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Educational TrendsGood Teaching

How to Start Your Flipped Classroom

by Jill Hobbs, Guest Author
written by Jill Hobbs, Guest Author

Are you sold on the flipped classroom model but don’t know where to start? I’d like to help you get there. I’m very passionate about this method and can’t wait for others to join me. 

It’s been a year and a half since I started flipping, and seeing the transformation of my class and my students is exhilarating. Students are more engaged and interested and there is more active learning in class. I’d like to share my knowledge with you to hopefully help lessen the anxiety of trying something new. 

Let’s get started with a few things I believe are important to a successful transition to a flipped classroom.

Consider Access First

First, incorporating technology is the most important aspect of flipping your classroom as this is how students will access materials outside of the school. In my district, we use the learning management system (LMS) Canvas to offer a blended learning approach.

An LMS is a great tool to deliver vast amounts of information through a web-based environment. It is easy for students and offers 24-hour access to information (i.e. calendars, learning content, multimedia, assignments, etc.) anywhere they choose as long as they have internet access. Learning your districts’ LMS is crucial.

You can also register for a free account if your district doesn’t have one.  Check out the 11 Best Free, Open Source LMS Tools for Your Small Business to explore some options.

Use the Right Tools

Secondly, integrating various digital tools for your students to use is also a must. One of the biggest struggles with flipped classrooms is having students come to class ready. In my class, students need to watch a video for homework and answer at least five questions to check understanding. How do you encourage students to complete this before class?

It helps to ensure that there are engaging, fun, and interactive activities during class for students to participate in when they come to class prepared. Make sure the students know this up front and they will come to class with their work completed so they can participate in all the excitement.

Plus, for the first several weeks, you can send emails to parents informing them of their child’s progress with homework. I also encourage a weekly newsletter so parents and students are well-aware of the expectations for the week. Whether you flip or not, communicating with parents regularly is very beneficial.

Useful Digital Tools

Here are a few digital tools I find very helpful to use with my class:

  • Edpuzzle – Edpuzzle uses videos you make or find to engage students. You can embed questions throughout the video to track comprehension.
  • Flipgrid – Flipgrid is a social learning platform.  Students are asked questions and respond with a video, allowing other students to comment on their post and opening the door for discussions.
  • Nearpod – Nearpod is an easy way to engage students with interactive lessons they can do individually (self-paced) or in groups. There are a lot of lessons to choose from, or you can create your own easily.
  • Kahoot! – Kahoot! is a game-based learning tool. There are a lot of games already created by other teachers and you can also create your own. Students are highly engaged as they answer questions, creating an exciting learning environment.
  • Quizizz – Quizizz is a fun and engaging way to provide student-paced formative assessments. 
  • Padlet – Padlet is a powerful resource for student collaboration. It is a digital canvas where students can upload videos or images, write text, or upload documents.

There is a lot to learn when flipping the classroom, so don’t try to figure it all out in one night. Learn as you go and don’t be afraid to go slowly. Start out with only flipping one lesson a week and then move to two lessons a week. 

The same goes for integrating various digital tools – one at a time, and before you know it, you’ll be flipping all your lessons. 

Let Your Students Shine

The best part about flipping is when your students shine. This past year, I had a student who really excelled with the flipped learning method. He struggled in math for years, and the first semester in my class was no different. However, once he and his parents grasped the concept of the flipped learning method, his grades and understanding vastly improved. 

The use of instructional videos, external videos, practice problems, quizzes, and interactive games to play assisted him to see if he “gets it.” His success was a combination of having all the resources easily and readily available to him, as well as his willingness to work hard.

In your flipped classroom, you could see these same results. So remember to start with one lesson at a time and go slowly. Don’t rush, as it takes time to learn all the resources, but you will get it. Once you do, you won’t want to go back.

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Educational TrendsGood Teaching

Flipped Football Practice: Flipping Isn’t Just for Classrooms

by Guest Blogger
written by Guest Blogger

I’m part of Fort Sam Houston ISD’s District of Innovation Team in San Antonio, and I have the pleasure of sharing with you how we have flipped football practice here at Robert G. Cole High School. We’ve spent the last two years using the Schlechty Model of Design to help foster a school culture of risk-taking in order to serve the military child.  Technology is a huge part of this initiative.

The Challenge

Because we are a District of Innovation, one exemption we received from the state is that we start the school year early.  This helps us better serve the 99 percent of our students who are military children. This also means we start all our back-to-school professional development at the same time as football practice.  One of my main concerns as the football offensive coordinator is the impact this early start to the school year could have on our meeting time with our athletes during two-a-days. The impact on meeting time could have potentially put us at a significant disadvantage to our competition since teaching time would be so limited.  So, I began searching for solutions.

The Innovative Solution

While in our PLC, I heard our teachers explain how they found success with our students by flipping their classrooms. This is an instructional strategy that involves first exposing students to the content outside of the classroom and then using class time to go more in depth. At Cole, one of our top priorities is serving our kids who have different needs due to the transient nature of the military. Flipping a classroom just makes sense.

I decided I would create a flipped version of our two-a-days offensive camp installation plan to share with our athletes. I need to create something that would explain to our players things they would need to know: formations, coverages/weaknesses, plays, alignment, defenses, and personnel groupings. However, I wasn’t sure what program would allow me to use my John Madden teleprompting skills. After several long Google rabbit hole searches, I found out I could record myself on PowerPoint while drawing and explaining the concepts I wanted our players to know. I first created the PowerPoint with the information, field markings, and pictures I needed to complete my task. Then I unlocked my inner Madden by using the Record Slide Show function in PowerPoint, located under the slideshow drop-down menu. Game changer!

Within this section, I chose to turn off the camera and turn on only the microphone while recording the screen. I also used Hudl to add game film to my presentation.  I simply created a presentation, uploaded my PowerPoint into Hudl, and then shared it.

