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Promoting Creativity in the Virtual Classroom

by Luke Smith, Guest Author
written by Luke Smith, Guest Author

For teachers and students alike, the advancements in technological tools and devices have helped pave the way for innovative creativity in the classroom. From Minecraft: Education Edition, which helps students learn how to code, to the Windows Ink program that can help compile student’s handwritten notes into a more organized collection.

Now, as the United States continues to battle against the COVID-19 pandemic, many schools have made the switch to virtual learning to reduce the spread of the disease. 

Learning as We Go

In the beginning, many schools and teachers were underprepared to move every lesson and school resource to an online platform, especially overnight. Students were also unprepared as many found themselves at home without a reliable internet connection or essential devices such as a laptop. 

After months of social distancing and stay-at-home orders, the next school year is now quickly approaching, and some are feeling a bit more prepared and familiar with their virtual classrooms. However, this new virtual learning environment does present the question: How can educators still encourage and promote creativity while working from a screen?

Try Switching Things Up

For educators unfamiliar with online teaching platforms, trying to juggle remote teaching duties along with everything else can be a real challenge. This kind of juggling tends to leave little room for spontaneity and can interrupt the creative flow of the entire class.

Consider for a moment what is lost when teaching virtually. For one, it’s much harder to pick up on students’ non-verbal communication and students can struggle with being active listeners while online. It can also be much more difficult to provide personalized help with tasks. This is where you’re likely seeing students become frustrated and defeated as a result of these disadvantages of virtual learning. Without in-person guidance and monitoring, some students might find themselves getting stuck or lost with the lessons and thus, coming to one dead end after another, failing to meet learning goals. 

Do It Often

To foster a better online experience, the University of Southern California (USC) suggests switching between tasks to promote creative thinking. Task-switching provides more freedom for students and can downplay particular weaknesses while building up their strengths. USC recommends setting hard-stops and working in short bursts. They also explain that switching between projects multiple times, instead of focusing on one thing, allows a fresh perspective and inspires more creativity.  

While task-switching certainly isn’t a new concept to most teachers, teaching online to such a degree is. At the start of the pandemic, teachers may have found that sticking to one task at a time was much simpler and easier to manage. Now that some time has passed and there have been more opportunities to learn about the ins and outs of your virtual classroom, it’s time to switch things up to get the creativity flowing once again. 

Encourage Better Habits Before and After Class

Towards the end of the last school year, you likely noticed students struggling to complete tasks, participate, and have creative input during discussions and projects. The newness of online learning had worn off, and it felt as though there was a fresh wave of bad news every day. This has certainly taken a toll on everyone, but especially on kids.

A lot of what happens in the classroom connects to what students are doing outside of class. In 2020, students have few outlets to help them recharge. There aren’t hallways filled with friends to chat with, bustling lunch rooms, gym classes to encourage physical activity, plays to star in, dances to get all dressed up for, and the list goes on. 

Remember to Reconnect with the Outdoors

All of the restrictions and stress kids are experiencing during the pandemic are going to reflect in their work and creativity. One way you can help combat this is by encouraging students to take regular breaks outside of their houses, away from screens. There are numerous scientifically-proven benefits of spending time outdoors, some of which include:

  • Improved Mental Health: Taking a walk, going for a hike, or riding a bike are all great ways to lower negative thinking, as well as reduce feelings of anxiety and improve your mood.
  • Higher-Quality Sleep: Educators and parents already know a lot of kids don’t get enough quality sleep. Now that many are trapped inside nearly all day long, sleep can be even more evasive. Getting outdoors and enjoying more physical activities can improve sleep quality, helping kids be more alert.
  • Enhanced Creativity: The great outdoors can be massively inspiring, increase cognitive functions, and rejuvenate the creative mind. 

Encourage students to venture out or create an assignment that involves spending time outside for a bit. Of course, always remind students of COVID-19 safety measures and to practice social distancing and to wear their face coverings. It seems simple, but with everything that’s happening within the world, it might be the only chance students have to take a break and reconnect with their environment. 

Conclusion

It might go without saying, but so far, this year has been extremely stressful. Whether you’re a teacher, student, or parent, these past several months have been mentally, emotionally, and physically exhausting. This is worth keeping in mind as you plan the next creative move in your classroom. 

As advancements in virtual learning continue to expand, educators might find themselves having to learn new tricks. There are unique challenges to face, both as students and as teachers. Promoting creativity in a virtual classroom is undoubtedly one of them. And with the right technology, tools, and motivation, teachers can help inspire students to overcome these unprecedented times and find their creative spark once more.

Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash

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Learning Management System (LMS)

Virtual Learning Tools, Part 1: Make Schoology Work For You

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

As schools embrace learning management systems designed to make teaching and learning easier, challenges abound. Many educators are struggling to navigate the wealth of tutorials and videos available for Schoology. In this blog entry, the first in the series, we explore three Schoology-related questions. Before we go any further, allow me to share another reason why Schoology has become so pervasive in Texas.

