For the fourteenth summer now, I have trained teachers in a summer academy to learn how to infuse technology into their curriculum. In the summer of 2000, the course was called Intel Teach to the Future. This training was provided through a grant that CISD was awarded. In this training, the main purpose was to teach teachers how to use Microsoft Office Word documents, Spreadsheets, Databases, and PowerPoint! The entire week was about how to use these applications and to create lesson plans to take back to use in the classroom. When the grant was over, we continued the training, but changed the name to Tech Academy. Boy have we come a far way! This year as I planned on what we would cover in Tech Academy, I realized how much has changed in how we prepare teachers and how we teach students. With 21st Century Skills, new technology TEKs, and secondary students in a one-to-one environment, teachers must be prepared to teach differently than they have in the past.
This summer in Tech Academy, we will focus on several items:
- Building a strong PLN (we can never learn enough)
- Overcoming barriers when infusing technology
- What is a flipped classroom?
- Creating an infused lesson using a web app for students to present new knowledge
- Maintaining a teacher blog
- Using Google Docs
It has been another excellent week of training. I learned right along with the teachers as they shared new resources they found each day while spending time developing their PLNs. I was also very intrigued with the solutions that the teachers found on how to overcome barriers to infusing technology. The teachers this week have filled their teacher tool boxes with many useful resources as they transform their classrooms into 21st Century learning environments!
Teachers that attended from June 16-19, please reflect upon the week in a comment below. Also include answers to the following questions for me in your comment:
- In Tech Academy, we used several web apps such as
GoSoapBox.com. Answer Garden, Blogger, Google Docs, etc. Which of these
web apps are you most excited about implementing in your classroom?
- How do you see student using the web app you selected in #1 to enhance your curriculum?
- What level(s) of Bloom's Digital Taxonomy can be reached using this tool? Why? How?
This last week has been very eye-opening in the sense that there is an unlimited number of resources to infuse technology into lesson plans. In my classroom, I am most excited about using GoSoapBox.com and Google Docs. With GoSoapBox.com, I like the different types of assessments/polls that I can use, and unlike Answer Garden, I like that it does not always limit the students to the amount of characters in their responses. I will use GoSoapBox.com as both an introduction to a lesson (poll, discussion question, etc.) as well as a way to assess students' understanding at the end of a lesson (quizzes, discussion forum, etc.). Using this tool, students can reach the Analyzing/Evaluating level depending on the type of assessment I use in GoSoapBox. A poll or quiz will be closer to Analyzing while a discussion forum where students have to give their interpretation/opinion over a text and support their opinion will be closer to Evaluating.
ReplyDeleteThank you for a great week Kelli!
I am most excited about Powtoon as I feel that it is a way for me to present information to my students in an effective, attention grabbing manner.
ReplyDeleteI feel that my students will be able to use Powtoon as a way to express what they are learning in my class.
I feel that all levels of Blooms can be reached using this tool. What level will be reached is left up to the teacher and how they present their expectations to the student. It could be as simple as remembering with the students using powtoon to regurgitate information or the level could be as complex as creating with the students coming up with new ways to teach the subject matter.
1. Google Docs, Google Sites & Gaggle - I used kidblog as a daily writing tool last year but with the infusion of the Google suite and the Gaggle tie in, it will all be in one place (with one log in!!)
ReplyDelete2. Once I get the classes all set up and running I would like to have a folder with all the videos, documents, and rubrics needed for that unit for each student to download and then we hit the ground running.
3. All of them hopefully, it will free up time in the classroom, it will allow me to differentiate better, and it will help push the students to output in a meaningful, technological way.
This week I have learned a number of things I will start using in the classroom immediately. Tech Academy provided strategies and applications that enable students to learn at a higher level and don't place a large burden on the teacher to completely change their approach. I am excited about using Answer Garden further to check student understanding and am looking forward to see how creative students can get using PowToon. PowToon is a presentation tool that allows students to transfer information to another medium in creative ways. It is a little more challenging than a power point, but it will enhance the curriculum because of the ways in which you can display and present information. I think all levels can be reached using this tool and ultimately you can center a lesson using the tool that reaches the Creating level where students are creating and sharing their own knowledge.
