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free software
FundingTechnology Applications

Free Software for Students

by Lori Gracey
written by Lori Gracey

While the adage “You get what you pay for” is definitely true, I am still a fan of free. And for cash-strapped school districts, free software may make the difference in whether a student has access to tech tools or not. With that in mind, here are some software programs that are so good, students will definitely find them useful. Most of them are available on a variety of computer platforms. And, as of today, they are all free. (By the way, I did not include more well-known free software such as the Google Suite, OneNote, etc.)

2D/3D/Art/Drawing/Creating

Flowchart/Diagram Creator

  • Draw.io (online diagram software)

Foreign Language

  • Duolingo (learn a wide variety of foreign languages)

Game Design

  • Unity (game design software)

Math/Science

  • Cymath (online math problem solver)
  • Desmos (online graphing calculator)
  • GeoGebra (online graphing calculator)
  • Mathway (online help for basic math, algebra, pre-algebra, calculus, pre-calculus, trigonometry, statistics, linear algebra, chemistry, and graphing)
  • Solar System 3D Simulator (as the name says; only available for Windows)
  • Space Engine (space exploration simulator)

Music Creation/Audio Recording

Utility

  • Cold Turkey Blocker (free version runs in your browser and helps you focus on your work with no online distractions)
  • f.lux (day/night cycle on the monitor’s brightness and color)
  • KeePass (password manager)

Video Creation/Editing

Writing/Citation Creation

  • LaTex (document preparation for scientific and technical writing; great for math and science papers)
  • Zotero (reference manager)

What other free software programs or online tools would you recommend for students? Please add them to the comments section below.

 

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E-rate
AdvocacyCTO/CIOFunding

E-rate: Building on 20 Years of Progress

by Guest Blogger
written by Guest Blogger

Since 1998, the E-rate program has provided subsidies to schools across the nation to support the cost of telecommunications and Internet services. At the core of this universal service funding program is the belief that all students in all locations throughout the country deserve equal educational opportunities and the ability to study, work, and thrive in our increasingly digital world. For 20 years, E-rate has made that belief an attainable, affordable goal for school districts across Texas.

E-rate

“E-rate plays a huge part in our budgeting for technology. It’s a critical program that allows us to be aggressive in our planning knowing that at least for bandwidth we’re going to be reimbursed. It makes our budgeting possible, and we know that as bandwidth needs grow it’s going to be economically sustainable. We may invest more money upfront into our bandwidth, but knowing that the end user experience is boundless and allows them to do much more is worth it – we’re putting [the user] first.” – Chris Cummings, Director of Information Technology, Klein Independent School District

The Classroom Connectivity Initiative, a partnership between the Office of Governor Greg Abbott, the Texas Education Agency (TEA), and national non-profit EducationSuperHighway, recognizes that access to high-speed Internet is non-negotiable for student success. It addresses three key components: fiber, bandwidth, and WiFi.

E-rate

In addition to those components, the initiative is tackling connectivity challenges in Texas by helping districts access state matching funds. Designed to support schools with the cost of getting scalable infrastructure to their front door, these funds could help solve a major issue schools face in connecting to high-speed Internet. This is all possible because the Second E-rate Modernization Order stated that if a state created a fund to support schools with the cost of special construction, the E-rate program would contribute an additional 10%, on top of a school’s calculated discount to match the state’s contribution.

Here’s an example of how a school district may take advantage of the state matching fund:

  • School district applies for 80% E-rate discount.
  • Texas state matching fund contributes 10%.
  • E-rate state matching provision contributes additional 10%.
  • 100% of special construction costs are covered for the school district.

E-rateSchool districts across the state can benefit from the funding, and a majority of those eligible are in rural areas. We’re continuing to work with schools to make sure they understand how to use the funding to improve Internet access for their students.

 

Here’s what we are hearing so far:

“Fast Internet speeds are a crucial part of delivering high-quality digital learning to our classrooms, and scalable fiber optic-based Internet connectivity has been an elusive goal for some time now in our district. With the added construction cost of being a rural district, we would always struggle to move forward. While we are still in the middle of the approval process, the availability of the Texas state matching funds this year gave us the momentum to begin the E-rate and state match application process to ensure we provide the best opportunity for our students for years to come.” – Billy Polasek, Technology Director, Stockdale Independent School District

The state match is only available for E-rate funding years 2017 and 2018. The Form 471 Filing deadline is March 22, so it’s important to get started by visiting TEA’s Classroom Connectivity Initiative website.

