iPads in the Classrooms

The Hampton-Dumont CSD has purchased 100+ iPads for student use and most of them have finally been rolled out for students to use.  The rollout took place over the week of October 22 and still is taking place as this is a gentle learning process for all involved.
 
Currently there is 1 tray of 10 iPads at North Side for special education students to explore, a cart of 25 iPads at South Side for all students to use and 2 trays of 10 iPads each for the special education students to explore, 3 trays of 10 iPads each at the Middle School for the special education students to explore, and 1 tray of 10 iPads at the High School for the special education students to explore.

Like mentioned before this is a gentle process for all involved as this is a new technology endeavor for the technology department as well as the teaching staff.  All have been accommodating as they are eager to get them into the students hands as another tool to support and enhance their learning.

I will keep you updated on our adventures with keeping the iPads up to date, the teachers adapting to them, the students exploring them and more.

Laptop Applications to Explore

You and/or your students have access to a multitude of applications directly on the laptops that could be used anytime without an Internet connect.  If your students do not have the applications below located within the Applications Folder on the Macintosh HD, please let me know.

A few to explore are:
GeoGebra (Math, Science, Engineering teachers) and Stellarium (Science Teachers)

*GeoGebra provides interactive free mathematics learning materials along with interactive graphics, algebra and spreadsheet information.

Online Free Student Material (more like interactives) (Area of Circles example)

Tutorials

Blog

YouTube Videos

*Stellarium shows a realistic sky in 3D as if you were in your backyard looking up into the sky with your naked eye, with binoculars or a telescope.
By clicking on the coordinates at the bottom left of your screen, you can be provided a menu with more options to suffice your needs.

Some of these options (which can be turned on or off with keyboard shortcuts) are:
Constellation Lines, Constellation Labels, Constellation Art
Equatorial Grids
Ground, Cardinal Points, Atmosphere
Nebulas, Planet Labels
Night Mode, Full Screen Mode
and
Location Window Preferences
Date/time Window Preferences
Sky and viewing options window preferences
Search Window
Configuration Window

Self-Guided Web 2.0 Tools Challenge

The HDCSD staff has been challenged:

I challenge you to to register for this Free 2 week Self-Guided Web 2.0 Challenge.  I did it over the summer and learned some things.

http://plpnetwork.com/2010/12/21/self-guided-web-2-0-tools-course/

"This self-guided course using Web 2.0 tools, such as blogs, wikis, Twitter, and social networking/bookmarking sites, will help you begin to build your personal learning network and prepare you for participating in a connected learning community as a whole. We hope you feel the excitement building as you take the first steps toward preparing for what’s ahead this year in your Community."

And if you feel like it is something you already know or it is too much, you can skip the activity, delete the email and wait for another activity the next day.

Let's see you takes on the challenge and learns something new.

Online Learning/Online Text Books

Below are some free online learning materials and online text books that could easily take the place of physical text books in the classroom.  The material is provided as to read through it online and/or read through and interact with video, questions, and other material online.  All of these web sites provide the opportunity for students and staff to save money with future textbook purchases.

CK-12 - Free easy to use tools for you, your teachers and your schools so that you get your learning done. (Matches to Core Curriculum Standards)

Opening Learning Initiative - Transforming higher education through the science of learning.

Sophia - What do you want to learn?

Help your students become better searchers

Take a look at this link for helping your students to become better searchers.
http://www.google.com/insidesearch/searcheducation/index.html

It has Lesson Plans & Activities, has Live Trainings, "A Google A Day" Challenges and a Power Search Course.

The Lesson Plans & Activities range from Beginner, Intermediate, Advance and includes topics such as:
Picking the right search terms
Understanding search results
Narrowing a search to get the best results
Searching for evidence for research tasks
Evaluating Credibility Resources

"A Google A Day" challenges might be a good beginning of the class activity while taking attendance or end of the class when some time is left.

The Power Search Course is an online course that runs from September 24-October 10 that you can signup for Free and personally learn how to Search better which will help you when instructing your students.

Iowa Core - 21st Century Skills: Technology Literacy Integration

Technology Literacy Essential Concepts and Skills

• Creativity & Innovation

Grades 9-12: Demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology.
Grades 6-8: Demonstrate creative thinking in the design and development of innovative technology products and problem solving.
Grades 3-5: Use technology resources to create original products, identify patterns and problems, make predictions, and propose solutions.
Grades K-2: Use technology to create projects, identify patterns, and make predictions.

• Communication & Collaboration

Grades 9-12: Use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others.
Grades 6-8: Collaborate with peers, experts, and others using interactive technology.
Grades 3-5: Use interactive technologies in a collaborative group to produce digital presentations or products in a curricular area.
Grades K-2: Use a variety of technology tools and media-rich resources to work collaboratively with others.

