Google Classroom is a blended learning solution that was introduced by Google in 2012 and it is one of only two products that Google has created specifically for education. It's purpose is to provide teachers with a simple way to collect,distribute, and grade assignments. Like all Google products, Classroom is constantly evolving and improving.

Let's take a look at some apps and extensions that make Google Classroom even better.

• Share to Classroom- This extension allows teachers to push any website to their students and have it open for them in a new tab. This would be useful if you want to get all of the students to the same place quickly. 
• Classroom Split- This extension makes Google Classroom easier for students to use. It will split their screen even so they can have their directions on one side of the screen and their work on the other side. It is similar to Tab Scissors, but it works inside of Classroom. 
• Google Classroom App- This app allows you to have instant access to Google Classroom from your phone making it easy to do things like post assignments, ask questions, and interact with students. 
• Whisper- This app works within Google Classroom. It allows you to quietly send messages to the entire class or to just one student. This is perfect for those times when you need to send make an announcement to the class, but everyone is working quietly and you don't want to disturb them. 

The post In the Game of School, We Change or Students Lose! appeared first on Shake Up Learning.

Change is Coming…

We have to stop playing the game of school! If we don’t change, our students will continue to lose. Change is coming to education, slowly but surely, are you doing your part to break barriers and bad habits?

Dynamic Learning requires that we let go of the traditional ideas that we have about school and education. For many educators and students, school has become a game. By the time students reach the middle grades, they have either mastered the game, or they haven’t.

Unfortunately, this game has become so ingrained in our systems and testing; it can be hard to see your own contributions to the game. In order to break the barriers and bad habits we have in our schools and truly transform education, we have to stop playing the game of school and pave the way for new ideas and new ways to learn.

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In the #GameofSchool, We Change or Students Lose! #SUL #edtech #edchat #gttribe
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The Game of School

I learned the play the game of school very well. I was a traditional learner. I could listen to lectures, take notes, and please my teachers with most of my work. School was and in many places still is one-size-fits-all.

I made it through with good grades only because I mastered the game of school, turning in work on time (usually worksheets). I didn’t lose points for behavior, late work, or other non-learning related point reductions. I even collected extra credit for bringing in a couple of boxes of Kleenex and posterboard. But guess what? I didn’t learn much at all. I was not at all prepared for the challenges of college. I didn’t know how to learn.

My first few years as a classroom teacher, I wasn’t much different. I taught the way I was taught, graded the way I had been graded, and I created many bad habits.

Why?

Why do we do the things we do? Why do we have the policies we have in our schools? Why do we create all of these little boxes and try to fit each student into their assigned learning space? Each subject gets a box and is not allowed to commingle with the other subjects.

Why do we create a schedule first, then decide how to fit the learning in the boxes? Why doesn’t the learning drive the schedule? You can’t schedule greatness!

Why do we grade behaviors? Why doesn’t grading reflect learning?

Why do some teachers teach lessons and units the same way year after year? Maybe it’s because it’s working, but most likely it’s because that’s just the way it has always been done.

Are You Playing the Game of School?

Have you ever thought about how the way you grade and assess work, or maybe how the way you are required to grade could be contributing to the game of school?

There have been many articles, books, and theories on shifting the way we assess and assign grades. The bottom line is that the grade on the report card should be reflective of the learning in the class, not whether little Sally was compliant and turned her work in on time.

Extra credit tends to play a major role in the secondary world. I remember those students who were always on the edge of a “failing,” grade and needed an extra boost to bring them up. Sometimes, it was the coaches sending them out to the teachers during the last week of the six-week grading period basically having them beg for extra credit assignments. Now, I couldn’t tell you if those students acquired any new knowledge or skills through the extra credit “work.”

In Joy Kirr’s book, Shift This, she says, “If the work assigned is not something you’d let them redo in order to learn, it’s time to assess the relevance of the work you’re assigning.”

At what point do grades actually reflect learning, and not just how well students play the game of school. I’ve even worked for administrators who told me I was required to deduct or add a certain percentage of points based on behaviors. Gasp if you will, but this practice is still happening. The system is perpetuated every day. Rethink the purpose of the grade in your class and your school. Grades should reflect learning and achievement.

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Homework Passes

I used to keep a stack of homework passes in my desk (gasp!). Yes, I did! There were a lot of ways that I played the game of school, both as a student and as a teacher. Those homework passes became very valuable to my students. By behaving well when I was away and had a substitute teacher, an entire class of students could, “cash in,” their homework pass on any assignment they wished without doing any of the work, and definitely without demonstrating any learning. I feel that hurt deep in my chest. I didn’t think about the disservice I was doing my students. Their grades were much more a reflection of behavior than they were of actual learning.

Late Work

In some of the schools I worked in, we had late work policies that would dictate how many points you would lose based on how the late the work was turned in! I know this is still commonplace in many schools. It’s all part of the system. Don’t get me wrong, turning in work on time is a life skill, but should be part of a behavior management system and not tied to a grade, GPA, and ultimate success in school and sometimes, beyond. We must rethink our grading and assessment policies and procedures, and bring the focus back to quality feedback.

I may even have a former student who is now reading this blog post. Please accept my apologies for playing the game of school. I wish I’d known better!

Are We Stuck?

Are we stuck? Are YOU stuck? Are you afraid of what your principal will say? Are you afraid you will get into trouble? Playing the game of school is playing it safe, and there’s no way to come out winning if you always play it safe. Our students lose! Fear of change is built into the culture of the factory model. But what if companies like AOL didn’t play it safe? Where could they be right now?

Is education stable or stuck? Or both? We cannot make assumptions and pretend that this way of educating students is actually working, or that it will work in the future. If we keep doing things the way we’ve always done it, this country will drown.
I think most of us agree that the educational system in the U.S. is broken, but most of us don’t think it is our duty to change it. We leave it up to the others, the advocates, the lobbyists, the lawmakers…and that’s why nothing has changed.

It Starts with You!

It starts with you. Start small and think of the bad habits you may have formed that are contributing to the game of school. Start with your classroom or your role in education. Every small step will take us closer to meaningful change.

If you want something to change, you have to be willing to stand up and fight for those changes. Challenge the status quo! Question everything! Create change that you believe in and stop playing the game of school.

Be sure to check out my other Dynamic Learning posts:

Dynamic Learning v. Static Learning (DO THIS, NOT THAT Infographic)

Move from a Static Classroom to a Dynamic Classroom

How to Push the Boundaries of School with Dynamic Learning

In the Game of School, We Change or Students Lose!

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What do you think? What are some other bad habits that need to be broken in education?

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© Shake Up Learning 2017. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Kasey Bell and Shake Up Learning with appropriate and specific direction to the original content on ShakeUpLearning.com. See: Copyright Policy.

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The post How to Get Google Certified! (Video Presentation) appeared first on Shake Up Learning.

Who’s Ready to Get Google Certified?

I get a lot of questions about Google Certification! I put together a YouTube video presentation to help educators understand all of the Google Certification options.

In this video, I will give you an overview of each of the five options for Google Certification as well as give you additional resources, links, and infographics to help you dig deeper. Whether you are just getting started with Google Certified Educator Level 1 and Level 2, or you are looking at going further and become a Google Certified Trainer, Google Certified Innovator, or Google Certified Administrator, I got your back!

I’m also making the slides available as a PDF download below the video, which is loaded with additional links and resources.