TEA Offers Free Learning Management System

If you missed the July 30, 2020 announcement, you may not have heard that the Texas Education Agency is offering a free LMS in support of the Texas Home Learning initiative. Here’s an excerpt from the announcement:

As part of THL 3.0, TEA announced this week that it will offer all Texas school systems a world-class Learning Management System (LMS) from PowerSchool’s Schoology for two years at no cost. Like other THL 3.0 offerings, use of the Schoology LMS will be optional for Texas school systems. Currently, Schoology is used in schools representing more than one million students across Texas (1 in 5 students statewide).

If you are embarking on your first use of Schoology, this series on LMSs Made Simple will address some key questions teachers are asking.

In This Entry

This first set of questions includes the following:

  • How do you keep parents in the loop about missing assignments?
  • How do I set up non-graded discussions?
  • How do I disable students’ ability to reply to each other?

Ready to get started?

Did You Know?

The Texas Association for the Gifted and Talented (TAGT) is offering a free webinar for parents. The webinar, taking place on Tuesday, September 15, 2020 at 6:30 PM, is Helping Kids Thrive in Today’s World. The speaker is Christine Fonseca. Fill out this form and TAGT will send you a link to the webinar.

Identifying Missing Assignments in Schoology

We know that students may sometimes fail in completing all their assignments on time. One way to motivate them is to make sure parents can access the list of missing assignments. How do you get that done in Schoology? That’s the question Maria is asking below:

Does anyone know a way for teachers to identify missing assignments for the week? A report that shows all weekly assignments and their completion status? Families are having a hard time and I would love a quick way to provide feedback to them. Thanks for all your help.

In Schoology, the teacher can mark assignments as missing in the gradebook. Parents who have signed up can receive updates via email on missing assignments.

Did You Know?

Sign up now for this online, self-paced course that covers everything you need to know about using Schoology and setting up courses. Learn more online.

The first step involves marking student assignments as missing in the gradebook. You can see what that looks like below:

schoology

As the teacher, you can export the parent access codes as a comma-separated values (CSV) file. Open this file type in Excel or Google Sheets and then you can email merge it to send to parents. Parents can then sign up via the Schoology website using the access code:

schoology
schoology

The parent view shows them what assignments are missing or scores/grades received:

schoology

In this way, you’re able to keep parents informed of their child’s progress.

Setting Up Discussions

Setting up discussions in Schoology is straightforward. Let’s take a moment to consider the request Kris shared:

As a K-4 educator, my principal informed me I would be using Schoology this year. As a counselor, I need to set up bibliotheraphy with discussions. I don’t need to grade. What should I do?

Bibliotherapy involves using books as therapy or treatment. School counselors rely on it as a way to treat mental or psychological disorders. As the author of this study points out:

Using quality children’s literature for bibliotherapy helps students to grow socio-emotionally. It assists students in identifying with the main character in a story. That character has a disability which leads to personal insight and growth.

Source: Afolayan J. A. (1992) Documentary perspective of bibliotherapy in education. Reading Horizons 33: 137–148

While reading the book, you can set up activities such as the ones Kelly Bear suggests:

  • Ask open-ended questions about the story
  • Retell the story
  • Act out roles
  • Use puppets
  • Write reactions
  • Record thoughts through audio/video
  • Create art

Jumping into Schoology

How will you do this in Schoology in an online environment? One approach can involve using free digital tools like Flipgrid. You can use Flipgrid to create a safe space for student-created book talks. You embed the Flipgrid topic in a Schoology page or discussion topic. Since you can embed content into Schoology pages, assignments, and more, the sky is the limit. You can also encourage students to use Wakelet, Google Docs/Slides, or Microsoft 365. Organize their exploration of a text using one of these tools.

Did You Know?

Sign up for the Remote Learning Tools self-paced course. You’ll pick up a variety of tools that make flipped classroom, hybrid/remote learning easier.

Schoology allows us to set up book-centered folders that may contain relevant resources. What’s more, we can use groups in grading to assign specific students to the bibliotherapy. This means we have to take a few steps though first.

schoology

The first step is to get a list of students into the Bibliotherapy course. You have the option of either creating a course for each book (cumbersome) or student, or a course with many books. That is, create the course and then create a “Materials” folder for each book. Then you are able to create pages or discussions that take advantage of grading groups.

Here’s a short video on how to do that in Schoology:

Disabling Students Replying to Each Other’s Posts

Mayra shares a common challenge. At the start of the year, you may want to limit students’ ability to send each other messages. Schoology has an amazing feature known as “Updates.” Google Classroom users have it as well, but for them, it’s the “Stream.” This common feature also appears in Edmodo.

schoology

What may not be so obvious is “How do you disable students’ ability to reply to each other’s posts in Schoology?” Some possible responses include:

  • Adjust Course Options to turn on moderation or turn that feature off
  • Ask your Schoology administrator to disable that and the “liking” feature
  • Disable comments for each post
  • Set up a discussion that requires students to post first. This means they must post first before they see what others have written.

Since it can be a bit confusing, let’s walk through each of these in a short video.

Hopefully, this first blog in our series was able to answer a question or two you may have about Schoology. In the next installment, we’ll cover some of the ways educators are brightening up their online courses.

