tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21111950738985228152024-03-12T16:16:39.641-07:00Connect-Extend: Infusing Education with TechnologyUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger37125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2111195073898522815.post-89752910502522594652023-10-22T22:03:00.001-07:002023-10-22T22:03:35.286-07:00Choosing the Right AI Tools for Elementary School Students: A Guide for Parents and Educators<div style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(55, 65, 81); font-size: 16px; margin: 1.25em 0px 0px; text-align: center; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixNdFWBRMINbGykg8q9EQYq8fpKw_eL-HgGSpYdenK8Dlcu6eeryN33VaiN3eF6gWAV4LZvDMAvNmnztyWqZ1ga7NCBbxniXgqp-1OvPvBIaH7Krr1ifRcUGw13jHlbffA9aX8ehwS-SadeqGUJbwARJFBRVIFd2zz38U9DsQtgE37aYpDR4zB1v6t4RBP/s1024/robot%20reading%20book.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Robot reading a guidebook" border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixNdFWBRMINbGykg8q9EQYq8fpKw_eL-HgGSpYdenK8Dlcu6eeryN33VaiN3eF6gWAV4LZvDMAvNmnztyWqZ1ga7NCBbxniXgqp-1OvPvBIaH7Krr1ifRcUGw13jHlbffA9aX8ehwS-SadeqGUJbwARJFBRVIFd2zz38U9DsQtgE37aYpDR4zB1v6t4RBP/w179-h179/robot%20reading%20book.png" title="Choosing the right AI tool" width="179" /></a></div></div><div style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(55, 65, 81); font-size: 16px; margin: 1.25em 0px 0px; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In today's digital age, technology plays a significant role in education, and AI tools are becoming increasingly popular in elementary school classrooms. These tools can provide personalized learning experiences, engage students, and offer valuable insights into their progress, but with the plethora of options available, choosing the right AI tools for elementary school students can be a challenging task.</span></div><div style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(55, 65, 81); font-size: 16px; margin: 1.25em 0px 0px; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This quick guide is designed to help both parents and educators make informed decisions when selecting AI tools for young learners. There are eight areas to consider. It is important to first understand what each entails, and then decide how to approach it:</span></div><div style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(55, 65, 81); font-size: 16px; margin: 1.25em 0px 0px; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><ol style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Data Privacy and Security</span></li><li>Age-Appropriate Content</li><li>Define Learning Goals</li><li>Personalized Learning</li><li>Engagement is Key</li><li>Data-Driven Insights</li><li>Accessibility</li><li>Balancing Screen Time</li></ol></div><div style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(55, 65, 81); margin: 1.25em 0px 0px;"><h3 style="font-size: 16px; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Understanding the Needs of Elementary Students:</span></span></h3><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Before diving into the wild world of AI-powered education, it's important to understand the unique needs of elementary school students. Children in these formative years require a <i>balanced approach</i> that combines digital resources with traditional learning methods. The AI tools you select should, most importantly, <i>align with the age and developmental stage of the children</i>. Doing the planning work ahead of time would save lots of valuable time later on.</span><br /><h4 style="text-align: left;"><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; margin: 1.25em 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1. Data Privacy and Security <span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red;">(Do not underestimate the importance of this!!!)</span></span>:</span></span></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600;">For Educators:</span> Familiarize yourself with the AI tool's data privacy policies and security measures. Ensure that student data is handled in compliance with educational standards. Remember that failing to comply with such policies can be detrimental to your job. I strongly recommend you share any platform you wish to use with your IT department and get approval from them.</span></li><li>For Parents:<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 400; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Verify that the tool prioritizes data privacy and security, keeping your child's information safe. Read reviews and get recommendations on sites such as <a href="https://www.commonsensemedia.org/app-reviews" target="_blank">CommonSense Media</a> and check for endorsements from educational institutions.</span></li></ul><p></p></h4><h4 style="text-align: left;">2. Age-Appropriate Content:</h4><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>For Educators:</b> Ensure that the AI tool's content aligns with the grade level and curriculum standards you are using. It should seamlessly integrate into classroom instruction. A tool like <a href="https://education.minecraft.net/en-us" target="_blank">Minecraft: Education Edition</a> offers an immersive and age-appropriate learning environment for math, social studies, or different creative projects across a variety of grade levels and learning objectives.</li><li><b>For Parents:</b> Verify that the content is suitable for your child's age and grade. The tool should provide a fun and educational experience. Platforms like <a href="https://www.duolingo.com/" target="_blank">Duolingo</a> offer child-friendly language learning activities for different age groups.</li></ul><h4 style="font-size: 16px; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">3. Define Learning Goals:</span></span></h4><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></p><ul style="font-size: 16px; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><li><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-weight: 600;">For Educators:</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Identify specific curriculum objectives and areas where students need additional support. Consider how AI tools can align with classroom learning goals. For instance, in mathematics, a tool like <a href="https://www.zearn.org/" target="_blank">Zearn Math</a> can be tailored to your curriculum needs, helping students grasp foundational math concepts.</span></li><li><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600;">For Parents:</span> Determine your child's learning needs and academic challenges. Choose AI tools that complement classroom instruction and cater to your child's unique strengths and weaknesses. Tools like <a href="https://www.abcmouse.com/abc/" target="_blank">ABCmouse</a> for early learners and <a href="https://www.brainpop.com/" target="_blank">BrainPOP</a> / <a href="https://jr.brainpop.com/" target="_blank">BrainPop Junior</a> offer engaging content that supports various subjects. TIP: Ask your child's educators/librarians if they are already subscribed to such platforms, so you don't double-pay.</li></ul><p style="font-size: 16px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></p><h4 style="font-size: 16px; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">4. Personalized Learning:</span></span></h4><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600;">For Educators:</span> Look for AI tools that offer personalized learning experiences. Adaptive platforms like <a href="https://www.dreambox.com/" target="_blank">DreamBox Learning</a> can adjust content to suit each student's abilities. Personalized learning pathways can help you to differentiate instruction by challenging each individual learner at their own stage, and can potentially save lots of valuable time planning, guiding, and assessing!</span></li><li><b>For Parents:</b><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Choose tools that can <u>adapt</u> to your child's learning style and provide content that matches their abilities. <a href="https://www.prodigygame.com/main-en/" target="_blank">Prodigy</a> is an example of a math game that adapts to students' math skills, ensuring an individualized learning experience.</span></li></ul></span><h4 style="font-size: 16px; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">5. Engaging Platforms:</span></span></h4><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600;">For Educators:</span> Ensure that the AI tools you choose are engaging and interactive during in-class or remote learning. Gamified content and interactive elements can help maintain interest. Tools like <a href="https://education.minecraft.net/en-us" style="font-size: medium; white-space-collapse: collapse;" target="_blank">Minecraft: Education Edition</a> create a fun, engaging immersive learning experience.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600;">For Parents:</span> Look for tools that make learning enjoyable for your child and can keep your child motivated and eager to explore. Look for those with gamified content or interactive features that keep them motivated and eager to learn.</span> <a href="https://www.khanacademy.org/" target="_blank">Khan Academy</a> (or <a href="https://learn.khanacademy.org/khan-academy-kids/" target="_blank">Khan Academy Kids</a>) offers a fun and interactive way to explore subjects like math and reading. *** The AI-Guide option is currently available only in the US.</li></ul></span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; white-space-collapse: preserve;">6. Data-Driven Insights:</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600;">For Educators:</span> Select AI tools that provide detailed reports on student performance. Use these insights to inform instruction, differentiate learning, and address specific needs. Platforms like <a href="https://ixl.com" target="_blank">IXL Learning</a> offer comprehensive reports and provide valuable data insights for educators.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600;">For Parents:</span> Consider tools that give you a clear picture of your child's progress and understand where they excel or require additional support. The math site <a href="https://ttrockstars.com/" target="_blank">Times Tables Rockstars</a> provides valuable data that can help you assess their math facts understanding and fluency.</span></li></ul></span><h4 style="font-size: 16px; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">7. Accessibility:</span></span></h4><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600;">For Educators:</span> </span>Consider the appropriateness of the tool to your learners and ensure it can be seamlessly integrated into lessons. <a href="https://classroom.google.com" target="_blank">Google Classroom</a> has new AI-powered features and provides accessibility for both educators and students.</li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600;">For Parents:</span> Choose AI tools that can be used on both home computers and mobile devices (and make it suitable for both in-school and at-home learning). Most of the tools nowadays are designed to work on various platforms and devices, but it's still a good idea to double-check.</span></li></ul></span><h4 style="font-size: 16px; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">8. Balancing Screen Time:</span></span></h4><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-weight: 600;">For Educators and Parents:</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> It's crucial to strike a balance between screen time and other off-screen activities. <i>Any</i> digital tools should complement traditional teaching methods, not replace them entirely. Encourage learning from nature, physical activity, and face-to-face interactions.</span></li><li><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600;">For Educators:</span> Encourage students to balance AI tool usage with other educational activities and classroom interactions. Stress the importance of moderation and responsible screen time use.</li><li><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-weight: 600;">For Parents:</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Set reasonable limits on screen time and promote physical activity, reading, and social interactions as essential components of a well-rounded education.</span></li></ul></span><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I hope these guidelines will help you make well-informed decisions when choosing AI tools for your students or child. The right digital tools should enhance the learning experience, engage children, and provide valuable insights into their educational journey. </span></div><div style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(55, 65, 81); margin: 1.25em 0px 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">If you have any questions, suggestions, or concerns, please do not hesitate to leave a comment.</span></div><div style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(55, 65, 81); margin: 1.25em 0px 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">In the next blog post, I will share a list of some of my favorite AI-powered educational tools. I hope you find those useful as well.</span></div><div style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(55, 65, 81); margin: 1.25em 0px 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2111195073898522815.post-89649929994704322782023-10-18T21:43:00.018-07:002023-10-22T22:15:54.108-07:00AI Tools for Elementary School Students- The WHAT and WHY<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(55, 65, 81); white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(55, 65, 81); white-space-collapse: preserve;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV6OnV711CJ2PKQa4gJtw7QTdZd8b47dk6zwo0PazNG1LJs3yzmPTDkGoUm73T8uLaI9SKn7yxWSiEOvArhavR5XBY4fTT1azX27pB1ND6lWPQGGlDMPmpWJLeY5hnloypBgXvdAER1sMrqcq6DaAvu255IRPv3Ir8kq_b-58UQGqNe6GTfUAcASKEmH40/s1024/choosing%20ai%20tools.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="This image was created using the AI image generator Bing" border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV6OnV711CJ2PKQa4gJtw7QTdZd8b47dk6zwo0PazNG1LJs3yzmPTDkGoUm73T8uLaI9SKn7yxWSiEOvArhavR5XBY4fTT1azX27pB1ND6lWPQGGlDMPmpWJLeY5hnloypBgXvdAER1sMrqcq6DaAvu255IRPv3Ir8kq_b-58UQGqNe6GTfUAcASKEmH40/w173-h173/choosing%20ai%20tools.jpeg" title="AI Tools for Elementary School Students" width="173" /></a></span></div><p></p><p><span style="caret-color: rgb(55, 65, 81); white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Artificial Intelligence (AI) used to be a concept reserved for scientists, tech experts and software engineers, but that's a thing of the past. Since the release of ChatGPT to the general public, a wide range of AI tools for all types of users have been created, covering almost every aspect of our daily lives. </span></span></p><p><span style="caret-color: rgb(55, 65, 81); white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">An increasing market of AI tools is the education field, and some fantastic tools are now making their way into classrooms everywhere, offering exciting opportunities even for our young learners, and they are changing the way children interact with technology and learn. It is important to learn about how exactly these tools are enhancing our offerings and at the same time to be mindful of the lack of regulation and privacy issues.</span></span></p><p><span style="caret-color: rgb(55, 65, 81); white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In this blog post, I will share some basic information about what are AI tools for students, their benefits, and what to be cautious of when introducing AI to our students. In the next posts, I will share how we could go about selecting AI-based educational tools, and finally, I will share some great tools I have been exploring and using with my students. I hope you find this blog series useful.</span></span></p><h3 style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(55, 65, 81); margin: 1.25em 0px; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">What are AI Tools for Students?</span></span></h3><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(55, 65, 81); margin: 1.25em 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">AI tools for students are software or applications that utilize artificial intelligence to enhance the learning experience. These tools can be used across various subjects across the curriculum. They often incorporate features like personalized learning, interactive lessons, and adaptive assessments. Some AI tools for elementary school students are designed for in-class use, while others are accessible online for remote learning.</span></p><h3 style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(55, 65, 81); margin: 1.25em 0px; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Benefits of AI Tools for Elementary School Students:</span></span></h3><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(55, 65, 81); margin: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600;">Personalized Learning:</span> AI can adapt to each student's individual learning pace and style. This ensures that students receive lessons and exercises that match their abilities, allowing them to progress at their own speed. (Examples: <a href="https://www.khanacademy.org/" target="_blank">Khan Academy</a>, <a href="https://ttrockstars.com/" target="_blank">TTRockStars</a>)</span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(55, 65, 81); font-weight: 600; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Instant Feedback:</span><span style="caret-color: rgb(55, 65, 81); white-space-collapse: preserve;"> AI tools provide immediate feedback, helping students understand their mistakes and correct them. This real-time response can boost students' confidence and encourage a growth mindset.</span> (Examples: <a href="https://www.prodigygame.com/main-en/" target="_blank">Prodigy</a>, <a href="https://www.ixl.com/" target="_blank">IXL</a>)</span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(55, 65, 81); font-weight: 600; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Engaging Content:</span><span style="caret-color: rgb(55, 65, 81); white-space-collapse: preserve;"> AI-powered apps often come with interactive and gamified content that makes learning fun. Students are more likely to stay engaged and motivated when lessons are enjoyable. (Examples: <a href="https://education.minecraft.net/en-us" target="_blank">Minecraft Edu Edition</a>, <a href="https://www.canva.com/" target="_blank">Canva</a>)</span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(55, 65, 81); font-weight: 600; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Accessibility:</span><span style="caret-color: rgb(55, 65, 81); white-space-collapse: preserve;"> Many AI tools are accessible online, enabling students to continue learning outside the classroom. This is especially valuable for homework, independent study, or remote learning scenarios. (Examples: <a href="https://www.duolingo.com/" target="_blank">DuoLin</a></span></span><a href="https://www.duolingo.com/" target="_blank">go</a>, <a href="https://www.texthelp.com/products/read-and-write-education/for-google-chrome/" target="_blank">Read&Write for Google Chrome</a>)</li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(55, 65, 81); font-weight: 600; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Data-Driven Insights:</span><span style="caret-color: rgb(55, 65, 81); white-space-collapse: preserve;"> Teachers and parents can monitor students' progress and identify areas where they may need additional support. AI-generated data can inform educational strategies. (Examples: <a href="https://www.cognii.com/" target="_blank">Cognii</a>, <a href="https://www.ixl.com/" style="white-space-collapse: collapse;" target="_blank">IXL</a>)</span></span></li></ul><p></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(55, 65, 81); margin: 1.25em 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Possible Drawbacks and What to Be Cautious Of:</span></span></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600;">Quality Control:</span> Perhaps the most important drawback is each tool's <i>overall educational value</i>. Not all AI tools are created equal. Some may offer low-quality or inaccurate content/feedback, have inconsistent performance, or lack pedagogical rigor. Some apps and tools marketed as educational may in reality be poorly designed, which would lower the quality of education we intend to provide to our students. Do your research and try tools on your own before you introduce them to your students!</span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600;">Over-Reliance:</span> Another concern is that students may become overly reliant on AI tools and neglect time-tested effective "traditional" learning methods. It's important to strike a balance between technology-based and conventional learning. Some students might become too dependent on AI tools and neglect traditional learning methods like reading physical books or engaging in hands-on activities, which, as a consequence, may cause them to struggle to adapt to non-digital learning environments.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600;">Privacy and Data Security:</span> Using AI tools may involve sharing data about students' performance and preferences. Ensuring data privacy and security is crucial, and parents and teachers should be aware of how data is used. There have been cases of data breaches in educational technology platforms, potentially exposing students' personal information. One notable example is the Edmodo data breach, which impacted millions of users.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600;">Screen Time:</span> Excessive screen time can have negative effects on children's health and well-being. It's important to set reasonable limits on the use of AI tools (and any digital tool) and encourage physical activity and face-to-face interactions. The American Academy of Pediatrics, among other reputable institutions, warns about the negative effects of excessive screen time on children, such as sleep disturbances, reduced physical activity, and potential behavioral issues.</span></li></ul><div>Education has been and will continue to change quicker than ever, and so embracing AI tools is just one step in the journey to provide the best learning opportunities for our children and students. I hope this blog series proves to be a valuable resource for both parents and educators, helping you to make sense of and begin navigating the dynamic world of AI tools with confidence. Our children's educational journey is a promising one, and AI tools, if understood and selected with the above in mind, are here to enrich that path. All the best!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hJP5GqnTrNo" width="320" youtube-src-id="hJP5GqnTrNo"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><h1 class="style-scope ytd-watch-metadata" style="-webkit-box-orient: vertical; -webkit-line-clamp: 2; background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; color: #0f0f0f; display: -webkit-box; line-height: 2.8rem; margin: 0px; max-height: 5.6rem; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; text-overflow: ellipsis; word-break: break-word;"><yt-formatted-string class="style-scope ytd-watch-metadata" force-default-style=""><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: xx-small;">How AI Could Save (Not Destroy) Education | Sal Khan | TED</span></yt-formatted-string></h1></div><div><br /></div></div><div><br /><b>Next up: How to properly choose AI tools- a guide for educators and parents.</b></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2111195073898522815.post-49726161361977868012023-06-02T19:28:00.005-07:002023-06-02T19:34:56.115-07:00Weekend Project: Using Poe to Create Your Own Chatbot<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz-PQ8F8G4XOMfBTuPJR1Wlr-ErehrpOPfYQAu-nMR9fyvi-czqJqbRiVtHs8izvnh443DmyJP6DrcK6n6i0I3vktLYdUSDZetkfYFIhb-GTxUKfbCqC4yIthWG4Kz0sudKIyoyuFGNq70C5r9FFW8E2N06jgNsAlbqWKsr0tl41_PNakmNnpOS_zgsA/s240/poe.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="240" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz-PQ8F8G4XOMfBTuPJR1Wlr-ErehrpOPfYQAu-nMR9fyvi-czqJqbRiVtHs8izvnh443DmyJP6DrcK6n6i0I3vktLYdUSDZetkfYFIhb-GTxUKfbCqC4yIthWG4Kz0sudKIyoyuFGNq70C5r9FFW8E2N06jgNsAlbqWKsr0tl41_PNakmNnpOS_zgsA/s1600/poe.png" width="240" /></span></a></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I've been using <a href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/poe-fast-ai-chat/id1640745955" target="_blank">Poe</a> for a few months now. It's basically an AI chatbot app that uses big data from ChatGPT and Claude, and allows you to create your own chatbot (for free!) by creating a filter for specific purposes. I've seen some fun ones like someone who created a "meow chatbot" that replies to prompts with all kinds of cat-like replies. Useless but fun. Other creative examples are the "<a href="http://poe.com/PirateBot" target="_blank">Talk to a Pirate</a>" chatbot, the <a href="http://poe.com/emojis" target="_blank">Emoji</a> translator app that translates messages into emojis 😏, or even the <a href="https://poe.com/JapaneseTutor" target="_blank">Japanese tutor</a> that helps you learn Japanese.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Here are a few of the existing bots people created (which can be found and played with on the app itself):</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLsfSwTIk3ZBKf8WbpO3J2UqXTFzETZvABN3rv_N_AfWVE3R4H5MLWtdBGBg5GGjCOtUg09wyj-jIXOvggLj9b_wZxb9XT8tcYdsYpgEqf51SK2rKf51FNqftOkAqb2hlGr5KHSaXtrOYOn35IujE2k-2sgwmYVmR-3NJmbQ-aFaLdO-cvrnTLMHn_cA/s1780/Screenshot%202023-06-03%20at%2008.52.20.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1430" data-original-width="1780" height="322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLsfSwTIk3ZBKf8WbpO3J2UqXTFzETZvABN3rv_N_AfWVE3R4H5MLWtdBGBg5GGjCOtUg09wyj-jIXOvggLj9b_wZxb9XT8tcYdsYpgEqf51SK2rKf51FNqftOkAqb2hlGr5KHSaXtrOYOn35IujE2k-2sgwmYVmR-3NJmbQ-aFaLdO-cvrnTLMHn_cA/w401-h322/Screenshot%202023-06-03%20at%2008.52.20.png" width="401" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">So I decided to try it out on my own. My goal was to create a chatbot that would introduce users to beautiful poetry from around the world. The results- a fun informative chatbot that will share great poetry!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Here I'll walk you through the super simple process of creating your own chatbot:</span></p><p></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Download</b> the <a href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/poe-fast-ai-chat/id1640745955" target="_blank">app</a></span></li><li><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Log in</span></b></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">Tap the "hamburger menu" (those three horizontal lines at the top left corner)</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">Click "<b>Create a bot</b>"</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">Give your bot a <b>name</b> (the URL will eventually be, "poe.com/WhateverNameYouChose")</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Describe</b> the bot (optional)- What is your bot "specializing in"? You can read description samples above. This was mine: "<span style="color: #800180;">Find great poetry to fill up your time, space and mood.</span>"</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">Choose a <b>base bot</b> (Claude-instant or ChatGPT)- Read for more information about each below</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">Toggle to choose if you'd like your <b>prompt</b> (see next step) to be <b>visible to viewers</b> when they use your bot</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Create your prompt</b>- This is where you make your bot focus on whatever you choose. See example below.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">Create an <b>intro message</b>- This is the initial greeting you will see when you open the chatbot. Depending on your purpose, it could be funny, explanatory, etc. You can also give users options to choose from. Again, see my choices below.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Preview</b> your bot</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Review</b> and <b>test</b></span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Share</b> with the world!</span></li></ol><div><span style="font-family: arial;">That's it. Here are some screenshots of my "<a href="https://poe.com/yourpoetrybot" target="_blank">Your Poetry Bot</a>" chatbot creation:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIN9uB8ionEAKbrU01OnHalyoT_JevpAs8Vf7Nk08av-pTqFPUFJry53LaumiVws6Yyz8OpsVC8lAVTjshqSnI92AM2jMbQczjSUu6o7AOw1NaRBPFzavDOhHWomEs-VPet7QXqskask226vx8wEM968ajHiVOmG3rM1EkR7sYZRXHuuA6glaveCrl2A/s1294/IMG_3479.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1294" data-original-width="750" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIN9uB8ionEAKbrU01OnHalyoT_JevpAs8Vf7Nk08av-pTqFPUFJry53LaumiVws6Yyz8OpsVC8lAVTjshqSnI92AM2jMbQczjSUu6o7AOw1NaRBPFzavDOhHWomEs-VPet7QXqskask226vx8wEM968ajHiVOmG3rM1EkR7sYZRXHuuA6glaveCrl2A/s320/IMG_3479.jpg" width="185" /></span></a></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">The different bot bases you can choose from: After experimenting a bit, I chose ChatGPT as my base.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLTlrugjCuLjNI2HeGHtV6nFRY5txlRZs_uGBse8jD-GwhsLIZDgzrh-x6X4GT5rP3Ml2d-EnOYig41d4xebln7UHmMWrOLR8TIy-sdZYRS0-P-8M_UD9TD0g8DCoNxl7DdqUvWS0PsAN0I9gbZAOqMdR0oYjzu-HU62bOwNjAYoysZggckTOA2O5mjA/s1294/IMG_3476.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1294" data-original-width="750" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLTlrugjCuLjNI2HeGHtV6nFRY5txlRZs_uGBse8jD-GwhsLIZDgzrh-x6X4GT5rP3Ml2d-EnOYig41d4xebln7UHmMWrOLR8TIy-sdZYRS0-P-8M_UD9TD0g8DCoNxl7DdqUvWS0PsAN0I9gbZAOqMdR0oYjzu-HU62bOwNjAYoysZggckTOA2O5mjA/s320/IMG_3476.jpg" width="185" /></span></a></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>My intro message: "</b><span style="color: #800180;">Hi there, I’m here to help you find wonderful poetry. Let’s get started. Would you like me to share a poem based on: 1. Topic/theme 2. Poet 3. Language 4. Other 5. A randomly great poem Please make your selection for the magic to begin.</span>"</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggcvOnFS36JtXWI-28oLX2GGeEUWeupzgx2k3nBFYgUbHNekaEKLvhFpo1Souiqbdw4hSb_zrRO7JFUCtLUCBdpcHNDR8sKPtd8AfRU0_3aH6ZmBh7K3Fb3a6aovoZ1a1S4AFL09Nj4_z_LFM5jMFyIvSlQd1t6ht29zVej_uqxh-C4fTA9w1W-MAn0w/s1300/IMG_3477.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1300" data-original-width="750" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggcvOnFS36JtXWI-28oLX2GGeEUWeupzgx2k3nBFYgUbHNekaEKLvhFpo1Souiqbdw4hSb_zrRO7JFUCtLUCBdpcHNDR8sKPtd8AfRU0_3aH6ZmBh7K3Fb3a6aovoZ1a1S4AFL09Nj4_z_LFM5jMFyIvSlQd1t6ht29zVej_uqxh-C4fTA9w1W-MAn0w/s320/IMG_3477.jpg" width="185" /></a><br /></span><div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>My prompt: "</b><span style="color: #800180;">You are a resource for those who seek to find great poetry from around the world. You like diversity so you offer a variety of poets. You will question users by asking them what type of poetry they would like to read, if they have any preferences (such as theme, poet, mood, region, time, etc). The poem you choose to share must be absolutely fantastic- deep meanings yet contain simple descriptions. Begin by briefly introducing the poet and share one fun fact about him/her.</span>"</span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUdqh186xqRN5zqqO6VcNsTE4hsp8uNrQTg2-zcUoYEH-mGZVxaKSLshfT2Faq4JnnAkrjqluIlBDKujbpUPI-FNmxe634HHVr8vmYBK7QbmEeTphV9M1OuYuLm-tPMDYt7cu-6VSn_-yM5WPvYrUvdUKdV3NSC7aCf5LQnFpOcgYiBNOR_6x1He1cqA/s1281/IMG_3480.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1281" data-original-width="750" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUdqh186xqRN5zqqO6VcNsTE4hsp8uNrQTg2-zcUoYEH-mGZVxaKSLshfT2Faq4JnnAkrjqluIlBDKujbpUPI-FNmxe634HHVr8vmYBK7QbmEeTphV9M1OuYuLm-tPMDYt7cu-6VSn_-yM5WPvYrUvdUKdV3NSC7aCf5LQnFpOcgYiBNOR_6x1He1cqA/s320/IMG_3480.jpg" width="187" /></a><br /></span><div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></div><div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Additional options (I'd just decide if you want the bot to suggest replies or not):</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhbrgSwXxjWo_JRzjwKCouTs6nYvU4I5HxRr5GMUu3CdHrpWfoDDSnbyGlwFG7pf5Od8mnhptN6BzRden7jxESrObzqH_4aom-mXs8hcIra9qNvnjR9WqmUS9efEs0jYtP3wbo43heUjCmln3ybZ960UkxfR8fX1oePFevH49GQ25KQCNXwtKfH1nXhA/s1294/IMG_3481.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1294" data-original-width="750" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhbrgSwXxjWo_JRzjwKCouTs6nYvU4I5HxRr5GMUu3CdHrpWfoDDSnbyGlwFG7pf5Od8mnhptN6BzRden7jxESrObzqH_4aom-mXs8hcIra9qNvnjR9WqmUS9efEs0jYtP3wbo43heUjCmln3ybZ960UkxfR8fX1oePFevH49GQ25KQCNXwtKfH1nXhA/s320/IMG_3481.jpg" width="185" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Finally, a note about choosing a bot:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Overall, according to my research and experience, <b>ChatGPT</b> (from OpenAI) seems to be better when it comes to coding problems, result explanations and general output formatting, while <b>Claude</b> (From Google's Anthropic) is better with creative tasks, following instructions, trivia questions and prompt injections. Also, it seems that Claude is "less likely to produce harmful outputs" and is “easier to converse with.” (from <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2023/3/14/23640056/anthropic-ai-chatbot-claude-google-launch" target="_blank">The Verge</a>).</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><a name='more'></a></span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I hope this short tutorial has helped you to create your own fun chatbot! If you do happen to make one, please share the Poe link in the comments. Enjoy!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><p></p></div></div></div></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2111195073898522815.post-54177592239745238052023-03-21T03:16:00.000-07:002023-03-21T03:16:16.903-07:00Reflection: Best Practices in Education: Reading Instruction<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><h4 style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Reading Instruction</h4><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.nybooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/smallwood_01-020923.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="283" src="https://www.nybooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/smallwood_01-020923.jpg" width="283" /></a></div>In this blog entry, I am sharing the summary of a podcast series that examines some of the instructional strategies and tools many educators (including myself...) have been using to teach and assess reading and writing. I must say that listening to this podcast has both shocked and awed me, and I feel it is extremely important to share this with others. To be clear, my goal here is to reflect upon and refine my own practice to more powerfully impact my own students' growth by examining research-based strategies.</div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Enter <i>Sold a Story</i>...</h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QaG3dgZItL0" width="422" youtube-src-id="QaG3dgZItL0"></iframe></div><br /><div>I begin my dive into reading instruction with an American Public Media 6-episode podcast. It was created, researched, and narrated by Emily Hanford, and is called "<a href="https://features.apmreports.org/sold-a-story/" target="_blank">Sold a Story</a>". It is basically her research on how children learn to read, how reading is taught, and why some students struggle. To quickly get us on the same page, here are summaries of the six episodes (taken from the author's summaries on Spotify):<div><br /></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>1: The Problem:</b> Corinne Adams watches her son's lessons during Zoom school and discovers a dismaying truth: He can't read. Little Charlie isn't the only one. Sixty-five percent of fourth graders in the United States are not proficient readers. Kids need to learn specific skills to become good readers, and in many schools, those skills are not being taught.</li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>2: The Idea: </b>Sixty years ago, Marie Clay developed a way to teach reading she said would help kids who were falling behind. They’d catch up and never need help again. Today, her program remains popular and her theory about how people read is at the root of a lot of reading instruction in schools. But Marie Clay was wrong.</li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>3: The Battle:</b> President George W. Bush made improving reading instruction a priority. He got Congress to provide money to schools that used reading programs supported by scientific research. But backers of Marie Clay’s cueing idea saw Bush’s Reading First initiative as a threat.</li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>4: The Superstar:</b> Teachers sing songs about Teachers College Columbia professor Lucy Calkins. She’s one of the most influential people in American elementary education today. Her admirers call her books bibles. Why didn't she know that scientific research contradicted the reading strategies she promoted?</li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>5: The Company:</b> Teachers call books published by Heinemann their "bibles." The company's products are in schools all over the country. Some of the products used to teach reading are rooted in a debunked idea about how children learn to read. But they've made the company and some of its authors millions.</li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>6: The Reckoning:</b> Lucy Calkins says she has learned from the science of reading. She's revised her materials. Fountas and Pinnell have not revised theirs. Their publisher, Heinemann, is still selling some products to teach reading that contain debunked practices. Parents, teachers and lawmakers want answers. In our final episode, we try to get some answers.</li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>*** Complement this reading with: Emily Hanford’s <a href="https://www.apmreports.org/reading">collected reporting on reading</a></div><div><br /><br /></div><div><br />Source:<br /><br />“Sold a Story” podcast, Episode TK (TK, 2020).<br /><br /></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2111195073898522815.post-64182420887310977802023-03-10T18:09:00.008-08:002023-03-18T23:58:24.936-07:00Reflection: Best Practices in Education: Prologue: Why Bother?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Throughout my 20+ year career as an educator, I have had the privilege of working with inspiring educators and receiving professional development from thought leaders in education, psychology, social and cognitive science, technology, and more. However, I recently began questioning some of the "progressive" or "innovative" practices that I have learned, implemented and even taught others throughout my journey.</div><br />My reflections on the relationship between "best practices" and "innovation" were triggered by my experience at a forward-thinking educational institution where teacher freedom in teaching and learning was encouraged. Upon receiving my new class in August, I realized that my students were lacking basic skills, such as literacy, self-management, and understanding of processes, which were assumed in other schools I have worked at.<br /><br />This made me realize that innovation must be defined, agreed upon, planned, and contained to create an institution that pushes boundaries while ensuring our students have the necessary skills to lead a successful life. Why contain innovation? Because the more we innovate, the less we teach what we know works well. Therefore, finding a balance between "Highly Effective" and "Learning Progressive" is essential to continue finding the best ways to serve our students (I wrote about this balance <a href="http://www.connect-extend.com/2018/09/research-and-development-lessons-from.html" target="_blank">here</a>)<br /><br />although I am fascinated with the ways in which AI will affect humanity and the field of education in particular, I am going to work hard to go on a hunt for some educators and cognitive scientists who are making it a point to always look for instructional strategies that have demonstrated significant research-based evidence, examine their work, and reflect on my own practice.<div><br />I invite you to join me on this journey, and if you have any thoughts, ideas, comments, or suggestions, please share them with me.<div><br /></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2111195073898522815.post-37752078377812712442023-01-17T19:32:00.001-08:002023-01-17T19:32:46.638-08:00Joining the ChatGPT Conversation: #1- Limitations***As an educator, I have always been interested in the ways technology can enhance the classroom experience for students. In recent years, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been gaining more attention in the field of education and I have been keen to explore the potential of these tools to support student learning. As I researched more about AI tools, I realized that it is crucial to start by understanding the limitations of these tools before we can fully explore their potential. With this in mind, I decided to re-start my blog writing and share my insights on the topic.<br /><br /><a href="https://chat.openai.com/chat" target="_blank">ChatGPT</a> is one such AI tool that has caught my attention. It is a large language model developed by <a href="https://openai.com/" target="_blank">OpenAI</a> that can generate human-like text based on the patterns it learned from the data it was trained on. While it can be a powerful tool for students to generate text, it's important to be aware of its limitations and to use it in a way that is beneficial to student learning.<br /><br />If you're not sure what ChatGPT is, here is a short introduction:<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vNkORFYvl68" width="320" youtube-src-id="vNkORFYvl68"></iframe></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>In this post, I'll be discussing some of the limitations of ChatGPT and how they can be addressed in the classroom.<br /><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;">Issue 1: Data Bias </h3><blockquote><span style="color: #2b00fe;">"The real risk with AI isn't malice but competence. A superintelligent AI will be extremely good at accomplishing its goals, and if those goals aren't aligned with ours, we're in trouble." - Nick Bostrom, philosopher, and scientist</span></blockquote><div><div>One of the biggest limitations of ChatGPT is that it is only as good as the data it was trained on. If the training data contains biases, the model will likely reproduce those biases in its output. For example, if a student uses ChatGPT to generate a persuasive essay on a current event, and the model was trained on a dataset that contains a disproportionate number of perspectives from one political party, the essay may contain bias towards that party. To mitigate this, students should be made aware of the potential for bias in the model and encouraged to seek out multiple perspectives on a topic before using ChatGPT.<br /><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;">Issue 2: Lack of Context</h3></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><blockquote>"Context is the key to understanding" - Dr. Seuss</blockquote></span></div><div>ChatGPT is a language model, not a context model. It lacks the ability to understand and interpret the context of a given input, which can lead to inaccuracies or misinterpretations. For example, when students use ChatGPT to summarize a historical event, they may receive a factually correct summary, but it may not be the most relevant or nuanced summary given the context of the event. To address this limitation, students can be taught to consider the context of the information they are using and to fact-check the information generated by ChatGPT.<br /><br /><h3>Issue 3: Lack of Domain Expertise </h3></div><div></div><blockquote><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;">"Expertise is the weightless, all-purpose panacea of the sentient" - Douglas Adams<br /></span></div><div></div></blockquote><p>While ChatGPT can generate text on a wide range of topics, it does not have the same level of expertise as a human in any specific domain. Therefore, students may not always receive accurate or detailed information when using ChatGPT for research. For example, when students use ChatGPT to generate a report on a scientific topic, they may receive information that is not entirely accurate or current. To address this limitation, students can be taught to verify the information generated by ChatGPT with multiple sources and to consult subject-matter experts when necessary.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;"> Issue 4: Creativity </h3><blockquote><div></div><blockquote><span style="color: #2b00fe;">"The key to creativity is to begin with the end in mind and then never stop" - Dr. Edward de Bono</span></blockquote></blockquote><p>ChatGPT is based on patterns it learned from the data it was trained on, it can generate text that is similar to examples it has seen before, but it does not have the ability to create something truly new or original. For example, when students use ChatGPT to generate a poem, it might generate a poem that is similar to examples it has seen before, but it will not be something truly unique or creative. To address this limitation, students can be encouraged to use ChatGPT as a tool to generate ideas, but to also use their own creativity and originality to develop their work. </p><h3 style="text-align: left;"> Issue 5: Common Sense</h3><blockquote><blockquote><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;">"Common sense is not so common" - Voltaire</span> </div></blockquote></blockquote><p>ChatGPT is not capable of understanding common sense, it can generate text based on the patterns it learned, but it may not be able to make sense of certain situations which involve common sense reasoning. For example, when students use ChatGPT to generate a story it may not understand the story's plot and might generate something that doesn't make sense. To address this limitation, students can be taught to review the output generated by ChatGPT for logical consistency and common sense reasoning before using it. </p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Issue 6: Consistency</h3><blockquote><span style="color: #2b00fe;">"Consistency is the last refuge of the unimaginative" - Oscar Wilde</span></blockquote><div>ChatGPT is a statistical language model, it can generate responses based on the patterns it learned, but it might not always give the same answer to the same question. For example, when students use ChatGPT to generate a summary of a text, it might generate different summaries for the same text. To address this limitation, students can be taught to review the output generated by ChatGPT for consistency before using it. <br /><br /><br /></div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div><br /></div><div>ChatGPT can be a powerful tool for students to generate human-like text, but it's important to be aware of its limitations. By teaching students about these limitations and how to address them, we can ensure that they are using ChatGPT in a way that is beneficial to their learning. </div><div><br /></div><div>In my next blog posts, I'll be exploring other AI tools that can be used in education and how ChatGPT can be used to enhance teaching. Stay tuned!<br /></div></div></div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><i>*** This blog post was written by ChatGPT (with some guiding and nudging from me...)</i></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2111195073898522815.post-60444009741443504792019-05-31T02:44:00.000-07:002019-05-31T02:45:32.277-07:00 My R&D Journey: Planning the Personalized Learning Experience<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
In previous blog posts I wrote about the lessons I've learned from my school visits in China (<a href="https://www.connect-extend.com/2018/05/reflections-on-best-pd-ever-part-1.html">Reflections On “The Best PD Ever!”- Design at ISB</a> and<a href="https://www.connect-extend.com/2018/05/reflections-on-best-pd-ever-part-2-isbs.html"> Reflections on "The Best PD Ever!"- ISB's Futures Academy</a>). These experiences marked the beginning of my Research and Development journey. My last blog post,<a href="https://www.connect-extend.com/2018/09/research-and-development-lessons-from.html"> Research and Development: Lessons from a School Visit</a>, outlined the creation of the R&D team, our visits to schools in California, and the important takeaways from those experiences.<br />
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In this blog post, I share my perspective and experiences throughout the Research and Development journey- from its inception, through the planning, to pre-implementation phase at the Elementary School level.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiooLanyvDc2ezAv96AN6cY0-Zqwg2hDJcBQ_KIOxHh6entCd4jXK6df5KXafBFeF1o-fzxV-4pUhW9QsrBiMnYNI2vASPYuuG-HJZYZefxOKrTb-mgulbS_-vQlldiOZkXF3qdSdBKLcqM/s1600/RnD+The+Journey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiooLanyvDc2ezAv96AN6cY0-Zqwg2hDJcBQ_KIOxHh6entCd4jXK6df5KXafBFeF1o-fzxV-4pUhW9QsrBiMnYNI2vASPYuuG-HJZYZefxOKrTb-mgulbS_-vQlldiOZkXF3qdSdBKLcqM/s400/RnD+The+Journey.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The R&D Journey</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
Our journey began with our new Head of School’s vision for our school- to become a place where students get equipped with the necessary skills to live in and be our best <a href="https://www.icsaddis.org/uploaded/downloads/HOS_Forum_Jan_2019_for_parents.pdf" target="_blank">“with Africa and our world”</a>. Based on <a href="https://twitter.com/drtstuart" target="_blank">Dr. Stuart</a>’s own research and experiences, that meant that pedagogically speaking, our school is to possess a balance between “Highly Effective” and “Learning Progressive” (see definitions and more in<a href="https://www.connect-extend.com/2018/09/research-and-development-lessons-from.html"> this</a> blog post). To move in that direction, the R&D team was created, with two tasks:<br />
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li>“<i>to design an experience, develop the plan, and train teachers for the implementation of the ICS personalized learning experience for May and June of 2019</i>”; and,</li>
<li>“<i>create a cohesive and aligned six-week personalized learning pathway experience for grades 1-11 ICS students</i>”</li>
</ol>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhby3vo0oRjY8Rl3Pap508NFzDTDGeFQxN0U0_6qMD1o9sm83wjGM_NMocW2IWeBrc6dMXAZQAjoZgX855aR0VV3dAuNCUXGEP5BDxH6Nuf0EMhHrT5yJXCim6jFdbEGIOwrYlgyR5mfODG/s1600/RnD+Why.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhby3vo0oRjY8Rl3Pap508NFzDTDGeFQxN0U0_6qMD1o9sm83wjGM_NMocW2IWeBrc6dMXAZQAjoZgX855aR0VV3dAuNCUXGEP5BDxH6Nuf0EMhHrT5yJXCim6jFdbEGIOwrYlgyR5mfODG/s400/RnD+Why.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The ICS R7D Team's "WHY" Statement</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<h2>
Research:</h2>
The first part of our journey was composed of researching different schools, educational programs, philosophies and systems, and extracting important elements elements to include in our “recipe”. From going on school visits, to reviewing published literature, from participating in Twitter chats to stalking school websites and teacher blogs, the R&D members tirelessly shared, debated, and arrived at agreements as to what constitutes a balanced school and what we should include in our program (given the constraints of the PYP and IBDP programs).</div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<h2>
Plan:</h2>
Although initially we thought in terms of “blowing up the system” and re-creating an “ideal school” from scratch, we (at the Elementary School) quickly arrived at the conclusion that in order to create something that will be successfully implemented (in the short term) and will take our division forward (in the long term), we needed to go slowly. To make small changes and at the same time to focus on pedagogy: moving from a more traditional teacher-student relationship and teacher-directed content to more student-driven education- one that promotes student agency and allows for the students to develop the dispositions, knowledge and skills to become Master Learners (in the spirit of “learning how to learn”). <br />
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Here is what we, as the ES R&D team members (<a href="https://twitter.com/eunyunite" target="_blank">Eunice Yun</a> and myself), together with our Co-Principals Mrs. <a href="https://twitter.com/SusanBallantyne" target="_blank">Susan Ballantyne</a> and Mr. <a href="https://twitter.com/tyrcal" target="_blank">David Callaway</a>, decided to implement in our ES PLEx:</div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
IBPYP Framework:</h2>
As a PYP school, honoring the requirements of the PYP was a non-negotiable. Believing that the existing inquiry-based and thematic framework of the PYP is an effective way to teach and learn, we decided to keep the framework, focus on improving the teaching, and adding important elements we believed were missing from the PYP.<br />
Student Agency: <br />
<br />
This was to be the guiding principle we were to maximize during PLEx. Everything we were to design would lead to students determining their desired outcomes (voice), would allow them a variety of pathways (choice), and would eventually lead to students taking responsibility and owning their learning (ownership). The entry point was for students to spend ample time discovering and discussing their interests and passions in a general way, and once teachers break down the Transdisciplinary Theme and the Central Idea, to hone in on those interests, and to embed them into the unit plans.</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirLpteGLnhCvikpKndbOEpsVJu9z5D7DTLnwiRHQuj-QKxaHVixPdxtFevjrYshfgosNTdCCu34nRCFNOj6v-2mR4zYZOhb4bZNNH8l2fN9ebdzzjBSz4yQ-0y9Ee60zPlzCesFfi0NzpU/s1600/pyp-model.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="510" data-original-width="510" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirLpteGLnhCvikpKndbOEpsVJu9z5D7DTLnwiRHQuj-QKxaHVixPdxtFevjrYshfgosNTdCCu34nRCFNOj6v-2mR4zYZOhb4bZNNH8l2fN9ebdzzjBSz4yQ-0y9Ee60zPlzCesFfi0NzpU/s320/pyp-model.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">IBPYP: Agency</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<h3>
<br /><div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
Emphasis Shift from Product to Process:</h3>
Instead of focusing on the end results, we decided to add value and emphasize the process. This was to manifest in different important ways:</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
<br />
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li>Teaching and Learning: <span style="font-weight: normal;">We put structures in place (instructional time, modification or requirements, example documentation, and teacher/student training opportunities) to assist and remind teachers of the important of the process. We encouraged teachers to “go slow to go fast”- to spend time on systems, structures, and procedures in order to ensure students are equipped with the understanding and skills to ask meaningful questions, to thoroughly plan their inquiries, to research at their developmental levels, and to do their best to make an impact on their world. At the same time, teachers were to de-emphasize the importance of a “perfect” final product and instead, to encourage students to create prototypes and models to explain their thinking and learning process. </span></li>
<li>Documentation and Reflection: <span style="font-weight: normal;">Students are to use Seesaw as the platform for ongoing documentation and reflection (3 times weekly). We built into the schedule about 40 minutes for daily planning each morning and 20 minutes for reflections each afternoon. </span></li>
