9-20-18 Newsletter

9-20-18

Setting Up Your Digital Classroom

The beginning of the year is a great time to get your Digital Classroom set up.  This will look different for each classroom, but these resources will provide a way for you to share and collect information with your students.  I have created some tutorials and collected resources that you can use to get started. Please take note of the Cloud Academy Courses being offered through HRM+.  You can actually earn clock hours for creating and using these resources with your students.

	Google Classroom can be the hub for learning in your classroom.  It be used as a simple way to share information with your students.  Or in more in depth ways, you can create a paperless classroom where assignments are handed out and turned in online.  Check out these resources to find out how to set up a Classroom and learn what is new with Classroom this year. Join us for a face to face Getting Started With Google Classroom class on Oct. 5.  Seating is limited. Register Here. Course # 488
	Google Sites is a super handy tool for creating a class website, Curating class or department information, student created digital portfolios etc.  Where Google Classroom is a closed classroom environment, Google Sites is outward facing and can be used to publish and share learning with others. Check out these resources and learn how to create your own Google Sites.
	Typing Club is a free keyboarding program.  Using the free school edition, teachers can set up their own classrooms and track student progress.  Learn how to create your class in Typing Club here.
	I am updating and creating many new Cloud Academy classes based on the feedback I have had from teachers.  You can register for the classes on HRM+. In order to receive credit for the class, you will need to go through the tutorials,create and share what you have learned and complete the course evaluation in HRM+.   Courses Currently Available: Cloud Academy: Setting Up a Google Classroom #486 Cloud Academy: Creating a Google Site #479 Cloud Academy: Digital Citizenship for Educators # 461 Google Certified Educator 1 #459 Google Certified Educator 2 #460

Our Digital Literacy Workshop page has been revamped.  Visit the site here and watch as the resources grow.

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The Impact of Your Digital Footprint

After taking this course, I have learned a lot of useful tips, resources, and laws on how to interact, and use the web as a tool at school, and in my teaching. I believe the most significant learning I had from this course was when I learned about "Digital Footprints." Honestly, I never even heard that term before this course. It was very interesting to hear how much the world wide web can impact our daily lives, what we did in the past, and what we will do in the present and future. For instance, when you're a teenager, you aren't really thinking about what you write or post on Twitter. All you want to do is show how "cool" or "awesome" you are...etc. Looking back, I feel like it would have benefited me a lot in middle and high school to be told about the impact your digital footprint can have on your life. I guess, the internet wasn't a NECESSITY like it is nowadays. After taking this course, now I will know to teach my students the importance of what you post and write on the internet. I will go over this terminology with them and use it as a teaching tool. Before taking this course I went over the basics, now I know more strategies and details that can be explained to them. Being mindful of what you put out there, may "make or brake" your future!

Tech Toolbox

I looked at three Tech Tools in the DLW.
Digital Storytelling uses tools to tell stories, documentaries, narratives, essays, memories, and storytelling. There are 7 elements of digital storytelling: Point of view, dramatic question, emotional content, voice, soundtrack, pacing and economy. Web 2.0 resources include blogs, podcasts, wikis, and other like Pinterest. I liked Digital Storytelling and I could see how to use it when I get a library job. I used Piclits to do a poem on a picture.
Powtoon was a fun way to make a video on Classroom Rules.
Thinklink I used an interactive picture on Dr. Seuss.

Tech Toolbox - Thinglink

https://www.thinglink.com/scene/871866772511260673

<img style="max-width:100%" src="http://crushingkrisis.com/assets/dr-seuss-ew.jpg#tl-871866772511260673;1043138249'" class="alwaysThinglink"/><script async charset="utf-8" src="//cdn.thinglink.me/jse/embed.js"></script>

Tech Toolbox - Digital Storytelling

http://www.piclits.com/viewpoem.aspx?PoemId=294332

On Saturday, Nov. 19, 2016 I listened to a Simple K12 Webinar for Chromebooks 101.
Session 1: An Intro to Using Chromebooks in the classroom. This session talked about how Chromebooks are taking over computer sales in classrooms all over the world. Cost is the number one selling point over I-pads. But the biggest advantage would be that Chromebooks can work offline for students who don't have internet at home.

