The GPS Tech Guide is a site designed to support the amazing teachers of Grosse Pointe South High School. Please use this blog as one of the many great tools you use every day to provide the top notch education the students have always received.
Last year, I organized an unconference at Wayne State University and it was a huge hit! I'm happy to say that Edcamp Detroit will be back at Wayne State on Saturday May 5th. You can checkout our website at EdCampDetroit.org or click here to be taken directly to registration. Act now because there are only 93 tickets left!
We have worked very hard to get even more sponsors and predict that space will fill up fast, so be sure to lock down your spot as soon as possible. Like last year, this conference will be free for all who attend and we will be looking to live stream many of the sessions for those who cannot make it in person but want to watch at home. I have been to 3 different EdCamps and I have to say it has been one of the best learning experiences I have been part of. There were many GPPSS teachers there sharing and learning with teachers from all over the state. I hope to see them and many new faces at EdCamp Detroit 2012!
On the right side of the page you will see that I have replaced the @MrProvenzano Twitter feed with a new @GPPSTechGuide Twitter Feed. This feed will be dedicated to sharing resources that come across my twitter feed. I encourage you to join Twitter and follow the new account so you can see some great sites I find. Now, everyday could be Tech Tuesday. It's a dream come true for many of you. :-)
Flisti is a quick and easy polling/survey creating site. It's free and doesn't not require sign up or registration. You enter in your question, provide some answer options and create the poll. The poll can be embedded into a webpage. If you are looking for somethign simple to add to your SchoolWires site for parent or students to use for feedback, this is a great option.
Tech Genius Richard Byrne has a blog, Free Technology for Teachers, that is always filled with awesomness. I'm not sure how I mised this great part of his site, but I just noticed it the other day. He has a whole page dedicated to video creation. He covers some great tools and have some videos on how to use YouTube and other services to great awesome videos for your classroom. If you have been considering introducing more video into your classroom, you must check out this page. If video is not your thing, just check out Richard's blog. It is amazing and has something for everyone.
I hope everyone has a great week. Do not forget that I have pages at the top of the blog dedicted to Dropbox, Social Media and other goodies. Check them out.
Happy Valentine's Day everyone! Here are some sweet choices for you on Tech Tuesday.
Last year, I organized an unconference at Wayne State University and it was a huge hit! I'm happy to say that Edcamp Detroit will be back at Wayne State on Saturday May 5th. You can checkout our website at EdCampDetroit.org or click here to be taken directly to registration.
We have worked very hard to get even more sponsors and predict that space will fill up fast, so be sure to lock down your spot as soon as possible. Like last year, this conference will be free for all who attend and we will be looking to live stream many of the sessions for those who cannot make it in person but want to watch at home. I have been to 3 different EdCamps and I have to say it has been one of the best learning experiences I have been part of. There were many GPPSS teachers there sharing and learning with teachers from all over the state. I hope to see them and many new faces at EdCamp Detroit 2012!
Here is a video of my friend Kristen Swanson who explains how EdCamps started in Philly and spread across the country. If you have any questions, send us an email at edcampdetroit@gmail.com or follow us on Twitter at @EdcampDetroit
On the right side of the page you will see that I have replaced the @MrProvenzano Twitter feed with a new @GPPSTechGuide Twitter Feed. This feed will be dedicated to sharing resources that come across my twitter feed. I encourage you to join Twitter and follow the new account so you can see some great sites I find. Now, everyday could be Tech Tuesday. It's a dream come true for many of you. :-)
Kathy is an amazing resource when it comes to all things tech and education. I wanted to share this link with you. This link will take you to her thoughts on iPads in the classroom. I've seen different teachers and administrators use iPads in the district and I thought you might find this link valuable.
Here is a site that is wonderful if you are looking to create a Jeopardy game in your classroom for reviews. It's free, doesn't require a registration and it does not involve PowerPoint. Take some time to check it out to see how you might use it in your class.
We have many new teachers in the district this year and I thought it would be helpful to compile a list of great tools that every new teacher should consider when starting their teaching career. Do not feel pressured to use every one of these tools right away. These are just suggestions based on my experience and the experience of many other veteran tech teachers when asked. If you have any questions about any of the tools listed here, please do not hesitate to contact me.
RSS Readers
There is a ton of information on the Internet, it is tough to keep up with your favorite sites. Often you find yourself wasting time to check websites that have not been updated or you miss other sites that are are updated constantly. By creating an RSS Feed, updates to your favorite website can be sent to one spot for you to read. I prefer to use Google Reader. It's easy to use and you can access it from mobile devices. Here is a cool little video that will explain the process of RSS Feeds.
