Gamification of Education

This video is from a series I taught for school districts. It is now available for free, here on Ask a Tech Teacher:

–summarize with NoteGPT

Summary

Jacqui Murray discusses the integration of technology in K-8 education, focusing on gamification to enhance learning.

Highlights

• 🎮 Gamification enhances learning by incorporating game elements into education.
• 💻 Keyboarding skills are essential for students in a technology-driven world.
• 📚 Vocabulary building is crucial across all subjects for comprehension.
• 🌐 Digital citizenship teaches safe online practices for students.
• 🔍 Research skills promote inquiry and curiosity in students.
• 🏗️ Games like Minecraft and Sim City can teach complex subjects effectively.
• 📈 Engaging students through games can improve retention and understanding.

Key Insights

• 🎓 Gamification is a powerful tool that transforms traditional learning into interactive experiences, making education more appealing to students. This approach fosters engagement and motivation, which are essential for effective learning.
• ⌨️ Mastery of keyboarding is critical, as students will be tested on these skills. Teaching proper keyboarding habits at an early age helps ensure students can focus on content rather than mechanics, supporting their overall academic performance.
• 🔠 A strong vocabulary is foundational for academic success. By encouraging students to decode unfamiliar words in context, educators enhance comprehension and prepare them for standardized assessments.
• 🛡️ Digital citizenship education is essential as students navigate online environments. Teaching them about online safety and responsibility ensures they can engage positively and productively in digital spaces.
• 🔍 Encouraging research and inquiry through dedicated projects like Genius Hour fosters a sense of ownership in learning, allowing students to pursue their interests and develop critical thinking skills.
• ⚙️ Education-focused games must have narrative and character development to be effective. When students engage with games that require problem-solving and critical thinking, they learn necessary academic concepts in a fun way.
• 📊 Statistics show that a significant number of people engage with games regularly. Leveraging this interest in gaming can bridge the gap between entertainment and education, creating a dynamic learning environment that resonates with students.

This video is from a series I taught for school districts. It is now available for free, here on Ask a Tech Teacher. It includes videos on: (more…)

Teach Speaking and Listening Skills with Student Presentations

This video is from a series I taught for school districts. It is now available for free to Ask a Tech Teacher subscribers:

Summary

This video discusses using student presentations to enhance speaking and listening skills, aligning with Common Core standards. (more…)

Digital Citizenship Week — October 14–18, 2024

You can get a lot of great ideas from Common Sense Education on their Digital Citizenship Week page:

• Digital Citizenship Week calendars, with fun activities and suggested lessons for each day
• AI literacy resources, like AI foundations course for educators, and AI literacy lesson collection for students
• Webinars and events to help build your teaching practice and implement digital citizenship in your classroom
• Family engagement resources to share in your community

Here at Ask a Tech Teacher, we invite you to watch a great video (40 minutes) we use in training, available for free today to Ask a Tech Teacher readers–

Digital Citizenship: What to Teach When

Summary

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Warm-ups

This video is from a series I taught for school districts. It is now available for free, here on Ask a Tech Teacher:

–summarized by NoteGPT

Highlights

• 🖥️ Engaging with technology enhances student learning and excitement.
• 📅 Class warm-ups help transition students into learning mode efficiently.
• ⏱️ Student independence during warm-ups allows teachers to manage other tasks.
• 🎨 Utilizing tools like Smore for creating engaging class materials.
• 📚 Presentation boards encourage student collaboration and sharing.
• 💻 Blogging fosters communication and feedback among classmates.
• 🔄 Responsive classroom activities can be adapted for technology use.

Key Insights

• 🧑‍🏫 Technology Integration: Effectively using technology in education not only captivates students but also promotes a deeper understanding of the material. Encouraging tech-related engagement can transform traditional lessons into interactive experiences.
• 🎯 Purposeful Warm-Ups: Implementing structured class warm-ups minimizes downtime and maximizes learning. These activities set the tone for the lesson and help students focus as they transition into the learning environment.
• 🤝 Student Empowerment: Allowing students to take charge of their warm-up activities fosters independence. This approach not only builds responsibility but also encourages them to become active participants in their learning journey.
• 📊 Creative Teaching Tools: Utilizing platforms like Smore helps educators design visually appealing and informative materials that enhance communication with students and parents, making learning more accessible.
• 👥 Collaborative Learning: Activities such as presentation boards and blogging promote peer-to-peer learning. This collaboration strengthens their understanding and retention of the material while building a supportive classroom community.
• 🔄 Feedback Mechanisms: Incorporating blog comments or discussion forum posts enables meaningful interaction. This feedback loop enhances the learning process and encourages critical thinking among students.
• 🏫 Responsive Classroom Strategies: Integrating responsive classroom techniques with technology can create an inclusive and engaging learning environment. These strategies help maintain student interest and facilitate smooth transitions during lessons.

