• Using a PowerPoint Template: Each student worked from the same basic PowerPoint, so the focus could be placed on content.  So that the students wouldn’t have to navigate to save  their projects, a copy of the Ocean Report (.ppt) was put into each student’s folder on the server.  This also prevents the original from being overwritten.  To prevent overwriting, you could also just save one copy in a main folder as a template (.pot) so when it is opened a new file is created.
• Student Checklist: A checklist (.pdf) was created so that anyone who was helping the student would know which part of the process he/she still needed to complete.  The students did a fantastic job of becoming experts and teaching classmates techniques they had learned. (i.e. inserting action buttons) If you would like a copy of the checklist as a word document, so you can revise it, please leave a comment and I can email you one.
• Finding Pictures/Images: A word document was created (by an adult) with available pictures (about 10) and links so the students could copy and paste the picture and the source into their reports.   This took less time that having students finding their own images on the web, but still allowed them choice since not all of the pictures needed to be used.  The word documents were named by animal and placed in a Pictures folder on the server.
• Presenting the Projects: Because the projects were stored on the server, it was easy to bring them up on the presentation station when it was the student’s turn to present.  Not only did the student use the handheld mic but we were also able to connect the USB cable (the document camera end goes in the projector) from the computer to the projector (it’s on a table) so the projector remote could be used to advance the slides.  They looked so official!
• Student Reflection/Rubric: The student reflection (.pdf) focused on their presentation skills, not just their product.
• Publishing to the Web: A letter was sent home to parents describing this particular project and  publishing it to the web.   If the letter wasn’t returned, then the project wasn’t published.   Since the students  had a copy of the original PowerPoint in their folders each project was renamed with the student’s first name.  Publishing the PowerPoints was a little tricky.    If a PowerPoint is saved as an html page, it doesn’t always appear the same in different web browsers.  So, sometimes the pictures wouldn’t show or the animation wouldn’t work.  I tried some of the various online slideshow/sharing sites, but they also stripped the animation/interactivity from the PowerPoints or were blocked on student machines.  The solution I found was to turn the PowerPoints into Flash movies.  I ended up using a nifty free application called iSpring to convert all of the projects.  Then we just had to give them to the school’s webmaster to publish on their school site.  I was also able to use iSpring to post the 3 example PowerPoints directly to SlideBoom (blocked on student machines) to be able to embed them on this blog.

Nathan Hale science teachers Matt Hinkley and Karl Englert are always searching for useful technology tools for their classrooms. One of their favorites is Google Tools for Educators. Google Docs is one component of the Google Tools suite (Sites, Calendar, RSS Reader, Picasa Photos, Maps and more). Specifically, Google Docs contains a word processor, presentation, and spreadsheet application. All 3 of these are stand-a-lone applications but also integrate well with Microsoft Office. Also in Google Docs is Forms, an easy-to-use survey tool. In addition, they use Google Calendar. All of these are available with a free Google account.

Here are a few descriptions of how these teachers are using Google Docs in their classrooms…

Google Tools: Google Forms and Spreadsheet:

1) During a 12th grade Environmental Science lab on organisms, Mr. Hinkley created a Google Form (a survey that puts the data in a spreadsheet and creates a graph) for students to collect and record the number of organisms in agricultural and natural areas they were studying. Students entered their lab data into the survey. Mr. Hinkley used the graphing feature in Forms to share the “collective” results with the class from his presentation station. As the students continue to add data Hinkley was able to update the graph to reflect the changes.

2) Mr. Englert uses Google Forms for students to complete an online Current Event assignment. Englert inputs the information and selects the type of questions required (multiple choice, open response, etc.). Once the assignment is ready, he embeds the Form/Survey (see picture below) on his Source class page for student access. As the students complete and submit their assignments, this work is compiled in a spreadsheet.

Click to view the sample images.

