Student Choice Empowers Voice

As educators, we strive to empower our learners. What does an empowered student look like?  


ISTE's first digital goal explains that an empowered learner is one who "leverage(s) technology to take an active role in choosing, achieving and demonstrating competency in their learning goals, informed by the learning sciences" (emphasis mine). 

An edtech tool to help student choice and voice is undoubtedly Padlet.  I've used this free online bulletin board tool for a number of years and enjoy how easy it is to set up, organize, and share with students.  The most common way that I've used the integration resource was as a platform to showcase student work for a larger audience than just me.  For example, I make a Padlet page for each of my classes or in some cases depending on the task for all of my students. Check out my AP Human Geography student page for their Year Long Project.  Each student has two countries that differ in development. They apply their understandings to these two different places and showcase their findings and reflections in a Google Site. These learning portfolios are then accessed at least once each chapter by classmates.  I also share the Padlet link to this page with educators on my professional learning network who are able to offer feedback.  It's a great tool to use a platform for just about any digital project, like this one which catalogs student generated projects about agricultural geography.  This is also a fantastic collaboration tool for a group of students. Not only does Padlet offer students a chance to contribute their voice to a page, but this tool has recently allowed users choice on what they can contribute. Our District Instructional Technology Coach, Anne Reardon, shared this past week on the MASD Technology Integration Committee site.

Several words stand out to me.  The student must take the lead with their learning. Choice is important because we care more about things that we're interested in.  Demonstration is key. Knowing that learning will be on display encourages most students to perform their best. In sum, empowered students look motivated.  They are eager to learn. I enjoy this someecards style cartoon from @teachergoals. I overlooked the words, "some control," at first.  This is important! I haven't had much experience with a 100% student led classroom. 

https://sites.google.com/masdstudent.org/learn-create-connect/home

I included Anne's screen shot of the new updates for Padlet. Students are now able to record videos up to 5 minutes, take pictures, doodle, record their voice, add pictures, and include just about any sort of link. I will try the video function for sure. I was limited by the free version of Fliprid in some cases. I can imagine using this tool as a ticket out the door activity. For example, this coming week, my World Cultures students and I will be learning about nationalism and independence movements in Africa. I could set up a page, add a post with directions, change the settings so it's public, and share the page with my students via Google Classroom.  If I was to have them complete a simple Type 2 prompt about identifying at least three reasons many African societies resented European rule, students could select several options such as a voice message to demonstrate their learning.

Students can also use Padlet as a way to share a "post it" note. You can write a title and then a description. Any text can be formatted and highlights, quotes, and a variety of other marks can be included to the post. This might be helpful for a variety of literacy activities.

So keep Padlet on your tool belt because student choice empowers voice.  

Helpful Resources and Tutorials:

Video Tutorial for Beginners 

Padlet resource on using Film 
Padlet resource on formatting Text
Teacher Blog Post about Padlet- updated 

Facilitate Real Learning by Networking with Experts in the Field - Part 1

One of my favorite classes in high school was American Legal Systems. We studied various aspects of the criminal justice system. What made the class interesting was how REAL the activities were.  As mentioned in previous posts, REAL stands for relevant, engaging, authentic, and lasting and is often a subject within the work of globally recognized author and speaker, Eric Sheninger.  The teacher was Mr. McConnell.  He was a Vietnam veteran and also a part-time police officer for the Easton Police Department.  Not only did he integrate a constant flow of real-life stories into his instruction, but he also invited at least one guest speaker for every unit of study, sometimes even more.  Mr. McConnell invited law enforcement agents from the local, state, and federal levels into the classroom.  These speakers helped me see the content and skills come to life.  I saw learning as going beyond the boring textbook.  These experts also made the content exciting because we could interact and ask questions.  I loved the K-9 unit that came in, and I also enjoyed the FBI speakers.  I took this class right after the 9/11 terror attacks. We also went on a field trip to Rahway State Penitentiary, toured the prison, and spoke with guards and prisoners.   For the signature assignment in this social studies elective, we each selected a police department from any of the major US cities.  Our job was to become the new police commissioner, assemble a task force and create a community action plan to reduce crime. We were required to use actual data and investigate real problems occurring in our selected cities. Along with the research paper, we were also required to present to our fellow police commissioners, who would offer advice and further discussion.

I remember this course like it was yesterday, but that was about 15 years ago.

Two questions are on my mind as I write this week's technology tip.

1. What was your favorite class during your primary, secondary, and post-secondary school experience? What made it special? 
2. What is your legacy as a teacher? What learning activities are relevant, engaging, authentic, and lasting for your students? 

The story I shared above illustrates how Mr. McConnell's use of experts in the field transformed the traditional learning experience for me.  Regarding the second question, I think of legacy often as a teacher. I hope my relationship building, wisdom, stories lessons and learning atmosphere are what students remember. There are days where my instruction is me doing much of the work and the students are doing very minimal work. I don't think they will remember those days. I've been using Skype and Google Hangouts in the classroom for about nine years.  It wasn't until the spring of 2016, that global collaboration projects and networking with experts in the field changed the trajectory of why and how I teach. More about that in a later post. 

