Highlights from #ASCD15

#ASCD15 in Houston TX was amazing!  It has been just over a week since I have returned and I am still thinking about all that I saw and heard.  I have had the opportunity to share some resources with my co-workers and try some interactive teaching strategies that I learned from the Kagan session in a middle school math class this week.  During the conference I tweeted, shared pics, and wrote a couple of blog posts, but I wanted to capture the highlights of the conference while they were still fresh on my mind. So, here is a bit of a visual summary of my time at #ASCD15.

Pre-Con Marzano Leadership Strand:

Meet and Greet hosted by Discovery Education:

Top Technology Resources (as shared here and here):

Hands-on Learning with Dinah Zike Foldables

Active Engagement using Kagan Strategies:

Great Presentations:

 Maximizing A School's Potential Through Teacher Empowerment (Presented by authors, Ken Cooper and Joe Salah, who lead by example.)

Gamification to Increase Student Engagement by Krista Leh Rundell

Recruiting, Hiring, Leading, and Inspiring the Millennial Generation of Teachers (Presented by the very wise, Dr. Jon M. Andes.)

I left with so much more than with which I came (both literally and figuratively)!

Thank you ASCD for an incredible experience!

Top Take-aways from #ISTE2014

In honor of my recent trip to #ISTE2014, this week's favorite finds post is about all of the great presentations, tech tools, and apps for the classroom. The ISTE exhibit hall was packed with vendors, giveaways, and lots to see, so much so that at times it felt like my head was spinning!

Of all that I saw, I had some definite favorites (you know the kind that have you are already looking for funding resources).  While I understand that different people are looking for different products. my top choices were:

1. The Swivl - It's a audio and video presentation system that follows the person speaking to allow for hands-free/remote-free videoing.  It has picture in picture capabilities making flipping the classroom and videoconferencing a personal experience.
2. The Variquest Perfecta 2400 poster printer - swoon!!!  Seriously!!!  Ever since I visited the Ron Clark Academy and saw the students' life-size pics, I have wanted a printer to print my own photos and posters.  The Variquest printer will do just that and more!  For this teacher who skews a bit crafty at times, the Variquest booth was pure heaven...with their vinyl cutout machines to cold laminators, it was all great.
3. MOOC Studios by iStudio - I had a chance to play in this green screen space complete with backgrounds, video software, and set-up.  It was fun and I can imagine our school's news crew would have a blast in this easy to assemble, portable studio. 

The presentations at #ISTE2014 were fantastic. I had a chance to hear published authors, a science teacher of the year, and even a TEDTalk presenter. I went to sessions featuring topics on which I wanted to learn more.  Some of my favorite presentations and presenters were:

1. I had never heard anyone speak on visual literacy, but I was in for a treat at this session with Dr. Lynell Burmark. Not only was she charming and an excellent presenter, she also shared information that could be applied to any subject and any grade level. She used pictures and videos to relay her message and kept us all engaged with interactive strategies designed to have us infer and share our thoughts in our own words (key skills for the Common Core).  Biggest standout: When eyes take in an image and ears take in words, students recall of information increases by 42% and their ability to transfer the information is raised 89%. Question to self: So, why aren't I using stimulating images in my classroom?
2. Obviously Evernote has changed since I first signed up for it some years ago and thankfully Rob Zdrojewski had stayed with it and shared the ins and outs of the tool. I absolutely had no idea that I could use my camera to store business cards and documents, nor did I truly understand the search features available. All I can say is that I spent at least an hour in my hotel room taking pics of all of my conference goodies and tossing the hard copies. After hearing his presentation, I refused all pieces of paper offered in the exhibitor hall, but captured all of the information I needed with my app. I even asked someone a question and then recorded their audio response using my phone's mic - lol! Kind of in love!!! Since I have been home, I found Postach.io, a blog platform that allows users to blog from within Evernote and simply hit publish when they are done. I am thinking that this might be a clean solution for our English teachers who have wanted their students to blog, but were overwhelmed with the actual implementation.
3. Finally, Al Pajak shared on Flipping the Classroom with flare. While I have shared videos with my students for awhile, I can honestly say that they were no where near the caliber of the videos created by this genius. His were personal, included interaction with the viewer, and were way beyond the expected.  I think what I appreciated most was that it was obvious that the presenter loved doing this for his students. It was easy to get excited, because he was excited.  The biggest question I hear is, "how do you know if the students watch the video?" The presenter embeds his videos in a Google form and includes a question or two that can only be answered after watching the short clip...brilliant!

