Title of Session:
Integrating Technology in Elective Classes (Even If You Don't Have Much!)

Description:
Regardless of what you teach, there's room for technology. It's not just for business and English classes anymore. You don't need a room full of computers. You just need an exploratory spirit, a device, and a room full of 21st Century Learners. Participants will explore how technology can be used in a classroom, in an elective classroom, even if you have limited access. Use it in planning, management, student activities, or portfolio development. We will discuss the role project-based learning plays in a limited resource classroom. This workshop will lean heavily towards iPad apps (so bring your iPads), but will be beneficial to all technology users.

The Voki can introduce the ice breaker:
Ice Breaker: find a partner and write down 3 things that prevent you from using technology in the classroom.
What did you come up with? Have people share roadblocks to technology: (not enough time, don’t know which programs or apps are the best, etc.

Today we are going to share some ideas for ways you can actually use technology to help you plan, manage your classroom, teach, and assess. These are programs and apps I have used in my own classroom. Technology can be overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. It may take a bit of exploration and time, but it can also be fun and a great way to engage students in lessons that they will enjoy. Think about it....students use technology all of the time. I teach in a very poor community, yet nearly all of my students have phones and most of those are smartphones. In addition they may play games including PS4s, Xboxs, Wiis, etc, not to mention the possibilities of computers at home. As we progress through this time, feel free to ask questions, give suggestions of other tools that have worked for you, and play with these new tools. In fact, some of the apps I will be sharing with you are actually on the iPads already for you to explore. Some things I share may require that you visit a search engine such as Safari or Google.

Let's do some brainstorming... by the way, what I'm using you could use in your classroom even if you only have one device or if you have a classroom full. What do you use technology for OR how would you like to use technology in your classroom? The app that I'm using is called "Mindmiester". Not only is it an app, but can also be used on computers as well. You'll find the app on the iPads provided. If you brought your own device, go into the web and type www.mindmeister.com. You may need to create a simple account in order to play around with it.
Use Mindmeister with the conference attendees to create a concept map of how we use technology in the classroom
Maybe you use technology to plan your day or simply to communicate with others; maybe you'd like to have students use it as a learning device or maybe as a way assess their overall learning that year.

Let's start with planning! One of my favorite apps is probably one of your's as well....Pinterest! Have you used it for your classroom? I started out using Pinterest for personal reasons, then I stumbled across a FACS teacher's page. Wow! Lots of ideas from class activities to classroom management. Bam! Technology! Now I use it when I'm looking for something new and exciting to use in my classroom, no matter what subject I'm teaching. If you've never used Pinterest for your classroom, take a look at what you can find. I simply searched for Hamlet and look what I found. Crazy! I love to see what other teachers are doing in their FACS classrooms. Another great way to share.

Part of planning obviously includes lesson plans. Now, there are a number of ways you can use technology in planning your lessons. But, let me step back a few years. When I was in college I LOVED sticky notes. I would write each of my to do list items on their own sticky note, then as I accomplished each I would remove the corresponding note and throw it away. "One more thing done!" I found an app that lets me have that act of sticky notes back, only better. Lino allows me to make sticky notes any way I want and as many I want. No waste of paper and I can even see a stack of accomplished notes. (As I talk, show the app in use.). I even keep it on my phone so I can make sticky notes everywhere.

Now, I have a small commute to my school. If anyone else does, you know that is when you have the most thoughts going through your head. I've even found some apps that will help with that. Two different apps that I use when driving to record my thoughts are: Dragon Dictation and my Notes app. Both of these allow me to dictate what's going through my mind. Many times, I simply delete the dictations, but sometimes I will copy them over into a different document.

The final aspect in planning that I would like to share is that of a lesson planning website, which also offers an app for device usage. It is known as Planbook. The website is www.planbook.com. I absolutely love this site. This past year our new principal required a new format for lesson plans. This app allowed me to easily adapt what I already designed and turned in to the format that he required. Another awesome aspect to this is how I can print out a weekly syllabus for my students with the specific class I need. (As I talk, show the app.)

Student activities are limitless with technology, be it with desktops, laptops, tablets, or something else. It's hard to decide what to offer students. Sometimes it may benefit both you and the student to ask their opinions. What do they think will work to bring this concept to life for them? Don't be afraid to ask them. For a bit of background...My classroom has 2 mini iPads, 2 iPads, and one iPod. Most of the time, my classes have an enrollment of about 20 students. Therefore, my students often work in groups. I'm going to share with you some apps and sites that I use in my own classroom or some things that my coworkers use often.

Probably, my most used app is for Google Docs. In case you've never used it, you may also go to Google instead of the app. Our school uses Google for all computer work. I will mention with Google Docs each student will need their own time on the device. This is an awesome way to communicate and work with each other. For example, I can share a document with the class, then they can work on the document directly on the computer or device. Unless, they are working together, they will make a copy and rename it as their own. However, if multiple students are working on the same project, say a presentation. They can each work on the document and see what the other one is working on. This is great if they have devices at home as well. I wish I had something like this when I was in school as I lived out in the country and it was hard to get together to work on projects. This would have solved the problem.

