Thursday, February 9, 2017

Coaching vs Mentoring: Helping Teachers Integrate Technology Effectively - #TCEA17

Coaching vs. Mentoring: Helping Teachers Integrate Technology
Dr. Bruce Ellis
Senior Director of Professional Development
TCEA

Resources:



Check out the Region 13 Instructional Coaching Conference June 26-28, 2017

The coaching/mentoring process is different for each teacher:

  • Some can run with just an idea
  • Others need a demonstration
  • Some need you to teach a lesson with them/for them

Coaching


  • Is about skill & knowledge acquisition
  • Content expert focusing on concrete issues
  • Short term - only as long as needed
  • Clear expectations and goals from the beginning.
Mentoring
  • Mentoring is like counseling
  • Relationship-oriented to address professional adn personal issues
  • Ongoing - preferably more than a year
  • Trust comes before sharing

Which is Best for Your Teachers?

  • It depends!!!!!

Strategies for Mentoring

  • Journaling - mentor doesn't necessarily look at this
  • Reflection Journals - mentor responds to what the teacher has written
  • Blogging
  • Tweeting - You can encourage folks to lurk!
  • Leaving Post-it Notes - much more personal than email!
  • Post Cards - much more personal than email!


Strategies for Coaching Using Google Tools

  • Create a form with a list of goals from which to choose.
  • Teachers go to and complete the form. Print out the individualized plans.
  • Meet with teacher and go over their plan. Begin scheduling visits.
  • Continue to visit, model, and observe. Give specific feedback.
  • See links to online "supplies" in Bruce's PowerPoint
  • Also see links to instructions for using Google Sheets Add-on autoCrat in PowerPoint





**************************************************************************************** All original work in this post by Sandy Kendell is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. Please see specifics on my re-use policy in the right-hand column of my blog before re-posting/re-using any of my blog content.

Best Practices for Integrating Chromebooks into Your Classroom - #TCEA17

Best Practices for Integrating Chromebooks into Your Classroom
Miguel Guhlin

Director of Professional Development
TCEA


Resources:






Tip 1: Have a Plan for Managing Chromebooks in the Classroom

  • Ex: How will students get their devices? What are your rules for handling the devices?
  • See the slide deck link above for great details!
Tip 2: Find ways to share your Chromebook screen
  • Nearpod
  • Chrome Cast
Tip 3: Digital Portfolios
  • Seesaw is the bomb! (Free for up to to 100 students per teacher)
Tip 4: Easy Interactivity
  • Kahoot
  • Quizz
Tip 5: Easy Video Assessment
  • Need to check out Flipgrid!!!! - Students can respond to prompts via video
  • Learners process visuals 60,000 times faster than text!
Tip 6: Use Google Tone Extension to Share Weblinks via a Sound

Tip 7: Check Out Google Tools for Students With Special Needs
Tip 8: Screencasts
  • Use Screencastify or Nimbus Screenshot & Screencast
  • Teacher can make tutorials
  • Students can create projects
Tip 9: Projects!
  • Older students research things younger students like using Google Form surveys. Then create a product and video advertisement for the younger students. Then use a Google Hangout to get feedback from the younger students!
  • Connect your classroom for a cause. Ex: High school English students in Texas and Virginia connected. Formed groups with students from both schools and did research on human trafficking

Ok, I lost wireless at this point in the session, but I've embedded the slide deck above. Be sure to look through it. It has tons of great resources!!!!






**************************************************************************************** All original work in this post by Sandy Kendell is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. Please see specifics on my re-use policy in the right-hand column of my blog before re-posting/re-using any of my blog content.

Wednesday, February 8, 2017

Nurturing the Neglected C (Communication) - #TCEA17

Nurturing the Neglected C (Communication)
Lisa Johnson
Eanes ISD


Check out Lisa's book Cultivating Communication in the Classroom: Future-Ready Skills for Secondary Students.


Email Etiquette:

  • How has email changed since you were in school?
  • Why is email important?
  • What can we do to teach email etiquette to our students?

Email Tips:

  • Draft it, then revise it. Bullet it to make it more readable/understandable.
  • If you have to go back & forth more than a couple of times via email, it might be time to pick up the phone!
  • Lisa is a campus tech specialist. She puts a tear-sheet on her door when she's out of her office with tear strips with her email address on it in case students or teachers come by and need to contact her.

