New Vodcast Series for Educator Reflection During NTI

First, we must honor the date of this entry!  Not only is today Star Wars Day, but it is the start of Teacher Appreciation Week.  Has there ever been a school year where all teachers have not easily earned the rank of Jedi Knight?  I can't imagine one.  Thanks to all of the compassionate teachers out there who strive to innovate in these challenging non-traditional instructional (NTI) times...and that includes a nod toward the parents and guardians who are co-teaching these lessons at home.

It was an awareness of our Shelby educators who are innovating during NTI that inspired Lora Shields, our district Staff Developer.   Knowing that some hard-won professional learning was happening out there, she proposed a vodcast that could both capture this moment in time as well as share the learning with others.   As we teamed together to make this happen, we shaped the focus of the vodcast series to be guided by two questions:  what new tool or strategy are you currently learning to use during NTI, and in what ways will that transform your teaching when you return to the brick and mortar of your school buildings in the future?

Thus, the vodcast series "Shelby Speaks: Looking Forward" was launched, sharing our facilitated interviews with the creative educators of our district.  As of today, over half of our recorded episodes have been published (see the playlist on SCPS's YouTube channel), and we have already earned acclaim from other education leaders and even local television news:

Love these! “There’s a difference between a project and PBL...” Well-done, @shelbycountysch team! @loratshields @watsonedtech @DugleSusan @rltmartin @JamesNeihof https://t.co/QeXN3zsBfb

— Jonathan Vander Els (@jvanderels) April 26, 2020

Loving these Shelby Speaks series led by @watsonedtech ... this one is on how PBL & exhibitions are still happening for 8th grade, just digital now! Nice work Casey, LaPorsha, & Sarah!! Awesome creativity and innovation with digital tools. Well done. #KyEdNext https://t.co/AWgmjvCLqx

— Dr. Justin Bathon (@justinbathon) April 28, 2020

Teachers @shelbycountysch share how online learning lessons will transform their classrooms: https://t.co/iKki6dsMKf | @SaraSideryWDRB pic.twitter.com/pEwGw1ne0H

— WDRB News (@WDRBNews) April 24, 2020

In particular, I'd like to highlight three episodes that address a few of my favorite educational topics: project based learning and libraries.

In Episode 3, Martha Layne Collins art teacher Lukas Allison talks about how important cross-content PBL and design thinking is to his lesson planning (9:43):

In Episode 5, West Middle School teachers Casey Robinson, Sarah Buchanan, and LaPorsha Jackson talk about the process of moving PBL exhibitions to an online space (12:26):

Lastly, in Episode 10, Julie Webb (Shelby County High School) and Emily Northcutt (Marnel C. Moorman, our K-8 school) discuss how librarians and libraries play an essential role in NTI (18:20):

Thanks to all of the educators worldwide who are attempting the Herculean task of continuing student learning at home, even when our students face substantial inequities of Internet access, food insecurities, and understandable anxieties about our unprecedented present.

TUIT: Julia Lyles, James Morgan, Colby Wilmoth, and an entire high school

Happy April Fool's!  As the days count down to spring break and the end of my embedded tour at Heritage Elementary (Painted Stone, I'll see you Monday the 13th!), I wanted to squeeze out one more Edtech Elixirs entry.

Looking over my latest blog posts, I realized that I haven't given a #ShelbyTUITshoutout recently. Luckily, I have several reasons to do so today.

Julia Lyles is a new 3rd grade teacher here at Heritage. Last week, she asked me to help co-teach her class and we used Nearpod in a work station setting.  (You can read more about Nearpod in a previous entry.)  Ms. Lyles reminded me that even if you have only a few devices, Nearpod can be useful in a rotational station format.  I was glad to see her integrating Nearpod in a lesson with such young students, and happy to help teach in her classroom.

James Ray Morgan is Heritage's music teacher.  He already had an interest in edtech before I arrived, but after our consultation, he is now in the process of creating a YouTube channel of helpful videos for his students.  For example, Mr. Morgan wants to create tutorials for next year's classes to learn to play a recorder (or use the videos for extra practice, support, and enrichment).  In addition, he is creating a website as a launching platform for his class; you can view it here. He's well on his way to flipping and blending his instruction! (Note: if you want help recording directly on YouTube with your webcam, check out one of my how-to videos below.)