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How to Get Google Certified! (Video Presentation) #gttribe #gsuiteedu #googleCE #googleedu
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How to Get Google Certified

Get the Slides!

Want the slides? CLICK HERE to down a PDF of the slides used in the How to Get Google Certified presentation video above.

New to Google Certifications?

Be sure to check out all of the Google Certification Resources available on Shake Up Learning.

Get the FREE eBook: The Complete Guide to Google Certifications by filling out the form below.

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© Shake Up Learning 2017. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Kasey Bell and Shake Up Learning with appropriate and specific direction to the original content on ShakeUpLearning.com. See: Copyright Policy.

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Google Tour Builder was originally created for veterans as a tool to record and preserve their experiences and memories in the military and share them with friends and family. Google made Tour Builder available to everyone because they know everyone has a story to tell.

While Tour Builder isn't as popular as Google MyMaps, it has some features that make it a fantastic option to use in the classroom. Each marker that you add to the map becomes a new place for you to share text and up to 25 images or videos. These markers can stand alone or they can be linked together with lines to help guide people through your story in a particular order.

You do have to have a Google account to create a tour in Google Tour Builder, but you do not have to have an account to view a tour. My favorite feature of Tour Builder is that you can drag Pegman to  any location where Street View imagery exists and explore at street level. One of the other exciting features of Tour Builder that was released recently a feature that allows you to open a tour in Google Earth with just one click! To do this all you will need to do is click the menu button and select the "Open in Google Earth" option.

Want to learn more? Here are some additional resources that will help you get started building your first tour.

Applications for Education
TourBuilder can be used to summarize books, add new twist to current events, tell the story of your life, or anything else you can dream up.

Most of us could use more money for our classrooms. Whether we need to by basics like tissues and glue or we need funds to take students on a field trip, there is grant money available that can help us out. I have done some research and want to share some of the sites I have found with you. You will still have to invest the time to apply, but hopefully this post will save you some valuable time.

One thing to keep in mind about grants is that many ask for very similar information. Keep this information in a Google Doc so that it is easy to get to. You can easily keep track of demographic information in a Doc as well. Just remember to update it each year.

• Tech & Learning Grants Central - This website provides tips about writing grants as well as links to grants that are posted by their deadlines. 
• CenturyLink Grants Teachers and Technology Grants- this is open to all educators who live in a region this is served by CenturyLink. A simple series of questions at the beginning of the grant will tell you if you are qualified or not. 
• DonorsChoose- This service can be used to request funds to improve your classroom or for professional development. There are a few steps involved when setting up a DonorsChoose project, but it is a really good program. 
• Teach.com Grants- List of 20 grants available to teachers.
• EdTechTeam Grants- Apply to bring PD to your school. 
• Edutopia Big List of Educational Grants- this list is updated on a regular basis so make sure you check back every few weeks for new opportunities. 
• GrantWatch- Searchable list of grants for teachers. 
• Grants.gov- hundreds of grants specifically for education.
• TeachersCount- Dozens of grants that include a description, deadline, and maximum award. 

ClassFlow is a free lesson delivery application that is used by over 125,000 institutions around the world. It helps teachers design interactive and engaging lessons. Teachers can create lessons from scratch or find free and low cost lessons that are already made in the marketplace.

To get started, you will need to set up a free account. Then you will either set up new classes manually or import them from Google Classroom. ClassFlow has an app called ClassFlow Moments that is specifically designed to keep parents in the loop. As a teacher you have many options for what you can include in your classes including:

• Interactive Whiteboard- Draw freehand or insert text and shapes.
• Quick Poll- Select from eight types of questions including multiple choice, true/false, essay, and creative response.
• New Lesson- Create one or more cards that contain text, pictures, and shapes.
• New Activity- Categorize items, crossword puzzle, flashcards, labeling diagrams, matching, memory, sequencing, timelines, Venn diagrams, and word search.
• Assessments- Build different types questions to check for understanding including, multiple choice, true/false, short answer, essay, and creative response.

You can learn more about ClassFlow by watching the overview below or by visiting their YouTube channel.

Applications for Education 
This entire app is designed to be used in classrooms and can be used with students at all grade levels. I think one potential benefit would be for teachers to use ClassFlow when they are not physically present in the classroom. Resources and activities could all be housed in one place, making it easy for students and substitute teachers to access. Like many things in a classroom, this would take practice and repetition to make sure students were comfortable with it.

Prepare to be indispensable by 2020 or the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Acquire these top ten skills you need to thrive in the next five years.

Source: Skills of the Future: 10 Skills You’ll Need to Thrive in 2020 [Infographic]

The post How to Create Screencast GIFs appeared first on Shake Up Learning.

Use Screencast GIFs in the Classroom!

One of the most common questions I receive is how I make my screencast GIFs, so today I’m offering a post that will show you how I create them, including a video tutorial.

I use screencast GIFs to show how-to steps on my blog and in my presentations. Videos are great, but a GIF is like a short video that loops so even if you don’t catch it the first time, you can easily follow along and try it for yourself. This is, of course, a great strategy for helping students understand directions for assignments, a quick review of steps, like how to turn in an assignment in Google Classroom. Student-created GIFs are also fun, and a great way for students to show what they know and teach others.

New to GIFs? Check my previous post that will show you how to search for GIFs and insert animated GIFs into Google Docs, Slides, and other applications: How to Insert Super Cool GIFs.

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How to Create Screencast GIFs (video tutorial) #edtech #edchat
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What is a GIF?

So you keep hearing the word GIF, but maybe you don’t know exactly what the word means. GIF stands for Graphics Interchange Format. GIFs are image files that are compressed to reduce transfer time. They can be animated or static, but these days most people think of the animated version when referring to GIFs. They essentially look like a short video (usually 15 seconds or less) that loops and contains no sound.

Many geeks like to argue about how to pronounce GIF. I’ll let you decide for yourself. I don’t have time to argue ;).

What is a Screencast GIF?

So take the idea of an animated GIF and combine it with a screencast! This allows you to demonstrate where to click or how to complete short tasks on your device. I use these frequently on this blog, like the one below that I used in the post: 7 Reasons You Need to Try Voice Typing in Google Docs.

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How to Make Screencast GIFs

There are several tools available for taking screenshots, creating screencast videos, and creating animated GIF screencasts. I create these all the time and find they are particularly useful for showing students and teachers how-to complete short tasks or use features in your favorite applications. I’m sharing my favorite screencast GIF tool, Gyazo, in this post. Please feel free to share your favorites in the comments below this post.

Gyazo GIF

I use Gyazo GIF for most of the screencast GIFs that I create. It’s easy to use. It’s free, and it allows me to select just the part of the screen I need to use.

“Gyazo is an open source and free screenshot program for Windows, Mac OS X and Linux. The program allows users to create screenshots and uploads them directly to the cloud, producing a unique URL to the screenshot. The program’s name “Gyazo” is a pun on the Japanese word for image, gazō(画像).”

It’s important to note that there are two versions of Gyazo, regular Gyazo for screenshots and Gyazo GIF. Gyazo GIF requires a download and installation, but it is FREE and cross-platform. (Please note: Gyazo GIF is NOT available for Chromebooks. Suggestions for Chromebooks can be found at the bottom of this post.)

How to Use Gyazo GIF

1. Install Gyazo GIF from the Gyazo homepage.

2. Once installed, launch the application. Your cursor will turn into cross-hairs. You can click and drag to select the portion of your screen you wish to record.

