August 30 2015

VOLUME IV: ISSUE I

TIS & THAT August 2015

Leveraging Technology to Empower Educators

Welcome to the iSchool Initiative Travis Allen, 26 year old founder of the iSchool Initiative was a huge hit at the WVSTC 2015. He was a featured keynote speaker and a vendor at the Conference held in Morgantown. His goal is to educate educators to implement technology into their classrooms. His organization has been instrumental in helping schools go 1:1 or begin BYOD initiatives.

It’s Back to School!  QR Codes  Google Cardboard

Last year Allen went on a nationwide tour to different schools all over the US promoting his iSchool Bus. It is a fully equipped bus with a SMART Board and classroom iPads. iSchool calls this the Digital Learning Revolution or the DLR Tour. The idea is to mobilize learning and empower student learning.

 3-D Printers

Allen is on a mission to empower students to begin to think and learn for themselves.

Using the technology that they already know and apply it toward a deeper, more critical thinking set of skills. Travis Allen and his team are available for consulting with school districts and have grants opportunities available.

 The Flipped Classroom

More information can be found at iSchoolinitiative.com. If your school or district is interested, visit the site and read Allen’s background history and view the services they provide. You can follow him on twitter @iSchoolTravis.

 ISTE Standards

 RESA 5 Hosts Adult Ed Refresher Course

 What is Weebly?

“Imagine if the Magic School Bus and Transformers had a baby.”

–Travis Allen, Founder of iSchool Initiative Bus

WVSTC Welcomes the iSchool bus for the DLR Tour.

3-D Printing The Future is Here.

RESA 5 Hosts refresher course for Adult Ed Technology

RESA 5 Hosts Tech Ed Course for Adults Buddha once said, “Everything changes, nothing remains without change.� His quote holds true to education. Educational technology has grown by leaps and bounds and is going to impact WV Adult Education. Recently, RESA 5 Adult Education held an Educational Technology Refresher Course for Adult Education and SPOKES Instructors. We as WV Adult Education Instructors, have to embrace technology changes or be left behind. It is an integral part of education in the 21 st century.

The primary purpose of this training was for teachers to come together to learn or review the following educational technology tools that we currently use in our classrooms. Also, it was to help those instructors that have not been trained on Smart Boards, Document Cameras, iPads, and Responders.

Julie Hagan, RESA 5 Regional Adult Education Coordinator and TIS, hosted the event. All of RESA 5 Adult Education Technology Integration Specialists were in attendance and presented. Those TISs that presented were Deanna Addis, Misty Dawson, and Todd Murray.

This fall RESA 5 will roll out some amazing new pieces of technology. The most exciting pieces are the 3-D Printers. RESA 5 purchased two Lolzbot mini 3-D printers.

Louise Miller has also acquired 3-D printers for statewide use. Nathan Hindy, Instructor for College Transitions program at WVU-P compiled research on this specific brand that was instrumental in the decisionmaking process. In early September, the Technology Integration Specialists will be trained on how to use and troubleshoot the 3D printers. The 3D printers will take math and science to new levels for WVAdultEd classrooms throughout the state. A training for the teachers will be available this fall, then the 3D printers will be available for use in the classrooms. The students will research previously-created models to determine which is best for their use. They will load the model into the openware software called Cura. They will use math to determine the ratios needed to make the model the size they want it to be. There is an amazing range of products that can be printed for various subjects. For math, students could print geometric shapes and do measurements in real life. For science, students could print an animal cell and identify the different parts. For history, the students could print t h e W h i t e H o u s e .

While using the 3D printer, students will learn about mechanical processes with the extruder and different working components.

With the 3D printer utilized in the classroom, hands-on learning will be a completely different learning experience.

Nick Northup, Mason County Adult Education/ SPOKES Instructor and TIS, and Julie Hagan were on hand to assist individuals with any technology questions they may have had. The session attracted Adult Education Instructors from RESA 5 as well as other instructors from RESA 2 and 3.

