Empowering Students

While there are many challenges to overcome with technology integration, especially in a 1:1 implementation, there are also many benefits. Much of the time, attention has been focused on how teachers are using the tools to change delivery of instruction or addressing classroom management. Instead, this post will focus on how students have used the new technology as a way to "own" their own learning. 

 

Featured iPad Apps

 

 

The first featured app was found by Sophomore Allison Urban. Allison was looking for a way to study for an upcoming Anatomy and Physiology quiz that went beyond the usual flashcards. What she found is a LabelED, a free app from Gerrard Apps. The app works by allowing the user to import images and create labels on the image. Labels can be name only or include details, definitions and audio recording. The user can then choose from two different methods of quizzing, location or multiple choice. Users can organize the material by creating "books" of different subjects or units. There are books already available in the app for purchase that feature subjects such as bones and muscles.

 

As an aspiring interior designer, Krystina was tasked with creating floor layout solutions as part of the redesign of the library. The assignment was to create two potential layouts for a new seating area to present to students. The students will choose from the layouts how the new seating area will be arranged. Krystina looked at several potential options, including web-based programs, but chose the iPad app  MagicPlan for the project. Going beyond a scaled placement concept, the app actually measures and and draws your floor plan from pictures that you take on the iPad.

 

Maximizing Google

 While students are using Google Drive and Apps in teacher-directed capacities, they are finding an advantage on their own to how they can organize their work and increase submission of assignments. Several students have mentioned the ability to share Google Drive items has decreased their missing assignments. Senior drama student, Angelica, struggled in the past with keeping papers organized and submitting assignments on time. To solve this problem, Angelica created one document in her Google drive drama folder and shared it with her teacher. Every day she opens the same document and adds her response. The assignment is already "shared" with Mrs. Bokano, eliminating missing assignments.

 

Getting the Most Out of Your Learning Platform

 

Teachers choose to integrate a web-based platform for their students for several reasons.  From a student perspective, the ability to access not only assignments but instructional resources during an extended absence is invaluable. Damon, a senior football player, was out following shoulder surgery. In his blended and online classes, he was able to continue to participate as if he were in the classroom. Daily agendas, class discussions, tutorials, video instructions and assignment submission are all accessible through the online platform. Both Moodle and Edmodo provide the structure necessary to provide this for our students.

IB Bio Moodle class

 

 

Twitter Friday Follow

 

The conversation surrounding teens and social media most often focuses on examples of bullying and displays of inappropriate behavior. But there are ways that social media can be used in an appropriate context. Teachers are using Twitter as a way to send reminders about tests and assignment due dates, ACT has practice questions that they tweet daily and the school communicates news and celebrations. Recently, the students at Algonac High School began using Twitter in a distinctly different way. Instead of negative comments, bullying and complaining seen on many accounts, an account has been created to promote community and provide a positive social media interaction. 

 

 

 The students at Algonac High school also pride themselves in being the best fans and supporters of their school in our area, as evidenced by the "Rat Pack" student section.. One way that the "Rat Pack" shows their pride is by using social media to connect students with basketball events. Over Thanksgiving break, seniors Zach Liederman, Jeff Geck and Keith Kirby created the Twitter account @ALGratpack. The account keeps students and supporters informed of game locations, times, and student activities such as "white outs" at targeted games. As the season gets into full swing, game highlights, player shout outs and final scores will also be shared. The account was recently contacted by The D Zone about a contest for the best student section in the state. Zach, Jeff and Keith will be submitting videos and pictures of the student section during games to submit for the contest. Follow @ALGratpack and attend AHS basketball games to show the State of Michigan Algonac High School "Rat Pack" is the best student section in the state!

Library News

 

Before you leave for the holiday break, check out a book or two for leisure reading. Many of the recent and soon-to-be released movies are book adaptions. The listing below is a sample of what you can find in the library collection.

         

 

        

Accessibility

One of the advantages of technology enabled classrooms, blended and online environments is the accessibility features that are built in to the devices, apps, software and web tools. These features make the integration of technology into your classroom not as much about changing your class or developing classes as providing assistance to students, especially in regard to text. Today's features focus more on the settings or design of tools already in use more than highlighting new tools.

 

Featured iPad Apps

 

Exploring Apps can be fun. The seemingly limitless options for creation, creativity and learning often take center stage. However, the power of the tool begins with the tool itself. One of the reasons iPad, and other Apple products, were introduced quickly into school settings are the built in accessibility features. As we move our students of all abilities to the more rigorous content of the Common Core, we need tools for scaffolding, especially for students in literacy.  While there are many accessibility options, today we will focus on Voice Over settings.

One way to set up "Voice Over", using the "Triple Click Home" option is intended for students with low vision rather than students who need assistance with reading at grade level. It is important to note that this setting is distinct in its ability to solve issues with voice over in Apps that do not work with the "Speak Selection" only accessibility setting. At AHS this includes documents in Google Drive as well as e-books that have been digitized through the Absolute Apps. The video below demonstrates how to change the settings. My experience is that the "Speaking Rate" setting will need to be moved toward turtle even more than the default is already set. 

 Mrs. Donna Russel has used the Accessibility features with her students to accommodate students with dyslexia, learning disabilities related to reading and processing as well as vision disorders. In the video below, a student is walked through the process of turning on the voice over accessibility features on her iPad. This particular setting is preferred by the students because it does not include the page introduction narration that is part of the "Triple-click" feature. The disadvantage is that this will not work with many apps, Google Drive docs and e-texts that students access through the Absolute Safe App.