The recording will start automatically, so you will need to be ready to perform the task on screen immediately. The FREE version allows you to record up to 7 seconds; the pro version allows up to 60 seconds.

3. Once the recording is completed, your browser will automatically open a new browser window with your newly created animated GIF. Here you can grab the direct GIF link and copy and paste it into your project (insert by URL). You can also create a Gyazo account and save your GIFs to the web.

(Note: URL works best for inserting GIFs into Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, websites, etc. For detailed directions on inserting GIFs, see my previous post: How to Insert Super Cool GIFs.)

Other Options for Screencast GIFs

There are many other tools for screencast GIFs.

• GIPHY Capture
• Screencastify Premium (Chromebook compatible)
• TechSmith Snagit (desktop version)
• Gif Screen Recorder
• Recordit

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Want to Get Google Certified?

• 40+ Video Lessons (More than 11 hours of hands-on learning with Kasey Bell!)
• Private Google+ Community and Study Group
• 20+ PDF Downloads
• Lesson Checks
• Testing Tips
• VIP Bonuses
• and much more!
• Need Level 2? This one is coming but is on hold until 2018.

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CLICK HERE to learn more about the Google Certified Educator Academy!

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Looking for more Google Certification resources?

© Shake Up Learning 2017. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Kasey Bell and Shake Up Learning with appropriate and specific direction to the original content on ShakeUpLearning.com. See: Copyright Policy.

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Welcome to the weekly (not so weekly) edition of The Edtech Smackdown—a collection of digital resources containing a few of my most favorite activities, tools and articles curated from various social media spaces throughout the past—well, months.

For those of you who have become a fan of these Smackdowns, my apologies for the hiatus. I’d like to say I spent the summer in a tiki hut on a tropical island but… Instead I actually do have some really awesome reasons as to why I had to take a step away from blogging for a few months. Aside from attending some pretty amazing professional learning workshops (iPadpalooza in Austin, Texas and the Pittsburgh Fab Lab Institute), I’ve been super busy creating all kinds of cool opportunities for students in my district: A high-tech makerspace in our elementary, a brand-new makerspace in our middle school and a ’70s-themed Escape Room. I also organized and facilitated Edcamp Blue Devil Nation, the first event of this kind in our area, and Tech-A-Rama, an all-day edtech workshop for teachers in my district.

Despite the ongoing crazy schedule, I have collected a number of awesome resources that will be useful in the classroom throughout the new school year, and I’m about to share some of these edtech gems right here, right now…

But first, let me just say that most of the links I’ll be providing in this post involve the use of the G-Suite (formerly Google Apps for Education). Yes, I am a total Google fan girl—and for good reason. So as usual, let’s kick things off with some amazing activities that will definitely engage students in learning!

From the amazing Eric Curts, Control Alt Achieve:

» What’s New in Google: 42 updates from Summer 2017

» 11 Ways to Teach Math with Google Drawings

» 6 Awesome Uses for Revision History in G-Suite

» Why and How to Share Student Writing with the World

» Video Mash-Ups with Google Slides

» 30 Free Google Drawings Graphic Organizers (And how to make your own)

» Battlesheets! Google Sheets Battleship Game Template

» Google Drawings Chess and Checkers Game Templates for Students

More Google Goodness…

» Smarter Google Forms: Why Google’s New Features Are Good for Educators—By Adam By Adam Shoenbart, The Shoenblog

» Put a Hashtag in the Google Classroom Assignment Title—By Alice Keeler, Teacher Tech

» How to Create a GoogleClassroom Custom Header with GoogleDrawings—By Kasey Bell, Shake Up Learning

» Our Favorite Google Docs Tips & Tricks—From the Google Teacher Tribe Podcast with Matt Miller & Kasey Bell

» Create a QR code that links to a shared Google Drive folder containing images you’ve selected—By Tony Vincent, Learning in Hand

Other #EdTech Faves…

» 10 Digital Bell-Ringer Activities to Kickstart Class (Part 1)—By Matt Miller, Ditch That Textbook

» 10 MORE Digital Bell-Ringer Activities to Kickstart Class (Part 2)—By Matt Miller, Ditch That Textbook

» 9 Back-To-School Ideas for AdobeSpark in the Classroom (includes planning pages)—By Monica Burns, Class Tech Tips

The #MakerEd Movement…

» Check out our new logo that will be used to represent the makerspaces in our District. Follow us on Twitter @BAmakertribe to get your makered on!

So there you have it—this week’s smackdown! Stay tuned for additional resources coming your way in the next round…

In the meantime—if you’ve missed any of my previous edtech collections, check ’em out within the interactive image embedded below… Be sure to hover over the image to reveal the hotspots!

Click here to view a full screen version of this image.

Acquainted is a free tool for conducting online polls. Unlike other online polling tools, Acquainted is a conversational polling tool. What that means is that people who take your poll can get an instant response from your regarding their selections of poll options. Your responses are written into Acquainted and programmed to appear to poll respondents as they make answer choices. See how it works by taking my one question poll that appears here.

Applications for Education
Acquainted was designed for polling visitors to a website and would make a great addition to a classroom website. It could be used as a mini tutoring service when added to your classroom website. You could build a series of questions for your students to respond to and get feedback that is programmed by you. You could build responses that provide explanations of why an answer is correct or incorrect. Your responses might even include a link to further explanations.

GeoGebra is the fifth entry into my Built to Last series. This is a series of blog posts celebrating the free resources that have been available to teachers and students over the ten years that I have been publishing Free Technology for Teachers.

When I started writing Free Technology for Teachers GeoGebra was available to use as free software on your Windows or Mac computer. Over the years versions of GeoGebra were developed to work on iPads, Android tablets, and eventually on Chromebooks. One of the marks of a program that is built to last is that it is flexible enough to adapt and change to the tastes of the ed tech community.

I am not a math teacher and have never taught math beyond basic addition and subtraction of fractions therefore I am not an expert on GeoGebra's capabilities. That said, over the years I have had friends and colleagues who do teach mathematics rave about the capabilities of GeoGebra for modeling functions and graphing equations.

GeoGebra has a huge community of users who share ideas and tutorials for using GeoGebra in a wide variety of settings. You can join that community here.

The GeoGebra YouTube channel is probably the best place to find tutorials to help you get started using GeoGebra on your laptop, tablet, or Chromebook.

NCTM released Catalyzing Change in High School Mathematics last week. I anticipated it would address the gap between the K-8 Common Core State Standards, which feel tightly designed both within and across grades, and the high school standards, which feel loose and shaggy by comparison.

NCTM went about that goal in the second half of Catalyzing Change, enumerating a set of “Essential Concepts” along with two pathways students can take to learn them. I’ll comment on those concepts and pathways in a moment. But it’s worth mentioning first what I didn’t anticipate: a document full of moral ambition, the first half of which is a reimagination of the purpose of a math education along with a high-decibel endorsement of equity in that education.

You should read the latter half of the document if you have any stake in high school math education. But you should read the first half of the document if you have any stake in math education at all, at any level.

While the Obama administration proposed college and career-readiness as the purpose of schooling, NCTM broadens that purpose here to include “Understanding and Critiquing the World,” addressing the question, “When will I ever use this?”, and also “Experiencing Wonder, Joy, and Beauty,” acknowledging the millions and millions of people who love studying math even apart from its immediate application to the world outside the classroom.