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Learning Management System (LMS)

Tracking Attendance for Virtual Learners

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

For decades, teachers took student attendance with visual checks and marks on paper. Then attendance tracking became an exercise in logging student absences and tardies in digital gradebooks. When teachers exchanged physical classrooms for virtual, however, it created a problem.

Few gave thought to how to track attendance. They scrambled to answer the question, “How can I track it in my learning management system?” In this blog entry, we’ll explore how some popular LMSs handle attendance tracking.

TCEA offers amazing learning management system (LMS) self-paced courses. These are designed to take the sting out of having to sit through hours of Zoom lessons only to realize that the presenters went too fast. Instead, take your time and learn what you need to be successful via TCEA’s courses. Learn more about why we did this on the Ed Tech Club podcast.

The Existential Question: Are They Here? Or There?

“Why can’t we call out their names and take attendance like we always have?” I overheard a teacher ask in a webinar. The question remains, How do you verify a student is sitting in your virtual classroom?  That’s an important question since school funding is tied to average daily attendance (ADA):

The average daily attendance (ADA) is the total days of student attendance divided by the number of instructional days for the specified time period. For example, a student attending every day would equal one ADA. ADA is not the same as enrollment, which is the number of students enrolled in a campus on a given day. (Source: Texas Education Agency)

Some LMSs have attendance tracking built-in. Some educators are relying on one-question non-graded assignments, visual check-in, or Flipgrid to keep track of who’s there. Which of these solutions will work best?

#1 – Schoology Attendance Tracking

Using Schoology? If you have access to Schoology Enterprise, you have several ways to track students in the course. These analytics include assignment, discussion, link clicking, and materials access. Armed with this information, you can see the impact of your assignments and work. But what about attendance tracking?

Did You Know?

TCEA offers a $29 Schoology Educator course you can take to get up to speed on Schoology Basic and Enterprise features. Bulk discounts are available, and you get a digital badge and certificate. You also earn 12 CPE credit hours. Learn more.

One easy way is to take attendance with the Attendance menu, available in Schoology Basic. You can see what that looks like below:

tracking attendance

Schoology Enterprise gives you even more information via their Analytics menu option. Their analystics system provides access to:

  • Consistent tracking of Schoology usage across web, iOS app, and Android app use
  • An insight dashboard. This dashboard provides insights into how students are accessing the classroom, including what materials students are viewing and the amount of time spent.tracking attendance

Source: View Image Source

Educators can export user analytic statistics as a comma-separated values (CSV) (a.k.a. comma-delimited) file. This makes importing the file to a spreadsheet program easy. Once in a spreadsheet (e.g. Excel, Google Sheets), you can generate graphs and more reports if needed. In summary, Schoology Basic gets you started with attendance tracking. Schoology Enterprise provides a wealth of information teachers can use.

#2 – Canvas

As you may know, Instructure’s Canvas is a popular choice for many school districts. But how do you track attendance in Canvas?

tracking attendance

Canvas, like Schoology, enjoys an analytics section. It also has a specific feature to track attendance. That feature is the Roll Call Attendance Tool. It masquerades as an assignment. Here’s how Canvas Basic Guide describes it:

The Attendance (Roll Call) tool is an external app (LTI). Use it to take attendance in Canvas courses.

Enabled at the account level, use the Roll Call Attendance tool in all courses in a Canvas account. Some districts are choosing to not use fancy, outside LTIs.

#3 – Seesaw

Why did your district pivot from a more age-appropriate LMS like Seesaw? If that’s a question you’ve been asking yourself, here’s why. Unlike Schoology and Canvas, tracking attendance isn’t obvious in Seesaw or Google Classroom. There aren’t any fancy analytics in these tools. That’s why some school districts dropped Google Classroom and Seesaw. Some districts, like San Antonio ISD, dropped Seesaw and pushed everyone to Canvas. The problem, however, is that Seesaw for Schools is easy to work with for younger students.

tracking attendance

While some districts compensated by tracking attendance in daily face-to-face, live (a.k.a. synchronous) meetings, others preferred daily assignments. The problem with that approach is that there is a time lag from when the student submits the assignments to when the teacher grades and puts it in the book. Putting the information into the attendance book is thus a manual process.

Were you aware that TCEA member Brittany Beaird created an amazing online course to assist you in learning Seesaw? Become an overnight pro with the highly-rated Seesaw Educator course. Or learn how to Bitmoji your virtual classroom with TCEA member Lisa Marie Bennett.

Even so, it is possible to track attendance in Seesaw without assignments. This approach relies on Seesaw’s Skills.

How do you track attendance with students in Seesaw? One approach that Lisa Monthie (Waco ISD) suggests is using Seesaw Skills. Kris Szajner describes this approach in the video below:

Source: Kris Szajner (@KSzajner)

“You can click on the skill and grade it by giving it stars. There’s a report that gives you the grades in a CSV file,” says Lisa Monthie (Waco ISD). This makes it easy to import into an external digital attendance tracking system. Chances are, your school won’t allow import into the gradebook system. That means most folks will be using the manual approach to transfer grades.

#4 – Google Classroom

Using Google Classroom as your LMS? One of the ways G Suite EDU educators are tracking attendance is to rely on a scheduled Google Meet.

