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12 Tools Every Teacher Needs: Flip

11/18/2022

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     For the last tool, let's go with something completely free. Not only is it completely free, it is also the best educator community out there, and you can use the tool in multiple ways. Have you figured out what I am talking about yet? Of course it is Flip from Microsoft, and if you have never heard it by that name it used to be called Flipgrid.
      At its core, Flip is a platform where you can respond with Video. The basic idea is that you can post a topic/question, and students can easily respond. At its core, that is a great tool for student responses because you can see both their natural explanation of a topic and body language.
       With Flip being video, it also can be an amazing creative tool. Flip has an easy to use camera tool to take video and edit. You can also add in some of the modern flare like filters and emojis. It means that Flip can drive any creative project since kids can record and edit. It all just depends on the scenario you outline.
        The other thing that stands out with Flip is the Educator Community. They had an amazing group of people before it was acquired by Microsoft, and Microsoft has been smart enough to just let them continue to build. If you need that place to feel welcome in Ed Tech, this is the one. You should try them out today.


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Conference Preview: NYSCATE 2022

11/11/2022

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     Aw man, it’s time to head to NY again for NYSCATE in Rochester, NY. This is a conference that I have had the joy of going to twice, and I always love it because it is a different experience then the conferences down here in the south. This year my schedule is packed and it includes:
  • Saturday November 19
    • App Smash Madness
      • 12:30 Hyatt, Susan B Anthony
      • No one tool is ever going to do the trick. It’s the creative smashing of several apps together that makes things happen in the classroom. This session is all about generating as many ideas as possible! And your IDEA could be the star!
    • Become Future Ready! Start Coding today!
      • 1:45 Hyatt, Susan B Anthony
      • No, not every kid will be a programmer, but they will likely be in an industry where code will drive what they do. Every teacher can prepare them for that future by using coding as an avenue to creativity and problem-solving. Join us for a session full of strategies that makes it easy!
    • Bring the Future to Any Class with Coding
      • 3:00 Hyatt, Susan B Anthony
      • What learning experience do students get the most out of? CREATION! And, what better way to create than combining it with a future-ready skill. Coding is for sure that, and it can be that avenue to create in any class. Find out how!
    • What if We Ran Our Schools Like Google?
      • 4:15 Hyatt, Susan B Anthony
      • Why are schools still preparing students for a suit and cube culture? Work culture is changing, and the principles can be a perfect example for schools. Tech has a great example in Google, and now you can learn how to bring that Googley culture to your school
  • Sunday November 20
    • Coding for Littles: Bring the CS thinking to K-2 with Tynker and Osmo
      • 8:45 Rochester Riverside, Highland G
      • Computational thinking skills are a great way for K-2 students to get ahead of the game! It provides skills that will carry students forward in other academic areas. Tynker and Osmo can provide everything to make this happen! Come find out how!
    • Drive Your Own Story with Creative Presentation Building
      • 11:15 Rochester Riverside, Highland G
      • Presentations are the most over-played creative output in history. It doesn’t mean they can’t be valid, though. The exemplary scenario and tool can make them an excellent avenue for creativity and storytelling. This session is all about giving you the strategies and resources to make it happen.
    • So, you want to do more with Classroom
      • 2:45 Rochester Riverside, Highland G
      • You're a Classroom master, but you know it can do more. This session is all about that. We focus on tips, apps, and ideas to use Classroom in non-traditional ways. This session will bring out the Classroom Expert in you.
  • Monday November 21
    • The Creation Story: Staring iPad
      • 8:00 Rochester Riverside, Highland G
      • Why should an Ipad win the device game? It’s all about CREATION! It’s many types of creation in one device! Come to this session to learn and play with strategies that allow students to create and show what they know.
    • The Super Spark: 60 Tools to Start the Fire
      • 10:45 Rochester Riverside, Highland G
      • Are you tired of going to sessions where you only get a takeaway of 1 Good app or 1 Good Idea? If so, this session is for you. We will give quick-hitting explanations of tools with fresh ideas on how to use them. Just find one thing you can take!
    • The Ultimate Chromebook Guide
      • 1:30 Rochester Riverside, Highland G
      • At an initial glance, Chromebooks seem pretty basic, but educators have a lot under the hood. Fill that toolbox for Chromebook with new tips, tricks, and tools to get the most out of it for students.
  • Tuesday November 22
    • So, you want to be a creator? Getting Power Out of Video in the Classroom
      • 8:00 Rochester Riverside, Highland G
      • Video content is like gold now. Kids spend a wealth of time on things like YouTube, Instagram, and Tik Tok. Why not use that interest for good? Come to this session to see video strategies for every class and get your students started in the creator economy. 
    • Building an Inclusive STEM Driven Classroom
      • 10:00 Rochester Riverside, Highland G
      • Every kid deserves a shot, and STEM is a great way to get them all involved. It’s all about CREATION, and any student can do that! Come to this session to talk about how we include everyone in our STEM-driven classrooms! Get ideas and share with others!
    • Foundations of Creative Practice
      • 11:15 Rochester Riverside, Highland G
      • The Process is the new Product. It’s where the learning happens, and it’s easier than most teachers think. Join us for a session to dive into strategies that bring out the process of student creation. Let’s make your life easy.
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12 Tools Every Teacher Needs: Formative

