Tech Tips
September 2016: Volume 4- Number 29
September: Blue Skies, Crisp Air, Marching Bands, Go Mustangs!
You'll find a wide variety of apps, articles, and websites in this issue.
Fry Words
"The Fry words are helpful for adults learning English as a second language as well as for children.
This app has 500 words divided into five levels and then divided into groups of twenty-five words, based on frequency of use and difficulty in a flash card setting.
Features included:
• The first 500 Fry Words
• Words can be marked to the Review list
• The word is read out when the card is touched"
#1 Math Games: Singapore Math
"Allow your child to visualize even the most complex math word problems with Singapore Math, Bar Models. This activity uses the signature Singapore math method for problem solving and teaches children in grade 3 how to visually represent word problems in a fun and interactive way-- Kids will meet farm animals and help the farmer sort vegetables and produce, travel to space and learn about the planets with cute aliens, meet the friendly Money Monsters who will help them learn to count money and so, so much more!"
Pic Collage
"Enjoy and record your wonderful life with PicCollage! With NEW seasonal stickers, backgrounds, and easy-to-use templates, PicCollage is the perfect app for any time of year! Join over 120 million people to use PicCollage to combine photos, funky fonts, Sanrio exclusive stickers and cute cutouts to create the prettiest collages you'll ever see on a mobile device."
Simple Tech Tip: Control F to Find
Powerful Video to Show Students
The Future of Sit Down, Shut Up, and Memorize This
Excerpt:
"Excitement filled the air. “Finally, a time where I can do all the things I want to learn,” and “about time I get to do things that are relevant to me,” or “this is going to be awesome,” were heard in the classroom. We agreed that we would start the very next Friday, and we were pumped. We set aside rules, asked for ideas, requested time in the computer lab, and planned out our calendar. You could FEEL the passion and enthusiasm in the room. Then Friday finally came…
Thud.
I quickly found out that the “fun” part was talking about how great “Google Time” was going to be was just that… talking. They liked brainstorming about what they were going to do, and how amazing things were going to be. But the reality was that brainstorming is fun, but hard work is kind of a bummer. But the bigger issue was that the students still expected me to tell them what to do.
They wanted step-by-step instructions on how to carry out THEIR learning.
I was shocked- after all, this time was set aside for the students to learn on their terms- considering their learning styles and topics. That is when I realized (slowly, over the next few years) that we reap what we sow. We’ve been asking our students to sit down, memorize, and re-phrase what was just presented.
There has been generally a lack of opportunities for our students to think about original problems and situations to innovate.
The goal has been to produce well behaved kids to solve problems with pre-determined results. The “bad kids” would be made to feel inferior, pushing them to either subservience, or cast them aside. So, when I asked my students to not worry about grades, and focus on problems they could identify, I was literally given a blank stare. This did not compute. The goals has ALWAYS been on the grade- never the journey and joy of learning.
Over the past six years I’ve seen what happens when we train our students how to think, over what to think. I wrote a book on our first two years when we transitioned from “20% Time” to our “Innovation Class,” which became an entire high school elective. I marvel at what happens when we allow our students to struggle with real problems, and NOT knowing what the “answer” is. I’m blown away when our students reach out and collaborate with real world experts, and harness the power of social media to get past the gatekeepers. (I could write a book on the techniques my students have mastered to get the collaborators they want). Our class has produced multiple patents, non-profits formed, events held, and (most importantly) lives impacted."
The Unique Internet Search Site Your Students Don't Know About
"The Wayback Machine is a reference tool for the internet Age as basic as a dictionary. When was the last time you saw a student use it?
"When I’m giving a talk to students about being responsible digital citizens, I’ll tell them, “You know, some day you might apply to college, or run for Congress—and you might regret something you posted online when you were young.” And there’s always one student who will say to me, “Mr. November, we’re not that stupid—we’re going to take those things off the web before we apply to college.”
At that point, I pause the discussion. I show them a website called the Wayback Machine, and I call up some website that’s been gone for 10 years. There it is, live on the screen, as if it never had vanished. Typically, all of the links work as well."
Technology Resources for Educators
"Quality Matters provides blended and online learning supports
Quality Matters provides resources and training to help educators design their own quality online and blended courses, personalize and improve existing courses, evaluate third-party courses and teach in online learning environments. The Ohio agencies listed here subscribe to Ohio's K-12 statewide subscription and can provide teachers in their partner districts Quality Matters training, resources and technical support at subscriber rates.
Click here to learn more about Quality Matters and opportunities that may be available in your area.
Free access to middle school STEM resources
Ohio schools are able to access Engineering by Design middle school materials at no cost. Developed by the STEM Center for Teaching and Learning under the guidance of the International Technology and Engineering Educators Association, this curriculum provides an integrative STEM approach that connects concepts and practices of science and mathematics with those of technology and engineering. Click here for more information about this opportunity.
Explore Ohio Department of Education's resources for technology integration
The Ohio Department of Education Technology webpage offers resources for instructional and assessment technology along with other technology integration supports for educators and families.
Pearltrees is an online library used to collect and organize web pages, files, notes and images. Click on the tiles within the Ohio Technology Pearltree to find information and resources on a variety of technology integration topics. For more information, please click here."
Google Apps Training
"Interactive training and walkthroughs, right within Google Apps
New to Google Apps? Training for Google Apps is a Chrome extension that offers simple and interactive training lessons to get you up and running fast with Google Apps. • Rich, interactive training - Whether you’re in Gmail, Calendar, Sheets, Slides, or Docs, you can learn and take actions, all at the same time.• In-App experience - Training is accessible directly within Google Apps so you don’t need to leave the application to learn how to use it. • Available to all - Whether it’s to master Google Classroom, or the Google Apps Admin Console, Training for Google Apps is free for your entire organization. • Learn more at https://support.google.com/a/answer/7039472 "
SCS Instructional Technology Information
Contact me if you have any questions or would like help using these tools.
Email: vturner@scsmustangs.org
Website: http://www.strongnet.org/InstructionalTechnology
Phone: 440-572-7067
Twitter: @vturner8