Hudl Up

Hudl is the video recording/playback program high schools across Texas use to record, share, and play back practice and game films for football. On game nights, films are uploaded into Hudl, and then coaches spend Friday nights and Saturday mornings adding information to the videos in an Excel-type breakdown of columns underneath the film. There are also drawing and text overlay features that allow coaches to annotate the game film.

Once coaches are done, they share the film with their team, and then they all meet on Saturday in order to talk through corrections. Our coaching staff decided we would be different and not require athletes to meet on Saturdays. Athletes can view film anywhere using the Hudl app. We did send them notes and their corrections in Hudl. Ultimately, this saved us and the kids time at school. But more importantly, this allowed us to best serve our military families. There are many weekends in which our parents are on military leave from serving in other states or countries. Weekends may be the only time they get to spend with their children for months at a time, and we wanted to value that time.  We would instead meet with them briefly Monday morning before school in order to answer any questions about the film from Friday’s game. We would then answer questions over the scouting report.

Traditionally, coaches have printed out lengthy paper copies of scouting reports of each week’s opponent. Times have changed, and kids use technology to study more now than ever. We decided to save paper by sending out scouting reports through Hudl. Like most of us, our athletes are visual learners. In this format, we not only provided them with the old school, hand-written x’s and o’s, but they also got video, so they could actually see our competition. We used the same previously-mentioned process to upload and share our scouting reports through Hudl. A friend of mine showed me a cool way to use PowerPoint to create my offensive formations and playbook in a streamlined fashion, but let’s save that for another blog!

I believe flipping our football installation and practice planning has made a huge difference in our performance and, hopefully, in the quality of the lives of our students.  We finished this year with a 9-3 record.  We won a playoff game for the first time in 12 years and finished with the school’s best record since 1987.  Now watch two of our players explaining how flipped football practice impacted their senior year in these Flipgrids turned WeVideo.

This is a guest blog by Joel Fontenot-Amedee. Joel is an ELA Intervention Specialist, football offensive coordinator, and head track coach at Robert G. Cole High School.  In his 13-year career in education, he has served the communities of Lamar Consolidated ISD, Austin ISD, Clear Creek ISD, Medina Valley ISD, and currently Fort Sam Houston ISD.  He is originally from Pride, Louisiana. He has received a Bachelors degree in Health and Physical Education from Nicholls State University and a Masters degree in Educational Administration from Lamar University.  

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hybrid learning
Educational TrendsGood Teaching

Using Classroom Display Solutions for Hybrid Learning

by Epson America, Inc., Guest Author
written by Epson America, Inc., Guest Author

This post was sponsored by Epson. It was originally published here.

As schools adapt to the new COVID-19 education landscape, many are finding that a hybrid classroom model offers the best solution. Students get some of their instruction in person and some from home, offering a balance that can help them feel connected while reducing their exposure to others.

Hybrid models also help schools comply with social distancing by providing a way to create smaller class sizes without having to expand square footage. Schedules can be adjusted, with a portion of students coming to school during set hours or on certain days of the week and learning from home at other times.

While hybrid models provide solutions during the pandemic, they also introduce a challenge. Teachers must find a way to create an engaging and collaborative environment in a classroom that’s both remote and physical.

Delivering Coursework Near and Far

In-person and online are two distinct types of learning, and hybrid models require teachers to balance them in a way that is seamless to ensure consistency. Technology needs to be the bridge that connects students and teachers and sets the stage for a successful school year. But it must be the right technology.

While many administrators chose video conferencing platforms like Zoom as a quick fix when the pandemic forced many schools to shift to online learning, schools can also leverage a suite of learning tools and display technology that work together and help bridge the divide between in-person and remote learning.

Classrooms should be equipped with a PC, an interactive projector like Epson Brightlink, a document camera, and a video conferencing platform like Zoom that has a whiteboard function.

How It All Comes Together

An interactive projector and document camera are two essential tools for creating a collaborative and engaging classroom experience whether your students are in the classroom, at home, or both.

One of the useful features built into Zoom is its whiteboard function. Teachers can start and control a session directly from the board, delivering a virtual lesson to students who are logged in on devices at home. Students who are in class, as well as those learning remotely, can view and participate in the lesson. And students at home can participate with their work viewed on any of the devices in the Zoom session, as well as on the projector display at the front of the classroom.

In class, teachers need to instruct students who are sitting in socially distant layouts. Projectors provide an opportunity to create engaging instruction by sharing content that can include documents and videos. The size of the display in relation to the student’s location impacts engagement, learning, and comprehension. Students should sit a maximum distance of six times the vertical display height, and interactive projectors address these concerns by allowing students to learn effectively while sitting in spaced out classroom arrangements.

Document cameras also help teachers share their screen with students who are learning remotely, to easily introduce visuals into the lesson. When they’re done sharing, they can simply switch back to the whiteboard and continue the lesson

When properly delivered, hybrid learning can deliver benefits to students and teachers. Smaller class sizes can allow for more individualized education, which benefits students who may need extra help as well as those who are ready to work ahead.

Benefits of Hybrid Learning

In-person lessons can become more engaging when interactive tools that also help schools comply with health regulations are used. And students who need to stay at home due to health reasons can feel like they’re still an important part of the classroom when they can participate virtually through the use of collaborative whiteboard tools.

See How It Works

As teachers and students adapt to new hybrid education models, connected, collaborative learning is more important than ever before. Learn how Epson projectors and document cameras can help create engaging hybrid learning environments to meet the new needs of today’s classroom.

Watch the video to see how it works!

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Good Teaching

Virtual Learning Strategy #1: Classroom Discussion

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

How would you combine one high-effect size instructional strategy with a digital tool? If it’s a question you’ve asked yourself before, you’re not alone. Several thousand of the educators who have completed the TCEA Remote Learning Educator course have asked themselves the same question. Let’s take a moment to see what teachers had to say about one of the strategies studied: classroom discussion.

