Technology Integration and Curriculum

Performance Based Assessment and Technology

2011-01-05T15:09:00.007-05:00

Creating a real world tasks that allows students to demonstrate mastery of content is becoming more accepted as a way to assess student learning. 21st Century skills, like technology integration, communication, collaboration and critical thinking can also be embedded in the task. Initially, performance based assessments may seem like they would take more teacher time to develop, implement and grade. But in reality, a well designed task with a clear rubric can engage students, produce higher quality work and allow the teacher to spend more time working supporting students.

Most performance tasks include some kind of final presentation or product. Many times students choose to use powerpoints, video or other technology based tools to share what they have done with their peers and teacher.

Here is a list of web based presentation tools that work well with any operating system.

Google Apps - Google Docs presentation, spreadsheet, document and draw all allow students to collaborate on work, share work in real time and publish work to the web.
(http://partnerpage.google.com/fairview.k12.oh.us)

Prezi - A non-linear, non-sequential collaborative tool that allows multiple users to work together on a visually engaging presentation. Teachers can create the basic prezi and share it with a group of students, who can all add to the prezi. The final product can be published to the web.
(http://www.prezi.com/)

Animoto - Create free 30 second video montages set to music by uploading images and video clips to the site. These can be published to the web.
(http://www.animoto.com/)

Glogster - Create virtual posters called glogs. Use the embedded Grab It tool to capture pictures, record audio and record video directly onto Glogster using the webcam on the laptop. Posters can be published to the web. Teachers can get 50 free student accounts with their login. (http://edu.glogster.com)

Students who choose to make a video as a way of sharing what they have learned need to follow a few guidelines. Finished videos can be saved to jump drives preferably as .mov or .avi files. These are viewable by a variety of operating systems and software. They may also be burned to a disc - keep in mind that netbook computers do not usually have disc drives.

Change

2010-06-01T12:02:00.002-04:00

The world is constantly changing. As a biologist, I understand how important the ability to adapt to change is. Without the ability to adapt, a life form will not be able to survive. I know a lot of you right now are feeling overwhelmed by the change from our Mac laptops to our new HP laptops. This is a hectic time in the school year for all of us. A few thoughts that might help you adapt.

Remember that the computer is just a tool, it is what you do with it that has value. The three main items that most people do with their computer are send email, organize information and access the internet. I have put detailed directions on how to do all these things on the LIVE HP Laptop Help Page (see the HELP resources on the right side of my blog) I will update this page regularly as we discover new issues and solutions.

On the new HP laptop, you can access email by using our online webmail by going to http://fairview.k12.oh.us/webmail. You can also choose to download and install Mozilla Thunderbird . It is an email client that acts very much like Mac Mail.

Your documents are all organized in the library of the new HP laptop. The easiest way to find it is to open the START menu and then find the word DOCUMENTS in the list at the right. Hold down your left mouse button and DRAG the word onto your desktop - it will create a shortcut to your "MY DOCUMENTS" library which contains any documents you may have created on the new laptop, document files you may have copied to the desktop from your macbook and files that you have saved on the teacher drive. You can easily search your computer by installing Google Desktop.

Accessing the internet on the HP laptop can be done 3 different way. You can open START and "show all programs" to choose Mozilla Firefox or Internet Explorer. OR you can find those options in the START menu - and drag them to the lower left corner of your desktop to create a shortcut OR you can drag them onto your desktop to create a shortcut. You can also choose to download Google Chrome as another browser option.

Do not give up. Ask for help...help each other. Summer will be here soon!

The Age of Metrics - How Technology Is Influencing Education

2010-03-11T15:04:00.016-05:00

I recently heard an interview with a New York Times reporter about The Age of Metrics. Now, as a science teacher, my first thought was about measuring in base ten, but this is not what the Age of Metrics is all about. His premise is that as our society becomes more integrated with computer based technology, we are beginning to place a higher value on quantitative information and less value on qualitative information. His examples were based in the business world where marketing decisions are now made based on website hits and advertising click throughs. More philanthropic organizations are basing their decisions to fund research and programming on data based decisions and not intrinsic or cultural value which are difficult to measure or test.

The world of education certainly is being impacted by this shift to the Age of Metrics. Books, articles and blogs share ideas for how to gather data and use the data to make decisions in your classroom and schools. Research supports the fact that one of the key to improving education is to analyze data to see if a program or curriculum is really doing what it supposed to do. No Child Left Behind has shown the value of standardized assessment of identified standards as a measure of the information that a student has learned. Students are identified by demographic information and test scores. Data driven decision making is the educational buzz phrase of this new century.
There is certainly a role for quantitative data in education.

But where does technology fit in? Is there room in a data driven curriculum for qualitative decision making? I think there is. Laptop technology offers students a wide range of choices for expressing their thoughts and ideas creatively. Open source software offers the ability to design visual presentations of ideas. Blogging, wikis and Google Docs allow students to collaborate on ideas and share information, building on each other's strengths and perspectives. Audacity and other online music programs allow them to create original music or utilize music to emphasize a mood or concept in their presentations. Access to a wide range of information and primary source materials allow students to think more quantitatively as well - by gathering information from varying points of view, by observing how society responds to challenging situations, students can form their own ideas about the world.

It is difficult to measure creativity or the value of experiencing a new piece of music or sharing an original poem or the impact of researching information from a broad range of sources- but I feel that there is still room for qualitative experiences in the 21st Century classroom and that netbooks or laptops can be a tool to do this.

Ideas for making a lesson more Qualitative:

What choices will the student have for representing their mastery of a topic?
What collaborative tool might the student be able to access during this lesson?
How can technology be used as part of the reflection process either before, during or after the lesson?
What web-based tools might the student access to expand their creative thinking abilities in this lesson?
What tools might the student be able to access to help them map their ideas?
What opportunities will the student be given to research information from opposing or different points of view in order to draw their own conclusions on a topic?

Being a Transformer

2010-02-26T17:53:00.005-05:00

When you think about transformers, you probably think about cool robots that are also cars or planes. With a few quick turns and clicks any child can convert the car to a robot and back again. The robots do things the car can't and take on the world in a whole different way.

Next year, we will be adding a one to one netbook program for our freshmen and increasing the number of computers and labs we have available for the upperclassemen. It is time to think about how netbooks can also be transformers. Students will now be able to use their imaginations and knowledge to create and share ideas in ways that would never have been possible with paper and pencil. Teachers will be able to collaborate with students and their peers, have access to a global network of resources and teach using real world data. It will be possible to make connections to classrooms beyond the limits of our brick and stone building and our fieldtrip budget. This kind of transformative learning is at the core of the 21st Century Learning concept.

In order for the netbooks to become transformers, teachers will need to be transformed. This is not an easy task. Their approach to classroom management, assessing student learning, sharing knowledge and mastering content can not just be bent, twisted and clicked into place to create some new, 21st century teacher. Instead, teachers need to be coached and encouraged to make these changes themselves. They need to see concrete examples of how technology can be used in a transformative way in their classrooms, they need access to tools that work and they need the support and recognition of their peers as they try out new ideas. Over the next year, it will be my job to help with this transformation.

To help us get started, I have put together some guiding questions to use as you start to plan lessons for next year.

Guiding Questions for Transformative Technology Planning

Am I using the netbooks/labs as a subsitute for existing materials in my classroom or am I using it in an innovative way to assess student learning, help students work towards content mastery or develop 21st century skills?
Are my students passive users of the technology or active users of the technology?
How has technology changed the way I think about teaching?
How has technology changed the way I collaborate and communicate with my colleagues?
How has technology changed the way I collaborate and communicate with my students?
I am embedding technology into my daily teaching or is it more of a "special event"?
What are the state technology standards that can be embedded in my course?
How can I integrate technology standards into my daily lessons?
How can I integrate 21st century skills into my daily lessons?
How can I use the technology to differentiate my lessons for different learning styles, different learning levels and different ability groups?
How can I encourage students who have an interest in working with technology hardware or innovating with technology?

Walking the Walk

2010-01-25T15:14:00.004-05:00

For the past 6 months I have been talking the talk about 21st Century learning and Web 2.0 skills - and how important it is to integrate these into ALL classrooms. Now it is time to model what I have been promoting. This semester, I am teaching a 21st Century Learning class following a model developed by the Graham School in Columbus, Ohio.

The course has 6 core components. The first is Community. Our students are involved in social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter and MySpace. They create profiles and share information with people from our school and throughout the world. We will start with an emphasis on building a community within our classroom. We will be using blogs, wordle and animoto to share who we are with each other. A second focus is on Collaboration. Students will use Google Apps and Moodle to work together on planning and implementing Service Learning Projects that will benefit our school or other schools in our district. Examples of projects might be creating a Wiki page of review games and resources for 2nd graders to use or helping to assemble board games to be used to review for assessments at the elementary school. Research is an important 21st Century skill and students will be creating their own research projects, then utilizing Gale Data bases and Advanced Search Functions in Google to gather information. They will also be able to use Freemind and other mindmapping software to begin to organize their information and Google Docs to publish their finished work. To develop 21st Century Communication skills, we will use Moodle to learn how to follow a discussion on a threaded blog and conduct a live chat. They will also use Twitter and Delicous to share information and create a group in Facebook to plan a service project. We will spend time talking about different levels of internet communication, more formal and more casual, along with professional and private internet presences. Technology use is interwoven throughout the course. We will have access to video conferencing equipment and will be reaching out beyond our classroom to find educational partners. The students will also look at positive ways of using podcasting, videocasting and texting in the world of education.

The course is designed to be conducted without textbooks or hard copy student materials. All lessons, assignments and assessments will be done virtually using Google Sites, Moodle and Google Docs. Instruction will be done using a mix of live classroom presentations and videocasts. Students will be evaluated using a rubric based grading system and performance based assessments. They will receive feedback through real time comments posted on the discussion threads or added to their shared Google Docs work.

I am excited about the opportunity to teach this model class. I hope that I will be able to share what I have learned with not only my students, but my peers. It will be an interesting 18 weeks!

Follow how the class it doing by visiting our website http://sites.google.com/site/fhs21c/

Peer Coaching

2009-12-09T10:39:00.002-05:00

One part of Formative Assessment is learning how to teach your students to be peer coaches. This is a little powerpoint to use to introduce the key skills of peer coaching.

http://learning.fairview.k12.oh.us/users/cshryock/weblog/64fd7/Peer_Feedback.html

Dr. Richard Villa - Collaboration, Creativity, Communication, Coteaching

2009-12-07T09:39:00.002-05:00

See our thoughts on Dr. Villa's presentation - and ideas he shared with us.
http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AdB3v9o2K7IlZGMzOW5maHNfMzYyZnhwZHR0aG4&hl=en

From Good To Great

2009-09-08T15:50:00.004-04:00

Kevin has asked us all to consider what we can do to go from good to great - as a school and as teachers. All of us have journal books to help us record things we have done that have worked well, lessons that seemed to just click or a particularly good student interaction. We are going to be sharing these thoughts at staff meetings. Pete started us out with his ideas on good to great. Watch him share with us HERE.

