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.