<li>Reporting: <span style="font-weight: normal;">We shifted the focus of reporting from the report card to ongoing Seesaw documents. We informed the parents from the get-go that at the end of the unit, students will have a generic report card comment (for unit #6) that refers them back to the ongoing Seesaw documentation and reflection. We hoped that parents would participate in the conversation through commenting on their child’s work in a timely and authentic manner. Since we left the reporting window open until the end of the year, teachers (if so they desire) would be able to add individualized comments on student performance during PLEx.</span></li>
</ol>
</h4>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Learning and Processes: </h3>
Although our brains prefer to think of processes in a linear way, learning is nothing but linear. We decided to use our school’s new Learning Process (which our new Research Process also matches), add reversed arrows, and break down each stage into <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/17GgIRFkHQlTDCovUgnqC5wRSl6PRt00X5OuA3-kt5YA/edit?usp=sharing" target="_blank">manageable steps</a>. This, we believed, would provide teachers with sufficient structure to anchor the teaching and learning journey as they guide students from the Discovery stage to the final reflection and presentation pieces.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Unnp7iXmshOUivu0CkpvaYQ9DnXIHHA5lUcQfDuEEHoPhH-U2djPTc47h03aga7GaWc6SoKhAFS-HmYsq_VkHLFRBFPs6SxThyphenhyphen7Dg3AoC4puGweTuqvrAOAhTs5lFyszKOV2TkNyuNiG/s1600/ICS+PLEx+Process.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="306" data-original-width="487" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Unnp7iXmshOUivu0CkpvaYQ9DnXIHHA5lUcQfDuEEHoPhH-U2djPTc47h03aga7GaWc6SoKhAFS-HmYsq_VkHLFRBFPs6SxThyphenhyphen7Dg3AoC4puGweTuqvrAOAhTs5lFyszKOV2TkNyuNiG/s320/ICS+PLEx+Process.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The PLEx Learning Process and Stages</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
<br />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
ATLs (Approaches to Learning): </h3>
An emphasis on 21 Century Skills was a top candidate for inclusion. We ended up using the ATLs (formerly “Transdisciplinary Skills”) from the IBPYP and adapting/creating existing progressions from Singapore American School and the Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority (2016). After a long discussion and rigorous work, we decided to focus on 4 ATLs (Thinking, Research, Self-Management, and Communication skills), which we broke down into 11 sub-skills (the original Enhanced PYP ATLs have 39 sub-skills!) The reasoning behind narrowing down sub-skills was twofold: <br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Due to their importance, we wanted the ATLs to serve as a common thread throughout the school (ES, MS, and HS), and since the MS and HS created a more individualized journey, they insisted that Social Skills would be too difficult to assess.</li>
<li>We wanted students and teachers to dig deep into these important ATLs, as they will be taught explicitly and regularly, and students/teachers would discuss placement on each progression throughout the Personalized Learning Experience (“PLEx”).</li>
</ul>
<ul><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijkgrXQiyjtj7BTBkPaSdvGs1kSy0oW3UgJ8YNkcvFAwy9Nh08pVW7_XGPmf33DmvF6osjcEDSpN17ZMExgeauUnSiibi1GXVQIJSD9erRXAkkIKZ6VTHVAAAgOoW_8rzOE-L4Orn9VP8P/s1600/PLEx-+Sample+Progression-+Research.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="338" data-original-width="551" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijkgrXQiyjtj7BTBkPaSdvGs1kSy0oW3UgJ8YNkcvFAwy9Nh08pVW7_XGPmf33DmvF6osjcEDSpN17ZMExgeauUnSiibi1GXVQIJSD9erRXAkkIKZ6VTHVAAAgOoW_8rzOE-L4Orn9VP8P/s400/PLEx-+Sample+Progression-+Research.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Sample ATL Progression: Research</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</ul>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Pathways:</h3>
We decided to use pathways as a tool for sorting students, staff, community members, and spaces to optimize learning. However, after agreeing to have four specific pathways for all three divisions, we (in the ES) realized that with the requirements of the PYP (to use the TD Theme and Central Idea), adding another specific way to sort students would create too many restrictions. After sharing and discussing this with teachers, we decided to keep four pathways, but let teaching teams decide what the four would be based on the nature of their student interests, projects, concepts, outcomes, or a combination of them. </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgREo2rJTe3g9g1dXvnB2DVttZi37TL7TYnrKlmlk-J4xAPf_wQjWjq85QBWCmfCCq8TLLNwT77Wmu8AbDG5P0t2frckwL-QbmCQpchhrtNnhECQRIFN8d5zQkl8vrnQOc1eUjthcbzfyGf/s1600/4+Pathways.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgREo2rJTe3g9g1dXvnB2DVttZi37TL7TYnrKlmlk-J4xAPf_wQjWjq85QBWCmfCCq8TLLNwT77Wmu8AbDG5P0t2frckwL-QbmCQpchhrtNnhECQRIFN8d5zQkl8vrnQOc1eUjthcbzfyGf/s320/4+Pathways.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The original Pathways</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Learner Readiness:</h3>
Noting the benefits of brain and body readiness, we decided to embed 20 minutes in the daily schedule for students to focus on exercise and mindfulness. Our fantastic PE teachers, <a href="https://twitter.com/HeathKea" target="_blank">Heather Kea</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/HeyMrHolton" target="_blank">Michael Holton</a>, led an engaging and persuasive teacher workshop that included the research behind the benefits of increased heart rate and mindfulness to student learning. Heather and Michael also created a Google Slide full of ideas and options for students and teachers to choose from.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1FLGUhLM-kLRG297neTEeW6N4uYU24RWzhz8lb_DTkMqKM_3qRLoTRdJ7nmn4Y1uke7dsfpIuEBuRD3OgfKY4ibk_L1ovLeRkknGVXwacd_phHlkBMuOxPlT7rjE8HkubHBaoWEqEnJ34/s1600/Learning+Readiness+from+Heather+and+Mike.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1FLGUhLM-kLRG297neTEeW6N4uYU24RWzhz8lb_DTkMqKM_3qRLoTRdJ7nmn4Y1uke7dsfpIuEBuRD3OgfKY4ibk_L1ovLeRkknGVXwacd_phHlkBMuOxPlT7rjE8HkubHBaoWEqEnJ34/s320/Learning+Readiness+from+Heather+and+Mike.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sample Learning Readiness Activities Slide </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Community involvement: </h3>
An important element we identified in both the school visits and our research, we looked for ways to include parents and the greater community in the teaching and learning. As a first step, we decided to use Seesaw as a communication platform between parents and their children. We also created “PLEx Volunteer Forms”, and together with our Office of Communication, shared it with teachers, parents, and the greater community. Our aim was to create a database of parents and the greater community, so that they can participate in PLEx, but also to use it in the long terms for other projects in the future.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVulO-KbAxXBx_ZBPRGXnXOlHliYsMd8Z1g72c0MoQ3Bg4B2d39PMbPLTfzFs-6asZpkvjnuRXAyeyRlH2EZFB64ZqjwqZDOs56uhqQCvmoVA7pNpEqIXUVe9LFztohyphenhyphenPT9zkEdAJtT_6I/s1600/PLEx+Volunteer+Form.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="330" data-original-width="764" height="138" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVulO-KbAxXBx_ZBPRGXnXOlHliYsMd8Z1g72c0MoQ3Bg4B2d39PMbPLTfzFs-6asZpkvjnuRXAyeyRlH2EZFB64ZqjwqZDOs56uhqQCvmoVA7pNpEqIXUVe9LFztohyphenhyphenPT9zkEdAJtT_6I/s320/PLEx+Volunteer+Form.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Mathematics & Reading: </h3>
Finally, for various reasons, we decided to exclude Math from PLEx and to allot one hour daily for math instruction. Honoring the importance and benefits of daily reading, and allowing teachers to (1) connect with their students in topics other than PLEx, and (2) provide mini-lessons and other needed interventions to individual students, we decided to include about 30 minutes of reading to the daily schedule. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyq_mz56DJFkJLMxw7ACjBDhmLUJLVBWfUZ2GaoVKNpKBk2EDJDB_-DLGn9wLY89LoyIn1SCpccSZg0YlyTbk4-skFwztk0k9ArdW2FFggJCa0ljtgQVqiKKGx6vNsPazeX1K9B9yex1k3/s1600/Grade+1+schedule.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="329" data-original-width="245" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyq_mz56DJFkJLMxw7ACjBDhmLUJLVBWfUZ2GaoVKNpKBk2EDJDB_-DLGn9wLY89LoyIn1SCpccSZg0YlyTbk4-skFwztk0k9ArdW2FFggJCa0ljtgQVqiKKGx6vNsPazeX1K9B9yex1k3/s320/Grade+1+schedule.png" width="238" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sample Suggested Daily Schedule</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<br />Teacher Training:</h3>
An essential element of PLEx was to ensure that all teachers understand the structures and expectations during PLEx. To do that, in the schedule, we had two half days and one full day dedicated to teacher training. On top of that, each division’s R&D members negotiated with our division’s administrators additional training times during our regular Wednesday Professional Learning Community (PLC) time.<br />
<br />
To structure these trainings, we made sure to consider:<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Looking at the <b>big picture and overarching structures</b>, such as “What is PLEx?”, the ICS Learning Process, the ATLs, etc.;</li>
<li>Narrowing into the <b>finer details</b> (i.e., how different stages are broken down);</li>
<li>Use of <b>technology</b> (Use of Google Classrooms for grades 3-5, use of Seesaw, online databases for research, etc.);</li>
<li>Progressing in more of a <b>linear way</b> (first “Inquiry, then “Action” and ending with “Reflection”);</li>
<li>Leading by example- Allowing for <b>teacher agency</b> in every workshop or training, by including a variety of resources, training breakout options, etc.</li>
<li>Sharing <b>structures, examples and exemplars </b>for teachers and students (we created a Google Site with lots of information- to explain stages, get students inspired, manage structures, example documents to share with students, and much much more!); and,</li>
<li>Most importantly, </li>
<ul>
<li>get <b>ongoing teacher feedback</b> and, when possible, adjust plans and expectations, or focus future trainings on what is really needed;</li>
<li>ensure teachers have <b>sufficient time to digest</b> the information, ask questions, express their frustrations, and discuss how each element would work in different teams’ context; and, </li>
<li>for each team to <b>begin planning</b> what PLEx is going to look like, what resources to use, personalize templates, etc.</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0RrvufjO3BDZ0KzEMZkXxMXRq86uCMzjqtrJyzZ8Yry4RlGLy0zfhsyse5UjnTK6puNPY0je095ZAbctfKdmswBYUsUvGYiKfsjLb_SJ12P9CjlHlRuzZSFHqqPpi2SV7UetKlI8DdEkD/s1600/Suggested+Schedule.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="250" data-original-width="1097" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0RrvufjO3BDZ0KzEMZkXxMXRq86uCMzjqtrJyzZ8Yry4RlGLy0zfhsyse5UjnTK6puNPY0je095ZAbctfKdmswBYUsUvGYiKfsjLb_SJ12P9CjlHlRuzZSFHqqPpi2SV7UetKlI8DdEkD/s640/Suggested+Schedule.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Suggestion for PLEx Schedule</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<br />
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
What Was Left Out?</h2>
One of the most important guidelines we gave ourselves was to not overwhelm teachers. This year has been, and will continue to be busy, and there are many things happening at the end of the school year (Standardized testing, individual reading and writing assessments, step-up ceremonies, art showcases, heightened emotions due to students or teachers leaving, experience with and level of expertise as inquiry-based teachers, etc.). We were very conscious of which existing structures we keep, and what we add during this last part of the year. Here are a few elements we decided to leave out:<br />
<ul>
<li><b>SEL (Social-Emotional Learning):</b> During our school visits, we were energized by how much attention and emphasis some schools put on social/emotional learning. We looked into bringing in someone from the <a href="https://www.nuevaschool.org/notably-nueva/social-emotional-learning">Nueva school’s SEL Program</a> to share their ideas and plans with us, but unfortunately, we decided to not include SEL as a program for PLEx, and instead work on different related areas through the Learning Readiness program and the ATLs (which, we ended up removing the Social Skills from the list…) </li>
<li><b>Design Thinking Process:</b> As a Design teacher, this was a big challenging for me to accept the exclusion of a structured Design Thinking process to complement all the projects and models students will be creating. Even after researching and creating <a href="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1qmj8MZlBYWewAJx74Xmdq8WvRs8WWPSJuAAKiqAmw_E/edit?usp=sharing" target="_blank">this</a> slideshow, the final verdict was that adding another unfamiliar structure would be asking too much from our teachers. :-(</li>
<li><b>Specialist Integration: </b>In a highly functioning PYP school, you will see the Specialists’ unit plans that are naturally integrated into the homeroom units. As our school strives to continue to educate Specialist teachers on the “Why” and “How” of integration, and re-write unit plans in homerooms and for Specialists to become more inter- and multi-disciplinary, we had to accept that we are not there yet. Specialist teachers having to finish their “own curriculum” forced us to think creatively how we could divert their attention from their own plans to what allows students to see the transdisciplinary aspect of the PYP and their PLEx projects. We shared ideas in regards to altering schedules, grouping students in different ways, offering “PLEx route” and “Non-PLEx route”, and more. We’ll just have to wait and see what will happen when we begin this experience, and reflect and plan something better for the future.</li>
</ul>
<br />
At the beginning of May, we are to begin this exciting and scary journey. I have no doubt that there will be a vast array of experiences and beliefs, and we will reflect on each of those as we support teachers and students throughout this marvelous new journey! <br />
<br />
If you have any questions or other inquiries, please feel free to share them. I look forward to engaging in the conversations!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2111195073898522815.post-2216469341333196352018-11-06T00:26:00.000-08:002018-11-06T00:26:35.474-08:00Passion Projects: Design Your Own Version (After-Thoughts)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiQ561ZPXGuzheZzu_OTJQGhg2eip6dbm4N_JlOzUFkUJrEyRL2mLF50V8johc0MAPU21IJScyRjarFtpqPPYQj1Oq_fE2TPotcaz2tiLVNno9nBKrB6yu448uQ9tvo3kyD86rN6RRH7YH/s1600/Passion+Projects+Blog+Post-+After+Thoughts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="504" data-original-width="720" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiQ561ZPXGuzheZzu_OTJQGhg2eip6dbm4N_JlOzUFkUJrEyRL2mLF50V8johc0MAPU21IJScyRjarFtpqPPYQj1Oq_fE2TPotcaz2tiLVNno9nBKrB6yu448uQ9tvo3kyD86rN6RRH7YH/s320/Passion+Projects+Blog+Post-+After+Thoughts.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
I wrote two blog entries about passion projects and how to set it up with students. You can find the posts <a href="http://www.connect-extend.com/2018/04/passion-projects-design-your-own.html" target="_blank">here</a> (part one) and <a href="http://www.connect-extend.com/2018/05/passion-projects-design-your-own.html" target="_blank">here</a> (part two). Now it's time to reflect so that the next iteration of passion projects would be more successful.<br />
<br />
There is no doubt that learning about, and walking with my students through their first experiences in a more personalized learning setting has been quite demanding but even more rewarding. In order for students to properly 'learn how to learn' and to become the drivers of their educational vehicle, many things must be planned and taught. Here are 4 lessons I've learned from my own experiences:<br />
<br />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Go Slow to Go Fast</h3>
<div>
I can't emphasize enough the importance of properly planning the experience. In previous posts, I wrote with great detail what I did to prepare for this great personalized learning experience. Try to think of everything you can- from tuning into or uncovering students' passions, to guiding them through the research projects, through getting outside experts, to your role and assessments. The more ready you are, the more flexible you will be able to be!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Student Agency</h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR2byHq2PnwhlF4nKpfQ7itt6SDJI7dgiaOVPD2y-QVNTJthqnZ4fEUwU_VMbGGez1ZrCpPIbCBp0eL_C6H1BXzFz8zxcmu1RbeSL5L-quNMOhKeSdqC9nKjpkGE_ajcxSEGvw4CZpV_YR/s1600/2018-11-06_08-48-10.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="134" data-original-width="698" height="121" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR2byHq2PnwhlF4nKpfQ7itt6SDJI7dgiaOVPD2y-QVNTJthqnZ4fEUwU_VMbGGez1ZrCpPIbCBp0eL_C6H1BXzFz8zxcmu1RbeSL5L-quNMOhKeSdqC9nKjpkGE_ajcxSEGvw4CZpV_YR/s640/2018-11-06_08-48-10.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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It was quite incredible to see the kids tuning into themselves and taking ownership of their learning. When you let go of expecting one particular outcome, the learners fill in the "holes" with their own interests, and guiding their learning according to their interests, passions, abilities and personalities. Let them be the drivers and you take the role of a researcher- taking note of how each progresses in his/her own pace, how slowly they become better agents of their own learning. </div>
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Fail Forward </h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5mj_Z9u0jnzloxRNVC4dbUjMCGVPazqbmWwmNtcFEcEaduRjlKFIb7_7OFTd2auxmZ88eJw6RzZPu4PoEgSkjxBaVckiP2K72U6OmcSOfVB5vP2PgOk77CnsGyPL8hNlsJCDm_kVq-Jr3/s1600/2018-11-06_08-49-29.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="101" data-original-width="694" height="91" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5mj_Z9u0jnzloxRNVC4dbUjMCGVPazqbmWwmNtcFEcEaduRjlKFIb7_7OFTd2auxmZ88eJw6RzZPu4PoEgSkjxBaVckiP2K72U6OmcSOfVB5vP2PgOk77CnsGyPL8hNlsJCDm_kVq-Jr3/s640/2018-11-06_08-49-29.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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When learners don't get to have a say in their own learning journey, they become detached from their own selves, and this is what the school experience become for them. Once you transfer the steering wheel to them, encouraging them to have a voice and to exercise choice, they inevitably become better and better at identifying their passions and at achieving their goals. When students spend enough time researching something they are not passionate about, they become less and less engaged in it. Talk to them about it, make sure they themselves notice it and act upon it. Let them struggle a bit, and then let them move on to something they are (more) passionate about. Make sure to emphasize the benefits of this learning, and celebrate it! Reflection is extremely necessary and is an excellent tool that would allow them to move forward.</div>
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Notice the Learning</h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1DYz9QLOQsPVs8GlV5sfCH99wHHNGZiZkpEts8uCzqpkAgKpniLyrwYCHtHjnOJox_LoIYpwKV3vXCG4OD19G2qpkL0nWdnUqoCxFO_GTiuEBxulY9i0LjhASf8xIxBR1cgTeoOUOs2IY/s1600/2018-11-06_08-49-02.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="131" data-original-width="696" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1DYz9QLOQsPVs8GlV5sfCH99wHHNGZiZkpEts8uCzqpkAgKpniLyrwYCHtHjnOJox_LoIYpwKV3vXCG4OD19G2qpkL0nWdnUqoCxFO_GTiuEBxulY9i0LjhASf8xIxBR1cgTeoOUOs2IY/s640/2018-11-06_08-49-02.png" width="640" /></a><br />
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As teachers, we sometimes choose to focus on what did <i>not</i> go well. That's OK, as long as you also take the time to reflect on the great things that happen. Students learn so much more than mere facts about their chosen topic/issue. They improve their research skills, their knowledge of issues, make connections to other areas, learn from each other, take risks, and most importantly, they learn about who they are both as learners and humans. The learning experience is absolutely worth it!<br />
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Equipped with these new learning, I look forward to designing new experiences to take my students forward.<br />
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How about you? What have you learned from designing passion projects for your students? Please share your experiences or questions!<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2111195073898522815.post-77174272268201058412018-09-30T11:02:00.001-07:002019-05-20T11:54:17.234-07:00Research and Development: Lessons from a School Visit<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">In earlier blog posts, I wrote about school visits I took part in for my new (part-time) position as an ES “Design, Creativity, Innovation” lead-facilitator. The other 50% of my role this year, as I also mentioned, was to be a part of my school’s Research and Development (R&D) team. In this blog post, I outline what I see as the purpose of this team and touch upon our first research assignment- a visit to several interesting schools/organizations in the Southwest of the United States. In this blog series, I reflect on the schools, the organization and the student management system we learned about, and what I found to be interesting and applicable to a school in search of a brighter future for tomorrow’s citizens and leaders. The choice to not identify the schools or individuals by their name is intentional.</span></div>
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<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">In this post, I reflect on five areas I found compelling:</span></div>
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<li>Balancing “Learning Progressive” and “Highly Effective”;</li>
<li>SEL (Social-Emotional Learning);</li>
<li>Design-Thinking Process;</li>
<li>PBL (Project-Based Learning) and Transdisciplinary “Teaching”; and,</li>
<li>Teacher Training</li>
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<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">I hope you enjoy. If you're not interested in learning about the Research and Development team or the rationale for our visit, feel free to skip to "The Learning" section.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Background: The R&D Team’s Purpose</span></b></h3>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Our Research and Development team is composed of six educators in non-management positions a</span>s<span style="font-size: 12pt;"> its core. Two educators from each division, we each applied for and/or were asked to join the team. As a task force, our goal is to propose a plan for a five-week “personalized learning experience” for all students from kindergarten to grade ten to take place at the conclusion of the current academic year. Our first task was to travel to California and find out about “innovative schools” which are “highly effective” and “learning </span>progressive<span style="font-size: 12pt;">”.</span></div>
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<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">In order to make sure we are on the same page (that is, you, the reader, and myself…), it is necessary to begin with defining these loaded, and often misunderstood terms:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<li><b style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">Personalized Learning</b><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">- “…a diverse variety of educational programs, learning experiences, instructional approaches, and academic-support strategies that are intended to address the distinct learning needs, interests, aspirations, or cultural backgrounds of <i>individual</i> students.” (indentation is my own) (</span><a href="https://www.edglossary.org/personalized-learning/" style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">Edglossary.org</a><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">) </span></li>
<li><b style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">Innovative schools</b><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">- Simply stated, these are schools that approach education from a perspective that is different than the current one offers. According to </span><a href="https://www.teachthought.com/education/4-things-innovative-schools-have-in-common/" style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">TeachThought.com</a><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">, such schools share four characteristics:</span></li>
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<li><i>Their view of the children: </i>Students are seen as unique individuals rather than groups, and are educated accordingly</li>
<li><i>They are connected with the outside world:</i> Schools that create relationships with local and global organizations and tap into local talent, and ones that create a connection between what students learn and the outside world of work</li>
<li><i style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">What students learn: </i><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">The curriculum is delivered in a manner that encourages critical and creative thinking</span></li>
<li><i style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">The learning space:</i><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="background: white; font-family: "lato" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">the </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">design of the learning spaces is creative. It includes varied seating arrangements that are flexible- easily and quickly changed to include a variety of teaching and learning spaces, seating arrangements, etc.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span></li>
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<li><b style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">Highly effective</b><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">- According to the book (and guide!) </span><a href="https://www.solutiontree.com/products/personalized-learning-in-plc.html" style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">Personalized Learning in a PLC at Work</a><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"> (co-written by my current Head of School who initiates and is leading the change I am a part of), such schools “…are schools that receive accolades for their achievement under traditional measures of success”, and have “… a <i>guaranteed and viable curriculum</i> for core disciplinary knowledge, and their students consistently are <i>able to master the curriculum</i>” (p.14) (indentation is mine). In short, these are schools that have an organized curriculum that measures students progress and refers to common external means of assessment (such as MAP, SAT, IB exams, and other standardized assessments) to compare and consistently prove that their students are successful.</span></li>
<li><b style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">Learning progressive</b><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">- In the same book, such schools are defined as, “… amazingly innovative, the student projects and products are <i>workplace and future relevant</i>. The focus of these schools is almost entirely based <i>on learner interests</i> and <i>learner choice</i>… These schools often work in nontraditional structures and <i>outside the framework of traditional standards and assessment</i>.” (p.15) (indentation is mine).</span></li>
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<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">One can easily see the potential collision between the idea of being both “highly effective” and “learning progressive.” The question I immediately asked was, “Can schools abide by the pressure of implementing standards and consistently score high on external assessments, while at the same time allow for student voice, choice, and teach for deep learning (much more than is required on standardized assessments)?” The path to answering this question begins on our trip to California…</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">The Visits</span></b></h3>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">We traveled to California to visit schools in the San Francisco and San Diego areas. We chose and requested to visit a mix of public and independent schools- from a school that picks and chooses its students based on IQ scores (and other criteria), to a school that until a few years seemed to have been a dumping ground for its district’s most struggling students (and teachers). In addition, we also made appointments with a representative from YouTube (AKA “The Second Most Common Search Engine [After Google]" and an incredible source of knowledge and a master of personalized content), a local College of Education professor, and a learning management system that tracks student progress and suggests paths for a variety of career options. Our plans were ambitious, but we enthusiastically planned our exciting professional learning </span>journey,<span style="font-size: 12pt;"> and joined administrators, teachers, and students for a short while to learn about their experiences and perspectives.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">The Learning</span></b></h3>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Ambitious it was indeed… Puting in 100% effort and concentration at 11 schools/ organizations/ individuals over the course of five days was not easy. Together with the car ride and evening synthesis and reflection sessions, we were absolutely exhausted at the end of each day. I should definitely write something about the dos and don'ts of planning a school visit…</span></div>
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<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">So… here are some of my own personal learning points and takeaways; ones that might be useful as we think about how we can thoughtfully begin an organized transformation in our school.</span></div>
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<b style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">1. Balancing “Learning Progressive” and “Highly Effective”:</b><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span></h4>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">Most of the schools we visited had come up with some wonderfully creative ways to approach instruction: from the use of PBLs, through using a Design-Thinking process as a pillar, to a wood workshop- type environment; from an impressive emphasis on relationships and community to creating and embracing strong and meaningful connections with outside organization. I was impressed! However, when we discussed these schools’ written and taught curriculum, vertical and horizontal alignment or their use of standards, we found that few of them used standards, had documented and articulated curriculum, etc.</span></div>
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In the context of balancing the two, on<span style="font-size: 12pt;">e Head of School (public- where they had to use and follow standards), however, discussed the need to bend the rules a bit in order to be able to do “Great things.”</span></div>
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<b style="font-size: 12pt;">Takeaway:</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> One cannot come at the expense of the other. In order to create an environment that is both learning progressive AND highly effective, it is important to not let standards dictate teaching and learning, and to think outside of the box and take risks in order to make progress in the learning progressive aspect. Also, a slow and well-thought-out change is the way to go.</span></div>
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<b style="text-indent: -24px;">2. SEL (Social-Emotional Learning):</b></h4>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">The emphasis on creating strong relationships and building a tight community has been one of the most common </span>elements<span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"> we witnessed in the schools we visited. A variety of systems were put </span>in<span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"> place to create strong relationships between teachers, administrators, parents, the local community, and sometimes with like-minded schools around the world. One school created its own “SEL Institute” where new teachers are required to attend while another had teachers pay home visits to all new students. In these </span>schools<span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">, we saw a very special relationship between all those involved- a sense of genuine care and interest, one that is relaxed and </span>free-spirited<span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">. One of the schools’ directors sees such connections as the foundation upon which the school stands on. He emphasized the idea of “Go slow to go fast”- take your time to plan and create deep and meaningful connections. Once you established them, they will allow the rest to take place better and faster.</span></div>
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<b style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></b> <b style="font-size: 12pt;">Takeaway:</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> It is impossible to emphasize enough the importance of building and maintaining strong relationships throughout the school community. Whatever experience we decide to create, we will need to make sure we plan carefully and allow ample time for all members of the community to get to know, trust and appreciate one another.</span></div>
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<h4 style="text-align: left;">
<b style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">3. Design-Thinking Process:</b><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span></h4>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">One iteration of the Design-Thinking process or another was evident in every school we visited! Some schools chose to adopt an existing DT model (such as the <a href="http://dschool.stanford.edu/">d.School at Stanford</a>) while others came up with their own version. Some included it as part of their project-based learning approach, another sees it as the school’s pedagogy, and yet another elevated the process into one of two of the school’s core beliefs (together with SEL). In whichever iteration we saw, the Empathy step received a lot of attention. It seems to serve as a natural bridge between the embrace of positive relationships within the schools and outside them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">We asked one of the teachers who joined us for lunch for some tips for personalizing learning. In order to get a better understanding of what we are interested in knowing, he went on a questioning spree until his supervisor jokingly apologized for his “Design-Thinking communication style”. The teacher seemed to understand the process so well and to practice it so naturally, that I have no doubt we would have received excellent answers from him (if we only had the time…)</span></div>
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<b style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></b> <b style="font-size: 12pt;">Takeaway:</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> The Design-Thinking process, and especially the emphasis on the Empathy step, has seen a serious comeback, this time into the K-12 educational world. </span><a href="http://www.gettingsmart.com/2017/11/real-life-examples-of-design-thinking-in-the-clasroom/" style="font-size: 12pt;">Getting Smart</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> explains, “The rationale behind design thinking centers on a pedagogy aimed at creating and facilitating future innovators and breakthrough thinkers. It is about creating creative and collaborative workflows engineered to tackle big projects and prototyping to discover new solutions.” I truly believe that solving problems through the lens of design thinking allows students to empathize with the “other”, and go through a clear process of </span>problem-solving<span style="font-size: 12pt;"> that capitalizes on important skills and dispositions such as thinking, self-management, collaboration, and more. Since I am already seeing the benefits of DT in my own practice, I will definitely push for an understanding and inclusion of the process in our personalized learning experience.</span></div>
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<h4 style="text-align: left;">
<b style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">4. PBL (Project-Based Learning) and Transdisciplinary “Teaching”:</b><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span></h4>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">The use of PBL as an instructional methodology was evident in many schools throughout our visit. Here again, there have been differences in the way it was viewed and implemented. Some schools used PBL sporadically throughout the curriculum, while others designed their entire curriculum around PBLs. What I also enjoyed seeing was the way projects naturally integrated concepts and skills from a variety of disciplines. One administrator shared that one of the ES design projects about mythological creatures included work about literature and English, history, biology, mathematics, 3D printing, and more. It also included many “soft skills,” such as imagination and creativity, or critical thinking and problem-solving. It seemed as if the authentic connections to different disciplines were limited to the teachers’ imagination.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Another interesting observation was the way teachers collaborated. In one school, teachers’ </span>workspaces<span style="font-size: 12pt;"> were situated in the hallway. That way, teachers from different departments could talk, socialize and collaborate. At the same time, students could come and talk to a teacher, while a colleague could be eavesdropping and offering curricular connections and clarifications.</span></div>
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<b style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></b></div>
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<b style="font-size: 12pt;">Takeaway:</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> I believe that PBL and Transdisciplinary teaching go hand-in-hand due to the multifaceted and open-ended nature of projects. In order to properly create meaningful and Transdisciplinary projects that become vertically- and horizontally- articulated, teachers much have a clear understanding of what PBLs are, how to create ones, etc., and be given sufficient time to collaborate on the creation of units that fit their particular setting. The personalized learning experience we will be designing is very likely to be project-based and Transdisciplinary. We will need to ensure teachers are on board (both in terms of understanding and collaboration), and that projects are varied, engaging, relevant and meaningful to both students and teachers.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
<b style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">5. Teacher Training:</b><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span></h4>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Most of the schools we visited had very creative ideas that required all members of the community to be on the same page in terms of understanding, accepting, and practicing the school’s philosophy. In order to do that, schools spent many hours to educate and train their staff and parent communities. One of the administrators explained that to properly expect new teachers to fully understand and be able to practice in the spirit of the school’s philosophy would take up to three years! Teacher retention of more than 3-5 years is something most international schools do not have the privilege of having…</div>
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<b style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">Takeaway:</b><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12pt;"> There is no doubt we will need to ensure teachers get trained before they embark on a still-unknown adventure. This being said, we have to remember that the lessons learned from these schools’ experiences together with the “go slow to go fast” philosophy, will force us to start small- otherwise our team will be the only ones who have an idea of what’s happening and where it is that we may be going…</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p>-------------------------</o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">All of the points above had a very strong effect on my understanding of “learning progressive”: what it is, how it is implemented, and most important- how it relates to my first takeaway- finding the balance between “Learning Progressive” and “Highly Effective”. I hope these takeaways make sense, and that you can somehow reflect on (and act upon) your own personal and school’s practice.</span><br />
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2111195073898522815.post-25686819496036118502018-05-14T12:17:00.001-07:002018-11-06T00:39:51.798-08:00Passion Projects: Design Your Own Version (Part 2)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOlT9oQr5BFUR55ozYSGm560Q_ytWHYEUo-q0NjUTc949GeTRIzwveNMH_qf2GOwnXWmPEnavXkrv4WsUdYTTr2ZXCaHnLqkDVOUqbMW0PLr34e-lSe1dI9cr-M2C5YfPsaWrUkPYcpWhR/s1600/Passion+Projects+Blog+Post-+Part+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="504" data-original-width="720" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOlT9oQr5BFUR55ozYSGm560Q_ytWHYEUo-q0NjUTc949GeTRIzwveNMH_qf2GOwnXWmPEnavXkrv4WsUdYTTr2ZXCaHnLqkDVOUqbMW0PLr34e-lSe1dI9cr-M2C5YfPsaWrUkPYcpWhR/s400/Passion+Projects+Blog+Post-+Part+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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In the <a href="http://www.connect-extend.com/2018/04/passion-projects-design-your-own.html" target="_blank">first part</a> of this blog series, I discussed general information about starting your own individualized learning project for your students. I included a rationale, suggested some first steps, and shared a presentation you could adapt to your needs and share with colleagues or parents. It included everything from what Genius Hour is, to a suggested timeline, research and design frameworks, to inspirational videos and more.<br />
<br />
In this second part of the series, I will share the details, or the “behind the scenes” of designing your own Genius hour experience for your students.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<h2 style="text-align: left;">
Finding the Time:</h2>
At my school, we dedicate one hour four times a week to something we call "I/E" (Intervention/ Extension). This is a time when students with heavy learning needs are pulled out of the classroom and are given additional instruction in the areas they need ("Intervention"), while those who stay behind get challenged in different areas at a higher level ("Extension"). The only rule we had to follow was that we were not to teach them any new curriculum-related material (so that struggling students don't miss it). After spending months differentiating instruction to small groups based on student needs, I felt like it was not a satisfying experience- neither for me nor for my students. I/E time was a perfect place to experiment with my Passion Project idea.<br />
<br />
Finding the time is an important first step because the way you structure your project time will depend on how often and how long you can, or are willing to, allow your students to work on their projects. For me, about one hour, 4 days a week has been perfect.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR6Dpe6CAtiMsa7HWAu4XWWLeeMOe2mQXoRF1vl3UGN_fBX4JVC-0DLqc9lD2fOoLPMmNbaj9a5V7exZDFERfGhv9SXWbgWbFVqb4uREtdovCqw5vEGbenwtb_ckngnOpTrzFdDXsM67Pq/s1600/PAssion+Project+Schedule.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="307" data-original-width="513" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR6Dpe6CAtiMsa7HWAu4XWWLeeMOe2mQXoRF1vl3UGN_fBX4JVC-0DLqc9lD2fOoLPMmNbaj9a5V7exZDFERfGhv9SXWbgWbFVqb4uREtdovCqw5vEGbenwtb_ckngnOpTrzFdDXsM67Pq/s400/PAssion+Project+Schedule.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">45 minutes a day, four times per week, is one way to organize the schedule </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
Creating a Timeline:</h2>
Depending on the time you have each day/week for this work, as well as the number of weeks you can afford running it, your project timeline would look differently. I recommend allotting one week on both ends for introduction and presentations/reflections, sufficient time for research, and ample time for product ideation, creation, feedback, and improvement:<br />
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><b>Week 1: </b>Introduction: The process/product/presentation, and the supporting documents.</li>
</ul>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><b>Week 2:</b> Choose a project and get it approved</li>
</ul>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><b>Weeks 3-4: </b>Intense research time</li>
</ul>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><b>Week 5:</b> Finish research and start prototyping (product)</li>
</ul>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><b>Week 6-8: </b>Work on products (including giving and receiving feedback) and the Process Presentation</li>
</ul>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><b>Week 9:</b> Work on presentations, present and reflect</li>
</ul>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
The Project:</h2>
Depending on students' ages, abilities, and experience with self-directed learning, as well as your experience, and material- and human- resources, you will need to make a decision about what to expect of students, and which types of projects would be “acceptable”. This is important because expecting students (at any age) who have never learned how to take notes on their own to be engaged in research for extended periods of time might be a recipe for failure; expecting students to learn how to compose music on the trombone without actually having one is impossible; and creating a stop-motion animation without having cameras simply cannot happen. Think carefully about all these elements before you approve any project idea!<br />
<br />
Another important aspect of the types of inquiries and projects students engage in and create, has to do with the idea of Empathy, and with training students to think beyond themselves. I found Don Wettrick's '<a href="https://medium.com/@DonWettrick/three-simple-rules-for-a-great-genius-hour-project-30add5bf48a4">Rule of Thirds</a>' to be an excellent way to explain to students which types of projects are acceptable. According to Don, in order for a project to be approved, there are three basic questions students must consider and answer positively to. If any of the questions are answered negatively, the project is not approved. As simple as that.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJnrrzzgOrSSfQ5fqqEY4p2dIMTQvniynZTdCS9IA0ud3J5elmKmhx1R4tK1Mr6eD_F0fKrPc-UaxdDxHSYPHzfstooM_hRKdesUuhDM0_BxC6pkb-RvQ23LYHID3R6_cdltgfoWNa33g7/s1600/Wettrick%2527s+Rule+of+Thirds.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1109" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJnrrzzgOrSSfQ5fqqEY4p2dIMTQvniynZTdCS9IA0ud3J5elmKmhx1R4tK1Mr6eD_F0fKrPc-UaxdDxHSYPHzfstooM_hRKdesUuhDM0_BxC6pkb-RvQ23LYHID3R6_cdltgfoWNa33g7/s400/Wettrick%2527s+Rule+of+Thirds.jpeg" width="276" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Don Wettrick's 'Rule of Thirds' </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I initially tailored this to my own needs because I felt that since it was my students' first time doing a Passion Project. I kept the first two questions as-is, and modified the third. I asked them to simply be conscious about who would benefit from their project (including themselves) and to try to expand it so that others could benefit from it as well. I was happy to realize that emphasizing this point resulted in several students choosing projects that benefitted more than just themselves. As a general rule of thumb, for a second project, I make the third point a requirement.<br />
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
</h2>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
Grouping:</h2>
If you are doing this project for the first time (for you or for a particular group), I would recommend you start with individual projects. Once students have gone through the process, and had the chance to explore their own passions and to research and create, and you gathered sufficient information about what they can and cannot do on their own, you may want to consider letting students work in pairs or trios, according to shared passions and interests.<br />
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
</h2>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
The Platform:</h2>
It is important to make it easy for students to find the information they need quickly. This saves valuable time. You can choose to host the information and handouts you will be sharing with students in different places and ways. I chose to go digital and to create one central location for students to find all the information they'll need- guidelines, inspirational videos, research notes documents, presentation examples, etc. The platform I chose was the new Google Sites, as it now allows for page/site template creation, which makes it easy to keep all documents in one place.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaiAyRUQsJctCXv4odJ1lNTjmPTpvhfJXkXX3k7iX5kd9ESAevkJKziM_RcfCHLMhEPaayEEJN-MWbQCqWFYgqkT8u_X13DvSJ7YqmMNs_0R_U97nX0fY04fthLm-XcCNXpxd2GbGrdn8D/s1600/Passion+Projects-+New+Google+Sites.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="543" data-original-width="1204" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaiAyRUQsJctCXv4odJ1lNTjmPTpvhfJXkXX3k7iX5kd9ESAevkJKziM_RcfCHLMhEPaayEEJN-MWbQCqWFYgqkT8u_X13DvSJ7YqmMNs_0R_U97nX0fY04fthLm-XcCNXpxd2GbGrdn8D/s400/Passion+Projects-+New+Google+Sites.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Passion Project Website is hosted on (the new) Google Sites </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
</h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
What to Include:</h3>
I chose to have all the information in one central location and share it with students. Deciding to share all the information at once was a conscious decision, as I wanted this to be my students' "central command"- a place where they know they must visit in order to find out what to do, how to do it, what comes up next, what they already did, etc. Here are some of the pages I decided to include in order to guide and scaffold student learning:<br />
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><b>Understanding what Passion Project is:</b> Before students start thinking about and working on their projects, they must show an understanding of what this project time is. They should be able to answer basic questions after a teacher's introduction, watching videos, and class discussions.</li>
</ul>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><b>Getting inspired and guided to find their passions and interests: </b>To inspire students, I used different videos about where ideas come from, what is creativity, what projects other students have done, etc. I also created worksheets for them to brainstorm what they are passionate about, what they do in their free time, etc. </li>
</ul>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><b>Deciding on topics to inquire into and products to create:</b> After brainstorming and sharing project ideas (it's very important to share!), students begin narrowing their topics to find what they would like to learn about and what they would like to create. Learning (research), creating (product), and sharing (presentations) were three requirements.</li>
</ul>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><b>Narrowing their topic to something quantitative and achievable:</b> Once students have a pretty good idea of what they would like to learn and create, I make them take it home and work with their parents to focus their topics into one specific statement, such as "I would like to design my own t-shirt", "I want to learn more about Norse Myths", etc. Sharing with their parents is important because I want their parents to understand what this project is and to be a part of the support team, and because I want the students to take this step very seriously.</li>
</ul>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><b>Submitting a Proposal:</b> Once I had discussions with each student about what they would like to learn about and what they would like to create, they are ready to submit a proposal. In their proposals, I ask them to tell me why they are passionate about the topic, what they already know, what questions they have, do a bit of research ("pre-search"), and propose what their product is going to be. Assuming students have a good project idea, when it is the first time they are doing it, I almost always make them revise their proposals, re-think different aspects of it, and come back with more passion and determination. </li>
</ul>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><b>Researching:</b> This is an extremely important aspect of the project, and it needs to be taught very carefully based on students age, reading levels, prior experience with reading/note taking/synthesizing, and stamina (See "Choosing a Research Framework" below). (anything from asking questions about their topic to taking notes, synthesizing, etc.)</li>
</ul>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><b>Creating a product:</b> </li>
<ul>
<li><b>Choosing a Design-Thinking process:</b> An important ingredient of this project is students' creation of a product. In order for students to create a quality product, choose a Design-Thinking process. A DT process allows designers to create a high-quality product through a repeated process of ideation, creation, and iteration. If your students have never worked with a DT process before, make sure you spend some time explaining each step and emphasizing its value. <a href="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1qmj8MZlBYWewAJx74Xmdq8WvRs8WWPSJuAAKiqAmw_E/edit?usp=sharing" target="_blank">Here</a> are a few of the design-thinking processes I found schools to be using. Feel free to choose one that fits your needs, and play around with it!</li>
</ul>
</ul>
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<ul style="text-align: left;"><ul>
<li><b>Remember and Consider:</b> In students' Passion Project Proposals, they indicated what product they will create as a result of their learning. There are two important things you need to do here:</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<ul style="text-align: left;"><ul><ul>
<li>Make sure you have the materials before they begin working on their products.</li>
</ul>
</ul>
</ul>
<ul style="text-align: left;"><ul><ul>
