Favorite Finds from TCEA

Guest Post by Candice Karas, Old Union Elementary School Science Lab Teacher

My name is Candice Karas, and I teach Science Lab at Old Union. This was my second year to attend the TCEA conference, and I found it just as beneficial (and overwhelming) as I did the first year! I definitely recommend attending if you get the chance.

Here are my top 3 favorite finds from TCEA 2015:

AnswerGarden.ch – a quick and easy way to assess students

• Create an AnswerGarden in less than 60 seconds – no account required.
• Type a question or prompt and give students the URL; they can answer on any device with a browser. Any time someone from the audience submits an answer, it appears in your “Answer Garden,” which is a word cloud. The more times that answer is submitted, the larger the word grows in the cloud. 
• This is a super-fast way to see what your students are thinking and how many students are on the same page. This tweet shows how I was able to spontaneously use AnswerGarden when a class of 4th grade students brought their devices to the lab.

Page Eraser – erase unwanted portions of a webpage before you display it to your class

• This is a Google Chrome extension.
• Very easy to use: install the extension in your Chrome browser, click its icon when you’re ready to use it, and then click portions of the webpage you’d like to disappear. 
• Nice for getting rid of distracting or inappropriate elements on an otherwise great website.
• The presenters had lots of other useful Chrome tips on their Tackk, and Kristie Johnson has a great ThingLink with more Chrome extension ideas.

Appear.in – video chat tool

• No registration, account, or downloads needed
• Connect up to 8 people in the same video chat
• You could use this to connect to more than one classroom during a Mystery Skype session, hold a debate between up to 8 classes, or to let more than one class take advantage of a guest speaker or virtual field trip. 

Bonus: http://bie.org/resources is a website full of PBL resources.

If you’re looking for other resources, check out my technology blog, search #tcea15 on Twitter, or visit this website to take a look at all of the handouts from this year’s conference.

Make Any Video a Lesson

"Teachers who use instructional video report that their students retain more information, understand concepts more rapidly and are more enthusiastic about what they are learning."~NTTI. Using videos take students to places that may not be able to go...field trips, inside the body, outer space, or around the globe. Videos can illustrate complex concepts that in other realms are not visible for students. Videos can bring literature to life. By using videos in the classroom, a teacher can reach visual learners and engage students. Are you using videos in your lessons?

Read about new video tools that allow you to make any video a lesson.

The first find is EDpuzzle. EDpuzzle is a free webtool.

Likes about EDpuzzle:

• Import any video off the web or from your file
• Crop the video
• Add voice over (for the entire video)
• Add audio notes (Add multiple notes in various spots)
• Embed quiz questions (M/C, open-ended)
• Create a class and have students join with a generated code
• Assign videos to a class
• Share video creations via social media or a web link (login required)
• Monitor student progress
• Block skipping ahead in video assignment
• Student iOS App now available 
• Viewing is better from the app than the web. 
• The video displays across the entire screen 
• Quiz questions appear in another screen instead of beside the video.
• Class assignments show grades and progress

Dislikes about EDpuzzle:

• You cannot show different parts of the same video or combine two or more videos into one assignment (you must create a separate assignment for each “chunk” of video).
• You cannot rearrange the order of video assignments within a class (although you can hack this by numbering the video assignments when you name them).
• No partial voiceovers – you must either record an audio track for the entire video or none at all.
• Link to assignments for students require login 

JUST ADDED LAST WEEK: EDpuzzle now has a FREE iOS student app to make the viewing process easier. Click the icon to download this free app.

The view of the app reveals the progress of the student.

Take a quick look at an EDpuzzle video.

The second find is Zaption. Zaption has a free version and a paid version.

Likes about Zaption:

• Records skips
• Add questions and make them required
• Track viewer progress with analytics
• Import videos from YouTube, Vimeo, your computer
• with pro account you can add multiple videos
• Can add these tools to your video (free account):
• Text slide
• Image slide
• Drawing
• Open Response Question
• Multiple Choice Question
• Checkbox Question

Dislikes about Zaption:

• These features are only available with the Pro (paid) version:
• Import multiple videos into same lesson
• Put students into groups
• Integrate with Canvas LMS
• Numerical, discussion, and drawing response questions
• Jump feature

Demo: http://youtu.be/4s1762oZ0d0 

The third find is Metta. Metta is another free video lesson editor.