Here is a great site for teachers that want to show some YouTube videos but might only want to show certain selections. Tubechop is a website that lets you take any YouTube clip and chop it down to size. It is very simple to use and does not take very long. Just select the video you want, select the portion you want to watch and click the chop button. You will be given a link or a code to embed into a website. This site can come in very handy if there is a specific part of a clip you want to show your kids without constantly resetting the video player. This can save you time in the long run. Check this site out.
Livebinders is a great site. It is a great way to keep any or all of the documents you have for a unit or an entire class. I have created a binder for my Graphic Novel Class. It's labeled as Pictorial Literature and it was a way from me to keep an organized binder of all of my new materials I wanted students to have access to. I was able to create individual units on each tab of the virtual binder and cut and paste my documents. Each assignment was clearly labeled and easily accessible for my students. As the Semester went on, I uploaded and linked more work to the binder. Each Binder has a 100MB capacity. I find it hard to believe that people are going to cross the 100MB mark, but you can always create another Binder. The Binders do not have to be teachers only though.
Students can use binders for projects. I hate having to carry around a bunch of different projects that students have created. They were frustrating in paper form and are a different type of frustrating if they are sent to my email or are burned to a disc. I use a Mac (Love it!) and might not be able to check the assignment at home if they used some weird program I don't have. Also, I just don't trust what kids put on their flash drives or email to open it at home. Livebinders allows anyone to create the binder and store on their website. With the ability to upload PDFs, Pictures, videos, etc, the students will be able to create a full presentation that a teacher can check from the comfort of home. For Social Studies teachers, I know you like to use binders for current events and other projects. A virtual binder would be a great way for students to link to current events and other important Social Studies materials that you can check at your leisure. Also, this is a free service, so it will not cost your students, or you, a dime.
I find it is a great way to store all of my documents in a easy to use location without taxing the school's servers. It also allows you to access handouts from the Livebinder that might have been previously saved at school. The Internet provides teachers and students with options, so it's important to try them out.
Drop Box is a service I use and love. I wrote a post about it last year. You should check out this post and see how you can use Cloud Computing in your life. Drop Box Post. If you are not sure what cloud computing is, watch this video to see if Drop Box is for you.
In the old days, when you found an interesting website but did not have the time to read it, you would create a bookmark in your browser and read it later. That worked fine unless you wanted to read that page from a different computer. Social Bookmarking sites, Diigo or Del.icio.us, allow you to bookmark sites to be read at a different time and place wherever you have computer access. The title link will take you to a post I did on using Diigo with students. It has made my life a little more organized, which is a huge help as a teacher. Below you see a video explaining Social Bookmarking and using Del.icio.us. Diigo and Del.icio.us are both great bookmarking sites. Try both out and see which you prefer.
I have written multiple posts in the past about the benefits of using Twitter as a teacher. For some reason, it has been slow to catch on with others. I can honestly say that I have learned more from the connections I have made through Twitter than any PD or grad class I have taken. When I have questions, my Twitter teacher buddies will have answers in minutes. You can follow me @TheNerdyTeacher and I would be more than happy to connect you to the teachers I chat with daily.
There are many more articles and posts out there about Twitter and how it has helped connect teachers from around the world. It is an amazing tool and you should seriously consider using it.
Wallwisher
I love using Wallwisher! I wrote a post on using it last year. It is great for peer feedback for projects. Check it out.
Here is a screen cast I had to create for a grad class. Embarrassing, but helpful.
A collection of sites:
Below are a list of sites that I cannot live without. They are blogs and sites written by some very amazing people that will go out of their way to help you. I don't have the space to really list all of the sites I follow, but here are just a few to get your RSS feed going.
I hope these sites are just a jumping off point as you continue to explore the wonders of Social Media and how it can make you a better teacher. Give it a Try!
I've posted about using Twitter before and I thought it was time to update my reasons why I Tweet and try to convince more people to jump on board.
I've been on Twitter since January and it has been a wild ride. I started out with one account I was going to use at school to update homework assignments for the classes I currently teach. Students could choose to follow me and have daily updates regarding homework. It has gone ok. Some students are skeptical, but others have found the reminders to be very helpful. @MrProvenzano is where you can find me if you are curious to know the nights homework in American Literature.
I started my Masters in Ed Tech and I needed to create a different Twitter account and a blog for a class and I started @TheNerdyTeacher and The Nerdy Teacher. They really didn't take off until I started to follow and chat with @ShellTerrell and @KTenkely. They really helped me make great connections with other people and always have great resources to share. Check out iLearntechnology.com for amazing sites from @KTenkely. Shelly has an awesome blog you should check out as well.
These two mediums have allowed me gain such tremendous insight and information on the world of educational technology. I feel at times I am learning far more from the people I have met through Twitter than my CMU class. I have gained over 1,400 followers and 200 daily hits on the blog from all over the world. I'm not writing that to brag, I'm writing it to emphasize a point. I'm connected to the entire world from little ole' Michigan. I've only been on board with Twitter and the other blog for a few months and my resource base continues to grow. I like to demonstrate the power of my Professional Learning Network (PLN) by asking skeptical teachers for a topic and submitting it to Twitter. Within minutes, I will have over 15 responses with different resources on tech alternatives, lesson plans, interactive activities, etc. I feel that these teachers from around the country and the world have made me a better teacher through sharing.
