Why Go Digital?
In the book, there are two QR codes (page 31 & page 37). Scan these and read the corresponding articles (1o Thoughts on How to Go Digital and Why We Should & 1o Ways YouTube Can Engage Your Class Now). Write about how at least two of the ideas put forth in either of these articles will impact your teaching and, as a result, your students’ learning.
http://ditchthattextbook.com/2015/01/22/10-ways-youtube-can-engage-your-classes-now/
In the article "10 Thoughts on How to Go Digital", I love the idea of "Find Silver BBs". The article talked about how technology is not the "silver bullet" to save education. Finding "silver BBs" to strategically place in our lessons could be the innovation we need to engage our students to become eager learners.
ReplyDeleteThe article also talked about not trying everything at one. This is something that I need to keep in mind. Everytime a leave a workshop or workshop, I am always eager with notes of several different ideas I want to try. When I return to my classroom, I get overwhelmed on where to start. I need to remember to start small with one idea to innovate my classroom and add slowly. "You can't eat a watermelon whole!"
I really liked tip #7- don't do it all at once- implement small changes and tweak them to work for you. After you figure out what works, then slowly add more bits to your content area. As quoted in the article, "You can't eat a watermelon whole." As far as the article about implementing YouTube, I like the idea of a slideshow and I honestly cannot believe I've never thought of this. This would be a great group project where kids could make "year in review" slideshow with pictures from throughout the year. Kids could edit the slideshow and add music and quotes. They would probably really enjoy the ownership that would come with it.
ReplyDeleteWrite about how at least two of the ideas put forth in either of these articles will impact your teaching and, as a result, your students’ learning.
ReplyDelete5. Being online empowers us: I love helping the students create, learn and display what they can connect. We believe in using Google Sites to have the students demonstrate learning and make connections in Human Geography class. Here they compare and contrast a developed country with a developing country. I show them some sources where they can find dependable sources, but they will also need to discover on their own.
9. Embed your playlist: I love the idea of creating an embedded playlist and adding it my website. I already have a website so this would be a pretty easy step. I can help taylor the students learning and allow them some freedom in choosing and directing their learning from this playlist.
Why Go Digital?
ReplyDeleteIn the book, there are two QR codes (page 31 & page 37). Scan these and read the corresponding articles (1o Thoughts on How to Go Digital and Why We Should & 1o Ways YouTube Can Engage Your Class Now). Write about how at least two of the ideas put forth in either of these articles will impact your teaching and, as a result, your students’ learning.
10 Thoughts on How to Go Digital:
#5 Being online empowers us. The world is becoming more digital and if we don’t change, the learning is not going to be relevant. Being online gives students new experiences in their learning journey such as connecting with others online through a learning platform.
10 Ways Youtube can engage your class now:
1. Capture video with a webcam. This can be beneficial to teachers as they can record their lessons and students can view the lesson videos at a different time such as students that are absent or need a refresher. Students, can use this platform an assignment. They can create a video of them explaining their thinking of how they solved a math problem and teachers can view it and give a grade.
From the article of how to utilize Youtube in the classroom I love the idea of making playlists of videos. In my last teaching assignment we utilized some multiplication songs to help students with their math facts, and having these organized in a playlist would be super helpful!
ReplyDeleteI like the quote from George Couros "Technology doesn't have to be a $1000 pencil." I think it's important that we evaluate what students are using technology for, and if it is really aiding them in their learning. With so many innovative tools at our fingertips, we should be striving to have them utilized in a productive way, and they should be transforming our teaching. In the past I would just assign "more attractive" busy work in the form of learning platforms or games, this was helpful for students to get some extra practice, but could it be so much more? I want to begin designing activities where students can be creative and innovative thinkers.
Idea 1: Capture video with a webcam — YouTube makes it easy to create and upload videos, even if you don’t have pre-recorded content.