Today I observed Colby Wilmoth with her second graders.  What was impressive was not just the edtech tools themselves (a SMART board interactive clock activity, a document camera to demonstrate drawing a clock face, and so on), but how seamlessly she moved from one to another.  In addition, Ms. Wilmoth reminded me of the need for balancing your tools.  Her students drew large clock faces onto their desks with dry-erase markers, then practiced in pairs putting the correct hour and minute hand for a list of times.  Of course, there are digital equivalents you could do for this, but the tactile analog nature of drawing on a desk has its own benefits for engagement and learning.

Last but not least, I have a historic shoutout to give: to an entire school! At Martha Layne Collins High School,  Instructional Coaches Jennifer Cox and Tracy Huelsman (along with the enthusiastic encouragement of principal John Leeper) gave their staff a Twitter challenge this week. Using the hashtag #TitanStrong (created by Mr. Leeper), Ms. Cox and Huelsman have asked teachers to tweet every day, once a day, all week long.

Be sure to follow MLC @MLCTitanNation Ts tweeting with #TitanStrong this week.Goal is 1 tweet per classroom per day! pic.twitter.com/o5kF4iPXi0
— Adam Watson (@watsonedtech) March 30, 2015

The results have been fantastic and it has been very fun to follow the hashtag.   In some cases, teachers are tweeting for the very first time.  Good job, Collins!

A well deserved shoutout to MLC, Ms. Wilmoth, Mr. Morgan, and Ms. Lyles! Enjoy your spring break and the mild weather.

Game-Based Learning and Classcraft

One of the trends in education that is gaining popularity and has growing data to support its positive impact on students is game-based learning.  The concept is not completely new; many older graduates and teachers today have fond memories of Oregon Trail (which first began in 1978!).  The phrase "game-based learning" still makes some shudder, suggesting teachers are letting students play video games all day instead of utilizing real skills or learning content.  But just as "edtech for the sake of edtech" should't be done, I am not suggesting games alone are the key.  As always, it is the way the games are integrated into a classroom that can transform the educational experience:

• Novel way of learning content.  Which one do you think would be more engaging -- a PowerPoint lecture about the Great Depression, or roleplaying as a young person on a Dust Bowl farm?
• Immediate feedback and gratification.   By the nature of a typical classroom experience, we are all about the delayed gratification.  You study or research, apply yourself to an assessment or write your essay, turn it in...and wait, sometimes days or even weeks for a grade and feedback.  In a game, you know as soon as you try whether you succeed or fail.  And if you fail...
• The power of a 1UP.  It's fascinating that the same young people who never want to revise a paper or "try again" are willing to sweat through a game level over and over until they defeat their big boss.  But the philosophy behind the way a teacher assesses and grades is also interesting to note here.  Is it right to only give students one chance with no "do-overs"?  In standards-based grading, reaching proficiency in various areas is a continual process of opportunity, not given only once on that Friday in September.  ("You failed the test, so you can never learn that skill.  Let's move on.")
• The power of a "Leaderboard."  For many modern video games, there are virtual trophies you earn for achieving certain goals, called badges.  Of course, this leaderboard of badges can be shared socially with other gamers as a point of pride.  Although I used Edmodo my last few years of teaching, I regret not trying out their "badge" system in my own classroom. However, other teachers have totally embraced this approach with their own students (and not just with Edmodo!).
• Cultivating creative and cooperative skills.  Last but not least, we shouldn't ignore the creative and cooperative juices that get flowing with games.  It takes intelligence to problem solve a riddle or determine when to use the right power at the right time.  To take one popular game example, "modding" in Minecraft is the pinnacle of creativity (and recently in our own backyard, a group of enthusiasts are creating the whole city of Louisville as a Minecraft map).  In team based endeavors, the virtual stakes are high to work together to achieve a goal where all will benefit.

If you still feel ambivalent about gamification of education, see if Jane McGonigal convinces you in her TED Talk that "gaming can make a better world."

In Shelby County, game-based learning is not completely uncommon.  For example, the elementary students periodically play Dreambox to learn math skills.  But a few months ago, I learned of a site for the first time that kinda blew my mind.  The site is Classcraft, and the teacher that told me about it was Tim Oltman from Martha Layne Collins High School.  Which is why Tim gets a well-deserved #ShelbyTUITshoutout!

Setting up an account in Classcraft is free.  Teachers first ask the students what kind of role they want for their character ( Mage, Fighter, or Healer) along with some limited customization of the character's looks.  The teacher then inputs the students and their character choices into Classcraft, grouping them in teams, and gives the students login information.  From that point on, Classcraft becomes something that quietly runs in the background until the teacher has an event occur where students can gain or lose experience points (XP) or health points (HP).  (These events can be customized by the teacher.)   There are also peer incentives to do well in class; for example, not turning in a homework assignment can affect everyone on your team. Over time students can earn class rewards or use XP to get upgrade armor, spells, etc. for their characters; this part is typically done outside of class.   Keep in mind that currently Classcraft is static.  There are no moving parts, no animation, no actual jumping/scrolling/fighting.   In a way, it's a much more glorified and clever system of digital badge delivery.

