EdTech Tips: Tab-Resize & Triventy

Hello fans and foes! This post is geared towards showing off Tab-Resize and Triventy. 

Tab-Resize is a neat Google Chrome extension that makes it easier to have multiple tabs next to each other in a click, rather than trying to resize tabs manually. If you or your students use Chromebooks or an older Mac OS, you will find Tab-Resize extension helpful when you need to view two or more tabs simultaneously.

Triventy is a great website that allows you to run quizzes/surveys in your classroom. You will notice quickly how Triventy is similar to Kahoot. However, I like the fact that Triventy allows you more flexibility when writing questions and answer choices. You can include images, and even add hints for students. 

My favorite aspect of Triventy is that students can see exactly the projected image on their devices. Kahoot doesn't do this, and it bugs me since students can't always see very well from in the back of a classroom. Triventy doesn't have the same data collection tools that Kahoot provides, but they tell me they are in the process of adding the feature.

If you are a big Kahoot user, you and your students will appreciate the change Triventy brings. 

Check out Triventy's instructions to help you get started...I always appreciate written instructions with corresponding screenshots :)

EdTech Coaching Tips for the week of January 25, 2016

Every two weeks I meet with teachers in small groups at my two schools. Before we meet, I encourage the teachers to check out the resources in videos (like the one below) to get them excited for what we will cover. Additionally, if teachers spend a few minutes trying out a tool, we can use the human interaction time to discuss and fine tune any potential problems.

Since I have been doing these sessions, I have developed a simple formula to make the sessions useful, reflective, and efficient for my staff. Each session involves a quick reflection where staff talk about how they currently using technology either with their students or to make administrative procedures more efficient. Next, I introduce a Google extension or app from the Chrome Store. We are GAfE school and our teachers use the gambit of Google Drive applications. Therefore, I introduce a tool to help them and their students get more out of these applications. Finally, I introduce a resource for the staff. In some weeks, it is a document with many resources, however, it is usually a great website to help their students.

For each session, I use a Google Form like this one to gather staff feedback and to showcase resources and my video showcasing these tools and tips.

This week I encouraged teachers to try the freemium Google extension tool of Read&Write and the free GoFormative platform. Information about each of these great tools can be found in the Google Presentation and the screencast video located below.

EdSurge's Top Ten S’Cool Tools of 2015

EdSurge is one of my favorite resources when it comes to learning about new tech tools. If you don't already subscribe to their weekly emails providing news and tools, then you are doing yourself a disservice.

I am catching up on my work email before returning back to school tomorrow and I came across their Top Ten S'Cool Tools for 2015 list. I encourage you as a teacher and/or parent to check out the tools provided. The list is heavy on Math and ELA resources, but you will likely find something fun to try out in the coming year.

I am really excited to try Quizalize as another way to assess students in a fun setting. Students love Kahoot, but having other options is always good to sustain student interest.

Mathgames looks awesome too. I like how it is aligned with Common Core and can be shared with Google Classroom seamlessly.

Tech Tips for ELLs...

A colleague of mine sent me this article last month that covers how teachers can particularly help ELL students learn using technology. Keep in mind that many of the strategies listed can be used for students of all kinds. For instance, using small groups/pairs is an effective strategy for helping ELLs complete assignments with many steps because they can help each other and communicate/teach each other how to complete the tasks.

Many strategies are presented in the article. Here is a breakdown of helpful tips presented by this article when designing assignments that use technology:

• Short Tasks: For assignments that require technology use, it is helpful to organize direction as short tasks. This is a way of chunking text into small doses
• Steps: Along with using short tasks, it is also helpful to make assignments with numbered, step-by-step directions.
• Illustrations: Each short task should include a screen shot showing exactly what the student should be doing. 

As you create visual directions, it is a best practice to print them on paper so students can easily follow along and perform each step. This deters students from having to waste time going back and forth trying to follow directions. These tips have guided me for many years, however, it felt good reading that studies back up these practices. 

Here is an example of a handout I helped create for a Physical Education teacher:

If you need help learning how to make screenshots, check out this terrific site that shows how to take screenshots on any device!

A CENTRALIZED List of Google Application Tutorials

It must be the government teacher in me, but I get excited when I am able to take a whole bunch of resources and compiled them into one centralized hub.

Our school system has been using Google products for many years, however, many teachers (old and new) struggle with Google Drive and all of the other Google applications that are becoming a bigger part of teaching. Therefore, I put together a Google Doc document that includes a one-page cheat sheet for each of the Google products, as well as step-by-step image directions.

Google allows for easy translation of their products, so you can translate any of these resources into nearly any language you desire. I foresee the students using this hub too; therefore, I included Spanish language versions of each cheat sheet since I work with many ELL students from Central America.

If you are looking for more GAfE resources, check out this other centralized hub I created this past summer. It focuses on Google Classroom and Drive, and it includes videos.

Happy Googling!

EdTech, Meet Project Based Learning (PBL)...

Last week I came across this amazing Google Doc that organizes edTech tools by the Project Based Learning (PBL) phase. I don't remember how I got to it, but I am so happy I found it.

Even if you don't fully implement PBL in your room, you will appreciate the massive number of tools listed that you can use for smaller projects and activities.

Don't forget to check out this hyperlink located at the top of the doc that provides lots more resources with great descriptions.

If you are looking for PBL ideas based by grade level and content area, make sure you check out this other hyperlink included at the top of the document.

Kudos to @jrkauss and @suzieboss for creating this fabulous resource!!

PBL Timeline Organized by Teacher and Student
Source: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2sthyfRZivcTV9aZFFJMk9UTjA/view

Two great resources I am loving...

It's been a while since I have had a minute to gather my thoughts, but I wanted to share two sites that I will be sharing with my teachers this week.

The first site, ReadWriteThink contains a plethora of pragmatic teaching games, lessons, resources, and professional development materials for any and all teachers. You can print handouts, as well as find lesson plans that you can tailor for your students. I particularly like the student interactives. These are online resources for students of all grade levels. The Comic Creator looks like a great tool for young and struggling readers. If you teach in a 2:1 or 1:1 environment, you will find lots great resources for your students. My daughter, who is in pre-K, loves Picture Match...she has to pick the letter that is making the sound in the picture.

IXL is the second resource I want to share with you. If you teach math, science, social studies, language arts, you will find games organized by grade level and topic. The BEST part of IXL's games are when you get a wrong answer, they provide a detailed (and visual) explanation. If you have the funds, you can purchase a license so students (and their teacher) can track their progress. However, the free parts look great too. I foresee using the questions as a warm up or closure activity. You could take screenshots of questions and incorporate the images into a Kahoot!