To help reinforce why and how to facilitate real learning in the classroom, please watch one of our esteemed MASH Earth Science teachers, Jen Bandura, as she discusses how she helps students see science in action.

I am encouraged by Jen in so many ways.  Her communication with parents through weekly emails allows for science conversations to carry on outside of school. These emails also allow Jen to find possible guest speakers for her classroom. The "six degrees of separation" certainly applies here. There always seems to be someone who is a friend of someone you might be looking for to chat with your students. I am also inspired by the diverse mix of speakers she brings in through Google Hangouts and Skype.

Thank you for the video, Jen!

What else did you take away from her video? If you are interested in networking with experts in the field, please feel free to contact Jen or I.  Here's an additional Google Slides resource regarding ISTE standard #7, Global Collaboration, I shared at the Shippensburg University School Study Council in April, 2017.  Included in these slides are a few stories and connections, specifically with 2017 Teacher of the Year, Mike Soskil.  Mike is the teacher who continues to inspire me to empower students to change the world.  I plan to share more related resources and contacts in an upcoming post.

Looking forward to learning more ways to facilitate real learning in the classroom. Have a great week.

Students as Knowledge Constructors

As I write this week's technology tip, I am accompanied by a rather large cup of coffee and an intimidating stack of World Cultures midterm assessments.  It's also snowing here in South Central Pennsylvania which makes many of our students (and staff) hopeful for two-hour delays, early dismissals or school closures.

I wanted to briefly write about some of the enduring questions that we as teachers often have as we plan and facilitate learning in our classrooms as lead learners:  How do students learn? How do we as teachers go about helping our students reach mastery?

One possible approach to these questions is constructivism.  Scholars such as Jean Piaget  discovered that deep and meaningful learning occurs as learners are actively involved in the process.  Students must construct their own knowledge as opposed to passively receive information.  These findings are not new but they are excellent reminders for me.  As I venture into the second semester, I am thinking of ways to help my students become their own knowledge constructors. I desire for my students to figure out their own questions and chase their curiosity (see the interesting articles linked here - one is from George Couros). I will share more on the second question regarding the use of educational technology to help with formative assessment in upcoming posts.

We must help our students become knowledge constructors. 

The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) provides direction for teachers interested in helping students drive their own learning. Our District recently adopted digital goals that mirror these seven standards. The third ISTE student standard is called "Knowledge Constructor." Check out the image below.  As you read the standard and the accompanying indicators, think about why these skills are critical for our students, especially as they enter today's workforce.

https://www.iste.org/standards/for-students

How can technology tools help teachers support this learning goal?
One of my colleagues here at MASH intentionally designs her AP Art History in such a way that learners curate their understandings for 250 individual masterpieces. Check out Lynette Giblin's AP Art History student blog and read the student comments under each work of art.  To get a better understanding of why AND how she had her students curate their knowledge, please listen to Lynette's 90 second overview in our EdTech Show & Tell Flipgrid series. I noticed each of ISTE Standard #3 indicators.

What do you think? Feel free to post below. Lynette uses Blogger as her digital platform to support her students in their own quest to make meaning of essential content.  Not only are her learners understanding art, but they are also practicing the skill and art of curation. Students are practicing constructivism for sure.  They are becoming content curators which is transferable in so many facets of life. This additional video, Students Should Be Content Curators, also shares the importance of this skill. Check out this helpful site for more valuable information about content curation for students.

I am inspired by Lynette's intentional course design. Her students are given a voice and they are driving their own understanding.  She also models for us how #ItTakesATeacher to make this magic happen for students. Lynette also demonstrates how we should consider our learning objectives first, and then select the technology tool to support the objectives.

For further inspiration, check out this student-centered blog from Messiah College. Dr. Pettegrew teaches a digital history course pertaining to the City of Harrisburg and has his students post their real-life application work to this site. I admire the REAL work that his students are involved with. They are actually doing the work of a historian.

This is one of my current projects at the moment. My AP Human Geography students are assigned their own two countries that differ in their development.  As we progress through the curriculum, learners are tasked with curating examples of certain concepts that pertain to their countries. I chose Google Sites as the platform to display their understandings and Padlet as a way for all the students to view the work.  This is a work in progress!

We must help our students become knowledge constructors. 

Please share how you are helping learners become knowledge constructors. As always, let me know how I can support you.  

#ItTakesATeacher

"It takes more than just tools to make a classroom special. It takes a teacher." (Google for Education) 

Google launched the #ItTakesATeacher campaign during the fall of 2016.  The videos on their YouTube playlist are inspiring. Check out this one-minute promo video.  What comes to mind?

I am encouraged by the creativity that each educator demonstrates in their planning and instruction. As I wrote in previous posts about MASH colleagues who contributed to our Flipgrid Show & Tell series, I find it critical in our profession to constantly explore, create and share approaches. Every teacher is an innovator in their own unique way. We grow and improve our practice by studying others. Dr. Shauna King recently shared with our staff about the importance of staying "fresh" as educators and searching for new ways to reach our learners.

