March Newsletter!

The March issue of Tech News is here! In this issue, the focus is on up-coming Professional Development to help teachers grow their technology skills and implementation. Highlights are Coding.org opportunities, summer Moodle Moot conference, and….a SE Idaho Google Summit coming to Pocatello this June!

We also want to remind teachers about setting up their Gradebooks for third trimester – and about the Messenger feature to communicate with parents. Resources for these are in Moodle (in the Technology Training course).

CHECK IT OUT -- Click the image below:

February Newsletter

The February installment of Tech News is finally ready! In this issue, teachers will find information about Google Apps, keyboard shortcuts, wrapping up this trimester and getting started in the new trimester in Infinite Campus and Moodle, a schedule for March’s technology training for teachers, spotlights on recent uses of technology, and MORE!



CHECK IT OUT -- Click the image below:

November Newsletter

In this issue, teachers will find information about managing passwords, creating a CampusID for Infinite Campus, turning off email alerts while using a projector, a schedule for November’s technology trainings for teachers, spotlights on recent uses of technology, and MORE!

CHECK IT OUT -- Click the image below:

Connected Educator Month

CLICK HERE for Additional resources for Connected Educator Month 2014

October Newsletter

We would like to share with district teachers our October installment of Tech News! In this issue, we offer information about using Lync for web-conferencing, links to support Cyberbullying Prevention Month, a schedule for October’s technology trainings for teachers, and a spotlight on recent virtual field trips, and MORE!

CHECK IT OUT -- Click the image below:

Welcome Back!

We are pleased to share with district teachers our second installment of Tech News! In this installment we offer links to Digital Citizenship resources, information about district programs and trainings, a spotlight on middle school uses of technology, and MUCH MORE!
CHECK IT OUT -- Click the image below:

Teachers learn, too!

As teachers fill AMS's computer lab in early August to learn about using interactive whiteboards with their students this coming school year, I am once again reminded of the dedication and caring our district's teachers continuously show.  They strive to improve the learning environment for students and actively seek ways to increase their students' learning.  Kudos to teachers who don't stop learning! 

Here is the original blog post on The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teachers Who Use Technology

Need some summer reading?

The Horizon Report > 2014 K-12 Edition is out!

The internationally recognized NMC Horizon Report series and regional NMC Technology Outlooks are part of the NMC Horizon Project, a comprehensive research venture established in 2002 that identifies and describes key trends, significant challenges, and emerging technologies likely to have a large impact over the coming five years in education around the globe. This volume, the NMC Horizon Report > 2014 K-12 Edition will examine emerging technologies for their potential impact on and use in teaching, learning, and creative inquiry within the environment of pre-college education. 

Get the report here: http://www.nmc.org/publications/2014-horizon-report-k12

The Four C's

The principle goal of education is to create men who are capable of doing new things, not simply of repeating what other generations have done --men who are creative, inventive and discoverers. 

  Jean Piaget 

Teachers, we created this PSA using a web-based tool called Powtoon.  Students could create presentations, too!

According to their site, you don’t need to be a professional animator to get started with PowToon today. We provide all the animation tools you’ll ever need to immediately begin creating your own professional-looking animated explainer videos and animated presentations. From start to finish, you’ll be guided through a surprisingly simple process, resulting in eye-catching videos that will hook your audience without fail.

Check it out!

Attend the DEN Spring VirtCon April 26

The Spring DEN Virtcon is two weeks away on April 26. Register to participate inthis conference that combines the best of virtual and over 40 face-to-face events. Featuring 3 keynote speakers and more than 35 concurrent sessions covering topics like BYOD, digital textbooks, special education, and assessment, it is 100% free to attend.

TED Talks Tuesday

We are starting something new! TED Talk Tuesdays! Hopefully you will enjoy these as much as we do.

 

Teachers never stop learning.

And just because students are no longer filling the classrooms, that doesn’t mean teachers coast through the summer months without a thought of improving teaching and learning with technology.  Even if attending a professional development session wasn’t in the plans during summer, teachers can create their own ways to develop professionally.    
Here are 8 favorite sources and places that provide great food for thought, inspiration, and ideas for making the upcoming school year even better:

1.  Author and educational technologist Adam Bellow delivers the closing keynote of ISTE 2013 with a high-energy presentation reveling in the joys of being a connected educator in these amazing times. Showcasing stories of inspiration from classrooms around the world and anecdotes from Bellow's career, and highlight inspiration from classrooms around the world. Bellow invites you to challenge yourself to make a difference in your school with creativity and kindness.

 

While at YouTube, check out YouTube EDU where learners and educators are brought together.  Check out educational videos, lessons, and more.

2. and 3.  Here is a two-in-one recommendation:  While this is dated by a year, Edudemic is a great source for anything to do with educational technology.  In this link: http://www.edudemic.com/2012/03/25-ted-talks-perfect-for-classrooms/ a list of 25 TED Talks are suggested.  They vary in content, purpose and quality, but there are surely ideas that inspire.

4.  According to Richard Byrne, creator of the Free Technology for Teachers blog, "The purpose of this site is to share information about free resources that teachers can use in their classrooms."  Check it out: http://www.freetech4teachers.com/

5. Pinterest's Education boards are an excellent way to find (and pin!) ideas for the classroom: http://pinterest.com/all/education/

6. and 7.  Here is another two-in-one:  MindShift is a great blog to read, and this July 8, 2013 blog post specifically offers a list of "13 Free Web Tools Students and Teachers Should Know About." This blog, as well as the others listed above, can be a springboard to other resources - so check out links on the pages!

8. Rediscover Discovery Education!  Go through the ISEE portal to access SchoolNet where the Discovery Education link is located. Not only are there material for students, but there is also a Professional Development tab that links to ways to get the most out of Discovery Ed. 

 

 

Social Media Safety and Awareness Month

Even though it's not Social Media Safety and Awareness Month (thanks, Lee Kolbert: http://www.leekolbert.com/2013/05/national-social-media-safety-and.html) , online safety should have its recognition highlighted monthly.

While this video shows the amount of financial information available online, it is not hard to consider what other kinds of information are out there... 

This link includes an infographic that shows generational differences in the kinds of digital footprints we leave.  Check it out:
http://consumer.media.seagate.com/2013/01/the-digital-den/whats-the-digital-footprint-of-your-generation-infographic/