Innovat-Ed Learning
INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION AT YOUR FINGERTIPS
Innovat-Ed Learning in Every Classroom, for Every Student
By Laura Spencer, EdD
Lakeside Union School District is committed to the integration of technology into student learning with the purpose of preparing them for a technology-driven world.
California’s Common Core State Standards include the use of technology when describing students who are College and Career ready.
They use technology and digital media strategically and capably.
Students employ technology thoughtfully to enhance their reading, writing, speaking, listening, and language use. They tailor their searches online to acquire useful information efficiently, and they integrate what they learn through technology with what they learn offline. They are familiar with the strengths and limitations of various technological tools and media and can select and use those best suited to their communication goals.
(California Department of Education: Common Core State Standards. http://www.cde.ca.gov/re/cc/)
Our students use a variety of digital resources and tools to facilitate learning through research, communication, collaboration, and innovation. In the 2015-2016 school year, an iPad will be provided for each student to use in grades 2-8. Students in grades 2-3 will utilize their iPads during the school day in their classrooms. Students in grades 4-8 will bring their iPads home each day for extended learning opportunities. Students in grades K-1 will have an iPad learning station in each classroom. We are excited for the high quality, personalized, innovative learning experiences this will provide for our students.
Why Provide an iPad For Every Student?
An iPad is a powerful technology device that transforms learning. The benefit of an iPad is that it can be personalized for each learner. Not only can it be a word processor, a camera, a camcorder, a musical instrument, or an Internet browser, but it also provides access to a myriad of apps that extend learning light years beyond a textbook’s capabilities.
“The benefits of the iPad is that it can be one size fits each, with boundless opportunities for differentiated, customized, and personalized learning that [allows students to] get out of their seats” (Levinson, 2014, http://goo.gl/plKqrO).
Implementing Our Common Core Digital Framework
Over the past two years, our Educational Technology team has been developing and fine-tuning a framework for LUSD teachers to use as a planning guide. We refer to this planning guide as the Common Core Digital Framework, We know that technology is never static. The specific tools students utilize in the classroom or the workplace will continue to change. Students need to be able to leverage these tools as they develop the skills and competencies necessary to creatively and collaboratively develop solutions to both existing and unforeseen challenges. Our Common Core Digital Framework helps us stay focused on preparing students to maximize their potential in their technically complex, global community. Professional Development on the Digital Framework will be a core focus of our Instructional Coaching team. Examples of the framework in action can be found on our Innovat-Ed Haiku Page (https://goo.gl/LFxqgx).
Introducing Google Apps for Education
We are excited to launch Google Apps for Education, which will provide access to resources to assist students in the effective use of technology. The following services will be provided as part of Google Apps for Education:
· Docs - a word processing, spreadsheet, drawing, and presentation toolset similar to MS Office
· Drive - cloud file storage
· Mail - an individual email account for school use managed/monitored by the District (Grades 4-8)
Using these tools, students collaboratively research, create, edit and share files for school related projects and communicate via email with other students and teachers. Examples of student use include showcasing class projects, building an electronic portfolio of school learning experiences, and working in small groups on presentations to share with others.
Extending Learning through Haiku Learning Management System
We are also launching Haiku Learning Management System (LMS), which is a secure, lesson-centric learning management system that emphasizes content, creativity, and community. Teachers will be able to create classroom pages, add and organize content blocks, change layouts, and publish whenever ready. Students can submit assignments via Haiku as well, making paper an (almost) thing of the past. Content can be embedded from the Digital Content Portal, Google Docs, Maps, and dozens of other websites or create your own from scratch. Resource sharing in Haiku Learning lets teachers share classes, pages, and content blocks with other teachers, simplifying the lesson planning and collaboration process.
Supporting You Every Step of the Way
The Educational Technology Department is developing meaningful, ongoing, experiential, and collaborative professional learning opportunities through a variety of approaches. Besides the traditional sub-release days, we also host model lessons, after school trainings, PLC sessions, side-by-side classroom teaching, and online opportunities through our Haiku page. Our focus is supporting YOU through these exciting times of change.
