TinkerCAD is an online design software that is easy to use for all ages. TinkerCAD allows you to create designs with a simple drag and drop interface, create your own electrical circuits, and produce your own 3D model while using (and learning) code. It was very simple to get started and use.
There are several ways to get started. You can create a personal account, or there is special instructions for educators or students who will be using it for school. Teachers can set up accounts with a classroom code to make it easier for students to log in with the class. Then teachers can review the class' work from one place.
The support section has great tutorials to show you how to manipulate the tools and resources as well as project ideas. You can also 3D print the designs that you create in TinkerCAD. I feel that this would make an excellent station in a Makerspace or library. It is a great way for students to get experience designing and coding without any pressure. It would also be a great addition to a STEM class or club. I feel that it would be simple enough for students to use with minimal instruction. It would even make a neat thing to showcase at a Makerfair.
The TinkerCAD website recommends that the design and coding portion are geared for grades 3 and up, while the electrical circuits are for grades 5 and up. Personally I can see using this in my middle school library, either on the library iPads or the student Chromebooks.
TinkerCAD: From mind to design in minutes. (n.d.). Retrieved August 9, 2019, from https://www.tinkercad.com/
Friday, August 9, 2019
Sunday, August 4, 2019
Signed Books
Signed stories is an app available on both IOS, Android, Smart TV, and desktop computers that offers quality picture books with sign as well as narration, sound effects, music, and high definition sign language performances. You can also access the stories on Overdrive, Hopster, and YouTube. You have the choice of American English or British English when choosing your story, making it accessible worldwide for English speaking kids in a dialect they recognize.
The stories are high quality and are stories that young kids want to read. Since they have both the words and the person performing sign language, they are receiving multiple language inputs while listening to the music and sound effects that go along with the story.
I think this would be a powerful learning tool in several situations. For students with hearing disabilities that sign, this gives them access to a range quality stories that are appealing. I also like the idea of exposing students without hearing disabilities to the stories. It helps them become familiar with the idea of sign and older students might be able to use it as a learning tool if they are taking sign. I also think that these would serve as a great model for older students for a project they could do to practice sign, though they would find the videos a bit juvenile to watch for entertainment.
Signed Stories is part of ITV, an integrated producer broadcaster, " creates, owns and distributes high-quality content on multiple platforms globally" (What We Do). All the stories are available on multiple platforms for free, making it very accessible for students, families, and educators to access them.
Signed Stories. (n.d.). Retrieved August 4, 2019, from https://www.signedstories.com/
What we do. (n.d.). Retrieved August 4, 2019, from https://www.itvplc.com/about/what-we-do
The stories are high quality and are stories that young kids want to read. Since they have both the words and the person performing sign language, they are receiving multiple language inputs while listening to the music and sound effects that go along with the story.
I think this would be a powerful learning tool in several situations. For students with hearing disabilities that sign, this gives them access to a range quality stories that are appealing. I also like the idea of exposing students without hearing disabilities to the stories. It helps them become familiar with the idea of sign and older students might be able to use it as a learning tool if they are taking sign. I also think that these would serve as a great model for older students for a project they could do to practice sign, though they would find the videos a bit juvenile to watch for entertainment.
Signed Stories is part of ITV, an integrated producer broadcaster, " creates, owns and distributes high-quality content on multiple platforms globally" (What We Do). All the stories are available on multiple platforms for free, making it very accessible for students, families, and educators to access them.
Signed Stories. (n.d.). Retrieved August 4, 2019, from https://www.signedstories.com/
What we do. (n.d.). Retrieved August 4, 2019, from https://www.itvplc.com/about/what-we-do
Sunday, July 28, 2019
Actively Learn
Actively Learn is an ereader that allows teachers to keep track of how students are reading and lets students take more of an active role. "Actively Learn is a reading platform for the web where students can highlight, annotate, and discuss text as they read" (Kievlan). Tons of texts are available through the platform, but teachers can also upload their own tests and media. Students can read on their own, in small groups, or as a class. They can share notes and annotations, and key words and questions can come up organically and in the moment rather than waiting until the next meeting time. This leads to deeper thinking as well as deeper connection between the readers.