As the end of the E-rate cycle approaches, additional tools are available for school districts that already have scalable infrastructure. School leaders can find their district on Compare & Connect K-12, EducationSuperHighway’s free tool designed to compare broadband speeds and pricing to neighboring districts to power negotiations this year.  More details on eligibility can be found on the Classroom Connectivity State Match FAQ. For questions, email classroomconnectivity@tea.texas.gov.

Guest authors: Kai Addy and Alyssa Cubello, EducationSuperHighway

Photo Credit: iPhone and Backpack by Josh Felise on Unsplash; Photo of Governor Abbott taken by ESH.

 

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teaching online
FundingGood Teaching

How K-12 Teachers Can Teach Online (and Earn Cash for Their Skills)

by Guest Blogger
written by Guest Blogger

How does teaching online compare to the classroom? How can teachers use their skills to make money? I’ll explain.

Some assume that online teaching is only for college professors. Yes, more than a quarter of college students take classes online. However, more than ever, there are opportunities for K-12 teachers to teach remotely, too. But many teachers wonder:

  • What’s it like to teach online?
  • How do I get started?

In this article, I’ll offer tips for teaching online and describe two chances to get started.

Lessons for First-Time Online Instructors

What did I wish I knew when I first started teaching online? Here are four lessons I’ve learned.

Crystal clear communication. Remember, tone of voice is not heard when typing, so online communication must be clear. A comment that sounds caring in person could sound sarcastic online. Err on the side of caution.

Remember that students are people. They finish work late, or make bad excuses, or blame teachers unfairly. In person, we use emotional intelligence to manage this. Online, we have fewer tools. Patience, good judgement, and clear communication are essential. You’re talking to someone’s child.

Get students producing, not just consuming.  With online teaching, it’s important for students to create authentic products (like the real published books BoomWriter Online Writing Camp students write).

Feedback is powerful (and students want it). With most online instruction, students complete assignments alone. While chat and other technologies allow for quick communication, many classes meet asynchronously. This makes written feedback crucial. The SE2R feedback format, pioneered by Mark Barnes, is a great resource.

Try 1-1 Online Tutoring on Nights and Weekends

A lot of teachers tutor in-person for extra cash. While it’s easy to tap into an existing network to find students, there are hassles with this side gig. Finding students, traveling, arranging locations, and sourcing materials are extra, unpaid set-up time.

So what’s the alternative to building a tutoring business from the ground up?

Many American educators have decided to teach remotely through an online service like VIPKID.  Based in China, VIPKID connects American teachers to Chinese students who want to learn English. According to its website, VIPKID has a curriculum “based on U.S. Common Core State Standards and uses a flipped classroom approach to foster creativity and critical thinking skills.”  Clearly, VIPKID works to use familiar language for state-side instructors.

Because the students are in China, hours for tutoring differ from typical American teaching hours. Most sessions happen on Monday through Friday, 6PM – 10PM and weekends 9AM – 10PM. This might make for a long day, but these are also hours teachers are free at home.

Try Facilitating Online Writing Camps This Summer

Another opportunity is BoomWriter Online Writing Camps. Despite the name, this “summer camp” has no sunscreen, mosquitoes, or dodgeball. I’ll explain.

Each camp session is a one-week interactive online writing camp for students ages 7-13. Teachers register to run a camp utilizing the BoomWriter collaborative writing platform. BoomWriter provides the sales and marketing support, including the teacher’s personalized camp landing page that can be distributed to parents and handles all camp sales. Upon completion of each five-day camp session, the teacher receives approximately half of the fees for all students who have registered for that camp. Run a camp with 10 students? That’s about $700 for one week! Best of all, teachers and students do this all from home.

Once your camp gets started, here are the details:

  • The camp is remote — students and teachers can work from anywhere on their own devices and never meet in person.
  • For each of the five days of camp, students receive a writing lesson created by BoomWriter.
  • Teachers respond to students’ writing with advice and feedback, and then approve student submissions for peer review.
  • Throughout the week, students collaborate to write and publish a realistic fiction story.
  • Students each receive a printed soft cover copy of the story, complete with all contributing author names.

No Planning, No Grading, No Meetings

For students and parents, there are great benefits. Kids participate in a fun learning experience that otherwise would not be possible. Summer reading is common, but summer writing is non-existent. Parents know that their students receive high quality help from a certified teacher.

For teachers, benefits abound, too. Run the camp from home or anywhere with a laptop and WiFi. Because of the fee-sharing system, teachers make more money by registering more students for their camp. Just provide valuable feedback to students. There are no lessons to plan or grades to report.

