Working as individuals or with one partner, students will design and deliver a 20-25 min learning experience to the class. View finished projects here.
April 17th Presentations Lauren Alvarez and Audrey Muller Emily Bechen Samantha Laughlin and Sabrina Pangelinan Rylee Seekins, Ysabelle Saguin and Caroline Halvorson
April 24th Presentations Heidi Parrett and Hannah Patrick Amy Huang and Megan Bromley Sherry Steppel and Makamae Nottage Madi Ohashi and Lauren Nakashima
May 1st Presentations Katie Adams and Sydney Fritz Austin Gray
Students should incorporate one or more digital tools that demonstrate how to effectively integrate technology into a learning experience. Your goal is good alignment between the technology and the learning experience
Lessons can be “taught” as if being delivered to school age students or as “adult PD” as if delivered to peers.
Students should prepare a blog post (due when they are presenting) that explains your instructional goals and how they are supported / enhanced by the technology.
Be sure your post includes:
target audience
subject of lesson – embed or link to teaching content.
instructional goal (what do you want students to know or be able to do)
This week our focus will be designing lessons around existing video content. There’s so much video content out there – here’s four tools you can use to associate questions, comments, quizzes and notes with specific passages in a video. You can help students truly interact with the video content, rather than passively consuming it.
Students will work in teams to evaluate five apps that all assist teachers in turning videos into lessons. Each video lesson builder has different features that allow teachers to annotate and add instruction content to existing video. They also have different assets and liabilities. Students will have a chance to explore the five apps in small groups. Groups will then briefly share their appraisal. Students will then select an app to use for this week’s assignment.
First off – a quick nod to ViewPure – an easy way to share video content with students without “risking” related sidebar content. Click here to “purify” a video.
Then here’s our four video lesson builders.
TEDed – build a lesson around any TEDed original, TED talk or YouTube video
EdPuzzle – Pick a video, add your magical touch and track your students’ understanding
VideoAnt – Use VideoAnt to add annotations, or comments, to web-hosted videos.
Vialogues – A free service that allows you to build online discussions around videos hosted online
Use one of the five video lesson apps to turn a video into a lesson. You can use a video you create or a video you find on the internet. In the post include a written description of the audience and purpose of your lesson.
Here’s how to get your finished annotated video into your WordPress post.
TEDed – TEDed does not provide an embed feature. So you can take a screenshot of your TEDed lesson and use it in you post with a hyperlink to the full lesson.
EdPuzzle – Get an embed code and use with HTML snippets
VideoAnt – Get an embed code and use with HTML snippets
Vialogues – Get an embed code and use with HTML snippets
Class will open with brief updates on final projects.
Edtech guru, Kathy Schrock defines screencasting as “the capture of the action on a computer screen while you are narrating. Screencasts can be made with many tools and are often used to create a tutorial or showcase student content mastery.” A related practice is slidecasting (creating a PowerPoint or Apple Keynote slideshow and then screencasting your narration of it as it plays on the screen). Here’s my Keynote turned video.
Keep it simple. Think of audience and purpose. See One Take Video
I favor taking complex instructions and turning them into multiple shorter videos covering specific aspects of the task. Some students know one thing and not another. Why make them sit through a long how-to.
I use a plug in mic (just a standard iPhone earbud mic works well) rather than the microphone built into my Mac. I do a quick test screencast to check the volume level and mic position first to get sound level right.
I first practice the skill a few times to find efficient ways to demonstrate and describe what I am doing.
If I will be entering much text as part of the task, I create a text document first so I can copy/paste text into the app I’m demonstrating ( I hate watching videos of people typing.)
I make sure any images, websites or other content I will use in the video are readily available.
I try and do the screencasts in one take. I don’t worry too much about flubbing words – hey, it’s only a screencast.
Three options for creating videos – there are many more
Option 1: Screencast with “Loom.” An easy to use Chrome browser plug in – works on any computer or Chromebook. Your video is hosted at Loom.
Loom is a free Chrome browser plug in. To get Loom open your Chrome browser and get the Loom extension here. It makes it super easy to record using your webcam, screen or both. The resulting video can be embedded into a blog or shared via email or social media. A great way to explain something in a visual way.
Note: Since making this video the embed code is now found by clicking the curved Share Arrow at lower right of video. Then pick </> Embed
Where to get Loom embed code.
Option 2: Screencast with Quicktime Player (easy and built into Macs). But if you want to post on blog, you need to “host” the video on YouTube.
I typically use Quicktime Player, which is built into the Mac OS. It’s easy to use and quickly uploads to my YouTube account.
Then get your YouTube video’s URL and paste it into YouTube Block in WordPress
Here’s a screencast I made on how to use Quicktime Player to make a screencast. (very meta).
