Mr. B EdTech Blog

Earlier this year, Google rolled out the "LOCKDOWN" feature on Google Quizzes. According to Google, this feature will block students from being able to open new tabs, thus preventing them from cheating. https://techycoach.com/2019/01/24/google-forms-lockdown-mode/ I do find this tool useful for those that use this type of assessment. However, one question I would ask, Is this type of assessment the best way to assess what students have learned. I find myself moving away from question and answer based assessments and moving toward project based assessments. This philosophy is summed up by saying that I am moving away from having students tell me what they learned to having students show me what they learned, putting the skills to actual use. Though I still see where the old style Q&A assessments can be valid, I am not sure that I would utilize this function often. I would encourage those using technology for assessments to think how to transform their instruct...

https://gsuiteupdates.googleblog.com/2019/04/new-tools-sheets.html New features include: Selecting objects like in slides, being able to select multiple objects at once, move, and resize. Copy and Paste an image into a CELL! (Finally!!!) Guides and more...

Hello everyone, I am at the Illinois Computing Educator's Conference 2019 Today through Thursday. I will post a live feed of my notable conferences and experiences to Twitter throughout the day. Feel free to check it out Twitter:  https://twitter.com/Mr_B_Ed_Tech

https://www.controlaltachieve.com/2018/09/collabordependent-slides.html This is an interesting idea that I would not have thought of. It is good to combine the idea of creating passwords and having a purpose behind the password. That idea would be reinforced each time the password is entered.

https://www.controlaltachieve.com/2018/10/gif-slides.html A potentially really useful tool. What are some of the create uses you could see for this tool in your classroom?

Scroll through this article to find a very detailed list of resources for teaching about Geography and Immigration. https://www.techlearning.com/features/november-is-ideal-for-teaching-geography-and-immigration

http://www.cyclesoflearning.com/home/5-ways-to-embed-coding-electronics-into-your-science-curriculum Why is Coding Important? Coding involves high level thinking such as creativity and troubleshooting. One obvious connection I can see to science is learning DNA sequencing and genetic traits. What traits will you end up if you have certain genes? That is very similar to, what product will I get if I input X? Teachers: Should I Even Try This If I'm not a Coder? Yes! Do not be intimidated by the words "coding" and "programming." Take a look at the resources in the article (linked at the top). You may already be a pro but don't know it.

Teaching Vocabulary with Keyword Searches https://www.techlearning.com/tl-advisor-blog/class-tech-tips-classroom-tips-for-teaching-vocabulary-with-keyword-searches The original idea detailed in the link above, shows a method of teaching vocabulary words visually with Adobe Spark. However, if I were to use this method, I would most likely modify this to use Google Image search. Mainly because my school district does not have Adobe Spark. To accomplish this, I could use one of two image search tools from Google, #1) Go to images.google.com  and have students search a vocabulary term. #2) Have students search for images directly within G suite using Google Docs image search. See how to search for an image with Google Docs at the following link :  https://www.bettercloud.com/monitor/the-academy/how-to-search-for-and-add-free-images-right-within-google-docs/ Example Activity Using this Tool Have students create a google doc and type out their Vocabulary word...

See the Full Article http://www.bigguyinabowtie.com/the-blog/let-students-create-video-with-wevideo Recently I featured an article on Adobe Spark, an online video creation tool. However, in the past I have also recommended WeVideo, which is also an excellent tool. However, WeVideo does offer a premium version with more features for a price.  This article is not meant to compare WeVideo with Adobe Spark, but it is meant to show those of you who have seen Adobe Spark, what WeVideo can offer.

https://www.techlearning.com/tl-advisor-blog/mock-it-up-9-tools-for-learners-to-design-blueprint-and-visualize-their-innovations This resource offers great apps available on a variety of platforms to help students visualize projects. STEAM Up Learning! Ideas to Inspire Inquiry, Critical Thinking & Problem-Solving from Shelly Sanchez Terrell

In this article are 25 different uses for Google Docs in the Classroom. http://blog.mimio.com/25-cool-hacks-for-google-docs-in-the-classroom

Lately, I’ve been busy grading my students’ digital products. Each year my students accomplish so much with technology, such as brainstorming, collaboration, annotation, editing, research, and so forth. My students also create several digital products throughout my courses, such as mind maps, infographics, posters, presentations, video commercials, audio interviews, comics, ebooks, portfolios, visual prompts, speaking avatars, etc.  See the full process http://teacherrebootcamp.com/2018/07/16/techintegrationprocess/