NCTM reinvokes its call for equitable math instruction, citing Gutiérrez’s perspective that until it is no longer possible “to predict mathematics achievement and participation based solely on student characteristics such as race, class, ethnicity, sex, beliefs, and proficiency in the dominant language,” we haven’t finished the work. To advance the cause of equity, NCTM pulls precisely zero punches in its condemnation not just of student tracking (which allocates students inequitably to the best classes) but teacher tracking (which allocates teachers inequitably to the most underserved students), also double-year math courses, and other less overt ways in which students are tracked even in elementary school.

This is what I mean by “moral ambition.” NCTM hasn’t merely underlined its existing statements on equity or de-tracking. Rather it lets those statements stand and then opens up several new fronts and runs at them. Catalyzing Change doesn’t arrive pre-compromised.

So again: everyone should read the first half of Catalyzing Change, which addresses much of the “why?” and “who?” of mathematics education. The second half of the document makes several clear and ambitious claims about the “what?”

NCTM proposes that all students take four years of math in high school. 2.5 of those years will comprise “essential concepts,” taken by every student regardless of career or college aspiration. Students may then take one of two paths through their remaining 1.5 years, one towards calculus, the other towards statistics and other electives.

40 essential concepts cluster under five conceptual categories:

• Algebra
• Functions
• Statistics
• Probability
• Geometry

If we only examine the number of concepts and not yet their content, this proposal compares very favorably with the Common Core State Standards’ over 100 required standards for high school. Under NCTM’s proposal, students may come to understand a proof of the similarity of circles (Common Core State Standard G-C.1) or a derivation of the equation of a parabola from its directrix and focus (G-GPE.2) but only as an incidental outcome of high school math, not an essential outcome.

Then, as I read the content of the concepts, I asked myself, “Do I really believe every student should spend 2.5 years of their limited childhood learning this?” In nearly every case, I could answer “yes.” In nearly every case, I could see the concept’s applicability to college and career readiness, and even more often, I could see how the concept would help students understand their world and nurture their joy and wonder. (I wouldn’t say that about the derivation of a parabola’s equation, by contrast.)

That’s such an accomplishment. The writing team has created a “Director’s Cut” of high school mathematics – only the most essential parts, arranged with a coherence that comes from experience.

If I’m concerned about any category, it’s “Algebra” and, particularly, essential concepts like this one:

Multi-term or complex expressions can represent a single quantity and can be substituted for that quantity in another expression, equation, or inequality; doing so can be useful when rewriting expressions and solving equations, inequalities, or systems of equations or inequalities. [emphasis mine]

Without any evidence, I’m going to claim that one of the top three reasons students leave high school hating mathematics is because their algebra courses required weeks and weeks of transcribing expressions from one form into another for no greater purpose than passing the class. I’m talking about conjugating denominators, converting quartic equations into quadratic equations through some clever substitution, factoring very special polynomials, completing the square, and all other manner of cryptic symbology, none of which deserves the label “essential.”

NCTM has done much more work here defining what is “essential” than what is “inessential,” which means their definitions need to be air tight. Some of their definitions in “Algebra” and “Functions” leave room for some very inessential mathematics to slip through.

My other concern with Catalyzing Change is the bet NCTM makes on technology, modeling, and proof, weaving that medium and those habits of mind through every category, and claiming that they have the greatest potential to enable equitable instruction.

I don’t disagree with that selection or NCTM’s rationale. But add up the bill with me here. NCTM proposes a high school course of study premised on:

• modeling, which students most often experience as pseudocontextual word problems,
• proof, which students most often experience by filling in blanks in a two-column template,
• technology, which students most often experience as a medium for mealy, auto-graded exercises,
• to say nothing of joy and wonder, which most students typically experience as boredom and dread.

This is a multi-decade project! One that will require the best of teachers, teacher educators, coaches, administrators, edtech companies, assessment consortia, policymakers, publishers, and parents. It will require new models of curriculum, assessment, and professional development, all supporting modeling and proof and eliciting joy and wonder from students. It will require a constant articulation and re-articulation of values to people who aren’t NCTM members. That is, changes to the K-8 curriculum required articulation to high school teachers. Changes to the high school curriculum will require articulation to college and university educators! Does anybody even know any college or university educators?

I’m not finding fault. I’m identifying challenges, and I find them all energizing. Catalyzing Change is an invigorating document that makes a clear case for NCTM’s existence at a time when NCTM has struggled to articulate its value to members and non-members.

If you haven’t heard that case, let me try to write it out:

Hi. We’re NCTM. We want to restore purpose, joy, and wonder to your high school math classrooms. We know that goal sounds ambitious, and maybe even impossible, but we have a lot of experience, a lot of ideas, a lot of resources, and a lot of ways to help you grow into it. We’re here for you, and we also can’t do any of this without you. Let’s do this!

The post 7 Reasons You Need to Try Voice Typing in Google Docs appeared first on Shake Up Learning.

Voice Typing in Google Docs is a Game-Changer!

As a former ELA teacher, I am naturally drawn to technology that supports reading and writing. Google Docs is fully-loaded with some features that can save us time in and out of the classroom, and often times can even save us a little heartache when it comes to supporting students.

One tiny little feature that packs an amazing punch is Voice Typing in Google Docs. This is a speech-to-text feature that is built-in to the most popular word processor in the world, and it is available to you and your students if you have a microphone in your devices.

You can dictate all kinds of words, lists, and writing into Google Docs. You can also dictate formatting, punctuation, and editing. But wait…there’s more! YOU CAN DICTATE IN OTHER LANGUAGES!!!!! WHOA!!!!

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Did you know you can Voice Type in #GoogleDocs in other languages? #gttribe #googleedu
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I have shared this little feature during my presentations, and I was reminded just last week how powerful this tool can be for any student, but especially for struggling students, ELL, and primary. So in this post, I will share seven reasons you need to try Voice Typing in Google Docs–for yourself, for your students, and to help support learning across the board. This is the tip you need to pass on! Every teacher needs to know this!

Text-to-speech has a bad reputation, but it has come a long way! Google has a fantastic text-to-speech engine that is built into the Chrome browser and used in the Google Assistant. If you have ever done a voice search, you have seen how well Google understands what you say. Now take this power and apply it to dictation into a Google Doc. This little feature works amazingly well! Think of Voice Typing like your personal stenographer! (Note: Voice Typing also works in Google Slides speaker notes.)

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7 Reasons You Need to Try Voice Typing in #GoogleDocs #edtech #gsuiteedu
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How to Enable Voice Typing in Google Docs (desktop version)

Step 1: Turn on Your Microphone

To use voice typing or voice commands, your computer microphone needs to be on and working.

Step 2: Start voice typing in a document

1. Check that your microphone works.
2. Open a document in Google Docs with a Chrome browser.
3. Click Tools  Voice typing. A microphone box appears.
4. When you’re ready to speak, click the microphone.
5. Speak clearly, at a normal volume and pace (see below for more information on using punctuation).
6. When you’re done, click the microphone again.

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7 Reasons You Need to Try Voice Typing in Google Docs

1. Time Saver

Chances are that you talk faster than you type, even if you have pretty good typing skills. Voice Typing can save you valuable time, especially valuable instructional time. Very few students have efficient typing skills these days. Having students type their essays and research, well anything for that matter, can be one of the most excruciating processes in the classroom. Use Voice Typing to maximize your time with your students.

