Teacher Tech Tips Workshop Online
This series explored innovative tools, tips, and concepts available to educators. The workshop goes over different practices for using various websites, and technologies in relation to education.Different websites:
CK-12 = provides equal access to education content to everyone which is customizable and available online. It allows you to create online textbooks for free. This could be beneficial in the classroom because of the amount of information that the website has on different subjects.
TED-Ed = provides lessons that have already been created about all kinds of subjects. Each lesson has a video that goes with it, TED-Ed pairs with educators and animators, voice actors and others that make the video professional and engaging. On the side of each video there are options to engage by taking quizzes, look at additional resources, and create a discussion. You can also make your own lessons based on different videos. This tool was an interesting one to learn about because of the engaging videos. This could be used in any classroom and the students would be engaged.
PledgeCents = dedicated towards raising money for k-12 schools. You first create a video, then your share your story, and explain why you need the material and money. This is similar to donors choose and either are beneficial for any educator.
Illuminations = website from the national counsel of teachers of mathematics. There is an option to filter out the options. There are different standards to choose from. There are a lot of resources to choose from such as interactive (activities), and brain teasers. These are a way to start off the class with the students. It shows examples of critical thinking. This was a great website for math. I would use this as an activity before class if it was age appropriate.
Changing your browser = clear browsing data is a good idea to do when your browser is being slow. it allows you to learn passwords, autofill form data, hosted app data, and content licenses as well as history, cookies, and so on. You can change the appearance and the website that it opens on, as well as the search engine. I just experienced a slow browser issue and learning about this was very convenient because I was able to follow the instruction and clear my browser, making my computer so much faster. This will help me now and in the future.
WhiteSmoke = a website that analyzes text and corrects it if there are mistakes in it. It could get pricy but it is very beneficial. There are also different templates you can use. There are tutorials and translators options. It definitely is a website I wish I would have known about during the week of a 26 page paper being due. However, I will use this to proof read my future newsletters and emails as a teacher.
Amazon.com = critical thinking skill tool, shopping challenge, assign a toaster or whatever other thing, tell students to review different toaster and come up with a conclusion as to why they chose their toaster. This is a unique way to teach critical thinking skills. I believe it would be very engaging for students because they would want to choose the best option with the best explanation.
Keynote/Powerpoint = adding actions to image or shapes, making the presentation more engaging. Teaches you how to make a jeopardy game on powerpoint. This is great I have always wondered how those were made. I would use this in the classroom for sure.
AmazonKindle = great reading app that allows you to customize the book you are reading. You could get many different books at a low price and free. This is a great app that is similar to iBooks but these books are cheaper and I could use it to store books when I am a teacher.
Audible = an app that allows you to purchase audio books at a low price. It gives you a free trail, and a free book. I would use this in the classroom to help ELL.
Office Mix = is an add on for powerpoint. It allows you to turn a powerpoint into an engaging flipped classroom video for students. You can record your voice, add quizzes that students interact with, and different apps. This is a great tool to use if students missed a class and need the material. It is as if the students were in class.
Digital footprint = googling themselves to find out what kind of footprint they are leaving on the internet. This was an activity we did during class that I thought was great because it makes you aware and knowledgeable about how you are looking like online.
Google Classroom = allows you to go paperless. It lets you create a classroom where you upload assignments where your student turn in those assignments. We also learned about this app in class, it is easy to use for both sides.
Closed Captions to Videos = is a feature that makes learning accessible to all students. YouTube has a feature for CC for every video. On your YouTube account, you can upload a video and add CC by editing it and adding subtitles, if there are mistakes, you can edit them and over right the subtitles. This would be a great tool to use in a classroom because as I mentioned it makes learning accessible to every student.
Vocabulary.com = helps improve vocabulary by providing features such as games, quizzes, and dictionary about any word. You can create your own list or use the lists that have been shared. This would be fun to use in the classroom when you have a vocabulary list you want to your students to learn at home, because they can practice them easier at home if they have a device.