JEFFCO ED TECH

Why Use a Learning Management system...

9/7/2021

0 Comments

 
A Learning Management System (LMS) is a structure to provide consistent access to instruction and resources. It provides a pathway for students, families and teachers to access the learning and feedback at all times.  Many teachers and families had their first experiences with an LMS in response to Covid-19.  However, a Learning Management System, whether it be Schoology, Google Classroom, or Seesaw has a purpose and a place far beyond a pandemic.

In a world where all educators are working to guide students to become Global Collaborators, Creative Communicators, Knowledge Constructors,  Empowered Learners, and engaged Digital Citizens we need to provide the structures and spaces that authentically deliver these opportunities on a daily basis. A well organized and thoughtfully implemented LMS is the foundation to this work. 

For students

Picture
Access to a Learning Management System provides students:
  • Continuity in accessing the learning, especially if the LMS is used daily to access resources and tools for learning.
  • Ability to easily review and revisit supports and scaffolds (videos, teacher feedback, digital resources, & more).​
  • A clear path of communication with their instructors.
  • Continuity in learning structures from elementary through high school and on into future career pathways.
  • ​Authentic and relevant technology integration when the LMS is utilized to its full potential.
  • When schools and teachers coordinate to use the same LMS, students can focus the cognitive load on their learning, instead of working to understand how to access the learning.

For Our Families

Picture
Use of a consistent LMS means that caretakers will have peace of mind knowing their students have access to all the resources listed above. It also means that families will:
  • Be able to support their student's access of learning resources in a timely manner.
  • ​Potentially have consistent structures to support all the students in their family, K-12, lessening confusion and increasing access to the learning.  
  • Have a clear and direct communication pathway to their student's teachers.

for teachers

For Teachers, embracing and utilizing a LMS on a consistent basis means that they will have a structure built for student success.  A Learning Management System:

  • Makes it possible for students that are out ill to access the learning, including students that might be quarantined.
​
  • Provides a format to support differentiation and build in resources and scaffolds for students to access the learning in a mode that works best for them. (videos, ebooks, articles, teacher/student feedback, and more!).
​
  • Contains and organizes the learning resources in a format that provides a form of portfolio for students and families. This offers an opportunity for clearer communication keeping the focus on student learning and  builds stronger feedback loops for all involved.
​
  • ​Allows teachers to build in rubrics and formative assessments into their structures.​
 
  • Creates an opportunity for collaboration for students as well as teachers.​​​
Picture

Learning Management Systems in jeffco

Picture
In Jeffco we currently utilize three different Learning Management Systems:   Schoology,  Google Classroom, & Seesaw.
​

You can learn more about each of these tools by visiting our Ed Tech YouTube Channel: LMS Playlist, and exploring the collection of asynchronous eBooks from the Jeffco Ed Tech team.
​
(Click on the slideshow at the left to explore just a few of the eBooks available)
​


Additional Articles:
  • Edutopia: How to Align Your LMS with the Science of Learning
  • ​Edutopia: Four Tips for Managing Blended Learning
  • Schoology: What is a Learning Management System? Why does my School Need One?
  • Pearson: Advantages of Implementing a Learning Management Platform​​


0 Comments

Ed-U Coming up on Friday!

3/9/2021

0 Comments

 
This Friday, March 12, various departments will be gathering (online, of course!) to provide professional learning opportunities for teachers. The EdTech department will be bringing you a variety of options throughout the day to further your skills and knowledge on our digital tools!

Here’s is an overview of the sessions being offered by our department this week… Also linked below, some of these sessions come as asynchronous learning eBooks as well!

​
If you have questions about any of these sessions, please reach out to your EdTech Specialist. To join these sessions and to see the full line-up of sessions for Friday, please click here.
Student Collaboration & Engagement Strategies For a Digital Environment
Instructor: Kala Munguia
Time(s): 10:00-11:00, 1:00-2:00
Target Audience: K-12 Educators
Description: This course supports teachers with strategies for increased student collaboration and engagement.  All strategies were recommended by Jeffco teachers who are seeing success in their own classes. Check out our self-service eBook!
Developing Proficiency With Vocabulary Using Flashcard Factory 
​
Instructor: Amie Adams 

