What's In A Web Page - Things You Should Be Sharing. Part II

Reviewing and getting your students ready for testing always seems to be a daunting task but think of making things easier because as you prepare your students in the classroom for what they will need to know for the testing why not remind them and their parents from your teacher website. It would be great to add information onto your website that will help students beyond the classroom.  

Even if that page starts out with a reminder to the parents that testing is coming up and that their children should be ready for test day by getting plenty of sleep the night before and eat something on the morning of the test.  

A great web page to create would also be one that has the same information abbreviated that you are going over in class on the web with web links they can go to for further information.  

If you are a teacher that will not be changing grade levels or subject areas this page is now available ongoing for your students and parents as a reminder of what is coming up in the fourth quarter.  

Talking with other teachers can help you if you change grade levels or subject areas because you could share your information with them and visa versa so your web site stays up to date.  

With the summer months coming up you also want to have information on your site again that promotes yourself, your class and your school so if there are any potentially new students coming in they will be able to make an informed decision to attend that school.  

Other types of easy quick web pages that you could add to your site:

• A summer reading list for both incoming and outgoing students.  
• A list of local summer locations and activities that offer a learning environment in which students are interactive and a part of the learning process.  
• A page that talks about what students can expect as they enter the new school year in your classroom.  

What other types of pages could you create on your website that would offer the most information?  How about an individual page per Quarter that outlines what you are doing if you are an Elementary teacher.  If you are a subject area teacher you can put that class syllabus on the site.  How about those always great self-promoting pages that outline a great lesson, an incredible learning activity or field trip.  You can create a homework page that lets your students know when assignments are due.  

If you are a Magnet school you can have a page dedicated to outline your school classroom for the time of the year when Parents are looking to enroll their child(ren) into these schools.  Or as a Kindergarten teacher you can have a page that talks about all of the wonderful learning that is going on in your classroom for Parents during Kindergarten registration.  

With all things being said if you do some upfront work on your web page it will pay off in the long run with continued views from students, parents and community members.  It will ensure that the information you are sharing is up to date because all you will have to do ongoing is make small changes to keep things current.  And it will guarantee that you sell sell sell what you are doing in your classroom to get the buy in from whomever is looking at your website.

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Geddit And Don't Forget It

So I found an interesting new site today that I thought I would share with you.  for some this might be old hat for others its brand new and you will really like it.

Let me start with some questions:
How many times does a student come up to you after the class to say that they really do not understand the material?
How often in class do you ask a question where you get the blank stairs or no one raises their hands?

In your mind you may be thinking that the students did not do their work, or just don't care.  But what if there was a student that really does not understand the material but is just afraid to ask questions.  Geddit allows you as the teacher to know how your students are doing at anytime during the class.  It gives a voice to the student that is afraid to ask the question.  As the teacher you can do some Formative Assessment by asking them a question on the fly by sending it to them silently.  The student can tell the teacher silently through the App or site by clicking on the bar graph and sending it to the teacher.  A student can even get the teachers attention by raising their virtual hand.  The one thing that I see is that it help with differentiated instruction by allowing the teacher to see students strengths and weaknesses an then be able to react to them quickly.  Maybe by grouping students that understand the concepts with those who do not for some peer assistance and collaboration.

Above is a quick video about Geddit, what it is and how it works.  The product is platform independent so as long as you have a Wifi enabled device and/or computer connected to the web you can use Geddit.  In the iPad App store you can search for Geddit and download it, or you can open any browser and go to letsgeddit.com to use the product.  When you get to the site there are just two options, Sign in as a Teacher or Sign in as a Student.  As a teacher you will create your account setup your class and give your students a code to join your class.  It is completely protected from outside influence since you need a code to join.  According to the website creators there is no requirements, or limitations, when it comes to age.  The site is very easy to use and set up, within minutes I had my account created, class setup, app downloaded, website up and created a generic student log in and was testing everything out.

Tune in next week for some ideas on how this can be used in the classroom. 

What's In A Web Page - Things You Should Be Sharing. Part I

Let me start by asking you this question… 

What do you do when you open a web page to a site that you think has information about spring and Summer clothing and it is still talking about the upcoming fall collection?  

You would open up another web page with the information on it that you are looking for....right?  

