Not Another History Teacher | Category | Social Media

10 Great Mobile Apps to Use in the Classroom

Date February 14, 2012

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I am a huge advocate of using cell phones appropriately in the classroom. I just found this great article called “Get Smart” written by Tim Walker published in the NEA Today Magazine about incorporating cell phone technology into the classroom. Schools need to harness the power of cell phones and social media in the classroom.

Banning cell phones is the “easy call to make, but as cell phones have become more sophisticated, powerful, and even more entrenched in students’ daily lives, a growing number of schools have decided to open the door to what are, essentially, mobile computers.”

Schools and teachers need to embrace cell phones in the classroom. “According to some estimates, smart phones, and to a lesser extent tablets like the iPad, will be in the hands of every student in the United States within five years. And as more schools embrace mobile learning, the number of education apps—mobile applications that run on your smart phone—are skyrocketing.” There are countless apps and cell phone technology that will improve teaching and make classroom instruction more engaging.

Great Video about “Cell Phones in the Classroom: Learning Tools for the 21st Century”

10 Great Applications to Use in the Classroom

1. Edmodo –This microblogging site was created specifically for teachers and students. Edmodo can be used to share notes, files, assignments, grades, and events. For more information click here

2. My Big Campus– My Big Campus is a collaborative learning platform that provides access to resources and people that make learning engaging, fun, and real.

3. Socrative is a smart student response system that empowers teachers by engaging their classrooms with a series of educational exercises and games. Our apps are super simple and take seconds to login. Socrative runs on tablets, smartphones, and laptops. For more information here

4. Google Applications – This free web based suite of tools from Google gives classrooms the ability to collaborate and share assignments online. The suite includes a word processor, spreadsheet, and presentation tool For more information click here

5. Quizlet – Quizlet is a free flashcard creation site that can be used to study, create, and share flashcards. Teachers can create their own flashcards for students or use pre-submitted cards. For more information click here and here

6. Wunderlist –makes it downright simple to organize your daily life. Just create a list and start filling it with things that need to be completed. Keep track of your more important tasks with reminders and notifications. It even syncs. For more information click here

7. Dropbox – is a free service that lets you bring your photos, docs, and videos anywhere and share them easily. Never email yourself a file again.For more information click here

8. Hot Seat for Teachers– Developed by a teacher for teachers, the app makes learning students’ names easier at the beginning of the school year by matching pictures with names. This app also encourages student participation by creating a random list of students to call on.

9. Mobile Mouse Pro– “turns your mobile device into a remote control for your interactive whiteboard and computer, so you can move freely about the classroom during lessons without the need for keyboard and mouse.” Great idea from Tim Walker.

10. Evernote– allows you to create and organize notes, outlines, lesson plans, etc. in one place. Students can use this application to take and share notes.

Citations:

Article: “Get Smart” written by Tim Walker published in the NEA Today Magazine

Image: credit

Video: Cell Phones in the Classroom

7 Golden Rules about Using Technology in schools

Date February 13, 2012

Posted by melissaseideman

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Great article written by Adam S Bellow about the 7 Golden Rules about Using Technology in Schools. The following list has been adapted from Adam’s original post.

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

Video Conference and Live Stream with the Tuskegee Airmen

Date February 9, 2012

Posted by melissaseideman

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This sounds too good to not share with other teachers around the world. In just under 20 days there will be a Video Conference and Live Stream from the Tuskegee Airmen. Your class is invited to participate in what the organizers hope will be an engaging once in a lifetime experience for your students. Currently there are over 4,300 students that will be participating in this event and over 60 schools nationwide.