If you’re interested in flexing your online teaching muscles in a short-term, highly-engaging way (while making extra cash), then the BoomWriter summer camp might be for you. You can click here for more information.

About the author: Gerard Dawson is a full-time high school English and Journalism teacher. He publishes articles on literacy, technology, and life as an educator at his blog, www.GerardDawson.org. Gerard can be reached @GerardDawson3.

 

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OER
CTO/CIOEducational TrendsFunding

Finding Quality OER Made Easy

by Jennifer Bergland
written by Jennifer Bergland

*Updated 01/02/2020: Added ClipSafari as a resource.

When a teacher, school, or district makes the decision to begin creating and using Open Educational Resources (OER), they must decide if they are going to create their own materials, use materials already created, or adapt existing OER to meet the instructional goals of their students.

My advice is to adapt existing materials. There are so many resources available now that it makes sense to curate existing resources and tweak or remix them as necessary. That’s the beauty of OER. Because the resources are tagged as open, they were designed to be adapted. You just need to be sure you know what Creative Commons license governs the use of the OER. Still confused about Creative Commons licenses?  See Miguel Guhlin’s blog post on the subject.

The question becomes then where to start. With all the resources available, you may be asking yourself “How do I find what I need?” Let’s see if I can help answer those questions. I’ve done a little curating myself to assist you in finding what you need. We’ll start by looking at using common search practices and wikis, then drill down to specific types of media, and end by looking at some specific sites for education.

General Searching for OER

  • Google: The most obvious place to start is to use the advanced Google search. Type in your search term; then, after you search for that term, click on Settings and select Advanced Search. 

OER

Then click on the Usage Rights menu and select the one that best fits  your need.

OER

  • CC Search: This sites allows you to search for items that have been tagged with a Creative Commons license over a variety of websites. But you need to note they don’t verify the results will actually be a Creative Commons licensed material. Also, it’s not a search engine, but rather they use various search engines. You select which search engine you want to use depending on the type of media you are looking for.

Wikis

Each of the Wikis included in the Wikimedia Foundation have a Creative Commons license for each wiki entry.

  • Wikibooks: This wiki has a collection of books that are openly licensed. I searched for U.S. History and found an online book of U.S. History. A district could take this content and add to and/or adapt the material to create a text on U.S. History. The wiki even includes photos that could be used. If you like it as it is, you can even create a PDF of the content.
  • Wikiversity: This is a Wikimedia Foundation project devoted to learning resources, learning projects, and research for use in all levels, types, and styles of education from pre-school to university, including professional training and informal learning. You can find learning resources for the arts, humanities, mathematics, social sciences, science, and technology.
  • Wiktionary: This wiki is a dictionary that offers permission to use their definitions in your OER. It includes the etymology of the word and even different translations of the word in other languages.
  • Wikisource:This wiki has items that are in the public domain, including government documents.
  • Wikipedia: This is the original open wiki. Since it has a Creative Commons license, the information can be used in an OER as long as you follow the license.

OER Images 

There are several really good sites that you can use to find photos or clip art for your OER.

  • Pixabay: Pixabay photos are public domain, but they also have some images for sale.
  • Unsplash: This is one of my new favorite sites to find free photos. The photos are beautiful, easy to identify and collect, and you are given the right to use, remix, and adapt for both non-commercial and commercial purposes. You are not required to give attribution for the photos you use. However, they make it really easy to give attribution, so I usually try to do so.OER
  • ClipSafari: This is a repository of high quality clip art images. All the images are available as PNG and SVG files. They are all licensed under the CO0 license, which is a public domain license, giving you permission to use copy, modify, and distribute as you like.
  • Wikimedia Commons: This is part of the Wikimedia family.

OER Videos

  • Use the CC Search tool to find YouTube videos that have a Creative Commons License, or when you are searching for a video within YouTube, put a comma after the search term and type  ‘creativecommons’. For example: ‘abraham lincoln,creativecommons’.
  • Vimeo: To find Vimeo videos that have a Creative Commons license, insert a search term on the main page and click enter. Then click on the Filter menu located on the left side of the page and click on one of the types of CC licenses you would like to use.
  • Internet Archive : This site has free movies, films, and videos. I found a 1955 TV show based on the characters in Huck Finn and another video titled “Mark Twain’s Mississippi.”  It focuses on the literary character of Huckleberry Finn to examine the Mississippi River’s influence on Mark Twain and his writing.