<li>Consider early prototyping (see above). What often happens is that students spend a lot of time on their research, give themselves very little time to work on a product. With little time to spare, they realize they don't have enough time to complete it. Creating their product early, getting feedback and revising it (sometimes again and again) to ensure it is high quality is very important, and sometimes results in an adjustment of the overall project. For example, I had a student who wanted to write a book about Norse Myths. She did a lot of research. At some point, I asked her to create a prototype chapter, so we see how it goes. She started writing the chapter, needed to do additional research, and two weeks have passed. We realized she won't be able to finish an entire book, so we adjusted her project to be a "published story about a Norse Myth". She finished and edited it, and met with her mentor, and received her illustrations from an older student I matched her with, just in time before presentations. Had she waited until she completely finished researching, she would have had no product at all...</li>
</ul>
</ul>
</ul>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><b>Creating a Process Presentation: </b>An important requirement for this project is sharing it with the rest of the world. In order to do that, I ask students to choose their medium of presentation, but give them guidelines as to what they must include in their presentation: </li>
<ul>
<li>the project they chose; </li>
<li>the reason they chose it; </li>
<li>the questions they had; </li>
<li>important things they found out; and, </li>
<li>their product.</li>
</ul>
</ul>
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I hope this post provided you with more ideas to think about and tools to plan your own personalized learning project. In the third (and final) part of this blog series, I will be getting into the details of designing a passion project. Elements such as which research framework and design-thinking process to use, how to guide, support and monitor students’ work and progress, and more!<br />
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Thank you for taking the time to read through this long and detailed post. I hope you found is useful. As usual, if you have any further questions or would like to share ideas that work (or didn’t work…) for you, please reach out by commenting here or on twitter (<a href="http://twitter.com/EduRonen">@EduRonen</a>). This is a learning community, and the idea of a “destination” is only an illusion!<style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Arial; panose-1:2 11 6 4 2 2 2 2 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536859905 -1073711037 9 0 511 0;} @font-face {font-family:"Cambria Math"; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 415 0;} @font-face {font-family:Calibri; panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1073786111 1 0 415 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} a:link, span.MsoHyperlink {mso-style-priority:99; color:blue; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single;} a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed {mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; color:#954F72; mso-themecolor:followedhyperlink; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single;} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} @page WordSection1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.WordSection1 {page:WordSection1;} --> </style></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2111195073898522815.post-27470753394766273362018-05-14T10:40:00.001-07:002018-11-05T21:23:17.726-08:00Reflections on "The Best PD Ever!" Part 2- ISB's Futures Academy<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This is the second part of my school visits blog post series. If you would like to read about the trip's purpose, objectives, and other background information, as well as about what I learned about Design at the International School of Beijing, please visit <a href="http://www.connect-extend.com/2018/05/reflections-on-best-pd-ever-part-1.html" style="color: #954f72;" target="_blank">this</a> blog post.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">*** Disclaimer: These five days of school visits have been extremely busy, interesting and intense few days, and I have no doubt I did not get the full picture of the history, present, and plans for the future of each of the programs I observed and conversed about. If you notice and inaccuracy, I apologize and would appreciate if you could contact me so that I can represent these hard-working educators and their work more accurately.</span><br /></span><br />
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<img height="198" 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" width="320" /> <img alt="Image result for future's academy beijing" height="180" src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/8QJTp-xxrxU/maxresdefault.jpg" width="320" /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Futures Academy at the International School of Beijing</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBnckjHQ79hohFDdJwG3w-KOpoCDQaBuOXMefjo1RiZl5g1_gOsp1sdQjlUesRYDAk2LKgcaCRyZFmLPZmtYQNGih9p1qcUoAfE67cIhGIaow3zX0cV3vSRFbPeOQhC7DunQaQFxrNRknZ/s1600/ISB+FA+Statement.png" style="color: #954f72;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBnckjHQ79hohFDdJwG3w-KOpoCDQaBuOXMefjo1RiZl5g1_gOsp1sdQjlUesRYDAk2LKgcaCRyZFmLPZmtYQNGih9p1qcUoAfE67cIhGIaow3zX0cV3vSRFbPeOQhC7DunQaQFxrNRknZ/s640/ISB+FA+Statement.png" /></a><br /><br /><br />On both school visit days, we met with Kelsey Giroux (<a href="https://twitter.com/kels_giroux" style="color: #954f72;">@Kels_Giroux</a>), who graciously and skillfully took us through the past, present, and future of ISB’s Futures Academy. The Future’s Academy first started as a Middle School program for students in grades 7 and 8, and later on was expanded, yet in a somewhat different direction, to the High School (grades 9 and 10). One of the things I appreciated most about ISB educators has been their openness about the processes and the products of the innovative programs- their successes, but also their struggles. I am proud to b</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">e a part of a global community of innovative and forward-thinking educators!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> Middle School Future’s Academy (“FA”)</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Timeline:</span></h3>
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<ul><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
<li><b>2013-2014-</b> Startup year. Documentation and preparation. No students were admitted to the program. </li>
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<li><b>2014-2015-</b> Program begins with grade 7 students. </li>
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<li><b>2015-2016-</b> Program expands to grade 8, and includes about 70 students (40 in grade 7, and 30 in grade 8) </li>
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<li><b>2016-2017-</b> 80 students in MS FA (A HS FA program is offered for grade 9 students) </li>
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<li><b>2017-2018-</b> 85 students in MS FA (HS program rolls up to grade 10). </li>
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<li><b>2018-2019-</b> Enrollment projected to be approximately 80 students (HS program will shift into three interdisciplinary courses) </li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Program Overview:</span></h3>
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<li><b>Purpose:</b> the MS FA was designed to address the school’s strategic initiatives </li>
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<li><b>Pedagogical Focus: </b>Initially, Project Based Learning. It then morphed into broader approaches (inquiry, design-thinking, etc.) </li>
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<li><b>Service:</b> Offered to grades 7 and 8. Capacity is at 88 (44 students in each grade level). </li>
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<li><b>Funding:</b> Comes out of school or FA budget.</li>
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<li><b>Subject integration: </b>Humanities (ELA & SS), science, math, and Mandarin. Later on, integration with Mandarin was dropped, and there was a more flexible integration that varied in each project. </li>
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<li><b>Curriculum Writing:</b> Projects were designed by the facilitators in the first year, and continued as the program evolved.</li>
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<li><b>Standards:</b> Similar to the entire school, Common Core Math, Common Core ELA, NGSS for Science, C3 for Social Studies. The FA program addressed the same standards as non-FA students did. </li>
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<li><b>21st Century Skills:</b> Each project includes at least two “L21” skills. These are included in assessment and reporting as well. </li>
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<img border="0" height="316" src="https://www.isb.bj.edu.cn/uploaded/ISB/Learn_With_Us/images/L21-Compass2018.jpg" width="320" /></div>
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<li><b>Design-Thinking:</b> All projects are anchored around ISB’s design-thinking process </li>
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<img height="227" src="https://cdn.thinglink.me/api/image/992596329769205762/1024/10/scaletowidth#tl-992596329769205762;1185154793" width="320" /></div>
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<li><b>Project Based Learning:</b> </li>
</ul>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDW4GnMmUi8t-jlV0uLuawSJ_7Ppf5nwpednSG2SZL8ZtkHlRSd1NxFaRViItANoQCV_0ByWojw0S9GQyafyc3rr8S4wqm4fQGKPEznCx0E4z_ViDMu9xpwH_69Xom_8G4n7Z_PuIFrp9c/s1600/pbl+ISB.png" style="color: #954f72;"><img border="0" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDW4GnMmUi8t-jlV0uLuawSJ_7Ppf5nwpednSG2SZL8ZtkHlRSd1NxFaRViItANoQCV_0ByWojw0S9GQyafyc3rr8S4wqm4fQGKPEznCx0E4z_ViDMu9xpwH_69Xom_8G4n7Z_PuIFrp9c/s640/pbl+ISB.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li><b>Facilitators:</b> Six full-time facilitators total (2 Humanities, 2 Math/Science, 1 Math Specialist, 1 Learning Support/ EAL) </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><b>Documentation: </b>Students’ Process Journals: </li>
<ul>
<li>Online </li>
<li>Sheets to work on specific skills/ areas </li>
</ul>
</ul>
<ul></ul>
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<h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Special Projects: “Ignite” Weeks</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Throughout the year, MS FA students are working on special projects aimed to “<i>ignite a spark in each student and inspire their passions within and beyond Futures Academy</i>”. This is done outside of the FA curriculum in three different one-week projects (I call them "sessions" here). These projects are chunked as follows:<br /><br /><b>Session #1: MAKE IT</b> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<ul><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
<li>The focus is on building and creating). </li>
<li>Example student-initiated projects would be upcycling, designing fidgeters, fashion, and cooking.</li>
</span></ul>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Session</b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b> #2: EXPRESS IT</b> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<ul><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
<li>The focus on communication/arts. </li>
<li>Example projects: Custome design, designing and sewing one's own flag</li>
</span></ul>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Session</b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b> #3: PERSONALIZE IT </b></span></div>
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<ul><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
<li>More free choice- students get to design their own projects.</li>
</span></ul>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span id="docs-internal-guid-fa3c53c3-3580-11b0-0673-2bc0de46b9b6"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
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The Ignite Project facilitators created a short but comprehensive project planner to ensure project facilitator think about all the necessary elements: </div>
</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><ul>
<li>Guiding question </li>
<li>Focus area (L21) </li>
<li>Skill focus </li>
<li>Voice and choice </li>
<li>Planning- how to incorporate the ISB design process </li>
<li>Logistics- supplies or space </li>
<li>Max number of students </li>
</ul>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5FR873Xzteo-MWxAwjLGWeFeIRO4RKGTP8Z7B_jRPslPBUksAKcEU304gzdp1jn7LDoBLzs6ecP8eEG17C6GL5WxY3emp8GBdAml5G6fhV9LSQ-XZycoq5K5KK9I2gLuGGHjtOTt-5DLn/s1600/2018-05-06_16-56-27.png" imageanchor="1" style="color: #954f72; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="438" data-original-width="710" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5FR873Xzteo-MWxAwjLGWeFeIRO4RKGTP8Z7B_jRPslPBUksAKcEU304gzdp1jn7LDoBLzs6ecP8eEG17C6GL5WxY3emp8GBdAml5G6fhV9LSQ-XZycoq5K5KK9I2gLuGGHjtOTt-5DLn/s400/2018-05-06_16-56-27.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">FA's Sample Project Planner</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></span><br />
<h2>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Important Takeaways- MS Futures Academy:</span></h2>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<ul><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
<li>The Futures Academy is a parallel program to the “regular” MS path. It is important to plan and articulate well how the programs are similar and different, and to ensure communication is ongoing and open, and that there are proper understanding and support for the creation of the program from all stakeholders </li>
</span></ul>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> <ul>
<li>Not all students are passionate in the same way. It is difficult for some students to come up with passions. Some kids benefit from more guided choices while others work very well with less guidance. </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Student-driven learning is not something kids know innately. They need to be prepared from an early age. </li>
</ul>
<a name='more'></a><h2 style="text-align: center;">
High School Future’s Academy (“FA”)</h2>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Program History</span></h3>
The High School Future’s Academy program came about after the creation of the Middle School FA program (see timeline above). The idea was to design a completely personalized learning opportunity for grade 9 and 10, with the essential question in mind: <i>What are we doing for <b>all</b> ISB students?</i> (which was different than the way the MS program was conceived and how it ran). The HS FA team dedicated thought to the program planning and implementation, and two and a half full-time teachers were hired for the job. It seems that things moved very quickly upon implementation, and perhaps, as a result, some of the fundamental assumptions they held, turned out to not materialize. For example, an “Ideal Candidate” profile was created, but those who signed up for the program did not match those characteristics; World Languages (Mandarin, in this case,) was designed to be an integral part of the program, but later on they realized it was too linear and the workload too demanding to be integrated into such program, so they had to exclude it. Another area they grappled with, was that it is still a school-within-a-school type of program, and some teachers expressed their concerns about it being a separate program for a few selected individuals.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">From Past to Present</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Since its inception in 2016, the High School Future’s Academy had developed quite a bit. Currently, students in grades 9 and 10 can choose which path to take, and this year, there are 8 students participating in this more personalized learning path. As mentioned earlier, learning is facilitated by two full-time teachers and one part-time teacher who plan and guide learners. These facilitators meet every other day to look at common assessments, rubrics and more. They report that this planning time is essential to the smooth flow of the program.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />Students in HS FA work on both group- and individual projects simultaneously, and facilitators are required to cover a variety of English, Science and Design standards. Although many of the projects students choose to do include math-related skills, the facilitators are not required to cover any specific standards or skills.<br /><br />The length of projects ranges from two to about eight weeks (groups projects are on the longer end). Facilitators believe that shorter projects work better. They also realized that even at this age/stage, not all students have developed deep interests yet, and are using project ideas to try things out. They believe that if you start such self-directed learning experiences earlier, kids would know how to function in this environment, and what they like to do. As a result, projects could be lengthened and more complicated.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Facilitating Projects</span></h3>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Projects begin with students pitching their ideas to their cohort and the facilitators, and get help in refining and specifying the specific area they would like to investigate. Teacher modeling is a big part of the facilitators’ work.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />As the facilitators planned and evolved with this unique course, one of the most challenging areas they reported was students’ progress management. Therefore, they spent a lot of time creating documentation to support students throughout their learning. Here are a few of the systems they put in place:</span><br />
<ul><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9qindTpHXRKvpSqkrL-ryh7CYluUorxeQR5dgQxN0WTKyC1mwteDtf85PHJTn_jHC-m8eqYUx8hBFg2var5qwp-j-qNDgwhfAwbMZrF0A-Bl68G5zR7kiTz2WaqURo3ptuhb4e9ILdq7Q/s1600/IMG_4197.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; color: #954f72; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9qindTpHXRKvpSqkrL-ryh7CYluUorxeQR5dgQxN0WTKyC1mwteDtf85PHJTn_jHC-m8eqYUx8hBFg2var5qwp-j-qNDgwhfAwbMZrF0A-Bl68G5zR7kiTz2WaqURo3ptuhb4e9ILdq7Q/s320/IMG_4197.JPG" width="240" /></a>
<li>All Standards were unpacked and re-written in student-friendly language (as “big ideas”). They printed them on note cards, and have a digital version of them for those who prefer a digital version.</li>
</span></ul>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> <ul>
<li>Each student has a section of the collapsible whiteboard panel to organize their space</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>An erasable calendar is used to write important deadlines for each student</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>NGSS standards note cards are displayed publicly, and students can place a standard card in the correct place on a magnetic chart to keep track of work and progress with that particular standard.</li>
</ul>
<ul><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbhTG1BI3m5-X4TPOXMuHU0K3UetcF893Rcg6BNanLP4FxOVdw1-xW5uvdjPjuCxTRem1Iej_Q605g19-hN_sRtNDOypOoxU00Khkdbk3OLxqZ70t39wnxKeVht6BtAL2PGcSpQODwwHJP/s1600/IMG_4196.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; color: #954f72; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1225" data-original-width="1600" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbhTG1BI3m5-X4TPOXMuHU0K3UetcF893Rcg6BNanLP4FxOVdw1-xW5uvdjPjuCxTRem1Iej_Q605g19-hN_sRtNDOypOoxU00Khkdbk3OLxqZ70t39wnxKeVht6BtAL2PGcSpQODwwHJP/s320/IMG_4196.JPG" width="320" /></a>
<li>Individual student Excel spreadsheets with separate sheets for each subject and standard were created. Facilitators use these sheets to keep track of student progress in relation to the standards.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>The learning environment includes three spaces- two more connected for instruction and discussion (with a TV and a projector), and a separate quiet space for individuals or groups (with a round table and whiteboards)</li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
As this program evolves, ongoing changes take place as well. At this point, there are only eight students in the program, and all those involved are coming up with creative ways to offer a more integrated and attractive program for their school population. Here are some program enhancements that are taking place at ISB’s Future’s Academy:<br /><br /><ul>
<li>Next year, FA will be offered in a different way- There will be a change from an every-other-day schedule to a program embedded throughout the day</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Students are getting more training and support to become more self-directed and independent.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>More supporting documents are being created to support and manage student progress</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>To prepare students from an earlier point, now the grade 8 Future’s Academy includes a self-paced project</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>There is an emphasis on teaching group work skills, as sometimes students argue a lot. Teaching them how to compromise in a way that would lead to progress is important</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Making use of a long-term student portfolio to reflect on progress is being considered</li>
</ul>
<h2>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Takeaways</span></h2>
<div>
<ul>
<li>My most important takeaway today was the realization that <b>no innovative program can be successful without sufficient planning and student preparation.</b> If we would like to create a personalized learning path for our students at ICS, it is crucial to start teaching them who they are, what their learning styles and curiosities are, and most importantly- how to make decisions about their own learning, from an early age. </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>For innovative programs to be successful, it is important for teachers to have <b>sufficient time to conceptualize, predict and prepare</b> all the materials and systems to support such learning. For example, for us adult trained educators it may take many hours (or years…) to skim through articles and find quality materials. Expecting students to do this work would mean students are potentially sacrificing valuable time for redundant work rather than analyzing and synthesizing relevant materials, or making progress in their learning. Don’t get me wrong, I completely believe in the importance of teaching students to locate and critique sources, but if we had them do it all the time, it might be taking too much time.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<br />This has been an excellent part of my visit. Seeing the endpoint and keeping the journey in mind is helpful when designing a schoolwide experience. Kelsey Giroux, one of the talented FA organizers and facilitators, has shared that this is her third year in the MS and HS Future’s Academy. She said it had been a long process of learning and understanding how to support students, focus their learning, and to help them plan which standards and strands to focus on at each point. So, whatever it is we will be planning at ICS-Addis, we have to be ready to follow the design-thinking process ourselves- to plan, execute, iterate and reiterate again and again, until what we create works well for our teaching and learning environment.</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUbufKBvwA4lqOqLFdYSe0Y5atCYqGitYmWIY4ttu3uLUpkB1-xI-JlxdNi8alb2GAL6N_zwb7hUoX7CzsuXfB1gwCbqIXRdWb6IWyup34qHQ5O3HD8K0xkjKjGYVPyJe8EWP1Gfl_dfsV/s1600/Kelsey-+Isolation.png" imageanchor="1" style="color: #954f72; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="169" data-original-width="760" height="142" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUbufKBvwA4lqOqLFdYSe0Y5atCYqGitYmWIY4ttu3uLUpkB1-xI-JlxdNi8alb2GAL6N_zwb7hUoX7CzsuXfB1gwCbqIXRdWb6IWyup34qHQ5O3HD8K0xkjKjGYVPyJe8EWP1Gfl_dfsV/s640/Kelsey-+Isolation.png" width="640" /></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-fa3c53c3-3580-11b0-0673-2bc0de46b9b6" style="font-family: "times";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span></span></span><br />
<h4 style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-fa3c53c3-3580-11b0-0673-2bc0de46b9b6" style="font-family: "times";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> <span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Additional Resources about ISB's Futures Academy:</span></span></span></span></h4>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-fa3c53c3-3580-11b0-0673-2bc0de46b9b6" style="font-family: "times";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> <ul>
<li>ISB’s Blog: <a href="http://blogs.isb.bj.edu.cn/futuresacademyprojects/" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; vertical-align: baseline;">Futures Academy Projects</span></a></li>
<li>ISB’s Research and Development Projects: <span style="color: #1155cc; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://rnd.isb.bj.edu.cn/fa/" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration-line: none;">Futures Academy Overview</a></span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></li>
<li>ISB's YouTube Channel: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QJTp-xxrxU&list=PLxRZH9AffqCkGIgDulNtUfbnUK65A2eVy" style="color: #954f72;" target="_blank">Futures Academy</a></li>
</ul>
</span></span><br />
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I hope you enjoyed reading about ISB's Futures Academy. It has been an insightful and unique opportunity for me, and I am happy to share my learning from these forward-thinking individuals and schools!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />Coming up next, the incredible facilities and personalized-learning programs at Western Academy of Beijing, specifically, their fascinating "FLoW" program ("Future Learning of WAB")!</span><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2111195073898522815.post-70282737819743567352018-05-01T03:12:00.000-07:002018-05-01T03:52:55.428-07:00Reflections On “The Best PD Ever!” Part 1- Design at ISB<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2111195073898522815" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a>In the course of this school year, I was fortunate to be introduced to the idea of Innovation in education (yes, I’m pretty late to join the wagon…). I initially was not sure what exactly it meant or looked like, but the more I looked into it by reading great literature, participating in Twitter conversations, and discussing with anyone I could find to engage with me about these topics, I realized that without it, schools and teachers are likely to lose their value and not actualize what their initial purpose has been- to prepare their student population to the challenges of the present and future, and to create responsible and contributing citizens, so that hopefully they’ll be able to fix all the problems our generation has left them with.<br />
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When the opportunity to explore other interesting teaching roles at the school arose, I was the first to apply for a new ES Design position as well as to a new Research and Development ("R&D") project my school chose to embark on. So, long story short, in the next two years I will be spending my days as a 50% ES Design teacher and 50% member of our new R&D team.<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>ES Design- </b>Taking our grade 3-5 Visual Arts course one step further, and including more STEM opportunities to address both Visual and Media Arts elements as well as Science (Engineering and Technology) standards, all through integrated project-based learning that emphasizes the iterative design-thinking process. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>R&D Team-</b> Composed of several tiers, with the one at the center including two educators from each division (ES, MS, and HS) and the Head of School, and reporting to our division’s Vice Principals, we were tasked with creating a 5-week personalized learning experience for our students (Kindergarten to grade 11). Everything involved in the reasoning, planning, preparing and executing this goal (all the WHYs and HOWs) is what we will be focusing on in the 2018-2019 academic school year.</blockquote>
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When I was asked for what kind of Professional Learning opportunity I would like to do to support my understanding and growth in these distinct areas, and the idea of a school visit was suggested, I was ready to start planning my trip to China to visit some of the most dynamic and innovative schools who have been grappling with the same questions we are starting to for quite a while, and have taken steps to address these needs in creative and unique ways.<br />
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The three schools I chose to go and visit were the International School of Beijing (ISB), Western Academy of Beijing (WAB) and farther to the south, Nanjing International School (NIS)<br />
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<h3>
The objectives of my trip were threefold:</h3>
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li>Learn what established ES Design and personalized learning programs look like </li>
<li>Get ideas for implementation in my school </li>
<li>Connect/ network with like-minded leaders in the industry</li>
</ol>
Together with two colleagues (teaching HS Social Studies and HS Science), we ventured to Beijing to start our incredibly rewarding learning journey…<br />
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In this blog entry series, I will re-capture my learning and reflect on the different programs we observed at each school, and add some of the important takeaways I got from each school and program. Here are the programs I looked at within each school:<br />
<br />
ISB (<a href="https://www.isb.bj.edu.cn/">International School of Beijing</a>)<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>ES Design Course (K-5) </li>
<li>MS Future’s Academy (grades 7-8) </li>
<li>HS Future’s Academy (grades 9-10) </li>
</ul>
<br />
WAB (<a href="https://www.wab.edu/">Western Academy of Beijing</a>)<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Design and the PYP Exhibition </li>
<li>FLoW (“Future Learning of WAB”) </li>
</ul>
<br />
NIS (<a href="https://www.nischina.org/">Nanjing International School</a>)<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>ES Design </li>
<li>MS Design </li>
<li>MS “X-Block” </li>
</ul>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2111195073898522815"></a>*** Disclaimer: These five days of school visits have been extremely busy, interesting and intense few days, and I have no doubt I did not get the full picture of the history, present, and plans for the future of each of the programs I observed and conversed about. If you notice and inaccuracy, I apologize and would appreciate if you could contact me so that I can represent these hard-working educators and their work more accurately.<br />
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2111195073898522815" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #434343; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">The Design-Thinking Process at ISB:</span></h3>
As soon as you get into ISB it is clear that the school is taking their newly created Design-Thinking process quite seriously. Aside for the fact that posters of the process and other Design-related propaganda are spread around the school’s walls (in both classrooms and hallways), the conversations we had in the past two days included numerous mentions of the Design process and the importance of integrating it into different aspects of the curriculum- both vertically (ES, MS, and HS) and horizontally (across different subjects).</div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2111195073898522815" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a>The ISB Design-Thinking process is quite basic. It was put together by a small committee with all three divisions in mind. This way, they believed, each division can, on the one hand, share the general process and vocabulary, and on the other hand, get into as much detail as they needed. I really liked that idea. Julie Lemley, one of the Design facilitators, shared that using this process has marked a powerful shift in their work to embed Design in teaching and learning.<br />
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While Design seems to flourish and is visible all around the Middle and High Schools, the idea of using a process in the Elementary School had only started in April 2017 when ES homeroom teachers were officially included in the final stages of the ideation and implementation of the ISB’s Design-Thinking process. Since then, the ES has adopted the ISB Design-Thinking process, but no requirements accompanied it. A few teachers chose to voluntarily use the ISB Design-Thinking cycle in part of some units of study.<br />
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<span style="text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #666666; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 400; white-space: pre;">Setting the Stage:</span></span></span></h4>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>All ES teachers went through a “What is Design-Thinking?” hands-on training session. </li>
<li>Two teachers were hired for full-time “STEAM Integration” positions (the K-2 facilitator moved from a third-grade homeroom, and the 3-5 facilitator was hired as tech-integration coach), while the ES Librarian has taken on EdTech, library, and Design for Pre-Kindergarten students. </li>
<li>Beginning next year, the facilitators will be collaborating with homeroom teachers to integrate design-thinking into units rather than teach their own Specialist classes. They believe that Design Thinking (as well as technology) should be embedded in the curriculum, providing students (and teachers) opportunities to explore what it is, what it means, and what it looks like when working on projects. </li>
<li>A basic Design Lab was allotted. It will be available to about 36 classes. Currently, teachers are aware of the need to expand and will be using other spaces (such as homerooms) for the theoretical stages and the lab for the “Making” parts. They are also aware that it may send the wrong message to students, as this space is not just a “place to build things”, which is only one part of the design process. </li>
<li>Not having requirements allows the design team to focus on quality planning. They feel like they have the freedom to go slowly, plan and put systems in place.</li>
</ul>
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre;"><br /></span> <span style="color: #666666; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre;">The Curriculum:</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2111195073898522815"></a><br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>ISB has created their own design standards for MS and HS. They are currently working on specific skills and are simplifying it for ES. </li>
<li>Each element of the generic Design Process is divided further and explained in separate documents. </li>
<li>Planning to break required skills by grade level: “By the end of… all students know how to use… (box cutters, glue guns, etc.)”</li>
</ul>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre;"> Teaching:</span></div>
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<ul>
<li>Students do research in the classroom so that they work on skill-building in the lab.</li>
<li>Breakdown of lessons: </li>
<li>Introduce the Design Challenge </li>
<li>Review expectations </li>
<li>Give challenge </li>
<li>Planning: Students write things down before they start creating </li>
<li>Emphasis on understanding the importance of the process </li>
</ul>
*** Time for feedback and critique (very important!)<br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre;"><br /></span> <span style="color: #666666; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre;">Student Agency:</span><br />
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<li>A big goal is to build capacity in the students so they are ready for MS Design. “We would like to start pushing up rather than trickling down” (Angela) </li>
<li>Some students don’t know what they don’t know. Once they realize, there’s the desire to learn more. </li>
<li>Students are happy to solve challenges and demonstrate their understanding and knowledge </li>
<li>Agency in terms of “I know what I need and what tool I need to use”- is there. In terms of planning for a specific audience or independently following the Design Process- not yet </li>
<li>Students are not used to being asked questions about their work, but they are getting used to being asked lots of questions about each part of their processes and products.</li>
</ul>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2111195073898522815" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #666666; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre;">Sharing and Assessments:</span></span></div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Getting parents to understand how much fun it is to Make</li>
<li>Involving the parents by holding events and allowing parents participate in design challenges (for example, “Design a lunchbox”). Reflecting with parents about what they did, what they learned (skills as well), how is it useful in life, etc.</li>
<li>Great buy-in!</li>
</ul>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #666666; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Still need to figure out:</span></h4>
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<li>Sometimes feeling like getting forced into projects </li>
<li>Difficulties getting teachers to use design-thinking process and to take risks </li>
<li>More documentation is needed (for example, for design-challenges) </li>
<li>Collaborate with classroom teachers to articulate and include the Design Process in their units</li>
</ul>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #666666; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Suggestions for Starting a New ES Design Course:</span></h4>
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Start with less (both materials and space) </li>
<li>Do a few things very well </li>
<li>Pick one skill you can say “Every kid can”, then move on to another skill, and so on </li>
<li>Build a good team around you </li>
<li>Conduct a teacher Design-Thinking PD (at the beginning of the year?!) to make sure everyone understands what it is and speak the same language. It</li>
</ul>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2111195073898522815" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #666666; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Valuable Resources:</span></h4>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2111195073898522815" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a>
<li>David Lee (DT in ES) </li>
<li>Pinterest </li>
<li>Destination Imagination’s Instant Challenges (adapted) </li>
<li>Use badges for successfully participating in voluntary classes for teachers/students? </li>
<li>Create teacher Expert groups? (with badges)</li>
</ul>
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<li>Anchoring Design in the Visual Arts and enriching it with technology and the idea of Play is a unique way to introduce Design </li>
<li>Grades 3-5 is an excellent age to start thinking deeply about Design Thinking </li>
<li>We need to start talking about Design-Thinking more seriously as an Elementary School </li>
<li>I need to collect Design Challenge ideas </li>
<li>I need to find and create documents specifically for Design-Thinking </li>
<li>Favorite quote: “We would like to start pushing up rather than trickling down” (Angela) </li>
<li>I am still not convinced it was a good idea to get rid of the tech coaches and to not use design as another coach (STEAM?) </li>
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Design-thinking at ISB is well underway, and as science, technology, and learning continue to change- so will these programs. I have no doubt it will continue to grow and evolve to create the best learning experiences for the learners it serves.<br />
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In the next blog post, I will be sharing what I found in the other innovative programs ISB offers its students in the Middle and High School levels, namely, their Future’s Academy program for grades 7 and 8, as well as the one for grades 9 and 10. Stay tuned!<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2111195073898522815.post-39099339383204436202018-04-30T03:20:00.000-07:002018-11-05T21:22:19.999-08:00Passion Projects: Design Your Own Version (Part 1)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Until recent changes in the educational systems, few of students' interests and ideas were taken into account when the curriculum was designed. As a student, were you ever asked what you wanted to learn about? Even an inquiry-based curriculum, such as the IPC (International Primary Curriculum) or the PYP (Primary Years Program), which allow for student input in the curriculum, have failed to let students be the drivers of their educational journey.<br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 17pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Enter "Genius Hour"...</span></h2>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2111195073898522815" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a>Genius Hour is a concept originally created by Google, Inc. The idea behind Genius Hour was to let Google employees explore their passions for 20% of their workload, as long as it was perceived to benefit the company (Google). Sounds pretty simple, but the results of this experiment turned into a fantastic avenue for Google employees' creativity and ingenuity. Several of today's successful Google products, such as Gmail, Adsense, or Google News, have been the result of Google's Genius Hour efforts.<br />
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The success of this idea has been infectious- many companies started their own version of Genius Hour, and recently, the education system has seen risk-taking teachers and administrators trying to implement these ideas into their own teaching load and curriculum. Genius Hour in schools, has been given different names ("20% Time", "Passion Time", "Passion Project", and more) and looked a bit differently, but was based on the same premise, that both the students and the institution benefit from pursuing their unique passions. Students choose something they wish to learn about, embark on a research journey, and end the "project" with a presentation and/or a product.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/NMFQUtHsWhc/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NMFQUtHsWhc?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></div>
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In this three-part blog series, I share my own journey and outline some ways educators could offer their own version of a personalized learning opportunity for their students. More specifically, in this first post I provide readers with general information about how to begin their journey, and share a <a href="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1QJQfke5jIoapEfjcRPo1l9ihEhwTdemASlnfAcjD0Ds/edit#slide=id.g34ca1e660e_0_115">presentation</a> to introduce teachers to Genius Hour- including the process, timeline, suggested frameworks, and more. In the second and third posts, I get into the nitty-gritty of each component of the Genius Hour project: finding time in the curriculum, creating a realistic timeline, grouping students, determining acceptable projects, using appropriate research and design frameworks, using a platform to host, guiding and supporting students, using mentors and experts, presenting, and finally, ending this fulfilling journey with presentations and a celebration.<br />
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Yes, there is quite a lot to think about when one wishes to embark on such a journey. I am hoping you find this blog post series as a starting point that would help you conceptualize and create whatever works for you and your students.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 20pt; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre;">So… Where do I Begin?</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 17pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Embarking on a "Passion Project" Journey...</span></h2>
Last year, I decided it was time for me to explore what such project-based learning could do for my students' education. I did a lot of research and found an incredible amount of information about how Google's Genius Hour was reincarnated in different educational settings. I found frameworks, timelines, philosophies, project examples, presentations, and more. It seemed that everything I needed was out there for me to use. But the more I dug in, the more I realized that my idea of Genius Hour was a bit different than each of the documents and experiences I've found. What I needed to do was to pick and choose, to synthesize the information I found valuable, and to come up with a unique product that would fit my needs, my school's philosophy and my students' individual personalities and learning styles.<br />
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You will need to do the same. I recommend you read on to get an idea of what you should look out for, get some ideas, and create your own version of Genius Hour.</div>
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How to Start:</h3>
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Follow the numbered points below to learn about Genius Hour/ Passion Project and to slowly set up the supporting structures that will accompany your students' journeys. </div>
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<li><b>Get yourself familiar with what's out there. </b>Spend some time searching the Internet for examples of "Genius Hour", "Passion Projects", and "20-Time" at different schools and in different levels. </li>
<li><b>Get organized.</b> Create a folder on your computer and a bookmark folder to save and store useful websites and files, so that you can refer back to them throughout your planning and teaching. </li>
<li><b>Make sure you know what you are doing and why. </b>Create your own "Passion Project Manifesto"- Explain to yourself why you are doing it, what the benefits would be, what essential knowledge and skills your students should gain upon completing the project, etc. Another very important thing to think about is the guidelines for projects (see below). This will be helpful when you are asked to explain what you are doing and why, as well as when you evaluate the work you and your students did at the end. </li>
<li><b>Start planning.</b> Think about where this experience can take place in your workweek. Create a tentative timeline: Break the process into clear steps, and make a list of helpers and mentors you could rely on to support student learning. </li>
<li><b>Start creating!</b> Now it's the time to start creating content for your students. This can be a long and tenuous process, so I will be sharing with details how I decided to design my passion project experience. </li>
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Creating a personalized learning experience is not an easy task. It requires not only to find the time and plan it well, but also to convince others that instructional time is not being wasted. Once you create your manifesto and outline your plan (with as many details as possible), test the waters with colleagues whom you feel safe with. Remember, being innovative does not mean you have all the right answers- it means you are stepping out of your comfort zone to plan and create experiences students would benefit from! It will not be perfect the first time, but it is completely worth it. If you take this seriously, you will realize that on your own.<br />
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I created a sample presentation you could use to get a better understanding of what a Passion Project looks like. You can feel free to adapt it to your own needs and share it with colleagues, parents, administrators, or anyone who wishes to learn more about what it is and how it can be done.</div>
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This is the first part of a two-part blog entry about passion projects. You can find the second part <a href="http://www.connect-extend.com/2018/05/passion-projects-design-your-own.html" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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I hope you find this blog post useful. I would appreciate any feedback and/or suggestions right here in the comment section or through a tweet to @EduRonen. This is a learning journey, and any input is important. Thank you!<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2111195073898522815.post-57616199411596030412018-01-07T10:27:00.000-08:002018-01-07T10:27:16.758-08:00Twitter- Beyond the Basics<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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OK. So you got yourself a Twitter account, found some people to follow, shared your wisdom, some users seemed interested in what you have to say and have followed you- all seem to be in place, aside from you finding yourself asking the same questions again and again... "Why is my feed so messy?", "Remind me again why I am following this guy?!", "What was that education chat called?", and so on.<br />
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In this post, I'm going to try to help you take your basic Twitter skills to the next level. And along the way, you will get some ideas as to how to advertise yourself and gain more followers. You will also be organizing your feed so that your browsing experience is cleaner and more focused.<br />
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I am assuming you have some understanding of what Twitter is and how to use it, even on a basic level. If not, you can check out <a href="http://www.connect-extend.com/2017/09/getting-started-with-twitter.html" target="_blank">this</a> blog post ("Getting Started with Twitter") where I discuss, explain and show, if Twitter is the right tool for you, and if so, how to set up an account and personalize it, how to follow interesting accounts, and how/why/what to tweet.<br />
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Attracting More Followers</h2>
Now that you set up your account, shared and exchanged your views with other Twitterers, it's time to think about how to broaden your audience. The magic recipe behind attracting more followers is actually pretty simple- the more you share, the more people value your ideas, and the more followers you gain. But there's a catch here- simply sharing ideas in the wide Twitterverse is not enough- you need a strategy. Here are some ways you could successfully develop your presence:<br />
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<li><b>Share, Share, Share</b>- Again, on the most basic level, the more you share the better, especially if it has to do with a particular topic. This being said, focus on both quality <i>and</i> quantity. Other users will start recognizing your name, will reply to your ideas and opinions, and would hopefully like what you have to say. So get yourself as involved as you can in different Twitter chats (for example, educators can join "EdChat", "AsiaEd", "EdTechChat", etc.). Learn when they start, what the topics to be discussed are, and share and respond to others while the chat takes place.</li>
<li><b>Create, Create, Create</b>- The more you create, the more valuable you become to a profession or to a group. If you have a blog, make sure you share your posts on Twitter. If you have an interesting slideshow, a successful presentation or lesson you taught, etc.- share them with the world! For all of the above, whenever you share, make sure you use the right hashtags so that the right people find it in their searches. Also, remember that valuable ideas can be re-introduced, so feel free to re-share valuable information every once in a while.</li>
<li><b>Follow the Right People</b>- Another strategy to attain more followers is to follow more people. Since many users see following others as a "favor" that should be returned, they also do the same when someone follows them (even if it means they mute that person's tweets). You can find users with similar interests through browsing particular hashtags, or even through browsing through a user's group of followers or the account that person follows.</li>
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Organizing Your Feed</h2>
So now you have a bunch of followers, and you are following some great thinkers and sharers. Once you consider yourself "an active Twitterer" it's important to make sure you see the right kind of information when you log into your account. The main problem is that sometimes, for whatever reason, the people you follow post content that is irrelevant to your needs. To address this issue you have some possible solutions:<br />
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1. Cleaning House</h3>
Your first choice is to unfollow accounts. Maybe you chose to follow someone who has been very active in one topic, but stopped sharing this kind of information. Should you still follow them? If you choose to unfollow them, which is an extremely simple procedure (see GIF below), remember that many users see following each other as a reciprocal act- "I follow you and you follow me", so if you choose this route, be aware that they may unfollow you back, which may cause you to lose quite a lot of followers.<br />
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2. Muting Accounts</h3>
To avoid losing followers, you can choose to mute accounts. "Muting" accounts means that these users' tweets and retweets don't show up in your feed. If they send you a direct message or mention your name, those will still show. Here's how to mute accounts:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyIfclYeBb8QRHf9q52I9GX7YGHXRLqJ4GCi-hApIUasPXNTaeaDlyCBmtnusSX_JCJrozKDdBlJ0vntSniTbsiDbebyRnwOaPx0HNakKVXR1UZsBxzWBLZBlFymMmYF99bdGWXDlRX2jX/s1600/Twitter-+Muting+Accounts+1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="585" data-original-width="1227" height="152" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyIfclYeBb8QRHf9q52I9GX7YGHXRLqJ4GCi-hApIUasPXNTaeaDlyCBmtnusSX_JCJrozKDdBlJ0vntSniTbsiDbebyRnwOaPx0HNakKVXR1UZsBxzWBLZBlFymMmYF99bdGWXDlRX2jX/s320/Twitter-+Muting+Accounts+1.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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3. Using Lists</h3>
Together with the above two organizational strategies, creating individual lists by topic, place, etc. is another way to organize your feed. Depending on your individual needs and the number of people you follow, the more lists you may need to have. A list means that you "tag" users according to a topic of your choice. For example, I have several lists- one for those who post about Educational Technology, another one for educators in Africa, one more for Educational Leaders, etc. Then, when I want to focus my browsing on EdTech, I go to the Educational Technology list, and only information from those accounts appear, filtering the content to my needs.<br />
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Notes about lists:<br />
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<li>You can add as many users as you wish to any list</li>
<li>You can add users to more than one list</li>
<li>You don't have to follow users to add them to a list</li>
<li>You can create <i>private</i> lists (they appear only to you)</li>
<li>You can create <i>public</i> lists (so other users can see/use; they get a simple notification)</li>
<li>You can copy (called "Subscribe to") other users' lists (you won't be able to add anyone new though)</li>
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So how do you create lists?</h4>
