Curating resources & sharing stories to empower teacher & student ownership, wonder, and daring.
Want a way to keep up with current practices in education, to receive feedback from experts, and to connect with other educators around the globe? A PLN allows you to achieve all this and more!
Continue reading “Building PLN’s: Tips from One Beginner to Another”
Many teachers are very familiar with and involved in maintaining blogs for their classrooms and students. However, the advent of microblogging through platforms like Twitter can enhance or simplify your blogging habits! Read how!
We recently wrote a post that explored the in’s and out’s of Twitter for teachers. If you haven’t had a chance to read that yet, we recommend you start with that article first!
Microblogging, according a journal at the University of Stuttgart, can be explained in the following definition:
“Social networking and microblogging services such as Twitter, Facebook, or Google+ allow people to broadcast short messages, so-called microposts, in continuous streams.” [source]¹
So, while Twitter is not the only microblogging platform (see article that compares 10 others), we will be referring to Twitter as our main classroom tool for the purposes of this article.
Microblogging for your class can be very effective in conjunction with a classroom blog as it gives you a place where students can access your feeds, links, etc. However, that does not mean additional efforts–in fact, this approach will likely save you precious blogging time!
If you already keep a classroom blog to post pictures, homework, and general tidbits about what’s happening at school, chances are that you have experienced difficulty in posting content consistently or on the same day the pictures, activities, and videos actually happened. It may be easy enough to snap some pictures in the moment with your phone, but those can be easy to forget in the shuffle at the end of the day–and even when you do remember, it can be tough to scrounge up the time to upload your photos to your computer and then a new blog post, complete with a description!
Instead, consider how the above situation changes with the tool of Twitter microblogging:
Mixing maths and science – electricity and roman numerals http://t.co/qu4JPuA2cp #comments4kids pic.twitter.com/om2mTA225e
— Catherine Monaghan (@cmonaghan11) May 31, 2015
If you don’t have a classroom blog, you can simply give parents and students your handle (@_____) and have them follow you with their own Twitter accounts (and for this reason, we highly recommend that you keep a separate Twitter account for your classroom than for your personal use). If you do have a blog, then you can further spread the word by using a widget to upload your Twitter feed to your blog homepage, which can be especially helpful in reaching those who don’t have Twitter accounts! Below are steps to create your widget:
If you have a class Twitter account, you could also display your own feed.
Once the widget is created, inserting it into your blog varies according to your platform. Click here for a great WordPress tutorial! For others, you may need to copy and paste the widget code into the HTML of your site–many have an HTML widget you can insert for this kind of purpose!
This combination can make for a powerful and efficient solution to reaching parents and students effectively, but remember to work for a balance that will maximize and save your precious time!
Photo Credit: Kārlis Dambrāns
Sources:
1. Lohmann, S., et al. (2012). Visual Analysis of Microblog Content Using Time-Varying
You’ve probably heard the buzz around Flipped Learning online or around your school. If you are contemplating implementing this teaching approach, we would encourage you to carefully consider several areas addressed in this article.
When teachers flip their classrooms, they flip around their use of classroom time and homework time. To sum it up quickly:
Click for an Infographic that gives more details on certain aspects of a flipped classroom: Oer Research Hub Flipped Classroom Infographic
The official FLN (Flipped Learning Network) definition of flipped learning says, “”Flipped Learning is a pedagogical approach in which direct instruction moves from the group learning space to the individual learning space…” (source)⁴ In other words, flipped homework videos are intended almost exclusively for direct instruction use.
For this reason, we strongly encourage every educator to be extremely selective in when and how they choose to flip lessons. If many of your class lessons are already inquiry-based, only use flipped learning on the occasion direct instruction is needed–or perhaps, even after your inquiry lesson to extend and reinforce the big ideas students discovered. If most of your lessons are currently direct instruction, we feel that flipped learning is just one step in how you can approach your teaching in a way that reaches more learners, and on deeper levels. (see points #2 and 3).
We have seen articles mentioning that one benefit of flipped classrooms is that students who are absent won’t get behind (source)⁵. However, this perspective suggests that students wouldn’t miss much if they had to skip the classroom inquiry time–that the teacher-centered, direct instructional videos would be sufficient. However, we maintain that it is critical for teachers to possess the reverse perspective if they are to cultivate a student-centered focus.