Actively Learn was founded by two people looking to make a different in how students learn and read. While the program didn't launch until 2012, it was years in the making before that. Acively Learn was a 2019 Codie winner and 2019 Common Sense Media Top Pick for Learning.
There are a lot of features that make this great for the general classroom like scaffolds, choices in reading speed, a read aloud feature, definitions, and more. I can see how this would be extremely useful in a collaboration setting with ELA, Social Studies, or even LOTA teachers.
One of the things I liked most was after signing up, you are given a reading experience from the student's perspective. This made it easy for the educator to understand how this program could help a student engage more with what they are reading. It helped to sell me on trying this with my own students. I also found that you can switch the student mode at any time, which I think is really helpful. Many times we are finding work around to see how something looks or works from the student end, so having that built into a program is really helpful.
I'm planning to propose this program to a few teachers as a collaboration, and perhaps they will find it useful and will want to continue with it. I believe it can be a great tool to help students read and write better, which is the foundation of education.
Kievlan, P. M. (2019, February). Actively Learn Review for Teachers. Retrieved July 27, 2019, from https://www.commonsense.org/education/website/actively-learn
Team at Actively Learn. (n.d.). Retrieved July 28, 2019, from https://www.activelylearn.com/about-us
Actively Learn was founded by two people looking to make a different in how students learn and read. While the program didn't launch until 2012, it was years in the making before that. Acively Learn was a 2019 Codie winner and 2019 Common Sense Media Top Pick for Learning.
There are a lot of features that make this great for the general classroom like scaffolds, choices in reading speed, a read aloud feature, definitions, and more. I can see how this would be extremely useful in a collaboration setting with ELA, Social Studies, or even LOTA teachers.
One of the things I liked most was after signing up, you are given a reading experience from the student's perspective. This made it easy for the educator to understand how this program could help a student engage more with what they are reading. It helped to sell me on trying this with my own students. I also found that you can switch the student mode at any time, which I think is really helpful. Many times we are finding work around to see how something looks or works from the student end, so having that built into a program is really helpful.
I'm planning to propose this program to a few teachers as a collaboration, and perhaps they will find it useful and will want to continue with it. I believe it can be a great tool to help students read and write better, which is the foundation of education.
Kievlan, P. M. (2019, February). Actively Learn Review for Teachers. Retrieved July 27, 2019, from https://www.commonsense.org/education/website/actively-learn
Team at Actively Learn. (n.d.). Retrieved July 28, 2019, from https://www.activelylearn.com/about-us
Saturday, July 20, 2019
Flipgrid
Flipgrid is a site that hosts videos and allows people to share them in a grid that is accessible to the people you select. Educators can select a topic for a grid. Topics can include parameters for the videos, resources, and instructions. Students can record short videos that appear in the grid, and can then comment and reply to one another's videos. The teacher has moderation control over the videos and replies to keep everything on track.
When either the educator or student record, they have the option to use sticky notes to keep track of what they want to say in the video. This helps keep the user on track and prevents having to stop and restart multiple times. One other neat feature is the Gridpals options. A teacher can search for another educator looking to connect their classroom. You could potentially connect with someone in another country and give the kids exposure to other traditions, languages, and new friends. They also recently launched FlipgridAR, which allows you to add Flipgrid videos anywhere around you with a Flipgrid code.
I can see using Flipgrid in many different ways. What a fun way to record introductions! Then if a new students came in part of the way through the year, they could be added to the grid and would be able to get to know their fellow classmates. It would also be interesting as either a station or a weekly check in where the educator could post thought provoking questions or questions that require problem solving and higher order thinking. Flipgrid offers a library of topics to choose from of you can create your own. I also plan to utilize Flipgrid in our Professional Development assignment as a way for teachers to share book talks with one another, and also to check back in with one another to follow up after the PD.
