of the Week if you have any questions.

Techie Tuesday - Version 2.2 - Notability and Techie of the Week!

As the school year starts, so do meetings and conferences.  If you are like me, I usually find myself at multiple meetings a week and usually a conference every other month.  Well, how do you keep all of your notes organized?  I used to file them in a folder with the intention that I would look at them at a later date.  Uhhhhh...yeah.  Rarely happens.  So I did a search at the App Store and found my golden nugget--Notability!

NOTABILITY 

Well let's get the bad news out of the way first off.  The app is $2.99.  But it is possible that its the best $2.99 that I've ever spent.  Notability downloads on your iPad and starts you off with a beautiful interface and an easy to read User Guide.  (See image to the left.)  This is the first thing you should read.  Aside from being able to hand-write or type your notes, you can also insert images, sticky notes, and web addresses.

The main features that I really love are the abilities to upload PDF files and the use of the palm guard while writing my notes!  For each of our school meetings, I use Notability to upload the meeting agenda from our principal, and then I can write all over it.  I also like the PDF uploader for uploading all of my answer keys for assignments, quizzes, and tests.  This is a major paper saver that I am sure Carl would really appreciate!  (GO GREEN!)  The palm guard is very useful so you can rest your hand on the screen without making marks from your palm rubbing as your write.

All-in-all, I would highly recommend purchasing this app.  The $2.99 is well worth it and you will not be disappointed.

Featured Techie Of The Week:  Chip Dale

I am using TL Campus mainly as additional reference material for all my classes. I currently am using 2 portions of the program: the calendar and the modules section. I am planning on adding a third remedial quiz section for students who do not score an 80% or higher on a unit test, but that is still in the works.

Daily Objectives and Homework (takes about 1 minute total out of my day for all my classes)

In the calendar I use my iPad to take a picture of my objective and homework off of my whiteboard, and tag each individual day the kids were in class. This has served a few purposes: kids who forget to write down their homework in their agenda, absent work, and also give parents a place where they can see what their kid is doing/has done each day.

To upload images to the calendar for each class:

1)  Open Safari on your iPad

2)  Log into tlcampus.com

3)  Click the Calendar tab at the top

4)  Click the day you want to upload a memo

5)  When the dialog box opens for an assignment, click the drop down box and select the class you are tagging

6)  Click more options to open the editable text options window

7)  Type in any information in the title and body

8)  Click the image tab on the right hand side

9)  Click upload new image and choose "Take a Photo"

10)  Take the picture

11)  If you have folders to store information choose the folder you want it to store in, or just click upload in the image menu

12)  Click update event on the text editor

Daily Resource Section (takes about 5 minutes per class)
 In the Modules section each day I post a pdf copy of the daily notes for my class, as well as I try to link to at least 2 additional internet based resources for each lesson. The PDF is created in a free version of the iPad app PowerPDF, and stored in my DropBox account which makes it easy to upload on my computer. The free version can make the images look a little fuzzy but it works good enough to get the notes out to the masses. 
                                 

With the additional resources I try to post at least one video resource (YouTube/Khan Academy/etc.) and one interactive learning activity (online game/Khan Academy/etc.) that ties into the concepts. This takes a little longer than the calendar because each page and PDF needs to be created, and then I need to go out and find some good resources to match up with the daily lesson.
      

                        

This has served some great purposes as well: students who need extra help but aren't willing to ask now have additional resources at the ready, absent students now have access to their missing notes for the day, and students who might have forgotten the lesson when they go to do their homework now can get a reminder of what happened that day. If anyone is interested I'm more than willing to show them how I do it. It is definitely as easy as the calendar to do, but I have found its quickest if I use both my iPad and computer so the steps are a little longer and would be confusing if I tried to just write them out. The jest of it is I use PowerPDF to create the notes; store them in my DropBox account which is linked to my computer; and then use my computer to create the modules page, upload the pdf, and post resources to the page.

Thanks, Chip!  If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact Chip and he will get you straightened out.

Techie Tuesday - Version 2.1 - What Do YOU Want From Professional Development!

