Tuesday, April 22, 2014

SAVE THE DATE: ITD TALKS with Jon Bergmann

Jon Bergmann
Flipped Classroom Pioneer
The Flipped Classroom: Reach Every Student in Every Class Every Day 

October 22, 2014, 8:30 – 3:30

Jon Bergmann TALKS About the Flipped Classroom

Implementing the Flipped Class provides teachers with more face-to-face time with students, allows for true differentiation, compels students to take responsibility for their own learning, and enables students to master rigorous course concepts. Join Flipped Classroom pioneer Jon Bergmann as he walks through his transformation from lecturer to a flipped class pioneer. He will demonstrate how the flipped class can transform today's educational climate and increase student learning outcomes.

One Day Workshop:  Reach Every Student in Every Class Every Day

Come learn from Jon Bergmann as he takes you on his journey from a nineteen year lecturer to a flipped class pioneer. Learn how teachers can talk to every student in every class every day creating a learner centered, inquiry driven, problem-based classes. Learn how you can begin to transform your classroom by asking one critical question: What is the best use of my face-to-face class time?

Please join us for a great opportunity to meet with our keynote speaker and network with other curriculum and technology leaders! Register here.

About Jon Bergmann

Jon Bergmann is considered one of the pioneers in the Flipped Class movement after successfully flipping his own classroom and sharing the teaching model with other educators. He has since co-written the book, Flip Your Classroom: Reach Every Student in Every Class Every Day, and is set to release his second book Spring 2014. In 2002, he received the Presidential Award for Excellence for Math and Science Teaching, and was named Semi-Finalist for Colorado Teacher of the Year in 2010. Jon is a co-founder of the Flipped Learning NetworkTM, a nonprofit organization that provides teachers with the resources needed to implement flipped learning (http://flippedlearning.org). Additionally, Jon serves on the advisory board of TED Education, and hosts “The Flip Side,” a radio show which tells the stories of Flipped educators. To learn more about Jon and flipped learning, visit http://jonbergmann.com and http://flippedclass.com.

Event Details

Date:                     October 22, 2014
Location:             OCM BOCES:  Admin. Bldg.
                                6820 Thompson Rd.
Syracuse, NY 13211        
Schedule:
8:00 – 8:30           Check-in, coffee
8:30 – 9:45           Keynote Address
9:45 – 10:00        Break
10:00 – 11:30      Workshop
11:30 – 12:15      Lunch
12:15 – 3:30        Workshop (cont’d)


Tuesday, March 11, 2014

ITD TALKS: Lisa Nielsen



Lisa Nielsen, The Innovative Educator
Teaching Generation Text: Using Mobile Devices to Enhance Learning
March 12, 2014, 8:30 – 11:30

In this fast-paced and interactive presentation, Lisa Nielsen will share real-life anecdotes of her efforts to work with others to stop fighting and start embracing the use of technology and the lifting of filters that will empower students with the freedom to learn with the tools and resources of their world. Participants will discover if they are "smarter than a screenager" and learn how to catch up if they're not. They will be introduced to the building blocks for success for learning with mobile technology and be introduced to the five step plan to harnessing the
power of these devices for learning. Lisa will bring to life the ideas from her book “Teaching Generation Text” and blog The Innovative Educator in this lively presentation during which she will not only display, discuss, and share her ideas, but she will also have the audience join her in harnessing the power of mobile devices for learning. Audience members will leave this presentation ready to meet the needs of “Generation Text.”

Breakout Session: Combatting illTWITTERacy
The illTwitteracy epidemic that has afflicted many educators can be eradicated with a simple plan that will have those who follow it all aTwitter with plenty of ideas for harnessing the power of the Tweet. Tweeps (Twitter using peeps) will not only learn how to Tweet from their phone or computer, but they will also discover why they’d even want to by looking at real examples of Tweeple (Twitter people) who use Twitter to enrich teaching, learning, and leading. Upon completion of this session, Tweeps will be on the road to achieving the basic Twitteracy necessary for success in the Twittersphere.
    Please join us for a great opportunity to meet with our keynote speaker and network with other curriculum and technology leaders! Register here.