ReplyDeleteI have really enjoyed Tech Academy this week, and I have been introduced to many different ways to implement technology in the classroom. The web app I am most excited about implementing is Google Docs. I am looking forward to trying the form part of Google Docs when students are turning in work or needing to take a quiz. I believe the web app that I have selected will help me to enhance my curriculum by freeing up more time for planning and exploring new ideas to add lessons. This tool can be used in a variety of ways to reach the different levels of Bloom's Digital Taxonomy. It can check for understanding through quizzes, discussions, and blogs. You can also you different aspects for analyzing, evaluating, and creating.
ReplyDelete1. I am most excited to use Answer Garden and Blogger as a part of my class next year. I think the blog will be a great way to engage parents and the community in what we are doing and creating in art class. I also have plans for virtual art exhibitions that I can post on the blog, since hanging the sheer amount of artwork that my students produce is a daunting task.
ReplyDelete2. By finding an appropriate app for the students to create a virtual art gallery, the students could upload their own exhibitions onto the blog. I also think Answer Garden is a great way to check for understanding as we plow through the elements and principles of art.
3. We can reach the evaluating level of Bloom's Digital Taxonomy as the students select, critique, and determine which artwork is "exhibition ready" and which artwork needs improvement. This is also a god way to allow students to peer critique in the comments section.
I learned quite a few different strategies this past week dealing with technology. Creating a video for a flipped classroom will be an excellent tool to implement in my curriculum. Tech Academy has also showed me new websites such as PowToon, AnswerGarden etc. I like the challenges PowToon presents for the students as well as myself once I become a little better with it. AnwerGarden will be a great way of finding out what a student knows quickly.
ReplyDeleteWhen I comes to Blooms I think the higher levels of thinking will more easily be reached within the curriculum now that these tools can be added to my teaching style. I'm still a big fan of making sure the students can write and comprehend what's being said by the teacher and if we get completely away from that we are in trouble. I love the idea of blending all this different tools with that however. Our students will love the variety and challenges this will present them with.
I learned so much this week during tech academy. I really felt like I was in college again. I feel that I could implement PowToon in my classroom. It took me a very long time to make the introductory lesson for the students, but I think that the students would go to town with this web app. Also, I love how I could use AnswerGarden or another app to take polls on what students think about a certain topic. I think this would be great to implement in a math lesson (charts, graphs). I thnk that students could use this web app to create and maintain interested in finding new technology. I feel that it will keep students more engaged and motivated to learn about concepts that have been introduced to them in the same way,many times in their school career. I feel that most if not all levels of Bloom's Digital Taxonomy can be reached using PowToon. I feel that it is a great tool for them to apply knowledge about something the know. They could also create a piece of work that will be meaningful to them and to their peers. I feel that is most important.
ReplyDeleteI like answer garden. I can see using his in the classroom for fast feedback. On Bloom’s I will be use o check remembering and understanding. Just a quick check to see if I should move forward or reteach. .
ReplyDeleteThis class has taught me so much being new to the district. I now know some of the expectations and requirement. I can better prepare for the upcoming school year.
I now have many tools to use in my lessons that will help student. Students can blog to express what they have learned.
I am looking forward to the new school year.
This four days have been pretty crazy! Huge learning curve, but so much was accomplished. I am super excited about Google Docs (now that I have a tiny bit of understanding). I plan on using the Google sites to help with my maternity leave in the fall!
ReplyDeleteI see Google Docs as a classroom hub for paperless submissions, faster feedback, and overall enhanced/transformed classroom experience.
3.What level(s) of Bloom's Digital Taxonomy can be reached using this tool? Why? How?
The level of Bloom's Digital Taxonomy will vary depending on the actual assignment. It can range from simple remembering and understanding how to login, view, and submit class work. It can even range from Evaluating and Creating when using other components of the Google community like Google sites.