Sign up now for Google Classroom, TCEA’s online, self-paced course.  Learn what others are saying about this and TCEA’s other online courses.

As mentioned in previous blog entries, you can use Google Chrome browser add-ons. In my blog entry, Google Meet Add-Ons and Updates, I share several tools you can use. Some of those Google Meet tools for tracking attendance include:

  • Meet Attendance – Collect attendance in a Google Sheet from a Google Meet
  • Google Meet Plus – An amazing tool that is a must-have for any teacher. You can drop links, famous quotes, or use a whiteboard that tracks who did what.

Need analytics to complement Google Classroom? Find a few solutions in Five Amazing Add-Ons for Google Classroom. One worth looking at is Classwork Zoom.

Have the freedom to try a different tracking approach? Give this last option a try.

#5 – Flipgrid for Student Attendance

“Worried about evidence of attendance for school funding? No problem, it took me about three minutes to schedule my weekly Flipgrid attendance,” says Dr. Randall Sampson (@RandallSampson). He goes on to say the following:

I can insert attendance in required SIS and have a back-up security blanket of evidence. Plus, all videos are time stamped! Today’s scheduled attendance is working. I also receive email confirmations every time a student checks in for attendance. What does a school get from a 15-second Flipgrid attendance video? Export your Flipgrid Attendance videos to a spreadsheet.

Wow, let’s unpack some of that. Dr. Sampson asserts that you can use Flipgrid to:

  • Collect time-stamped attendance
  • Receive email confirmations
  • Export attendance records to a spreadsheet

“I want to keep it super simple. I set it to 15 seconds. Student: State your ‘first and last name’ and say ‘here,'” Dr. Sampson says. Isn’t that amazing? Thanks to Microsoft, Flipgrid.com is available at no cost to educators around the world. Get your free education account now.

Now that you’ve seen some different approaches to attendance tracking, share what you are doing. Have no doubt, attendance tracking is about bringing money into the school district. This makes doing it right and in a consistent manner important to your admins. Finally, don’t forget to explore TCEA’s free Remote Learning resources and blog entries.

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connections
Good Teaching

Maintaining Family Connections During Remote Learning

by Diana Benner
written by Diana Benner

Establishing connections with families during remote learning is so very important. But those connections are going to look a little different now due to the physical distance limitations. One thing that helps is being as consistent as possible. Consistency will help develop routines and form habits so that the communication becomes second nature.

Getting Started

To get started, you might want to take some time during the first week of remote learning to collect information from as many families as you can. You will want to collect information that will help you make decisions about communicating with them. Some questions to think about include:

  • How will I communicate with families? What methods of communication do families have access to? (email, phone, text)
  • When will I communicate with families? What times/days are most convenient for them?
  • Who will I communicate with? Who in the family should I contact?

As we saw in this blog post, establishing norms for your remote classroom is very important. It is just as important to establish norms for how students and their families will communicate with you. Below are a few ways to maintain connections during remote learning.

Hold Office Hours

Establish office hours and let families know when you will be available. Share if you will be available by phone or through video conferencing or both. If your schedule permits, try to provide a morning and evening time to help with family work schedules.

Create a Learning Contract

Create a learning contract for you, students, and families. In the learning contract, include the responsibilities of each person when it comes to staying connected.

Share Your Schedule

Share your schedule, including both your teaching schedule and your communication schedule. Before developing your schedule, remember that you need to leave time for planning, meetings, recording lessons, and, most importantly, your own self care.

Send Newsletters

Send a newsletter to families to keep them abreast of what is going on in your remote classroom. You can include upcoming events, share success stories, or provide links to resources for how families can support their child at home. Get Google Doc newsletter templates here.

Create a Q&A Document

More than likely, your students and families will have some of the same questions. Consider creating a Q&A document or website that will help with answering those questions.

Provide Information about Progress

Make sure families know how their child is progressing. Provide them with ways in which they can access their child’s grades and any feedback you are providing.

Document Communication

It is also important to keep a document or spreadsheet (like this template) so you can keep track of your communication. You might not always remember when you communicate with families, so making note of it will be helpful. This way, you can identify those families that you have and have not had any contact with.

Be Consistent

Keep in mind that many families are having to make adjustments during this time; therefore being consistent with your communication will help. It is equally as important to create multiple ways in which you will communicate in order to meet each family’s needs.

If you would like to explore remote learning more in detail, be sure to check out our Remote Learning Educator Certification online course. In addition, we have created mini-sessions that are available for you to view that focus on remote learning tips and tricks. What strategies or resources do you use to maintain connections with families? Please comment below.

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MicrosoftSTEM/STEAM

Video Editing Tools for Remote Teachers

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

Educators have begun screen recording and screencasting with a serious need. Preparing content for instructional purposes can drive one to distraction. When I assembled the Screencasting for Educators course, I decided on no-cost tools, video editing tools that got the job done without all the expense. May I share what I found with you?

Update 6/7/2022: Have a Google Chromebook? Then you will definitely want to explore the new Google Screencast tool that comes with Google Chromebooks.

