Educational Technology for Teachers

Check out this podcast by Northern State University Student and South Dakota teacher, Quintin Pease about Symbaloo and the SAMR model (with the help of a guest). This podcast shares some excellent ideas for using Symbaloo!

Check out this podcast by Northern State University Student and second grade teacher, Kaci Ulrich about twitter and the SAMR model. She shares some excellent ideas for using twitter, especially on the Modification and Redefinition levels.

Have you ever wondered if there are any opportunities out there where you can apply and be awarded money for technology items in your classroom. Of course it isn't easy or guaranteed to get money or technology for your classroom, but it can be well worth it. Here are links to the opportunities that I discuss in the podcast episode: Ed Tech Team Grants - https://www.edtechteam.com/grant/ Donors Choose - http://www.donorschoose.org/ Adopt a Classroom - http://www.adoptaclassroom.org/ Digital Wish - http://www.digitalwish.com/dw/digitalwish/grant_awards - Receive additional support for a 1:1 classroom. Toshiba America Foundation - http://www.toshiba.com/taf/ Best Buy - ttps://corporate.bestbuy.com/community-grants-page/ RGK foundation - http://rgkfoundation.org/public/guidelines - Through principal/superintendent only.  Entertainment Software Association - http://www.esafoundation.org/challenge-grant.asp Teachers Count - http://www.teacherscount.org/grants/ - List of different grants available.  Also, don't forget about opportunities that may be available through your local school district and through your state department of education. 

Throughout our history, we have asked important questions, such as, "why is there air?" "How many people does it take to change a light bulb?" and "Did the chicken or the egg come first?" One age old question that teachers have asked is, "should I create a class website or a class blog?" In this podcast episode I help to answer this age old question  by discussing when you might want a blog or a website. I also discuss alternatives to both approaches and some of the tools that teachers use to create websites, blogs, online photo albums and text/email message blasters. Here are some of the tools I mention in this episode: Website creation tools: Weebly Wix Google Sites Blog creation tools: Blogger.com Kidblog.org Online photo albums: iCloud Picasa Web Albums General Classroom Management (with message/blog sharing): Class Dojo Text/Email Message Blaster: Remind.com

Have you been asked to integrate technology in your classroom, but you don't know where to start? In this episode, I share some ideas from Doug Johnson's book, The Classroom Teacher's Technology Survival Guide. First I share some ideas to change non-technology-based activities into technology-based ones. Then I share about some basic and easy activities and technologies that can be incorporated into classroom learning.  

Have you ever wondered what types of interventions, teaching and learning practices and other items really make a difference for student learning? In this episode, we take a look at the interventions, teaching and learning practices and other elements have an above average effect on student learning. I discuss John Hattie's framework for Visible Learning to help answer some of these questions. Visible Learning, and Visible Learning for Teachers

In our last podcast episode for this school year, I discuss the principles of Universal Design for Learning. Here is a nicely organized list of these principles: Provide multiple means of representation Provide options for perception Provide options for language, mathematical expressions and symbols Provide options for comprehension Provide multiple means of action and expression Provide options for physical action Provide options for expression and communication Provide options for executive functions Provide multiple means of engagement  Provide options for recruiting interest Provide options for sustaining effort and persistence Provide options for self-regulation Some of the tools mentioned in this podcast are: Visuwords.com https://www.wikipedia.org/   http://www.nbclearn.com/science-and-engineering-of-the-2014-olympic-winter-games

This week, Dr. Alan Neville, an expert in Multiple Intelligences, guest stars as we discuss learning styles and Multiple Intelligences. We dispel some myths surrounding these ideas and also discuss what the research says. Here are the multiple intelligences: Spatial Linguistic  Logical-Mathmatical Bodily-Kinesthetic Musical Interpersonal Intrapersonal Naturalist Existential Here are some reference links from this episode: Howard Gardner's original book - Frames of mind: The theory of multiple intelligences Multiple intelligences survey

This week, I discuss a model of intrinsic motivation and how the proper use of technology can support intrinsic motivation for learning. Here are the four main elements of the taxonomy of intrinsic motivations: Control Challenge  Curiousity Contextualization Reference: Malone, T. W., & Lepper, M. R. (1987). Making learning fun: A taxonomy of intrinsic motivations for learning. In R. E. Snow & J. F. Marshall (Eds.), Aptitude, learning, and instruction (Vol. 3, pp. 223–253). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

This week, My students discuss four different technologies and how they might be used on the four different levels of the SAMR model.  Here are the four levels of the SAMR model: Substitution Augmentation Modification Redefinition Here are the four different tools: Webex Google Drive Google Hangouts Tizmos