For many years, schools and teachers in Indiana had professional development days built into their school schedule.  Unfortunately, a few years ago these days (PD days) were taken away and teachers had to find new ways to keep up-to-date with changes in standards and technologies.  For a lot of us it is difficult to stay after school for an extra hour and devote time to learn for ourselves.  Personally, I usually need to leave school no later than 4 PM in order to pick up a couple of my kids that happen to be in two different locations. But whether it is grading, family obligations, coaching, or a 2nd job, our time is valuable after 3:30.  That brings me to my question for you.

What do YOU want from professional development?  

I spent a lot of time this summer attending and presenting at conferences this past summer.  (If you did not have a chance to attend any of the Summer of eLearning conferences hosted by the Indiana DOE, I would highly recommend you look into attending a local one next summer.  Hopefully here at Twin Lakes!)  It was great to hear the keynote speakers and listen to their ideas for technology integration into the classroom.  There were multiple classroom teachers that hosted hour-long breakout sessions on specific topics.  Their passion for their profession was very evident in their presentations.  Most of them even had sensible ideas that would work well in our own classrooms.  :)

After sitting through multiple sessions I was able to come to one major realization for each session I
attended--always leave the audience with something they can use TODAY!  Throughout this year, the technology department is planning on hosting multiple professional development opportunities this year.  We have some great ideas planned for you that will cover Canvas, online assessments, video/photo editing, etc.  However, we are always open to ideas of items you would like to learn about.

So this brings me back to my original question--what do YOU want from professional development?  Let members of the tech committee know what would make your life easier and we will work to find a possible solution for you.  If you would like some help during your prep period, or before or after school, do not hesitate to contact us.  If you cannot make an afternoon session, let us know and we will make contact with you the next day.  Maybe you would like a video of the session to watch at a later time, we will work on making that happen as well.  We are all in this together, so let's learn together and make our school year, plus our students, a memorable and technological one!

Techie Tuesday Version 1.11 - Using Twitter to Connect with Today's Learners

As most teachers do, I like to reflect upon my days as a high school student.  I look back upon what my interests, passions, and future plans were when I was a teen.  Oh how things have changed!  Often times I think of how bored I became in classes in which I was not engaged.  Have you ever wondered what you would be like in today's education setting?  Have you ever wondered how engaged today's teen is when they come to your class?  Maybe you can take a couple of tips from this video.  Take a look at this and see if anything pops out at you.

To me, that is pretty useful information for any teacher to know!  For the past couple of years I have been using Twitter to communicate with my students OUTSIDE of class.  This is the easiest and most productive way to communicate with our 21st Century Learners.  Believe it or not, there are more students that have Twitter over email.  Below are the best methods I use when implementing Twitter for my classroom.

#1 Golden Rule for Twitter-
I ALWAYS tell my students that they can follow me, but I WILL NOT follow them back.  Aside from the legal liabilities we would have as teachers, I do not need to know all the high school gossip.  I think this also gives the kids some faith in me that if they post something (even if they shouldn't have) that their teachers will not know about it.  Believe it or not, most students actually care what we think!

Reminders-
Frequently I will remind students to check class websites (i.e. - TL Campus or WebAssign) for homework or helpful videos.  As teachers, we need to guide our students to resources that help them understand new material they learned in classes.  I have sent some individual students specific websites that they can use to help them with a new topic.  I will also tweet out helpful websites or other "interesting" tidbits about math that they may find interesting.

Answering Student Questions-
The use of a smartphone with a camera is one of the most useful tools a student can use to ask teachers questions when they have them.  Students have really taken to the ability of asking me questions they may have while working on their homework.  I have had great success with students sending me pictures of their work where I can see what they have done.  This is the best way for me to review their work and help them with whatever mistake they may have.

Videos-
For my upper level classes I will tweet out videos of example problems I have done from their notes.  I find that if I send a tweet of the video, as well as post it on my website, students are more apt to use it as a "reminder"/study aid for helping them with their homework.  If a student asks me a specific question, then I can solve it on my iPad and give them instructions as I solve the problem.  I can them tweet it back to that student.  I also like to tweet out some funny videos that I find or that I have created in the past.  This just keeps the students engaged and keeps them watching my feed.