    About Lisa Nielsen
    Lisa Nielsen writes for and speaks to audiences across the globe about the future of education and is frequently covered by local and national media for her views on “Passion (not data) Driven Learning,” "Thinking Outside the Ban" to harness the power of technology for learning, and using the power of social media to provide a voice to educators and students. Ms. Nielsen is a seasoned public school educator who began her career in the 90s as a librarian and since then has served in various capacities
    including full-time as a permanently certified teacher and educational administrator who supports learning in real and innovative ways that prepare students for success. In addition to her award-winning blog, The Innovative Educator, Ms. Nielsen’s writing is featured in places such as The New York Times, T.H.E. Journal, Tech & Learning, ISTE Connects, Huffington Post, ASCD Wholechild, MindShift, Leading & Learning, The Unplugged Mom, and she is the author the book Teaching Generation Text.

    Monday, February 3, 2014

    Flipped Classroom, Part II

     For 21st Century learners, communication and collaboration are key skills in collecting and sharing information.  There are so many digital tools that support such skills that it is daunting for teachers to select the appropriate tools to use in the classroom.  Some schools support institution-wide Learning Management Systems, while others allow teachers to select a web-presence that they are comfortable with.


    There are several free options on the Web that you may want to consider to foster communication and collaboration between school and home. Edmodo is one of the easiest to set-up and use. Students will be quickly drawn to Edmodo's "news feed" approach to communication as it looks remarkably similar to Facebook. Teachers will appreciate the built-in safety features Edmodo provides as student-to-student communication is public--students can only communicate to the whole group or to the teacher directly. Edmodo also provides information for parents to log in to view their child's progress.  Further, Edmodo offers so much more that a communication forum.  Teachers can share content in the form of documents, videos, and links; they can set up assessments in the form of quizzes, polls, and written assignments; links to websites can be easily embedded and shared; and the Help section is very thorough! Please take a moment to read the guides and view the videos below to learn how to set up an Edmodo Teacher account.

    There's an App for That: Edmodo App for iOS Devices
    Award-winning Edmodo for iPod touch, iPhone, and iPad makes it easy for teachers and students to stay connected and share information. Use your iOS device to send notes, submit assignments, post replies, and check messages and upcoming events while away from the classroom. Teachers can post last-minute alerts to their students, keep tabs on recent assignment submissions, and grade assignments. Students can view and turn in assignments and check their latest grades. Class discussions can be conducted securely, both during and outside of school hours.

    Edmodo Training Materials:

    Edmodo User Guide from Edmodo
    Edmodo: A Guide to Explain it All by Patrick Cauley, itbabble.com

    Please take a moment to view the videos below:



    Edmodo Splainers
    Duration: (2:26)
    User: edmodo1 - Added: 10/11/10
    Edmodo Demo Video
    Duration: (2:03)
    User: edmodo1 - Added: 3/6/10
    Edmodo at a glance
    Duration: (1:27)
    User: edmodo1 - Added: 10/20/11
    Edmodo for Parents
    Duration: (8:30)
    User: cmsnorth - Added: 9/9/11

    Edmodo Student Tutorial
    Duration: (7:24)
    User: mrshowardmath - Added: 8/10/11


    Friday, January 24, 2014

    Flipped Classroom, Part I

    For the un-initiated, flipping one's classroom essentially involves assigning instructional lectures to students for homework, and facilitating homework during class time.  This technique has several advantages and disadvantages. What if students don't have access to technology at home? What if they don't view your video tutorials for homework?  On the other hand, flipping one's instruction would allow the teacher to facilitate student learning as a "guide on the side" rather than a "sage on the stage."  Students could work in collaborative groups at a pace that encourages mastery.  See below for some blog posts and YouTube videos about what the Flipped Classroom is...and what it isn't.

    Part I:  Overview of the Flipped Classroom
    Please take a moment to read the linked articles below: 
    Read this brief article about the history of the Flipped Classroom.

    Click to view an infographic about the pedagogy behind the Flipped Classroom.

    What does "Flip" imply? What do classes look like? How does a Flipped Classroom fit into instruction?

    First of a three-part series highlighting the Flipped Classroom.

    Second of a three-part series highlighting the Flipped Classroom.