WVAdultEd has purchased 3-D Printers for local and statewide use.

The Flipped Classroom Explain Everything

Explain Everything That is exactly what you can do with this app…

Explain everything!

For any teacher, any class.

There is no one model of a flipped classroom. The basic idea is to flip the instructional approach with teacher-created videos and interactive lessons from the classroom to the home, in advance of the class. Class becomes the environment to work through concerns and issues of the lesson, and engage in interactive learning.

This allows the students and instructor to maximize learning time.

Done properly, this approach addresses all learning styles. Which in turn, allows all students to learn at their fullest potential. Let me tell you how the concept of the flipped classroom is being implemented at Point Pleasant Jr/Sr High School.

TouchCast

Quizlet

Plickers

Clio

With this app you can video, change filters, and even use a video prompt.

Just like a newscast.

Create your own assessments and study guides.

Quizlet does the work for you.

Creates games and quizzes based on your own assessments Need a fun and exciting way to review for a test or even take a test? Plickers is the way to go. It allows you take tests and get the information of how well your class is doing.

History Teachers This app is a map of the historical markers, statues and buildings in the area. It gives you a brief history about the monuments. It’s kind of like Wikipedia for statues and monuments.

Apps to use for the Flipped Classroom

I am involved with a co-teaching setting for 8th grade science at Point Pleasant Jr/Sr High School with Mrs. Summer Dean. We use a different approach to the flipped classroom for middle school students. We find it more difficult to go full “flipped” for middle school, but we do incorporate a lot of the techniques and instructional tools.

Discussed below are some of the techniques and instructional tools we have utilized incorporating our version of the flipped classroom model.

Examples of the teacher-created videos are located at mrsdean14.weebly.com. When we made the videos for our class we tried to make them as interesting and fun as possible, in order to keep the students’ attention. Take for example, the 50 elements in 8th grade science. Three videos were made incorporating the elements; 20, 20 and 10 elements respectively.

To maintain the interest of the students, various techniques were includes: jokes, cartoons, corny sayings, involvements of school staff and administration.

Adding an atmosphere of familiarity (the staff and administration) and fun (jokes and cartoons), helps students own their learning, which in turn assists in retention of the material, as well as encouraged them to want to view the material. As a result, student scores increased.

The flipped classroom is not something to be afraid of, it is something to embrace – a way of the future. As we move toward inclusion, we must think of ways to reach all of the students and their various learning styles. The flipped classroom is one way.

In the Point Pleasant area, the concept of the flipped classroom has been well underway through a program with Marshall University. Many classrooms have fully engulfed this concept, flipping this classroom entirely. Those classrooms include two at Point Pleasant Jr/Sr High School: Mr. Rob Grady’s Chemistry class (featured in the May, 2015 TIS and THAT) and Mr. Lewis Marcum’s Physics class. Mr. Grady’s students scored 20% above the state average in chemistry.

The flipped classroom allows the teacher more one-on-one time with students in the classroom. Which is a tremendous advantage for Chemistry and Physics.

Allowing these classes more time in the lab environment, which was limited in the normal classroom setting.

The beauty of a flipped classroom is that if a student is absent, it’s much easier to catch a student up. There is no need for gathering notes and explaining details of the assignment.

Technology is a must with a flipped classroom. Take what is easily accessible outside of the classroom and put the experience there. The application of knowledge based on engaging experiential activities will drive the flipped classroom. There is a lot a teacher and a student can take from the flipped classroom and make it their own.

Google Cardboard The coolest, most sought after item these days is Google Cardboard.

Google has designed a product that is affordable and incredibly cool to use. Your students will love it. It essentially a piece of formed cardboard reminiscent of an old view master! Your smartphone slides into the front of the contraption and suddenly you are in a world of Virtual Reality.