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Use Voice Typing in #GoogleDocs to maximize your time with your s’s! #gsuiteedu
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I know what you are thinking…noise! Yes, if every student is dictating into Google Docs at the same time it could be a giant mess. But keep in mind that every student doesn’t have to do the exact same thing at the exact same time. This also makes it easier to make use of limited devices. You could dedicate a time and space for recording/dictating, similar to how we manage recording videos and audio in the classroom. Don’t immediately dismiss it because of the chaos. You can manage the chaos and make it work. Now, this may not be the way to compose everything, but it’s worth a try to see what works best for you and your students.

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2. Dictate and Format All Types of Writing with Your Voice

We use Google Docs for all types of writing and projects. Don’t limit your use of Voice Typing to just the text-heavy essays. You can dictate anything into Docs, including

• class notes,
• meeting notes,
• to do lists,
• starter sentences,
• thesis statements,
• vocabulary,
• spelling lists,
• math word problems,
• and just about any other type of writing!

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You can also dictate formatting, punctuation, and correct mistakes with commands! Yeah!!!

You can use these phrases to add punctuation to your text:

• Period
• Comma
• Exclamation point
• Question mark
• New line
• New paragraph

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After you start voice typing, you can use commands to edit and format your document.

For example,

• Select paragraph
• Italics
• Delete
• Insert Link
• Go to the end of the line.
• Too many to list here. To see a full list of commands, visit the support center page for Voice Typing.

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Correct Mistakes with Voice Typing

If you make a mistake while you’re typing with your voice, you can move your cursor to the mistake and fix it without turning off the microphone.

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After you correct the mistake, move the cursor back to where you want to continue. To see a list of suggestions, right-click words underlined in gray.

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WHOA! Use Voice Typing in GDocs to format, edit and correct! #gsuiteedu
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3. Support the Littles Who Can’t Spell Yet!

Our youngest learners can tell amazing stories. They can compose, they just don’t have the spelling and composition skills yet, but they can dictate their sentences and stories in Google Docs without worrying about spelling or typing. What a great way to support young writers and help them feel successful! Bonus: Dictation can help students learn punctuation skills.

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4. Support Struggling Writers at Any Age.

Writing is hard and it can be a struggle for writers of all ages. Voice Typing can be particularly useful for those that struggle, especially those with Dyslexia, Dysgraphia, or just struggle with the mouse and keyboard. Voice Typing can make a great companion or modification to help support struggling students. Accessibility is important for all learners.

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5. Support ELL and Foreign Language — dictate in other languages.

As I mentioned earlier, you can dictate in other languages. At last count, this feature is available in 90 different languages! (See the full list of languages on the Google Voice Typing support page.)

To change the language, just use the drop-down above the microphone to choose your language.

This is a fantastic way to support students who are learning new languages, whether that is an English Language Learner or a student in a Foreign Language class. Students can compose in their language of choice. They can even translate their document into another language. (Go to Tools>Translate Document)

For some students, this is a complete game-changer! Being able to compose in their native language can really help bridge the divide as students learn English. Be sure to share this tip with all the language teachers on your campus!

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Voice Typing in #GoogleDocs Can Be a Game-Changer for ELL S’s! #gsuiteedu
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6. Dictate on the Go. (Google Docs Mobile App)

Did you know that Voice Typing works on mobile?!! Yep! You can dictate on the go. Students who have mobile devices can dictate directly into their device. This could expand the use of the feature beyond the classroom, as well as give you access across multiple devices in and out of the classroom. Just look for the microphone icon on your mobile keyboard to start dictating.

• Get Google Docs for iOS
• Get Google Docs for Android

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7. We Need to Get Used to Talking to Our “Stuff.”

This is something I talk a lot about in my keynote! We have to get used to talking to our stuff. Whether you are ready or not, text-to-speech is becoming a part of everything. I often feel like the world isn’t ready to see me talking to my Apple Watch as I shop in the grocery store, but get ready. We will all be talking to our stuff and making great use of machine learning. That means that keyboarding skills will eventually go by the way side. The world is changing! Are you ready?

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© Shake Up Learning 2017. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Kasey Bell and Shake Up Learning with appropriate and specific direction to the original content on ShakeUpLearning.com. See: Copyright Policy.

The post 7 Reasons You Need to Try Voice Typing in Google Docs appeared first on Shake Up Learning.

This week Google added a handful of new features to Google Slides. Some of them are features that teachers and students have been requesting for years.

Please note that some of the following new features may not appear in your G Suite for Education account for a couple of weeks. All of these features are available now for users logged-in with a Gmail address.

1. Quickly insert pre-formatted timelines and other diagrams.
Now when you open the "insert" drop-down menu you will see an option for diagrams. Choose that option and you'll be able to insert a variety of pre-formatted diagrams including timelines. All of the content within the diagrams can be edited.

2. Add-ons for Google Slides.
There are now seven Add-ons available in Google Slides. Those of interest to teachers and students include Lucidchart, Pear Deck, and Unsplash. Unsplash provides high resolution photographs to re-use for free.

3. Grid view of presentations.
There is now a grid option under the "view" drop-down menu. This lets you see all of your slides in a grid and re-arrange slides by dragging them into different sequences in the grid.

4. Google Keep notes integrated into slides.
Google Docs integrated Google Keep notes earlier this year. That allowed you to drag your Google Keep notes directly into a document. Now you can do the same in Google Slides.

5. Skip a slide without deleting it. 
If you are in the habit of duplicating your own presentations then deleting a slide or two for different audiences, the new "skip slide" function could appeal to you. This function lets you specify a slide or slides to be skipped in a version of a presentation. Skipping a slide doesn't delete it, it just prevents it from being displayed when you're in the full screen presentation display.

Even after a couple of years working with Google Cardboard apps and tools, I am still fascinated with the possibilities of virtual reality as part of the instruction and learning process. And, yes, there are other VR viewers and apps out there. But the price (free) and ease of use (super duper easy) of the […]

Sponsored by Edpuzzle

From the Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis

Follow @coolcatteacher on Twitter

Edpuzzle solves so many of my flipped classroom problems. During the last four years of using flipped classroom techniques, I’ve come to rely on what is called the “in-flip” — I show the videos in class and interact with students to help them do in-class activities with what they’ve learned.

But I’ve had several big problems with flipped classroom techniques:

• Just as some students “tune out” a teacher, some would fast forward or skip parts of the videos.
• Even though I’d ask, students wouldn’t pause the video to do something.
• I’d like to use videos made by others, but I’d also like to add a few elements of my own.
• I couldn’t check for understanding during the video.

All of these problems have been solved with Edpuzzle. (And let me add that I was so excited when Edpuzzle contacted me about reviewing their product because I was already a fan!)

How Does Edpuzzle Work?

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1. Import any video.

First, with Edpuzzle, you can import any video. In the resume example shown below, you can see that I pulled in a video from the web. Then, I added voice comments and some quizzes. Try it for yourself.

My Resume Video

I didn’t make this video but used one from YouTube and added my voice and questions.

I upload my videos to YouTube and import them into Edpuzzle. Sometimes I use videos that I find on YouTube as well. However, you can also upload videos directly to Edpuzzle. In a very cool twist, you can have students make their own Edpuzzle. They are, in effect, creating a video just like you would do as a teacher. These videos can be used to teach or instruct others, or to show understanding in a project.

The Start Screen in Edpuzzle

 

Search for videos.