ReplyDeleteClassroom Application: I can record a skill demonstration and share the link with families so they can reinforce learning at home. For example, I could record students practicing handwashing, walking up stairs safely, or completing a daily routine. This allows parents to see exactly how a skill is taught and support their child’s progress, bridging school and home learning.
Impact on Teaching and Learning: This extends learning beyond the classroom, reinforces consistency between school and home, and empowers families to actively participate in their child’s development. Students benefit from repeated exposure to skills and routines, increasing mastery and confidence.
Idea 2: Create a playlist — YouTube users can create playlists, or a series of videos that play one after another. Viewers can watch consecutively without searching or clicking for each video.
Classroom Application: I can make a personalized playlist for each student and send it to families so they can work on individualized skills at home, such as self-care routines, social-emotional activities, or fine motor exercises.
Impact on Teaching and Learning: Playlists provide a structured, sequential approach for home practice. Families can easily follow along, and students can revisit lessons at their own pace. This supports individualized learning goals while promoting consistency and mastery outside of the classroom.
Number seven Don't Try To Do It All At Once really sticks out to me because that is where I feel I get overwhelmed, then move back to my old ways. There is so much I want to try to implement for kiddos, but I dont feel confident enough in my technological skills to do so all at once. This is where I really feel I could allow students to have some input on what options they might like to use to show their learning as well as share their learning. Not only would this help them take an intrinsic interest in their learning, but they could also be in the role of teacher as they can help me help them navigate things like using a Webcam to document something they may be learning or presenting, or create a Playlist of videos to enhance whatever project they are working on. Then, in turn, they would have taught me to put together my own Playlist complete with a website and interactive tools to better enhance their learning! Even now, in thinking about and having to dictate it here, my excitement of getting it all in overwhelms me. I need to pick one or two ways to embed technology in my instruction, get good at those, then one by one, as I become more seasoned add more ways.
ReplyDeleteThis brings me to the second idea that rings true for me which is the adage, if we are preparing them for today, we are robbing them of their tomorrow. I can't keep going back to my old ways as I feel it is teaching 101. My job is to prepare kids for their futures, so it seems I am not doing my job if I am not learning how to better embedd technology into their everyday lessons. I want to set kiddos up for success and to do that I must figure out how to use it all eventually! The only way to do that successfully is piece by piece, and making those tools part of our everyday learning.
In the article 10 Thoughts on how to go digital and why, I like how they talked about not doing everything at once. As I think about trying to implement some of these things with my second graders I get over whelmed. Then I come back to the realization that I may get lots of support from their parents, because many of these platforms they are using in their own workforce. This brings me to the other idea I connected with, "60 seconds seems like nothing now!" I know that if I just dig in and give it a try it will be better for my students and help make me more efficient.
ReplyDeleteIn the 10 ways YouTube can engage your class, I can see how kids would love to capture a video. I am thinking about how they could use this to make a news report for their informative writing. Or by creating a slide show and adding annotations. I know my students would love this and I know the excitement would be high as well.
Two of the key ideas from the article that would impact my teaching are using technology to enhance learning rather than simply replace traditional tools, and starting small when going digital.
ReplyDeleteInstead of just turning worksheets into digital versions, I would design lessons that use technology for deeper thinking, such as having students create multimedia projects or work together online. This would make learning more engaging and help students build important skills like communication and problem-solving.
At the same time, I would introduce digital tools gradually instead of changing everything at once, allowing both myself and my students to learn them together.
If we prepare them for today, we are robbing them of tomorrow. This saying needs to be on all educators’ minds! Just like in the book, if my own children want to learn something new they watch youtube. The information at their finger tips is crazy and we should change our teaching to better support where the world is today. This thought really makes me reflect on my lessons and how I can change things.
ReplyDeleteThe second QR code was about how you can bring YouTube to improve engagement and creativity in your classroom. This is a great way to get kids interested, my 6 year old loves to make short little videos as if he is on YouTube. I would channel that creativity and have each student make a little video explaining/teaching how addition works or teaching me about the differences in 3D shapes. Make the kids the teachers!
