My name is John MacKenzie a.k.a. Mr. Mac. I teach in East Grand Rapids, MI and was the STEM teacher of the year for the district in 2014. The purpose of this blog is to give simple and effective ed tech advice. There is a ton of information out there about educational technology and at times it is difficult to find the diamond in the rough. I try to find tools that are easy to use, save time and keep students engaged. Thanks for reading! Make sure to follow me on Twitter as well @mrmacmathsci
We've all probably been there before. You're showing a video from the amazing resource which is YouTube. There are a plethora of educational videos that are rich, entertaining, funny and pertinent in which students really enjoy. However, there is always the fear of an inappropriate advertisement or suggestion for a related video that makes you wish you had never shown the video!
You drag the button on the web page to your Bookmark toolbar and it is ready to roll. Go to YouTube, pick your video, and click the bookmark you just made for Quiettube and there are no more suggestions on the side of videos and life is better!
Thanks for taking the time and reading Simple Ed Tech.
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From time to time it is nice to have the ability to capture and share things you can see on your computer. Whether it is a Youtube video you want to add commentary to, directions on how to do a web quest, or having students use it to create content in which to share, there are times where the ability to Screen Cast, or get a video of your computer's screen with your voice in the background, is useful.
There are two tools I use and that I know that work well.
1) Screencast-o-matic:This is my go to Screen Cast resource. There are now two different versions. One that simply runs in your browser (you don't have to download anything) and one that you can download. I just started tinkering with the download version and it has an interesting feature in which it can record whoever is screen casting and place that video in the corner if you have a webcam. I also really like how you have options to simply download the video in multiple formats or even upload it right to Youtube!
2) Snagit:Snagit is a TechSmith product so I'm already a little biased as they are a Michigan company. This Chrome based application was initially used as a screen capture app. They have now included screen casting as a feature and it looks to be promising. You just need to install the extension to your Chrome browser and you should be good to go. One nice aspect of the Snagit application is that it can link up with your Google Drive which is nice for those of use that use a lot of Google products already.
If there is a screen capture application or software you really like please be sure to share in the comments.
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So we have all had the problem when we find a website, link video, etc that we love and we used last year in the classroom and then we can't find it, even after saving it to our web browser's bookmarks because there are 200 addresses saved.
There is a quick fix that is easy to use for you and your students and it is called Symbaloo!
This cloud based website (you can get to it from anywhere and any device with Internet) allows you to organize and save links that you want to save.
Here is what a sample page of links looks like...
This is just one page and you ca make pages for different subjects, grades, classes, etc. (really however you want to organize them).
The graphics in the squares are nice for a quick visual and you can also name them for a second reference.
I have found that students like using this as well for the various websites that they use often at our middle school.
Some links that they regularly have on their Symbaloo page are:
Every teacher's website
Online textbook for applicable classes
IXL Math practice
Khan Academy
Quia
Quizlet
School Website
Other
In addition, many students end up appreciating the organization and use the Symbaloo for personal use and organize according to interest.
Students also switch from one device to another often. This means they can access from phones, iPods, iPads, computers and netbooks.
Here is an excellent introductory video made by Symbaloo themselves!
For those that want something a little more in-depth this video is great and it is made by a 7th grade student.
Ever fear that a new technology resource won't work when you go to try it out in class?
A great way to get a feel for how it will work is to have a few students try it out in class or at home and get feedback before introducing it to the masses.
Another great way is to put feelers out on Twitter using hash tags that include the name and/or #edtech #edtechchat or your subject like #msmathchat or #mathchat
Just a couple ways to wade through the black hole of the internet to find solid technology resources.
As information becomes more and more digital I think it is necessary to have an app for your phone and/or iPad (if available) to create digital content our of paper content.
My favorite app for the iPad/iPhone is called FasterScanHD.
I use this weekly to change worksheets into PDFs which I then store on my Google Drive for later use.
Here is how it works.
1) Open app
2) Snap a picture of the item
3) Easy steps to enhance the picture
4)Save
5) Email it to yourself to save on computer and/or Google Drive (If you pay for the upgrade you can put it right in your Google Drive or elsewhere more easily...but I'm cheap)
This one works so well that it is all I use. However, I know not everyone has an iPad/iPhone so here is an Android option that I tested and it worked well.
Camscanner worked functionally well and if I did not have the iPad option I would likely use this with my Samsung Galaxy phone.
Feel free to comment with what you like to use and how you use it.
In case you have not heard, Google Classroom has taken many classrooms by storm. I suggest taking a moment to get yourself acquainted with their introductory video.
The general idea of Google Classroom at this point is that it is a simpler version of LMS's (Learning Management Systems) such as Edmodo and Schoology (both of which I have used in the past). You can see their dedication to simplicity in this graphic.
At this point in time Google Classroom does not have any features as the other LMS's but what they do they do well and I'd imagine that there is more on the way. When at a Google conference a few months ago the keynote speaker worked in Google's Chromebooks for Education department and said big things were on the way. I also like that when Google tends to do things they do them very well.
What I use Classroom for and why I like it!
1) It organizes assignments directly into your Google Drive by assignment and student name automatically.
2) It is easy to set up a new class.
3) When I have a sub I make an announcement on Classroom. Students can see the plans for the day and I can include any links to videos, notes, pdfs, or anything else I want students to have access to.
4) It allows students to turn assignments in in a variety of ways. Some examples would be: as a Google Doc, Google Presentation, a link to anything that they have made elsewhere like a Prezi or iMovie, they can take pics of assignments with their web cams, and upload anything that they can. It is very versatile.
5) Google makes simple changes that keep making the experience better and better seemingly from teacher feedback.
6) It is intuitive to use in general.
7) Students log in with their school username and password.
8) It just works.
One feature that I've heard some buzz about that I am really looking forward to is the attaching of some sort of assessment feature that would be similar to what the other LMS's use or like Quia.
Thanks for reading and please share how you use Google Classroom or how you plan to use it,
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