Tag:

professional development

Professional Development for Technical Support Staff

by Dr. Bruce Ellis September 30, 2017

written by Dr. Bruce Ellis

If you are like many system administrators or technical support staff in districts, finding relevant professional development is hard and expensive. You either attend something that has no impact on your role or use a subscription to an online training service and watch mediocre videos…until now! The TCEA System Administrator and Technical Support Conference is designed just for you, covering common technical issues in your district and helping you find effective solutions that have been tried by other districts.

Join us on October 26 and 27 at the TCEA Headquarters in Austin for sessions on hot topics such BYOD management, end-user technical support, security, Chromebooks, emerging technologies, network/wireless management, and more. Check out the full list of sessions being offered and start planning which ones you will attend. Intensive learning will be packed into this day-and-a-half conference.

Here are just a few of the many sessions being offered:

Exploring Eduphoria’s Facilities and Events
Amplified Google for Education
Optimizing Your Wireless Network
Understanding and Implementing the CoSN/NIST Cybersecurity Framework in Your District
Mitigating Student-Caused Damage to Devices
Disaster Routing SIP Trunking Voice Services
Re-purposing Laptops and Desktops

You’ll also be able to network with other like-minded individuals in order to grow your professional learning network of technical support folks you can call on throughout the school year when you are planning a new deployment/upgrade or when problems arise. And lunch on the first day is provided!

Because you work hard to make sure that systems (hardware, software, connectivity, etc.) work as efficiently as possible to allow the rest of district employees to do their job well without thinking about the technology, you will find great value in attending the 2017 System Administrator and Technical Support Conference. So grab your co-workers and register today. You’ll be glad you did!

September 30, 2017 0 comments

Advocacy

Legislative Session Wrap-Up

by Jennifer Bergland August 31, 2017

written by Jennifer Bergland

While you were packing your classroom at the end of school, the Texas Legislature was finishing the 85th legislative session and TCEA was working for you. In most instances, all of our hard work in gaining support for our issues came down to the last weekend in May. Most legislation fails to pass largely because there is not enough time for the bills to get passed. The Texas Legislature only meets every other year, and for only 140 days. Our forefathers purposely made it difficult to pass a bill for fear that the government might grow and have too much power. Out of the 6,631 bills that were filed, only 1,089 passed and became law. Fortunately, eight of those bills were supported by TCEA for the benefit of our members. Below are some of the highlights of the legislation that was passed:

Funding

$25 million to help districts provide adequate and affordable broadband
Up to $25 million to provide grants to districts to provide Internet access and mobile devices for student home use
Changed the name of the Instructional Materials Allotment to the Technology and Instructional Materials Allotment to better identify what the allotment was established to fund
Requires the SBOE to consider the technology needs of districts when planning the adoption process and proclamation schedule.

High-Quality Instructional Materials and Student Privacy

Provides a web portal for school districts that will provide valuable information about available instructional materials, for purchase, as well as free materials. Within this portal, districts can compare products based on price, technical requirements, TEKS alignment, and editorial reviews.
Encourages school districts to consider Open Education Resources (OER) when they adopt new instructional materials
Establishes an OER repository for school districts to share OER materials
Requires online technology and publishing companies to use student data only for the purpose for which it has been gathered and take necessary steps to protect student’s personally identifiable information

Leadership and Professional Development

Requires the SBOE to update the Long-Range Plan for Technology at least every five years
Requires school districts who want to apply for the technology lending grants to have a technology plan
Requires educator preparation programs to assess the digital teaching proficiency of preservice teachers based on the new ISTE Educator Standards

Ensuring that policy makers understand that technology is now a foundational component to the Legislature learning process is one of TCEA’s strategic goals. Judging by what legislation was passed, we feel good about the progress we made this session. The efforts that many of our officers and members made to email, call, or come to the Texas Capitol to testify or visit their state legislator played a critical role in getting the bills passed. Never underestimate your influence on your elected officials. Thank you for all your hard work, and keep it up!