Five Amazing Video Editing Tools

Need video editing tools available for free? If you are on Windows 10, it can be challenging. Some entry-level solutions provide you with simple video assembly tools. That is, the ability to trim, split, and join video.

Here are my top five tools that make video editing easy at no cost to you.

Tool #1: Google’s Screencast

Did you miss the announcement in June, 2022? If you did, you’re not alone. While there is an abundance of recording and editing tools for video, few of them work on the Chromebook for free. In this blog entry, I feature two you can start with, including the amazing Screencast from Google. Not only does it give you screencasting, automatic transcription of everything said in the recording, it allows easy marking of the screen. You can quickly draw or make annotations.

Visual Walkthrough

Here’s a quick view of what you’ll see when you get into Google’s new Screencast tool for Chromebook:

Notice Screencast comes with easy-to-use video tutorials

When you first start out with Screencast, you’ll be able to edit your settings for that specific recording, as well as record the whole screen or only a portion:

What’s more, you can also use the built-in annotation tool, or “Marker,” to make notes on your screencast as you make it:

This makes the tool quite friendly and easy to use. Simply two-finger tap (or click) on the touchpad to activate the color choices for the Marker. You may also notice the red circle with red square in the middle. This is how you STOP recording. Once you are done recording, you can get a transcript. The Transcript tool is also what you use to adjust the contents of the video:

Excise portions of screencast with the Transcript->Skip section tool.

Want to know more? Here’s some more information on the tool:

  • Screencast: Screencast without having to add an extension to your Chrome browser. Look no further than this newest addition.
    • Anyone with a Chromebook can create and select part of the recordings to skip (via the transcription editor)
    • All recordings are automatically transcribed.
    • Make sure you update to Chrome OS M103 before jumping in.
  • Cast Moderator: This tool makes it easy to wirelessly present your Chromebook screen. Cast Moderator enables teachers to:

Watch this video for a walkthrough:

Tool #2: RecordCast.com

There are plenty of desktop, browser-based video recorders available to us today. So why would you need one more? What if, instead of a video recorder, you also had a browser-based video editor? And what if I told you it’s easy to add images and audio to it and overlay text on that video? Most people would say, “That’s WeVideo or Screencastify.” But those solutions come with a price.

RecordCast.com offers a free, browser-based solution you can use.

RecordCast brings the functionality of Screencastify and Loom Pro. No browser add-ons or downloads are required. That’s right, RecordCast works its magic without a special browser add-on or extension. That, and its “FREE” label make it an amazing find. But that’s not all.

RecordCast enjoys a thirty-minute time limit for recordings. RecordCast brings the functionality of Screencastify and Loom Pro. No browser add-ons or downloads are required. That’s right, RecordCast works its magic without a special browser add-on or extension. That, and its “FREE” label make it an amazing find. But that’s not all. RecordCast enjoys a thirty-minute time limit for recordings. This makes it a perfect tool for instructional screencasts. It combines the ease of use with two important factors: a timeline that allows you to add audio tracks and overlay text. You can also record your screen, screen plus webcam, or webcam only. Be aware that, in order to use the program, you will need to create an account, as well as verify your email. You will also be limited to seven projects at a time.

recordcast

Watch this short video overview of RecordCast and read this blog entry that goes into more depth:

Tool #3: Shotcut

Although open source video editors abound, Shotcut makes video editing easy. In fact, I’ve coached my colleague Peggy Reimers on using Shotcut. Her computer of choice is a Mac and the experience has been uniform for both of us, even though I’m on Windows 10. Shotcut’s ease of use allows me to combine various elements, such as images, music clips, and video. It’s an easy matter to add tracks for each, then export the assembled creation as MP4 video. It has a wealth of online tutorials.

Here’s a quick video overview of Shotcut:

Tool #4: MiniTool MovieMaker Free

When Microsoft cut Moviemaker, I mourned with the rest of the world. For a while, I thought that the enhanced Photos app on Microsoft Windows 10 would get the job done. It did not. As a result, I found myself searching for an alternative.

While Shotcut was the first tool I found that worked well, I recently stumbled on a new one. That video editing tool is MiniTool MovieMaker Free. The interface is a welcome break from Shotcut’s busy one, as you can see below. That simplicity comes with a few sacrifices, as I’ll point out in the video walkthrough:

MiniTool MovieMaker Free, as you will see, has a lot to offer. Some of its features include:

  • Creating and editing videos in Windows
  • Smart movie templates
  • Ability to add text and transitions
  • Free (no cost) and no watermarks

In fact, some of its own advertising sells it as an iMovie-style editor. I don’t know if I would go that far, but the interface is simple and powerful for video editing newbies like me.

Here’s a quick video overview of MiniToo MovieMaker Free:

I have to admit that I found it a bit poky and slow on the uptake compared to Shotcut. One additional solution may be worth your time.

Tool #5: OpenShot Video Editor

Looking for an easy to use video editor that won’t cost you a dime? Give Openshot video editor a check. While it’s a bit less feature heavy than Shotcut, it will do the most important things. Watch this short video overview:

After playing with all five tools, on a Windows machine, I’m going to stick with the free, open source Shotcut. It makes it possible to achieve quick editing. If I need fancier features, I will have to learn them or maybe use OpenShot. OpenShot provides a nice entry point given its easy to use multi-track support, slicing and export features.

