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Open Education Resources
AdvocacyEducational Trends

Texas Going Open, Thanks to Legislation

by Jennifer Bergland
written by Jennifer Bergland

Last October, I wrote a blog post on Open Education Resources (OER). While doing the research, I realized that the state of Texas needed to do a better job of embracing and promoting these resources. This led to the drafting and eventually passing of several bills that will make it easier for teachers and districts to access and utilize high-quality open education resources. SB 810 defined OER as:

Resources that reside in the public domain or have been released under an intellectual property license that allows for free use,
reuse, modification, and sharing with others

What That Means

The key phrases in the definition are “free,” “reuse,” and “modify.” In order for a resource to be considered an open resource, it has to not only be free, but the user must also have the rights to reuse all or part of it for his own purpose. Let’s take, for example, a high school English literature teacher preparing to teach a unit on Shakespeare who finds the play As You Like It, on the OER Commons website. In order for this resource to truly be an openly-licensed material, the entity that is hosting this resource would grant the teacher the rights to use and adapt all or part of the play. You will notice that the license allows you to remix and share the resource so it qualifies as an OER.

The legal definition of open educational resources, as defined by SB 810, also identifies these resources as full courses, course materials, modules, textbooks, streaming videos, tests, software, or any other tools, materials, or techniques used to support access to knowledge. As an example, Pearson has a sixth grade math course available which a district could use as is or adapt to meet the district’s specific learning goals. This course could easily be inserted into a district learning management system and be reworked and adjusted to meet the district’s curriculum design.

Texas Use of OER

The ability to take a resource and adapt it to meet a district’s scope and sequence and learning objectives is one of the reasons Texas districts have begun investigating and using open education resources. According to the most recent SpeakUp Survey, 42% of Texas administrators have implemented some form of OER within their district, and an additional 12% are considering it. 44% of the technology leaders in Texas consider OER to be one of the high growth digital initiatives.

SpeakUp Survey

These numbers will increase as some as the elements of SB 810 are implemented. TEA is required to have an OER repository that will be used by educators as a place to share materials created by districts, teachers, or the state. The new law also will create an instructional materials review service that will compare materials based on price, technical requirements, TEKS alignment, and editorial reviews. This service will help provide the quality control that has been missing for free materials.

Openstax LogoIn addition, the state budget for the next two years includes $20 million for the state to arrange for an outside entity to produce open educational resources for the state’s use.  It is expected that TEA will begin with instructional materials that meet the specifications for the English Language Arts adoption that will be implemented in the 2019-2020 school year. This would give districts the ability to use high-quality OER materials for this adoption, which has the potential to save them money. TEA recently announced the availability of some OER that were acquired by TEA for district use. 

 

Open Educational Resources Blog Series

To help facilitate the exploration of open educational resources, I will write a monthly blog post that will hopefully answer the questions you may have. Some of the things I hope to address in the blog series are:

  • What districts in Texas are using open education resources and with what results
  • What resources are already available, both within and outside of Texas
  • Updates on the implementation of the OER bills that were  recently passed
  • How to create your own OER
  • How to give attribution for open education resources and what the different licenses mean  
  • The best practices in implementing OER.

These are just a few of the topics we will explore. Please use the comment section below to give me feedback or ask the burning questions you may have.  See you next month!

 

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PowToon
Educational TrendsGood Teaching

Create Animated Videos and Presentations with PowToon

by Lori Gracey
written by Lori Gracey

PowToon is a fantastic program that’s great for both teachers and students. With an account, you can very easily and quickly create mesmerizing videos and presentations that are truly engaging. It includes beautiful templates that are drag and drop ready. And there’s an extensive help center and community support for new users.

PowToon

PowToon is great to use for flipped classroom lessons because it is so very active and engaging. It also works well as a tool to have students share what they’ve learned about a particular topic or unit of study. Because it’s so easy to use (the hardest thing about it is logging in!), even elementary students can benefit from it, especially if you have them work in pairs to create their animations.

The software is so easy that it’s almost intuitive to use. But if you want to try a few tutorials to amp up your skills or those of your students, here are some good resources:

An update to Powtoon is coming soon and will include HTML5. That means that it will now be smoother and even easier to use, and you will be able to use it on a tablet. It will also include new functions that will make your classroom come even more alive (like live-action video!).

Try it for yourself and then watch the fun and learning really begin!

