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 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!

Techie Tuesday - Version 1.6 - Audioboo and Feature Techie of the Week

Welcome back, all!  I'm hoping that by now you are getting a little more familiar with your iPads.  I know you are not "Techie Pros" and I do not expect you to be.  I would not consider myself a "Techie Pro" either.  I prefer the term, "Techie Enthusiast".  Learning new technologies takes a certain time commitment that not everyone has at this moment.  We have been "blessed" with some snow days as of late, so I am hoping you have taken a little bit of time to get familiar with your iPad.

When working with your iPad, it is easy to get overwhelmed by the capabilities, shortcuts, uses, apps, etc. In fact, some of you might feel like doing this to your iPad.

IT IS OKAY TO BE OVERWHELMED!  How many times have you said that to one of your students in class???  Just take a deep breath and prioritize your needs/wants for your classroom.  What is the main activity that wish you could make more streamlined and easier?  If you have an idea, there is an app for that. You just have to have an idea of what you want to do, and don't hesitate to ask!

Audioboo is a recording app that can be used in so many ways in the classroom. ”Schools and universities around the world are embracing Audioboo as the easiest, most effective way to give teachers and students a voice.” The corresponding website has education channels, examples, and some great ideas. The app is available for iOS devices and Android devices and has an Edmodo app as well.  (Credit:  www.lastbackpack.com)  This past week I had my PreCalculus classes record something they remembered about exponential or logarithmic functions from when they took Algebra II.  This would be a pre-test before we started the next chapter.  Then they shared their recordings with me, which I put into a ThingLink image.  The classes really enjoyed the final product as they were able to listen to their classmates recordings.  (There may have been some ribbing going on as well.  Ha!)  The goal is to revisit these recordings at the end of the chapter to see if the students can add to their original knowledge.

Here are some other great ideas for using Audioboo in your classroom are:

• Students read a book and record a review.
• Music students record practice time.
• Foreign Languages record fluency practice.
• Teachers record assignment feedback.
• Social Studies have student recite the Preamble.
• Computer teachers have students create step-by-step instructions of how to create something using Microsoft Office.
• FACS teachers have students record how to follow a recipe.

What could you do in your class?

FEATURE TECHIE OF THE WEEK:  Mr. Painter

I'm excited about the prospects of more technology in my classroom.  As educators, we can never become complacent or approach an "I've got this teaching thing figured out!" point of view.   At this point, I've taken a "no fear" approach. I'm experimenting with new apps on the iPad everyday. I'm trying not to allow the technology to intimidate me. Some of the apps I like, some I don't. Some of the apps that I DO like, may not be ideal for my classroom yet.

One thing that I am excited about is the prospect of shifting all of my written assignments to digital submissions. I really like Evernote, Dropbox, Pages, and Top Note Pro for student writing in a digital environment.  None of these apps are perfect, but they do coordinate nicely together, providing plenty of options for both student and teacher. My hope for later this year or next school year is to operate in a digital environment where my students can easily submit writing to me and I can effectively annotate/grade their work digitally.  

Techie Tuesday - Version 1.5 - Digital Learners--Students, and Teachers

Good day to you all!  Sorry this is a little late for your Tuesday, but I figured better late than never, right Lance!  I'm hoping that you are staying safe with all this wonderful snow we have been having.  I think an email from Cindy really sums it up for everyone.

Well, with all your "FREE" time, take the time to brush up on some of your technology!  Last week I mentioned the wonderful website/app named ThingLink.  I know a couple of you have looked into it and have found how interesting and useful it is for the classroom.  I decided to give my PreCalculus classes an activity that required them to create their own ThingLink.  Below are a couple of their finished products.

(Created by Destiny D. and Edgar E.)

(Created by Luke S., Nick L., and Derek C.)

I'm trying to create more activities similar to this so my students can show their creativity.  If you have not seen the Model Schools Rigor/Relevance Framework, you will notice that this activity falls into a higher category than just memorizing content.

NEW to the Techie Tuesday blog post!  I am going to start having a "guest" post each week.  My goal is to get a teacher in our building or corporation to share an interesting app or website they use in class.  These posts can include a success story, or better yet, a failed attempt at implementing technology in class.  Some times these are the best stories!  Sharing a "fail" can help a teacher learn how to make adjustments to what is a neat activity.  Remember, it is okay to fail, and to let the students see you fail.