Time(s): 10:00-10:45, 1:00-1:45

Target Audience: All teachers and staff 
Description: As part of developing proficiency in a content, students must master new vocabulary. Teachers can leverage the power of Pear Deck’s collaborative, game-based digital tool, Flashcard Factory, to develop concrete meaning for new words. Come play flashcard factory and walk away ready to use the tool in teaching and learning! Check out our self-service eBook!
Pro Tips for Organizing your Google Drive
Instructor: Amie Adams
Time(s): 10:45-11:30, 1:45-2:30
Target Audience: Any
Description: Do you struggle with keeping your Google Drive clean and tidy? Do you need help looking for specific files or figuring out where everything lives? Come learn how to better organize your Google Drive so that you can work more efficiently!
Google Classroom Tips and Tricks eBooks for Students and Teachers
Instructor: Kala Munguia
​Time(s): 11:00-11:30, 2:00-2:30
Target Audience: Educators who have already been using Google Classroom
​
Description: Come prepared with a few favorite hacks and tips you would like to share around the use of Google Classroom and we will share a few of our own, too! Check out our self-service eBook for teachers. Check out our self-service eBook for students.
Introduction to Actively Learn
​
Instructor: Kali Devor
Time(s): 10:00-10:45, 1:00-1:45
Target Audience: 5-12 Educators
​
Description: Actively Learn allows you to engage students through texts (and videos) for ELA, Science, and Social Studies. Scaffolds and higher-order questions are available to support students in reading and engaging with these texts. All Jeffco 5-12th grade students have access to premium Actively Learn accounts through #TechforEd. At the end of the session, you’ll be able to: log in to Actively Learn for the first time, set up classes (sync with Google Classroom), find appropriate reading assignments, edit assignments to meet your students’ needs, assign readings to students and locate grading features. Check out our self-service eBook! 
Going Deeper with Actively Learn
​
Instructor: Kali Devor
Time(s): 10:45-11:30, 1:45-2:30
Target Audience: 5-12 Educators
Description: This session will walk teachers through importing articles and PDFs for use with Actively Learn’s assessment tools and will delve deeper into the video functionality of this dynamic tool. During this session, we will also learn about the Actively Learn Research tool extension which allows students to conveniently gather and organize articles from around the internet for later use. Check out our self-service eBook!

Securly Classroom: A Tool for Digital Classroom Management
​
Instructor: Lisa Summitt
Time(s): 1:00-2:00

Target Audience: All Educators (does not work on iPads) 
Description: Classroom by Securly is a district-purchased, cloud-based classroom management tool that gives teachers the ability to guide, monitor and communicate with students. The tool works for remote, hybrid and in-person learning and can remove distractions and keep kids focused on learning when using their devices (does not work on iPads). All Jeffco teachers and students have access to Securly Classroom. In this 1-hour, basic session, you will learn how to complete the following tasks: start your class,  lock screens, lock students into websites, push & block websites, create class announcements, chat with individual students, and view student browsing history, open tabs and screen activity. Can’t make this learning? Check out our self-service video learning and Securly Classroom eBook!
Securly Classroom: A Brief Overview of New Functionality 
Instructor: Lisa Summitt
Time(s): 11:00-11:30


​
Target Audience: Advanced Users 
Description: Securly Classroom: A Brief overview of New Functionality  will walk you though some of the newest functionalities.  Come and see a demo on multiple block lists, audio in teacher screen share and learn how to use the predefined link list.  The session will include a general description of how dependencies work with the site block function.
Feedback in Pear Deck
Instructor: Keri Douglas
Time(s): 10:45-11:30, 1:45-2:30

​
Target Audience: K-12 Educators already using Pear Deck
Description: Wondering how to give students in-time feedback? You can send feedback during any type of lesson, whether it's in Student-Paced or Instructor-Paced mode. This means you can use Pear Deck to help students develop a deeper understanding of your lessons in a remote learning setting, as well as give individual students private feedback in a live classroom.  Check out our self-service eBook!

Feedback, Comments & Discussion in Google Classroom
Instructor: Keri Douglas
Time(s): 10:00-10:45, 1:00-1:45

Target Audience: Educators who have already been using Google Classroom
Description: Have you used Classroom to facilitate discussions and give students feedback yet? Come learn about the Question features of Classroom, creating a Comment Bank, and assigning Comments to students. We will also explore embedding Screencastify to give audio/video feedback.  Check out our self-service eBook!
The Power of Creative Communication with Digital Tools
Instructor: Amy Oelschlager
Time(s): 10:00-11:00, 1:00-2:00
Target Audience: K-12 Educators
Description: Many digital tools support student creation. In this learning, we will explore Book Creator and Adobe Spark.  Both tools allow students to create polished and exciting content that they can share for wider audiences.  This session will talk about both tools and how they can be used in the classroom for creative communication.  General knowledge of the tools is preferred. 

Blending Learning with Pebble Go for Elementary
Instructors: Heidi Floyd & Julie Hohman
Time(s): 10:45 - 11:30, 1:45 - 2:30
Target Audience: Elementary Educators
Description:  Pebble Go is a database designed to support our K-3 students. Elementaries across Jeffco have been given full access to PebbleGo Science for the next year.  Come explore these Science resources while connecting with upcoming curriculum units.