 

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Twitter wall
Educational TrendsOnline Tools and AppsProfessional Learning

Four Great Twitter Walls to Use

by Dr. Bruce Ellis
written by Dr. Bruce Ellis

Do you have an event coming up and would like to encourage tweeting during the event? Then you may want to consider using a Twitter wall. A Twitter wall displays a specified hashtag, list, or user account and updates every few seconds. Many events that make use of a Twitter wall will use a projector to have it displayed in a prominent place so their attendees can see the action…and hopefully participate by sharing their learning via Twitter.

Though Twitter walls can be pricey, here are four that I found that are either free or offer a free version that is well done.

The Wallrus

This has to be the easiest Twitter wall to set up. You have multiple themes available, can upload your logo, and identify one Twitter keyword, username, or Instagram keyword on the free version. There are four layouts (text, text and images, images, and instructions) which you can use in any combination or use all four (my preference) set on timers.

Activity Walls

Though not quite as extensive as The Wallrus, Activity Walls does do a nice job of showing the most recent tweets. Just identify your hashtag, set the colors (which can be a little quirky, depending on what browser you are using), and your wall is instantly created. Using Chrome, I can quickly jump to full screen for a nice projected view; using Internet Explorer, I can customize the accent, background, and text colors.

 Tweet Monsters

Tweet Monsters is simple and focused. The free account is for personal use; you’ll need to contact them for pricing on corporate and other uses. Begin by identifying your hashtag. Customize text and background colors as well as the font, transition type, and transition speed. If needed, you can use the custom word filter to identify words to be filtered out and to either not show the tweet or substitute the bad word with an *. The downside of Tweet Monsters is that you only see one tweet at a time.

Twitter Fall

This Twitter wall has the most options available without a cost. You can add lists, searches, tweets by geolocation, exclude specific hashtags or words, and color code your timeline, mentions, and direct messages if needed. You do have a variety of setting to change regarding the speed, fall size, language, font size, and whether or not to show retweets. When finished tweaking your wall, you will want to click on the Presentation Mode link for easier viewing for your attendees. Though not the most professional looking wall, it does give the most flexibility. And, when I’m in a Twitter chat, I use this wall to follow the exchange and participate.

Twitter Wall Tips

When using a Twitter wall, be sure to consider these tips to make sure that it works the way you intend and that you get the most out of it with your attendees.

  • Investigate and choose your hashtag carefully. Be sure that the hashtag you are using isn’t conflicting with other users’ use of the hashtag, which may be completely different (and inappropriate) than your intentions.
  • Share your hashtag with your users well in advance and start “priming the pump” with tweets about your event.
  • Ask your attendees to tweet out their learning, great ideas, quotes, etc. using the hashtag during the event. Encourage non-tweeters to move from lurking to retweeting.
  • Tweet with images and photos to increase the engagement and the likelihood it will be shared with others.

Now that you have a few Twitter walls to choose from and some tips to get you started, we’d love to see what you do with them. Share the link to your Twitter wall in the comments below.

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TCEA responds
Educational TrendsLibraries

TCEA Responds: Future Ready Library Redesign

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

Welcome to TCEA Responds #11.  Submit your own question(s) online. Today’s topic is redesigning your library.

Dear TCEA Responds:

Help. What does a 21st century library computer lab look like? I may have an opportunity to have input for my space and I want to know what is out there that works.

Thanks, Jane

Dear Jane:

After receiving your question earlier today, I took a moment to consult with a group of librarians who are part of a Facebook group, Future Ready Librarians. If you’re not familiar with the Future Ready Librarians’ approach:

Future Ready Librarians will provide resources, strategies, connections for district leaders and librarians. This makes it easier for them to work together to promote and implement innovative learning opportunities for students. Learn more. School librarians are indeed, as the Future Ready Librarians website states, “well-positioned to be at the leading edge of the digital transformation of learning.”

future ready

Redesigning Your Library Spaces

Here are a few of the responses I received:

I’m hearing of many labs that are going away entirely. Your students may need a couple of desktops for video editing or other processor-intensive work. The vast majority of needs can be met with Chromebooks in the classroom.

No lab. You can use the space for video production or other things. I turned my lab into a makerspace since we’re 1:1. We call it the Fab Lab.

I have a cart of 30 chrome books. I like that they are portable and we can use them in the library classroom and in the library. The main area I use has a whiteboard wall with whiteboard tables.

We have one school where the lab went away because they are 1:1. In others, we have Chromebook carts and are moving to flexible furniture. Most libraries do have makerspaces.