The reviews on CNET.com say that it is the future of VR. There are plenty of apps and they are compatible with Android and iOS. There is also a new camera tool to use in conjunction with Google Cardboard that allows you to shoot video in 3D. It is a VR experience like no other. They can be purchased through Amazon for as little as $4.95 or as much as $35 There are plenty of VR apps and tools to create VR but Google Cardboard is by far the most affordable and viable option for educational purposes.

The New Take on QR Codes Just about every new product that comes out has a black and white square with a note saying something like “Scan here for more information.� Have you ever scanned one? Do you know what they do?

These squares are called QR codes, and they are simply amazing! QR stands for quick response. These little things were created for the auto industry because of their ability for greater storage over a standard UPC barcode, and do not require a hand-held scanner to scan them, many modern cell phones can scan them, as well as iPads. QR codes can store url links, teacher contact details, homework assignments, meeting details, and much more. Just by doing a quick google search, you can find a plethora of sites for QR code generators and readers. QR codes can be fun and exciting to use in our everyday lives, but I love using them in my classroom.

QR codes can be used in a variety of ways. My co-worker and I have both created different math lessons using QR Codes for our adult education classroom. Students are up and moving around the room, using technology, and having fun. I firmly believe you can make learning fun using these codes in any subject area. Recently I had the privilege to attend Florida Educational and Technology Conference in Orlando. One session focused on using QR codes in the classroom and making your lesson reach tactile and kinesthetic learners. I love using QR codes for scavenger hunts for professional development as well.

Creating QR codes is quite easy. There are a large variety of QR Code generators, but I one I found to be free and easy to use is found at http://www.qr-codegenerator.com. This website allows you to choose from a variety of formats to use such as URL, Vcard, text, and email. Once you have created your QR Code, you can save your QR Code or copy and paste it into a document.

QR voice is another amazing tool. You can type your message into the generator and once you scan the code you can hear your message.

To read the QR Codes I recommend http://www.i-nigma.com/downloadi-nigmareader.html.

Why Create a Classroom Website in Adult Education?

There have been increasing numbers of educators who find that a classroom website is a good way to stay organized. In adult education we have a variety of students and we teachers have an abundant amount of information and resources that we share on a daily basis with our students. I have found that by utilizing a classroom website in adult education it gives me a place where I can post classroom updates, a calendar, useful links, etc. that my students ask me to provide. Here are some basic, very useful functions that I use on my own classroom website:        

Announcements Class Calendar Homework Assignments Pictures Post Student Work Classroom Rules and Policies Links My Bio and Contact Info



To sign up for a FREE educational Weebly account go to: www.education.weebly.com



Website Tutorials: Weebly 2015 Introduction tutorial to weebly.com: Create a Free Website.

www.youtu.be/i7PjTgpgqn8 

Weebly is perfect for creating classroom websites, student eportfolios, and websites for assigned projects. Weebly was named one of TIME's 50 Best Websites of the year!

Classroom websites can provide a portal for home and school communication as well as enhance classroom learning.

Through a class website, students can share their learning, access resources and connect with their teacher, peers and the world.

Weebly makes developing a classroom website easy and it's free!

As we return to school this year, please keep in mind the ISTE Student Standards. We as educators are responsible for making sure students know that technology is another instructional tool.

1.

Creativity and Innovation

2.

Communication and Collaboration

3.

Research and Information Fluency

4.

Critical Thinking, Problem Solving and Decision Making

5.

Digital Citizenship

6.

Technology Concepts and Operations

A helpful tip for teachers is to post these somewhere that you see them and remind yourselves daily that teaching technology and teaching WITH technology require dedication on our part to make students successful with the tools that we place in their hands.

Find the entire ISTE Standards here. Determine which standards are more important. Is one really more important than the other? How will you implement them into your classroom?

Are you honoring them daily?

This newsletter was created and published by Matt Cottrill jcottril@k12.wv.us Louise Miller lbmiller@k12.wv.us Amy Lopez alopez@k12.wv.us