Positive Interdependence:

  • How has collaboration changed since you were in school?
  • Why is collaboration important?
  • What can we do to teach collaboration to our students?
Positive Interdependence Tips:

  • Give students a personality/learning types test before putting them into groups
  • Discuss this with students and then have them think about what kind of group they'd do well in or what kind of role they might play.
  • By forcing kids to balance their self-assessments between two opposite qualities, it forces them to confront their weaknesses.
  • The Five Communication Skills
  • Use a problem-solving flow chart to help students ask questions when they are resolving issues.


Critically Evaluate Curation & Social Media:

  • How has curation changed since you were in school?
  • Why is curation and social media important?
  • How can we teach curation and social media skills to our students?
Curation is not a full picture of anything. It's a picture of what someone wants you to see. It's marketing. When students grasp this concept, it helps them begin to think more critically about their social media presence.

Encourage students to research colleges by looking at their social media presence. For example, their Pinterest boards.



**************************************************************************************** All original work in this post by Sandy Kendell is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. Please see specifics on my re-use policy in the right-hand column of my blog before re-posting/re-using any of my blog content.

Tuesday, February 7, 2017

Student-Led Broadcasts with GSuite (GAFE) - #TCEA17

Student-Led Broadcasts with GSuite (GAFE)

Kate Hebert & Brian Prewitt
Richardson ISD


Presentation Resources: https://sites.google.com/g.risd.org/mstmagnettechnology/student-led-broadcasts-using-gsuite
Google Slides Presentation: https://sites.google.com/g.risd.org/mstmagnettechnology/student-led-broadcasts-using-gsuite/presentation

Why do Student Led Live Broadcasts?

  • Informative
  • Educates Students
    • Project Based Learning
    • Multiple job learning
    • Public Speaking
  • Bring in guests for interviews
  • Can add last minute details if needed
  • Can share with small or large groups, or everywhere
  • It makes announcements more interesting
  • Puts a face to the announcements
  • It's fun!!!


Why use YouTube On Air/Live Events?

  • Easy to create each morning
  • EAsy to share
  • It's free
  • Automatically creates a recorded version so it can be viewed at different times
  • Simple Studio functions like switching cameras or to a slide show
  • Add ins
  • Hats and spectacles (limited time only; it's going away)
  • Ability to restrict inside of District
  • It's fun!!

Warning
Broadcasts that violate Copyright Law will be removed from YouTube

Equipment
  • Computer w/ internet access
  • iPad and stand for script (book holder)
  • Camera (webcam or video camera that connects with the computer--might need firewire
  • Microphone - we use a USB mic for better sound quality
  • If you don't have any of this, you can use a computer with a built-in webcam


Production

  • Training your students--students trained for all roles
    • Camera person--runs the camera and moves camera as necessary
    • Production manager--runs the actual Live Events On-Air and includes screen sharing
    • Anchors--on screen talent
    • Sound-runs any audio input (changes)


Creating the Broadcast - Students to this!

  • Students meet twice a week
  • Everything planned for the next week
    • All scripts written
    • Meeet during specials rotation time twice a week
    • Previously met Mondays form 3:15-4:45 most weeks
    • Rehearse scripts
    • Production Manager rehearses show timing
  • Pre-broadcast run through - students rehearse the broadcast just prior to broadcast

Broadcasting
  • Run through just prior to broadcast
  • Anchors must look at camera & speak clearly with a strong voice
  • Person running the show on the computer must be awary of script and slides--must be very attentive
  • If camera needs to be turned, should be turned between shots
  • Production manager checks camera and microphone choices
  • Production Manager prepares slides for screen sharing by choosing to "Present in New Window."


How to Set Up Your Broadcast
See Video Tutorials Here:
https://sites.google.com/g.risd.org/mstmagnettechnology/student-led-broadcasts-using-gsuite/video-tutorials


  1. How to create your YouTube Live Event for the First Time
    1. Dedicated GSuite Account (not your own account), YouTube, and Live Events
    2. YouTube - Verification
    3. Bookmarks
  2. How to Create Your Love Event on Air Each Time
    1. Use your bookmark
    2. Going Live
    3. Restrictions
    4. Settings
    5. Starting and Ending the Broadcast
  3. How to Share Your Broadcast - Google Sites
    1. Links and the Bookmarks Toolbar
    2. Be logged in


This was an awesome session! Be sure to check out the resources on their website!
https://sites.google.com/g.risd.org/mstmagnettechnology/student-led-broadcasts-using-gsuite


**************************************************************************************** All original work in this post by Sandy Kendell is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. Please see specifics on my re-use policy in the right-hand column of my blog before re-posting/re-using any of my blog content.

