EdTech@NSCDS
All the Tech & Innovation News You Can Use • Issue #15
EdTech@NSCDS News
Here's the 15th issue of EdTech@NSCDS, an occasional newsletter for the faculty at North Shore Country Day! Back issues can be found here.
News
- Apple Teacher is a self-directed, professional learning program that focuses on the use of iPads and Mac computers. Apple tools such as Garageband, Pages, Keynote, etc. are featured. Teachers at North Shore should participate complete the 8 modules for either the Mac or iPad track by the end of August 2019.
- If you want to get started with Apple Teacher or learn more about Breakout Edu (see below), sign up for sessions that cover these topics on our February 15th professional development day!
- Do you have an Adobe account here at North Shore? See Chris J. for an account that will enable you to make the most of Adobe tools, such as Photoshop and Illustrator, on your Mac. Adobe also has some awesome iPad apps for creating images.
- We have 2 new Breakout Edu kits available if you are interested in piloting escape room type of learning activities with your students. I also have 25 codes that will enable teachers to join the Breakout Edu platform and use their library of activities. Email me or come find me if you want more details!
Conferences and PD Opportunities
- Rita in the Visual Arts Department recommends this free digital art workshop taking place on March 1st at Flashpoint Chicago!
Reminders
- Department heads and grade levels, please invite me to any upcoming department meetings. I'd also like to observe in any classrooms. invite me in!
- NSCDS middle school and high school faculty should email me (Lucy) with requests for apps to be installed on their school or student iPads.
- Lower school should email Jeff with their requests and he will approve. Please cc me so that I can see the apps that are of interest to you.
- For subscription services, generally speaking, you should go through your department for these purchases.
- If you are experiencing any consistent issues with connectivity in your classroom or any other technical issue, please make sure to email IT at tech@nscds.org.
Need recommendations for apps, tools, and resources?
See my Wakelet collections. I've been focusing on iOS apps by subject area, but will be adding more resources in the near future. This is a work in progress!
NSCDS Faculty: Take the EdTech Survey
Please fill out this brief survey if you have not had a chance to do so yet.
INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICE - Writing
Here are some recent finds that may help teachers from all grade levels kick up writing instruction.
- New Tools for Interactive Fiction and Engaged Writing - This article by Matthew Farber is from 2016, but I found the examples cited of "choose your own adventure" stories to be intriguing and still relevant particularly for middle and upper school students. The author also cites interesting tools as well for creating these stories namely Inklewriter and Twine.
- ICYMI: Teaching Writing with a Social Justice Lens - The Two Writing Teachers blog compiled a series of recent blog posts that cover topics such as teaching empathy, implicit bias, and student voice. There is content for teachers of most grade levels.
- Out of the Classroom and Into the World: 70-Plus Places to Publish Teenage Writing and Art - Writing for authentic and public audiences is an important part of 21st-century teaching and learning. Here's a comprehensive list of places where student work can be published from the New York Times Learning Network.
- Writable - K12 Writing Practice - This is an online tool for writing assessment, feedback, and practice for grade K-12. Pricing is involved, but one can join and preview the tool.
- ThinkCerca is a similar product that seems more geared towards middle and upper grades.
- Storybird is one of my favorite writing sites for all students and the focus is more on creativity and visual storytelling.
About Google Photos
Google Photos is an alternative to Apple's Photos app for backing up and managing photos. I actually back up my photos to both services because there are advantages to both and I am paranoid about losing photos! I like how Apple's Photos integrates into iMovie and other Apple tools; I like how I can search by any keyword and find photos in Google Photos. Additionally, Google Photos has something called Assistant which takes photos randomly from your collection and enhances them. Assistant adds filters, turns them into collages and GIFs, and makes short videos. It's a fun surprise to see what photos turn up in Assistant! See an example below; I took several photos at my daughter's recent swim meet, and Assistant morphed them into a GIF.
Working with Google Photos
Here's how to get started with Google Photos. Once you've taken a few steps, your photos will automagically be backed up to Google Photos.
- Set up the Backup and Sync desktop app and download the Google Photos app on your mobile device of choice. Directions are here.
- On your computer, go to photos.google.com and login to your Google account.
- You should see any photos that have been backed up to Google Photos. It may take a bit of time to fully sync. Full directions are available here.
- It is also possible to upload photos manually by clicking the Upload button in the upper righthand corner.
- And, you can create animations, collages, and movies by selecting the Create button at photos.google.com.
Let me know if you need help with this or consult the tutorial below for additional help!
https://youtu.be/GuqIi3zqS6g
Equity Maps
Equity Maps is an app for your iPad that tracks the dynamics within discussions and meetings. I discovered this via the Cult of Pedagogy's recommendations recently and found it to be a tool that may help teachers tune into the quality of discussions in their classrooms. You set up a class, track the interactions within a discussion or meeting, and data is provided to give you further insight. This app has a lot of potential. It is not free, so if you'd like to try it out, let me know and the IT department will install it on your iPad.
GLOBAL COLLABORATION
Flat Connections Projects
Flat Connections is offering FOUR online global projects this semester for Grade 3 and older. Let me know if you are participating in any of these.
Starting mid-February:
- Friends for Sustainability - Grade 5-8 - READ the Teacher Guide
Starting at the end of February:
- Global Youth Debates - Grade 5-12 - READ the Teacher Guide
- Windows to the World - Grade 3-6 - READ the Teacher Guide
Starting March Week 1:
- Building Bridges to Tomorrow - Early years, K-2 - READ the Teacher Guide
Starting mid-March:
- Poetry with Passion and Performance - Grade 3-6 - READ the Teacher Guide