CPP Technology Today
A Communication of the CPP Technology Committee - Vol 2.10
In This Issue
- Instructional Technology Professional Development
- Technology in Our Schools - Tech-ing Upward at Smith Elementary - By Jill Mertus
- Resource Spotlight - "Smore" Opens Communication Between Teachers, Students, Parents and Community
- Applying Google Apps: Google Forms for Assessment, Communication and Authentic Research
- District Technology News: Updates to the District Technology Scope & Sequence in Progress
- Technology Committee - Members
- BITS Team Members
- Updates from Tech Services
- Newsletter Suggestions and Ideas
Tuesday, Feb 7, 2017, 10:00 AM
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Instructional Technology Professional Development
Unless otherwise indicated, classes run from 3:30-4:30. Teachers are welcome to attend trainings in any building. There is no pre-registration process - "drop in" when you're able! Be sure to sign in for in-service credit.
Contact the team members offering each class with any specific questions.
February Dates
2/7 - Carder School Library - Laura Tolbert - Typing Club and Kahoot - 2:45-3:30 (All Teachers)
2/8 - Gregg School Lab - Rachel Ketchum - Nearpod - 3:30-5:00 (All Teachers)
2/8 - Middle School Library - Carrie Howe - 10 Programs You Can Implement in your Classroom Now - 3:30-4:30 (All Teachers)
2/14 - Middle School Library - Carrie Howe - Your YouTube Channel - 3:30-4:30 (All Teachers)
March Dates
3/8 - Gregg School Lab - Rachel Ketchum - Open Lab - 3:30-4:30 (All Teachers)
Technology in Our Schools
Tech-ing Upward at Smith Elementary
During the month of January we asked our classroom teachers if they wanted to give the NWEA assessments to their students on the Chromebooks. After a successful try with one of our First Grade classrooms and our Third, Fourth, and Fifth grades in the Fall, all of our First through Fifth grade students completed the assessments using the Chromebooks in their classrooms. Many found great success with this model.
Resources Spotlight
"Smore" Opens Communication Between Teachers, Students, Parents and Community
This newsletter is designed on Smore, because of the ease of use of many of it's features, and the simplicity with which it can share digital content with a wide range of users.
Programs with multiple uses are also popular with the education community, and Smore proves versatile in this area as well. Teachers can use Smore to:
- Gather together multiple resources in various forms (PDF files, web pages, YouTube videos, pictures) to store lesson or unit resources or present them to students in the course of instruction
- Create quick, easy and attractive newsletters home for parents
- Make fliers for important events (picture day, field trips, fundraisers) that can easily be shared in a variety of formats (email, embedded in a Symbaloo or on a webpage, shared via social media)
- Create a portfolio or overview of classroom work and achievements throughout the year.
Smore is also easy to use for students. Students can use this program to showcase their learning and create attractive, interactive, online presentations. The simplicity of Smore's set-up allows students to be creative and personalize their presentations, but also ensures that a minimal amount of time is spent on "learning the program," and students are able to concentrate on content. Students can:
- Create a presentation about an important historical person, scientist, mathematician or character in a book
- Use the "Event" presentation to showcase learning about an historical event
- Promote an argument (who should win the Nobel Prize, why Math is important in life, if a second official language should be named in the United States)
- Showcase a process, formula or other content-area learning
The tutor
Applying Google Apps
Google Forms for Assessment, Communication and Authentic Research
Google Forms was created originally as a survey program (similar to Survey Monkey, which we're all familiar with from many district information outreach programs. A creator of a Form can ask questions in various configurations (multiple choice, all that apply, ranking, short answer, long answer), add images and videos to the Forms and create "sections" that allow users to be directed to different questions based on previous responses.
In addition to its ease of use and multiple applications, Google Forms can also be shared easily with students and parents - via email, by embedding them in a Symbaloo or on a webpage (or in a Smore presentation!), or by sharing them directly through Google Classroom.
Teachers can use Forms for a variety of purposes inside the classroom:
- To gather feedback/information from students (start-of-school "Getting to Know You," sign-up lists for parties, unit feedback
- Use as formative assessments for content-area knowledge (quizzes)
- Let students complete them as feedback to each other on presentations
- Teach students to create Forms and share them with the class and others to conduct original research for projects
Future issues will further discuss the applications of Google Forms for assessment. The tutorials below will help access the program and create your first Form!
District Technology Updates
Updates to the District Technology Scope & Sequence in Progress
As part of the 2015-2020 Master Plan, the Technology Committee developed a K-12 Scope & Sequence of Technology Skills to be taught and learned at CPP.
These skills are divided into different categories (Basic Operations, Keyboarding, Information Gathering...) and broken into the levels.
Skills marked with an "I" at a specific grade level indicate that the skills are to be Introduced in that grade - teachers should not assume students have any knowledge of that skill.
If an "R" is marked for a specific skill, that skill has been taught before, but will need to be Reinforced - it is unlikely that students have had enought practice to fully master the skill.
Those skills marked with an "A" indicate that students should be able to Apply that skill readily, with minimial or no re-teaching required.
The committee is in the process of revising those skills, due to new programs and technologies that have been introduced into the district since they were written two years ago. Any input on the skills would be appreciated. You can contact Lori Pruyne, or any of the BITS members listed below with your thoughts and suggestions.
Technology Committee Membership
BITS Team - Instructional Technology Support
Last week in this newsletter, the Building Instructional Technology Support (BITS) team members were introduced, and their roles were discussed. Remember that these individuals are available within your buildings to help teachers utilize instructional technology. They can recommend programs and resources, suggest ways to implement technology and tech skills instruction into the curriculum, and provide teachers with help in introducing programs to students. Any hardware-related issues should still be referred to IT, with requests sent in by emailing helpdesk@gstboces.org.
BITS representatives in each building include:
Carder – Jamie Nichols, Laura Tolbert and June Keuhn
Gregg – Rachel Ketchum and Colin Sinko
Erwin Valley – Jen Haischer and Peggy Marsiglio
Severn – Jen Taylor and Karen Cleary
Smith – Mike Clarke, Jill Mertus and Matt Cornacchio
Winfield – Kathy Rapisarda and Shari Smith
CPP HS – Robin Robarge and Stacie Martinec
CPPMS - Carrie Howe
District - Lori Pruyne
BITS representatives are also going to be conducting after-school professional development classes on various instructional technology topics after school each month. These sessions will be held around the district, but all sessions are open to all teachers - you do not have to attend only sessions held in your individual buildings. Class times and locations will be listen on the Professional Development Opportunities page of the CPP Technology website.
Updates From Tech Services
Finding "Global" Email Addresses
In the newest version of Outlook, the “All Users” address book is selected by default…..
This list isn’t automatically updated to include all email recipients, and it doesn’t include any out-of-district addresses.
If you would like to make your default list be the “Global Address List” like in previous versions:
- Open the Address Book (top right of Outlook screen)
- Select Tools
- Choose Options
- Finally, choose “Global Address List” under “When opening the address book, show this list first."
Newletter Information
Email: lpruyne@cppmail.com
Website: cpptechnology.weebly.com
Location: CPPHS B215
Phone: 3503