The Digital Learning Survey and Environment are meant to demonstrate where we stand as a school in regards to technology. They are also meant to provide readers with options of digit tools that are available to teachers at Northridge High School.
Digital Learning Survey: Northridge High School |
Digital Learning Environment: Northridge High School |
1. FuelEd (http://www.getfueled.com/solutions/blended-learning) is an online based learning model. It is a platform used by teachers allowing them to combine online self-paced learning with face-to-face teacher-student interaction. This program allows student to study at their own pace and at the same time allows them as much direct interaction with a teacher as the student desires. This new blended classroom can be used either as a supplemental resource for teachers or as a primary tool for which to guide the curriculum. The teacher has the ability and freedom to use it as much or as little as they desire and the students now have ownership, options, and self-direction to their learning. This resource may also be utilized by parents and students who home-school, for credit recovery, or it may allow students to take courses not otherwise offered by our school. This is a new resource and will be available to all teachers in 2015-2016 school year.
2. WebEx (http://www.webex.com/) is a company that allows its users to meet online through web and video conferencing. I used it to allow my class to speak with someone in Virginia who works for World Hope International. Our guest speaker spoke to our class about her experience running a safe house in Sierra Leon that helped rehabilitate former child slaves. When I set up the conference, the original intent was to use Skype bit it would not work on the equipment in our conference room. WebEx was a great alternative, there was some lag but was still used to good effect. Users can sign up for free or join for a fee. This is used world-wide by businesses but was also used effectively to my purposes. 3. Moodle (http://moodle.mcsin-k12.org/) is an online tool that allows teachers to post assignments, email students, create groups, write forums, make online quizzes and tests, check documents for plagiarism, and so much more. I utilize this tool a great deal in my classroom. Students always know where to go to find and post assignments, view previous lectures, find links to resources, and post to forums. Teachers can utilize it as a self-grading test/quiz module, communication device for students, a way to create groups and forums, a place to post lectures (videos, assignments, links, digital copies of text books…), and a tool for commenting and revising student essays. This tool is a mainstay to my classroom and I plan to utilize it even more in new ways in the years to come. 4. Kahoot! (https://getkahoot.com/) is an online trivia game platform where students can join and compete with each other in a real time multiple choice trivia game format. Teachers create the game ahead of time submitting multiple choice questions and answers. Students can use any device with internet access; phone, laptop, Ipad, desktop… and play real time. The game keeps track of all players’ scores and ranks them according to the number of correct answers and the speed at which they submit their answers after every question. The creator manages the game as the students play identifying the top 5 scorers and moving the game to the next question. The only downfall of this game is that players must be in the same room all looking at a large screen or they cannot see the answers to the questions from which to respond. I have used it as a review tool and the students seem to enjoy playing as long as it is not over-used. Teachers can later convert the game information into an Excel sheet viewing how every student responded to every question and their overall score and rank. This can be a lot of fun if used properly and not too often 5. ActivInspire is also a mainstay in my classroom. This is software that allows teachers to create flip-charts that are more interactive and creative than most other flip-chart software. It provides the user with a plethora of tools for which to create their presentations allowing for more innovation, creativity, and interaction. Coupled with a Promethean board, this software can be effectively utilized to give classroom lectures that have the potential (if used effectively) to be more creative and |
2. How does your school make use of school and/or teacher websites?
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