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Twitter's native option is to add each user manually, like this:</div>
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This is a convenient way to add users to lists if you do it as soon as you find them, but if you are a bit down the road and have too many lists and users to add, you may want to use third-party services, like <a href="http://www.twitlistmanager.com/" target="_blank">TwitListManager</a>. This is a simple and straightforward free service that integrates into Twitter. You go to the website, allow access to your account, and the next time you choose to add or remove users to/from a list, you get a window with a vertical list of those you follow, and a horizontal list of your lists (see image below). You can also reach this window by going <a href="http://www.twitlistmanager.com/listmanager.php" target="_blank">here</a> directly.</div>
<div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<ul>
<li>Main Advantage: Easy to add and remove users, and to create new lists.</li>
<li>Main Disadvantage: Interface is too simple. When you scroll down (users are displayed in groups of 100), you can't see the name of your lists.</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<ul><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1UUYxpwUUmnYbSchNoxKkwtxV-hN2jvGkc6ilUmXMsYDFLs8BWGlGLaAM_S7Owc_Q8EwPd66Iq8_uQTG5Rqd_Snn-2tgLnbbtm3mgAI6fmoe35uVWemNGly8kVjJsrhGhXFYe1pWI6QU5/s1600/TwitListManager.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="743" data-original-width="925" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1UUYxpwUUmnYbSchNoxKkwtxV-hN2jvGkc6ilUmXMsYDFLs8BWGlGLaAM_S7Owc_Q8EwPd66Iq8_uQTG5Rqd_Snn-2tgLnbbtm3mgAI6fmoe35uVWemNGly8kVjJsrhGhXFYe1pWI6QU5/s320/TwitListManager.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">TwitListManager</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</ul>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Visit the resource links below for more Twitter list organizing services.</div>
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
Subscribing to Other Users' Lists</h4>
Unless your list is going to be unique, there's no reason to invent the wheel. You can sometimes find excellent lists created by other users, and simply subscribe to them. As their list grows, so does yours. Check out the GIF below to learn how to subscribe and unsubscribe from other users' lists.<br />
*** Note that you are subscribing to someone else's link, which means it does not belong to you so you can't choose to add or change the list in any way.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx6DrgAnwED5hdeHK-pD9ETTROMT0o9Y85DZ4lk-9-_nsK1TquZq-E0cZa936RLYrVmMzC3XXgZvAz9XAfNgPe9LVRh5X_2CtkBihchattB-TreCpiht1eyGvFsHRzbl4cr79OJ0lOtkpr/s1600/Twitter-+Subscribing+to+Lists.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx6DrgAnwED5hdeHK-pD9ETTROMT0o9Y85DZ4lk-9-_nsK1TquZq-E0cZa936RLYrVmMzC3XXgZvAz9XAfNgPe9LVRh5X_2CtkBihchattB-TreCpiht1eyGvFsHRzbl4cr79OJ0lOtkpr/s320/Twitter-+Subscribing+to+Lists.gif" width="320" /></a></div>
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<h4 style="text-align: left;">
Getting Access to Lists and Hashtags Even Faster</h4>
Lists are a great way to filter content, which together with Twitter's Search option (for particular hashtags or users), would do the job. An excellent way to get to all this information ever quicker is to <i>bookmark</i> your lists or popular hashtags, and placing them in one "Twitter" folder in your bookmarks bar.<br />
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<h2 style="text-align: left;">
More resources</h2>
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><b>Attracting More Followers</b></li>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jaysondemers/2015/06/17/50-free-ways-to-increase-your-twitter-followers/#b7cec8e25a8b" target="_blank">Forbes</a> (article)- "50 Free Ways To Increase Your Twitter Followers"</li>
<li><a href="https://www.searchenginejournal.com/22-tips-to-attract-more-twitter-followers/188019/" target="_blank">Search Engine Journal</a> (article)- "22 Tips to Gain More Followers on Twitter"</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><b>Popular Chats in Different Areas/ Topics</b></li>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.participate.com/chats" target="_blank">Participate</a> (for educators)- A great live list of education-related chats that are happening every week as well as chat links to particular topics within the education field.</li>
<li><a href="https://www.huffingtonpost.com/kari-luckett/10-twitter-chats-for-entr_b_9636104.html" target="_blank">Huffington Post</a> (for entrepreneurs)- "10 Twitter Chats for Entrepreneurs"</li>
<li><a href="https://theglobalgrid.org/10-twitter-chats-to-follow-in-architecture/" target="_blank">The Global Grid</a> (for architects)- "10 Twitter #Chats to Follow in Architecture"</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
<li><b>Getting More Out of Twitter using 3rd-Party Services:</b></li>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.lilachbullock.com/twitter-tools/" target="_blank">Lilach Bullock</a> (article)- "101 Top Twitter Tools of 2017" </li>
<li><a href="https://www.brandwatch.com/blog/top-10-free-twitter-analysis-tools/" target="_blank">Brand Watch</a> (article)- "The Top 12 Free Twitter Analytics Tools"</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
Conclusion</h2>
There different strategies to make sure you gain more followers, follow the right people, and to organize your feed. Being an active Twitterer who shares not only views but also experiences that others can learn from and apply, is an excellent way to connect with more like-minded users. Creating and managing lists, and bookmarking them are excellent strategies to ensure you find the content you need faster.<br />
<br />
If you have questions, additional information, or suggestions for future Twitter-related posts, please feel free to share them in the comment section below or on Twitter, using <a href="https://twitter.com/EduRonen" target="_blank">@EduRonen</a> handle.<br />
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2111195073898522815.post-49496396839662305102017-11-13T19:39:00.002-08:002017-11-18T23:08:11.531-08:00Use Google Tools to Quickly Create Awesome Choice Boards<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span id="docs-internal-guid-8e5426da-b6b9-2a4a-304f-10af13f92024"><img height="348px;" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/SpBdUV_pSQ72pd-GYpmMH5HiInS9PXmeVDlMrVTpHucsYRWThpwDe5_yzZOS0Aw_v13ZR_WXIt9ckBnG2eZ4xSBxa1r-8PMsn8qkEk3N4FxboMAuZ62KzTKpBnK702Ow6xLikDyuOMg" width="625px;" /></span></div>
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John Hattie explains that in order to properly differentiate, "The teacher will have to provide different ways in which students can demonstrate mastery and understanding along the way to meeting the criteria for success.”</div>
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Using Choice Boards in the classroom is a great way to engage students while honoring their differences. Choice Boards can help teachers with the never-ending task of differentiating classrooms, allowing students to actively participate in the learning process, allowing them choice across the curriculum- in the content, the process, and the product, which in turn have a great effect on the classroom environment.</div>
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This being said, it is extremely important to remember the words of Carol Tomlinson (2016):<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>'Differentiation is not a set of strategies, but rather <b>a way of thinking</b> about teaching & learning.'</i></span></blockquote>
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With this in mind, let's have a look at what Choice Boards are and how they can be used in diverse classrooms:</div>
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<h2 style="text-align: left;">
What are "Choice Boards"?</h2>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/3xv6Tp9z8JKr1aQ6fa3GwE-BkWDs85UQPjZfBcV6TiO_DgPuXdtMA3pGGSWoLVOvD7ax5ltIsh4S-sl6u3D08ithAXz2o9h9mcYZUi69WRG3i8PimA7jxHPo29y3a8wb57zIDZ2xmVA" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="195px;" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/3xv6Tp9z8JKr1aQ6fa3GwE-BkWDs85UQPjZfBcV6TiO_DgPuXdtMA3pGGSWoLVOvD7ax5ltIsh4S-sl6u3D08ithAXz2o9h9mcYZUi69WRG3i8PimA7jxHPo29y3a8wb57zIDZ2xmVA" style="cursor: move;" width="216px;" /></a></div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>They are graphic organizers</li>
<li>They include a series of activities that focus on students’ specific learning needs, interests, and abilities.</li>
<li>Students decide which activity they are most comfortable completing first, and once they master it, they can move on to more challenging activities.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
How to Create Choice Boards?</h2>
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li>Identify <i>one</i> instructional focus for your Choice Board</li>
<li>Use data to determine students’ interests, readiness, and learning styles</li>
<li>Design 9 tasks. Differentiate them based on the information you determined above.</li>
<li>Use the templates on the upcoming slides to arrange the tasks.</li>
<li>Students choose 3 tasks to work on- These tasks must be ordered horizontally (row), vertically (column) or diagonally.</li>
</ol>
<div>
When designing these boards, it is important to ensure that the tasks students choose are diverse, so that each can enhance each other and capitalize on a variety of student strengths. In order to do so, here are several ways you could structure your boards:</div>
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Task Arrangement: By Level of Difficulty:</h3>
<div>
The main idea behind this arrangement is that no matter which three tasks students choose, they will be working on at least one higher level tasks, whereas students who wish to take on more challenges, can choose all three tasks in the Difficult level.</div>
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<span id="docs-internal-guid-8e5426da-b686-5fe5-16e7-89e629cc38f7"><img height="289" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/pHlRkJwhFXMpw3-Tn-jvD4srS07lHr5VCrKmx0twwVi8KRNk-XJfAyC5mtoPJB1seWhOoWi-D1OJTJAUDKRuBh4yvjmAh__IxXFG1mv2vtVBWWHqWJCbCc_z_pRRe4gkM-S70Qc9K7U" width="320" /></span></div>
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<div>
A variation of the above difficulty level arrangement is to further classify tasks according to level, and providing students with only two difficulty levels to choose from:</div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<b> Easy & Medium:</b></div>
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<img height="288" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/fVEm7doVy2GcMe2iWL84bP9AGUU2M8cVA9kuqvs8Ybt4p5fJweCHH481oVUjs-ak-qpggIESSNT9BdIfurihNW25yxfGwqoOd7jhxK0KPDxZx6sU0CdRCTRLP5jXoRqaeBlvLVdmB3k" width="320" /></div>
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<div>
<b> Medium & Difficult:</b></div>
<div>
<img height="288" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/qtB7_RrNrWCtM26jMy-Ehe3N0JCKE1v4BK7NsSvYsAdCkCWTNlfth5_YrKpLkZizvihNVQC4lNZYprI4yJ-cuVcUcOBQuvuNVUGW5hvWgc-GP0WIXXn-BUsdcTZekhgOmEnB7Y7FCEs" width="320" /></div>
<div>
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Task Arrangement: By Level of Questioning Skills:</h3>
<div>
Another way by which you could create tasks is by questioning skills (Bloom's Taxonomy). This arrangement, once again, forces students to choose tasks in a variety of levels:</div>
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<span id="docs-internal-guid-8e5426da-b68d-92b2-7847-5016508362cd"><img height="288" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/2uJCvMO5z3lqIWrLo1pTGJFbPTgirsFPWww4_Infle36Q91culETKfcmxCWp7AeBHmWUGpk_hvNWP4X4mpe0eDAWVtiMQvYpGJViRgOdiMf2dHjW2bW5gpTXMKpynfDrGh87l6eZIzo" width="320" /></span></div>
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Task Arrangement: By Key Concepts</h3>
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For those of you who work under the PYP/ IB framework, creating tasks that correspond to Key Concepts is an excellent way to ensure students examine issues from different perspectives:</div>
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<span id="docs-internal-guid-8e5426da-b693-0184-0da2-77adff4ba894"><img height="288" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/gWQDrrCRbnf2Q_HTJE2-8Xi6b4QkBNVInU4tiBs_DtKsWgKMb4YV7T-oY3FP_44LE2q_kQG1Sqgh_8ZufE45EUiRxtZp3REe4HJ1UuVuT57WrBXE1jJgul3ZAo1mMDqriEkhg1U8Dmg" width="320" /></span></div>
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<div>
The nature of these Choice Boards allows teachers the flexibility we need to create Choice Boards tailored to both our and our students' needs. Feel free to use the above arrangement ideas when you create your own boards.<br />
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<a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/dqzKZjVgbMr9cDz9gjV8AYvdQ96V1HO0SWW-deJ1RLoLGD2-pXopDhZsSuZC69zBuS6R4ReTjzCH0L-BzlOraQ0Hvx1rUkTFTMO7oYwHEEnRx44R7lxQoMR83tq7Y2LylstGif9JCbE" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="116px;" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/dqzKZjVgbMr9cDz9gjV8AYvdQ96V1HO0SWW-deJ1RLoLGD2-pXopDhZsSuZC69zBuS6R4ReTjzCH0L-BzlOraQ0Hvx1rUkTFTMO7oYwHEEnRx44R7lxQoMR83tq7Y2LylstGif9JCbE" width="271px;" /></a></div>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
Using Google Tools to Quickly Create Choice Boards</h2>
<div>
In this blog post, I explore 3 different tools teachers can quickly create Choice Boards: Google Docs, Google Slides, and Google Forms. Each method has its advantages, but they all end up with the same product: a simple way to create Choice Boards!</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span id="docs-internal-guid-3b4cf385-b8a7-4a94-0409-aa22665dbc97"></span></div>
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<div>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
1. Using Google Docs to Create Choice Boards Templates</h3>
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This method is the easiest of the three. You create a template and re-use it whenever you, or anyone else, needs.</div>
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<div>
In order to create templates in Google Docs, you need to be a part of GSuite (for organizations, schools, etc.). Here is how it's done:</div>
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li>Open Google Docs</li>
<li>Create your Choice Board template</li>
<li>Go to Docs.Google.com (of your G-Suite organization) and click on “Template Gallery”, then “Submit Template”</li>
<li>Select the document you chose, and voila!</li>
</ol>
Now, pending the approval of your organization's GSuite administrator, anyone in your organization can locate and use your template!<br />
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*** If you are a single Google/Gmail user (not a part of the GSuite), unfortunately, you can’t create a template. Instead, you’ll need to make a copy of your document.</div>
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Here is a short explanation of how to create a Google Doc template (for GSuite users):<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG4-elmk4-gqKuiwBWWGTLRw1GpvRtoBf7UYVeceRfV77V6HLwOe5BI8I5Q8tMRdlSTorE6e0wH_JCG3o8boa7hoEa_ihw1wZJ5ann3M7b3MlyRxJ95amgUxrOywUhe63BCarDmnxCIGf3/s1600/Create+a+template+for+your+organization.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG4-elmk4-gqKuiwBWWGTLRw1GpvRtoBf7UYVeceRfV77V6HLwOe5BI8I5Q8tMRdlSTorE6e0wH_JCG3o8boa7hoEa_ihw1wZJ5ann3M7b3MlyRxJ95amgUxrOywUhe63BCarDmnxCIGf3/s320/Create+a+template+for+your+organization.gif" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">How to create templates for your organization</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
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This short video shows how to make a copy of a document (for regular Google Apps users):<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjymratkSkwA72Ndl9FvMVhX65xhptFdaUWJWP2oSimefsutSlbuQ83k65-Kek4MWhhsd-NVpoWWt0yN2e4iHHOjuoaqSDfzWUo1cpxTAi9-YtRUffNCTRG8h7gKgxpoVQSA0dE2dgL1QWI/s1600/Copy+a+Google+Doc.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="671" data-original-width="1280" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjymratkSkwA72Ndl9FvMVhX65xhptFdaUWJWP2oSimefsutSlbuQ83k65-Kek4MWhhsd-NVpoWWt0yN2e4iHHOjuoaqSDfzWUo1cpxTAi9-YtRUffNCTRG8h7gKgxpoVQSA0dE2dgL1QWI/s320/Copy+a+Google+Doc.gif" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div>
<a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1D6yx0MCz1vvcTjt9klSSuIzTV0igJK6BMucM3rTaJts/copy">Here</a> is the template you saw in the screencasts. Feel free to copy and use it.</div>
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">
2. Using Google Slides to Create Choice Boards Templates</h3>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span id="docs-internal-guid-8e5426da-b6bc-31e2-3799-a2dce31bff9d"><img height="180" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/ZnozNtGWCRL8Qaekmp3PZqY17Rc8gdVC3W8qWcE4rktBe7QMnOfRGoLE-AtlwzCYVkkZmojbfOFQWlyOR6jyFS8L2HFKA45Kno4oCN3kbza0QyQvCdvb2i-y8qjlFwhDAEtwEhMtbdg" width="320" /> <img height="180" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/BSnLHk_8kpTvHLpf7D_tFyPqXAv3iLLEPtwIZ4NLRxXyVh4aeN1OyNXGkf6Nz4GlUkA1xsIeWczyeKHujLQsc8ep5h79FjK_owxtIhAGg2U-pdxpSYSCrd4ZM5wHwxm1KNwKtQSMdCo" width="320" /></span></div>
<div>
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<div>
Another simple way to create Choice Boards is to create a Master Template in Google Slides, and to use and re-use it to create new boards (see images above). Once your Choice Board slide is ready, you can print it out, share it with your students through Google Classroom, etc.<br />
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Use <a href="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1FLgSq0GrcXApfnk9vQ6ThskndE73XSLwh7u-fFmr6tQ/copy#slide=id.p">this link</a> to make a copy of the Google Slideshow below:<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="true" frameborder="0" height="299" mozallowfullscreen="true" src="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/e/2PACX-1vRxAXep9IWPOTViPDRWGEWl2uETOpBmLcCW4EucZM1UgOdz92Oj4IeN9yMbgXOvNMJi0fBLxeopujdq/embed?start=false&loop=false&delayms=3000" webkitallowfullscreen="true" width="480"></iframe>
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<h3 style="color: black; font-family: "times"; font-style: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
3. Using Google Forms to Create Choice Boards Templates</h3>
OK. This is the coolest part. Are you ready?<br />
While working on some Tic-Tac-Toe boards for my students, I realized that the omnipotent Google Forms can come to my help once again. How? Using the add-on <a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/form-publisher/hgmhbdjdjoahflgfmfpjlgpplihlechm?hl=en">Form Publisher</a>, I will create a Google Form with generic questions, and link it to a Google Doc template. Yes, it's that easy!<br />
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<div>
Use the Google Form and Google Doc template I created (below), and adjust it for your needs. You're welcome!</div>
<div>
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If you're not sure how to do it, follow the steps below to learn how it all works!</div>
<div>
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<div>
Before we start, here is the link to the <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1omCpj-AvG1ANxHEvO45XMD7F53i4phBPkV5hP_6l1nE/copy">Form</a> and the <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BG_lCrFvuEGzO-FJ6OoXpqybt32i1mHTregubAaGqTI/copy">Template</a>. If you would like more information about what Choice Boards are and how to create different Tic-Tac-Toe menus, go through the <a href="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1RDPLN5JQFCt_fy0vxY5dlucZaVxnwumQ4JOLeekM8Zs/edit#slide=id.p">Google Slides</a> above. And yes, you can feel free to make a copy and use the Slides for your own purposes.</div>
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<div>
So... How does it all work? Simple:</div>
<div>
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li>Make a copy of the <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1omCpj-AvG1ANxHEvO45XMD7F53i4phBPkV5hP_6l1nE/copy">Google Form</a> I created.</li>
<li>Make a copy of the <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BG_lCrFvuEGzO-FJ6OoXpqybt32i1mHTregubAaGqTI/copy">Google Doc</a> template I created.</li>
<li>Create a new folder on your Google Drive and place both files in that folder. This organization pays later!</li>
<li>Download the Forms add-on "<a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/form-publisher/hgmhbdjdjoahflgfmfpjlgpplihlechm?hl=en">Form Publisher</a>"</li>
<li>Open Form Publisher and link the Form to the template.</li>
<li>Fill in the form</li>
<li>Check your e-mail for your new awesome Choice Board</li>
<li>Open the Google Doc and adjust its look (colors, fonts, information, etc.)</li>
</ol>
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If you need a video tutorial, here it is:<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW_YG4nsImtDJ26UQMazwnEkx1QQwYJ8D5ikVX257FBvEDB7Glbh5iOs_BCyXw57U4R2eHq4_Oy6KVlgKChc4FEsB93VP3KPAPqz3FSJ8Nls-2mHx-gcvvEh4GFgQ_Cs-3Cn-hx8VKX-A9/s1600/Blog-+Choice+Boards+Google+Forms+Copy.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW_YG4nsImtDJ26UQMazwnEkx1QQwYJ8D5ikVX257FBvEDB7Glbh5iOs_BCyXw57U4R2eHq4_Oy6KVlgKChc4FEsB93VP3KPAPqz3FSJ8Nls-2mHx-gcvvEh4GFgQ_Cs-3Cn-hx8VKX-A9/s400/Blog-+Choice+Boards+Google+Forms+Copy.gif" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">How to use Form Publisher to create your Choice Board template</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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I hope you find these methods helpful. If you have any other cool ways to create templates for differentiation, please write them in the comments below.<br />
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If you would like to use this information as a presentation, <a href="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/e/2PACX-1vTlfd4GXROq4LqVfXmMyOAfnhlgVPrLvs7lqRE851RsQJzf_5IFa_MGIfTAzxRsq8K3Pv_os090LCLg/pub?start=false&loop=false&delayms=3000">here</a> is a link to a Google Slides.<br />
<br />
Feel free to reach out on Twitter @EduRonen!</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2111195073898522815.post-14117560011696652012017-10-21T10:50:00.000-07:002017-11-11T10:51:20.258-08:0014 Chrome Extensions to Support Students with Learning Challenges<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<img alt="Blog- Learning Challenge Chrome Extenstions.jpg" class=" wp-image-3200 aligncenter" data-attachment-id="3200" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"1"}" data-image-title="Blog- Learning Challenge Chrome Extenstions" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/10/blog-learning-challenge-chrome-extenstions2.jpg?w=536&h=306?w=700" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/10/blog-learning-challenge-chrome-extenstions2.jpg?w=536&h=306?w=300" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/10/blog-learning-challenge-chrome-extenstions2.jpg?w=536&h=306" data-orig-size="1935,1104" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/10/21/14-chrome-extensions-to-support-students-with-learning-challenges/blog-learning-challenge-chrome-extenstions/#main" height="306" sizes="(max-width: 536px) 100vw, 536px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/10/blog-learning-challenge-chrome-extenstions2.jpg?w=536&h=306" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/10/blog-learning-challenge-chrome-extenstions2.jpg?w=536&h=306 536w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/10/blog-learning-challenge-chrome-extenstions2.jpg?w=1072&h=612 1072w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/10/blog-learning-challenge-chrome-extenstions2.jpg?w=150&h=86 150w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/10/blog-learning-challenge-chrome-extenstions2.jpg?w=300&h=171 300w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/10/blog-learning-challenge-chrome-extenstions2.jpg?w=768&h=438 768w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/10/blog-learning-challenge-chrome-extenstions2.jpg?w=1024&h=584 1024w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="536" /></div>
<h2 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #283d4b; margin: 0.83em 0px; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">What is “Assistive Technology”?</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I vividly remember being back in Elementary school, sitting at my desk during a writing assignment, and complaining that my hand was too tired of writing so much. I also remember that two of my classmates had serious learning challenges. One was mostly deaf and the other had a physical deformity, which caused her serious fine and gross motor problems. Both of them had few opportunities to gain meaningful access to the curriculum, let alone an “equal” access. That was in the mid-1980s. almost 30 years have passed, and the picture has dramatically changed. The development of computer-based technologies has allowed people with disabilities to gain access to more information, to manipulate objects and tools, and to express themselves in ways other people can understand, relate to, and appreciate. Such technology is called “Assistive Technology”.</span></div>
<blockquote style="background-color: white; border-left: 5px solid rgb(31, 86, 125); box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 30px; padding: 15px 30px;">
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
<span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The term “Assistive Technologies” is defined by the American Assistive Technology Act of 1998 as, “Any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities.”</span></span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">(<a href="http://www.opencolleges.edu.au/informed/features/what-can-technology-do-for-disabled-learners/" rel="noopener" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;" target="_blank">Pinantoan, 2012</a>).</span></div>
</blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">There are many types and degrees of “disabilities”, and designers of Assistive Technology have been creating more and more tools as solutions for the myriad of ways individuals struggle. The <a href="http://www.pbs.org/parents/education/learning-disabilities/strategies-for-learning-disabilities/assistive-technology-devices/" rel="noopener" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;" target="_blank">PBS Parents website</a> separates these devices into 8 categories: Access and Environmental Control, Aids to Daily Living, Assistive Listening, Augmentative/ Alternative Communication, Computer-Based Instruction, Mobility, Positioning, and Visual Aids.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">A variety of software and hardware companies, such as Microsoft, Google, and Apple, as well as many smaller ones, have recognized the need to develop such tools, and have pledged a commitment to ensure easier access for their users. The Accessibility sections of their websites are easily accessible, organized, and simple to navigate. In addition, they ensure that many of the accessibility functions come built-in and easily accessible, so users are able to make use of such features without the need to purchase additional software.</span></div>
<h2 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #283d4b; margin: 0.83em 0px; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Your Device’s Accessibility Features</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Before you and your students look at hardware, software or add-ons to purchase and install, you must first get yourselves familiar with your device’s native, built-in features. The links below include links to resources for different devices and platforms. They include excellent tools to support users with a variety of challenges, so spend time on these websites before going on.</span></div>
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<img alt="2017-10-21_09-30-44 (1)" class=" wp-image-3236 aligncenter" data-attachment-id="3236" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="2017-10-21_09-30-44 (1)" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/10/2017-10-21_09-30-44-1.png?w=269&h=78?w=424" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/10/2017-10-21_09-30-44-1.png?w=269&h=78?w=300" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/10/2017-10-21_09-30-44-1.png?w=269&h=78" data-orig-size="424,123" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/10/21/14-chrome-extensions-to-support-students-with-learning-challenges/2017-10-21_09-30-44-1/#main" height="78" sizes="(max-width: 269px) 100vw, 269px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/10/2017-10-21_09-30-44-1.png?w=269&h=78" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/10/2017-10-21_09-30-44-1.png?w=269&h=78 269w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/10/2017-10-21_09-30-44-1.png?w=150&h=44 150w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/10/2017-10-21_09-30-44-1.png?w=300&h=87 300w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/10/2017-10-21_09-30-44-1.png 424w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="269" /></div>
<ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 40px;">
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Accessibility features for <a href="https://support.google.com/chromebook/answer/177893?hl=en&ref_topic=3418733" rel="noopener" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;" target="_blank">Chromebooks</a> (by Google). Video. An external <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPBgn4EgXNs" rel="noopener" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;" target="_blank">video overview</a>.</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Accessibility features for <a href="https://www.samsung.com/us/support/answer/ANS00042922/" rel="noopener" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;" target="_blank">Samsung Galaxy</a> (by Samsung). An external <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-Fgs0I2sR0" rel="noopener" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;" target="_blank">video overview</a>.</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Accessibility features on a <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/accessibility/windows" rel="noopener" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;" target="_blank">WIndows</a> device (by Microsoft). An external <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ef0dMpaBw4s" rel="noopener" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;" target="_blank">video overview</a> for Windows 10.</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Accessibility features on a <a href="https://www.apple.com/accessibility/mac/" rel="noopener" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;" target="_blank">Mac</a> (by Apple). An <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqH5CQ-nVFg" rel="noopener" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;" target="_blank">external video</a> overview (for Sierra).</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Accessibility features on an <a href="https://www.apple.com/accessibility/ipad/" rel="noopener" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;" target="_blank">iPad</a> (by Apple). An external <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nn2j3qZfmlk" rel="noopener" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;" target="_blank">video overview</a>.</span></li>
</ul>
<h2 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #283d4b; font-size: 1.17em; margin: 0.83em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Accessibility Tools: Google Chrome Extensions</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Google’s commitment to supporting users with a variety of different needs is illustrated by the numerous accessibility features their devices offer. In addition, Google’s Chrome Store has additional third-party extensions that make devices and the Internet more friendly and accessible to their users.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 20px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Below I outline 14 excellent Chrome Extensions that make computer use an easier and a more pleasant experience- not only for those with severe challenges, but also for anyone who needs simple modifications and some assistance when working on their devices.</span></div>
<h3 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #283d4b; font-size: 1em; margin: 1em 0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">How to add a Chrome Extension<img alt="GIF- Chrome Extension" class=" wp-image-3256 alignnone" data-attachment-id="3256" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="GIF- Chrome Extension" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/10/gif-chrome-extension.gif?w=700" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/10/gif-chrome-extension.gif?w=300" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/10/gif-chrome-extension.gif" data-orig-size="1728,1080" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/10/21/14-chrome-extensions-to-support-students-with-learning-challenges/gif-chrome-extension/#main" height="300" scale="2" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/10/gif-chrome-extension.gif?w=480&h=300" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/10/gif-chrome-extension.gif?w=480&h=300&zoom=2 2x" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="480" /></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></h2>
<h2 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #283d4b; margin: 0.83em 0px; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">14 Chrome Extensions for different learning needs</span></h2>
<h3 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #283d4b; font-size: 1em; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration-line: underline;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 400;"><img alt="human-eye-clip-art-1384151134" class="alignnone wp-image-3278" data-attachment-id="3278" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="human-eye-clip-art-1384151134" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/10/human-eye-clip-art-1384151134.png?w=40&h=40?w=700" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/10/human-eye-clip-art-1384151134.png?w=40&h=40?w=300" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/10/human-eye-clip-art-1384151134.png?w=40&h=40" data-orig-size="800,800" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/10/21/14-chrome-extensions-to-support-students-with-learning-challenges/human-eye-clip-art-1384151134/#main" height="40" sizes="(max-width: 40px) 100vw, 40px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/10/human-eye-clip-art-1384151134.png?w=40&h=40" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/10/human-eye-clip-art-1384151134.png?w=40&h=40 40w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/10/human-eye-clip-art-1384151134.png?w=80&h=80 80w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="40" /></span></span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 400;"> </span> <span style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration-line: underline;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 400;">Visual Difficulties</span></span></span></h3>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 20px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/vision/ofdemndiibjjpjkmlcefokcmoiilning/related?hl=en" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">Vision</a><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"> is an extremely helpful Chrome extension that lets users choose a particular color scheme they feel comfortable with, and then adjusts every Chrome page’s colors to fit that scheme.</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 20px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
<span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">***Note: This extension changes the settings on your device. If you choose to delete it, first make sure you reset the colors to their original scheme.</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 20px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/nosquint-plus/jidjekdcooppfeggehblbigabhaihkgj/related?hl=en" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">NoSquint Plus</a><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"> allows users to set and remember site-specific color schemes and zoom levels so that they can read in a more convenient and personalized way. You can easily set zoom levels, background and foreground colors.</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 20px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/youtube-colors-filters/ojgmbbegpppllieiibjipgbpbnmonofi?hl=en" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">YouTube Colors Filters</a><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"> is a simple Chrome extension that lets you adjust many different visual aspects (brightness, contrast, saturation, and more) in every YouTube video you watch.</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 20px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/screen-shader-flux-for-ch/fmlboobidmkelggdainpknloccojpppi?hl=en" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">Screen Shader – F.lux for Chrome</a><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"> is a popular Chrome extension (works offline as well!) that allows users to change the color of their screen to match the time of day. It also gets rid of the screen’s automatic white and blue light that can cause eye irritation.</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 20px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/select-and-speak-text-to/gfjopfpjmkcfgjpogepmdjmcnihfpokn" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">Select and Speak</a><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"> is a text-to-speech Extension. All users need to do is highlight the text they would like to be read aloud, and they’re done. This extension has a more natural human voice (male or female), and users can choose voice and speed options as well as select from several different languages.</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 20px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/opendyslexic/cdnapgfjopgaggbmfgbiinmmbdcglnam" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">OpenDyslexic</a><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"> is an excellent extension designed for dyslexic users. It changes all font on the page into a more easily readable font.</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 20px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/snapread-universal-extens/mloajfnmjckfjbeeofcdaecbelnblden?hl=en" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">Snap&Read Universal</a><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"> is another text-to-speech extension, but with an added twist. Highlight text you want to be read to you (including text within images, which other tools have difficulty reading), and it will both read it to you AND highlight each word as it is read. Brilliant!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration-line: underline;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 400;"><img alt="ear-svg_0" class="alignnone wp-image-3282" data-attachment-id="3282" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="ear-svg_0" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/10/ear-svg_0.png?w=43&h=43?w=220" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/10/ear-svg_0.png?w=43&h=43?w=220" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/10/ear-svg_0.png?w=43&h=43" data-orig-size="220,220" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/10/21/14-chrome-extensions-to-support-students-with-learning-challenges/ear-svg_0/#main" height="43" sizes="(max-width: 43px) 100vw, 43px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/10/ear-svg_0.png?w=43&h=43" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/10/ear-svg_0.png?w=43&h=43 43w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/10/ear-svg_0.png?w=86&h=86 86w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="43" /></span></span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 400;"> </span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 400;"> </span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration-line: underline;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 400;">Hearing Difficulties</span></span></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/substital/kkkbiiikppgjdiebcabomlbidfodipjg?hl=en" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">Substital</a><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"> is a Chrome Extension that automatically adds subtitles and closed captions to online videos on a variety of video content providers (YouTube, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and more). It allows users to synchronize the captions with the audio and adjust font size (and other features). You can also add your own subtitle files or search for existing ones in-app. Works with some success, but better than other similar services.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration-line: underline;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 400;"><img class="" height="44" scale="0" src="https://cdn2.iconfinder.com/data/icons/hawcons-gesture-stroke/32/icon_3_high_five-512.png" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="44" /></span></span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 400;"> </span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 400;"> </span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration-line: underline;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 400;">Physical Difficulties</span></span></span></h3>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">For fine motor (finger manipulation) difficulties, the device’s native speech-to-text features can be of great assistance. Here are two Chrome extensions that can help with fine motor obstacles:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/dictanote/aomjekmpappghadlogpigifkghlmebjk" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">Dictanote</a><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"> is a note-taking extension. You can quickly switch between using your fingers and your voice to type. It has a built-in word processor, and you can download your notes. The paid version allows you to organize your notes into notebooks and save them in the cloud.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/vimium/dbepggeogbaibhgnhhndojpepiihcmeb" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">Vimium</a><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"> can help users who have difficulties operating the computer’s mouse. The use of the mouse is replaced by a variety of keyboard shortcuts.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration-line: underline;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 400;"><img alt="target-icon" class="alignnone wp-image-3288" data-attachment-id="3288" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="target-icon" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/10/target-icon.png?w=43&h=43?w=128" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/10/target-icon.png?w=43&h=43?w=128" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/10/target-icon.png?w=43&h=43" data-orig-size="128,128" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/10/21/14-chrome-extensions-to-support-students-with-learning-challenges/target-icon/#main" height="43" sizes="(max-width: 43px) 100vw, 43px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/10/target-icon.png?w=43&h=43" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/10/target-icon.png?w=43&h=43 43w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/10/target-icon.png?w=86&h=86 86w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="43" /></span></span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 400;"> </span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration-line: underline;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 400;">Attention/Focusing Difficulties</span></span></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/simple-blocker/akfbkbiialncppkngofjpglbbobjoeoe" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">Simple Blocker</a><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"> can keep users more focused for longer periods of time. You can quickly block an unlimited number of entire websites, sub-domains, or particular web pages. You can also set a blocking timer to reward yourself after a focused period of time. Password protected.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/boom-%E2%80%93%C2%A0declutter-pages-im/kcmahlhoenfpefmeoihnddopdcdidcjk/related" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">Boom- Declutter Pages, Improve Readability</a><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"> allows you to select anything you see on your page and make it disappear in one simple click. Quite amazing, actually! It also allows you to read content without signing into websites (like Pinterest), delete advertisements, and more! (a personal favorite!)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/rocket-readability/fhckbdfnalikpmcmcpcpkkdlhabngbod?hl=en" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">Rocket Readability</a><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"> is a simple extension that gets rid of unnecessary clutter- an entire web page turns into a text-only page with only the article to read. No images, no videos, just words.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/mercury-reader/oknpjjbmpnndlpmnhmekjpocelpnlfdi?hl=en" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">Mercury Reader</a><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"> is another extension that makes it easier for users to have a less distracting working environment. Its features include ways to remove ads, comments, and noises; adjust typeface and text size, and change between dark and light themes.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I hope you find these Chrome Extensions useful and helpful. If you have any questions or know about other favorite and helpful Extensions, please share them in the comment section below.</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2111195073898522815.post-79768524963090615372017-09-25T10:52:00.000-07:002017-11-11T10:53:04.389-08:00Google Forms: Creating a Scavenger Hunt<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<img alt="Google Forms Scavenger Hunt" class=" wp-image-3088 aligncenter" data-attachment-id="3088" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"1"}" data-image-title="Google Forms Scavenger Hunt" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/google-forms-scavenger-hunt.jpg?w=464&h=320?w=700" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/google-forms-scavenger-hunt.jpg?w=464&h=320?w=300" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/google-forms-scavenger-hunt.jpg?w=464&h=320" data-orig-size="720,497" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/09/25/google-forms-creating-a-scavenger-hunt/google-forms-scavenger-hunt/#main" height="320" sizes="(max-width: 464px) 100vw, 464px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/google-forms-scavenger-hunt.jpg?w=464&h=320" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/google-forms-scavenger-hunt.jpg?w=464&h=320 464w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/google-forms-scavenger-hunt.jpg?w=150&h=104 150w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/google-forms-scavenger-hunt.jpg?w=300&h=207 300w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/google-forms-scavenger-hunt.jpg 720w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="464" /></h2>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Over the summer, my son and I tried to find some interesting things to do around the city. After a short research, I found a company offering some exciting scavenger hunts around the country. There was a phone number to call and schedule the hunt, which I excitedly started dialing. The “tour operator” said that the tour is usually for groups of 8-14 members, and it costs the equivalent of $400. Shocked, I thanked the lady and hung up the phone.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">When I told my son about the call, he was quite disappointed. After all, this was the only exciting-sounding activity I suggested to him. With a Maker attitude, I asked him if he would like to create our own scavenger hunt. “Let’s go to the Mall, find interesting shops, snap some shots, and create a scavenger hunt for your little cousins”. I was delighted to see his face glowing again, and within five minutes we were ready to go! Mobile phone and a clipboard in hand, we drove to the mall.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Why are these scavenger hunts so expensive? Aside for the fact that they were created by for-profits, I am not sure. I don’t really care, either, because I found an exciting and satisfying way to create my own, using Google Forms!</span></div>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit;">How to Create a Scavenger Hunt Using Google Forms?</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">When creating scavenger hunts in Google Forms, you need to be familiar with a couple of features:</span></div>
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<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Media Use:</span> You will need to insert a variety of media (images, videos, etc.) which would serve as the hunting grounds (where the clues are hidden)</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Sections:</span> All questions are entered within the Form’s Sections. All questions entered in one section are viewable at once, which questions entered in the following sections are locked until the hunter correctly answers all questions in the previous section.</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Response Validation:</span> This option (the 3 vertical dots at the bottom of questions) allows you to set one correct answer, which, until it is entered in the correct spelling/ format, the answer is marked as “incorrect” hence hunters will be unable to move on to the next section until all questions are answered correctly. You can use answers in the format of numbers, dates, letters, etc.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Once you familiarize yourself with the above elements, you are ready to start creating your scavenger hunt.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">
Example Scavenger Hunt: Around the World</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I created an <a href="https://goo.gl/forms/uoJ7VByeniIVhl1u2" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration-line: underline;">example for a scavenger hunt</span></a> (you can copy it <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1RHvJ148NHtOTzc6m_7aEbqmgJWV-ah9JlZBWTmx7pxA/copy" rel="noopener" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;" target="_blank">here</a>) which you can follow step-by-step to understand how to create your own. Before we start, make sure <span style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration-line: underline;">every</span> question is marked as “Required”, so that hunters cannot just move on to the next section without first entering a correct answer.</span></div>
<ol style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 40px;">
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Create a title and a description. An image is optional.</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">If you would like to separate this part from the first round of questions, create a question (such as, “Are you ready to start?”), which will take the hunter to the next section.</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">If you chose to separate the introduction from the first batch of questions, create a new section and name it (I named it “The Hunt: Africa”).</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Go back to your section one question and click “Go to section based on answer”, to ensure the hunters are directed to the next section (the first question section)</span></li>
