#TCEA17 Favorite Finds

This is a guest post by Teri Weber, science teacher at Carroll Middle.

This is my second go-round at TCEA, and it was as amazing as the first time!  Some of the session ideas that I am excited about are:

Augmented Reality

• Jeff Peterson shared many apps for various levels (his presentation is available on his website). The apps he mentioned included subjects such as the heart, books where the characters "come to life," art, animal cells, the brain, and Popar World Map. Get the links for these apps (and more) by visiting Jeff's Symbaloo. 
• Additional sources can be found here. 
• For young learners, AR Flash Cards have free printable alphabet flash cards. When you use the app, an object comes "alive." When you touch the screen, it speaks the word and -- if the object is an animal, it makes its sound (ex: "D" is for dog...then the dog barks).

Nearpod
This is one that has been around a while, but their "gold edition" version has many virtual reality field trips. They also have 3D pictures that can be added to presentations. Nearpod has added lessons for ELL and can now be integrated into Canvas.


Technology and Differentiation 
This session, which can be found by clicking here, gave ideas on how to differentiate student projects, give end choices, etc. with technology.


That Quiz

• Great for math
• Can be customized – can select problems, level, use a timer, and provide feedback. 
• Has science elements such as cells and anatomy

Hope you can check out some of these resources!

#TCEA17 Favorite Finds

This is a guest post by Leah Schwedler, STEM teacher at Carroll Senior High.

I loved visiting TCEA for the first time this year. I was blown away by all of the creative and engaging ways to incorporate technology into the classroom at all learning levels.

My biggest takeaway from TCEA was the concept of StoryMaking and all of the tools that support students as they create and tell their story. Here are some tools and tips that I picked up regarding StoryMaking:

A student group from Rendon Prep in WA presented using Sway, which is an interactive presentation tool. I plan to utilize this application the next time my students need to create a presentation. These students demonstrated the use of social media in their communication and told the audience, “Each of you have a story to tell.” (Don’t be afraid to use social media to tell your story!)

If you’re interested in the concept of StoryMaking, a great educator to follow on twitter is Dean Shareski.

Another interesting topic was the use of Snapchat in education.  Although Snapchat is often thought of as something that should not be used/encouraged in school, there are actually many useful ways to incorporate Snapchat in the classroom. Using Geofilters and hashtags (for example, #schoolisasnap) are easy ways to organize and communicate photos from your classroom or school. The presenter’s position was that we need to communicate the way “our people” are communicating if we want to tell our story effectively. This may mean using Facebook, Twitter, or Snapchat to let the community know what is happening in our classroom.

My favorite find at TCEA was Virtual Reality! I was amazed at the ways educators are incorporating the use of VR into the classroom in so many innovative ways. I was also surprised at the cost-effective ways to use VR, including both VR goggles and 360 cameras. I am looking at Google Cardboard and the Ricoh Theta SC Camera to use in my robotics classroom so that students can communicate their experiences in an innovative way. VR is certainly a technology that our students will be using, so adding it to our classroom experience will be another way for students to be encouraged to tell their story!

#TCEA17 Favorite Finds

This is a guest post by Stacey Gillis, 2nd grade teacher at Carroll Elementary. 

This was my first year at TCEA, and I'm hooked. I can't wait to go back next year. I found so many new ways to integrate technology and new apps to use with my students.

My favorite find at TCEA was definitely the Fab and Free website created by Shannon Long. When I saw the word "FREE" I knew I was in the right place. What more could any teacher ask for? This website has links to free educational sites and apps. You can find anything from Language Arts materials and resources to music websites that teach students about rhythm. Each category of resources is divided into primary and secondary resources. My favorite section of this website is the "Just For Fun" section. There, you will find virtual bubble wrap, virtual Jenga, attack of the cute (adorable), and much more.

Other websites by Shannon that you may like include:

• Technology For Tots
• Google Hacks Tips
• Technology Rocks. Seriously.