Educational Technology NEWS Digest V1.0

Educational Technology NEWS Digest: Suggestions for my grad students at Touro College, New York Institute of Technology, and students of Teaching & Learning everywhere....

- The iAM Video Project: A Creative ‘Get-to-Know-You’ Activity (Focus Area: Tech Integration)
"As a high school journalism teacher, I have started my classes off for years with various digital ‘get-to-know-you’ activities — everything from having students write me a letter using the computer, to playing various online interactive classroom games— all, theoretically, supposed to give me a better idea of who my students are and what their needs might be..."
https://ww2.kqed.org/learning/2017/03/28/the-iam-video-project-a-creative-get-to-know-you-activity/

- Open Educational Resources Movement Scales Up (Focus Area: Technology-driven Transformation of Instruction)

The online movement to share free educational materials is adding entire curricula to its offerings, rather than just individual lessons and units
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2017/03/29/open-educational-resources-movement-scales-up-oer.html

- 9 Ways to Increase Parent Engagement Using Media - #SXSWEdu Takeaways (Focus Area: Technology-driven Transformation of Schools)

"Ongoing parent engagement is an essential piece of building a positive culture of digital citizenship in schools. But what does effective parent engagement look like? How can schools address the unique needs of caregivers in their communities? What are co-engagement ideas where media brings parents and kids together?

I had the opportunity to join a panel at South by Southwest hosted by Common Sense Education called Helping Parents Guide Kids Media Use. (See panel discussion here and presentation materials here.) During the panel we addressed these questions providing perspectives at the city, district, and school level. .."
https://theinnovativeeducator.blogspot.com/2017/03/9-ways-to-use-media-to-increase-parent.html 

- Learn All About Google Keep with this Google Keep Cheat Sheet (Focus Area: Tech Integration)

What is Google Keep?

Google Keep is a web-based application that allows you to create and share notes, lists, and reminders. You can also add images, voice notes, drawings and more! Each note resembles an online sticky note that can be customized and shared. This robust tool can be used by teachers and students to manage projects, set goals, communicate and collaborate.

http://www.shakeuplearning.com/blog/google-keep-cheat-sheet-for-teachers-students/

- Apple’s Bid To Reclaim The Classroom From Chromebooks May Be Too Late
(Focus Area: Hardware/Infrastructure)

With price cuts and new features, Apple is making iPads more school-friendly–but only after Chromebooks became go-to educational machines.

https://www.fastcompany.com/3069231/apples-bid-to-reclaim-the-classroom-from-chromebooks-may-be-too-late - 5 tips for adaptive learning (Focus Area: Technology-driven Transformation of Instruction)

In this blog post, fifth-grade teacher Amy Crisp shares five ways she uses her school's adaptive-learning platform, Dreambox Learning. Among them are encouraging students to think independently and setting weekly goals.
http://smartbrief.com/original/2017/03/5-tips-adaptive-learning-0 

- 'Spotify for learning games' coming to classrooms (Focus Area: Tech Integration)

A startup has launched a free web-based platform, Legends of Learning, that allows teachers to create playlists of educational games -- similar to how Spotify works for music. The games, already vetted by educators, are tied to educational standards.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2017/03/27/learning-games-coming-platform/99676758/

- Tips for Starting a Blog: Choose Your Own Adventure(Focus Area: Tech Integration)

Ever been curious about starting a blog? Or do you support teachers who might be interested? I started brainstorming this list as I was talking to my husband about the creation of his own blog, focusing on the writing process more than the technical side. 
Combine that with a recent desire to learn how to sketch note, and this flowchart was born.
http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/edugeek_guide/2017/03/edugeek_tips_to_starting_a_blo.html?cmp=eml-enl-eu-news3 

- Using tech tools to turn students into content creators(Focus Area: Technology-driven Transformation of Instruction)

Some teachers instill strict "no technology" policies in the classroom. In Monica Burns's ideal learning environment, though, social media and iPads are not distractions. Rather, they are keys to academic success. "I'm really passionate about turning students into content creators using technology tools," said Burns, an education technology consultant and creator of ClassTechTips.com.
http://empower.ascd.org/general-information/conference-daily/teaching-with-tech.aspx

Using Facebook in the Classroom

New How-To Guide for Using Facebook in the Classroom By Clara Pak on August 16, 2013 5:50 PM Commissioned by Facebook, an education think tank in the United Kingdom recently created a "Facebook Guide for Educators." As of May 2013, 1.1 billion people worldwide are using Facebook, making the social network "rich with potential for learning," states the guide by The Education Foundation. The 20-page manual outlines the functions Facebook allows and how educators can tailor them for their own classrooms. For example, teachers can use Facebook Groups to communicate with parents. They can share information about an upcoming school trip or staff contact details. Students can also use group pages to collaborate on projects, post research, ...


What do you think? Good idea? Bad one? Leave a comment below...

Need some more perspective? Read

"Facebook in classroom, bad idea?

Social networking sites are extremely popular among students, but there appear to be two competing trends for social media in school classrooms and on university campuses.
Some teachers and lecturers are embracing Facebook and Twitter as new ways of communicating with students, and some universities and school boards are banning access to social networking tools entirely, citing security concerns... http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/facebook-in-classroom-bad-idea-1.803105

I personally think that teachers who take the time and trouble to investigate and research the use of Facebook in class, and who do their due diligence to set parameters for acceptable behavior and  safety, can offer their students and themselves a very satisfying experience with it. On the other hand, there are other, more recently arrived Social Media resources that may serve the needs of teachers and students better...