Annotate PDFs with Snap & Read

Snap & Read just added a new feature - PDF annotation. Are you familiar with Kami? The Snap & Read annotation feature is similar. It is free with unlimited use for all Walled Lake Consolidated Schools students and staff and it works with Google Drive. 

This can come in handy for students to write responses directly on PDFs and  highlight important phrases. 

How do you use it? See written instructions and/or the video below. 

Step 1: If you haven’t already done so, install Snap & Read from the Chrome store. Accept the user agreement and then sign in with your WL Google Account.

Step 2: Go to Google Drive.

Step 3: Click on the Snap & Read extension (it will turn blue when active and the black toolbar will appear on the right).

Step 4: Click on the research button at the bottom of the toolbar.

Step 5: Click the three dots in the upper right corner.

Step 6: Open PDF from > Google Drive (or “My Device,” depending on where it is).

Step 7: Now you are ready to write on it. To do so, click the pencil in the upper left corner.  The buttons to write or highlight will appear.

Step 8: When finished, SAVE!

See one minute how-to video below (for best results, view full-screen).

Hour of Code

by guest blogger, Amy Stasak, middle school instructional technology coach at Walled Lake Consolidated Schools, @abstasak

What is the Hour of Code?

The Hour of Code started as a one-hour introduction to computer science, designed to demystify "code", to show that anybody can learn the basics, and to broaden participation in the field of computer science. It has since become a worldwide effort to celebrate computer science, starting with 1-hour coding activities but expanding to all sorts of community efforts.

Geisler Middle School Student Coding Experience

This year I had the opportunity to bring a local company, AccelerateKid, to Geisler Middle School for a one-day Hour of Code event. 70+ students voluntarily signed up to attend an hour session in the Media Center, led by the owner and several of his instructors. They began by introducing the students to coding and where/why they might use it in their lives. Then, they connected the kids to a “broken” version of a Star Wars Jedi game on Scratch, a site where users program their own interactive stories, animations, and games. The AccelerateKid instructors walked participants through adding/editing/adjusting various coding steps, to essentially “fix” the game. They discussed important programming vocabulary and the various components to be used in the Scratch website. They posed challenges that students had to figure out how to complete successfully.

My Reflections

Several details struck me this morning as I observed the two sessions unfold. First, I was amazed by the diverse group of students that attended. Not only did this attract the stereotypical “computer geeks,” but we had almost half girls, over a quarter African Americans, quite a few English Language Learners and several Special Ed students. An interest in computer science is obviously growing to all populations. It was super cool to see the excitement on so many different faces. Second, it was refreshing to see young people learn to think creatively, reason systematically, and work collaboratively. Their brains were spinning and when they solved each challenge, the light bulb smiles spread throughout the room. Participants were all so willing to assist one another, applaud the successes, and even jokingly commiserate when their game spit out the “Game Over” sound bite. When asked at the end of each session who learned something new and who enjoyed themselves, the room erupted in “me, me me!” Overall, I would say this was a huge success and I am thrilled to have been a part of offering this experience to my students. 

Creating Animated GIFs

I often listen to The Google Teacher Tribe Podcast with Matt Miller and Kasey Bell. This is a weekly podcast that lasts 30-40 minutes. I like the structure and always pick up a tip or idea that I can use as I support teachers in my district. It's a great way to keep up with GSuite updates. Sometimes there is a guest who talks about a topic related to educational technology. 

The topic of this week's episode was Supporting GSuite Learning with GIFs. The guest, Jake Miller, discussed why he decided to get started, which made me chuckle. He was on Facebook and saw a GIF of how to make a tater tot casserole; he liked that it was quick to view and kept his attention. He then reflected on some of his longer how-to video tutorials that hardly anyone opens and decided to try creating animated GIFs to see if more people would use them. OK, now I'm interested.

Jake creates his GIFs using Camtasia, a program that I have. (Thank you, TechSmith for providing this awesome program to Google Certified Trainers!) So, I decided that maybe I should at least figure out how to do it. I first went to Techsmith's video tutorials, but I didn't find exactly what I was looking for. I then did some searching and found a blog that was super helpful: How to Create a GIF Image with a Progress Bar by Jon Acampora. 