• Research & Information Fluency

Grades 9-12: Utilize predetermined digital resources and tools to answer questions or solve problems.Grades 6-8: Utilize digital tools and resources to investigate real‐world issues, answer questions, or solve problems.
Grades 3-5: Plan strategies utilizing digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information.
Grades K-2: Apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information

• Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, & Decision Making

Grades 9-12: Demonstrate critical thinking skills using appropriate tools and resources to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems and make informed decisions.
Grades 6-8: Use critical thinking skills to conduct research, solve problems, and make informed decisions using appropriate technological tools and resources.
Grades 3-5: Use technological resources to develop and refine questions for investigation.
Grades K-2: Use technological resources to investigate given questions or problems.

• Digital Citizenship

Grades 9-12: Understand human, cultural, and societal issues related to technology and practice legal and ethical behavior.
Grades 6-8: Understand the legal and ethical issues of technology as related to individuals, cultures, and societies.
Grades 3-5: Understand and practice appropriate, legal, and safe uses of technology for lifelong learning.
Grades K-2: Understand and practice appropriate and safe uses of technology.

• Technology Operations & Concepts

Grades 9-12: Demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology.
Grades 6-8: Demonstrate creative thinking in the design and development of innovative technology products and problem solving.
Grades 3-5: Use technology resources to create original products, identify patterns and problems, make predictions, and propose solutions.
Grades K-2: Use technology to create projects, identify patterns, and make predictions

Hampton Chronicle

Hampton Chronicle

Check out information about our Free Technology Recycling.

Bloom's Digital Taxonomy

Teacher's were asked to read the article:  Use any Web 2.0 Tool an any level of Bloom's Taxonomy.
They then explored a Bloom's DIGITAL Taxonomy Pyramid with a variety of clickable Web 2.0 Tools.  Below are some notes that teachers jotted down using the Wallwisher web site.  Take a look.

Below are a couple web sites related to Open Education Resources where you can download materials for FREE and use for FREE on your own or with/by students related to:

Textbooks
Training Materials
Activities & Labs
Full Course
to name a few.

All subject areas, grade levels, and media formats are covered along with relationships to the Common Core, Pre-College Courses, Open Textbooks, Classroom Management, and Career and Technical Education.

This would provide those online opportunities for students that need MORE at any level of learning.

Listed are a couple examples.
http://www.ck12.org/flexbook/book/6204
http://www.jamesbrennan.org/algebra/
http://www.exploratorium.edu/cooking/index.html
http://constitutioncenter.org/lincoln/
http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2006/10/30/a-tale-of-two-wars/
http://www.trumanlibrary.org/1948.htm

Thanks for taking a look, Brandon.

http://www.oercommons.org/
http://oerconsortium.org/

BCLUW 1:1 Visit

I visited BCLUW in Conrad on Thursday, March 29 to see how year 3 of having a 1:1 laptop program was going and how it compared to our year 2 of having a 1:1 laptop program.  It was awesome to see how the teachers are incorporating technology into their curriculum with their students learning and it was awesome to see that we are progressing at the right pace and on the right track to integrate technology into the student's curriculum and to make the teachers feel technology as just a tool and nothing more.  It was good to hear that phrased at the meeting that:

Technology is just a tool
Technology is an enhancement not a crutch
Good teachers are still going to be good teachers, with or without, technology

Of course we could always be doing more, doing it differently but so could everything else, to be done more to be done differently.

We are getting there (with technology)

Final agenda for the H-D District Tech Committee - March, 8, 2012

Well our first try, back on February 23, for the H-D District Tech Committee meeting did not work out due to weather.  So our second try for the H-D District Tech Committee meeting is going to take place on Thursday, March 8, 2012.  Below is the final timeline for the committee members and presenters.  Should be a good day.

12:30-1:05 - Lunch Provided
12:50-1:05 - Introductions (while we eat lunch)
1:05-1:35 - Technology Activity
1:35-1:45 - Tech Presenter - 6th Math & Reading/7th Math & Science
1:45-1:45 - Tech Department Information
1:55-2:05 - Tech Presenter - 1st Grade
2:05-2:10 - H-D Technology Survey/Research Information
2:10-2:15 - Break
2:15-2:35 - Tech Presenter - 4th-8th Grade Technology
2:35-2:40 - Times are Changing Video
2:40-2:50 - Tech Presenter - 4yr old Preschool
2:50-3:00 - Development of School Fusion page requirements; how are we doing?
3:00-3:10 - Tech Presenter - Family & Consumer Science
3:10-3:20 - Tech Presenter - 5th Grade
3:20-3:45 - Conclusion/Thoughts

H-D District Tech Committee Meeting

The Hampton-Dumont District Tech Committee Meeting is just around the corner with ideas flowing galore and presenters from the various H-D schools getting ideas ready to showcase to the Tech Committee.  This year we are very interested in seeing how teachers throughout all of the H-D schools are integrating technology into their curriculum, using technology to benefit them as educators, and their students using technology to benefit them as learners.  Listed below is a tentative agenda on the information we are wanting to showcase and have showcased to members and presenters at the H-D District Tech Committee.