OER Audio Music

Education-Related OER

  • OER Commons:  This is a digital library of open educational resources. It also has the Open Author tool that helps you create your own resources, lessons, or modules. The advanced search tool allows you to drill down to find what you need. There is also a section for groups to work together on resources. These groups can be public or private. This is a national site, so most of the materials will be aligned to the Common Core standards. Teachers in Texas will need to realign them to the Texas TEKS.
  • Amazon Inspire: All materials in the Amazon Inspire have a Creative Commons license. The materials are either downloadable or links to pages. This site is still in a beta format.
  • Open-Up Resources: This is a non-profit that has open instructional materials for both math and ELA. Check out this blog post on their math curriculum.
  • The Texas Education Agency has partnered with Rice University’s OpenStax and Study Edge to develop some math OER specifically created for Texas schools.
  • The Orange Grove: This is Florida’s OER Repository.
  • cK12.org The CK-12 Foundation offers OER that can be adapted to suit the needs of a school, district, or student. El Paso ISD is using the CK-12 materials to build their own OER.
  • Kahn Academy : These are short tutorial videos on a wide variety of subjects and topics. Pre-assessment questions are included, as well as practice quizzes a student can take as she views the videos. The videos are actually stored in YouTube, so they may be embedded in an LMS, a website, or can be used on the Kahn Academy site.

Hopefully you are getting the idea that there are many places you and your team can find good quality OER. I have just scratched the surface. If you are coming to the 2018 TCEA convention (and if you aren’t, why not??), join Tom Murray and myself as we delve more into the topic of OER. Our session is on Wednesday, from 12:00 to 1:30. I hope to see you there. I’ll post the session resources here after the convention.

We Create photo by “My Life Through A Lens” on Unsplash and Passion Led Us Here photo by Ian Schneider on Unsplash

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Technology Lending Grants
CTO/CIOFunding

Grants Available to Help Provide Home Internet Access

by Jennifer Bergland
written by Jennifer Bergland

On December 12, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) opened its Request for Applications for the Technology Lending Grants. These grants, established by Texas Education Code §32.301, are part of the implementation of HB 3526 which passed during the 85th Session of the Texas Legislature. Providing Internet access at home is a strong legislative priority and why TCEA strongly supported HB 3526.

I vividly remember the comment. I was speaking to some Texas technology directors to garner their support for more affordable broadband for Texas school districts when Joy Rousseau of Arp ISD stopped me and said, “If you solve the problem at school, but don’t solve the problem at home, you haven’t solved the problem.” Instantly, I knew she was right. If students don’t have access to the Internet at home, there will continue to be a digital divide, which is now known as the homework gap.

This homework gap is real. According to the 2016 Speak Up Survey , 61% of Texas middle school students and 79% grantsof high school students indicate they use the Internet at home at least a few times a week. 54% of the high school students use it every day. The student’s Internet use is not dependent on whether the teacher purposely assigns homework that needs the Internet because only 13% of Texas teachers indicate they do so. Students are going to the Internet for help in their homework because it is the library of the 21st century. Students without this home access are at a distinct disadvantage. They have fewer ways to access content and are not learning the necessary skills of finding accurate information to answer their research questions.

Purpose of Grants

The Technology Lending Grants made possible by this bill provide $10 million in funding for districts to purchase personal, portable wireless devices such as laptops, tablets, or other technologies that can provide students access to digital materials to meet school objectives while at home. In additional to personal devices, the grant funds can also be used to help provide Internet access itself at home.

grants

The grants are designed to help school districts ensure that all their students have access to digital content and tools at home to improve the homework gap. There will be approximately 144 grants awarded, ranging from $50,000 to $150,000 each. The deadline to apply is Tuesday, February 6, 2018.

Free Grant Writing Webinar

For schools looking for help with the grant process, TCEA will be offering a free webinar with tricks and tips for writing and submitting grants. The webinar, which is open to anyone, will be January 9 at 2:00 p.m. The webinar is open to anyone.

Important Deadlines

  • January 10, 2018 – Last date to submit FAQ’s to TEA contact person.
  • January 19, 2018 – Due date for Notice of Intent to Apply (but not required)
  • January 19, 2018 – FAQs posted to TEA Grant Opportunities
  • February 6, 2018 – Due date for grant application
  • February 14-March 4, 2018 – Competitive review period
  • May 1, 2018 – Beginning date of grant
  • August 31, 2019 – Ending date of grant.