If you need more information about these bills, check out TCEA Bill’s Analysis. You can also learn more by subscribing to TCEA’s Advocacy Updates to receive the video recording of the monthly webinars if you cannot attend live.

Information is power; so get informed and stay involved.

August 31, 2017 0 comments

Professional Learning

Stay Current in Ed Tech with These Free Webinars

by Lori Gracey August 24, 2017

written by Lori Gracey

TCEA members are some of the most dedicated and knowledgeable educators to be found. They understand the need to know and be able to use new technology tools and resources, try out promising best practices in teaching strategies, and use the latest brain research to help their students achieve. But sometimes it can be difficult to find the time to do all of that on their own. So they turn to TCEA for help.

TCEA Webinars

TCEA provides to all of its members more than 60 hours of free professional development each year in the form of webinars. These aren’t your typical sit-and-get events; instead, the TCEA professional development staff ensure that each one includes active learning components and ways for participants to share ideas and find solutions. The webinars are offered live so that interested educators can take an active part in the discussion, but are also recorded so that those who can’t attend the live learning can still get the content and resources at a time of their own choosing 24/7.

The webinars are offered in four different groups:

Lunch and Learn – Offered every Wednesday from 11:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. CDT, these webinars are short tutorials on a wide variety of topics. Some of these for the 2017-2018 school year include designing engaging learning spaces, encouraging students to publish, getting started with sketchnoting, promoting student choice, and tech tools for leaders.
Get Your Google On – The first Thursday of each month is Google day with the webinars offered from 11:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. CDT. These are slightly longer learning events that focus on all things Google, from secret Gmail tricks to creating ebooks with Google Suite to using Google Cast.
Advocacy Updates – These webinars are designed to help educators keep up-to-date on state and national discussions relating to policy and ed tech use. They include state information from TEA, the IMA, the SBOE, SBEC, and the Texas Legislature, as well as national decisions.
Webinars for Preservice or New Teachers – TCEA also offers four opportunities for new-to-the-profession educators to learn. The webinars are from 4:00 to 4:45 p.m. CDT and include I’m Officially a Teacher; Now What?, Free Resources for Teachers, Tips for Planning for the New School Year, and Principal Perspectives for New Teachers.

You can register for each webinar that you are interested in or register one time for the entire “bundle” of webinars in each group. Either way, you will receive an email reminder prior to the webinar and another email the Friday after the webinar with a link to the recorded version. And, if you want more learning, you can also access webinars from previous years simply by logging into your TCEA account and accessing the Member Benefits Group in the Social Community.

Additional Learning Opportunities

TCEA also schedules other webinars as new topics and technologies come up. These can be found in the TechNotes enewsletter, which is emailed out every two weeks beginning August 15, or in the calendar on the main page of the TCEA website.

If you’re not a TCEA member, you can join for just $49 a year and have full access to all of these webinars, as well as a wealth of other resources. If you are a preservice teacher (a college senior in an education program), membership is free. And retired educators who want to stay current can join for just $30.

Keeping up with technology can be a full-time job. Let us take some of the burden off you with these free-to-members learning opportunities. With TCEA, you’ve got this!

August 24, 2017 0 comments

Drum Roll Please...It’s Time to Find Out the Closing Keynote for the 2018 TCEA Convention

Professional Learning

What You Need to Know About the 2018 TCEA Convention & Exposition

by Kristy Breaux August 22, 2017

written by Kristy Breaux

Gearing up for the opening of convention registration is one of my favorite times of the year. And with so many new features for the 2018 TCEA Convention & Exposition, I’m more excited than I’ve ever been. Here are just a few insider tips for you.

Tuesday Will Be a HUGE Day!

The opening convention keynote has moved from Wednesday morning to Tuesday afternoon. There is so much more content to present and so many great features on Monday and Tuesday that it just didn’t make sense to kick off the convention in the middle of the week any more.