Technology Profile 2009

2009-08-27T09:02:00.005-04:00

Please take 5 minutes of your time to fill out the following information. It will help me as I plan for tech training and trouble shoot progress book. Remember, I am available over ichat - make cshryock@fairview.k12.oh.us a buddy, on skype at edtechgirl or by email. My office phone extension is 4143.

Click on this link to go to the form. http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=dG83V3pRc2s0dkp2QWlBUG1fVFRqRHc6MA..

Progress Book Training from Aug 24

2009-08-25T15:35:00.002-04:00

If you missed the training on Aug 24 - or you would like to go through it again, you can view the entire workshop video online at http://learning.fairview.k12.oh.us/users/cshryock/weblog/7c75a/Progress_Book_Training_August_25__2009.html

To get to the Progress Book Login, you can go to https://progressbook.leeca.org/progressbook/General/LoginForm.aspx

SUMMER! Some Tech Tools to Try Out Over the Summer

2009-06-04T22:36:00.004-04:00

Happy Vacation!
Some things you need to know for the Summer -

Hide your remotes - in your deskdrawer or a filing cabinet.
If you have a problem with your mac over the Summer - you can email me - I will check my school email at least 2 times a week. Or, go to http://www.apple.com/support/
To access your email from anywhere- go to http://www.fairview.k12.k.oh.us/webmail login with your network login and password - it is in a little bit different format since it is running in Outlook.

New Classroom Management System - Progress Book

Our love hate relationship with SOIN has come to an end. We are going to be using Progress Book for this coming school year. The district evaluated ESIS, Pinnacle, Progress Book, Infinite Campus and SOIN. Progress Book proved to be the best choice for our district. It has a dashboard style main page that is very user friendly. The gradebook has a variety of options including the ability to track traditional points based assignments and progress on mastering state indicators ( yep - that would be standards based grading) Teachers can easily share gradebook pages with each other. Assignments can be entered for credit - or can be entered as a record that is not included in the actual grade. In addition to the gradebook, the program also offers a Lesson Plan Bank- which can also be shared with other users and a "shareable" Assignment Bank. Teachers and Administrators will have the ability to make customized reports that can be used at parent meetings or to track athletic elegibility or the need for tutoring. An added bonus is that LEECA is providing the first tier trouble shooting support. Because the program is supported by LEECA, all of our student data is available - including attendance and contact information. That means that attendance will show up in your teacher view - in real time. You can also create seating charts using the pictures that are tied to the student data base and use the seating chart to take attendance. If you would like to check out Progress Book before our beginning of the school year training in August, you can find the PDF Getting Started for Teachers manual and the quick reference sheet at https://www.progressbook.com/Support/SupportMenuUser.aspx?M=2

Podcast Server
Ever wish you could record a lecture to share with students who were absent - or need an easy way for students to record a presentation to share with the class? We now have the ability to do podcast captures from our mac laptops- and immediately post it on the web using the Fairview Server - so it is not truly public. This is a good option if you only want your students to be accessing it. Once it has a URL, it can be linked to blog sites or class webpages - and made available on the broader web. The Podcast Capture tool can be used to record a video, record audio - including music, upload existing files and do narrated screen captures.

To see a sample video - CLICK HERE

To see a sample screencast (narrated screen capture - using a laptop & an airliner) CLICK HERE

How to get started
First, you need to set up a local page on our server.

Go to http://learning.fairview.k12.oh.us/
Click on USERS in the upper right hand corner
Select "Create Your Weblog"
Use your network user name and password
Now you have a Fairview Blog- which is where the podcast will post (upload to)
Each blog post will have its own url - for example my blog is http://learning.fairview.k12.oh.us/users/cshryock/ But the URL of the recorded music is http://learning.fairview.k12.oh.us/users/cshryock/weblog/ca9f9/Allison_Shryock%27s_Minor_Melody_on_Recorder_Performed_May_26__2009.html
This URL can be pasted onto another blog or put on a Google Site class page.

Next, you are ready to create your podcast
1. Click on the hard drive icon - then click APPLICATIONS - then click UTITLITIES - if you don't have the hard drive on your desktop, use the magnifying glass at the top of the desktop screen and search for UTILITIES - then go down to FOLDERS - click on UTILITIES -MAC HARDDRIVE
2. Scroll down to PODCAST CAPTURE
3. DRAG the icon for this application onto your dock - remember- don't drop it onto the dock until you find a spot where two of the dock icons move aside to make room for it.
4. Click on the PODCAST CAPTURE icon
5. Login using the server learning.fairview.k12.oh.us
6. Your login and password are your network login and password
7. Now you will see 4 options - video, audio, screen capture or file upload
8. Click on one - the video and audio use the built in camera/mic in the laptop.
9. Once you have recorded or uploaded your podcast, click on SUBMIT
10. You will get a message that your podcast is being uploaded and that it is finished - the longer the podcast - the longer the upload.

To view your podcast - or copy its URL for another location
1. Log out of your computer - then log back on to see a newly uploaded podcast
2. Go to http://learning.fairview.k12.oh.us
3. Click on USERS
4. Find your name - this is the blog you created for this application
5. Your podcasts will be in chronological order - to get the URL for the a specific podcast -click on the title of that podcast - then copy the url (the address).
6. ANYONE can view this podcast if they have the URL

Mind Mapping - A new way for you and your students to organize ideas
Try this SourceForge application download - it is shareware.

1.Go to http://freemind.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/Download
2. Choose the PC or Mac OS download
3. Fill in the survey
4. Download the application - it will show up in your APPLICATIONS folder of your harddrive on your Mac - you can then drag the icon onto your dock

Why mind mapping? This is really a graphic organizer web program. It allows you to create Parent nodes, child nodes and sibling nodes. It is pretty user friendly. The same website you used for the download also has examples and a help section. I used this application along with my projector to generate class notes. It is also good for organizing student brainstorming or prior and learned knowledge.

To find out more about Google Apps like Google Docs and Google sites and Google Calendar

Read my quick directions sheet at http://docs.google.com/View?id=dc39nfhs_400t5vz6qdb
To go directly to Google Help to learn more about the applications - go to http://www.google.com/support/?hl=en
You can also login to your Google Partner page and click on the application you want to use - if it asks for a login, use the first part of your school email (ex. cshryock) and the password you created - if you never set up the account - use central as the password then reset it. Once you are in the application - you can click on HELP and see all kinds of videos and tips created by Google. http://partnerpage.google.com/fairview.k12.oh.us,

A sample JING video

2009-02-16T18:11:00.003-05:00

Are you interested in using Jing to do short screen captures or make short movies? It works well on Macs or Pcs running Windows XP or Vista.

Here is a sample of what it can do.
2009-02-06_2024

eTech Conference 2009

2009-02-04T08:29:00.001-05:00

I presented "What's Up Docs" - Collaborating With Google Tools.

Javits Training January 26

2009-01-26T08:14:00.007-05:00

Kathy Ingersoll shared ideas with us on differentiating for all students - including GT and how to identify these students. If you have not already done so, you need to register for the Javits website at http://edhd.bgsu.edu/ode/ All of us need to complete the pretests by March 30. Staff members who are applying for a CEU credit for this training need to submit their pretest results to Kathy by the end of the day on January 26.

Here is a video about Gifted Traits - you need to watch this if you are going for CEUs

Kathy talked to us about the state laws that govern gifted education.
We also talked about the state guidelines for identifying GT children. Students can be identified by Superior Cognitive Ability using intelligence tests or a nationally normed achievement test. They can also be identified by academic ability, creative thinking ability and visual or performing arts ability. In the identification process, we need to make sure that we do not overlook ESL students, disabled students or students from low socio economic backgrounds.

We can refer students to Kathy for assessment at any time during the year. The more students we identify, the more funding we receive from the state.

Kathy works with the school psych to do testing and evaluation of the students who are referred to her program. We also use artistic and creativity check lists to evaluate creativity.

It is possible for a student to be retested for eligibility. Records are kept by the GT coordinator over the academic career of the student.

For every gifted student we have to complete a WEP -Written Education Plan. Kathy needs to also report all students who are being served and their area of identification for EMIS.

The state is moving toward a WEP that looks very much like an IEP.

We also need to notify parents once a student has been identified.

At GS, our GT program is a pullout full day or half day program. We are required to provide identified students with about 20 hours a week of education in their identified field. LFM has an enrichment program. FHS uses honors and AP level classes, independent study classes and enrichment programs to meet this requirement. ODE has now stated that ALL HONORS CLASSES have to have a curriculum written to show exactly how it is differentiated from the regular class curriculum.

For the March 30th Inservice, we need to complete the Javits Teacher Module TOPIC 3.

Yes We Can

2009-01-23T09:50:00.004-05:00

President Obama, in his inaugural address, reminded Americans that he can not make the changes necessary for our country to continue to grow and be successful without the help of every citizen. That same idea is true for our school. No matter how many tech tools and curriculum tools and data pieces we have available to us, our students will not continue to be successful and to learn how to live in this 21st century world without all of us making the effort to do our part.

I will be offering a series of classes over the next few months to help you to build on your technology skills and learn about new ways of approaching your curriculum materials. My first class offering focused on Google Tools. If you would like to learn more about Google Tools or need help remembering how to use the Google Tools, use the links below.

I will be out of the building on February 2-4 attending the eTech conference, where I will be giving a presentation on Google Tools and the Ohio Pilot Assessment meeting. I am looking forward to the opportunity to bring some new ideas back to our staff.

Google PartnerPage and Google Tools Directions Quick Reference Sheet

Tech Tools for OGT and Standards Based Lessons

2009-01-16T10:07:00.003-05:00

We had the opportunity to look at two website resources during our inservice on Friday, January 11. The first site we looked at was the Success Website - which will allow us to look at how our students have performed on the OGT and will allow us to create practice tests and look at sample questions. The second website is the D3A2 teacher resource site which allows us to look for lesson plans, sample assessments and other indicator based resources. This site is for all content areas in our building, not just the core subjects.

Javits training site - login at http://edhd.bgsu.edu/ode
You will need to create an account - go to your email once you have logged in to activate the account
Once you are in the site, you will need to choose the appropriate module and take the pre-tests.
There are 3 pre tests - which you have to take before you can move ahead
There is CEU credit available - You will need to give Kathy Ingersoll the printed out pretest results by January 26.
All of the staff needs to complete this by January 26.
On January 26, you will need to bring your class roster and your laptop with you.

Merry Christmas To All of You

2008-12-19T13:54:00.000-05:00

Technolgy Updates November 21, 2008

2008-11-21T15:29:00.000-05:00

Happy Friday to all of you:

Here are the latest updates from the world of FHS technology

1. SOIN has resolved the problem that was causing grades /assignments to not save.

2. Safari Montage is currently not working on the Mac notebooks. NORT2H, our consortium that is coordinating this site, is in the process of working with Safari Montage to resolve this problem. Safari Montage does work with PCs and Internet Explorer - if there are videos that you would like to be using, I can help you play them. The playlists are still there - even if we don't see them. This problem occurred after Tuesday when NORT2H did some updates. IF you are using it on your PC- it may work, it may not work.