Before we do that, let’s revisit high-effect size instructional strategies.

Revisiting Strategies That Work

“We have no right to teach in a way that leads to students gaining less than d=0.40 within a year,” says John Hattie. He asked the question, “What works best in education?” Then he answered it in his ground-breaking study on visible learning. In his study, he found a way of synthesizing various influences that are connected to learning outcomes. The most effective strategies have high effect sizes. Hattie found that the average effect size of all the interventions he studied was 0.40.

This is even more true now during virtual learning. “Now,  it is all about finding the effective ones for remote learning,” says Aimee Maganda. Knowing how an evidence-backed strategy works with a digital tool saves time and effort. As one educator put it:

First of all, I would like to say that this has been a fascinating new concept for me. I am very familiar with instructional strategies and digital tools. This was the first time I actually evaluated how effective a strategy is. That is, how effective it is  in conjunction with a digital tool.

Now, I plan to refer to the chart and take a look at some of the more effective teaching methods. It will also be interesting to see how much bang for your buck you can get with some of the strategies.

For example, I found it very interesting that a flipped classroom scored a 0.58. It takes so much time to plan versus a classroom discussion that scored a 0.82. Classroom discussion doesn’t take as much physical planning as a flipped classroom.

This could help me maximize my planning time and maximize the impact of my instruction.

There are many strategies teachers referenced. I suggested a few in my chart. What was fun to see were the actual examples teachers offered. A top ten list emerged.

Honorable Mentions

Before we explore the top ten list, here are some of the honorable mentions:

  • Deliberate Practice (0.79) with Gimkit.com 
  • Feedback (0.64) with a learning management system (LMS) such as Canvas or Teams
  • Metacognition Strategies (0.58) with Flipgrid
  • Problem-Solving Teaching (0.68) with Minecraft
  • Spaced vs. Massed Practice (0.65)
  • Success Criteria (0.88) with Google Classroom
  • The Modality Effect (0.55) with Wakelet
  • Vocabulary Program (0.63) with Padlet

Remember, you can explore each of the strategies. To do so, go to the Visible Learning Meta X database. Ready to see the top ten list of strategies? Well, you will have to wait for future blog entries to see the complete list. Let’s start with the number one strategy teachers mentioned.

classroom discussion

Strategy #1: Classroom Discussion

“I use classroom discussion to capture what a student has learned for that lesson.  I can see what they knew or didn’t know,” says one teacher. The most popular strategy, classroom discussion, lends itself to teachers’ imaginations. They are able to combine a wide variety of digital tools with classroom discussion.

Classroom discussions make it possible for students to connect with one another. Use this strategy to activate prior knowledge and explore new topics. Students are able to learn from others and show learning. What’s neat about classroom discussion is that it engages students and gives all students the chance to take part.

Did You Know?

On September 26th, from 1:00 to 2:00 PM (EST), attend a Whiteboard.chat webinar to answer questions and showcase features you need to know about. Sign up via Facebook and register for this learning opportunity. This is a free webinar on how to better use the digital whiteboard for remote teaching effectively.

Some Tips on Making Classroom Discussion Work

Consider these tips on making this strategy work best for your students:

  • Before students respond to questions online, have them discuss with a partner. Use a digital whiteboard where students can discuss. Whiteboard.fi and Jamboard allow collaboration.
  • Ask for student interpretations of questions, then clarify their thinking or redirect.
  • Use students’ individual responses as models. Your use of them can deepen further discussion for the whole class.
  • Be strategic about which student voices you amplify.

Let’s consider how some educators are focusing in on classroom discussion.

Examples of Digital Tools

Some of the notable examples included using these technologies:

  • Breakout Rooms: Depending on your platform of choice, teachers use breakout rooms. The use of breakout rooms to organize classroom discussions was popular. Platforms that support breakout rooms include Canvas, Seesaw, Teams, and Zoom. Each does so with varying degrees of success, of course.
  • Flipgrid: “The students can post a video of themselves answering the discussion question. They can watch/reply to other students’ answers,” says one educator. Students could have a question of the day posted on Tuesday and Thursday. On Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, they respond to the question. Students also view responses from their peers. Flipgrid enjoys popular support, even among second grade teachers. “The kids love to make videos and I can quickly assess if they are understanding the objective.”
  • Google Jamboard: “Students can read what others are saying. Then they can contribute their own thoughts. They can sort elements into a graphic organizer, help each other spell or count … it’s like a digital center’s group!” Combine Jamboard with Zoom to capture student responses in real time. “It’s been fantastic, my students are always excited to ‘jam with each other’,” says an educator.
  • NearPod: “I have used Nearpod for classroom discussions,” said another teacher. Others have learned to use NearPod to support hybrid learning situations. “With Nearpod, I can assign the same lesson as a live lesson and a student-paced lesson with the click of a button. It ensures I continue reinforcing previous concepts, or even creating new ones! Learn how to do this here.“

New digital tools create more opportunities for interaction. Some of those new tools include Whiteboard.fi, Whiteboard.chat, and Curioasis .

Final Thoughts

Classroom discussion may be one of the most misunderstood high-effect size strategies. For many, creating engaging classroom discussions for students is a critical component of many lessons. While that is a priority, you also have another goal: to use classroom discussions as a source of data. Then you can use that data to adapt your instruction to better meet the needs of students.

In future blog entries, we’ll explore some of the other popular strategies. These are all strategies TCEA Remote Learning Educator course participants report using daily.

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Teaching in a Hybrid Classroom

by Lori Gracey
written by Lori Gracey

We thought that it was hard enough teaching virtually to our students when COVID-19 first appeared last spring. But now, the stakes have been raised as many educators are asked to teach both virtually and with students in the classroom at the same time. This new hybrid model of learning has to be the most difficult way to teach there is.