The following video gives a quick overview of what Classcraft is, how it came to be, and what it looks like:

I recently visited Mr. Oltman at MLC HS, and he was kind enough to submit to an interview.

Tell us about yourself!

Here at MLC I teach the Project Lead the Way engineering classes.  This will be my 4^th year teaching.  I learned about integrating edtech in my college classes and enjoyed it because I have always been using technology plus it is a great fit with engineering classes.

How have you integrated Classcraft in your classroom?

In 3 of my classes I have Classcraft running in the background during class and as questions are answered I can quickly add experience points to the characters.  However, they get their main experience points after assignments are added to their characters.  The other advantage I have is we are already 1:1 in the engineering classes [each student always has a desktop computer], so they have their characters running in the background because they love to keep up with their experience points.  You could also do this with cell phones because there is an app also.

Sounds like the students enjoy Classcraft.   Do you think it has improved learning?  In what way?

The students love the game.  They come into class and ask to the daily spin [a random event generator] to see if they get anything that day.  They want to use their powers whenever they can.  It has improved learning because once again the students are more invested in their learning.  [The academic work in class results in rewards.] They can see something they are getting out of it.  The game allows you to alter many of the spells and achievements they get so you can alter the game to fit each of your classes. 

A student's character takes health point damage from a random event.  If the team has a Healer, however, they can recover quickly, adding to the cooperative nature of Classcraft.

In the "dashboard" of the teacher's account, Mr. Oltman surveys the state of the various teams in his class.

Before Classcraft, what did you think about gamification in education?  Had you tried any game-based learning before?  How has Classcraft and other tools changed your attitude toward gamification?

I have always loved the idea of gamification in education.  Being an avid gamer myself I have seen many ways games teach lessons in a way that can work for education.  I have never tried gamification before because I have been looking for the right game to integrate.

What other edtech tools are some of your favorites?

Other favorites I have is Canvas [a free Learning Management System] and of course our 3D printer.  I love Canvas because you can get everything on one place for the students and then let them submit assignments online.  It is also nice because I never have to answer the question what did we do yesterday because they know to go online and look for it.

Mr. Oltman's  first generation 3D printer.

Any advice you would like to share with other teachers wanting to integrate Classcraft into their classroom?

Integrate the game in one of your classes to start with.  It does take some time to get used to and definitely get the students involved in helping to design the game that way they are really part of it.  You will have some students who do not want to play to start with but after a week all of my students have gotten really involved in it.  Remember too you can make it a large part of your class or a small part depending on how the students take to it.

Thanks again to Tim for his interview and insights! How do you feel about using games in the classroom?  Do you already use gamification?  Please share in the Comments below.

Update 1/23/15:  After publishing this entry, I saw a tweet (embedded below with a great infographic) that led me to a detailed article about the differences between gamification and game-based learning.  I realize now that I somewhat vaguely used these terms interchangeably, which is incorrect.   So please check out Steven Isaac's article on Inservice ASCD.

The Difference Between Gamification And Game-Based Learning http://t.co/Ded403RWdh pic.twitter.com/ALCQ7kzvdG
— Ian Jukes (@ijukes) January 19, 2015

TUIT: Lindsay Ricke, MLC HS

Lindsay Ricke is a science teacher at Martha Layne Collins High School.  Integrating technology in her students' learning is nothing new -- in fact, Ms. Ricke was recently part of instructional coaches live tweeting from her classroom using the hashtag #theyet -- but her recent use of Smore caught my attention and I had to give her a #ShelbyTUITshoutout.

I have talked about and even embedded Smores previously in Edtech Elixirs, but I haven't really taken a moment to explain what they are.  Basically, they are online flyers, but that simplifies what they are capable of showing.  Yes, Smores can publicize events, but they can also be used as student productivity tools. Think of them as interactive posters. You start with a template and can choose from several categories. Pictures, YouTube videos, hyperlinks and text can easily be added.  You can print the finished Smore or save it as a PDF, and since it's published to a URL, the flyer can be shared online or through email.  For teachers or students, Smores could also be a viable alternative to other visual digital presentation tools, like PowerPoints or Prezis.

