New and Improved Imagine Learning

Over the summer, Canyons School District installed the update to Imagine Learning. This brought a new look and feel to the program. The student login was changed and now students and teachers login in at the same place. Another new feature is the Action Area Tool. This is a new resource for teachers to see exactly where their students are at, what help they need and then provides that support to the teacher to give to the student. It focuses in on what skills the student is struggling with and then links to activities and printouts to help reinforce their learning. It provides instant intervention.

EDPUZZLE

https://edpuzzle.com

A teacher at Mount Jordan Middle School, Erika Bradshaw (@erbra4) introduced to me a new tool which I think holds a lot of promise for video use in the classroom. Think Flipped Classroom!

EdPuzzle allows a teacher to edit educational videos by adding their own voice or comments and by posing questions to students that are inserted along a timeline that matches the video. Student progress can be tracked and teachers can know exactly how students answered each question!

Sign up for an account today and give EdPuzzle a try!

AirDrop for Macs

Need to send a file to another teacher but don't want to take up your limited email space? Try using AirDrop. To access AirDrop, open your Finder window and click the AirDrop tab.  Then click and drag the desired file(s) or folder(s) to the user's icon. Remember, the larger the file(s), the longer the download process.  All computers will need to be on the same wireless network and within 30 feet of each other.

Reflex Math, a Time Test Alternative!

When I was teaching 5th grade, I found that one of the most beneficial practices I implemented was the daily 100 multiplication fact 5 minute time test.  I found that by Thanksgiving almost all my kids (with varying previous success in math) could finish the whole thing in 3 minutes without any errors.  This really made long division much easier to teach.  I know that by no means is math fact memorization where instruction should end.  Fact fluency does make the road to deeper mathematical concepts and application much smoother.  I will compare math fact fluency with reading fluency.  If we continue to sound out every word we read, meaningful literary experiences will be difficult to have.

In our district we now have access to Reflex Math.  It is a fun alternative to the time test.  It is a program, that through the guidance of a helpful crab, students can play games that allow them to more quickly recall their math facts.  They can access their account from any computer or using the new iPad app.  I look forward this year to hearing the success this fact practice can bring the students.  It will be most valuable if students have the ability to practice at school and at home.  While this may place demands on their teachers' already shrinking time, I think this is a truly worthwhile use of that time and resources.  My experience with the time test showed me just how much students could grow in math fluency with a short 10 minute daily activity.  Reflex Math is a great way for students to develop their skills using gamification!

If you'd like to get started, here's a guide on how to create your roster and how students log in.  Keep in mind, your students cannot access this tool until you have attached them to your roster.  Ask your Ed Tech for more information on how to implement this great math supplement in your classroom!  

Heartbreak over lost phones

While in a school yesterday, I was reminded about the importance of protecting my property.  Over the loud speakers, which can be heard throughout the school, I heard the sound a parent, student, administration, and EdTech cringe at, “If anyone finds an iPhone in a blue case please bring it to the main office.”   

I rushed to the main office to offer my help.  I asked the main office to call down the student.  Just then a student came in the room caring a blue iPhone case with no iPhone, they had found it on the floor.  The student’s face when she saw that her phone was gone was heartbreaking.

I said, “It’s OK, I am here to find your phone.” I felt like a superhero.

“How,” she replied.

“The miracle of iCloud.”  I assumed everyone with an Apple device enables this awesome feature.

“I never set iCloud up.”  The look of heartbreak was now on my face.  She knew what iCloud was but decided against it.   INSANE!

 

Image: https://www.apple.com/icloud/find-my-iphone.html

As you go to work this year or send your child to school with a smart phone or device be sure to enable any security features to help protect your investment.  The instructions for enabling security on Apple and Samsung products are listed below. 

Apple Find my Iphone/pad/pod

 

Samsung Find my Mobile

 

                                                                                                                              

Top Ten Reasons to Use Screencast-O-Matic

(Scott Sommerdorf | The Salt Lake Tribune)

Last month I had the opportunity to teach two sessions at the Flip'in Utah Conference on how to create tutorials in the flipped classroom using Screencast-O-Matic.  Here are my top ten reasons educators should use Screencast-O-Matic.

