Remind

Remind, formerly called Remind 101, is an ingenious invention for teachers and school leaders. I first learned about Remind 101 several years ago from a fellow teacher. Remind 101 is a communication tool for teachers that benefits parents and student utilizing text messaging. Teachers create an account at www.remind.com, and after creating a class, Remind will generate a code for the class. Then, all parents or students have to do is text the number with the code to join the class.

Remind allows teachers to send information and updates via text messaging. Teachers also have a record of what is sent and the ability to schedule future messages. New features of Remind now allow teachers to attach images and files in a message, send voice messages, and create a chat with parents. Remind has two big selling points which are that it is free and no phone numbers are ever exchanged. In addition to numbers remaining private, no one is stuck in a group text  message with all other parents. Remind keeps all information secure while informing everyone of upcoming school and classroom events.

Learn more by watching the video below.

Prezi

When I first started using Prezi several years ago while working on my masters degree, I thought it was very hard and frustrating because it is so much different than PowerPoint which was what I was used to at the time. However, after much trial and error, I learned to appreciate Prezi's design, and I like the look that Prezis provide. Now that I am much more familiar with how Prezi's platform works, I am able to design better Prezis. Designing one from scratch can take a while so a lot of times I use the recycled Prezis that are available. I like that Prezi allows users to do this, and I also like the features to embed videos, add voice overs, and ultimately change the path to be anywhere and do anything. I created this Prezi when a colleague and I presented to our district's library media specialists.

You can also access the Prezi at https://prezi.com/y74jzxry17ii/tools-for-the-21st-century-library/#.

ASLA EdCamp

EdCamp Experience:

I attended the Alabama School Librarians' Association EdCamp hosted at Montgomery Academy on February 4, 2017. This was the first EdCamp hosted in Alabama specifically for librarians. This was a wonderful experience in which I was able to network with other librarians across the state. Dede Coe, the state director of media specialists, was also in attendance, and I gained valuable insight from her discussions. A few things that I learned are in the list below:

• eMaze Presentation tool- This is a presentation tool that is similar to Prezi or PowerPoint, but I had never heard of it before. I am looking forward to trying it.
• AASL Standard Benchmarks- I cite the AASL standards when preparing my lesson plans, but I have not previously used the benchmarks like I should. This is something I am going to strive hard to look at when I look at my curriculum.
• Battle of the Books- I was also inspired to host a Battle of the Books challenge for my 6th-8th grade students, and I networked with a librarian from Huntsville who works at a K-8 school like myself. This was beneficial in planning and gaining insight into how to work with my middle school teachers and students.
• PBS Learning Media now allows you to curate resources and share with colleagues.

Horizon Report p. 14-15

Video for Teachers:

Video Script:
Over the past few years, a new trend has emerged in which students move from consumers of knowledge to producers. This trend of empowering learners goes beyond paper and pencil and embraces the digital tools that are available. Through the use of digital tools, students are creating and producing their own instructional content. Teachers are challenged to lead the way in this endeavor, and thanks to apps and programs such as Educreations, screen capturing software such as Screencastify, and web based programs like WeVideo, it is now easier than ever. There are numerous benefits for students when teachers allow this type of creating. These benefits include the ability to clarify complex subjects, it allows students to learn from their peers which can make it more applicable to life, and allows students to become masters of various types of content and subjects. Not only can it increase understanding in the classroom, but when posted to the web students can benefit from home or you can choose to share it out for students around the world. This creates great opportunities to embed other concepts such as digital citizenship, technology standards, and video production skills which will be essential for students in the future. The possibilities are endless for using this type of teaching in the classroom. Katrina Schwartz suggests not to find the brightest student, but to find the student who is most passionate about the material. It could be a student who has struggled to understand the subject. This student will make the video interesting and relevant for other students.

 Let’s take a look at the apps and programs I mentioned before. The first is an iOS app that is considered the best of the best. It will work with our school iPads. Educreations allows users to create short videos with the ability to add voice, text, pictures, and more to a whiteboard. The best part is that it has the potential to create a whole presentation with multiple whiteboard pages and allows users to share lessons and even embed them. Students would enjoy using Educreations. Another option is a screen casting tool like Screencastify. Screencastify works with our school Chromebooks as a Google extension which would allow students to share presentations, show you their work by recording on their screen, and more. Screencasting encourages students to create by adding their voice to what is on the screen. There is not a lot of editing involved in screencasting although some programs will allow users to add annotations. The final option is Wevideo. Wevideo is an online video production tool that our students can use with their Chromebook as well. Wevideo is a video editing tool in which users can add pictures and voice over to any video from any device. The free version has dynamic options, but users must have an account. A paid subscription will provide enhanced features. I have created this video presentation using Wevideo. As you can see the final product is a professional, quality look video. I hope you have enjoyed this presentation and will consider using these tools in your classroom today.