Option 3: Screencasting with MediaSpace – part of UP tech suite / use with any computer. Has the most options for editing and more. Video hosted at MediaSpace
UP’s MediaSpace is the most robust app of the three and it opens up a few more options for capture and editing that using Loom or Quicktime Player. It also provides a place – MediaSpace – where student’s can upload the finished product.
Here’s a how to use Media Space video. Note: this video assumes you are using Moodle. We are not. So you can skip ahead to 1:35 min mark when Ben starts a new video. You might also want to check out video tutorials on Microphone Setup and how to Trim or Clip Your Media Space Video
Assignment: Create a screencast (or slidecast) | Posts 19-A11
Students will design and record a screencast (or slidecast) using one of the three screencasting tools. They will embed the video into a blog post and briefly describe:
Audience and purpose: For example, is this to help parents with homework?
How you would integrate it into your lesson: For example, the 1st day of class, I created time to meet individually by using screencast for Adobe Spark Post and WordPress instruction.
If you use Quicktime Player, they should plan to load it up to your YouTube account and embed using the YouTube block built into WordPress
If you use Loom or UP MediaSpace, the video hosting is taken care of. You will need to get embed code and use with WordPress’s HTML Snippets
Class will open with student working with a set of Google VR Expedition Kits. This will allow us get a taste of the expanding world of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR).
Next students will be assigned to one of two teams – ThingLink and Google Tour Creator. Each team will try out the app and test its features. Then a few members of each team will share their impressions of the app with the class.
Students will use either ThingLink or Google Tour Creator to design a sample interactive learning activity. They will then use the app’s share feature to get embed codes. The embed code will be used with HTML snippets to create a post featuring the interactive image. The post should also include a description of how they would use these interactive images as part of a lesson.
Last week, students explored digital storytelling with Microsoft Sway. This week we will introduce another useful tool – Adobe Spark Page.
We will open the class with students giving an “elevator pitch” for their final projects. Students will give each other feedback to assist project development.
Then students will get a brief introduction to Adobe Spark Page.
Students will use Adobe Spark Page to tell a digital story. I would suggest something that parallels the “Where I’m from” post from last week. How about “where I’m heading…?”
Then students will use HTML Snippets to embed both last week’s Sway story and this week’s Adobe Spark Page story.
They will write a review that explains which app that they found to be the most useful using at least 3 supporting arguments.
Where I’m From I am from clothespins, from Clorox and carbon-tetrachloride. I am from the dirt under the back porch. (Black, glistening, it tasted like beets.) I am from the forsythia bush the Dutch elm whose long-gone limbs I remember as if they were my own.
I’m from fudge and eyeglasses, from Imogene and Alafair. I’m from the know-it-alls and the pass-it-ons, from Perk up! and Pipe down! I’m from He restoreth my soul with a cottonball lamb and ten verses I can say myself.
I’m from Artemus and Billie’s Branch, fried corn and strong coffee. From the finger my grandfather lost to the auger, the eye my father shut to keep his sight.
Under my bed was a dress box spilling old pictures, a sift of lost faces to drift beneath my dreams. I am from those moments– snapped before I budded — leaf-fall from the family tree.
That poem inspired a visual story using Microsoft Sway by Dylan Hite
Use the poem as inspiration for your digital story of “Where I’m From” including multimedia like text, images, video or audio. Use Microsoft Sway to tell your story. Use Sway embed code with HTML Snippets to post.
Sway Resources
How to Sway – this covers the essentials – and it’s made in Sway, so it’s a great demo
We’ll look at three free video-creation apps – Toontastic, Clips and Adobe Spark Video. All are easy-to-use for video storytelling and are popular with teachers and folks who want to produce fun video content for their social networks.
Students will be organized into teams and assigned one of three apps. Teams will “figure out” their assigned app and prepare a sample video and brief instructional review to share back with the full class.
There will not be any instruction on how to use the apps – we want students to be able to experience the learning curve for a new user. Plus we will be relying on students using their own iOS and Android smartphones – also known as BYOD (Bring your own device).
More on each app
Toontastic – a Google project for creating animated stories. It runs on iOS and Android phones and tablets. Also select Chromebooks. No social network sharing features.
Clips – an Apple project that makes cool videos designed for sharing on social media. Think Instagram on steroids. It is iOS only and runs on iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. Built in social network sharing.
Adobe Spark Video – Part of the Adobe Spark suite. Built in storyboards allow you to integrate images, video, sound. iOS. Runs on iPhone, iPad. But also can be used with desktop browser. Built in social network sharing.
Student will pick one of the apps and use it to tell a story. Here’s some ideas for writing prompts
A myth, fairytale or folktale
A quick synopsis of a book or movie
Something instructional
Another great idea you have for a story to tell
Outputting the videos – there are multiple ways to do this. Here’s a few:
Toontastic videos can be moved to your iPhone photo gallery. If you then move them to a Mac desktop, you can upload to YouTube using QuickTime Player. Then embed YouTube video. We’ll figure out the Android method.
