#TBT: Three Things I Learned from the College Football National Championship Game

In honor of #tbt (Throwback Thursday), I'm reposting my favorite post. I first made this post on the Carroll ISD Instructional Technology Blog. Football season is around the corner and teachers are preparing for the new school year and they both have the same goal - WIN. Win games. Win in the classroom. Win with students. Gear up teachers, students will be with you in two months. What will you do to be prepared, play to your strengths and keep going after you make mistakes?

What a crazy game! Who would've predicted Ohio State, with a 3rd string quarterback, to win the College Football National Championship. I DID!! I'm a big sports fan, but I haven't really followed the college football season and rankings. I would watch football when a game was on television, but I could not have told you who was ranked what or who should win. I think if Urban Meyer is the coach, then that team will evidently prevail as winners. As a rule, I do not bet against him. He knows how to win. After watching the championship game I started thinking on why they won, and I came up with three reasons. I believe as teachers we can learn from these three things.

1. BE PREPARED
There is no doubt that Ohio State was prepared for their opponent. When you are facing the Heisman trophy winner or when your first two quarterbacks are out injured, you better be prepared and have a great game plan. Same applies to teachers and technology. When using technology in the classroom, it is best to be prepared...prepared for when everything falls into place and prepared for when the bottom drops out. Technology can be scary. My hope is that, as scary as technology may be, that you would step out of your comfort zone and try. There is a great group of instructional technology specialists in this district who have been in the classroom and understand all that encompasses. Explore their expertise to help you start this new year integrating technology into your content. We offer co-planning, co-teaching, modeling a lesson, and even resource prep for teacher activities. We can help you be prepared.

Ohio State team led by their coach, Urban Meyer

2. PLAY TO YOUR STRENGTHS
Ohio State started this game with a guy who had only started in two games. How does a rookie quarterback win a national championship, you ask...by playing to their strengths, Ezekiel Elliot, sophomore running back. Every time I looked at the television I saw him running through a crowd of linemen. Ohio State used their strength with the run game to dominate Oregon. Same applies to teachers. We all have strengths. We all have things we do well. We are all part of a team. One of the best things we can do as a teacher is learning from others along with sharing our strengths with others. Of course, I'm going to talk about technology. I've come across many teachers who are integrating technology in their content and doing it successfully. Many have even said to me, "I'm not sure I can go back to the old way of teaching." Find those teachers on your campus. Plug into what they are doing and learn from them. Make time to collaborate with them and with others who may not be in your content area. It's the same in my group. Not all instructional technology specialists have the same strengths. That is what makes us a good team; we learn from each other.

Ezekiel Elliot #15

3. KEEP GOING AFTER YOU MAKE MISTAKES
Turnovers after turnovers after turnovers. Did the world really think Ohio State would have a chance after the turnovers they kept making? I'm sure there were doubts. A big shoutout to Ohio State for staying focused and going strong after the many mistakes they made. (You know the next line...) SAME APPLIES TO TEACHING (and technology). Don't abandon technology just because the first integration did not go the way you expected. Try again AND then try again. When those mistakes happen, brainstorm with a teammate or instructional technology coach (I coached for 10 years, so it is hard for me to let that go) to help you evaluate the process, and see what improvement can be made. I can not count how many times I have failed in the classroom when trying to be innovative. It happens. Don't let that stop you from trying again.

Mistakes will be made

This year vow to be MESSY. We can make 2015 messy by...

