I.T.S. a Tech Update
March 2020
TCEA 2020 - Austin, TX
We truly hope you are still having a good school year. There are so many things happening and it seems like it will never end, but remember that there is light at the end of every tunnel and this one just got shorter. Welcome to March 2020!
During the first week of February, some of us had the opportunity to go to the Texas Computer Education Association (TCEA) Conference in Austin, TX. There were also some Assistant Principals, Active Learning Leaders, and central office staff that were a part of this major event.
In this newsletter we wanted to share session resources that we found will be useful for both teachers and staff, such as ALLs and coaches. We hope you like them and are able to use them immediately.
PDF Candy
Here is a quick overview of their services:
"PDF Candy provides users all over the world with absolutely free online and offline tools for working with PDF files (converting, splitting, merging, rotating, etc ). PDF Candy is created by Icecream Apps team, which means proven reliability and high quality for processing PDF files. We used our offline software's best functionality to create this unique toolset to provide you with the best experience currently available online. All services are provided at no cost and are ads-free.
All tools are very easy to use. You can always upload files from Dropbox, Google Drive or simply by drag and dropping them. Each tool can be added to 'Favorites' for faster access from the index page of the PDF Candy website."
Check out their easy-to-use website at https://pdfcandy.com.
Harry Potter Newspaper Template
Check out the Harry Potter newspaper template by clicking here and checkout more templates, like Time Magazine, Netflix and Disney+, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, National Geographic and more by going to the Template Palooza! website at http://creativeedtech.weebly.com/templates.html
Wheel of Names
The Wheel of Names is a very colorful and large wheel where you can add up to 200 words, text, and even images. You can save your wheel and even apply different themes and colors to your wheel. Plus you can view the wheel as full screen. When the wheel stops you decided whether you remove or keep the item that landed.
You can create new lists, save them, and even open lists. You will need to choose your login option, but don't worry, you can use your EPISD Google account to save your lists.
Use this as a whole class where students create a list of choices and you graph the random results from the wheel or use it in your small groups where students spin to choose a content vocabulary word or strategy and then define it or tell how to use it. The sky's the limit 😉
Potty PD
Tired of sending out emails filled with important information that your teachers need to read and use only to have them deleted or never opened (you know who you are)? Say hello to Potty PD.
Check out the information and resources to capture your audience when they are most vulnerable.
No matter what the title - Potty PD, Learning in the Loo or any other creative title, this unique method of providing information and training to your staff is so much fun! You have a captive audience!
Padlet of Learning in the Loo templates, examples and ideas
Potty PD Crowdsource Padlet by Mari Venturino
Check out the Potty PD Archives from Commerce ISD
Example from@AshUninvited
Example from @_Miss_Montoya_
Getting Started With Live Streaming
Checkout all the information her shared by clicking on his presentation link - 3,2,1 Action: Getting Started with Live Stream
Don't forget to follow him and his live podcast on Periscope by heading over to his Twitter profile at https://twitter.com/ClaudioZavalaJr?s=20
Podcasting: Start to Finish
Mary Kemper, K-12 Director of Mathematics at Coppell ISD in Coppell, Texas, presented us with the basic and easiest way to begin podcasting using GarageBand and even create your own theme music.
Take a look at all her resources and begin your journey into Podcasting - https://www.bulbapp.com/u/podcasting
If you'd like your students to create a podcast, contact your Instructional Technology Specialist for in-depth training as well.
Bringing Content to Life with Genially for Education
You can use Genially to create digital breakouts, interactive games, presentations, and games and quizzes. Megan, Kimberly and Polly guide you through various examples and uses of the Genially app. Checkout their presentation here.
Getting Ready for Tests with Knowt
Welcome to Knowt. An app that helps you study better by converting your notes into quizzes. Students can use it as a study guide for an upcoming assessment or EOC exam. All they do is type their notes and click on the Quiz link to begin their practice. Check them out at https://app.getknowt.com/.
Click on the Teachers tab to check out their new upgrade coming in April. Teachers will be able to create Knowt study guides and share them with their students. Sign up for the Beta version to test it out.
Making Stories Come to Life with Novel Effect
So what is Novel Effect? It is a free app that can be found in both the App Store and the Google Play store for iOS and Android devices. Once downloaded, you can select any book that is in their library (click here for a list of books) and begin reading. The app has embedded custom music, sound effects, ambiance and dialog, and if you stop it will just replay the sounds where you left off and will be listening actively to continue when you restart the reading.
The selection of books is quite vast and can be used in pretty much all subject matter. It has a larger selection of children's books for elementary, but it also has a good selection of poetry and some monologues, like the Gettysburg Address, and Marc Anthony's speech in Julius Caesar for our secondary students.
They have also begun to add interactive videos that students can participate in. The video will prompt students to read text from a speech bubble to interact in the story.
Novel Effect is a free app, but most of the books are not. You do not need to purchase books, or poetry, or monologues if you already have them as part of your classroom resources, but you can purchase the books from the various app stores to include Amazon and project the book as well as have the various effects that the app has to offer.
Tayasui Sketches for Mac
Cricut for Mac
We are happy to announce the that Cricut (pronounced cricket) app for Mac is now available on all managed-MacBook devices through the Self-Service app. If you own a Cricut machine, or if your Makerspace has one, you can download the app to create and send it to be printed on the Cricut Machine.
Hope to see all of our elementary campuses compete!
EPISD Student Digital Film Festival - Bowie Fine Arts Auditorium, Saturday, April 4, 2020
This year's categories are:
- Mystery
- Comedy
- Drama
- Action
- Music Videos
- *Educational (new category)
- Documentaries
HERE ARE SOME DATES YOU WILL NEED TO KNOW FOR THIS YEAR'S FILM FESTIVAL:
​
JANUARY 31, 2020 - INTEREST FORM IS DUE
MARCH 13, 2020 - ENTRY FORMS AND FILMS ARE DUE
​APRIL 4, 2020 - AWARDS CEREMONY @ Bowie HS Auditorium
Head on over to http://episddigitalfilmfestival.weebly.com/ and click on the How to Enter section. Then, click on the Complete Interest Form button to submit your interest. You will also find much information on the rules and forms that you will need to submit.
If you have any questions, contact the event organizer, John Roach at jdroach@episd.org if you have any questions.
- Apple Vanguard Celebration - All 2019-2020 Apple Vanguard graduates and principals are invited to attend the Apple Vanguard Graduation and Celebration on March 9th from 4:30-6:00. Contact Christopher Sherman (ccsherma@episd.org) for more information.
- Film Festival Entry Forms and Films Due - Teacher film festival sponsors need to collect permission forms, complete entry forms and submit films no later than March 13th. Head on over to http://episddigitalfilmfestival.weebly.com/ and click on the How to Enter section and download the required forms and rules. If you have any questions, contact the event organizer, John Roach at jdroach@episd.org.
- EPISD Elementary Robotics - March 28th at Brown MS - We have 20 campuses and over 50 teams registered for this competition! Please contact Julie Rivas at jlrivas@episd.org if you need more information.
- EPISD Student Digital Film Festival Award Ceremony - Join us as we celebrate all our 2019
- October 2019 - https://www.smore.com/wgbj0
- November 2019 - https://www.smore.com/5q914
- December 2019 - https://www.smore.com/n6xry
- January 2020 - https://www.smore.com/r6m7g
Contact Us
We are Instructional Technology Specialists that serve all campuses in EPISD. We spend most of our time sharing ideas and teaching best practices for integrating technology as a seamless part of learning in the classroom. Please contact us if you are looking for a technology integrated session that would best meet the needs of the students in your classroom.