FEATURE TECHIE OF THE WEEK - Mrs. Desiree Swaim

"Quizlet is a FREE app with flash card sets for all different subject.  I can type in "Mitosis" in the search bar and many different sets will come up.  I set up review stations and use Quizlet at one of the stations.  Here students can study key terms in Quizlet.  They can quiz themselves in the 'Learn' feature or study in the 'Scatter' feature.  You can also save your favorite sets to use from year to year.  Students can also get this app on their smartphone or ipod."



Thanks for sharing, Dez!  I'd like to add that you could have students create THEIR own flash cards through this website as well!  Next time you think about having the kids create flash cards for class, have them try their hand at creating digital flash cards using Quizlet.  Much more fun, and accessible, for the students.

Techie Tuesday - Version 1.4 - ThingLink and Action Movie FX

Welcome to the 4th installment of Techie Tuesday!  Today I would like to cover a couple of apps that are quick and easy to use.  I like to use them both for class AND for fun!  Please share how you think you could use them in your classroom.

1.  ThingLink (FREE) - Thinglink is a neat app AND website where you can make picture images interactive.  This is a pretty cool way to give more meaning to a picture.  Have you ever wanted to explain a picture in more detail?  With ThingLink, you can insert text, links to other webpages, or YouTube links into your image. Wow!  Talk about powerful!  Here are 65 ways in which to use Thinglink.  This past weekend I created an activity for my PreCalculus students to do in class (if we ever return).  My hopes is that this is a fun, yet engaging activity for my students.  I mean, it has to be better than doing a worksheet or math problems out of a book, right?!?!  Well, we will see.  My goal is to have students start creating and synthesizing their knowledge in more ways than just paper-and-pencil and quizzes and tests.  I believe ThingLink can help students develop 21st Century Skills and increase their enthusiasm for learning.  Whenever I get into graphing, this is one of the areas I really enjoy using ThingLink.  (I really need to use it more.)  Below is an example about "Fun Facts of Europe".  How could you use ThingLink in your classroom?

2.  Action Movie FX (FREE) - This is a fun app for the iPad and other Apple devices.  I first used it for personal uses before I used it in the classroom.  (Yes, I started by blowing up family members so they might get the hint about talking too much.)  Have you ever had one of those days in class when the students just won't stop talking?  It doesn't matter what you do, they just can shut it.  Well, this is where I decided to introduce it to the classroom.  

Believe it or not, the students actually got the hint and stopped talking.  There was another day when the students were really struggling with the topic in class.  So I decided to share this video later that evening.

I have also used Action Movie FX in a couple of my math music videos and even over this past Christmas Break.  Oh man, some days I have too much time on my hands.  Feel free to share with everyone else how you can use Action Movie FX for your classroom, or yourself.  :)

Techie Tuesday - Version 1.3 - A Couple Apps and Digital Learning Day

Hello, all!  With all the time off lately I have had time to review some blogs and other websites I've been putting on the back burner.  I found some neat information that I thought might be of some interest to you.  In case you were wondering, yes, I am a nerd, and I learn a lot from reading blog posts and other teacher's ideas I get from Twitter.  BUT, what better way to learn about new technologies and ways to teach a 21st Century student than from other teachers.

This brings me to my first tidbit I would like to share with you.  It is called, "Digital Learning Day". Digital Learning Day is on February 5th of this year.  Multiple schools and school corporations are making lesson plans that include implementing digital technology for their students.  If you go to the website, http://digitallearningday.org/, you can search for lesson plans and toolkits in your subject area. I'm planning on providing my own lesson plans to the website, as soon as I get a good one.  :)

Are you up to the challenge?  Even if you think your lesson plan is not as great as it could be, share it anyway!  Maybe someone can give you a suggestion where you can make it even better.

