Tech Tips: DROPitTOme

Tech Tips

Issue 24

This Tech Tip will look into a fantastic way to allow students, parents, and staff a way to upload files to your Dropbox account without giving them access to the files.  DROPitTOme is perhaps one of the slickest add-ons to Dropbox that I use.  It is a great tool for collecting student work, parent images, or peer documents out there.  There are a couple of steps you need to set up before you can begin using this great collection tool.

What is DROPitTOme?

  

This is an add-on to your existing Dropbox account that will allow you to have others "Drop" files to you.  Instead of all those emails with attachment, your students/parents/teachers can go to your personal DROPitTOme web link, browse for the file they want to send you, and upload it. It will then sync with your Dropbox account and be an all devices using that account.  Email...without the email!  There are only 2 things those others need to know.

1.                    Your DROPitTOme address

2.                   Your DROPitTOme upload password.

Collecting files form others just got easier!  Go to http://www.dropitto.me/ to begin.  You must first have a Dropbox account to link this to.

Create an account and get started:  http://www.DROPitTO.me

Tech Tip: Educreations

Tech Tips

Issue 23

This Tech Tip will look into a great record-able white board tool.  Educreationsis a great way to record lessons, re-teach concepts, and have students create student-made assessments.

What is Educreations?

Educreations is an iPad app that turns your iPad into a record-able whiteboard. This app allows for whiteboard drawing with recorded audio to help explain concepts and ideas. You (or students) can easily create a tutorial video to explain a math concept, a science term, an artistic movement, or anything you can draw and talk about. It is easy to use and a great re-teaching tool for both teachers and students. 

What can Educreations Do?

·      Help students with homework by working through example problems.

·      Record and replay your voice, writing, and drawings.

·      Add text and photos from the iPad camera, Photo Albums, Dropbox or the Web.

·      Share your lessons with teachers, students, and parents.

·      View already created Educreations content from others.

·      Embed your video lessons on your blog or website.

·      Allow students to create videos explaining concepts to be used as assessments.

·      Collect student sample work in your teacher course.

As a teacher, this is a great re-teaching tool as well as a student assessment tool. Teachers can have students log into their Educreations account and create a short video of them solving a math problem.  Teachers can then see student actions on the screen and hear them talk the problem out. When teachers have students enroll in a "course" all their videos are available to the teacher to view from any computer for review or assessment. Educreations is Free and a great classroom tool. Download it from the iTunes App Store and get "Edu-"creating!

Create an account and get started:  http://www.educreations.com

Tech Tips: Moodle

Tech Tips

Issue 21

This Tech Tip will look into an easy classroom management system called Moodle. Moodle offers many quizzes, activities, and organizational components to run classroom management online. I LOVE Moodle and don’t know how I could teach without it or a similar system.

What is Moodle?

Moodle is an Open Source Course Management System (CMS), also known as a Learning Management System (LMS). In order to use this program it needs to be installed on one of your school's servers. Moodle is great as an online class environment and as assessment tool. I have been using Moodle in my 4th and 5th grade classes for over 5 years.  To be honest  I do not know how I could organize and manage my online content with such a program.

How Can An Elementary Teacher Use Moodle? 

The primary use for Moodle is for assessments (multiple choice, matching, short answer, essay, and fill in the blank). It is very easy for 4th and 5th graders to log in (accounts must be set up at the admin level) and take these assessments. They are quick to do and the best part...most are self-grading! This was my initial thought and purpose of initiating Moodle in my classroom.

My use of Moodle has changed over the years. I am now using it as a "landing spot" for everything class related.  I post links to web sites, Google docs, YouTube videos, and online activities in my Moodle. I also post PDFs, MS Office files, and anything I want the students or parents to have access to (study guides, test practice, challenge problems, Quizlet Flash Cards, Educreations clips, etc...). Moodle is more than just online assessments, it has become the core of my classroom organization. I try to think of it as a "Gated Community" where only my classroom students (and their parents) have access. I no longer have to invite each individual student to those Google Documents I want students to work on. The link is in Moodle and only those with access to the link have access to the document. 

Moodle is free and relatively easy to use. It is basic and can assess, organize, and protect classroom activities. It is an essential part of my elementary classroom!

Tech Tip: Padlet (The New Wallwisher)

Tech Tips

Issue 21

This Tech Tip will look into an online wall making tool called Padlet. This is a great way for groups or classes to collaborate ideas together. Padlet is a great tool to work online to share ideas, collaborate research, build content understanding and develop shared projects. Below are some ways you can use Padlet in the classroom.

Padlet as a KWL chart:

Padlet can be used to create a KWL chart that students can contribute to. Create a wall, make it public, and ask students to share what they know and what they want to know about a topic. This can be revisited and added to as the unit continues. 

Padlet for Group Research:

Padlet can be used as a data collection spot for a group/class research project. As students research and find information, they add text, web links, or video links to the wall. Then all other students have access to the information and can use it. When the data collection is complete view the wall as a class and learn all that others had found

Padlet for Teaching Vocabulary:

Padlet can be used as an Academic Vocabulary learning tool. Introduce a new word or concept and have students add student friendly text definitions, images, or drawings that define the term.  Look at the wall as a whole concept for the new term and discuss as a whole class. This can give students a new perspective to the terms. 

Padlet for Displaying Student Work:

Padlet can be a project display launch pad. If you are having students produce online presentations, audio, videos, or other linkable projects have them stored and displayed in one spot. Have students link online projects on a wall so they are all accessible for all students from one central location.

Log into www.Padlet.com and build a wall.

Tech Tip: Google Keep and Any.Do

Tech Tips

Issue 20

This Tech Tip will look into organizational tools.  I have been living with Google Keep and Any.Do for a few weeks now.  I do not know how I could live without them any more.  They are both great (and very different) tools!  I use them bot on my Android phone and with Google Chrome.  Any.Do also has an iPhone/Pad app but Google Keep does not (yet).  Check them out and see what you think.

  

Google Keep is a great organizational "Note Pad" tool.  It syncs with your Android phone and Google Drive.  I have been using it for a few weeks now and find is easy to use and nice to have.  I am still a huge fan of Evernote, but Google Keep is more of a "List Making" app for me.  The app on the phone is easy to add lists and ideas (even with the voice command) and the convenience of having access to it through Google Drive just seals the deal for me.  There are tons of other options out there, but I really like this one for simple "thing I need to remember to do".

Google Play Link for Google Keep

Any.Do is another great app.  My other new favorite (even used more than Google Keep in my life) is Any.Do.  This is a "To Do" list that can be used on your IOS/Android/Chrome Extension and they all sync well together.  I like that with Any.Do you can add a reminder, detailed notes, and put them into folders.  There are different ways to view within the app as well.  It also plays well with Gmail and allows you to set up notes directly from an email while you are reading it.  I access this app numerous times a day recommend looking into it.

Google Play Link for Any.DO
iTunes Link for Any.Do