Google Tools: Google Documents (Word Processor):

1) Both Hinkely and Englert use Google Documents for students to collaborate on research projects. While working at their homes, at school, or in a library, students can work in collaborative groups to write and edit projects, like a “virtual meeting.” Using their telephones and or the build-in chat, students are able to have multiple people working on the same document at the same time. Also, because the students share their documents with Mr. Hinkley he is able monitor the progress of their work.

Google Tools: Google Calendar:

1) Karl Englert embeds a Google Calendar on his Source Class page to post assignments details, quizzes, tests, and other important class dates .

Notes:

1) Click here for more information about Google Tools for Educators.

2) Once students create a Google Account at home they can work on Google Docs from home or at school on student computers.

3) The instructions for finding and embedding the HTML code is on the Google Docs site.

The 10^th Grade Honors Physics class studied velocity and the idea of plus and minus when used with direction. Kim’s fourth period physics class used soccer and basket balls with Logger Pro to analyze horizontal and vertical motion. And finally, the IB Physics class determined the mass of a hover puck. A force plate was attached to the Lab Quest hand held device to determine impulse. Determining the impulse allowed students to solve for the mass of the puck.

The students used three pieces of technology to help them with their demonstrations. The science technology pieces were Logger Pro and the hand held Lab Quest, both from Vernier. Logger Pro allows students to collect data and video from experiments. The video is synchronized with the data collection making it easy for students to make predictions and demonstrate science concepts. The hand held Lab Quest device can be used as a computer interface or in the field for conducting experiments. FLIP cameras were used for the student video portion of the projects because they are small and easy to edit both from the software provided from the camera or in MovieMaker2.

Here are some representative videos from the projects:
10th grade: Positive and Negative velocity
baucho-and-raymond
haley-and-brennas-swell-presentation

Also, the Instructional Technology group is asking for your comments about other possible resources and or questions related to digital images to help us enhance the resource information in this blog post.

All of the links listed can be found at the Instructional Technology Delicious Site

Agenda

1. General overview of digital media resources
2. Time to explore digital media resource post
3. ET Input: Entering Questions and Comments in the IT Blog
   

Digital Picture Resources (Possibilities)

Internet (Copyright Free Resources)

• IT Delicious – Online Image Resources (Check out Larry Ferlazzo’s link to free online resources.)

Digital Cameras

• Transfer directly from camera: To download the specific camera drivers on your Teacher Work Station (CWS) you will need the help of someone with a #pound account or a Network Analyst (requested through techline – 252-0333).

• External USB Card Reader: These all-in-one readers allow you to download images directly to a computer and do not require software drivers installation.

• Home Computers: Use a pen drive to copy and transfer images from a home computer.

• See How Do I Pick a Digital Camera on the IT Blog
  

Document Camera:

1. Capture an image using only a document camera:
   1. Press the capture button on the document camera panel.
   2. Press the playback button to view these images
   3. Download Images from a computer:
      • Downloading Images from the Document Camera to a PC
      • Downloading Images from the Document Camera to an iMac/eMac
2. Capture an image using Aversion Software and the document camera
   • Using the AVerVision software on a PC or Mac

Scanner: These devices are fading but they can be valuable as a means for making student drawings into digital pictures. Scanners can capture images at the highest quality.

Cell Phones: Cellular camera technology is a popular tool used by students and adults for capturing images. The easiest solution for collecting these images is to download them on a home computer and transport them with a pen drive.

Computers: The most recent models of Apple iMacs and Macbooks have built-in cameras for capturing digital images.

Digital Picture Management (Organization and Editing):

• Teacher Work Stations (CWS) and Student Computers (including Presentation Station Computers):
  • Organization: Create and name folders within the folder, “My Pictures.” At this time there is not an approved software solution for organizing photos on these computers.
  • Basic Editing:
    • Paint: The Paint program comes on all Windows computers and includes some simple editing features like cropping, resizing, and re-formatting.
    • Paint.net: This is a free download for PCs with photo editing features. Paint.net To download this software on your Teacher Work Station (CWS) you will need the help of someone with a #pound account or a Network Analyst (requested through techline).
• Macs: iPhoto is a Mac only digital picture management tool that includes simple photo editing features. It is loaded on all SPS Macs.