This week, I talk about the importance of making your voice sound engaging when teaching. This post comes mainly from a section of my book, Educational Technology for Teachers. I also share the four main elements of voice and tell how to practice varying them. The four main elements of voice are: Pitch Tone Volume Rate

This week, South Dakota Teachers share their favorite websites and apps that relate to digital media. These websites and apps allow teachers to create media projects.  The teachers also share some examples of how they use these websites and apps for learning activities. Here are the websites and apps discussed in this podcast: Garage Band - iPad app iMovie - iPad app Weebly Wix Google Sites PicMonkey

This week, South Dakota Teachers share their favorite technological tools and apps under the "miscellaneous" category. The teachers also share some examples of how they use these tools and apps for learning activities. Here are the tools and apps discussed in this podcast: Document Cameras The Human Body App My Story App StoryKit StoryMaker

This week, South Dakota Teachers share their favorite websites and apps that relate to quizzing. These sites allow teachers to prepare for or implement class quizzes.  The teachers also share some examples of how they use these websites and tools for learning activities. Here are the websites discussed in this podcast: Quizlet.com Quia.com NewsELA.com

This week, South Dakota Teachers share their favorite websites and apps that relate to learning management tools and systems. A learning management system allows you to post assignments and activities so that students can complete them and submit them online.  The teachers also share some examples of how they use these websites and tools for learning activities. Here are the websites and apps discussed in this podcast: Edmodo Google Classroom BuzzMath.com Google Presentations MyBigCampus Twitter - my Twitter feed

This week, Josh Jensen and I discuss some of the barriers to South Dakota teachers using new ideas and new technologies in the classrooms. We also talk about some nice sites for scheduling parent-teacher conferences and other meetings. Here are a few links from this episode: https://gb.youcanbook.me/  http://doodle.com/

This week, South Dakota Teachers share their favorite websites and apps that relate to classroom management. They also share some examples of how they use these websites and tools for classroom management and other activities. Here are the websites and apps discussed in this podcast: GoNoodle Class Dojo Doodle Buddy Youtube Youtube Schools LiveSchool Too Noisy

This week, I discuss the New Media Consortium's Horizon Report. This report outlines 6 new technologies that will be adopted in K-12 education over the next several years. Here are the technologies discussed: Bring your own device Cloud computing Games and Gamification Learning Analytics The Internet of Things Wearable Technologies Here's a link to the New Media Consortium's Horizon Report for K-12 Education

This week, Josh Jensen and I discuss some technology solutions for intensive care units (ICU) in schools. Also, we share some unique projects that Josh implemented in a social study classroom. Here are a few links to some of the things we talked about: Audacity - http://audacity.sourceforge.net/  GIMP - http://www.gimp.org/

This week, I discuss some things you really should consider before adopting iPads for your classes on a 1:1 basis. They certainly don't do everything and they aren't perfect educational devices. Here's what you need to know organized under three categories, the good, the bad and the ugly.

We're finally back from winter break! This week, I discuss some really cool classroom response sites for active learning with mobile devices. Here are the links from this post: Screenleap Nearpod Poll Everywhere Socrative Padlet  Lino Awwapp Plickers More information in my book - Educational Technology for Teachers - including a full list of recommended apps and websites for education.

This week, I discuss the CRAP test to help you determine the accuracy of an information source. Teachers can adapt this test for different ages of students in order to help them learn this important 21st century skill. Here are the elements of the CRAP test: Currency Reliability Accuracy Purpose and point of view Here are the links from this post: Reliability of Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reliability_of_Wikipedia More information in my book - Educational Technology for Teachers - including a full section on information literacy. Your browser does not support the audio element.

This week, we talk a little about the future of education and how what we do now with technology in the classroom can be student-centered. Remember, it's how you use technology that really counts! Simply using technology in your classroom won't make a difference with student learning. Using it in student-centered ways will! Here are the links from this post: Reinventing schools: It's time to break the mold (book) - http://www.amazon.com/Reinventing-Schools-Time-Break-Mold/dp/1475802404 Google Earth - https://www.google.com/earth/ More information in my book - Educational Technology for Teachers - including a full chapter on student-centered learning with technology.

This week, I continue a previous podcast on project-based learning technologies and discuss the 9 elements of project-based learning and give some example projects that might work for different subject areas.  Here are the nine elements of project based learning: • Anchor  • Task  • Directions  • Student choices  • Student inquiry  • Collaboration and teamwork  • Teacher coaching and feedback  • Student reflection  • Public presentation  More information in my book - Educational Technology for Teachers - including how to create a project-based learning experience and how to use technology in project-based learning.