Preparing for a 1:1 Classroom

Several presenters at the ICE Conference reiterated the same idea; going to a 1:1 classroom requires a huge amount of effort up-front, but it gets easier for the teacher every subsequent year.  I attended the conference in hopes of finding helpful hints for flipping my classroom using the 1:1 design.  I took ideas from different presenters and came up with a list of things to get done by next fall.
1.  Create a library of 5-9 minute videos that students will watch as homework each night.  Ugh!  This task will be time-consuming.  Do we have a summer curriculum project?  Get a You Tube channel.
2.  Learn how to use Moodle as a portal. 
3.  I can have students take quizzes at home or in class using Moodle.  Quizzes can be imported through ExamView.  Sign-up for an ExamView class.
4.  Find Salmaan Khan on You Tube.  Apparently he has a tremendous number of science lectures and demos already made, which would decrease the number of videos I would have to make myself.
5.  Investigate the Mobile Interactive Whiteboard ($300) which would allow me to roam around the room while I write on the tablet and project the information.  Prevents being locked in one place and improves ability to manage the classroom.
6.  Go digital with my curriculum.  All handouts should be prepared and placed in Moodle for kids to access.
7.  Create a list of apps that my students will need to successfully learn in a 1:1 classroom.  An app that appears to be extremely useful for students is "Good Reader."  It allows Powerpoints to be converted into pdf files, which kids can type their notes into or write on top of with a stylus.  It also allows me to grade documents, put immediate feedback on the paper using a stylus, and email the document back to the kid.  Sounds great for going paperless!

ICE Conference: Collaborative Tools for the Classroom

ICE Conference, Collaborative Tools

Wow! The logo on everything "nebraska loves our public schools" and it is stated frequently. I want to hear "illinois loves our public schools & teachers" so was very interested in what they are doing. One technique to gain community support, I was able to identify is the many video clips they publish online for the community to view. Videos are students explaining what and how they are learning in a Challenge Based Learning community. the raw footage goes to a digital editing class lab at the high school so has a professional touch.

Focus of Presentation: Challenge Based Learning
Not enough to just use technology anymore, in the future must collaborate from behind the walls. Katie Morrow from O'Neil, NE a very small community was an excellent presenter. Because O'Neill is isolated the desire to reach out and communicate with other communities is strong. She is a distinguished Apple educator and had many apps to bring collaboration within the classroom as well as outside the community and country.

http://nelovesps.org/watchnow?TN=PROJECT-20110314021231

Socrative (just out of beta version)
free response engage the class using any device--any web enabled
quiz poll

Daily blogger--each day different student adds to blog
collaboritive through Blogger
google presentations students work together on creating a presentation
voicethread Advantage: more than one voice comments on presentation. Teacher can add voice for comments. (Feedback is instant) Other students can give voice feedback

backchannel -use students interest in Twitter to complement the classroom
tinychat.com
todaysMeet.com creat a room, no account, transcript from chat can be viewed. can view transcript
google Presentations;; backchannel view together; anyone else can joint the chat

Google Forms
Assessment --peer evalutation
creat form
collet results
results summary

Dropbox
available on all web enabled devices

Social Bookmarking
http::diigo.com
http://delcious.com--sharing/ bookmarks--central place for all your bookmarks. Can choose which ones you want to share

Wallwisher
concept map: wall on a topic; anyone can click on a wall and add
http://wallwisher.com buggy
primarywall
stixy
corkboard

Collaborate with Experts
video conferenceing software
Skype, Ichat
Ichat theatre
-- Homebound or sick student can join the class
Wiki
Outline a chapter. groups decide on dividing the work up.

Glogster online poster

http:www.tinyurl.com/healthycommunity
How can the community become more healthy? Students in PE class documented on spreadsheet family activity, food choices, etc over a specified period of time.

Process
challenge basis learned
collaborators in learning
real world problem
what
measure
challengebasedlearning.org
post challenge/ solutions
reduce carbon footprint
start with action word
authentic use of technology

Edmodo -- free safe (just your class not open to whole world
Blogger
mrsmorrow.com

ICE Conference: Goudy IPAD 1:1

Goudy IPAD 1:1 Initiative ICE Conference 2012
Goudy is a CPS elementary school in the Uptown neighborhood. I was interested on a totally personal level because that is where I attended kindgergarten . Awhile back, it was listed as the worst elementary school in America--not a label any school would want. So I was curious as to what was going on there now and what students were doing.

Goudy received a 1:1 grant and all students have an IPad issued to them during the school day. This is some of what the presenter discussed:
Lots of rules concerning use of technology k-8
Students pick up Ipad in a.m. on their way to homeroom, keep through out the day but can't take home. Transient demographics and student may not return next day. (Not a flipped classroom model)
Pays a $20 student tech fee (will cover cost of broken items- which have been very few) Tech coordinator brings to Apple Store and great service is noted.
No student ability to download apps--tech coordinator purchases teacher requested apps and downloads.
Students do not keep same IPAD from year to year, apps are different depending on grade level course work.
no games
no email access other than district account

Students are heavily involved in project based learning assignments. Some excellent student created videos about the cultural diversity of the neighborhood were shown.