The Concept

Designed to add options for concerned parents, many school districts have allowed them to choose whether their children will attend school virtually or in person. This results in a mixed environment with the teacher managing both groups of learners at the same time.

Typically, both sets of students have a device to use for their work. That means that they are all given the same opportunities to participate in class discussions and take part in whole-class learning games and activities, all done at the same time together.

The Reality for Teachers

For the teacher, providing learning experiences in a hybrid classroom often means planning two sets of lessons for each class period. There is also more of a need to be able to check in with students, especially those learning virtually, throughout the day to help with questions and make sure their work is on target. In addition, building community in the mixed class takes more time and work as you endeavor to make sure all students are connected and engaged.

Best Practices for the Hybrid Classroom

Having students at home simply “zoom in” for the face-to-face teaching doesn’t work well. Instead, we have to modify our teaching strategies. Here are some best practices for doing so. (Please note that you shouldn’t simply pick one of these models and use it all of the time. Different learning needs will dictate which one to use when. And, of course, it may work best for both you and your students to use a blending of all of these models or to use different models on different days or for different types of learning.)

John Spencer offers five models for the hybrid classroom (below). He also has short video explanations of each of the five and some tips and tricks for implementing them.

hybrid classroom

Common Sense Education provides six important considerations in its article How to Plan for Hybrid Teaching and Learning. The six things to remember are:

  • Focus on well-being and relationships
  • Different modes, different strategies (with some good advice about which activities work best for which learning environment)
  • Aim for consistent communication
  • Don’t overwhelm with tech tools
  • Emphasize digital citizenship

Dr. Catlin Tucker offers three different models for a “concurrent classroom:” station rotation, flipped learning, and playlist or individual rotation model (shown below). For all of them, she emphasizes the need to provide that human connection with each student. She also includes some short video snippets about the different models, their benefits, and tips for each.

hybrid classroom

Alverno College has this PDF of best practices for teaching in a hybrid environment. While it is designed for older learners, I do think there is some information of value for all ages there. I especially liked this advice from it:

If students are responsible for readings, videos, resources, etc., create an activity to verify your students have done the readings and watched the videos, whether it is a low ­stakes quiz, a discussion group, etc. Or create an activity for students to apply what they learned. Otherwise, even the best students will eventually ignore the readings, videos, resources, etc.

A three-station rotation model (shown below) is recommended by Eric Sheninger. Designed to fit into a 50-minute class period, the three stations are preceded by a 10-minute mini-lesson and followed by a 10-minute formative assessment/closing. Sheninger provides some ideas and resources for implementing this model in your hybrid classroom.

hybrid classroom

Common Sense Education provides six important considerations in its article How to Plan for Hybrid Teaching and Learning. The six things to remember are:

  • Focus on well-being and relationships
  • Different modes, different strategies (with some good advice about which activities work best for which learning environment)
  • Aim for consistent communication
  • Don’t overwhelm with tech tools
  • Emphasize digital citizenship

And For Administrators

If you are a campus or district leader who is charged with helping teachers to implement this hybrid model, please be patient and understanding. After all, none of us were trained for this situation: not the teachers, the students, or the parents and guardians. Embrace the chaos that may occur and support the dedication and hours of work that your educators are putting in to make learning happen for all students.

How are you managing hybrid teaching? I’d love to hear from you about what works and what hasn’t worked in your classroom. Please share in the comments below.

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AdvocacyDigital LiteracyEducational TrendsLeadership

Blended, Flipped, and Remote Learning: What’s the Difference?

by Jennifer Bergland
written by Jennifer Bergland

Words have meaning. The question is do we all have the same understanding of the meaning of a particular word or phrase. We have been using technology in schools for 40 years, and over this time, we have used different phrases to describe its use.

The recent pandemic has required schools to respond quickly to school closures to ensure the continuity of learning. In many instances, technology was used to bridge the gap from school to home. Therefore, I thought this was a good time to refresh our understanding of these terms, especially since this crisis has produced a new term (remote learning) related to the use of technology in education. 

A Short History of Ed Tech 

Tandy Color Computer 3

TCEA was founded in 1980 by teachers who were beginning to explore how to use computers in the classroom. At the time, computers for student use were usually located in a computer lab that was primarily used to teach students basic computer literacy.

In the late 1980’s, districts began to explore ways teachers could use computers and other types of technologies to support their instructional goals. In order to do this, the teachers first had to be trained on how to operate a computer and various software applications. When the goal expanded from basic computer literacy to integrating technology into the instructional process, teachers’ professional development changed from learning how to operate the technology to the best way to use the technology to support the student learning. 

Terms Evolved to Describe Technology Use 

Because technology has been used in a variety of settings and in different ways to support the instructional process, different terms and phrases have been used to express the different models of technology use. Sometimes these terms are misunderstood and misused. In order to try to provide some clarity, I would like to provide some descriptions for the different types of technology used to support student learning.

But I need to provide a disclaimer. Nailing down an agreed-upon definition has not been easy. I reviewed definitions used by associations and entities, as well as reviewed the Texas Education Code to see if some of these terms have a legal definition. And although most of the definitions are similar, there are some differences. 

I decided that the best way to understand these terms is to place them in a Venn diagram. On one side of the diagram are the uses of technology that are used within a brick and mortar building where both the teacher and student are present. The other side of the diagram is where the student and teacher are not in the same physical space. The shared portion of the diagram are the uses of technology that are often used in both face-to-face and virtual interactions between the teacher and student. 

Synchronous vs. Asynchronous 

Before you review the diagram, you need to know the difference between synchronous  and asynchronous learning. Synchronous learning is when the teacher and students participate in learning activities at the same time. Asynchronous learning is when students and teachers are learning the same material but at different times.