Unleash Creativity with YouTube - #TCEA17

Unleash Creativity with YouTube

TCEA 2017 Presentation
Ann Witherspoon
Instructional Technologist
Midlothian ISD

Presentation Resources: bit.ly/unleashcreativitywithyoutube

Check out Brooklyn & Bailey on YouTube! They are currently enrolled in a Texas public school and making lots of money on YouTube.

Three goals for today:

  • Understand that YouTube's goal is to push content to you. You can make that work for you in your classroom
  • Understand how to use YouTube in the classroom for your creativity.
  • Understand how to leverage YouTube for your students.

Airstrike on Your Position? (feat. Ashton Edminster) - Gaming video; please excuse the use of guns. Created by Nate Trillo, a young man who is currently a senior in high school and a UIL state award winner.

Why look at YouTube as a tool for learning? 
  • Spark Curiosity
  • Embrace the mess
  • Practice Reflection

"If we embrace a new paradigm as cultivators of curiosity and inquiry, we might bring a little more meaning to their school day and spark their imagination." ~ Ramsey Musallam

How do we use YouTube? How do students use it?

  • To learn how to do things! 
Does your school use filtered YouTube for Schools? Some Rules to Follow before approving a video in YouTube for Schools:
  • Watch every second of the video before showing/sharing/approving
  • Use videos with an instructional goal in mind
  • Don't allow students to do their content search within YouTube...Google will do the trick!

YouTube Creator Studio

  • Has free music you can add to your videos. Some require attribution and give you the info you need to add to your video project.
  • You can upload video and add basic edits to it
    • Add stock video, transitions, still pictures, music, filters
Create an Animated Gif from a YouTube Video
  • Pull up a YouTube video
  • In the video URL in the address bar, type "gif" in front of YouTube (after the period)
Use TubeChop to show just part of a video.

Use ViewPure to block all of the related videos, comments, etc, on a video on YouTube




**************************************************************************************** All original work in this post by Sandy Kendell is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. Please see specifics on my re-use policy in the right-hand column of my blog before re-posting/re-using any of my blog content.

We Were On a Break

So in my last post on this blog, just shy of two years ago, I let the world know that I was trying a new adventure in the world of school communications.

I enjoyed my tenure as a communications specialist very much and had opportunities to do things I never thought I'd do, like coordinate interviews and news coverage with the media, help publicize a bond election, and interact with community groups interested in supporting our schools. I gathered information on district events and tried to keep our district and community informed on what was happening in our schools. The most fun part of the job was when we got to feature the amazing things our students and teachers were doing. I also facilitated public information requests. Boy, was that an eye opener!

It wasn't all fun all the time, of course. No job is. But even the challenges were learning experiences.

I served as a communications specialist from January 2015 to July 2016. And then circumstances came together to move me back into educational technology. Since August 2016, I've been focusing mostly on three elementary schools in my district, working as their digital learning coach. As we are moving into Chromebooks and Google Apps and blended learning in our district, I'm having a great time exploring new approaches to enhancing learning with technology. And the best part of the job is working directly with teachers and students. Elementary schools are full of curious learners and smiles and hugs. I'm blessed to do what I do!

For a year and a half, edtech and I were on a break. I can't speak for edtech, but I know the break was good for me! I got to experience what it feels like to be a novice in your field. I won't lie; being a novice was scary at times. But it was also rewarding to be mentored by experienced colleagues and refreshing to experience growing in new ways.

Now that edtech and I are back together, I have felt a new energy for what I'm doing. Absence does make the heart grow fonder! And I have different perspectives on what the big stuff vs. the small stuff is. I think I'm more effective at what I do and more cognizant of how each part of a school system functions for the benefit of the learners.

I'm glad I had the opportunity to take a break. I'm even more glad that I'm back!



**************************************************************************************** All original work in this post by Sandy Kendell is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. Please see specifics on my re-use policy in the right-hand column of my blog before re-posting/re-using any of my blog content.