     

10. It's Easy

If creating screencasts scares you or makes you uncomfortable, this is the program for you. Screencast-O-Matic has made the screen casting process simple and easy to follow.  

9.  Dual Platformed

There are many great screencast programs out there, but a majority of them have been designed to work on either a Mac or a PC and rarely for both.  If you have access to the Internet, then you have have access to Screencast-O-Matic.

8.  Web-based

Screencast-O-Matic is a web-based product that doesn't require you to download the application.  As mentioned in #10, if you have access to the Internet then you have access to Screencast-O-Matic.  However, Screencast-O-Matic does require Java.  Before using Screencast-O-Matic, make sure Java is downloaded to the computer and up-to-date.

7.  Picture in Picture

Every time I teach Screencast-O-Matic teachers ask if there is way to record themselves talking to the camera while they are also recording what is happening on their computer screen.  The answer is YES. Screencast-O-Matic can access the webcam that is connected to the computer while also recording what you are doing on the screen. Once the screencast has been recorded you have the ability to adjust the size and location of the webcam video.

6.  Adjustable Recording Spaces

When creating screencasts you can decide how much of the computer screen to record.  Screencast-O-Matic offers predetermined sizes as well as the option to click and drag the screen to the size you desire.  You can also pause the recording at anytime, change the recording space's location and size, and then continue the recording.

5.  Sharing

Sharing screencasts in this program is easy.  Screencasts can be uploaded to Screencast-O-Matic, YouTube, or downloaded to the computer as a video file.

4.  Custom Links

Custom links are a way to create a web address alias that can point to any screencast that you have uploaded to Screencast-O-Matic.

3.  Channels

Screencast-O-Matic allows you to create channels to store your videos.  When you publish your screencasts to Screencast-O-Matic and YouTube you are given a link that is unique to that specific video.  Depending on how many videos you share, after time students may get confused as to what link goes to what video.  Creating a channel allows the link that you share with students to remain the same, and students have access to all videos within that channel.

2.  Captions

Teachers can create a screencast in Screencast-O-Matic and then add captions to the video.  This YouTube video will walk you through the steps for adding captions. 

Note: The video says to open and use Notepad.  You can use any word processing program, but you need to make sure that you save your file as a .txt file. Which can be done during the Save/Save As step

1.  It's Free!

      Everyone loves a good bargain, and what is better than free? Screencast-O-Matic provides an option for you to upgrade to the pro version which gives you more features, but many teachers have been happy and satisfied with the features that the free version offers.  

What To Do When Technology Tanks

"I can't log in."
"The screen froze."
"My Apple TV keeps dropping."
"It didn't save and I lost my work."

These are all frustrating things we deal with as we strive to integrate technology in the classroom. I like to call them "technology tanks". Technology tanks are inevitable and can spell disaster for your lesson and discourage many teachers from wanting to use technology.  However, these disasters can be averted, even when the technology tanks strike, if you have procedures set up in your classroom to help things run smoothly while you deal with an issue when it arrises.

Just like any lesson has the potential to go differently than you planned, so can your technology components.  The trick is knowing how to deal with it in a way where you classroom can continue on beyond the speed bump.  We can use these technology tanks as a learning experience so we know how to deal with the problem if it occurs again.  The key is not to panic and transition to a back up plan.  Here are a few helpful tips that may help ease anxiety about trying something new and dealing with technology tanks.

• Don't overdo it.  Rather than trying 3 new tools or strategies at once, choose one and focus on using it a few times until you feel comfortable.  Then, add something new.
• Don't be afraid to try using a new technology because something might go wrong.  
• Ask your Ed Tech to walk you through using the technology before hand, or ask them to be there as a support the first time you use it (they would love to help)!
• If it isn't working, turn it off, and back on again.  It doesn't always fix things, but a lot of times it does help.
• Work with your students to solve the problem (within reason).  Critical thinking skills are important, and often times someone in the room will have a suggestion that might work.  Student will appreciate the opportunity to show what they know.
• If all else fails, go to plan B.  Adjusting is part of being a good teacher and it's important for students to see those skills on display!

I also found this article about the pros and cons of teaching with technology from Edudemic interesting.