Technology through Time

Byte Size Learning for Teaching Online Next steps? Considerations for equipment and access. In other words, do your students have access to Internet? Do they have a device of some kind? What is considered equitable? Let's start with Devices: Utilize tech administrators inventory lists and identify what devices you have that students can checkout (iPads, Chromebooks, Laptops).  Survey parents and families to see what they have access to so you can identify how and where to shift equipment. Not every student will need a device, you just want to make sure every student has access to a device.  Have your librarians or tech support draft a Device Checkout document students and parents can sign to checkout the equipment knowing there is a cost for replacement for loosing or damage. (If you need a sample one, contact me).  Next, Internet Access:  Using your survey data, identify how many students in your school(s) have access at home to Internet. Keep in mind they will

This month has been about working with teachers to help them get set-up in Canvas. After I finished a training on Friday I realized that one of the things teachers needed was a checklist for launching a course with students. But I also realized that the checklist needs to be different for new users and advanced users. This will not be too hard, because the beauty of Canvas is that they provide detailed support pages, so I can link to all of their how-tos and focus on the best set-up process and steps. Below is for beginners:

Reflection Well it is way past time for my reflection. I have already decided that next year I would like to plan a bit earlier to maintain a weekly teacher reflection based on the goals that I am setting.  Perhaps my biggest issue is planning in the beginning of the year, reflecting more often and then by the time I hit Christmas, we are on a massive rollercoaster to the finish, and I have completely forgotten to stop and reflect.  I believe by adding events into the calendar to pause a reflection and refer myself back to my plan, I believe I will have greater success.  In the mean-time here are some thoughts from the 2016-2017 school year.  This year I had planned to focus my attention in the direction of 3 major projects: IVC Distance Delivery, Online Learning, and IT. The outcomes for IVC that I had set were to:  High quality IVC classes, extending CTE classes to all HS Targeted SSP and PLC Trainings: IVC Checklist focus (based on Danielson Framework)  Tr

It happens every spring. In Alaska our snow starts to melt, and we discover all kinds of things left, lost, and buried in different layers from the winter snow storms. I feel this is the same thing that happens to myself as a teacher as we approach spring. I begin to wrap up projects, self-assess on a larger scale, reflect upon the year and different events. Like items lost in the snow, I discover different projects or ideas started and forgotten, some probably a good idea that they were forgotten and some will be put on the slow cooker for next year. My poor, little blog is one of them. Every year, I dig it back out and tell myself I will return to blogging to share some of the materials, activities, ideas that I always have stewing. This year, I came across a lovely post from ISTE community to join Blogging Buddies . Timing was perfect! I have been clamoring all year (many referenced sticky notes and conversations) about the need for constant refresh from a PLN, but a gentle nud

Breakoutedu has hit my virtual learning networks. I have become infatuated with the idea of providing professional development in the format of escaping or breaking out of a room while learning content. So, why not have a session to help virtual learning teachers do this same thing in their virtual learning environments. Our school district provides videoconference classes that are available to all of our high schools. In addition to this, many of our teacher are also online teachers that instruct students that attend a brick and mortar classroom to work on their online coursework, also known as the "E-Learning Classrooms."  Though these same teachers are teaching regular classrooms during the day, and in the evening they work on their asynchronous classes. Both sets of teachers, as well as coaches and e-faciltiators, must be trained to use a variety of web tools to help personalize and meet students needs in a virtual classroom. Often these training sessions are i