Research Resources for MS & HS
​Instructor: Heidi Floyd & Julie Hohman
Time(s):  10:00 - 10:45, 1:00-1:45
Target Audience: MS & HS focus, open to all K-12 Educators
Description:  As part of the State Libraries Grant, Middle Schools and High Schools in Jeffco have been given full access to a collection of interactive ebooks.   Come explore these research resources and more, while connecting with upcoming curriculum units.

0 Comments

School Libraries: Innovating to Meet tHe Needs

1/27/2021

0 Comments

 
Picture
With National Library Lover's month starting in just a few days, we thought it would be great to share some of the work that has been happening in libraries over the past 10 months.
​

Since March 2020 our schools have worked through a flux of transitions between remote learning, in-person learning, and hybrid learning.  Not just once but multiple times during the school year, depending on the health and status of each cohort, class, school, our county and the state.  As our schools have focused on supporting students and families while continuing the learning, our school libraries have continued to work to meet the needs of each instructional mode, safely providing access to resources and instruction for students and staff. 
​

Libraries are the heart of the school community.  Often referred to as the hub of the school, school libraries offer support for all students and their families, host community events, hold a diverse collection of books and resources for all, offer a place for all learners to explore interests and provide an instructional partner for teachers in the Digital Teacher Librarian (DTL).  DTLs serve many roles in a school, but one of the most critical is to be a partner and coach for teachers, as teachers and DTLs collaborate and explore innovation in their teaching practice, in particular integrating technology and critical thinking skills throughout lessons. 

Picture
The work for libraries, in particular our Digital Teacher Librarians, preceding the pandemic helped to prepare our schools for a smoother transition into remote learning.  Grounded in the ISTE Standards, DTLs authentically embed digital literacy skills in content, working to prepare our students to be future ready citizens.  Information and Media Literacy coupled with fostering a love of reading,  DTLs curate relevant and meaningful resources for all students, providing opportunities through instruction to reflect and grow as learners. 

In a traditional, non-pandemic setting, the library is a busy space all on its own.  Now with the added challenges that come with properly quarantining resources and overseeing the management of the library in a whole new way we have found some great opportunities and continue to address the evolving challenges. 

Remote Learning

PictureBreakfast and Books with Mrs. Cushing
Bradford K-8 South Digital Teacher Librarian, Denise Cushing, found a new way to connect with students and promote a love of reading with their “Breakfast and Books” program.  The group, of over 40 (mostly Kindergarten - 2nd grade) students, meet online weekly before school starts and engage in discussions and share books.  Over Winter Break, Mrs. Cushing and the students participated in  Read Across America and shared titles connected to states, such as Grand Canyon by Jason Chin (Utah) and Big Moon Tortilla by Joy Cowley (Arizona). 

Picture
From the start of the pandemic the request for books to be read aloud has been resounding nationwide.  Publishers have responded and have temporarily adjusted their copyright permissions during this time to allow read alouds.  With the guidelines shared,  students and teacher librarians have found new ways to share their love of literature.  

​Kyle Walker, Digital Teacher Librarian at both Kullerstrand Elementary and Maple Grove Elementary, recently shared  his read-aloud of Anansi and the Moss-Covered Rock, retold by Eric A. Kimmel. (you can watch as snippet of the video below).
Mr. Walker’s passion and love of literature is sure to inspire more students to explore new titles and genres. Students, Teachers, Digital Teacher Librarians and staff all around the district have found a love of sharing  favorite books through videos and digital tools such as Flipgrid, and through their online meetings.  ​​​
Another success during the pandemic, students discovered new access to thousands of ebooks on their school library websites (Destiny Discover Library System).  This is the result of a project three years in the making that happened to come together in the Spring of 2020.  
Jefferson County Public Library
Our long-standing partnership with Jefferson County Public Library, has provided a curated collection of Jefferson County Public Library  ebooks (and just this week audiobooks!) to be shared on our district library platform for all grade levels.  Students can access and read these books using their district login. The books are available 24 hours a day/ 7 days a week for students and staff throughout the district.

In-Person Learning

PictureBook cart ready for delivery to cohorts.
During the periods of in-person learning, school libraries have worked to continue to support the desire for books.  More now than ever before students appreciate and miss the ability to browse the stacks of books in the library.  Our elementary libraries are working diligently to fill the demands as students request and place Holds on selections of books.  The challenge in this time is managing the balance of properly allowing books to sit in quarantine for 72 hours, pulling the requested titles and (the best part) delivering the books to students in their cohorts. Our DTLs have had to think creatively about how best to support teacher and student requests, some schools are managing well over 200 requests at a time.  Now, 10 months into this pandemic each day seems to get a little bit smoother.  
​

Delivering books to students in classes has been one of the highlights throughout this time -the  students are all so excited for new books!