Definitions:

Digital Learning is any instructional practice that effectively uses technology to strengthen a student’s learning experience. It emphasizes high-quality instruction and provides access to challenging content, feedback through formative assessment, opportunities for learning anytime and anywhere, and individualized instruction. It is important to note that digital learning may be used in all of the other models except courseware. (Source: Digital Learning Day)

Courseware refers to any instructional software that is delivered on a computer. This is typically used to describe a self-contained course. A student receives all of their instruction via the computer and the software application. There is little to no personal interaction with a teacher. This could be done within the school building or at home. (Source: The Learning Coach) 

Blended Learning is an instructional approach that includes a combination of online and in-person learning activities which provide some element of student control over the time, place, path, and/or pace of their learning. At least some of the instruction is supervised in a brick-and-mortar location away from home. (Source: The Learning Coach, Raise Your Hand Texas, The Christensen Institute, and the Texas Education Code)

Flipped Learning is when students are introduced to the learning material before they come to class through video lectures, readings, or labs. Classroom time is used to deepen understanding through discussion with peers and problem-solving activities facilitated by the teacher. (Source: Advanced HE and Project Tomorrow)

Distance Learning occurs when students and their instructors are in two different locations. It usually involves a digital device and the internet. The learning can be synchronous or asynchronous. The following are types of distance learning: 

  • Online/Virtual Learning refers to a digital learning environment that takes place over the internet rather than a physical classroom. The teacher and student are not physically in the same location. The instruction delivery is primarily asynchronous, but could include some synchronous instruction. Courses provided by the TxVSN are an example of online or virtual learning. (Source: The Learning Coach)
  • Remote or At-Home Learning is a new term that describes distance learning, but has been closely associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. In the Spring of 2020, this term described a school district’s attempt to help their students remain connected and engaged with the content while working from their homes. In a remote learning setting, a student receives instruction through online learning and/or via paper packets that are distributed to the students. People are now making a distinction between what transpired in the Spring of 2020 (Emergency Remote Learning) and what districts are preparing to offer their students in the 2020-2021 school year. Remote Learning is now being used to describe a class that intends to meet face-to-face in a traditional format, but may be transitioned (or started) online due to unforeseen circumstances. The difference between now and the Spring, is that districts have more time to prepare curriculum and teaching strategies to assist in this new learning environment. Remote learning is different from virtual or online learning. The latter typically refers to courses intentionally designed from the beginning to be delivered online. It was never intended for these courses to ever meet in-person, and students were never intended to work on these assignments in the same space. .

Update: This paragraph was updated on July 10, 2020 to reflect the changing nature of the term remote learning.

In Conclusion

These are not the only terms that have been used to describe the use of technology in schools. However they are the most popular terms that are in use today. 

Hopefully this helps clarify the different models of technology use as we grapple with how to plan for the future. Technology has never been and will never be a silver bullet that will fix the education system. However, if used effectively in the hands of a good teacher, it has the potential to assist students acquire a deep understanding of the content while preparing them for future careers that will be dependent on the use of technology.

This blog was updated with additional content on July 10, 2020.

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Content AreasGood TeachingiOS Tips and TricksSTEM/STEAM

Digital Physics with Physics Classroom

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

Are you a physics teacher looking for simple tutorials, interactives, or concept builders? Digital physics has never been easier. In this blog, we’ll explore a variety of digital resources you may find useful as a physics teachers.

Introducing Concepts to Students

You may find introducing tough concepts to be difficult. While interactive experiences are foundational, try some proven strategies to introduce students to new learning.

What are some great surface learning strategies? Here’s a quick recap on what surface learning strategies do:

Surface learning strategies introduce students to concepts, skills and/or strategies. These strategies seek to assist students gain requisite, background knowledge. The need this background knowledge before they can move forward to deep learning.

These strategies introduce students to unfamiliar content. You can see the effect size for each strategy in parentheses. Here are some you can use:

1) Jigsaw Method (1.20)

The jigsaw instructional method is a cooperative approach to learning. In this method, a teacher introduces a main topic and several subtopics. Divide students into “home groups.” Assign each member of the home group a subtopic. Students then divide up to study their assigned subtopic and have a discussion. At the end of the jigsaw, students return to their home group where each has a set time to share about their subtopic. Culminate the activity with a reflection component.

Tech Tip: Organize your instructions and sub topic resources topics in a Google Sites or a hyperdoc to structure subtopic explorations.

2) Flipped Classroom (0.58)

This is an approach that involves the teacher pre-recording video or audio presentations. Students can then watch/listen to content at home or in other situations. When students return to the classroom, engage them in hands-on activities that focus the learning. You can use a deep learning strategy like Reciprocal Teaching (0.84) to dig deeper into content in class. Or, use a simulation.

Tech Tip: Try using solutions such as Actively Learn, Edpuzzle, or  Kami. to heighten the interactivity of videos.

See more strategies and technologies you can use online.

Ready to explore the Physics Classroom website? Let’s get started.

The Physics Classroom Topics

This section offers source material (great for jigsaw) you can use. For example, some of the topics include:

In each section, you’ll find a series of lessons. For example, for Reflection and the Ray Model of Light:

The first lesson focuses on reflection and its importance with specific topics:

  1. The Role of Light to Sight
  2. The Line of Sight
  3. The Law of Reflection
  4. Specular vs. Diffuse Reflection

There are more lessons available. Each lesson provides great content students can read.

Physics Interactives

This section focuses on HTML5 interactive pages that work on various devices. This includes devices such as iPads and Chromebooks that no longer work with Adobe Flash.

digital physics

From their website (with slight edits):

Some Interactives are simulations that allow a user to manipulate an environment. They make it easier to observe the effect of changes in variables upon the simulation. Other Interactives are skill building exercises. In these, the user practices a skill that is crucial to learning some aspect of physics. Topics for Interactives match the classroom topics listed above.

Some Interactives provide game-like environments. These need the user to use a physics concept to meet a challenge. These are great for deep learning since they dig deeper into a concept. You can introduce them with direct instruction (.59) strategy. Use them when students are ready to build a deeper conceptual understanding. Strategies you can use include classroom discussion, reciprocal teaching. This involves students grappling with ideas together.

