A Few Cool Tools / Resources

The first tool I would like to share is the Prezi presentation software. 

A lot of students are really getting into using it for presentations rather than using the more traditional MS PowerPoint. I think it is a bit more fun to use as they have really fun templates and makes the presentations a bit more engaging for students to work with (or watch). A public account is free and you can download the desktop app as well as working online. It's pretty easy to navigate and you can imbed videos and links, just as you can with MS PowerPoint, but it seems a bit easier. I like to format of bobbing from bubble to bubble and you can navigate to any bubble at any time with the click of the mouse.

The next tool I would like to highlight is iMovie. 

What kid doesn't love creating videos? iMovie is easily accessible on most apple devices and allows you to create and edit videos. It does take a bit of practice and skill to piece together a presentation, but once you get the hang of it, it's pretty easy and the end result is really professional looking. iMovie is fun to use to commemorate class trips, as a possible format for class yearbooks, and really any movie presentation if students are looking for alternate ways to present their work. In the era of YouTube and social media, students really engage in being allowed to present their work in a variety of ways.


The third resource I would like to share is ePals (http://www.epals.com/#!/main).

I haven't actually used before but it looks really cool. I'm wondering if anyone has any personal experience they can share or perhaps point me in the direction of a similar resource. The resource is called ePals. Classes from all over the world can log in and connect with other classes for a variety of purposes. They can just become pen pals, work on a collaborative project over the internet, Skype one another, etc. When I was going through it, I did see a few Canadian classes registered. When you register, you write a quick commentary on what you're looking for in terms of collaboration. I think it would be really cool to get together with a class on the other side of the world to collaborate on a project with.

Google Docs vs. Office Online

The task of comparing the above leaves me feeling a little out of my element. But I suppose that is the point of the Integrated Technology AQ course that I am taking and creating this blog for :)

So how do I go about conducting a professional comparison without much prior use of either tool? Well, I certainly do not wish to pretend I am any expert. However, I am a new teacher and as such, I am always looking for innovative ways to get my students to collaborate with one another and getting comfortable with using Web 2.0 tools. Therefore, I will do what any teacher would likely do in this situation and turn to the ever knowledgable "Google". Upon a quick Google search (I typed in "what is the difference between Office Online and Google Docs"), I found a few blogs with just such a comparison.

The first I read is a blog called "How-to Geek" where the differences between Office Online and Google Docs was very simply explained. I encourage you to take a look if you are unfamiliar with either:

http://www.howtogeek.com/183299/a-free-microsoft-office-is-office-online-worth-using/

For a more detailed look at the two, I turned to a second blog called "PC Pro". Here, the various functions of each are broken down (note: I had to answer a survey question to see the full content of the entry but I didn't have to enter any personal information):

http://www.pcpro.co.uk/features/391192/office-online-vs-google-docs-which-free-online-office-suite-is-best

One final blog entry I would like to share in this comparison is by "Tech Republic" where the author offers 10 comparisons between Office Online and Google Docs:

http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/google-in-the-enterprise/10-comparisons-between-google-apps-and-office-365/

So where do I go from here. I've now read all I need to read about the two, and have played around with the various tools offered in both. Personally, I still gravitate towards Office Online in a professional capacity based on its ability to integrate with my desktop version. However, in a school setting, where many schools are still using Open Office which, let's be honest here, is not all that great, I think that Google Docs is probably more familiar to the students. What I like about Google docs is the additional add-ons you can use and add to your documents:

The Add-on tools are incredibly diverse and mostly free, which is a word that as teachers, we totally love.

I think that both of the above have their merits in the classroom. I really don't think you could go wrong in either situation. I just find that most students seem to have more knowledge with Google Docs. That being said, I think there is merit in using Office Online as most students have access to Office at home (both on PC and Mac) and most professional businesses turn to MS Office. Ensuring that students are familiar with this software will certainly set them up for future success.

Did You Know?

Resources and Software Available in Ontario Schools and the Halton District School Board

Ontario:

The Ontario Software Acquisition Program Advisory Committee advises the Ministry of Education on the acquisition of licenses for publicly-funded schools in Ontario. The Ontario Educational Software Service is the distribution method whereby the software is sent to School Boards, Faculties of Education and First Nations Schools. Check out this link for more information on the software available to schools in Ontario. 

https://osapac.ca/ccpalo/home/

HDSB:

Elementary Internet Tools - HDSB

This site is a great reference that students in the board have access to information at home. Some of the items require student specific information, such as a library card number, but these are all things that students of Halton District School Board would easily have access to.

http://www.hdsb.ca/library/pages/elementaryinternettools.asp

Bring I.T.

HDSB is piloting a program where some classrooms are Bring I.T. classrooms which allows students to use personally owned electronic devices.

http://www.hdsb.ca/aboutus/IT/Pages/BringIT.aspx

Halton District School Board has a multi-year plan in place that states by the year 2016 the "Halton District School Board will provide and maintain a technology infrastructure to engage and support 21st Century learning for all students and staff. 

