I am in need of information for a lesson or unit I am preparing for my class. I turn on my computer and log on and open up my browser (Google Chrome) and the Google Search bar pops up:
Simple enough, I type in what I am searching for and VOILA! I have all the answers (3,140,000 to be exact). This is all I knew about "searching" on Google, until this week. Did you know that there are other things Google can do?
You can use the Google search bar as a calculator:
Google Search can also create conversions for money, temperature, and units of measurement.
The Google search bar can also be used as a dictionary. Simply type in define and then the word you are needing defined:
If you want to know more about Google Search tips and tricks, hit YouTube and search "Google Search tips and tricks" - there is a plethora of videos and information!
Just a few more Google Search Sources that you could use in the classroom:
Google Books
Google News
Another fascinating search tool I discovered and explored this week was Wolfram Alpha. What is Wolfram Alpha you ask and what can it do? Click here for examples of all this tool can bring to your classroom.
On a personal note, while searching for search tools this week I came across a Google tool called "What Do You Love". Search any topic and WDYL shows you: Trends, YouTube videos, Images, Translations, Books, Discussion Groups, Events, and Blogs. You can also connect to: news, Chrome, mobile, Google Earth, Gmail, Google Voice, and Calendar all on one page!
So now you have some new tools to go out and explore. Find what works for you and your classroom! If you find a new search tool let me know, I love toLearn Something New Every Day!
The World Wide Web. It is bigger than we can imagine, with more resources than we could ever have the time to view, join, or understand. If we are in the classroom or computer lab, and we ask our students to research a topic, or give them free time on the computer, how do we know that they are choosing the best resources out of the hundreds of thousands of options they will receive when they click GO? Last week I talked about organizing the classroom - this week is about organizing online!
Have you heard of Symbaloo? I hadn't either, but I am now in love with it! So, you have have a list of websites that your students may go to, explore, and play on, and they are all typed out or written on the board, great! But, what happens when one wrong letter, or dot is out of place, or when the student types in org instead of gov? The "oops" factor is endless! Now, you can just create a Symbaloo, you can even make it your default homepage so it is easy to access, and voila, computer time becomes a little less overwhelming (for everyone)!
Here is the link to a Symbaloo I created for a fifth grade classroom.
My second "I'm in love" moment this week was when I sat down and took the time (hours and hours to be exact) to "play" on Pinterest! I cannot actually believe the words came out of my mouth. I have always been a "non-pinner" as I found the site to be overwhelming and unorganized, but I am now an active "pinner" (both for personal and professional purposes). I do not about you, but my "knowing" (or lack there of) of Pinterest was that it was great for recipes, crafts, and DIY projects, I figured I could simply search the internet for those things...and you can...however, on Pinterest, its all right there, pictures and everything (I am a very visual person)!
How could you use Pinterest in your classroom?
Here is a link to my boards on Pinterest. I have so much more exploring to do and cannot wait to put it all to use in the classroom. I started with the basics - technology in the classroom, resources for teaching and learning, and classroom management.
Social media and networking in the classroom has become a big topic in our society. Our students are glued to their technology (and let's be honest, so are we), and yet, maybe it is because I grew up in a time of typewriters, no cell phones, and Oregon Trail on the computer, I am not full on board with integrating social media and social networks in the classroom. The only social media network I have used in the classroom is YouTube and that is because I love, love, love to use videos and music in my lessons.
There are so many pros and cons out there telling us why we should or should not incorporate social media into our classroom, yet I feel that the decision should be made based on (a) the expectations of the district and (b) the dynamic/need/function of the class. If you have a class where the majority of the students do own electronic devices, or do not have internet access at home, then using outreach social media, is probably not the direction to take your class as it would only be setting them up to fail. If you are in a district where technology is a high priority, then most definitely branch out and try new tools and resources for teaching and learning with your students.
There is a fine line between enough and too much, in my opinion, when it comes to social media outlets in society, and in our classrooms. A key piece to making it work, is setting the expectations, guidelines, and consequences out from day one. Students need to know how to properly use the social network at hand. If we are going to teach with the technology, we need to teach the HOW and the WHY as well. Students also need to be aware of reality, while a pro of social networking is collaboration and confidence and participation - the flip side is no face to face communication and social skills. My overall feeling is that you have to create a balance of both in the classroom. We have to show our students the past (textbooks, class discussions, group-work, homemade projects, oral reports), teach them the now (social media/networking etiquette, educational uses of social networks, as well as benefits and dangers), and prepare them for the future (relationships, jobs, communication).