Yet Ms. Ricke came up with another idea. Instead of just doing lab reports on a pencil and paper worksheet, she had her AP Chemistry students use Smore.  Not only does the use of multimedia enhance the finished product (students took pictures and even video of the stages of their experiments), but since their reports are published, their work now has more validity than the typical "teacher as audience" and can be returned to later for reflection or to help study content.  Two student examples are below.  (Note that in the first example, students shot their own video, uploaded to Vimeo, then embedded it in their Smore; in the second, they found an appropriate video on YouTube showing aluminum reacting to copper.)  Very impressive!




Ms. Ricke, thank you for integrating technology as often and as well as you do!

TUIT: Jennifer Cox, Tracy Huelsman, Jessica Ruddy (MLC HS)

Jennifer Cox and Tracy Huelsman are instructional coaches. Jessica Ruddy is a social studies teacher.  All three are from Martha Layne Collins High School.  It is their use of Twitter (and in the case of the instructional coaches, the use of a website) that earns all three a #ShelbyTUITshoutout.

First, let's talk Twitter.  Ms. Cox and Ms. Huelsman tried a novel approach to observing a classroom.  They decided to share their observations (and pictures) in real time using the hashtag #theyet.  (They also continue using the hashtag when writing tweets relevant to educators involved in the "becoming" of being an ongoing learner and practitioner.)  To me, this opens up a lot of intriguing possibilities about PD of the future, especially involving lab classrooms.  You could follow a hashtag as the class happened, even tweeting along questions or comments -- or you could look at the archive of the event later, through the thread of the hashtag.  Combine that with a reflective piece at the end, and you have an effective way of achieving professional growth.  Of course, a live tweet cannot replace what you can experience with your own eyes and ears.  However, if it gives the time-harried educator another avenue of "observing," then it is worth considering.

Following the idea of "live tweeting" is a recent occurrence in Ms. Ruddy's AP European History.  Using the hashtag #apeurosalon14, Jessica periodically tweeted out key ideas from the class as they were discussed.  What a useful tool for students!  If incorporated all year long, they could look up the thread to study for the AP test in the spring . . . ask questions of the teacher (and each other) . . . and have a backchannel during a Socratic discussion or while watching a video.

Last but not least, a plug should be given for Tracy and Jennifer's website, Coaching Corner Collaborative.  Only a month old, it is quickly growing into a reference point of relevant links, blog entries, and other resources for instructional coaches or anyone involved in fostering a growth mindset.  In additional, the site looks slick and professional, thanks to the template driven power of Weebly.

Congrats to all three, and I can't wait to see where their tweeting takes us!

 

TUIT: Yasmine Fleming, Collins HS

Just a few short years ago, Yasmine Fleming and I were teaching colleagues at South Oldham High School.  She was there for a short time, but I remember being impressed by her ability to not only teach content but develop an instant rapport with students.  I was sad to see her take a position in Shelby County.

And now, the wheel turns. Knowing that Ms. Fleming was teaching at Collins, I couldn't wait to observe her classroom.  Boy, she did not disappoint.  Yasmine has a class set of MacBook Airs embedded all year long that she is using with multiple classes.  If you have any doubt how transformative teaching will be next year as our 1:1 initiative begins, watching her for an hour will convince you.

Ms. Fleming pauses a Kahoot for a mini-lesson, while students bask in the glow of MacBook Airs.

Ms. Fleming was kind enough to accept my offer of an interview.  So without further ado, here's our Q & A.

Yasmine, introduce yourself to our readers!  

This school year began my third year as a teacher and my second at Collins. I teach 8th and 9th grade math, specifically 8th Grade Math, Algebra I and Geometry. Teaching is a second career for me; I spent five years in telecommunications prior to pursuing a career in education. My first interaction with edtech was while working on my BS at UofL, I was taking a Criminology course online over the summer. I loved the freedom. Around this time LMS’s [Learning Management Systems] became very popular, specifically Blackboard and what I most liked about Blackboard was having everything all in one place, assignments, teacher contact and grades. While working on my MAT I had the privilege of having an amazing technology professor who challenged me and allowed me to try new things as a student. My passion for edtech integration as a teacher actually stemmed coming from my prior life in telecommunications where we were always connected and ever changing, to the somewhat archaic traditional methods of education. I am constantly asking questions, researching and trying out new things. Once I find a tool or resource I look for similar tools, comparison reviews and how they are currently being used in other classrooms. I also pester my peers about the awesome tech they are including in their classrooms. Twitter is my new friend for all things #edtech although I still have yet to participate in any chats. I faithfully follow Kathy Schrock and Adam Watson (of course). Kathy was the keynote speaker at my first edtech conference.

How have you used your MacBook Airs to create a blended learning environment in your classroom?

