Promote Yourself; Promote Your Content

Promoting yourself as a professional educator or providing a "here's my content" from my class can take many forms.  You could use one of these tech tools to promote a high school department, complete with staff information.  The tools could be used for proclaiming the great information found in a class.  A group of teachers could promote their class in just a few simple steps.    In addition, anyone of these tools could be used as a tech tool to instill classroom concepts.  Maybe an about page is used for a historical person or a historical event!  Finally, are you starting to create a classroom digital presence?  Are you blogging about your instructional techniques?

Below you will find some great tech tools that may help to promote yourself & your classroom content as an educator!

About.me
Free, easy to use, stylish

• My Example
• Directory
• The App

Carbonmade.com
My Example

• Educational Example
• Educational Example

Flavors.me
Good, but slow loading

Corkboard.me
Works On iPad, Great quick option for class concept!

Google Sites
Use personal Gmail account

• My Example
• Video Tutorial

1and1 - Custom Website
Create a custom url for your information page that you created above.  Easy to connect!
Ex: www.yourname.com
      www.yourclass.com

Wisestamp.com

Easy Gmail extension to enhance your email
signature

Digital Business Card
Search Me: Online Reputation Management

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Vernier Video Physic App In Action With Students

Today, was the culmination of a few hours of prep work with and without the physics teacher, Steve Blackford.  I completely taught the Video Physics app during first hour while the content teacher focused on the objectives of the lab.  The classroom teacher and I took more of a team teaching approach during second hour.  During the third hour, I was present in the classroom to simply provide support and to answer any tech questions that may arise (there were very few) during the content teachers complete explanation of the lab and the tech tool being used.  For the rest of the day, the content teacher is teaching both the lab and the tech tool features that will be implemented to fulfill the lesson objectives.  If he does have any questions, he can always review the video tutorial that was made for him.

I believe that having gradual release of the tech tool responsibility to the classroom teacher is truly the best way to support implementation of tech tool into the content area. Combine that with discussions with the content teacher to determine the best tool prior to the lesson and students are receiving quality, efficient instruction.

See how the day progressed!

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Evernote Sharing Notebooks For Partner Research

Writing a paper for a problem/solution topic in English starts with great research.  To be efficient, today our students used Evernote and the web clipper.  Because students are working with partners, we were able to share a notebook.

See how it was done.

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Lunch N' Learn @ PCMS

Starting January 17 for 10 minutes, technology tool tips will be presented to make your life more efficient!

When: Thursdays Sixth Grade Lunch OR Seventh Grade Lunch OR Eighth Grade Lunch

Where: 6th Grade: Mr. Pratt's Room; 7th Grade: Mrs. Schmidt's Room; 8th Grade: Mrs. Mills' Room

Why: To Utilize Tech Tools To Be More Efficient

Topic: Different Every Week

Get all the details in the video below!

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Vernier Video Physics App

For the next few days our Physics students will be plotting the motion of an object.  Our physics teacher decided to purchase the Video Physics app which will allow for videoing and graphing options.

Since I can't be in his class for all seven class periods, I created a four minute video that can be shown to all students prior to use of the app.  The video allows for the teacher to not have to master the use of the tech tool, but can focus on the content which is a much larger aspect of the learning than the tech tool.

When creating these video tutorials, I always act as if I am presenting in front of the students.  This way, I virtually am!

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AP Human Geography Understanding Information

The AP Human Geography students used one of two technology tools to organize information found in a section of information text.

The first class used the SimpleMind HD app to organize this information.  Some students from 2011-2012 school year demonstrated how to use this app.




Because we share digital devices, the second class was not able to secure the iPads for use.  We chose to have them create the information on a Google Draw (ing) document.


The positive aspect of using Google Draw is the aspect of collaboration & sharing.  Both are easy to do and can add to the learning experience.

This is the first time I have used Google Draw and may look to use this tool in the future due to our success incorporating it!

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Semester Exam Study Tools

Even if only one student takes advantage of any of the following options for studying semester exam material, it will be worth it!  Choose one or more to implement with your students' preparations for semester exams.
*Links provide video of students in action or tutorials with the apps or the web resources.

iPad Apps
Study Blue
Great opportunity for students to create digital flash cards with audio and pictures combined with text.

Flashcardlet 2
Combine this with Quizlet, and studying terms becomes painless.  The lack of audio and video puts it slightly under Study Blue.

Phoster
Create posters with words and pictures that represent concepts from classes.  Send them to an email or create a slide show on the iPad camera roll.

Draw-n-Show
Explain Everything 2 3
Educreations
All of these apps can be a great way for students to review and summarize concepts prior to semester exams.  Being able to explain the concepts solidifies the concepts.

Draw Venn
If semester exams require compare and contrast clarification on two or more concepts, this app can provide great visual thoughts that can be emailed to students.

Google Drive
Create a document that is shared with students to collaborate and discuss concepts that may be on the test.  With everyone contributing thoughts prior to the exam, everyone wins.

Skitch 2 3 4 5
PixnTell
PicCollage 2
Over HD
Photo Mess
All apps above can be used to add text to pictures.  Create a list of terms and associate them with a picture.

SimpleMind +
Have students create a graphic organizer of semester concepts.

Web
Quizlet 2
Create flashcards of semester content.  Having two learning games and quizzes available of the content can provide learning opportunities.

Study Blue
Fantastic compliment to iPad app.  Extra features include printable paper cards created from cards made on the iPad and quizzes created from the cards.

Google Drive
Create a document that is shared with students to collaborate and discuss concepts that may be on the test.  With everyone contributing thoughts prior to the exam, everyone wins.

Google Hangout
Teachers may need to use their personal Gmail account for this.  Can see if students would create their own Gmail account for a true hangout, but Hangout could be combined with Todaysmeet or an email chat.  Questions submitted by students via text can be explained by teacher through video.  If students don't or can't create own Gmail account, choose YouTube live hangout as an option.

Google Site
Create a Google site and share the site with students.  Have them add content in preparation for the semester exam.

Evernote Why?    How To    With Students
Create a notebook that can be shared with students that represents notes from class.  Have students collaborate on a discussion

Todaysmeet
Create an online controlled chat room on concepts.  Choose a certain evening for the conversation prior to the exam.

Exam Time
Create online flashcards, mind maps, & quizzes for free. For teachers, there is a "class group" section, presentation tools, sharing, collaboration, and goal setting.

ThinkBinder
I love their slogan.  "It's not safe to study alone!"  Ability to upload files, have an online interactive whiteboard, video chat, and insert math equations with a great math equation editor.

Cram
More online flashcards.  Create your own grouping or choose from other people's submissions.

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