For Chromebook users, using Google’s built-in Screencast with automatic annotation and marking is a winner. Use RecordCast.com as a quick video editor, an inexpensive alternative to the more costly WeVideo.

Splitting and Joining Videos

Have a long video and need to split it into pieces? Or maybe you have multiple videos that you need to join together? Consider using one of these tools to get the job done. They are available at no cost and will make working with a large video (or a lot of small ones) easier.

Optimal video size is anywhere between six and eight minutes long. Trying to split video into small chunks can be time-consuming. Allow me to share an example.

For example, the 15 videos in this playlist were once joined together. That huge video file was about 1.2 gigabytes in size. Eighteen seconds after putting them into a video splitting tool, I had them ready to upload (put) into YouTube as a playlist.

Free video trimmer
FlexClip’s Free Video Trimmer

There are many solutions available to get the job done. Three that you can explore include:

Here’s a quick video overview of MP4Tools (edited with NCH’s VideoPad):

My pick for the best free video editing software? RecordCast for short videos (under 30 minutes), Shotcut for longer videos or videos that require cropping and other special filters. You can’t go wrong with its powerhouse features and, if you give yourself a little time, you’ll soon be a pro at using it for simple video edits. Not quite ready to jump into the deep-end? Try OpenShot Video Editor.

Finally, be sure to read my blog entry on Five Free Video Converters. They will make your life easier when shrinking videos or prepping them for viewing on specific devices.

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school year
Good TeachingLeadership

Texas Resources for the 2020-21 School Year

by Andrew Roush
written by Andrew Roush

Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, state and national education agencies and organizations have worked to coordinate, provide models, and create plans for the uncertain 2020-21 school year. In Texas, home of TCEA, the state education agency is updating two programs meant to provide support to districts as the school year approaches.

Within the Texas Education Agency‘s (TEA) focus on instructional continuity, it has developed a partnership with PBS, as well as a general instructional continuity framework. In addition, two recently updated tools are available to help schools get the new year off to a good start.

Strong Start 2020

TEA’s Strong Start initiative provides planning tools and example plans, sample school models, and implementation supports, which include webinar and training offerings. Sample school models include detailed options for fully on-campus, fully online, and hybrid instruction models.

texas education agency
Some of the options listed on TEA’s Strong Start page

The Strong Start portal includes downloadable resources and tools directly from TEA, but also links to decision-making tools, plans, and guides from organizations and educational institutions from across the country.

Texas Home Learning

Another TEA project, Texas Home Learning, is being updated for the coming year. Entering its third phase, the program is designed to provide contingency at-home learning resources for Texas schools and districts.

The third phase of the project is designed for the 2020-21 school year, while phases one and two from this spring and summer, were meant to provide resources in between school years.

texas education agency

Phase three includes standards-aligned curriculum, free access to learning management systems, and more, according to the initiative’s website.

Sharing Useful Tools

What resources, grants, tools, or techniques are you using or hope to use this school year? Let us know in the comments!

Photo by Matese Fields on Unsplash

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ell
ESL/ELL

ELL and Bilingual Resources for Remote Learning

by Andrew Roush
written by Andrew Roush

In the U.S. today, bilingual education and education for English language learners (ELLs) is in high demand. And while students with limited English proficiency (LEP) might face difficulties at school, institutions have also struggled to support and fund bilingual and ELL programs among a number of competing demands. 

The changes to education occurring because of the COVID-19 pandemic pose new challenges for all kinds of learners, and especially those with limited English proficiency. Organizations are responding to the need, however, and we’ve put together a curated collection of useful resources that can help educators deliver quality English language instruction while in a period of remote teaching and learning.

Resources for ELL Remote Education

  • The nonprofit New Jersey Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages/New Jersey Bilingual Educators shares an extensive list of teaching resources, from best practices to tools and templates.
  • Colorín Colorado, an  English language learning site from WETA Learning Media, has a comprehensive guide for remote ELL education, complete with sample schedules, activities, and more. 
  • For educators looking for Spanish-langauge resources, Colorín Colorado also offers a clearinghouse of bilingual education resources in Spanish.
  • Edutopia outlines ways to use video and learning apps to help engage ELLs.
  • Those searching for interactive learning websites should investigate the University of Wisconsin Libraries’ ESL/ELL Education: Interactive Websites for Learning research guide.
  • The United Federation of Teachers (UFT) has developed its own collection of resources for supporting effective instruction for ELLs, including sites, publications and guides, information from other professional organizations, and more. 
  • You can find webinars and tools in the list of resources available from TESOL, an international association of English language teaching professionals.
  • Common Sense Education shares not only existing resources for ELL education, but also helpful information to help educators independently find or develop resources. 
  • Region 18 Educational Consultant Maria Mata shares health guidelines, lessons, free resources, and more in her Bilingual/ESL/Title III remote teaching resources newsletter. 
  • The English Learner Support Division of the Texas Education Association (TEA) also shares a number of updates and helpful links, including the English Learner Web Portal. 

