Good Things Newsletter
February 2016 Edition
Let's Ignite our Instruction in the Month of February!
It's a new semester and a new year. Let's set our teaching on fire with some new instructional strategies and cool tools. Be on the lookout in the next week for some "Sweet Instructional Strategies" from your MHS Tech Team and an even sweet incentive!
Instructional Strategy: eduCanon
We know using video with students is a best-practice for engaging them in short bursts. But how can you make the experience more active, and hold them accountable for watching the video? After all, remember we are seeking to ENGAGE our students, not just passively relay information while they zone out.
MGSD recently purchased a PREMIUM subscription to EduCanon, a website that lets you make YouTube videos interactive with embedded quiz questions you embed throughout the clip. Students can rewind a video lesson for review but they cannot fast forward through material without engaging with the video assessment tools. In eduCanon, you can create class lesson sections and drag and drop the videos into each category. There is even real time grading options.
Many of you have already used eduCanon (or edPuzzle, or Zpation, which do similar things). But here are some new features with our premium account on eduCanon:
All bulb/lesson grades can be exported to .csv for import into BB Learn gradebooks
Embed your bulbs right into lesson pages in Learn
Print out worksheets for students without laptops
eduCanon lesson database allows teachers to search, copy, modify, and reuse existing lessons (100,000 and counting).
Check all that apply & auto-graded fill-in-blank question types to enrich and engage learning.
Embed other websites and activities into your video using the website question type.
Advanced cropping to skip center portions of the video to avoid inappropriate or irrelevant content.
Resources to Apply this in your classroom:
Using Video in Instruction (MGSD Summer Institute)
Full Step by Step Guide from FIT
eduCanon has login with Google accounts!
Track their progress
eduCanon
Find out what your students understand
Are You Maximizing Your Instructional Time to the Fullest?
Are you looking for strategies to work on your classroom management?
Are you taking time to reflect on your teaching each day?
Check out these resources on ways to Maximize your Instructional Time !
News From the Media Center
The MHS card catalog has a new look this semester. Not only do searches list available print books and eBooks, but database articles will also appear. In addition, APA and MLA citations for these resources are accessible through this digital resource. Check it out! Be sure to login with your MGSD username and password to view the eBooks and database articles.
If you would like a specific book or DVD ordered for you, please let Kristi and Erin know. We’re finishing up our Media purchases and want to include your input. Thanks to everyone who has asked for items so far!
Want to check the card catalog from your iPhone or iPad? You can download the Destiny Quest app here.
In addition, Ms. Kallio has officially changed her name. Please contact Kristi Brawley at her new email address: kristibrawley@mgsd.k12.nc.us
Tech Check-Up
February 5, 2016 from 5:00 pm - Monday, February 8, 2016 at 6:00 am technology services will be unavailable due to the relocation of our main data closet from the MHS Annex to the NF Woods Campus. This is including but not limited to the following:
No Internet access at any MGSD location
No wireless access at any MGSD location
Limited Telephone service at any MGSD location (voice calls only, no voicemail etc.)
No access to Blackboard Learn
Limited MGSD email access
Other MGSD services not specifically listed
Keep your eye peeled for students who don’t have cases on their laptops
You've Been Busted!
Shoutout to Our Staff Members Presenting at the NCTIES Conference in March.
Erika Akelman
Anabel Gonzalez
Lindsay Knippenberg
Barbara Huth
Erin Trahan
Caty Carmedy
Deb Hicks
April Davala
Tracey Waid
Anabel Gonzalez
Barbara Huth
Caty Carmendy
Erika Akelman
Erin Trahan
Tracey Waid
April Davala
Damien Akelman
Deb Hicks
Lindsay Knippenberg
Cool Tool: Dotstorming
A huge shoutout to Deb Hick's for sharing this gem with our Tech Team. To learn a little more about this great tool, check out Richard Byrne's Blog below and a few examples from Deb Hick's English 12 Class.
Example 1
Example 2
Shoutout to Ken Davis
Great job!