That is the same thing that happens if a parent, community member or even your students do when they go to your web site and there is no information available that they are looking for.  They go somewhere else, and that is not good.  

I see this every day in what I do both in and outside of the school system.  I admit that I may not have the best patience when it comes to outdated web pages but just think about this scenario:

• I am a parent, living out of state, who is moving to the area this summer and I need to figure out what school I want my child to go to in the fall.  
• I start looking into the schools that are close to my new home and when I check the teachers’ websites many of them still say "Welcome to the new school year" or "Have a Wonderful Holiday Break."  

That would not be a great way for a prospective parent to start their search of a new school for their child.  This may even cause that parent to reconsider attending a school in the area based on their first impressions of what they see on a teacher’s web page.  

Think of it this way, your web site is selling a product.  Whether that product is something that is tangible that you can hold in your hand or an idea of what there is to offer.  If the web site is not current or full of non-relevant information you will lose the sale, and in a game of numbers could mean the difference between an extra classroom of students and a teacher or combining classrooms of students and losing a teacher.  

What if you are applying for and/or are receiving a grant and part of the requirements are that you keep a current account of activities on your website.  You may lose the grant because of an out of date web page or site.

This scenario may seem extreme and some of you may be saying: 

• "No way, that's not me." 
• "I keep my web page up to date."
• "My students won't go to my webpage so why bother."
• Some may be saying "It doesn't matter because a parent will see the school web page before mine and that is all they need to see."  

But let me tell you more often than not those first impressions are the ones that stick regardless of how good you or your school is.  

So let’s get away from the negative and look towards some positives.  Just some simple things that can enhance your websites to keep them informative and current for anyone that may be looking at them.

Let’s start with today, we are in the final week of March and we all know what will be starting up at the beginning of April.  Yes, its review and testing time.  Raise your hands if you agree that you will spend the bulk of the quarter reviewing for a week of testing, then retesting.  Caught you, some of you actually raised your hands and that's OK.  

Join me next week to keep in the loop as I talk more about ways to keep your web site up to date. 

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Sports Broadcasting 101

I have been working very hard the past couple of months with a number of different schools both in and out of my district to help guide and build their School News broadcasts. Now I get to delve into another medium that is just a little aside from where I have been going along for a while now.  It is time to get into Sports Broadcasting.   This is something that really has my interest peaked, and I am ready for a new challenge.

I never really thought about separating the sports news from the regular school newscast, I had always just thought it would be a part of the norm.  But a couple of weeks ago I was approached by a colleague regarding the ability within our system to deliver live broadcasts of sporting events including student commentary.  That got me thinking, some of the people I work directly with would say its dangerous, about all of the schools that are already recording their sporting events and the ones that have school newscasts.  This would provide some versatility to the students at the school to be able to go to certain sporting events and record their thoughts on the games as well get some live footage. 

In some of the middle and high schools that I have worked with the hook for some students to get involved was to make sure that there was a sports report as part of the broadcast.  With this possibly becoming an independent broadcast the amount of interest, I think, will grow to the point that it may become a part of the curriculum.

Stay tuned for more information and how the journey begins.



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First Look: Lumens DC-125 Document Camera

Let's take a look at the new DC-125 Document Camera from Lumens.  I recently got the opportunity to take a look at this little wonder.  Yes this device is smaller than its other family members from Lumens, close to one half the size of the others in the line.

Now just like the rest of the model lines from Lumens over the years the DC-125 also has a flexible armature, commonly known as a "Flex Arm" design, that allows for ease of movement so that you can really get up close and personal with the objects that you viewing.

When I unpacked the DC-125 the first thing I noticed is that there was no Infra-Red eye on the front of the base.  So no remote control is needed in order to run this model.  That's great, one less thing for me and probably some other to lose.  I know in talking with some educators they are always concerned about keeping up with remote controls.  Also the base is simplified with only four buttons.  You will see Lamp, Freeze, Capture and Auto Tune buttons but one button that you may be familiar with.  Figured it out yet... yep no power button.  That's because you do not need to have one to use this model document camera.  One other main factor that you will notice on the base is only one connection point.  A simple USB connector to the computer.  This model does not even have a power cord with it, everything is run through the USB cable.  All power, video and sound, yes I said sound.  This model has a built in microphone and an audio driver that allows the computer to utilize the document camera as an external microphone.  I will talk more about that later.