Use Hashtags-
I use 4 main hashtags for my math classes--#tlmath  #tlprecalc  #tlalg2  #tlalg1  These hashtags allow students to search for any tweets that relate just to their class.  Hashtags are also useful for students to share any questions they have for other Twitter users to help them solve their problem.

Student Accomplishments-
Need I say more?!?!  What a way to get student engagement outside of class.  Who doesn't like having their accomplishments broadcast to the world?

Finally, here is a little video that may make you laugh, cry, or just run away from Twitter.  Ha!  With that being said, if you have any questions, please feel free to connect with me (@MrKline_TL) or email me.  I'll be looking for you on Twitter soon!

Techie Tuesday Version 1.10 - Professional Development through Twitter

It has been a little bit over 2 years since I started engulfing myself into education technology.  I was lucky enough to accompany Mr. McAtee to a 2-day education technology workshop at Monticello's Ivy Tech.  These sessions were hosted by Mr. John Kuglin (www.kuglin.com).  He opened my eyes to a multitude of possibilities for the uses of technology in the classroom.  (Even in the math classroom.)  Since that time, I have been lucky enough to attend multiple other conferences and workshops that cover technology in the classroom.  When I return from each conference I cannot wait to try something new in the classroom.  It does not necessarily always go as planned, but I still like the anticipation feeling that I get when trying something new that is not "paper-and-pencil".

After attending edtech conferences I really enjoy sharing the new knowledge I have attained.  (Hence, the creation of this blog, as an example.)  Lately, I have had colleagues start asking me if I learned anything new that I would be willing to share.  OF COURSE!  How else will we prepare our students for 21st Century jobs unless we share our experiences and knowledge, right?  

Now, there are lulls in my schedule (just like all teachers) where I cannot attend a professional development conference.  So you may ask, "Where do you learn new education technology tips when you do not attend a conference?"  Well, it's easy...Twitter!  Almost every night before I go to bed I like to take the iPad or iPhone out and check on the lastest edtech musings from around the globe.  Twitter allows me to do this.  Here is a quick introduction to the many things you can do with Twitter.

One of the most useful tools for Twitter is the ability to join in Twitter chats by using hashtags.  For example, each Thursday from 8-9 PM I try to attend the #INeLearn chat.  The typical format is one where the facilitator will pose about 5 questions throughout the hour.  Participants can respond to these questions by answering in 140 characters or less and by using the #INeLearn hashtag.  Just last week I participated in the #INeLearn chat.  See the picture below.

Last week I also made a new connection with a math teacher at Noblesville HS.  Through our Twitter exchange, we were also able to tag other companies by using their profile address.  See how they responded a couple days later.

Here are a few of the hashtags I like to use and follow:

#INeLearn

#algebra1

#algebra2

#precalc

#edtech

#edchat

I'll go over how I use hashtags with my classes in a future post.

If you have any interest in starting your own Twitter account, feel free to ask me any questions you may have.  But be careful...you may just find something useful out there.  And if you do, don't hesitate to follow me: @MrKline_TL  Below are some helpful strategies for the use of Twitter in your professional (and personal) life.

Find more education infographics on e-Learning Infographics

Techie Tuesday - Version 1.9 - Kahoot and Techie of the Week!

In celebration of the IHSAA boys' basketball sectional starting this week, I figure everyone might be in the mood for some gaming in their classroom.  This week I was able to play a short review game with a couple of my classes.  Nothing gets students more excited for class than a good old fashioned review game. Thanks to Desiree Swaim and her brother, Chris Young, my class enjoyed a competitive game of Kahoot.  BUT I MUST WARN YOU...if you read on, you must be prepared for your students to really be engaged in your class!

Kahoot is a FREE blended learning and online gaming platform that is available for all.  If you have ever been to BW3s, you will find that Kahoot is similar to the NTN Buzztime game that they offer. Teachers can create their own multiple-choice questions that students must answer either by using their smartphones or their laptops.  