12:30-1:15 - Lunch Provided
1:00-1:15 - Introductions (while we eat lunch)
1:15-1:45 - Technology Activity/Break
1:45-1:55 - Tech Presenter
1:55-2:05 - Tech Department Information
2:05-2:15 - Tech Presenter
2:15-2:20 - H-D Technology Survey/Research Information
2:20-2:40 - Tech Presenter
2:40-2:45 - Shift Happens Video/Break
2:45-2:55 - Tech Presenter
2:55-3:05 - SchoolFusion
3:05-3:15 - Tech Presenter
3:15-3:25 - Tech Presenter
3:25-3:30 - Conclusion/Thoughts

Findings at the AEA 267 InfoTech Advisory Board Meeting

I learned about TrueFlix (very similar to BookFlix but for 3rd-5th graders) yesterday at an AEA 267 meeting.  I have played around with it a little bit, but it is affiliated with AEA267 and uses the same AEA267 Username and Password assigned to each building.  It is not on the www.iowaaeaonline.orgweb site as not all AEAs in the state subscribe to it yet.  Take a look around, see if it would work for you, a couple students or all your students and if you think it might be beneficial add as a link to your SchoolFusion page(s).

I also learned about neibors.lib.overdrive.com for your AudioBook and/or eBook needs through the public libraries.  When you get to the web site, click on the Quick Reference Guide on the left hand side for more information, but essentially if you have a public library card you have access to download free audiobooks to be played on your computer or mp3 devices and access to download free ebooks for your ebook devices such as Kindle, Nook, iPad and more.

Lastly I learned that AEA267 will be offering, hopefully before May, a new online print center so we are able to order larger prints and more graphical prints over the internet, just like you would order something online through Amazon.com.  You can place your order, upload your order, track your order and create an order to be printed and then shipped to you instead of having to fill out a form each time and email it along with your attachments.  

Also Iowa AEA PD Online is looking for more online instructors to teach classes online to other teaching professionals needing certification or graduate credit hours.  If you feel this is something you are interested in check out the Iowa AEA PD online link above.

Findings at the AEA 267 Technology Integrationist Meeting

Findings at the AEA 267 Technology Integrationist Meeting shows that Hampton-Dumont, compared to other schools, has some technology areas to improve on, but is excelling in many areas of technology that we should feel accomplished about, yet wanting to further achieve more.

Areas to Improve on
Using software, applications, online tools to promote student learning, K-12
Using Google Forms for formative and summative assessments including Semester Tests to try and make testing a more paperless environment
Exploring the possibility of iPads
1:1 Laptop Classroom Management
Returning students documents paperlessly (Google Docs Collections is a possibility)

Areas we are Excelling
Teachers use of technology through Tech PDs
Teachers showcasing their use of technology through Tech PDs
Uses of Bulldog Byte in classrooms and outside of classrooms
Using the 1:1 Laptops
Turning in student documents through SchoolFusion

Technology Instructional Rounds

Starting next week I am going to make some more Technology Instructional rounds, as the 2nd semester is beginning at the HS and MS on Monday.  I am hoping to get into most of the classrooms for 10-12 minutes to gain a better idea of what the students are learning, what the teachers are teaching, and how technology can better enhance/differentiate the learning and teaching in the classrooms to provide a well-rounded education for all participants.

My hope is to gather a least 1 piece of information from each class to be able to build upon and look into to better provide technology ideas to the teachers and students.

We will see what happens and what I can gain from listening to the teachers, watching the students and seeing what items on their walls will better help me understand their curriculum.

3 Technology Resolutions for 2012

A few things to try out with Technology for the 2012 year and the rest of the 2011-2012 school year.

Find or be an edtech mentor/friend with another educator at your school.
     You most likely have a mentor/friend that you converse with related to teaching and learning.  Use that same mentor/fried or find another mentor/friend that you feel comfortable using technology with to be a edtech mentor/fried when you need help or support with technology personally and/or with students.

Try Twitter (really!)  www.twitter.com
     I have been user twitter for the past year, without even personally posting a comment, and have gained numerous ideas and thoughts related to technology and a variety of educational topics.
Try searching and following #edtech or #edchat when you setup a Free account.