The message from these future ready librarians? Computer labs are gone or soon will be. Instead, the space they occupied is now more flexible, ready for making.

Ready for Making

future ready

Creating a makerspace in your library reflects a growing trend. Listen to this podcast as two librarians share their insights about creating these innovative learning spaces. They have turned their libraries into a base of operations for mobile makerspaces that teachers can check out.

Here are some tips on setting up a makerspace:

Ample access to Chromebooks and iPad kiosks for ebooks describe technology in libraries. Some libraries are also doing away with uncomfortable wooden chairs, opting for more comfortable learning spaces and reading nooks.

Re-envisioning Future Ready Libraries

Are you going to be re-envisioning your library this summer? Get connected with other librarians by attending a TCEA Makers event.

More to See

Here are some other resources you may want to investigate:

Image Sources

 

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paper and pencil
Educational TrendsTechnology ApplicationsUncategorized

Write to Remember: Digital Paper Alternatives

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

For the last four to five years, a little black basketweave notebook has been my constant pocket companion. In it, I jot down notes from meetings,  things I need to write in order to remember. Although I’m a veteran user of tools like Evernote, Google Keep, and OneNote, my desk at home is still covered with notebooks. No matter your everyday carry, finding the right notepad can simplify your life. The practice of taking notes in fourth grade in a black-and-white composition notebook has stayed with me. In fact, it’s one of the most valuable skills I learned in elementary school. Let’s explore a few less expensive alternatives schools may want to consider for staff and/or students.

Research on Handwritten Notes

Listen to or read National Public Radio’s (NPR) summary of research on the benefits of handwritten notes over typed notes:

“When people type their notes, they have this tendency to try to take verbatim notes…students who were taking longhand notes in our studies were forced to be more selective — because you can’t write as fast as you can type..that extra processing…benefited them.”

Source: Pam Mueller on The Pen is Mightier Than the Keyboard as cited in NPR’s Attention Students – Put Your Laptops Away.

The short version? Old-fashioned, handwritten notes make our brains work harder and smarter. Set aside the digital for later.

Notebook Organization Skills

In addition to the benefits of handwritten notes, many are choosing to impose organization on their notebooks. Here are a few note-taking approaches that you may be aware of. While it’s beyond the scope of this particular blog entry to explore each one in detail, you may want to explore further on your own.

You can use any one of these approaches. You can also combine them or develop your own approach. Let’s take a look at some digital notebook options.

Digital Notebook Options

While there are a variety of devices you can purchase that enable you to take notes, they can be quite expensive (e.g. $799 for the Microsoft Surface Pro tablet with digital ink capability or the $249-$350 Samsung tablet with S pen). To be honest, it’s a pain carrying around a digital tablet in addition to my smartphone. I prefer to travel lighter. What’s more, when you forget your satchel in the restroom, you don’t have to worry about losing an expensive tablet or laptop with access to critical confidential information (see encryption suggestions).

writeDifferent solutions help you combine a paper notebook and the benefits of handwritten notes with digital search capabilities. You may not need a tablet if you already have a smartphone and a laptop/desktop computer.

Less Expensive

  • Rocketbook Wave Smart Notebook ($27): This option provides for easy note taking with integration into digital cloud storage sites. What makes this paper notebook unique is that, because you use special ink, the pages turn blank in a microwave. This occurs when the Pilot Frixion ink (you can buy it at most retail stores) you use is exposed to heat. The pages, once cleared, can be re-used. The Rocketbook Wave app can be used to scan to PDF or to an image (PNG format).  Watch the video.
  • Evernote Smart Notebook ($20.97 plus $69.99 recurring annual cost for EverNote Premium): Although a bit expensive given that Evernote Premium costs a bit more, please be aware that each notebook purchase comes with three months of EverNote Premium, making it a good value to get started. Evernote is a well-known tool that tries to make the note-taking process easy (source).

More Expensive

  • Moleskin Smart Writing Set ($199): This appears to be an incredible solution. You write/draw/sketch on special paper with a digital pen that sends your design/notes to the companion app. Watch this short video overview.
  • Bamboo Spark ($99.95): This solution from Wacom will “capture handwritten notes on any paper and with a push of a button your handwritten content is saved in the Wacom Inkspace app for light editing and sharing.” The Wacom app Inkspace works with Evernote and Dropbox. Watch video.

writeBenefits of Digital Paper

The main benefit of having paper backup to digital is that I can have a backup of my paper notes. Since I often use a variety of notebooks, being able to have a notebook at work and another at home, is great. Digitizing my notes and sketches allows me to easily access content across devices, enabling me to improve on my work. If you are considering sticking with handwritten notes, do take advantage of a less expensive paper+digital solution.