Last Spring when I began thinking about what I would want my blended learning classroom to look, feel, sound like I had one primary goal I wanted to accomplish, to give all my students exactly what they needed when they needed it. So I set out to design a structure that would allow students to move at their own pace all while having a hand in how they demonstrated understanding of the content. I came across the Concept Checklists from Brian Hill and I loved how it allowed me to meet the students where they were and gave them options for which tasks they completed. I decided to design my Algebra I classes with these ideas in mind. Currently my students go through self-paced lessons with differentiated tasks. They watch a video or participate in a mini lesson with me, take notes, complete a basic practice activity and then choose from other tasks (sometimes optional, sometimes mandatory) that may have to be completed with a partner, group or alone. Once they have completed these “prerequisite” activities they can take their concept quiz. Once mastered, they move on to the next concept. If they do not master the quiz they must have a consultation with me and complete at least one remediation activity. Then once they are confident in the concept they reassess to show mastery on the quiz. The MacBook Airs allow the daily differentiation of lesson delivery, tasks and assessments at the pace my students are most comfortable at with structure and guidance from me. Students have time if they need it but those students who are ready to move can do that as well.

One of the ways you manage those self-paced lessons and differentiated tasks is your use of Canvas by Instructure, a LMS (Learning Management System).  How has it impacted your students' learning?  

Canvas currently houses our concept/Learning Target quizzes, common used website links, announcements/notifications, and shared discussions/surveys for my Algebra I class. In the beginning it was the hub for ALL of our materials, documents, videos, practice, quizzes, everything. I have since moved the day-to-day materials into Trello in an effort to track the daily completion/in progress tasks of my students, but the questions banks in Canvas are a huge time-saver for my transitional Standards Based Grading classroom. I am able to create a bank of questions that their quizzes pull from and when they go to reassess (if necessary) they receive a different set of similar questions.

For my other classes, I’m beginning to use Canvas to house materials for students who are absent and additional resource/practice materials for students who may need the extra assistance.

Ms. Fleming's students use old tech (mini-whiteboards) and new tech (Canvas on Macbook Airs).

What other edtech tools are some of your favorites?

I am currently loving Trello, TenMarks, and Kahoot!.

Trello is currently my best friend and the main reason is my students like it and it became a huge solution to my progress monitoring problem. I use Trello (which is not marketed as an educational resource at all) to layout the materials for each concept/level in my self-paced Algebra I class. Each student has their own board which has a list for each Concept which includes cards with each video, practice file, task, and quiz link attached. There is also an in progress list titled “What I’m doing for Classwork/Homework” and a completed list titled “FINISHED”. What I love most about Trello is there is a time/date stamp for every action. So when my students move a card to the Homework/Classwork list and then to the Finished list, I can see if they are on track to hit, exceed or miss a concept deadline. My students love it because it is very intuitive, easy to use and visually appealing. They like the act of “moving” a task to the “Finished” list. They said they feel a sense of accomplishment.

This is my second year using TenMarks and what I love the most are the hints and videos offered with each problem. I understand the importance of practicing a math concept for homework but what makes me most apprehensive is the reality that one of my students could get home and not know how to complete a problem and become frustrated with the process, the content and even the class. TenMarks helps to alleviate some of my anxiety and theirs. It also helps that TenMarks is successfully aligned to the CCSS.

Kahoot! is a favorite in my classroom for the same reasons it is in everyone else’s classroom… The kids LOVE IT!! It is also very easy to setup for quick assessments and reviews. In the near future I hope to have them create their own Kahoot! to demonstrate what’s important from a unit and then play against other classes.

What tools have you heard about recently that you are wanting to try out for the first time? 

I’m looking forward to designing and implementing content using Geogebra. It’s free, which is always a plus and I’m very intrigued by some of the lessons that are already created so I can’t wait to create my own. I also would like to try Explore Learning’s Gizmos. It’s not a free resource which limits my investigations but I think it has so much potential in the blended classroom. Lastly, Flipgrid is currently on my radar. Teaching math usually results in written responses to demonstrate understanding but the verbal response is invaluable and requires a different level of understanding to demonstrate mastery. I’m hoping to implement this resource regularly later this school year.

Any advice you would like to share with other teachers wanting to integrate edtech?