The lens is another change from the norm, you will notice that there are no moving mechanical parts.  This model only has a digital zoom lens on it which makes for easier focusing of the lens on the objects which are being looked at.  You will also notice that there is a simple LED light with no additional light arm as seen in other models from Lumens.  On the back, or top, of the lens is where you will find the built in microphone.  You will also noticed that there are a couple of notches next to the lens that will allow you to place an connector on the lens so you can use the device with a microscope.

So the Good on this little gem is that what you see is what you get.  Even though there does not seem to be a lot to the DC-125 it packs a punch.  You still have all of the features that its larger family members have with less you have to deal with.  In this case simpler is better, even using the Ladibug 2.0 software is easier and more straight forward to use.  It all seems to be put together with the teacher in mind, just plug in the USB cable and turn on the software that's it nothing else.

Another positive for the DC-125 is its ease of integration with other computer software.  I was able to successfully use the device with different whiteboard software loaded on my computer.  I quickly was able to use the device with web-based sites that both allows for audio and video integration.  Even with Skype, which has been an issue since Skype upgraded beyond version 4.2.  With the DC-125 I plugged it in turned on Skype and not only did I get the video but also the audio.

One Bad thing I noticed on the DC-125 is that the built in microphone is located on the top of the head unit. The placement may not be the best if you are going to use the camera recording feature because the microphone will be pointing away from the person talking if you have the lens turned upward.  A small design change would put the mic in the base for easier accessibility.  All in all the DC-125 is a well rounded document camera that is very easy to use with not a lot that can go wrong.

Games in the Classroom

How many times have you asked a student to put away their cell phone because when you asked them what they were doing they said playing a game.  How often do you take your students into the computer lab to do an assignment or project and you catch them playing games on the computers.  Why is it that we are so adamant about keeping games out of the classroom?  Or is it that we don't want students attentions drawn towards things other than ourselves.

I have seen, heard, tried and attempted to play a lot of the games that are out there on the market over the years and have come to the realization that I've always considered them just games.  I never looked at them as Educational tools.  At one point I even thought the idea of putting a student in front of a computer or video game console amusing.  

What changed my mind?... Timing.  That's what did it.  What do I mean by timing, well its just that growing up I was a part of the generation who saw game development and design progress from Pong to Sonic the Hedge Hog to Skyrim, Diablo III and Call of Duty.  Whether or not it was a computer or console based game you have to admit even over the past 10 years they have evolved exponentially through graphics, story-line and online capabilities.  Should we put students in front of these games?  We did, how many of you remember playing "Oregon Trail" growing up in school?  This game has spanned almost two generations since its original release date in 1971 with 10 additional re-releases through to 2011.  What did it teach you?  I remember never to drink the water you would always get some sort of disease.  How many history teachers would have brought "Age of Empires" or "Caesar" into the classroom to help teach concepts of roman civilization and progression through time.  What about "Call of Duty" or "Company of Heroes" to help discuss the second world war.  Not necessarily the best examples I know but there is someone out there who has made a case to bring these games into the classroom to use as part of the curriculum somewhere along the way.  Hey you could even argue that "Assassin's Creed III" is an excellent way to help students understand the beginnings of the Revolutionary War.

But why should we do this, why should we include games as part of the curriculum.  Now I am not talking about bringing your console in and hooking it up the classroom for a co-op mission on "Call of Duty" no way.  But rather saying how can we be smarter and use to our advantage what students are already doing outside of schools right now.

How about putting the shoe on the other foot and letting students create their own games to play in class.  Programs like Minecraft, Quest Atlantis, Scratch and Alice are helping to break down the barriers to educational gaming because it makes the subject material fun for students.  They seem to be motivated to learn and are driven to want to learn more through the games.  The funny thing is that most of the time the students do not realize that they are actually learning skills through gaming.  Higher order thinking skills, sequencing, problem solving and the biggest thing is that in some cases they are learning to write code.  Scratch and Alice allow students to move blocks around and connect then on a palate in order to see an action in the view screen.  Games like Minecraft and Quest Atlantis are helping to reinforce concepts in class which make the learning process fun for students.