Concept Builders

Physics Classroom’s website offers access to 120 concept builders on 14 different topics. They describe it in this way:

A Concept Builder is an interactive learning activity. It targets student understanding of a discrete concept.  Each Concept Builder presents learners with carefully crafted questions. These target various aspects of the concept. There are many levels of difficulty or activities.

Track learner progress at each level or in each activity. Often, when a student misses a question, they have two opportunities to try again. Once they have done so, they will have exhibited skill.

You can see two screenshots of the concept builder below:

Lots More Resources

There are many more resources at the Physics Classroom. Explore it to see all the amazing content available for physics learners.

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Two females staring at a Chromebook screen
Chromebooks

Best Practices for Learning in a Chromebook Classroom

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

As we all have discovered by now, Chromebooks can be an amazing tool for students of all ages. But to make sure that they help kids learn what they need to, take a look at these best practices.

Best Practice #1 – Establish procedures before issuing Chromebooks.

“Figure out which toys your friends can play with,” I remember my mom saying to me before a sleepover with classmates. “And put the ones you don’t want to see damaged, lost, or stolen away.” It’s advice that I took to heart and shared with my own children before they had friends over.

Setting ground rules can certainly help you avoid trouble and heartache down the line. The advice is definitely worth taking when it comes to inviting students and staff to use any kind of device, even durable Chromebooks, in your classroom, library, or school. TCEA member Erin Laughlin (@MrsErinLaughlin) recommends that you consider your responses to questions like the ones below:

  • How will students be issued Chromebooks?
  • How should students be advised to transport Chromebooks?
  • What happens when there is a substitute teacher in the room? Will students be permitted to take advantage of the Chromebook?
  • What should be done when a Chromebook suffers damage?

In response to the last question, one teacher in Fairfield ISD during their Eagle Leadership Academy,pointed out that damage had occurred to a school-owned Chromebook issued to a student. “What did you do?” I asked, wondering if the student was to be forced to reimburse the district or forced to replace the device. “We made sure it wasn’t malicious and then just worked to get it fixed or replaced. No action was taken since this was an accident.” Erin also suggests having rules like these in place:

  • No food or drinks should be in sight when Chromebooks are out.
  • Carry Chromebooks with two hands at all times.
  • Do not get a Chromebook if teacher is out of the room.
  • Nothing should be on the desk except the Chromebook unless told otherwise.
  • Students should only be on websites assigned or approved by the teacher.
  • Have students and parents sign a statement saying they will abide by the rules.
  • Have reasonable consequences for students who aren’t following the rules; taking away the Chromebook should be your last resort.

As you might imagine, some common-sense suggestions include assigning a student to be in charge of the Chromebooks, ensuring monitoring of issuance and receipt of devices by class members. Consider including a Google Form to let students report how a Chromebook was damaged. Be sure to label your class Chromebooks so they will be easy to locate in case they leave your classroom. Finally, Kim from Fairfield ISD suggests that the teacher and students get in the habit of plugging in Chromebooks correctly so they are charged for the next group.

Best Practice #2 – Teach Chromebook basics along with digital citizenship.

“You can’t issue students devices until they’ve had digital citizenship lessons required by E-Rate.” These lessons also ensure that you can discuss important issues about caring for other people’s equipment.

In my experience, students often take great care of equipment issued to them when there is a culture of care cultivated in the school as a whole. Keys aren’t ripped off keyboards in classrooms where the teacher makes every effort to care for his/her technology and assigns students the jobs of cable management, removing dust from devices, and cleaning keyboards/screens.

Every device brings its own challenges, and Chromebooks are no different. Providing an overview of Chromebook and Google Apps tips ensure that students feel confident in using new technologies, rather than frustrated.

Best Practice #3 – Promote collaboration.

“My two favorite tools for a 1:1 classroom,” I shared at the recent Tots and Technology Conferences that took place in Galveston and Frisco this past summer, “include Nearpod.com and Seesaw.com.” Each provides tools for sharing your screen with students and collecting their work.

Nearpod serves as a presentation and eyeball management tool for you, pushing your screen out to all student Chromebooks. Seesaw serves as a digital portfolio that collects students’ digital and physical work in one virtual space that is easily shared but manageable.

Let’s quickly explore some other top tips for promoting collaboration:

  • Quiz tools: Other ways to engage students include quizzing tools like Quizizz.com and Kahoot.com. Quizizz allows students to log in with their Google account and all completed assignments are reported and available in Google Classroom.
  • Easy video assessment: Use tools like EdPuzzle and/or FlipGrid to take already existing videos from YouTube, Khan Academy, etc. You can also put your own online, adding your voice and questions to create an interactive video lesson. You’ll be able to see how many times your students watch the video or attempt a question, as well as the responses given.
  • Share web links with Google Tones: Facilitate the sharing of complex uniform resource locators (URLs) using Google Tone.
  • Take screenshots or record video screencasts: Use tools like the Nimbus Screenshot/Screencast extension for Google Chrome to quickly capture your screen for a flipped lesson or explanation.
  • Use Google Classroom to create a virtual classroom presence for students, blending in Google Calendar and YouTube videos to facilitate online learning.
  • Use badges in your classroom: TCEA member Joe Camacho (@CamachoEdTech) recommends setting up and issuing badges to celebrate student learning and sharing. Students can learn Google Apps tools such as Sites, Classroom, Forms, Docs, Drawings, and Slides, as well as other tools in use like DocHub, Flubaroo, Edpuzzle, Kahoot, Quizizz, creating screencasts, and Padlet.

Another neat tip for promoting collaboration and sharing comes from Erin Laughlin again. She suggests creating a “shark tank” in your classroom, having older students create products that are evaluated by younger students serving as “the sharks.” Older students pitch their solution to a problem using Google Hangouts, bridging the distance between their classroom at one campus and another. Of course, this activity can also be done at even greater distances. If that is of interest, consider the Connecting for a Cause website, where students create a Google Sites web presence that represents their cause.