One reason why I haven't especially cared for animated GIFs is that sometimes it is difficult to tell when the video begins (due to looping), and often they are too quick for me to process multiple steps. Using Camtasia allows me to easily adjust speed and add a slider bar so that viewers can tell when the video begins and ends. Thank you Jon, for sharing how to do it!  

Here is my first attempt: Inserting Emojis into a Word Doc.

I still need to experiment with the publishing settings to figure out what works best. I first published with the highest HD settings, figuring it would be the clearest image possible. However, when I went to open it, it took awhile, and I know that each second is precious. I reduced the video size settings, but still don't know if it is the best. If anyone has suggestions for me, please let me know! 

I do maintain a Google Learning Site for teachers in my district (and anyone else who wishes to use it) where I post video tutorials and handouts to demonstrate how to use each of the tools in the Google Suite. My self imposed guideline is 2-5 min per video, trying to keep them at 2-3 minutes. I recently published some tutorials that can be found on my Google Forms page. Examples include Reasons for Use, Inserting YouTube videos, Sending out a Form to Others, Creating a Self-grading Quiz, and How to View the Data. I really do not think that I could use animated GIFs for these types of videos, as the verbal explanations are important. However, I could perhaps add some animated GIFs to my written handout. Maybe I'll try that next!  I'll also start building a library of GIFs as people ask me questions. 

Where Are All The Teachers?

modified image: "plane taking off" from openclipart.com. 

Over the past few weeks, I've read several articles about the impact of the teacher shortage:

• Teacher Shortage, from Michigan Radio
• Educators Push For Bills to Ease Substitute Teacher Shortage, from MLive
• Crisis in Teaching Means Crisis for Michigan's Kids, from the Detroit News
• What Can We Do About Teacher Turnover, from Edutopia

The teaching shortage is real, and it's a problem. I work in a suburban school district and it is November, and we still have teaching vacancies. It is difficult for teachers to attend professional development to improve their craft because there are not enough substitute teachers to cover their classes. 

Teachers go into the profession because they want to make a positive difference in the world. There is no other profession with the capacity to shape the futures of so many others. The work is challenging, yet very rewarding. As a nation, we must do much more to fully appreciate and support the work of teachers. 

The bills that are being considered in the Michigan legislature, related to allowing retirees to return to the classroom as substitute teachers will help. However, I think that policymakers should focus on strategies to attract talented individuals into the profession and improving teacher retention. 

The profession is losing out when high school grads consider career options. When they learn that teacher pay has gone down each year for the past five years, they look for other options. That's what my daughter did. She was interested in being a math teacher, and she would have been an excellent one, yet she chose to be an engineer. She weighed the pros and cons of each profession and the teaching profession lost the battle. Her situation is not unique. 

Every career depends on the work of teachers who are charged with people building. There is nothing more important than that. Please do whatever you can do to support policies that will help attract and keep teachers in the classroom. 

Get Ready for Digital Citizenship Week: October 16-20

from JDJ from OpenClipArt.org

Technology is a part of all of our lives. Our students use digital tools at home and at school for a variety of purposes--to connect with friends, have fun, organize, and learn, to name a few. It up to us, as educators, to help them navigate the digital world and work to keep them safe. Any educator who uses technology as part of their instructional practices (therefore, all educators) must also teach digital citizenship. What does digital citizenship mean?

"Being a good digital citizen is more than learning your way around the web. It's about empowering your students with skills to think critically, behave safely, and participate responsibly online, allowing them to connect and collaborate in meaningful ways." ~https://www.commonsense.org

Take a look at standard 2 of ISTE's Standards for Students: 

from http://www.iste.org/standards/for-students

 Common Sense Media has some outstanding ideas and resources that can be used to teach digital citizenship. Take a look at Four Ways to Teach Digital Citizenship, broken down by grade levels: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12. There are short videos, discussion guides, and posters for the classroom. 

There is also a downloadable digital citizenship pledge that could be printed out and signed by students, and then posted in the classroom; get it on the Common Sense Media Website. 

All of theses resources are free and easy to implement.  Let's all do our part! 

Google Team Drive: How to Begin, Benefits/Drawbacks

Have you noticed "Team Drive" from your Google Drive navigation menu?  Take a peek at this 7 min video explaining what it is and how to get started. Learn about the benefits and pitfalls before you try to use it. 