 

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Scenes from ISTE 2017
Educational TrendsGood TeachingProfessional Learning

Embracing the Extraordinary at ISTE 2017

by Susan Meyer
written by Susan Meyer

Were you one of the thousands of educators in San Antonio this week for ISTE 2017? If so, we hope you were also one of the thousands who came by the TCEA Showcase. We had a lot of fun meeting and talking to educators from all over the world. We loved hearing the unique perspectives, challenges, and innovative solutions occurring in different classrooms, districts, and states.

At TCEA, we want to support you in your quest to have the most engaged students and productive learning outcomes possible. We want to introduce you to new technologies and new strategies for using those technologies in the classroom to make your job easier and to further student success. Our goal with the TCEA Showcase at ISTE 2017 was to provide refreshing bursts of content with timely and relevant takeaways that educators could add to their toolbox. Here are some of the ways we shared ideas at the convention.

Demo Slams

Our professional development team rocked the TCEA Showcase with a number of demo slams. These 20-minute presentations provided extremely valuable content in fast-paced, resource-rich segments. In less than a half hour, educators could walk away with an understanding of how to launch a digital breakout, new ideas for back-to-school ice breakers, the perfect apps for the social studies or math classroom, and much more! Attending a demo slam was a great way to pack in a lot of PD in a short time frame.

If you weren’t at ISTE or weren’t able to make it to all of the demo slams, you wanted, you can find links to some of the presentations you missed here. Check them out for some great ideas and resources!

Poster Sessions

Poster sessions were another way for educators to take a break from the hustle and bustle of ISTE sessions and exhibits while still learning. Presenters shared about a number of different topics from STEAM and digital storytelling to programming and robotics and augmented reality. Poster sessions allow opportunities for discussion and for the poster visitor to ask in-depth questions of the presenter. The relaxed atmosphere makes it easy to drop in for a dose of innovation before continuing on your way. For a deeper dive into one of our Monday poster sessions, check out my earlier post for some great STEAM ideas.

Always Time for Making

A big convention can be a lot to take in, so sometimes it’s nice to kick back and take a break with something creative. As part of the TCEA Showcase, we offered a little makerspace activity: creating luggage tags out of colorful duct tape. In addition to being a fun outlet for participants, it also illustrates how easy it is to create a makerspace activity without a lot of resources. Instructions were provided, but participants were also free to go off book and let their imaginations take the lead. Makerspaces don’t have to be expensive or high tech to provide opportunities for engagement. Duct tape is just one of many relatively inexpensive tools that can provide the foundation of a meaningful makerspace. For more great makerspace ideas, check out our FREE makerspace eBook Ready, Set, Make! It contains all of the details you need to get a makerspace up and running at your school.

Were you in San Antonio at ISTE this weekend? If so, did you make it the TCEA Showcase? We’d love to hear from some of our new readers and followers. What was your favorite thing at ISTE 2017? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below. If you weren’t at ISTE, we’d still love you to share what ideas you are most excited about getting started in the new school year.

 

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Tots and Technology
Educational TrendsGood TeachingProfessional Learning

Lots of Laughter and Learning at Tots and Technology Galveston

by Susan Meyer
written by Susan Meyer

Standing in the Galveston Convention Center during the 2017 Tots and Technology summer conference means being surrounded by the sights and sounds of elementary educators enthusiastically learning. The whir of robots being showcased. The excited laughter of a group successfully escaping a digital breakout. And the incredible conversations between educators sharing ideas from their own classrooms and libraries and schools: what’s worked for them, what didn’t, and their hopes for the new school year.

I already shared a little of the experience of Tots in Galveston on site at the conference. If you missed these posts, you might want to check them out to learn more about the fun that was had at the makerspace pre-conference and the amazing learning and sharing that took place at the Birds of a Feather session. But I also wanted to share a few highlights of the event as a whole for those who weren’t able to join us at the beach this summer.

