Favorite Finds

Last week I had the opportunity to attend some great sessions at the TCEA Conference. I enjoyed collaborating and learning from technology leaders through the face-to-face sessions I attended. I also enjoyed being able to follow fellow conference attendees on Twitter as they shared resources and information using the conference hashtag, #TCEA15. It was especially beneficial to debrief with fellow Dragons and talk about how to apply the knowledge and ideas we gleaned. Carroll ISD was well represented by Teachers, Coordinators, Principals, and the Technology Department.

As we reflect on our learning, the Instructional Technology Team, along with other TCEA attendees, will be sharing some of our “favorite finds”—web sites, apps, and ideas—with you over the next couple of weeks. I hope you will find an idea, resource, or web site that inspires you to try something new. 

Here are my Top 3 Favorite Finds:

• Innovation Day- The idea of an Innovation Day is so exciting as we strive to teach our students to take ownership of their learning. What better way to do this than to plan a day in which they can work on anything they want!
• An entire day is dedicated to self-directed learning.
• Students can work on ANYTHING THEY CHOOSE.
• Students must show evidence of their learning.
• Teachers are the guide on the side.
• Workspaces are organized by interest groups.
• NO GRADES are taken.
• NO AWARDS are given
• Plickers (free) Not enough devices in your classroom? Plickers is a simple, formative assessment tool that allows teachers to use their mobile device to collect data without the need for student devices. Students respond using downloadable response cards. Response cards, Apple and Android apps are all available on the Plickers web site.
• Post-It Plus App (free) I love post-it notes for brainstorming and collaboration. Now with the app, you can have the best of both worlds. You have the visual and kinesthetic appeal of the physical post-it notes. And with the app, you can easily scan all the post-it notes to digitize your ideas. Once scanned, you have the ability to organize them digitally and share in a variety of formats!

What can we do to encourage innovation in the classroom?

According to Webster, the definition of Innovation is:
1. the introduction of something new
2. a new idea, method, or device

Teachers are naturally innovative. We try new things. We read. We share. We brainstorm. And we look for ways to improve our content and methods.

I found an infographic on twitter (a new tool for me this year!) that posed the question, What can we do to spur innovation in the classroom?  I like how the author categorized the key concepts. Thanks! @ajjuliani

Here are a few take-aways and how it might look in an innovative classroom. 

• Allow for collaboration. When I’m considering an upcoming presentation, I like to brainstorm with a colleague. What would collaboration look like in the classroom? For some students, all you need to provide is time and a dry erase marker. For other students they may prefer talking through their ideas and recording notes on their smart phone.
  
• Make time for reflection. Ask students to think about their learning. Create a short Google form and use it as their exit ticket. Sample questions might include: 

• We did a concept map in class today.  Was this useful to you?
• What was most difficult about today’s lesson?
• What stuck with you today?

• Praise the thinking process, not just the end product. Ask the students to explain how they arrived at their answers. Using apps like Explain Everything or Educreations students can make their thinking visible and we can provide feedback. 

To view the complete article and infographic, click here. Let us hear from you… How do you encourage innovation in your classroom?