11/4/2022

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     Every teacher needs that formal testing tool. They need that Ed Tech tool that will allow them to give a test or a quiz to many, but give personalized and quick feedback. They need that tool that makes grading easy, and it makes things like a final fast. They need Formative.
      Formative at its base is a great assessment tool where you can build test and quizzes, but in recent years they have also added support for enhancing things like Google Docs, PDF’s, Google Slides, and Videos. You can take their amazing library of question types and add them there.
      Those question types are really what makes Formative stand out. You can add almost any question type here including all the basics like multiple choice, fill in the blank, matching, and others. It also has some more intense question types that are incredibly helpful like video responses and whiteboards. If there is a question type you like, it’s probably here.
      The other key is that all data you get in real time. I know how busy teachers are and how hard it is to give quick feedback. This tool allows teachers to get that feedback instantly, and they can intervene right then and there if a student is having an issue.
       There are a whole lot of assessment tools out there, but Formative has just the right combination of features and simplicity. I suggest giving it a go today.


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Steps for an Amazing Hour of Code

11/4/2022

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     As we approach the holidays, I will take a break from this blog and return in January. I however wanted to share with you a series of steps to have an Amazing Hour of Code to close out the year.
    The Hour of Code is a yearly event putting schools focus on computer science education, and this year it’s December 5-11. The basic idea is that schools take the time to have kids try code to build interest and understanding. It’s basically many schools' solution to get kids coding while they try and figure out how to get it embedded in the curriculum. 
    The Hour of Code was started by code.org, and code.org has several steps you can take to get things going. It’s a good pathway to take so with this blog posting right before the 5th I thought this would be a great time to share.

Steps to an Amazing Hour of Code
  • Explore Activities and Tutorials
    • The Hour of Code is all about smaller coding activities to get students engaged. If you're looking for some good ones, including a collaborative soccer game called the Byjus Coding Cup go to hoc.tynker.com
  • Create Your Plan for the Week / Day
    • The Hour of Code should be an amazing celebration of coding in your school which may take some logistics. You could have one or two teachers running the coding part and have to make a plan for students to move through. You could also have some community involvement with speakers and more, and you will need to plan for that too.
  • Promote Your Hour of Code
    • You want to get folks excited! What can you do creatively to not only get your students involved, but how do you get your community involved?
  • Start the Hour of Code Strong
    • If coding is really important to you, why not have a pep rally to build the excitement right out of the gate. Maybe a speaker? What can you do to start the week strong?
  • Get Coding
    • Now it's time to get down to business. Find the things that get the kids engaged and let them have fun!
  • Celebrate Success
    • Most coding platforms have some great certificates and ways to share. How are you going to use it?
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  • Home
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