Innovation Ideas Opportunity For AP Students

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Everyone associated with high school AP (Advanced Placement) classes knows that "after the test" can be a challenging time to engage and empower student to continue to learn.  This year, through the original creation of Ms. Slusarek, I adapted the Genius Hour she created for her Spanish I students to Innovation Ideas that any content teacher could use.  Ms. Slusarek had one student in particular create an amazing project.  She is a French V student who took Spanish in her senior year.  She wanted to know more about a topic and did an incredible job of presenting per product.

Mr. Martinson, AP Stats, and Mrs. Krause, AP European History, spent one hour apiece with me understanding, learning, and designing what a two to four week "Innovation Ideas" learning opportunity looks in their classes.  We really want students to find their passion relating to a concept or two that was learned during the year.

Students will need to

• Find passion utilizing tools such as the "Passion Bracket"
• Devise a question that will help them create a product
• Create a "Shark Tank" pitch for peers with constructive feedback
• Develop several quality steps to accomplish the learning
• Create a final presentation of concepts learned and problems solved
• Reflect on Epic Fails and Epic Successes

For those teachers who have seniors and a smaller time frame, we will utilize a Canvas assignment for uploading of the presentation slides along with an audio recording of their final presentation.  If seniors want to video tape a presentation they can do that as well.

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All of the resources can be "copied" by clicking "File" then "Make A Copy".  They can be customized to the teacher's content.

From a technology stand point, we are focusing on "creativity" and "communication".  As educators, we are asking students to complete tasks and reflect on the process.  We will do that as educators as well with the entire process.

UPDATE: Students presented their "Shark Tank Pitch" and received feedback from students.

UPDATE: Students working through part 3.  The Process!

High School Learning Spaces - Lunch N' Learn

Please join us in the High School Social Studies Learning Lab for the first Lunch N' Learn on Tuesday, September 9, 2014.  Bring your lunch and enjoy a relaxed atmosphere while learning!  We'll explore at how to utilize the two different learning spaces in the high school and how to check them out!

A Lunch: 11:35 AM
B Lunch: 12:05 PM
C Lunch: 12:35 PM

PHS HUB
Calendars To Check Out The Space: 
PHS Library Laptops (actually Chromebooks)
PHS Library Workspace (no computers needed)
Check out BOTH if you would like to use both areas at the same time.
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PHS Social Studies Learning Lab 
PHS Learning Lab
(Scroll Over To View Details) Actual Link

Options For Lesson Design While In These Learning Spaces
Direct Instruction, Group Instruction, Individual Learning

Top 5 Bottom 3 Apps Used Daily

One of the great parts of my day is listening to the Scott Van Pelt & Ryen Russillo radio show on ESPN Podcast.  A segment that they complete every Tuesday during the NFL season is the Top 5 Bottom 3.  A sort of power rankings for the NFL.

Inspiration.

I have downloaded more than 500 free & paid apps since integrating iPad/iPod apps into education in 2008.  Periodically, I will create some iPad/iPod Power Rankings known as the Top 5 Bottom 3. A sort of power rankings for the TTL, Teacher Tech League.

Top 5 Bottom 3:  Apps Used Daily on My iPad

Top 5

Mail - Generic, but with my technology integration specialist teaching position, I can always provide technology instruction support through email.  Our school district has also set up a certificate that can be installed so that all contacts can be imported.  This provides every staff members email, including groups of staff members.

Twitter - PLN. Enough Said!

Evernote - Through IFTTT, I have every favorited Tweet traveling to Evernote, Pictures of meeting notes on a whiteboard can be saved, and resources found during researching can easily be pulled up to show teachers ideas and resources.

Skitch - create bumber pages for all video tech tutorials and recording of iPad apps and tech tools being implemented with students.  Follow up videos are great for showing other teachers how teachers in their building are implementing the tech tool.

iMovie - easiest app for creating video footage of efficient tech tool implementation with students


Bottom 3

3.  Reminders - preloaded on iPad, have never opened it, would delete if I could

*No video, I don't ever use it!

