Smart Seat

One of my least favorite things to do at the beginning of the school year is make seating charts. I recently learned about Smart Seat at #EdCampSS. Smart Seat is an app that provides teachers with so many features such as: changing the classroom layout, taking attendance, choosing student’s for class participation, making notes about students, and learning students names. As a teacher you can move students randomly or you can place students in particular seats. You can also generate a print-out seating chart with photos for your substitute. You can take attendance with the tap of a button using the absent, tardy, or excused feature. Classroom management and organization will never be the same with this app!

Some features include:

● Load student names using three options: from e-mail attachment, type in, or copy and paste. See our website FAQ for more info.
● Drag and drop students to change seating arrangement.
● Choose how you want your seating chart to look: show student nicknames, full names, or photos plus nickname.
● Export and print PDF seating charts.
● Record attendance by simply tapping on the student to mark Absent, Tardy, or Excused. Default state is Present.
● View, export, and print a spreadsheet of class attendance records for a range of dates that you select (up to 1 year).
● Choose students at random for class participation and class discussion.
● Use the “flashcard” feature to quickly learn student names. Toggle between photos and names by tapping on the class title at the top of the seating chart.
● Tap on a student to access attendance history, notes, and to load a photo using your mobile device’s photo album or camera.
● Use the classroom layout screen to change the number of rows and columns by panning up/down and left/right.
● Customize classroom layouts by creating a grid pattern for your desks, and then hiding selected desks.
● Scramble option allows instant creation of new seating arrangement.
● Add new students to class roster.
● Maximum size desk layout is 10×10 for iPhone/iPod touch and 20×20 for iPad.
● Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch, iOS 5.0 or later.

 

For more information visit the App Store

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GoSoapBox: Hear what your students are thinking!

I recently discovered GoSoapBox from David Andrade who is the author of the Educational Technology Guy blog. Students and teachers can use GoSoapBox from any device their smartphones, tablets, or laptop to interact during class. It can encourage your class to participate and interact like they never have before. GoSoapBox allows teachers to quickly assess student comprehension, and address common problem areas.

With GoSoapBox you can:

1. Audience Questions: This feature allows students to ask and respond to student questions. Students even vote about questions in class, which can allow the most pressing questions to be addressed first by the teacher.

2. Discussions: This can be similar to open ended questions that teachers can ask and have their students state their opinions or answer.

3. Confusion Barometer: This can allow students to indicate if they are confused about the material or pace of instruction.

4. Polls or Quizes: Polls are multiple choice questions that can be created for the purpose of formative or daily assessment. The results are updated in real time and displayed graphically.

 

Citation: GoSoapBox website 

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7 Golden Rules about Using Technology in schools

1. Technology should not be trapped in a room such as a lab. I could not agree more that technology should be brought into the classroom and harnessed where students are learning and interacting. It should be mobile, assessable, and consistently updated. This week I was talking with one of my students. I asked her how often she uses computers in class. She replied, “once we used them in art class.” My mouth dropped. We are doing our students such a disservice  by not integrate technology into our teaching.

2. Technology is worthless without professional development and administration that supports it. Money and time needs to be spent on not only teaching teachers how to use the new technology, but encouraging creatively to implement technology into an educators’ daily teaching practice. Teachers need to be encouraged to use it and given opportunities to collaborate and enhance their instruction through meaningful professional development.

3. Mobile technology is in our classrooms, why aren’t teacher’s harnessing the power of cell phones? My husband and I went out to dinner this weekend. At the Hibachi table we were surrounded by a room full of 12 year old girls. When the cake came out all the girls (including the birthday girl) took out their cell phones. Out of the 12 girls around the table 7 had smart phones and the rest had basic cell phones. I laughed at the whole experience thinking that these kids probably don’t use them in school, but they are attached to them every single moment of the day. Cell phones can replace reference books, flip cameras, calculators, cameras, instant response devices, and so much more. They can save schools money and enhance instruction if done in an appropriate way.

4. Schools Fear Change. Schools across the country fear change… such as being replaced by the virtual classroom or collaborative web tools that are blocked because of their potential. Schools need to adapt and change to the modern era. Classrooms across the county are the same set up, design, and instruction since the mid 1940’s or earlier. Kids need to be taught how to deal with 21st century social media and taught how to use it appropriately. Blocking is NOT the answer, education is!

5.Technology tools are not just a fad- Everyone is a natural lifelong learning. Technology will change, we need to teach our students the skills to adapt to the changing environment.

6. Money is not the problem. Teachers have access to thousands of free web tools, twitter, and other methods of professional development. Don’t be afriaid to try new technology!

6. INVITE EVERY STAKEHOLDER TO THE CONVERSATION. “Who’s at the table?” Bellow asked. “Mostly administrators, some ask teachers. But here’s a novel idea. Let’s have students come to the table, and parents too!” I could not agree more with this rule. Students and parents need to be included in the conversation about technology in the classroom. Let’s get ALL the stakeholders involved.

 

Citation: Adam S Bellow  7 Golden Rules about Using Technology in Schools.

Image: credit

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CamScanner- The New Way to Save “Paper” Documents

I recently discovered a new Android application called CamScanner. Camscanner is wonderful because it turns your phone into a document scanner. You can digitalize any document with the use of your smartphone. Simply take a  take a picture of any paper documents such as receipts, whiteboards, notes, agreement and so forth, and CamScanner can auto-crop image, enhance image quality and create an industry standard PDF file. The program also allows you to easily upload your document to  Dropbox, Google Doc, etc. and sort them.