See informational handout here.

Excited for the New School Year

I have had a fantastic summer; lots of travel (northern Michigan and Tennessee), time in the water and on the golf course, and fun with family & friends. I've read many books; some for professional learning, some for fun. It's been relaxing and the down-time has done me good. I've had time to reflect on my important role of being an ed tech coach and set goals for the upcoming school year. I'm ready to go!

The Walled Lake Spice it Up Conference is one week from today! This is the 13th year, and an annual highlight for me. It's a ton of work to prepare for, but so worth it! I'm looking forward for Liz Kolb to join us as our keynote speaker. I read her book, Learning First, Technology Second, over the summer--loved it! There will be 54 breakout sessions throughout the day, so there is sure to be something for everyone. 

I plan to blog regularly throughout the year, as I'm participating in the ISTE Ed Tech Coaches PLN's Blogging Buddies project.  

Are Webinars Effective for Teacher Professional Learning?

     

I was fortunate to be awarded a Walled Lake Consolidated Schools Foundation for Excellence Mini-Grant for my proposal "Professional Learning for Educators via Webinars." Time for professional learning is at a premium; there simply isn't enough time during staff meetings and scheduled PD Days. Teachers want and need more time to collaborate and explore as they learn new skills and instructional practices.

I wanted to find out whether educators would attend and find evening webinars valuable. Unlike many other aspects of teaching, technology changes constantly. Just as in any industry, it is vital that educators stay current with new trends and developments in both pedagogy and new technologies. Offering online learning opportunities to the teachers that I serve will help me better support them as they strive to keep up with rapid change. I wanted to try using a new webinar platform called Zoom, which is an online meeting and webinar platform that is user-friendly and has options for screen sharing, polling, and Q & A. Webinars can be recorded and reporting features are built-in and helpful for keeping track of attendee information needed for teacher recertification. In my role as an instructional technology coach, I thought that I would be better able to assist teachers as they discover ways to improve their instructional practices using technology tools.

I was awarded the grant in late February and was able to make the purchases and learn how to use the Zoom webinar platform fairly quickly. I surveyed staff to find out topics of interest and also to find out times and dates that would work best for the most people. Five webinars were scheduled based on this feedback.

The structure of each webinar was consistent. There was an overview presentation, followed by short demonstrations of how to use a tool as part of instructional practices. After each demonstration, attendees were given time to explore with opportunities to ask questions. The culmination of each webinar included some type of sharing so that attendees could show what they learned and discuss implementation into professional practices. This format was successful. 

Five evening (7-8:00pm) webinars were offered: 

• 03.27.2017:  Safari Montage: Digital Content for your Classroom
• 04.12.2014: Universal Learning Supports: Co:Writer and Snap&Read
• 05.02.2017: The New Google Sites, Now Available to Students & Staff
• 05.18.2017: Illuminate DnA: Assessments and Reports (this one had two others hosting with me and it worked great!)
• 06.06.2017: Creating Interactive Activities with SMART Notebook

I didn't have huge turnouts to the webinars (most having around 15 or so), but I have to remind myself that that this type of learning is different and that people are busy with family commitments, especially in the Spring when people are finally able to enjoy beautiful Michigan weather. 

Attendees were invited to submit open-ended feedback after each webinar. Feedback was positive and people enjoyed the webinar format that I used. Comments:

• “I liked learning in this conducive environment. I loved it!”
• “I enjoyed learning how to get started using Safari Montage. I look forward to using it with my students.”
• “Co:Writer has way more options that I was aware of.”
• “I love these tools that I can use (Snap&Read and Co:Writer) to help my students!”
• “I appreciate the hands-on experiences with live guidance.”
• “I loved seeing examples of different kinds of Google Sites.”
• “I liked learning how easy it is to use the new Sites platform.”
• “I have a better feel for the kinds of Illuminate Reports I can access.”
• “I became more comfortable using Smart Notebook. The webinar sparked my enthusiasm for digging deeper into this valuable resource.”

Looking Ahead

Due to the success of the webinar series, I will continue to offer evening webinars on a regular basis throughout the 2017-2018 school year. I plan to review Spice it Up Conference attendance reports and invite the presenters of popular sessions to co-host webinars. I will also survey staff to help determine topics of interest for future webinars.

