TTT Notes for GaETC

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Text…TweetTeach GaETC 2013 November 7 Laramy Wells Newton High School @nhs_superman [email protected] Social media offers great opportunities for learning; bringing together the ability to collaborate, access worldwide resources, & find interesting ways to communicate in one easily accessible place. In 2011, Nielsen reported that cellphone users between 13 to 17 years old were the most avid texters among any age group. They account for around 3339 texts per month. According to a 2010 survey, more than half of middle & high school students (51% & 56% respectively) own a cell phone. In addition, 34% of middle schoolers & 44% of high schoolers own a smart phone. So why are we trying to ban a device that so many have? We want to ban them for the same reasons we should be using them. They can gather information, take pictures…and are just ever-present. Above all, texting is the preferred method of communication of teens. Texting appears to us as a distraction. If they’re texting…they’re not paying attention. Texting is the new way of passing notes…so we as teachers don’t like it. However, with practice & guidance, we can use this tool for good. You’ll need to create policies for acceptable use & guidelines on exactly what you expect. The tools we will discuss are mostly designed with the classroom in mind & even though Twitter isn’t…there are ways. (Information collected from edutopia, the Pew Research Center, & Project Tomorrow) Text Tools Teachers are afraid to text because they don’t want to share their personal number with the students. But you CAN text without giving out your personal number! Kikutext Kikutext allows teachers to send text messages -- to students and/or to parents -- to offer reminders & updates for class. Students/Parents connect to your account via a special code that you provide. No one ever sees the other’s phone number. Kikutext allows for two-way communication. Messages can even be scheduled to send at a specific time. Unfortunately, it only allows you to send 60 messages per month to no more than 2 classes and 15 users.

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A recap of a presentation that I gave at GaETC.

Transcript of TTT Notes for GaETC

Page 1: TTT Notes for GaETC

Text…Tweet…TeachGaETC 2013November 7

Laramy WellsNewton High School

@[email protected]

Social media offers great opportunities for learning; bringing together the ability to collaborate, access worldwide resources, & find interesting ways to communicate in one easily accessible place.In 2011, Nielsen reported that cellphone users between 13 to 17 years old were the most avid texters among any age group. They account for around 3339 texts per month. According to a 2010 survey, more than half of middle & high school students (51% & 56% respectively) own a cell phone. In addition, 34% of middle schoolers & 44% of high schoolers own a smart phone.

So why are we trying to ban a device that so many have?We want to ban them for the same reasons we should be using them. They can gather information, take pictures…and are just ever-present. Above all, texting is the preferred method of communication of teens.Texting appears to us as a distraction. If they’re texting…they’re not paying attention. Texting is the new way of passing notes…so we as teachers don’t like it.However, with practice & guidance, we can use this tool for good. You’ll need to create policies for acceptable use & guidelines on exactly what you expect. The tools we will discuss are mostly designed with the classroom in mind & even though Twitter isn’t…there are ways.

(Information collected from edutopia, the Pew Research Center, & Project Tomorrow)

Text ToolsTeachers are afraid to text because they don’t want to share their personal number with the students. But you CAN text without giving out your personal number!

KikutextKikutext allows teachers to send text messages -- to students and/or to parents -- to offer reminders & updates for class. Students/Parents connect to your account via a special code that you provide. No one ever sees the other’s phone number. Kikutext allows for two-way communication. Messages can even be scheduled to send at a specific time. Unfortunately, it only allows you to send 60 messages per month to no more than 2 classes and 15 users.

Remind101Remind101 is very similar to Kikutext however it allows you to send unlimited messages to 10 classes and any number of students/parents. Unfortunately, Remind101 is only one-way communication from the teacher to the student/parent.

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My Big CampusCombine the interaction of Facebook with the security provided by LightSpeed. Students can link their account to their cell phones in order to receive important information. Notifications can be set up be received via email or text message.

NOTE: If you are not familiar with My Big Campus, you should speak with your district’s technology director to see how your school system can join.

Google VoiceAllows you to give out a phone number without giving out YOUR phone number. All you need is a Google account. You select a number & give that number out. There is an app for Google Voice as well as third party apps that will connect to your account. You can return calls from your Google Voice number as well as send & receive text messages. When someone calls your Google Voice number…

It can be forwarded to your home/cell phone.o This is not required.o Caller must state their name before you answer.

It can be sent to a special voicemail message.o You can prerecord an outgoing message.o Messages are stored in your Google account.

They can be accessed on the computer or through the app. Google attempts to transcribe the message.

Twitter may have started off as a fun social site for keeping up with friends & sharing updates about daily life, but it’s become much more for many users over the past few years as the site has evolved & grown.

Twitter Facts Twitter launched on March 21, 2006

Twitter has about 500 million users.

There have been 170 billion tweets sent.

400 million tweets are sent per day.

Average number of tweets per user is

307.

60% of Twitter users use the mobile app.

These days, Twitter is a powerhouse for marketing, communication, business, & even education, letting people from around the world work together, share ideas, & gain exposure.