I admire how Matt in this second video captures the attention of his 10th grade Chemistry classroom by turning his curriculum into a business model whereby students form teams and competitively design soap products for actual sale in the community.  Take a moment to watch this short video. The students still learn major concepts, but then they immediately apply their newly acquired knowledge and skills to their soap business.  The teams also take on responsibilities such as marketing and plenty of ISTE's digital goals are being met in the process.  This Project Based Learning model continues to spark my interest.  According to the Buck Institute for Education, Project Based Learning is 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."  The site also identifies further specifics related to the elements such as student voice and choice and authenticity.  The task should feature a real-world scenario and "speak to students' personal concerns, interests, and issues in their lives."  

I have taken on a partial PBL task once in my career so far and it drastically changed the trajectory of how I teach and my view of the world. You can view the recap video which was produced by several of my students last year for the purpose of thanking the community for their support. Our students teamed up with learners from across the district to help rebuild the Cheery Children's Education Center in the Kibera Slum found in Nairobi, Kenya. I hope to carry out a PBL activity these next several months. Our MASH ELA department continues to do amazing work with the students.  When our learners reach senior year, they take a course called Capstone Communications which includes a cornerstone task rooted in PBL elements.  Students work in teams to help solve a "messy problem" in our local learning community and then they pitch their ideas to the School Board and Administration. This video summarizes the experience from different stake-holders.

I value what Eric Sheninger shared in his post from last year about 10 tips to make learning real. He noted how "the challenge for educators and schools today is to make learning REAL (relevant, engaging, authentic, and lasting) for all students and aligning it more with their world." As teachers, we have the power to make this type of learning happen! It takes the teacher, not the tool, to make a classroom special. 

Let's continue to explore, create, and share and model growth for our students. #ItTakesATeacher

Google Classroom: Streamline how you instruct, announce, assign, collect, grade, and offer feedback

The start of the second semester may offer you an opportunity to integrate something new or innovative into your classroom routine. How do you normally announce, assign, collect, grade and provide feedback? How can technology help make all these tasks more efficient, save you time, and actually lead to better results for student learning?

Each teacher has a tool that helps them with their work. Perhaps Google Classroom is one such edtech tool that you can revisit or explore for the first time.

This is the second school year that Google Classroom has been part of my repertoire.  I actually held off using this management system because I was using another website to host my classroom resources. I used the school website for a few years but then switched to Wikispaces because my students could contribute work to my site and I could facilitate group discussion. In thinking about instructional goals first and sustainability second, it made more sense to switch to Google Classroom. This tool continues to streamline my workflow.  You need to read a blog post from Matt Miller, author of Ditch That Textbook, about 10 Tips to Use Google Classroom Effectively and Efficiently .

What new idea did you read about? There is constant innovation occurring with Google Edu and they seem to listen to teacher feedback and comments. It is pretty easy to leave a comment on a Google Classroom page. To read new happenings with Google Classroom, check out their Update page.  They seem to update at least twice a year.


Alice Keeler also writes about the many learning opportunities with Google Classroom. Check out this infographic. See the link below for more techniques on how to use Google Classroom.

Further Support:

• Starting Out: 
• Visit this blog post from Matt Miller called 12 Grate Ways to Start Using Google Classroom Now
• Our #MASHTeach Tech Day as a Google Classroom resource page with Google Classroom instruction from Mrs. Chow. Please email me at jreidy@mbgsd.org for that information. 
• Set up an appointment with me. 
• Stay posted for future workshop dates. 
• Revisit:
• Visit Alice Keeler's website and select a resource that interests you about how to use Google Classroom in an innovative way. 
• Try a Google Search and see what you find. 
• Share your findings below! I will be sharing some Google Classroom success & challenge stories during semester two. 

Cheers! 

Never Stop Learning

Happy 2018! I hope you enjoyed your holiday season.  It is difficult to think that this winter vacation is coming to an end.  As I wrote in my last post, Innovation is a Cross Pollination of Ideas, I tried to find some time for the 'other' category but I think I spent most of that time playing with my 6-month year old daughter! I continue to be inspired by her. I am amazed at how much children grow and learn in such a short amount of time. I love her desire to explore the world around her.  After spending so much time with her this past week, I realized that we are made to learn and that we can learn anything if we care enough to stick with it. 

I came across this short video from Khan Academy.  Check it out.  "Nobody is born smart. We all start at zero. Can't walk. Can't talk. Certainly can't do Algebra ... Failure is another word for growth." This is a great reminder in this new year, especially as we try to help our students grow and reach mastery in authentic ways.

Likewise, North Face, has a similar message. According to this company, "exploration is finding the thing we love and relentlessly pursuing it. It's pushing the boundaries of our physical and creative self-expression. Exploration is the joy, adrenaline, soulfulness, fear, love and exhilaration of the unknown." 



How can we help reignite and spread the love of learning among each of our students? How can educational technology assist in this process? A starting place might be the ISTE goals. Check these out. Which one might your curriculum focus on the most? 

Let's continue to help empower our students! Please post any ideas below.