Hybrid Learning

Picture
​Secondary students have been managing remote and hybrid learning throughout the school year.  Middle School and High School libraries have worked to support students and staff through the new and innovative formats of asynchronous and synchronous learning.   It has been a challenge to support the ever growing demands of overseeing the management of thousands of TechforEd devices deployed throughout the district, while continuing to keep the focus on the instructional practices that have grounded our DTLs, as they are teachers first.   

​
Angie Wagner, DTL at Bear Creek High school, shared that she feels that one positive that has come from this time is that , “The students appreciate our space and all we do more, knowing how good it used to be when they could come and hang or work on work, a place to recharge.” While the challenge has been “Helping those students who really like coming in and thumbing through books. They like to put their hands on them, see the size of the font, the length, etc.”  

PictureDanielle Butler, author
​At Conifer High School, Digital Teacher Librarian Karen McIntosh,  reached out to the author of Watermarked, Danielle Butler, from the UK and connected her virtual reading group for an author visit.  

Colleen Sologub-Sobering, DTL at Brady High School, said it well when she shared, “We are a conduit for our students and our teachers and staff to navigate through this uncertain time.  They are looking to us for help in researching, learning, and trying new things.  Not that this is so unusual, but it is the fact that we are working without always seeing the kids face to face, but we are helping them as much as we can.”

  So if you get a chance this February - share some love with your school libraries!  It will be greatly appreciated. ​
Picture

check out "The Elementary ELement" Below:

Jeffco's one stop curriculum resource shop for K-5 teachers!
The Elementary Element
0 Comments

Google Goodness

1/14/2021

1 Comment

 

ENHANCE STUDENT COMMUNICATION AND CRITICAL & CREATIVE THINKING WITH ORIGINALITY REPORTS

Today’s students are dealing with a complex challenge: In a time where all of the world’s information is at their fingertips with a simple Google search, how do they balance what is already created with their own unique perceptions and ideas?  
Educators have spent endless hours copying and pasting passages into Google Searches to check if student work is authentic.  This process is not only inefficient but also biased.  
​

Originality reports use Google Search to help students AND teachers.  Originality reports are available in Google Classroom and in Schoology using the Google Assignments app 

Originality reports how-to guide

“Originality reports are created by scanning submissions for matched phrases across hundreds of billions of web pages and tens of millions of books.” (Google for EDU)
​

When assigning work in Classroom and Assignments, teachers will have the option to enable originality reports with the simple click of a button. Students will then be able to run up to three originality reports on documents they attach to the assignment before submitting their work. This gives students an opportunity to proactively improve their work. 

After submission, a comprehensive originality report will be available for use when grading the assignment. Originality reports will highlight text that has missed citations and/or has high similarity with text on the web or in books.  The report will also show the web matches and even give the teacher the link to investigate for themselves.

Student Benefits

Students today have to learn to navigate between millions of other people’s ideas and their own. They also need to know the tried and true methods of how and when to properly cite sources.  Fortunately, now Jeffco students can use originality reports to support writing original thoughts while also teaching them about properly citing sources!
​
Advantages of student use of originality reports (From Google Support):
  • Teaches students how to build on outside ideas and properly incorporate them into their work.
  • Helps students learn how to support their ideas by scanning work for recommended citations. 
  • Catches unintentional plagiarism before students submit work. 
  • Teaches students how to cite outside sources properly.
  • Shows students both the plagiarized passage count AND the % of the paper that is plagiarized. 
  • The % report can help a student understand just how much of their work is original vs. copied.


Students wanting to add related content to their reports can utilize the Explore feature in Google Docs to find and insert Google suggested content related to their work.


​In conjunction with Originality Reports and Explore, students can utilize the Citation Tool in Google Docs to quickly and directly insert citations into their Google Docs. 

