Summer of Conferences

I have gone to three conferences this summer and they have all been great!  I began my quest for Personalized Learning in the classroom and went to each of these conferences looking for new ideas to help continue that quest.

Cobb County's TLC 

I had the opportunity to present and attend TLC, but for only one of the three days.  My big learning experience was how to use images to help introduce and teach social studies.  It is amazing how many independent, partner and group activities you can do with small copies of images.

 iSummit

  

This is my third year attending and my first time presenting.  In the last year, Google has made it easier for iPad users to take advantage of Google Docs and Presentations. I decided to go to a class on Doctopus and Goobric.  This is a way for teachers to send students a blank Google Doc for the students to type their paper or complete their presentation.  Once it is complete, the student SHARES the doc with the teacher and then he/she can grade the assignment using a Rubric that is attached to the document.  Another great Google Add On is Flubarro.  It allows you to create a Google Form and then submit the correct answers yourself.  Then you take that line in the spreadsheet of responses and name it the key.  The rest of the submissions will be graded automatically.

ISTE

This is a huge technology conference that was luckily in Atlanta this year.  I had a few take aways from this conference.  This is my second time attending ISTE so I wasn't quite as overwhelmed as I was the first time I went four years ago.

The first "Game Changing" moment came during the Key Note Speaker, Kevin Carroll's speech.  He caught my attention when he took his very difficult upbringing and turned it into that time in your life when you can use an experience to give up or to be brave and make something of your life.  He reminded me that recess isn't just about kids needing a break, but it's about learning how to relate to other people.  Our students learn many important life skills out on the playground.  The trick for adults is how do you then take that and bring it into the classroom and inspire kinds to reach for their dreams.  I encourage everyone to watch his videos that are on YouTube and take a look at his website.  I can't wait to get home from vacation and start reading his book, Rules Of the Red Rubber Ball, that was delivered the day I left!

• Take Away Number 1-  QR Code Professional Development- Have you ever been sitting in a faculty meeting and you are listening to somebody talk about something that sounds really cool that they are doing in their classroom, but all can think about is all of the reading groups and assessments and planning that you need to do.  This is just not something you can add right now. This plan would allow you to learn about that cool thing when you are calmer and when your mind is ready to take in some new information.  Below is a QR code to the site that belongs to the teachers that I spoke with.

Here is how it will work...

1. Teachers will create a document, video, or presentation about something they are doing in their classroom or a book review.  
2. They will upload the video to SchoolTube and then attach the link to a QR code using a QR code generator like QR Stuff.  
3. We will then post the QR codes around the building.  Imagine while you are waiting for your copies to finish, you can scan the QR code and watch a teacher talk about how to create a Google Form.  You now also have the link saved on your phone or tablet so you can view it again later while you try one for the first time.

• Take Away Number 2- Have Students Create the Text Books with iBooks- We do several different projects that touch on all the levels of Bloom's for each unit.  I could begin each unit by putting the kids into different groups and have each group submit their assignment and create an iBook that will be our text book for the unit.  Each student would have access to it while completing all of the other assignments for the unit.

Here is how it will work...

1. I create an iTunes University Course for the unit.  
2. The students will do the first assignment as a group.  Each group will have a different section of the unit.
3. They will submit their assignments to Edmodo.
4. I will take the assignment and begin creating the iBook using iBook Author.
5. I will call the groups over and we will add the text and review assessments in for their portion of the unit.
6. I will export to iBooks and attach it to the iTunes University Course for them to reference throughout the unit and then again at the end of the year when reviewing for the End of Grade Assessment.

• Take Away Number 3- Companies that Caught my Eye- Although there were many more, these were the top ones for me.

1. AirSquirrels- They have a program called Reflector that allows you to wirelessly see your iPad on your computer screen and it works on Mac as well as Windows computers.  This would  mean that schools could spend $12 per computer rather than $100 per classroom on an Apple TV.  Some teachers that have a lot of technology going on in their rooms might prefer the Apple TV, but for those that are just beginning to use iPads in the classroom, this is a much cheaper alternative if you can get the Technology Boss to make it work with the Firewall.
2. OpenEd- This is a website that is free and has tons of resources for teachers to use in their classrooms.  From elementary all the way up to Ap classes, teachers will find lots of useful content.  It is all common core aligned and you can even create a course for your students to access. 
3. The SmartBall- This is a really fun and affordable tool for memorizing facts.  You can put an iPhone or iPod in the ball and then choose one of the apps that goes with the ball.  The kids will then throw it, look at the question, say the answer and then throw the ball to the next person.
4. Phet- This is a website that is free and has lots of simulations for science and math concepts.  They are currently moving their simulations from flash to HTML so they will work on an iPad.
5. PurpleMash- This program looked amazing to me.  It is definitely for elementary only and it costs $2 per student.  They can write words, sentences and stories and then draw pictures to go with their stories and then animate their own pictures.  They can also start with a basic car or building and then manipulate it and add to it.  They can then print it and put their creation together so it is 3D!  There is also beginner coding and so much more.  I LOVE this program!
6. Newsomatic-  This  program gives students news stories in language they can comprehend.  There is an app that is available as well.  I was able to secure a one year subscription for free, but I believe the cost is around $5 per student.  Another colleague has it on her iPad and it seems to be free.  I will be able to see what other options I have with the paid version.

What's Next...

Next I will be preparing to present at Cobb County's PrePlanning Professional Development session and for my fourth year in an iPad classroom.  I am looking to have this year be the best yet!