Movenote - Intro

I just found this Drive App in the Chrome Store. I really like it's simplicity: Record video next to a slide presentation. I need to try it out to know for sure how well it functions. But, it could be a cool way for students to present projects. Movenote - Intro:



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Morfo + Aurasma = Augmented Reality Book Trailers

Cool!

Morfo + Aurasma = Augmented Reality Book Trailers | iPad Apps for School:



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Google Classroom: Create a Shared Folder | Teacher Tech

So, as I have been researching the functionality of Google Classroom, I discovered it is not easy to set up an assignment where you want students to collaborate on the same assignment. I just found this article that details a work-around to this problem. Hopefully, Google will make this a little easier as Classroom evolves.



Google Classroom: Create a Shared Folder | Teacher Tech:



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Fantasy Football/Geopolitics

I just read the blog post below about a game called Fantasy Geopolitics. I really want to do this with someone at my school! I've sent out a few "worms" and am hoping to get some bites. This would be too awesome!



MrIppolito.com: Fantasy Football and global competence intersect in Mr. Ippolito's class:



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Create a Word Cloud Within Your Google Documents

Word clouds are fun!



Free Technology for Teachers: Create a Word Cloud Within Your Google Documents:



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Cybersecurity | NOVA Labs | PBS

Great Digital Citizenship resource for 6-12 students. Here's the blurb from the website: 



Take cybersecurity into your own hands. In this Lab, you’ll defend a company that is the target of increasingly sophisticated cyber attacks. Your task is to strengthen your cyber defenses and thwart the attackers by completing a series of cybersecurity challenges. You’ll crack passwords, craft code, and defeat malicious hackers.



Cybersecurity | NOVA Labs | PBS:



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How to Record Google Slides with Snagit - TeachFlip

So, I stepped into Mr. Hickman's class today to watch a group of his students present their research projects via Google Slides. Several of his students were using their smartphones to record the presentations. Then, I just came across this article. It would have been a perfect fit for what he wanted to do! I love the idea of recording presentations for review and reflection!



How to Record Google Slides with Snagit - TeachFlip:



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'Landmark' Student-Data-Privacy Law Enacted in California

Good news: "California's new law is unique in putting the responsibility for ensuring the privacy of student data on industry." 



'Landmark' Student-Data-Privacy Law Enacted in California - Digital Education - Education Week:



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Academic Skills on Web Are Tied to Income Level

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2014/09/24/us/academic-skills-on-web-are-tied-to-income-level.html?ref=education&_r=2&referrer=

I agree with the last thought in this article.  I believe that some teachers do not realize that students do not know how to research effectively online. I think they feel like students are tech savvy and they don't need to address these skills. But, that's not true. What do you think?

SignUpGenius Service

Genious! I haven't used this service, but it looks really cool. And, since tomorrow is the Parent Teacher Conference day in our district, this just jumped out at me. I have also been exploring how to allow parents to sign up for a conference on a Google Calendar. You can find out more about how to do that here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Is34v6aKT7c#t=10

SignUpGenius: How It Works

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321 Free Tools for Teachers - Free Educational Technology

A massive list but includes some Chrome apps. 321 Free Tools for Teachers - Free Educational Technology:



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Five-Minute Film Festival: 8 Interactive Video Tools for Engaging Learners | Edutopia

Here is a list of some cool resources for students.



Five-Minute Film Festival: 8 Interactive Video Tools for Engaging Learners | Edutopia:



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Add borders and crop images in Google Slides - Drive Help

Sweet! More function for Google Slides. It's incredible that you can now crop to a shape.



Add borders and crop images in Google Slides - Drive Help:



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The Best Citation and Bibliography Apps for Student Researchers and Academics ~ Educational Technology and Mobile Learning

Another nice and short list of apps.



The Best Citation and Bibliography Apps for Student Researchers and Academics ~ Educational Technology and Mobile Learning:



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Drum Up Interest in Your Media Center

Mrs. Allbach and I are always looking for ways to get teachers interested in our media center and earlier this year we decided to promote ourselves and our stuff with a fun email.

Want to take a picture or movie with your iPad, but you had too much coffee this morning? Borrow the iPad mount!

Although emails are typically overlooked, we find that our teachers are already crunched for time, so this was the best way to share what is going on.

And the reaction was positive:

"Wow.Just Wow"

"Dang! Ya’ll is droppin’ some SCIENCE BOMBS, yeeeeeeeeeeeuh!"

"Thank you for all you do to support us and our students.  It is refreshing to see you all enjoying what you are doing!"

"I love this email!"

"y'all.  are.  awesome."

Here's a few examples of what we showcased:

We have a few new items that you might be interested in checking out from the media center!

We have several science probes!

Measure wind speeds with our anemometer!