Instructional Uses of Digital Images:

Samples and Resources:

• Belarus to America
  
• Water Cycle: An elementary class uses Photostory to share their writing and artwork.
• NUA Slideshow
• Poster Project Idea

Preparation Resources:

• Storyboarding Software: Free tool download from Atomic Learning, Mac and PC.
• Graphic Organizers
• Research Tool: Easy Bib
• Social Bookmarking: Delicious: Easy way to share internet link to digital image resources for teachers and students. The read-only site is not blocked by BESS.

Digital Story Telling – Resource List

See Digital Story Telling on the IT Blog

Applications:

• Photostory 3 (IT Blog – Photostory 2 Resource)
• Powerpoint (IT Blog – PowerPoint Resources)
• MovieMaker (IT Blog – Movie Maker 2 and Teach the Teacher – MovieMaker 2 Resources)
• iPhoto (Apple iLife Tutorials – iPhoto) Create slideshow from digital images that can be exported and shared.
• iMovie (Apple iLife Tutorials – iMovie)
• Voicethread

GLAD (Guided Language Acquisition Design): Promotes instructional strategies that use visuals (digital and analog) to enhance student learning.

• Issaquah School District http://www.projectglad.com/glad.html

Access to Video

Schools must comply with federal CIPA rules in order to keep students safe and get network infrastructure funding. For almost all school districts this has meant Internet filters. As video content has exploded on the Internet so have the restrictions for student access which often means that student access to video sharing sites like YouTube are blocked. You have two options to solve this problem.

1. Use sites that are not blocked like TeacherTube.
2. Transfer YouTube or other video from computers that have access to the site, teacher workstations for example, onto presentation stations so they can be shared with students. (full directions here)

Bandwidth Issues

The District’s access to the Internet is limited by the amount of service we buy from the Washington State k-20 Network. Schools are further limited by the network infrastructure that connects them to the network operations center at the JSCEE. Schools connected by fiber have better bandwidth than schools that are not. Within the next 3 years we should have almost all school sites connected by fiber, but until then many elementary sites that are not connected will have less access. Keeping all this in mind, it is important to treat Internet access as a scarce resource. Your options:

1. Download video in off peak usage times and then show during class. A great way to do this is to use video podcasts. see Podcasts for the Classroom
2. Use streaming video if you have a fiber connection, but be aware of possible network slowdowns if several classrooms are using Internet intensive applications at the same time. (You may also want to check with your librarian to make sure that their book checkout times are not severely effected). Links to great video sites for education.

Reflecting on your professional development experience is vital because it helps transfer new skills and knowledge into practice. It also reinforces your learning. It’s my belief there is an equally essential need for students to be more involved in reflecting on their own learning.

To focus on this belief, I have put together this training module to simulate an experience where teachers create an eScrapbook using their own learnings as content. I have been told by Teacher participants that this simulation can be easily adapted for students in the classroom. The idea is to help students synthesize and analyze in a technology rich learning environment.

Resources are listed below. I would love to hear how you have expanded on this idea and how you have adapted these templates to make them better.
Storyboard for Scrapbooking
Teacher Example:Targeting Process
Scrapbook of Reflections Handout

To read more information on this topic from author Annette Lamb click on this Link.

Click on the podcast below to hear Marco’s interview.

Here is a definition of what a WebQuest is from http://webquest.sdsu.edu/:

A WebQuest is an inquiry-oriented activity in which most or all of the information used by learners is drawn from the Web. WebQuests are designed to use learners’ time well, to focus on using information rather than looking for it, and to support learners’ thinking at the levels of analysis, synthesis and evaluation.

What a valuable way for students to learn!

Site maintained by a school district that uses WebQuests as part of their technology integration.
http://www.milforded.org/teachers_rooms/wq.asp
From the Milford, Connecticut school district – WebQuests are written by teachers for teachers.