First I would say, research, research, research. When I come across a neat tool, resource, etc. I immediately google it and check out their website but what I’m really looking for are reviews and other similar/comparable resources. That allows me to decide if I like it, love it or want to try another one. Next, try it out for yourself. I always create a teacher account and a student account (usually multiple) to test out the features. It doesn’t eliminate all of the hiccups you may come across once you implement in your classroom but it will eliminate some and also allow you to anticipate some other unpredictable events. Next, begin with the end in mind. I’m not really one for tossing around buzz phrases but it’s true. I always start with a main goal or problem and then look for a tech tool to assist. If I want a fun way to review or formatively assess then my main goal is FUN, which is how I stumbled upon Kahoot. I have other mediums to practice content but they are often not as engaging and fun as Kahoot!. Simply put, my students like it so I use it because it's FUN and I’m ok with that! If I want my students to demonstrate knowledge of the content in a non-traditional way then I research with that main goal, insert FlipGrid or Blendspace. There are times that I am introduced to a tool and I look for ways to integrate it in my classroom but, more often than not, I am simply in search of a solution or alternate to what I’ve been doing. Finally, flip the switch to “work in progress” and enjoy the ride. Be unafraid and unashamed to try whatever has been occupying your dreams. Not everything will play out the way you planned but the successes you’ll experience will make every fall worth it! 

Yasmine Fleming, thank you again for your time, and you absolutely deserve a #ShelbyTUITshoutout!

Goodbye Collins!

As I closed out my last embedded day at Collins High School, I marvel at not only how fast my time went there, but how quickly time has gone by since I began in Shelby County.  October 1 marked three months with the district.  My work days have some winged feet.

But back to Collins! I was fortunate to meet so many wonderful educators during my embedded stay.  (And there are some more #ShelbyTUITshoutout's from Collins in the pipeline.)  Thanks to all that came to one of my PDs, asked a hard question, or shared a resource with me.

Before I go, one last nod to Collins's principal Mr. Leeper.  I've appreciated every time he's retweeted me (from @MLCTitanNation), and his weekly Smore flyers inspired me to make my own when I wanted to publicize some district PD.  He attended one of those very presentations, in fact, and afterwards asked, "How do you find all of these tools I haven't heard of?"   Which reminds me of something from Tim Burton's 1989 version of Batman:

(YouTube clip: http://youtu.be/KA5II5AlO7w)

Well, I humbly accept that compliment; I always try to keep an ear to the ground (and the Cloud, and the Twitterverse) for new sites and tools.

Truth be told, however, many a time when I've tried out new tech in a classroom or presented it at a PD, this is what happens:

(YouTube clip: http://youtu.be/X-rkFaIPyL4?t=5s)

Some tools work like gangbusters, and others are just a bust. The secret is to be willing to fail.  It's the only way to grow.

Up next starting on Tuesday, Clear Creek Elementary!

TUIT: Ben Nichols, Collins High School

This week’s #ShelbyTUITshoutout goes to Ben Nichols, 8^th grade Social Studies teacher at Collins High School. Mr. Nichols integrates edtech in his classroom in multiple ways.  For example, he uses Remind as a way of – well, reminding – students and parents about homework assignments and upcoming tests.  Ben can push out a text alert to the students’ phones without revealing his personal number (or knowing theirs).

But the main reason I have to give Mr. Nichols a shoutout is his use of Thinglink.  I have loved this tool since first using it in my English classes last year, but Nichols goes the extra mile; he usually has students work in groups and do at least three Thinglinks over the course of the school year.

How does it work?  Basically, you upload a picture and annotate it with “clickable” text boxes, website links, videos, etc.  You can also “Touch” other people’s Thinglinks to remember them later (think of “Favorites” on Twitter).  This can become a very useful presentational tool, especially when coupled with a SMART Board, as a teacher or a student can quickly survey the picture by tapping around the icons on the screen.  Of course, Thinglinks can be easily shared by their URL or other social media tools.

Note that an app for iOS and Android provide additional functionality.  You can access your device's photo roll, so you can take a picture and use that as your annotated image; you can record video, add it to the image, and upload it directly to your Thinglink account.*

How could you use it?  Teachers could use it as a substitute to a PowerPoint, especially since hyperlinks and videos are so easy to embed. Take a picture of your classroom and engage students or parents at an open house with helpful resources (for example, tag your phone with a text box of "The school phone number is..") Students could do "About Me's," collate research information, make an interactive poster, or snap a page from a book and analyze the text using higher-order text reflections and links to relevant Web 2.0 content.

Downsides?  Getting the right size picture uploaded can sometimes be tricky (some are too small to either annotate or present well).  I really wish Thinglink had a "full screen" option when presenting, but they don't.  Here's one trick if the size of the picture is small: add the Thinglink to a "Channel" (a way you can organize Thinglinks together on your account), then present the Thinglink(s) as a "Slide Show," which is the only way to maximize them on a screen. (Thanks to Mr. Nichols and Beth Jones for the slide show tip!)