Seven Simple Tech Tips for Teachers

Looking for some practical ways to get more out of your classroom tech? Check out these seven tips for ideas on how to use technology to enhance your students’ learning:

1. Take a virtual field trip – You may not be able to take your students to the Louvre in person, but you can use the web to find photos, videos, articles, and guides that let them go there virtually. Use this virtual field trip idea to connect your students to literature, art, history, science, current events, and more without ever leaving the classroom. 
• Classroom Application Tools
• Virtual Fieldtrip List - click here
• Simply K12 Virtual Fieldtrip List - click here
• The Teacher's Guide Virtual Fieldtrip List - click here 
2. Let everyone answer – Get a feel for how well students understand a concept by using electronic response devices. This handheld technology allows students to answer questions in real time. You can then display the class’s responses (individual student answers are not shown) and talk about topics that may need additional clarification. This is a great alternative to raised hands since it allows all students to participate and engage with the discussion directly. 
• Classroom Application Tools
• Poll Everywhere - use cell phone to collect responses - click here
• Socrative - use any device that has internet or the iOS/Android app to collect responses - click here
• ActivExpressions - voting responses for Promethean users   
3. Collaborate with the class – If you have set up a classroom LMS now’s the time to start. Learning Managing Systems allow students to get involved in the curriculum by sharing ideas and collaborating with each other. You can use these for a number of projects including group reports, stories, discussions, debates, questions, and more, or you can use them simply as a way to help the class interact and learn together by allowing students free expression. 
• Classroom Application Tools
• Edmodo - click here
• Schoology - click here
• Google Drive - click here
4. Brainstorm with the right tools – There are a number of excellent brainstorming and mind mapping tools out there—Bubbl.us is a free one—that can help you and your students draw out your ideas in a usable way. These tools can be used when planning art projects, mapping math concepts, and more. 
• Classroom Application Tools
• Padlet - click here
• WiseMapping - click here
5. Keep up to date on new apps – New and amazing educational apps are being released every day. Be sure to keep up to date on the latest and greatest apps that you can use in the classroom. When you see something that you think would work well, don’t be afraid to try it out. 
• Classroom Application Tools
• TCEA iPad Apps and Resources - click here
• Learning in Hand blog by Tony Vincent - iOS resources - click here
6. Educate yourself – One of the most useful ways you can use technology is to keep yourself up to date on the latest developments in the education field—what are other teachers doing? What resources are out there to help you help your students learn? What should you do when you run into problems? Read blogs (like Edudemic) and get active on social media (Twitter is a great place to connect to other educators) to find ideas, advice, encouragement, tools, and more. 
• Classroom Application Tools
• Learning in Hand blog - click here
• Free Technology for Teachers - click here
• Ozge Karaoglu's blog - click here
7. Get organized – Once you start finding all these great resources, it’s important that you keep yourself organized so that you don’t lose track of them. Use bookmarking sites to keep track of websites that you like. Create spreadsheets to help you remember what that awesome idea for next week’s class was.
• Classroom Application Tools
• Diigo - Educator accounts available to teachers - click here to learn more
• Delicious - click here to learn more
• Evernote - click here to learn more

About the Author:

This article was written by Brian Jensen, who works with Dell, along with additional application tools added by myself.

4 Ways to Increase Engagment in the Classroom

Another great article found on Edumedic, written by a 5th grade teacher in Delaware. Though the examples may be elementary, the content is still useful for any grade level.  Keep reading to find out 4 ways you can increase engagment in your classroom.

1. Move
Get away from the front of the room! Get away from the teacher’s desk! I rarely stand in the front of my classroom. I am constantly moving. If you continue to stand in the front of the room, the Teacher’s Edition clasped tightly in your hand, and your voice drones on endlessly, what do you think the results are going to be?

Let the students know that you just might walk over to their desk and catch them texting, doodling, or daydreaming. When you are standing next to a student, there is a greater possibility that you will get their full attention. Give students the chance to get out of their seats. Movement does wonders for the brain! Our local Home Depot donated carpet squares, and my kids have the option to sit wherever they choose, as long as they are working.

