Presentations App Folder

It has been quite a technological journey this year.  I was an Apple newbie...I am not any more!
I have spent a lot of time on the background set up of the minis - from the storage unit to the Acceptable Use policy to the organization of apps into folders.  (All previously Blogged)
I recently added one more app folder (thanks for the idea Joan).  The "Presentations" folder contains a variety of apps students may choose to access to creatively demonstrate understanding of a concept.

We are starting to branch away from ExplainEverything.  It is, and will continue to be, an option but engagement was starting to wane...and then I introduced iMovie trailers.  Familiar to some...cool for all. Can't wait to see the results next week.

Just today I had my daughter in grade 4 using Inkflow...the infamous Medieval Times Castle project.  We used Inkflow to label photos of her castle taken from different angles.  A task also possible in Word but it was definitely easier to use the iPad to, well, do everything (and collaborate on the couch).

Comic Maker--a great story-building app!

I have recently been playing around with a free app called "Comic Maker".  It is great in a language class for the purpose of providing students with the option of "writing" a story through the creation of a comic, rather than through traditional paragraph writing. (The creation of a digital comic could either be used as an option for differentiated instruction or as an assigned task for all).  The app allows you to select any number of pages with an assortment of layouts of frames and to choose from an assortment of settings, characters, text boxes, colours, symbols, objects, etc. and to insert them into your comic.  It is a great hands-on, colourful and creative alternative to having students simply hand write, hand draw or type out a traditional story!  As my students are starting to use the app they are finding it easy to use and engaging  and I am getting better quality work from some students who normally would not excel at story-writing. :)

Struggling with Digital Submissions...actually getting them I mean

This year has been a wonderful year of learning.  I have gone from a teacher afraid of Google Drive to a teacher who uses it a lot for sharing and storing information.  I have gone from being an Apple newbie to feeling naked without my iPad.  I have gone from a teacher who didn't even know Explain Everything (EE) existed to a teacher who appreciates the powerful impact it has on the learning experience for the students.  Throughout it all, however, there is a constant, underlying struggle or barrier to feeling completely successful in this technology inquiry.

Students are using the minis to generate EE projects but, the process more often then not, seems to stop short there.  During the creation, I witness first hand the learning.  When we share our efforts using the Reflector program  I am always impressed.  But, I am seeking greater success in being able to receive digital submissions for evaluation and feedback.  

The students all have their own "Hand In" folders.  The intent is for students to place their files into this folder when they were handing something in.  It makes sense, but it doesn't happen.  Students are indicating it has been "Handed In" so what could be happening?

Possibility #1 (Which I previously blogged about)

When saved into google drive, students haven't ensured they are logged on to their own account.  The file is saved but into a place they cannot regularly access.  Are they still forgetting to do this?

Possibility #2

If there isn't a file already in the "Hand In" folder, when using a mini it is not possible to save into that folder.  Students thought they were saving into the appropriate folder but ultimately they were not saving at all.  I could have solved this problem by booking into the computer lab and having students save something, anything, into the folder but I just created a google doc and saved it where necessary. This really isn't a problem anymore.

Possibility #3

The EE project is there, I just don't recognize it because of the way it was named.  Solution: be very specific about the name students need to use when saving their files and having them also include the names of all students who shared in it's creation.  Looking at the"Last Modified" date can also be helpful.

So why, when students are instructed to hand in their files, when I check, they are not there?  What am I missing? What do I need to do differently?

I think part of the issue is that when a student hands in a project I am not able to check right away for submission.  There is a delay before it "shows up" in the folder.  With hard copy submission, it is physically in my hand or it isn't; I can easily know, as we all do, before the student leaves, whether or not I have their work.

The struggle continues.  I do and will continue to battle on because on the occasions that I am able to evaluate and offer feedback it is awesome!  I dictate my feedback directly onto the EE project and share it back with the students. Cool!!! (If only I could do this in my comfy chair at home instead of requiring the high speed internet available at school.)

Suggestions welcome!!!!

Getting started

Since October we've been having regular lessons in the library about being a good online citizen. This has formed the basis of our IIT project.
Tina Franzen came in before Christmas and gave the teachers who are involved in the project some training on D2L e-Portfolios. We were then able to co-plan a model presentation in D2L,  create some success criteria and insert some artifacts.  With our goal being increased digital citizenship, we created a presentation with sidebar topics (tabs) that included Digital Footprint, Safe Online Messaging, Cyber Bullying, Media Collection, and Hot Topics.  These tabs will act as an outline for students to gather their own artifacts so that they can create and share a presentation with others in our school.
We have run into some hiccups with the D2L e-Portfolio in that it's not as accessible and as functional as we would like. Having You-Tube blocked for students is also inconvenient when we're asking them to search out their own artifacts, but at least they can watch the video we've embedded.
Our next step was to show the students the model presentation and walk them through how to create their own.  We provided them with step by step instructions and a rubric with success criteria for them to follow as they create their portfolios.

Model the process...Engage the Student

After reading Mrs. Borgdorff's last post,  I though I too would plug the Ipad/Idevice engagement factor. This semester has been great, both for myself and my students.  An interesting balance between the Wood Shop and the Auto Shop.  The means of traditional pen/pencil and paper projects/assignments is still relevant; however this semester all of my classes have gone basically paperless for submissions of work (pertaining to actual services, diagnostics, and products) and accessing service literature and diagnostics for the auto students.  This was a bit of a learning curve for some while others caught on very quickly; particularly with my auto classes.  This is likely due to the fact that many of the students in TTJ2&3 had me as a teacher last semester, where this concept was developed and partially used through out the semester and most definitely for their final portfolio's.

In all three classes we are utilizing the following apps/technology:
Technology:  Apps and Programs are accessed via a couple of computers, 1 pad, 1, ipad mini, sometimes 5 ipads from the school and their own PED's (cells, tablets, etc.)

Google Drive (all course content, reference, additional how to's, assignments, and additional student documentation/pics/video, etc ) can be found.   This content is all shared with the students and easily accessible.    

Moxtra  all students have used a template that was created to model the process and aid in organization of the required content.   All students are responsible for recording and documenting their progress and process.

• For TCJ students their "binder" is broke up into sections;  drafting and technical drawing, equipment use, project process and project completion.
• For TTJ2 students there are two binders created as templates that they have used to record their small engine jobs and their automotive jobs CDX.  Again there has been a huge shift in independence and self reliance and the students responsibility. 
• For TTJ3 students there is one binder that all mandatory CDX Jobs are contained in. Students have duplicated the master binder and are working through the auto jobs. Including the use of the dongle (BT1-IIT)  All jobs have some questions that are associated and it again is the students/groups responsibility to document/support the work/jobs/tasks being completed.    The TTJ3 students have a lot of choice and re learning them to think and choose jobs to complete; thus becoming self selecting and self sufficient was the primary success criteria.  Great success thus far.

  
All classes have used the ipad/idevice technology to access the required information to complete tasks;  TTJ students tend to even use the ipads to access service literature v.s. printing off multiple pages of schematics and repair instructions.  Once some of the technology fears were overcome by modeling the process and allowing time to explore the operation of the apps/programs;  the vast majority of students gravitate towards the technology to support their learning, their curiosity and their job/task/project submissions.  LOVE IT.