  

--------------------

All webinars were recorded and posted on the Walled Lake Safari Montage portal. Check them out! Log in required.

https://safari.wlcsd.org/?p=1a5af0ee-13cf-11e7-aee3-ecf4bbbf866c

Google Team Drives Are Coming! Read Info & Think Before You Click

Google Team Drives Are Coming!

What is a Team Drive?

Google Team Drives are shared spaces where teams can easily store, search, and access their files anywhere, from any device. Team Drives will be available for WLCSD educators and students beginning on July 15, 2017.  To prevent issues, it is important to have a basic understanding of what Team Drive is and how it works before trying it out.

Why might I want to use Team Drive?

Sharing files with individuals and small groups is simple, but managing a large collection of files with a larger group can be challenging. Common problems:

• Sometimes people cannot find shared documents in “Shared with Me”
• If the owner of a document leaves the district, it is gone for everyone, even if it was shared with others!

Team Drive Features

Team Drive is located in a separate area from personal storage space (My Drive).

Files are owned by the team, not an individual.

The creator of the Team Drive is has full access and could be considered the “Group Manager.” This person initially controls the level of access that all team members have:

• Full Access: can modify team membership settings, add files, move files, and delete files
• Edit Access: CANNOT add people to the Team Drive, move files or delete files. CAN create files & folders, upload files, edit files, and add people not on the team to specific files
• Comment Access: can only view and comment on files. (no editing)
• View Access: can only view files

Other Things to Know about Team Drives

• The default setting for new Team members is full access. To prevent issues, there probably should only be a few people with full access level.
• Those with full or edit access can move files that they own into Team Drive (drag and drop). Once a file is moved into Team Drive, the individual who created it no longer owns it… the team does. Consider each file carefully before moving it to Team Drive.
• When a file is moved to Team Drive by an individual, it is no longer available in that individual’s My Drive.
• At this time, folders cannot be moved into Team Drive.
• Any files in Team Drives are automatically shared with members of the Team Drive. However, those with full or edit access can also share Team Drive files with WLCSD students and staff who aren’t members of the Team Drive.
• Each Team Drive has its own trash. Files and folders in the trash are deleted FOREVER after 30 days.

How-to Guide

Step-by-step instructions for setting up Team Drives, adding files and folders, and organizing files can be found here: https://gsuite.google.com/learning-center/products/drive/get-started-team-drive/

This overview video, created by JP Hale, may also be helpful (12 min).

Questions?

Pam Shoemaker

Walled Lake Consolidated Schools

Technology Instructional Coach

pamelashoemaker@wlcsd.org

Interland: A Free Game Designed To Help Kids Make Smart Decisions Online

Parents & Teachers: Did you know that Google just released an online game to teach children about online safety and security? It's important to help kids learn how to be smart, positive and kind when they are online, just like we help them to be when they are offline. 

Summer break is around the corner and children and teens will have more time to spend on the Internet. It is a perfect time to introduce Be Internet Awesome! 

The game was developed in collaboration with reputable online safety experts such as Family Online Safety Institute, the Internet Keep Safe Coalition and ConnectSafely. The game includes topics such as:

• Safe sharing
• Determining what is real and fake
• Keeping personal information secure
• Online etiquette

Get an idea of how the game works by viewing the 40 second trailer posted below, then access the game here. I think it would be appropriate for upper elementary and middle school age kids. The game-based design is brilliant - kids will love it. Check it out and share widely! 

I Have Some New Blogging Buddies!

The ISTE Ed Tech Coaches PLN has organized a  "Blogging Buddies" project as a way for ed tech coaches (and those tasked with helping teachers integrate technology) to connect, network and learn from other coaches via blogging.

Many ed tech coaches value blogging as a form of personal growth and reflection in their practice, but don’t always receive that online feedback in the form of comments from our coaching peers that we’re hoping for. This is an organized effort to facilitate connections and networking to make blogging a more positive reflective experience.

Each Blogging Buddies group is made up of about five ed tech coach bloggers who have committed to blog at least once a month, read and comment on each other's blogs, and share the posts with their own networks.

