Universal Design for Learning tip: Audio recorded reading accommodations using Vocaroo.com

Vocaroo.com is the simplest free audio recording tool I know of. It's not perfect (no editing and no permanent storage) but it works well and it works fast. It also has simple tools for downloading, linking, and creating QR codes for the audio you've recorded. This makes Vocaroo great for quickly adding audio supports to any instructional resource.

Unlike verbal reading accommodations, I've noticed that students are more engaged by audio recordings and tend to pause and review the recordings more than they would ask me to repeat myself. The recordings also provide students greater autonomy over the pace of the reading. 

In my old school we even started providing screencast and audio recordings as an option for all students. It became a universal support, destigmatized the accomodation, and became an embedded practice for supporting all instruction, not just assessments.

Moodle 2.5 Group Enrollment Process (One course, multiple sections) #mpsedtech

Moodle 2.5 Group enrollment process

If you are using Moodle to create a blended or online course but teach multiple sections of the same course throughout the year, you will probably want to set up separate groups for each section (or class hour) to facilitate group specific forum discussions, assignments, and for querying grades and user reports by class hour. The video tutorial and step-by-step guide below will help you set up your groups and group enrollment codes. Note: This process should be completed prior to enrolling students. A separate process is needed for manually sorting students into groups who were enrolled manually or through course self enrollment.

Watch the Video here - http://goo.gl/cXBpLW

First

1.   In the Administration block choose to Edit settings

2.   In the Groups section, select Separate groups

3.   Set Force group mode to Yes and then Save your changes

Second

Step 1: Go to Administration Tab and locate “users” under Course Administration

Step 2: Click on Users and then Enrollment Methods

Step 3: Enable “Self-Enrollment by clicking on the open eye icon

Step 4: Click on the setting gear icon for Student Self Enrollment

Step 5: Create an enrollment key. This should be different from the enrollment key(s) you will give to students. You will not tell this enrollment key to others.

Step 6: Check “use group enrollment keys” as yes and scroll to bottom to click save changes

Step 7: Go to Administration Tab and locate “groups” under Course Administration

Step 8: Click “Create Group”. In the Group editor give the group a name and an enrollment key specific to the group (ex. am1 or mrhard1). Click Save.

Step 9: Repeat step 8 for each group or class section you need giving each group a unique enrollment key.

Opening and editing Word and PDF documents on the Chromebook

In a somewhat ironic follow up to my last post, I want to share a resource I put together for our 1:1 Chromebook program at Marysville High School which outlines some steps for making the opening and editing of Word and PDF documents on the Chromebooks a little less painful. As I mentioned to my staff, the process that I'm sharing is not the only solution, merely one that I hope will reduce some of the steps normally involved. And as I also shared with my staff, this process may be changing soon if Google releases the Quick Office viewer and editing features to Google Drive later this Fall. 

Even though I don't advocate asking students to complete digital worksheets, there are sure to be times when viewing and marking up Word or PDF documents found on the web is necessary and helpful. 

Opening and editing Word and PDF documents on the Chromebook

Click here to watch the video tutorial

1. Install the Docs/PDF PowerPoint Viewer extension
2. Immediately after installing a Docs PDF/Powerpoint Viewer Options tab will open, displaying the file types that will be opened in the Google Drive viewer.
3. Check the PDF option (Option 1) at the top and then click Save at the bottom of the screen

4. Click on a word document on any website
5. The document will now open in the Google Drive Viewer
6. To open and edit Word or PowerPoint click on the “Edit Online” icon
7. This will make a new editable copy for the student to work on
8. For more info on how to collect Google Docs from students go here.
9. For PDF documents click “Add to Drive” icon
10. Install PDF Zen Editor and Viewer Chrome App
11. Locate the PDF file in the Google Drive inbox, right click on the file and select PDF Zen
12. In PDF zen use editing tools to mark up, click on “Actions” icon to save changes back to Google Drive or to get URL link for sharing or submitting in Moodle/Edmodo.

The Problem with Paperless

cc licensed ( BY SA ) flickr photo by Wesley Fryer: http://flickr.com/photos/wfryer/2110288948/

