Students Own Their Learning - ePortfolios & Student-Led Conferences at ISTE17

Students Own Their Learning!

Poster session at ISTE17

Monday, June 26, 11:00 am–1:00 pm

Tower View Lobby, Table 18

Student achievement increases when students take ownership of their learning. Goal setting, monitoring and reflection all play an instrumental part of this process. An ePortfolio provides an avenue for students to archive their learning from year to year. The combination of ePortfolios and student-led conferences affords students, parents, and teachers to have the ability to watch a child's growth over time.

Resources:

• Click here to view Students Own Their Learning Google Site
• Click on Resources to find documents that have been used... use them if you like
• Click here to view the 2017-2018 proposed timeline
• Click here to view a generic sample of the 2017-2018 proposed Google Slides

You are welcome to use any of the resources provided. 

Wow! Students Own Their Learning (2016-2017)

It's time for students to be engaged in their learning!

Students are accountable for their own learning as we continue to embrace student-led conferences. My students use Google Sites along with various tools to take ownership of their learning by creating an ePortfolio. The ePortfolios allow students to tell their own story about their learning journey. Google Sites provides an avenue for students to archive their learning from year to year. Students, parents, and teachers alike have the ability to watch a child's growth over time. Note: My entire grades 4/5 building has now embraced student-led conferences!! Exciting times!!

There are many ways to create an ePortfolio. Google Sites was chosen for it's ability to enable students to incorporate digital storytelling, digital publishing, and collaboration seamlessly. The ultimate goal is for students to create a life portfolio that would carry on with them. This timeless story would show the learning and passion over a course of time.  

Don't take just my word for it... listen to what my students say about student-led conferences and ePortfolios... student blurb video Then visit my Students Own Their Learning site for more information and resources. You may modify the resources and make them your own. 

How did it get to be September 29th?

Whoa... It's hard to believe I have been back in school for six weeks. Yes, the school year is in full force!

One of my goals is to learn more about The Wonderment. I met some wonderful people who work for The Wonderment during my time at ISTE 2016 in Denver. The Wonderment strives to connect educators globally. Share your projects with people from around the world. Who knows... maybe you will connect with others and make your next project a global project.

Road Trip to ISTE 2016

My husband and I left for Colorado on June 20th. We decided to drive across the country via I-70. Of course, we had to make a few pit stops along the way.

• St. Louis 
• Gateway Arch St. Louis - The arch is 630 feet tall and 630 feet wide at ground level. The top is 17 feet wide and it can hold about 160 people. The tram capsules move approximately 3.86 miles per hour. Once at the top, you can enjoy the spectacular views. It was an amazing experience! 
• Gateway Arch Riverboats: Sightseeing Cruise - This was a wonderful cruise that highlights the area and the Mississippi River. This was a terrific experience. 
• Joe's Kansas City BBQ - I can see why people from all over stop here for BBQ. It was absolutely DELICIOUS! It was really neat to see the original gas station too. 
• Brown vs. Board of Education National Historic Site - This stop was one of our expected surprises in Kansas! This historical site was well-done. It was informative and interactive. 
• Kansas State Capitol Building in Topeka
• Capitol Building - The capitol building is beautiful! There is so much rich information about the history of Kansas. 
• Dome Tours - There are 296 steps to the top of the dome. There are nine levels that you must climb in order to reach the very top. I made it as far as level eight. 
• Oz Museum in Wampego, Kansas - This museum is dedicated to the movie The Wizard of Oz. There are over 2,000 artifacts in this museum. 

It was a long drive, but worth it!! I will post my ISTE 2016 experience soon. 

MakerSpace

MakerSpace = A place for kids to be kids... create... invent... innovate!

Inspire - Collaborate - Create -  Innovate

Why MakerSpace?

• inspire kids to create... not just consume
• students make meaning of learning
• students dream and envision new ideas and prototypes
• it's fun and engaging

MakerSpace materials in my classroom:

• designated a MakerSpace area 
• included basic supplies already in my classroom 
• colored pencils
• markers
• different types of paper (computer, construction, cardstock)
• glue
• craft sticks
• pipe cleaners
• different types of tape
• purchased Ideal Amaze 'N' Marbles  
• brought in Lego sets from home
• empty paper towel and toilet paper rolls
• cereal boxes and cardboard boxes 
• sought donations from parents and community members

First day of school

How I introduced MakerSpace:

• introduced Cain's Arcade to my class and other fifth grade team members
• selected a date for our first annual arcade
• gave students freedom to collaborate, design, and create

Students were excited... teachers were excited... it was a spectacular time of learning and fun! 