Eductaor benefits

Teachers spend a lot of time giving feedback about missed citations and improper paraphrasing. Integration of the power of a Google search directly into assignments and grading tools, makes the teacher’s job much more efficient.  Originality Reports make it easy for instructors to screen for potential plagiarism and to use those reports to create teachable moments for their students. Originality reports are built to be a teaching tool rather than a “gotcha”.
Advantages of teacher use of originality reports (From Google Support):

  • Lets educators quickly assess authenticity.
  • Saves instructors time when analyzing student work.
  • Highlights missing citations and links directly to the external sources.
  • Avoids searching for web matches manually.
  • Capabilities of saving, sharing, and/or printing reports

Additional features in enterprise for education

Available now!
Educators have unlimited access to Originality Reports
Students have access to three reports per assignment
  • If the teacher enabled Originality reports on that assignment

Originality Reports are available in Google Doc assignments, but will soon also be available in Google Slides assignments!
Coming soon!
​
Teachers will be able to receive originality reports that include student-to-student matches within the @jeffcoschools.us domain. 
  • ​This feature will only work if the assignment was submitted via Google Classroom or Google Assignments
1 Comment

Getting the most out of your Screencasts

1/5/2021

0 Comments

 
Picture
No doubt you have grown familiar with the concept of screencasting: Creating a recording of your screen or face (or both!) for demonstration and communication purposes. Below is a quick list of best practices and considerations for creating engaging videos for your students, staff or the community! While Screencastify is the premium screencasting tool for Jeffco Public Schools, the hints below are useful even if you’re using another application or web tool!
Picture
  • Length of video DOES matter! Engagement has been shown to drop significantly for videos of more than 9 minutes. Want to keep your viewer's attention? Break up videos into less than 6 minute chunks! (Brame, 2015)
​
  • "But how do I get them the information they need?" Stop thinking of your lesson as a 45 or 90 minute block. Think of the lesson content, the examples, and the practice as different parts. Break those up into 5 minute chunks (use more than one video for a section if needed!)

  • Remember, this is NOT your traditional teaching! Speak conversationally, use visuals instead of text when possible, focus on the main concepts. And don't worry about speaking too fast. Students can rewind or pause as many times as they need to! Those days of repeating yourself 10 times are in the past!​

Picture
  • Make it interactive! Ask students to write down notes as you talk, or do some sort of task throughout the video to keep them following along and engaged. Embedded questions and guided notes are a few ideas on how to keep students "with" you.

  • Close any tab you don't need for your recording. People may get distracted by what else you have open!

  • Remember, if you record your desktop, any pop up (Chat, Email, etc.) will show up. Close them or choose Tab Recording.

  • While your camera might not be necessary all the time, showing embedded webcam creates community and connection with students.

  • Don't be afraid to pause. Remember, you can stop to collect your thoughts then continue, trimming out your "um's" and "uh's" can be quickly done in the editor!
    ​
  • IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE PERFECT! Don't re-record for a minor error. Acknowledge it and keep going. To err is human!

Want more information? Contact your EdTech Specialist or come to Office Hours to learn more!

0 Comments

Digital Teacher Librarians in a Changing world

12/9/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
I think we could all agree that our jobs over the past year have changed a lot. Just like everything in 2020, education has changed in many ways. As we packed up last March to what we figured would be a few weeks going remote, it turned into over two months of remote learning. That led us all to start thinking differently about how we do our jobs. When August came around, we were all hoping for some sense of normalcy, but that quickly changed to starting the year remotely--then some switching to hybrid while others came back full time. Now we are all back again in the remote world with, thankfully, more online learning experience.  Yet many of us feel that we can’t catch up or do our job effectively--especially our Digital Teacher Librarians. 

A Digital Teacher Librarian’s job is constantly changing. Sometimes, things change weekly, daily, hourly, and even minute by minute. A DTL’s job is rarely the same day to day, and they are often pulled in many different directions. This year has allowed them once again to reinvent their positions. There are many examples all across the district of ways DTLs are adapting, pivoting, and finding ways to do their jobs to help students, teachers, and parents succeed in this new normal.
Picture
Most DTLs spend some of their time working on the technology in the buildings. This may consist of making sure projectors are projecting, doc cameras are working, that devices are distributed, and students are successfully engaging with technology. This has now become a major part of the DTL’s job. Linda Tatalaski, DTL at Creighton Middle School, has actually gone to families’ homes to help troubleshoot a Chromebook to make sure it functions properly. Tobye Ertelt, DTL at Oberon Middle School, used to have the help of her student tech crew, but since we had to go remote that left more of the responsibility on her.  In response, she created a Technology Guide. This guide helps families troubleshoot and fix their own tech issues. Angie Wagner, DTL at Bear Creek High School, spends some of her day arranging device repair via curbside as well as providing office hours for students and teachers. I am sure that none of these DTLs thought their job would involve so much tech troubleshooting. 