Measure humidity with our hygrometer!

Measure temperature with our temperature probes!

Sometimes with a little humor (especially on a Monday), is how you get positive attention. We look forward to seeing how this will affect checkout for these items and in turn, collaboration with classrooms using these tools.

15 Best Google Drive Add-Ons for Education @coolcatteacher

15 Best Google Drive Add-Ons for Education @coolcatteacher:



Sometimes its about little things that make us more productive.

Raising Awareness of Our Media and Tech Program

At Vance we are doing everything we can to promote awareness of the media and tech program. Our latest project involves a data bulletin board located in the Media Center. This is a place where we can share what we are doing and interesting statistics with staff, students, and families. It has been a pleasure to watch patrons stop to 'see' what is going on! Our goal is to update the board monthly.

Five-Minute Film Festival: Teaching Digital Citizenship | Edutopia

Here is a good resource for digital citizenship if people are looking.


Five-Minute Film Festival: Teaching Digital Citizenship | Edutopia:

Outlook Web Access on Chromebook

The lite version of Outlook Web App is tiresome. This looks like it will do the trick, it is called User Agent Switching. A light hack to get what you want. 

Our domain is webmail.asheville.k12.nc.us 

The article recommends windows firefox 15.

Those of you who use Microsoft’s Outlook Web App for work or school have probably come across something extremely annoying when attempting to access your email on your Chrome browser or on your Chromebook: Microsoft forces you to use the light version, even though your browser is perfectly capable of accessing the full version. What’s even more annoying is that the light version is extremely handicapped

How to use the full version of the Outlook Web App on your Chromebook - Pocketables [www.pocketables.com]

Elementary Math Blog

Exit 10A is getting a reputation as an excellent blog about teaching elementary math. Check it out.

yes

Exit 10A Trying to make math meaningful in an elementary school somewhere off the New Jersey Turnpike.

Exit 10A [exit10a.blogspot.com]

Kids Speak Out on Student Engagement | Edutopia

Kids Speak Out on Student Engagement | Edutopia:

This is a brief article that reinforces some of the ideas that we have been throwing around in our meetings and initiatives.

SAMR Example...

A Wonderful Visual on How to Use SAMR Model On Different Classroom Tasks ~ Educational Technology and Mobile Learning:



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Putting Activities Through the SAMR Exercise | Langwitches Blog

Putting Activities Through the SAMR Exercise | Langwitches Blog:

This is an interesting scaffold to help teachers get more out of their use of technology. The teacher starts with an existing lesson plan and just tries to do the exact same thing with technology. Then they are asked to 'enhance' is via the SAMR stages.

The form includes a question about student process, which is effectively getting at the idea of moving from students as consumers to students are creators/remixers.

What PROCESS are you supporting during the activity at the Substitution stage?

•  Consume

•  Consume > Produce

•  Consume > Produce > Feedback

•  Consume > Produce > Feedback > Revise

I would not take the whole as is to run with, but I like several things. 1, all teachers have entry point, 2, all teachers have a next step, 3, focus on producing, 4, scalable, this would work for single lesson or a big project, and 5, it provides a mental structure a teacher could use afterwards on their own.

10 Major Technology Trends in Education -- THE Journal

10 Major Technology Trends in Education -- THE Journal:



Trends to watch

Google wants to be in schools

Google is good at winning. We need to pay attention to google's inroads in k-12 and the tablet space.

iPads paried with the iOS app catalog made for easy decisions. Apple clearly had the best stuff a few years ago. I am not sure if that trend will continue. It will be interesting to see where we end up, if iOS will continue to win for our tablet of choice. With google apps, chromebooks and now an improving android app catalog, there is real competition.

The Reviews Are In: Android Apps Outshone iOS Apps In 2013 – ReadWrite:

A year ago, we could say with certainty that users preferred iOS apps to similar or equivalent Android apps, because we had the data to prove it. Now the 2013 results are in ... and this time Android apps have walked away with the affections of users.

Google is courting K - 12 education with Play for Education. They now have Houghton Mifflin Harcourt content in the Play for Education store.

Google Makes a Play for Educators; HMH Signs On
Read more at http://thejournal.com/articles/2014/02/03/google-makes-a-play-for-educators-hmh-signs-on.aspx#eswhP2caMvhHSlue.99

Google Play for Education is a "content store" specifically for educators that provides Web content, some free and some for sale, organized by subject, grade, and learning standard. That content can be distributed directly to devices in use by schools or classes. The program also sells tablet computers in bulk to schools and districts.
The materials to be added by HMH can be read on Android tablets, Google Chromebooks or online via the Play Books reader.

Moving away for iPad would be costly in many ways, but may gain us a more unified ecosystem and lower acquisition costs.

One thing is for sure, something will change.