LEISD Digital LEarning
October 6, 2017
Digital Learning News & Updates
When Thinking About WHY We Are Using Technology....
- How does it improve or enhance the learning?
- How does it shift the focus to the students, putting them at the center of the learning?
- Does it require curiosity, critical thinking, and creativity?
- Does it allow students to accomplish something they could not without technology?
MacBook 101 Sessions
Ready to learn some MacBook basics?
Already know the basics, but want to go deeper?
Digital Learning Services is excited to offer several MacBook 101 sessions in the upcoming weeks!
During each session, we will offer three different levels of support. Learners will be welcome to attend whichever level they feel they fall into or move to different levels depending on their needs throughout the session. Below is a menu of some of the topics that will be reviewed at each level.
There are still two dates available for you to come and learn! All levels will be led at each session. Please enroll in MyLearning Plan using the included links below. To accommodate later school dismissals, both sessions will last until 6:00 pm. Earlier arrivals can leave after their hour or stay until 6:00 pm. Later arrivals can arrive at 5:00 pm in order to get a full hour.
- Thursday, October 12th beginning at 4:15 pm at Brent Elementary in the PL room - Enroll in MyLearning Plan
- Thursday, October 26th beginning at 4:15 pm at Zellars in PL1 - Enroll in MyLearning Plan
Digital LEarning Badges - REOPENED
The goal of Little Elm ISD Digital Learning Facilitators is to provide Professional Learning opportunities that are available anywhere, anytime, and personalized to meet YOUR specific needs! You will decide what you want to learn, when you want to learn it, and what learning platform you prefer. #LoboBadges
Triptico
Want a new interactive way to engage your class? Ever wished you had a digital way to randomly pick a student? Have you ever wished you could create a set of tasks and allocate time according to the task? Triptico is a collection of interactive resources which enable imaginative educators to create engaging learning for their classroom. Creating, saving, adapting and sharing interactive learning content is easy with Triptico.
Triptico started as an app for interactive whiteboard use and has now been turned into a web-based resource for any teacher wanting to create technology based lessons. Triptico allows you to create, save, edit and share activities. Create in any language, on any topic and for any age or ability. Motivate your students and generate discussion, debate and interaction. Make the most of your classroom technology.
Ready to get started? Visit Triptico's website.
Select this link to view a video that talks about the features when it was a whiteboard app. Many of the features are the same or similar.
Guest writer: Tiffany Troxclair, US History at Lakeside Middle School
InTAcT
DL Badge Spotlight: ClassDojo
Canvas Corner
Can I Use Canvas With ALL My Students?
The long answer is yes, but it all depends on what YOU put into it. Canvas has the ability to do so much more than just house files. It can be a fully blended course, a place to facilitate discussions, provide differentiation for your learners, assess their learning, and individualize learning. In this Smore, I am going to highlight some of the ways you can differentiate for your learners!
We already know differentiated instruction is critical, for both our students who need to be challenged and those who are struggling. Canvas makes approaching differentiated instruction easy, and that is always good news (especially when you already feel pulled in multiple directions!) So lets dive in and look at how you can leverage Canvas for ALL of your learners!
Individualization in Assignments
One of the coolest features in Canvas is the ability to assign an assignment to individual students. Assume a student has mastered the material well before the majority of his peers, you can create (or repurpose existing) assignments that are more rigorous to provide a challenge for that particular student without having to assign it to the entire class. Likewise, a student who is struggling with the material, might be given supplemental or alternative assignments that chunk the information, break down the concepts, or provide alternative ways to demonstrate mastery. Again, no one else in the class has to know about this assignment, only the student to which it is assigned would see it.
Extended Due Dates
Often with IEPs, students struggling with concepts, or those that have simply been absent, providing an extra day or two to complete assignments is necessary. Canvas allows you to assign individual students, groups of students, or even entire classes different due dates and access dates on an assignment, graded discussion, or quiz. This is also helpful when dealing with an entire class that has fallen behind (think snow day, picture day, etc.)
Extra Quiz Attempts
It is easy to assist struggling learners in quizzes by offering extra attempts using the "Moderate This Quiz" feature located on the right side of the quiz section. This feature appears after students have begun taking the quiz. To change the number of attempts for a specific student, click the edit pencil to the right of the student's name. This is another great support for your students with IEPs.
Intervention Strategies
Here are some innovative ways you can use Canvas for intervention. It is time to think beyond just uploading links and files!
- record lessons (math instruction, reading a book, labs) for students to view or listen to later and post in the module
- post pre-quizzes with multiple attempts to help students study for tests (be sure to use question banks so that students are learning material and not memorizing questions/answers)
- hold after-school "office hours" or tutoring hours via the Conference tool in Canvas at set times or meet in a Google Doc via the Collaboration tool
- use the Calendar to post an event of the day's tasks for students who were absent so they can quickly see what was done in class
- use the "message students who" feature in the gradebook for students who are missing work or have low scores to either remind them of the assignment or to prompt them to come in for tutoring or to complete additional work
- set module prerequisites and requirements for module completion (be aware that this method can snowball with students who have fallen behind)
Digital Tool of the Week
TumbleBook Library
For login information, please view the Important Login Information Doc.
Tips from the Technicians
How To Install and Log Into 8x8 Virtual Office
Click here to learn how to install and log into 8x8 Virtual Office. Remember to log into ZenDesk with Google. DO NOT create an account or try to sign in with an email and password.
How to Request Technology Support
IMPORTANT: When you go to ZenDesk for the first time, do NOT create an account. Click on the red "Log in with Google" button on the left side.
You can also get to ZenDesk by going to your Google Apps (Gmail or Google Drive). Click on the 3x3 grid ("waffle") in the top-right corner next to your name --> "More" --> "Even More" --> Click on the "ZenDesk" icon.
**Remember: A ticket should be entered for ANY and ALL technology-related hardware problems. Do not rely on emailing a technician or simply mentioning a problem to them in passing. A technician will address the problem as soon as possible after the ticket is received.
People to Follow on Twitter
Tom Schimmer
Dr. Linda Jordan
Kenneth Williams
Digital LEarning Services
Email: dlf@littleelmisd.net
Website: https://sites.google.com/a/leisd.ws/resources/
Location: 300 Lobo Lane, Little Elm, TX, United States
Phone: (972)947-9340