Hands-On Learning

What makes Tots and Technology such a fun conference is that educators get to experience the technology they will be bringing back to the classroom with them. They get hands-on practice so that they are not only familiar with the app, program, or gadget and how it can be used for cross-curricular learning, but also get to experience the technology for themselves. This way they’re aware of both the fun and engagement potential and the possible pitfalls and questions a student user might face.

Discovering the Latest in Ed Tech

Not all of the learning takes place in the session rooms. The exhibit hall at Tots was also a great place for educators to learn about some new products and ideas for technologies tailored specifically for the elementary classroom. They were able to talk one-on-one with exhibitors and try out new technologies in a laid back environment. They also started helpful discussions about what had worked in their classrooms and what product features they hoped to see.

Having a Ball

When in between sessions, our educators had a blast playing with the 12-foot inflatable beach ball we brought to the convention. They discovered some pretty creative ways to make great photo ops. Many demonstrated a huge amount of teamwork from hoisting the ball to making some quick saves to stop it from rolling down the hall. Elementary educators pack in the learning, but they know how to have a ball too! Our beach ball found a new home as a door prize for one lucky educator, but we’ll be sure to have new surprises in store for next year and for Tots Arlington coming up in just a few weeks.

The Tots Train Is Heading to Arlington!

Did you miss Tots in Galveston this year? If so, you’re in luck! We offer a second Tots and Technology summer conference in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. It will be held at the Arlington Convention Center from July 16-18. And the best part is it’s not too late to register. You’ll get all the hands-on learning, networking opportunities, and fresh ideas that educators experienced at Tots in Galveston in a fun new city. Find out more information and register here.

 

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Birds of a Feather
Educational TrendsGood Teaching

Birds of a Feather Create Innovative Classrooms Together

by Susan Meyer
written by Susan Meyer

Learning new ideas and technologies from ed tech experts is what many elementary educators look forward to most at the Tots and Technology summer conference. But not all of the experts stand at the front of the room presenting. And not all of the learning takes place in organized, hands-on sessions. One of the most exciting parts of the conference is seeing our attendees interact with each other. They share stories from their own classrooms, libraries, and schools. They can hear what strategies and tools are engaging students in districts both across the state and around the country.

Many of these resource-rich conversations take place over breakfast or just waiting for a session to start. However, at the Birds of a Feather sessions, attendees’ enjoyed having these valuable discussions facilitated for them. Teachers and administrators gathered together with their “flock” of peers who taught at the same grade level or performed the same role. Each flock, from PreK and early elementary learners up to fifth grade, administrators, and electives teachers, met to discuss the challenges and successes they’d faced in the previous year.

Challenges and Successes

Many of the teachers in all grades shared some of the same challenges. One teacher from a PreK classroom explained that at her school, they received iPads to use with their students halfway through the year, but no instructions for how to use them with the kids. Another teacher echoed that they wished they had started their technology initiatives earlier in the year.

However, there was talk of many successes from the year, too. Some teachers had started maker spaces and tech labs for their students. Others were proud of new apps they had introduced in their classroom to maximize student engagement or make assessment a breeze.

New (School) Year Resolutions

One advantage of a summer conference is that it really allows for reflection on the previous year and preparation for the upcoming one. Here are just a few of the plans educators had for their next year:

  • Sydney Musslewhite (@smussie) said that next she wants to begin the year with Google Classroom, try new apps like EdPuzzle and NearPod, and actually put them to use in the social studies classroom.
  • Arianna Zampierin (@arizampierin) said she wants to use a variety of QR codes at different stations in order to reach all kids at different instructional levels.
  • Delainie Hanson (@delainie_hanson) said she will try to match TEKS with technology for greater efficiency.
  • AmyLittle (AmyLittle1234) wants to increase mentoring and coaching and involve parents by training them on how to use technology to engage digitally.

Sharing Great Ideas

What makes Birds of a Feather such a great resource is that the participants meet in small groups and really get to engage with exact grade-level peers experiencing the same challenges and successes with their students. They may face challenges figuring out how to adapt a technology to work with their content requirements. Or they might face similar lack of buy-in for new resources. By working together, they also shared some great ideas for apps and how they can be used for specific skill building. Here are just a few apps that were shared:

  • Jennifer Almaguer (@Jenn_Almaguer) suggested using the VersoApp so that students can have a discussion while keeping their identities anonymous. The teacher can still see which student makes each comment.
  • Angel Herring (@AngelinHouston) shared that Epic Books is free for teachers. It allows access to a digital library of 25,000 books and videos.
  • Several teachers suggested Chatterpix as a great way to get students engaged and excited about learning new content on any subject. With Chatterpix, you can make anything talk, including pets, friends, objects, doodles, and more!