To illustrate this point, we would like to reference a few educators that have discussed the topic of Flipped Learning in the context of inquiry-based instruction:
Author Simon Sinek gave a TED Talk a few years ago about what motivates people, stemming from his “Golden Circle” model. He explains that what has always set apart innovative and inspiring leaders, such as the Wright Brothers, is that they they focused on their beliefs or their Why, rather than the How or What.
This concept absolutely applies to how we approach learning. Think about your Why as a teacher: is your end goal for students to just pass your class and move on in the system, memorizing your content just long enough to pass your tests? Or do you hope for their sights to be raised in wonder and possibility, taking their learning further by building upon it throughout their lives? If we focus only on results, then all of our most carefully-constructed worksheets, projects, and activities will stem from the How and What, and will likely lead to very little. However, if we focus on the Why first, we will find increased levels of student ownership and engagement as they set their own visions higher. (check out Edna Sackson’s post on Differentiating Learning for additional ideas for raising our own sights in this approach!)
Particularly in higher education levels, we have seen examples of teachers and professors approaching the homework side of the flip in ways that can be overburdensome and/or ineffective for students. For example, creating videos that are especially lengthy may work in isolation for your class; however, if a student has multiple instructors who have flipped their classrooms, it may be prove overwhelming for students. Additionally, one benefit of flipped classrooms is students’ ability to pause, rewind, and replay the videos as needed to better absorb the information. Therefore, if your 1-hour video is one among several assigned in an evening, students will be less likely to thoroughly engage, regardless of their age Jonathan Bergmann, a pioneer in flipped learning, recommends no more than 1 ½ minutes per grade level (source)⁸. On the other hand, instructors should also take care that the content of their video adequately covers the concepts to be practiced in class. Finding the balance between these two ideas will come with trial and error, so be sure to seek student feedback as you do so!
As you consider how to make your videos as practical and engaging as possible, don’t forget about accessibility, either! Many students prefer to access flipped homework videos via smartphones, so make sure the platform you’re using is available on both desktops and mobile devices!
No internet, computers, or mobile devices at home? This is becoming a less frequent problem all the time, but it still exists! While we have come across several potential solutions to this problem, (including burning videos to DVD’s or flashdrives, using the public library, using the school computer lab after school, or watching with a friend or borrowed device), not every idea will be practical at your school. To guide your search, seek your students’ input to find out not only what they would prefer, but for how many of them this is an issue. Consider factors such as your own time constraints for burning DVD’s or how many computers are even available for students at your school. You may need to take an alternative route altogether and watch the videos during class. See the video below to see how this works:
Some students don’t watch the homework videos? Establish a formative assessment each day to check for understanding, whether it’s ExitTickets.org, emailed questions, or note-taking. If you have computers in your classroom, you may decide that students who missed it can watch the video in class, but make sure you still have measures in place to encourage accountability (ie, the students would then have an extra assignment based on the practice they missed).
Photo Credit:
Dan Spencer (featured image)
Sources:
1. Goodwin, Bryan & Miller, Kirsten. (March 2013). Evidence on Flipped Classrooms Is Still Coming In.
2. Knewton. Flipped Classroom Infographic.
3. Hertz, Mary Beth. (July 2012). The Flipped Classroom: Pro & Con.
4. Flipped Learning Network (FLN). (2014) The Four Pillars of F-L-I-P™
5. Bergmann, J, Overmyer, J., & Willie, B. (2013). The Flipped Class: What it Is & What it Is Not.
6. Musallam, R. (2013). 3 Rules to Spark Learning.
7. Sackson, E. (2012). Learning Isn’t Linear.
8. Raths, D. (2013). 9 Video Tips for a Better Flipped Classroom.
9. Wright. S. (2012). Flipping Bloom’s Taxonomy.
If teachers want to truly prepare students for the future, we must accept that social media is not going anywhere. Read on for tips on getting started in Twitter as an educator!
“Isn’t Twitter just another mundane way to micro-share everything in your life?” “Twitter just seemed too complicated with all the symbols and rules.” “Even if there are educational resources on Twitter, I just don’t have the time to join another social media website.”
Do any of these thoughts sound like you? If so, you’ve come to the right place, because we’ve been there, too! This article is designed to help you understand its benefits as an educator, as well as to provide basic steps and ideas to get started–all from the perspective of a fellow educator!