Interested in learning more ways students can collaborate in a Google Apps-powered classroom? Drop me a tweet @mguhlin and request an in-person workshop.

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Microsoft Classroom
Microsoft Tips and TricksPodcasts

Exploring Microsoft Classroom

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

“How can I connect OneNote Class Notebook assignments to Microsoft Classroom Assignment grades?” What a fantastic question to have pop up in the no-cost TCEA Microsoft Innovative Educator (MIE) session I facilitated in Wichita Falls, Texas earlier this summer. In this blog entry, I am going to recap some of the conversations and provide responses to the questions that popped up during the session

Microsoft Classroom has many features and benefits, bringing the full force of Office 365 suite (including online versions of Word, Powerpoint, Excel, as well as Outlook, Group Conversations, and, the jewel in the crown of Microsoft’s education offerings, OneNote Online), as well as the installable, full-blown versions of these products.

Selecting Your Tool

In the Microsoft Innovative Educator (MIE) one-day Teacher Academy, one of the points that is shared is the importance of students being able to select their own tools as appropriate for the job. This, for me, goes to the heart of what it means to be a learner, an artisan, a craftsman at work. You have to learn enough to know what technologies can be used to create the effect you are seeking when communicating, collaborating, and problem-solving with others. Microsoft, like its competitors Apple and Google, brings a wealth of tools to the table. Those tools include the following:

Microsoft Classroom – This provides a virtual space, a classroom where interactions with students can begin and be managed. It is accessible online to students and staff in a school district domain (although I’ve made the suggestion to Microsoft that they make it so that anyone external to a domain can be a part of it, so that those engaging in professional development can access content as part of a class). You can get to it online here. Some possible uses include:

  • Assignments can be set and students can submit work created in Word on their computer or the Word Online version and then share a link back with the teacher.
  • Assignments can be “turned in” by students, then graded by the teacher, who simply has to access each student’s assignment in one place and then add notes and a grade.
  • All assignments end up in the Classroom Outlook calendar, which is a component of the MS Classroom.

MS Classroom has several components “baked into it,” including:

Microsoft OneNote Class Notebook – This provides access to the premier Classroom resources for staff and students. It can serve a variety of purposes, such as a jointly-managed ePortfolio for student work, a way to disseminate assignments created in Classroom, as well as any handouts (a.k.a. Content Library) materials created by the teacher that the students can copy to their own section. This student section is specific to each student and only the student and teacher have access. Furthermore, Class Notebook features a Collaboration space where students can work together on documents and whiteboards.

But wait, there’s even more greatness! In addition to all of this interactivity, students can access OneNote Class Notebook on any device, although the MS Surface and iPad versions allow for interactivity and digital ink possibilities. If you’re not familiar with digital ink, this means you can actually write on any document you have rights to in the Class Notebook. Consider these scenarios:

  • Students can use a Cornell Notes Planner and fill it out.
  • The teacher can share a copy of a PDF or document (e.g. quiz, graphic organizer) and students can fill it out by hand using a stylus and tablet.
  • The teacher can snap a picture of a form or insert a PDF version as a print-out of a document, then share it out to students for completion. Also, students can do the creating for peers and their lead learner, the classroom teacher.
  • As a teacher, you can create and grade assignments (wow!) from within OneNote Class Notebook that get sent (or synchronized) to your connected Learning Management System (LMS), such as Microsoft Classroom. Make a change in MS Classroom assignment for a grade, and it gets adjusted in the Class Notebook.

    MS Classroom

    Participants at TCEA MIE Teacher Academy in Wichita Falls, Texas. Sign up at an upcoming session near you!

Online versions of the Office Suite – This includes a variety of tools, such as Word Online, PowerPoint Online, and Excel Online.

  • Microsoft Office Mix – This turns on many great features for both students and educators alike, enabling them to add audio, video, screencasting (great for flipped classrooms!), and more into interactive elements.
  • Microsoft Snip – Quickly capture images of your device (a.k.a. screenshots) and then annotate them with audio, highlighting, and text.

To see MS Classroom and OneNote Class Notebook in action, check out these videos for a walkthrough.

 

Microsoft Classroom Videos

Be sure to stay tuned for even more video walkthroughs!

Image Credit: Tweet by Katharine Gordon (@kpaigegordon)

 

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flipped
BYODChromebooksEducational TrendsiOS Tips and TricksMicrosoft Tips and TricksPodcasts

Flipped Learning Tools (and a Bonus Podcast)

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

Amazingly, someone (names changed to protect the innocent) wrote me yesterday with this request about flipped learning:

This is Rachel from Jeremiah Middle School in a large urban school district in San Antonio, an admirer of your mad tech skills. Here’s the scoop: I am in need of a quick and fast mini-lesson on the topic of “flipped lessons.” The teachers are now being asked to compose several flipped lessons for the upcoming year. If you can tell me what information I may be able to instruct the staff on, it would be greatly appreciated.

What Is Flipped Learning?

If you are not familiar with flipped learning (#flippedlearning Twitter chat is nice to get caught up), here is how I describe it to others:

In a typical flipped classroom, students listen to pre-recorded video lectures before class and perform other learning activities in class. In this flipped structure, students are exposed to material before class via videos and readings, and they attain deeper knowledge in class via activities. Why would you want to go to the trouble of doing flipped learning? Because the research says it works. I like to point folks to 10 Published Findings and Studies that offer qualitative and quantitative results in support of flipped learning, as well as Sophia Learning’s Flipped Classroom online course (free!). And keep in mind that flipped learning can work with students of any age.