I take the wonderful sites I encounter daily and sift through them to pass along the gems I think GP teachers will use and love. As much as I love tech and can evaluate items from a tech aspect, I'm not an expert in all areas of content. This is why it's important for you to join Twitter and start the looking at sites on your own. It doesn't take much time at all. You can just scroll through a handful of tweets a day and look for key words that jump out at you. You will be surprised at how quickly you will catch on.
2. Once you find a great resource, pass it to others and always thank the person who sent it out. This is how you will make friends and add followers.
3. Start posting some of your own ideas. Twitter for teachers is a sharing community. You have to give a little to get a little.
4. Convince others to join with you. It's easier if you have friends that jump on board together that way you will not feel so lonely in the beginning.
5. Join the #Edchat Conversation. Click here to see what it is all about. Shelly Terrell is one of the coolest people I have had the chance to know while using Twitter. Her blog is amazing and she is willing to help anyone. She should be #1 on your To Follow List.
Here are couple of links about getting started on Twitter. Check them out and feel free to send me questions. If you create an account, send me the Twitter ID so I can send it to everyone I know to say hello to you.
Here is a great article about using Twitter in the classroom. The article is geared more toward College education, but it could prove very useful in HS classrooms as well. Using technology to engage shy students is a great idea. I have found success in using Wallwisher in my classes to motivate and encourage the shy students to participate. I'm a Twitter advocate, as you may have noticed, and I really think it can help students. Maybe yelling at students to put their cell phones away is a thing of the past. What do you think?
I've posted a few thing about Twitter before and have had a few people that seemed to be interested in looking a little into it. I really think this is great for all teachers to use and I have found it very helpful every single day. I'm not exaggerating when I say that. These amazing sites that I post come from following amazing teachers on Twitter and my Google Reader. I'm hovering around 600 followers and the information exchange has been non-stop since January.
Being apart of this PLN I have put together was simple and rewarding. If this is something that you think you want to be apart of, please email me by clicking here. If we get enough people, we can use some PLC time and I can show you the full force of the PLN. I'm also wil be in my room working on various things on the Tuesday of MME testing. If you have questions about the blog, Twitter, Smartboards, etc., please feel free to swing by room and I'll help you out.
Please do not hesitate to drop me an email with any other ideas or suggestions that other teachers might find helpful. I'm always looking for good ideas to share and write about. I hope all of you have a great week.
Yes, I tweet. Feel free to make your twit joke now. I started to use Twitter at the start of the school year after an article I read about using it for schools. You might be surprised to know that Grosse Pointe North has a Twitter account. So does the school district. There is a very good reason they tweet. Information. Spreading information is key in our job and Twitter is just another way to do that.
Getting started is not as scary as you think. Here is a link to get the skinny on Twitter. It's on a blog by Kate Klingensmith and she always has something interesting to say on various topics. I also bookmarked it on my Diigo account as well. A simple Google search will bring up many articles and blogs telling you why tweeting as a teacher is a great thing. I will tell you why it is a good thing from my experience.
Reasons Why I Tweet as a Teacher:
1. It gives my students to be connected to the class at all times. If I have something I want my students to know about, I no longer have to wait until the next day. That information is there in an instant. I always seem to come across something on TV that I would love for my kids to watch, but I can't tell them in time. Now they could know.
2. It can keep me informed about the world around me when I'm out and about. You can follow many different news sites and receive information from around the world. In the information age, having access to the information is important.
3. There are smart teachers out there. There are many great teaches out there that tweet about great sites they use in class or practices that have worked well for them. It would be crazy to not want to be in contact with them. Sharing is a huge part of what teachers do all day. Why not reach out and share your ideas with other teachers and take the ideas they have if you want. Learning is global. It's important for you start thinking and sharing that way.
4. Sick Days! On the occasion that I'm not feeling well, I can send a tweet to my followers to let them know that I will not be in school and they have an extra day on their assignment. Kids love to hear about extra time on assignments. Now they can show up to your class knowing what to expect.
5. Parent contact. Not all parents are on Twitter, but the numbers are growing. This is another way for you to reach out to parents and share information. Let them know that the online gradebook has been updated. Let them know about the project that is due next week and that the information can be found on your website. Communication is very important in our job. This is just another tool for our box.
6. I talk too much! I have had to learn to be concise with my information. With only 140 character, I have learned to put the focus on the important information. If I could only do that for my story telling.
There are many more uses for Twitter, but those are some of the big ones. Think of the many different things you could do with another from of communication. Give it a try!
