21C Learning 7th Annual Conference Presentation - First Year Lessons from One to World : a 1:1 iPad program for Elementary students

Note: The following presentation is from the 7th Annual 21C Learning Hong Kong Conference 2014. Presented on December 12 and 13 by Ben Summerton, on behalf of the KIS EdTech team 2012-15.

Description: In 2013-14 KIS introduced 'One to World', a 1:1 iPad program that adopted as it's motto: 'creative, inspire, redefine'. This presentation summarises key observations and findings from the consultation and design aspects of One to World, through to it's implementation. The focus will then shift to examining how One to World has impacted student learning for our Grade 3 and 4 students participating in One to World, and how it is recasting the role of the teacher.

The Hour of Code - Computer Science Education Week

The Goals for the Session is to provide teachers with an introduction to computer science aimed to demystify "code," show that anyone can learn the basics, and provide information on why students should learn code. 

Student Benefits:

• Be exposed to a new way of understanding their world; see the role of computer science in their daily lives. 
• Gain vital, transferable skills that can be used in other areas (problem solving, critical thinking, decision-making, creativity, and innovation skills). 
• Be prepared for future STEM careers. 
• Take action regarding social and political issues in their world. 

Please remember:  Feed the Fish!  

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.

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

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

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.

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

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.

Professional Development that works: Continuous and Ongoing Professional Learning in The Fish Bowl from Ben Summerton

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

Create a Comment Bank in PowerSchool Gradebook

Goals: 
Create comments under C1 Reporting Term in GradeBook
Learn how to create  a Comment Bank in GradeBook
Target Audience:
This session is designed for internal professional development for MS and HS staff at Korea International School. For users of PowerSchool from other schools or districts, you may find the section on Comment Bank setup of use. 
Time:
30 mins

1. How to Add Comments to your Personal Comment Bank

1. On the PowerTeacher Gradebook menu, select Gradebook Preferences. The Preferences dialog appears.
2. Click the Comment Bank tab.
3. Click Add to add a new comment. The Create a New Teacher Comment dialog appears.
4. Enter a comment Code and Category.
5. In the Comment field, enter the text of the comment. Select a Smart Text option from the pop­up menu to insert a name or pronoun into the context of the comment. Alternately, you can right­click in the Comment text area to display the Smart Text options.
6. Note: Name options are case­ insensitive. Pronoun options are case­ sensitive.
7. Click OK. The changes or additions appear in the Comment Bank on the Score or Comment
8. Inspectors.
9. To modify a comment, select a comment from the list and click Edit.
10. To remove a comment, select a comment from the list and click Delete. A confirmation dialog appears. Select Yes to delete the comment.

2. Add a Comment from Your Personal Bank in PowerSchool

1. Open PowerTeacher Gradebook.
2. Open the Score Inspector: right-click on a score and select Score Inspector or single-click a score and choose Tools from the menu bar, then select Score Inspector.
3. In Score Inspector, click on the Comment Tab. A dialog box displaying all  pre-entered comments will appear.
4. Insert comments by either double clicking a comment or clicking a comment one time then click on the Insert Selected Comments button. Multiple comments can be added by control-clicking (Windows)/command-clicking (Apple) or shift-clicking desired comments, then clicking the Insert Selected Comments button.
5. Click Close to accept changes or Cancel to ignore changes.
6. Click the arrow next to the student or assignment name to add comments to another student/assignment score.
7. Close the Score Inspector. Upon closing, the changes will be saved.
8. Note that comments may also be entered by typing text in the comment box.
9. To clear the comments, click on the Clear button then close the Score Inspector. 
10. Once comments are added to a score, a comment icon displays next to the score in the Spreadsheet view.