Another way the job of a DTL has changed is how we are checking out books. Remember when you used to be able to just walk into a library, check out a book, and take it home? Now this process looks very different. Libraries across the district had to figure out a way to get books into kids’ hands safely without them ever stepping into the library. One big change this year is students must put books on hold in order to check them out. This is an easy process but does require some instruction from the DTL. Some teachers have assigned this as homework or have set up “Library Time” in their classroom to simulate actually going to the library.  Once the book is on hold, it requires someone from the library staff to pull the books and check them out. Finally, the DTL has to creatively figure out a way to safely deliver the books. Heidi O’Leary, DTL at Bradford North, is using grab and go book stations. These books are from different subjects and genres. Heidi said that the best part is when a student requests a book and she actually can find it either at the Bradford Library or the Jeffco Public Library and is able to get the book into the students’ hands!
Picture
Finally, one of a DTL’s most important jobs is to collaborate with teachers on lessons. They provide resources as well as support students and their learning. This is challenging in a remote world, but DTLs once again are finding ways to get it done. One resource many are creating is a Bitmoji library space. These are fun and engaging for students as well as providing online resources. Andrea Gilmore, DTL at South Lakewood Elementary, created South Lakewood’s Virtual Library that includes virtual books, book talks as well as Hour of Code activities. Oberon Middle School has also created Oberon Middle School Virtual Libratory that links to the Jeffco Public Library as well as links to Oberon’s library resources. Elizabeth Mehmen, DTL at the Bergens, has created Picture Book Nominees for the CCBA Books for students to become familiar with these award winning books, and to vote for their favorite. 

Picture
This has been a year to “pivot” at a moment’s notice and to find new ways to keep the library engaging for ALL students. DTLs are constantly reinventing their jobs and spaces to best meet the needs of their students, teachers, and communities. As we wind down 2020 and can see 2021 on the horizon, we can only wonder what new exciting practices will we see next!

0 Comments

New to Jeffco’s Digital Tools Family - Actively Learn!

10/12/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
Actively Learn is one of the newest additions to the premium tools available to teachers and students in Jeffco! Teachers and students grades 5-12 have premium access to this robust interactive platform. Filled with carefully curated content including appropriate articles and readings (even some videos!), thoughtful standards-aligned questions in a highly customizable environment with numerous accessibility tools, Actively Learn makes finding, personalizing and assigning readings a snap. Here’s a quick video overviewing what Actively Learn is capable of bringing to your students.

Getting Started

Logging in to Actively Learn for the first time is a little different than other Jeffco Digital Tools. Find the tech tip here!

Or watch this quick YouTube video overviewing the process. 
NOTE: In the future, you’ll be able to simply sign in with Google.

​Students will always sign in with Google; no need to do anything different the first time for them!


Resources

To learn more about how to create classes, customize and assign content, and grade assignments, take a look at this brand new eBook from the EdTech department: Introduction to Actively Learn - Asynchronous Learning.

Jeffco’s EdTech department has also made an Actively Learn YouTube playlist with tutorials for many of the basic functions of Actively Learn.  (See below!)

Need Help?

Actively Learn also has a very robust Help Center to answer your questions on the fly!

​Don’t forget about the EdTech Office Hours for teachers! We are available 7am-4pm Monday-Friday to help with your Actively Learn and other digital tool questions. Find the link for Office Hours and other EdTech resources here!
0 Comments

welcome back jeffco

8/24/2020

0 Comments

 

More tools to support a digital classroom

First and foremost the Ed Tech team would like to welcome back all staff and students to the 2020-2021 school year. 
This will be a year of many firsts, and we look forward to navigating alongside each and every one of you.  
With all of the unknowns, we wanted to help make your jobs a little easier. 
We heard your feedback from the spring and now have even more digital tools to help make the digital classroom a better space.  

Actively Learn

Picture

​Actively Learn allows you to engage students through texts (and videos) for ELA, Science, and Social Studies. Scaffolds and higher-order questions are available to support students in reading and engaging with these texts. All Jeffco 5-12th grade students have access to premium Actively Learn accounts through #TechforEd! 
Check out Ed Tech's Actively Learn Multi Media Text Set



Adobe Spark

Picture

​Adobe Spark is an integrated suite of media creation applications for mobile and web developed by Adobe Systems. It comprises three separate design apps: Spark Page, Spark Post, and Spark Video.

All Jeffco K-12 students have access to premium Adobe Spark accounts through #TechforEd
Check Out Ed Tech's Adobe Spark Multi Media Text Set



Screencastify

Picture
Screencastify is a Chrome extension that allows you to record your screen, face, voice and more. You can capture just a tab in your browser or all of your screen activity. You can even insert video of yourself talking on top of your screen recording.
ALL Jeffco employees and students have access to premium Screencastify accounts through #TechforEd! 
Check out Ed Tech's Screencastify Multi Media Text Set


Securly Classroom

Picture

Securly Classroom is a cloud-based classroom
management tool for Chrome, giving teachers new freedom to guide, monitor and communicate with students during in-person or remote learning.
ALL Jeffco K-12 teachers have access to premium Securly Classroom accounts through #TechforEd!