We are so excited to announce that the 2018 opening keynote this year is Marlee Matlin. The award-winning actress is an inspiring advocate for diversity and inclusion. And in 2015, she developed “Marlee Signs,” the first celebrity-driven app that teaches the basics of American Sign Language on mobile devices.

After Marlee kicks off the convention, we’re headed into the Exhibit Hall Opening Reception. With more than 450 companies setting up intricate displays and even hosting presentations and breakouts in their booths, there’s so much to take in for everyone. There’s a reason the TCEA exhibit hall is referred to as the ed tech marketplace – everything you need to stay connected, innovative, and relevant is here. So stop by Tuesday afternoon and enjoy a quick snack while you see the latest in technology to help your students.

Make Plans for Thursday

This will be the first year, in as long as I can remember, that we have an open night on Thursday. As much as we love to feel the floor shake under the Spazmatics during the social, we are opening this evening to allow more of our great vendors to host bigger and better events for you. When you register for convention this year, there will be a check box to “Receive Correspondence from Exhibitors.” Be sure to check that so you can be on the invite lists to their fun parties.

Stay Through Friday

We haven’t announced our Friday keynote yet because we are still working on the contract and logistics. If all goes as we plan, however, you are not going to want to miss this! Stay tuned for the announcement. You can follow @tcea on Twitter or tcea.org on Facebook.

Upgrade to Premium

We’ve revamped the Premium Academies this year to continue to improve them. And, based on your feedback, what’s really exciting is that you’ll be able to go in between different academies. That’s right! With your Premium Registration, you can attend any Premium Academy session. Want to attend a great Google Academy session at 9:00 and an amazing Transformational Learning Academy at 10:00? No problem. We’ve removed the opening and closing keynotes which restricted us to a maximum capacity for the academies. Some of the more popular sessions will still fill up, but now you’ll have even more to choose from.

Premium registrations are limited based on the number of premium sessions, workshops, and academies offered and the seating capacity. Premium Registration sells out every year. Be sure to register early.

Some New Ways to Learn at the 2018 TCEA Convention & Exposition

In response to your feedback, we have updated some of the Academy offerings, as well as added some new ways to continue learning. This year, we will offer Solution Circles on Wednesday and Thursday to all Basic and Premium registrants. Similar to a Birds of a Feather session, the 50-minute Solution Circles are focused on a particular topic each hour. Those interested in the topic can join their peers at round tables to discuss common problems and find solutions, share resources, and grow their network for future help. A trained facilitator will guide the conversations to ensure that everyone’s questions are heard and answered. A wide variety of topics are offered. Just a few of them are Campus Leadership, Young Professionals, Digital Coaching, Google Admin, PreK-2, Digital Badges for Staff and Students, Building Stronger Teams, and Redesigning Learning Spaces.

We’ve also refreshed the Academies for this year and are excited about these in-depth explorations:

Innovative Teaching Academy – a new academy that that focuses on the latest and best teaching methodologies, including flipped and blended classrooms, distance learning, gamification, PBL, makerspaces, global connections, design thinking, and more (Monday)
Transformational Learning Academy – a new academy designed for those leaders responsible for changing education. It includes the topics of integration models, digital coaching, creating a culture of change, adult learning theory, visioning, microcredentials and staff badging, and more. (Monday and Tuesday)
ESL/ELL Academy (Monday)
ELA/SS Academy (Monday)
Math and Science Academy (Monday)
Google Academy (Tuesday)
CTO/Technology Leadership Academy (Wednesday and Thursday)
Librarian/Media Specialist Academy (Thursday)

Register Early

Registration and housing open September 14 at 9 a.m. Once you’ve registered for the convention, you will be able to make your hotel reservation. You can register for the convention with a credit card or purchase order, but you will need a credit card to make your hotel reservation. We’ve added several hotels to our regular block of housing this year, including the new Fairmont next to the convention center.

There is simply no better way to keep your learning current and ensure that you can help those you serve than by being an active participant at the annual TCEA Convention & Exposition. Mark your calendar for the opening of registration on September 14 at 9 a.m. CDT.

