Digital Learning Day and Cool Tools Conference

Created by Patsy using Notebook

Where did January go? 

If time truly flies when you're having fun, then we must be having TONS of fun!

Just a couple of quick ideas worth passing on:

http://www.digitallearningday.org/files/3213/2700/9967/fablevisionposter.jpg

Digital Learning is TOMORROW. Click here for more information. It's a nationwide celebration of innovated teaching and learning through digital media.

Also, here's another reminder for EB CUE's Cool Tools conference. Attendance is at already at its highest ever. Read below for details if you're interested in joining us for a great day of learning and loads of prizes!

COOL TOOLS VIII

FEBRUARY 11, 2012

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1 IS THE LAST DAY TO REGISTER ONLINE!!!

EVENT DAY ONSITE REGISTRATION STARTS AT 7:30 AM.

The morning sessions include: Integrating Free Online Interactive Content in the K-12 Classroom; Media Literacy Bootcamp; Livescribe Smart Pens; Best iPad Apps; Free Online Tools to Spark Creativity; Drill Down Into Content with Digital Storytelling; The Web from A to Z; Is IT (Instructional Technology) Working?; Demystifying Copyright, Fair Use, and Creative Commons in the Classroom; Simple Screencasting; Glogster Web 2.0; Connecting Science Content to Real Life Using Multimedia; Leading Edge Online Teaching Certification Course Overview; and PBS LearningMedia in the Classroom.

The afternoon sessions are hands-on workshops which include Taming the Web - Using LiveBinders in your Classroom, Edmodo, Flipteaching: Using Screencasting to Shift the Homework Paradigm, Going Google! - The Power of Google Apps for Education, Flip Video, Worthy Websites, Collaborize Classroom, Scratch All Subjects, 21st Century Tools that Support English Language Learners!, and iPads in the Classroom (Session Full).

 

Cool Tools will be held @ Head Royce School at 4315 Lincoln Avenue, Oakland.

Cost: $75

SESSION AND WORKSHOP INFORMATION

https://sites.google.com/a/eastbaycue.org/www/program

REGISTER

https://sites.google.com/a/eastbaycue.org/www/registration

COOL TOOLS VIII FLYER

https://sites.google.com/a/eastbaycue.org/www/downloads

I'll be presenting "Worthy Websites" in the afternoon - Hope to see you there!


Patsy Templeton




Patsy Templeton
OUSD Technology Coach
ptempleton@orinda.k12.ca.us
925-258-6317

Using Tech Throughout the Day

Image created by Patsy Templeton using Free Handwriting Fonts (http://kevinandamanda.com/fonts/fontsforpeas) and Notebook

Quite a bit of my time is spent helping teachers figure out ways to use tech tools throughout the day. Since a portion of each day is typically dedicated to small group instruction, I suggest including  technology during that time. Whether you have a SMART Board, iPads, iPods, and/or a bank of student computers, consider using those very tools during your small group learning stations.

The SMART Board may be sitting idle for large chunks of time when students are working independently but this is actually an opportune time to allow kids to get back to the board as a pair or small group, taking advantage of the interactivity of the board. Not only will this help with opening another learning center, it will also help with the dreaded-but-very-real "I haven't had a turn yet" syndrome.

We may think of the SB as more of a distraction during this period but it's my prediction that the more we use it, the less of a distraction it will be.

Suzy Brooks, a 3rd grade teacher (from MA), has been exploring the idea of using the SMART Board as a cooperative learning center. In this particular video, her students are working on a math concept. This is an awesome idea with great potential. It's easy to implement and makes great use of the tools you have.

Here's a link to more ideas Ms. Brooks has shared about using the SMART Board in her class. Her goal is to have each student purposefully touch the board 8 - 10 times each week.
Ideas for SMART Board student use

Also...I'm happy to share that registration for the East Bay CUE conference is now open!

East Bay CUE Cool Tools for Learning is coming on Saturday, February 11 and this year, it will be held at Head Royce in Oakland. Click here for important details.
It's one of my favorite conferences of the year. Great tech sessions, great door prizes, great opportunities to learn with other colleagues.

I get to present again this year so I'll be there - hope you will too!

Happy TwentyTwelve!

Created by Patsy and http://ifaketext.com

Welcome Back!

While returning from Winter Break may come with mixed emotions, it's always exciting for me to share fun ideas. Today, I'm sharing two "bite-size" ideas; how to set up a fake text (as seen above) and how two teachers are using the trailer feature in iMovie to showcase classroom activities.

A fake text...(it was only a matter of time, right??) Since sending text messages has become such a popular form of communication, I am getting a kick out of this website: http://ifaketext.com. Creating a text is at the very least, a great attention grabber. One of my all-time favorite presenters (Tammy Worcester) offers a great explanation on how you can create your own fake text. If interested, click on the link below:
                                                http://tipofweek.tammyworcester.com

Now on to iMovie coolness... You may remember (way back in September of 2011), I shared how to use the fun trailer feature in iMovie. Since then, teachers have found creative ways to utilize this cool tool. See two trailers below; one introduces a new author and the other showcases a Science concept. Once you've opened a trailer project in iMovie '11 and imported your video clips, you can produce a movie trailer in minutes! The time it takes to create a trailer is NOTHING compared to a regular iMovie. Definitely worth a try if you're looking for something new.

Big thanks goes to Erin Miller (1st grade @ GL) and Dara Melczer (1st grade @ WR) for sharing their creative juices with us!