Session 2: Go Paperless with Tech Tools for Chromebooks and Tablets. This session dealt with eliminating pen, pencil and paper which reduces resources, organizes materials, and creates a better workflow. Some of the chromebooks apps used for this paperless tool included Seesaw, which snaps a picture, records a voice, types a message and sends a link to the teacher. Nearpod, Schoology, Otus, Edmondo, Socrative, Drawp for School, I Tunes U, Google Classroom, Google Forms were other Chromebooks apps that help to eliminate paper and pencil.

Session 3: Tools for Chromebooks: Apps, Extensions, and Add-Ons, Oh My! This session talked about the differences between apps, extensions,... The app is a program in that is on Google Drive that is saved in the cloud. Apps include Docs, Sheets, Slides, Forms, Drawings and other apps that can be found in the Chrome Webstore. Add-ons are extras in Docs, Sheets, and Slides. Go to Docs to get add-ons like Easy Bib, Kalzena, and Orange Slice. In Sheets get add-ons like Flubaroo, form Mule, Lab Scheduler. In Forms choose add-ons like Choice Eliminator 2, Form Ranger, g(Math), Gliffy, Form Limiter. Chrome Extensions include Adblock Plus, Bookmarking Tool, Nimbus Screenshot, Grammarly, Text Mode, Time Warp. And a final nod for Google Apps for Education.

Session 4: Get in the Game! with Chromebook Game Infused Student Learning Centers. How to utilize games for enhancing learning encourages colloboration and "Snackable Content". Games include Storyboard That, Toontastic, Sway, Amazing 50 State Race, Battle Sheets, Google Drawing Checkers, and Google Drawing Chess. Games include challenges and digging deeper and is non-competive and explores areas of personal interest. Chrome Apps for Personal Choice include My Adventure Story. Tools for Critical Thinking include Magic Pen, Tinker Ball, and Line Rider. Free Play builds and explores and creates their own narrative. Google Smarty Pins, Minecraft, Terraria, and Guild Wars 2 for high school are more games. Game replay supports diversity of learners and may take multiple attempts.

Session 5: 20 Hidden Google Tricks for Schools and Classrooms. In Google Slides the presenter view can be used for questions and in Google Docs  the presenter view can be used for comments and sends an email. Use suggesting edits made  in Google Docs. In Gmail settings import other email addresses. Also in Gmail settings lab can create canned responses. In Google Search add related:spotify.com for more like websites. "How to* for a word you don't know. Use web anytime for events that happened in a specific time frame. Chrome extensions include Task Timer, Stay Focusd, In Google Forms use Check It Out for checking out books or equipment. Google Keep is like a notebook. Other apps include Google Trends, Public Data, Cultural Institute for Art and History, Smarty Pins, and Google A Day.

Session 6: Engage Students with Interactive Chrome Apps for Learning and Creating. First talked about the SAMR model and the ISTE for student standards that are safe and engage creativity and are web-based. Applications that are web 2.0 based include  InstaGrok, a mind map that includes resources, My Powtoons, Fold that Story, Infographic, Dogo News, Quizizz, Hour of Code, and Tynker. Interactive games are safe and collaborative for students.

There was so many apps and extensions and add-ons that I would like to get to know better. It was a jam packed class from many different presenters.

Google Certified Educator Level 1

Recently I took the online training through Google to become a Google Certified Educator. As an educator, and thus a life-long learner, I thought it best to continue my experience with Google Apps, particularly with students who are becoming more and more digitally literate. I appreciated the training, which teaches you how to use Google Apps in various ways in a faux classroom. It is a good way to even gain ideas on how to use some of the programs with Google, or even how to modify how I assign or communicate with students. The training is self-guided, which I found helpful; some of the sections I feel quite competent in, while others I needed to learn a few things. At the end of the extensive training, there is an exam. The exam has a time limit, and also costs $10, but it allowed me to show off my knowledge of Google. I plan on continuing this training, to become a Google Certified Educator Level 2. I look forward to learning more about this, and continually working towards integrating technology into the classroom successfully, in order to increase student engagement and achievement.