Source: https://powersource.pearsonschoolsystems.com/article/10196?from=search


Need some fresh ideas for comments: http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/profdev/profdev148.shtml?utm_source=Education+World+Newsletter&utm_campaign=e62c079e84-EW_weekly_newsletter_10_8_14&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_4e9680ab7b-e62c079e84-117590425

Entering Comments in GradeBook MS/HS

To enter Course comments for the mid semester please do the following:

1. Launch your Gradebook
2. Select the class you want to work on
3. Make sure you are on Score Sheet and either Assignments or Final Grades 4. Make sure Reporting Term is C1
4. Right click on Final Grade box area for the first student
5. Choose Show Score Inspector
6. Click the Score tab
7. Enter the comments in the Comment box, comment must begin with:
8. “As of 10/23 the grade is (whatever grade they earned.)"
9. Click the down arrow to proceed to the next student 10.When you finish with that class, be sure to click SAVE 11. Repeat for each of your other classes.

To enter Activity and Advisory grade for the mid semester please do the following:

1. Select the Activity you want to work on
2. Make sure you are on Score Sheet and either Assignments or Final Grades 3. Make sure Reporting Term is C1
3. Right click on Final Grade box area for the first student
4. Choose Show Score Inspector
5. Click the Score tab
6. Click Manual Override
7. From the drop down menu choose the appropriate grade
8. Your choices are E, S, or N
9. Click the down arrow to proceed to the next student 10. When you finish with that class, be sure to click SAVE 11. Repeat for each of your other Activities.

Advanced Google Searching for Everyone

Advanced Google Searching for Everyone

The following post provides the materials and process for this professional development session for teachers and students.

This is a guide to do more advanced searching using the Google search engine, we do not dive into all features, but have selected out some especially useful ones. More will be covered in The Fish Bowl for KIS teachers choosing to attend.

This session is activity driven, and begins easy, branching out and dragging more layers into the search. Based on a topic (Ebola Virus), participants take a copy of the Google presentation (as below), select a topic of their own, and then use the presentation as their own workbook, pasting in their search results as they progress. 

Time: 30-40min

Type: Workshop

Bring: Computer or iPad

Preparation: Get a copy of the presentation https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1jL7QheidBc_6DPYPxNnpR39E7Ent7u3DewDCeKUXpdw/edit?usp=sharing

The following are links that we found useful in designing this session, or have used in the presentation above: 

http://www.johntedesco.net/blog/2012/06/21/how-to-solve-impossible-problems-daniel-russells-awesome-google-search-techniques/

For students:
http://www.google.co.kr/insidesearch/searcheducation/lessons.html

Get Published: The Blogger Conclusion

The image to the left is a bunch of piles.  They are sticks, but imagine that the sticks were finished student assignments.  The student picks up their pile, parts of the pile makes it home neatly in a folder.  Some of the pile makes it home, crumpled up in the student's backpack.  Other parts of the pile are never seen again.  
Photo Credit: Ian Sane via Compfight cc

How do we get the good stuff home?  

The answer is Publishing.  Blogger, is a blogging platform that all students at KIS have accounts for, attached to their KIS Emails.  Blogging is Publishing.  

Are your students writing? Making movies? Drawing? Taking photos? Recording their voices?  These can all be added to your Blog, easily.

If so, Blogger is their "one stop shop" to publish all of their work.

Goal: Familiarize teachers with Blogger's tools and capabilities, and clarify the conventions used at KIS.

Agenda

1. Why standardize?
2. Set up your blog
1. Naming conventions
2. Settings
3. Create a post
1. Labels
2. Add photo
3. Add YouTube video
4. Questions

 

Blog Setup & Settings

 

Download the Blog Settings Cheat Sheet
Conventions

How To

Embed a YouTube video

Add a photo

Looking for examples of students blogging? 

Check these out:

Thinkin About... http://blogs.goaj.org/gamekid/ (12 year old)
Third Grade is Fun http://blogs.goaj.org/emscanvas/ 11 years old)
Jaden's Awesome Blog http://jadensawesomeblog.blogspot.kr/

Professional Development That Works

Learning 2.014
New International School of Thailand
Bangkok, Thailand
October 3, 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 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