The Power of Positive Social Media #StartsWithUs

All the negative things about social media is what usually hits the airwaves and the mediasphere.  It's true that people can use Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat and the like in inappropriate ways.  But the same could be said of cars, or other forms of technology.  We cannot respond to new media merely with fear.   If we want to show young people the power of our 21st century world, we have to show them positive models and how to become responsible leaders for change.

Next week is Kentucky Safe Schools Week.  While Shelby and other counties are out for fall break during this time, perhaps we can embrace the spirit of this year's theme to stand up against cyberbullying when we return.  Better yet, we can be inspired by something started at one St. Louis school and is quickly becoming a trending topic on Twitter and an Internet meme.

As often is the truth about human kindness, the act is simple yet profound.  A student or staff member uses a sharpie to write a short positive message on a clothespin.  The person then gives it to someone, who must "post and pass" it on: post a picture of the clothespin using social media with the hashtag #StartsWithUs before giving it to another person so the cycle can repeat.  That's it.  And yet, that's everything.

Here are some Tweets that capture the idea:

To St Charles Library & Beth Phillips for the social media expertise that inspired the kids to launch #StartsWithUs pic.twitter.com/twCBz3Rtsi
— Diane Stirling (@dstirling8) October 16, 2014

Students at Lafayette helped create the #startswithus campaign. Learn more: http://t.co/KLNEplG12b pic.twitter.com/h9VheftG2W
— Rockwood School Dist (@rockwoodschools) October 16, 2014

Make someone's day! If you get clipped w/ a clothespin, post a picture and pass it on! 😊 #PositivePost #StartsWithUs pic.twitter.com/nysxKQy1Uf
— Claudia Gallo (@Claudia_Gallo2) October 16, 2014

The idea has even spread to the St. Louis Rams:

Clothespins are the NEW black diamond earrings & gold chains. Find out why on @FOX2now #StartsWithUs @JOEL9ONE pic.twitter.com/QU4O2OAQyU
— Rampage Rams Mascot (@STLRampage) October 16, 2014

How can we be leaders against negativity and cyberbullying?  How can we fight the dark with light?

Inspired by St. Louis Ss using social media as force for good! Spread positivity online & off. #StartsWithUs pic.twitter.com/jXBGil9miU
— Adam Watson (@watsonedtech) October 16, 2014

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Spread positivity online and off, speak out against cyberbullying. #StartsWithUs

View on Instagram

You have to start somewhere.  One positive pinned message at a time.

@watsonedtech THANK YOU! Please join the cause and get your pins going in Shelby County KY too! #startswithus
— Stephanie Madlinger (@cyberteacher) October 16, 2014

(Note: if you are reading this on email or a mobile device, you may not be able to see the several embedded pictures above.  Please visit the site to see them.)

Playing Discovery Education videos on the MacBook Air

At the beginning of the school year, a teacher from Southside Elementary pointed out to me that she could no longer watch certain videos from Discovery Education on her MacBook Air without installing a paid plugin.  Since the MacBook is THE computer for each classroom in SSE, this posed a problem.  After all, the resources on the site are vast, and it would be a shame to go from Windows to Mac just to lose access to what used to be free, content-rich videos.

I had a moment today to reach out via a Kentucky District Technology Coordinator listserv to share my issue, and Cynthia Warner (from KET) was kind enough to provide a walkthrough and some screenshots on how to fix this.

It turns out the solution is as simple as adjusting a few settings to enable either streaming or downloading in a way the Mac can decipher.  See the video I made below:

(video link: http://youtu.be/TOYX35te24o)

Simple....no plug in to buy, or even install! I hope that helps.

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!

1000+ views, and hello Clear Creek!

Back in elementary again!  Today is my first day at Clear Creek.  After school today is the weekly "Learning Workshop," where I will say hello to the staff, introduce my resources and contact information, and briefly introduce them to the Plickers tool I discussed in the previous post.   Clear Creek staff, please check my home page for the calendar that will help you keep track of what PD events I have scheduled, along with times and places. I am currently scheduled to stay at Clear Creek until the first week of November.

Today I settled into my new embedded workspace.  Walking through the halls today and peeking in some classrooms, I've already seen students interacting with the SMART Boards.  So good to see edtech is already well in place!  I'm loving the large lobby area in front of the library; it's an open place with tables that are conducive to informal meetings and collaboration sessions.

Question of the day: what is the Clear Creek mascot?  I will do a deep investigative report and find out.  I see a horse in a logo....

Last but not least, THANK YOU for all of the Edtech Elixirs readers out there who helped me climb to a milestone of over 1000 views.  I have written 22 entries since August 1, so for a blog just past two months old, it's a statistic I'm proud of.  More than meeting a milestone, however, I hope the entries have useful information for you and are perhaps a tad entertaining.

Here's to 2500 hits by winter break!

Plickers

Do any of the following apply to you?

• I want to use edtech, but the tech equity isn't there; the only device I have in the classroom is my own personal smartphone or tablet.
• I want a response system for students that's easy for me and them to use (even at a younger age).
• I want to create data I can collect and analyze later.
• I want to create a "whoa!" affect in the classroom.
• I want a site/iOS or Android app that's free.

If so, Plickers meets all of the above and will fast become your friend.  I heard of it a few months ago, but only recently had a chance to demo it.  I always worry if apps like these "work as advertised," but it really does.  While there are a few things I wish it could do better (like an Excel spreadsheet export of data, although that is likely to become part of a future upgrade), it's dead simple, with a touch of Augmented Reality (AR) magic that will wow you and your students.

NOTE:  You cannot login to the Plickers website with Internet Explorer.  You must use Chrome, Firefox, or Safari.

I created some videos about Plickers on my YouTube channel.  They are embedded below and also part of a playlist on my account.  (Special thanks to Beth Jones [@mlchslibrary] for helping me film the first video.)  Part 1 gives a real-time demonstration of how Plickers works.  Part 2 walks through the site itself. Part 3 shows you how to create questions.  Spare a few minutes, and I guarantee you'll be intrigued enough to try Plickers in your classroom.

One last quick link: to download the Plickers response cards as a PDF for free, click here.

Have you used Plickers already in your classroom?  Comment below and tell us about it!

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.