Share Your Ideas

Do you have resources you’d like to share? Let us know in the comments!

Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash

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remote classroom
Good Teaching

Preparing Students for Their New Remote Classroom

by Diana Benner
written by Diana Benner

Are you wondering how to prepare your students for their new remote classroom? If so, you are probably not alone. There are a lot of things to consider so that your students can start the year successfully. Begin by preparing the remote learning environment before students “arrive” at school. Then get students oriented to the new environment so that they feel at ease. Below are some suggestions to prepare them.

Getting Started

  • Provide students with instructions (written or video) on how to meet with you on the first day of remote learning. Include the time and/or a link. If you have a Bitmoji, include that and make the instructions fun and light hearted.

Class Structure

remote classroom
  • Provide students with a schedule. Include times they will be meeting with you for synchronous instruction.

Navigation

  • Make a video overview on how to navigate the remote classroom. Show them how to login, where to find assignments, how to submit assignments, etc.
  • You could also create a scavenger hunt activity that students can complete in order to familiarize themselves with their new classroom.

Expectations

  • Create a poster or some type of visual that lists the classroom expectations or norms.
  • Get student input on what the expectations should be by having a discussion with them or allowing them to vote on the most important norms. Get more information about setting norms here.

Communication

  • Students will need to know how they can contact you. Let them know your preferred method for communicating. In addition, share when they will receive an answer (24 hours, 48 hours, etc.). Post this in your remote classroom.
  • If you are holding virtual office hours, let students know when you will be available to meet with them and if they need to sign up or can just show up.
  • Students will need to know how to properly communicate with you and peers in the remote classroom. Be sure communication is addressed in the classroom expectations. 

Checklist

You can find these as well as more things to consider at Preparing Students for Remote Instruction Checklist. What else would you add to the checklist? Let us know in the comments below.

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remote learning
Good Teaching

Lesson Plan Template for Remote Learning

by Lori Gracey
written by Lori Gracey

If you’ll be teaching remotely to some or all of your students this fall, it’s important to have a clear lesson plan format to follow. Your district has probably provided you with one in the past. But has it been updated to fit remote teaching and learning? Here is a sample lesson plan template designed for when students who will be learning remotely; it should work for any subject or grade level and is based on the latest research. I’ve purposely kept it simple for ease of use. Feel free to add whatever additional content you want or need.

remote learning

The Format of the Remote Learning Lesson Plan

To make things simple, this lesson plan sample has three broad sections: Introduction, Learning, and Closing. The Introduction section contains information about the following:

  • The topic or unit of study
  • The length of time to be spent on the topic in this lesson
  • Learner objectives
  • Connection
  • Focus activity

The learner objectives are critical, and what makes them work for long-term learning is that students are able to answer three questions about what they are studying:

  • What am I learning?
  • Why am I learning it?
  • How will I know when I have learned it?

That means that the students must clearly understand the standards being taught and the level to which they must master the standards. This should be stated in language that the students, regardless of age, can understand. Specificity is key. It’s not enough for them to say “I’m learning how to add.” Instead, they must be able to define that they are “learning how to add two digit numbers.”

The connection piece is most important for remote learning. It’s how you are going to help the students (and yourself) continue to bond with each other. This is where you can use some Social Emotional Learning (SEL) activities, ice breakers, getting to know you’s, or other similar strategies. The key is to help students remain connected even though they are distant from each other.

Finally, the focus activity helps to center the students in what they will be learning in this lesson. It could be something as simple as them sharing what they learned the previous day, a short video to gain their interest, an opening activity to raise questions, or a quick KWL about what they already know about the topic. The key here is to get their minds targeted on the learning that is about to take place, to get them focused.

Content Time

While not an elegant name for this section, it’s here that the real work of learning begins. In a remote classroom, there can basically be two types of activities: synchronous and asynchronous. Synchronous activities are those that happen with all of the students in the class at the same time. This could be from you, from online resources, from other students, etc. But the main thing is that all of the students are doing it at the same time. The activities, however, can vary from student to student, depending on how you have decided to differentiate. It’s the timing that makes this unique.

Asynchronous learning occurs next as students go off on their own (or in small groups) to learn. The teacher is not directly involved. This may mean they are working math problems, watching a video, writing a paper, or doing a hands-on activity outside of assigned class time. For successful asynchronous learning, the student must first understand the concepts being taught. It is a complete waste of time to have them practice something they do not understand and may even result in them learning the content the wrong way.

There is also a place in this section of the lesson plan template to list the resources students or the teacher will be using to master the content. This is for both synchronous and asynchronous learning.

Closing Out the Remote Learning Lesson Plan

The final section of the lesson plan is where we see how successful the students have been in their learning. There is assessment followed by student reflection on their own processes and results of learning. Additional resources are provided by the teacher for those who want to extend their mastery or need additional support.

Lastly, there is a place in the lesson plan for reminders to the students (deadlines, upcoming quizzes or tests, important announcements, etc.). It is also important, especially in remote learning, to provide information on where the students can go to get additional help. This could be virtual “office hours” or a tutor or extra videos or resources that explain the content differently than it has already been presented. I’ve even seen a teacher post a “panic button” in her Google Classroom that students can click on when they are struggling; the button creates an instant email to the teacher for help. All of this is designed to remind students that, although they are working remotely, they are not alone.