Watching these elementary students with the technology in hand made me realize how much high schools will have to adjust to keep students challenged and interested.

ICE Conference: YouTube Lucy Gray

ICE Conference: YouTube
Lucy Gray-certified Google Apps Instructor
Google custom search --roll your own search engine of appropriate classroom youtube videos
curate, locate, organize

unload video via email
We interviewed each other and uploaded to her account 6248654725@mms.youtube.com
collect collaborated videos, pictures
use photobooth
Students document with video on a Field trip: T-Mobile (or other vendor) wi fi that allows 5 users to connect and upload. Or bring several 3G enabled IPADs. Upload to class video account.

Suggests you have a school account and personal account on YouTube

Showed us how to share link (embed code)
curated a playlist according to contenting
filter channel -- Youtubeedu section; students can only see what you want them to see on Youtube. But, teachers can see everything

ICE Conference: Stick Pick

Session: TEACHING SMARTER NOT HARDER USING THE IPAD, IPHONE, ITOUCH, ICE CONFERENCE, 2012

Teacher Tools for IPad & Iphone

Stick Pick --another favorite app featured
Very useful for recording student responses as teacher walks around room. Organized by class, teacher can randomly choose student and the level of question for assessment.
After inputing student roster the app allows the customization of student level of questioning based on Blooms question stems--knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. Pick student, choose among question stems, and record-- correct, incorrect, opinion. User can include your own questions. All the stems will work for any subject.

Reports: gives a summary of student responses; participation, quality of answers

Includes ESL: pick a level

assesses & rates
shares
email data

Included is an instruction video about Stick Pick

ICE Conference: Teacher Assistant

Session: TEACHING SMARTER NOT HARDER USING THE IPAD, IPHONE, ITOUCH, ICE CONFERENCE, 2012
Teacher Assistant (Lesson Portal, LLC)
Definitely one of the most practical for teachers. I already have installed full app (free version or $6.99) yes, pricey) It will track Student Behavior and Classroom Habits--Ipad or Itouch, Iphone

Personal comments: For myself, I view this app as an excellent way to accumulate data for a student-teacher conference to work out strategies to change or reward behavior. Currently, I use sticky notes, evernotes, notes on margins of pages and at the end of the day most are lost or forgotten. The presenter uses it in 1st grade--still applicable for high school students!
Features:

• security code available (student confidentiality)




• iphone or ipad gives easy and ready access to record daily student habit data for student or parent conference




• Imports your roster from your contacts, csv, manually; can categorized by class period-Can set up several classes




• Action--whatever you want. After you enter/edit a list of behaviors, you check off. Examples: no homework, phone out, earbuds, sleeping in class, not participating in group work,& good behavior too!




• auto records date and time




• teacher response




• (I added a new field for student response)
  location--you add rooms, computer lab, resource center, gym, then its just a check mark




• parent notified




• description




• color label




• Keeps record for each student and is easy to email to self, parent, administrator or print out.
  




• Presenter commented that the app author is excellent and updates ideas from users who




• give feedback.video tutorials on youtube




• Dropbox exportable (for backup)
  

Tech Tools to Simplify Your Life

One of my favorite sessions was "Tech Tools to Simplify Your Life."  Not only will I use many of the tools in there, but with our new class, "Emerging Technologies" next school year, I have a myriad of new resources for that class!!


The resources from this session, which provided a myriad of Web 2.0 tools, can be found at:
http://fernandezc4.zapd.net/. 


My favorite "new tool" is Symbaloo, a creative and attractive social bookmarking site.  The sites become icons that serve as links to the various sites.  It also provides additional Web 2.0 resources from which a user can add to their "favorites," providing a learning opportunity in itself!!


I envision using this two ways.


1. Creating a webmix for each class with tools specifically for that class.
2. Showing my students how to develop their own set of tools to use in other classes and to build their own network of resources.


The direct link to the EDU Symbaloo is:
http://edu.symbaloo.com/

Thursday - 1:1 Anywhere Anytime Learning (Niles)

This was run by Niles Township (Guy Ballard, Phil Lacy, and Marcelo Sanz).  It was a presentation as to how they've implemented a districtwide 1:1 roll out for the past 2 years (incoming freshmen each year are receiving devices).  I found them to be very professional as well as informative as to how they went about their decisions.