As you can imagine, the apps and online resources were plentiful at ISTE.  As I have mentioned, I've updated my Evernote app already, but there were a few others that I thought were worth noting:

1. I saw Colar last year, but only loaded it after I got home - just in time for July the 4th celebrations with kiddos.  You are able to download coloring pages and then use the app to bring your drawings to life.
2. Stevie Kline introduced me to the Library of Congress' guides for analyzing primary resources.  The site has guides for teachers and even a digital form for students.  As you look at the resource, you may think...well, so what?  But, she showed an image of students sitting on the floor with a large poster. On the poster paper, the teacher had taped a primary source picture and had written guiding questions.  As students worked in small groups, what they observed depended on their perspective. As we went through a similar activity, I found that I did not necessarily see the clues that others were spotting.  Like me, this could be an activity that some need to practice more than once.
3. All of my tech-y teacher friends in Texas seemed to be pros at using Thinglink (both an app and online tool).  I, on the other hand, wasn't sure how to get started linking images to URLs, videos and texts.  I ran into the founder and got a private lesson and even a sneak peek to the newest feature...Thinglinks inside of videos!  I think that I am going to get a late start on a  Thinglink Summer Teacher Challenge hosted by Susan Oxnevad just to give it a try. 

It was a whirlwind of a trip...full of information, creative energy, connections, and even prizes! So worth it; so fun!

iPad Air: Thank you #splashmath

5 Things I Learned at ISTE Today

It is Day 2 of #ISTE2014 and my head is already spinning with so much information that I thought I had better take a moment to reflect and write down at least 5 things that really stood out about the day before I went back tomorrow to pack more in:)
So the top 5 things I learned today are:

1. Ron Clark Academy students pray before they begin a presentation.

2. Thinglink is pretty cool (I have seen my Texas tech-y friends use it for a while, but I never quite "got it" until today). It is an app and it's online. The purpose of Thinglink is to allow you to place interactive icons linked to text, URLs, and websites on a static picture OR beginning tomorrow inside a video (like to ask guiding questions or assess understanding). I got to meet the founder today and she gave me a sneak peek!

3. Thanks to Al Pajak, I learned that you can embed a You Tube video inside a Google form. He uses the forms to verify students completed a flipped learning assignment.

4. From QR Code Scavenger Hunts for teachers to the Amazing Race, @AngelynCheatham and @JessicaBranch are taking a fun approach to professional development with the Extreme PD Makeover Edition.  They shared ideas that I will definitely incorporate!

5. It is important to make time to really connect with people. I had the amazing opportunity to talk with some wonderful EdTech Women over dinner tonight. It reminded me that it is always about people. So often at a conference, I get caught up in heading to the next session to hear about the next hot tool and I forget that there is more value in relationships than there can ever be in the next great whatever.  Thank you Sehreen Noor Ali and Margaret Roth for facilitating a fantastic conversation tonight.

Reflection:
      As I read back over my list of 5 things I learned, I think their commonality can be summed up in one word: connection. In some instances, I learned things that helped me connect the dots like that you can embed stuff in a Google Form and I honestly can't wait to try it. In others, I connected with people and with connections to people the learning is limitless. 
     Thank you to all who shared with me today through your conference presentations, your tweets, and your stories.  It was another great day at #ISTE2014!

Favorite Find Friday: Bloom's Taxonomy and Technology Guide

If you have been reading this blog for any length of time, you know I love to get my geek on as I explore cool tech tools for the classroom.  This week, I am (as we say here in the South) in hog heaven.  I am just pulling in from a road trip to New Orleans where I met with some of the top technology using educators in Louisiana at this year's LACUE conference.  The Classroom Cafe' Gals, Kathleen and I, presented on projects our students have completed using iPhone apps.  We shared project descriptions, rubrics, and student samples in our #AppyHour presentation.  It was so much fun!  We even made a theme song:)

     While at the conference, we had a chance to reconnect with old friends, see new products in the vendor area, and hear fantastic presenters like Lisa Dick and Dr. Tammy Seneca!  Both Lisa's and Tammy's presentations were tied to curriculum changes resulting from the implementation of Common Core.   I learned so much from each of them and I am eager to revisit their presentations again to catch anything I might have missed.  Lisa maintains a Wiki filled with professional development resources, effective teaching strategies, and ideas for technology integration into various content areas and Tammy has posted numerous resources on West Baton Rouge Schools' website including information on content trailers, geocaching, Google Lit Trips, and #MyFavFriday, Bloom's Technology Taxonomy.  I choose it as #MyFavFriday out of all of the things I saw and heard at the two-day conference, because I love the concrete ideas provided in the Technology Taxonomy and think it will be especially helpful for planning future classroom activities.

