Tuesday, February 25, 2014

COURSE PAGE - EMBEDDING WEBSITES

Rather than proving links to outside websites – think about embedding the websites directly on your course page.

THIS IS MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE COURSE PAGE FEATURE! 
 
Websites can easily be embedded directly on your course page, within a content block as a resource using the following embed code – note: you will replace the red text below with the URL of the website you wish to embed.                      

EMBED CODE: <iframe src="www.samplewebsite.com" width="100%" height="4000" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe>


RESOURCE – Content Block              

Step 1| Copy the Embed code above

Step 2| Select New Resource.

Step 3| Give the resource a title, and use the dropdown menu to select a folder for the resource (resources must be saved to a folder).

Step 4| Select Content and then select HTML

Step 5| Paste the Embed code and be sure to replace the sample URL with the URL of the website you wish to embed in the HTML Source Editor and select Update.


Step 6| In the New Resource window you will see the embedded website as a yellow box. Select Save Resource.

Your embedded content will appear as a
resource within the folder you selected. To
view the website, simply double click on the
resource title. Students will be able to view and navigate through the website directly on the course page. [talk about a one stop shop!]

For more examples, check out the “TESTING SPACE” resource folder on the Technology Information Course Page.

Note: While it is possible to embed a website directly on the homepage by using an embed element, the website will appear within a small window. Embedding within a content block allows

LINK TO THE FULL GUIDE: COURSE PAGE: Embedding Websites

How's that for a cool TECH TIP TUESDAY!
As always, please let me know if there is anything I can do to help you!

Friday, February 21, 2014

Friday FAVORITES


Although the 2014 Winter Olympics are coming to a close, I thought I would share some great resources to bring the Olympics into the classroom.

1. Science of the 2014 Olympic Winter Games (nbclearn.com)
2. Sochi 2014 Games: 6 Winter Olympics-Themes STEM Resources (edutopia.org)
3. BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) to Sochi (sports.yahoo.com)


Tuesday, February 11, 2014

COURSE PAGE QUIZZES

Are you sick of grading? Are you looking for a way to quickly and easily assess your students?

Have you heard about the QUIZ feature on finalsite?


The QUIZ manager can be used to create multiple choice and short-answer quizzes. Even better - quizzes can be shared between classes and reused from year to year! I have posted a guide to the QUIZ manger below, but as always please do not hesitate to ask for one on one help!
[click on the image to be directed to the full guide]

COURSE PAGE: Quiz Feature

Thursday, February 6, 2014

Kids Speak Out on Student Engagement via @edutopia


from Twitter http://ift.tt/1eLJdaW

February 06, 2014 at 05:38PM

via IFTTT

Five-Minute Film Festival via @edutopia


from Twitter http://ift.tt/1eLJdaW

February 06, 2014 at 10:53AM

via IFTTT

TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION vs BLENDED LEARNING

Lately I have noticed the term "blended learning" being used as a catch all. Technology integration and blended learning each have their place in education, but they are not equal! Just because a cool technology tool is being used to enhance the learning process does not mean that it is blended learning.

 

Technology Integration


Technology integration is using technology as a tool to enhance education and allow students to demonstrate a deep understanding of content. Successful technology integration uses technology in a transformative nature rather than simply as a replacement.

"Integrating technology into classroom instruction means more than teaching basic computer skills and software programs in a separate computer class. Effective tech integration must happen across the curriculum in ways that research shows deepen and enhance the learning process. In particular, it must support four key components of learning: active engagement, participation in groups, frequent interaction and feedback, and connection to real-world experts. Effective technology integration is achieved when the use of technology is routine and transparent and when technology supports curricular goals." (edutopia.org)

 

Blended Learning

Blended learning takes technology integration further by "leveraging the internet to afford each student a more personalized learning experience, meaning increased student control over time, place, path, and/or pace of his or her learning" (www.christenseninstitute.org)

Blended Learning is an integrated, student centered pedagogical approach in which a student learns at least in part through online delivery of content and instruction with some element of student control over time, place, path, and/or pace and at least in part at a supervised brick-and-mortar location away from home. ("Classifying K-12 Blended Learning", Innosight Institute, May 2012, p.7)
Blended learning involves leveraging the Internet to afford each student a more personalized learning experience, meaning increased student control over the time, place, path, and/or pace of his or her learning. - See more at: http://www.christenseninstitute.org/blended-learning-3/#sthash.Dkn62jaY.dpuf
Blended learning involves leveraging the Internet to afford each student a more personalized learning experience, meaning increased student control over the time, place, path, and/or pace of his or her learning. - See more at: http://www.christenseninstitute.org/blended-learning-3/#sthash.Dkn62jaY.dpuf
Blended learning involves leveraging the Internet to afford each student a more personalized learning experience, meaning increased student control over the time, place, path, and/or pace of his or her learning. - See more at: http://www.christenseninstitute.org/blended-learning-3/#sthash.Dkn62jaY.dpuf
Blended learning involves leveraging the Internet to afford each student a more personalized learning experience, meaning increased student control over the time, place, path, and/or pace of his or her learning. - See more at: http://www.christenseninstitute.org/blended-learning-3/#sthash.Dkn62jaY.dpuf
a formal education program in which a student learns:
II_disruption_figure_1_v4_matchpdf_newat least in part through online learning, with some element of student control over time, place, path, and/or pace;
at least in part in a supervised brick-and-mortar location away from home;
and the modalities along each student’s learning path within a course or subject are connected to provide an integrated learning experience.
- See more at: http://www.christenseninstitute.org/blended-learning-3/#sthash.Dkn62jaY.dpuf
a formal education program in which a student learns:
II_disruption_figure_1_v4_matchpdf_newat least in part through online learning, with some element of student control over time, place, path, and/or pace;
at least in part in a supervised brick-and-mortar location away from home;
and the modalities along each student’s learning path within a course or subject are connected to provide an integrated learning experience.
- See more at: http://www.christenseninstitute.org/blended-learning-3/#sthash.Dkn62jaY.dpuf




What do you think? How would you define technology integration vs. blended learning?

Tuesday, February 4, 2014

HAPPY BIRTHDAY FACEBOOK!


Today Facebook celebrates it's 10th birthday! It is hard to imagine that since February 4th, 2004 Facebook has attracted over 1 billion users - it's estimated that by 2015 Facebook will have more users than China has people - which means if Facebook were a country it would be the largest in the world!

TIME has created a tool to see just how much time you have wasted on Facebook. I am usually pretty skeptical about connecting apps to my Facebook account, however I have to admit I was very interested in what my results might be - I know -  that's how they always get you! 
http://techland.time.com/2014/01/27/how-much-time-have-you-wasted-on-facebook/#ixzz2sHo0q13z
I have to say, the results are kind of embarrassing! According to this tool, since joining Facebook in 2005 I have spent over a month on Facebook. I choose to use the word "spent" rather than "wasted" for obvious reasons. 
http://techland.time.com/2014/01/27/how-much-time-have-you-wasted-on-facebook/#ixzz2sHo0q13z
What is most interesting to me is that in that time I have posted almost 3000 posts! That's quite the digital footprint I have created!


How Does It Work?

"Facebook doesn’t publicize data on exactly how often a user logs in, though you can bet that they’ve got that information. In lieu of that measurement, this app runs through the timestamps on every post in your feed until it reaches the earliest one, which it uses as the estimated date that you created your profile. Users who are extraordinarily active on the site may get an estimate that is considerably later than the actual date that they joined." -TIME.com

Read more and try it out for yourself at TIME.com -  Facebook Time Machine: How Much Time Have You Wasted?