We very purposefully place this reason first! Resources like Twitter are the reason professional development is increasingly becoming a personalized experience at schools. Once you establish yourself with few educational hashtags combined with tools such as TweetDeck (see Simple Steps below), you will instantly have a wealth of current topics and resources to explore. For example, check out the screenshot that I randomly took of my own Twitter feed below:
Just glancing at the feeds, you can see resources and conversations ranging from math fact apps, to tips for using QR codes, to ideas for supporting inquiry! Many professional development days at schools currently involve the entire staff listening (often halfheartedly, especially if it doesn’t apply to them individually) to a couple of admin-selected trainers. Envision PD instead becoming days when the staff breaks into groups to spend the day truly exploring their areas of professional interest/needs–reading/discussing articles and contacting experts online with questions. Twitter has the potential to revolutionize each teacher’s development as professionals not only on a school-wide basis, but on a personal basis as well!
“The Twitter shift puts each educator in control of her own professional development with self-direction and personalization of content at any time…during planning periods or outside of the school day…If I want, I can get a daily dose of professional learning to go with my early morning cup of Joe. Through the Twitter platform, I discover best practice, research, solutions and ideas delivered to me in 140 characters or fewer, for just in time learning.” ~Meg Ormiston [source]
The relevance with regards to using Twitter goes beyond just relating to our more tech-savvy students (although that can be quite significant as well)! It goes back to what we described in professional development above. Twitter is an incredible vehicle for teachers and other educational experts to quickly and effectively share their most innovative and valuable ideas. If we continue to “go it alone,” despite the ready availability of such a goldmine, we will quickly lose touch with the growing possibilities within our own field.
“Social Media is here to stay. Its form may change, and certainly the applications we use will not remain the same, but the idea of openly exchanging information in whatever forms it is produced is not going away. As educators we can use it or lose it. If we don’t start to understand and use this technology soon, we will lose the opportunity to harness it, because we will be irrelevant. We don’t need social media to teach, as much as we need it to learn.” ~Tom Whitby [source]
As long as our discussions regarding current events and issues throughout the world remain within the confines of our own classroom, such ideas will continue to seem remote to students. Once we use Twitter to communicate with individuals actually involved in those issues and/or living in those places, students will begin to see themselves as real participants in a global community.
“Educators who participate in Twitter networks are well placed to support students in the use of relevant digital technologies because the Twitter community shares knowledge, resources and expert advice.” ~Tania Sheko [source]
Resources like Twitter provide educators with heretofore unheard of levels of genuine, global collaboration. We are perfectly poised now to share what works and what doesn’t, to seek and receive feedback when we’re stuck, and to showcase examples of great student learning. This last ability in particular can create increased community connectedness as parents truly witness and participate in their children’s learning. Classroom learning today looks drastically different than it did a generation ago–it calls for increased focus on process over product, on problem solving skills over memorized facts, and on student ownership over teacher control (see more ways learning has changed). Parents, administrators, and fellow teachers need to see the benefits of such changes in order to cultivate understanding and support; in other words, we need transparency across the board to further improve teaching and learning practices!
“…they started with the why, and then created a vision for sharing beyond the walls of the classroom. Their purpose was to share with the community the great things happening in classrooms in the three-building prek-8 school district.” ~Meg Ormiston [source]
Wait, did we say that already? Yep. It’s that important.
“Imagine if every teacher shared just one of their best sources with other educators, who in turn could tweet them out to the tune of 700,000 tweets in a half hour. Everyone would benefit. The idea here is to get educators familiar with the concept of connectedness and its possibilities…” ~Tom Whitby [source]
Twitter is less simplistic than other social media platforms when it comes to maximizing its use, especially in a professional capacity. However, it is well worth the time invested in establishing your own Professional Learning Network (PLN–check out our article on building PLN’s here). We have included some simple steps below to help you get started! Also, be sure to check out the 13-page Handbook from plpnetwork.com, which breaks down definitions and steps in easy-to-follow detail.
Set-up a username using the @ symbol (called your Twitter handle)If you teach at a BYOD school (Bring Your Own Device) or in another circumstance in which mobile devices are 1:1, the ways for students to use Twitter in the classroom are broader. Below are some specific ideas.
