Tag: EdTech

TIMETOAST: A Timeline Maker

timetoast timeline image items on timeline
“Record the past, map the future” – Timetoast

Why Timetoast?

Timetoast can be used by teachers to share information and used by students to showcase their research. It has two types of timeline entries: either a single point in time called an “event” or a range of time called a “timespan.” For each entry, you can add more in-depth text that is accessed with a click. You can also embed pictures and links.

Timelines are great for historical events, but students could also use them to chart processes, like the life cycle of a butterfly. Teachers could use a timeline to layout a unit of study or to provide a list of important dates for students to remember throughout the year.

How to use Timetoast?

This video from Erin Paysen is a great place to start:

Examples of Timetoast:

A History of the US Banking System
The Life of Alexander Hamilton

See more in the Timetoast Public Gallery

What does it cost?

The free version will be adequate for most educators, but if you would like an online classroom to organize student work and the ability for students to collaborate on a timeline in real time, consider their subscription offerings here.

plan options for time toast

Resources for Timetoast

Timelines: A Timeless Teaching Tool
Using Timelines in the Classroom: Helping Students Make Connections
Lesson Ideas for Using Timelines in the Classroom

Guest Blogger
Raina Burditt

Powtoon: Captivate…Engage…Explain

Why Powtoon?

Powtoon allows you and your students to quickly make high-quality videos. They have ready-made templates with “drag and drop” customization. The process is as simple as making a PowerPoint. There is a wide range of styles to choose from, including animated, whiteboard, infographic, and live action.

How to use Powtoon?

This video from Jen Jonson is a great place to start:

Examples of Powtoon

Check out more in the Powtoon User Gallery

What does it cost?

The free version of Powtoon may be adequate for many educators. However, there are benefits to purchasing a subscription. Click here for more details.

Resources for Powtoon

Powtoon Tutorials
5 Ways to Use Powtoon in the Classroom
11 Ways to Use Powtoon in the Classroom

Guest Blogger
Raina Burditt

VOKI: Speaking Avatars for Education

Why Voki?

Students can use Voki to create talking avatars that they can customize and easily share with a URL. Audio can be created through text-to-voice, their own voice recording, or an uploaded audio file. The free version does not even require a student account.

Upgrading to the paid version gets you more avatar choices and a closed classroom environment where teachers can post assignments and monitor student work. You can also upgrade to Voki Hangouts, which mirrors an online social network experience while giving teachers full control. Click here for more information on pricing.

How to use Voki?

Here is a tutorial from Dr. Sharon Mistretta on how to use Voki:

Examples of Voki in the Classroom

Teachers can use Voki avatars to create engaging lessons that address multiple learning styles. For example, students can access instructional material with written text and a talking avatar reciting the information for more auditory learners.

Voki is a powerful presentation tool for students to creatively share their learning. The avatars are customizable, so students can practice the design process for a given task. For example, students could create an avatar for a character from Greek mythology, using their research to inform their design. Then they could write the script for the avatar to tell a story about one of their adventures.

Resources for Voki

Collection of tweets from teachers showing how they used Voki
Blog featuring ideas for how to integrate Voki into your teaching
Free Lessons that use Voki
5 Innovative Ways to Use Voki in the Classroom

Guest Blogger
Raina Burditt

Badgr: Show Your Achievements!


“A free and open source achievement recognition and tracking system used to issue, organize, and share Open Badges.” Source

Why Badgr?

Badgr is a program teachers can use to create and disburse a credential or a “badge” to signify a specific accomplishment or skill acquisition. The badges contain detailed descriptions of the recipients’ achievements and can link to evidence of their work. These badges can be collected by the student to build a personal portfolio or resume. Students can also post these badges via social media. Badgr API integrates into websites and applications such as Canvas (learning management system). Additionally, Badgr has “Learning Pathways,” which allow learners to build their personal learning network and see a map view of where they are in a curriculum.

Check out this video from the Chicago Art Department about the benefits of badges.

How to use Badgr?

How to Create a Badge

https://youtu.be/coltXaNOsE8

Resources for Badgr

The Teacher’s Guide to Badges in Education
Case Studies on Open Badge Use
The Open Badge Network
How to Gamify Your Class

Guest Blogger: Raina Burditt

Nearpod: Make Your Lectures Interactive

Teachers share a live session, students enter a code (no student accounts needed), and the lesson is synced to all devices.

Why Nearpod?

Nearpod also allows you to add interactivity and instant assessments to your presentation. Interactivity includes quickly polling students, annotating on their screens, completing matching pairs, trying out computer simulations, viewing 3D models, sharing collaboration boards, and more. You can also ask multiple-choice, open-ended, or fill-in-the blank questions. Additionally, Nearpod integrates with LMS’s like Google Classroom, Canvas, and Schoology.

How to use Nearpod?

You can create your lesson from scratch within the program or quickly import existing lessons (pdfs, jpegs, ppts). There are also many lessons available in the Nearpod library. You can choose to show or hide student names as you move through the activities. However, you will have a record of each student’s engagement and can even deploy a student-paced quiz through Nearpod. The program provides detailed analytics and reporting.

picture of computers with students receiving same information


Examples of Nearpod.

The following video from Nearpod provides an overview of the program.

Click here to explore lessons in Nearpod’s library.

Guest Blogger: Raina Burditt

Tech Buddies: Building Technology Skills through Peer Teaching

Take a look at this innovative practice used at John Barry Elementary School in Meriden, CT.

Explore more of this district’s useful resources.

21st Century Skills: It’s More Than Just Technology


“Given the growing ubiquity of [technology] in schools, as well as the increasing numbers of educators advocating for their use, it can seem as though education may have reached a tipping point when it comes to improving students’ 21st-century skills. According to the Partnership for 21st Century skills, these can be categorized as the 4Cs: Creativity, Critical Thinking, Communication, and Collaboration.” — Beth Holland

Beth goes on to share that she has started to worry about the growing presence of what she calls the Fake Cs.

Source: EdWeek

7 Characteristics of Teachers Who Effectively Use Technology

“…Using technology in the classroom – and using it effectively – might require some slight adjustments on the part of the teacher to sustain the effort, creative problem-solving, and innovation required to actually improve learning through the use of technology. This occurs at the belief level–what teachers believe about technology, education, and their own abilities to manage technology.

“Looking at the characteristics of teachers that effectively use technology in the classroom, then, can be useful to create an “edtech” mindset–one that believes in purpose, adaptation, change, and meaningful planning.” — TeachThought

Click here to view the infographic of these seven characteristics.

Journey from a Makerspace to a Maker District


This article shares the story of Albermarle County Schools’ experience integrating maker education throughout all the schools in the district. In particular, snapshots of Agnor Hurt Elementary and Albermarle High School are spotlighted. I recommend diving into this article and considering how Albermarle’s experience and ideas can impact your classroom, school, and district. Here are just two nuggets I gleaned from reading this.

“Making shouldn’t be isolated. We want to get away from that idea. Makerspaces and classrooms are one and the same.” — Andrew Craft, Elementary Teacher

“When people make, they get back to the basics of who they are as humans. Making puts the learner at the center of the work — and when that happens with our kids, the content makes sense to them.” — Pam Moran, Superintendent

Source: EdSurge.com