We have 11 Tuskegee Airmen who will be sharing their remarkable story of heroism and courage including:

DOTA Lt. Harry Lanauze, M.D. (Pittsburgh, PA)

Mr. Don Elder (Columbus, Ohio)

DOTA Joseph Gomer (Minneapolis, MN)

DOTA William Broadwater (La Plata, MD)

Staff Sergeant Homer Hogues (Dallas, Texas)

DOTA Lt. Calvin Spann (Dallas, Texas)

DOTA Leo Gray (Broward County, Florida)

DOTA Douglass Bembry (Indianapolis, Indiana)

Roscoe Draper (Phoenixville, PA)

DOTA Arthur L. Carter, Sr. (Indianapolis, Indiana)

DOTA Maj. George Boyd (Wichita, KS)

Dr. Linda Lane, Superintendent of the Pittsburgh Public Schools, will be participating via a pre-recorded video message. Dr. Lane’s Father was a Tuskegee Airmen. Ms. Susan Morgan, daughter of Col. William Morgan will be participating live from the Osseo Area Schools in Minneapolis, Minnesota. We also have several Historians participating in the event including Mr. Regis Bobonis, President of the Daniel B. Matthews Historical Society here in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Dr. Ruth Jackson, University Librarian at the University of California Riverside.

Several members of the panel served after World War II and were the beneficiaries of the trail blazed by the Tuskegee Airmen. They include Senior Master Sgt. Timothy McCray and Aaron Watkins, a second generation Tuskegee Airman who served during the Vietnam War.

A detailed agenda can be found by clicking here.

We will begin promptly at 9:00 EST on February 28. Your school can access the web stream by clicking here. Your students will have the opportunity to participate in an online chat room. We will be taking questions from the chat and posing them to the members of the panel. If your school allows the use of electronic devices, students can also use the Twitter app, including the hashtag #phtuskegee in their tweets.

Tuskegee Airmen and Historians will be appearing live from sites scattered throughout the country including:

Morning Session

1. Penn Hills High School (Pittsburgh, PA)

2. Jimmie Tyler Brashear Elementary (Dallas, Texas)

3. Northview Jr. High (Minneapolis, Minnesota)

4. Fort Hayes High School (Columbus, Ohio)

5. Phoenixville High School (Phoenixville, PA)

6. Meadowdale High School (Dayton, Ohio)

7. La Plata High School (La Plata, Maryland

Afternoon Session

1. Penn Hills High School (Pittsburgh, PA)

2. Jimmie Tyler Brashear Elementary (Dallas, Texas)

3. Palmer Lake Elementary (Minneapolis, Minnesota)

4. Champion Middle School (Columbus, Ohio)

5. Phoenixville High School (Phoenixville, PA)

6. Crispus Attucks Medical Magnet School (Indianapolis, Indiana)

7. Brooks Middle Magnet School (Wichita, Kansas)

There will be a one-hour intermission for lunch from 11-12 EST.

Most questions can be answered by visiting our website at http://tuskegee.pennhillswiki.com. However if you have additional questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me atbbrown@phsd.k12.pa.us, Skype: brownb82 or 412-793-7000 x5311. I will be at a conference from Monday, February 13 through Wednesday, February 15, 2012. The best way to reach me during that time is through email.

Please register on our website at http://tuskegee.pennhillswiki.com/registration

Thank you,

Mr. Brian Brown

21st Century Teaching and Learning Coach

Cyber Academy Liaison

Penn Hills School District

Twitter: @brownb82

Phone: 412-793-7000 x5311

WEB: http://techcoach.pennhillswiki.com

POLYCOM IP: 198.172.153.42

Update your Instruction with Social Media

Date January 6, 2012

Posted by melissaseideman

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Social media is becoming embedded in our lives. Research has shown that there are many benefits to using social media to enhance instruction in the classroom. Students are more engaged using social media, and it is truly a wonderful way to spread information and make connections with students. Implementing social media into the classroom is very simple and can be done using a variety of simple to use resources:

Incorporate Twitter into your classroom– You can identify a major concept you want students to comprehend. Tweet the concept to your student. Allow students to respond to the concept through Twitter. Students can compare and contrast, share ideas, and develop their critical thinking skills. As you teach a lesson you can allow students to Tweet or back-channel their thoughts and comments during the lecture. You can even post the comments on the Smartboard. You can even respond to student questions this way. Another benefit to using Twitter is that it can positively and proactively involve all students in the learning process and create an interactive classroom.