Students will need to go to the web address:  kahoot.it  This will get them to the game lobby where they will input the game pin provided by the teacher.

They will then be prompted to insert a "nickname". Once all the students have given a nickname, the teacher may start the game.  THIS is where the fun begins!  Once the teacher starts the game, the students get to see the question for about 3 seconds, then the multiple-choice options will appear. Students will be rewarded points for each correct answer, PLUS how fast they answer the question. After all students have answered the question, then the top 5 scores will be displayed for all to see. Students really enjoy being able compete for the top 5 spots!  

Can you think of a review day activity that you think needs a little "spicing up"?  If so, then Kahoot is for you!

FEATURE TECHIE OF THE WEEK:  Mrs. Lisa Wheeler

I have been using multiple sources of technology with my students throughout the school year.  Much of the time I use the ELMO projector to present information and go through daily warm-ups with my students.  The ELMO has given me an easy way to integrate technology with my current lessons, and it is virtuously painless!  In addition, my students use laptops to complete most written assignments and projects, and they electronically submit work via email and TL Campus.

Recently, I had my students split into groups and research different topics regarding William Shakespeare and The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. As the groups researched their given topics, group members initiated roles of organizing and compiling information into a PowerPoint presentation that they then presented to the class.  Students needed little assistance from me during the research process, aside from determining website validity and properly citing sources. 

The groups submitted their Power Point presentations to TL Campus.  I made a folder on my computer for each of my classes, gathered the TL Campus submissions, and sorted them into their designated folders.  From there, all I had to do was open the presentations.  Finally, the students presented their information on the big screen to their classmates, using my iPad.  How?  DOCERI!  The Doceri program was already setup on my iPad and computer, so I just had to turn on Doceri on both devices.  Students were then able navigate through their presentations from the iPad without having to turn away from the rest of the class.  It was fun for them, and it enhanced the quality of their overall presentations.  I’m excited to try more technology in the future!

Thanks, Lisa!  If you have any questions on how to implement some more technology into your classes, feel free to speak with Lisa about a demonstration on how she uses Doceri in her classroom.

Techie Tuesday - Version 1.8 - 1815 Technologies vs. 2014 Technologies

In 1815 there was a concern for Principals regarding technology in the classroom.  It was paper.

It is kind of funny how things have changed from possibly running out of paper to nowadays running out of bandwidth.  Not too long ago I can easily remember learning how to use a technology phenomenon known as the graphing calculator.  Now...it's learning multiple technologies for the classroom!

Whether you want to believe it or not, we have a duty as teachers to give our students multiple chances of using technology to help them in their academic endeavors.  Check out this video of a 7th grader!

Can you say WHOA!?!?  It is understood that this student had to learn the use of these technologies from somewhere.  I can't imagine it was from her friends.  Can you imagine how resourceful this young girl will be when she goes to interview for a job in the future?  Now, is it expected that you know ALL of these technologies and share them with your students...NO.  But you can start some place, right?  Where is that "some place" then?  I know it will be different for each of us.  But the real question is, if you don't know where to start, will you even start at all???

FEATURE TECHIE OF THE WEEK:  Mr. Michael Tetrault

"I particularly love using technology in class because it brings French to life for students.  A common complaint I hear is that "you just can't use French in Indiana/White County/Monticello/etc."  But with social media, Skype, YouTube, extensive online dictionaries, and language forums, students very easily connect with authentic French speakers and create links with people around the globe.  

I have a French friend who teaches English in southern France, and we have had several Skype sessions between our classes.  The TL students speak face-to-face, in real time, with the students in France.  Both sides speak both languages as needed to help each other understand, and students can get answers to their cultural questions if they want to hear straight from another teenager.

We also have a cart loaded with some iPods, and there is an app we use to create video slideshows with accompanying audio.  Students record their voices while they arrange pictures from their summers, and they tell the story of how they spent their summer break.

Recently I created a Twitter account (@TLHSTetrault) to post interesting videos or news from the French-speaking world in order to reach students who use Twitter extensively.  I have also created a Facebook page for use with my travel groups.  The bottom line is that students are using French and being exposed to the language outside of the 88-minute window every other weekday.