While Apple already had an event focused toward education, the June Apple Event was geared more for Developers. This event showcased the new features coming to new and old Apple Devices. iOS (iPhone & iPad) New OS will not exclude any more devices. (If your device could run iOS 11, it can run iOS 12) iOS 12 will support the most devices (all the way back to 2013). Apps should load faster and be more responsive New AR Kit, basically more features coming for Augmented Reality Siri can now be proactive about making suggestions, Example, when your in a movie theater, Siri can suggest to silence your phone. Do Not Disturb - Choose not to receive notifications at night, they will appear the next morning in a group. Timer for kids, can prompt you when you set a time limit for apps. Customizable Animojis, similar to BitMoji Group FaceTime Calls (up to 32 people can be in one call) MacOS (MacBook & iMac) No More Mountains, new OS is called Mojave New "Dark...

http://www.bigguyinabowtie.com/the-blog/6-tools-to-bring-video-to-your-classroom I like this article as it shows at least one tool that is compatible with each device most classrooms use. I have used multiple apps on this list and highly recommend any of these apps for video creation. Have you thought about incorporating video into assignments as an alternative to traditional assignemnts?

First, some background. During my first year of teaching, one of my colleagues and I wrote a technology request to pilot a set of iPads in our instruction. The year was 2012, and the model was the famous iPad 2. To be completely honest, I was NOT a fan of the original iPad. I thought it was dated and obsolete before it even hit store shelves. In contrast, the iPad 2 finally offered something that I thought could be useful. It was the first Apple product I had ever purchased personally and it sucked me in to getting a MacBook Pro and an iPhone. Personally, I love these devices for a variety of reasons and I continue to use them to this day (as of March 28th, 2018) When our request for a classroom set of iPads got approved, I was ecstatic. Soon, my excitement turned into frustration and eventually into perpetual torment. In the 2012-2013 school year there was no way to manage the iPads. Each one had to be setup individually. Locking down iPads was a logistical nightmare and I cons...

Check out the tips here: http://www.techlearning.com/blogentry/12534

"The hills are alive with the sound of music." Be honest, some of you sang that in your head while reading. The Rules There are many ways of incorporating music into the classroom and the benefits of doing so are almost endless. There are simple rules to follow if one is going to implement music into the classroom. Be Consistent  Do Not Overuse It  Have a Purpose  Make Sure It Is School Appropriate  One may note the similarity of incorporating music to incorporating technology into the classroom. Most important, music must serve a purpose. For example, I used  music to prompt the bell ringer in my classroom. When students entered, I would already have the music playing. This would let students know to get to work as soon as they entered. When the music ended, students knew they had about 30 seconds before we would begin discussing the bell ringer activity. This was a daily use of music, following the consistency rule. However, this was the only ac...

Video is still one the the most power learning tools that teachers use. Now that each student has a device, this offers various possibilities in offering individualized instruction through video through differentiation . Students can view the video at their own pace . If they need something repeated or need to pause the video, they can do so. Students can be watching different videos from each other at the same time. For example, I can even edit my videos or make a new video for students by ability level. How to get started? Make your Video (WeVideo) Publish your Video (YouTube Channel) Present your Video to Students (EdPuzzle) WeVideo - Tutorial - How to Make and Edit Videos on a Chromebook From Teachers.Tech on YouTube How to Create a YouTube Channel From Teachers.Tech on YouTube Make your Videos Interactive with EdPuzzle From Flipped Classroom Tutorials on YouTube

This article, Every Student Should Be Given the Opportunity to Teach Others , presents excellent reasons for students being able to teach. Thinking back to my own learning experiences, I best remember the lessons I was taught when I was able to present/teach others. Platforms for Students Teaching Students Screen-casting Screencastify - There are limited features in the free version, but there is enough to successfully create and present a screen-cast. Videos Record and post videos through Google Drive or YouTube. The app ShowMe , for tablets can also be a good way to create a presentation while explaining concepts. An interesting concept that you might want to try is using the Vine video time limit in having students create videos. The time limit really makes the student think about what is most important. Check out this resource. 3 Ways to Use Vine in the Classroom . Blogs Students can create a blog post for certain topics and subjects online. This can be done in a ...

Have a look at this resource list for teachers to use in their classrooms. This list includes new tools as well as updates to existing tools. http://www.techlearning.com/resources/0003/whats-new-new-tools-for-schools/70736