Resource Collaboration

Jamboard is a collaborative online resource through google that allows up to 50 people to work on it at once.  Participants can add "sticky notes" to images/pages and can draw and move things on the page.  It is much like an online collaborative whiteboard where people can share ideas. 

To use a jamboard, you need to have a Google account. The app itself is free and is a great resource on sharing boards via computer or mobile device.  There is a physical hardware/screen you can buy for about $5,000 but the free online version works just fine for the classroom.

Remind allows teachers to send messages to students and other parents or co-workers. this is meant to be used as a reminder for students about anything that teachers would want students to have for class, turn in a project, or other little reminders about class activities or field trips. Students can download an app or just have text message reminders. Teachers would download the remind app to generate the messages to send out. Students would need to download the app or have a phone for these messages to be sent to. The only requirement for this resource is for the teacher to have the app to generate the message and the students to have a device that receives messages. 

1. A resource we discovered that we'd like to learn more about is GeoGebra.
2. System requirements for GeoGebra include a digital device and the internet. Contextual requirements for this resource are having either a 1:1 ratio, or some devices accessible in pairs or teams. A 1:1 context would be better because it would help students to explore concepts on their own, but working in pairs or small teams would be beneficial as well. GeoGebra doesn't require any additional resources other than the internet, so any kind of digital device would allow for students to use this resource. Because of this, really any socioeconomic level school would be able to utilize it as long as they have access to the internet. 

Link https://www.peardeck.com/googleslides 
The app that I would like to learn more about is called “PEAR DECK.” This is an interactive presentation tool that comes from Google. The interactive Presentation allows for teachers and students to use it in multiple ways. One thing that teachers especially love about it is that it is a way to assess students. Students also love it because its creative and doesn't feel like a traditional assessment. Pear Deck makes your slides interactive so every student can respond to your questions or prompts right on their own screens. Pear Deck Slides help you engage every student in every seat and give formative assessments, no matter what grade or subject you teach. Teachers/presenters must create a Pear Deck account with Microsoft Office 365 or Google login credentials. You may use a personal or organizational account. Schools with Google Apps for Education or Office 365 Education can install Pear Deck for everyone.

Padlet is a really neat digital resource that I see myself using in my future English classroom! The software is categorized as an online digital bulletin board. Anyone that is given permission by the Padlet creator (the teacher in this case) will have access to the Padlet with a link to it! Students will have to create a Padlet account, however, it's pretty simple to sign up! You basically just need to link the account to an email. It's accessible on all laptops and even on smartphones. There is a Padlet app you can download for free! I would go through the process of setting up Padlet accounts with students in the class to help them navigate the software before having to actually use it!
 
As an English teacher, I see myself using Padlet to better understand how my students are interpreting different texts. I could create a Padlet over a novel and tell students to contribute to the class Padlet after each chapter. Students could make a connection to a different text and write about that OR they could even post a picture or video that helped them better understand the reading. This is helpful because other students in the class will be able to see these posts, helping them connect to the text in new and innovative ways. One feature of Padlet that I didn't know existed is that you can actually modify the setup of the class Padlet. For example, I could also create a "Timeline" Padlet where students can post their reactions to readings in the order they are occurring in the stories they are reading!

I have been working with one of our Instructional Coaches at Carmel Middle School on integrating Google Jamboards within my classroom for resource classes and my remedial math class to deepen understanding and provide a lesson that can used at home and at school for hybrid students. 

In order for Jamboards to work well within the classroom students need 1:1 devices, such as Chromebooks. Students also need WiFi access. I also prefer to put the lesson on the Jamboard up on the projector as I teach the students how to utilize each specific Jamboard for the lesson. I teach the lesson using Jamboard by modeling and direct instruction. Second, students and I use the Jamboards to work together on solving certain math problems. Finally,  I have a Jamboard for each student to use as formative assessment, to check for understanding.

The utilization of Jamboards have proven to be effective within one of my classes where I have students physically in person and virtually synchronously. 

Kahoot
Advantages
1.It helps to gauge the level of understanding students might have after a topic has been taught.
2.It is user friendly on any digital device even the iphone and mostly used for uploaded quizzes for practically any subject and
3 it can be used remotely should the need arise. Most schools use chromebooks so the teacher or administrator can help install the app or older students can download the app or go to Kahoot.it and use the code provided by the teacher.
The big teacher screen is needed to project for students if the teacher is the host. We might need the Kahoot app or the website. It will ask for their nicknames to be displayed on the screen. Kahoot generally promises a positive learning experience because you can see for instance how many students answer a question correctly and provide feedback.  
System and context
Kahoot is suitable for a large class or group
Internet connectivity must be spot on.
All students must have access to devices for individual assessment unless they are working in groups.
Reference
Kahoot.com

My English 9 Team and I went through this process recently when we switched from the Romeo and Juliet text to an interactive application. The program is called Shakespeare in Bits (easily Google-able), and it's amazing. Old-timey Shakespearean language becomes tappable into "normal" English. little bubbles for theme, character, and interesting background information are tappable at key moments. There is a character map page, along with background information on all characters. And, most notably, the app includes a performance of R&J that is read aloud and an animation, too. I can't say enough great things about this app in regard to it engaging students in R&J and enhancing their experience of it. Anyway, when we made the switch on an iPad, it was easy. But then when our school adopted laptops instead of iPads, we had to make sure the application would be compatible, which it was. Something we talked a decent amount about was how to use the app most effectively in the classroom. We wanted reading the play to be a shared experience, so what we opted to do in the day-to-day use of the app was this:

• All students would take out laptops, find the appropriate act/scene, and mute their computers.
• The teacher would pull up the app to the same spot as well and project their screen to the class.
• The teacher would tell students how much they would read before stopping to discuss. The teacher would count down "one, two three, go!" and students and teacher would all hit "play" at the same time. 

This way, it was like co-using the app. Everyone was at the same place at the same time. There was an expectation to be attentive and a known place where we would stop and discuss. This went over really well and prevented reading the play this way to become an isolated, disengaged activity. The discussion with my English 9 team and trial-and-error we all shared helped us come to this conclusion of how to best use the app. 

Remind is a program that allows teachers to send a message to students.  This is meant to be used by teachers to "remind" students that they have an assignment or that a big project is due soon.  Students can either download the app or sign up for the text messages.  No private data is given to the teachers or by the teachers.
To be able to use this resource in a classroom a teacher would need a smartphone with the remind app.  Students would either need the app or they can just have the messages texted to them from the automated system.  Since the students don't need the app they wouldn't necessarily need a smartphone however they would need to have a cell phone.  However, if the school provides them with a tablet such as an iPad that means they could get the app.  But, this wouldn't make as much sense since the point of the resource is to remind kids of a device their not used to being associated with assignments.

https://www.peardeck.com/googleslides

I would like to use pear deck more and for myself. This would allow me to pace a lesson multiple ways while still watching students learning because it allows instant feedback. It would require 1:1 technology, which would be great for remote learning because I can still do some of the activities at home that I would do in class. This is also a free program so it would not cost teacher or school any extra funds, and would be compatible with our google chromebooks.

I would like to use Google Expeditions in my classroom. This software allows students to explore and elaborate on their knowledge by letting them see what they have been learning about.  With this students would have to have an iPad/smartphone that they could use during this time period. Additionally, using Google Expeditions may be a little bit more time consuming on the teachers end because they would have to find the right expedition for the students to use.