Create a Social Media group– Students can meet on Facebook, Google+, or Edmodo in groups. Students can be provided with various concepts to explore or research. Students can embedded blog posts, project-based learning activities, or other alternative assessments into the social media website.

Students can create a video– Many students own devices such as cell phones, tablets, etc that can record and produce a mini video. Students can record a video and then upload their videos to google video or youtube. Students can comment on the videos or simply learn from their classmates. Here is a good tutorial if needed.

Summarize textbook chapters using blogs – Create a blog (I like EDU blogs). Have student create a blog post or summarize a major concept. Students can also comment on other student’s posts. Blogging can increase comprehension and provide a wonderful resource for review.

Text Announcements– As radical and extreme as that may sound, students respond well to text messages related to instruction (I use a program called Cel.ly). Teachers can create a groups of students or cells. Teacher’s can text reminders to a entire class or an individual students. Students can even text their teacher if they have a question. The best part is that it is a controlled environment in that Cel.ly keeps a record of every message placed.

For more information visit

Great Ideas: 7 Uses for QR Codes in School

Date December 10, 2011

Posted by melissaseideman

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I discovered another great blog post from Vicki Davis author of the Cool Cat Teacher blog. I could not agree more with Vicki that we should be encourage students to use their cell phones in the classroom. Vicky said “Let’s harness the elephant in the room instead of pretending he isn’t there. Cell phones and mp3 players provide us valuable links to the pockets and minds of the students we teach and qr codes are a great tool to leverage that connection.” Great ideas Vicki!

Here are some great idea’s from Vicki’s Blog: 7 Uses of QR Codes in the Classroom

1 – CoverPage for Portfolios
I have my students write one summary blog post including hyperlinks to everything they have done for that period of time. For the eighth grade portfolio, we do have printed copies of many items that they save to use as reference during high school. (A sample MLA paper, instructions on creating MLA papers, proofreaders marks, etc. as well as their best of work.)

Their cover page has a QR Code on it. I can snap a picture on whatever device I need and have their summary post up on my screen in less than a second. The summary post includes hyperlinks to everything they have done online.

2 – Anything I have to assess online.
If I have 3-4 online items in a week, I have the students generate QR Codes and put them on ONE piece of paper and turn that in on Friday. Assessment is a snap and I can take pictures and use them.

3- When I want them to use an app
I would like to be 1:1 ipod touch or iPad at some point. But, for now, I share free apps with the students and try to find the Android, Blackberry, and iPod/iPhone equivalent. Put a picture of the QR Code for each of those on the Powerpoint Slide and show it on the board. The students can take a picture of the Code for their device and be taken to the app download screen immediately.

4- Take them to a website from a PowerPoint slide
If I’m using a PowerPoint and want them to go to any website, I always put the QR code on the slide.
(This needs to be standard practice at all conferences.)

5- Take them to a website as we are surfing.
Add Mobile Barcoder to your Firefox web browser. When you go to a website and want your students to follow you there on their mobile devices, you can use this handy add on to generate and show the mobile barcode on the screen. Just make sure that the link you are encoding is near the top of the screen, sometimes if you generate it low on the screen, students cannot get a good photo on their camera.

6 – Encode Homework.
This is a new one I’m testing. I don’t give a lot of homework, however, if I have some things I need them to do, I can encode the text and tape it up onto my assignment grid. They can snap a picture and put it into a text program of their choice. I’m not sure whether I’m going to end up keeping it as an SMS message or text file, but for now, I do it as a text file.

7 – To Hardlink and Remember
Our trophy case is FULL of trophies and state championships this year. We’ve just won state boys and girls track, team tennis for girls, state runner up tennis for boys and are hopeful about baseball. We’ve got movies of the assemblies and things. I’m encoding these and putting QR codes on the bottom of the trophies linking to the YouTube videos — for posterity. Eventually, we might put them in small plastic picture frames in front of the trophies, but most of the adults aren’t quite ready for that yet. (See more on hardlinking.)

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