TIS & THAT March 2016
Volume 4 Issue 14
Podcasting is Not Dead Podcasting is not dead. In fact, some of the most listened to podcasts are streaming right now. Have you ever heard of Serial? If not, check it out. It is only the first podcast of its kind to capture the attention of millions of listeners. Podcasting has taken the form of videocasting in a lot of classrooms, but podcasts are simple to create.
“Technology is just a tool. In terms of getting the kids working together and
Voice Recording Programs
motivating them, the
If you are interested in having your class create podcasts (or videocasts), the following are some great suggestions:
teacher is the most
Vocaroo.com The voice recording program Vocaroo allows users to record their voice and download it quickly to any computer. It is free to use and you do not have to download software to make it work. Imagine having a different student podcast every week about subjects students find interesting. It sure beats writing the same old essay on paper OfficeMix Another program that is right at our fingertips is Microsoft Office Mix. It is a short download that is an add-on to Microsoft PowerPoint. It allows the students to add voice, video and much more. With completing a few steps, the students can publish it to their Office Mix account (this is the same as their Microsoft 365 account.)
important.” - Bill Gates (BrainyQuote, 2001)
In This Issue:
Podcasting is Not Dead
Upcoming Events
National Day of Unplugging
Nature Websites
Apps and Websites and Such
ISTE Conference - Denver, Colorado - June 26-29, 2016
WV State Technology Conference - The Waterfront Hotel, Morgantown, WV July 19 - 21, 2016
Apple and TIS Trainings
Classroom Blogging
Virtual Reality
Continue on page 2
Upcoming Events… Apple trainings in WV - March 10 –24, 2016 (see page 3 for more details) TIS Spring Meeting - April 6 - 21, 2016 (see page 3 for more details)
Shannon Carnes and Autumn Shelton
Podcasting is Not Dead (continued). . . If you are hesitant to begin a weekly classroom podcast, get inspired by some of the best podcasts available. Here are some of our picks: Techlandia - Technology as told through the voices of children. Ted Talks - Get inspired. Really inspired. The Moth - Who doesn’t love a great story? Warning: tears may fall. Serial - A real-life murder mystery. Season two is going on now! Welcome to Nightvale - A weird Sci-Fi podcast that has been running for years. NPR - News, news, news.
National Day of Unplugging We have national days for just about everything. There is a national “Take a Walk in the Park” day, a “National Tater” day, and even a day for eating blueberry popsicles. We can celebrate something every day of the week if we so wish, including turning off electronic devices.
March 4, 2016 This year, on March 4, it will be the “National Day of Unplugging.” Now, it may seem strange that a TIS and THAT newsletter will include an article on turning off your devices, but as any “techie” can tell you, it is important to get outside every so often.
Explore and Learn With Nature Websites If you want to get outside this Spring, wander around campus, and look at trees, bugs and flowers, then here are a couple of websites that will help make that goal possible. iNaturalist.org is a website that allows users to take photos of what they see in nature and learn about the natural world. Teachers can create groups that will allow students to post photos to the website. Best of all, people from around the world can help the class identify their observations. A complete listing of observations made in West Virginia can be found on this site, as well. The site has been up since 2008, so there are a lot of observations that have already been made. Another great website that will help students identify trees is the Arbor Day Foundation field guide. This guide can be found at http://arborday.org/trees/whattree/.
Explore What is Beyond the Device So, get outdoors and connect with your students. Look at the clouds and determine what type they are, take a nature stroll around your campus, identify trees, or simply incorporate movement in your plans for the day. For most of us, testing is just around the corner, and students will be looking at computer screens for hours. It does the body good to get out, relax, unwind and breathe. To see a complete list of national days and even months, visit http://www.nationaldaycalendar.com (National Day Calendar, 2013-16).
Happy Hunting!
Apps and Websites and Such
Upcoming STEM and Literacy (Language Arts) Sessions provided by Apple: March 10, 2016 - RESA 6 - Wheeling - Seating Available
Bloomz App - This app allows the teacher to communicate in real-time events, updates, and volunteer coordination with parents. Free (Tech & Learning, 2016)
AM Session: STEM Link to register
Adobe Post App - This free iPhone app allows you to change words and images into creative and attractive designs. In addition, it allows you to instantly share it across social media. Free (Tech & Learning, 2014)
AM Session: STEM Link to register
PBS KIDS ScratchJr App - This app allows kids to create their own interactive games and stories. Ages 5-8. Free (Apple, 2016)
PM Session: Liberacy (Language Arts) Link to register
Word Fireworks App This app is a learning game that helps students learn to read and write Chinese, Japanese, Korean, or Hebrew. $2.00 per App. (Tech & Learning, 2014) Tech & Learning - This is a great online resource that provides many articles relating to technology. It also provides new apps and website that could be used in the classroom or tools that are helpful for teachers. In addition, it provides technology events, resources, and a link to their online magazine. Explore and enjoy!