Edpuzzle has made it easy to search for videos from some curated channels. For example, I’d never heard of the CrashCourse channel on YouTube, but it’s become a go-to for many awesome videos that I use in my Computer Science classes.

For purposes of this article, I’m going to work on a binary number video. I could “copy it”, which means that if it’s an Edpuzzle, I can use everything that someone else has set up. I could also “use it”, which means that I’m going to customize everything myself. (I typically customize everything because I want students to hear my voice.)

2. Crop your video.

After you bring in the video by clicking either “new video” or “upload video”, you can clip off the beginning or ending of the video. You don’t have to use it all. Remember that, in minutes, the best length for a video is typically the student’s age + 1.

I prefer shorter videos because if a student doesn’t finish it in a class period, they’ll have to come back to it. While coming back to the video is certainly an option, it really is easier to have them finish in one period.

3. Overlay your voice.

If you want, you can remove the entire audio track of the video and record your voice explaining everything students are watching. I don’t typically do this because I’d rather interject my own voice in just a few spots instead of completely replacing what’s already there. The note-taking example below shows what I usually do — I make the whole video myself using Office Mix, adding pauses, instructions, and quizzes whenever necessary.

But if you find the perfect video and you want to do this, it’s an option with Edpuzzle.

4. Add audio notes.

As you can see in the resume video above, I love using Audio Notes. This feature lets you pause the video and add a quick audio instruction with your voice. Personally, I think adding the teacher’s voice to the audio is an important way to make a connection with your students as you use flipped classroom techniques. I also use this because I want to interject the terminology I’ll be using in class.

5. Add “quizzes”, notes, and more.

My favorite part of Edupuzzle is the ability to add “quizzes” to the video. However, the term “quizzes” is really a misnomer. You can pause the video and add any of the following:

Add a comment.

As shown in this video, I can add a comment into the video. Sometimes I want students to pause and think about what they’ve just heard. I can do this by typing in a comment of my own.

In this example, I’ve paused the video and added a comment about the numbering system that my students already know. I think that pausing the video and adding a short comment can help students process what they’ve just heard, especially when it’s a complex idea. You can also add audio notes with your voice, but sometimes I want to include a definition or detail. Usually I use this technique for things that I want added to their notes.

Add a multiple-choice question.

You can add one or several multiple-choice questions. Just make sure that each of these questions has only one answer, as two correct answers will automatically be marked wrong. As you can see in the Introduction to Digital Note-Taking assignment, I’ve added multiple-choice questions at several locations. Also note that I’ve set this video to prevent students from skipping.

Add open-ended questions.

Open-ended questions are my favorite. Students can reflect. They can even ask questions for you to answer later. I usually just read the answers as I’m grading and check them off, but I can also respond back to the student via a comment. I love that two-way communication is a possibility here.

6. Assess the video.

You might want to just use the statistics in the dashboard to see how students are watching and what they’ve done, but I love that it tells me how many questions I have to assess or grade.

You can see if a student has finished the video. Some of these grades look artificially low because I haven’t graded the open-ended questions yet. The aqua colored button in the top right corner shows that I have 32 questions to grade. (The name of this video is Preso Basic computer skills if you’re wondering. It is cut off to hide student names.)

As you click “grade”, Edpuzzle shows you the items you need to grade. You can add a comment, quickly check, or give partial credit. I like how this feature groups common questions together, making it easier and faster for me to grade.

Why Edpuzzle Is an Essential Classroom Tool

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If you’re like me, you know that videos are a fantastic way of bringing content into the classroom. However, as teachers, we must check for understanding. Every opportunity that we have for interacting with a student is a time when we can enhance his or her learning experience. Our videos must be that way, too!

Edpuzzle adds the essential interactive feature. I already had this tool on my list from ISTE this year, and I started working with it when I came home from the conference. I love how Edpuzzle makes videos interactive to really ensure that students are learning the content. Teaching can be a challenge, and as we explore each new tool, we often need to find ways of adapting it to our own practice. If you’re using videos (or if you’ve held off on using them because of the problems I stated at the beginning of this blog), now is the time to start using Edpuzzle. And because it links with Google Classroom, just creating an embed code for a video can enroll someone in your class easily. I embed the videos in my LMS and students participate — and we’re good to go!

Add Edpuzzle to your toolkit today. You can get started by clicking this link and you’ll get access to the 50,000 curated videos in their library.

The post Why I Use Edpuzzle: An Edpuzzle Review appeared first on Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis @coolcatteacher helping educators be excellent every day. Meow!

One of the many questions that I received in my email this week came from a reader who wanted to know what some of my favorite resources for teaching math are. She added the stipulation that they needed to work on Chromebooks because her district just replaced old Windows computers in a lab with a Chromebook cart arrangement. Here are the suggestions that I shared.

Desmos is a free graphing calculator that you can use in your web browser on a Chromebook or any other computer using the Chrome browser. It is also available for mobile phones. Desmos has a robust website full of activities and lessons to use in your classroom.


Graph.tk is a free online graphing utility that allows you to plot multiple functions through its dynamically re-sizing grid. To graph an equation on Graph.tk just click the "+" symbol to enter a new equation. One thing that isn't clear the first time you use Graph.tk is that you need to delete the existing default equations before you start.

GeoGebra Classic is the browser-based version of the popular GeoGebra software. For more than ten years teachers have used GeoGebra to teach graphing functions, probability, data analysis, and much more.

Math Vocabulary Cards is a free Chrome app designed for elementary school students. The app offers exactly what its name implies, a series of flashcards of mathematics vocabulary terms. Each card contains a term, a diagram, and a definition. By default the term is hidden and students have to guess the term based on the definition and diagram. Students can also use the cards with the definitions hidden and the terms revealed.

Geoboard is a free app on which students stretch virtual rubber bands over pegboards to create lines and shapes to learn about perimeter, area, and angles. The app is available as a Chrome app. It can also be used directly in any modern web browser. The browser-based version can be found here.

We have had students turn in documents, slide presentations and spreadsheets digitally for a long time. We’re comfortable with them. They’re easy to open and (fairly) quick to grade … depending on what’s in them, of course! In the past, video has been a different story, though. Even recently, video was a pain to create […]

Earlier this month Quizlet, a popular flashcard service, added a new interactive diagram feature. This new feature can be used by students and teachers to create review activities that are based upon pictures and charts. Clicking on a point on an interactive Quizlet image will reveal the name or term clicked. You can then "flip" the flashcard just as you would with any other Quizlet flashcard. Multiple interactive elements can be added to each picture or diagram that you upload to your Quizlet account. This interactive map of Europe is a great demonstration of what can be done with the new interactive diagram feature in Quizlet.


Applications for Education
The option to review their Quizlet flashcards in the context of a larger diagram is a nice improvement. Learning about the parts of a cell or reviewing the locations of cities and states are perfect uses for the new interactive diagram feature in Quizlet.

There are a couple of other services on the market that also provide tools for creating quiz questions in the form of an interactive diagram. Those services are GoFormative and TinyTap.

[cross-posted to the Desmos blog]

We’re excited to release our latest activity into the world: Transformation Golf.

Transformation Golf is the result of a year’s worth of a) interviews with teachers and mathematicians, b) research into existing transformation work, c) ongoing collaboration between Desmos’s teaching, product, and engineering teams, d) classroom demos with students.

It’s pretty simple. There is a purple golf ball (a/k/a the pre-image) and the gray golf hole (a/k/a the image). Use transformations to get the golf ball in the hole. Avoid the obstacles.