Likes about Metta:

• Crop videos
• Add questions
• Add images
• Lessons visually appealing
• Allow teachers to combine more than one clip into the same lesson

Dislikes about Metta:

• Does not have the same level of teacher reporting such as...
• seeing if each individual student watched the lesson
• how they performed on the quiz 
• Not as robust as EDpuzzle and still experiences kinks inside the webversion and the app.
• Unable to login to account on the app using Google+ even though the account was great using Google+.

Resources:

"Video Strategies." National Teacher Training Institute. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Sept. 2014.

"EDpuzzle Review: Easy-to-Use Tool Lets Teachers Quickly Turn Online Video into Lessons | Edudemic." Edudemic. Edudemic Staff, 30 Sept. 2014. Web. 06 Oct. 2014.

New School Year Resolutions

New Year Resolutions are made each year in hopes of starting something new. So in the spirit of the new school year, here are a few resolutions to consider.

1.  Use Videos in the Classroom - http://www.edudemic.com/using-video-in-the-classroom/
Using videos in the classroom is a great way to engage students. Here are a few ideas for using videos:

• Learn anything...together
• Example: Insert a YouTube video in a Google Presentation, share the link of the presentation with your class, and have students comment on what they watch. 
• Video Feedback
• Example: Use VoiceThread by uploading a video and then have participants comment using their voice, video or text. 
• Interactive Video = Active Learning
• Example: Use EDpuzzle by uploading a video and then adding voice comments and questions (multiple choice, T/F, or open ended) so students 

2.  Use Google Forms in the Classroom
Google Forms is a tool that is part of Google Drive and used for creating surveys, tests, or web input forms where responses compile in a spreadsheet. The responses also come with a timestamp so you can track results.

• Collect Parent/Student Data
• This is great for all the Back to School forms collected from parents.
• Ongoing Parent Phone Contact Log
• Formative Assessments
• Getting to Know Your Students
• http://oupeltglobalblog.com/2013/12/11/10-ways-i-use-google-forms-in-my-tablet-classroom/
• http://edte.ch/blog/2008/08/23/10-google-forms-for-the-classroom/
• http://www.edudemic.com/5-great-ways-use-google-forms/

3.  Incorporate Social Media in the Classroom

• Twitter
• 50 Ways to Use Twitter in the Classroom - click here. 
• My favorite ways to use in the classroom:
• Track a hash tag.
• Live tweet field trips.
• Ask questions using a class or unit hash tag.
• Facilitate class discussions.
• Live tweet a book.
• Take a poll.
• Instagram
• 10 Ways to Use Twitter in the Classroom - click here
• My favorite ways to use in the classroom:
• Showcase students' work.
• Feature a student of the week.
• Share reading recommendations.
• Record steps in an experiment.
• Capture field trip memories.

Best Sites for Cropping YouTube Videos and More

Video clips are a great way to engage student learning. However, some clips are long in length or only a small portion is needed. There are many free web tools that allow users to clip videos. Below is a list of tools that are useful for education, along with their pros and cons.

1. ReelSurfer
• PROS:
• Crop YouTube or Vimeo videos
• Embed the cropped video in a blog or website
• A link is generated of the cropped video to share
• Videos will play on a desktop or mobile devices
• Works well with Internet Explorer and Firefox
• CONS:
• Does not work with Google Chrome
2. SafeShare.TV
• PROS:
• Crop YouTube videos
• A link is generated of the cropped video to share
• Works well with Chrome, Internet Explorer and Firefox
• iOS app available for $.99 - Link to app
• CONS:
• Can only crop YouTube videos
• Cannot embed cropped video in a blog or website
3. TubeChop
• PROS:
• Crop YouTube videos
• Embed the cropped video in a blog or website
• A link is generated of the cropped video to share
• Videos will play on a desktop (embedded or link) or mobile devices (link only)
• Works well with Chrome, Internet Explorer and Firefox
• CONS:
• Can only crop YouTube videos
• Embedded videos in Blogger do not play on a mobile device
• Cannot retrieve cropped videos because no account is required (so SAVE link or embed code)
4. EmbedPlus
• PROS:
• Crop YouTube videos
• Embed the cropped video in a blog or website
• A link is generated of the cropped video to share
• Works well with Chrome, Internet Explorer and Firefox
• Videos will play on a desktop or mobile devices
• CONS:
• Can only crop YouTube videos
• Embedded videos and links do not hold the "stop" feature = video will play from where you start the crop but will not stop where you saved the stop
• NOTE: this site was intended to be used for Word Press, so be sure to answer "NO" to question 1 to access the screen to crop your video
5. ViewRZ
• PROS:
• Crop YouTube videos
• Embed the cropped video in a blog or website
• A link is generated of the cropped video to share
• Works well with Chrome, Internet Explorer and Firefox
• Video view is very nice - widescreen without extras
• Videos (embedded or link) will play on desktop
• CONS:
• Can only crop YouTube videos
• Embedded video does not play on a mobile device
6. EdPuzzle
• PROS:
• Crop YouTube, Vimeo, Khan Academy, National Geographic, TED, and Teacher Tube videos
• Generated link for new video to share
• Can add audio, notes, quizzes to video before generating finished product
• Can create classes and assignments
• Works well with Chrome, Internet Explorer and Firefox
• CONS:
• Cannot embed created video in blog or website
• Students must create account to add class code to join teacher class