Larger View

Curriculum Camp 2012: Ideas to Engage, Enrich and Inspire

     This year marked Evangel's fourth annual Curriculum Camp!  The three day, fun filled event was packed again this summer, as participants learned more about teaching on block schedule, using qr codes to enrich lessons, flipping the classroom, and professional development opportunities accessible from home.
On Day 1, Cathy Carroll introduced a quote by John Strebe, "Teaching in a block schedule is like eternity, and eternity is spent in one of two places."  According to Cathy, planning will make all of the difference.  She was supposed to share a wealth of ideas for teaching English on block.  What we quickly realized however, was that this mAstEr TeaCHeR was sharing GreEAt teaching StraTeGies that would work in AnY SuBjeCt.  Her practical tips included having students record notes on butcher paper posted around the room, allowing students to write on the board, giving students graphic organizers to complete during direct instruction, whiteboard races, red ticket review, exit slips, pipe cleaner structures, old timey show and tell (students bring something from home related to content being studied), incorporating music in the classroom (maybe have the students select songs that relate to content), work one - check one (pairs of students are assigned two problems each works JUST one and checks the other), and voting with your feet (students stand by a poster with a number 1 - 3 that reflects how much they agree or disagree with the topic being discussed).  This veteran teacher of 37 years encouraged us to inspire students to become lifelong learners by making the content relevant to their lives.  She said, "If you show the kids how the subject relates to them, THEN they will learn it."

Image

     Kim Caise was booked to discuss QR Codes in the classroom.  Unfortunately, due to technical difficulties we were unable to connect to Kim live, but we were able to link to a previously recorded Classroom 2.0 Live session.  With phones loaded with QR readers like I-Nigma and BeeTag, we followed along as we saw QR codes placed in textbooks, on artwork, in libraries, and more! The webinar made such an impression that everyone continued to discuss the use of these quick read codes for the duration of the camp.

Image and More Info

     On Day 2, our own Kathleen Frey introduced the idea of flipping the classroom.  In a flipped class, a teacher leverages technology outside of class in order to maximize class time for student interaction, discussions, and projects. This idea caused quite a stir as camp attendees contemplated the possibilities.
     Paula Naugle joined us via Skype to present PD in Your PJs.  She shared a wealth of free resources in which participants can use learn about anything at almost anytime.  Some of Paula's favorites include webinars, YouTube channels, podcasts, Twitter, Diigo, and Pinterest.  From #edchats to Saturday morning educational programming, resources are readily available to continue to grow professionally.

The PoWEr of CoLLaBorAtion :)

     On Day 3, Charity Moran of Baton Rouge led us through Standards Based Planning for Block.  Charity modeled great teaching on the block during the 90 minute presentation in which she shared a unit planning web, lesson planning graphic organizer, lesson planning menu (my favorite!), an activity scaffolding template, and a sample for planning for science differentiation.  We practiced planning for the first day of school, the tenth day of the year, and sometime near midterm:

Oh, so many ideas packed into just three short mornings!  Thank you to all who presented and those who attended.  I don't know about you, but the collaboration and camaraderie left me feeling ENeRGizEd, ExciTed, and EaGeR for next year.  