 

 

 

 

\Maximizing Google 

For the second week, I want to focus on YouTube as way to maximize the power of  Google. Whether creating your own videos, or finding videos to use with your classroom or curriculum, there are two features that assist with accessibility. The first is Closed Captioning. Simply click on the "CC" button and YouTube will automatically add captions. 

                   

https://www.stthomas.edu/media/careerdevelopment/png/example-closed-captioning.png

However, if the person who created the video did not tranascribe and sync, or upload a transcript, you may find the words are not always exactly what is being heard on the video! When the creator has either used the transcribe and sync, or uploaded a transcript for closed captioning, then the YouTube video has a transcript that can be read by the viewer. To take advantage of the transcription feature, you will need to either send the students to the link on YouTube instead of embedding in your web presence, or you could copy and paste the transcript to provide as an alternative. 

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Getting the Most Out of Your Learning Platform

 

As teachers move more classroom material online, whether as a blended or online class or simply as a way to make material more accessible, it is important to consider accessibility issues. Using the iPad for student access, or ensuring that videos include closed captioning or transcripts is a good first step in design. The iPad accessibility voice options will allow articles and text instructions to be read from the platform itself or from web resources. Always try the features as part of your assignment creation and design to test that students can use the accessibility features.

The video below demonstrates the importance of color choice and heading designations, especially when using text readers.

Moodle also  has an "Accessibility" block available as a plug-in. When this block is turned on, users are able to customize headings, text and color individually for better accessibility. We are exploring this option on the ACS Moodle server. For those of you outside of the Algonac Community School district, check with your Moodle administrator to see if this plug-in is available.

Twitter Friday Follow 

From the Knowability website: Knowbility, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to support the independence of children and adults with disabilities by promoting the use and improving the availability of accessible information technology.

While the focus is mostly on business, the design principles apply to education. From a content design perspective, we need to make sure that what we produce is accessible to all of our students. Tweets include interesting studies and conferences as well as tips on making web resources more accessible. @knowability

 

Library News

 

As part of the library reorganization process, the collection underwent a weeding which result in books being removed from the shelves. In an effort to use resources and be creative with department budgets, the library collaborated with the art department to create an independent project upcycling books into art. The first of the projects are being submitted and show great creativity. Many will be featured as art in the new library learning commons.

Black and White movies poster

 

 Book Art Scene: Erupting Volcano

 

 

The Hour of Code

The week of December 9-15 is Computer Science Education Week. This is a great time to begin or continue to allow students to become creators with technology instead of merely users. Of special focus this year is the idea of "The Hour of Code". The link connects to an introduction of the topic as well as resources and ways to integrate an hour of programming into your curriculum during Computer Science Education Week. For additional ideas, read 7Ways to Start Learning How to Code Right Now for Free.   or visit code.org, a great resource for independent student learning as well as resources for teachers to integrate computer science and programming into the curriculum is also supporting "The Hour of Code" with lessons and classroom ideas.

Maximizing Google 

 

One of Google's most popular tools is YouTube. As students become more and more media entrenched, research is showing that many are visual and auditory learners. YouTube videos can be found to teach everything from drawing or playing an instrument to, yes, even learning to code! Depending upon the age of your students, and access to YouTube, you could either allow them to find code videos that interest them or spend some time finding grade and content level appropriate tutorials to provide to your classroom. 

You can begin by using a video to introduce the students the idea of coding (answer the "why" before you begin):

 

and then find or use tutorials. There are options for different languages and platforms, depending upon student interest and access to devices and software. To begin, it is best to find a series of tutorials that break down information into manageable steps, usually less than 10 minutes.
 

 

Featured Apps

Two different approaches to coding can be used based upon the app that you choose. For a gaming experiencing that teaches the fundamentals of coding, Cargo Bot by Two Lives Left is a puzzle game where you teach a robot to move crates. Sounds simple, but you are actually learning to "code" the robot to move the crates. Reviews are good, but with the feedback consistently stating that there is a jump in difficulty of stages from the  introduction to the application, this app is probably not for young elementary.



An educational review by blogger Lauren Good, recommends two apps for younger students (K- 8). Kodable, recommended for K-2, is more of a logical sequencing introduction than actual coding, but a good age-appropriate introduction to the concepts.




 For children 8 - up Good found the app Hopscotch very creative as a visual programming tool. There is an introductory tutorial to teach the basic programming necessary to use the app. From there, the user creates the projects allowing begining to more advanced as the individual progresses. All three of the apps are free in the iTunes store.

Getting the Most Out of Your Learning Platform

 

 Moodle does include an HTML both for creating course assignments and in many of the assignment submission options. A great way to introduce student to the concept of HTML code is to have them practice embedding images and/or vidoes using the embed codes (which are by default HTML). While videos can be found on YouTube or TeacherTube, Moodle also provides step-by-step written instructions on the Docs help page.

Edmodo has an app available in the app store called LearnStreet. Within the LearnStreet app there are coding courses as well as projects. As is usually the case in Edmodo, there is support built in with user connections as well as help documents. The support blog is a good place to begin. 

Twitter Friday Follow 

 

 

 

 

Library News

 

Today, the world mourns the loss of Nelson Mandela. President Barack Obama expressed it well when he said "He no longer belongs to us. He belongs to the ages." While there are numerous books written about Nelson Mandela, I recommend his autobiography. History will review his accomplishments and contributions, but listening to a person share their gives a more intimate portrayal. Found in the AHS library collection, as well as collections around the world. It isn't a quick read, but well worth effort. The history is one of not just one man, but a country at a pivitol point in history.