12 TECH “BITES” for busy educators

1. 12 TECH “BITES” for busy educators TAMI PEREZ, librarian Golfcrest ES

2. Technology for teachers

3. TodaysMeet.com • Log on to: http://todaysmeet.com/GolfcrestES • Type your name in the “What’s your name?” box. Put “Join”. • Any time you have a question or comment during the meeting, type it in the message box and put “Say”.

4. TodaysMeet.com • A great way to get all participants (students or teachers) involved • Immediate feedback • Gets their attention (technology-based) • Useful for any subject matter

5. Todays meet: Example uses • Can have everyone post an adjective for an object (classroom) • Can have everyone write something about Texas, then sort between fact and opinion (classroom) • Can have teachers post their questions or opinions about something, which can be looked at later for review (admin)

6. QR codes • Like barcodes for almost anything • When you scan it, almost anything can pop up • EX: a song, a video, text, an obituary, a link to a website • VERY easy and fast to create • Can be made with colors or images • See handouts

7. Qr codes • What are a couple of ways you could use QR codes? • ______________________ • ______________________

8. Basic ipad/ iphone apps • Compass • GPS “Maps” • Shows where you are on a map • Moves with you • (extra: you may want to download “Theodolite” – very cool app that can show compass, altitude, and more while showing your location on a map)

9. Basic ipad/ iphone apps • Notes • Good for taking notes anywhere • Can be copied, printed, or sent to someone as an email or text message • I tend to take notes in meetings and email them to my school email account • To be copied, if needed • To be forwarded to others, if needed

10. Other apps to download • 30-30: • Very cool task manager app • Free • EX: for a faculty meeting for alarms to go off for each topic on the agenda • EX: for a teacher to set one timer for multiple activities that will be happening • Advantage: you don’t have to remember to start and stop it.

11. Other apps to download • Simple Mind Plus • Free • Mind mapping tool • Possible uses: for teaching synonyms, main idea/ details, or brainstorming (pre-writing) • Remind 101 • Text a message to a group of parents or students without showing your number • Free

12. Other apps • Interactive alphabet ABC flash cards –- costs • Sticker sudoku – free • Monkey Preschool Lunchbox – 99 cents • Futaba – classroom games (the free version has some; the $4.99 version is set up so that students can play together; up to 4 students on different computers) • Discovr – super good app; a search engine to find new apps; type in the name of an app you know, and it will make a web of related apps; free

13. Other apps • Kidzstory – reads interactive stories for children; 99 cents each story • Experience Math Fractions & Decimals Middle School – very nice activities for fractions and decimals • Symbaloo • Cut the Rope • Stack the States • Stack the Countries • Quiki -- reference

14. Other apps • Groovy Grader • Draw Something – drawing/ guessing game; good for getting children to spell; $2.99 • Giant timer – free; 99 cents for a very pretty upgrade • Screen Chomp – recordable whiteboard • Chalk_board – free; like writing on a chalkboard

15. Other apps • Choice Board Creator – good for special needs students because you can put in your own pics and text • The Elements – VERY cool interactive periodic table; uses lots of memory; $13.99, but worth it • EduCreations • Hungry Fish – motion math, free • Motion Map -- $1.99; great!!; interactive for fractions

16. Other apps • Doodle Buddy/ Doodle Pad – • Easy • Can be used for counting objects • Can be used for telling stories or inferences • Read a short story, but don’t finish the end • Have them draw the end on this • Then they take a snapshot of it by pushing the home key and on/off key of iPad or iPhone at the same time • The pic will be in the “Photos” area of your device

17. Hisd online resources • Great for teachers AND students • See handouts

18. nettrekker • A better way for students to learn to research • It is like Google, but it pre-screens out anything not of educational value or of an inappropriate reading level

19. nettrekker • Addresses different learning styles • Create a variety of learning paths • Support literacy: • Read aloud • Dictionary • Translation tool • Has timelines available for students to compare a historical figure to other figures or events

20. edmodo • www.edmodo.com • Way to post assignments, PPTs, pictures, etc • Students can log on using a code the teacher gives them to become members of that group • The group can see whatever is posted and interact with it • Add comments • Attach products • The teacher can create comments, quizzes, and polls– to be seen and completed by students online

21. Tap Forms • http://appsynergy.weebly.com/tapforms.html • Basically, you can use a tap form to create any sort of form that you frequently use • You can set it up with whatever criteria you need to be filled in, even signatures (to be signed online)

22. Tap forms

23. Tap forms • The form can be filled in from your portable device (iPad, etc), so you are not limited to a bulky computer • You can take pics with your device and post to share or remember (a website screenshot to share with your team, a student’s piece of work, etc) • You put your results from your form into Evernote (basically, the “cloud”) so you can access it from any computer later to work with

24. Tap forms: possible uses • As a sign-in sheet for faculty meetings • For tardies • Create a form for students to sign in and take their pic • Can send to teacher • In lieu of teacher binders

25. Tap forms • To keep agenda/ minutes for PLCs, faculty meetings, professional development, etc • PE coach or music teacher can have a form to evaluate a person’s skills • Create form based on rubric • Fill out for each student • Tap forms has something to tally results right there)

26. Tap forms • Advantages • Much less paper/ space needed • Can save time • Can give immediate feedback • Can be emailed • No binders needed • Can help to have a running record • Can include pictures

27. Tap forms • Could this be used in lieu of using palm pilots? • It’s not about being lazy – • Just about finding smarter ways to use your time • To help you to be able to do MORE with LESS time/materials/money

28. Voki.com • An easy way to create an avatar • Avatar = a cartoon character that embodies its creator • You can make it talk to say anything you would like • An introduction to your class • To give instructions for an activity

29. XTRANORMAL.COM • A way to make easy cartoons about any topic • The free version includes 2 characters and one setting • You can reuse these to create other videos • See Library Website

30. Poll ev • Log on to the website • To create a poll, go to the website: • http://www.polleverywhere.com/polls/1018107-httppollevcom

31. Poll ev • Google to find the site (pollev.com does not get you there) • http://www.polleverywhere.com/polls/1018107-httppollevcom

32. Put it together • See the library website and student project examples • On TodaysMeet, post 5 tech “bites” that you would like to learn more in depth