Check out some of our pictures: Our Arcade Project

Students used our MakerSpace area throughout the school year:

• during recess and afternoon earned time
• when work was finished and the quality of work was high 
• during Global Play Day - February 2016
• as part of Genius Hour exploration 

Global Read Aloud 2015

Have you heard of the Global Read Aloud? 

The Global Read Aloud connects teachers from around the world as they read the same book to their class. Classrooms use a technology tool to share reading experiences with others. The Global Read Aloud starts on Monday, October 5th. It lasts for approximately 6 weeks. I will be reading Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullay Hunt. I think my students will love it!

There are many ways for classrooms to globally connect with others. The official Twitter hashtag for the Global Read Aloud is #GRA15. The Twitter hashtag for Fish in a Tree is #GRAFIAT. My class Twitter hashtag is @AlbertsonsClass. If you are looking for more information, click here. I can't wait to share this amazing book with others!! 

Google Classroom

Google Classroom has been a wonderful tool that I use to reduce the amount of paper in my classroom. I especially like the different assignment options!  

Why should you consider using Google Classroom? 

• free for schools who use Google Apps for Education
• easy to use
• to create a paperless classroom
• to provide an assignment to students
• make a copy for each student
• can edit
• can view
• provide feedback
• to post an announcement
• to ask a question
• it integrates with Google Drive
• a quick way to see who has handed in work
• to post a problem of the week/day
• to provide directions for assignments/projects

My school has BYOD and about half of my students bring a device to school on a regular basis. One tip is to be sure students have the Google Apps installed on their device. 

ISTE 2015 Highlights

Some Highlights from the 2015 ISTE Conference 

ISTE:  Saturday, June 27, 2015

Hack Education - This free "unconference" is worth going to the conference a day early! The rich conversations are engaging and stimulating. You may participate as much or as little as you like. You won't find formal presentations here... just people connecting and sharing.

• Main Page: http://www.isteunplugged.com/sat-627-hack-education.html
• 2015 Hack Education Schedule: http://wiki.isteunplugged.com/2015_HackEd_Schedule 
• Check out the Smackdown Resources shared: https://goo.gl/MWl19D 

Fun day at HackED!

____________________________________________________________________

ISTE:  Sunday, June 28, 2015

ISTE Ignite Sessions - Round 1
During an Ignite Session, each presenter has only five minutes and twenty slides to share their passion.

• Brittany Banister - She is a kindergarten teacher who uses GoNoodle. (http://2techieteachers.blogspot.com/)

• Bill Bass  - Kids want a culture of creation. "What digital invitations do we give our students?"

• Marilyn Carr - She wants a class filled with dreamers. "Anything is possible. If you believe... it can happen."

• Rafranz Davis  - She spoke about diversity in EdTech. "Real change is intentional." 

• Robert Dillon - He believes that all lives matter. Teachers can help kids heal and break the cycle.

• Christy Fennewald - She challenged high school hackers to apply to her school's tech club Warrior Tech where students will be encourage to hack the school's system. Strict rules were enforced. Students became leaders and assisted with teacher professional development. We should embrace the genius. 

• Ben Gallagher - Give students a voice... LEGO Trek Case Study (http://innovateed.com.au)

• Karen Lirenman - 1st graders blogging to share their learning (@MsLsClass) 

• Michael Luetjen - He spoke about the need for a digital footprint. 

• Pernille Ripp - She encourages teachers to "create classrooms that children want to be a part of." Teachers need to listen to kids and be willing to take risks. We can encourage passionate learners by changing the public school system from within. (www.pernillesripp.com) 

• Jonathan Spike - He used quite the attention grabber. He will do whatever he can to get kids to share their knowledge. 

• Doug Timm - Students show him what they did in class. He made weekly videos to share with community. 

• Chris Turnbull - Chris is a personalized learning specialist. She used SAMR model by starting at the substitution and augmentation levels first. Remember the 4 R's ~ Rigor, Relevance, Realness, and Relationships! (http://playlearnteach.blogspot.com/)

• Hannah Weitzer - Connect kids globally 

Let's Get Moving... Brain Breaks Using GoNoodle!

