Sunday, November 30, 2014

Quality Feedback - Digital Annotation

Quality Feedback - Digital Annotation


Creating, distributing and collecting digital files is easy. Providing quality, annotated, feedback is not always as easy. Welcome to 'Quality Feedback - Digital Annotations'

Goals:

  1. Provide insights into digital means by which to provide quality feedback to your students.
  2. Be successful trialling 2+ of the selected tools in this session and be able to explain how you might potentially be able to use them to assist student learning.


Sunday, November 16, 2014

Your Devices Connected: Yosemite, iOS8, & iCloud.


The session Keynote is above.  Click on the Picture to Join in.

The Goal for the Session is to give an overview of some of the fantastic changes to your Apple Devices since the launch of iOS 8, and the Yosemite Mac Operating System.  

Apple is giving you new tools to collaborate, keep organised, and stay productive.

Understandings:
1) iCloud & iCloud Drive (System Preferences / Settings)
2) iWork:  it's like Google Docs for Online Collaboration.
3) Sharing.  AirDrop, Email (GMail), Social Media.  (Settings / Internet Accounts)
4) iPhone / iPad Integration, Notifications & Handoff.
5) Family Sharing.

Activity for Differentiation of the session:

The activities for the session, are in the slides.  But here is an additional link to the activity.

Question:  In the comments for the blog post, write one way you might start using these features to help your students, or just for yourself.

Please remember:  Feed the Fish!  


The Worst Bugs in OS X Yosemite and How to Fix Them


Monday, November 10, 2014

Clean up your Mac, Get ready for Yosemite.


This week, we are focusing on some quick tips to get your Mac running at it's best. The focus for the session includes speeding up your web browsers, freeing up hard drive space, and preparing to upgrade to Mac OS Yosemite. Some of the topics we will cover are:
  • Cleaning your computer
  • Backing up
  • Updating software
  • Virus check
  • Pop up blockers
  • Adware removal
  • Repairing disk permissions
  • Resetting the PRAM
  • Cleaning up your desktop & downloads
  • Removing duplicate files
  • & Magic Fix (available on Self Service)
Once your Mac is happier, we recommend running Apple's latest operating system.  This gives us new flexibility in working with Google & Pages, Numbers, & Keynote.

The slides below are our recommended tips to clean up your Mac. 



Spray Bottle designed by Yazmin Alanis from the Noun Project

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

L2 Remix - Creating Your Own Classroom Guide: RIP Textbooks

Creating Your Own Classroom Guide: RIP Textbooks

I went to Jeff Utecht's 'Nutshell' session on the final day of L2. As a keen user of Flipboard, I arrived understanding the key idea here. It's one he also explained while in Seoul for an Unconference we had. 


Here is the basic premise, and these are criticisms:

  1. Traditional textbooks are static. 
  2. The textbook is old or outdated.
  3. The textbook is designed as a the sole source of information.
  4. Textbook questions tend to be low level or fact-based.
  5. Textbook doesn't take students' background knowledge into account.
  6. Reading level of the textbook can be too difficult. Or too easy.
  7. The textbook has all the answers to all the questions.
  8. Textbooks are formulaic. 
Ever considered curating your own textbook, using up to date, or personally selected materials? Take it one step further: what if your students could participate? 

What if this was your textbook? Welcome to this L2 Remix, and welcome to the possibilities that Flipboard can offer you and your students. Now with over 30,000 topics to choose from, finding the content that inspires you and your students is pretty easy. 

Getting Started and Prepared: 

  1. Download Flipboard onto your chosen device (iOS/Android)
  2. Create your Account on the iOS or Android App. 
  3. Download Chrome and sign into it using your school email. Add a second account for your personal gmail account if applicable. (you can bring all your bookmarks from Safari/Firefox etc)
  4. Add the 'Flip It' extension to your Chrome browser.
  5. Want to rearrange your 'textbook'? - https://editor.flipboard.com/

Here is the basic Concept of a creating your own textbook

  1. Create an Account
  2. Search for your topic
  3. Start flipping
  4. Tap the '+' button and give your first magazine (i.e. 'textbook') a name. 
  5. Select a category for your magazine
  6. Decide if public or private. Opt for 'public'. 
  7. Continue 'flipping'
  8. Share a link to your magazine via Schoology or email. 

In this Remix:

You are welcome to use your own device (preferable), or use a loaned iPad. You will create an Account, and follow instructions 2-7 (above). This is a hands on session, and you will make a start on creating your textbook. 


Resources to help:






Want more from Jeff Utecht?

http://www.thethinkingstick.com/
http://www.jeffutecht.com/

L2 Remix - Understanding Parenting in a Time of Constant Connection

This session is a very brief remix of the Learning 2 Asia extended session "Understanding Parenting in a Time of Constant Connection" by Adam Clark. All of the resources for this session were created and are owned by Adam Clark and are used with his permission.

In Adam's words, this session "is about taking the discussion forward into developing the dispositions in our children to enable them to use tech effectively and avoid the pitfalls."

Adam's presentation for the session.

Shared document of parental concerns.

Sunday, November 2, 2014

L2 Remix: Sessions from Learning 2.0 Asia - 2014




In 2014, Korea International invested in professional development by sending 10 teachers to NIST (Bangkok) for the Learning 2.0 Conference - Asia.

It's an amazing conference and one that, true it's own billing, is "different".