August 22, 2017 0 comments

CTO/CIO Leadership Professional Learning

Extend Your Influence with Certification Courses

by Dr. Bruce Ellis August 15, 2017

written by Dr. Bruce Ellis

Interested in influencing more educators in the area of technology integration? Want to easily gain valuable knowledge and skills without having to get another college degree? Then check out TCEA’s certification courses. These courses are designed for busy educators like you who want to hone their skills and go deeper in specific technology areas. As a result, you’ll have more confidence in your use of technology, have more influence and ability to help educators that you work with, and become even more effective in your role as an advocate for students using technology. The new cohorts for the Campus Technology Specialist Certification and the Technology/IT Director Certification are forming now and will be starting in September. Continue reading to find out which program is best for you. You may also find more information online here.

Campus Technology Specialist Certification

This learning program is a 12-month program specifically designed for educators already in the role of a campus technology specialist or those looking to move into that role. Through live webinars and an online course, you will gain needed insight and skills in how best to support campus teachers and students in integrating technology by using great tools, apps, websites, and devices in relevant and effective ways. Some of the courses you will take include Tech Trends for Campus Techs, Digital Coaching – Helping Teachers Integrate Technology, and Understanding and Building 21st Century Skills. You can find a complete list of courses for this program here. You’ll complete a relevant final project that will serve as the capstone to your certification requirements. This program includes 26 clock hours of coursework and up to eight clock hours for the final project. TCEA members can enroll for $480; the non-member cost is $529 (includes membership). Enrollment in the Campus Technology Specialist Certification Program includes a one-year membership in the Campus Technology Specialists Special Interest Group (CAMP-SIG).

Technology/IT Director Certification

Designed specifically for those desiring to move into the role of Instructional Technology Director or Information Technology Director, this 12-month program focuses on those skills, insights, and understandings critical to successfully lead a district in the use of technology. Through various online courses and live webinars totaling 41 clock hours, you’ll explore topics such as Personnel Management, Using Key Performance Indicators to Inform Your Work, and Project Management Fundamentals. You can find a complete list of courses and dates for this certification here. As the capstone of your learning, you’ll submit a final project that is appropriate to the role of a Technology or IT Director. TCEA members can enroll for $1,025; the non-member cost is $1,074 (includes membership). Included in enrollment of this program is a one-year membership to the Technology Coordinators Special Interest Group (TEC-SIG).

Chromebook Certification (Level 1)

Completely online and self-paced, this course is ideal for educators who are busy with day-to-day activities, but still want to find a way to increase their knowledge and skills. In this program, you’ll learn how to effectively integrate Chromebooks and GSuite into your content area and use it to engage students with meaningful activities. As a capstone to your learning, you’ll submit a lesson plan demonstrating effective integration of the tools. Though you have up to a year to complete, most people enrolled in this certification program earn their certificate in a few weeks. The cost of this certification is just $99 for TCEA members, $149 for non-members (includes membership). Bulk discounts are also available for campuses and districts wanting to enroll seven or more educators at one time; email Bruce Ellis for more details on bulk discounts. More about this certification can be found here.

iPad Certification (Level 1)

Through this certification, you will learn how to effectively integrate the iPad and several key apps into your content area. And since this program is completely online and self-paced, you’ll have the freedom to learn at your own pace. Though you’ll be given up to a year to complete the certification, most educators who enroll in this certification complete it within a few weeks. To demonstrate your new skills and learning, you’ll submit a lesson plan integrating the iPad in a self-selected grade level and content area. The cost of this certification is just $99 for TCEA members, $149 for non-members (includes membership). Bulk discounts are also available for campuses and districts wanting to enroll seven or more staff members at one time; email Bruce Ellis for more details on bulk discounts. To find out more about this certification, visit this website.