Flipgrid is free for educators. Educators create grids and then invite students to the grid with a code. That code allows them access only to the grid the code is good for, so it is an easy way to keep different classes or sections separate. You get 50 videos free per month, which seems like plenty for regular use. Flipgrid became part of Microsoft about a year ago, and did away with their paid accounts, so now all educators have access for free. It is available on multiple platforms, including Chromebooks, iPhones and iPads, PCs, and Android devices.
Flipgrid. Ignite Classroom Discussion. (n.d.). Retrieved July 20, 2019, from https://flipgrid.com/
When either the educator or student record, they have the option to use sticky notes to keep track of what they want to say in the video. This helps keep the user on track and prevents having to stop and restart multiple times. One other neat feature is the Gridpals options. A teacher can search for another educator looking to connect their classroom. You could potentially connect with someone in another country and give the kids exposure to other traditions, languages, and new friends. They also recently launched FlipgridAR, which allows you to add Flipgrid videos anywhere around you with a Flipgrid code.
I can see using Flipgrid in many different ways. What a fun way to record introductions! Then if a new students came in part of the way through the year, they could be added to the grid and would be able to get to know their fellow classmates. It would also be interesting as either a station or a weekly check in where the educator could post thought provoking questions or questions that require problem solving and higher order thinking. Flipgrid offers a library of topics to choose from of you can create your own. I also plan to utilize Flipgrid in our Professional Development assignment as a way for teachers to share book talks with one another, and also to check back in with one another to follow up after the PD.
Flipgrid is free for educators. Educators create grids and then invite students to the grid with a code. That code allows them access only to the grid the code is good for, so it is an easy way to keep different classes or sections separate. You get 50 videos free per month, which seems like plenty for regular use. Flipgrid became part of Microsoft about a year ago, and did away with their paid accounts, so now all educators have access for free. It is available on multiple platforms, including Chromebooks, iPhones and iPads, PCs, and Android devices.
Flipgrid. Ignite Classroom Discussion. (n.d.). Retrieved July 20, 2019, from https://flipgrid.com/
Sunday, July 14, 2019
Canva
Canva is an internet based design platform that offers both free and professional accounts to design almost anything you could think of. Canva was started in Sydney, Australia in 2012. Founder Melanie Perkins taught people how to use programs like Photoshop and InDesign in college, and discovered that they were complex and difficult to learn. She and cofounder Cliff Obrecht first launched Fusion books, a program aimed at yearbook creation. Knowing that more people could benefit from the technology, they partnered with former Googler Cameron Adams and created and launched Canva.
Canva is easy to use. I signed in with my google account and was working in a document within minutes. I would highly recommend watching the tutorial video as it was a great launching point and gave you the essential information to get working right away. I love that they have the option to start a project from scratch or browse templates to get a hand with your design. I can see this having unlimited potential in a school. Educators can make posters for events, lesson plans, yearbooks, invitations, planners, and more. The designs and templates are fresh and appealing without being too trendy. I can see a lot of options for things I would use. I have used Canva to make an infographic for a class before, and almost used it for this week's assignment, but I wanted to try out Venngage.
I would also use this site for students. I think it is easy enough for them to learn to use within one class period, and it would be a great tool to many different subjects. It would appeal to students who are more artistic and creative and allow them to apply learned skills in a tangible way. It would also be a useful thing for them to learn for personal design needs such as invitations, blogs, and social media posts.
I can't find a lot of downsides to Canva. It is a fairly basic program compared to the more complex applications like Photoshop, but since it is free an more accessible I don't consider this strictly a negative. However, for the student or educator who might be trained in that type of program they might find Canva to be too basic for their needs. Overall I highly recommend Canva and I plan to use it at the middle grade and high school level this coming school year.
References
Kievlan, P. M. (2019, July 14). Canva - Photo Editor & Design Review for Teachers. Retrieved July 14, 2019, from https://www.commonsense.org/education/app/canva
Our Story. (N.D.). Retrieved July 14, 2019, from https://about.canva.com/story/
Canva is easy to use. I signed in with my google account and was working in a document within minutes. I would highly recommend watching the tutorial video as it was a great launching point and gave you the essential information to get working right away. I love that they have the option to start a project from scratch or browse templates to get a hand with your design. I can see this having unlimited potential in a school. Educators can make posters for events, lesson plans, yearbooks, invitations, planners, and more. The designs and templates are fresh and appealing without being too trendy. I can see a lot of options for things I would use. I have used Canva to make an infographic for a class before, and almost used it for this week's assignment, but I wanted to try out Venngage.
