Old Dog New Tech Jeff West

In this episode I talk you through some video creation tools I tried out during the Emergency Remote Learning months.  The links are below, you should check them out.  Make sure you know what you need in a video creation tool, which is really determined by what your students need of course, but video creation can be difficult and the end product a disappointment.  Check out the podcast and find out my struggles and successes and my go to video creation tool.



Tools mentioned in this Podcast

Screencastify

Screencastomatic

Loom

Hippo video

Awesome Screenshot

Explain and Send

Power Director

KapWing

YouTube

A few new updates and past thoughts about using Google Sites in your classroom.

I have been busy keeping in touch with my students, researching tech tools and developing content.  This episode highlights the following tools that I have been using and suggest you give them a try.

Audio creation

Soundtrap

Audacity

Garage Band

Screencast your content

Screencastify

Screencast-o-matic

Loom

Awesome Screenshot

Explain and Send

Video assessment

EdPuzzle

Playposit

Google Forms

Developing, delivering and assessing online content requires careful of consideration many details.

Here are 3 questions that will help with the process.


What do you want the students to learn?

What do you want the end product to be?

Is this a time to try a new tool or use a tool you are comfortable with?


Tech Tip or Integration idea- Communicate Email, Chat, Group post tools

Backchat Channel  Join me-Chrome Browser

Zoom     Screen share extension

I have been off the air for a couple of months and I have a line up of podcasts.  I also have finally gotten “in the flow” so to speak, with the new teaching assignment I asked for and was given. Along with my HS music classes, I am teaching STEAM to gr. 3-5 using Project Lead The Way; a great curriculum with a lot of resources.  I will talk more about that later.  This podcast is about online resources that allow you to insert questions or audio content.  You can create assignments or mini-lessons or you can have your students do the same.  A great way to create a meaningful learning experience.

Video is a great way to engage students.  However, it can be even better for delivering content and assessing understanding.  I have used several different tools to do this but find myself going back to one or two.  I just got used to them, you should try out a few and see what would work for you and your students.

Flipgrid

Playposit

EdPuzzle

I did some research and found a few more tools.  Richard Byrne, an awesome tech blogger and speaker (got to hear him at MACUL 2019), compiled the following list of tools.  You can read his blog here.  Here is a list, I have checked these out and they seem to offer not only some of the same features, but also the option to foster discussion in some cases.

Spiral

Vizia

Moocnote

Vialogues

Tech treat-  Nearpod add-on for Google Slides Create a slide presentation and insert interactive slides to check for understanding or engage.  You present the slides through Nearpod’s site and information is from each time you present the content is stored on the Nearpod site.  I have had great experiences using this tool.  If you are 1:1 then this tool is a must for delivering interactive lessons.

The past few epidsodes have been about student engagement, but this episode is about my engagement.  Each day I use the same tech tools, I have become more adept at using them as a result.  I use about 3 pieces of online software and try to incorporate 1 or 2 tools as they apply to my teaching.  This episode is about my regularly tech tools, whether on my phone or Chromebook.  Here are my primary tools:


Chrome Browser (Phone and Computer/Chromebook)
Google Slides (Chromebook, but sometimes my phone)*I use a presentation remote extension...sometimes
Google Keep (Phone mostly)
Google Drive (Phone and Compter/Chromebook)


You will want to try out using Keep.  Take a pic on your phone using keep and add it to a Slide on your Computer/Chromebook.  I like using this at the end of class for many reasons.

This weeks tech treat has endless opportunities for students to learn about the environment.  That is kind of a weak description really.  Take some time and check out Google Arts and Culture’s Hidden Worlds of National Parks.  The pictures are incredible and the information is awesome.  Click the link, you won’t be disappointed.

https://artsandculture.withgoogle.com/en-us/national-parks-service/parks