Tech for Teachers - from Cathy, Dan, Peg, and Anne

Coming up in January - your opportunity to keep up with the technology tools you have heard about or have always wanted to try. We'll provide food, time and helping hands for learning and practicing lots of web 2.0 tools.

Improving your Teaching Through Technology

The Library & Tech Team is planning a series of tech afternoons from January through April. 
Classes will meet once a month at FES (likely).

Do you want to spice up your teaching painlessly? Earn PD time as you network with your peers in a laid back technology environment.  Are you tech timid? Are you tech savvy? Are you a tech savant?  

What we offer:
a tech class built for advanced and novice users and all those in between.
For advanced users we offer some flexibility on when class is done and assignments completed
For Novice users we offer a small group setting with lots of one on one help.

Topics will cover use of tech tools to improve your teaching. Topics: Blogging with your students for authentic writing skills, use of social media such as Twitter to stay up-to-date with your peers, use of Edmodo and Diigo to gather and use info.  Not already Skyping with experts in your field? Now is the time to learn and try it out. Have you used Google+ to hold a "hangout"? Why not give a self-graded test in Flubaroo?  How can you use the work that Khan Academy has already produced? 

Nearpod and Tools4Students - 2 Great iPad Apps

I couldn't decide which of these apps I liked better so I decided to tell you about both. Nearpod is an app that allows you to synchronize all the iPads in your classroom. So if you had a presentation of website you wanted to share with your students, all at once, you could do that. You can use it with any grade level. It has some pre-made presentations that you can choose them that include videos, quizzes and links to websites. You can also add your own quiz, poll, or video and see the results immediately. It is free and amazingly simple to use. Watch the short video (1 1/2 min) below to get an idea of what this app can do but be sure to visit the website to get the full picture. 

The second app is Tools for Students, an app with tons of templates that students can write into right on their iPad. 

Here is a partial list of some of the templates:

There are many other templates such as KWL, Drawing Conclusions, Fact/Opinion, Main Idea?Detail, Begin, Middle, End.

Here is an example of one of the Cause and Effect templates:

Notice that there is a place for the Topic or Book and the page number if using a book.

Posterous: A Blog Option for Novices with Minimal Clicks

Unfortunately Posterous has shut down and is no longer and option for blogging.

There are literally hundreds, if not thousands, of options to publish content to the web.  What makes Posterous.com different?  Posterous allows users to post by sending their information via email.  Want to try it?  Find a YouTube video or some content that you love to watch or would like to share (appropriate of course).  Then email to mrwolotsky@posterous.com as an attachment or a link. In the subject area, put your name so we know who posted. Email it anyway you know how and Posterous will figure it out.

I will get an email you have posted and I will approve the post.  You can see everyone's posts at mrwolotsky's Space - Home  Remember, you will not see your post right away because I have to approve it. To help you set up your own Posterous website please email your technology integrator or give it a try yourself. Posterous is a super easy solution which requires minimal clicks for both staff and students. Below are some examples.

Students, in Ms. Hjorts AP Civics class, shared quality articles they found in Marvel.

Staff and Students collaborate for a Benefit Concert and use Posterous to share musical selections.

Use Animoto to Create Professional Style Videos

Are you looking for an easy way create appealing presentations using photos or video? Animoto is a free site that allows educators and students to upload photos or video clip. Users may choose royalty free music from the Animoto site, and select a design. Animoto puts it all together for you!

Visit the Animoto Education site for a free educator account: http://animoto.com/education

Teachers may register up to 50 of their students using their educator accounts.

(Animoto also offers a free app for iPads.)

Here's a video I created for Read Across America Day at FES.


Try our video maker at Animoto.

Example of a book trailer created by a 5th grade student using the Animoto app on an iPad:

 
Make your own slideshow at Animoto.

Example of a book trailer I created using my own photographs


Try our slideshow maker at Animoto.