Eligible Applicants

See the General and Fiscal Guidelines, Eligibility Requirements. LEAs are eligible to apply for funding through the 2018–2019 Technology Lending Grant program. Applicants must meet the following criteria to be considered for funding:  

  • LEAs must have an enrollment of at least 40% economically disadvantaged students at the participating campus(es).
  • Eligibility will be determined using the 2016–2017 Texas Academic Performance Report (TAPR) Campus Report data from the Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS); and  
  • LEAs must have a Technology Plan on file with TEA for the 2016–2017 school year or show evidence of a current local technology plan on participating campuses. See Required Program-Related Attachments on page 18 of the Technology Lending Program Guidelines.

For information about applying for one of these grants, please see the TEA Request for Applications.

Photo of Student on Couch by imgix on Unsplash

 

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E-rate
Funding

FCC Provides E-rate Relief for Hurricane-Affected Schools

by Jennifer Bergland
written by Jennifer Bergland

After Hurricane Harvey hit Texas, Mike Morath, the TEA Commissioner, petitioned the FCC to provide some relief through the E-rate program for school districts and charter schools affected by the disaster. On Monday, October 30, the FCC released an order granting much of the relief requested by the Commissioner.

The highlights of the order are below; however, this should NOT be considered legal advice. If your school or library was affected by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, or Maria, I highly encourage you to read the order to make sure you understand the particulars.

Purpose of the E-rate Order:

  • The purpose of the temporary changes to the rules is to assist schools and libraries that need to rebuild facilities and replace equipment destroyed by one of these three hurricanes, and take other steps necessary to reinstate E-rate eligible services for the students they serve (page 5).
  • Any additional E-rate funding received pursuant to this Order will be used solely to restore E-rate eligible services to the level of functionality that immediately preceded the hurricanes (page 5).
  • This additional support is only available after entities utilize other available resources such as insurance, public assistance monies from FEMA, or support from community organizations or donations (page 5).

To Whom Does It Apply?

  • Schools or libraries that are located in what the FCC order identifies as “directly impacted areas” are provided relief in this order. These are schools and libraries that are located in counties designated by FEMA as eligible for individual disaster assistance and that incurred substantial damage to E-rate eligible services by one of the hurricanes.
  • Schools whose student enrollment have increased by 5% or more because of the hurricanes are also eligible for some relief.

Temporary Rule Changes E-rate

Increased Flexibility for Service Substitutions

Directly impacted applicants will be given some flexibility to substitute services based on their local needs without being constrained by categories of service or service types (e.g., applicants may substitute internet access service with internal connections and vice versa). For more details, see pages 6 and 7 of the order.

Second FY 2017 Application Window

  • The FCC order establishes a second FY 2017 Application Window for directly impacted applicants. This will allow these entities to request additional E-rate discounts for the purchase of replacement products and services, subject to the parameters and limitations in this order (page 7).
    • This second window will open 14 days after the release of this Order and will remain open for 30 days (page 8). My estimate is that, since the order was released on October 30, the window will open on November 13 and close on or around December 12. The USAC has not yet provided guidance on the exact date of when the window will open and close (page 8).
    • The FCC also directed the Bureau to work with USAC in the coming months to formulate a plan for providing additional relief, if necessary (page 8).

Changes to Rules Pertaining to Competitive Bidding

  • The directly impacted applicants may use contracts that were obtained and used for the submission of Form 470s and 471s in the first FY 2017 Application Window that resulted in a Funding Commitment Decision Letter (FCDL) from USAC (page 9).
  • If new contracts are required, directly impacted applicants are required to wait only 14 days prior to selecting a service and submitting a FCC Form 471 requesting E-rate support (page 9).

Discount Rate Change

For services requested in the Second FY 2017 Application Window, all directly impacted applicants will receive a 90% discount rate for Category 1 services and an 85% discount rate for Category 2 services. This is contingent upon meeting the criteria set forth in the order (page 9-10).

In addition, a new five year window begins for directly impacted applicants who apply for Category 2 services (page 10).

Schools Only Affected by Increased Student Population Due to Hurricanes

If a school’s population has increased by 5 percent or more due to the hurricanes, they may also submit a supplementary FCC Form 471 during the Second FY 2017 Application Window to request additional funding. See page 11 of the Order to see the qualifying conditions to receive this additional funding.

E-rateThe USAC should be posting additional information soon. If you think your school or library might be eligible and this additional funding will assist in the recovery effort after the hurricanes, I urge you to read the Order and immediately take steps to take advantage of this opportunity. As new information becomes available, I will update this post.

Additional Information

The USAC and FCC are hosting a free webinar on Monday, November 13 at 2:00 PM Central to provide information on the FCC’s order to provide emergency assistance to restore connectivity in schools and libraries affected by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria through the E-rate program. You can register here.

