Ed. Tech. Report
Volume 1 Issue 3
Transition Period
It has been a week of learning. With the news of our district transitioning from websites powered by Schoolwires to websites powered by Google Sites, I've had to quickly hone my skills in this new platform. It has been fun for me to study and learn how Sites operates and I look forward to sharing this knowledge with you when needed. For those of you who have contributed to my knowledge base, I am truly grateful.
I am encouraged by the number of teachers who have already sought my assistance. This indicates to me that the teachers of this district want to create the best possible product for our students. The effort put in now is sure to reap great rewards down the road. For those that may not know where to begin, please don't hesitate to contact me! I look forward to working with you in the creation of your new websites. For now, I've created the video below with the very basic steps of starting a site for those in need of those initial steps. Good luck, and happy creating!
Cheers,
Justin
Introduction to Google Sites
I've had the opportunity to speak to Victory and Utica Elementary teachers about the transition to Google Sites. I look forward to meeting with Central, Sandycreek, Middle and High School teachers at a later date. If you wish to get a head start on your Google Site and wish to sit down and work on it with me, please don't hesitate to let me know. Reach me at 432-2121 ext 142 or bandi@fasd.k12.pa.us.
Intro to Sites Video
Technology "Finds" of the Week
PowToon
I read about this presentation tool several weeks ago, but really dug into it this week. If you watch the above video from beginning to end, you'll see that it was created with PowToon. The free version contains a wealth of options to make your presentations, well, awesome! The "teacher pricing" would unlock the entire toolbox for a cost of only $24 for a year. Check it out!
Best Programming Language For You
In this article from eClassroom News, the author tells you not only what the top programming languages are, but how to pick the language(s) that you should be learning. If nothing else, it is nice to get an overview of what each of these languages are used for. Interesting read if you have a moment to check it out!
100 Word Challenge
A great writing activity! If you have students contributing to a classroom blog, this may be for you. In my experience, students will be more encouraged to write and express themselves if they are sure people are going to take notice and value their opinions. The 100 Word Challenge gives students the opportunity to share their creative writing beyond the classroom and reach a potentially global audience. The challenge is new each week. If you take part, please let me know as I would love to see how the activity works.