Tech Tutorials for e'learning If you can master one tool from each of the following categories, you are on your way.
Category 1:Tools for instant communication (Letting the kids/families know there is information that needs to be found and where they can find it) Twitter Twitter is a tool that allows you to communicate with all of your followers instantly. You can let them know where to look in the category 2 tool which can deliver the instructions you need to get to your students/parents.
what is it?
How do you sign up?
Pedagogical focus: I use twitter to communicate instantly with my students. For example, I may tell them to go to my blog, wiki, or web page because I have just posted an assignment there.
SMS Everyone knows how to use this bit of technology, but its not practical for those of us who have large numbers of students. This will work better for early years and elementary home room teachers.
Pedagogical focus: Get all of your parents/teachers phone numbers and send them an SMS when an assignment has been posted... That's it!
Phone calls Same thing for this one. If you have a small number of students or students who are very young, just call home. Let them know what you would like to communicate and your off and running!
Pedagogical focus: Call you parents when you need to them to get some information regarding your class. You can tell them to check your category 2 media.
Facebook Facebook is a program that allows you to share information, photos, etc. Unfortunately, quite often it is not desirable to share everything with everyone. Here is a solution. For those of you who are Facebook users you can make a group that is only accessible to you and your students. You will also have the ability to instant message with all of your students. Have a look at the videos below on how to sign up and to make groups in Facebook.
Pedagogical focus:
You can use Facebook to communicate with your students organized into classes (groups) that are essentially private. Nothing you share with your students will be able to be seen by the public. You will have editing privileges and everyone in the group is accountable for what they do. Ask Mr. Ryan if you want to see an example of this.
Skype
Skype is a program that allows you to make phone calls and have conference calls online. You can also send instant messages and embed a widget in your Category 2 media so that all your students can communicate with you at all times.
How to sign up:
How to add contacts:
How to make conference calls:
Pedagogical focus: You can set up times using one of the other tools in Category 1 to have a conversation with your students. If you have large classes, make multiple conference calls. It is an easy way to give feedback, take questions, and to get a general feeling of how your online learning is going. If you pay extra you can actually use the video function.
Category 2:Tools for communication and instruction (Delivering the expectations for mastery of a given objective) Email We all have a zimbra account but I use both. Here is a tutorial on using Gmail because I get almost 7 GB of space.
Gmail sign up instructions:
Google account sign up instructions:
Google Docs
What is it?
Documents
Google docs in the classroom: 32 ways to use Google documents in the classroom:
More tools for Google docs... and calendars
Using Google documents:
Spreadsheets
Here is a tutorial on how to use google spreadsheet. It is not as user friendly as documents, but for your upper level classes that require graphing or visual graphics to display data, it is useful.
Presentations
Another great program that uses collaboration with presentations.
Draw
Collaborative drawing online.
Pedagogical focus: This is a great option in Google docs. Click create then draw on the drop down menu. I use it to have my students make collaborative concept maps that are later added to their google doc collaborative notes. Often, we will use the concept maps in presentations and/or peer teaching or jig saws.
Forms
Use forms to make surveys, tests, assignments, quizzes, etc. It is a great tool for summative assessments and any other feedback you need.
Blogs
Blogs are an excellent tool that can encompass all 3 categories, albeit a bit weak on the instant messaging. They have some aspects which are the same as the wiki you are viewing here.
Wikispaces Wikispaces is a free online service that can be used to create a class page. It has a discussion forum for quick communication as well as a large number of widgets that can be embedded into the page. Just like this one!
How to use wiki to make a class page:
Skype
Skype is a great way to communicate with your students as a group. See category 1 for information on how to use skype. Category 3:Tools for assessment and feedback (Assessing progress and giving meaningful feedback) Google docs
Google docs use is explained above in category 2. It is very useful as a collaborative writing, editing, and sharing program. You can give instant feedback and chat within the program. It is a great way to have your students complete and submit work and you can assess and give formative and summative feedback instantly. Wiki discussion groups Dropbox
What is it and how does it work? This little guy will show you how!