Whether you are a new teacher, a seasoned teacher, a substitute teacher, a paraeducator, or if you fit in the classroom/school somewhere in between, organization is a BIG deal; it can make or break a classroom, or a teacher. There are so many tools, tips, resources, opinions, tricks, ideas, concepts, ways, and materials that you can find and implement, but how do you know what will work? I am afraid there is not a direct answer here. All you can do is trial and error - find what fits your needs, what works in your classroom, what meets the needs of the students, what makes things easier. There are a million, resources on the internet! By simply typing in, "Organization Tips for Teachers", I had thousands of sites pop up:
Where to begin? I started at the top, sites that offered me multiple ideas and tools in one location. We all know that we do not have a lot of time, so a one-stop-site works really well for me. Some of my favorites are Scholastic, Hacks for Teachers, Kim's Korner, Happy Teacher, and Teacher Hub (just to name a few. You can also check out Youtube videos for organization tips and tricks in the classroom.
Find what works for you and feel free to share what you discover!
So, aside from organization, another important piece to the classroom is lesson plans. Oh the dreaded lesson plans! I remember when I was working on my Bachelor's, we had to create numerous lesson plans, in a given format and each plan was AT LEAST 4-5 pages long. I remember thinking, will I ever do this in the classroom? While I am not in the classroom, the general consensus is NO, but you DO have to create plans (maybe extremely detailed and maybe not depending on your style and experience). It is my belief however, that one does not have to recreate the wheel. If you are stuck on planning for a unit or topic that you are unfamiliar with, SEARCH! The web is full of awesome lesson plans that give you ideas and a base for your plan. Two of my favorites are Teachers Pay Teachers and Scholastic.
Throughout this week, I have also researched tools that help with classroom management (Classdojo), online manipulative (timers and noise monitors), websites that help manage your to-do lists (Thoughtboxes), and Google Calendar. While theses are all great resources, it is reality that not everything works for everyone. While times are changing, and I am doing my best to hang on to the coat tails of the technology revolution, I am still a strong believer in keeping a paper trail. Some the sites I just mentioned appeared to me that they would not be time-saving, but that they would create more work and take up more time that I could be using for teaching, planning, and communicating.
It is ultimately up to you what you choose to use and not use. You have to find what works for you. So get out there and learn something new today! Find something new that helps improve your classroom, saves you time, or organizes something that you struggled with before.
If you asked me a week ago what Google was, I would tell you it was a commonly used search engine. I would also mention that Gmail (a popular email source) is available through Google. That's it, no more, no less. WOW was I wrong! Google is so much more, there is a whole other piece to Google called Google Drive!
I guess I am so used to using the "old school" forms, documents, and presentation tools, that I never thought to investigate anything else. Well, that and, to be honest, new technology is slightly intimidating to me. I know though feel like I am in the "loop" with all Google Drive has to offer. Let's look at a few of the features of Google Drive. Google Forms:
Google forms can be used for anything! I created a Google form to discover, understand my students' reading behaviors. Information gained can help me to better plan for reading to ensure that all students can find an interest in books and activities within reading units. Forms can include quizzes, tests, questionnaires, and the list goes on! Google Drawing:
Not only can you use templates in Google Drawing but you can also start on a blank page and create your own "drawing". Students can use this tool to put all their thoughts on "paper" (so to speak). It is new way for students to gather and present information. Google Drive also contains Sheets, Slides, and Presentations. While I played a little this week with these, I am still wandering through the ins and outs of each app. Another Google Drive feature I loved was all the templates you can choose from to utilize in the classroom. Everything from recipe cards, to note taking pages, to rubric guides, to scripts, and much, MUCH more! So go ahead, take some time, log into your Google account, go to DRIVE and explore what works for you and your students.
Okay, so I just figure out Twitter and Diigo (which was easier than I thought by the way) and now I have to move on to Edmodo and Schoology; whew! I guess if I was actually in the classroom, I would have more knowledge of resources and tools like these, but, since I am not, I had no clue! So I begin signing up for accounts and playing/navigating through the new sites. I realized two things: 1. There really is Facebook for Teachers! 2. While both have basically the same features, they are set-up very differently!
Take a look at what I mean:
I was not familiar with Edmodo or Schoology, however, after "playing" with them both over the past few days, I feel that Schoology is easier to navigate and is more tailored to my organizational thought process ( I am slightly OCD). While I do not currently have students to use this with, I think it will be a great tool to use in the future when I am in the classroom. I will be able to create quizzes, assignments, and discussions for the students to participate in. It will also be a great communication tool for the students; imagine their faces when they see that there is an "educational Facebook". The layout of Schoology is easy to follow. The tabs are labeled well and the resources section allows for organization within the section. I found it very hassle free to upload videos, insert pictures, and connect links in Schoology.