Key Strategies for an Epic Win: Using YouTube in Your Classroom!

Open, open, open… remember the commercial where the shopper stands at the front of the store with her nose pressed to the window? Like the woman in the commercial, many of us are very excited about having access to YouTube at school.So, when it's open will you be ready? Can you navigate YouTube?

Getting Started:

• Create an account. When you create an account, you can save and organize videos using playlists. 
• How to create a playlist
• Using favorites and the “watch later” feature
• Preview before you hit play. Always, always, always preview videos before using them in your lessons. 
• Download videos for offline viewing. For Curriculum Night, evaluations, and other important presentations always download the video just in case there are network issues.
• One method for downloading videos can be found here.

A Few Advanced Tips:

• Annotate your videos. (ones you upload) Directions. 
• Add Captions. Directions
• Edit videos using the YouTube Video Editor. With the editor you can combine multiple videos, add music and transitions, or trim the video to the most important part of the video. Directions

Some Classroom Applications:

• Flip your class using YouTube’s web cam feature. Here’s my test video and directions.
• Testing, testing...
• Directions
• Create playlists for reviews and tutorials. You don’t have to create everything. Use existing videos from Smithsonian, PBS, Khan Academy, etc.

For more ideas, check out The Teacher’s Guide To Using YouTube In The Classroom.

Grow Your Professional Learning Network:

• You can follow channels just as you follow colleagues on twitter.
• The 10 Most Important Educational YouTube Channels For Teachers


• Explore YouTube channels created just for educators.
• YouTube for Teachers
• YouTube for Schools
• YouTube for Education

How will you use YouTube in your classroom? Post your comments and ideas. We’d love to hear from you. 

SAFARI MONTAGE

 

SAFARI MONTAGE

We know that SAFARI Montage brings digital video to the classroom to enhance the student learning experience.  We also know we can search by standards, keywords, grade range, file type, and other criteria.  Now SAFARI Montage can not only facilitate visual instruction in the classroom, but it can connect the student to district content at home.  How?  Come to one of the trainings that the Instructional Technologists are doing on all campuses this month.
                                Spooky SpecTECHular Safari is just plain spooky!!! 

Highlights of the training:

• My Locker:  a place to store digital resources you uploaded

• Creation Station:  allows for the uploading of digital resources that can be stored in your locker. Websites to PowerPoints to Flipcharts to Word documents can be uploaded.  You can add, share, and manage teacher/student created video content. 

• Some file formats that can be uploaded are:   

                Video-MOV, MP4, FLV, MPG
                Audio-MP3
                Image-JPG, BMP, GIF
                Documents-TXT, PDF, DOC, PPT, XLS       

• Home Access:  students can log into SAFARI from home to view a playlist you have created

• Add your own digital resources to Playlist:  upload documents then use them in a content specific playlist with the videos inside of SAFARI

• Bookmark a Video:  determine the start and stop points of all videos by the click of a button

• Share:  share your playlists with teachers in your school or in the district

Check out this playlist.  Click on the link, sign in to SAFARI, and follow the list of activities.

Ghost in your Genes

The video 'Ghost in Your Genes', questions the longtime belief that all inherited traits are passed on through genes.  A weblink follows with a simulation tool to test the effects of selection, mutation and chance on the evolution of a trait.  The PowerPoint on Changes in DNA with a worksheet on Identifying Mutations (with answer key) completes the science portion.  Challenge your math students with Halloween Candy Calories and Pizza Math.  Mary Shelley's Frankenstein has a cross-curricular weblink discussing the author, the scientists of her time, and includes lesson plans for middle and high school.

Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, and Something Blue

The availability of quality instructional technology resources and devices is growing exponentially.  Who can possibly keep up? While the bells and whistles of  so many new resources may seem appealing, we should take care to evaluate their usefulness in the curriculum before jumping on the band wagon and abandoning tried and true resources that have been available for some time. That said, here are four resources for your consideration this week.