I scanned recipes, shared them online with family, and saved them in a digital folder. This app truly makes everyday tasks easier and reduces clutter.  This is a wonderful new application with so many uses for your everyday life! Check it out today.

Photo Credit 

 

 

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Bring Your Class into the 21st Century with Cell Phones

I start the first day of school with the typical introductions, classroom expectations, and ice-breakers. The past two years I have particularly developed a devotion for using technology and mobile devices in the secondary education classroom.  I have used cell phones on a daily basis, with approval from my administration and parents/guardians. Using this form of technology has so many benefits, if used in a controlled and appropriate setting. It is time to get our students sharing, interacting, and engaged at school.

Interesting ideas to incorporate cellphones into the classroom: 

  • Create a Poll– This past fall I used Poll Everywhere to get instant audience feedback to a series of prompts using student cell phones. Polls can be multiple choice or an open ended responses. The responses can be posted directly on the board and are an interesting way to get instant feedback, even from your quietest students.
  • Create Text Messaging Group– I have my students join Cel.ly, which is a group chatroom, where my students can communicate instantly via text messaging. I have found Cel.ly to be one of the most beneficial social media programs I use in the classroom. Students communicate more with me through the use of their cell phones compared to any other form of communication. What impressed me the most this year was the number of parents that wanted to be included on the cell phone group. 
  • Cell Sharing- Ask students to locate a photo, song, or video from their mobile device that best represents them. They can then pair share their selection with the class and why it was selected. (Idea from Jackie Gerstein)
  • Random Question or Poll- Students can be assigned a random question from Question Cup and then post their response using  Cel.lyWallwisher or Wifitti. Responses can be posted on the whiteboard. (Idea from Jackie Gerstein)
  • Texting Interview– Students can be randomly paired together and provide them with a series of interview prompts. The pairs can text their questions and answers back and forth. The interviews can be summarized and shared with the class and posted on a sticky not board such as  Wallwisher or  Cel.ly.  (Idea modified from Jackie Gerstein)
  • Text a Friend– Students can text a friend or family member (outside of school) a question and then post the response on the whiteboard using  Cel.ly,  Wallwisher or Wifitti. Last year I posed the question, “What was one history event that impacted your lifetime?” I am a history teacher so this was an interesting way discuss the concept of why history matters and how my students are historians. This idea also works well with any topic. I have used text a friend multiple times such as “What do you know about Richard Nixon?” “Why was Bill Clinton impeached?” “Did you vote in the last election? Why or why not” Questions like these bring interesting and multiple perspectives into  the classroom. Many family members have also commented that they enjoy the conversations afterschool about the lesson.
  • QR Code Scavenger Hunt– You can design a QR code scavenger hunt for your classes to get your students moving, sharing, and bonding. Check out this simple QR Code Generator from Teacher Tools.
If you have any other ideas to share, please post them below.

 

 

 

 

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How to improve student retention rates?

Thanks to the Motivation Daily newspaper, I learned about increasing retention rates and motivation in school. It is important for schools to monitor student retention rates because it can determine the success of an institution. Student retention rates are the “percentage of students who remain at an educational institution after they begin studying there. High schools, colleges and graduate institutes throughout the country care about improving their retention rates.” A school that has a high retention rate can suggest that a school is friendly, welcoming, supportive, and educationally stimulating. A school that has all of these characteristics can increase student achievement and success.

How can we improve our school? 

1. Collect data at the beginning of the year to determine the number of students enrolled

2. Collect data the following year on the number of students from your sample in Step 1 who are still enrolled at the school.

3. Divide the number calculated in Step 2 by the number of Step 1. For example, 90 (Step 2) ÷ 100 (Step 1) = 0.9 or 90%. The result of this calculation is the student retention rate. 90 percent of students of the incoming class of 2009 remained at the school after one year.

For more information visit: How to Calculate Student Retention Rate | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_7431537_calculate-student-retention-rate.html#ixzz1ijs8xrIy

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5 Ways Engage Students

Thanks to Michelle Doman, a guest blogger at the Simple K-12 blog, I learned about a few interesting ways to “wake” students up in class. I like the ideas to increase engagement and excitement related to a lesson. Thanks Michelle. I can’t wait to try them in 2012!

Here are a few ideas I would like to try:

1. When responding to a writing prompt, have the students drop their pencils on the ground when they have completed the task. You won’t believe how MANY giggles and guilty looks you will get. classroom management

2. Play a sound clip of the Mission Impossible theme, have them act as 007 until the music stops. Then, whoever they end up next to, that is their partner for the activity, or that is the person that they share their Think-pair-share answer with. This is most defiantly a middle school idea!

3. Place random discussion or reading comprehension questions on sticky notes underneath a handful of desks. When you are ready to ask questions, ask them to peek and read-aloud the questions. This works really well for introverted or shy students. Plus, they LOVE secret note passing. Another great idea

4. Have each student call on the next student to answer your lesson questions. This motivates them to stay focused, and they enjoy calling on others! Great idea…. I can’t wait to try it.

5. At the beginning of class on Mondays, ask if anyone has any crazy stories to share from the weekend.  I do this with my high school classes and students love to share.

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