I would also use this site for students. I think it is easy enough for them to learn to use within one class period, and it would be a great tool to many different subjects. It would appeal to students who are more artistic and creative and allow them to apply learned skills in a tangible way. It would also be a useful thing for them to learn for personal design needs such as invitations, blogs, and social media posts.
I can't find a lot of downsides to Canva. It is a fairly basic program compared to the more complex applications like Photoshop, but since it is free an more accessible I don't consider this strictly a negative. However, for the student or educator who might be trained in that type of program they might find Canva to be too basic for their needs. Overall I highly recommend Canva and I plan to use it at the middle grade and high school level this coming school year.
References
Kievlan, P. M. (2019, July 14). Canva - Photo Editor & Design Review for Teachers. Retrieved July 14, 2019, from https://www.commonsense.org/education/app/canva
Our Story. (N.D.). Retrieved July 14, 2019, from https://about.canva.com/story/
Sunday, July 7, 2019
Insert Learning
Our discussion this week in class is about information literacy and how using online sources is a mixed bag with varying results. There was an article linked that detailed how people read online, and it said that we tend to read very little of the content we are clicking on or that we skim it. In light of that, I was looking for a resource that might help students engage more with the online content they use.
I discovered Insert Learning through Common Sense, and I believe that this is a tool that can help. The description from the website is "InsertLearning was founded by two high school teachers who wanted to create a richer learning experience for their students. Our mission is to help teachers turn the Internet into an interactive learning experience" (www.InsertLearning.com).
Insert Learning is a Chrome Extension that teachers can use to create lessons using reliable online sources. It allows the teacher to add all kinds of things to the content that the students can interact with. They mention on the website that this can be a way to differentiate learning for students with things such as videos to support text, links to other sources, or asking the students targeted questions. I especially liked that students can add to the discussion, making it possible for kids to work together and collaborate virtually.
I feel that this tool would be especially useful in middle school classrooms of all content areas and in the library. I can see myself using this with kids when teaching about Media Literacy, finding good sources for research, finding the different parts of sources for citations, and checking for understanding as a lesson progresses. I would recommend this to any teacher who wants to use online sources in their classroom but isn't sure how much the students are interacting with the material.
While individual accounts are free, you are restricted to 5 lessons. A teacher can purchase an account for $40 per year and get unlimited lessons and unlimited number of students. They also have quotes for schools looking to purchase use. I feel that this is a good deal for a tool I would use multiple times throughout the year. As a librarian, sometimes it can be difficult to use things that are made only for classroom teachers as I see many more students. I would pay the $40 to have access to this tool for all my classes, and I would highly recommend other educators to take a look at what it was to offer.
InsertLearning. (n.d.). Retrieved July 7, 2019, from https://insertlearning.com/
Manjoo, F. (2013, June 06). You Won't Finish This Article. Retrieved July 5, 2019, from https://slate.com/technology/2013/06/how-people-read-online-why-you-wont-finish-this-article.html
I discovered Insert Learning through Common Sense, and I believe that this is a tool that can help. The description from the website is "InsertLearning was founded by two high school teachers who wanted to create a richer learning experience for their students. Our mission is to help teachers turn the Internet into an interactive learning experience" (www.InsertLearning.com).
Insert Learning is a Chrome Extension that teachers can use to create lessons using reliable online sources. It allows the teacher to add all kinds of things to the content that the students can interact with. They mention on the website that this can be a way to differentiate learning for students with things such as videos to support text, links to other sources, or asking the students targeted questions. I especially liked that students can add to the discussion, making it possible for kids to work together and collaborate virtually.