For Professional Development, they had the following:

• For Teachers
• 3 levels of in-district classes that teachers can get credit on
• access to professional workshops and conferences
• the district will host a technology conference (to aid in bullet#2)
• a teacher computer lab for a Professional Development Center
• For Students
• Tech support and training available for students
• Community service credit for student techs
• Dedicated Technical Support for program (2 per school)

Hardware & Printing

• Purchased devices for students, teachers, tech support, check-outs
• Developed a quick check-out system to quickly distribute hundreds of devices
• Went with Netbooks.  Cost is currently $325 with a 3 year warranty.
• This was chosen based upon cost as well as durability
• Thee netbook itself is researched and revisited annually to purchase the best choice each year
• Use open source operating sytem (linux based) and are going to use Ubermix next year. Also use freeware for word processing and similar apps.
• Encourage students to save everything to cloud and if there are technical issues, netbooks are reset to "factory settings" based upon school image.
• Students are given ownership of the device once it is given to them.
• Students can add any personal software including operating system they want. (if problem, district just resets to image.
• Cost of device should offset cost of books and photocopying over time and is meant to be part of registration fees.
• 10% replace rule holds true for them.
• When ordering devices, give time to manufacture as bulk purchases will require extra time to arrive.
• Niles considers this a BYOD model where the district buys the students their 1st device.
• Printing is discouraged and printers are purposefully scarce.
• Student Handbook is no longer printed in Niles. Digital only.

Wireless and Applications

• Niles currently has 260 MB pipe and will be purchasing an additional 100 for next year. (They have 2500 netbooks in circulation this year.)
• Niles installed charging stations within the building for students to access.
• Wireless coverage is a constant work in progress.  Capacity and Density need monitoring and adjustment.
• Currently using a firewall (Palo Alto) that prioritizes applications so that you can filter based upon that instead of port traffic.
• Authentication is currently disabled because it choked the system.  They would see 800 kids disappear from the network at the end of a period and then all attempt to jump back onto the network after the passing period.  Authentication could not handle it.
• District uses Google Apps and through their educational service, they can archive data.

Thursday - One to What? BYOD v. 1:1

This presentation was a soapbox presentation by Michelle Luhtala who expressed her views in regards to BYOD.  Her district uses a MAC Address registration process.  Once that MAC Address is registered, students gain access to the wi-fi.  (This registration includes graduation year so that their information can remain current.)

She also stated a couple interesting tidbits such as the fact that Iowa seems to be heavily using Google Apps and that English Departments should cross check all of their reading lists with books that may be available for free digitally.  (Many of the older authors may indeed be free for download and worth checking out.)

It was also thought provoking as to how open, loud, and digital her library was depicted in videos.  It was more of a cyber cafe than a library and it was more of a commons than a "quiet area".  The students seemed very happy with the situation.

She also supplied an Acceptable Use Policy link  that her district is using.

Thursday - Transforming Classrooms with iPads

The speakers for this session were using 1:1 classrooms with 1st and 5th graders.  They supplied quite a bit of the applications that they use but I was more interested in how they were utilizing the technology.  They attempted to use iPads as a tool to give students options for creation and reflection.  The majority of the examples that were supplied involved the students creating something using an iPad and then having audio/video tied into the project.  The Audio and/or Video would be for the students to reflect upon what they're doing or on how and why they decided to create the project.

The majority of the applications cost money.  I have only included a few apps onto the Pearl Tree that I've created since I couldn't evaluate them freely.

Those apps used but required purchase:
Apple Pages, Comic Life, Story Kit, Book Creator, eBook Magic, Snapseed, Hipstamatic, SonicPics, Confer

Those apps that were free (and on the Pearl Tree):
Adobe Photoshop Express, Vimeo, qrstuff.com, Edmodo, Kidblog, Google Forms, Screen Chomp

Thursday - Tech and Translliteracy - Meet the Zombie Invasion

This cleverly titled session was using zombies as an analogy of how students behave in the traditional classroom.  It was an apps session where they did a show & tell on a bunch of different applications.  They organized these applications (which I liked) under 4 headings:  Create, Collaborate, Communicate, and Curate.

I have created a pearl tree of the links after looking at each of them and filtering out the "pay" apps.  You can go to that pearl tree here.  I have expanded this Pearl Tree to include apps that I've found from other sessions and I've continued with the 4 headings with an addition of Assessment for a 5th category.

The apps that are not included from this seminar because they seemed poor or cost money include: iBook Creator, PicLots

Flipped Classrooms

Andrew Montgomery from Roycemore School presented how he manages a flipped classroom.  I think the one thing we should take away from his presentation is that he does not expect the videos and resources that he posts to replace classroom instruction.  They are posted to allow students to preview the material before class and to review the material after class.  He realizes that (a) some kids do not have Internet access at home, and (b) some kids simply won't watch the videos even if they are considered a requirement. Posting the videos helps students get ahead or to at least keep up with the class.  


His videos are 5 - 9  minutes long which helps to keep them interesting and focused.  His videos are all narrated whiteboarding sessions using his Mobi board to write and Screencast-O-Matic to do the recordings, or they are narrated presentations/ PowerPoints.

Along with the videos, he also posts additional materials and links to go with the lessons. He uses Khan Academy, a site with high-quality video lessons that focus mainly on math and science but the site does include other subjects and topics.


The overall focus for Mr. Montgomery is to use the videos to help students prepare for the lesson that day.  Students have a rough idea before class begins whether or not they understand the material, and they are prepared to ask focused questions during the instruction. They are ready for the lesson, which makes the instructional piece go faster and therefore allows for more time to practice the material, i.e. do their homework in class while the teacher is still with them and available to answer their questions.