2.  Messages - preloaded on iPad, this is NOT my method for communicating with staff, again, never opened it

*No video, I don't ever use it!

1.  Game Center - preloaded on iPad, would order the iPad without it if I could! Moved it directly to the last page of my iPad!

*No video, I don't ever use it!


So there it is! Thanks to the SVP & Russillo show, my first Top 5 Bottom 3 daily used iPad apps.

Bamboo Connect Pen

Mrs. Heck is creating some mathematics videos for a student who is unable to attend school at this time.  Using SMART notebook, Bamboo Connect Pen, SMART notebook video recorder, YouTube, and her blog the student has a personal tutor that understands the content.

TED app For Choice Learning

TED

QR Codes Provide Quick Individual Tutor

After two meetings and about an hour and a half of planning, this activity came to fruition today in class.  We used the Scan app, which seems to be the fastest app in the land.

See the process and the teacher's reaction.  The teacher was able answer students' questions on an individual basis, because each student was a different pace.

Menu Of Learning With Computers

Last week, one of our teachers explained how the "Menu of Learning" works in her class while she uses iPads.  This week, I was invited into see how Mr. Krause uses the "Menu of Learning" with computers.

Thanks to our great staff at PHS sharing ideas and resources helps our students achieve success.

Best Learning Experiences of 2011-2012

Taking an idea from @coolcatteacher as seen below...

I asked each of our students the following question,

"What was your best learning experience of the year?"

I created the entire movie on an iPad with iMovie and can't be more thrilled with the result.  Not only by their answers, but by the quality of the video.

Some students gave detailed answers, some shortened them up.  Either way, I am thankful I took the time to ask!  My advice would be Vicki's advice, "Take one day to LISTEN to your students talk about their best learning experience in your classroom this year."

Bamboo Connect Pen Helps In Video Creation

Bamboo Connect Pen 

PowerCam HD camera app and One Minute Videos

Students completed their "Affects of Westward Expansion on Native Americans" study by forming an opinion on whether the treatment of Native Americans was an example of a holocaust.

Students used their Draw Smart Venn Diagram app to create a one minute video on whether they believed or didn't believe that it was a holocaust.

The process of recording a video was enhanced by the options on the PowerCam HD app.  Students had fun choosing an effect to be incorporated with their video.

We used Dropbox to upload it to a folder in which we could view the video.  Some students even had time to email their video to their parents using the public link feature in Dropbox.

Finally we used a Google form placed on our iPad to use while watching the videos.

Instructional Reteaching Tool

I've always struggled with the best way to provide positive, individual feedback for assessments.  For the most part, students complete assessments quite well.  With the four or five students that struggle, giving them positive, constructive feedback is crucial.

Today, I created a video that discussed in detail steps to solve particular problems from the assessment.
I used SMARTboard notebook software, Camtasia, and a mouse.



Students watched at their own pace.  After they changed the answers on their paper, I conferenced with them individual about specific questions pertaining to the concepts.


I believe this to be a better method than large group discussion with all 26 students.  It doesn't force students who understand the concepts to view demonstrations of information they already know.

Individual Teaching After Assessment

In the old days, I would teach the review the entire quiz with the entire class.  Even if students would have a perfect paper, they would need to sit through explanations of items they already knew.

Using iPads, allows for a video to be created with helpful tips to solving problems of the day.  In the mean time, students receive one on one instructions to reteach items that were not understood on the quiz.

Works perfectly!

War of 1812 HD app

For pure interaction and amount of information on a topic, the War of 1812 HD app rocks!  With our study of the events leading up to the Civil War, we are taking two days to talk about the "forgotten war".

View how we are using it!

Explain Everything Used For Individual Instruction

***Teachers and administrators from the Port Washington school district were an honored guest in my classroom. I feel so thankful that teachers and administrators want to view how educational learning experiences can be dramatically changed with the use of technology devices.

