DT&L Bytes
Digital Teaching and Learning @PCHS │ January 8, 2018
Put the Cell Phones Away!
The start of a new semester is the perfect time to review, reinforce, practice and even establish your classroom norms. Embedding digital tools into your procedures and norms is essential daily practice, but even more vital at the beginning of a course or semester. Our students may be older than some, but don’t assume that appropriate digital use is a natural practice for them. Our digital tools are tools meant to support classroom instruction. Understanding that isn’t innate. Our students are still kids, they still need direction, the still need guidance.
Digital tips for the start of the semester:
1. Put the phones away! Phones are the biggest distraction for students AND teachers. The notification temptation puts stress on the student and teacher. Put the phones away, model this for your students and put away your own phone until your planning period or the passing period. When technology is the appropriate tool, use the iPad, don’t allow phone use. Our iPads are restricted and filtered, student phones are not.
2. “Screens down” – Is the iPad not being used for the activity at hand? Tell the class “screens down.” Students place the device (iPad, tablet, phone, laptop) on the desk with the screen facing down. You are able to easily see and monitor their devices and they can’t sneak in a distracting activity. “Apples up” is another option.
2. Screens up, iPads flat on desk – Is an iPad an appropriate or acceptable device for the activity? Have the students place the device flat on the desk with the screens facing up. It’s easier to monitor student work that way.
3. Swipe to clear – Do you need to have a class that needs to be monitored a bit more closely? Is it an assessment day? You might want to have the students double-click the home button and swipe up to clear all the apps. After they have cleared all the apps, then assign the appropriate app or site to open.
4. Practice procedures – It may sound elementary, but practicing procedures makes it more natural for you and your students. Be consistent with your procedure vocabulary
5. If, after warning and redirection, you feel you need to take the device from the student, please remember that it may only be removed for your class period and must be returned at the end of the period. The iPad is the binder, folder, text and learning tool for other classes.
Technology isn't going away. Let's work together to discover for ourselves and model for our students how to use that power to investigate, discover, collaborate, communicate, demonstrate and learn!
Resources:
Tool Time - Beginning of the Semester Questions, Tips and Needs
- What did you wish you knew last semester?
- What do you need help understanding or navigating with your devices (especially iOS 11)?
- What would you like to know how to do?
- Would you like ideas for incorporating student voice?
- Would you like formative assessment ideas that make feedback easier and faster?
Which Digital Tools are You Using?
Partner with us and help us ensure your tools for classes, teams, clubs and activities are approved and ready for to use when you need them. PLAN AHEAD. Visit Pine Creek's Resource List; it includes the resources submitted by you. Don't see the one you'd like to use? Visit the District database. Still don't see your resource? Fill out the Digital Tool Application and we'll get it submitted to District IT for approval. Once the tool is approved, we'll update our list and inform you. This process takes time, especially if a purchase needs to be made.
Please be patient with us and the District as we embark on this new process. The District database is continually being updated as is our own resource list. Our goal is to ensure you have the resources you need while protecting our students' privacy.
Have questions? Contact anyone of your Digital Resource Team members, Susan, Sasha or Steve.
PCHS Digital Resource Application
ASD20 Digital Resource Inventory
PCHS Digital Teaching & Learning Resources
What can your Digital Learning Coach do for you?
- Share with you what tools we have available to you and your students
- Show you how to use the tools we have
- Push out course-specific apps to you and your students
- Co-teach with you so that you can focus on the content and I can focus on the tool and any digital issues
- Trouble-shoot issues, iPad and Desktop
- Share our Vision and what it means as we travel down the road towards making that it real
- Help you plan and reflect on lessons using digital tools
- Provide Digital Citizenship tips and resources
I'm here to serve you!
Susan Murray-Carrico, Digital Learning Coach
Email: susan.murray@asd20.org
Website: http://www.pchsdigitallearning.org/
Location: 10750 Thunder Mountain Avenue, Colorado Springs, CO, United States
Phone: 719.234.2663
Twitter: @FrauSusi