This blog was updated with additional resources on November 10, 2017.

 

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OPEN sign on door
FundingGood TeachingGoogle Tips and TricksMicrosoft

Creative Commons: Make OER Copyright Simple

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

As TCEA works with various school districts, one question that often arises is “What can I use in my classroom with students?”  Teachers are often unsure about copyright. With Open Educational Resources (OER), teachers may find their copyright confusion compounded. In this blog entry, we will explore Creative Commons copyright and Open Educational Resources. We will also explore some actual student-created OER materials.

Ready to Remix?

Creative Commons copyright licenses allow you to remix content available on the web. The license the creator has set determines classroom usage. When considering content for OER, it must meet specific criteria. Those criteria include the following:

  • Licensed content must be free for any individual to use.
  • The content is licensed for unlimited distribution.
  • The content allows for adaptation, translation, remixing, and improvement.

This diagram explores the various types of Creative Common licenses available. For my own work, I prefer to use Attribution-ShareAlike. That copyright licensing ensures I am given credit for my work and that others attribute work to me. What’s more, it ensure that others can distribute my work (Share Alike) with wide audience in the same way I shared it with them. This satisfies my desire to ensure my content is cited, accessible, and remix-able by anyone.

creative commons

In addition to text, you can find a rich variety of images, audio, and video licensed as Creative Commons. You can also find content via Google Image Search, as well as by using the Chrome extension Image Google Search. My favorite find in the Creative Commons space includes a YouTube Audio Library, “Audio that is copyright free.”

Why Use Creative Commons (CC)?

Ideal for OER, Creative Commons is often used for the following reasons:

  • Makes content more accessible, adding to the 800 million CC-licensed works
  • Saves money by being less expensive since CC works avoid copyright fees, administrative costs, and make it easy to share education resources online
  • Empowers educators to reuse, remix, and adapt resources since permission has been granted
  • Enhances equity for all users who have access
  • Digital multimedia sharing is made easy
  • Legal because copyright violations are lessened and expectations for reuse are clear

Does All Creative Commons Copyright Lend Itself to OER?

Not all content licensed as Creative Commons can be used for open educational resources. This chart clarifies usage:

creative commons

 

As you can see from the chart above, work that is labeled as No Derivatives (ND) may not be used as OER. This presumes that the intent of materials for OER will allow teachers (and their students) to remix content. This is important since students and their teachers intent on creating their own digital textbooks may remix OER content from each other.

Can Students and Teachers Create OER Materials?

As you may have surmised, students and teacher can create OER materials (e.g. digital textbooks, websites, documents, images, videos, and audio files) that they can share with others. In fact, it’s easy to imagine groups of students learning how to use digital tools to create content that can be remixed by other students. Those other students may be in classrooms near by, far away, or around the world.

Here are four resources to explore when curating or creating OER materials with colleagues and/or students. More are added at the end of this blog entry for your review.

Ready to Create Your Own?

Creating content that will be remixed by others can be quite exciting. You can get your start simply with three tools. Consider that how you license content is what determines whether it is OER, not what tool you used to create it.

  • Google Docs ePub export – This tool provides for an easy way to create ePub-formatted ebooks. You can also export to Word, ODF, or PDF.
  • Book Creator – It allows you to create a simple ePub without media or an enhanced ePub with video, audio, and more embedded.
  • OneNote – Microsoft OneNote makes digital textbook creation easy. Students can work together on a single OneNote notebook that is organized into “notebook, section groups, sections, and pages.”

Once you have created your resource, share it with TCEA:

    1. Create a digital document using your tool of choice, then license it as Creative Commons license friendly to OER.
    2. When complete, submit it online. Add “OER: [Your Title]” to the title with a short description.
    3. View the contributions of others.

Creating OER Materials can be quite rewarding. Engage student learners, as well as teachers’ creativity, to create your classroom and/or school’s own OER resources. If you have Google Docs or Office 365, the tools are already at your fingertips to create accessible global learning opportunities.

Resources and Sources of OER

Other Curated Resources

 

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Donors Choose
Funding

Four Tips for Getting a Donors Choose Project Funded

by Lori Gracey
written by Lori Gracey

As school districts across the country have to tighten their belts just to make payroll, teachers are finding that, more and more, they must provide many of the necessary supplies for the classroom themselves. Whether it’s furniture, technology, books, manipulatives, or art resources, educators are scrambling to ensure that their students have what they need.

