Ditch That Mindset I
The author explains 10 ways to reach SAMR’s Redefinition Level. Choose one of these ways to implement with your class. Once you’ve implemented it, share your experience.
If you have a Twitter account, please post photos or student work samples. Tag @l_keleher @lindsey.brewer and #transformyourclassroom
If you have a Twitter account, please post photos or student work samples. Tag @l_keleher @lindsey.brewer and #transformyourclassroom
I have worked hard the past couple of year trying to go as paperless as possible in my classroom. The other day I took a set of task cards and made them digital with Google Slides. Students typed in their answers and turned them in via Canvas. I also like to use digital formative assessment tools (such as Assistments and Google Forms) so students can get immediate feedback.
ReplyDeleteDuring Covid, we were almost forced (due to the situation at hand) to figure out how to learn and use Google Classroom (paperless) It was hard at first and I continually forgot to change the format or "assign a copy to each student" but I eventually figured it out. Things that would take me hours to complete before are now much quicker- especially with Google Forms. All of my tests and quizzes are a Google Form. I don't think I'd go back to paper assignments or assessments.
ReplyDeleteI teach first grade and I think this would be very difficult for my students to do independently. With that being said, I would love to try “Aid the community” competition with my students. The writing piece we would do together.
ReplyDeleteThe author explains 10 ways to reach SAMR’s Redefinition Level. Choose one of these ways to implement with your class. Once you’ve implemented it, share your experience.
ReplyDeleteOne of the 10 ways to reach SAMR's Redefinition Level that I implemented is going paperless with Google Classroom. This has been a game changer. No more lines at the copier on Monday morning. It has also helped me be more nimble with assignments. It is easier than ever to change and tweak assignments and make them better on the fly! I can post things immediately. We can take classes in new directions because we are not tied to paper copies that we don't want to ditch at the last second because we already took the time, energy and resources to print them. I can't imagine going back!
In one of my previous teaching assignments, I was able to use Google Classroom to go paperless for assignments - it made things quick and easy to grade and I loved using Google tools for students to collaborate- especially in the editing process of writing. We'd turn on "Suggesting" Mode so students could provide feedback, see and understand their mistakes better and choose whether or not to accept the feedback they were given.
ReplyDeleteI plan to implement “make tasks digital” with my ECSE classroom. By creating digital versions of activities—such as interactive matching games, digital storybooks, or videos demonstrating skills—I can provide students with engaging, accessible ways to practice learning objectives. Once implemented, I will observe how students interact with the digital tasks, noting engagement, comprehension, and whether these activities support independence and family involvement at home.
ReplyDeleteIn my business class during COVID, we were forced to pretty much go entirely paperless with online learning. Now the entire class is paperless except for the testing. The thing I really find beneficial is that, since COVID, I have actually videotaped the lectures that go with the lessons, so if a student is absent, they can go back to Google Classroom and watch what they missed.
ReplyDeleteFor follow up this would be "make tasks digital"
DeleteI like the idea of bringing global perspectives into a classroom because this is something that will be beneficial to students in all aspects of their lives. Thinking about other people'e perspectives is a skill that kindergarteners through adulthood need to be able to do. Thinking about this through a history lens lets kids see that people have different views on things and that is ok.
ReplyDeleteI decided to start small
ReplyDeleteI decided to start small with this. I had my students work in groups to make a commercial about a book they read. They needed to tell the authors purpose, setting, characters and how they connected with the text. They had a lot of fun with this and were able to add some of their creativity to it as well. I will be doing this again.
ReplyDeleteThe method I chose to use was the “eBook authors” method, where students research, synthesize, and publish their work digitally through google classrooms which is the main platform we use at our school for daily work, notes, etc. I created a discussion thread on a World War 2 topic on how dictators rose to power in the 1930s in Europe. This enabled the students to create something that wouldn’t be possible in a traditional paper-only classroom. Instead of just reading about events and answering questions on a worksheet, students could embed images, videos, primary source documents, and even links to external articles that supported their research. This completely changed how they engaged with historical events and connected cause and effect over time.
ReplyDeleteI have been utilizing this since Covid when we were forced to do these things but doing it recently after reading the book I noticed a huge difference in student engagement. Students who usually stayed quiet in class were excited to add multimedia elements and explain their choices to peers. The quality of their understanding improved because they weren’t just memorizing dates, they were synthesizing information and making meaningful connections. It also allowed for collaborative learning; students worked in groups to build timelines that told a comprehensive story from multiple perspectives.
Ditch That Mindset I
ReplyDeleteThe author explains 10 ways to reach SAMR’s Redefinition Level. Choose one of these ways to implement with your class.
The method that I choose was Goggle Apps paperless classroom. Ever since COVID, I have been implementing more and more Goggle Apps paperless classroom activities. I have found that has increased collaboration in ways that would not be possible with paper assignments of the past. For example, I have started group projects that take advantage of presentation sharing so students can work together in the evening and weekends verses waiting until the next class when they are together to work on projects. Students are able to pull up their google document/presentation, and complete work without actually being together in-person. I can even comment on their work as they work outside of the classroom.
This has really opened up collaboration among my students in a way I never thought possible. In addition to learning the content, students are learning important collaboration, critical thinking, and teamwork skills. I have found that these learning opportunities have increased student engagement and overall learning.
I like these collaborative type of apps due to the collaborative aspect, verse simply assigning electronic assignments. I still utilize this some, but whenever possible I use the collaborative/document sharing applications. Simply uploading a paper pencil type assignment into an assignment that can be answered and submitted online is a low level digital tool compared to the other digital tools available to teachers.
To begin with, I was waffling between several goals: “Get crystal clear about my goals”,
ReplyDelete“ Keep an open mind”, and “Gather Opinions (from my students)”. I have chosen to explore “get crystal clear about my goals.”
Had I read this book in my previous school or in the previous decade, my goals may have been different… COVID and distance learning has greatly affected my students in a lot of ways, some positive and some not so much. COVID offered/ forced/ created a space where we all grew in our technology presence and comfort. I personally taught in four changing tech environments. My students learned to adjust and access learning in all four of these as well.
“Getting clear about my goals” was a part of my new planning; it continues to be, as my students, now the ones that were learning to read during this time of technology learning environment, have different needs. They understand how to manipulate, access and create with their ipad (the 1-to-1 devices in my middle school). They are attached to them, but are missing the critical thinking and comprehension that has to exist in order to manipulate the device for good uses.
“Getting clear about my goals” is something that I do every day, asking myself “I have an electronic option, should I use that or do my students need to practice paper and pencil?” or “is this writing assignment challenging enough that they would be tempted to use AI, so a low- tech platform keeps them authentic?”
My goal is to prepare my students for their future learning, and just as it was changing rapidly 10-15 years ago, it continues to change. What has NOT changed is the needs of my students to read, comprehend, build learning stamina and think critically, and it is within all of these areas that my goals exist.
Ok so I was super worried about actually applying one of these, but was soooo stoked about the outcome! I previously taught sixth grade Language Arts, which clearly includes writing. I am a big believer in actually writing with a pen and pencil, but had this huge aha moment when I attempted to use Google Docs. I used it as a way for students to not only practice writing conventions, but to edit their own, as well as their peers, writings. We started with simple sentences, moved to longer sentences, and then to paragraphs. I had always done this paper/pencil but this was such a time saver, as well as a motivator for students as they got to type instead of write for this part of the day. It became part of our routine, and stude is ended up working on this while I would meet with small groups. Of course it took some guidance and practice for them to be able to do this without an adult standing over them, but they enjoyed using the shared document so they followed expectations! It became such a great way to get in the editing and peer editing practice!
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