ITRT News and Updates
ITRT Newsletter for Secondary Schools ~ October 2014
Instructional Technology Updates and Information
MS Office 2013
Hanover County is in the process of upgrading to Windows 7 and Microsoft Office Suite 2013! To see the latest check out these free resources:
- How to Tech (Office Suite and Windows 7) for one-page quick reference guides
- Training courses for all levels of users
- 15-minute webinars (register to attend live online or view archived topics)
Blackboard
Did you know that Blackboard has an effective plagiarism deterrent and educational tool called SafeAssign? You can find this feature in the Submission Details section when you are creating an assignment in your own Blackboard course. SafeAssign uses a text matching algorithm to highlight duplications of existing internet content that may exist in student work submissions. More information on this helpful tool can be found in How To Tech under Blackboard > Level 2 Intermediate Features > Assignments > SafeAssign
Web 2.0 Graphite
Are you often looking for teacher-tested websites or games to use with your students? Is it sometimes overwhelming trying to evaluate these resources all on your own? Lucky for you, there is Graphite! Graphite (http://www.graphite.org/) describes its site as a free service from Common Sense Education that makes it easy to discover the best apps, games and websites for classroom use. Graphite provides blogs, webinars, and web 2.0 tools that have been reviewed and rated by expert educators and teachers to provide the information you need to help you make great technology choices!
iPads
BYOD
Implementing BYOD in your classroom:
- Think carefully about your goals
- Survey students about what devices they own
- Determine rules for personal devices, and make sure everyone is clear on them
- Ask students about their experiences with their own devices
- Let students teach others how to use specific apps on various devices
- Plan how you can use BYOD to develop fun and meaningful activities for students
Social Media Spotlight: #MysterySkype
Looking for a fun way to engage your students using Geography? Use Skype to connect with another classroom in the world, then ask questions back and forth to figure out where each class is located. This activity, called #MysterySkype, provides opportunities for students to analyze and use critical thinking skills as they narrow down options to learn about new places. For more information on this unique learning experience, contact your ITRT! Connect with the ITRT Team on Twitter: @ITRThcps
Technology Integration: The Good, the Better, the Best
How are you and your students using technology in your classroom? Do you find that you are the one who mainly uses technology for instructional purposes? Are you interested in providing more opportunities for your students to learn, create, and share in our digital world? Explore the SAMR model. The SAMR model is a framework that outlines levels of technology integration. Find out which level you're at by reflecting on your instructional practices Watch this 4:22 minute video to see a common example of how to move a very basic use of technology up the SAMR ladder to provide students opportunities for communication, collaboration, and critical thinking. Explore Kathy Schrock's resources here as well.
FUN File Management
*Files UNlocked*
Do you have too many papers? Are your file cabinets bursting open? Are you having trouble finding that Microsoft Word document you JUST typed out? Are you curious about the "cloud?" What is the difference between my h-drive and the cloud anyway? Transitioning from paper to electronic documents can be a challenge and sometimes the great organizational techniques we use for paper just do not work well with electronic files. This section will provide answers to the questions above as well as introduce you to a few tools that can help you along the way.
Up first, lets review how to save a file to your h-drive. Remember, your h-drive is storage that you can access from a school computer on school grounds (you have to be connected to the network). It is not available at home or on the guest wifi network. For a refresher, check out this quick slideshow showing how to access your h-drive, as things look a bit different with our new Office 2013. And for your students who are confused with the new look of Office 2013, watch this slideshow for students to help them save to their student numbers!
CASEY NUGENT
ITRT - Instructional Technology Resource Teacher
LMS / CMS / AHS