I'm part of group #1. ("We're number one!)

• Robin Harris: The Bom-diggity Classroom Blog
• Alex Lianne Carter: Alex Lianne Carter's Blog
• Waneta Hebert: Mrs. Hebert's Classroom Blog
• Emmanuel Audre: Learned Lessons Blog

Spice it Up Conference Call for Speakers is Open!

Walled Lake Schools hosts an outstanding instructional technology conference at the start of each school year. It will be on Thursday, August 24 at Walled Lake Central High School. I'm excited to announce that Liz Kolb will be our keynote speaker! If you are interested in joining our awesome team of presenters, the Call for Speakers info is on the "Speakers" page of the conference web site. We would love for you to join us. Applications are due by May 31. 

The ISTE Standards for Students: The Groundwork for What's Possible in Learning

The ISTE Standards are about pedagogy, not tools. It seems that the field of education has finally realized that throwing digital tools into classrooms without support and expecting magical changes in instruction and student outcomes is illogical. The ISTE Standards for Students provide a framework for in-depth learning, using technology to strengthen learning. The ISTE Standards support and deepen the learning derived from other content-area standards, making them not an additional set of standards, but rather a useful guide for supporting and deepening any educational content or initiative. The ISTE Standards serve as a groundwork for what’s possible in learning using technology.

Changes Over the Years

It’s interesting to reflect on the reasons for the changes to the standards over the last 20 years. In 1998, technology was primarily used in computer labs and students were taught how to use software focused mainly on productivity. Flip the calendar to 2007 when technology on mobile carts became increasingly available, as well as access to the internet. The emphasis shifted to using technology to teach critical thinking, creativity and collaboration. Fast forward to today to see devices in the hands of students. Technology is no longer seen as optional. New designs for learning and teaching support personalized learning and connecting with others across the globe.

The 2016 ISTE Standards for Students  

Empowered Learner

The standards were designed to empower student voice and ensure that learning is a student-driven process of exploration, creativity and discovery. They include a strong emphasis on empowering students to have a voice and choice in their learning.

Digital Citizen

Human life is no longer solely digital or physical; it’s a hybrid. Students grow up immersed in technology but they don’t automatically understand technology’s drawbacks — or opportunities. Students must learn to use technology in ways that are safe, legal, and ethical.

Knowledge Constructor

Although it is quick and easy to find a multitude of resources for a research report by doing a quick Google search, it may not be the most effective strategy for locating accurate and relevant information. Students must know how to employ a variety of methods and tools to find information, make sense of it, and produce creative artifacts for themselves and others.

Innovative Designer

Historically, the teacher has been the sole designer of learning experiences. It’s more important than ever for students to identify and solve problems in imaginative ways. This involves testing theories and developing perseverance when working on open-ended problems.

Computational Thinker

One might speak of coding skills when explaining the meaning of computational thinking, but it’s more than that. Computational thinking involves formulating ideas and procedures with enough clarity that one could break down tasks enough to tell a computer how to do them. Knowing how to leverage technology to develop and test solutions will likely be useful in all occupations.

Creative Communicator

Communicating learning by turning in a research paper to the teacher or reading information off a presentation slide is insufficient. Students must be able to choose appropriate tools for the need and use and/or remix visuals, models and simulations to communicate ideas to a variety of audiences online and offline.

Global Collaborator

There are many kinds of digital tools that can be used to broaden student perspectives and enrich learning by collaborating with others from a variety of backgrounds and cultures.

The Challenge

The ISTE Standards for Students is all about good instructional practices. You obviously cannot focus on all of them during every lesson, but think about the experiences your students have had in your classroom over the course of the semester. Try to identify specific learning experiences your students have had that align with each standard. If there are gaps, you’ll know what kinds of goals to set for yourself and your students in the future.  

----------

Sources:

ISTE Standards for Students 2016. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/standards/standards/for-students-2016

ISTE Essential Conditions. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/standards/tools-resources/essential-conditions

Redefining learning in a technology-driven world; A report to support adoption of the ISTE Standards for Students June 2016. Retrieved from

https://www.iste.org/docs/Standards-Resources/iste-standards_students-2016_research-validity-report_final.pdf

----------

This will also be published on MACUL Community.