Inspiring Innovation
QACPS Department of Instructional Services: Vol 1 Ed 4
Timely Tips to Impact Teaching & Learning
Don't forget to nominate an inspiring colleague to be featured in an upcoming edition
and submit ideas for future editions!
Time Saving 101
Google Guru Tip
BRAND NEW TOOL: It can be difficult, not to mention time-consuming, to navigate lengthy, complex documents. To make that process easier, there is a new outline tool in Google Docs. Displayed in a pane to the left of the page, this outline features headers for each section of your document, making it simple to quickly jump from section to section.
Tech Finder Tool
Inspiring Innovator: Tim Kerr from Kent Island High School
Need to save time plus get real-time data?
Meet GradeCam - your personal grading assistant!
Tim Kerr, Social Studies Department at Kent Island High School
Instructional Angle: There is a buzz of excitement in Mr. Kerr’s AP World History. Believe it or not, the students just finished an AP quiz but the energy in the room is palpable. Why? Students are able to get real-time feedback on their quiz and Mr. Kerr then uses this data to transform his instruction. The best part - Mr. Kerr uses a simple website called Gradecam that uses the camera on his revolve laptop as his personal grading assistant that saves him precious hours of time. As Mr Kerr said, “GradeCam allows me to access instant, quantitative data on student understanding of content. In creating a continuing reflective learning process, GradeCam provides students with instructive feedback on comprehension of course content that normal scan-trons cannot. The data that it provides serves as a foundation for reflection, inquiry, and synthesis of instructional content.”
Don’t just take his word for it! As his students shared, “I don’t have patience for getting grades back. It’s nice when I get the grade back [because] the information is fresh in our minds so if you want to fix it you can fix it.”
Technical Angle: By flashing assignments in front of your smartphone, tablet, webcam or document camera, scores are instantly populated onto your computer and can be transferred into your electronic grade book with one keystroke. Then use these results to immediately inform instruction! This tool can be used across all grade levels and content areas. Start using GradeCam today at: https://gradecam.com/
Where do you think this activity falls on the SAMR scale?
Engagement
Create free educational games, quizzes, activities, tools and diagrams in a flash with ClassTools.net They have templates for everything from crossword generators, to Twister (fake tweets), to random name pickers and tons more. Use across all grades and content levels!
Representation
Expression
It's not about technology. Focus on learning and not the tool.
For more information, contact:
Queen Anne's County Public Schools
Email: christina.schindler@qacps.org
Website: http://qacps.schoolwires.net/domain/128
Location: Queen Annes County Board-Edu, Chesterfield Avenue, Centreville, MD, United States
Twitter: @cschindlerQAC