Implementation of Modern Technology in the Classroom-What works for me….

Why try to incorporate tech?What’s the propose?• Be more efficient• Engage your students• Teach concepts in new ways• Make those old lessons fun and new by adding tech

• We live in a digital age• This is just how our students work

• Make things easier and more entertaining for us!

As a teacher tool• There are many amazing apps out there for teachers.• Smart Seat• Create and edit seating charts, random student, attendance, student notes…

• Educreations• Turns your iPad into a recordable whiteboard…

• And many, many more.

Smart Seat• Smart Seat is my favorite app! If you haven’t tried

it you should.• It is easy to import your class from Encore using the

‘student demographic export utility’ • Create a txt file • Send the file to your device via e-mail, drop box, or sky

drive.• Open the file into smart seat• It will automatically but the students into a seating

chart.

Smart SeatYou can have multiple classes stored, you can personalize the layout for your classroom or a computer lab.

Smart SeatIt has a random student feature and allows you to take attendance. Best of all it won’t select a student that has been marked absent.

As a Learning Tool• There are so many apps to help students. Some of

the best are the most basic. These tools can be found on most smart devices (iPad, iPod, Android…)Most Useful• Timer or Stopwatch• Calculator• Camera• Search Tools• Other Lab Tools- Science/Math• There are many Apps out there that are useful in the lab• Convert Units• Level• SparkVue or other Apps that work with sensors

• and many, many more

As a Learning ToolWays to use it on a class wide level• Research

• Any search app• Video reports • Movie Trailer Styled Info-Share

• Any video editor, I prefer splice• Ring Tones

• Jingle to remember any topic• Any audio editor

• Virtual Labs (science)• App: chemist, …

• Labs (science)• App: SPARKvue, Video Physics,…

One example:• Video Report• Since I teach science I love video lab reports, but I think this

concept would work for any subject.• The students perform the lab while recording what

happens in both photo and video.• Once the lab is fished they take what they did in the lab

and make a video that shares all the pertinent information and data with the class.

• I love this because • the students document their work better than if they were

just writing it down.• It’s easy to grade using a rubric• The students get creative and the videos become fun to

watch.

• Video Reports Tips:• Make a check list for students (What needs to be in their

video)• Testable question, Hypothesis, Methods, Data, Conclusion

these pictures, a video of that…• Show them an example• Teach them how to make the video using an easy concept,

then when you are doing the harder stuff they can focus on the content and not the tech.• This also helps students get comfortable with this type of

report. • Be clear on what you are looking for and how you will

grade the first time. The student videos will improve over time.

• If they want to try something different let them, as long as they meet your requirements. (Students often know tech better then we do and they might have a different app or software they want to use.)

Tips for success when using iPads with your students• Make sure your devices are charged and have updated

software. • Try it yourself first• Be flexible- if it can go wrong it most likely will• Remember you don’t need to be an expert, your students and

you can figure it out together. Or more frequently your students can teach you.

• No matter what your doing take the time to train your students on the tech and your procedures and expectations involved with it. This way when you go to use it you can focus on the content!

As a Learning ToolWays to use it on a student level• Enrichment

• Games and Apps that go along with what your doing in class.• Example• Nuclear (structure of an atom)• High Frequency Tones (Ultra sound waves, frequency, hearing)

• Study• Flash cards +

On an individual student level• This is my favorite way to incorporate tech!• Some times you don’t have the time or means to

do something in class but you know it will help your students. Just tell them about it. You will be surprised at what they will do on their own.

• I often post an ‘App of the Day’ on my board. • I look for apps that go along with the content of my

lesson and share them with the students.• Students often come back and tell me about their

experience with the app, or they’ll find other apps and tell me about them.

One example:• Flash Cards• I like to use the flash cards plus app

• It lets you create a set of flashcards that your students can download and use to study. Or better yet, the students can create sets of flashcards and share them with each other.)

• They can create flashcards within the app or they can go to the website and create a deck. ( www. Coursehero.com/flashcards/ )

Worries• All your students do not have smart devices• Have a class set• You can do it. Grants are out their; you just need to put in a

lot of effort. • Many schools now have an iPad lab that you can schedule.

• Have students share.• Group students so that each group has at least one person

with a device.• Have alternatives or use it as an alternative• Make flashcards, but let students use Flashcards + if they

want.• Enrichment-(do not make it a scored part of class, it is amazing

what students will do if you just say, “check out this App it goes with what were doing class.”)

Last minute pointers for your personal iPad/iPod…• Organize your screen! There is so much out there, make sure you can easily find what you need and that the apps you use most are the easiest to get to.

• I group my apps by topic (i.e. Physics, Chemistry, Math…)• Leave the apps you use most out of a sub file (Smart Seat is in the top corner of my screen since I use it every class period.)

• Update your programs. • Get a cover that works for you.• Keep a charger at home and at school (just in case)

• See what's out there! There are always new apps coming out just keep your eyes open.