I feel that this tool would be especially useful in middle school classrooms of all content areas and in the library. I can see myself using this with kids when teaching about Media Literacy, finding good sources for research, finding the different parts of sources for citations, and checking for understanding as a lesson progresses. I would recommend this to any teacher who wants to use online sources in their classroom but isn't sure how much the students are interacting with the material.
While individual accounts are free, you are restricted to 5 lessons. A teacher can purchase an account for $40 per year and get unlimited lessons and unlimited number of students. They also have quotes for schools looking to purchase use. I feel that this is a good deal for a tool I would use multiple times throughout the year. As a librarian, sometimes it can be difficult to use things that are made only for classroom teachers as I see many more students. I would pay the $40 to have access to this tool for all my classes, and I would highly recommend other educators to take a look at what it was to offer.
InsertLearning. (n.d.). Retrieved July 7, 2019, from https://insertlearning.com/
Manjoo, F. (2013, June 06). You Won't Finish This Article. Retrieved July 5, 2019, from https://slate.com/technology/2013/06/how-people-read-online-why-you-wont-finish-this-article.html
Sunday, June 30, 2019
Ted
Many people have heard and use TED talks in their classrooms and in every day life. On their web page they say, "TED is a nonprofit devoted to spreading ideas, usually in the form of short, powerful talks (18 minutes or less). TED began in 1984 as a conference where Technology, Entertainment and Design converged, and today covers almost all topics — from science to business to global issues — in more than 100 languages. Meanwhile, independently run TEDx events help share ideas in communities around the world." ("Our organization"). TED talks can be a powerful tool in the classroom because of their short length, which also means they often pack a lot of message into the short viewing time.
As of July 1, 2019, TED is owned by a not for profit corporation called TED Foundation. All TED talks and speaker lists are curated and carefully selected so that only talks based on real peer reviewed research are presented. They also seek out ideas from all over the world in order to promote a balanced, multicultural, worldwide discussion. Their talks are available for free and they work to bring the talks to placed where internet isn't widely available.
My history with TED talks prior to trying out the app is brief; I have viewed a few talks, some as part of school assignments and some shown to me by other people, but have never used it as part of a lesson and have never really sought them out on my own. I specifically wanted to try out the TED mobile app as it was featured on the Digital Trend's Best Apps for Teachers list (Dove 2019). Also, many schools provide access for students to some sort of tablet and many older students have their own cell phones, so I thought the mobile app would be something good to feature in the classroom that might transition into time outside the classroom.
I downloaded the app to my iPhone and my iPad to give it a try, and was pleased with the initial use of the app. There's 4 main sections that you access at the bottom of your screen: Talks, Discover, MyTED, and Search. On the Talks screen you had two options; to view the newest talks or to view the most popular talks. On the Discover screen you can browse by topic, playlists (which are groups of TED talks on a similar subject) and language. My TED is a page where you can view your list, likes, downloads, and history. Lastly, if you are searching for a specific TED talk you can do that on the Search tab.
I found the app easy to use. To test how I would use it in the classroom, I thought of two different age groups I could use this technology with, middle school students and high school students.
I browsed a few TED talks looking for something appropriate for and relevant to middle schoolers. I started by browsing the education topic under the Discover tab, and found a few videos that looked promising. However most of them seemed to be geared toward teachers and others who work in education, and not necessarily toward students. Then I started browsing the playlists hoping to find something for young teens or students, but the quantity seemed overwhelming to look through. I finally went to the search tab, and when I typed in "kids" an option came up that showed me playlists that had to do with kids. I found one called "Smart kids' life advice" and watched a few of the videos. I could definitely see using these in the classroom.
I then thought about high school students and went back to the playlists. The first one that grabbed my attention was the "Talks to help you fin the right job" list, which I thought would be great for juniors and seniors. I also saw "The Most Transformative TED Talks" which had 25 videos, many of which seemed like a good fit for high schoolers.