If you have questions about any of these certifications, feel free to contact Bruce Ellis or Ashley Weiler at 800-282-8232. We will also debut a few more certifications later this year, so stay tuned for more ways you can grow your skills and become a more effective user and leader with technology.

August 15, 2017 0 comments

Innovative Learning Strategies Conference banner

Announcements/Important Dates Professional Learning

Find the Right Tools for Your School at the Innovative Learning Strategies Conference

by Susan Meyer August 4, 2017

written by Susan Meyer

As a reader of the TCEA TechNotes blog, chances are you are an ed tech news maven. That means you likely hear about at least five new trends that are going to “transform education” every day. But therein lies the problem. We live in a world where new technologies and resources are coming out at lightning speed. Some tools and strategies really will provide incredible opportunities for learning and engagement while others will be style over substance and will disappear as soon as the next shiny robot, app, or software comes along.

They all promise the world. Students will be the most engaged they’ve ever been. Critical thinking skills will abound. Classroom management will become a breeze. It’s as if your curriculum was written just to be correlated to this new product. But how do you separate the true innovations from the flash-in-the-pan fads?

Enter: The Innovative Learning Strategies Conference

TCEA is here to help you figure out what technologies and strategies will best benefit your schools, classrooms, and libraries. We designed our new Innovative Learning Strategies Conference to provide the research-backed answers you need to select the best technologies and resources for your students.

The conference will tell you more about a number of hot topics from adapted teaching and blended learning to augmented reality and Future Ready Schools. Informative, interactive sessions will answer questions about the topics you want to know more about, such as:

What’s the real value of edcamps, Open Education Resources, and PBL?
What does leading research tell us about the effectiveness of Minecraft, makerspaces, and gamification?
How are Skechnoting and 3D printing best utilized in the classroom?
What barriers to implementation might you face with authentic assessment and globalized learning environments and how might you overcome them?

You’ll get the answers to these questions and more for all the tools and strategies at the forefront of education. Overall, you’ll leave with a concrete road map for what will work best for your school and environment and how to effectively implement those technologies and ideas.

Are You Ready to Spread Innovative Ideas?

The Innovative Learning Strategies Conference is intended for campus and district administrators, curriculum specialists, department heads, and other educators in leadership positions. We want to provide valuable information for thought leaders and influencers to share with their schools and departments. Because of your participants in this learning event, you will be able to gather great information and resources and spread it far and wide to have a huge impact.

The learning experience will take place in the TCEA Conference Center in Austin, Texas on September 13 – 14. For full details on how to register, hotel offerings, and a detailed schedule, visit the Innovative Learning Strategies website.

We hope to see you in Austin this fall so you can get the information you need to find the right technologies and learning strategies to transform your school!

August 4, 2017 0 comments

Educational Trends Good Teaching Professional Learning

Embracing the Extraordinary at ISTE 2017

by Susan Meyer July 3, 2017

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.

July 3, 2017 0 comments

Chromebooks Google Tips and Tricks

Googleize Your Learning: Attend the Chromebook Academy

by Diana Benner June 20, 2017

written by Diana Benner

Are you ready to stimulate insightful engagement in your learner-powered, Google-enhanced classroom? Maybe you need some tips on streamlining your productivity workflow? Come Googleize your learning! Join TCEA members at the 2017 Chromebook Academy. You will discover innovative ways to use Chromebooks and Google Apps through hands-on learning opportunities with fellow educators who have extensive knowledge of Chromebooks and Google.

TCEA’s 2017 Chromebook Academy will help you strategically plan ahead as you capture new ideas that will transform student learning. This two-day academy is designed for those seeking to engage students and deepen their understanding of the GAFE environment through the use of Google-powered tools and devices. The Chromebook Academy will take place July 27-28, 2017 at the TCEA headquarters in Austin. These two days will provide you with proven techniques and practical advice that can be implemented in your classroom.