Why not try it out to see if you like it.  Join in the Week of Code and spend a little time writing, whoops I mean playing to see if you like it.  Then let your students join in your fun.  Try out Code.org to see what its all about and who knows you or one of your students may turn out to write the next best selling game on the market.  

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School News: Drum Up Some Business

Let’s see, equipment… check, location… check, now that you have these things setup what’s next?  Hmm… oh yeah I need some backing to make sure that the School News is a success.

Me, I’m always one to get permission first rather than ask for forgiveness later.  So I would first talk to your school Principal about this new opportunity at the school to help students with literacy, vocabulary, reading, digital-citizenship, self-confidence and presentation skills.  How do throwing out these words help?  That is exactly what having a school news show will do for the students that are a part of the program!  Even for students that already seem to have a good grasp on vocabulary and reading can be challenged because of the presentation component. 

It’s a challenge for you as well being the teacher that has decided to take on this role, as the “Trailblazer” at your school.  If you get the ok from the Principal it is now time to get the ok from the other teachers.  Here is when having a ready to go sample broadcast where you are in front of the camera to show comes in handy.  They will get to see how you react in front of the camera, consider their student reactions and then make a decision.  You could even show the sample broadcast school-wide to students to get their reactions and interest level.  In the schools that I have seen this done the students excited about the prospect of being on the school news cast. 

With that being said now you have to figure out the process to get your students working with you on the news.  I have a few steps that seem to have worked in the past and will share them here.  By all means this is not the end all be all and you may have additional steps or comments about the process, I encourage you to leave me comments at the bottom of the article.

Step 1:  Setting up your Broadcast Team

You want to create the roles/jobs that the students will be doing as a part of the broadcast team.  Anchors, Writers, Production to name a few.  And you want to set a limit on the number of students you will have as a part of the Broadcast Team.  You want to have at least enough so that if someone is out or late there is someone to fill in.

Step 2:  Application Process

Yes I said application.  You want to have an application that students will fill out just as they would for a job.  This will give them some real world experience for life after school.  How you create the application is up to you but some things to consider including as well as the job description is a discipline policy that covers actions in and out of the classroom.  This would also outline dismissal from the broadcast team for student

infractions.  A photo release that needs to be signed by a parent or guardian. You will also want to make sure that you have writing samples from each student and notify them that they will have to complete an on camera live audition using their own material.  During this process it seems that as students want to get involved others that were on the fence come out of the wood work to apply and you tend to have far more than you could ever use.  But the great thing for this is that you will have a steady stream of backups should something happen.  If you have enough interest you could set up a rotation with multiple groups of students.

Once you have all of your applications in and have selected your team now it is time to get the magic started!

Step 3:  Putting the Pieces together

Now that you have identified the students who will be a part of the broadcast team it’s time to get things started. 

Production Team Training: Even though you have assigned everyone to their positions it would probably be best to train everyone on how to use the equipment just in case someone is not there.  The reason for this is that at some point you want this to become self-sufficient where the student have total control of the news show.

Writers:  You want to give your writers a standard script that they need to follow but that they can update and change daily.  That also have to be turned in ahead of time for review and rewrite if necessary.  Here are some standard items you can put in the script.

Daily Announcements, Birthdays, Lunch menu, Weather, Upcoming Events and Recognitions (students & teachers).  Many of these things can be done a couple of days ahead especially things like birthdays, menu and weather.  This can make things easier for students to turn in.  Also you can allow the students to research other things to put in the script.  Items like a word, joke or quote of the day, an interesting fact, something that happened in history on this date.

Anchors: The face of your newscast that can make or break the success of the broadcast.  Something that your anchors need to understand is that they need to be dressed appropriately each and every day that they are on the air.  They are representing the entire school whether or not they are on the air or not.  There are more Do’s and Don’ts for this group than the others because of being in front of the camera.  Practice is also a key component, ask them to go over the script in front of you.  Encourage them to practice at home, in front of a mirror or with others on the broadcast team.  This will help them to get over some of the jitters of being in front of the camera and help steady their speech and nervous tendencies. 

Just having these few things setup prior to jumping into the deep end will prevent a lot of problems down the road and make your School News a success. 

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