Secondly, here are a couple apps that you may be able to use for yourself in your classroom:

1.  Remind101 - This is a FREE (aside from normal texting rates) online text messaging service.  Have you ever forgotten to tell your class something important, only to remember it after school hours or over the weekend?  I know I have. Wouldn't it be nice to contact your students to give them this information?  Remind101 does just that!  Your students can sign up very easily, similar to what is on the right.  The VERY BEST thing...you do not use your own phone number AND the students cannot respond to you.  Remind the students of what pages to read for their English novel.  Be sure the students stop by in the morning for a worksheet they forgot.  Let them know of an engaging video they can watch to prepare for the next class.  (This would be extremely beneficial over the past couple of weeks.)  You can also send messages from your computer.  So if you do not have a smart phone, do not fret.  It can be done at school, home, or from any web-enabled device.  (There is an iPad app as well.)

2.  Bitly (FREE) - This is a weblink shortener.  If you have a weblink that you need to share with your students, yet it is super loooooooooong, just insert your link next to the blowfish, and Bitly will give you a shortened link to share with others.  The other thing I really like is that you can see how many people have clicked on the link.  If you have 42 students in your class, but only 25 clicks on a link, then you can easily see how many students have done the necessary work.

Techie Tuesday - Version 1.2 - How Do You Want to Use Your iPad?

The first day of iPad training is now behind us.  We had a total of 16 teachers attend the session, which is astounding considering the short notice.  (Once again, I am sorry.)  It was refreshing and exciting to see teachers of all abilities learn something new on their iPad.  Even though the day was an "Introduction to the iPad", I feel that everyone benefitted and learned something regardless of their comfortability with the iPad.

I am planning on hosting another session very soon, possibly next week.  This session will focus more on specific apps and their capabilities in the classroom.  There are literally thousands of apps available in the App Store for you to look at.  Here is Richard Byrne's (an education technology expert) thoughts on the "10 Good Apps for a Teachers New iPad".  There may be some on here that do not interest you, but there may be some that you may want to check out.  Remember, you can always delete the app if you do not like it by holding down the app until it jiggles and then clicking on the "x".

Here are a couple apps you will want to try at your leisure:

1.  Flipboard (FREE) - Flipboard is an app that allows you to read magazines and articles all in one handy place.  Once you open Flipboard, you can choose topics that interest you.  It will suggest multiple options for you to read.  You will be surprised how many FREE magazines are available through FlipBoard!  There are popular magazines as well as other magazines that have been created by other people.  It is pretty neat to see what other people around the globe can curate and create.  You can also set up your social media (Twitter, Facebook, etc.) and view it through Flipboard as well.  I really enjoy this app for personal use.

2.  Edmodo (FREE) - If you have been using Edmodo in your classroom and want to be able to use it on your iPad, then download this nice little app.  It is fully functional, even though it may look a little different from how you view it from a web browser.  (If it is blocked on your iPad at school, then the filter is blocking it, even though it is on your iPad.)  You can view each of your classes, create notes, attach files from your Backpack, and answer questions that some students may ask you through their own app on their phone or tablet.



Before you start downloading too many apps, you may want to ponder the question, "How do I want to use my iPad in the classroom?"  Fine question.  Do you want to be able to use it to take attendance?  Do you want to be able to pull up the internet while walking around the room?  Do you want to have students solve a problem and then present their solutions to the class?  Do you want to use it as a means of creating videos, whether for flipping your classroom or making fun videos to engage the students?  These are all viable questions and they are a good place to start for you.  So, after you get done "playing" with your iPad for a while, really ask yourself, "How do I want to use this expensive paperweight?"  If you need suggestions, all you need to do is search on Google or even Flipboard.  If you have any ideas, please do not hesitate to share with your colleagues.  You never know, they may have a way to help you out.

Learnist - A Place for Student Created Content

I was first introduced to Learnist through an app on the iPad.  At first I thought it seemed similar to a Pinterest on steroids!  After I took the time to dive much deeper into all the content that was presented though this interactive platform, then I tried to think of a way to use it in my PreCalculus classroom.  Then it hit me!  Why don't I make a project for my students by having them create their own content on Learnist and then share it with their peers!  Woohoo!  I'm such a genius!

After much deliberation of how to tackle this assignment, this is what I came up with.

Learnist Project Guidelines

I let the students choose their own groups of 3-4 students.  By allowing them to be in this size of a group, it allowed each student to be responsible for at least one "learning" for their group's board.  It also shared the responsibilities throughout the group so that each individual was not "overloaded" with having to create their own learning board.