As I've been in and out of various classrooms this week a recurring theme has emerged - going paperless. While I applaud the intention of saving trees and making classroom resources accessible 24/7 across a variety of devices, there is a problem. There is a problem with digitizing worksheets and the convoluted workflow that inevitably ensues. This is especially true of worksheets that come from textbook providers, but also teacher-created worksheets in many cases. I want to be clear. I don't really have a problem with worksheets - they can be instructive and provide meaningful practice and application of ideas - at least in theory. And, yes, their are many worksheets that are worthless, time-killing, busy work that barely scratch the bottom of Bloom's taxonomy. But good or bad worksheets pose a particular problem in digital learning environments. You see, a worksheet was designed to be completed, submitted, assessed, marked-up and handed back by hand. Pen, pencil, crayon - doesn't matter, but most worksheets were not DESIGNED to be completed, submitted, assessed, and marked-up or handed back on a Chromebook or an iPad. I know what some of you will say next. But, Kit! We have done exactly that. We scan and upload every worksheet to our [fill in the web presence tool of your choice], the students download and open the worksheet on their [fill in the personal computing device of your choice], and they [draw, type, record] on top of the worksheet and submit it electronically to their teacher's [email, blog, LMS, Google drive] where the teacher then individually opens each worksheet on their [fill in the personal computing device of your choice], where they [draw, type, record] on top of the worksheet to provide feedback and submit it electronically back to the student with a grade [that they then must re-enter into some separate student grading system that the district uses - one that definitely did nothing to aid or facilitate the "simple" steps described herein] Are you kidding me!? I challenge you to find me a teacher out there who not only follows those steps but then provides students with the opportunity to fix mistakes or improve their initial submissions. It doesn't happen. More importantly, I don't want to teach others how to inflict this kind of worksheet hell upon themselves or our students.

Like many of you, I've been working with the SAMR model of technology integration to help myself and others redefine learning in a technology enhanced environment. I contend that digitizing the workflow for worksheets isn't Substitution. In fact, it doesn't even land on the SAMR continuum in my opinion. Not only are there a ridiculous number of hurdles to making worksheets paperless, hurdles that interfere with the basic intent to "be instructive and provide meaningful practice and application of ideas", but it makes the most important elements of timely feedback and fixing mistakes nearly impossible. 

Here is what many of my conversations have started to sound like or will sound like going forward.

1. If the worksheet is worth doing (i.e. it is instructive and provides meaningful practice or application) feel free to make copies and hand it out.
2. Feel free to put a digital copy (within copy rights) online for students and families to access as a reference and for printing.
3. Allow a student to annotate and submit the work electronically if needed (long term illness or travel) and take the time to give feedback.

And here are my tips for transitioning toward digitally enhanced forms of practice and application that take some cues from or extend the activities found on the worksheets.

1. Add QR Codes or weblinks to the top of the worksheet that link to support resources, audio recordings of the directions and questions, challenge questions, or online group discussions.
2. Take questions that have fixed responses such as True/False and multiple choice and use a digital assessment tool like Socrative, Edmodo quizzes, or Google Forms to automatically grade student responses and provide immediate feedback.
3. Take one or two open ended questions that require higher order thinking skills or application of knowledge and ask students to submit digital responses, electronic projects, videos, etc. in response to these questions.  
4. Challenge students to develop questions that fall across Bloom's taxonomy and then distribute these to their peers using a tool like Google Forms or a discussion forum in Moodle.
5. Consider Project Based Learning (PBL) as a way to move away from textbooks and worksheets and into authentic and purposeful learning driven by meaningful "driving questions".

How would you add to this list of tips and what suggestions do you have for teachers hoping to transition away from traditional worksheets using effective teaching methods and digital tools? Oh, and if you happen to be riding the Unicorn of Digital Worksheet Love share your secret to success. 

The fist whisperer and other tales of iPad integration

Yesterday I was challenged by one of the elementary schools that I work with to help model iPad integration by using iPads 1:1 with students during direct instruction and then transition into a 1:1 iPad independent activity. I developed four different lessons targeted at K-1, 2-3, 4th and 5th grade. The lessons ranged from reading comprehension and academic vocabulary to comparative adjectives and research skills (at the teachers' request). Needless to say I was pretty pooped by the end :-)

Interestingly enough, one of the most popular strategies I used to facilitate my lessons was not tech related at all. I'm sure this strategy has a real name, but let's call it a modified think, pair, share. Whenever I asked questions, I asked students to whisper their answer into their closed fist first, then whisper share with a partner and then alternated between choral response or picking a random student depending on the nature of the question. The students seemed to really enjoy this and I had nearly 100% participation through out the lesson.

For my mini-lesson I wanted to minimize the number of apps we would use and ensure a high level of engagement during my presentation, so I selected Nearpod as my platform. I was pleased with the way that the app helped hold the student's attention while I moved through the slides and interspersed my presentation with interactive formative tools. The problem is setting up my Nearpod presentations took a bit of tech ninja skills to get the results I wanted. And after talking with several teachers I learned that many were most attracted to the whiteboard feature in Nearpod after seeing my demonstrations.

As luck would have it, later that night I learned about Infuse Learning from the #miched chat that occurs every Wednesday at 8pm. It has many similar features to the classroom response app Socrative, but with the additional feature of a whiteboard responder and (drum roll please!) text-to-speech. I have only had a brief time to test Infuse Learning but my feeling is that it this web app has great potential and a lower learning curve than Nearpod.