</ol>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt="Screen Shot 2017-09-25 at 8.07.16 PM" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-3024" data-attachment-id="3024" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="Screen Shot 2017-09-25 at 8.07.16 PM" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-25-at-8-07-16-pm.png?w=700?w=700" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-25-at-8-07-16-pm.png?w=700?w=300" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-25-at-8-07-16-pm.png?w=700" data-orig-size="2560,1600" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/09/25/google-forms-creating-a-scavenger-hunt/screen-shot-2017-09-25-at-8-07-16-pm/#main" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-25-at-8-07-16-pm.png?w=700" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-25-at-8-07-16-pm.png?w=700 700w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-25-at-8-07-16-pm.png?w=1400 1400w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-25-at-8-07-16-pm.png?w=150 150w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-25-at-8-07-16-pm.png?w=300 300w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-25-at-8-07-16-pm.png?w=768 768w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-25-at-8-07-16-pm.png?w=1024 1024w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">6. In the new section’s description, explain what the hunter will be looking for in this section.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt="Screen Shot 2017-09-25 at 9.08.57 PM.png" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-3057" data-attachment-id="3057" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="Screen Shot 2017-09-25 at 9.08.57 PM" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-25-at-9-08-57-pm.png?w=700?w=700" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-25-at-9-08-57-pm.png?w=700?w=300" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-25-at-9-08-57-pm.png?w=700" data-orig-size="2560,1600" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/09/25/google-forms-creating-a-scavenger-hunt/screen-shot-2017-09-25-at-9-08-57-pm/#main" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-25-at-9-08-57-pm.png?w=700" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-25-at-9-08-57-pm.png?w=700 700w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-25-at-9-08-57-pm.png?w=1400 1400w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-25-at-9-08-57-pm.png?w=150 150w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-25-at-9-08-57-pm.png?w=300 300w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-25-at-9-08-57-pm.png?w=768 768w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-25-at-9-08-57-pm.png?w=1024 1024w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">7. Enter a question. The answer to my question is “Ethiopia”, so in the Response Validation (make sure the question type is “Short Answer”), I entered Text, Contains, and the answer. As the validation clue (what will appear until the hunter entered the correct answer), I entered an encouraging clue.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt="Screen Shot 2017-09-25 at 8.18.11 PM" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-3022" data-attachment-id="3022" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="Screen Shot 2017-09-25 at 8.18.11 PM" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-25-at-8-18-11-pm.png?w=700?w=700" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-25-at-8-18-11-pm.png?w=700?w=300" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-25-at-8-18-11-pm.png?w=700" data-orig-size="1906,706" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/09/25/google-forms-creating-a-scavenger-hunt/screen-shot-2017-09-25-at-8-18-11-pm/#main" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-25-at-8-18-11-pm.png?w=700" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-25-at-8-18-11-pm.png?w=700 700w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-25-at-8-18-11-pm.png?w=1398 1398w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-25-at-8-18-11-pm.png?w=150 150w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-25-at-8-18-11-pm.png?w=300 300w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-25-at-8-18-11-pm.png?w=768 768w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-25-at-8-18-11-pm.png?w=1024 1024w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">8. I created another question. This time, the hunter will need to watch a video in order to find the correct answer. I made sure to add a description that would guide hunters to use the correct format (not to write “Hospital” with a capital H, because Response Validation is case sensitive, so it will mark it wrong…)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt="Screen Shot 2017-09-25 at 8.28.55 PM" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-3021" data-attachment-id="3021" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="Screen Shot 2017-09-25 at 8.28.55 PM" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-25-at-8-28-55-pm.png?w=700?w=700" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-25-at-8-28-55-pm.png?w=700?w=300" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-25-at-8-28-55-pm.png?w=700" data-orig-size="2560,1600" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/09/25/google-forms-creating-a-scavenger-hunt/screen-shot-2017-09-25-at-8-28-55-pm/#main" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-25-at-8-28-55-pm.png?w=700" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-25-at-8-28-55-pm.png?w=700 700w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-25-at-8-28-55-pm.png?w=1400 1400w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-25-at-8-28-55-pm.png?w=150 150w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-25-at-8-28-55-pm.png?w=300 300w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-25-at-8-28-55-pm.png?w=768 768w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-25-at-8-28-55-pm.png?w=1024 1024w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">9. Once the hunter has answered both questions correctly, s/he will be able to move on to the next section. The next section is called “The Hunt: Asia”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt="Screen Shot 2017-09-25 at 8.32.09 PM" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-3020" data-attachment-id="3020" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="Screen Shot 2017-09-25 at 8.32.09 PM" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-25-at-8-32-09-pm.png?w=700?w=700" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-25-at-8-32-09-pm.png?w=700?w=300" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-25-at-8-32-09-pm.png?w=700" data-orig-size="2560,1600" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/09/25/google-forms-creating-a-scavenger-hunt/screen-shot-2017-09-25-at-8-32-09-pm/#main" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-25-at-8-32-09-pm.png?w=700" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-25-at-8-32-09-pm.png?w=700 700w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-25-at-8-32-09-pm.png?w=1400 1400w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-25-at-8-32-09-pm.png?w=150 150w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-25-at-8-32-09-pm.png?w=300 300w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-25-at-8-32-09-pm.png?w=768 768w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-25-at-8-32-09-pm.png?w=1024 1024w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">10. For this question I decided to add a date as the answer, so I made sure to write the correct format in the question’s Description.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt="Screen Shot 2017-09-25 at 8.51.55 PM" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-3018" data-attachment-id="3018" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="Screen Shot 2017-09-25 at 8.51.55 PM" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-25-at-8-51-55-pm.png?w=700?w=700" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-25-at-8-51-55-pm.png?w=700?w=300" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-25-at-8-51-55-pm.png?w=700" data-orig-size="1722,760" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/09/25/google-forms-creating-a-scavenger-hunt/screen-shot-2017-09-25-at-8-51-55-pm/#main" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-25-at-8-51-55-pm.png?w=700" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-25-at-8-51-55-pm.png?w=700 700w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-25-at-8-51-55-pm.png?w=1400 1400w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-25-at-8-51-55-pm.png?w=150 150w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-25-at-8-51-55-pm.png?w=300 300w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-25-at-8-51-55-pm.png?w=768 768w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-25-at-8-51-55-pm.png?w=1024 1024w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">11. Finally, when the scavenger hunt’s questions have all been answered correctly, I created a final section that tells the hunters what they won. Once they are done, they can submit the Hunt and receive their reward.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt="Screen Shot 2017-09-25 at 8.51.33 PM" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-3019" data-attachment-id="3019" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="Screen Shot 2017-09-25 at 8.51.33 PM" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-25-at-8-51-33-pm.png?w=700?w=700" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-25-at-8-51-33-pm.png?w=700?w=300" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-25-at-8-51-33-pm.png?w=700" data-orig-size="2560,1600" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/09/25/google-forms-creating-a-scavenger-hunt/screen-shot-2017-09-25-at-8-51-33-pm/#main" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-25-at-8-51-33-pm.png?w=700" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-25-at-8-51-33-pm.png?w=700 700w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-25-at-8-51-33-pm.png?w=1400 1400w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-25-at-8-51-33-pm.png?w=150 150w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-25-at-8-51-33-pm.png?w=300 300w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-25-at-8-51-33-pm.png?w=768 768w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-25-at-8-51-33-pm.png?w=1024 1024w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">
Book Project Scavenger Hunt</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Another examples I created was a digitized version of my colleague Jill Fenn’s book project example. She created a traditional scavenger hunt for the excellent book Freak the Mighty by Rodman Philbrick. For <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1T3kFOMWqBTIWLhoHmKXbyGXTbeH5NyRN-q-UsNrdEVI/copy" rel="noopener" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;" target="_blank">this hunt</a> (click to make a copy), students were to follow the clues from the book to different locations around the school. All I did was to go to these locations, and find permanent markers (the hunt’s longevity is important) to be used as unlocking clues.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt="Screen Shot 2017-10-05 at 3.51.55 PM" class="alignnone wp-image-3097" data-attachment-id="3097" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="Screen Shot 2017-10-05 at 3.51.55 PM" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-10-05-at-3-51-55-pm.png?w=261&h=348?w=700" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-10-05-at-3-51-55-pm.png?w=261&h=348?w=225" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-10-05-at-3-51-55-pm.png?w=261&h=348" data-orig-size="1080,1440" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/09/25/google-forms-creating-a-scavenger-hunt/screen-shot-2017-10-05-at-3-51-55-pm/#main" height="348" sizes="(max-width: 261px) 100vw, 261px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-10-05-at-3-51-55-pm.png?w=261&h=348" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-10-05-at-3-51-55-pm.png?w=261&h=348 261w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-10-05-at-3-51-55-pm.png?w=522&h=696 522w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-10-05-at-3-51-55-pm.png?w=113&h=150 113w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-10-05-at-3-51-55-pm.png?w=225&h=300 225w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="261" /> <img alt="Screen Shot 2017-10-05 at 3.52.50 PM" class="alignnone wp-image-3096" data-attachment-id="3096" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="Screen Shot 2017-10-05 at 3.52.50 PM" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-10-05-at-3-52-50-pm1.png?w=290&h=350?w=700" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-10-05-at-3-52-50-pm1.png?w=290&h=350?w=249" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-10-05-at-3-52-50-pm1.png?w=290&h=350" data-orig-size="1094,1320" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/09/25/google-forms-creating-a-scavenger-hunt/screen-shot-2017-10-05-at-3-52-50-pm-2/#main" height="350" sizes="(max-width: 290px) 100vw, 290px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-10-05-at-3-52-50-pm1.png?w=290&h=350" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-10-05-at-3-52-50-pm1.png?w=290&h=350 290w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-10-05-at-3-52-50-pm1.png?w=580&h=700 580w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-10-05-at-3-52-50-pm1.png?w=124&h=150 124w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-10-05-at-3-52-50-pm1.png?w=249&h=300 249w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="290" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">If you would like to try the hunt, here are the answers to the questions (1. ICS; 2. twelve; 3. MS FIC PHI; 4. COMPANY; 5. 21; 6. HEALTH OFFICE; 7. eleven; 8. M-105). You can easily adjust the hunt to locations around your school.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">And that’s it!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I hope this was an easy enough of a tutorial. If you have any questions, please let me know. And if you created a scavenger hunt of your own, please share the URL in the comments, or on <a href="https://twitter.com/ronenteacher" rel="noopener" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;" target="_blank">Twitter</a>!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Enjoy!!!</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2111195073898522815.post-43937808947160493202017-09-15T10:54:00.000-07:002017-11-11T10:55:29.271-08:005 Awesome Google Forms Add-Ons<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt="Blog- Forms Extensions.jpg" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-2912" data-attachment-id="2912" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"1"}" data-image-title="Blog- Forms Extensions" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/blog-forms-extensions.jpg?w=700?w=700" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/blog-forms-extensions.jpg?w=700?w=300" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/blog-forms-extensions.jpg?w=700" data-orig-size="1174,444" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/blog-forms-extensions/" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/blog-forms-extensions.jpg?w=700" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/blog-forms-extensions.jpg?w=700 700w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/blog-forms-extensions.jpg?w=150 150w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/blog-forms-extensions.jpg?w=300 300w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/blog-forms-extensions.jpg?w=768 768w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/blog-forms-extensions.jpg?w=1024 1024w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/blog-forms-extensions.jpg 1174w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Google Forms is a powerful tool on its own, but you can super-charge it with add-ons. Add-ons are third-party tools that allow users to modify or enhance existing Google Forms (and Sheets) functionalities. Each add-on, which you get from the Chrome Web Store, usually “specializes” in one area, allowing you to tailor your Form or your Sheet to your own needs.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Let’s have a look at 5 of my favorite Google Forms add-ons:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/form-notifications/bbpdeojefjfhaelgljjcadpcckdfcdod" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">Form Notifications</a>:</span><img alt="Screen Shot 2017-09-13 at 10.07.01 PM" class=" wp-image-2938 alignright" data-attachment-id="2938" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="Screen Shot 2017-09-13 at 10.07.01 PM" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-13-at-10-07-01-pm.png?w=379&h=240?w=700" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-13-at-10-07-01-pm.png?w=379&h=240?w=300" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-13-at-10-07-01-pm.png?w=379&h=240" data-orig-size="1312,830" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/09/15/5-awesome-google-forms-add-ons/screen-shot-2017-09-13-at-10-07-01-pm/#main" height="240" sizes="(max-width: 379px) 100vw, 379px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-13-at-10-07-01-pm.png?w=379&h=240" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-13-at-10-07-01-pm.png?w=379&h=240 379w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-13-at-10-07-01-pm.png?w=758&h=480 758w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-13-at-10-07-01-pm.png?w=150&h=95 150w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-13-at-10-07-01-pm.png?w=300&h=190 300w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; float: right; height: auto; margin-left: 2em; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="379" /></h2>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Form Notifications allows you to send email notifications automatically, once the form has been submitted. Emails can be sent to the form creator, the respondent, or to both.</span></div>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Uses:</span></span></div>
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<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Send a thank you e-mail with additional information to students’ parents who signed up for a particular meeting time with you.</span></span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Receive an e-mail after 5 parents filled out the form (the default is after 10 responses).</span></span></li>
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<a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/formlimiter/clflahnkjeannplpafofekagclpmijkl" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">FormLimiter<img alt="Screen Shot 2017-09-13 at 10.06.21 PM" class=" wp-image-2939 alignright" data-attachment-id="2939" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="Screen Shot 2017-09-13 at 10.06.21 PM" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-13-at-10-06-21-pm.png?w=381&h=234?w=700" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-13-at-10-06-21-pm.png?w=381&h=234?w=300" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-13-at-10-06-21-pm.png?w=381&h=234" data-orig-size="1318,808" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/09/15/5-awesome-google-forms-add-ons/screen-shot-2017-09-13-at-10-06-21-pm/#main" height="234" sizes="(max-width: 381px) 100vw, 381px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-13-at-10-06-21-pm.png?w=381&h=234" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-13-at-10-06-21-pm.png?w=381&h=234 381w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-13-at-10-06-21-pm.png?w=762&h=468 762w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-13-at-10-06-21-pm.png?w=150&h=92 150w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-13-at-10-06-21-pm.png?w=300&h=184 300w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; float: right; height: auto; margin-left: 2em; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="381" /></span></a></h2>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">FormLimiter is a great add-on to use when you would like to stop accepting responses automatically, at a certain point. For example, you can set a limit to the number of responses, at a certain date/time, or when a spreadsheet cell equals a certain value.</span></div>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Uses:</span></span></div>
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<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Number- A registration form with limited number of available spaces.</span></span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Date/Time- Setting a deadline for a Google Form assignment.</span></span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Cell=value- Looking for volunteers’ help. Once a respondent selects “Yes”, the form shuts off.</span></span></li>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/form-publisher/hgmhbdjdjoahflgfmfpjlgpplihlechm?hl=en" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">Form Publisher</a> (and their <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lf0PRd0CMdk" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">video</a>): </span><img alt="Screen Shot 2017-09-13 at 10.07.37 PM" class=" wp-image-2937 alignright" data-attachment-id="2937" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="Screen Shot 2017-09-13 at 10.07.37 PM" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-13-at-10-07-37-pm.png?w=375&h=235?w=700" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-13-at-10-07-37-pm.png?w=375&h=235?w=300" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-13-at-10-07-37-pm.png?w=375&h=235" data-orig-size="1316,824" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/09/15/5-awesome-google-forms-add-ons/screen-shot-2017-09-13-at-10-07-37-pm/#main" height="235" sizes="(max-width: 375px) 100vw, 375px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-13-at-10-07-37-pm.png?w=375&h=235" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-13-at-10-07-37-pm.png?w=375&h=235 375w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-13-at-10-07-37-pm.png?w=750&h=470 750w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-13-at-10-07-37-pm.png?w=150&h=94 150w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-13-at-10-07-37-pm.png?w=300&h=188 300w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; float: right; height: auto; margin-left: 2em; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="375" /></h2>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This is a fantastic add-on that takes your Form submissions and displays them in a variety of formats (Google Docs, Sheets, Slides or as a PDF document). Although this requires a bit of preparation ahead of time, once you customized the destination document’s look, the rest is done automatically. Basically, each Form question has markers (that looks something like this: << the question >>). You then move those around in the document based on your needs, and then, once responses are submitted, each response is automatically pasted between the << >> symbols.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Here is an example of a <a href="https://drive.google.com/open?id=14pYdrI2zRWo4vqoB8ecktRal7vVpXFO7CJDSL9KIBTo" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">Form</a> I created for my students’ end-of-unit self-reflection. Using the Form Publisher add-on, I <a href="https://drive.google.com/open?id=1Ipf4yJOyXbXmHMqsD4r_RIduMc-n7aS3aKD16t8x2q4" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">customized the destination file</a> (I chose Google Doc). Then, once students submitted their Form (reflection), it used the template to create <a href="https://drive.google.com/open?id=1d6gYuI66I22H_kRjoPYj-_L86aeSK_Kb_4Swa__XHvE" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">individual documents</a>, that include their unique responses. All files were automatically organized inside a neat folder. Incredible, ah?</span></div>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Uses:</span></span></div>
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<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Reflections</span></span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Assessments</span></span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Invoice receipts</span></span></li>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/formrecycler/nomlphfjecjpcanpbfmpnkncpacjbkdl" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">FormRecycler</a> (and their <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WHpM3ZcJzw" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">tutorial</a>): </span><img alt="Screen Shot 2017-09-13 at 10.09.17 PM" class=" wp-image-2936 alignright" data-attachment-id="2936" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="Screen Shot 2017-09-13 at 10.09.17 PM" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-13-at-10-09-17-pm.png?w=370&h=234?w=700" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-13-at-10-09-17-pm.png?w=370&h=234?w=300" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-13-at-10-09-17-pm.png?w=370&h=234" data-orig-size="1310,828" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/09/15/5-awesome-google-forms-add-ons/screen-shot-2017-09-13-at-10-09-17-pm/#main" height="234" sizes="(max-width: 370px) 100vw, 370px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-13-at-10-09-17-pm.png?w=370&h=234" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-13-at-10-09-17-pm.png?w=370&h=234 370w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-13-at-10-09-17-pm.png?w=740&h=468 740w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-13-at-10-09-17-pm.png?w=150&h=95 150w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-13-at-10-09-17-pm.png?w=300&h=190 300w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; float: right; height: auto; margin-left: 2em; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="370" /></h2>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Have you ever needed to copy questions from one Form to another? And was unsuccessful? Well, FormRecycler allows you to do just that!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">All you have to do is get into the Form you are working on, activate the FormRecycler add-on, choose the Form you’d like to “import” questions from, and you’re done!</span></div>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Uses:</span></span></div>
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<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Combining assessment questions from several different Forms</span></span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Updating last year’s parent questionnaire</span></span></li>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/choice-eliminator-2/mnhoinjhhhafgieggnhjekliaodnkigj?hl=en-US" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">Choice Eliminator 2</a>:</span><img alt="Screen Shot 2017-09-13 at 10.15.12 PM" class=" wp-image-2931 alignright" data-attachment-id="2931" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="Screen Shot 2017-09-13 at 10.15.12 PM" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-13-at-10-15-12-pm.png?w=387&h=246?w=700" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-13-at-10-15-12-pm.png?w=387&h=246?w=300" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-13-at-10-15-12-pm.png?w=387&h=246" data-orig-size="1306,830" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/09/15/5-awesome-google-forms-add-ons/screen-shot-2017-09-13-at-10-15-12-pm/#main" height="246" sizes="(max-width: 387px) 100vw, 387px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-13-at-10-15-12-pm.png?w=387&h=246" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-13-at-10-15-12-pm.png?w=387&h=246 387w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-13-at-10-15-12-pm.png?w=774&h=492 774w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-13-at-10-15-12-pm.png?w=150&h=95 150w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-13-at-10-15-12-pm.png?w=300&h=191 300w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-13-at-10-15-12-pm.png?w=768&h=488 768w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; float: right; height: auto; margin-left: 2em; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="387" /></h2>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This fantastic add-on eliminates (deletes) options (“answers”) from your questions after they have been selected by a previous respondent. It works with multiple-choice, dropdown, or checkbox questions.</span></div>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Uses:</span></span></div>
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<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Selecting time slots for parent conferences</span></span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Creating an inventory of class items</span></span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Students choosing groups/ jobs/ topics</span></span></li>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">And… a bonus (paid) add-on for all your mathematical needs:</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/equatio-math-made-digital/hjngolefdpdnooamgdldlkjgmdcmcjnc" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">EquatIO</a> (30 days free trial) </span><img alt="Screen Shot 2017-09-13 at 10.12.01 PM" class=" wp-image-2935 alignright" data-attachment-id="2935" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="Screen Shot 2017-09-13 at 10.12.01 PM" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-13-at-10-12-01-pm.png?w=367&h=235?w=700" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-13-at-10-12-01-pm.png?w=367&h=235?w=300" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-13-at-10-12-01-pm.png?w=367&h=235" data-orig-size="1312,842" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/09/15/5-awesome-google-forms-add-ons/screen-shot-2017-09-13-at-10-12-01-pm/#main" height="235" sizes="(max-width: 367px) 100vw, 367px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-13-at-10-12-01-pm.png?w=367&h=235" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-13-at-10-12-01-pm.png?w=367&h=235 367w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-13-at-10-12-01-pm.png?w=732&h=470 732w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-13-at-10-12-01-pm.png?w=150&h=96 150w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-13-at-10-12-01-pm.png?w=300&h=193 300w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; float: right; height: auto; margin-left: 2em; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="367" /></h2>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Ever tried to use Forms for Math assessment? What would the fraction “thirteenth” look like? How about a square root? Yes, a disaster! With EquatIO, you can create complicated mathematical equations and formulas by typing or handwriting them on the screen. It’s that simple!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I hope these add-ons help you become more creative and productive!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">If you liked what you saw, gimme a holler either here or on <a href="https://twitter.com/ronenteacher" rel="noopener" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;" target="_blank">Twitter</a>!</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2111195073898522815.post-23777125092510968832017-09-10T10:55:00.000-07:002017-11-11T10:56:48.288-08:00Great Ways to Use Google Forms in the Classroom<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<img alt="Ronen- Google Forms" class=" wp-image-2908 aligncenter" data-attachment-id="2908" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"1"}" data-image-title="Ronen- Google Forms" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/ronen-google-forms.jpg?w=420&h=280?w=554" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/ronen-google-forms.jpg?w=420&h=280?w=300" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/ronen-google-forms.jpg?w=420&h=280" data-orig-size="554,369" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/09/10/great-ways-to-use-google-forms-in-the-classroom/ronen-google-forms/#main" height="280" sizes="(max-width: 420px) 100vw, 420px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/ronen-google-forms.jpg?w=420&h=280" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/ronen-google-forms.jpg?w=420&h=280 420w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/ronen-google-forms.jpg?w=150&h=100 150w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/ronen-google-forms.jpg?w=300&h=200 300w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/ronen-google-forms.jpg 554w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="420" /></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">If you haven’t been using Google Forms in your classroom on a regular basis, you don’t know what you’re missing! Google Forms started as a simple form-creating application, and since its inception in 2007, a lot has happened, especially for us educators.</span></div>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Google What?</span></span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Google Forms allows educators to create questions, and assign a variety of response types for users to fill in: short/long answers, checkboxes (for multiple “correct” responses), multiple answers (with only one “correct” answer), rating, or a grid (for several questions that share the same possible replies).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The responses for each particular Form can be recorded on a Google Spreadsheet, which allows the form creator to view the information entered and arrange it in different ways. In addition, Google created a quick analysis tool, which lets users get a simple visual representation of the responses entered. In this analysis, open-ended questions (short/long paragraphs) are displayed in a list, while assigned replies (such as in multiple answers questions) are broken into a more visual way. More specific analysis can be done using manually in the attached Google Spreadsheet.</span></div>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">How Does It Work?</span></span></h2>
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<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">The Straightforward Way-</span> The simplest way to use Google Forms is to create the form, enter questions with possible responses, and share it. Responses entered can then be viewed and analyzed in the attached Google Sheet.</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Quiz Mode-</span> Google Forms can also be created as quizzes. Users assign points for each question, create a “master” form with the correct answers, and Google does the rest.</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Response Validation-</span> The response validation tool allows form creators to assign a specific answer or format to each question (or a range of possible replies), which, if entered in the wrong format (or as the wrong answer), stops the user from being able to move on to the next question. There are a variety of types of response validation options, so spend some time exploring this incredible tool.</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Add-Ons-</span> There are a variety of Google Forms and Google Sheets add-ons, which allow users to further tweak, personalize, and analyze the form. Here are a few examples:</span><ul style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 40px;">
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/formlimiter/clflahnkjeannplpafofekagclpmijkl" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">FormLimiter</a> allows you to limit the number of responses, set a deadline so that no more responses are accepted, and more.</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/form-notifications/bbpdeojefjfhaelgljjcadpcckdfcdod" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">Form Notifications</a> will send automatic custom confirmation emails to you or the form users.</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/form-publisher/hgmhbdjdjoahflgfmfpjlgpplihlechm?hl=en" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">Form Publisher</a> can input form responses onto a Google Doc, Google Sheet, Google Slides, or into a PDF in a neat way, based on a template you create.</span></li>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Implementation Ideas:</span></span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Here are some great ways for teachers to use Google Forms. The titles are hyperlinked to an example I created for you. Feel free to copy those Forms and adapt them for your needs:</span></div>
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<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/15uu_HqnFy1J8tRTVkqWewez1oQDDVwBejo_aABYuR3k/copy" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">Brainstorm Session</a>–</span> Choose a topic, type in the questions you would like to brainstorm about, have students record their ideas, and then view the responses together with the students.</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1bEUC6KdFBARhVCDFwkr_2jfB53HaaIbCqeKJ4o6koE8/copy" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">Conference Sign-Up Sheet</a>–</span> Using the add-on “Choice Eliminator 2”, you can create a question for each conference date, and using the recommended Dropdown-type question, input the times. Once a parent has signed up for a particular time, that time slot becomes unavailable the next time any parent fills out the Form.</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Language-</span></span><ul style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 40px;">
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/12eQu9-E2cVVzpCyiGsUODASiXHKbWOaXFPo5-4JCsW0/copy" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">Story Ideas/Topics for later</a>–</span> Have students create a Form, and every time they have a story idea, they can record it in the form. When they need to choose a topic, they can look in the attached Google Sheet.</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1Kd4B7SgoBzSGYta8XVR1mVObMRderekhL1FVSQ1qZ3g/copy" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">Pre-Writing/ Planning a Story</a>–</span> Create a Form with questions that students can record their story idea (for example, “Title/Topic”, “What”, “Where”, “Who”, “Beginning”, “Middle”, etc.)</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1Y_Z0hvdmQxNpT9cSqVI4Nk3UpQN6hsdz7FfJoCU690w/copy" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">Branched Stories/ Choose Your Own Adventure</a>–</span>Create a story with multiple “paths”, use the Sections to take readers to the right place.</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1LwHDXeQIhWUYcrubisjm4RidUGf5ZMMMr2d7alxXpb4/copy" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">Recording Books Read</a>–</span> Create a form with questions such as “Title”, “Author”, “Year Published”, “Number of Pages”, “Level”, “Book Review”, etc. for students (and you) to keep track of the books they have read</span></li>
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<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Breakout EDU-</span> Use the Response Validation tool to create exciting adventures that unlock only when students have all the correct answers. <a href="https://sites.google.com/site/digitalbreakouttemplate/home" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">This</a> is a great place to get you started.</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Assessments-</span></span><ul style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 40px;">
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1y3c3qeWDfn8XYq3_g5BFq8NegsptJDwcqw4mzCshkTc/copy" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">Anecdotal Records</a>–</span> Make a list of behaviors you would like to observe, and tick them whenever you observe students. The timestamp on the spreadsheet would remind you when that happened.</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1phMQXH_-8h5nIBP93woGz_8Mm1LzWM1gcoY37ClmTGo/copy" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">Exit Slip</a>–</span> Before the end of class, have students answer a question about the day’s lesson.</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1Btv_DTwEQmEGKVjHSlN9I-_RBolc_ZaiCmJZMvvCp08/copy" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">Quiz/Test</a>–</span> Use the Quiz functionality to create a quiz and assign points for each question.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Google Forms will continue to evolve as new possibilities arise and Google puts those ideas into practice. I hope this post helped you to understand what Google Forms is and how to use this excellent tool in the classroom.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">If you have any more creative ideas of what you do with Google Forms in your classroom, or would like to tell me what you think about this blog post, please leave a comment.</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2111195073898522815.post-12199717783448945812017-09-01T10:57:00.002-07:002021-10-27T23:50:52.479-07:00Twitter: Getting Started <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbet0H_viZfAIzoipKLw-C-JN01IwsDpxQfOeROFwGwp1o2NMzdP6H5j94Elp7km6akdWtuw-gyFvdwV_HVzmtnkr6eNQNK4Xz6eSL86e1PeFwU4eGJ31prXRnuRE4g-SKgrdcNaMADhX4/s1600/Twitter-+Getting+Started.jpg" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1500" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbet0H_viZfAIzoipKLw-C-JN01IwsDpxQfOeROFwGwp1o2NMzdP6H5j94Elp7km6akdWtuw-gyFvdwV_HVzmtnkr6eNQNK4Xz6eSL86e1PeFwU4eGJ31prXRnuRE4g-SKgrdcNaMADhX4/s400/Twitter-+Getting+Started.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Twitter continues to make waves in different industries, and is up there with (or should I say “behind”?!) Facebook in serving as an incredible tool for finding and sharing </span>information,<span style="font-family: inherit;"> and staying in touch with people.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;">Before I begin explaining how to set up and get going with Twitter, there are some basic questions to ask- the What and the Why…</span></div>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;">What is twitter?</span></span></h2>
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<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;">Twitter is a free social networking service (can be called “Microblogging”) where users can read and post private and public messages (called “tweets”). Tweets are limited to 280 characters (in addition to attached media like images, GIFs or videos).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;">Let’s look at some important features and vocabulary in Twitter:</span></div>
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<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">The Feed/ Stream-</span> once you follow users or post tweets, those tweets are organized on your feed (similar to Facebook, with the newest one at the top).</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Specialized Symbols-</span> Searching and tagging keywords or other users can be done through the use of the “hashtag” (#) or the “handle” (@).</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">The Hashtag (#)-</span> Placed directly before a keyword (i.e., #HappyBirthday), the hashtag allows users to organize content by displaying all the search results users tagged with the keyword (using the hashtag). So if users search for #HappyBirthday, ALL tweets (yes, this is a public platform) users inputted “#HappyBirthday” would be displayed.</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">The Twitter Handle (@)-</span> Placed directly before an existing user’s name (i.e., @EduRonen), the @ allows to search for or tag particular users. If you search for “@EduRonen”, your results will display the user (@ EduRonen)’s feed (since this is, again, a public forum…)</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Private messages-</span> Users <span style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration-line: underline;">can</span> send and receive private messages. Those messages DO NOT appear on your stream (hence Private…). This is the only way to use Twitter and not have the rest of the world be able to see it. But remember, ALL your non-private messages are for the world to see!</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;"><img alt="Screen Shot 2017-09-01 at 9.07.09 AM" class="wp-image-2647 alignnone" data-attachment-id="2647" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="Screen Shot 2017-09-01 at 9.07.09 AM" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-9-07-09-am1.png?w=317&h=201?w=700" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-9-07-09-am1.png?w=317&h=201?w=300" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-9-07-09-am1.png?w=317&h=201" data-orig-size="2124,1350" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/09/01/getting-started-with-twitter/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-9-07-09-am-2/#main" height="201" sizes="(max-width: 317px) 100vw, 317px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-9-07-09-am1.png?w=317&h=201" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-9-07-09-am1.png?w=317&h=201 317w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-9-07-09-am1.png?w=632&h=402 632w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-9-07-09-am1.png?w=150&h=95 150w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-9-07-09-am1.png?w=300&h=191 300w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="317" /> <img alt="Screen Shot 2017-09-01 at 9.01.37 AM" class="wp-image-2648 alignnone" data-attachment-id="2648" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="Screen Shot 2017-09-01 at 9.01.37 AM" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-9-01-37-am1.png?w=315&h=197?w=700" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-9-01-37-am1.png?w=315&h=197?w=300" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-9-01-37-am1.png?w=315&h=197" data-orig-size="2560,1600" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/09/01/getting-started-with-twitter/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-9-01-37-am-2/#main" height="197" sizes="(max-width: 315px) 100vw, 315px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-9-01-37-am1.png?w=315&h=197" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-9-01-37-am1.png?w=315&h=197 315w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-9-01-37-am1.png?w=630&h=394 630w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-9-01-37-am1.png?w=150&h=94 150w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-9-01-37-am1.png?w=300&h=188 300w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="315" /></span></div>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;">Why Twitter?</span></span></h2>
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<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;">There are several reasons people use Twitter to share and find content:</span></div>
<ul style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 40px;">
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">News and instant updates-</span> Following a particular newspaper, organizations, etc. would allow users to receive news from that user right when they are posted. For example, if you follow the user @BBCBreaking, your feed would display ALL tweets (and tags) by the BBC Breaking News user, thus keeping users informed at a “real time”.</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Keeping in touch-</span> Most users use Twitter as a way to keep in touch with family and friends. They subscribe to (“follow”) each other, and receive images, videos, news, etc. posted by those users.</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Professional Networking-</span> Many users use Twitter to either keep abreast news about their field(s) of interest, their work, or to share their work with others. Many educational institutions around the world now encourage educators to make use of this service in order to advertise the great things done in their classrooms, at school, to keep parents informed. Private entrepreneurs, writers, and other professionals, use Twitter to share their work, advertise their services (by following [sometimes random] users), hoping they would follow them back and stay informed of their work.</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;">So… If you think Twitter is for you, read on!</span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 20px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;">Once you decide you are interested in being a part of Twitter, it is important to think about your goals for using it. Is it for personal use? For work? Both? It is important to decide that now because this would determine which users you would follow, who would be interested in following you, what content you would be posting, which e-mail address you would use (I use my school’s e-mail address, since I use Twitter mostly for professional learning and sharing).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;">Now that you have a purpose, you are ready to create your very first Twitter account (Hurray!)</span></div>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;">Creating an account</span></span></h2>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 20px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;"><img alt="Screen Shot 2017-09-01 at 9.30.22 AM.png" class="wp-image-2669 alignnone" data-attachment-id="2669" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="Screen Shot 2017-09-01 at 9.30.22 AM" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-9-30-22-am.png?w=700" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-9-30-22-am.png?w=300" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-9-30-22-am.png" data-orig-size="2502,1442" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/09/01/getting-started-with-twitter/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-9-30-22-am/#main" height="221" sizes="(max-width: 383px) 100vw, 383px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-9-30-22-am.png?w=383&h=221" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-9-30-22-am.png?w=383&h=221 383w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-9-30-22-am.png?w=766&h=442 766w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-9-30-22-am.png?w=150&h=86 150w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-9-30-22-am.png?w=300&h=173 300w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="383" /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;">Creating an account if very simple. Go to <a href="https://twitter.com/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out 0s;">Twitter.com</a> and follow the steps to sign up. Choose a username and password, and enter your existing e-mail address.</span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 20px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;">Follow the instructions on the screenshots below, or read the notes if you are not sure what to do in any of the steps:</span></div>
<ul style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 40px;">
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Entering your Full Name:</span> This is the space to enter your “real name”.</span><img alt="Screen Shot 2017-09-01 at 9.50.45 AM" class="wp-image-2660 alignright" data-attachment-id="2660" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="Screen Shot 2017-09-01 at 9.50.45 AM" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-9-50-45-am.png?w=301&h=313?w=700" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-9-50-45-am.png?w=301&h=313?w=289" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-9-50-45-am.png?w=301&h=313" data-orig-size="1244,1292" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/09/01/getting-started-with-twitter/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-9-50-45-am/#main" height="313" sizes="(max-width: 301px) 100vw, 301px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-9-50-45-am.png?w=301&h=313" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-9-50-45-am.png?w=301&h=313 301w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-9-50-45-am.png?w=602&h=626 602w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-9-50-45-am.png?w=144&h=150 144w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-9-50-45-am.png?w=289&h=300 289w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; float: right; height: auto; margin-left: 2em; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="301" /></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;">Entering your e-mail address: Remember- is it a professional or a personal account? Where would you like to receive notifications and maintain your account? This can be changed later.</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Entering a Password:</span> Choose a long and safe password. The green stripe indicates how likely it is that your password would be difficult to hack (no password is completely safe these days…)</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Notifications:</span> Choose if you would like to receive phone and/or e-mail notifications (the default is both…). If you are using a mobile device, a Notification message would pop-up. If you enable notifications, your phone would send you notifications when someone tags you in a post (using the @ symbol), when someone replies or retweets a tweet you were mentioned in, or if someone sent you a private message. Is it for you? Either way, remember you can change this in your phone’s Notifications settings and under the Setting menu options in Twitter later on.</span><img alt="Screen Shot 2017-09-01 at 9.57.41 AM" class="wp-image-2661 aligncenter" data-attachment-id="2661" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="Screen Shot 2017-09-01 at 9.57.41 AM" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-9-57-41-am.png?w=297&h=316?w=700" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-9-57-41-am.png?w=297&h=316?w=282" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-9-57-41-am.png?w=297&h=316" data-orig-size="870,926" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/09/01/getting-started-with-twitter/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-9-57-41-am/#main" height="316" sizes="(max-width: 297px) 100vw, 297px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-9-57-41-am.png?w=297&h=316" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-9-57-41-am.png?w=297&h=316 297w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-9-57-41-am.png?w=594&h=632 594w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-9-57-41-am.png?w=141&h=150 141w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-9-57-41-am.png?w=282&h=300 282w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="297" /></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><img alt="Screen Shot 2017-09-01 at 9.58.45 AM" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-2662" data-attachment-id="2662" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="Screen Shot 2017-09-01 at 9.58.45 AM" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-9-58-45-am.png?w=700" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-9-58-45-am.png?w=300" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-9-58-45-am.png" data-orig-size="1430,716" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/09/01/getting-started-with-twitter/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-9-58-45-am/#main" height="150" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-9-58-45-am.png?w=300&h=150" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-9-58-45-am.png?w=300&h=150 300w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-9-58-45-am.png?w=600&h=300 600w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-9-58-45-am.png?w=150&h=75 150w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; float: right; height: auto; margin-left: 2em; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="300" /><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Choosing a Username:</span>Make sure you choose a relatively short name, since in most cases it will be a part of the allotted 140 characters for each tweet. Choosing the username @TheBestBusinessManEver would mean users who wish to tag you now have less than 120 characters left for their message… Choose a username that reflects the reason you chose to use Twitter- for professional use? For personal use? Check if you could use your first name, last name (or both) as your username, or insert something that hints about your profession (something like @ EduRonen, @RonenCohen, @RonCohEd, <complete id="goog_2460000">@RonenTeacher, </complete>etc.)</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Not Choosing a Username:</span> You can skip choosing a username, and Twitter will assign you one. You can change that username later on.</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;"><br /></span></div>
<h2 style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #283d4b; font-size: 1.17em; margin: 0.83em 0px;">
<span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;">Finding Users to Follow:</span></span></h2>
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<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;">In the process of creating your account, Twitter will be suggesting a variety of people for you to follow. You can always skip these steps.</span></div>
<ul style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 40px;">
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;">First (Step 2 of 4), Twitter will ask you to choose topics you are interested in, so it can suggest users to follow based on that interest.</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;">Second (Step 3 of 4), it will ask you if you would like to find users you already know based on your e-mail’s contact list.</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;">Finally (Step 4 of 4), it will suggest users based on your location. Here you can choose if and who you would be following.</span></li>