I love to have my students put pictures with readings; whether it is fiction or nonfiction readings. Two apps I use for this is the Pages and Pic Collage apps. Pic Collage is the simplest to work, but Pages can include so much more. For example, my English class read The Raven by Edgar Allen Poe. Students were grouped together and assigned a few stanzas from the poem. Their assignment was to create a poster to go with each stanza. Some created this poster with only one picture, others used a collection of pictures. Regardless of how they chose to represent the stanza they were given a visual for each in order to show their understandings.

The Pages app allows students to create very professional looking infographics. Again, they were grouped together, then assigned a reading. It was their task to create an infographic that would communicate information they read to a non class member reader. They were able to select from a variety of templates, then input the information the chose.

Probably one of my favorite apps to use is the iMovie app. This is SO fun!!!! It can be used in so many ways. You can create personal iMovie trailers, you can make your own movies, students can make trailers for their favorite books or in place of a book report. One of my favorite ideas is to allow students to make an iMovie trailer in place of a book report, use a QR code generator to make a QR code for the book, then place that code in the front of a book to leave in the library. Cool!

The final student activity I'd like to mention is that of a blog. This is a terrific way to include technology even in big classes when there is not many devices to choose from. In fact, one teacher's computer will do the job. I have written a blog off and on for the past two years. I don't do it to share with many (in fact, I've only shared it with class members and students). But, such a unique way to assess student learning as well as put out the information that your students are learning. So, you can create your own blog. I use Edublogs for my blog. It is very easy to operate and I can use my iPad to do so. But, there are many others out there for you to use. However, an even neater concept that was shared with me by a co worker, is to have the students write a blog for your classroom. Not only can you see that students are understanding the material, but it can be made available to be viewed by other students, parents, and administration. Just think, if a student is absent for multiple days, they may just be able to log on to the blog site to see what's been happening. This is also great if you work clubs or organizations.

Many of you are implementing or at least hearing about Project-Based Learning. Simply stated PBL is learning by doing. Today's technology plays a large part in PBL. Students use technology to aid in their project implementation as well as creating their project end result.

This leads me to assessments. I know most of us hate that word, but they are a necessary evil. Can they be made fun and useful to all? Absolutely! The first assessment tool I'd like to share with you is that of Quizlet. All of our English classes use Quizlet, but several of my FACS classes do. too. Quizlet offers ways to study, test, and play. In fact, we created all of our English vocabulary tests using this app. It was easy for us to add our lists in, but it also offers the lists and study games for the students to use. An added aspect, if the pronunciation is unknown, Quizlet will say it for you as well.

As far as assessments go, I also love a tool known as Plickers. You will find some laminated codes on your tables. I have created a class using these codes. Let me show you how this works. I will ask you a question. Notice that around each code are the letters A, B, C, and D. To answer the question, make sure the letter of your answer is at the top of the code. I will then scan the room to see who is right and who is wrong. A quick simple assessment.

The final assessment tool I would like to mention is for summative assessments. It is known as Livebinders. You may use the app or the website. All of our graduates must complete an online portfolio. This is done through Livebinders. What's beautiful about this is that although there are requirements for this at our school, they may include even more. So, why not include the award you received for the math contest, the speech you wrote and gave for FFA, or even the presentation that you created with a group for A & P.

Now, something that falls within both student activities and assessments....websites. owning and maintaining a classroom or personal website is a learning experience that is quite exciting and rewarding. The website I use is through Google sites. It is easy to use and very forgiving. If I forget how to do something I simply search through search engine for my answer. Voila! Students can help maintain a classroom or club website as part of the student weekly or daily activities. We can then use the website entries and maintenance for overall summative assessments. This is also an excellent way to keep parents up-to-date on what is being done in their children's classrooms.

A few more fun apps that don't really fit under any of the previous discussions. Surveys are a wonderful tool to find out what students know or maybe what they want to know. I like to use Survey Monkey which is available through an app or website. At the beginning of a class or unit, I like to survey students to know how they feel and what they know about a subject or topic. After the unit or at the end of the class, I like to use it to see how I did and how they might apply it. Many times I even think of things I'd like to know after the survey is over, but I just make note of that for the next survey. It's super easy to make adjustments. In fact, I'd like to find out how you feel about this workshop. It may show me what you liked the best, but can also show me where I need to improve.

In order to survey you, I'd like to share a couple more apps and sites with you. Have you heard of QR Codes? I use these codes to share many varieties of information with my students....my website address, how to videos, organization links, etc. In this case, I will share the link to the Survey Monkey survey that I created for this workshop. But, first, I need to show you how to create then read a QR code. I use the website www.qrstuff.com to create the codes. It is very simple. Let me show you how. (show how to make a qr code.) Simple right?

Now, there are several QR code reader apps that you can use. The first one I was introduced to is Qrafter, so that is the one I have downloaded on the iPads. As you explore QR codes, determine which is best for you after you explore a variety of them. Now, simply open the app, then the camera within, aim it towards the QR code. Now, often there is an advertisement to exit, but not a big deal. Then, click on open URL or read the answer, whichever is appropriate.

Now, that you know how to access my survey, when you have time in the next week, please complete it for me as this was my first out of district workshop I have given. Constructive criticism would be appreciated.