Here’s why we’re excited to offer it to you and your students.

Teachers told us they need it. We interviewed a group of eighth grade teachers last year about their biggest challenges with their curriculum. Every single teacher mentioned independently the difficulty of teaching transformations – what they are, how some of them are equivalent, how they relate to congruency. Lots of digital transformation tools exist. None of them quite worked for this group.

It builds from informal language to formal transformation notation. As often as we ask students to define translation vectors and lines of reflection, we ask them just to describe those transformations using informal, personal language. For example, before we ask students to complete this challenge using our transformation tools, we ask them to describe how they’d complete the challenge using words and sketches.

The entire plane moves. When students reach high school, they learn that transformations don’t just act on a single object in the plane, they act on the entire plane. We set students up for later success by demonstrating, for example, that a translation vector can be anywhere in a plane and it transforms the entire plane.

Students receive delayed feedback on their transformations. Lots of applets exist that allow students to see immediately the effect of a transformation as they modify it. But that kind of immediate feedback often overwhelms a student and inhibits her ability to create a mental concept of the transformation. Here students create a transformation, conjecture about its effect, and then press a button to verify those conjectures. Elsewhere in the activity we remove the play button entirely so students are only able to verify their conjectures through argument and consensus.

Students manipulate the transformations directly. Even in some very strong transformation applets, we noticed that students had to program their transformations using notation that wasn’t particularly intuitive or transparent. In this activity, students directly manipulate the transformation, setting translation vectors, reflection lines, and rotation angles using intuitive control points.

It’s an incredibly effective conversation starter. We have used this activity internally with a bunch of very experienced university math graduates as well as externally with a bunch of very inexperienced eighth grade math students. In both groups, we observed an unusual amount of conversation and participation. On every screen, we could point to our dashboard and ask questions like, “Do you think this is possible in fewer transformations? With just rotations? If not, why not?”

Those questions and conversations fell naturally out of the activity for us. Now we’re excited to offer the same opportunity to you and your students. Try it out!

I am back to school here in Singapore for a new year and with it comes the excitement from everyone in the community. #whatisschool is bringing in the experts this week as I am joined with my colleagues Heather Barnard and Adam Torrens to talk EdTech. Adam and Heather are Elementary EdTech Coaches at my school (SAIS) and experts when it comes to integrating technology effectively to add value to teaching and learning programs.

Join me and the EdTech Coaches to discuss teaching and learning and technology integration. Bring your stories, ideas, and resources and be ready to share. It will be an amazing resource to start a new year in style (or for those in the Southern Hemisphere, give you the inspiration to continue on).

Remember that our chat times for around the world are: (updated 12 August 2017)

• Thursday 4pm Pacific Time
• Thursday 6pm Central Time
• Thursday 7pm ET 
• Thursday 11pm GMT
• Friday 12am CET
• Friday 7am Singapore/WA (Perth) Time
• Friday 9am AEDT
• Friday 11am NZT

Make sure you put this week’s chat in your diary and if you are not already signed up to our ‘Remind’ notifications – click here. We will send you an email or a FREE SMS just before our chat begins 

Questions #whatisschool, August 17, 2017 7PM EDT

1) Describe how technology is used in your school to support teaching and learning.

2) What makes a Great Ed-Tech Coach?

3) In your role, what do you want to see from coaches? What support do you need?

4) What is your best piece of advice for Ed-Tech Coaches?

5) What / Who are your go-to resources for integrating technology effectively?

6) What is one tech related idea or resource that you wish to implement in your school this year?

The post How to Infuse Google Classroom with the Power of YouTube appeared first on Shake Up Learning.

Maximize Google Classroom with YouTube!

Did you know that YouTube works seamlessly with Google Classroom? What a fantastic way to integrate video clips, tutorials, and get students creating!

Let’s dig into some strategies that will help you make the most of Google Classroom and YouTube. I always say YouTube equals learning at your fingertips. It is so easy to add a YouTube video in Google Classroom. It’s a no-brainer! There are so many valuable channels, resources, tips, tricks, lions, and tigers and bears, oh my!

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How to Infuse #GoogleClassroom with the Power of @YouTube #gsuiteedu #edtech #edchat @GoogleForEdu
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Easily Add YouTube Videos to Google Classroom

Google makes it so easy to add YouTube to your Google Classroom announcements, assignments, discussion questions and more. Look for the YouTube icon near the bottom-left to search for a YouTube video or copy and paste the link.

YouTube Videos in Google Classroom Assignments

This may seem obvious, but YouTube is loaded with learning. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel. There is a video out there that covers just about any topic you can think of. These make great companions to your lessons. Looking for some great videos? Check out my post: 20 YouTube Channels for Educators.

Here are some tips when using videos in your classroom:

– Keep them under 10 minutes. The longer the video, the harder it is to keep them engaged.

– Watch the video in its entirety! You never know when something inappropriate or off-topic could appear. Ensure every minute fits your purpose.

– Use View Pure to provide a version of the video that is free of comments and distractions.

Use YouTube Videos to Spark Online Discussion

Videos make great inspiration for discussion. A short video can introduce topics of inquiry, research, discovery, or even debate. Try the TEDEd, Curiosity.com, SoulPancake channels, or this curated Make You Think playlist from Lisa Highfill for some interesting discussion topics.

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Use @YouTube Videos in #GoogleClassroom to spark online discussion #gsuiteedu
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Use YouTube Videos as Writing Prompts

Writing can be a challenge for a lot of learners. Why not use video to spark reactions, creativity, and inspire writing. Edutopia has a fantastic playlist of writing prompts. Wouldn’t it be great to pick 3 or 4 and let them choose their own prompt? Below is creative writing prompt from the amazing John Spencer: You Just Discovered a Magical Movie Theater.

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Use @YouTube Videos in #GoogleClassroom as writing prompts #gsuiteedu #googleedu #engchat #k12
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YouTube with Hyperdocs Assignment

Hyperdocs are a great way to package your lessons for Google Classroom Assignments! One of the authors of The Hyperdoc Handbook, Lisa Highfill, has an amazing presentation on combing YouTube with your Hyperdocs lessons. It is embedded below.

 

YouTube Video Announcements in Google Classroom

Student created announcements make my heart sing, and so many schools are having students record school announcements as videos. Even though your school may deliver these through other channels on campus and/or online. You should make these available in Google Classroom.

Also, consider creating your own short video announcements as a way to connect with the kids. Students love to see the “real,” you! Give them a quick update, summary of the week’s activities, promote a big event, or just share something fun!

Below is a really fun one that I found from Aragon High School.

Add a Playlist to Your About Page

There are so many valuable videos on YouTube that you can curate into playlists for certain topics or units of study. Consider adding your playlist to the About Page as a resource and reference for students throughout that unit.

Here are step-by-step directions for creating playlists on YouTube.

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Want more YouTube Ideas?

Be sure to listen to episode 22 of The Google Teacher Tribe Podcast: What’s New with YouTube?

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Connect with Shake Up Learning

Email me directly: Kasey[at]ShakeUpLearning.com

Click on any of the icons below to connect with Kasey Bell and Shake Up Learning on social media.

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© Shake Up Learning 2017. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Kasey Bell and Shake Up Learning with appropriate and specific direction to the original content on ShakeUpLearning.com. See: Copyright Policy.

The post How to Infuse Google Classroom with the Power of YouTube appeared first on Shake Up Learning.