3. We now have a FHS Technology Board. The board is made up of myself, Kim Armstrong, Gayle Dill, Rose Mary Young, Chris Kaminski and Kevin Liptrap. We will be meeting twice monthly and will be working on grant writing, making technology purchasing decisions, providing peer tech support and recognition and evaluating possible new technology for the building. This committee is a part of the FHS Technology Plan that I have developed with Kevin.

4. Chris Kaminski, Gayle Dill and I are a part of the district Website Redesign Committee, We will be working over the next 3 months to create a new, more accessible, more user friendly web page for our district. The new page software also allows multiple users at different authorization levels to edit or upload materials to the page. This is very exciting and I am looking forward to the scheduled rolling out the new page by the end of this school year. To see a sample of the type of site we will be working on developing, check out the Independence School Site -http://www.independence.k12.oh.us/

5. The district is moving toward a paperless environment. Part of this plan is the creation of e-forms. These electronic forms will be available on the e-school mall site - so you will be able to login, access a form and submit it electronically. Examples of the forms that will be available include sick leave , personal leave, conference requests - and any other form that needs some kind of authorization. We are also going to be working on putting our building level forms on the website - these forms would be available to parents and students - and would include field trip and vacation forms, technology acceptable use forms and college visit forms.

6. Chris Kaminski is working on developing the ability to live stream video - this will allow us to put live sporting events on the webpage.

7. The Shared Drives (xserve2/ teachers or students or building forms or copiers), will soon be accessible from home. This will allow you to access documents you have saved at school from home. Something we have been requesting for a long time. The site will be security protected, so you will be able to use it safely not only at home but from public WI-Fi locations. Just a note, if for some reason you can't see your teacher drive on your laptop, if you go to FINDER - then GO - the CONNECT TO SERVER - then pick xserve2 - it will show you all the shared drives - Teacher, Student, Copiers, Building Forms - hi-light the one you want and then hit connect.

8. Just a reminder - the strap on the laptop bags that were provided to you may come unhooked unexpectedly. Mark Kostur is contacting the manufacturer to come up with a solution. In the short term, either remove the strap from your bag, or use duct tape and wrap the hook so it doesn't pop open or use plastic zip ties to connect it to the loop on the bag.

9. Michelle Kocar has begun to plan some technology inservice time for our inservice day at the end of the semester. I am working with her on developing this time - you will have some choices of sessions to attend - more details will follow.

10. More teachers are starting to use the video conferencing capabilities we have. Ryan Graff's Art students are going to be participating in a discussion on art and Apartheid in South Africa. Dave Latkovic has formed a partnership with a teacher at Lorain LVS, Colleen Sliwinski's Anatomy and Physiology students have been participating in a series of live surgery broadcasts from the Cleveland Clinic and Gayle Dill and Janice Baker combined FHS and LFM students to participate in a discussion with a Young Adult author about the creative writing process. We can also host our own activities and search for lesson partners in the broader tech world. If you would like to do a class program like this, or would like to learn more about it - please talk with me - it is easier than it seems.

11. I will be talking with those of you who indicated on my tech survey that you would be interested in being a possible peer mentor. Please don't run away if you see me at your door :)

12. Don't forget to check out the resources and info on my blog http://edtechgirl.blogspot.com

13. Finally - Kevin has created a Principal's blog -which he is going to be updating each week. It is accessible from the FHS homepage on the district or directly from http://fhsliptrap.blogspot.com You can post a comment for Kevin by clicking on the word "comment" at the bottom of the blog posting.

Linda Darling Hammond Collaborative Classrooms

2008-11-06T14:18:00.003-05:00

Linda Darling Hammond from Stanford University is the lead researcher working with the ODE on reforming our assessment system. This is a video interview with her dealing with Collaborative Classrooms.

This is a video interview with Seymour Papert.
He is talking about Project Based Learning.

We are looking at ways to continue to be a school of excellence - these two approaches to learning are receiving a lot of attention world wide as our society begins to look at the best way to educate students for the 21st Century.

FHS Has the Opportunity to Be A Pilot School

2008-10-14T13:30:00.006-04:00

Do you want to learn more about performance based assessment? Visit the ASCD site to read articles and hear from experts and students.

Fairview High School has the opportunity to participate in an exciting pilot plan that is being funded by the ODE. This plan will also tie into our Mosaic Project objectives by helping to address the performance and learning of all students in our building. Anne Dance, Kathy Ingersoll, Jenny Parente, Michelle Kocar and I had a chance to attend an informational meeting at the ODE in September. The following is a summary of what we learned at this meeting.

The ODE Plan
To select pilot schools across the state who will help to develop common assessments to be used for 11/12 graders in English, Science and Math. These assessments will be a combination of formative (portfolios, hands- projects) and summative (end of unit ). The purpose is to create assessments that actually measure the kinds of skills we want students to have upon graduation rather than assessments that are based on memorization – but no application. The goal is to move away from OGT style testing. Additionally, the ODE is looking at streamlining indicators by grade level to allow teachers to cover a smaller amount of information at a greater depth. All of this is coming out of the studies being done by Stanford University and Linda Darling Hammond through their Envision Schools model and the feedback that businesses and colleges have provided to the state board of education.(See below)

Ohio State School Board Initiative
To see more on this initiative, visit their website

• Ohio School Board focus on assessment – looking at the difference between memorization and mastery and performance ability
• Education in the global economy committee – looking at connections between the business community and our education system – predicting 21st century skill set- created a top 10 list
1. Critical thinking and problem solving – applied knowledge
2. Mastery of rigorous academic content – literacy and content
3. Innovative and creative thinking – entrepreneur skills
4. Communication skills – oral and written
5. Team learning and interpersonal skills
6. Alignment w/ education and economic development
7. Personal responsibility and work ethic – life long learning and financial literacy
8. Global awareness – culture and language – history economics and geography
9. Communication bridge pre k-13
10. Teacher education and preparation – prof development and support to provide skills for helping with mastery and content development

• The end result was addressing how the current assessment system needed to be changed to meet these 10 objectives

Susan Zelman- State Superintendent
She outlined the ideas behind this pilot program which was created in response to the School Board's initiative.

• Moral responsibility to offer students multiple ways to share what they know
• Our standards need to be clearer, higher and fewer and benchmarked against international best practices
• We are piloting this program with the potential for more investment by the Gates Foundation in Ohio
• International systems do a better job of connecting the state assessment with what actually goes on in the classroom – and involve teachers in creating multiple measures of student performance – and the scoring of these assessments – building on the ability of teachers to improve assessment and learning in the classroom – making students who are college and workforce ready
o SHOULD OHIO PHASE OUT OGT
o SHOULD WE MOVE TOWARD SUBJECT TESTS
o SHOULD WE EMBED PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT
o SHOULD WE HAVA A PROJECT BASED COMPONENT
o SHOULD WE ELIMINATE THE TECH DIVIDE
o CAN WE DEVELOP PROJECT BASED LEARNING
o CAN WE USE TECH TO DEVELOP ASSESSMENT
o CAN WE DEVELOP PORTFOLIOS THAT WILL TRACK WITH STUDENTS
• State evaluating embed performance assessment in 11 and 12 grade in math, science and English
• How do achieve a balance between teacher based assessment and state assessment

Technology Survey

2008-10-13T09:32:00.003-04:00

I am working with Kevin to create a technology plan for our building for this year as well as into the future. I need your input to help me with this. Please take a minute to fill out this survey - you can do it right from this site or you can use the link I have emailed to you. Please fill in your name so that I can follow up with you on the results. Thanks again for all of your support.

By the way, I created this survey using the new FORMS tool in GOOGLE DOCS. You can create your own surveys or test reviews using this tool - and the results will be tabulated for you and presented in a graphic format - as well as being saved on an excel spreadsheet.

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Mac Training Week 2 Notes

2008-09-18T11:16:00.007-04:00

On our second day of Mac training we worked with Garage Band, iPhoto and the Apple Learning Institute. We discovered that we have hidden vocal talent on the staff! Please post to this blog and share how you are using your mac tools in class. Kathy Ingersoll is using iChat to connect with students across the world. Pete Maienknecht is going to use the picture book function of iPhoto to do a lesson on the battle of Gettysburg. Kim Armstrong wrote a slope rap and performed it via podcast with her classes - then gave the kids an option to write their own. Dave LeBrun is emailing his tests to the ESL tutor who can open them on her macbook and use the text reader function to read the test to the students. What are you doing?

Click here for the notes from the second session of our Mac Training

Mac Training Week 1 Notes

2008-09-12T08:59:00.003-04:00

Wow... so much information to process and so many new ideas! I have put together my notes from the first week of Mac training for all of you. I would love to hear about how you are using your new laptop in your class - feel free to comment on this blog and I will post your ideas for everyone else to see. To comment, just click the word "comments" at the bottom of this posting. You won't see your post right away - they are moderated by me. Don't forget to add me as a buddy on your iChat.

Link to notes on Mac Training Week 1

Teacher of the Year Stop 4 Ft. Moultrie Sullivan's Island, South Carolina

2008-09-08T08:34:00.007-04:00

South Carolina is called the Palmetto State in part because of the fort that is over my left shoulder. Fort Moultrie was first constructed of palmetto logs and was key to the defense of Charleston Harbor during the first British attack during the Revolutionary War. The fiberous palmetto logs were able to absorb the impact of the cannon balls without breaking or splintering. This fort also saw duty during the Civil War and was refitted for coastal defense for the Spanish American War and WWII. A few other interesting side facts about this area. Chief Osceola of the Seminole tribe was imprisoned here and is buried outside the fort-except for his head, which was removed by his doctor at the time of his death and taken to New York City where it eventually was burned in a building fire! Also, this island was used as a pest house during the 1700s and 1800s. Slave ships bound for Charleston would unload their human cargo on Sullivan's Island to quarrantine the living and bury the dead in mass graves. Edgar Allan Poe's short story, The Gold Bug, was written while he was based here as a soldier.

So, how does this stop tie into how to be a great classroom teacher? I think that we can be more like palmetto forts when it comes to absorbing changes that we are presented with during our careers. Through my 20 years of teaching I have had to accomodate changes in special education law, technology, student attitudes and backgrounds, curriculum styles and standardized testing. I have made the transition from a junior high teacher to a middle school teacher to a high school teacher and a technology integration specialist. The only way to absorb these changes and stay at least slightly sane is to find ways to tie the new ideas into you existing knowledge and experience base without scrapping everything and starting over again. This is what has happened at Fort Moultrie, the existing structure incorporated the pieces of the previous forts, building on the solid foundation that was there but adding new defenses and equipment to make the fort more stable and better suited to handle changing weapons technology and warfare tactics.

