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New for the 2014-15 School Year

7/31/2014

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Yikes. It's August already. I don't know about you, but the summer feels like it is flying by. I hope it has been a restful time for all of you, a time that will give you the energy to jump in to a new year with both feet and a hero's cape around your shoulders.

Of course, I know many of you are already starting to gear up for the fall, and it's nice to know what to expect when you return. So here is a list of some of the tech changes to help you get started on your preparations.

iPad return/rollout for ALL students will be Thursday, September 4. 
We have created a B-adjusted schedule for this purpose. Study will be reduced to 30 minutes. The extra 30 minutes will be relocated to the end of the day and combined with the Activity Block to create a time slot for return/rollout, which will be conducted in TA rooms. Sophomore, Junior and Senior TA returns will be short and those students should hopefully be released early. Freshmen rollout will understandably take longer. Further details will be provided during Inservice Week.Yikes. It's August already. I don't know about you, but the summer feels like it is flying by. I hope it has been a restful time for all of you, a time that will give you the energy to jump in to a new year with both feet and a hero's cape around your shoulders.

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iPadography by Jonathan Wylie

7/12/2014

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The following PPT by Jonathan Wylie is a fantastic collection of ideas about using the camera function on the iPad for educational projects. Just 10 minutes with this and you'll have at least one potential activity to use!
ipadography.pdf
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Navigating the App Jungle

7/11/2014

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It's a jungle out there. But finding the right app for your project is only a few steps away. Check out the info graphic below for categories of general use apps currently available on the SMA iPads. (Note--apps specific to a content area like science or world languages are not included.) 

The graphic is also available online at http://bit.ly/1jUMwmz. And if you prefer a more linear document, check out the PDF menu below the graphic.

Remember--start by doing what you do best--figuring out the learning objectives. Ask yourself:
  • What do I hope the students will take away with them from this lesson/activity?
  • What skills or content do I need to assess?
  • How can I best serve the diverse learning styles of my students?
  • Can technology help me redefine the lesson/activity I've used before for this purpose?
  • Would redefining the activity improve the learning?
  • Would technology help me increase the opportunity for student choice?
  • Would technology help students go deeper into the material or skill?
  • Would redefining the activity increase student engagement in learning?
  • Can technology help improve the productivity of either me or my students?
  • If I want to use technology, which tools would best suit my purposes?
For those of you who are visual learners (like me!) there's a great infographic by TeachThought.com that explains this process visually. 

And as always, let me know if I can help! Good luck!
NavigatingtheAppJungle2
easel.ly
Prefer a written version of the above infographic? Download the file to the right--it offers the same apps in a "menu" with a brief description of each one. 
navigating_the_app_jungle.pdf
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Curating Web Materials Using Pocket, Pinterest and Educlipper

7/9/2014

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Have you ever gotten lost in the "internet jungle"? You know. When someone sends you a resource that looks interesting. You open it. Then you see another link that might be promising. You click on that one. And another. And another. And pretty soon, you can't remember what that first resource was or how to find it again.

Very frustrating, to say the least. And if you are frustrated, you can imagine that your students have an even harder time keeping track of all the great information out there. Especially when they forget that they will need to find it again and (horrors!) have to cite it.

But fear not. Tools do exist to help. Two of my particular favorites (because they are free and easy) are Pinterest and Pocket.
Here's the nutshell for both:
  • Both are web-based with great apps,, so you can use them on your computer or your iPad.
  • Both allow you to save resources for later reference--along with the original information so you know where they came from.
  • Both allow you to organize your resources for easy searching later.

NOTE: Pocket is available to students and faculty, but Pinterest will only work for faculty. A great alternative for student use is EduClipper. 

Here's a brief summary of each tool and the information you need to start using them. Pick the one that best fits your methods and comfort level.
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An example of the list view for Pocket. Pocket also allows for tile view, which looks more like the Pinterest board below.
Pocket: 
Pocket is a simple web curation tool with no frills. Once you create an account, it adds an email address to your contact book (add@getpocket.com). When you find a web resource you like, you email it (using the share button on your browser) to that address and Pocket will automatically save the resource to your list. You can organize your Pocket list with tags if you like (which makes it searchable) and you can share your Pocket list with others if you want.

Pinterest:
Pinterest is essentially an online bulletin board that you can "pin" resources to. When you find a resource, you copy the URL link, open Pinterest, and "pin" the link to your board. You can create as many boards as you like to help organize your resources, and you can make those boards secret or public.

Unlike Pocket, Pinterest incorporates a social media aspect. So you can follow other people or other boards and be followed in return. You can search other boards and pin the resources you find to your own. This function actually turns out to be an excellent resource in and of itself--I have found hundreds of wonderful ideas and materials simply by searching through Pinterest. Check out my Pinterest board as an example.

Check out also another educator's thoughts: Kasey Bell's Pinterest for Educators. 
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My Pinterest board. You can see it live by clicking on the picture.
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A visual of Educlipper. You can link to the live site by clicking on the picture. You will also have an app available to you on the iPad.
Educlipper
Like Pinterest, Educlipper allows the user to clip and pin links to web resources onto user-created boards. But Educlipper also allows the user to add collaborators to a board, and to upload documents from a computer, Dropbox, or Google Drive. As a result, this tool can be extremely effective for students who are working on group projects, or who need to share resources.

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A Closer Look at SAMR--Finding Our Way to Redefinition

7/5/2014

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SAMR according to students--a video explanation
Check out this great video by students who are explaining and demonstrating the SAMR levels of assignments and activities.

SAMR according to Kathy Schrock
Check out this fabulous page by a guru of the trade who explains the SAMR model and takes it to the next level.

PictureBy Jonathan Brubaker
SAMR according to Starbucks
In a personal blog, Jonathan Brubaker offered this slide as a clever way to think about the SAMR model. Even if you are a tea person rather than a coffee person, it will spark a smile.


Combining SAMR with TPACK
This is an excellent resource to help frame what it means to develop a curriculum that starts with content and pedagogy, then incorporates technology as a tool to redefine the methods used.

For additional explanation by Dr. Ruben Puentedura, the developer of the SAMR model, check out his presentation, SAMR and TPACK In Action, which has some great examples of how these theories apply to reality in several different content areas.

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http://www.maggiehosmcgrane.com/2010/03/samr-model.html
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Reproduced by permission of the publisher, � 2012 by tpack.org.
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    "I am passionately curious..."

    Albert Einstein called himself this, and I love the idea. I too am passionately curious about what other great minds are creating and sharing. I have curated here some thought-provoking resources to assist our amazing SMA faculty as they progress in their 1:1 iPad journey.

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