This is a collaborative post written with the incredible Karly Moura, an amazing TOSA from California.  She has been an invaluable part of my PLN since we have connected 2 years ago. Add her to your PLN by following her on Twitter.

• HyperDocs! Need I Say More???

• The HyperDoc Effect: 7 Ways Using HyperDocs has Changed my Classroom
• Catch the Flipgrid fever! 15+ ways to use Flipgrid in your class.
• 10 Ways to Enhance Math Lessons with FlipGrid

• Idea 💡 KWL chart gets a video REMIX. Have students respond to a topic sharing what they know. Then have them reply to themselves and classmates sharing what they want to know. After the lesson or unit have students come back to their own video and respond to themselves with what they have learned. Woo! A FlipGrid KWL
• Example HyperDoc

The golden rule, "Do unto others as you would have done unto you" never goes out of fashion. Whether you are on a blacktop playground playing hopscotch, at a restaurant with your family or having an online conversation, displaying character and compassion are what makes us innately human. As parents and educators, having a face-to-face conversation with children about a bully on the playground was a reality we used to live in. Today, tomorrow and years into the future our playground encapsulated by a measured fence has suddenly become the online world, its reach beyond the boundaries of our schools, homes and even communities.

This reality, however monitored, is a fact that is forcing our schools and families to answer the question, "How can we be proactive in this digital age rather than reactive?" Having worked the last few years as an Instructional Technology Facilitator in grades 3-12, I was unprepared for the challenge of crossing over citizenship practices in schools and classrooms to the digital online world. Making assumptions that it is a natural alignment was my first mistake. All too often a barrier to effective technology integration to support student learning is just that, integration. Often viewed as an add-on or separate from pedagogy, Digital Citizenship can suffer the same fate as educational technology. Fundamentals were not ensuring each child had a device that was set up properly and teachers a list of approved apps to explore but student affective behaviors and foundations built to empower them on the beginning of their digital journeys that would last and evolve over a lifetime.

This year, we have continued this work in mapping out a yearlong plan that involves all stakeholders and a common language to share a common purpose. Propelling this work even further is the amazing opportunity to participate in the Google Innovator Program this October in Sweden. The Google Innovator Program provides just what my passion for Digital Citizenship needs; a forum for communicating, collaborating, creating around this topic in education; more importantly the chance to innovate for a bigger purpose. I am excited to take this challenge forward and collaborate with other educators on ways to continue to make character count in a connected world and how to involve students in the process. I look forward to this journey and cannot wait to see what the year will bring. For now, here are the 5 Ways to begin cultivating the big picture of Digital Citizenship with your school, community, and students.



1. Utilize Digital Tools for Building Classroom/School Culture and Environment

Highlight community building around expectations and procedures by including students in the process while participating in an online environment. By providing a platform like Seesaw to promote student voice and ownership in classroom culture, teachers can cultivate best online practices aligned with their beginning of the year positive classroom climate building.

Application: Have students define what their classroom mantra/expectations should be by answering the questions: What does good citizenship look like and sound like? What do we want our classroom to look like and sound like? Then, have students post on Seesaw and comment on each other's ideas while modeling how to comment in an appropriate way highlighting digital communication best practices.





2. The 5th and 6th C: Compassion and Community

Use digital tools and online platforms like Flipgrid to give students the opportunity to see the power of the internet in a connected world. Have a problem or challenge in your school or community? Give students the tools and guidance to solve these real-world problems while utilizing digital tools in a Project Based Learning Format.



3. Keeping it Real and Relevant

By utilizing digital tools in an online environment aligned with lessons, units and projects, teachers can begin to model and scaffold how character transcends just physical space and interactions. Students can begin to make the connections between their actions in "real-life" and face-face contact is not much different than their online interactions with each other. We all strive to connect with others, be heard, and appreciated as human beings, no matter if on a playground or on the internet.

Application: Not just one more thing to add, Digital Citizenship and Character can be highlighted and integrated with the integration of EdTech. Provide opportunities for students to communicate, collaborate, critically think and create online, whatever the learning task or outcome. The more we give students access to digital tools in online environments, the more "teachable" moments we create for ourselves as educators. Instead of teaching to the traits of good digital citizens, students can live it.




4. Not a One-Hit Wonder

Schools and teachers are really good at providing foundational lessons imperative to a student's success. Digital Citizenship and Character is no different. No matter a student's situation at home, schools have risen to the challenge of providing more than just a test score for students' well-being. Digital Citizenship and Character is an all-hands-on-deck movement. The assumption that all families have the tools and resources to tackle the Digital World with their child is a dangerous one. By involving schools, communities, teachers, students and families in the year-long and year-year conversations and strategy/skill building, we ensure that our future generations can navigate in an increasingly undefined, broad and connected world.

Application: Involve families and provide resources by having a Family EdTech Night. Have students help plan the night and market it to their families. Integrate and align school-wide, district initiatives such as PBIS, Safe and Supportive Schools and Social Emotional Learning to Digital Citizenship. Involve and invite teacher leaders, teacher-librarians, administrators and counselors in what this looks like for your school, classrooms and students.






5. It is All About ME

It is all about the students. Empower students to be a part of this process that they are living every day by giving them a space and place to share their voice. Whether coming up with ideas for their school and classroom to promote Digital Citizenship or utilizing tools such as Common Sense Media for themselves, the more we give students the mic, the more aligned and authentic our lessons and efforts become. The old, "What you do while no-one is watching" stands even more true when watching and monitoring becomes more and more difficult in an online environment. Let's equip students with the skills to navigate by allowing them opportunities to being decision makers for themselves in a safe, encouraging environment like school now instead of later.

Through mistakes, failures and successes these past few years, I have a renowned sense of urgency to advocate for students to have a voice and access to foundational skills to navigate a digital world for a greater good; for themselves or others. The power of the pencil as an author stands true in an online world and unlike an author who goes through the laborious writing process, an author online can communicate their message with a push of a button. The inherent power in utilizing the internet for good is our paramount duty as educators and parents to instill in children.





Gail Moore
Instructional Technology Facilitator
Google Certified Educator and Trainer
Washington, USA
@gailkmoore

I saw this visual from Amy Fast, being shared all over social media:

Now I might challenge the term “rules” because this is more of a compelling vision of a classroom, which I think is so much more powerful and inspiring for our students.  For “rules”, simply using the idea of respecting yourself, others, and our environment, kind of covers everything in my opinion.

This image shared by Amy is not only inspiring, but it puts the onus on the “learner” in the room; not just the student but the teacher as well.  It is compelling yet challenging and it focuses on the learner, not necessarily the teacher (although the teacher is a learner as well).

I wanted to share this because it is not something that I normally have seen in classrooms, but hope variations of this start to happen.  This image reminds me that school should be both a challenging and inspiring place to be, which is often how the best learning happens.

Good afternoon from sunny Paris Hill, Maine. It was a busy week here and I'm sure it was for you too. As I mentioned earlier in the week, autumn is in the air around here. I found myself grabbing a knit hat and putting on a fleece earlier this week. That just serves as a physical reminder that school is in session. What's your favorite aspect of autumn? Send me an email and let me know.

This week I received a couple of requests to facilitate professional development days during the 2017-18 school year. My calendar for 2017 is almost full and 2018 is starting to fill in. I'd love to add your school to my schedule. Send me an email at richardbyrne (at) freetech4teachers.com and let's talk about how we can work together.

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