    Third of a three-part series highlighting the Flipped Classroom.
    from Edutopia
    from the Connected Principals Blog

    Please take a moment to view the embedded YouTube videos below:


    The Flipped Classroom
    Duration: (2:15)
    User: learning4mastery - Added: 12/16/10

    Flipped-Mastery Classroom
    Duration: (1:59)
    User: learning4mastery - Added: 12/16/10

    The Flipped Classroom as a Vehicle to the Future
    Duration: (3:11)
    User: mathjohnson - Added: 5/14/12

    Flipping the Classroom - Simply Speaking
    Duration: (3:24)
    User: psutlt - Added: 2/18/12

    Intro to the Flipped Classroom for parents
    Duration: (4:50)
    User: crystalkirch - Added: 8/10/12

    INTRO TO THE FLIPPED CLASSROOM FOR STUDENTS
    Duration: (10:14)
    User: crystalkirch - Added: 7/19/12

    Reflections on the Flipped Classroom
    Duration: (6:54)
    User: bozemanbiology - Added: 2/16/12

    The Flipped Classroom is not...
    Duration: (3:19)
    User: mathjohnson - Added: 5/8/12
    Next Week:  Part II:  Building a Web Presence

    Wednesday, December 18, 2013

    Tom Murray TALKS About Digital and Blended Learning Environments



    Tom Murray, Director of Technology and Cyber Education
    Quakertown Community School District, Bucks County, PA
    Digital and Blended Learning Environments: Cyber and Blended Learning, 1:1, and BYOD
    January 8, 2014, 8:30 – 11:30

    The Quakertown Community School District in Bucks County, PA, has been nationally recognized for its unique approach to cyber and blended learning under Tom’s leadership. Winners of the iNACOL Innovative Program Award and one of three districts in the country to be recognized on Digital Learning Day 2013, Tom’s program offers ‘complete versatility’ for students. BYOD and 1:1 implications, considerations, risks and rewards will be discussed. The Quakertown story, including successes and roadblocks along the way, will be shared.

    Breakout Session: Professional Development Smackdown
    Is your district utilizing a one-size fits all approach to PD? Is most of your PD top-down? Are you cultivating a culture of teacher leadership and allowing teachers to lead? What’s your district’s philosophy and vision for professional development? This session will explore methods for PD reform, discuss the value of teacher ownership as part of the professional development process, and ways your district can transform professional development from top to bottom. If surveying your staff wouldn’t lead to overwhelming positive feedback regarding your district’s PD, this session is for you.

    Breakout Session: Digital Leadership for Administrators
    Administrators hold the key to technology integration in their districts and school buildings. Are you a model of high quality digital leadership to the people you lead? From faculty meetings to in-service days, or with day to day communication, this session will focus on concrete ways administrators can digitally lead by example in their schools. Utilizing Twitter to become a connected educator and grow your “personal learning network” will also be explored. Come ready to share your own successes and learn from colleagues!
      Please join us for a great opportunity to meet with our keynote speaker and network with other curriculum and technology leaders! Register here.

      About Tom Murray
      Tom Murray serves as the Director of Technology and Cyber Education for the Quakertown Community School District in Bucks County, PA. A former middle school assistant and elementary school principal, Murray is passionate about proper technology infusion and differentiated professional development. He was the 2012 recipient of the Blended Schools Network Leadership Award and was featured in Tech & Learning Magazine’s Leadership Profile in December of 2012. Murray’s QCSD cyber and blended learning programs have been highlighted by Forbes.com, T.H.E. Journal, Project Red, the Innosight Institute, iNACOL, and on Digital Learning Day 2013, among others. Murray serves on the advisory board for THE Journal and has co-founded and moderates both #sbgchat and #edtechchat. Connect with him on Twitter @thomascmurray or at www.thomascmurray.com.

      Wednesday, December 4, 2013

      Appy Hour: December 12, 2013

      Looking for ways to integrate iPads into your instruction?  Join us at the CNYRIC for our quarterly iOS User Group meeting to share your favorite apps, tips and tricks, and integration strategies for iPod Touch, iPhone, and iPad. This is a "BYOD" event, but we will have some iPads, Chromebooks, and Google Nexus 7 Tablets on hand for you to use as well.  We are hot off the heels of the annual NYSCATE Conference and are thrilled to share some of the latest education apps we learned about.  