Sometimes it is hard to see the upside. That is where technology comes in. Teachers can find a wide variety of ideas, help sites and resources on the web that can help them to adjust to changes that they face each year. If you are one of those teachers who needs a little help seeing the positives , you might be interested in checking out the following sites:

Special Education and Inclusion
Dealing with special children in your classroom
Dealing with alternative assessments and monitoring progress of special needs students
Dealing with GT, ADHD and other alphabet letter students

Technology Integration
Using the Mac - basic skills
Distance Learning opportunities for your classroom or professional development
Teacher Resources for Integrating Technology
Ohio Treasure Chest of Tech Resources - by grade and standard

OGT and OAT and Teaching with Standards
OGT Success website includes sample questions and tests as well a data
Tool to align state indicators with curriculum
Creating standards based lessons
Ohio Resource Center of lessons that are standards based
D3A2 Teacher Resource Center - you will need to create an account using your school email address, then you can search the resource center to find standardized based lessons and resources

Diversity in the Classroom
Resource links for dealing with diversity
The Diversity Web
Creating a diversity based curriculum
Teaching Tolerance homepage

Mini Classes

2008-09-02T09:10:00.002-04:00

Now that school is under way and everyone has had a chance to start using their new laptops, I am offering a series of mini classes that may help you use your laptop in a different way. I am also available 1-5 periods daily if you need some one on one help or would like to talk about how to integrate tech into your classes.

All classes will be from 2:50- 3:25 in Char’s classroom. Please bring your laptop with you.

Char’s Tech Mini Class Schedule for the Week of 9/2
9/2 Using My Mac – a beginner session
9/4 Using Microsoft Office 2008 – some helpful hints for Word and PowerPoint

Char’s Tech Mini Class Schedule for the Week of 9/8
9/8 Using Google Docs to collaborate with staff or share documents with students
9/9 Using Google Calendar
9/10 Using Jing to make a narrated presentation you can use in class
9/11 Using the Smartboard in the library classroom ( this class is in the library classroom)

Setting Up Your Own Blog

2008-08-27T14:34:00.004-04:00

I have been using a blogger.com blog in my classroom and to communicate with all of you. Blogs allow you to share ideas, pictures, powerpoints and links with not only your local colleagues and students, but with people world wide. By adding a tool from Google Analytics to your blog, you can even track who logs in from anywhere in the world. The blog also allows you to embed power point presentations, online quizzes, teacher tube videos and online flashcards. Students and Staff can comment on the blog, allowing for collaboration time and feedback for your work or assignments. These comments can be moderated by you before they are posted.

For more help, try this site:
http://help.blogger.com/ Help at Blogger.com

Technology Update for August 22, 2008

2008-08-22T09:53:00.003-04:00

Congratulations, we made it through week 1 of the new school year! Great job... I heard a lot of positive things going on in classrooms as I walked around the building over the past few days.

I am available to help you with technology and curriculum integration 1*-5* period and after school. I will be posting a mini-inservice schedule for the next few weeks on this blog over the weekend, as well as on the bulletin board in the FHS office. These will be short, after school sessions on blogging, using an online quiz generator, new features available in Office 2008, the Distance Learning Lab and SOIN. All of these sessions will be in the A248 lab (as long as the air conditioning is working )

Here is a quick update for all of you on the state of technology in our buildings.

Projector Ghosting
Everyone should be receiving a Line Driver device that you will use with your new notebooks - it must be plugged into an outlet - then your projector adaptor plugs into the end marked "to computer" and your VGA cord (the cable that connects the notebook to the raceway) gets plugged into the end marked "to display device" . On the back side of the driver is a small slide switch marked "normal medium maximum" Slide the switch to "maximum" This device will help clean up the signal your notebook is sending to the projector and should eliminate and ghosting that we were experiencing last year. Please let me or Laura know next Friday if you haven't received a driver yet.

VCR/DVD units
The RCA VCR/DVD units were not replaced over the Summer. They are all going to be replaced with new DVD/Tuner units, but as of this time Mark Kostur does not have a definite timeline for when this is going to occur. The tuner function should still be working on all of the units. I personally would not put any video tapes into the unit - this is the component that is consistently malfunctioning - and it will eat your tape. The only way to get it out is to take the whole unit apart. The district is now subscribing to Safari Montage, a great online "video" source that will allow you to stream videos through your notebook as project them onto your screens. You can also play DVDs through your notebook. (remember, the eject button is the small up arrow with a line under it at the top right of your keyboard)

Sound and Speakers
USCOMM came into the building over the Summer and replaced ALL of the 3.5 stereo mini cable jacks in the ceilings and in the raceways. These are the jacks that look like a headphone plug. IF you still aren't getting any sound or unbalanced sound from your ceiling speakers, please let Laura or I know asap. To prevent static and feedback, do not leave the 3.5 stereo mini cable plugged into the raceway if you are not playing sound through it.

SmartBoard
After next week, there will be a smartboard set up in the Library classroom. You can sign up to use that nice, air conditioned space and do a lesson with the smartboard! I will be offering training on how to use it starting after Labor Day.

Distance Learning Lab
Our distance learning lab is up and running for the new year. I will be spotlighting opportunities you will have to participate in discussion sessions and virtual fieldtrips. I also encourage you to look at the partnership opportunities that are available on the LCDLC website.

This is the resource page http://www.lcdlc.org/resources.htm

This is the calendar of DL opportunities including a bulletin board listing of teachers who are looking for classrooms to collaborate with
http://www.pageflakes.com/LCDLC.Ohio/12258169/

We will also be participating in their DL staff development sessions again this year - a number of you took advantage of this last spring. This is the schedule for the upcoming classes
http://www.lcdlc.org/TechnologyToolbox.htm

I will also be taking another group of teachers to their DL bootcamp training sessions this year - the teachers who went last year learned a lot of new skills and enjoyed the sessions. The sessions this year will be on December 13 and January 31. You must attend both full day sessions. If you are interested in learning more about Distance Learning and would like to be a part of these sessions, let me know.
I will be maintaining the calendar for reserving the DL lab. It will be on Google Docs so you will all have access to it.

Student Responders
There are two sets of student responders that will be available for sign out through the library once we get settled in for the new school year. There will be a full inservice training on them in October, but if you have already used them and would like to start signing them out, see Rose Mary or Julie in the library.

SOIN
As of 10:00am on August 22 – class lists were not loaded into the SOIN system. Mark Kostur is working with Sunita from SOIN to accomplish this. Once the class lists are posted, I will be available to help anyone who needs a refresher on using SOIN or who would like to use SOIN for assignments and grading rather than just attendance. I do have a few resources available to you at http://fpsdtech.rwlo.org in the “how to resources” folder. This folder also has the directions for eschool mall, Aesop and Special Ed Net.

2008-08-19T07:25:00.000-04:00

Quick Reference for Mac

Web Resources

Mac 101 – a website designed for PC users who are using Mac for the first time. It includes directions and help sections for all parts of Apple i-Life including i-movie, i-DVD, i-Pictures AND sections on using the Mac platform including how to set up basic functions on Mac, like the “dock” and using the Finder.

http://www.apple.com/support/mac101/

Apple Learning Interchange – an Apple sponsored collaborative site for teachers that allows you to create an account, access lesson resources posted by other teachers and add your own.

http://ali.apple.com

Basic Equipment

Checking battery life – on the bottom of the notebook near the front left corner, there is an inset button. If you press it, green bars will light up and show you the battery charge status.

Once the notebook is on, there will be a battery icon in the top right corner of your screen which will show you the charge level. Click in to show % or time left on the charge – percentage is more accurate. It is ok to let the battery run down to 10% before plugging in your notebook.

Power Cord – plugs in magnetically on the left side of the notebook near the screen. It has an extender that can be used with it – To use it, you need to slide off the power prong unit from the power pack and slide in the end of the extender.

USB - There are two USB ports on the left side of the notebook

Projector Adaptor – The port for the projector adapter is on the left side of the notebook next to the power adapter

Fire Wire – there is one port for a fire wire cable on the left side of the notebook

Mic and Headphone Jacks – located on the left side of the notebook

Inventory tag – there is red inventory tag on the bottom of your notebook. Use this number whenever you are requesting maintenance or have a problem with your notebook.

Main Desktop Screen

Upper right corner (from left to right )

Home Sync
Time Machine ( lets you back up your hard drive)
Bluetooth active indicator
Airport (wireless access – check status and change servers)
Volume
Battery charge levels
Day and Time
Spotlight – this function allows you to do a search of EVERYTHING you do on this computer – including mail , images, webpages you have in favorites and documents.

Upper left corner (from left to right)

Apple icon
- System Preferences
  - Personal – Appearance,Desktop,Dock,Expose, International, Security, Spotlight - USE THIS SETTING TO CHANGE THE APPEARANCE and LOCATION of your DOCK and to change your WALL PAPER and SCREEN SAVER
  - Hardware – Bluetooth, CDs/DVDs,Displays,Energy Saver, Keyboard/Mouse,Print/Fax, Sound
  - Internet and Network - .MAC, Network, Quicktime, Sharing
  - System – Accounts, Date/Time, Parental Controls, Software Update,Speech, Start Up disk, Time Machine,Universal Access – TIME MACHINE allows you to back up your hard drive to a series of CD roms, a portable hard drive or a large jump drive.
- Dock – allows you to change the dock size, location and preferences. The dock is the equivalent of having software shortcuts on your desktop. Little dots will show up next to or under the icons on the dock to let you know that the program is still open and running in the background. To exit a program, you can click on it at the top left of the screen, then select quit or you can hold down Command and Q.
- Force Quit – use this instead of control-alt-delete to shut down a program that has frozen or locked up.
- Sleep, Restart, Shutdown and Log Out
Finder (also a little square smile face in your dock) Finder only appears when you are looking at your desktop with no other programs open, it will be replaced in the top tool bar by the name of the most recent program you have open on your notebook – for example, Word.
- Hardware – shows you the hard drive and any other hardware you have installed
- Shared – shows any servers you are connected to
- Places
  - Desktop – shows all things that you have on your desktop
  - Your computer – will all files and programs that are associated with your login on this laptop
  - Documents – shows you all documents – just like “my documents” on a pc
  - Applications – THIS IS THE LIST OF ALL OF YOUR PROGRAMS. You can drag the icons for any program from this list onto your dock so that you have a short cut for it.
  - Search For - allows you to search most recent work, images, documents - just like FIND on a pc. This is different than the SPOTLIGHT function – which searches all resources and files associated with the notebook.

Mouse – You can use a USB mouse as an add on. The notebook comes with a finger pad and a click bar. To “RIGHT CLICK” on the mouse, hold down the CONTROL key and then click on the BAR.

Hard Drive Icon – Top right corner of the desktop – Clicking on this will open the FINDER and allow you to see Applications (programs) that are available to you.

Window Functions –

Red Dot – closes window

Yellow Dot – minimizes window and it will appear on the far right or bottom of your dock as a little icon

Green Dot – maximizes window in its space – you have to drag the corner of the window if you want it to fill the entire screen.

Connecting to the Internet –

You have the option of using Firefox or Safari. Firefox is a little more user friendly. Try them both and see which one you like.

Firefox – you may want to download the latest edition from the internet. First, open Applications and then drag Firefox to the garbage can on the dock. Second, open Safari on your notebook. Go to http://en-us.www.mozilla.com/en-US/ and click “download firefox free” You will need to click on the picture of firefox that opens on your screen once this starts – then click on the computer picture – downloading looks a little different on the mac than it does on a pc. Restart firefox once you have done this.

Ejecting Disk – there are two ways to eject disk from your notebook. You can drag the icon for the disk into the garbage can on your dock. You can also hit the button at the top right of the keyboard that looks like an up arrow with a line under it.

Shortcuts

“command” replaces “control” on the pc – so any control + letter key will work on the Mac if you use command + letter

command + c copy

command + v paste

command + s save

command + p print

command + b bold

command + x cut

command + a select all

command + k hyperlink

command + option + eject sleep

command + q quit

command + tab toggle back a forth between applications ( ex. Word and safari)

command + shift + 3 screen capture

command + shift + 4 selective screen capture

command + control + eject (top right corner of keyboard) restart machine

command +option + escape use when machine is frozen – like control alt delete

Office 2008

The notebooks are loaded with Office 2008 – which looks and acts a little differently than 2003 or 2007. IT IS IMPORTANT that you go into Word, Powerpoint and Excel for the first time and set your “save” preferences.

To do this – open one of the office components – ex Word.
On the top bar menu you see on the desktop – click on WORD
Now click on PREFERENCES
Now click on SAVE
Now choose SAVE WORD FILES AS - Word 97-2004 .doc
Save

You will need to do this for each of the Office components only once – If you don’t do this – people who do not have Office 2008 will not be able to open your documents.

One other difference you will notice in Word is the FORMATTING PALETTE.

It opens when you open Word – you can also find it at the top of the Word screen labeled as the TOOLBOX icon. This is a floating tool – so you can drag it anywhere you want on the screen. It replaces the toolbar that you are used to seeing at the top of a Word or Powerpoint screen.

Another feature you might like is the Notebook view – Under VIEW, select NOTEBOOK and your document will appear like a spiral notebook – complete with section tabs on the sides, a date and a space for a title.

Clip Art is under INSERT – PICTURE – CliP ART There does seem to be a limited number of clip art items – but you can also access them online and import them as well.

Elements Gallery – Under VIEW select ELEMENTS GALLERY – this will allow you to see pre made templates, SmartArt and WordArt

Fairview Mail – follow these directions to do the initial set up

Click on the MAIL icon in the DOCK

Type in your email and password

INCOMING MAIL SERVER set the following:

IMAP

Your email address

mail.fairview.k12.oh.us

username ( yours)

password (yours)

OUTGOING MAIL SERVER set the following

Server Fairview IMAP

mail.fairview.k12.oh.us

CHECK use authentication

Username (yours)

Password (yours)

Continue

MAILBOX opens –

Under MAIL at the top – select PREFERENCES

Select ACCOUNTS

Select ADVANCED

UNCHECK USE SSL

Select Account Information

Under Fairview IMAP

Select Edit Server list

Select Advanced

UNCHECK SSL box

Once you have set this, it will take a few seconds, but it should find your mail and populate your mailbox.

You can also subscribe to websites that have RSS feeds through your mail. For example, If you go to http://edtechgirl.blogspot.com, you will see RSS at the end of the URL bar. IF you click RSS, any updates to my blog will automatically appear in your mailbox as a hyperlink to the new blog entry.

Fairview.k12.oh.us/webmail will still work to access your email - even from your notebook.

Folders for Email – you will need to use the Fairview.k12.oh.us/webmail site to set up folders. Login and then click FOLDERS and then TYPE IN NEW FOLDER NAME – Click CREATE then CLICK REFRESH FOLDER LIST. Now when you go into the MAIL icon on your notebook, you will see the folders you created. To put an email message into the folder, hold down the mouse button and DRAG the email to the folder you have selected – you will be able to see it in MAIL and in the FAIRVIEW.K12.OH.US/WEBMAIL accounts.

Adding addresses to the address book

Your notebook should have a file on the desktop called “staff email directory.csv”, if not, email cshryock@fairview.k12.oh.us and I will send it to you as an attachment.

Click on the Address Book Icon on the Dock
Choose FILE
Click IMPORT
Click TEXT FILE
Choose DESKTOP and Staff email directory
In ADDRESS BOOK LAYOUT for staff email directory select FIRST LAST
Go up to EMAIL WORK
DO NOT IMPORT
GO DOWN TO JOB TITLE and Click IMPORT
Under FILE you can new create a new card (contact) or group
To add names to a group, drag and drop the names from the contact list to the group
Delete group is found in the EDIT function
To import additional addresses from your other accounts, create and export file on the account site, choose CSV as the format –if it only offers you a text option, save it to the desktop as text, open it and do as SAVE AS and change it to .csv – then open it as EXCEL to see what the categories are (last name, first name etc.) because these will have to match what you enter into the ADDRESS BOOK import fields.

Setting up iChat ( the movie camera icon ) This is an instant messenger function that will also work with Google Talk (at home only) and AIM.

Create the account by selecting JABBER

Account name is your login@fairview.k12.oh.us
Password is your district password
To add buddies to communicate with, use the + sign at the bottom left corner. Buddy names are the district mail address – for example cshryock@fairview.k12.oh.us
Use the tool icons at the bottom to pick an option to communicate
- A is a text chat
- Phone is a voice chat
- Camera is a video chat (you can have fun effects with this)
- Boxes is a screen share so someone else can see your screen

You can chat with multiple buddies at one time.

Using Wireless Access

The school server network (SSID) is FPSW.
When you go to a Wi-Fi hotspot, like Panera where it is free, when you click on Safari or Firefox a box will open up and show you the available networks and ask you if you want to join – choose the network – if you have multiple choices just click on them until you find one that works.
Some hotels and Wi-Fi locations charge for internet access. You will still get the network list, but in addition it will ask you to type in the password.
Finally, some locations offer internet access but you have to logon to an internet site with the password they provide you.

Backing Up Your Data

You have some options for backing up your work.

Burn to a CD or DVD using –R format disks. To burn a CD, hold down control and the click bar

Teacher of the Year Stop #3 Brown's Dairy Dock

2008-07-15T22:48:00.013-04:00

Ice Cream. Who doesn't love ice cream on a Summer afternoon, or for that matter, on any afternoon. There are some days in the classroom when things aren't just going the way I would like when the thought of stopping for an orange twist cone at the local stand in Fairview on the way home is the only thing that keeps me going! This is a picture of my husband, Todd, and I at my favorite ice cream stand in Marblehead, Ohio. Early in the Summer, they serve fresh strawberry sundaes - and then in August, the fresh peach sundaes appear. Sometimes I think that our lessons can be like ice cream sundaes. There are those favorite lessons that are like deluxe banana splits, full of lots of differentiated material and activities that we have invested a lot of time into preparing. We love these lessons, in fact, we love them so much that sometimes we keep teaching them even if they don't fit the standards we are supposed to be including in our curriculum. There are other lessons that are more like a small bowl of plain vanilla ice cream. We present these lessons to the class but we know that they aren't going to get a whole lot out of them. We don't get a whole lot out of them either. So here is my lesson from the ice cream stand. Offer your students a variety of lessons, a variety of assessments, a variety of learning style approaches and a variety of activities. If you are going to spend valuable classroom time on the lesson, take some time to put a little something extra into it, maybe a hands on activity, a technology based activity or an interesting small group discussion. Better yet, just like at the ice cream stand, give the students a choice about how they would like to learn the material or show you what they have learned. Make sure that the lesson is relevant to the content standards you are responsible for in your curriculum. And on those days when you know that you really pulled off a great lesson, take time to get yourself an ice cream on the way home!

Click on this link to see the full size presentation or click through the slides below

CHAR'S POWERPOINT ON HOW TO DIFFERENTIATE LESSONS

Would you like to learn more about differentiated instruction:

Internet for Classrooms resources for Differentiated Instruction
Eight Lessons Learned About Differentiated Instruction
Find out your own learning style - or log on and let your students try
Carol Ann Tomlinson article on differentiation - the be all end all expert on this topic
ASCD article by Carol Ann Tomlinson about standards based teaching and differentiating

Would you like to learn more about alternative assessment:

Teacher of the Year Stop #2 Digging Into Education

2008-06-19T20:28:00.009-04:00

For the past 5 summers, I have participated in the Archaeology Field School through the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. It has given me an opportunity to do field based science. I have had the chance to work on a village site on Sandusky Bay that has 3 settlement periods spanning a time frame of more than 4000 years. This summer, I am working on the Burrell Orchard site in Sheffield Village. We are finding evidence of occupation that dates to the middle archaic period, which means that people were occupying this site more than 4,000 years ago. I have learned to identify different lithic (stone ) artifacts and different pottery styles by analyzing the style, material and form of the artifact. I have had a chance to excavate burials and study human remains to learn more about their life including their diet and diseases that may have had an effect on them. Soil is important to archaeologists too. It is changes in soil color and texture which can give an archaeologist a clue that there may have been a midden (garbage pit), fire pit or structure at that location in the past. I have learned how to classify soil and map features and unit profiles. Archaeology is also a lot of hard work. It is not for someone who wants quick results. I have spent an entire work day scraping down the floor of a two meter by two meter unit 5 cm with a trowel and hours working around a bone or important artifact with a bamboo pick removing tiny fragments of soil one piece at a time.

So, how does this have an impact on being Teacher of the Year? I believe that all teachers need to be patient. Sometimes it takes a student a lot longer to grasp a concept than we have allotted for grasping that concept. That is OK. I also believe that all teachers should be life long learners. In order to have fresh ideas in your classroom, you have to be open to experiences that will help you grow outside the boundaries of that classroom space. I didn't know anything about how to be a field archaeologist when I started. But, I did have a strong science background in biology and geology and that has certainly helped. While working with the field school, I have had the chance to meet someone who has had 3 new organisms named in his honor and who has helped to investigate shipwrecks in Lake Erie and the Atlantic, including the USS Central America, the richest wreck found in the United States. I have never been to the North or South Poles, but at the dig site, I had the chance to work with someone who had, 5 times! I have worked with teachers, postal workers, historical researchers, professors, college students, engineers and printers and I have learned something from all of them that has helped me to grow as a teacher and a person. Take the opportunity to try something new when it is presented to you. Don't hesitate to try a class that is outside your subject area or your comfort zone. Go to the workshop that looks interesting. Read, explore, ask questions, take risks and you will become a stronger teacher who has more to offer your students.

Would you like to learn more about my dig site: http://www.cmnh.org/site/ResearchandCollections/Archaeology/BloggingArchaeology.aspx

Would you like more information on professional development ideas:

Online Professional Development Videos http://www.learner.org/
Ohio Teachers Continuing Education http://www.ohioteacherscontinuingeducation.com/
eTech Professional Development http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/os/technology/plan/2004/site/stories/edlite-Columbus.html

Teacher of the Year Stop #1 The Winking Lizard

2008-06-16T08:33:00.012-04:00

For the next year, I will officially hold the title of Teacher of the Year for the Fairview Park Schools. It comes with a primo parking space, much closer to the door so I don't have to drag all my bags so far each morning. In addition, I received a $100 gift certificate to a fancy restaurant, so my husband and I can actually go on a date, which is good because I spent so many hours doing school work after school that I think he forgot what I looked like sometimes. One of my colleagues told me that since I have won the award, I have to live up to it this coming year too. So I have decided to take the award on a year long tour and with each stop, share with my blog readers ideas and information that will help them in their classrooms and in their professional lives.

Stop 1 The Winking Lizard Tavern in Avon,Ohio

After winning the award, I celebrated with my family at the Winking Lizard. We had fun at dinner. Everyone wanted their picture taken with me and my plaque. My family made a lot of sacrifices this year because of the hours I was putting in on the job. I really appreciated all of their support!

In education it is important to celebrate success, whether it is in your classroom, with an individual student, a professional accomplishment or a school accomplishment. I have found that it is so easy to got caught up in the daily tide of activity that I often forget to stop and focus on what went right that day. This coming year I am going to keep a professional journal to help me keep track of what was good about a lesson, a unit, interaction with my peers or with my students, some new idea I had or something new I learned. On those days when I am wondering if I have accomplished anything at all, I can pull out my journal and remember all the good things about being a teacher. On those days when I am sitting at home working on a new lesson or unit, I can open my journal and look back through my brainstorming ideas. Journals can be kept electronically by creating a blog or using Google Docs or in a notebook. If you want to find out more about journaling, try the following links:

http://www.infed.org/research/keeping_a_journal.htm

http://journaling-portal.com/journaling-your-work.php

http://teacher-mentorship.suite101.com/article.cfm/five_minute_activity_for_teachers

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/509381/journal_writing_for_the_new_and_experienced.html

http://www.associatedcontent.com/topic/37655/journal_writing.html?cat=4

An Apple a Day for Teachers In the 21st Century Classroom

2008-06-04T12:23:00.007-04:00

Forget about giving a teacher a shiny red apple on the first day of school. This coming school year, teachers at Lewis F. Mayer Middle School and Fairview High School will be receiving a shiny new Apple laptop. Funds from the second phase of the district technology plan have been used to buy each teacher a laptop and provide a two day inservice to the staff in September. For teachers who would like to take a bite out of their Apple before the first day of school, a voluntary inservice will be held at the Middle School on August 1st, 4th or 5th. The building principals will be sending out more information on this inservice. If they attend, they will get to take their laptop home with them and get a headstart on learning how to use this new equipment in their classroom. In addition to the teacher laptops, the Middle School will also be receiving two new laptops for student use in each classroom, an upgraded lab which will be for Middle School use only and a rolling laptop lab that will be available for Middle School Teachers to use. This should free up some lab space in the existing High School labs, which for next year will remain PC labs. The High School is scheduled to receive classroom computer updates for the 2009-2010 school year.

The laptops will come loaded with Microsoft Office, including PowerPoint, Word and Excel. There are some differences in how these programs look in Apple but not on how they perform. Files teachers create on a PC should open on the Mac and vice versa. The laptops will also have wireless capabilities, so they can be used in most locations in the HS/MS complex. There may be deadspots in the HS music wing and in the back of the HS phys. ed. wing. Teachers will also be able to use the built in camera to make video blogs, movies with their students and have visual and audio conferences with other staff members.

For those teachers who are not familiar with Apple or the Apple tools like Apple Mail, Garage Band, I-Movie and other I-Life Tools and Jabber Chat that will be used next year, there are easy to use Apple Tutorials online at Mac101. These are step by step visual guides to using a Mac written for PC users who are transitioning to the Mac Platform.

Teachers who are familiar with Google Tools (see the April Posting "What's Up Docs") will be able to access Google Tools from their new Mac. They may also want to install the Google Toolbar on their new laptop, keeping in mind that the laptops will be using Mozilla Firefox instead of Internet Explorer as the web browser. One of the nice features of the Google Tool Bar is the Bookmarks option. This allows you to save web "favorites", label and sort them and even share them with others. Just like any of the other Google Tools, the Bookmark feature will travel with you on any computer that you are using, as long as you login to your Google Account. You can also do a Google Search directly from the toolbar without opening the Google homepage.

The technology changes that are being made over the next two years are a part of our district's plan to integrate the national education technology movement called The Twenty First Century Classroom into our curriculum and into the learning environment we are providing to our students.

Keep in mind that even the shiniest apples can have a worm hiding inside. There will be some challenges for all of us in making the transition at the HS/MS from a mostly PC environment to a Mac environment. But, I know that the staff of Fairview High School and Lewis F. Mayer Middle school are certainly up to the challenge. We will be learning together how to live the I-Life in our classrooms. Teachers across the world are using these tools in their classroom lesson plans. Apple also recognizes teachers who are using their technology in new and innovative ways. To read more about this, go to their Distinguished Educator Showcase.

Nettrekker Workshop Notes

2008-05-18T22:26:00.013-04:00

Staff Nettrekker Inservice May 19, 2008

Char Shryock and Gayle Dill

This inservice was available to a limited number of staff members at the high school, but all the resources and information are included in this blog for anyone else to access.

Agenda
7:45-8:00/12:10 - 12:25 Introduction to Nettrekker - create accounts
8:00- 8:30/ 12:25-12:55 Overview of the Nettrekker functions
8:30-9:00/ 12:55- 1:25 Time to experiment with Nettrekker
9:00 - 9:30/1:25- 1:55 Presentation on additional resources available through our
library and through Google Tools
9:30 -10:15/ 1:55- 2:40 Time to try out the tools you have learned about

PowerPoint For Nettrekker Inservice - view it below, or click HERE to go to the powerpoint itself - you can even download it onto your computer if you need to from that site.

Gayle Dill's Information On Staff Resources

Go to http://www2.fairviewparkschools.org/live/

Click on students, then library
Student resources – arranged by subjects, testing, careers and additional resources. Gayle is happy to bookmark resource sites that you would like the students to have access to from this site.
General References – where the data bases are listed. They are used more often than non-fiction books. Some are through Infohio , OPLIN and College Link. Some we subscribe to through the district. The data bases are listed in alphabetical order.
Ebsco and Sirs Discoverer are periodicals – Ebsco has a professional journal section. There will be some data base changes for next year – but there will still be the same kinds of information available. You do need a password to access these from HOME. You do not need a password at school.
The Gale Data bases, including Student Resource Center Gold – has professional references as well as student references. We also subscribe to 11 online books including Opposing View Points. You can search all of the resources or pick a single resource within the collection to search.
School Rooms – a new product created by librarians within Ohio. It is arranged by rooms. Each room is broken down by subtopics. You can search at this level by choosing everything or best of the web ( which ties into the infohio data bases and eventually the school’s online catalog) IF you use the explore the room search tree that will open along the left side of the screen, you can narrow down the search and get fewer, more specific hits, on the best of the web options that it shows you.

My blog on Google Docs and other Google Tools is available on this blog site - scroll down to What's Up Docs to read about this and find links to other google tools.

Resource Links for Today's Inservice

Nettrekker Home Login Page
Nettrekker Tutorial Videos
Google Scholar - search journals articles only
District Web Page
D3A2 Teacher Resource Page - create a free user account, use your school login as your user name for this page.
Ohio Resource Center - science, math and language arts
Teacher's Domain - science and engineering resources including video and interactive lessons, requires free registration ( do show up in Nettrekker Searches)
Annenberg Foundation - free video resources in all subject areas - requires free registration
Ohio Treasure Chest - online resources grouped by subject area, state standard and type of activities available on the site.
Infohio Resources - need our school passwords

What's Up Docs? Using Google Docs in Your Classroom

2008-04-20T22:09:00.013-04:00

Google, a word that has become part of everyone's vocabulary. It is a versatile word, acting as a noun and and verb and it has become a versatile tool. As teachers, we are prolific writers. We may not all be best selling authors, but we create thousands of word documents, power point presentations and spread sheets during our careers. These words of ours are stored in a mulitude of locations. Think about it. In your classroom, they are piled on your desk ( at least they are in my room), filed neatly away in cabinets and ring binders and stuffed into book bags and briefcases. They fill our virtual world as well, taking up megs of memory space on our computer hard drives, stored on floppy discs,yes, I know that there are still floppy data discs out there, cds and jump drives. We love to post our words on websites and email them to colleagues. It is not enough to have one copy of our documents. In order to use them in our classroom we print copy after copy to distribute to our students and share with our colleagues. Google is also in the business of searching and organizing words. Millions of websites are searched every minute by people all of the world who are trying to find just the right set of words to answer a question or solve a problem.

Google is now also able to organize and store your words too. And, this is the best part, you can now share your documents, spread sheets and powerpoints with anyone you choose to. This can be your students, teachers in your department, committees you are working with, teams you coach and groups you advise. You can even create new material right on the site. This application is called Google Docs. First, you need to have a free Gmail account, which will allow you to set up a Google Docs account. Once you have a Gmail account, you can create a free Google Docs account. Below is a short powerpoint explaining the basics of Google Docs. The hyperlinks in it are clickable and will take you to the start up page for a google account and for google docs - (as will the links in the preceding paragraph) If you would like to print out the powerpoint or see it enlarged, click HERE.

Our district is also in the process of establishing a Fairview Google Page, which will allow you to access Google Docs using your Fairview login. Our students can use Google Docs to access their work at home or at school. Because it can be used to create word documents, spread sheets and powerpoints on the site, they can also work on assignments even if their home computer doesn't have one of these Windows programs.

Google Docs can function as a Wiki too. This means that anyone that you invite to share a document can also be given the permission to edit that document. This is a great tool for collaborating on a unit plan or a shared assignment. Students can use this feature to put together a group presentation without actually having to meet at someone's home to do it. It can also be used to keep updated lists of supplies, brainstorm ideas or plan an event. Departments can add to lists of useful lesson links on a word document. Administrators can ask teacher to contribute a powerpoint slide for a community presentation. You get the idea.

Once you have created a Google account, you can also access other Google tools like:
RSS Reader- which allows you to get updates from your favorite news sites all in one place
iGoogle - your own virtual customizable homepage that travels with you where ever you go and lets you pick cool gadgets to include, like weather, news feeds, your calendar page
Blogger - the site that I am using to host this blog
Calendar - which allows you to create multiple calendars online and share them with others
Gmail - which has a chat function that allows you to chat online with other gmail users and also allows you to forward a copy of incoming mail to another account
Custom Search - which allows you to create and save specific Google searches - maybe for a topic you know you need current info on every year or a topic that you cover in your curriculum
Earth - find anyplace in the world, see it in satellite images or in 3-D, create your own pages with embedded pictures of your vacations and more
Picasa - photo management software that also allows you to export photos into Google Earth
SketchUp - create 3-D images and more

If you are interested in learning more about Google Docs or any of these other Google applications, I will be offering after school classes over the next two weeks. I will send emails out to the staff with specific dates and times. If you would like to see more of what Google Docs can do, check out the Google Docs Video Tutorial.