Targets - By 2016:
• WiFi connectivity will be provided in 95% of the Board’s portable classrooms (currently 0%), and in 99% of school building classrooms, including all school libraries (currently 80%); 
• develop an annual plan that will maximize the efficient use of technology; 
• within the next four years, 60% of the Board’s classrooms will be "Bring IT" classrooms (currently in pilot)". 

http://www.hdsb.ca/aboutus/Plans/Strat%20plan%20all%20pages.pdf

Blogs Related to 21st Century Teaching and Learning

I, for one, found this task immensely daunting. There are so many great educator blogs out there so where does one begin?

I found that instead of being overwhelmed by the sheer volume of blogs, I would just do a Google search for technology and education blogs and see what caught my attention.

The first one that caught the eye, was one entitled "Educational Technology and Mobile Learning". The site is authored by a group of Canadian teachers who share their teaching tools and technology ideas. They post reviews and recommendations for various tools and apps that can be integrated into the classroom. This is definitely a site I will be bookmarking for future reference.

The next blog I found is actually written by someone I have come across a few times in my Google searching. The site is called "The Innovative Educator" written by Lisa Nielsen. There is one post in particular that I was drawn to and I think points to one of the biggest arguments about using technology in the classroom, and that is how much is too much? And is there such a thing as too much technology? The post was written just a couple of days ago on February 10, 2015 and is entitled "How Much Technology in the Classroom is Too Much"? Lisa argues that there is no such thing whereas her counterparts argue that perhaps at times, using technology can become a gimmick or fad in the classroom - or a way for teachers to integrate technology somehow because they want to but maybe it's not so effective. It is all about how you integrate and how much technology you use. The interview Lisa gives on the radio program is definitely worth a listen if you have a few minutes to spare.

The third blog I chose to reflect on is called "Blogging About the Web 2.0 Connected Classroom". We've talked a lot about Web 2.0 tools during this course so it only makes sense to take a look at a blog that is specifically dedicated to that topic. The gentleman who writes this blog is Steven Anderson and is a teacher in Texas, and an author. His latest post (as of the time I am writing this post) was on February 6, 2015 and he reflects on a conference he recently spoke at and attended. Steven spends a great deal of time using social media and convincing others how social media can impact your classroom. He has one presentation specifically on using Twitter that is especially interesting if you are not Twitter savvy.

The best part about these blogs is that it really doesn't matter what country the person who authors them is from. Technology is global and many of the recommendations or reviews are relevant regardless of where you are. What matters is how you integrate the technologies into the curriculum content you are delivering. Keep in mind, that while technology is fabulous, we should not be integrating technology for the sake of integrating technology. If you are not particularly tech savvy, then start small. Find one or two programs or applications and introduce them. If they go well, you can start to find other ways of incorporating things. Your students may even have suggestions of how to integrate technology into their assignments, etc.

Blended Learning

The Ontario Ministry of Education offers a clear definition of blended learning:

http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/elearning/blend.html

Blended learning should not be confused be e-learning. Blended learning combines a variety of tech-tools with face-to-face interaction in classrooms. Please take a look at the following video to understand what blended learning is in more detail. Please note that the video is American but the concept remains the same in Canada.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xMqJmMcME0

Our task is find one example of blended learning in each of the divisions (primary, junior, and intermediate) and share how it enhances learning and teaching. This should be a relatively easy task considering how many options there are out there...but that's the problem! There are SO MANY OPTIONS out there!! So how do I go about choosing which ones I want to showcase here? I guess it just comes down to authenticity...which ones would I actually use in a classroom? Well, here goes...

Primary Division:

I am not a primary teacher nor do I have much experience in any primary classroom. Therefore, I have to take the word of others. I know I have referred to BrainPop in an earlier post but I think it's pretty relevant here. There is an option to connect to the Ontario curriculum, which is perfect and it even works on a tablet or hook it up to the SmartBoard! 

Junior Division:

The In-Class Flip: A lot of schools in the states are moving to a flipped classroom model where students watch a pre-recorded lesson at home and then do that actual coursework or homework in class where the teacher can spend more time on the actual application of learning versus the delivery of the material. However, this depends upon student access to technology at home. The In-Class Flip is an interesting take where the teacher would still pre-record the lesson and set it up at one station. Here's a short video on how it works:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhq3Yn_QgIA

I think something like this is great because it still frees up the teacher to move about and assist students in smaller groups. It is easier to differentiate and provide individual student attention and assessment.

Intermediate Division:

I haven't used this before but it looks really cool and I am definitely going to give it a try. It's called Kahoot! and isn't just pre-formed games or activities. The teacher has the ability to create, quite easily, and tailor the activities to the specific unit or assignment, etc. The program is free and there is no need to student accounts. The teacher has a free account to set everything up. This is a way to gamify your classroom, especially if your board has a BYOD (bring your own device) program or something to that effect.

https://getkahoot.com

Incorporating blended learning into your classroom on a regular basis is great for students with special needs. There are so many assistive devices (text-to-speech, dicto-text, gaming programs, etc.) that are easily incorporated into a blended learning environment. Having all students using similar technology makes our classrooms feel more inclusive and the students who require the assistive technology won't feel as though they stand out more than others. 