Donors Choose to the Rescue

One of the ways that teachers are achieving this is to create “fund me” projects on websites such as Donors Choose. Begun by a teacher at a Bronx public high school, the premise is simple. A teacher writes up a description of a classroom project that directly impacts students and posts it. Donors Choose helps to advertise the need and asks the teacher to reach out to her circle of friends and parents as well. Interested “backers” donate tax-deductible money to the website and, once funded, Donors Choose orders the requested resources and ships them to the teacher. The teacher thanks the donors and posts photos of the students using the new materials, along with thank you’s and stories from them. 76% of public schools in the United States have posted a project on the site, and more than $546,754,072 has been given by citizen donors thus far.

Getting Your Project Funded

70% of the projects on Donors Choose are eventually funded. To ensure that yours is one of them, here are four tips to make your project irresistible to donors:

Tip #1: Start Small

While your classroom may really need $5,000 worth of Chromebooks, don’t make that your first request. Instead, start with a project that requires $100 to $300 in funding. Your project expires after four months, so you want something that will be funded quickly. After your first success, you can do additional requests (ready: copy and paste!) to add more of what you need.

Tips #2: Paperwork Counts

Just as everywhere else in life, getting the paperwork right for your Donors Choose project is critical. Answer all of the questions carefully. Spend time creating your title. It should be specific and include the grade level/age group and subject. For example, “3rd Graders Today, Biologists Tomorrow!” is better than “Need Microscopes for My Class.”

Take at look at other projects that are already posted that are similar to yours. Where did they get their pricing from? How did they explain their students’ needs? How did they describe the impact that receiving the requested materials would ultimately have on learning? Then have another teacher read over your proposal to see if it’s clear and also tugs at her heartstrings.

People get involved and donate if you are able to tell a story that inspires them and touches them emotionally. Giving money like this is not a decision made by our brains, but instead by our hearts. So be sure you create a clear picture in their minds of your students and what this project will mean for them.

Tips #3: Be Patient

Once you’ve submitted your project, it normally takes three days for the Donors Choose staffers to vet it. Then, if it’s your first project, keep waiting even after being approved. You will receive another email from them that gives you a promotional match code offer, which almost ensures that your project will be funded. Don’t start publicizing your need until after you receive it.

Tips #4: Spread the Word!

While strangers do have the ability to donate to your cause, you are more likely to be funded by people who know you, your students, or your school. So get the word out! Link the project on your Facebook account, send it out through Twitter. Add the link to your email signature. Post it in the teacher workroom and on the bulletin board at your church.

Create a nice PDF (try using Smore or Canva or the templates that Donors Choose will send you) and share it with parents about what you are trying to do for their children. Include a photo of the item(s) that you have requested to help parents know what you are asking for. And explain how the promo code works and be sure to include it. The first seven days your project is posted are critical, so be quick about sharing it.

Last Thoughts

Here are a few last tidbits to help you get the funding you need:

  • Once you’ve had a project funded, get in the habit of always having one posted. (You never know who might want to donate!)
  • Regularly check the Donors Choose Partner Funding page for special promotions and match codes that might apply, as well as on the Match Offers page. You can also follow them on Twitter and Facebook for more information.
  • If no one has donated to your project in the first few days, go ahead and anonymously donate a small amount yourself. With the match code, this will show up as two donations. And people are more likely to donate to a project that already has some funding.

Creating your first project only takes about 30 minutes. So grab a cup of coffee and get started now!

Another Funding Source

IPEVO has created Wishpool, another way for educators to get more technology into their classrooms. Each month, a different IPEVO product is offered as a give-away. Teachers create an account using their school email address. They look at that month’s gift and decide if and how it might work in their classroom. They then “share a wish” by telling the story of how their students will benefit from the product. After 10 days, IPEVO will inform the teacher via email whether or not they can fulfill the wish. That’s all there is to it!

This blog was updated with additional content and resources on July 10, 2018.

 

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Advocacy Update: IMA, Planning, Student Data Privacy

by Jennifer Bergland
written by Jennifer Bergland

TCEA is working very hard to ensure that the Texas Legislature enacts good public policy that is necessary to implement digital learning in Texas classrooms. Below is an update on what is happening related to educational technology.

Technology Lending Grants

The Texas Senate Education Committee took testimony on SB 1483 that would provide grant funds to help give access to devices and internet for students who are unable to afford them. These grants would ensure that students have access to digital content both at school and at home. In the Project Tomorrow Speak Up survey, 81 percent of Texans who identify themselves as community members indicate it is important for students to have consistent, safe internet access Chairman Larry Taylor outside of school time to be successful in school. The survey also revealed that 75 percent of Texas 6th through 12th graders use the internet at home for school work. Those who do not have internet access at home are at a distinct disadvantage. Not only do they have fewer options in terms of access to content; they are unable to develop the technical skills necessary in an economy driven by technology. SB 1483, authored by Chairman Larry Taylor (right), is designed to address this problem.