Horizon Report p. 12-13

The following five teacher blogs to follow are all teachers or individuals who keep up with the latest technology trends in education.

1. http://www.freetech4teachers.com/
2. http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/
3. http://www.edudemic.com/
4. http://www.thethinkingstick.com/
5. http://www.edtechspeeddating.com/the-blog

What is "Gamingspace?" 

A Gamingspace is an area equipped with consoles such as Wii Kinect, XBOX, Play Station, and other collaborative sets that allow users to play games while collaborating with one another. The space is designed for parents, students, and teachers to connect, collaborate with 21st century skills, and "explore the concepts and attitudes needed for 21st century learners" (para. 2). A Gamingspace is more than changing lessons or teaching with a game style, "rather it is an invitation for adults to enter the world of the child and advocate for the types of games that build character and bolster the Learner Profile" (para. 3).

http://blogs.nist.ac.th/elementary-learning/gamingspace/

What should be your point of emphasis when designing discussion forums?

According to Michael Gorman (2014), the point of emphasis should be directed towards "the content standards and 21st century skills, while moving up Bloom's higher levels" (para.2). 

https://www.k12blueprint.com/blog/michael-gorman/ten-ways-use-discussion-forums-promote-digital-citizenship-and-academics

Top Mobile Apps

1. Teach Learn Lead- Teach Learn Lead is a social media like app that connects teachers around the world. The premise is to provide a platform for teachers to meet other like minded teachers in order to share lesson plans, ask questions, and more. Features include the ability to create discussions and polls. It can be downloaded on the App Store and the Google Play Store for FREE. This app is beneficial because it allows teachers to collaborate with other teachers that they might not ever have met otherwise. Often times teachers feel alone or fall into a rut. Teach Learn Lead allows teachers to stay abreast of new topics and trends in education.
2. Classtree- With the digital world that we have grown accustomed to, sometimes paper gets lost and important reminders are forgotten. Classtree combines Remind with digital consent forms. Classtree is an app on both the App Store and Google play that allows you to send reminders to parents with images or forms attached. Parents can then sign digitally and return. The best part is that Classtree will keep up with who has submitted and who has not. Teachers can now manage field trips, parties, and meetings with Classtree all from their phone. Everything is documented, and parents can submit at any time. In addition, teachers can share photos and other information with parents keeping everyone informed of class happenings. This app is free which makes it even better!
3. Seesaw- Seesaw is currently one of the most discussed educational apps on the market. I love Seesaw because it is a free service available on the App Store, Google Play, and Amazon that allows parents a glimpse into their child's learning. Students can document their work in their digital folder and then choose to share it with their family. Parents and teachers can make comments on the portfolio allowing for interactive feedback. Not only are these educational portfolios exciting for the students and parents alike, they also serve as great documentation of learning and conference focal points.
4. Newsela- Newsela allows teachers to combine real life materials with classroom content. The selling point is that students can actually read on their level because Newsela provides the content in at least 5 different reading levels ranging from 2nd grade-12th grade. But wait! It's more than just reading articles. Teachers can create classrooms, assign content, create quizzes, write annotations, and more to keep students engaged in the material. Then, Newsela will provide you with progress notifications. Teachers can use this in the classroom to bring content to life with non-fiction text companions. 
5. Spark Page- Spark Page is one of my favorite apps because it combines the finest features of Adobe into one free digital resource perfect for any teacher. This app allows teachers to create content that can be used for websites, newsletters, poster projects, and so much more. Middle and high school students can create their own content with this app. The selling point of this app is that ir creates professional looking content and materials that can be downloaded, shared digitally, or embedded. Spark Page is available on the App Store, and it is free. 

http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/best-apps-for-teachers-education/

http://www.ala.org/aasl/standards/best/apps/2016

Horizon Report p. 10-11

What does the author say about learning styles and the evidence for their use in determining learning strategies? 

Deeper learning occurs when "students take control of how they engage with a subject" (NMC Horizon Report, 2015). This self directed learning fosters growth in students when it's combined with the interest of the students. When focusing on students' interests, teachers focus more on strategies to facilitate learning rather than differentiating by learning style (visual, auditory, kinesthetic, etc.). According to Ronan (2015), "in the last few years the idea of student achievement being impacted by lessons taught to their particular learning style has been debunked" (para. 1). Gillespie also agreed that that there is evidence proving that teaching based on learning styles is not effective. Rather than focus on learning styles, teachers should focus on student interests because if the students are interested then they will be engaged. Engaged learners are typically more motivated to succeed. So how do you focus on student interests? One simple way is by providing students the ability to choose. These choices can range in everything from seats to homework problems.