Check out Ed Tech's Securly Classroom Multi Media Text Set (working document)


Check out all paid digital tools in jeffco

Access Jeffco Ed Tech's digital tools page to learn about all of Jeffco's premium digital tools.  This page is a resource for the why, what, and how of each digital tool.  The intended audience for this page is Jeffco staff. 
If you are looking for family resources, those can be found HERE.
For immediate support, visit Ed Tech's office hours, Monday-Friday 7:00 am-4:00 pm, HERE. 
0 Comments

Trigonometry Learning with Book Creator

1/22/2020

1 Comment

 
This blog post is by Tracy Peronard, a math teacher at Dakota Ridge High School. She has had a fascinating career track and shares some amazing insights into how Book Creator can be used for creative instruction and to set examples for students when using Jeffco Digital Tools. 

Tracy has been teaching in Jeffco for nine years, eight of which have been at Dakota Ridge. She is from Atlanta, GA. and has a BS in Management from Georgia Tech. Tracy also completed a post-baccalaureate program at Georgia State University in Secondary Mathematics Education and is working to finish her Masters in Mathematics in the fall. Tracy and her husband moved to Littleton, CO. in 1998 where she was a stay at home mom for the first few years. In 2001, she went to work for the Lakewood Police Department as an Investigative Technician. She then left the LPD in 2010 and returned to the classroom. Her son graduated from Dakota Ridge in 2011 and her daughter graduated from Lakewood High School in 2014. She likes to run, play soccer, and go to the gym.

Tracy currently teaches trigonometry and Integrated Math 3. The Math 3 class is comprised entirely of juniors who are working on a math Capstone Project to fulfill the new graduation requirement. Tracy uses technology almost everyday in her math classroom. Thank you Tracy for sharing your expertise with us!
Dakota Ridge High School went 1:1 three years ago. I was excited that my students would each have a device of their own. I dove head first into the technology pool. Despite a lot of groaning from my geometry students, I had them use Geogebra for many tasks that once had been paper and pencil lessons and activities. By the end of the first six weeks, most students were able to successfully use the technology that I presented to them. Through Google Classroom, I provided links to various resources for my students. Since Chromebooks were new for both myself and my students, there were some bumps along the way. My students let me know what was good and more importantly what was bad. 

This school year, I started teaching Trigonometry. The school has a set of books that the students can use in the classroom but the students cannot take the textbooks home. I saw students taking pictures of problem sets from the book. They did not take pictures of any of the examples, definitions, or formulas. I also noticed that students rarely used the textbook if they had access to the material electronically. 

Nick Steinmetz (Jeffco Ed Tech Specialist) and our DTL Robin Luster, did professional development training at the start of this school year that included a brief overview of the new digital tools that were available throughout Jeffco. Book Creator was one of those tools. Initially, I was not interested. Nick used the example of English teachers using Book Creator; and I thought how fun it would be to have my math students write pages of a math book. From that "aha" moment came a spark. What if I wrote a book for my students?
Picture
Trigonometry is a one semester class. The first unit covers some topics that I taught my Honors Geometry students. I knew that I had some electronic resources that I wanted to share with my students; so I decided that I would write a book for this first unit. I worried that the book might flop, but I had not invested a lot of time writing a book covering only one unit. I decided not to start Unit 2 until I had feedback from the students. 

The best part about writing an eBook is that you can include links to Geogebra activities, Khan Academy practice problems, and my own videos showing how to do select problems. The other advantage to putting all the resources into a book was that students did not have to search Google Classroom to find one old video or link. I watched a YouTube video to learn more about how to use Book Creator, then I started writing.

This is a snapshot from the Unit 1 book. It has a link to a Geogebra activity and an example video about Coterminal Angles.
Picture
Like all new tools, there was a learning curve. I clicked on every button to see what would happen. Sometimes, I discovered things by accident. The first few pages were slow, but by the time I had written the material for the first lesson, I felt fairly competent. I was hooked. I worked on the book on and off for a few days before school started. Once it was complete, I was proud of myself. ​​

It did not matter how enamored I was of the Trigonometry Unit 1 book, because the true test was whether or not the students found value in it. I put a link to the book on Google Classroom and told the students that it was there. Not only did the book contain the Google Slides presentation that I would use in class but it had so much more, including homework for each lesson. Below is the Google Classroom post I showed my students when I introduced them to the book.
Picture
Picture
When it was time for the first test, the book became a valued resource to some of the students. I knew that some students would not use it, but my hope was that a few students would. Much to my delight, I had students ask if I was going to write a book for the next unit. That was all I wanted to hear.  You can see the Unit 1 book here.