Research has proven that it is important for students to be moving during the school day. One way that I integrate movement into my classroom is through the use of brain breaks. My favorite resource is GoNoodle. Click on the link to sign up for your free account!

Students love GoNoodle because the activities are fun. There is yoga, running, hurdles, indoor recess dance mixes, mindfulness, and so much more. The GoNoodle characters look cool and they transform after completing 10 activities.

Teachers love GoNoodle too! It is easy to use and it provides students have a way to channel their emotional and physical needs thus resulting in a class that is more focused.

My students beg me for GoNoodle time. Why not try it and maybe your class will beg you for more GoNoodle time too!



Research:
Fiore, Nina. The Benefits of Movement in Schools http://www.creativitypost.com/education/the_benefits_of_movement_in_schools

Jensen, Eric. Teaching with the Brain in Mind: Movement and Learning http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/104013/chapters/Movement-and-Learning.aspx

Online/Blended Learning Reflection

I am currently taking a Facilitating Online Learning Communities course offered by PLS. This blog post is for the module 3-1 assignment. 

Learning Activity 3-1: Blogging about online and blended learning reflections

How have your past experiences with online/blended learning impacted your goals for your future students?

My experience with online/blended learning has mainly come from completing the requirements for the Wilkes Online Teaching Master’s degree program. The courses I have taken modeled best practices for online/blended learning environments. The course work I completed allowed me to create online/blended learning opportunities in my fifth grade brick and mortar classroom. As a result, I have learned how to better engage students in this type of environment. I want my students to be successful!  

My experiences have shaped my goals for future students. For example, the most successful online/blended learning environments do not give students busy work! I am determined to provide high quality instruction that engages students in authentic learning experiences. I have also developed a deeper appreciation of the importance of communication within this type of learning environment. Just like my brick and mortar classroom, I want my students to know that they matter!

How do you hope to engage yours students effectively in online learning?

I hope to engage my students by utilizing many strategies that I would consider best practices in online/blended learning environments. For instance, I would design authentic learning experiences for my students. The real-life activities would have a purpose and an authentic audience. Students would move beyond just consuming technology to become creators using technology. I would also like students to assume ownership of their learning. Yes, I would have a presence in the classroom, but it would be the facilitator who is the guide on the side. I would be there coach, encourage, support, and challenge my students.

What has been (or do you anticipate being) the most challenging aspect of online/blended teaching for you? What solutions have you considered to this challenge?

I currently teach in a brick and mortar classroom. The most challenging aspect of incorporating online/blended learning opportunities into my classroom has been student access to the online/blended learning environments. My school has a BYOD policy which helps, but only half of my class consistently brought their own device to school last year. To overcome this challenge, learning opportunities could be provided in the form of rotating stations. This would provide everyone the chance access the online/blended learning environments via the classroom computers. Another solution would be to partner students so that each pair of students has at least one device to use.

ISTE 2015 Mobile Apps Session Reflection

I attended the 40 Free Mobile Apps Educators Can't Live Without! session presented by SimpleK12 at ISTE 2015. All of the apps presented are for both iTunes and Google Play. 

Remember... when using mobile apps it's ALWAYS about the LEARNING, not the tool! Determine how you can meaningfully integrate these tools into your lessons. 

Animoto - video editing

• create one school video of weekly learning to share with the community
• demonstrate understanding by creating a video in lieu of traditional assessments 

EducationDrive - news and jobs 

• teachers read and learn about education news
• share education news with PLN... engage in discussions about topics in the news  

Fooducate - health and wellness food app

• plan a healthy meal with a budget... incorporate the use of store ads and store sales to make it real

History Here - an interactive history location guide 

• book clubs - setting information 
• use the Surprise Me! feature to plan a trip as part of a research project
• mystery place sessions - give clues and partner must solve (like Mystery Skype sessions)

i-nigma - QR Code Reader

• take students directly to a game, an assessment, or learning website
• part of professional development intro/ice breaker scavenger hunt activity
• place video tutorial links on classwork and/or homework 
• conduct vocabulary scavenger hunt
• back-to-school intro activity... kids post clues about self and students need to match clues with a person's name... QR Code provides the answer 
• display rules posters around the school and classroom with a QR Code that links to a video review or an audio message  

INKredible - note-taking app 

• use as an authentic learning assessment tool in lieu of traditional assessments