On the other hand, if your students are very young, if your school does not use BYOD, or if, for any other reason, you are the only person with access to Twitter in the classroom, there are still incredible and practical ways for you to use it!
Happy Tweeting! We’d love to hear your success stories in the comments!
Featured Image: Scott Beale / Laughing Squid
Sources:
Why are some drugs illegal and some aren’t? What makes them so bad? Why does it matter if it’s prescribed or not? Okay, yes, that’s three questions, but the answers are many:
Continue reading “The effect of drugs on your brain [VIDEO]”
BYOD or “Bring Your Own Device” is becoming more commonplace in workplaces and conferences, but what about in the classroom?
Since many students possess one kind of device or another (laptops, tablets, smartphones, etc.), implementing a BYOD approach at school has the potential to address the financial concerns of funding and maintaining school-wide technology. However, according to an article¹ by Sharo Dickerson, several essential considerations must be made before implementing such an approach:
Even when all the above procedural concerns are managed, introducing BYOD could quickly go the way of 1:1 laptop programs without care. According to a recent study¹, “Computers in K-12 classrooms are mostly used to support the same textbooks, curriculum, and teaching practices that continue to represent traditional classroom settings” (Norris & Soloway, 2011). Many administrators and teachers, such as Jennie Magiera², experience the pitfalls of assuming that just the presence of technology in the classroom will motivate and inspire learning to higher levels. During one of my student teaching experiences, I witnessed first-hand a classroom that was packed with all the latest technology, including 1:1 student desktop computers, an interactive whiteboard, and Activotes–yet it still felt the same as most traditional 20th Century classrooms. Even the high-tech interactive whiteboard was used like a regular whiteboard or, at best, a projector, with ordinary lists of math problems on the board to be solved, or Basal passages for students to read together.
So what do we do to help BYOD avoid the smoke and mirrors of other failed techno-integration attempts? According to the Dickerson article, it’s essential to include an “adaptation of constructivism in redesigning curriculum and content delivery.” In other words:
The common denominator in all these examples of higher level learning with technology? Technology has the potential to dramatically revolutionize 21st century learning; we can’t expect that to happen with same-old 20th century teaching strategies and mentalities!
As you implement a BYOD or any technology approach in your classroom, you will need to consider the unique needs of your students. However, we hope this list will give you some ideas to help students authentically use devices to enhance and customize their own learning:
1. Twitter (Click here for our article on Twitter for Teachers!)
Make a unique hashtag for your class that will enable you to post questions, comments, links, or even just regular announcements. Students could also upload thoughts on their learning using this hashtag, both in and out of the classroom! You can even use the hashtag to organize TweetChats during class for students to experience a dynamic debate that eliminates the need to “take turns talking.” (Tweetdeck is a great resource to easily view all Tweets within a hashtag). In addition, you could use existing hashtags such as #comments4kids to publish student work and ask questions to engage with a real audience! (See this free Twitter handbook for teachers for more ideas for classroom use, as well as information to get you started if you’re a Twitter newcomer!)
2. Skype
In the classroom, Skype is a close relative to Twitter in that both have the potential to truly take learning beyond your 4 walls! Check out our article that goes over how Skype Virtual Field trips work for some specific ideas!
3. App Selection
To help students really utilize technology as a learning tool, choose apps that are “Creation-based over Content-based!” My article on Practical Student Blogging also lists several resources that include creation-based apps, with Educreations being one of my favorites! Also see apps sorted by topic in my Edutopia post, “Visualizing 21st-Century Classroom Design.”
4. Differentiated Learning
Do you have students who have an IEP accommodation to have a scribe during writing? Help them discover and use speech-to-text apps such as Dragon Dictation or Evernote, or Google Apps add-ons like Text to Speech with Google Drive! Do you have students who struggle with remembering assignments or time management? Help them learn to manage their time with apps like Due or again, Evernote. Meeting every student’s diverse needs can go from being an elusive ideal to a truly attainable undertaking when we “use technology creatively” (WhatEdSaid article) in the classroom!
5. Student Blogging
Have students keep digital portfolios of their work and progress throughout the year using blogs! Check out our post on student blogging for specific ideas to get you started. 2016 edit: Also be sure to check out Seesaw & our privacy-friendly alternatives to blogging.