Picture
Since the first book, I have written one for each unit of Trigonometry and they have been easy to revise. The students like the interactivity of the book and students who want to work ahead now have a resource available so they can be self-paced. I use the same language when I talk in class as what is written. The two biggest sells for writing an eBook are that I am not trying to fit my way of teaching to a textbook that is 20 years old; and that I am presenting material to my students in a format that is tailored to their way of learning.


1 Comment

Spotlight with Mr. Locks at Pomona HS

8/27/2019

0 Comments

 
When I was asked to write a post for Jeffco Ed Tech blog, I was stymied. Education technology is a huge topic. It’s complicated, demonized, canonized, hotly debated, and full of strife & potential. Finally, after six or seven digital wads of paper, I’ve settled on discussing how I rolled out 1:web Chromebooks for my freshman classes this year. It’s timely, and I hope it proves helpful.

First of all, mad props to Pomona’s administration and our campus IT staff. It all starts there. Without a clear and shared vision of what technology will look like and a commitment to goals we set out to achieve by using it, the results would be confusing to everyone involved. Our tech gurus, Matt Daniels and Judy Sims, have been great at keeping our campus focused and practical about everything from how to track each device to which apps make the most sense for teachers to use. They are absolutely central to the success of the roll-out of over 700 (!) Chromebooks (and chargers and cords and screen protectors and id tags and Velcro strips and screen cleaner cloths and styluses and...et al) for our 9th & 10th grade Panthers. I shudder to think how absolutely chaotic this initiative could have turned out, and I’m so appreciative of their strong leadership from the beginning. 

​So that’s the Big Picture. As for incorporating this technology into our daily classroom environment, I am still a novice. I still ask the Annoying Question of the Day to Matt and Judy and have impractical requests that are met with “You really don’t want to do that, Clint”. “Why not?” And then he patiently explains the Why Not. I’m moving in the right direction, though, and zealously embracing the feel-good-It’s-OK cliche of our times: failing forward. A LOT. My students laugh at me when my “app-tempts” explode. We all laugh together, though, because I’ve found that true humility and vulnerability sometimes creates powerful community. It’s better than the option of playing the immutable sage on the stage, a role that would last, at most, a few measly seconds, and quickly scuttle any vestige of ethos I do have. They teach me more than I could ever figure out myself, and at 1/10 of the time, and they feel powerful when they teach the teacher. I like that. Empowering kids is fun. It’s a rush. Often, when you give That One Troublemaker a Chromebook and a purpose, they are transformed...just like the task they’re working on.
Picture
One last thing. At the end of the year, Nick Steinmetz, who I’m sure you know or, if you don’t, you should, challenged us to write a letter about how it went--the inaugural mass Chromebooking. I did that, then ended up writing an alternate version addressed to this year’s students. The letter is friendly yet informative, and includes memes, hyperlinks, footnotes, and other elements that they will run into on digital platforms. Joining our Google Classroom and reading and responding to that letter was their first assignment of the year. Once they join the Classroom, they also have access to the GDoc that I use everyday in class. Even if they’re absent, they get a good idea of what went on during their absence. Here’s a screenshot of (a portion of) that document:
Picture
Regarding technology, it’s going well. The kids are excited and potentially a bit intimidated. They see the potential inherent in the system. Even if they are not used to seeing it that way, they recognize their tech as a catalyst to learning and maybe even prosperity. The responsibility they have with that makes them feel like an adult. ​
Picture

​Twenty-six years ago, when I first started teaching, “technology” meant the new-fangled electric pencil sharpener that was bolted to a desk. It’s safe to say a few things have changed since then. Heck, we don’t even really need pencil sharpeners. But I still have one. My students still use it. If you need it, it’s right over there by the door, next to the Chromebook cart and the Cell Hotel phone holder.

Happy teaching, everyone!

Clint Locks
​
​Teacher, Pomona High School

​
​
​


​




​

0 Comments
<<Previous
    Picture

    Connect:

    Ed Tech Website
    The Pulse Blog

    Categories

    All
    #BetterTogether
    Blended Learning
    Chromebooks
    Classroom Spotlight
    Computational Thinker
    Creative Communicator
    Digital Citizen
    Digital Teacher Librarian
    Digital Tools
    Empowered Learner
    Global Collaborator
    Google
    Innovative Designer
    Knowledge Constructor
    News & Events
    Professional Resources
    Schoology
    YouTube

    Tweets by @jeffcoedtech

    Archives

    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    June 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly