district tech presentation on connecting classrooms
TRANSCRIPT
Using Technology to Connect
Katherine Sokolowski
Contact Info…
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @katsok
Blog: http://readwriteandreflect.blogspot.com
Slideshare: http://www.slideshare.net/katsok
Plan for todayIn this hour I’d like to:
Tell you why I think students should connect with people outside the walls of your classroom.
Teach you an overview of how I use: Skype, Padlet, Blogs, and Twitter
Give you time to set up an account and play around with one of those options.
Why should we connect?
I began to wonder…who was the
audience for my students? Just me?
Classmates?How could I open
up our classroom to the world for them?
Skype
Getting Started…
• Download Skype to your machine
• Create an account
• Think about how you could use Skype…• Connect with authors
• Search: Kate Messner Authors Who Skype• Connect with other classrooms
• Mystery Skype• World Read Aloud Day• Dot Day• Mock Caldecott
• Have relatives of your students (or you) Skype in to share with the class.
Skyping with Classrooms…
And with authors…
Skype Tips…
• Have the students run the Skype visit
• Prepare questions ahead of time. Write them down.
• Bring a book to the carpet or spot you will Skype in case there are technology issues.
• Have a conversation about active listening with the students.
• Discuss group rules. (Waving, using the restroom, etc.)
Padlet
Getting Started…
• www.padlet.com
• Create an account• Decide if you want the regular account or Backpack ($45 a
year)
• Think about how you could use Padlet…• Exit Slips• Brainstorming• Keeping track of students’ reading• Visual posters
Blog
Getting Started…
• Decide what platform you will use - I currently use Kidblog
• Create an account if needed
• Decide on privacy
• What will the purpose of their blogs be• Mine have evolved from reading spots to writing
• Teach them about blog etiquette and commenting
Getting Started…
• Create an account
• Will this be your account or your students? (I have one for my class, one for myself)
• Sit back and watch for awhile. Connect when you are ready.
• Connect with authors
• Connect with other teachers and classrooms
• How do you introduce students to Twitter?
• What to do when things go south?
What would you like to try out?
Set up a Skype account - www.skype.com
(only if you are ready to download it to your computer.)
Set up a Padlet account - www.padlet.com
I use Padlet Backpack ($45 per year)
Set up a Twitter account - www.twitter.com
(Don’t keep an egg as a profile pic. Create a bio.)
Set up Kidblog accounts www.kidblog.org ($29 per year)
Other options are: Weebly, Edmodo, Google?