As with anything new, the students groaned when they had to do something extra outside of their normal homework assignments.  After going through this process once, I'm hoping that the students will be a little bit more understanding of the reason behind creating their own content.  I created a couple of boards of my own.  One of the boards included videos of how to create the items that were required for their group's boards.  This board included videos on creating an account, adding a learning, creating a Google Presentation slide, creating and adding an Educreations example, and sharing their board.  My other board was an "example" board for the students to use as a template.

Below are a couple of examples of my students' work.  Please feel free to comment on their boards, or to comment on my boards as to give some constructive criticism for either of us.  Thanks in advance!

Student Example 1
Student Example 2
Student Example 3

Web Tools 2.0 -- What Web Tools?

This past Wednesday I was lucky enough to join a few colleagues for an in-service hosted by John Kuglin in Monticello, Indiana.  This will mark about the 10th different time that I have participated in one of John's presentations.  It all started back in the fall of 2011 when I joined a fellow teacher of mine for the "Indiana Educators 10 Days Project".  Instantly I was engaged!  I felt I could see a way to make my subject of high school math not so boring and monotonous.  Since that first day I have been in contact with John through email and through other presentations that he has presented.  Each time I participate and then leave one of his programs I always feel invigorated and ready to take the education technology world by storm!  That is...until I get to my school computer.

As an example, after one of John's in-services last year I learned how to incorporate YouTube videos (blocked at my school) through multiple different outlets.  However, here were my results:

• TedEd (website is not blocked, but one cannot view the YouTube videos = Blocked)
• Popcorn Maker (same as above)

This year I have enjoyed losing the filter battle to these wonderful web sites:

• Thinglink (Blocked)
• EdCanvas (Blocked)
• Weebly (Blocked)
• Cover-It-Live (Blocked)
• Google Docs (Blocked)
• Anything Google except "Search" and "Images" (Blocked)

Who really blocks all of the GREAT things that Google has to offer?  I was hoping to use Google Forms this year with my Flipped Lessons so I could get a quick survey of how the students felt they understood the lesson's material.  Yeah...not so much.  I have since moved on past this unfortunate non-use of Forms.  I figured I wouldn't miss it.  That is, until I read this article by Kevin Brookhouser.  It was titled, "10 Sentences Google Apps Teachers Never Hear".  Man did that make me even more frustrated.  I felt (and still feel) like I am missing a boat here.  But then I realized, it isn't me that is getting hurt.  I'm not the one that has to learn to collaborate, create, and share knowledge with strangers all around the globe.  Nope, the ones that will be hurt are my students.

I guess I'll just have to keep teaching mathematics the same way, each day, every year, because math never changes.  It was dry and boring when I was in high school and it is still dry and boring as I teach it now.  I'll keep sticking with the teacher-led direct instruction from the front of the class.  My classes will still learn math the same way as their mother and father, or older sister and brother.  By the wonderful method of "drill-and-kill" worksheets and 20-25 problems from their book.  And then I will assess them through a standardized test at the end of each chapter.  Yeah...that's the ticket!  

At this moment, I feel very disenchanted and held back because of our school's filter.  There have been numerous times throughout this year that I have spent a couple hours at night creating something "engaging" and "exciting" for my students so we can get away from the drill-and-kill worksheets and book work during class.  I'll double-check that I can open it on my computer first.  If it opens (50% of the time), then I will pass it along to my students and they will try the activity on their student laptops.  Success rate = 25-40% of the time.  Therefore, my overall efficiency rating is about 25%.  Awesome!  Excellent!  I'm so glad I can take time away from my kids at home to create something for my kids at school only to have it blocked.  Ugh......

I guess I wouldn't be so frustrated if this was an issue with other area high schools.  There in lies the problem.  Plenty of other schools have the ability to pull these resources from the web.  However, we are not.  Why is that?  Even more upsetting is I never get a full fledged answer from any of my administration.  

Frustrating...

Nonetheless, I will keep forging ahead in education technology.  I will keep looking for new and innovative ways to engage my students.  Not because I have to, but because I want to.  I want to find that resource(s) that makes the kids want to come to my math class.  I want math to be as exciting as an elective class to attend.  Therefore, I WILL continue looking and creating and trying, and looking and creating and trying, and so on.  I'm sure there will be more failures along the way and more battles to fight against the dark tyranny of school networks and filters.  But not because I  have to... but because I want to.