      Event Details
      December 12, 2013; 1:00 - 3:00; CNYRIC, Conference Rooms 1 & 2

      Registration:   Click here to register on MyLearningPlan


      Monday, November 18, 2013

      App for That: Tellagami

      I am excited to share with you a fun app for students to demonstrate their content knowledge.  For those of you that are familiar with Voki, an app called Tellagami will allow students to customize a male or female avatar, set up a background image, and add voice via the keyboard or voice recorder.

      Click here for some examples from Tellagami's YouTube channel.

      View the video tutorial below to learn how to use Tellagami.

      Thursday, November 7, 2013

      ITD TALKS: Patrick Larkin TALKS About Getting Your School On-Board With 1:1

        

      Patrick Larkin, Assistant Superintendent for Learning
      Burlington Public Schools, Burlington, MA
      Getting Your School On-Board With 1:1

      November 13, 2013, 8:30 – 11:30
      CNYRIC, Rodax 8

      Keynote:  Getting Your School On-Board With 1:1
      Putting laptops or tablets in the hands of all students in a school is a tremendous change for both the students and adults in a school community. This session will highlight the detailed plans Burlington High School (MA) took to ensure success in its 1:1 plan. Major points of emphasis will include communication to all stakeholders, embedded professional development for staff, training for parents, and deploying a student support team. Using this model allowed Burlington High School to create an understanding that going 1:1 is an instructional initiative and not just a large technology purchase. This model of implementation has allowed the district to grow its 1:1 throughout the school district.

      Breakout Session: Embracing 21st Century Learning Tools
      This session will answer the following questions: 

      1. What is social learning and why is it more important today than ever before? 
      2. How can increased technological connectivity expand, change, or improve student learning? 
      3. Is connectivity expanding our concept of who is a literate or educated person today? 

      In answering these important questions we will look at some well-articulated standards that can assist in the implementation of these digital tools. Discussion will focus on getting community support, professional development, and concrete examples of how this shift is necessary to best prepare our students for their future.
      Please join us for a great opportunity to meet with our keynote speaker and network with other curriculum and technology leaders! Register here.

      About Patrick Larkin
      Patrick Larkin is the newly appointed Assistant Superintendent for Learning for Burlington Public Schools in Massachusetts. Prior to this, Patrick served 15 years as a building level administrator at the high school level. He was recently selected as one of three national Digital Principal Award winner by the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP). Patrick’s school has made the transition to a 1:1 environment in the 2011-2012 school year after distributing over 1,000 iPads to staff and students. Patrick is one of the founders of the Connected Principals Blog and #cpchat on Twitter. He is one of the authors of the Super Book of Web Tools for Educators, an avid blogger, and a proponent of social media to better engage teachers, students, and parents in the education process. His article "Getting Connected" was published in September’s issue of Principal Leadership. In June 2012, he was featured in an article in Technological Horizons in Education’s THE Journal entitled 7 Habits of Highly Effective Tech-leading Principals.


      Thursday, October 31, 2013

      Tech Tip: Google Slides

       
      PowerPoint and Keynote are handy tools for presenting information, but what if your students don't have licenses to these expensive software packages? And what if you would like students to collaborate on a presentation? Google Slides is a great alternative!  Google Slides is an online presentation app that allows you to show off your work in a visual way. Here's what you can do with Google Slides:
      • Create and edit presentations
      • Edit a presentation with friends or coworkers, and share it with others effortlessly
      • Import .pptx and .pps files and convert them to Google presentations
      • Download your presentations as a PDF, a PPT, or a .txt file
      • Insert images and videos into your presentation
      • Publish and embed your presentations in a website
      Whether you’re trying to wow your boss with an end-of-quarter presentation or impress your classmates with an animated book report, the new version of Google Slides can help. All of your new presentations will be created in the latest version of Google Slides. Any presentation you upload and convert to Google Docs format will be converted to the latest version of Google Slides.
      Check out some of the new features in the latest version of Google Slides:
      • Character-by-character collaboration: See updates in realtime as you edit presentations with other people.
      • Drawing on canvas: Draw organizational charts, flowcharts, design diagrams and much more right within Google Slides.
      • Transitions: Enhance your presentation with new ways to transition between slides.
      • Shape linking: Turn shapes within your presentation into hyperlinks to other slides, presentations, or external webpages.
      • Better animations: We’ve added new themes to make it easy to create show-stopping presentations.
      • Commenting: Collaborate with other people by adding comments to shapes, text or slides.
      Click here for an overview of Google Slides and view the video below for a brief tutorial.