2. Don't be Afraid to Make them Think
Raise your expectations about what your students are capable of! Tear yourself away from worksheets with 50 Math problems. The higher level students will finish in ten minutes, and the struggling students will become frustrated. I use material that involves problem solving techniques to supplement the Math curriculum. The lower end of Bloom’s is not where you want your class to function. A great tool I use in my classroom is the iPad app, Stick Pick. Stick Pick allows me to choose students randomly and it provides questions starters for students using Bloom’s Taxonomy as a guide. Create situations where your students create and design, and not only answer questions 1-5 in the textbook. Challenge them!

3. Real World Applications
Why am I learning this? “Because it is on the test” is not the best answer. Giving a student examples of when or how they might apply a skill in “real life”, makes it more meaningful. Real world interactions also increase the level of engagement. Edmodo and Skype in the Classroom are wonderful sites to make those connections. When we read a story about a marine biologist last year, I used my Twitter PLN to connect with a marine biologist and we Skyped with him. The students used the story as a base to create questions, and it was an amazing experience! The biologist brought the pages in the book to life!

4. Integrate Technology
Here’s the thing to remember though, it’s not about the technology. Develop an engaging lesson, and then enhance it through the use of technology. For example, I participated in the Global Read Aloud Project 2012. While reading the book, I integrated technology through a number of methods. We connected and collaborated with different classrooms using Edmodo, Twitter, and Skype. My students “talked” about the book, while I read, using Today’s Meet. They answered questions via Wallwisher.  They created virtual flyers protesting Ruby’s (an elephant), treatment in the circus and embedded them on their blogs. Integrating technology into a lesson or unit provides endless opportunities to engage!

Move, create critical thinkers, make real world connections, and incorporate technology as part of your classroom environment, and you should see your classroom come to life!

Getting Started with Pinterest

A Deeper Look at Pinterest

Interested in knowing about Pinterest and how to get started with an account? Take a few moments to few the SlideShare to learn a little more about Pinterest. Not new to Pinterest...then be sure to check out the end of the SlideShare for my favorite educational boards to follow.

Pinterest SlideShare

View more presentations from Kristie Johnson.

The 7 Golden Rules of Using Technology in Schools

Adam S. Bellow, author of The Tech Commandments, and founder of eduTecher, spoke to a roomful of receptive teachers at the recent ISTE 2011 conference, and demonstrated some of the ironies and contradictions the education system is mired in.

Here’s the list he shared:

*  Don’t trap technology in a room.

*  Technology is worthless without professional development.

*  Mobile Technology stretches a long way.

*  The ‘F word” is FEAR not FACEBOOK.

*  Tech tools are not just a passing fad.

*  Money is not the problem.

*  Invite every stakeholder to the conversation.

Original post by Ian Jukes from The 21^st Century Fluency Project.

Click here to read original post.

iPad Curriculum

A great new blog started by Kelly Tenkely from my Twitter PLN. Here's what she has to say...

" iPad Curriculum is a new blog I am starting today where I will post app and web app reviews, highlight educational tools that work seamlessly on the iPad/iPod Touch/iPhone, and give tips and tricks for using the iPad/iPod Touch in the classroom.

If you follow my blog regularly, you know I am working on an iPad research study with elementary students (help with funding by voting here).  I thought that as long as I was collecting and reviewing all of these resources, I should share them with all of you!  I’m not sure how frequently I will be posting yet, it may be once a day or several times a day depending on what I find and what I have going on.  For now, there is one lonely post but it will give you the idea of what the blog is all about."

Mail Chimp

Mail Chimp is a great tool to use with a blog. It allows you to add a

subscription widget to your blog and manages your subscribers. You can

also add a campaign through Mail Chimp that sends an email to your

subscribers when a new post is added to your blog.

This blog post serves as a test. Hopefully my subscribers receive an
email. Plus I'm posting this from my phone...another fun feature of
Blogger.

Using Prezi

Need a new way to make presentations? Try Prezi.

Web 2.0 in the classroom on Prezi

YouTube Tips and Tricks

Here are a tools for using YouTube that all teachers should be aware of.

1. TubeChop - ever only want just a part of a YouTube video to show in class or as part of a lesson?  This website has a solution:

• Find the video on YouTube that you would like to use.
• Copy the URL of the YouTube video.
• Go to TubeChop and paste the URL in the provided box.
• Choose "Search" - the video should appear.
• Choose "Chop It" underneath the video results.
• Choose the part of the video you want to keep by dragging the markers on the beginning and end of the clip and click on “Chop It”
• The website will provide you will a link and an embed code if you are interested in uploading the video to your website/blog.

2. Kick YouTube

• Find the YouTube video you would like to see. Place the word "kick" in front of the word "you" in the URL. You will be directed to a different site where you can then download the video in a different format (Flash, MP4, etc).
• Go to Tammy Worcester's website for a great tutorial.
• http://www.tammyworcester.com/TipOfWeek/TammyWTechTipOfWeek/Entries/2009/1/30_Tip_63_-_KickYouTube.html

3. Convert YouTube videos into mp3

• This is great when you do not want a video but just the sound. You can use this for famous speeches, music, etc.
• Video2mp3 - copy the URL and choose "Convert"
• Listen to YouTube - copy the URL and choose "Go"

Educational Apps for the Ipod Touch

Interested in educational apps for your Ipod touch? Look no further. This site has a list of apps, along with a description. The list is for Language Arts apps, but it you look at the right hand column there are other articles about apps for other core subjects.

Language Arts apps

50 Sites in 60 Minutes

If you interested in some very cool websites, here's a great resource.

50 sites

View more presentations from dkapuler.

Need a Catchy Blog Post?

With Linkbait Generator you can enter a title and get catchy title suggestions. You can use this site for catchy writing topics or journal entries. Try it out the next time you are giving a free writing assignment.

Digital Storytelling Tools for Educators

Digital Storytelling is a great way to create a visual of a learned concept. There are many free online tools to capture the story.


Here's a free download from Silvia Rosenthal Tolisano. It provides several resources for Digital Storytelling. 

Favorite Resources from Today

Here's a list of a few of my favorite resources I encountered today. I love finding new resources and sharing with teachers.

SnapShots - free site used to place online snapshots to your website or blog. 

• With SnapShots you can provide a photo album, Wikipedia entry, google maps and much more for viewing without ever having to leave the site you are on. 
• All you need is to add snapshots to your blog and then add external links to your text.

Wiffiti - live responses posted to a Wiffiti screen. 

• Basically, Wiffiti is like texting but everyone gets to see your messages. You create a screen and live responses appear as they are sent via text or web. 
• It's a great way to involve cell phones within the classroom...BUT for educational purposes.
• I've created one for some feedback from you...Should cell phones be allowed in school?

Picnik - online photo editor 

• This photo editor has so many cool features.  
• I would suggest upgrading to Premiere if you are serious about photography. It's worth the money. 
• Even if you don't upgrade, the site is free and has a great selection there.

Scribble Maps - draw and write on Google Maps

• If you teach Geography, even if you don't, you don't want to miss out on this free tool.
• ScribbleMaps is a great way to utilize Google Maps when discussing location. You have a toolbar to draw, add text, add shapes, etc.
• Here's a map created to show where Dawson Middle School is located.

Have fun playing with these tools.

Wallwisher

Wallwisher is a free web application that allows people to express their thoughts by posting messages on a wall built by you. As a teacher you can use Wallwisher to:

• class collaboration over a common topic
• notes from class discussion
• novel study
• explanation to math solutions
• explanation to scientific method

Here's an example of what Wallwisher looks like:

Poll Everywhere

6th graders using Poll Everywhere as a review for homophones. Kudos to Kim Pelt for implementing a piece of technology in her lesson. Students were engaged and excited about using their cell phones.


Remember Poll Everywhere is a free online tool that you can use to create polls. However, you are able to add your own content, so that allows you to use it as something other than just a poll.


If you are interested in a demonstration or would like me to come to give you a brief training session, please contact me via email.