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18 Digital Tool Musts in the Classroom

This video is from a series I taught for school districts. It is now available for free, here on Ask a Tech Teacher:

Summary

18 essential digital tools for classrooms, emphasizing their impact on modern education.

Highlights

• ✏️ Annotation Tools: Essential for digital note-taking.
• 👤 Avatars: Promote digital citizenship and privacy.
• 💬 Backchannel Devices: Enhance classroom communication.
• 🗓️ Class Calendars: Keep students organized and informed.
• 🌐 Class Websites: Centralize classroom resources and communication.
• 📚 Digital Portfolios: Collect and showcase student work.
• 📊 Online Quizzes: Provide fun and quick assessments.

Key Insights

• 📝 Annotation tools like Notability and Adobe Acrobat empower students to engage with digital texts actively, fostering comprehension and retention.
• 🎨 Using avatars instead of personal images encourages student privacy and encourages creativity in digital representation, reinforcing digital citizenship principles.
• 🌍 Backchannel communication tools like Padlet and Twitter create a collaborative classroom environment where students can ask questions and share ideas in real time.
• 📅 Integrating class calendars keeps students accountable and involved in managing their schedules, enhancing organizational skills from an early age.
• 🖥️ Class websites serve as a hub for resources, helping parents and students stay connected and informed about class activities and expectations.
• 📂 Digital portfolios allow students to curate their work, promoting self-reflection and ownership of their learning journey while simplifying the grading process for teachers.
• 🎉 Online quizzes not only engage students but also provide instant feedback, enabling educators to identify learning gaps and adjust instruction accordingly.

–summarized by NoteGPT

This video is from a series I taught for school districts. It is now available for free to Ask a Tech Teacher subscribers. Videos include (in alphabetic order):

• 15 Webtools in 15 Weeks
• 18 Digital Tools in the Classroom
• A focus on strategies
• Alternative tools
• Assessment isn’t static
• Author doers
• BYOD
• Class warm-ups
• Collaboration
• Curriuculum Maps
• Differentiation–How to teach the hard-to-teach class
• Digital Citizenship: What to Teach When
• Flipping the classroom
• Gamification of education
• How to Teach a Tech Lesson
• Presentation Boards
• Tech-infused classroom
• Tech tools
• The 20% rule
• Using backchannel devices
• Warm-ups

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“The content presented in this blog are the result of creative imagination and not intended for use, reproduction, or incorporation into any artificial intelligence training or machine learning systems without prior written consent from the author.”

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Jacqui Murray has been teaching K-18 technology for 30 years. She is the editor/author of over a hundred tech ed resources including a K-12 technology curriculum, K-8 keyboard curriculum, K-8 Digital Citizenship curriculum. She is an adjunct professor in tech ed, Master Teacher, webmaster for four blogs, freelance journalist on tech ed topics, contributor to NEA Today, and author of the tech thrillers, To Hunt a Sub and Twenty-four Days. You can find her resources at Structured Learning.

Creating and Using Curriculum Maps

This video is from a series I taught for school districts. It is now available for free, here on Ask a Tech Teacher:

Summary

Use technology for effective curriculum mapping in lesson planning, emphasizing its importance and ongoing updates.

Highlights

• 📚 Curriculum maps help organize teaching and enhance collaboration.
• 🔄 They are dynamic documents that require constant updates.
• 🗺️ A curriculum map serves as a guide for teachers and substitutes.
• 📅 It includes essential details like timelines, skills, and assessments.
• ✏️ Creating a curriculum map is a year-long process requiring collaboration.
• 💻 Technology tools can simplify the mapping process significantly.
• 🌱 A well-structured map evolves over time, improving lesson effectiveness.

Key Insights

• 📖 Curriculum Maps Enhance Clarity: They provide a structured overview of what is taught throughout the year, benefiting both teachers and students by clarifying expectations and content.
• 🤝 Collaboration is Key: Involving all teachers in the mapping process fosters teamwork and ensures that all perspectives are considered, leading to a more comprehensive educational approach.
• 🔄 Living Documents: Curriculum maps should be treated as evolving tools that adapt based on reflections and experiences from previous years, making them more effective over time.
• 📅 Planning with Purpose: Incorporating important dates and events into the curriculum maps allows teachers to create realistic and achievable goals for their lessons.
• 💻 Technology Integration: Using digital tools to create curriculum maps can streamline the process, allowing for better organization and easier sharing among educators.
• ⏳ Long-Term Investment: Developing a thorough curriculum map is a time-consuming process, but the long-term benefits for lesson planning and execution are invaluable.
• 🌟 Reflective Practice: Regularly reviewing and updating the curriculum map encourages reflective teaching practices, helping educators identify areas for improvement and celebrate successes.

–summarized by NoteGPT

15 Webtools in 15 Weeks

This video is from a series I taught for school districts. It is now available for free to subscribers of Ask a Tech Teacher:

Summary

Teach 15 internet tools over 15 weeks, engaging students in exploration and teaching, while fostering digital citizenship and problem-solving skills.