Birds of a Feather Flock Together

Educators at Tots feel a sense of belonging in talking with their peers fighting the good fight to get more technology in schools. As one teacher said “It’s great to come to Tots because everyone here just gets it.” While they might face reluctance from their schools about the need for technology expansions and district buy-in, for these two days, at least, they can be surrounded by like-minded ed tech fanatics ready to take on the world and transform learning.

If you want to join the networking, learning, and laughs at Tots and Technology, there’s still time to register for our second conference in July. It will be held in Arlington, Texas and will also feature the Birds of a Feather session. Read more about it and learn how to register here.

 

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TCEA responds
CTO/CIOEducational TrendsGoogle Tips and TricksiOS Tips and TricksProfessional Learning

TCEA Responds: Recording Speakers

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

Welcome to TCEA Responds #3.  Submit your own question(s) online. Today’s topic is recording speakers in conference settings and note-taking.

Dear TCEA Responds:

Are there apps that you could recommend that work best in TCEA convention environments? I have looked at some of these. Ideally, I would like to be able to record the speakers’ voices, have their voices converted into texts, type notes, and be able to paste pictures I take of graphic presentations into the apps. Anything you could recommend will be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Jerry

Dear Jerry:

Recording speakers at conferences and workshops has never been easier. Before we explore various solutions that address your question, let’s get one thing out of the way.

Get Permission

If you are going to record someone to share with others via a blog, ask for permission prior to the session, or as soon as possible thereafter. I often carry a business card with some information about myself and that I work for a nonprofit. I share that with the speaker so they will know what I am up to.

Recording a Speaker’s Voice

Recording a speaker’s voice can be done easily. You may want to read this blog entry that goes into iOS (and Android) microphone solutions, as well software to use. My go-to solution these days is the iRig Mic Cast for iOS/Android ($35) and iRig Recorder software. You can then save the audio recording to your favorite cloud storage or note-taking app (e.g. OneNote).

Need an audio editor? Use the free, open source Audacity sound editor (e.g. Mac/Windows/Linux) or Beautiful Audio Editor Chrome add-on. For hosting your audio to share with others, use Google Drive, The Internet Archive’s Open Source Audio, or SoundCloud.

Voice to Text

If you have an iOS device, you can use Apple’s Notes app to convert speech to text as it happens. The transcription will not be perfect, but it gives you an awesome starting point. Another approach on Windows 10 computers or tablets can include using Cortana (“Hey Cortana” to activate) to do voice to text. If you do this in a conference presentation, Cortana will transcribe your speaker’s speech to text (find out more). You can do the same with Google Docs’ Voice Typing feature. Aren’t these cool solutions that work with your Windows tablet, iOS/Android device? For more text to speech and speech to text solutions, read this blog entry, Transform Learning with Text to Speech. Some great apps to investigate include OneNote, Evernote, and Google Keep.

Paste Pictures

If you don’t know about the free Microsoft Office Lens app (available for Android, iOS, and Windows), then you are missing out. Not only can you take pictures at an angle (which Office Lens then flattens out to make it readable as if you were standing in front of it), you can also scan documents and then have Office Lens read them to you. You can drop pictures into your Camera Roll (iOS) or Gallery (Android). And, if you have a slide full of text, you can grab text from that slide and save it to your notes.

Final Tip: Avoid Media Capture Frenzy

“I like the slowness of writing by hand,” says Susan Sontag (as cited here). Avoid media capture frenzy. You may find yourself at the end of a stimulating presentation, only to find yourself uninspired. Allow yourself the opportunity to experience the speaker’s enthusiasm with handwritten note-taking or sketchnoting.

 

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connected classrooms
Educational TrendsGood TeachingOnline Tools and Apps

Achieving Connected Classrooms and Resources to Break Down the Walls

by Guest Blogger
written by Guest Blogger

Creating more connected classrooms can start with a single moment of witnessing how powerful the effect can be on students. A couple of years back, I had one of those beautiful, life-changing moments in my classroom that ended up shaping the way I approached education from then on. I’d like to share that story with you, give you some incredible resources, and hopefully inspire you to break down the walls in your classroom and connect your learners to various perspectives in our amazing, diverse world.