All of our students did not perform exceptionally well on our Chapter 7 assessment.  I needed a way to allow for students to receive the individual instruction that they needed based on the concepts that they did not understand.  I devised a lesson that followed this format.  The entire format of the lesson is presented their and details the tech tools that are used at specific times.

All of the videos were created with the Explain Everything app.  The app provided a way for me to take pictures of the test that I completed.  I then created additional audio comments and visual help.  Students commented on how they were able to go at their own pace.

The iPad and all that comes with it allows for me to really individualize the learning experience.

iPad and Google Form Directs Reteaching

As many of you know, I have started to get the hang of using @mrschwen 's Google Assessment tool.  It has really helped with individual teaching of concepts that students do not understand.

Each student took our semester exam.  With the results, I conferenced with student to discuss and reteach the concepts not understood.  I actually had one student tell me that they liked the one on one meeting.

Who knew?

Without iPads (or any digital device) and Google forms, I would not have been able to gather data that easily translates into individual learning sessions.

See an individual conference:

Partially Flipped

In having the iPads I have noticed that an important time to use the flipped classroom concept is on the day of the test.

Students always finish at different times.  In the past I have had students sit and waste educational time after they have completed the assessment.

A new practice of mine is to create a short video cast of the next lesson which students need to create on their own prior to the next class period.  This has allowed me to use the assessment day to be both a day to assess, but also a day to discover new concepts.

I create a blog post listing items as can be found here.  When students are done with the assessment, they simply transition to headphones and their iPad to discover the new concept.

The video cast is below...


View Inside Classroom...

School Tube on iPad

In looking for a video to supplement our study on the writing of the Constitution, I (re)discovered School Tube videos work on the iPad.  I say rediscovered because at one point during last year, I may have checked and it didn't work or it did work and I don't remember.

Either way, I am happy to say that School Tube videos worked well on the iPad.  The embed code is located in a slightly different spot than YouTube, but accessible.

Here is the video that supplemented our learning.


Consider School Tube as another resource for video supplemental material.

Individual Instruction Based On Assessment Data

On Friday, students completed our first ever paperless quiz.  From that quiz and the use of a Google form, I have received valuable data that was used for individual instruction.  This individual instruction allowed students to have the unmastered concepts to be retaught.  In the mean time, students on their iPads watching individual instruction on a new concept.



Transition from direct instruction to individual review small groups


Second Transition:


Third Transition:


My Reflection:

• Overall, I believe that it was a valuable use of the iPad for individual video lessons and individual review of quiz material.  Some might argue about having the students use a video to help, but those same people may not be in a classroom with 26 students who need your attention.  The video allows for me to be everywhere!
• After reviewing the work  by students, some students need to do a better job of checking over their entries in the Google form.  Some students had the correct answer on their work, but didn't record the answer correctly on the form.  I emphasized with students how important it is to check over their work so that it coincides with their inputted answer.  A learning lesson!
• After experiencing a different way of providing feedback in the form of individual videos emailed (here as well) to the students, I felt like the data from the Google form provided definitive data for corrections.  I also felt that the whiteboard lesson was more interactive and controlled than the individual videos.
• Will try again!

Pic Collage App For ReviewIng Math Concepts

A collage of all the students and their Chapter 4 Math review as a pic collage.

Apps like Pic Collage really engage students to the point that time flies!  Price: Free

I have found that using apps that create items is a great way to review concepts.  See how we used the app and the features of Pic Collage.

Thirteen Colonies - Individual Learning Speed Opportunity

There are times when we need to "get the facts" to the students.  Tools that we used to give specific information  to the students about the thirteen colonies included:

iPad2
Headphones
3 Videos
3 Google Forms

See Our Classroom Blog For Details





After the facts are given to them, students will interact with our guidance.  They will be allowed to ask questions and discuss the answers to those questions.

Finally, they will will be formally assessed using a digital project/problem based activity...more about that when completed.