About Chromebook Academy Sessions

You’ll be able to choose from a variety of concurrent sessions that will help you tailor your learning to best meet your own needs. You’ll be inspired and motivated throughout the day. Lunch is included and will be phenomenal. You will also leave with handouts from all of the presentations. A few session titles appear below, but you can find the complete list online at the link above:

Writer’s Workshop 2.0: Leveraging Google Docs for Writing Instruction
Chromebook Management Tips and Tricks
Blended Learning for Brilliance: Students Shining Through Project-Based Learning
I Got a Chromebook, Now What?
Easy Accommodation and Assessment Tips That Will Blow Your Mind

How to Register

You can register online at a cost of only $239. TCEA will provide lunch for both days. But wait, there’s more! Each paid registration will receive a one-year TCEA membership, access to all session materials, and an opportunity to build a great Google and Chromebook PLN that you can always rely upon.

June 20, 2017 0 comments

Students engaged with Chromebooks and Canvas

Chromebooks Learning Management System (LMS)

Chromebooks and Canvas Open New Doors

by Guest Blogger June 13, 2017

written by Guest Blogger

Cleburne Independent School District had its first Chromebook deployment to secondary students January 2017. In preparation for this, teachers were trained during the summer of 2016. This training continued monthly during the 2016-2017 school year. A large component of the technology training was centered around Canvas, a Learning Management System (LMS). The usage of Canvas has become very popular. Currently, it is second worldwide only to Blackboard.

Why Canvas?

One of the key features within Canvas, which is added as an LTI (Learning Tools Interoperability), is Grade Passback. It allows teachers to send grades from Canvas straight to the SIS (Student Information System) with just the click of a button. As an instructional technologist, I knew this would be an important factor that would promote the usage of Canvas. During our technology training sessions, I would regularly ask teachers if they were using Grade Passback and to share their experiences about it. Tres White, one of the high school PE coaches, raised his hand during a training session to talk about what he had encountered. His testimony encouraged me and validated that the efforts invested into the technology training were paying off.

After speaking to Tres more, it was evident to me that he had taken the implementation of technology, specifically Canvas, to another dimension. Find out next why he chose to take hold of this new way of teaching within a subject area, PE, that is largely kinesthetic.

Using Canvas and Chromebooks with PE Students

Technology surrounds us. Wearable technology, such as fitness trackers and smartwatches, are very popular. Many of these devices have a personal health app pre-installed that can track steps, distance, and a person’s heart rate. I asked myself, “Why not incorporate the technology that students already have in their hands into my PE classes to keep them engaged?” With so many free fitness apps available, I can reach a wide range of fitness and interest levels.

Coach uses Canvas and Chromebooks in physical education

Coach Tres White

This school year, the students on my campus received Chromebooks. This provided even more opportunities to integrate technology. Since students were using technology in their other classes, it was easy to incorporate this into PE. Canvas, an online classroom, is the program most teachers were using to facilitate their instruction and track student progress. This program allows me to assign work to my students, which they can complete and submit online. Canvas has been easy to use, and I can customize it to fit the needs of my students. I can create quizzes and post notes and handouts for the current sport or activity. Students can even collaborate with each other on projects outside of the school day.

Canvas also allows me to have a paperless classroom, which is nice since I am either in the gym or outside. The PE environment does not consist of the things normally found within a traditional classroom; therefore, Canvas makes learning more convenient for me and my students.

Lastly, for those who are not proficient or interested in traditional sports, PE can be a source of anxiety. Integrating technology might be the method to make physical fitness more appealing. I am excited about the positive responses I have received from my students and look forward to what is next. I am confident this partnership of the virtual and physical world will help young people look at personal fitness in a new way.

This is a guest blog from Tracy Perez Shea and Coach Tres White. Shea is the secondary instructional technology and district multimedia specialist at Cleburne ISD , and Tres White serves as a physical education teacher and assistant basketball and track coach at Cleburne High School.

June 13, 2017 0 comments

Educational Trends Good Teaching

Birds of a Feather Create Innovative Classrooms Together

by Susan Meyer June 12, 2017

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.

June 12, 2017 0 comments

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