For several years, I have also had students complete a recipe project, where they make a food, create a recipe in French, then bring in the food and present their recipes.  I started to get bored of seeing the parade of poster boards, so I encouraged students to think outside the box.  The results were a lot of fun; for example, students created videos on their phones and added music and text overlays to add a lot of interest to the project.

I have students in 3rd year search the internet for French news articles on a regular basis, and it is a ton of fun for me because A) they're exploring at their own pace as they find what interests them, B) when they present their findings, we get to have in-depth conversation about topics and cultural perspectives that our textbook would never discuss, and C) students take ownership of the things they find, and they enjoy presenting their materials and leading the conversation.

Of course, YouTube is a great resource as well, because I can show all kinds of videos that pique students' interest: French commercials, news reports, comedians, French pranksters doing funny things (speaking French the whole time, and kids still want to see it!), and music videos.

Frankly, I am jealous of students today that can use technology and the internet to see and learn anything they wish.  Even though Google existed when I was in high school, my learning was mostly confined to whatever was found within the binding of my textbook.  Now that the social aspect of the internet is much more vast, students can take their learning as far as their imagination reaches."

WOW!  Thanks for sharing, Michael.  Exciting things happening in French!

Techie Tuesday - Version 1.7 - Socrative and GroupMaker

Welcome to this week's edition of the Techie Tuesday.  Last week we covered using Audioboo and Quizlet in the classroom.  I had not tried the "Scatter" option in Quizlet before, so I decided to try it.  Let's just say that students were ENGAGED to the max!  I made it a little competitive by letting the lowest time be the winner of a "prize" when we return this week. The first time, most students took about 40 seconds or more to complete the task.  After a couple more attempts, the students really started lowering their scores.  To the right is a picture of their times.  I put up different time intervals for students to write their names and their times as they went through the activity.  It was a lot of fun watching the students keep working to improve their times...and their skills!  How do you think you could use this activity to review specific facts or skills in your classroom?  Please share with the rest of us!

Socrative - Online Quizzes, Exit Tickets, & Space Race

Socrative is a wonderful online quiz platform that teachers use across the world.  It is both an app AND a website.  There is a Teacher App for you, and a Student App for the students to use.  You may choose to have the students attempt your questions via the phone app or by using their laptop.  If they use their laptop, then they need to go to the web address:  m.socrative.com  Here they will use the Room Number that you provide to the class.  Then you can choose to have the students participate in the quiz as a Teacher Run activity, or Student Run Activity.

As the teacher, you can create multiple choice, true/false, and short answer questions.  They have also added the function of being able to include an image with your question.  Once the activity is complete, the teacher can download a report via email or through Excel.  Teachers can use Socrative as an Entrance Ticket to check student prior knowledge, or they can use it as an Exit Ticket to see what the students learned during the day.  My favorite feature is the Space Race.  It really gets the competitive juices flowing for the students!  

FEATURE TECHIE OF THE WEEK - Mr. Joe Vought - Social Studies

GroupMaker - I think cold-calling on students helps keep them more engaged, because they know they could be called on at any time.  However, I sometimes struggle with a self perception or student perception that I'm favoring certain students.  Here is an app that can help with randomizing groups or randomly selecting students from a class list.

If you think such a tool might be useful to you, please read the following (only one short page with a four minute video tutorial).

http://splaysoft.weebly.com/groupmaker.html

Below are two screenshots of me using the app.  One shows my 1920s group project groupings, while the other shows how to open a saved class list from your email.  

Importing class lists was the trickiest part, because you have to save the class list as a plain text (.txt) document and then press and hold on the list to bring up the "Open In ____" option.  It took me awhile to figure out how to drag and drop students to rearrange groups if desired, also.  You have to press and hold the students avatar to move them.

Thanks, Joe!  Great way to use the iPad in the classroom!  (And I'm not just saying that because we are related.)  Another great reason to try GroupMaker is because it makes the teacher more mobile by walking around the room.  

Don't forget to leave your ideas of how you use your iPad in your classroom in the comments section below.  Share YOUR knowledge!