A little parting gift...

Here are a few things that I wanted to share with you before you return to your schools.

1. This site will stay up!
The reason we used this site is so that you can continue to use this as a resource when you go back to your schools. Please feel free to keep the link and use it with your colleagues and students. If you would like to become an author of this site, please send me a message and you can continue to evolve it and use it as a learning repository.

2. Keep it simple
Adding any bit of technology to a classroom can be quite an ordeal. Take small simple steps, but have a solid plan as to how each step will take you closer to a grander goal. Here are just some things to think about before you even get started in the classroom:

• Figure out the process of getting programmes or apps installed on your devices first. This may actually involve a lot of people and what you want to do is to document the process so that you can streamline it because you'll probably be doing this more than once.
• Figure out the logistics -  Who will maintain the devices, keep them charged, stored and ready to use? Just getting devices into your classroom or moving devices for another class can be quite a chore if you don't have a system for this. If your school doesn't have a system, you should definitely work to create one.
• Be kind to your colleagues - Give them time to get used to the apps and give them time to work on using apps on their own. Just like in our class, do a quick demonstration and a task for your colleagues to do. Then show them where they can get the resources and give them a while to work on their own or in groups. After say a week, ask everyone to come back and show what they're able to do. If you invite others to come and watch the presentations, you'll be amazed to see what gets done.
• Test your infrastructure first - So much is new and not many know how to set up everything, you'll have to test the Wi-Fi to see if certain apps work in your school or if your computers can use the apps that we've worked on like Padlet or Edpuzzle. These things can be easily done with a few devices and a little time. It's so much easier to manage that disaster than with 32 students with devices that don't work.
• Keep your first steps simple and realistic - Sometimes what you students need to learn is how to hold, share and cover the iPads when you ask them to. That's fine. Don't feel like you have to start tackling learning objective from the beginning. 

3. Stay informed 

As we all know, there's so much that's changing in technology and no one knows it all. However, when we get together and we share what we know, we both win.

What can you give away and still keep?  -- An idea

How are you going to stay informed about what's going on in the world of e-Learning (EdTech)?

4.  How are you going to continue to develop your skills?

5. Here's a little help from me to you

Presentation Day

Today we will be presenting our plans that we will bring back to our schools. The object is to make our plan feasible and practical for others who have not taken our course. We want to change not only what they do in the classroom, but change how they think about teaching their lessons.

Here is a link to the presentations

Your task as the audience:

Watch the presentations with a critical eye. We know how easy it is to tell someone what to do, but how do we get them to want to do it? 

Your task is to rate the presentations and plans of the other groups and put them in order of most likely to be implemented to the least likely. After you have ranked each group, analyse why you believe the top ranked plan will be successful. Come up with at least 4 key features that you believe will help others want to implement their plan/ integrate technology into English lessons.

Once you have summarised your key features, Post a Seesaw video explaining what you think are key features to motivate people to want to integrate technology into the classroom.

Final Assessment - Materials and Presentation

Here is a link to the guidelines to help you with your final assessment for this course.

Effective eResources in the Primary Classroom -  PDP Final Assessment

Our schedule for the next few days will be:

• Wednesday 8/3/17 - Workshop to amend our presentations; Sterling's feedback will be given to each group individually
• Thursday 9/3/17 - You will have a different class in the morning session.
• Wednesday 15/3/17 - Presentations begin
• Thursday 16/3/17 - Finish presentations, SETs? and in-class writing to finish your final writing task

Narration for Google Slides? Wow! [Tutorial]

Shake Up Learning has an excellent tutorial to show you how to add narration to Google Slides just like with PowerPoint.

Take a look at their article: How to Make the Most of Student Video Projects with G Suite | GTTribe Episode 7

Quizizz

Give Quizizz a try:

go to this link: join.quizizz.com

Paste in this code to start your quiz: 144081

WebQuest: Presentations and Evaluations

Photo credit: Frits Ahlefeldt FritsAhlefeldt.com via Foter.com / CC BY-NC-ND

Each group will present their WebQuest and show what it is and how it works.


Each group will give feedback on 2 other groups. Please take notes and after each group has presented their work each group will work to give collective feedback.

Here is the link to the WebQuest Evaluation Form. Each group will submit one form to two groups.

• Open the link 
• Save it to your own Google Drive. 
• Share it with your group 
• Complete it together
• Paste the view & comment link to your group's feedback to the WebQuest Submission Page

What would you like to learn before you go

The Flipped Classroom - Introductory Videos

The Flipped Classroom - Introductory Videos

Some technologies are very helpful in allowing us to do familiar things much better. PowerPoint, compared with white chalk on the blackboard, is a superior visual experience. But some technologies or IT ideas have the power to transform learning - allowing us to do things that would be impossible otherwise.

The Flipped Classroom is an excellent example of how to use eResources to transform the learning experience of your students. The basic idea is that direct instruction does not require the teacher to be present with students, but interaction does. Students may learn better when they receive direct instruction from a video or other eResources outside of the classroom, followed by interaction with their teacher and classmates afterward. The interaction period allows students to practice, get guidance and receive focused feedback on their learning. This arrangement "flips" the traditional approach of giving students direct instruction in the classroom and expecting them to practice what they've learned (without the teacher's help) for homework.

These videos provide a good overview of some of the major concepts and issues in organizing a Flipped Classroom. While watching them, think about how you could design some flipped lessons of your own for students learning English.

0. What is the Flipped Classroom

https://goo.gl/817QMV

1. The Flipped Classroom: Rethinking Space and Time

https://youtu.be/BfsLbGgUMDU

2. Overcoming Problems with the Flipped Classroom

https://youtu.be/bwvXFlLQClU

3. Is the Flipped Classroom for You?

https://youtu.be/FAWidtL7pKE

4. Formative Assessment with Flipped Classrooms

https://youtu.be/nzvZjMcL2dQ

5. Tools for Flipping Classrooms

https://youtu.be/4PaNp94tV94

6. Including Stakeholders in the Flipped Classroom

https://youtu.be/PwFmRKrDFjc

7. An Example:

Introduction to a Language Arts Flipped Classroom

https://youtu.be/eRO6oAEGbSI

8. Reflecting on trying the strategy

5 Things I wish I Knew about the Flipped Classroom

https://youtu.be/4JPdGlyt6gg

Videos with predictions, comprehension checks and closing questions

Try an EDpuzzle

Try Playposit

The Flipped Classroom Model

Watch this video and be prepared to discuss it at the beginning of class on Tuesday March 7

How to Submit Your WebQuest

Photo credit: nestoralonso via Foter.com / CC BY-SA

We will be presenting our WebQuests on Thursday March 2nd in the second half of the class. Please use the following link to post your WebQuest.

NB: make sure that you have given permissions for anyone to view your content. If you are using a file, please upload it to Google Drive and then share a link from Drive.

Steps:

1. Choose an unused slide
2. Write the title to your WebQuest on the top
3. Take a 'screen capture' of your WebQuest and upload it to the middle.
4. Write your group mates names in the bottom left box
5. Paste the link to your WebQuest in the bottom right box (shorten your link if necessary)

Use this link to post your work

So you want to make a WebQuest

WebQuests are very versatile formats for lessons and placing these resources online makes them accessible beyond the classroom. Here are some tutorials on services that can help you build a website to place to host your WebQuest.

Wix:

 QuestGarden

Google Sites

Remember to respect copyright and use pictures you already have permission to use. Return to our topic on CC if you need a refresher.