For the 10 who attended, we set ourselves the challenge of bringing back something very tangible to share with the rest of the KIS teaching community. L2 Remix was born, and on behalf of the EdTech team and with it The Fish Bowl programme - we are proud to host this unique and special event.

L2 Remix Session Descriptions

Visual Literacy - Dave Archer (@davidarcher83)
Brighten your lessons, final products, presentations, and anything else you can think of with techniques used in visual literacy. A remixed version of Heather Dowd’s (@heza) extended session will hopefully inspire you as it has for me to create visually appealing infographics and presentations with your students. The possibilities are cross-curricular and can be used efficiently without a hint of graphic design background. Walk away with student-friendly websites, and new ideas to brighten your classwork. https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/14X1AdeOPgvfvMwncgklCyu_7FBMBWFu1zf8kcYSPWE8/edit#slide=id.g4a7ba2ac6_099

Keeping your Schoology Tests free of academic dishonesty  - Brad Evans (@HistoryPeeps)
This session will show you some new strategies for maintaining the integrity of your digital assessments.  A new app is available in our Self Service called SafeExamBrowser, which will help you make sure your Schoology tests remain secure.  I’ll show you how to use this program, and how to keep your own digital assessments free from academic dishonesty. This session is a summary of topics discussed at an “unconference” group.

10% Time/Genius Hour/Passion Projects - Katie Fleetwood (@krfleetwood)
Inspire your students to be inspired learners. In this session we will look at the idea of providing students the freedom to design their own learning during a set period of time during school. This allows students to explore their own curiosity through a self-determined topic and study while within the support system of a classroom. This remix is based on an extended session I attended by Sam Sherratt called Bubble Up Curriculum

Parenting in a Time of Constant Connection - Steve Katz (@stevekatz)
Explore and discuss some of the most common issues that challenge families regarding technology use in the home. Access some resources that will help to empower parents in dealing with the struggles that come with ubiquitous computing at home. This is a recap of the extended session presented by Adam Clark from Yokohama International School.

Rethinking Schools - Amalia Kingsbury (@TeachRemix)
In this session I will talk about Design Thinking, mind brain education, digital global citizenship and use of technology across all content areas. Learners have changed and so should schools and teaching and learning practices. This is a remix sessions by Charlotte Diller @cdiller and Andrew Churches @achurches   edorigami.edublogs.org
For a copy of my presentation follow this link: http://bit.ly/1ujx2x0

Social Entrepreneurship - David Lee (@davidleeedtech)
In this session inspired by Warren Apel's (@warrena) session, you will learn how adding a business component to your lesson or unit will help students learn valuable “real-world” skills. Students can use technology to promote their business and give the profits to disadvantaged people in their community. Help students learn to change the world!

Immersive (Digital) Storytelling - Colleen McCabe (@mscmccabe)
Inspired by Robert Appino’s Immersive Storytelling full day pre-conference workshop, in this session we will be exploring the ways the senses (sight, sound, and touch) can improve learning. We will examine multi-modalities and the ways in which image, text, sound and digital interaction are used in immersive stories. I will show you ways to differentiate your writing for a variety of learners, publish pieces in alternative ways, and integrate creative writing warm-ups into your class. http://goo.gl/WDHfrE

Amazing Apps! - Jen Naughton (@MathleteMissN)
In this session I will introduce you to Zaption, Zondle, VideoScribe, Aurasma, and many more!  These apps are all easy to use and will help engage your students! With Zaption add images, text, and questions to any online video, creating interactive lessons that meet your students’ needs. You can also track student response data to instantly measure understanding and differentiate instruction.  VideoScribe helps you create your own RSA whiteboard style animations with just a few clicks! This remix highlights key apps used in the extended session by Andrew McCarthy who teaches at United World College of South East Asia. http://goo.gl/cPSLvU

Digital Formative Assessment - Angela Spitzman (@spitzfrenzy)
In this session, we will will explore ways that digital technologies can significantly enhance traditional formative assessment practices and lead to greater differentiation. We will focus on authentic use of digital formative assessment, and not look at them as a substitution or replacement of traditional tools. The hope is that with these tools, formative assessment is transformed and amplified. This is a remix from the extended session by Andrew McCarthy who teaches at United World College of South East Asia. Remix Presentation - http://goo.gl/CLeZ6U

Creating Your Own Classroom Guide: RIP Textbooks -  Ben Summerton (@bensummerton)
Inspired by Jeff Utecht, and by my own love of Flipboard, this remix of a ‘Nutshell’ session is focussed on an alternative to the traditional textbook. The traditional textbook is static, quickly outdated, expensive, and analogue. With Flipboard, you can easily create an online magazine (i.e. textbook) filled with context that is sourced and selected by you and your students. Learn how to transform your classroom with Flipboard, your new online and up to date textbook. Twitter: @jutecht

Saturday, November 1, 2014

Professional Development That Works - EARCOS Leadership Conference 2014

EARCOS Leadership Conference
Sabah, Malaysia
November 2, 2014


Below is the Keynote that accompanied the presentation by the Korea International School EdTech Team. This presentation details the history and model of our professional development program, and provides scenarios and a structure for other schools that are interested in implementing a similar model.



2014-2015 KIS EdTech Team
Ben Summerton
Steve Katz
Art Schultz
Amalia Kingsbury
Rick Mallon
David Lee



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