As far as how to use these in the classroom, I think it could be paired with lessons on a multitude of topics. I focused mainly on ones I felt could be used in a library setting, but I also think they would make a great start for a collaboration with another subject. These could be assigned as work outside the classroom, or as an option for when students complete work in class. In searching about TED talks I also found that they have an edTED program where students can connect with other students around the world and use the TED platform to discuss and share ideas in the form of the traditional TED talks. I think this would be a great extra curricular club to be available after school.
As far as the app itself, I think it has a lot of great features like the playlists and ability to see the videos you've watched and add them to a list, however I would like an option to search based on a target audience. I feel that this would make it easier to find age appropriate talks for younger students. In summary, I feel that the TED app could be a meaningful tool in the hands of educators and the things taken away from using it could transcend the walls of schools and touch students' lives.
References
Dove, Jackie. (2019) The Best apps for Teachers and Educators. Retrieved from https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/best-apps-for-teachers-education/
Our Organization (n.d.) Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/about/our-organization
As of July 1, 2019, TED is owned by a not for profit corporation called TED Foundation. All TED talks and speaker lists are curated and carefully selected so that only talks based on real peer reviewed research are presented. They also seek out ideas from all over the world in order to promote a balanced, multicultural, worldwide discussion. Their talks are available for free and they work to bring the talks to placed where internet isn't widely available.
My history with TED talks prior to trying out the app is brief; I have viewed a few talks, some as part of school assignments and some shown to me by other people, but have never used it as part of a lesson and have never really sought them out on my own. I specifically wanted to try out the TED mobile app as it was featured on the Digital Trend's Best Apps for Teachers list (Dove 2019). Also, many schools provide access for students to some sort of tablet and many older students have their own cell phones, so I thought the mobile app would be something good to feature in the classroom that might transition into time outside the classroom.
I downloaded the app to my iPhone and my iPad to give it a try, and was pleased with the initial use of the app. There's 4 main sections that you access at the bottom of your screen: Talks, Discover, MyTED, and Search. On the Talks screen you had two options; to view the newest talks or to view the most popular talks. On the Discover screen you can browse by topic, playlists (which are groups of TED talks on a similar subject) and language. My TED is a page where you can view your list, likes, downloads, and history. Lastly, if you are searching for a specific TED talk you can do that on the Search tab.
I found the app easy to use. To test how I would use it in the classroom, I thought of two different age groups I could use this technology with, middle school students and high school students.
I browsed a few TED talks looking for something appropriate for and relevant to middle schoolers. I started by browsing the education topic under the Discover tab, and found a few videos that looked promising. However most of them seemed to be geared toward teachers and others who work in education, and not necessarily toward students. Then I started browsing the playlists hoping to find something for young teens or students, but the quantity seemed overwhelming to look through. I finally went to the search tab, and when I typed in "kids" an option came up that showed me playlists that had to do with kids. I found one called "Smart kids' life advice" and watched a few of the videos. I could definitely see using these in the classroom.
I then thought about high school students and went back to the playlists. The first one that grabbed my attention was the "Talks to help you fin the right job" list, which I thought would be great for juniors and seniors. I also saw "The Most Transformative TED Talks" which had 25 videos, many of which seemed like a good fit for high schoolers.
As far as how to use these in the classroom, I think it could be paired with lessons on a multitude of topics. I focused mainly on ones I felt could be used in a library setting, but I also think they would make a great start for a collaboration with another subject. These could be assigned as work outside the classroom, or as an option for when students complete work in class. In searching about TED talks I also found that they have an edTED program where students can connect with other students around the world and use the TED platform to discuss and share ideas in the form of the traditional TED talks. I think this would be a great extra curricular club to be available after school.
As far as the app itself, I think it has a lot of great features like the playlists and ability to see the videos you've watched and add them to a list, however I would like an option to search based on a target audience. I feel that this would make it easier to find age appropriate talks for younger students. In summary, I feel that the TED app could be a meaningful tool in the hands of educators and the things taken away from using it could transcend the walls of schools and touch students' lives.
References
Dove, Jackie. (2019) The Best apps for Teachers and Educators. Retrieved from https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/best-apps-for-teachers-education/
Our Organization (n.d.) Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/about/our-organization
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