Lensoo Create - virtual whiteboard 

• teachers and/or students create presentations 
• students create tutorials that are shared with others 

lino - online sticky note app 

• get to know you activity 
• use as a survey tool 
• work collaboratively to share notes, resources, files, etc.
• students use board to show what they know 

Remind - text messaging service

• help parents to get involved in the community by sharing links for community events
• get students talking about their day by providing clues about learning and parents must talk with child to find answers 
• share pictures of the regular day, field trips, special events, etc.
• send out helpful links related to learning content, homework, etc.
• attach field trip forms and other important documents 

SimpleK12 - free and paid teaching resources 

• get a group of teachers and/or administrators together to watch free professional development sessions

SimpleMind - concept mapping

• vocabulary development 
• explore Genius Hour topic ideas
• problem-solving math equations 

Smithsonian Mobile Tours

• hold family nights for virtual field trips

Tellagami - talking avatars 

• as part of a school-wide or classroom behavior plan, create a collection of avatars that describe how various character traits could look and sound 
• each classroom submits one Tellagami (weekly/biweekly/monthly) to create school-wide display of learning to share with the community  

VoiceThread - audio recording 

• share reflections about growth and embed in e-portfolio (provide opportunities for rich conversations) 
• work collaboratively on an assignment 
• students publish work and globally connect with others by allowing comments 

Please visit SimpleK12 for a list of free summer events. Scroll down the page to find the ISTE resources. Thank you SimpleK12!  

Remind

Description of Site:
Remind is a free text messaging tool that I use with parents. I know what you are thinking... I am NOT giving out my phone number. Rest assured, phone numbers are NOT exchanged using this service! My students are under the age of 13 so I currently use Remind with the parents of my students. 

How does Remind work? First, you need to create an account. Then you create your class(es). Each class is either randomly assigned a class code or you have the option to customize this class code to make it easy to remember. I highly recommend that you customize your class code. Parents and students send the class code in a text message to the number 81010 (all US teachers use this short code). The class code is what ensures people are signing up for the correct class. The subscriber will be asked to submit his/her name when they sign up for your class.The teacher will see a list of subscribers when he/she is logged in to Remind. As an added security feature, you can change the code at any time to avoid other people subscribing to your Remind class.

Parents love the up-to-date communication using Remind. Teachers love how easy it is to use Remind!


Educational Uses of Site:
There are many ways Remind could be used as an educational tool:

• send important information about upcoming events 

• field trip tomorrow... packed lunch needed

• send pictures

• disperse class news information instead of a newsletter

• send permission forms

• send study guides

• provide office hours

• models appropriate use of digital communication

Review of Site:
Remind has made it easy to keep parents informed. One feature I really appreciate is the ability to schedule remind messages. It has saved me time. As soon as I know our field trip date, I will schedule the Remind messages about having a packed lunch. I also schedule our data delay (2 hour student delay days) dates when our school calendar is published. I don't have to worry about forgetting to send a message. I can schedule them at one time.

Parents appreciate the attach feature. It allows me to send pictures, documents, forms, study guides, etc. The chat feature allows communication between the teacher and the parents and/or students. The chat feature could also be used as a way to have office hours.
  

You Matter

 The You Matter Manifesto has changed my classroom!

The You Matter Manifesto developed by Angela Maiers has been gaining momentum in schools everywhere. I first learned about The You Matter Manifesto last year. I was intrigued and wanted to learn more so I viewed her videos and read her postings. I also read Tweets from various people in the education field who were promoting You Matter. I found myself inspired to put her ideas into practice. 

I decided to post "You Matter" quotes around my classroom before the start of the 2014-2015 school year. I started sharing this message with my fifth grade students on the first day of school. At first, my students looked at me funny. They didn't quite understand what I was trying to do. I was determined and committed to making an impact. I am glad to report that after many class meetings and lessons, I started to notice a change in my students towards the end of the first marking period. My students started to believe Angela Maier's Manifesto! They realized that even though they are fifth graders, they can make an impact. They have a contribution to make and the world is better because of them. One project that stood out was when two of my students decided to help our local SPCA as part of their Genius Hour project. One student took charge of organizing a SPCA drive in our school. The other student made blankets and toys for the animals. The commitment from these two students was amazing. On the day the items were scheduled to be delivered to the SPCA, I was pleasantly surprised to see additional class members joining us at the SPCA. It wasn't even their project. These students wanted to support their classmates. Here is a prime example of "The You Matter Manifesto" at work in my classroom. It truly was one of the highlights of our year. 

I had the privilege of being selected to present a poster session at PETE&C 2015. I was thrilled to learn that Angela Maiers would be giving a keynote at at this technology conference! Her keynote continued to inspire and motivate me to be sure my students know that they mattered to me. I returned to my classroom and continued to share this message for the remainder of the school year. I am proud to report that "You Matter" had a profound impact on my students and me! My students left elementary school knowing that their fifth grade teacher cared about them! 

Be sure to view the TeDxDesMoines video found on YouTube.

I hope you are inspired to try some of Angela Maiers ideas in your classroom!

 

Remember.... YOU MATTER!

EDpuzzle

Website: https://edpuzzle.com/ 
 
Edpuzzle is a FREE tool that allows teachers to customized web-based videos from sites such as YouTube, Khan Academy, and Vimeo. Teachers may even upload their own video. EDpuzzle is a user-friendly site that enables teachers to crop, insert audio, and add open-ended and/or multiple choice questions to videos. Multiple-choice questions can even be graded for you. Teachers may monitor the progress of students to see which students have watched the assigned videos and the progress made towards answering the questions.

Teachers may have unlimited classes, students, and videos. A time saving feature is that teachers may search the EDpuzzle channel to find premade videos. Think about it... teachers who are part of a team could divide content, find and edit videos, and save them to EDpuzzle. Then the entire team, as well as all EDpuzzle users, would have access to view and edite the videos.

Check out Edpuzzle's FAQ page to learn even more!

Ways to use EDpuzzle in the classroom:

• Use as part of center time in the classroom
• students view read-alouds and answer comprehension questions (great for  primary students)
• grammar lessons
• math lessons
• Assign EDpuzzle videos for homework
• Great to use when there will be a substitute. Students still receive your instruction even though you aren't there.
• Use EDpuzzle to support students who require additional instruction and support

Pear Deck

Website:  https://www.peardeck.com/

Description of Site:

Pear Deck is an ad-free tool that allows instructors to create interactive slideshow lessons that may include images, text, video, and more. Students join the live session and the instructor controls the activity on the participant's device. During an interactive lesson using Pear Deck, participants have the opportunity to respond to the instructor's questions. Pear Deck offers various types of interactions such as draggable, drawing, text or number, and multiple choice. Participant responses are real-time and anonymous in presentation mode. The instructor may view individual answers or toggle between participant's answers in presentation mode. Instructors may view specific individual responses on their mobile device.

Pear Deck is appropriate for school use. It works best in a 1-to-1 or BYOD setting. The Terms of Service states that schools should be in compliance with COPPA guidelines if students under the age of thirteen will be using this tool. Additionally, instructors must agree to use this site for educational purposes only. I could see Pear Deck used K-12. Primary teachers have posted that they have used Pear Deck in their classrooms. I think the biggest hurdle would be access to devices. I think it could easily be utilized in grades 4-12.  

Pear Deck has three pricing plans: Free, Premium, and Domain. The free plan allows for Google Apps integration including Google Drive file storage. The free plan is for one instructor with up to thirty concurrent session participants. The premium version includes some bells and whistles and it offers educator pricing for $99.99 per year. There is a thirty day trial of the full version available.

Educational Uses of Site:

Pear Deck would be a great tool used as a ticket out the door. Instructors may pose a few questions towards the end of a lesson to gauge how well students understood the concept. Almost any concept would be acceptable using Pear Deck. For instance, I could see Pear Deck used as a ticket out the door in math class. I could present my lesson on dividing decimals. The ticket out the door would require students to answer leveled questions that get progressively more difficult. This data would then drive future instruction.

Pear Deck could be used as a survey tool. For example, a teacher could present information about herself/himself and then question students about their interests. A pretest is another example of how Pear Deck could be used as a tool. Teachers could ask questions about an upcoming unit to determine students prior knowledge.

Pear Deck could be used as a warm-up. Teachers could pose an equation and students must create the question. The teacher then selects a student's question to display and participants must determine if the question can be correctly answered using the equation.

Review of Site:

I think Pear Deck is a terrific web 2.0 tool to use in the classroom. It captures students' interest and helps to engage them in interactive lessons. It is easy to use and the free version offers enough choices without having to pay for the premium versions. I see myself using Pear Deck when I am introducing new concepts and I would like to collect student responses anonymously. It would be used as an instructional tool without competition between students. They may truly show me what they know.