Clip videos can be uploaded to YouTube directly from the Clips App. Then embed YouTube video.
If you use the desktop version of Adobe Spark Video, you can get an embed code for your video.
Your post should include an embedded examples of a video made using the app. If you upload the video to YouTube, you can use the YouTube block on WordPress with the URL of video.
If you use Adobe Spark Video you can use HTML Snippets with the embed code.
We’ll look at three curating / mind mapping apps – Padlet, Popplet and Bubbl.us. All are easy-to-use and popular with teachers and students who want to organize digital content in a visual layout. We will also work in teams to review the apps for use in the classroom.
The session will begin with a brainstorming exercise designed to develop some app evaluation criteria. Students will be organized into teams and assigned one of three apps. There will not be any instruction on how to use the apps – we want students to be able to experience the learning curve for a new user.
For example: you’ll have to figure out how to collaborate in an app or get an embed code for a finished mind map. (You can always Google it or use the app’s help feature). And remember if an app is tough to use, its the app’s fault.
More on each app
Padlet – app that enables users to create an online bulletin board to display information on any topic. It has many options for types of information that can be collected. It’s great for curating information – either individually or with others.
Popplet – In the classroom and at home, students use Popplet for learning. Used as a mind-map, Popplet helps students think and learn visually. Students can capture facts, thoughts, and images and learn to create relationships between them.
Bubbl.us – A Bubbl.us mind map is a graphical representation of ideas and concepts. It’s a visual thinking tool for structuring information, helping you to better understand, remember and generate new ideas.
Assignment 6: Use and evaluate a mind mapping tool | Posts 19-A6
Student will pick one or more apps and develop a blog post. Here’s some ideas for writing prompts
Review of one app. Or comparative review of multiple apps.
How to tips for using an app.
Lesson idea based on an app / mind mapping.
How mind mapping skills can benefit the learner.
Another great idea you have for a prompt.
Your post should include an embedded example of something you made using one of the apps. All three apps provide options for team editing and sharing your final product via an embed code.
In today’s class we’ll learn how to create a website using Google sites. Sites are free and become part of your content stored in Google Drive. Sites can easily showcase content you have created using Google docs, slides, forms, MyMaps or YouTube videos. Note: be sure to use the new (not classic) google sites.
We will begin by exploring some Hyperdoc lesson ideas (learning activities designed using the Google Suite.) Students will use some of their favorite lessons as content for their Google site.
Working solo or with a partner, design a Google site with at least 7 pages. Students should then get a screenshot of their Google site and use it to share their site (with URL) in a blog post on our site. (How to video below) They can write a brief critique of ease of use of the Google suite of educational tools – slides, docs, MyMaps, sites.
Each page should have a unique header image and the feature one of the following content elements:
A start page that showcases the site
Three pages with embedded version of your 3 favorite Hyperdoc lesson ideas plus a brief explanation of why you like it.
One page with your MyMap lesson (embedded) plus a description
Places are locations having distinctive features that give them meaning and character that differs from other locations. Therefore, places are human creations, and people’s lives are grounded in particular places. We come from a place, we live in a place, and we preserve and exhibit fierce pride over places.
National Geography Standard 4: Place
Exploring Place with Google MyMaps
Google MyMaps is a great tool for visualizing place or creating tours. It works well with other Google tools and can be easily embedded in WordPress or shared via email. When you open a MyMap on your smartphone you can used it as a navigational tool. MyMaps gets saved in your Google Drive account for easy cataloging.
Class will begin with a MyMap demo and instruction on creating and sharing MyMaps.
Design a MyMap representation of a place that can support a learning activity. Try these prompts …
A community tour around school.
A real or fictional journey.
Explore the setting of a story.
Create a “timeline” using map layers.
Plot locations of habitats / geographic features.
Share an interactive map of a field trip with parents.
Make a map of authors you’ve read
Design your map using Google MyMaps and be sure to include at least 6 destinations. Attach about 10 content elements to the map – these could be photographs, videos or links to attractions. You may wish to design it as a walking or driving tour of your destinations. All content should be geotagged to the map at its actual location (or close to it).
When your map is complete, embed it in a blog post that details what you hoped to convey in your map, and/or what you learned from the experience. (See video for embedding MyMap in WordPress below.)
What have I learned from this activity or how might I use MyMaps to support my instructional goals?
They will select one of the activities and prepare a short presentation to class on:
How is it designed – features, interactions, navigation, external assets.
It’s instructional goals
What they liked / disliked about it. For example, ease of use?
How it could be modified and used in other learning activities.
Assignment 3: Design a learning activity with Google slides | Completed work 19-A3
Working alone, or in a team of two, students will design a learning activity using Google slides. They will embed the slide activity in a blog post that describes
Target student audience
Lesson goals
How you would use it with students
Resources
Set up sharing and embed finished slideshow in WordPress post
