YouTube in the Classroom

 Did You Know? YouTube now has a channel just for teachers and a channel for education!

The teacher channel can be found at http://www.youtube.com/Teachers
    The Education channel can be found at http://www.youtube.com/education

Top 10 Ways to use YouTube in the Classroom

1.     Spark Lively Discussions - Engage students by showing a video relevant to their lives.

2.     Organization - Create playlist to help guide students through their viewing process of educational videos.

3.     Archive your Work - Engage students by showing a video relevant to their lives.

4.     Allow Students to Dig Deeper into a Subject - Allow students to create a playlist to better dissect a subject.

5.     Get struggling students up to speed, and push strong students ahead - Students can use YouTube at home to learn at their own speed.

6.     Review for Upcoming Exams - Turn test review and flashcards into easy-to-watch videos. This way students can hear your explanations as they study.

7.     Create a YouTube Center in your Classroom - When working in stations or centers, have students use your YouTube channel to complete an assignment, freeing you up to work with small groups of students.

8.     Create quizzes to accompany videos for instant feedback - Create a Google Form that students complete after watching a video. You can use this quiz to get instant feedback on what they're learning.

9.     Create Interactive Video Quests - Use YouTube Annotations to create "Choose Your Own Adventure" style video quests.

10.   Flip your Classroom - If your students watch a video of the basic concepts at home you can focus in class on applying those concepts, working collaboratively with their classmates rather than simply listening to you lecture.

Read more »

A Picture is Worth 1000 Words

Check out this new Word Cloud Creator? Word Clouds have been around forever. Okay, maybe 5 years, but that feels like forever in the world of technology, right? Some of our traditional favorites are Wordle andTagxedo, but there are TONS more. In fact, if you are interested in these, you can find some incredible information on how to use several of the best at this site, which has tutorials and examples and all sorts of neat info.

But I digress. Now there is a new kid in town, and you don't use it on your computer. It's an app! It does cost $1.99, so if you want me to load this on our iPods for kids to use it, you will need to complete the form in formspace requesting a new App.

I think you could use this in lots of different classes, and if you want to brainstorm with me I would be happy to meet with you!

Check out WordPhoto App Here!

Read more »

Great Googly Moogly!

It’s been a Googly kind of day at Pioneer!

JUST TODAY…

·         We had kids come in before school who were using library computers to access use Google Docs accounts

·        

      NJHS students voted for officers this morning using a Google form. They accesses the form using shortcuts I set up on the iPod Touches for them, or by scanning a QR code (created by Mrs. Snyder) with their own device.

·         Student Council Elections are taking place through advisory in 6^th grade and during lunch for 7^th and 8^th. This voting is also done using a Google form, but we are using desktops and laptops to get kids to the form.

·         In Theater, Bucher used Google Docs to share some sound files with students, and now the kids can access those from school or home as they work on writing their musicals! Kids are also collaborating on their musicals, so they are writing them in Google Docs. They can both write on the same document at the same time, and not only that… the kids shared with Bucher too so he can see what they are doing as they are doing it! So cool!

Read more »

Power On Texas!

From their website: POWER ON TEXAS is a space for administrators and educators to discover how classrooms across the state are harnessing technology to boost student achievement and teacher effectiveness. Here, you can tap into resources, connect with ideas, and find practical tools to get started on your district’s journey to join the digital learning revolution. 


There are some great videos on this site as well as some ideas for activities that might inspire you!


Check them out at http://www.powerontexas.com/

Read more »

Texting and the Classroom

Texting is a popular form of communication among teens and adults alike, and it seems that more companies are trying to harness the power of texting for education. First I have a video to share with you about Textiong using a product called "Celly". Then you can click on the picture to see another Texting tool for schools called Remind 101!

Read more »