The Role of the Teacher When it Pertains to Learning and Understanding 21st Century Tools

On top of everything else that a teacher must be concerned with, there is even more we need to concern ourselves with in the 21st Century. We need to ensure that we are not only educating students on how to use the tools available to them, but how to do so properly with respect to copyright and licensing. Although as educators, we do have a little bit of leeway with respect to providing copyrighted materials for the purposes of educating, our students may misconstrue this use and fail to understand how important it is to cite any information that is not owned by them.

I have seen many teachers using various forms of multimedia in the classroom without citing their sources, especially teachers who are not particularly "tech friendly". It is so easy to overlook and with such time constraints sometimes in the planning phase of our lessons, sometimes priority has to go to just putting the material together so that we can present it to our students. We need to try and take a few minutes and just create a Resources slide or section on what we present to students. If we do this every time, students will begin to recognize a pattern and can use it as an example of what to do in their own work.

The role of the teacher is to be an example. Yes, there will be times where we will explicitly dictate what must happen in an assignment, lesson, etc., but we need to model the behaviour we expect from our students. It is part of the gradual release of responsibility we are hoping to impart on our students. At some point, we need to cut the cord and allow the students to take charge and be independent.

Professional Standards for the Teaching Profession in Ontario

The five standards of practice for the teaching profession are:

1. Commitment to Students and Student Learning;

2. Professional Knowledge;

3. Professional Practice;

4. Leadership in Learning Communities; and

5. Ongoing Professional Learning.

(http://www.oct.ca/public/professional-standards/standards-of-practice)

All five of these standards are incredibly important to me as an educator and is something we should reflect on regularly to ensure that we are meeting the standards. I think that regardless of what century we are in, these standards can and should be met by all educators. Number 5 is where it is important as educators to keep up with the times and adapt to our changing environment. In the 21st Century, this means becoming subject matter experts on ever-changing technology and how to effectively incorporate this technology into the classroom daily. It is no secret that young people seem to be quicker to adapt to technology and can often sweep the floor with adults in terms of technology. We should embrace a student’s prior knowledge and employ these students as leaders in the classroom and not be afraid to learn a little something new from them. I always feel humbled when a student shows me something really cool.

I think it goes without saying that commitment to students and student learning is what comes to mind when one thinks of the teaching profession as a whole. Teaching is not just a profession where we come in a 8am and leave at 3pm, enjoy our weekends and summers, etc. As any experienced teacher, and even not so experienced, there is so much more to the day for a teacher. There are often no lengths we won’t go to achieve student success, no matter how small and insignificant it may seem to the outsider.

I may not have a classroom of my own yet, but I have a significant amount of experience working with youth in the cadet program and I have worked in a few classrooms as well as a student teacher or volunteer. I’ve been an officer in the Canadian Armed Forces in the Cadet Instructors Cadre for 12 years now. I work in an incredibly diverse and urban area and I think a lot of my experiences with the cadet program overlaps with that of a teacher because I provide instruction and training to youth. I would like to share one experience with you that has truly humbled me. The cadet program hasn’t always been known for it’s ability to accommodate or modify its program for those with various learning challenges. In recent years, we have worked with a number of cadets with varying challenges and I think we have done an excellent job at facilitating their success in the program. Five years ago, as the training officer of my squadron, I was considered the subject matter expert on cadets with special needs. As such, I was handed an IEP (Individualized Education Plan) for a new recruit. In it, the cadet was identified with having Aspergers. We had recently had another cadet diagnosed with the same so I had a little experience but this new cadet was going to be a challenge. He had high anxiety, was regularly medicated, and wanted to be a pilot.

I was a little overwhelmed, so I went straight to the source: The Parent.

Never have I worked with such supportive parents. They are always a call or an email away and we have developed a strong working relationship over the past 5 years.

This cadet has done exceptionally well. Although he has not been successful is attaining his pilot’s license at this point, he has successfully attended many overnight activities, attended 3 week summer training opportunities, been appointed important leadership positions within our squadron, and will be promoted to the second highest rank achievable in the program. He is striving to be selected for the Cadet International Exchange Program this summer, which is the highest sought-after camp we offer, and he maintains a part-time job for which I acted as a reference for him. This may sound like an advertisement for the cadet program, which is certainly not my intention, but I have seen this cadet grow so much over the past 5 years and I can’t help but know that this is in great part due to the effort I have put forth in training our staff, and communicating with the cadet and his family to set expectation. My staff now know how to read an IEP if one is presented to us as many of the same accommodations a student receives as school can be made at cadets.

I know that I still have a great deal to learn. As I am not teaching right now, I am taking this opportunity to take a couple of Additional Qualification courses to work on my professional development. As soon as I saw that this course was being offered, I jumped all over it. I love technology but know that I am not as savvy as I could be. I rely on my husband a great deal when I am struggling with something and if I am in a classroom, I can’t exactly call my husband and ask for help! I have learned a great deal about some of the resources available for teachers but I know there is so much more out there. I even logged into Minecraft tonight to check that out! I’m not sure if my husband has ever been more proud!