This is a sample of what a PowerPoint slide looks like that I created directly on Google Docs and then published to the web. To go to the website and see it online, click this link WEB view

This is an actual powerpoint that I created in class using my AirLiner (interactive smartpad) to write notes directly onto the website I was using. I could then use the AirLiner tools to capture my screen image and save it. Then I used the smartboard software to save the images as a PowerPoint - which I uploaded onto the Google Docs Site. For this particular lesson, my Avitar (the computer version of me) was acting as a tourguide in the online world of SecondLife. I will be writing more about this in my next blog.

Are you interested in finding out more information on how teachers are using Google Docs in their classrooms? You might want to read the following articles:
TechLearning Dec 2007
Using Google Docs Spreadsheets to Share Data
Shared Classroom Ideas
Using Google Docs for Assessment

I would love to hear your ideas on how you might want to use any of these tools in your classrooms - feel free to create a post to this blog by adding a comment.

Learning From A Distance Part 2

2008-04-13T21:10:00.006-04:00

Distance Learning Part 2

All teachers have a love hate relationship with their classroom space. It is too cold or too hot. There aren't enough outlets, the board is in the wrong place, excitement over new desks, hate the old desks, bulletin board displays that you actually change... all of these things make up the physical space that teachers spend 7 hours a day in. Student learning is also impacted by the classroom space they are in or not in as the case may be. The 19th century classroom was often a one room school where all students, in all grades, were taught by one teacher. The 20th century classrooms were housed in a large building, divided by grade and subject. The 21st Century classroom has no walls and is changing the way we have to think about our classrooms. With Distance Learning technology, a classroom can be anywhere you need it to be.

I am a big fan of the Harry Potter novels. Hogswart, Harry's school, has a magical room that only appears when you really need it. And when it does appear, it takes the shape of whatever kind of room you need, in Harry's case, a place where he can teach a class in defense against the dark arts. The skills Harry needs to teach his fellow students are not covered in the Hogwarts' curriculum, so he creates a class that meets their needs. Distance Learning can provide students and schools with a virtual room of opportunity. Students can attend classes online or by using video conferencing technology.

The following info was taken from eTech Ohio: Distance Learning Clearinghouse

In June 2007, House Bill 119 of the 127th Ohio General Assembly called for the "establishment of a clearinghouse of interactive distance learning courses and other distance learning courses delivered via a computer-based method offered by school districts for sharing with other school districts and community schools."

The eTech Ohio DL Clearinghouse will be a web site bringing together distance education opportunities from Ohio school districts and community schools for Ohio learners. The clearinghouse will be managed and maintained by eTech Ohio with all course content coming from the district level. eTech Ohio will create an electronic catalog system listing the courses available, including detailed information needed by the purchasing school to determine interest. The eTech Ohio DL Clearinghouse is a web-based catalog of distance learning courses and not a virtual school.
School personnel will be able to utilize the eTech Ohio DL Clearinghouse to help expand their course offerings. Districts may also offer distance learning opportunities to help supplement their course offerings and increase the options available to students. In the end, students throughout Ohio will benefit from the sharing of courses.

This bill is the beginning of a shift in how district administrators, teachers and students need to think about structuring the course offerings of a school. Some educators may view this as a threat to staff positions. Others look at it as an opportunity to teach beyond the boundaries of their district. Administrators and guidance counselors will need to adjust the way student schedules are created to accommodate students who are taking a DL class. On the plus side, schools can create new courses that may not have been offered previously due to low enrollment numbers. Now, these courses can be made available, for a fee that will be paid to the hosting district, to any student in the state. Districts can market AP classes or classes taught by highly qualified teachers to other districts in the state that may not have access to these courses. Again, for a fee that will be paid back to the host district. DL also offers teachers the chance to team teach a course with any teacher, anywhere, combining ideas and experience to benefit all of the students involved.

Graduate programs are now available to receive special training in how to be an effective distance learning instructor. Courses cover how to structure an online course, monitor student interaction, coordinate a video conference and integrate DL technology into the curriculum. If you are interested in reading more research on DL or how to apply it in our classrooms, try the following links:

Avon Schools Calendar of Distance Learning Events - these programs that students are participating in through their DL lab

District Learning Centers throughout the US

Article about DL and Second Life - a simulation/networking site that allows colleges, schools, museums and other institutions to provide real time classes and discussions to students who can interact by using avitars. If you would like more info on Second Life, see me, I have an account and can help you learn more about it.

How DL can benefit rural schools

Listing of Virtual Schools

Research About DL applications in Education and the "Real World"

Remember, we have our own room of opportunity - it is in the high school, room 214. In this room, your students can connect to the world. Are you ready to try? See me and I will help you get started.

Technology Update For April 6, 2008

2008-04-07T15:44:00.002-04:00

Tech Update For April 6, 2008

Fairview Mail

Users using Outlook and Outlook Express
Replying to and Receiving emails— there have been some issues with replying to emails or receiving emails once you have configured your email account information for the new Fairview mail address. You can go into Tools, then Email Accounts to check your current settings. You can also check settings under send/receive. Make sure that your account is set to receive mail from the new mail. Fairview.k12.oh.us site.If you have added mail.fairview.k12.oh.us as your receiving and sending account and you are still experiencing problems, then please contact Mark if you are unable to resolve these issues.

OE has removed attachments for you safety – some of you have received this message. You need to email Mark Kostur and ask him for assistance. If you feel comfortable changing settings at an advanced level on your own, the directions on this site might be useful http://support.microsoft.com/kb/829982#top

Using IMAP – it is possible to set up your Outlook account to view your mail on your home computer also. If you are interested in that, see Char or Gayle Dill and they can help you with this.

Users using fairview.k12.oh.us/webmail to access their mail -
Setting up groups—you need to go under “OPTIONS” then select “GROUPS” then select “ADD NEW MEMBERS” Then make sure “ALL ADDRESS BOOKS” is selected and click on “LIST ALL” You can now check off who you would like to include in your group. SCROLL DOWN At the bottom of that screen you will be given the choice to ADD TO EXISTING GROUP or ADD TO NEW GROUP—if you are creating a new group, type the name of the group (for example science department) in the box and click ADD.

Now, when you go to compose mail, you can click on GROUPS and choose which group you would like to send the mail to. You will also be given the choice of TO (which will put all the names in the first bar) CC (which will copy everyone and show all email addresses in the CC bar—but you will need to put your email in the TO bar) or BCC (which will copy everyone without showing their email addresses—you will still need to fill in your address in the TO Bar)

Note—you can’t use the address book to send an email to multiple individuals by just clicking on their addresses — each new address you click just replaces the one already in the TO bar so you either need to type each address out or copy and paste addresses. SO, if there are groups of people you are regularly sending emails to, GROUP is the way to go.

Creating Folders in Fairview Mail – Once you are in your INBOX, click FOLDERS from the top of the page. A separate window will open. Type in the name of the folder you want to create in the first box. Don’t worry about any of the other options it gives you. Then hit CREATE. The new folder won’t show up in the sidebar at the left until you either hit “REFRESH FOLDER LIST” or exit out of the folder window. Now, when you go to your inbox, you can click the box next to an email and choose a folder by using the drop down arrow to the left of the MOVE box to select the folder you want to move the mail to. Once you have selected the folder, click MOVE. The email will change color and a D will appear next to it.

Deleting Mail from the Inbox
Check the mail you want to delete and click “DELETE” it will change colors and a D will appear next to it. The mail will still be available. To make it disappear from the inbox, you must click on EXPUNGE.

Accessing Saved Mail On Your LEECA Account
There is no way easy way to transfer any mail you have saved for documentation purposes easily. It can’t be downloaded or transferred as a block. You have a few options. You can either leave it on the LEECA server and access it from there – all of your old mail ( pre- March 31) is still on there, and your login and password are still valid. Another possibility is to go into your LEECA mail, open the email you want to continue to save and FORWARD IT to your new Fairview mail address. Once it is there, you can put it into a folder and have access to it. Finally, you can open the email on your LEECA account and print it or copy and paste the text into a Word document to save.

Organizing Your Address Book
Click on ADDRESSES and you will see 4 columns. NICKNAME, NAME, EMAIL and INFO. You can choose to sort your address book by any ONE of these columns. To do it alphabetically A-Z, click on the box next to NICKNAME – and it will be Z-A -once it resorts, click on the arrow next to NICKNAME and it will be A-Z. If you would rather sort by job category, click on the box next to INFO and it will sort by jobs, Z-A. Click on the arrow next to INFO and it will now be A-Z.

FHS/LFM Building Technology Updates
Projectors/Speakers – We had an outside engineering firm do an analysis of our speaker and projector systems over the spring break. We are continuing to work on resolving the ghosting and humming issues. If you are still experiencing problems with volume or balance, please let Char know before Thursday.

VCR/DVD units – The RCA model we have installed in our buildings continues to have a higher than acceptable failure rate. We are working with the contractor involved to address this problem. It is important that we have units in our classrooms that we can rely on. If you have an issue with your DVD or VCR player, or your tv tuner stops functioning, please let Char know. Currently, the defective units are being pulled and replaced with a new unit – same make and model.

Remote Controls
We have received a few additional Projector remotes and VCR remotes. If you are missing one and never had one before – please let Char know and she will assign one to you. If you have lost a remote, Char will try to make sure that you get one after making sure that all of the staff have gotten their first one. According to the contractor, they are $80 to replace – so make sure that you put your room number on them and keep them some place that doesn’t have easy student access. They run off of 2 AA batteries.

Phones
Char is able to reset voicemail passwords if yours stops working or you have forgotten it.

Distance Learning Lab
Thanks to the hard work of Jeff Frantz and his staff, our Distance Learning Lab is now ready for students. There are currently chairs and work tables in the space, along with a computer. The equipment is functional and a few teachers are already using it! There will be DL class on using online video as a classroom resource – Focusing on TeacherTube on Thursday, April 10 at 4:00 in room 214 (our new Distance Learning Lab) There will be a class on Digital Storytelling on April 17 , same time and place. These classes our offered to us FREE through the Lorain Distance Learning Consortium.

Student Responders
Our student responder sets are now available for limited use. There will be a training session offered in the next two weeks. Kudos to Kim Armstrong who piloted them in her math classes. The kids loved using them and Kim was able to get some valuable lesson feedback. You do have to download software from the Turning Point Website to use the responders. You want Turning Point 2008 and the Question and Test components.

Channel One Television Monitors
Channel One came into the building over break and removed all of their monitors. We are no longer participating in the Channel One system. We are left with the wall mounting brackets – maybe we could have a contest to see which teacher comes up with the most creative use for their brackets. :)

Char Shryock Technology Integration Specialist FHS

Website http://fpsdtech.rwlo.org/

Blog http://edtechgirl.blogspot.com/

Learning From A Distance

2008-04-03T21:06:00.006-04:00

There are a lot of new technology buzzwords flying around schools across our country. One term that you may be familiar with is Distance Learning. It is also used synonymously with Virtual Classroom, Video Conferencing, and Online Classes, even though all of these terms really mean different things.

