There's a Tool for That!

Classroom teachers are constantly looking for ways to unlock content for students.  Making real world connections have proven to be a powerful way for content mastery.  Many times, however, finding resources easily can become problematic.  Mostly teachers just Google it.  Here is a list of three web resources that have rich content, are easily searchable, and have been sustainable resources for your classroom, and you won't get so frustrated as performing a random web search.

Cool Tools for Schools - http://cooltoolsforschools.wikispaces.com/Home
This site boasts a huge list of tools ranging from collaboration to creativity tools.  Check this site out if you are looking for tools that will assist your students in creating projects.

Web 2.0 Guru - http://web20guru.wikispaces.com/Web+2.0+Resources

This site purports they have the list of "must-haves" for the 21st century.  This wiki has one of the most expansive list of tools out there on the web.

EdTech Tool List - https://goo.gl/q5XXH

This Tool List is a constantly evolving Google Sheet.  Simply click Ctrl + F to perform a search for the concept or tool you need.

Although these three tools aren't the only vetted curated list of resources on the web, they provide a definite starting place.  If you can think of an idea, there is a tool that can bring that idea to fruition.

Even if a Device Dails, Google Classroom is Adaptable!

One of the concerns I hear from teachers is this, "I want to use the technology in my classroom, but several devices are broken, not charged, or missing."  Sound familiar?  Most teachers WANT to use technology to engage their students at a higher level, but when you have pockets of students without devices it becomes difficult to accomplish this feat.  Google Classroom is your answer!

One great feature of Google Classroom is the opportunity to ask questions of the class which could lead to some lively discussions.  Students can respond to a question stem, but also go further by responding to other students, or even starting their own posts.  Teachers can maintain this discussion in a safe online forum.  But what about those students without devices . . . this is where Google Classroom is so easily adaptable.  Students can pull out, get ready for it, a sheet of paper and write a response.

When I am teaching, I don't have time to print out a page for students, instead the alternative is participating via handwritten comments.  The same could be said for any Google Doc, Form, or other file you wish to have students complete.  Obviously, if you can anticipate missing devices soon enough, you can prepare paper copies ahead of time, but for spur of the moment inconveniences, handwritten responses on paper will do.

Easy to say though, but what will you do when you have most of the class turning in digital copies and you have a few, scattered notebook pages?  The simple solution is scanning the student's work. By scanning a few notebook pages, teachers can drop the PDF in the Google Classroom folder later. This way, there is a digital copy for the student to archive.

There isn't a perfect answer when devices fail, but we as teachers know at some point they will.  The key is to plan for when the devices do go ca put?  My answer -  "Get out a sheet of paper!"

InFORMing Your Practice

In a few weeks, I will be presenting two sessions on Google Forms at the Indiana Google Summit in Franklin, IN. As I pause to contemplate the tool I will be introducing, I also consider how it will be received by my audience - teachers, but ultimately students.

I truly wonder if students prefer online assessments as compared to physical paper copies.  Even though I don't feel that old, I am reminded that I am a generation behind these current students.  The only technology I used in schools as a kid centered around "Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego" or "The Oregon Trail" via six to twelve floppy disks.  Assessments were never digital - the technology wasn't available then.  Now gaming has improved exponentially, but so have assessment options that are available to teachers.

The first session I will present at the Summit will be utilizing Google Forms as a formative assessment tool.  Google Forms are incredibly easy to make, distribute, and even grade (if you are using an add-on called Flubaroo).  It appears to me that society has changed to information immediacy.  In other words, we want answers, and we want them now.  For learning and feedback to have a maximum impact, students need to receive that feedback as close to the submission of the assessment and with Google Forms this can happen.

So I guess in the age of information immediacy, technology integration, and refinement practices, Google Forms will be an effective tool for teachers and students alike.  It astonishing to see how assessment options have changed from twenty years ago.  I wonder how students will be assessed in another twenty years?

Google Classroom as a Professional Development Tool

Have you ever hosted Professional Development for teachers and wondered how you might get all of the digital resources to those teachers easily?  Google Classroom (GC) is your answer!

I think when teachers hear Google Classroom they think of it with their own students in mind and not as a PD treasure trove of resources.  By using GC as the medium for PD, you immerse teachers in another tool that they might find to be applicable with their own students or to use it in new ways.

Here's how you do it.  Assuming you are a GAFE school, login and access your Google Classroom Account.  From here, create a class that you can rename to function as the PD Class.  

Note: I still offer choice so participants have the flexibility to choose their preferred learning path.

Then teachers can be engaged in the session as opposed to being at the traditional "Sit-and-get" PD Session.  See how I have the stream set up with the Bell Ringer and Backchannel below?  I place the Presentation and Exit Ticket on the About tab.

If you are someone that provides Job Embedded Professional Development, consider using Google Classroom for your PD needs.  The staff will appreciate navigating to one location for shared resources.