      Monday, October 21, 2013

      Tech Tip: Google Sheets

      Spreadsheets can be a great tool for organizing and manipulating data. Whether it is calculating student averages for report cards or putting together a budget, Google Sheets can help automate some basic calculations.

      Like Google Docs, Google Sheets is a component of Google Drive.  It is an online spreadsheet app that lets you create and format spreadsheets and simultaneously work with other people. Here's what you can do with Google Sheets:
      • Import and convert Excel, .csv, .txt and .ods formatted data to a Google spreadsheet
      • Export Excel, .csv, .txt and .ods formatted data, as well as PDF and HTML files
      • Use formula editing to perform calculations on your data, and use formatting make it look the way you'd like
      • Chat in real time with others who are editing your spreadsheet
      • Create charts with your data
      • Embed a spreadsheet — or individual sheets of your spreadsheet — on your blog or website
      Click here for an Overview of Google Sheets from Google and view the video below for a brief tutorial.

      Monday, October 7, 2013

      Tech Tip: Google Docs

      CDs, DVDs, Flash Drives...Are these technologies headed for the dust bin of history where they can sit in obsolescence with the VCR? With technologies like Google Docs, cloud computing is becoming a convenient way to create, edit, and share documents without relying on external storage.    

      Google Docs, one of several components to Google Drive, is an online word processor that lets you create and format text documents and collaborate with other people in real time.  Here's what you can do with Google Docs:
      • Upload a Word document and convert it to a Google document
      • Add flair and formatting to your documents by adjusting margins, spacing, fonts, and colors — all that fun stuff
      • Invite other people to collaborate on a document with you, giving them edit, comment or view access
      • Collaborate online in real time and chat with other collaborators — right from inside the document
      • View your document's revision history and roll back to any previous version
      • Download a Google document to your desktop as a Word, OpenOffice, RTF, PDF, HTML or zip file
      • Translate a document to a different language
      • Email your documents to other people as attachments
      Click here for an Overview of Google Docs from Google and view the video below for a brief tutorial.

      Monday, September 30, 2013

      Tech Tip: Google Drive

      You know you've made it as a company when your name is synonymous with the service you provide. Need to know something on the Web?  Just "Google" it!  But Google provides more than just a search engine.  Google Drive is an outstanding tool for collaborating and communicating "in the cloud" (i.e. on the Web).  All you need to get started is a free Google account.  From there, you can create and share Documents, Spreadsheets, Presentations, Forms (Surveys), and Drawings.  Sharing options include View or Edit.  You can also store your original documents like PDFs, Word Documents, PowerPoints, and even video files on Google Drive and access them from any Internet enabled device.  View the video tutorial below to learn more. Click here for more support from Google. In the coming weeks, I will be blogging about each of Google Drive's services, including Docs, Spreadsheets, Presentations, and Forms.


      Monday, September 23, 2013

      Tech Tips: Three Ring



      Now that you have a year's worth of experience with APPR under your belt, it may be worth your time to explore Three Ring, an iPad app for capturing artifacts that represent evidence of student learning.


      From Three Ring's home on the iTunes Store: 

      "The easiest way to capture qualitative evidence of student learning. Three Ring allows teachers and students to document anything, organize it in seconds, and have it seamlessly available at school and at home. Three Ring is your ultimate instructional resource and the easiest way to make portfolios, save artifacts for IEPs, demonstrate student learning in non-tested subjects and the Common Core and much more."

      Getting started with Three Ring takes just a few minutes.  Content is organized around three types of information to allow for easy retrieval later on:  Class Name, Student Name(s), and Tags.  Tags are a labeling mechanism you create--subject area, type of activity, Common Core Learning Standard, etc.  The app allows you to capture video, audio, and/or photographic evidence and upload it to the Three Ring website.  Once it is uploaded, you can access your artifacts on the Web, share them with parents via email, and download/save them to your computer.

      Check out the video tutorial below to learn how to use Three Ring.

      Tuesday, September 17, 2013

      Tech Tips: Kid Blog

      By now, you have probably heard about the concept of blogging, or writing a "web log." If not, check out this short video from Common Craft, Blogs in Plain English.