</ul>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 20px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;"><img alt="Screen Shot 2017-09-01 at 9.59.20 AM.png" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-2711" data-attachment-id="2711" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="Screen Shot 2017-09-01 at 9.59.20 AM" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-9-59-20-am.png?w=700?w=700" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-9-59-20-am.png?w=700?w=300" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-9-59-20-am.png?w=700" data-orig-size="1758,826" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/09/01/getting-started-with-twitter/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-9-59-20-am/#main" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-9-59-20-am.png?w=700" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-9-59-20-am.png?w=700 700w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-9-59-20-am.png?w=1400 1400w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-9-59-20-am.png?w=150 150w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-9-59-20-am.png?w=300 300w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-9-59-20-am.png?w=768 768w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-9-59-20-am.png?w=1024 1024w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" /><img alt="Screen Shot 2017-09-01 at 9.59.38 AM" class="wp-image-2663 alignnone" data-attachment-id="2663" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="Screen Shot 2017-09-01 at 9.59.38 AM" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-9-59-38-am.png?w=350&h=209?w=700" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-9-59-38-am.png?w=350&h=209?w=300" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-9-59-38-am.png?w=350&h=209" data-orig-size="1758,1048" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/09/01/getting-started-with-twitter/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-9-59-38-am/#main" height="209" sizes="(max-width: 350px) 100vw, 350px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-9-59-38-am.png?w=350&h=209" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-9-59-38-am.png?w=350&h=209 350w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-9-59-38-am.png?w=700&h=418 700w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-9-59-38-am.png?w=150&h=89 150w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-9-59-38-am.png?w=300&h=179 300w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="350" /> <img alt="Screen Shot 2017-09-01 at 10.00.04 AM" class="wp-image-2664 alignnone" data-attachment-id="2664" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="Screen Shot 2017-09-01 at 10.00.04 AM" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-10-00-04-am.png?w=297&h=211?w=700" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-10-00-04-am.png?w=297&h=211?w=300" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-10-00-04-am.png?w=297&h=211" data-orig-size="1776,1260" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/09/01/getting-started-with-twitter/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-10-00-04-am/#main" height="211" sizes="(max-width: 297px) 100vw, 297px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-10-00-04-am.png?w=297&h=211" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-10-00-04-am.png?w=297&h=211 297w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-10-00-04-am.png?w=594&h=422 594w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-10-00-04-am.png?w=150&h=106 150w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-10-00-04-am.png?w=300&h=213 300w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="297" /></span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 20px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;">Once you are done choosing users to follow, you will get another notification message. This time, it is for your browser (Twitter notifications would pop up when you are using your browser and are online)…</span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 20px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
<img alt="Screen Shot 2017-09-01 at 10.00.22 AM" class="wp-image-2721 aligncenter" data-attachment-id="2721" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="Screen Shot 2017-09-01 at 10.00.22 AM" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-10-00-22-am.png?w=261&h=189?w=700" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-10-00-22-am.png?w=261&h=189?w=300" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-10-00-22-am.png?w=261&h=189" data-orig-size="1246,904" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/09/01/getting-started-with-twitter/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-10-00-22-am/#main" height="189" sizes="(max-width: 261px) 100vw, 261px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-10-00-22-am.png?w=261&h=189" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-10-00-22-am.png?w=261&h=189 261w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-10-00-22-am.png?w=522&h=378 522w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-10-00-22-am.png?w=150&h=109 150w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-10-00-22-am.png?w=300&h=218 300w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="261" /></div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 20px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;">So now, you are technically ready to start tweeting, following, etc. I think this would be a good time to <span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">take a break</span> and explore different areas in the Twitter user interface. Here are some suggestions:</span></div>
<ul style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 40px;">
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;">Check different settings of your account and adjust them to fit your needs and wishes;</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;">look at Twitter’s suggestions on the right and left of the feed area, etc.; and,</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;">personalize the look of your account.</span></li>
</ul>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 20px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;"><img alt="Screen Shot 2017-09-01 at 11.27.08 AM" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-2727" data-attachment-id="2727" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="Screen Shot 2017-09-01 at 11.27.08 AM" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-11-27-08-am.png?w=700?w=700" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-11-27-08-am.png?w=700?w=300" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-11-27-08-am.png?w=700" data-orig-size="2560,1600" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/09/01/getting-started-with-twitter/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-11-27-08-am/#main" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-11-27-08-am.png?w=700" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-11-27-08-am.png?w=700 700w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-11-27-08-am.png?w=1400 1400w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-11-27-08-am.png?w=150 150w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-11-27-08-am.png?w=300 300w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-11-27-08-am.png?w=768 768w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-11-27-08-am.png?w=1024 1024w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" /></span></div>
<h2 style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #283d4b; font-size: 1.17em; margin: 0.83em 0px;">
<span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;">Personalize Your Look</span></span></h2>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 20px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;">The look and feel of your user account can change based on your taste and needs (it is not only for you; it shows on everyone’s Twitter when you tweet, when they look at your profile, etc.). Let’s look at what can be customized:</span></div>
<ol style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 40px;">
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;">Header Photo</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;">Profile Photo</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;">Display Name (your real name, if you'd like)</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;">User Description</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;">Location</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;"> Your Website</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;">Theme Color</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;">Birthday</span></li>
</ol>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 20px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;">To get started, click on “Edit Profile”: <img alt="Screen Shot 2017-09-01 at 11.27.46 AM" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-2743" data-attachment-id="2743" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="Screen Shot 2017-09-01 at 11.27.46 AM" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-11-27-46-am.png?w=700?w=700" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-11-27-46-am.png?w=700?w=300" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-11-27-46-am.png?w=700" data-orig-size="2502,644" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/09/01/getting-started-with-twitter/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-11-27-46-am/#main" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-11-27-46-am.png?w=700" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-11-27-46-am.png?w=700 700w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-11-27-46-am.png?w=1400 1400w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-11-27-46-am.png?w=150 150w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-11-27-46-am.png?w=300 300w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-11-27-46-am.png?w=768 768w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-11-27-46-am.png?w=1024 1024w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" /></span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 20px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;">Then, start tailoring your Twitter look to your liking!</span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 20px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;"><img alt="Screen Shot 2017-09-01 at 12.52.35 PM" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-2744" data-attachment-id="2744" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="Screen Shot 2017-09-01 at 12.52.35 PM" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-12-52-35-pm.png?w=700?w=700" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-12-52-35-pm.png?w=700?w=300" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-12-52-35-pm.png?w=700" data-orig-size="2550,1480" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/09/01/getting-started-with-twitter/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-12-52-35-pm/#main" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-12-52-35-pm.png?w=700" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-12-52-35-pm.png?w=700 700w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-12-52-35-pm.png?w=1400 1400w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-12-52-35-pm.png?w=150 150w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-12-52-35-pm.png?w=300 300w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-12-52-35-pm.png?w=768 768w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-12-52-35-pm.png?w=1024 1024w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" /></span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 20px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;">*** If you are not sure about the user description part (#4), for now you can just write who you are and what you do. As you get more experience using Twitter, you’ll know exactly what to do.</span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 20px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;">Are you ready to connect? To find out? To share? To learn? Here we go…</span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 20px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;"><br /></span></div>
<h2 style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #283d4b; font-size: 1.17em; margin: 0.83em 0px;">
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;">Becoming a Twitter User:</span></h2>
<h3 style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #283d4b; font-size: 1em; margin: 1em 0px;">
</h3>
<h3 style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #283d4b; font-size: 1em; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;">Following users and keywords:</span></h3>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 20px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;">If you chose to look for users via your e-mail or phone contact lists, and selected topics and users of interest, you are already “on Twitter”! Let’s look for some more great users to follow! How do we do that?</span></div>
<ul style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 40px;">
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;">At the right side of your screen, you will also have ideas for users to follow</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;">Are there any colleagues you would like to follow? Do you have a friend who is very active and you know s/he has many Twitter “friends”? Go to their profile and find who they follow or who follows them</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;">you can look for people, topics, and events using the “Search Twitter” box near your profile picture. Feel free to input words using the hashtag (#- for key words), the handle (@- for users), or without using these symbols. Start exploring and find people you find interesting or follow-worthy.</span></li>
</ul>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 20px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;"><img alt="Screen Shot 2017-09-01 at 1.18.23 PM.png" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-2778" data-attachment-id="2778" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="Screen Shot 2017-09-01 at 1.18.23 PM" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-1-18-23-pm.png?w=700?w=700" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-1-18-23-pm.png?w=700?w=300" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-1-18-23-pm.png?w=700" data-orig-size="2448,1288" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/09/01/getting-started-with-twitter/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-1-18-23-pm/#main" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-1-18-23-pm.png?w=700" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-1-18-23-pm.png?w=700 700w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-1-18-23-pm.png?w=1400 1400w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-1-18-23-pm.png?w=150 150w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-1-18-23-pm.png?w=300 300w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-1-18-23-pm.png?w=768 768w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-1-18-23-pm.png?w=1024 1024w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;">Being an “active” Twitter user means you also contribute to the experience, not just follow people and read/view what they have to share. If you would like to get followers, you will need to put yourself out there- “re-tweet” and “like” other users’ tweets, and tweet what you have to tell the world (or your colleagues, strangers, or your friends…).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;">So the million dollar question- How do you get more followers? Well, unless you are a celebrity outside of Twitter, you’re gonna need to work for it. When you start sharing interesting and valuable information, people will start following you- in very much the same way you follow them.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;">So before we get into the HOW of Twitter, let me just tell you that in the exact same way you can follow people, you can also “unfollow” them. All you need to do is to get to their profile (or hover over their name in any post) and click “Unfollow”. It’s that easy- you’ll stop receiving their tweets on your feed. Also, if you would like to block, mute (follow them but not see their posts), or report users, click on the 3 vertical dots (like in the screenshot above), and do it.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;">OK. Our last “beginner” topic is… Posting Tweets!</span></div>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;">Posting Tweets, Re-Tweeting and Liking Tweets</span></span></h2>
<h3 style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #283d4b; font-size: 1em; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;">What is a “”tweet”?</span></span></h3>
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<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;">A tweet is a post. Simply said, it is you expressing yourself in 140 characters or less.</span></div>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;">What’s In a Tweet:</span></span></h3>
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<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;">In your tweet, most users use words to express themselves, but there are other options. In every tweet, you can:</span></div>
<ul style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 40px;">
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;">add images and/or videos (up to 4);</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;">insert a GIF (which is basically a series of images stitched together, on a loop). The GIF option you get when you tweet would allow you to choose from a variety of pre-loaded GIFs;</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;">create a poll (compose a question and add several possible answers for others to share their views);</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;">Share your location;</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;">add emojis (these can save valuable character spaces!);</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;">insert links (those count as a uniformed 23 characters, and provide users a preview to the destination URL)</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;"><img alt="Screen Shot 2017-09-01 at 1.38.05 PM.png" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-2810" data-attachment-id="2810" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="Screen Shot 2017-09-01 at 1.38.05 PM" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-1-38-05-pm.png?w=700?w=700" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-1-38-05-pm.png?w=700?w=300" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-1-38-05-pm.png?w=700" data-orig-size="1242,468" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/09/01/getting-started-with-twitter/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-1-38-05-pm/#main" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-1-38-05-pm.png?w=700" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-1-38-05-pm.png?w=700 700w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-1-38-05-pm.png?w=150 150w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-1-38-05-pm.png?w=300 300w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-1-38-05-pm.png?w=768 768w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-1-38-05-pm.png?w=1024 1024w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-1-38-05-pm.png 1242w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" /></span></div>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;">Tweeting:</span></span></h2>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 20px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;">There are a few different ways to “tweet”- you can compose your own tweet, reply to a tweet, “like” a tweet, and you can “re-tweet it”. When you retweet a tweet, you have the option of simply retweeting it, or to add up to 140 characters as a response (you can always tag other users or keywords).</span></div>
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<img alt="Screen Shot 2017-09-01 at 7.51.40 PM" class="wp-image-2879 aligncenter" data-attachment-id="2879" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="Screen Shot 2017-09-01 at 7.51.40 PM" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-7-51-40-pm.png?w=440&h=312?w=700" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-7-51-40-pm.png?w=440&h=312?w=300" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-7-51-40-pm.png?w=440&h=312" data-orig-size="1180,836" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/09/01/getting-started-with-twitter/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-7-51-40-pm/#main" height="312" sizes="(max-width: 440px) 100vw, 440px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-7-51-40-pm.png?w=440&h=312" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-7-51-40-pm.png?w=440&h=312 440w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-7-51-40-pm.png?w=880&h=624 880w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-7-51-40-pm.png?w=150&h=106 150w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-7-51-40-pm.png?w=300&h=213 300w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-7-51-40-pm.png?w=768&h=544 768w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="440" /></div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 20px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;">Finally, let’s get ready to compose our own tweets. How do we do that exactly?</span></div>
<ul style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 40px;">
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Being Economic:</span> Now that we have 280 characters to express our thoughts, opinions and feelings (increased from 140 characters), you still sometimes need to consider the number of characters you use. The Twitter community has been using different ways to abbreviate or shorten words for that purpose. Consider what these mean: “gr8”, “u”, “2”, “FaTH”, “IMHO”, “WDYMBT” (OK. I had no idea what the last ones meant until I ran into <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/24/dictionary-of-modern-acronyms_n_5614544.html" rel="noopener" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out 0s;" target="_blank">this</a> article…), so in times of need, be creative!</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Tagging Users (@):</span> There will be many occasions when you would like to let people know about a particular tweet you are about to share. For example, you found a great new article about Polar Bears, and would like your colleague Jack to know about it. All you would need to do (aside for knowing his Twitter handle/username) is to add @JackMyColleague (or whatever his real username is) anywhere in your tweet, and he will get notified right away. You could “tag” multiple users, given you still have room in your allotted 140 characters.</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Tagging Keywords (#): </span>There will also be times you would like to tweet about a particular keyword, so when others look for it, they can easily find it. Those keywords don’t belong to anyone, they are just a regular word you (and others) choose to turn into a keyword. For example, if you are tweeting about being extremely exhausted at work on a Friday afternoon, you could add the hashtag “#TGIF” anywhere in your tweet. This way, anyone who looks for posts with “#TGIF”, would find yours as one of them. Popular hashtags vary from place to place and across time, but they will always stay as keywords on Twitter.</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;">This is seriously all you need to know in order to get started on Twitter. Like other areas of life, the more you use it, the more new things you learn!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;">Lastly, if you read this tutorial, and you notice any inaccuracies or anything that is too difficult to understand or missing, please let me know. And… if this post got you started on Twitter, please tag me (@EduRonen) in one of your posts so I can celebrate with you!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;">Enjoy the ride!!!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: inherit;"><img alt="Screen Shot 2017-09-01 at 8.06.13 PM.png" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-2900" data-attachment-id="2900" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="Screen Shot 2017-09-01 at 8.06.13 PM" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-8-06-13-pm.png?w=700?w=700" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-8-06-13-pm.png?w=700?w=300" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-8-06-13-pm.png?w=700" data-orig-size="1026,594" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/09/01/getting-started-with-twitter/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-8-06-13-pm/#main" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-8-06-13-pm.png?w=700" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-8-06-13-pm.png?w=700 700w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-8-06-13-pm.png?w=150 150w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-8-06-13-pm.png?w=300 300w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-8-06-13-pm.png?w=768 768w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-8-06-13-pm.png?w=1024 1024w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/screen-shot-2017-09-01-at-8-06-13-pm.png 1026w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" /></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2111195073898522815.post-83290133718612489162017-08-25T10:59:00.000-07:002017-11-11T11:00:19.644-08:00Positive Feedback and the #PosFeedChallenge<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<blockquote style="background-color: white; border-left: 5px solid rgb(31, 86, 125); box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 30px; padding: 15px 30px;">
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<em style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Dear (Failed) Parent,</span></span></span></em></div>
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<em style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I hope this e-mail finds you well. I am e-mailing you about that monster of a child of yours. I am quite confident to say that she is the worst student I have ever had, and that going to school seems quite a waste of time for her (and everyone else), as nothing will ever become of her. Your daughter’s other teachers and peers all share this sentiment. I encourage you to take more frequent and longer family vacations during the school year, or even better, to take her out of our school.</span></span></span></em></div>
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<em style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Have a wonderful day,</span></span></span></em></div>
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<em style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Your Monster’s Teacher</span></span></span></em></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Even though some of us educators may have, at one point in our careers, had the urge to send the kind of message above to parents (and I hope none of us did…), I am sure the reasons this e-mail is inappropriate are quite obvious- It is disrespectful and reactionary, it is too general and does not provide any <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">specific</em>feedback about the child’s behavior, it does not suggest any prior intervention steps that were taken, and does not offer any realistic and positive suggestions as to how existing issues can be dealt with.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Sharing with parents <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">negative</em> feedback about our students seems to be the more common type of day-to-day communication we have with them. Although the intentions may be positive (such as to inform parents of certain unacceptable behaviors), or we may even be required to send certain e-mails, in order to properly do our job and serve our students in the best possible way we can, we must consider the short- and long-term implications of such communication. Parent e-mails affect:</span></div>
<ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 40px;">
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Our relationships with students and their parents</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The ultimate goals of creating a positive classroom culture and encouraging students to become kind, thoughtful and empathetic students with healthy problem-solving skills.</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">When it comes to sharing <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">positive</em> feedback with parents, it seems that communication is far less frequent. At the end of the last academic year I asked tweeting educators to share information about the frequency and nature of parent feedback they provide about their students. Some important findings were:</span></div>
<ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 40px;">
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Educators believed that sharing <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">positive</em> feedback is more important than sharing <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">negative</em> feedback with parents, and even more than if the nature is <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">informational</em>;</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The most frequent teacher-parent communication topic was <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">informative</em> (neither positive nor negative);</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Negative-natured feedback was more frequent than positive one; and,</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Most educators wished they contacted parents more frequently to share positive feedback (which was the exact opposite with providing negative feedback!)</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The above findings are a bit confusing, as we see an inverse correlation between educators’ beliefs and desires and the actual feedback given- if positive feedback takes the highest precedence, how come it is the least common type of feedback we are providing? And on the same token, if informational feedback takes is the lowest importance, why is it the most frequent one we send home?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In order to match our priorities with our actions, it is important that we acknowledge the importance of positive feedback about our students, and we ensure we take time to celebrate our students’ personalities, abilities, and choices.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This year, I decided to take on the challenge of doing just that- increasing positive feedback to my students’ parents. At the beginning of the year I plan on sending at least one email to parents every day, and after that send a positive e-mail to parents at least once per week.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I would like to ensure that the (positive, negative and informational) feedback I provide with them is useful, and so I will make sure to keep the following points in mind:</span></div>
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<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Timing:</span> My eMails will address behaviors/ events in a timely Manner, preferably before the following day.</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Ownership:</span> I will remind parents that we are all a part of the same team, and the student’s successes (as well as difficulties) are a result of our choices and hard work.</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Specificity:</span> My messages will pinpoint one or two specific behaviors I would like to celebrate (academic performance? Social development?) and will include specific examples.</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Next Steps:</span> I will make sure to look forward and include next steps or possible ideas/ solutions to prevent from (or encourage) the event to occur in the future.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I hope this would make a difference not only at school, but also in students’ homes and in their choices and realities in the future.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt="#PosFeedChallenge" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-2614" data-attachment-id="2614" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="#PosFeedChallenge" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/08/posfeedchallenge.png?w=700?w=700" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/08/posfeedchallenge.png?w=700?w=300" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/08/posfeedchallenge.png?w=700" data-orig-size="1188,964" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/08/25/2607/posfeedchallenge/#main" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/08/posfeedchallenge.png?w=700" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/08/posfeedchallenge.png?w=700 700w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/08/posfeedchallenge.png?w=150 150w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/08/posfeedchallenge.png?w=300 300w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/08/posfeedchallenge.png?w=768 768w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/08/posfeedchallenge.png?w=1024 1024w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/08/posfeedchallenge.png 1188w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I would also like to take this opportunity and encourage you to join this challenge, and provide more positive feedback about your students, colleagues, administrators, and even your friends outside your workplace.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">If you would like to contribute or get ideas for positive feedback, please visit <a href="https://goo.gl/forms/sz93T3ZEmcssRJEQ2" rel="noopener" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;" target="_blank">this</a> Google Form (to share some of your ideas), or go directly to <a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1E_T8vh1u1U1rM9Y5Y-XOlHEZ7tLWf1Qrp9UD0S5KRUs/edit?usp=sharing" rel="noopener" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;" target="_blank">this</a> Google Sheet (to find ideas for positive feedback to others). Finally, please visit #PosFeedChallenge on Twitter and take part in sharing and celebrating a more positive new school year.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Thank you for making a difference.</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2111195073898522815.post-9139018226944319362017-08-06T11:01:00.000-07:002017-11-11T11:01:55.772-08:00Talking Tech: The New 2016 ISTE Standards for Students: Innovative Designer<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<img alt="ISTE Standards- 4-Innovative Designer" class=" wp-image-2579 aligncenter" data-attachment-id="2579" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"1"}" data-image-title="ISTE Standards- 4-Innovative Designer" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/08/iste-standards-4-innovative-designer.jpg?w=517&h=261?w=700" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/08/iste-standards-4-innovative-designer.jpg?w=517&h=261?w=300" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/08/iste-standards-4-innovative-designer.jpg?w=517&h=261" data-orig-size="720,363" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/08/06/talking-tech-the-new-2016-iste-standards-for-students-innovative-designer/iste-standards-4-innovative-designer/#main" height="261" sizes="(max-width: 517px) 100vw, 517px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/08/iste-standards-4-innovative-designer.jpg?w=517&h=261" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/08/iste-standards-4-innovative-designer.jpg?w=517&h=261 517w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/08/iste-standards-4-innovative-designer.jpg?w=150&h=76 150w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/08/iste-standards-4-innovative-designer.jpg?w=300&h=151 300w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/08/iste-standards-4-innovative-designer.jpg 720w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="517" /></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In this blog post, I discuss and provide tools and ideas for classroom implementation of the fourth 2016 ISTE Standard for Students, “Innovative Designer”. If you would like to read the blog posts for the first three standards, you can find them are:</span></div>
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<a href="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/03/06/talking-tech-the-new-2016-iste-standards-for-students-2-of-8/" rel="noopener" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt="ISTE Standards- 1- Empowered Learner" class="wp-image-1862 alignleft" data-attachment-id="1862" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"1"}" data-image-title="ISTE Standards- 1- Empowered Learner" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/iste-standards-1-empowered-learner.jpg?w=188&h=95?w=700" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/iste-standards-1-empowered-learner.jpg?w=188&h=95?w=300" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/iste-standards-1-empowered-learner.jpg?w=188&h=95" data-orig-size="720,363" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/03/18/talking-tech-the-new-2016-iste-standards-for-students-digital-citizen/iste-standards-1-empowered-learner/#main" height="95" sizes="(max-width: 188px) 100vw, 188px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/iste-standards-1-empowered-learner.jpg?w=188&h=95" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/iste-standards-1-empowered-learner.jpg?w=188&h=95 188w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/iste-standards-1-empowered-learner.jpg?w=376&h=190 376w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/iste-standards-1-empowered-learner.jpg?w=150&h=76 150w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/iste-standards-1-empowered-learner.jpg?w=300&h=151 300w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; float: left; height: auto; margin-right: 2em; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="188" /></span></a><img alt="ISTE Standards- 2- Digital Citizen" class="wp-image-1863 alignleft" data-attachment-id="1863" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"1"}" data-image-title="ISTE Standards- 2- Digital Citizen" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/iste-standards-2-digital-citizen.jpg?w=700" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/iste-standards-2-digital-citizen.jpg?w=300" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/iste-standards-2-digital-citizen.jpg" data-orig-size="720,363" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/03/18/talking-tech-the-new-2016-iste-standards-for-students-digital-citizen/iste-standards-2-digital-citizen/#main" height="95" sizes="(max-width: 189px) 100vw, 189px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/iste-standards-2-digital-citizen.jpg?w=476&h=240" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/iste-standards-2-digital-citizen.jpg?w=189&h=95 189w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/iste-standards-2-digital-citizen.jpg?w=378&h=190 378w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/iste-standards-2-digital-citizen.jpg?w=150&h=76 150w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/iste-standards-2-digital-citizen.jpg?w=300&h=151 300w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; float: left; height: auto; margin-right: 2em; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="189" /><a href="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/04/20/talking-tech-the-new-2016-iste-standards-for-students-knowledge-constructor/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt="ISTE Standards- 3-Knowledge Constructor.jpg" class=" wp-image-2228 alignleft" data-attachment-id="2228" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"1"}" data-image-title="ISTE Standards- 3-Knowledge Constructor" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/iste-standards-3-knowledge-constructor.jpg?w=190&h=96?w=700" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/iste-standards-3-knowledge-constructor.jpg?w=190&h=96?w=300" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/iste-standards-3-knowledge-constructor.jpg?w=190&h=96" data-orig-size="720,363" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/04/20/talking-tech-the-new-2016-iste-standards-for-students-knowledge-constructor/iste-standards-3-knowledge-constructor/#main" height="96" sizes="(max-width: 190px) 100vw, 190px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/iste-standards-3-knowledge-constructor.jpg?w=190&h=96" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/iste-standards-3-knowledge-constructor.jpg?w=190&h=96 190w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/iste-standards-3-knowledge-constructor.jpg?w=380&h=192 380w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/iste-standards-3-knowledge-constructor.jpg?w=150&h=76 150w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/iste-standards-3-knowledge-constructor.jpg?w=300&h=151 300w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; float: left; height: auto; margin-right: 2em; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="190" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">For more background information about the new standards, read my blog post “<a href="http://wp.me/p5adgi-ov" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">Talking Tech: The New 2016 ISTE Standards for Students (1 of 8)”</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">ISTE and its contributors have been publishing excellent documents that explain and support educators in the adoption and practice of these standards. Here are a few of them:</span></div>
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<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I recommend following <a href="https://twitter.com/isteconnects" rel="noopener" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;" target="_blank">ISTE</a> on Twitter. By checking their feed you can find lots of great articles about the different standards.</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.iste.org/standards/standards" rel="noopener" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;" target="_blank">ISTE Standards</a>– This is a link to all ISTE Standards (for students, teachers, administrators, coaches, and computer science educators)</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://community.iste.org/communities/community-home?CommunityKey=cab064c9-11bd-4e9f-a89c-1cda5754da9a&_ga=1.9467761.577215738.1449809526" rel="noopener" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;" target="_blank">The ISTE Standards Community</a>– Check out this living and breathing online community for discussions, announcements, community blogs, and much more!</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.iste.org/resources/product?id=3879&childProduct=3848" rel="noopener" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;" target="_blank">ISTE Standards for Students- eBook</a>– ($10)- This eBook contains explanations, examples, suggested skills for implementation in different levels, a comparison to the 2007 Standards, a suggested Scope and Sequence, and more!</span></li>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Standard 4: Innovative Designer</span></span></h1>
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<em style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Students use a variety of technologies within a design process to identify and solve problems by creating new, useful or imaginative solutions.</span></em></h2>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Former US President Barack Obama saw the need to emphasize ingenuity and design in US schools, and in the second term of his presidency he created the first White House Maker Faire (called “<a href="https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/nation-of-makers" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">Nation of Makers</a>”) in order to encourage educators and students to create and innovate. This is exactly what this standard is about, and the key to its successful implementation is the use of a <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">design thinking process</em> as a tool to designing creative solutions to complex existing problems. It is the process through which a problem is identified, an idea (or ideas) for a product/solution is suggested, planned, tested, and revised (again and again) until it becomes viable to be implemented and used.</span></div>
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<a href="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/08/d96c2-1kmlfjgoup0dgpkp7zfo7nq.png" rel="noopener" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img class=" aligncenter" height="237" scale="2" src-orig="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/08/d96c2-1kmlfjgoup0dgpkp7zfo7nq.png?w=700" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/08/d96c2-1kmlfjgoup0dgpkp7zfo7nq.png?w=521" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/08/d96c2-1kmlfjgoup0dgpkp7zfo7nq.png?w=521&zoom=2 2x" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="521" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">(The stereotypical design thinking process includes the above five steps)</span></h6>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Let us examine some of the tools and resources that would allow us to guide our students not only in the process of making and innovating, but in instilling a new <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">mindset</em> and <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">approach</em> to problem solving:</span></div>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">What is Design Thinking?</span></span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">It is important that educators, at any given school, work together to adopt a common process. Although the idea of the design thinking process is relatively consistent across different models, one must remember that it originates from a more professional organizational setting, not from schools. Here are a few resources that would help educators and students to understand what the design thinking process is, and choose a model that best fits their setting:</span></div>
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<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Videos- What is Design Thinking?</span></span><ul style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 40px;">
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In <a href="https://youtu.be/0V5BwTrQOCs" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">this video</a>, Daylight explains what Design Thinking is and how they followed the five steps to successfully get American children to get more exercise.</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">John Spencer and A.J. Juliani designed a student-friendly process called LAUNCH (more information below). <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhQWrHQwYTk" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">This video</a> explains their innovative process and how it works.</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAV08bn5uEo" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">TEDx</a> (13:44 minutes)- Five great rules for teaching Design Thinking that would allow educators to reach all students.</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A great video <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7sEoEvT8l8&list=PL6cG1WctJGLB3Msassl6UPQ4yx_t2GLTG" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">playlist</a> to explain what Design Thinking is and how it is implemented in different schools. (and <a href="https://www.ted.com/search?q=design+thinking" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">here</a> is a TED search for great Design Thinking videos, blog posts, and more)</span></li>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Design Thinking Toolkits and Tools:</span></span></h2>
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<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.ideo.com/eu" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">IDEO</a> and <a href="http://www.riverdale.edu/page.cfm?p=516" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">Riverdale County School</a>’s free <a href="https://designthinkingforeducators.com/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">Design Thinking Toolkit for Educators</a> is an excellent comprehensive guide for using the process in the classroom. Check out the website, get the toolkit, and get to work!</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">LAUNCH- Check out the website for some information about the student-friendly cycle, and find resources on how it is being used in classrooms. You can <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Launch-Design-Thinking-Creativity-Student/dp/0996989544?ie=UTF8&keywords=launch%3A%20using%20design%20thinking&qid=1464342683&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">purchase</a> the LAUNCH book or visit <a href="http://www.spencerauthor.com/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">John Spencer</a>’s or <a href="http://ajjuliani.com/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">J. Juliani</a>’s excellent blogs that focus on Design Thinking and innovation.</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://diytoolkit.org/tools/innovation-flowchart-2/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">Innovation Flowchart</a> (more complex)- The Innovation Flowchart gives a detailed overview of the various stages in an innovation process, listing the activities, requirements and goals of each stage. A very useful planning tool to bring ideas to life.</span></li>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ideas for Design Thinking projects and activities:</span></span></h2>
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<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.cityxproject.com/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">CityXProject</a>– A project that uses 21st century skills, including emotional literacy, empathy, design thinking, creative problem solving, and social literacy using hands-on engagement with 3D printing (optional) and modeling technologies. You can get the <a href="http://www.cityxproject.com/toolkit/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">toolkit</a> to run your own workshop with your students.</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.kidsthinkdesign.org/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">KidsThinkDesign</a>– A collaborative effort of professional designers and creative college students, this great website was designed for students, teachers and parents to learn about professions that deal with design (graphic design, fashion design, architecture, and more), and to practice some of the design thinking skills through a variety of projects, collaboration, meeting professionals, and more.</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Institute of Design at Stanford has a <a href="https://dschool-old.stanford.edu/groups/k12/wiki/956b6/Design_Thinking_Projects_and_Challenges.html" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">K-12 Wiki</a> for design thinking projects and challenges, and has lots of resources to teach and practice design thinking.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The underline message of this standard is that students recognize the <span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">importance</span> of the <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">process</em> of coming up with an idea and repeatedly refining it, until it becomes high quality. Whatever project your students engage in, they must go through the important stages in the design process, so that the product they create is well-thought-through, and is the best version of what they are capable of making.</span></div>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Additional tools and resources for student-makers:</span></span></h3>
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<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.tinkercad.com/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">TinkerCad</a>– A simple browser-based 3D design and modeling tool. Users can come up with any idea and quickly design, print and cut it. There are basic tutorial lessons, and advanced designers can find lessons on how to create artistic objects of increasing complexity by tinkering with existing designs, as well as to work collaboratively to create new designs.</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Create How-To Guides are a great way for students to show their understanding and to ensure they include the correct and chronological steps when designing a product or explaining procedures. <a href="https://snapguide.com/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">SnapGuide</a> and <a href="https://www.instructables.com/about/create.jsp" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">Instructables</a> are two great places for students to learn how to write instructions in an organized and inviting way, and to join large communities of makers and designers.</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.apple.com/ibooks-author/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">iBooks Author</a> (iOS; Free)- This Apple-made authoring program allows users to create beautifully designed interactive books, manuals, etc., and publish them to the Apple iBooks Store (or export as PDF)</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">App Making- Tools for students to test, develop, and publish their own apps:</span><ul style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 40px;">
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://appinventor.mit.edu/explore/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">MIT’s AppInventor</a>– Initially designed to introduce educators and students to coding, this relatively simple (MS and higher?) is a block-based programming for creating apps for Android OS. You build your app on a laptop/desktop (Apple works too), and test it on your Android phone.</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://thunkable.com/#/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">Thunkable</a>– A business idea that rose out of AppInventor, Thunkable uses similar but simpler drag-and-drop functionality. It is extremely simple and intuitive, and does not require any coding skills to create mobile apps.</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.apple.com/swift/playgrounds/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">Swift Playgrounds</a>– This is a simple iPad app which would allow youngsters to learn the skills to create a real iOS app.</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.commonsense.org/education/top-picks/best-apps-and-websites-for-learning-programming-and-coding" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">CommonSense</a> has a good list of resources (with reviews) for different apps and programs to help students code on any platform.</span></li>
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<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Guest Speakers- There are many great professionals you could invite to your classroom to share and discuss how the design thinking process applies to their work- how they came up with ideas, how viable these ideas were, how they changed and morphed into the final product, etc. If you would like to put a touch of tech to your guest speakers, you can always use <a href="https://education.microsoft.com/skype-in-the-classroom/find-guest-speakers" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">Skype in The Classroom</a> to find guest speakers around the world who are willing to share their knowledge and experiences with students.</span></li>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">*** Looking for even more resources?</span></span></h3>
