Category: teaching ideas

Using Google Hangouts On Air in Classroom

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EngagementAre you looking for an easy way to engage students?

Search no longer and try a Google Hangouts On Air! A Google Hangout can play many different roles in a K-12 and Higher Ed Classroom. The hangout is recorded and can be reused as a classroom support or study tool shared privately by the teacher. Generally it takes minimal time to setup and run. 

During the hangout the teacher or person in control has access to a dashboard providing the ability to mute a user’s sound, audio and etc… In rare cases an educator may eject an Attendees  from a “Live Hangout” it they’re  not exemplifying “Good Digital Citizenship”. This can be avoided by reviewing the “Netiquette” Skills before using a Live Hangout with your students.

Live Google Hangout Ideas

  • Teachers can host a “Mystery Hangout”
  • Middle School & High School Students interact w/Elementary Students
    • Read to the class
    • Create a project with screen share
  • Provides the ability for an absent student to participate with their class
  • Classrooms can connect with global classrooms to collaborate on a project
  • Establish Student reading/discussion groups connecting two different districts
  • Eliminate travel for Professional Development
  • Student Study Groups
  • Invite a guest speaker

Please Click HERE to Share Your Google Live Hangout Idea

Teach Students How to Create Calendar Meetings

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Google Calendar is a tool both students and teachers can use for communication and collaboration. It allows the user to share attachments, web-links and images along with a brief summary. If a student is working on a class project outside of school Google Calendar allows them to make arrangements and share information with their classmates. Google Calendar provides opportunities for collaboration and communication for teachers without having to leave their classroom. It’s an easy way for teacher’s to leave sub plans which support the use of the classrooms interactive whiteboards thanks to clickable attachments and links left in the description area. Read below to learn how to maximize Google Calendar for supporting school needs.

CREATE EVENT, ATTACH DOC & PHOTOS

It’s Simple to Invite Others to an Event

Just add Email and Save

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Google Slides Let Me Count the Ways

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This is a list I’m starting for counting the ways to use Google Slides in the Classroom!

Please Share Your Ideas by Clicking the 

Link Below the Slide Presentation!


CLICK HERE to ADD to this GLOBAL GOOGLE SLIDE COLLABORATION

Chrome Remote Provides Mobility to Teacher

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My latest discovery is The Chrome Remote Desktop APP and the magical power it has to provide the teacher with mobility and still interact with an Interactive Whiteboard (IWB). You may ask, “Why would I want to do this?” Here’s my answer with another question: “When you turn your back to the students for the purpose of writing on the IWB does chatter occur in the classroom?” You may say, “NO”, but I know better. My position as a K-12 Teaching Assistant often places me in locations towards the back of the classroom where I observe all which happens.

The back of the room can place a whole new perspective on what a teacher observes. It is easy to view what students are doing when a teacher untethers themselves from the front of a classroom. Chrome Remote is an excellent tool to untether a teacher from the desktop or laptop controlling the IWB. It provides the ability for the teacher to roam the room and still control what happens on that big screen in front of the room.

How Does a Teacher Use Chrome Remote

  1. Install the APP on the Interactive Whiteboard Desktop or Laptop
  2. Install the APP on a mobile device
  3. Follow installation directions to connect the devices
  4. When finished the desktop/laptop screen appears on the mobile device
    • Teacher uses the mobile device to interact with IWB
      • Mobile device replaces the pen/or desktop/laptop
      • If in front of the room one can still use the pen

Benefits for Using Chrome Remote

Teacher Perspective:

  1. Provides the freedom for the teacher to walk around the room
  2. Teacher can interact with whiteboard from any location in classroom
  3. Ability to see what is on every desktop
  4. Makes classroom management easier
    • Students take less chances with stretching classroom rules
  5. Supports students mobile device use in the classroom
    • More opportunities to see the students screen
      • Lessens opportunities for  roaming to other websites
      • Supports more individualized support
        • Teacher sees immediate need for redirection
    • Lessens student opportunities for text messaging
  6. Teacher can share the tablet with students
    • Students interact with Interactive Whiteboard from their seats
      • Provides more opportunities for student interaction
        • Less time wasted by getting out of seats
      • Student can  still be asked to go up to the IWB to interact
        • Supports students with high energy levels

Student Perspective:

  1. Student views teacher as a facilitator vs. dictator
  2. Students respond well to individual help opportunities
  3. Easier to focus on classroom activities
    • Less distraction
  4. Students engaged to participate
  5. Directions seem easier to follow
  6. Students feel safe
  7. Esteems are boost
    • Less misdirected peer pressure

 

Google Blogger in Classroom: Let Me Count the Ways…

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Blogger is one of the overlooked features within the Google APP for Education (GAfE)  Accounts. I found when mentioning GAfE to other educators they immediately associate the account with Google Drive, GMAIL, Calendar, Docs, Slides, Forms and Sheets. However there are many more components then these. Today I’m going to focus on one of the overlooked and hardly mentioned components. This is using Google Blogger to create blogs.

Did you say how can creating a blog make a difference in education? Well let me count the ways….

Integrating Google Blogger for the Classroom

  1. Create a Classroom Newsletter to share with parents
    • Include the students as creators in this activity
    • Great school to home connection
  2. Host a student help blog for different content areas
    • Students can create tutorials to share math tips & tricks
    • Embed screencasts instead of writing
  3. Make a classroom gallery to showcase student projects!
    • Another great way to make a school to home connection!!!
    • Have students upload the images or videos
    • Let students be responsible for answering questions
      • That is pertaining to their own project
      • Make the blog active as possible
  4. Do you students research famous people, inventors or ?
    • Let them use a blog for their presentation
    • Students transform into the biographical character
    • Student introduces them self as the character
    • Other students ask questions
      • Student answer questions based on their research
    • Blog can remain private
      • Students can use their school logon
      • Restrict blog invites to classroom community
  5. Replace a teachers website with a blog
    • Easy to maintain
    • All posts are archived in date order
    • Embed worksheets
    • Add a calendar
    • Insert video
  6. Students can use a blog as a virtual binder
    • Provides organization

These are just a few ideas for getting started using blogger in the classroom!

Can You Think of More Ways for Using Blogger???

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