Junk Funk Meets Greatness

On May 13, 2015 the Laurens-Marathon Band performed a piece entitled “Junk Funk” at their spring concert in their small community gymnasium. The concert went off without a hitch. Lots of great music was performed. the audience was in fine form, and everyone left with a smile on their face and music in their hearts. The following Monday morning, the band director (that’s me!) opened her email to find a message from Kevin Mixon (the composer of “Junk Funk” who lives in New York). He had come across the band’s performance video that I’d uploaded on YouTube. Mr. Mixon simply wanted to give them a shout out:  

School bands learns the power of connected classrooms

The Laurens-Marathon Band

“I came across the video of your recent performance of “Junk Funk” and wanted you to know that I was honored you selected the piece for your concert. I hope it helped advance your playing skills, but most importantly, I hope you and your audience had fun with it! I was impressed that all the grades worked together and prepared the music in a very short amount of time – evidence of your achievement as musicians! And can you thank Ms. Allen for being an awesome teacher? Please keep playing your instruments; you have achieved much so far and you have many more great performances ahead. I am now a big fan of the Laurens-Marathon Bands!”

Ok, personally and selfishly, I was ecstatic – who doesn’t like to hear an attaboy everyone once in a while? But really, as an educator and someone that had taught some of these kids for eight years, I was also so pumped that my kiddos were recognized for their hard work and couldn’t share it with them fast enough. When I read the message to my students was when the moment happened.  Transforming.

As soon as I read the email, I watched the physical reaction across their faces. Their adolescent eyes popped, their shoulders straightened up a bit, and the room started to buzz with excitement. My students just had their moment of realizing they had reached an audience larger than their parents, and that this new audience dug what they had played. These kids, some of whom have never left the great state of Iowa, influenced someone in New York. Someone that was “big time.” I witnessed their enjoyment and vowed that my teaching from that moment on would strive to replicate that magic. I would break down the walls to my classrooms to connect and collaborate with others from all walks of life and perspectives. I would expand my learner’s minds and expose them to places and spaces they might not have access to normally. There was no going back.

Since this time, I have found and leveraged some wonderful technological spaces, resources, and tools to help continue to engage and amaze my students with how far their voices can travel. As promised, I’ve included them below with linked examples to get your brain muscles warmed up. Happy perusing and planning!

Social Media

Your students are probably already well versed in social media in their personal lives, but you can use these same tools to create a connected classroom and get their words and ideas beyond the classroom walls. I’ve included some helpful links for how these tools can be used by educators:

  • The Why and How of Using Facebook in the Classroom
  • 50 Ways to Use Twitter in the Classroom
  • 8 Ways to Integrate Instagram into the Classroom
  • 15 Ways to Use Snapchat in Classes and Schools

Blogging and Reflection

Allowing students to reflect on their learning in their own words and to publish their ideas for an audience can provide a powerful sense of pride and ownership in their work. Here are a few tools to help them showcase their work and writing.

  • Seesaw provides a platform where students can share their work with parents, teachers, and principals.
  • 50 Things You Can Do with Google Classroom
  • The Top Ten Ways Blogs and  WordPress Are Used in Schools

Audio and Visual

Another way to bring students voices beyond the classroom is through audio tools like Soundtrap which help students create and publish their own music and podcasts. Learn ways that this tool can help students engage, learn, and socialize here. 

Students can also use WeVideo to capture, create, and share videos with people outside the classroom. They can demonstrate their creativity and abilities beyond the classroom walls. This blog shares ways to engage students using WeVideo.

My Requirements for Connective Resources

Most of these spaces/resources are not super new, but they have withstood the test of time and are Meredith-approved. What is my test? I ask myself the following questions:

  • Can students create? From scratch? From a starting-point template? (I want both.)
  • Is there an option to be reflective?
  • Is it collaborative and, if so, can it support cross-school (state, country) collaborations?
  • Will kids have easy access in school and out of school (for continued creation, passion projects, etc)?
  • Is it device agnostic?
  • Do I have the ability to monitor and provide easy feedback?

These are some of the criteria that I consider that have helped me find tools that work for my connected classroom. Do you have any great tools you want to add? If so, share them in the comments.

This is a guest blog by Meredith Allen (@msmeredithallen). Meredith is an educator and an international presenter. She currently works as an Instructional Technology Consultant and Educational Ambassador for Soundtrap. She taught instrumental music, K-7 technology, and virtual reality at a rural school in Iowa.  Meredith has a Master’s of Science in Technology for Education and Training.

 

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