Mobile 2012 as Told in Tweets

Mobile 2012 was amazing!  Thanks to Tony Vincent and the Arizona K-12 Center for hosting another great learning opportunity.  From meeting awesome educators to being challenged in my thinking, it was everything for which one could hope.   There was certainly no shortage of apps or hands-on learning opportunities!  I came home with so many ideas my head was spinning, but it was others' beliefs about teaching and learning that I found myself reflecting on most.  Here is a recap as told in tweets:              

                   Education is the most powerful weapon that can change the 

                   world. @jcasap #mobile2012

                   Technology lets out the learner in all of us. Let out the learner, let out the 

                   genius. #mobile2012   

                   

                   Technology is just a tool that should be used to accomplish what we need to 

                   build the skills students need. #mobile2012@jcasap

@tonyvincent ... Emphasis should be on pedagogy not tools, we need to help change that focus #mobile2012

We don't need to teach students how to be digital citizens; we need to teach them to be digital leaders. @jcasap #mobile2012

Students should feel it's their class and classroom, not just the teacher's! #mobile2012

Why would student spend 3 hrs making a video tutorial when HW takes 7 min? "The teacher knows the answer. My friends don't."  #mobile2012

When students have to explain math in "how-to" tutorial, they really have to learn the material.  #mobile2012 #mathtraintv

"learning isn't what you cover, it's what you discover" Noam Chomsky bit.ly/lwf-chomsky (vid) #mobile2012

Moving at the Speed of Creativity - Combining 21st Century Skills, Project Based Learning, and iPads bit.ly/HGyIbg

Will I be going back?  I plan to! #mobile2013

Digital Images in the Classroom

Making up abut 65% of the population, visual learners absorb and recall information best by seeing. These learners think in pictures and create mental images to retain information. They learn best by seeing information through the use of maps, charts, and pictures. At the Mobile 2011 conference, Ty Richardson helped us imagine a classroom in which students get the "big picture" through a series of little pictures designed to scaffold learning.

Photographs can enhance learning experiences while fostering creativity, but just how does one go about incorporating Teacher-Made and Student Created Multi-media in Instruction? Ty recommends starting with iPhonography, utilizing the iDevice's built in camera. These devices provide great pictures that can be used across the curriculum.
Images enhance understanding. Images provide context clues. Images evoke emotion. Images allow students to interact with content.
Ty shared many ideas and apps to help jumpstart the creative
process.

Ideas and Recommended Apps:
LANGUAGE ARTS:
- Comic Strip+: Allows students to take photos and tell their stories via comic books. Students can give a visual representation of content.
- StoryRobe: Allows students to take photos or video and add audio to an original story. Every student can now be a published author!
- Motivation: Students can take their own photos and created motivational posters.
- Other recommended apps: Pages, story kit, sonic pics

MATH:
-Rulerphone: Camera app that allows students to take measurement of any object they can photograph. Students include "business card" to provide scale.
- Protractor: Allows student to take a photo of an object whose angle needs to be calculated. App provides angle measured and complimentary and supplementary angles.

SCIENCE:
- imicroscope: Allows students to magnify and take pictures under the microscope
- SciSpy: Students can take pictures of flowers, insects, and wildlife and upload them to the scientific community (for classification and research)

FOREIGN LANGUAGE:
- Wordlens+: Allows for translation of any sign from English to Spanish and vice versa
- Google goggles: Free translation
- Flash card Creator+: Take pictures and provide voice over to various objects. Create flashcards based upon pictures taken. Can be used in any subject.

BEST of the REST:
- Quickmark: Read and create bar codes and QR codes
- Skype: Virtual career day, distance learning and collaboration
- Sekaicamera+: virtual scavenger hunt
- Star Walk: AR app for reviewing constellations

Need more ideas?

Apps
- Hipstamatic
- Instagram:
- Camera+
- Genius Camera
- Pano: Stitches multiple pictures together
- Filterstorm: Photoshop for iPhone
- 100 Cameras in 1: HDR
- Geotag Photos
- Breadcrumbs
- Mover+: Allows for easy photosharing
- Photosync
- Timelapse
- Slow shutter

Tyrichardsonphoto.com
Big pixel.tumblr.com
Flickr.com/bigpixel

Photojojo.com - owlebubo: wide photolens that functions as a macrolens
Zoom lens
Romotamatic- allows for remote control of iPhone camera
Pocket Microscope for iPhone from amazon
Splashtop

Becoming a Mobile Learner (iSchool Initiative) by Travis Allen

Travis Allen of ischool Initiative is a fulltime student armed only with an iPad. Now completing his second year of college, he has been able to complete all coursework on the mobile device including in-depth projects filled charts, graphs, and images. While Travis does not suggest schools ditch traditional paper and pencil and adopt his way of thinking, he reminds educators that everyone learns differently and schools should allow students to learn the way they learn best.
Teachers should not incorporate technology simply for technology sake, but use it as a tool to enhance student understanding. Travis says, "As a digital learner I don't go out looking for cool apps, I encounter a problem and I go out and find a digital solution."