Wondering what a Thinglink looks like?  Here’s one of me and my car from my senior year of high school, from my own account.  Hover your mouse over the picture to make the icons appear.

(You can also click this link to go directly to it.) 

Thinglinks can also be a powerful way of demonstrating visual literacy as well. On a basic level, choosing an exclamation mark versus a shopping cart icon should be deliberate within the context of the information that pops out.   After students are familiar with the site, push students to not just annotate with information, but intentionally decide icon placement in order to add another level of complexity and understanding.  For example, in my Thinglink above, there was a reason I put Nirvana’s “In Bloom” video icon in the trees!

Mr. Nichols has done Thinglinks for a few years now.  One piece of advice for teachers: "They may be digital natives, but don't assume they automatically know what to do online."  I agree.  While Thinglink is very user-friendly, give students time to not only craft their content, but to practice their skills of creating a Thinglink.  Ben also has a very clear rubric on what he expects the students to achieve with their finished Thinglink, which is essential in any project, but especially important when using edtech.  (Bells and whistles may be cute, but it's the content that counts.)

I caught up one of Mr. Nichols's classes near the end of the project, as the groups were presenting their finished products.  The engagement was genuine; the "publication" of work was authentic; the sense of shared ownership and cooperative work was palpable; and the note-taking of the audience (along with their Q & A at the end of each presentation) showed there was true value in the content given.  Once again, tech created a leadership opportunity for the students.

Congrats to Mr. Nichols for his well deserved #ShelbyTUITshoutout!

*Note 5/20/15: I added the info about how the Thinglink mobile apps work.

TUIT: Julie Stacy, Ashley Fishback, and Kahoot!

Today, I have to give my first Collins High School #ShelbyTUITshoutout to TWO teachers, Julie Stacy (English) and Ashley Fishback (@MsFishback, science), for their use of Kahoot!

First, let's break down this highly engaging and helpful edtech tool.

How does it work?  Kahoot is a student response system, but looks and feels like a game, especially when participating in a quiz.  After you make a Kahoot, you can launch it by projecting it on your screen while students use their devices to enter a game pin and a nickname. Two clever things about this tool from the start.  First, no app is necessary; if a device can get to the Internet, they can Kahoot. Second, names can be moderated.  If you don't like the name, the teacher can click on it and "kick them out."  The offending device changes from a green to a red screen for all to see, but Kahoot will allow the student to try again, although the red screen background remains as a reminder that you might want a chat with the cheeky monkey at the end of class.

Students win Kahoots (points) by answering both accurately and as quickly as possible.  The countdown music (faster and more dramatic when the clock time is shorter; you can set the timer uniquely and differently for each question) adds to the excitement, and after each question a leaderboard is shown that displays the top participants ranked by their Kahoot points.  In the end, Kahoot declares a winner, and feedback can be elicited by the teacher in a simple interface (score the Kahoot on a scale of 1 to 5 stars, did you learn anything with thumbs up or down, etc.).  One of its powerful features is that teachers can download the results of the Kahoot in a surprisingly thorough Excel spreadsheet either immediately or later under your account settings.  Oh, did I mention Kahoot is free, and other public Kahoots can be searched and saved for your own use?

Below is a short video by Roland Rios that shows how to make a Kahoot quiz and what gameplay looks like.



As the video says, you can add images to go along with your questions, and adding videos are in beta testing.  (Some quirks show up when using videos; for example, you can embed a video to play in the "lobby" while students are signing in, but in Internet Explorer, the sound of the video continues to play even as you begin your quiz.)  There is a character editor in both the question and answer fields that give you additional freedoms, such as a math teacher wanting to input formulas and algebraic equations.

I should also mention you can create a Kahoot Discussion (ask a question that can get an initial response, then use that to spin into a classroom talk) or a Survey (ask several poll questions and see and discuss the results).   Neither of these allow open responses, and because there are no right or wrong answers, the gaming elements are not present.

How could you use it?  The quizzes can be formative assessments, and the data collected is rich and manipulatable for later mining in Excel.  The Discussion and Survey Kahoots may not be as game-like as the quizzes, but just like the quizzes, creates data that is stored permanently and can be analyzed at your convenience.

Downsides?  It's hard to find one.  Other tools like Socrative can also do prepared quizzes or polls, and would be better for quieter, self-paced student work.  However, Kahoot is a free and user-friendly tool that creates one of the highest engagement levels I've seen, coupled with a robust data collection that is easy to analyze.  (And don't think the gaming appearance would only appeal to younger students, as the Collins anecdotes will attest.) I highly recommend it.


