Innovation @477 - Top TIES Takeaways!

Last week several of your tech coaches, Jodi and Eric attend the annual TIES convention in Minneapolis. This convention brings educators together from across to the state to learn about the newest innovations in educational technology. Our Primary tech coaches (Sam Statz, Nicole Cook and Anne Porttiin) had two poster sessions where they presented on how to organize iPads apps and the best apps and tools for collecting student data in Primary school! Jodi presented on the 21st Century Skills Project. Everyone walked away inspired and energized and have several great ideas to share with you. Below are a few of the top takeaways from each attendee! 

Kari Vogel (MS)
Formative - goformative.comI liked that you can do an assessment that involves actually graphing an equation or manipulating something.
Google classroom:Make a doc with hyperlinks in it to post for students (VIEW ONLY), and then whenever you switch the links, it will automatically change on classroom so you don't have to repost it. (You cannot have each student "get a copy" if you do this).

Michelle Majerus (MS)
Online professional development courses are being offered in Elk River and would be great to add to our district!

Tonia Anderson (PS)

flippity.net  This website allows teachers to easily create crossword puzzles, word searches, random name generators, memory game word match, and more.

autodraw.com  This website allows you to start drawing a picture and it gives picture clues of what the picture is supposed to be so you can then click on the exact picture (image).  Similar to Pictionary (the computer is guessing). I would use this as a brain break

Nicole Cook (PS)

Class Hook - this will give teachers a video clip that can be used to hook the kids on content they are teaching! www.classhook.com
Words With Friends EDU- free app, kids can challenge other kids in their class!  https://wordswithfriendsedu.com/

Google Made with Code- projects kids can create using coding  https://www.madewithcode.com/projects/

Annie Porttiin (PS)
iPad cameras have a QR reader built in! The camera function automatically reads a QR code (ios 11)

Use Siri as a timer, music, etc

thatquiz.org; can make into a QR code so students can easily scan and get started.

Sam Statz (PS)
Install "AdBlock" for YouTube on your Google Chrome to keep little adds from popping up while playing videos for students. 

Use "Flip Grid" (app) for students to show what they know.

Literacy tools


Eric Simmons (Tech Director)
I was excited about the examples teachers were sharing where either the teacher or students was leveraging technology and resources to help give students a voice, or ownership, within the learning. Some of those examples were out of Princeton! Such as having students curate and share photos work for the class through Seesaw. 

Other examples of that big idea are to always help students use the Internet for good. By that, I mean meaningful online collaboration, publishing ideas and projects with the world (online) to gather feedback. Also, connecting with students and others outside of the classroom, whether it is on our end as the educator doing the work to make connections, or turning that over to students. 

Jodi Burling (Tech Integration)
Extensions! So many great extensions to help all students use their chromebooks successfully! 
ExtensityDisables extensions temporarily - use to diagnose if extensions are causing the problem!
Goo.gl Url Shortener - always gives a QR code
Clean Print - remove ads and pictures when printing from the web
Awesome ScreenshotScreencast, record screen as video. Screen capture for full page, annotate, blur sensitive info, and share with one-click uploads.
Tab resize - show multiple windows, great for smartboard
Skim.it - summary of webpage
Reading Visor - grays out everything except what you are reading 

Amazing Resources:
Maximize Chromebooks in the Classroom from Eastern Carver Country digital learning coaches
Shake Up Learning - Simply Google Awesomeness