Student Data Privacy

Representative Gary VanDeaverOn Tuesday, April 11, the House Public Education Committee will take testimony on HB 2087 which is authored by Representative Gary VanDeaver (left). HB 2087 gives schools the much-needed ability to use digital tools to individualize and customize learning and improve student educational outcomes, all while maintaining strong privacy protections for student data. Among other features, HB 2087 will:

 

  • Totally ban the sale or rental of student data
  • Ban targeted advertising to students based upon their use of educational services
  • Ban building a profile of students for any purpose other than for education
  • Sharply limit disclosures of student information obtained by educational tech providers
  • Require educational tech providers to maintain reasonable security practices and procedures to protect student data, and
  • Require deletion of student data whenever a school or school district requests that the data be deleted.

You can watch the hearing live on the Texas House Video/Audio page.

Instructional Materials Allotment and Planning

Also on Tuesday, April 11, the Senate Education Committee will take testimony on SB 1481. This bill is designed to help districts utilize the Instructional Materials Allotment as intended: a dual purpose fund for instructional materials and technology. In a survey conducted by TCEA, only 44 percent of the respondents said their district always includes technology staff when making decisions on the use of the IMA funds. This bill is designed to make it clear what the legislature’s original intent was for the IMA. SB 1481 will:

  • Change the name of the IMA to the Instructional Materials and Technology Fund to communicate the intent and purpose behind the creation of the IMA
  • Require the SBOE to update the Long-Range Plan for Technology at least once every five years
  • Require the SBOE to consider the technology needs of districts when planning the adoption process and proclamation schedule
  • Update statute language to align with industry usage by replacing “open source” with the more accurate and applicable “open education resource” to identify these educational resources
  • Require school districts to consider Open Education Resources when they adopt new instructional materials.

You can watch the hearing live on the Senate Broadcast page.

advocacy update

TCEA Lobby Day 2017

TCEA is working on behalf of Texas school districts to ensure that good policy is developed to assist in their implementation of digital learning. You can monitor these and other bills as they move through the legislative process and learn how to be more involved on the TCEA Advocacy site. Together, we can make a difference!

 

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Texas Virtual Schools Grant

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

Are you a public rural school or open-enrollment charter? Then you may want to review the eligibility requirements for a new Texas Virtual School Network (TxVSN) grant. The grant will be available in the summer of 2017 with the online application, negotiation, and award processes taking place during that time. All awards will be done by mid-August 2017.

How to Indicate Your Interest

If you are interested in applying for the grant, be sure to complete the required task and budget templates. When complete, return to kerry.ballast@tea.texas.gov by 5:00 p.m. CST, April 24, 2017. You will be asked to provide primary contact information, a proposed timeline, and a budget. The latter two most follow the supplied templates for each item.

Eligibility Requirements

Rural schools must meet three criteria. The first is that they designate staff for “key student-support roles.” The second is that they set student expectations and readiness. The third criteria is that the rural school or open-enrollment charter completes the Statewide Course Catalog Public School District and Open-Enrollment Charter School Agreement.

Funding Priorities

Has your rural school not participated in TxVSN before? The Texas Education Agency (TEA) seeks to give you first priority! Second priority will be given to schools who previously participated but no longer take part and now wish to renew their participation. Third priority will be given to currently participating TxVSN schools who seek to expand their involvement.

Funding Uses

Funding can be used to achieve the following:

  1. For internet-connected students (at home, school, or both) who are selected to complete TxVSN courses, 60% of grant funds can be used to pay for their enrollment costs.
  2. For students who may need devices (e.g. laptop, mobile hotspot) to connect to participate in TxVSN, 20% of grant funds can be used to pay the costs of needed technology.
  3. For teacher(s) and/or counselor(s) who will provide additional student support beyond their current assignment and serve as student mentors, 20% of grant funds may be used to provide supplemental pay.
  4. For schools who may need funds to cover costs of TxVSN catalog courses for fall and spring of the 2017-2018 school year and summer 2018.

Find Out More

Would you like to know more? Be sure to visit the web site for more information. TEA, TXVSN Central Operations, and Education Service Center (ESC) TXVSN Liaison staff can help and inform you throughout the application process.

 

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