I've had a great positive response when chatting up Kahoot, starting with the PD I gave in Oldham County in August. I shared it with the Collins staff for the first time on Tuesday.  By the next day, I was stopped several times by MLC teachers who raved about using it in their classes.  (And what a great staff, to be willing to try a new tool less than 24 hours after hearing about it for the first time!)

One of those first-timers was Julie Stacy, who I happened to observe the Wednesday morning after the PD.  Not only did she have the class take a Kahoot quiz on Great Expectations, but by the end of the period she had them in groups making their own Kahoots.  Bravo for giving the students opportunity for leadership!

Julie Stacy of @MLCTitanNation @shelbycountysch leads her AP Lit class on their first @GetKahoot. Students loved it! pic.twitter.com/pFqsbCpDa6
— Adam Watson (@watsonedtech) September 17, 2014

Ms. Fishback is one of several other Collins teachers who used Kahoot, but I have to also give her a shoutout for the great photo she took of her students Kahooting, preserved in a tweet here:

#FishbackPBS tried out #kahootit today with a pop quiz! Thanks @watsonedtech ! pic.twitter.com/p1kFPXvem6
— Ms. Fishback (@MsFishback) September 17, 2014

You'll definitely hear me do more tech shoutouts from Collins before my embedded time is up.  Until then, help me celebrate Ms. Stacy and Ms. Fishback for taking an edtech risk!

Edtech PD for the district 9/22 and 9/29!

Major PD announcements, minor edtech teaching tangents! As you know, as the school year continues, I will eventually be embedded at each Shelby County School for 3 to 4 weeks. However, you can quickly do the math and see that it will be 2015 before I get to half of the schools, and some school will inevitably be last. What can we do to make this more fair? Easy solution! We are offering TWO edtech PDs open to the whole district, and of course, FREE to Shelby County Public School employees. Both PDs will occur in the Auditorium of Collins High School.

Tangent #1:  Not only am I thankful for Mr. Leeper playing host, but I also want to give him kudos for re-introducing Smore to me.   Mr. Leeper uses Smore to produce a weekly email newsletter for his faculty, but it's also a clever, easy and and free way for students to create an engaging visual presentation / instant website. It's very user-friendly and there are several ways to share the link with others.  Think of it as an easier alternative to Glogster.

Tangent #2: I first heard of Eventbrite when registering for EdCamp Kentucky.  Eventbrite allows you to organize events, create a website presence to promote it, and  tracks registration by "selling" tickets online.  If your event is actually free, you can do all this at no charge; if you do charge, Eventbrite keeps a cut of the sales.  Tickets can be printed out or saved virtually on your mobile device in their app.  Either way, organizers can check their online "dashboard" to see who has registered, and can scan the tickets on event day to easily track attendees, again with an app.

Back to the topic at hand.  After creating these PD events in Eventbrite, Smore allowed me (after I gave the site permission) to import my Eventbrite event information to populate the flyers. Talk about a two for one!  The results are below.  Be sure to get your tickets to both days via the embedded links.  (If you have any problem with the registration, please still come on down!)

So, here's the first Smore flyer for the 9/22 PD "Teacher Tech Tools."  (If you are having trouble viewing the flyer, go straight to the Eventbrite page.)




And here's the second Smore flyer for the 9/29 PD "Become a 21st Century Super-Teacher!" (Again, if you have trouble, go to the Eventbrite page.)


Please register ASAP.  Looking forward to seeing you there! If you have any questions, email, tweet, or Comment below.

From a Tiger to a Titan

A few days into my stay at Collins High School, and getting used to my new home.  This building is only four years old, so once again I'm spoiled by the surroundings.

PD begins in earnest tomorrow and observations and consultations next week, so looking forward to sharing edtech and making some new TUIT shoutouts!

Last day at Southside

My embedded tenure at Southside ends with a library tiger stealing my MacBook Air.

I will miss our embedded time together, @tigernewsSCPS. But I will return and visit, I promise! pic.twitter.com/sc4lI5541e
— Adam Watson (@watsonedtech) September 5, 2014

Thank you to all the wonderful faculty and staff at SSE who opened their classroom doors to me, made me feel right at home these past weeks, and was patient as I did my first runs of presentations and observations.  Special shoutout to Ms. Burkhardt, who was not only a kind colleague but a great sounding board and partner in configuring how a coach embedded for a limited time at a school might work.

And my journey continues.  Next stop on Tuesday: Collins!