6. Google Collaboration
Turn writing assignments and other projects into more effective collaboration as students work together in real time in Google Drive! With their work already online in highly shareable files, they can seek for feedback not just from their classmates, but other peers around the school or even the globe! We feel strongly that this kind of technology use will empower kids with authentic problem-solving skills as they learn how and from where to seek real feedback (ie, not just their teacher)!
7. Presentations
Thanks to technology, the mediums for presentations have stretched well beyond dioramas, posters, and essays. Perhaps students will want to make a Toontastic puppet show on their iPad. Others may want to create a Youtube video instead. Still others may opt for a Prezi (see our post on replacing Powerpoint with 3 highly collaborative, interactive resources). Whatever the case, with so many options at their fingertips, be sure to give students more autonomy in constructing and displaying their thinking with their BYOD devices!
8. Enrich the scientific process
From digital microscope apps to the simple camera features of devices, students can take scientific learning to a new level. For example, you can have students take daily photos of an experiment’s progress to create time lapse videos (idea from this WhatEdSaid article), which would help them analyze their data in new ways! Additionally, students can use Twitter and Skype to ask for feedback from experts or other classes around the world on their findings, or simply to communicate their results!.
9. QR codes
Turning any device into a barcode reader/creator is easy with QR codes! As you consider the many suggestions available online for their classroom use, remember to hunt for ideas that give students opportunities for ownership and connection–in other words, be picky! One idea we found that could help fit this purpose include printing and posting some codes around the classroom that take students to various photos or videos to provoke their thinking at the beginning of a unit. Another idea involves students making QR codes for their research findings that they then post together in the classroom or virtually on the class blog! Be sure to ask for student input for their use in class as well!
10. Revolutionize Exit Tickets
Rather than sort through exit tickets or assignments after students have gone home with misconceptions, check their progress during learning activities and projects using the program, Exit ticket! Because you can see their understanding right away, you can adjust your approach to better address their needs. The program is available on virtually any device with access to a network, thanks to compatibility with Android, iOS, and desktops.
Photo Credit:
Sources:
4 Various WhatEdSaid articles
We’ve all snored through text or slide-heavy Powerpoints before. The next time you have to create a presentation, consider some of these more engaging alternatives!
These 3 resources each explore the what (how the resource works), the when (uses in the classroom), and the how (how they can replace Powerpoint)!
Take any image and turn it into an interactive dream as you link in videos, pictures, articles, and comments! They work particularly well if you have a classroom blog or other website your students can access. The Thinglink above contains more links with details on introducing you to this fantastic resource.
Say you want to present to your students information on documents and systems that helped influence the United States Constitution: the Magna Carta, the Iroquois Confederacy, the Mayflower Compact, and the Articles of Confederation. With a powerpoint, this would be a very linear discussion, covering each topic consecutively, perhaps with videos sprinkled throughout. With a Thinglink, however, you can link all the videos, media, and thinking questions into one image, and then publish it to a classroom blog or another platform your students can access. Students can then explore all the links in a manner that best suits their learning–re-watching videos that were confusing for them, or reading articles at their pace that give them even more information! Check out an example of how we put this together below.
A Prezi is a zoomable presentation that engages viewers as it flows from idea to idea in unexpected, animated ways. The video above chronicles the development and benefits of using Prezi as it goes through an actual Prezi!
A Prezi can be used exactly as you currently use Powerpoints–in fact, it even has a feature for you to upload existing Powerpoint slides into a Prezi template! Only, then, you get to play with the 3D templates and zoomable features to help bring it to life!
The definition of what makes a Skype virtual field trip is confined only by your own imagination! Watch this video on Skype’s education page for a wonderful introduction! Connecting through Skype, you can interview activists, have docents show your students around museums, or even take students on virtual road trips (see that field trip described in more detail here, along with 4 other amazing examples)! An article from Scholastic explains how it provides “customized curriculum” and “global connections.” You can either pick existing lessons from Skype’s page on classroom use that you can schedule right away, or connect with other teachers around the world with similar project goals using your Skype account and profile!
Forget making a Powerpoint with the who, what, when, where, and why of wolves in North America: Schedule a Skype interview with an actual wolf expert for students to interview and learn from after they have prepared some questions! Not only does this dynamically bring learning “off the page,” but it hones students’ communication skills as well!
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Photo Credits: Photographer (featured image)