This week has been amazing and I truly hope and expect changes in 7th grade math!
Tech Academy was truly great! I have to admit though, it was a lot of work. I leave here today with so much more knowledge about infusing technology in the classroom and many, many resources. One of my favorites was powtoon! Although it was challenging to make a video on it, it was great!!! I cannot wait for my students to try it out and show all of their learning while they infuse technology.
ReplyDeletePowtoon I believe will automatically capture my students attention, not only will it be new to most of them but it is also a very enjoyable website. I am sure my students will have so much fun creating videos for just about any subject. I do, however, want to try and use it mostly in Language Arts and Reading because those are the two subject my students struggle with the most. I believe having them create a video on a book, a character, practice a skill or anything among those lines will enhance their comprehension and at the same time enjoy learning.
I believe "applying" and "creating" levels of the Bloom's Taxonomy Digital will be reached while using these website. Students will need to apply their knowledge of the skill to create a video for everyone to see. This is a great website I am sure my students will enjoy!
I actually thought Tech Academy was where someone was going to teach us how to use Microsoft applications, but I am very excited, ready, and motivated to use all the new applications that we used during this week. With all of our training and the new information that we learned this week integrating technology won't be as forceful as it was last year. Thanks Kelli!
ReplyDelete1. I am extremely excited to use all of the Google apps. I already have it implanted in my brain that I am going to use Google Sites, Blogger, GoSoapBox.com, and Screencast-o-matic.
2. Blogger would be something the students can use as reading blogs, write a summary about a book they read, answer questions about the book giving by the teacher, and comment on other students book reviews.
3. We can probably get to the evaluation level with all of this apps.
Why?
Because with Google Blogger they can create their own blogs and also create different pages for each of their classes.
How?
They can also go and review each other blogs, evaluate, critique, and give them feedback.
I enjoyed this week a lot more than I thought I would. The days working from home kept me quite busy. Day 3 was A LOT of work to get through. I was interested in all of the web apps that we discussed. For me, I really did enjoy working on PowToon and am excited to incorporate it into other lessons in my classroom. I STILL need to branch out and try some of the others and see what I can do with them. I've been on blogger for a while but am excited to continue and also work on bidblog.org with my students.
ReplyDeleteThe student web app I chose was kidblog.org. It will greatly enhance my curriculum because we are doing a lot more typing and online work than paper and pencil. The issue is that my 3rd graders don't really have any experience with typing and word processing skills. This will be beneficial for them as they continue to write their ideas, check for mechanics and publish a final piece.
I looked at my lesson as reaching the applying and creating levels in Bloom's Digital Taxonomy. Students will be applying their knowledge of the writing process while they use their skills to create their project online.
Thanks for a GREAT class!!
Though we explored several apps this week, I am most excited about GoSoapBox.com. I have been really wanting to find some way of getting "public" feed back so the kids are sharing together their thoughts and ideas on concepts (since much of what we discuss is personal reflection and application rather than concrete right and wrong answering), but the things I had found to date were either entirely anonymous or public. Many students had a hard time sharing ideas when they knew the other students would KNOW it was them or would post inappropriate things knowing they couldn't really be held to those responses. I feel now that we can have public sharing of ideas that is anonymous to the other students, yet I have some way to see who is doing what I asked AND they won't put up "dummy" answers knowing that I won't be able to see who is submitting things that are off topic or inappropriate.
ReplyDeleteI would love to figure out a way to do the GoSoapBox for Bellwork!!
I think when the questions are formulated correctly using the GoSoapBox App as Bellwork could really be in the Applying level of Bloom's Digital Taxonomy.
Google, Gaggle, Giggle, how long before Google owns the whole world? But, at least all my technology is in one place at the same time! I was able to cram a weeks worth of training in a week. That's amazing because, this is a lot of new technology. I was impressed with the delivery and the fact that I will use so many of the items we were taught. I think gaggle will save us,(teachers) a lot of time and energy.So, go move Tech department! Google Docs will be a great time saver as well!
ReplyDelete