Why Schoology?
Edmodo felt overwhelming to me not only the first time I logged in, but each time thereafter. One thing I did like about Edmodo was the Snapshot feature (generated Common Core based quizzes which the system grades for you). I feel that this would be beneficial in the classroom to see where students are in regards to certain standards and results would guide me with lesson planning in order to meet the needs of all students.
Why Edmodo?
The choice is yours, what works best for you, your students, your classroom, your school, your community? You may choose to use certain pieces of both, however, that may become challenging.
All that being said, I will definitely use one of these sites in the classroom and in labs to get students engaged and involved in their learning. However, I know that the reality is that some students/families/homes (yes, even in this technology driven world) do not have computers or internet access. I will not use either one of these as my only communication, grading, quiz, or assignment tool. I do not feel that it is fair to ask/expect students and families to have to go somewhere else nightly to complete assignments. I want to be sure that I know my students and families and that they all feel welcome and comfortable with the activities and communication in (and out of) the classroom.
What a week, where to begin? Okay, we will start from the beginning, maybe it will all become clearer than mud when I am writing about it; or maybe not. If you are like me, you are asking yourself, "What is a PLN?" As we all do, when I see an acronym, I go through the list in my head: PN, LPN, CEN, CSN, RN - and then, oh yeah, I remember I am in Education, NOT nursing. I am back at square one, "What is a PLN?" Well, thankfully I have many resources, and I discovered that a PLN is a Personal Learning Network. Still not clicking? Maybe this will help (I too am a visual learner):
Okay, so now that I almost understand what a PLN is, I embark on the next adventure, starting my PLN on Twitter. If I thought discovering what a PLN was was a task, maneuvering my way through Twitter was another adventure. My head felt like it was going to explode, it was on extreme overload - Tweetdeck, hashtags (what is a hashtag), @ who? So after clicking from how-to pages back to Twitter home page and back again, and well back again and again and again, I took a break, cleared my head, and then went back to try yet again. This time, I took my time, and while I still am not sure I know how to engage in, view, or find a "chat", I at least have found some people people and groups to "follow". As an educator, I decided to keep my Twitter account professional and chose to follow other educators, speakers, and groups that would help me to enrich my professional tool box and enhance my teaching and student learning. To see who I am following, follow me @mrsklearns2day at twitter.com. While I am still navigating through my third task for the week, Diigo, I already know that the neat and organized format of this social bookmarking tool is going to make my life much easier. What is Diigo and social bookmarking? I wondered the same thing as I was used to simply "clicking" the star to yellow to save a page, only to have to remember where I saved it and how to find it again. With Diigo, the remember and search (and wasted time) is eliminated. Diigo also allows you to find and bookmark items on one source and then view them again on another source.
Well, I am off to dive more into Diigo and expand my knowledge (and confusion) of the Twitter world. Be sure to keep track of my progress from an Unconnected Student to a Connected Educator!
So this week, I log on in excitement to begin a new class, The Connected Educator. When I previewed this class I thought, "No problem, I know how to use the computer. I can search, I can post, I know e-mail, powerpoint, and a few other things; I've got this!" To my surprise, in week one we are to read about RSS and Blogs - "Um, what?" As often as I find myself scrolling through Facebook, glancing at Pinterest and searching for lesson plans and recipes, I realized that I do not think I have ever sat and read a blog, and if I did, it was completely by chance. Now I see that I am to create my own blog, panic set in! I sit down, prepared to start working on and discovering the new technology that I can use to improve my teaching, my student's learning, and a new way to communicate with parents and other educators. A task for week one: organizing blogs with RSS and Feedly, and of course, I have not a clue as to what either of these things are, but as I read, I discover that Feedly is my new favorite resource! Not only did I set up a Feedly account, both for professional and personal interests, on my laptop, but I also downloaded the app on my phone so I can read, catch up, and search on the go. What is an RSS? Well, while I am still trying to put in into "English" instead of "Computer Lingo", I believe it a system which allows you to keep up to date with a site or blog that you often visit. In my mind, I thinking of it as a bookmark that automatically sends you updates and articles. This video does a great job of putting the "Computer Lingo" into "English". **Please note, Google Reader is no longer available, but you can use Feedly instead.**
So far, I would like to believe that I am right on track with making the transformation from an unconnected student, to a connected educator. I'll be writing about my successes, my failures, my confusions, and findings throughout this course so stick with me as I become "Connected"!