I'm still really pleased with what I was able to do with Nearpod especially because I was seeking a way to move seemlessly between the slides I created in Haiku Deck and the formative classroom response tools I wanted.

I loved the challenge of creating these lessons and wish I would have had even more time to develop the underlying lessons. The best part though was working with so many great students. What Fun!

Edtechkit Weekend Report - 2/10/13 "Punchin' the time clock" #scc21c

Links of the week

I come across all kinds of great articles and resources every week. These are a few that I've bookmarked or shared on Twitter that warrant a second look for myself and perhaps a first look for you.

I'm a fan of Yong Zhao and value his insights regarding the big picture of our educational system in the U.S. It's no secret that he is not a fan of high stakes testing or the nationwide push toward standardization. Whether or not you agree with his opinions, I recommend reading this recent interview.

I was privileged to meet two extraordinary teachers, Shawn Wheeler and Ken Kozzar from Cleveland, Ohio a few weeks back at Educon 2.5. They blog under the moniker Teaching Humans about their journey creating a "school within a school" founded on cross-curricular, mastery based, project based learning (PHEW!). A current project they are running is called the Wikiseat Project that incorporates design thinking principals, Emersonian philosophy and a whole lot more. Check out one student's blog reflection about this project to see an example of the type of reflection and engagement schools should really try to achieve.

And a just few more for the fun of it:

1. age will appear as a link
2. 15hStephanie Dulmage ‏@stephe1234

   What would you do as the Director of Blended Learning? - My learning network is invisible. At least it is to everyon... http://ow.ly/2uMCyI 

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3. 16hSue Gorman  ‏@sjgorman

   iPads in Primary Education: Enhancing Topic Work (World War 2) Across the Curr... http://mrandrewsonline.blogspot.com/2013/02/enhancing-topic-work-using-ipods-ipads.html?spref=tw …#edtech #mlearning

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4. 16hSue Gorman  ‏@sjgorman

   iPad Collaboration TimelineJS http://edtechteacher.org/blog/2013/02/ipad-collaboration/ …#edtech #mlearning

   Expand

News and Upcoming Events in Michigan

Save the date. April 20, 2013 Jackson ISD will be hosting an innovative conference that plans to be half edcamp half brain trust (bringing in the REMC Connected Educators from around the state). It's sure to be a can't miss. Details to follow.

Another interesting conference you may want to check out is the Visual Thinking and Literacy conference April, 13, 2013 at Seaholm High School in Birmingham, MI. This won't necessarily be your typical education conference since it is open to business leaders, community leaders and educators. Design thinking and effective communication across all fields will be explored.

And don't forget! MACUL - Michigan's premier education technology conference is just around the corner March 20-22. This statewide event is an awesome opportunity to learn and network with some of the most innovative educators in our state. This year's MACUL conference is hosted in Detroit at the Cobo center. I'm facilitating two sessions this year - The Appcessible iPad (UDL strategies for the iPad) and co-presenting with Laura Chambless - Cooperative Learning and the iPad.

New Apps to check out

File this one under the category of "Makes math teachers cringe". MyScript Calculator is a handwriting recognition calculator that can perform most basic math functions by interpreting handwritten numbers and symbols. It's amazingly accurate and really quite fascinating. I also feel that a tool like this has the potential to benefit students who struggle using traditional keypad based calculators. I've worked with many students who make simple input mistakes that effect the accuracy of their answers. Drawing the number 3 is less prone to mistakes than accidentally pressing the key next to the three. It might also benefit students who have difficulty with fine motor skills.

And here's a fun one. Lego Super Heroes Movie Maker is a Free stop motion movie creator. You can easily substitute Lego figures out for any objects you choose. Possible ideas for the classroom are student generated "In Plain English" style explanations of concepts and ideas, storytelling, and classroom news (ok that one might be a stretch but I have some thoughts on how I'd do it)

Roll your own Professional Development

I had a very productive Friday. More about that below. I've made three more Google Drive tutorials for my Google Apps for Education series. You can view all of these resources and the accompanying written instructions on my website. Or take a look at these three latest screencasts.

Thought for the week

As I mentioned above I had a very productive Friday. Without going into all the details lest someone enamored with time clocks and seat time become upset, I will share that I was not at my desk during any of this burst of output. Blended learning is generating big buzz these days but I firmly believe that blended work environments that honor adult autonomy, comfort and schedules needs a closer look especially in education. I know. I know. - "We can't just have everyone running around making their own schedules and working in coffee houses whenever they like!" Not to mention that fact that teachers cannot "watch" our children if they are not in their classrooms. But I do believe that there are ways in which flexing our schedules and work spaces can work to the benefit of all. It involves partnerships and collaboration, utilizing technology to bridge space and time, and a commitment to innovation. And yes, integrity too but if that's not a given then we have a larger problem. Don't we?