Distance Learning is really a catch phrase for two new sets of tools teachers can use to expand the walls of our classrooms. The first tool is video conferencing. This allows people from multiple locations to interact with each other using live, real time video and sound. Anyone with video conferencing ability can connect to anyone else with compatible video conferencing ability anywhere in the world - or out of this world as some teachers found out when they video conferenced with astronauts on the International Space Station. The second tool is online or remote classes. Students or teachers can access the course offerings of other districts and colleges by using video conferencing equipment or the internet. We can also offer classes to students outside of our district by these same venues. This blog is about video conferencing. My next blog will take a look at the initiative that has been started by the eTECH Ohio to create a Distance Learning Clearing House of online and DL classes that will be offered by schools throughout the state, for a fee, to students throughout the state.

There are two ways to video conference. The first is by using a webcam. You may have seen these in the store. They are designed to mount on the top of your monitor and capture live images, either pictures or video, with or without sound, that can be viewed by another person immediately or saved and uploaded to the internet. Webcams are also used to create "windows" to other places. By logging into someone else's webcam site, you may be able to watch fish swimming around in the Shed Aquarium in Chicago or see who is walking on the beach in Isle of Palms, South Carolina- something I like to do when I am stressing over technology! A webcam can also be used with interactive communication sites like SKYPE. You can download Skype software and make video conference calls to anyone over the internet, anywhere for free. Skype also has an instant message function. If you want to learn more about it, check out the Skype homepage .

The second way to video conference is by using an IDVL system like Polycom. This is what we have in our Distance Learning Labs in Fairview. The FHS/LFM lab is located in room 214 of the high school. The Gilles Sweet Lab is in the loft of the library. This system allows us to connect with any content provider, school or other location that has a compatible system. Many of these interactions are free. Some content providers , like a museum, might charge a fee, which you can pass on to the students as a "fieldtrip" cost.

The system has three parts.

1. A monitor that allows us to see us and a monitor that allows us to see the remote location we are working with.

2. A camera and microphone system with a remote control. This allows us to not only control the cameras in our lab, but we can also control the camera at the remote location if we need to.

3. A document camera (elmo) that allows us to show the remote location objects, documents and diagrams up close.

The best part of this system is that it is EASY to use! Really, I'm not kidding :)

Our Distance Learning Lab is supported by the staff of the Lorain Distance Learning Consortium. Their website details all the current distance learning opportunities that are available to our district. They also have a listing of teachers and classes who are looking to team teach using the IDVL equipment. Currently I am working with Alison Pettit from Gilles Sweet. My ninth grade science class is partnering with her fourth graders to do virtual science and some real science down in Bain Park. In addition to classroom applications, our IDVL can be used to do staff/ professional development. You can sign up to take classes through area universities for credit. You are also able to participate in the professional development opportunities offered through the Lorain Distance Learning Consortium. Upcoming offerings include using digital storybooking in your classroom and using TeacherTube and other video online resources in your classroom. Kathy Ingersoll, Mark Weidus, Gayle Dill, Laura Hall, Janice Baker, Bryan Weir and I can all help you use the equipment.

Video Conferencing technology is a way to move beyond our traditional classroom space. It is a way to take fieldtrips without having to figure out how to fund the bus. It is a way to expose our students to scientists and poets, to children from other states and other countries, to places they may never have the opportunity to go themselves.

If you would like to learn more about our IDVL, please email me or put a note in my mailbox and I will be happy to help you get started. Check out the Lorain Distance Learning Consortium page for lists of opportunities that are available now or for the remainder of the school year.

Listing of Web Resources Used In This Blog

eTech Ohio Distance Learning Clearing House http://www.etech.ohio.gov/web_services/dlc/index.jsp
Live Webcams you can use with your classes http://www.earthcam.com/
Wikipedia page on webcams http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Webcam
How Stuff Works description of webcams http://computer.howstuffworks.com/webcam.htmSkype homepage http://www.skype.com/getconnected/
Lorain Distance Learning Consortium http://www.pageflakes.com/LCDLC.Ohio/12258169/Lorain Distance Learning Consortium professional development calendar http://www.lcdlc.org/TechnologyToolbox.htm

March 17 Tech Update

2008-03-16T22:01:00.003-04:00

Status of Building Technology

The contractors are still not done with all of the work in the building. Over spring break, an electrical engineering firm will be coming into our building to do a check of all the electrical systems and components. We are trying to identify what is causing the ghosting and humming problems we are getting in a projector/speaker systems.

The security cameras are in place. One additional camera is being added to the library hall. Digital Video Recorders are connected to this system. Our card readers will become active once training in how to use the system has been completed.

The bell system will eventually be switched so that the middle school and high school can be independent of one another. There are still a few bugs with the paging system, but they will be worked out soon.

Projectors - all of the projectors in the LFM/FHS complex are ghosting to some extent. This means that there is a shadow of words and images on your screen. It can also cause video to look jumpy. The projectors should all be connected and working at this time. If you are still experiencing problems, check with Char.

Speakers - all of the speakers have been installed. They are designed to run through the projector, so you need to use the projector remote volume control to adjust speaker volume. There is still a humming in the speaker system. If you are having problems with your speakers, check with Char.

Phones - all the phones should now be working properly. If you have problems with voice mail or questions about how to use fast dials or program your address book, see Char. The phones are now set to only allow calls from the outside during non-classroom hours. You will be able to place outside calls and receive internal calls. If you are calling long distance, you still need to fill out a long distance report available in the office.

DVD/VCRs - if you have a unit that stops working, please let Char know. The company that installed them is still responsible for replacing/fixing units. If you are recording on a dvd, you need to remember to use DVD+ .

School Announcements - FHS announcements are now going to broadcast over channel 87. Chris Kaminiski and Julie Schroth are coordinating announcements. Please continue to turn announcements in to Julie in the library. Chris has done a great job getting this system up and running, it will be nice to have our broadcast announcements back on the air!

AirLiners - The FHS math and science departments are using their new AirLiners. These are hand held smartboards that allow the teacher to control their computer from anywhere in the classroom while writing notes on the projector screen, letting students share work and highlighting important information on webpages.

Turning Point Student Responders- FHS/LFM has two sets of student responders that are now available. Training will take place right after spring break. To learn all about them, read my blog posting called "CLICKERS" on the Technology Integration and Curriculum blog. You will be able to sign out the responders from the library after spring break and you have completed training.

Fairview Mail - The district will be switching over to the new Fairview Mail system after spring break. It is important that you AT LEAST go to http://fairview.k12.oh.us/webmail one time and sign in using your building computer network login and password. This was, your leeca mail will be forwarded to this account. IF you have problems logging in or would like help setting up your account please let Char know. Directions for using the options for the account are in the blog posting called "MAIL" or are available from Char.

Distance Learning Lab - The DL is now open for business. Thanks to Jeff and the custodial staff, we have cleared out room 214 and set up the chairs and equipment for the lab to be functional. There are SO many great learning opportunities that are now available to all of us and our students. Kathy Ingersoll, Mark Weidus, Elizabeth Ptaszek, Janice Baker, Bryan Weir, Laura Hall, Gayle Dill, Rose Mary Young and Char can all help you use the equipment. We will use a calendar at the library front desk to schedule DL times. We are lucky to be in a partnership with the Lorain District Learning Consortium (http://www.pageflakes.com/LCDLC.Ohio/12258169/)
They will help us to coordinate programs from content providers, locate teacher to teacher classroom partnerships and provide staff development. Their next training session will be April 3 at 4:00 in our DL (room 214). Come and learn about using webcams in your classroom.

Wiki and Blogging in your classroom - Are you interested in learning how to use blogs and wikis? Come to a special drop in class at 3:00 on April 3 in the FHS library. All levels of experience welcome. Talk to Kathy Ingersoll about how she is using these tools in her English classes.

Remember to use the Technology Integration and Curriculum Blog at http://edtechgirl.blogspot.com/ or find it linked on the Technology homepage http://fpsdtech.rwlo.org

What's a clicker?

2008-03-14T20:26:00.002-04:00

The other day I was teaching a lesson on the beginnings of the Universe. I was covering a lot of new material in class. After every section of discusison, I would stop and ask for questions...big surprise, there were no questions. Then I would ask a few questions based on the material, to see if students were able to apply the ideas. Five or six hands would go up, questions would be answered and I would move on. I covered the first 500,000 years of the history of our Universe in just under the 24 minutes I had in our shortened schedule. Pretty good for a day. Now, what are the chances that ALL of my students actually understood the material we went through? I won't know that until I give them some kind of assessment - an application assignment or maybe a test. This might not be for 3 or more days after the lesson, during which time the class would have moved forward in the unit. Add another day or two for grading, now the student is at least a week into the material and I don't know if they really grasped the basic concept.

Enter...THE CLICKER. Let's go back to my classroom scenario, except this time, when I pause to check for comprehension, every student is holding a clicker, a small calculator looking device that will allow them to interact with my questions in a whole new way. I ask my first question and now all 29 students have a chance to answer. Looking up at my projector screen, I see an indicator that lets them know that their response has been entered into the system. With one click of my mouse, a graph appears showing how many students picked each possible answer. Instant feedback and I am able to immediately go back to the material and reteach it. If I didn't give them the right answer initially, I can re-poll the question and see if understanding has improved.

What is a clicker any way? Clicker is a nickname for a student responder. There are many different styles available on the market. The main systems are either infrared or radio. Ours is an infrared system. There are 32 responders in each set. They are numbered. They "talk" to a receiver that you position in the front of your room. Because it is an infrared system, there does need to be a direct sight line to the receiver, but the students can use the responders from anyplace in your room. Our responders run through Turning Point software. This software allows you to create special, interactive question slides IN a PowerPoint presentation. So, if you know how to do basic PowerPoint, you should feel pretty comfortable using the software. The 2008 version we have access to has the ability to tie your questions to Ohio State Standards. It also comes with an OAT and OGT question bank, sorted by indicators and a test writer component.

Data based decision making is one of the foundations of creating effective lessons. The responders allow you to collect a lot of data about your class. The software can generate individual student reports, class reports, reports by indicator and reports that combine data from multiple classes. These reports have graphs built into them so that you can quickly see areas that you may need to re-teach or students who may need extra help.Later this year, the Turning Point Software will also by synced with Study Island.

Student responders are great for doing pre-assessment to see what kids know before a unit begins or post assessment to check their progress. They can be used anonymously or you can create class lists in the software and assign a specific number to each student that they will use each time you do a clicker lesson. You can also set up team competitions for fun reviews.

Currently, there are two sets of 32 student responders available in the FHS/LFM complex. I will be offering after school training when we return from spring break. The responders will be housed in the library where they can be checked out just like the computer labs or the stand alone projectors.

SOFTWARE

Turning Point Software is available FREE for download to PCs or Macs. You can install it on multiple computers. You can then work on making slides at home or school, use the question bank or create a test with the testmaker component. Choose the 2008 version to get the basic software. You might also want to download Turning Point To Go which will let you ask a question at any point in a lesson without having to create it in a slide.

Training for Turning Point will be scheduled after Spring Break or see Me:)