Choose one of the seven ways to give students choice and describe how you will implement this in your classroom using technology.

One way I am currently giving students choice is by allowing them to choose their seat in the library. I give clear directions and expectations at the beginning of the year about choosing good table mates. I typically allow students to rearrange their seats after Christmas to help build different connections. One choice I would like to utilize is the Choice Board strategy. I have been considering this over the past few years to use as a reading incentive as well as to use in centers. Students could use digital boards in order to complete the assignments, and I could create digital boards using technology to share with students. 

http://www.edudemic.com/7-ways-to-hack-your-classroom/
http://reedgillespie.blogspot.com/2014/01/10-statements-debunking-using-of.html
https://rezzly.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/attachment/file/694571/411710_2015-nmc-horizon-report-k12-EN.pdf

Tactus Technology

Tactus Technology is a breakthrough that offers tactile interface for users with mobile devices. The technology allows seemingly real buttons to appear on a tablet or phone.

From the picture you can see these small round dots over each key. That is the tactile sensors or buttons. The buttons actually rise up from the screen and then disappear when they are not needed. So how does this work? It works by actually placing a layer over the Gorilla Glass that contains channels filled with micro-fluid. The additional fluid stretches and raises above the surface creating real buttons on what was a flat screen. It's almost like a magic show! Tactus Technology currently provides this technology to users through the purchase of a case or or cover but hopes it will be built into devices in the coming years.

This information was retrieved from http://www.businessinsider.com/tactus-technology-tactile-touchscreen-2014-1.

You can learn more at http://androidspin.com/2014/01/09/tactus-technology-shows-us-new-keyboard-tech-ces-2014/ and https://vimeo.com/56879525

Gaming Can Make a Better World

In Jane McGonigal's TED Talk entitled "Gaming Can Make a Better World," she proposes that in order to solve the world's problems of the future, we need individuals to be blogging a shocking 21 billion hours per week. So exactly why does she feel this way? Let's take a look at these four questions.

Can play and learning be combined?

Play and learning can definitely be combined. As we learned from Mrs. McGonigal's presentation, students learn while playing. Gaming has the power to release certain feelings as well as encourage collaboration, cooperation, and perseverance. I feel like the challenge is thinking outside of the box. At the end of the video, she mentioned three games that The Institute for the Future has created. One of these was about an oil shortage, and students have to figure out a way to survive. Not only is this a game, but it fosters critical thinking and problem solving skills about a real life topic.

What role does acknowledging progress play in successful gaming and in their transfer to education?

Students need immediate feedback. This is one of the strongest points about gaming. McGonigal notes that real life does not give this type of praise that gamers seek. Games also provide players with social interaction consequently allowing gamers to feel that they can change the online world. Gaming transfers into education because teachers give students feedback, students interact with peers at school, and students "level up" after mastering content. By acknowledging progress both online and in the real world, students feel empowered and encouraged to continue their quest. 

What do you think about McGonigal's thought about parallel tracks of education (school/games)?

I believe that McGonigal presents an interesting parallel between gaming and education that ultimately would create a paradigm shift in education. If the 10,000 Hour Theory of Success is true then students will need to be challenged. Games do provide the challenge that students seek and continue to foster skills that teachers try to instill in the classroom. Like I mentioned before, I believe that this is possible, but in order to be successful with gaming in education, teachers will have to create the content in a way that excites students.

Reflect on Jane's 4 things that games do to make us "virtuosos": Urgent Optimism, Social Fabric, Blissful Productivity, Epic Meaning.

Urgent optimism is the desire to act immediately combined with the belief that there is hope for success. Social Fabric is the belief that we like people better after we have played a game with them and that we build stronger relationships. Blissful Productivity states that gamers are happier when working hard and that they are willing to work hard to reach the goal. Finally, epic meaning is the collection of relevant knowledge that expands and grows over time. Through gaming, individuals are becoming virtusos or experts in these areas. Although gamers do not feel successful or capable of changing the real world, they do believe they are making an impact in the online world.

When creating games for my classroom, I will consider the amount of hours it takes to complete the course. I will also offer levels, tools for specific levels, and feedback. I also believe it is important to show a progress bar throughout the game. Finally, from Ms. McGonigal's TED Talk, I believe that the most important thing is to create a game that allows students to solve a real world problem.