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<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.opencolleges.edu.au/informed/features/45-design-thinking-resources-for-educators/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">Here</a> is InformED’s great list of 45 design thinking resources for educators.</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The online site of the book <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">Invent to Learn: Making, Tinkering and Engineering in the Classroom</em> has some <a href="http://inventtolearn.com/resources/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">great resources</a>– from starting a Maker’s Lab to how to use different materials, related organizations, cool projects and much much more!</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">You can find many great examples for projects and other resources on <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/search/pins/?q=design%20thinking%20projects&rs=typed&term_meta%5B%5D=design%7Ctyped&term_meta%5B%5D=thinking%7Ctyped&term_meta%5B%5D=projects%7Ctyped" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">Pinterest</a>.</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The hard working folks at <a href="https://www.commonsense.org/education/top-picks/design-thinking-tools-for-students" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">CommonSense</a> have come up with a list of design thinking tools- from ideas to projects to apps- they got you covered!</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Students as Innovative Designers. I hope this blog entry provides you with useful resources to use in your classroom or at home. As always, if you have any other ideas for good resources, any corrections for what I wrote, etc. please leave a comment below.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Next one up, ISTE 2016 Standard for Students #5, Computational Thinker!</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2111195073898522815.post-7741971401099945782017-06-06T11:02:00.000-07:002017-11-11T11:03:04.923-08:00Reflections on Ending A School Year and Saying Goodbyes<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">As another school year is coming to an end, it is evident that once again, being an expat and learning/teaching at an international school can be very emotional, no matter how many times we go through the cycle of re-settling in a new country only to leave it a few years later…</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">As we reflect on the time we spent at a place, on our students’ personalities and growth, on the tears shed for seemingly no reason, on our children’s adjustment to the new place and their need to say goodbye, it is important for us adults to remember that we need to be kind.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In most cases, we are the ones making the choice to come to a place, or to leave it. Even as well-traveled and emotionally experienced adults, we still have strong emotions, and we still find ourselves feeling like we have not done enough, seen enough, spent enough time with the incredible friends and family we have made during our short time in this place.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">And then we have our children and our students, who have usually been having little to no say in our decision to come or go- not the “when”, “where”, or “how”. “That’s it kids, it’s time to say goodbye and start this torturous cycle all over again”…</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">At the beginning of every school year I remind my students’ parents that the sad truth is that being a global trotter is not for the faint hearted. In order to continuously do it and survive with minimal damage, one has to learn how to make friends quickly and how to say goodbye and detach quickly.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">So how can we, as educators, support our students and their parents, and our colleagues and friends? How can we ease the transition into a new life and try to make the most out of our or their last few important moments in a place? Here are some thoughts and ideas we could all practice to support each other, and especially the young generation, who is still learning about what it means to make friends, to be a friend, to be “from somewhere”, to leave others behind, and so on.</span></div>
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<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Talk About It-</span> In many cases, children are not sure what they feel, and don’t even know if they have the permission to feel a certain way. Sharing and explaining the situation to the students is very important. Talking about reasons and feelings, validating their feelings and reminding them that there’s nothing wrong with feeling sad or angry, would allow them to feel OK with those feelings, which would hopefully allow for further processing. Sharing our own feelings and thought processes would help students understand these feelings are natural.</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Be Kind-</span> Remember that this is a very emotional and sensitive time for our students and families. Students may react strongly to events, to words, to their thoughts and fears. Some would keep to themselves while others will externalize their feelings and translate them into actions, appropriate or not. Try to be patient and understanding, to not be punitive, and to give students time to digest and share their feelings.</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">About “Anchors”-</span> Changes, changes, changes… Continuously moving countries and cultures, learning new languages and forgetting old ones, losing and creating new friends, not seeing older siblings or grandparents, etc. are all natural side effects of this lifestyle. As a parent of a third culture 10 year old, I do my best to make sure he has people, places and objects in his life that ground him; that are a “constant” in this ever-changing lifestyles. Whether it is a weekly family day, a traditional/religious holiday, a weekly Skype call with family, or even buying an apartment in a country I do not wish to be my home, these things are what my son can fall back on, and he knows that whatever happens, these are his and they are a part of his identity and roots.</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Choice-</span> What would we do without choice? What if we were told we will be leaving everything familiar and move somewhere else for no logical reason? The feeling of a lack of choice is very serious. Without choice we feel helpless; we feel no one cares about what we feel, think or want; we feel we don’t matter. Try to give your students or children some choices- whether it is what to do in the last few days at a place, what to do over the summer break, how to celebrate an end of year party, what to do with free time, etc. Empower them and give them the feeling that they are in control and that they matter.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Sharing and Visualizing-</span> Upon leaving Ghana a few years ago, our school counselor suggested that we sit together as a family, take a large piece of paper, and divide it into 4 squares: At the top, 2 squares reading “I am glad to leave behind” and “Things I will miss about this place” (about the place we are leaving), and at the bottom squares (the place we are going next) are “What I am looking forward to” and “What I am not sure about”. She suggested that we sit as a family, and take turns sharing one thing (yes, adults too!) about a square, and take turns until no one has anything else to contribute. There are no wrong answers and no judgement. This is an exercise in reflection and connection. We tried it back then, and it has become a family ritual whenever we move to a new school/country.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Honoring the people-</span> The clock is ticking and not much is left before it is time for us (or a dear friend) to leave for good. Consider the time you have left and plan it accordingly. Think about the people you (and your children) met and spent time with and the relationships you created with them- friends, colleagues, guards, maids, etc. Try to schedule time for you and/or your children to spend quality time (one on one or a small group is the best) with them to properly say goodbye. Simply avoiding it is probably not going to feel right later on, and is likely to come back and haunt you down the road.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Honoring the place-</span> Although places are not living things, some are more of symbols and they do hold important memories and feelings in our lives. Think of the places you have been to where you live. Were there any places which became important to you and your family? To your children? Make sure you take the kids there one last time- whether alone or as a family. Saying goodbye to a place helps you process that you are leaving.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I hope the above ideas resonate with you. Whatever method you choose to bring the school year or the experience in your country to a close, please make sure you keep the kids’ feelings, thoughts and experiences in mind, and validate them by listening and sharing your own feelings, and you empower them by giving them choice.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Happy end of the 2016-2017 school year!</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2111195073898522815.post-80830770127054472762017-04-20T11:03:00.000-07:002017-11-11T11:04:43.832-08:00Talking Tech: The New 2016 ISTE Standards for Students: Knowledge Constructor<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<img alt="ISTE Standards- 3-Knowledge Constructor.jpg" class=" wp-image-2228 aligncenter" data-attachment-id="2228" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"1"}" data-image-title="ISTE Standards- 3-Knowledge Constructor" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/iste-standards-3-knowledge-constructor.jpg?w=543&h=274?w=700" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/iste-standards-3-knowledge-constructor.jpg?w=543&h=274?w=300" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/iste-standards-3-knowledge-constructor.jpg?w=543&h=274" data-orig-size="720,363" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/04/20/talking-tech-the-new-2016-iste-standards-for-students-knowledge-constructor/iste-standards-3-knowledge-constructor/#main" height="274" sizes="(max-width: 543px) 100vw, 543px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/iste-standards-3-knowledge-constructor.jpg?w=543&h=274" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/iste-standards-3-knowledge-constructor.jpg?w=543&h=274 543w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/iste-standards-3-knowledge-constructor.jpg?w=150&h=76 150w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/iste-standards-3-knowledge-constructor.jpg?w=300&h=151 300w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/iste-standards-3-knowledge-constructor.jpg 720w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="543" /></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In this blog post, I discuss and provide tools and ideas for classroom implementation of the third 2016 ISTE Standard for Students, “Knowledge Constructor”. If you would like to read the blog posts for the first and second standards, here they are:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/03/06/talking-tech-the-new-2016-iste-standards-for-students-2-of-8/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;" target="_blank"><img alt="ISTE Standards- 1- Empowered Learner" class="wp-image-1862" data-attachment-id="1862" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"1"}" data-image-title="ISTE Standards- 1- Empowered Learner" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/iste-standards-1-empowered-learner.jpg?w=303&h=153?w=700" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/iste-standards-1-empowered-learner.jpg?w=303&h=153?w=300" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/iste-standards-1-empowered-learner.jpg?w=303&h=153" data-orig-size="720,363" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/03/18/talking-tech-the-new-2016-iste-standards-for-students-digital-citizen/iste-standards-1-empowered-learner/#main" height="153" sizes="(max-width: 303px) 100vw, 303px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/iste-standards-1-empowered-learner.jpg?w=303&h=153" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/iste-standards-1-empowered-learner.jpg?w=303&h=153 303w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/iste-standards-1-empowered-learner.jpg?w=606&h=306 606w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/iste-standards-1-empowered-learner.jpg?w=150&h=76 150w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/iste-standards-1-empowered-learner.jpg?w=300&h=151 300w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="303" /></a> <a href="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/03/18/talking-tech-the-new-2016-iste-standards-for-students-digital-citizen/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;" target="_blank"><img alt="ISTE Standards- 2- Digital Citizen" class="wp-image-1863" data-attachment-id="1863" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"1"}" data-image-title="ISTE Standards- 2- Digital Citizen" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/iste-standards-2-digital-citizen.jpg?w=700" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/iste-standards-2-digital-citizen.jpg?w=300" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/iste-standards-2-digital-citizen.jpg" data-orig-size="720,363" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/03/18/talking-tech-the-new-2016-iste-standards-for-students-digital-citizen/iste-standards-2-digital-citizen/#main" height="157" sizes="(max-width: 312px) 100vw, 312px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/iste-standards-2-digital-citizen.jpg?w=476&h=240" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/iste-standards-2-digital-citizen.jpg?w=312&h=157 312w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/iste-standards-2-digital-citizen.jpg?w=624&h=314 624w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/iste-standards-2-digital-citizen.jpg?w=150&h=76 150w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/iste-standards-2-digital-citizen.jpg?w=300&h=151 300w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="312" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">For more background information about the new standards, read my blog post “<a href="http://wp.me/p5adgi-ov" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">Talking Tech: The New 2016 ISTE Standards for Students (1 of 8)”</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">***Please be aware that I do not pretend to be an expert on the new ISTE Standards. This blog post series was initiated as a “project” for me to learn and understand these standards, so that I can provide better instruction to my students. If you have any comments, questions, corrections or suggestions, please do not hesitate to share them in the comment section.</span></h5>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">ISTE and its contributors have been publishing excellent documents that explain and support educators in the adoption and practice of these standards. Here are a few of them:</span></div>
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<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I recommend following <a href="https://twitter.com/isteconnects" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;" target="_blank">ISTE</a> on Twitter. By checking their feed you can find lots of articles about the different standards.</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.iste.org/standards/standards" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;" target="_blank">ISTE Standards</a>– This is a link to all ISTE Standards (for students, teachers, administrators, coaches, and computer science educators)</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://community.iste.org/communities/community-home?CommunityKey=cab064c9-11bd-4e9f-a89c-1cda5754da9a&_ga=1.9467761.577215738.1449809526" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;" target="_blank">The ISTE Standards Community</a>– Check out this living and breathing online community for discussions, announcements, community blogs, and much more!</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.iste.org/resources/product?id=3879&childProduct=3848" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;" target="_blank">ISTE Standards for Students- eBook</a>– ($10)- This eBook contains explanations, examples, suggested skills for implementation in different levels, a comparison to the 2007 Standards, a suggested Scope and Sequence, and more!</span></li>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Standard 3: Knowledge Constructor</span></span></h1>
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<em style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Students critically curate a variety of resources using digital tools to construct knowledge, produce creative artifacts and make meaningful learning experiences for themselves and others.</span></em></h2>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This standard focuses on students’ ability to locate and use digital tools skillfully and critically in order to create artifacts that showcase their understanding and learning journey. The sub-standards focus on research and evaluation skills, the use of collection and curation tools, and exploration of authentic issues.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Now let’s dive into the standard and explore some tools and ideas teachers could use in their classrooms:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> Standard 3a.</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Students plan and employ effective research strategies to locate information and other resources for their intellectual or creative pursuits.</span></div>
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box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="95" /><img alt="CommonSense" class="alignnone wp-image-1752" height="34" sizes="(max-width: 116px) 100vw, 116px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/commonsense.png?w=92&h=27" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/commonsense.png?w=116&h=34 116w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/commonsense.png?w=232&h=68 232w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/commonsense.png?w=150&h=44 150w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="116" /> <img alt="mindshift" class="alignnone wp-image-2294" data-attachment-id="2294" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="mindshift" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/mindshift.jpeg?w=46&h=46?w=225" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/mindshift.jpeg?w=46&h=46?w=225" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/mindshift.jpeg?w=46&h=46" data-orig-size="225,225" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/04/20/talking-tech-the-new-2016-iste-standards-for-students-knowledge-constructor/mindshift/#main" height="46" sizes="(max-width: 46px) 100vw, 46px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/mindshift.jpeg?w=46&h=46" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/mindshift.jpeg?w=46&h=46 46w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/mindshift.jpeg?w=92&h=92 92w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="46" /> <img alt="google-search" class="alignnone wp-image-1575" height="38" sizes="(max-width: 64px) 100vw, 64px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/google-search.png?w=64&h=38" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/google-search.png?w=64&h=38 64w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/google-search.png?w=128&h=76 128w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="64" /> <img alt="lifehacker" class="alignnone wp-image-1836" data-attachment-id="1836" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="lifehacker" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/lifehacker.jpeg?w=400" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/lifehacker.jpeg?w=300" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/lifehacker.jpeg" data-orig-size="400,112" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/03/18/talking-tech-the-new-2016-iste-standards-for-students-digital-citizen/lifehacker/#main" height="29" sizes="(max-width: 103px) 100vw, 103px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/lifehacker.jpeg?w=103&h=29" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/lifehacker.jpeg?w=103&h=29 103w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/lifehacker.jpeg?w=206&h=58 206w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/lifehacker.jpeg?w=150&h=42 150w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="103" /> <img alt="SweetSearch" class="alignnone wp-image-2280" data-attachment-id="2280" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="SweetSearch" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/sweetsearch.jpg?w=63&h=63?w=140" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/sweetsearch.jpg?w=63&h=63?w=140" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/sweetsearch.jpg?w=63&h=63" data-orig-size="140,140" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/04/20/talking-tech-the-new-2016-iste-standards-for-students-knowledge-constructor/sweetsearch/#main" height="63" sizes="(max-width: 63px) 100vw, 63px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/sweetsearch.jpg?w=63&h=63" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/sweetsearch.jpg?w=63&h=63 63w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/sweetsearch.jpg?w=126&h=126 126w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="63" /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 20px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; text-align: justify;">
<span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">According to Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, “<a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/research?utm_campaign=sd&utm_medium=serp&utm_source=jsonld" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">research</a>” is defined as:</span></span></div>
<ol style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 40px;">
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><em style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">careful or diligent search;</span></em></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><em style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">studious inquiry or examination; especially: investigation or experimentation aimed at the discovery and interpretation of facts, revision of accepted theories or laws in the light of new facts, or practical application of such new or revised theories or laws; and,</span></em></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><em style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">the collecting of information about a particular subject.</span></em></li>
</ol>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 20px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The reason I began with the definition is because in many instances students have a wrong idea of what research is. Sometimes they think that merely “looking for information” would satisfy the requirements, when in reality, research is much more than that. In order to look for information one has to open a book or find a website (no matter how mediocre) and read. “To research” means that we embark on a journey of inquiry; we investigate; we interpret facts and theories; we confirm and refute theories; and eventually we construct our truth. This ISTE Sub-Standard focuses on students’ ability to understand how to research effectively and efficiently, and use these skills both in their personal and school lives.</span></div>
<h3 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #283d4b; font-size: 1em; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><u style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Asking Questions</span></u></span></h3>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 20px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">In order to become a good researcher, one has to know which questions to ask. Here are some resources that would support students as they learn what questions to ask and how to frame them:</span></div>
<ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 40px;">
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.skillsyouneed.com/ips/question-types.html" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">SkillsYouNeed</a>– An overview of different types of questions and responses.</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">TeachThought- Two excellent articles about questioning. The first, <em style="box-sizing: border-box;"><a href="http://www.teachthought.com/critical-thinking/quick-guide-questioning-classroom/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">A Guide to Questioning in the Classroom</a></em>, offers information and strategies about the importance and purpose of questioning, and essential questions. The second article, <em style="box-sizing: border-box;"><a href="http://www.teachthought.com/critical-thinking/inquiry/8-strategies-to-help-students-ask-great-questions/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">Seven Strategies to Help Students Ask Great Questions</a></em>, is an in-depth examination of tested tools and strategies: Socratic Discussions, Paideia Seminar, Question Game, Bloom’s Taxonomy, Question Formulation Technique, and Universal Question Stems.</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.readwritethink.org/professional-development/strategy-guides/socratic-seminars-30600.html" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">ReadWriteThink</a>: A strategy guide on Socratic seminars. Check out the lesson plans and the Professional Library for additional resources.</span></li>
</ul>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 20px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
<span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;"><u style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Searching</span></u></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 20px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Once students know how to ask questions that would elicit the kind of response they planned to have, they should be ready to understand how to utilize their knowledge online. Here are some resources to help students understand how search engines work, learn how to filter results, and how to choose a search engine for their needs.</span></div>
<ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 40px;">
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Learning how to Search:</span></span><ul style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 40px;">
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Bing’s videos about basic terms and functionalities:</span><ul style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 40px;">
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ct3xFGHRmA" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">How search engines work</span></a></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKPG_JpsTiE" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Choose the right key term</span></a></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkqAKmgLH0A" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">evaluate search results</span></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.commonsensemedia.org/educators/lesson/the-key-to-keywords-3-5" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">The Key to Keywords</a> (a lesson from CommonSense)</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2012/03/20/building-good-search-skills-what-students-need-to-know/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">MindShift</a>– An article about building good search skills and the hallmarks of a good online search education</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://sites.google.com/site/gwebsearcheducation/lessonplans" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">Google</a> – Teach your students how to search better using Google-made lesson plans- from beginner to advanced. Make sure to check out the webinar archives for more content.</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.google.com/intl/gl/insidesearch/searcheducation/index.html" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">Google Search Education</a>– Google-Made lesson plans on a variety of topics: Picking the right search terms, Understanding search results, Narrowing a search to get the best results, Searching for evidence for research tasks, and Evaluating credibility of sources. Check out the Live Trainings as well!</span></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 40px;">
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Choosing an appropriate search engine:</span></span><ul style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 40px;">
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://lifehacker.com/5714481/top-10-ways-to-find-better-answers-online-that-arent-google" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">LifeHacker</a>– Knowing who to ask and when… 10 different search engines that give 10 different types of results</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">FindingDulcinea: Search engine with tested results (and <a href="http://blog.findingdulcinea.com/2010/02/why-sweetsearch-is-the-best-search-engine-for-students.html" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">why</a> it’s better):</span><ul style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 40px;">
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><a href="http://www.sweetsearch.com/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">SweetSearch</span></a></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://4me.sweetsearch.com/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">SweetSearch4Me</a>(for younger learners; in beta at the moment)</span></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Don’t forget to ask your school librarians about your school’s subscriptions to databases (WebPath, EbscoHost, etc.) for tested and age-appropriate materials.</span></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #283d4b; font-size: 1em; margin: 1em 0px;">
</h3>
<h3 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #283d4b; font-size: 1em; margin: 1em 0px;">
<em style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Standard 3b.</span></em></h3>
<blockquote style="background-color: white; border-left: 5px solid rgb(31, 86, 125); box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 30px; padding: 15px 30px;">
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><em style="box-sizing: border-box;">Students </em><em style="box-sizing: border-box;">evaluate the accuracy, perspective, credibility and relevance of information, media, data or other resources. </em></span></div>
</blockquote>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 20px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt="facebook" class="alignnone wp-image-1588" data-attachment-id="1588" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="facebook" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/facebook.jpg?w=86&h=40?w=430" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/facebook.jpg?w=86&h=40?w=300" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/facebook.jpg?w=86&h=40" data-orig-size="430,200" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/03/06/talking-tech-the-new-2016-iste-standards-for-students-2-of-8/facebook/#main" height="40" sizes="(max-width: 86px) 100vw, 86px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/facebook.jpg?w=86&h=40" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/facebook.jpg?w=86&h=40 86w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/facebook.jpg?w=172&h=80 172w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/facebook.jpg?w=150&h=70 150w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="86" /><img alt="google-search" class="alignnone wp-image-1575" data-attachment-id="1575" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="google-search" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/google-search.png?w=59&h=35?w=700" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/google-search.png?w=59&h=35?w=300" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/google-search.png?w=59&h=35" data-orig-size="960,569" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/03/06/talking-tech-the-new-2016-iste-standards-for-students-2-of-8/google-search/#main" height="35" sizes="(max-width: 59px) 100vw, 59px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/google-search.png?w=59&h=35" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/google-search.png?w=59&h=35 59w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/google-search.png?w=118&h=70 118w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="59" /><img alt="slate" class="alignnone wp-image-2307" data-attachment-id="2307" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="slate" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/slate.jpeg?w=109&h=61?w=299" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/slate.jpeg?w=109&h=61?w=299" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/slate.jpeg?w=109&h=61" data-orig-size="299,168" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/04/20/talking-tech-the-new-2016-iste-standards-for-students-knowledge-constructor/slate/#main" height="61" sizes="(max-width: 109px) 100vw, 109px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/slate.jpeg?w=109&h=61" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/slate.jpeg?w=109&h=61 109w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/slate.jpeg?w=218&h=122 218w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/slate.jpeg?w=150&h=84 150w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="109" /><img alt="Snopes" class="alignnone wp-image-2306" data-attachment-id="2306" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="Snopes" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/snopes.png?w=91&h=38?w=301" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/snopes.png?w=91&h=38?w=300" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/snopes.png?w=91&h=38" data-orig-size="301,126" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/04/20/talking-tech-the-new-2016-iste-standards-for-students-knowledge-constructor/snopes/#main" height="38" sizes="(max-width: 91px) 100vw, 91px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/snopes.png?w=91&h=38" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/snopes.png?w=91&h=38 91w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/snopes.png?w=182&h=76 182w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/snopes.png?w=150&h=63 150w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="91" /> <img alt="CommonSense" class="alignnone wp-image-1752" data-attachment-id="1752" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="CommonSense" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/commonsense.png?w=416" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/commonsense.png?w=300" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/commonsense.png" data-orig-size="416,121" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/03/18/talking-tech-the-new-2016-iste-standards-for-students-digital-citizen/commonsense/#main" height="31" sizes="(max-width: 106px) 100vw, 106px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/commonsense.png?w=92&h=27" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/commonsense.png?w=106&h=31 106w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/commonsense.png?w=212&h=62 212w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/commonsense.png?w=150&h=44 150w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="106" /> <img alt="Harvard Library" class="alignnone wp-image-2283" data-attachment-id="2283" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="Harvard Library" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/harvard-library.png?w=118&h=29?w=151" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/harvard-library.png?w=118&h=29?w=151" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/harvard-library.png?w=118&h=29" data-orig-size="151,37" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/04/20/talking-tech-the-new-2016-iste-standards-for-students-knowledge-constructor/harvard-library/#main" height="29" sizes="(max-width: 118px) 100vw, 118px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/harvard-library.png?w=118&h=29" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/harvard-library.png?w=118&h=29 118w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/harvard-library.png?w=150&h=37 150w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/harvard-library.png 151w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="118" /> <img alt="UWisconsin" class="alignnone wp-image-2323" data-attachment-id="2323" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="UWisconsin" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/uwisconsin.png?w=133&h=28?w=213" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/uwisconsin.png?w=133&h=28?w=213" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/uwisconsin.png?w=133&h=28" data-orig-size="213,45" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/04/20/talking-tech-the-new-2016-iste-standards-for-students-knowledge-constructor/uwisconsin/#main" height="28" sizes="(max-width: 133px) 100vw, 133px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/uwisconsin.png?w=133&h=28" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/uwisconsin.png?w=133&h=28 133w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/uwisconsin.png?w=150&h=32 150w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/uwisconsin.png 213w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="133" /> <img alt="Schrock" class="alignnone wp-image-2322" data-attachment-id="2322" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="Schrock" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/schrock.png?w=146&h=32?w=574" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/schrock.png?w=146&h=32?w=300" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/schrock.png?w=146&h=32" data-orig-size="574,126" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/04/20/talking-tech-the-new-2016-iste-standards-for-students-knowledge-constructor/schrock/#main" height="32" sizes="(max-width: 146px) 100vw, 146px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/schrock.png?w=146&h=32" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/schrock.png?w=146&h=32 146w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/schrock.png?w=292&h=64 292w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/schrock.png?w=150&h=33 150w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="146" /> <img alt="Juniata" class="alignnone wp-image-2321" data-attachment-id="2321" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="Juniata" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/juniata.jpeg?w=40&h=40?w=225" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/juniata.jpeg?w=40&h=40?w=225" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/juniata.jpeg?w=40&h=40" data-orig-size="225,225" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/04/20/talking-tech-the-new-2016-iste-standards-for-students-knowledge-constructor/juniata/#main" height="40" sizes="(max-width: 40px) 100vw, 40px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/juniata.jpeg?w=40&h=40" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/juniata.jpeg?w=40&h=40 40w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/juniata.jpeg?w=80&h=80 80w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="40" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Research does not end with locating information. It is important for students to be able to predict which source would provide them with more reliable information, why different websites hold certain perspectives, what information makes sense, and how to make sure the information they receive is accurate. In short, students need to learn how to properly evaluate their sources.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Evaluating information sources is becoming more difficult, with <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fake_news" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">Fake News</a> becoming a hot topic recently. These made-up stories created to mislead readers in issues relating to many important topics, brought Facebook to <a href="http://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/facebook-shuts-down-30-000-fake-accounts-france-ahead-presidential-n746821" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">shutting down 30,000 fake news websites</a> in France ahead of the presidential elections. Many websites, like <a href="https://blog.google/topics/journalism-news/labeling-fact-check-articles-google-news/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">Google</a> or <a href="http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/technology/2016/12/introducing_this_is_fake_slate_s_tool_for_stopping_fake_news_on_facebook.html" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">Slate</a> are now offering their version of fact-checking services. <a href="http://www.snopes.com/category/facts/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">Snopes</a> is another site dedicated to exposing urban myths and legends.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Here are some resources for teachers to use with their students in order to improve their ability to evaluate sources:</span></div>
<ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 40px;">
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">CommonSense’s <a href="https://www.commonsense.org/education/toolkit/news-and-media-literacy" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">News and Media Literacy toolkit</a> is a great teacher resource. Divided into 4 different grade levels (K-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12), these toolkits has lesson plans, interactive videos, student take-home activities, parent involvement materials, and more.</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://guides.library.harvard.edu/fake?utm_content=buffer9d1ca&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;" target="_blank">Harvard</a>– An excellent resource for background information, links, and tools. There’s a great infographic you could use as well.</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://uknowit.uwgb.edu/page.php?id=30276" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">University of Wisconsin</a>– 6 simple ways to tell if a website if credible</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.schrockguide.net/critical-evaluation.html" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">Kathy Schrock</a>’s website has plenty of resources for critical evaluation skills- for different aged students to evaluating iPad apps, field trips, digital stories, online videos, and more!</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://legacy.juniata.edu/services/library/instruction/handouts/craap_worksheet.pdf?utm_source=MDRWAT&utm_medium=Blog&utm_campaign=BingBlogSeries" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">Juniata.edu</a>– you can use the CRAAP tool to evaluate sources</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Real or not? Use TeachByte’s <a href="https://teachbytes.com/2012/11/01/test-website-evaluation-with-10-hilarious-hoax-sites/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">10 hoax websites</a> to teach students how to evaluate resources. This is a great tool you can use with your students to better evaluate websites. Have them research the incredible <a href="http://www.thedogisland.com/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">Dog Island</a>, decide if they should visit <a href="http://www.molossia.org/countryeng.html" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">The Republic of Molossia</a>, or help save the <a href="http://zapatopi.net/treeoctopus/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus</a>. If nothing else, your students will feel pretty silly for believing what they read…</span></li>
</ul>
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<h3 style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #283d4b; font-size: 1em; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Standard 3c.</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><em style="box-sizing: border-box;">Students </em><em style="box-sizing: border-box;">curate information from digital resources using a variety of tools and methods to create collections of artifacts that demonstrate meaningful connections or conclusions. </em></span></div>
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box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="43" /> <img alt="goodreads" class="alignnone wp-image-1579" data-attachment-id="1579" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="goodreads" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/goodreads.png?w=78&h=34?w=620" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/goodreads.png?w=78&h=34?w=300" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/goodreads.png?w=78&h=34" data-orig-size="620,270" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/03/06/talking-tech-the-new-2016-iste-standards-for-students-2-of-8/goodreads/#main" height="34" sizes="(max-width: 78px) 100vw, 78px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/goodreads.png?w=78&h=34" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/goodreads.png?w=78&h=34 78w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/goodreads.png?w=156&h=68 156w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/goodreads.png?w=150&h=65 150w" style="border: 0px; 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box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="34" /> <img alt="twitter" class="alignnone wp-image-1590" data-attachment-id="1590" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="twitter" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/twitter.png?w=225" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/twitter.png?w=225" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/twitter.png" data-orig-size="225,225" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/03/06/talking-tech-the-new-2016-iste-standards-for-students-2-of-8/twitter/#main" height="36" sizes="(max-width: 36px) 100vw, 36px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/twitter.png?w=36&h=36" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/twitter.png?w=36&h=36 36w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/twitter.png?w=72&h=72 72w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="36" /> <img alt="BagTheWeb" class="alignnone wp-image-2345" data-attachment-id="2345" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="BagTheWeb" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/bagtheweb.jpeg?w=90&h=27?w=345" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/bagtheweb.jpeg?w=90&h=27?w=300" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/bagtheweb.jpeg?w=90&h=27" data-orig-size="345,104" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/04/20/talking-tech-the-new-2016-iste-standards-for-students-knowledge-constructor/bagtheweb/#main" height="27" sizes="(max-width: 90px) 100vw, 90px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/bagtheweb.jpeg?w=90&h=27" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/bagtheweb.jpeg?w=90&h=27 90w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/bagtheweb.jpeg?w=180&h=54 180w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/bagtheweb.jpeg?w=150&h=45 150w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="90" /> <img alt="seesaw" class="alignnone wp-image-1596" data-attachment-id="1596" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="seesaw" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/seesaw.png?w=90&h=39?w=315" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/seesaw.png?w=90&h=39?w=300" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/seesaw.png?w=90&h=39" data-orig-size="315,136" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/03/06/talking-tech-the-new-2016-iste-standards-for-students-2-of-8/seesaw/#main" height="39" sizes="(max-width: 90px) 100vw, 90px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/seesaw.png?w=90&h=39" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/seesaw.png?w=90&h=39 90w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/seesaw.png?w=180&h=78 180w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/seesaw.png?w=150&h=65 150w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="90" /><img alt="mahara" class="alignnone wp-image-1593" data-attachment-id="1593" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="mahara" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/mahara.jpeg?w=70&h=37?w=244" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/mahara.jpeg?w=70&h=37?w=244" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/mahara.jpeg?w=70&h=37" data-orig-size="244,129" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/03/06/talking-tech-the-new-2016-iste-standards-for-students-2-of-8/mahara/#main" height="37" sizes="(max-width: 70px) 100vw, 70px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/mahara.jpeg?w=70&h=37" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/mahara.jpeg?w=70&h=37 70w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/mahara.jpeg?w=140&h=74 140w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="70" /></span><img alt="wikispaces" class="alignnone wp-image-1749 alignleft" data-attachment-id="1749" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="wikispaces" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/wikispaces.png?w=579" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/wikispaces.png?w=300" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/wikispaces.png" data-orig-size="579,100" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/03/18/talking-tech-the-new-2016-iste-standards-for-students-digital-citizen/wikispaces/#main" height="29" sizes="(max-width: 168px) 100vw, 168px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/wikispaces.png?w=168&h=29" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/wikispaces.png?w=168&h=29 168w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/wikispaces.png?w=336&h=58 336w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/wikispaces.png?w=150&h=26 150w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/wikispaces.png?w=300&h=52 300w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; float: left; height: auto; margin-right: 2em; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="168" /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><img alt="PBWiki" class="alignnone wp-image-2344 alignleft" data-attachment-id="2344" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="PBWiki" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/pbwiki.jpeg?w=63&h=38?w=180" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/pbwiki.jpeg?w=63&h=38?w=180" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/pbwiki.jpeg?w=63&h=38" data-orig-size="180,109" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/04/20/talking-tech-the-new-2016-iste-standards-for-students-knowledge-constructor/pbwiki/#main" height="38" sizes="(max-width: 63px) 100vw, 63px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/pbwiki.jpeg?w=63&h=38" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/pbwiki.jpeg?w=63&h=38 63w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/pbwiki.jpeg?w=126&h=76 126w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; float: left; height: auto; margin-right: 2em; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="63" /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><img alt="PaperLi" class="alignnone wp-image-2343 alignleft" data-attachment-id="2343" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="PaperLi" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/paperli.png?w=77&h=30?w=360" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/paperli.png?w=77&h=30?w=300" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/paperli.png?w=77&h=30" data-orig-size="360,140" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/04/20/talking-tech-the-new-2016-iste-standards-for-students-knowledge-constructor/paperli/#main" height="30" sizes="(max-width: 77px) 100vw, 77px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/paperli.png?w=77&h=30" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/paperli.png?w=77&h=30 77w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/paperli.png?w=154&h=60 154w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/paperli.png?w=150&h=58 150w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; float: left; height: auto; margin-right: 2em; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="77" /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt="google-sites" class="alignnone wp-image-1594" data-attachment-id="1594" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="google-sites" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/google-sites.jpg?w=66&h=37?w=700" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/google-sites.jpg?w=66&h=37?w=300" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/google-sites.jpg?w=66&h=37" data-orig-size="845,477" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/03/06/talking-tech-the-new-2016-iste-standards-for-students-2-of-8/google-sites/#main" height="37" sizes="(max-width: 66px) 100vw, 66px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/google-sites.jpg?w=66&h=37" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/google-sites.jpg?w=66&h=37 66w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/google-sites.jpg?w=132&h=74 132w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="66" /></span><img alt="SoundTrap" class="alignnone wp-image-2342 alignleft" data-attachment-id="2342" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="SoundTrap" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/soundtrap.jpeg?w=72&h=41?w=299" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/soundtrap.jpeg?w=72&h=41?w=299" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/soundtrap.jpeg?w=72&h=41" data-orig-size="299,169" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/04/20/talking-tech-the-new-2016-iste-standards-for-students-knowledge-constructor/soundtrap/#main" height="41" sizes="(max-width: 72px) 100vw, 72px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/soundtrap.jpeg?w=72&h=41" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/soundtrap.jpeg?w=72&h=41 72w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/soundtrap.jpeg?w=144&h=82 144w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; float: left; height: auto; margin-right: 2em; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="72" /><img alt="iTunesU" class="alignnone wp-image-2341 alignleft" data-attachment-id="2341" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="iTunesU" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/itunesu.jpeg?w=65&h=33?w=314" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/itunesu.jpeg?w=65&h=33?w=300" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/itunesu.jpeg?w=65&h=33" data-orig-size="314,160" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/04/20/talking-tech-the-new-2016-iste-standards-for-students-knowledge-constructor/itunesu/#main" height="33" sizes="(max-width: 65px) 100vw, 65px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/itunesu.jpeg?w=65&h=33" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/itunesu.jpeg?w=65&h=33 65w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/itunesu.jpeg?w=130&h=66 130w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; float: left; height: auto; margin-right: 2em; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="65" /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 20px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">This sub-standard focuses on students’ resourcefulness and creativity. Students choose digital tools to display a collection of works, or that would make it easier for them to access information. Either way, these collections are supposed to be means to an end, because the purpose of this curation is to show the connections they made and the understanding they arrived at.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 20px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">It is important to note the difference between curation and collections. Collections are a group of things that may or may not share something in common. Curation is more than that- it requires conscious thought and effort because curated artifacts are collected, and organized to <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">tell a story</em> or <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">highlight something</em>. So let’s look at tools that support students in the collection of artifacts to display (as a resource), and tools that allow students to dig deeper and tell a story:</span></div>
