Saturday, December 15, 2012

A Google Docs Template for Multimedia Research

The Google Docs Presentation is well-suited for use as a starting point for short student driven research projects because of the availability of efficient integrated research tools right on the page. To introduce students and teachers to the built in features, I created a simple template to guide the learning and help everyone discover the usefulness of the tool.

Template Features

The planner can be used with any content. Just associate a learning goal with the template and it's ready for use.
Built in tutorials allow students to explore the tools at their own pace.
The activity provides opportunities for teachers to help students fine tune their search skills as they engage in the research.
Of course, this is a template so it can be modified.

Tips:

Start with a simple learning goal the first time you use the template to ensure student success.
To encourage collaboration, divide students into groups, have one group member pick up the template and ask that student to Share the copy of the document with others in the group.
Teach students to use the Comments feature to collaborate and provide feedback to other group members.

Take a Look at the Template

Pickup a Copy of This Template

You must be signed in to Gmail before you can pickup your own copy of this template.
Click on this link: Research Planner
Choose Use This Template and a copy will be added to your own list of Google Docs. Feel free to edit and modify.

Create Your Own Template

Sign in to your Google account
Create a new document or modify an existing one.
Add your content and save.
Go to your list of Google Docs.
Choose Create New > From Template .
On the new screen that appears, choose Submit a Template.
Click on the link to Choose from yourGoogleDocs
Complete the form with information about your template and submit.
The template will become available in the gallery in a few minutes.
Choose Preview to grab the link to publish so students can pick up your template.

An Updated Digital Differentiation Model

This is part of a Digital Differentiation model, my way i of weaving a web of flexible tools together for teaching and learning. To keep the model relevant, frequent updates are required, as new tools and trends emerge.

To access the most current resources, please click on the tab at the top of this blog:

Digital Differentiation - Current

Updating

Ten months ago I published a Digital Differentiation model on this blog. I've been using the model to guide the work I do each day and I've been sharing it via webinars and hands-on training sessions.

Of course, ten months is a long time in the world of edtech, and I've added some new tools and resources to my personal teaching toolkit, so I decided it was time to update the model and tweak it just a bit. The original article and interactive graphic can still be found on this blog. Here is the new post:

Technology is a tool that can be used to help teachers facilitate learning experiences that address the diverse learning needs of all students and help them develop 21st Century Skills, an idea supported by the Common Core.

At it's most basic level, digital tools can be used to help students find, understand and use information. When combined with student-driven learning experiences fueled by Essential Questions offering flexible learning paths, it can be the ticket to success. Here is a closer look at three components of effectively using technology as a tool for digital differentiation.

The goal is to design student-driven learning experiences that are fueled by standards-based Essential Questions and facilitated by digital tools to provide students with flexible learning paths.

3 Components:

Essential Questions

Student-driven learning experiences should be driven by standards-based Essential Questions. These questions should be open-ended to allow for flexible learning paths. Devise question by looking at the standards that determine what we teach.
Click on the tiny circles in the graphic for more information.

Flexible Learning Paths

Use digital tools to provide students with flexible learning paths to meet their unique learning styles.

Teacher as Facilitator

The role of the teacher shifts to facilitate student-driven learning experiences. This new role allows teachers to maximize instructional time because the classroom structure provides opportunities for frequent interaction with individual students for assessment, modification, reteaching and enrichment.

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A Guide to Facilitating an Interactive Learning Project

I have been creating a lot of student projects that use ThingLink as a tool for learning. I have also received a handful of questions from teachers who are highly interested in facilitating a similiar project of their own, but need help with the management involved.

"With so much active student engagement, how do you manage a project like this?"

To answer that very good question, I used MentorMob to create a playlist to guide the project you see below. The playlist takes you and your students through the step by step process of managing the work flow and collaborative group roles, integrating some free and user friendly web 2.0 tools to facilitate the learning process, building the project and turning it in.

A Guided Playlist to Facilitate the Project

The Final Project

....

Adapt the Playlist to Launch Your Own Project:

If you think a playlist like this will help you facilitate this type of active and engaging student project, you can make a copy of it for your own use, then edit it to fit your project. You will find the option to copy at the top of the page when you are viewing the playlist.

Check out more project
examples on the ThingLink Toolkit

A Playlist: Avatars & Internet Safety

For as long as I can remember I've been using avatars to teach Internet safety. It's a fun and engaging way to teach students the importance of protecting their identities when they are online and a great prelude to using a variety of web 2.0 tools to support the curriculum.

I just collected some of the resources I regularly use and created a MentorMob playlist for teaching students about Avatars and Internet Safety. If you want to use the playlist with your own students, just click the Share Playlist link at the bottom, then copy and paste the embed code into your own page.

Create your own Playlist on MentorMob!

My EduBlogs Nomination & Thank Yous

I am very honored to be nominated for EdTech Blog of 2012!

My blog is an essential part of my workflow and it is my most important tool. I would like to thank some amazing people who have kept me blogging.

Janet Barnstable
Thank you for encouraging me to blog and getting me started with my favorite and most useful tool. You always point me in the right direction and I am so thankful for you, your guidance and our friendship.

Dr. Kevin Anderson
Thank you for leading the way and encouraging me to create and teach others.

Sarah Chilton Rose
Thank you for publishing the first comment on my blog. This has kept my focus on publishing a simple blog for busy teachers and I do try to keep it short and sweet.

Sarah Chilton said...

"So glad you did this. I think it is fun that there is a blog out there where you don't have to sift threw all the important information to get to the FUN STUFF!"

April 6, 2009 4:24 PM

D97 Digital Leaders
Thank you for getting me excited about blogging, creating your own blogs, and giving me a reason to blog in the early days. I had the time of my life teaching and learning with you.

Naomi Harm
Thank you for finding my blog and sharing the collaborative wiki projects in the sidebar on Twitter. Your tweet sent me so many visitors that I started tweeting myself, which opened the door to a whole new way of collaborating, connecting and learning.

GettingSmart.com
Thank you for letting me be a regular guest blogger so I can write a little more sometimes.

My Readers
Thank you for reading my blog, sharing it, trying some of the ideas and making personal connections with me. I really love that part.

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