Tech Tutorials for e'learning
If you can master one tool from each of the following categories, you are on your way.
Category 1:Tools for instant communication (Letting the kids/families know there is information that needs to be found and where they can find it)Twitter
Twitter is a tool that allows you to communicate with all of your followers instantly. You can let them know where to look in the category 2 tool which can deliver the instructions you need to get to your students/parents.
what is it?
How do you sign up?
Pedagogical focus:
I use twitter to communicate instantly with my students. For example, I may tell them to go to my blog, wiki, or web page because I have just posted an assignment there.
SMS
Everyone knows how to use this bit of technology, but its not practical for those of us who have large numbers of students. This will work better for early years and elementary home room teachers.
Pedagogical focus:
Get all of your parents/teachers phone numbers and send them an SMS when an assignment has been posted... That's it!
Phone calls
Same thing for this one. If you have a small number of students or students who are very young, just call home. Let them know what you would like to communicate and your off and running!
Pedagogical focus:
Call you parents when you need to them to get some information regarding your class. You can tell them to check your category 2 media.
Facebook
Facebook is a program that allows you to share information, photos, etc. Unfortunately, quite often it is not desirable to share everything with everyone. Here is a solution.
For those of you who are Facebook users you can make a group that is only accessible to you and your students. You will also have the ability to instant message with all of your students. Have a look at the videos below on how to sign up and to make groups in Facebook.
Pedagogical focus:
You can use Facebook to communicate with your students organized into classes (groups) that are essentially private. Nothing you share with your students will be able to be seen by the public. You will have editing privileges and everyone in the group is accountable for what they do. Ask Mr. Ryan if you want to see an example of this.
Skype
Skype is a program that allows you to make phone calls and have conference calls online. You can also send instant messages and embed a widget in your Category 2 media so that all your students can communicate with you at all times.
How to sign up:
How to add contacts:
How to make conference calls:
Pedagogical focus:
You can set up times using one of the other tools in Category 1 to have a conversation with your students. If you have large classes, make multiple conference calls. It is an easy way to give feedback, take questions, and to get a general feeling of how your online learning is going. If you pay extra you can actually use the video function.
Category 2: Tools for communication and instruction (Delivering the expectations for mastery of a given objective)
Email
We all have a zimbra account but I use both. Here is a tutorial on using Gmail because I get almost 7 GB of space.
Gmail sign up instructions:
Google account sign up instructions:
Google Docs
What is it?
- Documents
Google docs in the classroom: 32 ways to use Google documents in the classroom:More tools for Google docs... and calendars
Using Google documents:
- Spreadsheets
Here is a tutorial on how to use google spreadsheet. It is not as user friendly as documents, but for your upper level classes that require graphing or visual graphics to display data, it is useful.- Presentations
Another great program that uses collaboration with presentations.- Draw
Collaborative drawing online.Pedagogical focus: This is a great option in Google docs. Click create then draw on the drop down menu. I use it to have my students make collaborative concept maps that are later added to their google doc collaborative notes. Often, we will use the concept maps in presentations and/or peer teaching or jig saws.
- Forms
Use forms to make surveys, tests, assignments, quizzes, etc. It is a great tool for summative assessments and any other feedback you need.Blogs
Blogs are an excellent tool that can encompass all 3 categories, albeit a bit weak on the instant messaging. They have some aspects which are the same as the wiki you are viewing here.
Wikispaces
Wikispaces is a free online service that can be used to create a class page. It has a discussion forum for quick communication as well as a large number of widgets that can be embedded into the page. Just like this one!
How to use wiki to make a class page:
Skype
Skype is a great way to communicate with your students as a group. See category 1 for information on how to use skype.
Category 3: Tools for assessment and feedback (Assessing progress and giving meaningful feedback)
Google docs
Google docs use is explained above in category 2. It is very useful as a collaborative writing, editing, and sharing program. You can give instant feedback and chat within the program. It is a great way to have your students complete and submit work and you can assess and give formative and summative feedback instantly.
Wiki discussion groups
Dropbox
What is it and how does it work? This little guy will show you how!