Something Old

ReadWritethink.org has been around for a long time.  The site contains a wealth of information and activities for teachers and students including lesson plans and student interactives that are categorized by grade level, type, learning objectives and more.  In the past, though the interactives were all great tools, the lack of ability to save work in progress was a downfall which ReadWriteThink is now addressing.  There are currently 15 interactives with the ability for student work to be saved.  The following video explains how to do this:

Some of my favorite interactives from the site are:
Cube Creator  which can be used to create a biography cube, mystery cube, story cube or other student created cube.
Compare and Contrast Map  that can be used in any subject area across all grade levels from 3-12.
Letter Generator  which students can use to learn to write friendly and business letters.
Trading Card Creator  for science and social studies
Puzzle Me Words that reinforces letter sounds for K-1 students.

Something New

The Swivl  is a great new device to help you create videos with an iPhone, iPod or iPad mini and without a cameraman.  Enhance your lessons with videos of your own demonstrations or record just about any lesson you might want students to watch in your flipped classroom. The video and audio are recorded wirelessly.

Something Borrowed

Gooru is a website and app consisting of a well-organized collection of multimedia math, science and social studies resources suitable for students in grades 5-12. Find out more about this resource at http://gcisdleadwithtechnology.blogspot.com/2013/03/gooru-search-engine-for-learning.html

Something Blue

When you want to quickly share a file without having to log into a cloud account such as Dropbox or Google, Pastelink is about as easy as it gets.  All you do is go to http://pastelink.me/, drag and drop a file to the center of the page then copy the short URL that is created instantly. The copied link can then be pasted anywhere for others to access within 7 days.
The site is free, has no advertisements and there is nothing to install.  You can share files up to 250 mb without logging in, but if you want to share images, videos, or other larger files up to 2 Gb, you will need to create an account.  It’s still free.

No YouTube? No Problem!

You've scoured the internet for an instructional video, and you have found one that's perfect! Unfortunately, the video is on YouTube, which cannot be accessed from the classroom. You could always convert the YouTube video using a site such as Zamzar, but all you really want to be able to do is click and play! Explore these free alternatives to YouTube which provide safe, classroom friendly,  instant access to the video lessons you desire.

School Tube was created specifically for teachers and students to upload, view and share videos. Teachers and students can also create their own classroom channel, too!  Most educational YouTube videos can usually be found on School Tube with a simple search. If the YouTube video isn't on School Tube, no worries! As long as you have the YouTube URL, you can import it into SchoolTube.

 By the end of the year, WatchKnowLearn will have over 50,000 educational videos.The search directory is categorized by title, description, subject and age level, all teacher-guided.

Explore features over 250 original films and 30,000 photo slide shows from around the world with accompanying lesson plans which are written for use in the K – 12 classroom and are connected to grade level national standards. The films and lessons profile the following: environment, education, human rights, public health, philosophy, animal welfare, and also documents world leaders and individuals who have devoted their lives to extraordinary causes. This site is similiar to Discovery Streaming. Teachers can share, embed, and download these videos.

For a complete list of 47 additional YouTube alternatives, click here.

Website of the Week

 Symbaloo is one of  my favorite social bookmarking sites! It allows teachers to create a page of resources, all in one place, for instant access. Student's don't have to copy mulitple URL's. But wait! There's more! Symbaloo is social. There are Twitter, Facebook and YouTube widgets available which allow you to not only post to those sites, but connect with your friends and students to see what links they are recommending! Check out my symbaloo page for Rockin' Technology!

Tip of the Week

Save any file as a PDF file in Office 2010 by going to File, Save As, then in the Save as Type drop down choose PDF. 

Simple Video Tips

Want to use a YouTube video in your classroom but the website is blocked?  Copy the link of the video in the address box and paste it into http://www.zamzar.com/ . Follow the process and soon you will have the video downloaded.  Only want part of the YouTube video?  Use http://tubechop.com/  to easily chop a funny or interesting section from any YouTube video and share it.  Want to convert videos to a different format? A free converter like Oxelon Media can be downloaded and then used by simply right-clicking on the video.

Tip of the Week:   Flip Cameras or Sony Bloggies work well for videos and are easy to use for both the student and the teacher.  

Web Resources:  Some of the video sites I use include Discovery Streaming, Brain Pop, The Futureschannel, WatchKnow , Khan Academy, and Animoto