As a teacher, I’m always looking for ways to make learning more engaging and meaningful for my students. Reading pages and articles really opened my eyes to how going digital can do just that. Two ideas, in particular, stood out to me and made me rethink how I approach my classroom was first using YouTube more creatively. Currently I use YouTube to play short clips to recap topics. However, the article helped remind me it can be used for so many more things. Such as I can record mini-lessons, demonstrations, or explanations that students can watch at their own pace. This is especially helpful for students who need extra time to process new material, or for those who miss class. It also gives me the chance to flip the classroom, letting students come to class ready to discuss and apply what they’ve learned instead of just listening to me talk. I can also have students create their own videos, which will let them practice communicating ideas clearly and creatively.
ReplyDeleteThe second idea I really connected with is using Creative Commons resources to bring authentic, high-quality content into the classroom. Instead of relying solely on textbooks, I can curate videos, images, and other digital materials that students can remix, adapt, and make their own. This not only saves me time, but it also encourages students to think critically and collaborate as they combine information into original projects.
Why Go Digital?
ReplyDeleteIn the book, there are two QR codes (page 31 & page 37). Scan these and read the corresponding articles (1o Thoughts on How to Go Digital and Why We Should & 1o Ways YouTube Can Engage Your Class Now). Write about how at least two of the ideas put forth in either of these articles will impact your teaching and, as a result, your students’ learning.
There were many ideas put forth in these articles that resonated with me and will likely impact my teaching and, as a result, my students' learning. Using technology to empower rather than simply replacing traditional tools, such as textbooks is the key. Using technology to empower creates a learning environment that is more engaging and relevant for students.
The first idea that stood out to me was that technology should not simply act as a $1000 pencil. This idea explains that digital tools should do more than relace textbooks, such as collaborating on line or accessing resources that go beyond the textbook.
This ideas will impact my teaching by encouraging me to redesign some of my lessons to include electronic collaboration or finding information beyond the textbook. My hope is that students will be more engaged with their learning enhancing the learning process.
A second idea that that stood out to me is that digital tools is an opportunity to invite the world into the classroom by connecting student to people and information from around the world.
This idea will impact my teaching by helping my students interact with individuals outside of my classroom walls. I see this working well in my Careers classroom where student can collaborate with individuals in professions that interests them. Students will be provided a much more meaningful lesson knowing the are communicating with professionals .
It is exciting to think about digital tools differently...utilizing them to engage student to go beyond the textbook and connect them to real world experiences.
10 Thoughts on how to go digital and why we should
ReplyDelete#6 If we prepare them for today, we’re robbing them of their tomorrow.
After checking the date of this book writing and QR code article (2015), I find it easier to disagree with the assertion. Here in 2026, we are actually seeing an overuse of tech access for our middle school students, leading to dependence on the ipad (among some of my students), a decrease in interest in adn stamina for reading and focus in the classroom, adn a decrease in penmanship skills. There has also been a dramatic rise in the access to and prevalence of AI programs, changing the tech and work landscape in ways not considered 11 years ago.
I am NOT advocating a return to zero technology, I do believe that there needs to be a balance of low and high tech educational methods. It is evident that students can and will easily adapt to the use of technology, and the ability to focus, read and comprehend, adn think critical and creatively also needs to be retained.
10 ways Youtube can engage your classes now
# 2 Create a photo slideshow
This is something that I do think could be incorporated into my classroom,especially with two of our projects. We do learning projects in conjunction with a novel about the Great Depression; creating a youtube channel to showcase and share the results of their projects would take publishing to a whole new level.
We also do a learning pictorial project about the city where a different novel takes place. This project allows my students to learn about another part of the world and more closely understand and connect to the novel and characters.
I am also wondering if this could be a part of our Student Council and promotion of service projects, etc that we are working on a regular basis.