This remote lesson plan is very simple, but I hope it can act as a starting point for you in thinking about how to craft your teaching differently for remote learning. If you would like additional help in creating the best remote learning experiences for your students, check out the online, self-paced Remote Learning Educator Certification course. Priced at just $49 (less when 10 or more registrations are purchased), the course features six modules that include best practices, video how-to’s, and tips and tricks for communication, designing remote lessons, social and emotional learning, teaching platforms, and safety and security. You can also find more than 50 videos on remote learning available here.

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school counseling
Educational Trends

How School Counseling Is Changing

by Andrew Roush
written by Andrew Roush

School counselors are a familiar part of the education ecosystem. Charged with guiding students through school safely and confidently, and with preparing students for a world outside of school, counselors are a vital part of education, as well. 

Faced with an uncertain school year, today counselors are working to carry out their duties amidst massive changes to how education is delivered. Here’s how school counselors across the country are responding.

Defining the Counselor

What does a school counselor do? Their jobs might seem opaque to administrators, tech experts, and educators who don’t interact with counselors as directly as students do.

The American School Counselor Association defines the modern role of counselors this way:

Gone are the days of school counselors sitting in their office simply handing out college applications, making schedule changes for students who want to drop a class, or waiting for a crisis to occur. Today’s school counselors are vital members of the education team. They help all students in the areas of academic achievement, career and social/emotional development, ensuring today’s students become the productive, well-adjusted adults of tomorrow.

American School Counselor Association

With these important responsibilities, counselors are now looking for ways to improve the experience of students who are being educated in unfamiliar ways.

School Counseling and COVID-19

Across the U.S., counselors are developing ways to support students during periods of remote and hybrid learning. In New Hampshire, local schools have focused on social-emotional learning (SEL), especially in the elementary grades. In Arizona — a state with one of the highest counselor-to-student ratios — tech tools are vital, and grants are helping schools hire more counselors. 

Funding for counseling is a major concern, as districts and schools face changing funding sources. In California, educators are pushing for more services for students, but running into budget concerns. 

And while some districts in California are not facing substantial cuts, an uncertain economy makes it difficult for districts to plan ahead. As Troy Flint, spokesman for the California School Boards Association, tells EdSource:

Although the state budget leaves K-12 funding mostly intact, the unstable economy has hindered districts’ ability to plan long-term. About 80-90% of a district’s revenue goes toward personnel costs, including salaries, benefits and pensions, leaving very little budget flexibility, he said.

Carolyn Jones, “Schools want to hire more counselors amid budget woes” EdSource

Supporting Students 

Mental health concerns, the long-term effects of illness, isolation, and sudden change, are paramount problems for counselors. From support groups for immunocompromised people to online “relaxation rooms,” counselors at colleges and schools are looking for ways to connect at a distance. 

And while schools grapple with how to re-open safely, counselors from Alabama to Pennsylvania are working to promote social health as well. 

If we can be the kind of people that lead that within the school environment, what to do, how to respond, how to make these kids feel like they are important, if we can take on that role as a leader and everyone else can emulate that, then I think that’s a good head start for the kids, and that’s a good environment for them to be in.

Counselor Trent Bramberg to ABC News Birmingham

Reallocating resources to counseling and mental health is also a consideration for many districts. In some California districts that have eliminated or cut the budget of district police departments are moving those funds to support student mental health services. UCLA doctoral student Elianny Edwards, who has researched the issue, told EdSurge that “Allocating funding to mental health services is a preventative way to create safer schools, whereas hiring more police is reactive.”

Lasting Effects

The current moment in education is likely to have lasting effects as time progresses. Some see this as a sign that counseling services are more important than ever in education.

In Forbes, education writer Brennan Barnard makes an economic case that an investment in counseling now is a long-term investment in society.

As we rush to bolster our nation’s economy with trillions of dollars, we must be sure not to miss the forest for the trees. There is no question that we need to protect small businesses, workers, and many other vulnerable people and companies at this time of crisis. But we also have to be intentional about long-range planning, and the frontlines of our future are school counselors. As revenue dries up in many states that fund their public schools through tax dollars, we need to find ways to support these institutions amid budget cuts and protect the very individuals we will rely on to guide tomorrow’s leaders and workers.

Brennan Barnard, “Stimulate This: How School Counselors Will Help Save Our Post-Pandemic Future” Forbes 

Even comparatively short-term effects — think four months in lockdown, and the accompanying associated social and economic challenges — are changing the need and urgency for counseling. 

Between closed schools, social isolation, food scarcity and parental unemployment, the coronavirus pandemic has so destabilized kids’ support systems that the result, counselors say, is genuinely traumatic.

Cory Turner, “Closed Schools Are Creating More Trauma For Students” NPR Morning Edition

Luckily, that urgency is being felt, and resources are being compiled for educators and counselors to tackle the difficulties of teaching and learning right now.

Resources

Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash

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