      Have you ever thought about setting up a space to enable your students to blog? Take a moment to read a blog post from prominent edu-blogger and practicing education administrator George Couros, as he outlines some key benefits of student blogging.

      One of the tools I have found to be useful to support safe student blogging is Kidblog. Kidblog allows students to exercise digital citizenship within a secure, private classroom blogging space. From their website:
      • Teachers have administrative control over all student blogs and student accounts.
      • Your students’ blogs are private by default – viewable only by classmates and the teacher. Teachers can elect to make posts public, while still moderating all content.
      • Teachers can add password-protected parent and guest accounts to the community at their discretion.
      • Comment privacy settings block unsolicited comments from outside sources.
      • Kidblog is fully COPPA compliant and does not require any personal information from students.
      Check out this brief overview of Kidblog and learn how you can get started today!

      Friday, April 19, 2013

      Model Schools Summer Professional Development

       

      Model Schools Summer Professional Development

      The catalog of summer professional development events from the CNYRIC's Model Schools Program is now available:   http://www.cnyric.org/itdpdevents.cfm
       ^
      • All of our offerings are covered under the Model Schools CoSer--there is no additional charge for participants to attend. 
      • We are offering on-line courses as well as face-to-face workshops at a variety of venues including the CNYRIC, Tully High School, Cortland Jr.-Sr. High School, and more.
      • To register for events, participants can click the hyper-linked date in the far right column, which will take them to MyLearningPlan.
      • If you would like to host a Model Schools workshop in your district, please contact the Model Schools Coordinator to schedule an event.  You will not be charged a Model Schools day so long as 20% of the seats are open to participants outside your district.  If you would like to host an event that is exclusive to your district's faculty, you would be charged a Model Schools day (each district has 3 days via the Model Schools CoSer).
      We are looking forward to serving your teachers' and administrators'  technology integration needs!

      Monday, February 25, 2013

      ITD TALKS: Dr. Howie DiBlasi TALKS about Empowering the 21st Century Educational Leader

        
      Dr. Howie DiBlasi, Digital Journey
      Change is Good, You Go First: Empowering the 21st Century Educational Leader
      March 14, 8:00 - 12:30

      Keynote:  Change is Good, You Go First
      "We need to prepare students for the world that is their future, not the world that is our past." Prepare students for the world that is their future. Engage learners, change the learning environment, and transform the way students are taught. Educators and administrative leaders can be the “Agents of Change” to upgrade our classrooms in the 21st Century. Empower our teachers, educational leaders and students by giving them more control over their own learning. Learn how to boldly step up to the challenges and the need for teachers to be prepared to teach in a technology-rich learning environment and meet the demands and challenges of 21st Century learning.
       ^
      Upon completion of the session participants will be able to identify, plan and evaluate:
      • Technology that will develop proficiency in 21st century skills and support innovative teaching and learning
      • Publish and share projects and communicate with students and adults worldwide
      • Use software and the digital process to Integrate programs into the classrooms with new knowledge and skills
      • Understand Social Media, PBL, collaboration, integration and how to implement into the classroom
      • Connect students with Global Communities
      Please join us for a great opportunity to meet with our keynote speaker and network with other curriculum and technology leaders! Register here.

      Dr. Howie DiBlasi was recognized as “Vocational Teacher of the Year” for the State of Arizona and nominated as a finalist in the “Top Secondary Leaders in America”. He has been featured in several magazines as “A CIO that really thinks outside the box.” He is a published author, "Change Agent", Educational Technology consultant and the Producer of the “DID YOU KNOW“ YouTube series, Versions 2-3-4-5-6. He was recently recognized by the Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration with the "Pinnacle Award" for outstanding Professional Development Programs. Dr. DiBlasi has extensive experience in the education field (20 years), as a business leader (10 years), and as a CIO (14 years). His emphasis is on Digital Technology, multi-media, Interactive Video Conferencing and 21st Century Learning. He has presented to thousands of Educational Leaders, administrators and teachers from Bangkok to Boston. Howie is a member of the I.S.T.E Board of Directors, serves on the TxDLA Board, and is Communications Director of the I.S.T.E. Special Interest Group for Interactive Video Conferencing and a member of the Alan November Consulting Team.