The 'selfie' breaks down barriers. For years now we have known the camera is a great communication tool, a great friendship maker….but the onslaught of the 'selfie' in my experience has brought more smiles to this world and brought groups of people closer together much more quickly. 'Selfies' are just one of the digital tools that enhance learning and global education. As part of the TGC course we had to create an inventory of technology in our school. The first document below is just a snapshot of what Sandia Prep does, and much has been added to since the document was first created in October 2013.
Some current favorite sites and tools:
· www.Engrade.com: this site allows for an online grading program that has optional accessibility by student and their parents. It allows students to take more initiative and responsibility in learning about their grade and reduces the need for paper reports printed by teachers for students. It allows for more time to be spent working on teacher-student communication in the content areas and lesson planning by teachers.
· www.usgs.gov (Geology): This site can be used daily by my Geology class. It allows us to get instant updates on earthquakes around the world; students can access real data and use it directly. It also reminds them about the importance of using good websites to get scientific information. Students are able to pinpoint specific geologic events around the world, both historical and current.
· http://www.pinterest.com Prior to joining TGC I had actively avoided Pinterest, but as we began to use it I realized how useful it was in serving as a place to put all of the ideas and thoughts that I come across but don’t always have the time to review when I first discover them. The challenge now is figuring out whether it is feasible in class or whether it is just another step in the process and is not necessary for students use, but just a teacher resource.
· http://www.npr.org/2007/05/01/9943298/episode-1-its-all-about-carbon NPR’s series of five cartoon videos about carbon and climate change have proved a hit with the 7th grade and really help them understand what is happening on a chemical level and on a global level. The next step is to look at local and global events and changes that may be as a result of climate change.
· http://www.pbslearningmedia.org and http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sciencenow/ are sites I look at regularly both for my own education and to supplement what I am teaching in the classroom. The diversity of choices and variety of media to use with students is great (videos, visuals, images, etc) and I can count on the science being accurate and relatively up to date.
· www.Engrade.com: this site allows for an online grading program that has optional accessibility by student and their parents. It allows students to take more initiative and responsibility in learning about their grade and reduces the need for paper reports printed by teachers for students. It allows for more time to be spent working on teacher-student communication in the content areas and lesson planning by teachers.
· www.usgs.gov (Geology): This site can be used daily by my Geology class. It allows us to get instant updates on earthquakes around the world; students can access real data and use it directly. It also reminds them about the importance of using good websites to get scientific information. Students are able to pinpoint specific geologic events around the world, both historical and current.
· http://www.pinterest.com Prior to joining TGC I had actively avoided Pinterest, but as we began to use it I realized how useful it was in serving as a place to put all of the ideas and thoughts that I come across but don’t always have the time to review when I first discover them. The challenge now is figuring out whether it is feasible in class or whether it is just another step in the process and is not necessary for students use, but just a teacher resource.
· http://www.npr.org/2007/05/01/9943298/episode-1-its-all-about-carbon NPR’s series of five cartoon videos about carbon and climate change have proved a hit with the 7th grade and really help them understand what is happening on a chemical level and on a global level. The next step is to look at local and global events and changes that may be as a result of climate change.
· http://www.pbslearningmedia.org and http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sciencenow/ are sites I look at regularly both for my own education and to supplement what I am teaching in the classroom. The diversity of choices and variety of media to use with students is great (videos, visuals, images, etc) and I can count on the science being accurate and relatively up to date.