Instructional Technology Newsletter
March, 2017 - 8th Edition
This month...
Our March newsletter is filled with recognitions, tips, tricks, and other useful information.
In this month's edition, we spotlight:
- Innovative Educator
- Shout-Outs
- Technology Resources
- Cohort Wall of Fame
- Tech Bytes ...and much more!!
Meet Tracy Saunders
The 500 Likes Campaign
We are giving away books from awesome educators! Is there a catch? YES there is! We have set a goal of 500 likes on our Instructional Technology Facebook page. Like our page and your name will be entered into a drawing to win a free copy of "Ditch That Textbook" by Matt Miller. Matt Miller is an amazingly innovative educator who is currently co-hosting the rapidly growing podcast, “Google Teacher Tribe” with Kasey Bell of “Shake Up Learning.”
Stay tuned - status updates will be posted via Facebook! What are you waiting for? Head on over to Facebook!
17 Things in 2017
If you remember, the first newsletter of this year listed 17 things for you to try this year. Each of our remaining newsletters will focus on a TKES Domain and provide information and resources to help you complete at least one of the listed suggestions.
You can still join other learners in the district by participating in one of 7 technology infused cohorts, or you can reach out to your Instructional Technology Coach for assistance.
TKES Domain - Planning
1) Access bookmarks, notes, storage and other apps across mobile and desktop devices (Google Drive, OneDrive)
- Learn how to use Google Docs to collaborate with your fellow teachers to create your lessons. How do you see this as being beneficial to a teacher's work flow?
2) Join and follow a Virtual Learning Professional Network (PLN - Facebook, Twitter)
- Follow or like our department Facebook page to gather ideas, resources, and more.
3) Organize content across social media platforms (Youtube channels, Pinterest boards, Symbaloo webmixes)
- Spend hours on Pinterest? Get organized while you plan.
New Google Sites
iPad Management - Guided Access
Accessing YouTube
7 Reasons Teachers Should use Social Media in Education....
- Communicate with the community
- Tell your school story
- Share learning experiences
- Spread good news
- Model positive behavior of digital citizens
- Expand your network by connecting with people far away
- Send students a positive message or daily affirmation
Recently, the teachers in the Social Media in Education learning cohort were encouraged to send positive messages to students via their classroom social media accounts. From my blog post, teachers were encouraged to follow Ryan McLane, co-author of “Your School Rocks- So Tell People.” Principal McLane sends positive messages to his middle school students every day via social media. Why? “One of the first things people do in the morning is check their phone. The second thing? They check it again.”
SCCPSS is going "Social" as seen in the video below!
Largo-Tibet Students Travel to Hawaii!
How does a reading passage lead to a virtual trip to Hawaii? Ms. Pistorio's fourth graders at Largo-Tibet were reading a passage about sea glass that mentioned the best beaches to find sea glass. This lead to a discussion on unique items that can be found on beaches and after a field trip to Tybee, the class talked about similarities and differences between Tybee and Glass Beach, the beach they read about in the article. This is when they departed for the beaches of Hawaii using Google Expeditions. The culminating activity was completing a table of similarities and differences between the beaches.
Spencer Teacher, Space and Google!
Mrs. Pottenger, a teacher at Spencer Elementary, recently returned from NASA’s Teacher Leadership Program - Space Educator Expedition Crew Program- with a newfound desire to dive into G-Suite. She and her team set goals of implementing Google Classroom in their classes and personally becoming a Level 1 Google Certified Teacher. She is so eager and excited to bring the excitement of NASA, STEM and Google together for the students at Spencer Elementary. They are so lucky to have Mrs. Pottenger.
Read More Here: Announcements and NASA Program Flyer
Mrs. Avendano and Mrs. Ducey present seesaw
CONGRATULATIONS to all finishers of Cohort activities in Quarters 1, 2, and/or 3! Who are they? Check out our Wall of Fame and consider joining them by participating and finishing quarterly activities to receive your digital badge and certificate.
ready, Set - Symbaloo
Google Spotlight Stories
Google has an iOS and Android app called Google Spotlight Stories. “Explore interactive stories that take students into a fully 360-degree immersive environment that doesn’t require a special VR viewfinder. These stories are viewable on both iOS and Android devices, and coming soon to YouTube!” You have to download the book within the app then view it in 360 on your phone. It only takes a short time to download. Read more here: ShakeUpLearning
Google Keep
Google Keep is a note-taking service developed by Google and is now part of G Suite. The best news is that Google Keep is also integrated with Google Docs which allows you to grab and drop your notes directly into a Google Doc. What are some ways this can be used with students? Click Here: Google Keep Help
Join the Tribe!
Consider joining and listen in every Monday (or when you have the chance!). Kasey Bell and Matt Miller have put together a winner!
Google Cohort
School Facebook Pages
Movers and Shakers in Education - check out these amazing educators for inspiration and innovation!
- ITC Blog - We aim to provide timely and usable information.
- Edutopia - Hosted by the George Lucas Educational Foundation, Edutopia has plenty of well-indexed information on how technology can be used in classrooms.
- Cycles of Learning - Ramsay Musallam recognized how useful hacks could be in classrooms, so he set up Cycles of Learning to share practical education tech hacks to make teachers’ lives just a bit easier. Who doesn't like easier?!
- Participate Learning- Check out all that Participate Learning has to offer educators.
- Learning in Hand - is an educator's resource for mobile and digital learning created by Tony Vincent.
- TeachThought - full of articles for education
- Ditch That Textbook - "I’m Matt Miller. It’s my passion to equip teachers to thrive in this new era of education and think differently about the craft of teaching."
- Alice Keeler -a must read. Full of resources and ideas.
- Vicki Davis - Cool Cat Teacher
- Kasey Bell - Shake Up Learning
Are you Reading?
What is going to make our newsletter something you look forward to each month? We are asking for your input! Please use the link below to submit your ideas.
Know Your Instructional Technology Coach!
The Instructional Technology Department is responsible for coordinating, organizing, and facilitating the effective use and integration of technology within the schools in order to increase student performance.
Instructional Technology Coaches
Angela LaPlante ... Dru Piersol
Gillian Riley ... Melissa Milligan
Libby Miller ... William Harris
Media Services
Carol Tarnowski - Library Media Technology Coach
Deborah Hargroves - Media and Broadcast Trainer (part-time)
Lakeshia Bostick - Media Support Assistant (912) 395-1124
Program Manager