Upcoming Spring TIS Regionals Meeting: All meetings are from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. To register, click on the following link: Register for TIS Meeting
PM Session: Liberacy (Language Arts) Link to register
April 6th - RESA 6 at RESA 6 in Wheeling
March 22, 2016 - RESA 8 Martinsburg - Seating Available
April 7th - RESA 8 at WV School for the Deaf and Blind
PM Session: Liberacy (Language Arts) Link to register
March 23, 2016 - RESA 7 Clarksburg - ALMOST FULL AM Session: STEM Link to register
March 24, 2016 - RESA 5 Parkersburg - ALMOST FULL AM Session: STEM Link to register PM Session: Liberacy (Language Arts) Link to register
April 8th - RESA 7 at RESA 7 in Clarksburg April 13th - RESA 4 at RESA 4 in Summersville April 14th - RESA 1 at RESA 7 in Beckley April 19th - RESA 3 at RESA 3 NITRO April 20th - RESA 2 at Cabell County Board of Education Come, learn, and share technology ideas with colleagues!
Virtual Reality is Heading Our Way with Release of New Product Our future is quickly moving towards the widespread use of virtual reality. While most of us started our gaming lives with a Nintendo or Sega system, today students are getting ready to step inside virtual games and open a new educational world by using devices such as the upcoming consumer version of the Oculus Rift. The Oculus Rift is a headset that allows the wearer to watch immersive movies, play games in virtual worlds, or just take a stroll through the streets of Paris. According to the Oculus Rift website, the device will be released on March 28 for those who pre-order. It is expensive ($599), but that price is small for those who cannot wait to step into a virtual world.
(Google, n.d.)
For those of us on smaller budgets, Google Cardboard is still a great way to invite students into Virtual Reality (VR). To use Google Cardboard, you only need a smart phone and the cardboard viewer. While there are many educational VR videos available online, teachers can create videos inside their own classroom with a Continued on page 4
Classroom Blogging Can Be a Great Start Point for Hesitant Teacher With all of this talk about podcasting, it is worth noting that blogs remain one of the best ways for educators to keep students and parents informed about all of the great things that are happening in the classroom. One tried and true website for blogging is called https://edublogs.org/. This site uses the WordPress format for blogging, but it is geared toward educators. The free version is customizable and allows users to create word posts and upload media files (like those podcasts that students can start making) all in one site.
Principals Can Blog, Too
Virtual Reality (Continued). . .
360 degree camera. If you like a challenge and can get your hands on a bunch of Go-Pro cameras, you can make your own 360 degree camera by arranging them in a circle. (Fun project for students?) To learn more about either of these products visit, http:// www.google.com/get/ cardboard or the Oculus Rift blog at https:// www.oculus.com/en-us/ blog/.
Blogs can be great for principals who want to keep teachers informed about school happenings and professional development. Blogs, like podcasts, may lead the way to vlogs and 360 degree classroom videos. Technology is addictive. Check out Edublogs by visiting https://edublogs.org/. To learn more about 360 degree video cameras, visit http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/360-degreeVR-360-degree-virtual-reality. Then, go buy 360 degree camera for your classroom.
(Google, n.d.) (Oculus Rift, 2016)
Credits Apple, Inc. (2016). PBS KIDS ScratchJr. Retrieved from https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/pbs-kids-scratchjr/id1047840202 BrainyQuotes. (2001). Technology Quotes. Retrieved from http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/topics/ topic_technology.html. Edublogs. (2015). Easy blogging for education. Retrieved from https://edublogs.org/. Google. (n.d.). Google cardboard. Retrieved from https://www.google.com/get/cardboard/ Haughn, M. & Rouse, M. (October 2015). 360-degree vr (360-degree virtual reality). Retrieved from http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/360-degree-VR-360-degree-virtual-reality iNaturalist. (n.d.). iNaturalist.org. Retrieved from http://www.inaturalist.org/. National Day Calendar. (2013-2016). National day of unplugging - first Friday in March. Retrieved from http://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/national-day-of-unplugging-first-friday-in-march/ Oculus Rift, LLC. (2016.) rift next-generation virtual reality. Retrieved from https://www.oculus.com/en-us/rift/ Tech & Learning. (2016). Awards of Excellence. The Awards Issue. Tech & Learning. (2014). What’s new. Retrieved from http://www.techlearning.com/resources/0003/whats-new/69902