Overcoming Technical Obstacles

Unfortunately, many teachers who are uncomfortable with technology to begin with get hung up on the technical aspects of flipping the classroom. Here are some practical suggestions for helping them in professional learning:

1) Show teachers how to storyboard their content first, then create a video about their lesson with the tools they have on hand. All the tools are free to get started. (A few of my favorites appear below.)

2) Keep videos short, 5 to 10 minutes max (shorter is better). You can always create more videos. Think “bite-sized chunks” that students can nibble on their way to/from school, sitting somewhere waiting for an adult to do something, or during the gap in a basketball game on television or in person.

3) Figure out where the videos will be posted. This is THE MOST IMPORTANT question to get answered before you start encouraging teachers to start sharing flipped video lessons. If you’re using Google Apps for Education, you have unlimited storage. If you are using Microsoft OneDrive for Business/Schools (Office 365 through your district), then you have one terabyte of storage space. If you are using YouTube, no problem. Video hosting is VERY important because it has to be accessible by both staff and students.

4) Plan for intensive classroom activities, and don’t be surprised if part of your class needs to watch the video in class (set up a pod of computers or devices where that can happen) while the rest of the students wrestle with a real life application of the flipped learning.

flipped

Arden Curtis

Listen to Practitioners

In a hallway at the annual TCEA Convention & Exposition, you can learn a lot if you stop to chat with folks. One person that I met during the TCEA 2014 convention was Arden Curtis (@ardencurtis), a ninth grade biology teacher at the time. This was an off-the-cuff conversation that yielded quite a few insights into flipped learning. Be sure to listen to practitioners like Arden.

Listen to Podcast of Arden Curtis (@acurtisteach),
9th Grade Biology Teacher, Veteran Flipped Classroom Teacher

Flipped Learning Tools

Looking for some quick tools to get started?

  1. Microsoft Snip: If you are on a Windows computer, then give some serious consideration to Microsoft Snip, which allows you to snap a picture of your screen (e.g. a technical diagram, student work that needs feedback, whatever) and then record audio as you annotate it. To get an idea of how this works, play the short Snip I recorded .
  2. “When I started to design technology training for our district, I knew that to reach all the members of our school community, I would have to offer multiple delivery methods. Screencasting was a perfect solution for that as it affords teachers and students the chance to learn at their own pace.” – Dr. Roland Rios (@drrios), Fort Sam Houston ISD. If you’re exploring flipped learning, the word “screencasting” is one you will hear often. As Dr. Rios points out, screencasting affords teachers and students the opportunity to learn at their own pace. Here are some commonly used screencasting tools:
    • Chromebook and/or Chrome-friendly tools that work for any computer that can run the Chrome browser, including Chromebook, Windows, and Mac:
    • Windows/Mac Computer: TechSmith’s SnagIt+Camtasia Studio. I highly recommend SnagIt ($29.95), as well as Camtasia Studio ($179.90) if you need higher end video capture and editing. These are the tools that Arden, featured above, has used.
    • iOS/Android: Reflector 2 app + one of the solutions shown above. For Android only, try AZScreenRecorder

Are you an iPad fanatic? Lots of people are and these devices make for perfect flipped learning platforms. With iOS devices, give serious thought to one of these three apps:

  • Explain Everything Interactive Whiteboard. This is my must-have app on iOS devices. There is so much you can do with the app, yet it has a deceptively simple starting point for those unfamiliar. You can find tons of tutorials online. This app is available for Chromebooks, too. A different version of Explain Everything, known as the Collaborative Whiteboard, offers hosting for videos at a price.
  • Touchcast. This free app makes green screen, flipped learning, video newsletters so easy. While it may be initially complex because of all the options, I have no doubt a short session and time spent watching others use it will get you ready to create flipped learning for your students. It is well worth learning all the bells and whistles in this app. Ample tutorials are available.
  • Educreations. This free app has long been on the preferred list for teachers and students. Not only is it easy (view tutorial), but it solves the problem that many educators don’t want to deal with in their particular district: where to host the video created. Educreations will host content, of course, offering additional features at a price.

Finally, since flipped learning involves working with video files, I must share some tips on the technical process of dealing with it:

  1. Choose a screencasting tool that allows you to export directly to MP4 video format. This is the most commonly used video format and works with all devices. Anything else will just result in headaches. MS Snip, TechSmith’s SnagIt/Camtasia, ExplainEverything, and Touchcast allow you to do this without much fuss.
  2. The new HTML5 friendly video format is also known as WebM and you may need to convert from that format to MP4 to easily share the file with others. Nimbus Screencast and Screencastify are both Chromebook apps that will save to WebM. You may need to rely on a web-based video converter to get these videos to MP4 format, depending on where you host them. YouTube, though, will accept WebM format.
  3. Take advantage of video conversion tools like the cross-platform Miro Video Converter, FFMPEG GUI, and AnyVideoConverter, to get video the target “codec” you want or need. For a web-based converter you do not have to install (great for Chromebooks), use Online Video Converter.
  4. Decide ahead of time where you will publish your video. The best solutions include Google Apps for Education (GAFE) Drive since you have unlimited space, OneDrive for Business (Office 365), or YouTube. You can also set up your own video hosting solution or take advantage of one like Vimeo.

But, wait, there’s more! Once you have your video recorded and ready for students to access online, you may want some way to determine if they have watched it. Mix in a Google Sheet Reflection with a Flubaroo feedback form that triggers when they submit something, an Excel Online Survey form that allows them to submit their reflections, or have them create something online, anywhere. Virtual spaces like Google Classrooms, Microsoft Classroom, Edmodo, Diigo Outliner (free for educators), and Sophia Learning all offer ways to help structure flipped learning content. You can also combine tools like OneNote with Microsoft Sway embedded in OneNote pages to create a virtual “closed space” or an open one, depending on what the culture of your teaching and learning environment.

Whether it’s a piece of writing, a Vocaroo audio file they can send you the link to or a video reflection they can post on YouTube, flipped learning reflections can empower students to become consumers and creators of academic content.

 

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