This is an exciting time to be an educator in the Lakeside Union School District. As we move forward into the 2015-16 school year, our instruction will look different than it has in the past. With the additional access to technology through the purchase of iPads, the focus of the Common Core Digital Framework, the sharing of resources through Google Apps for Education and the Haiku Learning Management System, and the constant support of the Educational Technology department, our students will be better prepared for college and their future careers in this technology-driven world.
Digital Teaching Made Easier
by Steve Will
Teaching is a demanding and time-consuming profession. You are expected to provide your students with rich learning opportunities using digital technology tools, but are provided precious little time to do so. Even if you are a rock star, you have two very big challenges with today’s students. These are keeping them engaged and providing each student with the learning experiences that best fit their needs. Wouldn’t it be nice to find an easier to use way to provide each student with better learning experiences, empower them as learners, extend the time for learning and get better learning outcomes? Well there is a way and it is called Haiku.
Haiku is a simple to use cloud-based tool that allows teachers to create interactive, engaging online content and provide it to his or her class in just minutes. The beauty of Haiku is that it is easy to use and revolves around YOUR content. You can include online content such as pictures, video, web links and embed content from YouTube, Google Docs, Maps, Skype and other web tools. You can easily share content with other Haiku users or use their already created content. So why should you consider using Haiku?
Here are few reasons:
- · Provides safe secure way to share content
- · Teacher to student
- · Student to teacher
- · Teacher to parent
- · Parent to teacher
- · Provides opportunity to extend the learning day
- · Provides content beyond the classroom
- · Provides students with digital learning tools
- · Provides opportunity for feedback
- · Anytime access
- · Provides differentiation opportunities (levels the playing field)
- · Gives opportunity for participation by all students
- · Provides opportunity for rich discussions
- · Secure way to communicate
- · Provides access to parents
- · Haiku is built to differentiate
- · Simple to use and navigate
- · Visually appealing and engaging
- · Content is organized in a way that makes sense
- · Easily embed most web apps
- · Students become creators of content
- · Provides opportunity to collaborate on projects
- · Discussions give students a voice and are threaded
- · Provides private communication
- · Teachers, students and parents
- · Teachers can create and share content easily
- · Provides an ePortfolio
- · Teacher can annotate assignments right on the computer
- · Provides standards-based grade book (optional)
Here’s a link to several Haiku page examples ranging from 2nd grade to middle school: https://goo.gl/nNEzgB
Some features of Haiku: https://youtu.be/829OuOIFqaY
If you would like to find out more about Haiku, please contact me at swill@lsusd.net or talk to one of your colleagues already using Haiku.
Google Search Tips and Tricks
By Kay Little
Google keeps coming up with more ways to search for web content. Were you aware of these three?
1. Reverse Image Search
Did you know you can search for images on Google by starting with an image you already have, whether it be one on your computer, or one you found on the web? It’s called the Reverse Image Search, and here is a video telling you how to do it. It is very easy to do, and could be helpful in coming up with just the right image for that future lesson, or the perfect images for a student project. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnr6-cXFVzs I tried it just for fun last night using one of my dad’s photos from WWII. I found the exact location of the image by using the reverse image search.
2. Online Dictionary
Did you know that Google can serve as on online dictionary? In the Google search bar, just type DEFINE: before the word that you’d like a definition for.
Here’s an example: When I wrote DEFINE: Google in the search bar, I got this definition.
goo·gle: ˈɡo͞oɡ(ə)l/, verb, search for information about (someone or something) on the Internet using the search engine Google.
3. Online Translator
Google has an online translator that is activated by typing translate: before a foreign word or term. At the present time, Google supports 90 different languages.
So, the next time you start to do a Google search, remember how easy it is to do a reverse image search, or use Google as your online dictionary, or translator.
We Are Social!
Twitter: @LUSDInnovat_Ed
Instagram: @lakesideunion
YouTube: LUSD TOSA
LUSD Ed Tech Department
Email: lusdtosa@gmail.com
Website: http://lusdinnovat-ed.weebly.com/
Location: 12335 Woodside Avenue, Lakeside, CA, United States
Twitter: @LUSDInnovat_Ed