Highlights

• 🌟 Engaging Project: Students teach each other 15 internet tools, promoting excitement and exploration.
• 👩‍🏫 Student-Centered: Learners take charge, becoming teachers and sharing newfound knowledge with classmates.
• 🤝 Collaboration: Students work in groups, enhancing teamwork and communication skills.
• 📚 Digital Citizenship: Emphasis on safe online practices and fair use of content is integrated into lessons.
• 🛠️ Tool Selection: Teachers curate tools based on input from grade-level colleagues to ensure relevance.
• 📅 Flexible Timing: Each presentation takes 20-30 minutes, allowing for other curriculum activities.
• 🎉 Fun Wrap-Up: The project serves as an engaging end-of-year activity, keeping students motivated.

Key Insights

• 🌍 Empowering Learners: By allowing students to select and teach tools, they develop ownership of their learning process, fostering independence and confidence.
• 💡 Authentic Learning: Teachers learn alongside students, creating a shared experience that models lifelong learning and curiosity.
• 🎯 Academic Relevance: Integrating tools relevant to future grades ensures that students are prepared for academic expectations, enhancing their transition to the next level.
• 📈 Reflective Practice: Incorporating reflections into the project promotes metacognition, helping students understand their learning journey and areas for improvement.
• 🏆 Focused Assessment: Clear grading rubrics guide students in expectations and encourage high-quality presentations, emphasizing knowledge and teaching ability.
• 🌐 Resource Creation: Students build a library of resources for future classes, promoting a culture of sharing and collaboration within the school community.
• 🎊 Exciting Conclusion: The project culminates the school year on a high note, emphasizing creativity and student engagement, making learning enjoyable.

–summarized by NoteGPT

This video is from a series I taught for school districts. It is now available for free to Ask a Tech Teacher subscribers. Videos include (in alphabetic order): (more…)

Creating animations for the web can be achieved using various tools, ranging from beginner to advanced, depending on your needs and expertise. Here are some webtools and tips to get you started:

Webtools

Beginner (more…)

How do you teach the hard to teach class? Differentiate

This video is from a series I taught for school districts. It is now available for free, here on Ask a Tech Teacher:

Summary

Strategies for teaching challenging classes include student involvement, differentiated instruction, and utilizing technology for engagement.

Highlights

• 📚 Student Input: Encourage students to provide input on learning goals.
• 🖥️ Tech Tools: Incorporate web-based tools for enhanced learning experiences.
• 🔄 Flipped Classroom: Reverse traditional teaching methods to engage students effectively.
• 💬 Back Channel Devices: Use platforms for real-time student feedback during lessons.
• 🤝 Collaboration: Work with other teachers on projects for a cohesive learning experience.
• ✍️ Active Participation: Transform students from passive consumers to active contributors.
• 🎨 Creative Assessment: Move away from static checklists and embrace dynamic evaluation methods.

Key Insights

• 🌍 Understanding Learning Styles: Recognizing that students learn differently allows for tailored teaching approaches. Emphasizing this can create a more inclusive classroom environment.
• 🔧 Encouraging Risk-Taking: Allowing students to explore and troubleshoot fosters independence and problem-solving skills, preparing them for real-world challenges.
• 🎯 Setting Big Goals: Establishing overarching goals rather than granular tasks helps students focus on the essential learning objectives.
• 💻 Emphasizing Digital Citizenship: Teaching students how to use digital tools responsibly equips them for future academic and professional environments.
• 🏆 Value of Mistakes: Demonstrating that mistakes are learning opportunities encourages resilience and promotes a growth mindset among students.
• 💡 Differentiation in Instruction: Adjusting lessons based on individual student needs can re-engage those who may struggle with traditional methods.
• 🕒 Flexibility in Time Management: Allowing students to spend a portion of their time on self-directed projects cultivates creativity and ownership over their learning.

–summarized by NoteGPT

This video is from a series I taught for school districts. It is now available for free to Ask a Tech Teacher subscribers. Videos include (in alphabetic order): (more…)

Many educators–and students–would like to use video to share ideas, but can’t master the skills required to edit out parts they don’t want. One of our Ask a Tech Teacher contributors has a simple way to accomplish this:

How to Cut Unwanted Parts of a Video: a Step-By-Step Guide

Video editing is a powerful tool that enables you to refine your footage, eliminate unwanted sections, and produce professional-looking content. One crucial aspect of video editing is the ability to remove unnecessary parts from your videos. 

You can use this editing technique for different purposes, like correcting errors, trimming lengthy scenes, removing distractions, or improving your old videos. Here, you can find out how to digitize old video recordings.

In this step-by-step guide, you will discover the process of cutting unwanted parts from your videos using video editing software. You will be able to create concise and captivating videos that keep your audience engaged.

(more…)