So which apps is Travis using?
Organization: iStudies Pro
Taking notes in Pages and on Flash cards (cranberry)
Fun Apps: Star walk and The Elements
Textbooks: Course Smart: textbook app or read online version
Discovery software- teacher develop their own book utilizing their own pics and videos
iAnnotate- allows you to annotate over a PDF
JotNot- scans document and turns it into a PDF

Interested? See how Kearns High has embarked on a digital revolution.

Putting Mobile Back into Mobile Learning - Dr. Mark van Hoof't

You cannot do mobile learning in the classroom.  Handhelds should not simply replace pen and paper.

Desktop technologies operate in their own small world.  Mobile technologies take place in the world.

Mobile learning goes beyond the technology or delivering content to devices.  It means being able to operate successfully in and across new and ever changing contexts and learning spaces - Pachler, 2009

Mobile Learning means real and Digital realms augment each other. (Layers and wikitube) Wikitube- allows for more than just pin points
Mobile learning means learning as constructivist, situated, collaborative, informal and lifelong. Mobile learning means emphasizing 21st century skills.

How do we do this?
Sample projects
-Frequency 1550 -A Mobile Learning Game (living history project)
Www.wash.org video footage
-London Street Museum-www.museumoflondon.org.uk app: You Are Here
You can do this yourself by using the program, History Pin
-Environmental Detectives: done at MIT video on You Tube
Directive Game simulation
-Cloud Bank - crowd sourcing running on Google Android; wiki type project
To help foreign workers in UK to learn slang 
-MyArtSpace (now Ookl) Way beyond running around a Museum with a worksheet
Allows students to create original products and well thought-out presentations to document their learning of the museum. Kids prepped prior to attending the museum. Attended museum, captured info, pics, and clips to be utilized later in presentation.
-QR codes You Tube video of Sigml 2009Washington DC Use a physical space and augment it with digital content.  Audio actually works better than video so that participants can look at the object while listening to significant audio clip.

Food for Thought: Importance of "place". The question is how to best balance physical and digital "places" to get the best out of both. (Milgram's Reality-Virtual Continuum(1994))

As educators, we must meet learners half-way and take advantage of the technology skills they already have, but teach them how to use these skills for learning, Learning lasts a lifetime.  Wevmust show students how to take advantage of how to utilize technology for this purpose.

http:// Ubiquitousthoughts.wordpress.com

The GeoHistorian Project - Dr. Mark van't Hooft

K-12 students are stepping back in time as they research, write and publish local history. Dr. Mark van't Hooft of Kent State University's Research Center for Educational Technology believes it is important to have students recognize social studies is more than just facts in a textbook and he is helping change students' perspectives through the integration of technology coupled with primary sources. In The Geohistorian Project, students Create Digital Stories about local history. The project is divided into 4 weeks with 4 tasks: 1. Discussion of the Importance of stories 2. Conducting Historical Research- students in groups visit specific locations; share research, digital pictures, and stories on wiki 3. Composing "The Story" - students are required to create a storyboard and then write the story 4. Editing Audio/video - used Photostory Once finished project is verified by the local historical society and published, students will post QR codes on locations so that others can view student-created historical content (audio, video, images). Learn more about the GeoHistorian Project at Www.rcet.org/GeoHistorian or experience it for yourself during tomorrow's Mobile Scavenger Hunt in downtown Phoenix, AZ!

Ron Clark Academy

I am so excited about my job!!! I know, what's new? But, I JUST returned home from at weekend in Atlanta at the Ron Clark Academy and it was AWESOME! Iam so jazzed. It validated stuff that I was already doing with my students, yet challenged me to do more. New ideas: 1. Home Visits- 10 minute chats with students and families in their home. Set expectations, challenge the child, and, of course, encourage! 2. Teachers sign a contract that states they will be available to the students until the students reach 21.3. Focus on cultural and global studies.4. Have students lead the class and then have others critique (lots of positive feedback and one or two things to work on)5. Have teachers film themselves and fill out their own observation papers. One month later, repeat the process and after observation sheet is completed by the teacher, sit down with the teacher and review with them.6. Lots of teacher games! I will share these with photos as I make them.I hope to implement many ideas with the middle school teaching team. I think consistency and teacher buy-in will be the keys to success.