Join a Professional EdTech Network
     I have recently done this but have not explored it enough.  Very similar to how local Professional Learning Networks (PLNs) might be setup between you and your colleagues, try joining an online Professional EdTech Network to receive emails or notifications with ideas and content related to your interests.  Below are some to look into.
www.iste.org
www.edupln.org 


Thoughts and ideas gathered from: http://www.guide2digitallearning.com/blog_jim_vanides/3_edtech_tips_resolutions_2012

Tech&Learning Web Sites - 2011

Listed below are 2011 web site reviews from Tech & Learning broken down into educational categories.  If you have time to take a look at just 1 that is better than nothing.

iPad Resources
A Catalog of iPad Apps for Teachers and Students » 
Top 10 iPad Tips & Tricks »
iPads, iPod Touches, and iPhones as Assistive Technology in Education »
Back-to-School Apps for Teachers »
Involve, Prepare, Apply, and Develop: iPads in the Classroom »

Video, Clip Art, Images Resources
Top 10 Sites for Images and Clip Art »
Top 10 Alternatives to YouTube » 
Photo Ops: 10 Innovative Ways to Use Visual Media »
Top 10 Sites for Video Editing »

Teacher Resources
Top 100 Sites of 2011 »
Top 10 Sites for Educational Games »
Top 25 Web 2.0 Sites for Education »
Web Tools that Every Educator Should Have in the Bag » 
Top 10 Sites for Educational Resources »
Top 10 Self Help Sites for Technology »
Upgrade your KWL Chart to the 21st Century »


Student Resources
A Math Hater’s Five Fave Math Resources »

Digital Storytelling Tools »

E-textbooks made available offline »

Top 10 Sites for Creating Word Clouds »

Tech Integration Meetings

My Technology Integration Meeting goal is almost complete.  I have been and still am actively setting up reoccurring monthly Tech Integration meetings with subject levels such as Social Studies, English, etc. at the High School, by open Periods of the school day such as Period 1, Period 7, etc. at the Middle School and by Grade Level such as Kindergarten, 3rd grade, etc. at South Side Elementary.

At the High School I am able to meet with more than 75% of the staff 1 time each month for 15-20 minutes, taking the time to showcase a few technology tools and taking the time to gather thoughts and ideas from them to help them integrate technology into their classrooms.
At the Middle School I am able to meet with more than 50% of the staff 1 time each month for 15-20 minutes.  I am still working on a few grade levels, trying to find a common time once per month to meet, but it has been tough, which is a fault to no one except the busy schedules the teachers and staff have each and every day, all day.
At South Side Elementary I am starting to meet with more than 75% of the staff 1 time each month for 15-20 minutes.  I am hoping to make this a reoccurring monthly meeting for the rest of the school year as I have only had 1 meeting with each grade level compared to 3 meetings with the High School teachers already throughout the school year.

These meetings have been great to showcase Web Site Resources that I have gathered, allow teachers to use applications more extensively than they have used them before, and to provide them the opportunity to just "play around" with different online tools such as their Gmail and Google Docs.

In time I will be gathering resources from them to better support the foundation of their curriculum through the use of technology.

6th Graders Using Numbers

This morning I worked with a 6th grade teacher who introduced Numbers to her Math students for the purpose of them understand how to enter data in a spreadsheet, take that data and turn it into a graph, and from the data type a conclusion paragraph interpreting the data.  The lesson went very well and the students caught on quickly about the purpose and uses of Numbers, and about the functions Numbers provides.  Most people do not like exploring software that deals with spreadsheets, but these students really seemed to enjoy plotting their 10 day weather forecast, turning that information into a double line graph, and then writing a conclusion paragraph as if they were report the forecast for the next 10 days.
Definitely something I did not expect going into the classroom, as my previous experiences with Numbers or Excel with students have not boded well, but I underestimated.

I will be joining another teacher on Wednesday teaching the same lesson.  So it will again be interesting to see how the students handle Numbers and how they learn the purpose and uses of Numbers.

Technology Tools Advent Calendars

The season of Advent is always filled with eagerness and expectancy.  Build some of that anticipation into your school day by allowing students or yourself to unlock a new secret on the advent calendar each day.  Use these advent calendars with the whole class on an interactive whiteboard or projector, or set them up as a quick center activity that students can visit.  Use the advent calendars that reveal a story to practice looking for foreshadowing clues, using context clues to guess what will happen next, or as story starters for students own stories.  

The potential curricular related advent calendars are wonderful for teaching students some of the history of Christmas and the way that other cultures celebrate the familiar holiday.  

The technology tools advent calendars showcase a different Web 2.0 Technology Tool each day for teacher use, student use or both.

Technology Tools Advent Calendars

http://www.wix.com/ktenkely/advent

http://www.librarycraft.com/festive24things/2010/12/01/

Potential Curricular related Advent Calendars

http://dirtdirt.com/advent/09/?tillchristmas
Click on a number and an animation will be added to the tree.

http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/Xmas/calendar/index.html#calendar
This is a fun way for students to test their knowledge and learn about the ways that Christmas is celebrated all around the world.  As an extension, plot the places around the world that they are learning about on a world map.