<h3 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #283d4b; font-size: 1em; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration-line: underline;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Collection Tools:</span></span></span></h3>
<ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 40px;">
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Resource:</span> <a href="https://contentcuration.zeef.com/robin.good" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">Zeef</a>– Robin Good’s collection of lists of absolutely everything you can think of- from marketing to newsletters to fashion to recommended curators around the web!</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.only2clicks.com/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">Only2Clicks</a> and <a href="http://www.symbaloo.com/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">Symbaloo</a>– Two of my favorite teacher tools I have been using to curate resources for my students (and colleagues). Only2Clicks allows users to create tabs with different resources in each. There is a preview window, title and it is possible to add notes to describe each resource. Symbaloo works in similar way, but all resources are organized on one page, and you can customize the icons and “brick” colors to differentiate topics and themes.</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.diigo.com/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">Diigo</a>– Diigo is a great website for students to collect resources, annotate them, organize and share them with others. They can bookmark sites, organize them according to tags, and build a personal library. There are convenient tools to quickly add resources onto the library (such as Chrome extensions)</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">GoodReads</a>– Like other book curation sites (such as <a href="https://booknshelf.com/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">BooknShelf</a>), GoodReads allows users to create an account and build a bookshelf. They can then share their books and browse other users’ bookshelves. I chose to to feature this one because of its immense collection of books (it recently bought Shelfari and is owned by Amazon.com…)</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.libib.com/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">Libib</a>– (free with a paid option) This site (and app!) allows users to create and share multiple collections of books, movies, and video games, and lets you annotate/tag</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://support.twitter.com/articles/76460" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">Twitter Lists</a>: Students can create their own lists of Twitter chat accounts. This is a way to group and filter results for easier browsing.</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://tweetdeck.twitter.com/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">Tweetdeck</a>: Another Twitter tool, this is a dashboard of sorts- Students can build and organize collections, keep track of users, lists, and activities, create custom searches, and even manage multiple accounts.</span></li>
</ul>
<h3 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #283d4b; font-size: 1em; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration-line: underline;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Curation Tools:</span></span></span></h3>
<ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 40px;">
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Resource:</span> <a href="https://cooltoolsforschool.wordpress.com/curation-tools/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">CoolToolsForSchool</a> blog has a fantastic entry on curation- what it is, what it looks like, what tools are available, and much much more!</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.bagtheweb.com/b/jB6RkQ" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">BagTheWeb</a>– A healthy list of curation tools and an overview into what each is and what you could do with it.</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.cte.cornell.edu/teaching-ideas/teaching-with-technology/eportfolios.html" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">ePortfolios</a>: ePortfolios tell (or should…) our story in a digital form. We share important artifacts that can be seen as milestones in our journey, and reflect on their importance. The following are four different ePortfolio options I shared in a previous blog entry about ISTE Standard 1: Empowered Learner):</span><ul style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 40px;">
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/04/20/talking-tech-the-new-2016-iste-standards-for-students-knowledge-constructor/web.seesaw.me" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">Seesaw</a>– This is a simple ePortfolio option for young learners. It allows students to easily show their work using photos, videos, drawings, text, PDFs, and links. They can then reflect on their work using text, audio or drawing. The teacher interface allows teachers (and parents) to access and monitor student work.</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.google.com/slides/about/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">Google Slides</a>– This is another child-friendly ePortfolio option. Google Slides allows your students to embed a variety of file formats from their Drive folder- documents, images, drawings, animations and videos, and add text to them to show their learning. In my classroom, I make sure students create a Table of Contents slide whenever they use Google Slides and hyperlink the text or images to other slides in the presentation.</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://sites.google.com/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">Google Sites</a>– I have been using the old Google Sites as my own website and ePortfolio for several years now. Although it was not the most intuitive tool, it did provide great options and I was able to embed documents, images, presentations, etc. from my Drive. However, soon, the old version will become obsolete, and the new Google Sites will be the only option. Albeit simpler interface, it does little of what that old Sites can do. This being said, integration with Drive is fantastic, and it is really easy to embed student work and insert text to explain it. Two problems with it though- you cannot (yet?!) create templates for students to use, and images randomly turn sideways… (to get around it we paste them on a Google Doc or Slide and embed it on the portfolio page).</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://mahara.org/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">Mahara</a>– Mahara is an open source software used by many secondary schools and universities around the world to document and store student work. Although by no means simple to navigate through, it does offer many higher-level options for users, since it is not “just” an ePortfolio platform. You can create network of friends, use open-source coding, and more. It is also highly customizable at the institution level, so it can do pretty much anything you’d like. Lastly, it has excellent integration with Moodle, and many plugins continue to be developed to make it even simpler to use together.</span></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.techforteachers.net/wikis-in-the-classroom.html" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">Wikis</a>– What if all students in our schools participated in the creation of a school website that has information about anything related to the school (potential for a countless number of topics, I know…)? <a href="http://www.wikispaces.com/content/classroom" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">WikiSpaces</a> and <a href="http://www.pbworks.com/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">PBWiki</a> are two websites that allow you to do just that, and more…</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://paper.li/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">Paper.li</a>– Curating links from articles, Twitter, Facebook, and other social media platforms into an easy to read newspaper-style format. Students can use this free service to collect information about a research topic, or to display their work in an interesting style.</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.soundtrap.com/edu/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">Soundtrap</a>: <a href="https://www.soundtrap.com/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">SoundTrap</a> (for Education) is a collaborative tool that allows users to create music and podcasts online. Within the platform, students can collaborate via embedded video-conferencing with classrooms around the world. Teachers can guide global learning teams by creating group assignments that encourage expression, creativity, communication, and cooperation. Digital artifacts can be stored and shared with global audiences following completion.</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/course/itunes-u-a-course-creation-guide-for-educators/id644450313" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">iTunes U</a>– This link will take you to Apple’s podcast for educators (free). This 25-lesson podcast will guide you through the whats and hows and what-ifs, so you can start your own institution’s iTunes U account. iTunes U is basically a gigantic digital library of educational institutions’ self-published materials. Freshly brewed is Apple’s <a href="https://www.apple.com/education/itunes-u/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">iPad integration app</a>, which is a mini-LMS that allows you to assign iTunes U content and check work, assign grades, have group and private discussions with students, etc.</span></li>
</ul>
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<h3 style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #283d4b; font-size: 1em; margin: 1em 0px;">
<em style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Standard 3d.</span></em></h3>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><em style="box-sizing: border-box;">Students </em><em style="box-sizing: border-box;">build knowledge by actively exploring real-world issues and problems, developing ideas and theories and pursuing answers and solutions.</em></span></div>
</blockquote>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 20px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt="DesignLearning" class="alignnone wp-image-2339" data-attachment-id="2339" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="DesignLearning" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/designlearning.jpeg?w=135&h=34?w=396" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/designlearning.jpeg?w=135&h=34?w=300" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/designlearning.jpeg?w=135&h=34" data-orig-size="396,100" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/04/20/talking-tech-the-new-2016-iste-standards-for-students-knowledge-constructor/designlearning/#main" height="34" sizes="(max-width: 135px) 100vw, 135px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/designlearning.jpeg?w=135&h=34" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/designlearning.jpeg?w=135&h=34 135w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/designlearning.jpeg?w=270&h=68 270w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/designlearning.jpeg?w=150&h=38 150w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="135" /><img alt="BIE" class="alignnone wp-image-2340" data-attachment-id="2340" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="BIE" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/bie.png?w=26&h=31?w=101" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/bie.png?w=26&h=31?w=101" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/bie.png?w=26&h=31" data-orig-size="101,119" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/04/20/talking-tech-the-new-2016-iste-standards-for-students-knowledge-constructor/bie/#main" height="31" sizes="(max-width: 26px) 100vw, 26px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/bie.png?w=26&h=31" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/bie.png?w=26&h=31 26w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/bie.png?w=52&h=62 52w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="26" /> <img alt="Newsela" class="alignnone wp-image-2393" data-attachment-id="2393" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="Newsela" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/newsela.png?w=96&h=26?w=430" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/newsela.png?w=96&h=26?w=300" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/newsela.png?w=96&h=26" data-orig-size="430,117" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/04/20/talking-tech-the-new-2016-iste-standards-for-students-knowledge-constructor/newsela/#main" height="26" sizes="(max-width: 96px) 100vw, 96px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/newsela.png?w=96&h=26" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/newsela.png?w=96&h=26 96w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/newsela.png?w=192&h=52 192w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/newsela.png?w=150&h=41 150w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="96" /> <img alt="sciencenewsforstudents" class="alignnone wp-image-2392" data-attachment-id="2392" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="sciencenewsforstudents" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/sciencenewsforstudents.png?w=205&h=19?w=678" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/sciencenewsforstudents.png?w=205&h=19?w=300" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/sciencenewsforstudents.png?w=205&h=19" data-orig-size="678,63" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/04/20/talking-tech-the-new-2016-iste-standards-for-students-knowledge-constructor/sciencenewsforstudents/#main" height="19" sizes="(max-width: 205px) 100vw, 205px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/sciencenewsforstudents.png?w=205&h=19" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/sciencenewsforstudents.png?w=205&h=19 205w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/sciencenewsforstudents.png?w=410&h=38 410w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/sciencenewsforstudents.png?w=150&h=14 150w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/sciencenewsforstudents.png?w=300&h=28 300w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="205" /> <img alt="CNN10" class="alignnone wp-image-2338" data-attachment-id="2338" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="CNN10" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/cnn10.png?w=41&h=41?w=102" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/cnn10.png?w=41&h=41?w=102" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/cnn10.png?w=41&h=41" data-orig-size="102,102" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/04/20/talking-tech-the-new-2016-iste-standards-for-students-knowledge-constructor/cnn10/#main" height="41" sizes="(max-width: 41px) 100vw, 41px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/cnn10.png?w=41&h=41" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/cnn10.png?w=41&h=41 41w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/cnn10.png?w=82&h=82 82w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="41" /> <img alt="ClassroomInc" class="alignnone wp-image-2337" data-attachment-id="2337" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="ClassroomInc" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/classroominc.png?w=144&h=25?w=368" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/classroominc.png?w=144&h=25?w=300" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/classroominc.png?w=144&h=25" data-orig-size="368,64" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/04/20/talking-tech-the-new-2016-iste-standards-for-students-knowledge-constructor/classroominc/#main" height="25" sizes="(max-width: 144px) 100vw, 144px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/classroominc.png?w=144&h=25" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/classroominc.png?w=144&h=25 144w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/classroominc.png?w=288&h=50 288w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/classroominc.png?w=150&h=26 150w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="144" /> <img alt="pinterest" class="alignnone wp-image-1745" data-attachment-id="1745" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="pinterest" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/pinterest.png?w=259" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/pinterest.png?w=259" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/pinterest.png" data-orig-size="259,194" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/03/18/talking-tech-the-new-2016-iste-standards-for-students-digital-citizen/pinterest/#main" height="37" sizes="(max-width: 50px) 100vw, 50px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/pinterest.png?w=50&h=37" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/pinterest.png?w=50&h=37 50w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/pinterest.png?w=100&h=74 100w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="50" /><img alt="google-search" class="alignnone wp-image-1575" data-attachment-id="1575" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="google-search" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/google-search.png?w=59&h=35?w=700" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/google-search.png?w=59&h=35?w=300" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/google-search.png?w=59&h=35" data-orig-size="960,569" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/03/06/talking-tech-the-new-2016-iste-standards-for-students-2-of-8/google-search/#main" height="35" sizes="(max-width: 59px) 100vw, 59px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/google-search.png?w=59&h=35" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/google-search.png?w=59&h=35 59w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/google-search.png?w=118&h=70 118w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="59" /> <img alt="zeef" class="alignnone wp-image-2347" data-attachment-id="2347" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="zeef" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/zeef.png?w=79&h=33?w=123" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/zeef.png?w=79&h=33?w=123" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/zeef.png?w=79&h=33" data-orig-size="123,51" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/04/20/talking-tech-the-new-2016-iste-standards-for-students-knowledge-constructor/zeef/#main" height="33" sizes="(max-width: 79px) 100vw, 79px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/zeef.png?w=79&h=33" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/zeef.png?w=79&h=33 79w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/zeef.png 123w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="79" /> <img alt="YouVisit" class="alignnone wp-image-2336" data-attachment-id="2336" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="YouVisit" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/youvisit.jpeg?w=95&h=36?w=364" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/youvisit.jpeg?w=95&h=36?w=300" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/youvisit.jpeg?w=95&h=36" data-orig-size="364,138" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/04/20/talking-tech-the-new-2016-iste-standards-for-students-knowledge-constructor/youvisit/#main" height="36" sizes="(max-width: 95px) 100vw, 95px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/youvisit.jpeg?w=95&h=36" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/youvisit.jpeg?w=95&h=36 95w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/youvisit.jpeg?w=190&h=72 190w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/youvisit.jpeg?w=150&h=57 150w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="95" /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 20px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">How many times have you heard a students asking, rightfully so, questions like “Why are we learning this?” or “What’s the point of learning that?” Well, in order to prepare students for the “real” world and for life after school, we should make sure we explain the real life application to everything we ask them to know. This would increase motivation and understanding, and would create the kind of students who are ready to think critically, come up with ideas and theories, and ultimately solve problems.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 20px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">This standard focuses exactly on these skills. Here are some ideas we could use in our classrooms to develop these kinds of thinkers and problem-solvers:</span></div>
<ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 40px;">
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Project-Based Learning (PBL)-</span> PBLs are “a teaching method in which students gain knowledge and skills by working for an extended period of time to investigate and respond to an authentic, engaging and complex question, problem, or challenge” (BIE.org)</span><ul style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 40px;">
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.bie.org/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;" target="_blank">BIE.org</a>– The Buck Institute for Education website is a fantastic resource to learn about what PBLs are, how and why they are/should be used, and basically everything else a teacher would need to learn about, and implement it in any classroom. Make sure to check out the Resource section to read, watch and interact about all-things-PBL!</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.designlearning.us/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">DesignLearning</a>– This website is dedicated to engaging students and educators in creative problem-solving teaching and learning best practices. Students follow the <a href="http://www.designlearning.us/kc2016-challenge-framework" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">Design Learning Process</a>.</span></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
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<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Current Events-</span> Exploring real world issues through the media is one of the simplest and most straightforward ways to engage students in exploring the world around them, even if many issues might be too complicated to solve. Here are some news websites you could use with your students:</span><ul style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 40px;">
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://newsela.com/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">Newsela</a>– A real gem, Newsela features a growing collection of news articles in a variety of topics. Each article is adapted to 3-4 different levels with corresponding writing assignments and quizzes so teachers can truly differentiate their Language Arts curriculum. The Pro version allows teachers to keep track of their students’ quiz scores, to push articles to their students, and more.</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.sciencenewsforstudents.org/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">ScienceNewsForStudents</a>– This excellent website features stories about recent research and current events (related to STEM). Stories are grouped according to topics and sub-topics, and there are many important educator features such as a readability level for each article, power words, further readings, and more. A Chemistry colleague of mine swears by this website. Highly recommended!</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://edition.cnn.com/cnn10" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">CNN10</a>– (Formerly “CNN Student News”) World news, simply explained, in 10 minutes. This is a great way to get students (from ES up to HS) aware of what is happening around the world, and begin discussions into the state of our world. Past editions are easily accessible.</span></li>
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<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Educational Simulations-</span> Professionals in a variety of fields have been using simulations (“imitations”) to train people for decades. Simulations in the education field is a relatively new phenomenon that grew with the development of the digital world. Some simulations, especially those experiences which would be difficult to impossible to do in real life, require different technologies, while others can be classroom activities that simulate certain experiences.</span><ul style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 40px;">
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Carleton College’s Science Education Resource Center maintains an excellent <a href="http://serc.carleton.edu/sp/library/simulations/index.html" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">website</a> dedicated to simulations and their use in (higher) education,</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Here are some websites with simulation resources:</span><ul style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 40px;">
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.weareteachers.com/10-interactive-science-simulations-2/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">WeAreTeachers</a>– 10 interactive science simulations</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.techtrekers.com/sim.htm" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">TechTrekers</a>– A variety of Math-related simulation ideas for the classroom</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.classroominc.org/play/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">ClassroomInc</a>– Several online simulations for different workplace settings (a publishing company, a bank, a clinic, and more)</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/hcarpenter3/simulation-in-social-studies/?lp=true" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">Pinterest</a>– Social Studies simulations. Pinterest is another place to find plenty of simulations.</span></li>
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<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Virtual Reality-</span> There is a variety of virtual reality categories, including ones that require equipment (“wearables”). Currently, the cheapest was to create a VR is Google’s <a href="https://vr.google.com/cardboard/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">Cardboard</a>.</span><ul style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 40px;">
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">General resources:</span><ul style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 40px;">
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://virtual-reality.zeef.com/janesha.rai" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">Zeef</a>– This is a collection of a variety of VR-related information and activities</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.tes.com/resources/search/?q=%23Googleexpeditions" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;" target="_blank">TES</a>– Google’s partnership with TES to address the UK curriculum resulted in a great collection of VR lessons!</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Gear- <a href="https://www.microsoftstore.com/store?keywords=VR+software&SiteID=msusa&Locale=en_US&Action=DisplayProductSearchResultsPage&result=&sortby=score%20descending&filters=" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">Microsoft</a>, <a href="https://store.google.com/category/virtual_reality" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">Google</a>, and a comparison of the <a href="https://www.wareable.com/vr/best-vr-headsets-2017" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">best VR headsets</a> for 2017.</span></li>
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<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Virtual Tours:</span><ul style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 40px;">
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://edu.google.com/expeditions/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">Google Expeditions</a>– Google’s</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.youvisit.com/virtual-reality-360-experience" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">YouVisit</a>– A variety of VR tours to museums, cities, sites, sporting events, and much more! You can even <a href="https://www.youvisit.com/experiencebuilder" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">create</a> your own virtual tour.</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.onlineuniversities.com/blog/2010/01/100-incredible-educational-virtual-tours-you-dont-want-to-miss/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">OpenUniversities</a>– 100 virtual trips you don’t want to miss- cities, landmarks, museums, college campuses, how things are made, and more.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Students as Knowledge Constructors. I hope this blog entry provides you with some high quality resources to use in your classroom or at home. As always, if you have any other ideas for good resources, any corrections for what I wrote, etc. please leave a comment below.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Next one up, ISTE 2016 Standard for Students #4, Innovative Designer!</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2111195073898522815.post-72623877585673820612017-04-14T11:05:00.000-07:002017-11-11T11:06:09.100-08:00Gamifying Assessments- The Easy Way<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">During a recent team meeting we discussed students’ lack of excitement about both existing formative and summative math assessments (which we now call “Celebrations”- because who doesn’t like to have a party?!)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Thinking critically about what we can do to increase student motivation and involvement, the answer came immediately to me- Make it a game! I looked back at an <a href="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2015/02/17/can-games-change-the-world/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;" target="_blank">earlier blog post </a> I wrote while attending Boise State’s Master’s in Educational Technology, which dealt with, and highlighted the benefits of gamifying our classrooms- “games make us feel good, motivated, inspired to collaborate and cooperate, feel like this is the best version of ourselves, and help us find the motivation and courage to get up and confront obstacles.” I decided to share this idea with the team, and show them how the use of technology is not really reinventing the wheel, but rather it can take an existing activity and with a few simple technological innovations and creativity, make it unique and engaging.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">So… How did I do this? Here are the eight steps you need to go through in order to gamify an assessment (or pretty much any other activity…):</span></div>
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<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Figure out what you want to assess</span></span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Categorize the different topics/skills, so that later you will be able to create challenges</span></span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Under each category, come up with a number of challenges.</span></span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Choose an interesting game theme</span></span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Come up with a backstory (an interesting one!!!)</span></span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Create a reward system and a set of badges</span></span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Create the specific challenges</span></span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Create a record sheet and print the badges</span></span></li>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Here is a more detailed explanation with a concrete example:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">1. Figure out what you want to assess</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This is a simple one. What is the skill (or preferably set of skills) you have already planned to asses that you would like to improve? We wanted to assess pure computational skills, so we decided to assess students’ understanding of the four operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication and division of fractions).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">2. Categorize the different topics/skills, so that later you will be able to create challenges</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The four skills we decided to use are a good starting point because we will later come up with specific sub-skills under each area.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt="Screen Shot 2017-04-14 at 12.59.34 PM" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1961" data-attachment-id="1961" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="Screen Shot 2017-04-14 at 12.59.34 PM" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-12-59-34-pm.png?w=700?w=700" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-12-59-34-pm.png?w=700?w=300" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-12-59-34-pm.png?w=700" data-orig-size="1684,942" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/04/14/gamifying-assessments-the-easy-way/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-12-59-34-pm/#main" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-12-59-34-pm.png?w=700" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-12-59-34-pm.png?w=700 700w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-12-59-34-pm.png?w=1400 1400w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-12-59-34-pm.png?w=150 150w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-12-59-34-pm.png?w=300 300w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-12-59-34-pm.png?w=768 768w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-12-59-34-pm.png?w=1024 1024w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">3. Under each category, come up with a number of challenges.</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">You can decide to organize the challenges in a descending order according to difficulty, according to theme/sub-topic, or to just create a list of challenges without any particular order. Keep in mind that some adventures require team work, which could require its own category. You could even create a different set of (both individual and team) challenges for different roles within a chosen topic (such as challenges for the team’s “Engineer”, ” Builder”, “Scholar”, etc.) I decided to keep it simple and organize the skills according to topic and difficulty levels. This is what the challenge hierarchy looks like (ignore the ninja theme. We’ll visit it later):</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt="Screen Shot 2017-04-14 at 12.59.54 PM" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1960" data-attachment-id="1960" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="Screen Shot 2017-04-14 at 12.59.54 PM" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-12-59-54-pm.png?w=700?w=700" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-12-59-54-pm.png?w=700?w=300" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-12-59-54-pm.png?w=700" data-orig-size="1204,784" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/04/14/gamifying-assessments-the-easy-way/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-12-59-54-pm/#main" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-12-59-54-pm.png?w=700" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-12-59-54-pm.png?w=700 700w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-12-59-54-pm.png?w=150 150w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-12-59-54-pm.png?w=300 300w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-12-59-54-pm.png?w=768 768w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-12-59-54-pm.png?w=1024 1024w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-12-59-54-pm.png 1204w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">4. Choose an interesting game theme</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In my class, we play a fun game called “Ninja”, where students try to “tag” each other, and at the same time they learn about becoming more mindful, attentive, resourceful, patient, and creative. So the decision to come up with a Ninja theme for this gamified assessment was not random…</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Ideas for game themes would sometimes depend on the subject you wish to gamify. You can consider anything like “Conquer the World”, “Are you smarter than Einstein?”, “Become a skilled pilot” and more. Start with thinking about what your students are interested in.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt="Screen Shot 2017-04-14 at 12.59.02 PM" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1962" data-attachment-id="1962" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="Screen Shot 2017-04-14 at 12.59.02 PM" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-12-59-02-pm.png?w=700?w=700" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-12-59-02-pm.png?w=700?w=300" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-12-59-02-pm.png?w=700" data-orig-size="1684,942" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/04/14/gamifying-assessments-the-easy-way/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-12-59-02-pm/#main" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-12-59-02-pm.png?w=700" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-12-59-02-pm.png?w=700 700w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-12-59-02-pm.png?w=1400 1400w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-12-59-02-pm.png?w=150 150w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-12-59-02-pm.png?w=300 300w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-12-59-02-pm.png?w=768 768w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-12-59-02-pm.png?w=1024 1024w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">5. Come up with a backstory (an interesting one!!!)</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Choosing the Ninja theme had forced me to do a bit of research into the history, culture, weapons and moves used, and to find a specific historical event that would lure my students into the world of the Ninja…</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 20px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt="Screen Shot 2017-04-14 at 1.16.37 PM" class="alignnone wp-image-2004" data-attachment-id="2004" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="Screen Shot 2017-04-14 at 1.16.37 PM" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-1-16-37-pm.png?w=332&h=187?w=700" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-1-16-37-pm.png?w=332&h=187?w=300" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-1-16-37-pm.png?w=332&h=187" data-orig-size="1686,948" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/04/14/gamifying-assessments-the-easy-way/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-1-16-37-pm/#main" height="187" sizes="(max-width: 332px) 100vw, 332px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-1-16-37-pm.png?w=332&h=187" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-1-16-37-pm.png?w=332&h=187 332w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-1-16-37-pm.png?w=664&h=374 664w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-1-16-37-pm.png?w=150&h=84 150w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-1-16-37-pm.png?w=300&h=169 300w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="332" /> <img alt="Screen Shot 2017-04-14 at 1.16.53 PM" class="alignnone wp-image-2003" data-attachment-id="2003" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="Screen Shot 2017-04-14 at 1.16.53 PM" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-1-16-53-pm.png?w=338&h=189?w=700" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-1-16-53-pm.png?w=338&h=189?w=300" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-1-16-53-pm.png?w=338&h=189" data-orig-size="1684,942" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/04/14/gamifying-assessments-the-easy-way/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-1-16-53-pm/#main" height="189" sizes="(max-width: 338px) 100vw, 338px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-1-16-53-pm.png?w=338&h=189" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-1-16-53-pm.png?w=338&h=189 338w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-1-16-53-pm.png?w=676&h=378 676w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-1-16-53-pm.png?w=150&h=84 150w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-1-16-53-pm.png?w=300&h=168 300w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="338" /><img alt="Screen Shot 2017-04-14 at 1.17.05 PM" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-2002" data-attachment-id="2002" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="Screen Shot 2017-04-14 at 1.17.05 PM" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-1-17-05-pm.png?w=700?w=700" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-1-17-05-pm.png?w=700?w=300" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-1-17-05-pm.png?w=700" data-orig-size="1684,944" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/04/14/gamifying-assessments-the-easy-way/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-1-17-05-pm/#main" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-1-17-05-pm.png?w=700" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-1-17-05-pm.png?w=700 700w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-1-17-05-pm.png?w=1400 1400w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-1-17-05-pm.png?w=150 150w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-1-17-05-pm.png?w=300 300w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-1-17-05-pm.png?w=768 768w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-1-17-05-pm.png?w=1024 1024w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" /></span></div>
<h3 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #283d4b; font-size: 1em; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">6. Create a reward system and a set of badges</span></h3>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 20px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I decided to force students to work through all 4 operations, and to pass challenges in all levels before they attempt the ultimate duel with Lord Rokkaku. So if they don’t win at least one badge per level, they are not allowed to challenge the Lord. If they fail the challenge, they need to go back and collect a second badge by winning all challenges in a particular level.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 20px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt="Screen Shot 2017-04-14 at 1.00.26 PM" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1958" data-attachment-id="1958" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="Screen Shot 2017-04-14 at 1.00.26 PM" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-1-00-26-pm.png?w=700?w=700" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-1-00-26-pm.png?w=700?w=300" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-1-00-26-pm.png?w=700" data-orig-size="1692,952" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/04/14/gamifying-assessments-the-easy-way/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-1-00-26-pm/#main" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-1-00-26-pm.png?w=700" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-1-00-26-pm.png?w=700 700w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-1-00-26-pm.png?w=1400 1400w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-1-00-26-pm.png?w=150 150w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-1-00-26-pm.png?w=300 300w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-1-00-26-pm.png?w=768 768w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-1-00-26-pm.png?w=1024 1024w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 20px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt="Screen Shot 2017-04-14 at 1.00.11 PM" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1959" data-attachment-id="1959" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="Screen Shot 2017-04-14 at 1.00.11 PM" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-1-00-11-pm.png?w=700?w=700" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-1-00-11-pm.png?w=700?w=300" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-1-00-11-pm.png?w=700" data-orig-size="1690,950" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/04/14/gamifying-assessments-the-easy-way/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-1-00-11-pm/#main" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-1-00-11-pm.png?w=700" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-1-00-11-pm.png?w=700 700w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-1-00-11-pm.png?w=1398 1398w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-1-00-11-pm.png?w=150 150w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-1-00-11-pm.png?w=300 300w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-1-00-11-pm.png?w=768 768w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-1-00-11-pm.png?w=1024 1024w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" /><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Need badge-making resources/ideas?</span></span></div>
<ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 40px;">
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Try <a href="http://lmgtfy.com/?t=i&q=gamifying+classroom+badges" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;" target="_blank">Googling</a> it</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Find images (based on your theme) labeled for re-use with modification</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Use badges from <a href="http://classbadges.com/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;" target="_blank">ClassBadge</a> (no longer supported so it’s all free!)</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Free to -reuse media:</span><ul style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 40px;">
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><a href="https://search.creativecommons.org/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">CreativeCommons</span></a></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://support.google.com/websearch/answer/29508?hl=en" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">Google</a> (Advanced Search)</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/creativecommons/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Flickr</span></a></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><a href="https://www.pexels.com/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Pexels</span></a></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Find even more free-to-use media <a href="https://www.sitepoint.com/30-creative-commons-sources/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">here</a> and <a href="http://mashable.com/2007/10/27/creative-commons/#SR4oVMRSgGqn" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;">here</a></span></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #283d4b; font-size: 1em; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">7. Create the challenges</span></h3>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 20px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Initially I was thinking about creating our own task cards, like this one:</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 20px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt="Screen Shot 2017-04-14 at 12.41.27 PM" class="alignnone wp-image-1963" data-attachment-id="1963" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="Screen Shot 2017-04-14 at 12.41.27 PM" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-12-41-27-pm.png?w=218&h=178?w=652" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-12-41-27-pm.png?w=218&h=178?w=300" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-12-41-27-pm.png?w=218&h=178" data-orig-size="652,532" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/04/14/gamifying-assessments-the-easy-way/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-12-41-27-pm/#main" height="178" sizes="(max-width: 218px) 100vw, 218px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-12-41-27-pm.png?w=218&h=178" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-12-41-27-pm.png?w=218&h=178 218w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-12-41-27-pm.png?w=436&h=356 436w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-12-41-27-pm.png?w=150&h=122 150w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-12-41-27-pm.png?w=300&h=245 300w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="218" /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 20px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">But then I decided to use a resource I have already been using, which is a set of ready-made Fractions task cards. I chose two cards for each of the levels, so that when students are ready for the challenge, I can pull them quickly. Please note that you do not necessarily need to create task cards. Some activities, like this <a href="http://edtech2.boisestate.edu/ronencohen/502/mlearning.html" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;" target="_blank">Gamified Field Trip</a> I put together, could be done using technology.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 20px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Another resource</span></div>
<h3 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #283d4b; font-size: 1em; margin: 1em 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">8. Create a record sheet and print the badges</span></h3>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 20px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">How are students going to receive their badges? Where are they going to store them so they (and you) can keep track of the great work they have been doing? I created mine on Google Docs</span></div>
<figure class="wp-caption alignright" data-shortcode="caption" id="attachment_2057" style="background-color: white; border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; display: inline; float: right; font-size: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em 2em; max-width: 100%; width: 323px;"><img alt="Screen Shot 2017-04-14 at 1.58.58 PM" class="alignnone wp-image-2057" data-attachment-id="2057" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="Screen Shot 2017-04-14 at 1.58.58 PM" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-1-58-58-pm.png?w=323&h=427?w=700" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-1-58-58-pm.png?w=323&h=427?w=227" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-1-58-58-pm.png?w=323&h=427" data-orig-size="1034,1366" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/04/14/gamifying-assessments-the-easy-way/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-1-58-58-pm/#main" height="427" sizes="(max-width: 323px) 100vw, 323px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-1-58-58-pm.png?w=323&h=427" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-1-58-58-pm.png?w=323&h=427 323w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-1-58-58-pm.png?w=646&h=854 646w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-1-58-58-pm.png?w=114&h=150 114w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-1-58-58-pm.png?w=227&h=300 227w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: block; height: auto; margin: 3.84375px auto 0px; max-width: 98%; vertical-align: middle;" width="323" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 14px; margin: 0.8075em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Student Track Sheet</span></figcaption></figure><figure class="wp-caption alignright" data-shortcode="caption" id="attachment_2058" style="background-color: white; border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; display: inline; float: right; font-size: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em 2em; max-width: 100%; width: 315px;"><img alt="Screen Shot 2017-04-14 at 1.52.21 PM" class="alignnone wp-image-2058" data-attachment-id="2058" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="Screen Shot 2017-04-14 at 1.52.21 PM" data-large-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-1-52-21-pm.png?w=315&h=253?w=700" data-medium-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-1-52-21-pm.png?w=315&h=253?w=300" data-orig-file="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-1-52-21-pm.png?w=315&h=253" data-orig-size="1446,1158" data-permalink="https://behindmytechiewall.wordpress.com/2017/04/14/gamifying-assessments-the-easy-way/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-1-52-21-pm/#main" height="253" sizes="(max-width: 315px) 100vw, 315px" src="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-1-52-21-pm.png?w=315&h=253" srcset="https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-1-52-21-pm.png?w=315&h=253 315w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-1-52-21-pm.png?w=630&h=506 630w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-1-52-21-pm.png?w=150&h=120 150w, https://behindmytechiewall.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/screen-shot-2017-04-14-at-1-52-21-pm.png?w=300&h=240 300w" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: block; height: auto; margin: 3.75px auto 0px; max-width: 98%; vertical-align: middle;" width="315" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 14px; margin: 0.8075em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Badges to print and cut</span></figcaption></figure><div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-size: 20px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">And… You’re done!</span></div>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Here are the resources I created for this project:</span></span></div>
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<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1uf7Ar_6fnyo6Vokn5X1QtP0KO-DgM8H5UZAqtiNZm5Q/edit?usp=sharing" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;" target="_blank">Google Slides</a>of the game, rules, badges, etc.</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/14Kc_349GwnpNqWFJERi8318enZly4hSK9RSkQHq7n4M/edit?usp=sharing" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;" target="_blank">Google Doc</a> of the ideas for challenges (and some free to use ninja images)</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1khj_u9e_7LanOWL6yXoiyZNhvCs_xLbBHOLvICm6zoE/edit?usp=sharing" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1185d7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;" target="_blank">Google Doc</a> of the student track sheet and teacher badges</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">*** Feel free to use as is or modify any of these resources!</span></div>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And here are some more professional books you may wish to look into/ purchase:</span></span></div>
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<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Gamification of Learning and Instruction: Game-based Methods and Strategies for Training and Education (First Edition) by Karl M. Kapp.</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Multiplayer Classroom: Designing Coursework as a Game by Lee Sheldon.</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Digital Game-Based Learning (First Edition) by Marc Prensky.</span></li>
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