“I think [Twitter in the classroom] would be well received if it were used in a good way. I think if [teachers] are using it just for the sake of using technology, students are going to complain about it.” – Chris Machielse, student at the University of Michigan

Twitter

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Why Twitter is a good enough study tool? (A brief discussion) Teachers can connect to their students on a wider level as well as on a personal level. Interactions can be taken beyond the classroom as Twitter is omnipresent in our phones &

laptops. Allows for customization of learning depending on the student i.e. differentiating learning for

different students. Can be used to quickly connect to multimedia resources (e.g. YouTube or Vine) & turn

education into edutainment. Gives new opportunities to connect to other learning communities & new educational

content. The very nature of Twitter – brief & to-the-point makes for rapid

broadcast of learning.Creating a HandleYou need a handle that people with associate with YOU! Avoid things like @BigNasty75 or @Rednecker4Life for your teacher/professional handle. Remember that you (and your students) are creating a brand. Your handle establishes who you are & you’ll be perceived. However keep in mind that with 500 million users, handles are hard to come by & you may need to be creative.Using HashtagsHashtags are searchable keywords allowing you to keep track of a specific topic.

Ways to inform students of hashtags. Place hashtags on assignments & handouts. Post hashtags in the classroom. Tweet out a hashtag & its explanation/meaning.

o Students should be following you already. Put hashtag information on My Big Campus.

When creating a hashtag for your students or parents to follow remember… Keep it short.

o Tweets can only be 140 characters & the hashtag takes some of those away. Keep it simple.

o Needs to be something they can easily remember or connect to you or the topic.

Make it descriptive.o The hashtag should explain itself.

Examples1. I number each of my assignments so whenever a student has a question, they can

tweet it using the specific hashtag.a. Assignment 42 can be followed with #Wells42b. The hashtag gives my name so it’s linked with me & 42 is the specific

assignment.i. Yes…I would have to change this if another teacher with the last name

Wells did the same thing.2. Place hashtags in the notes.

a. I put them on pages in their Interactive Notebooks.i. #INB8p6 refers to page 6 on the Unit 8 notebook.

3. Create a hashtag for general questions.a. Student can use your handle to ask a question but my students know that

#askwells tweets have the possibility of being displayed in class for group discussion.

b. Try to make a hashtag shorter than your handle so the student has more characters to use for the question or comment.

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HootsuiteManage your social media with this easy to use dashboard. Hootsuite allows you to manage multiple accounts including Facebook. Track hashtags as well as brand mentions without having to go in & out of the application. You are allowed to schedule messages to be sent at the time you want them to be seen.Hootsuite can be accessed via the website or mobile app. The website & the iPad app will display several feeds at once but the phone app will only show one at a time. Each account will be grouped by tabs; however the tabs can be united so that you can

view multiple accounts on one screen.

VisibleTweets & TwitterFallThese sites give a unique way to display tweets for your own use or projected for a class. These are perfect options to use as a back channel for your discussions. Just search a hashtag or keyword & any & all tweets will be displayed for discussion & review.

Okay…let’s be real…our students are using Twitter…our students have cell phones…some even have iPads or other tablets…I’ve even had students come to school with their laptop…so…

WHY AREN’T WE USING THIS STUFF TO

TEACH?A Digital Bulletin BoardThis is probably the easiest way to get you, your students, & parents comfortable with Twitter, My Big Campus, or any other application you choose to use. Remind101 is best suited for this task since there is no need for replies.

Remind students of an upcoming due date, quiz, or test.o Start these a few days prior. I suggest at least a week.

Let students know what materials they need for class.o Students love to know whether they will need their book or not.o Students like to know if a calculator will be needed in case they need to borrow one.

Reminding them of a test date does this too since they can’t use their phone as a calculator on the test.

o Inform parents when students will need special materials. Highlighters, clothes to pain in, shaving cream, etc.

Tutoring sessionso Remind students/parents of days & times that you will be conducting tutoring

sessions.o Let them know of unexpected changes to your tutoring schedule.

Quicker than posting a note on the door. More like to be seen than be heard on the announcements. Helps students/parents plan in advance for transportation.

o Availability Online Inform students of times you’ll be available to quickly respond to tweets or

posts. Tell them when you’ll be in the chat room on MBC for questions & discussion.

o Hashtag Info As discussed before, it is good to remind students of what hashtag to use so

that their questions & comments will get answered.

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o General School News Even if your school has its own Twitter account or website, it’s good to

reinforce important school new by retweeting it or posting it yourself.

Standards-Based ClassroomWe all get walkthroughs & observations & we are always trying to make sure our walls & boards are up-to-date…why not go digital…why not kick it up a notch?

Standardso Push them out via Remind101, My Big Campus, & Twitter before the students come

to class.o This way the students already know what will be discussed that day.o If someone walks into your room & asks what the students what their learning, this

will increase the chance that they’ll know. Word Wall

o Digitize the word wallo Provide definitions, synonyms, usage, etc.

These applications provide more room for deeper meaning than a bulletin board.

Essential Questionso Ask before, during, or after class.o Make this part of your summary or ticket-out-the-

door.o Have students answer via Google Voice.

Fast Fiveo Nothing could be faster than using mobile devices for the Fast Five.o Have the students respond at home on MBC.

Anything you display or post to fit the Standards-Based Classroom can be reinforced digitally with any of these applications.

Building Vocabulary Enforce vocabulary words by having students post sentences using the word or have them

define it. Reinforce the Word Wall by posting definitions of the words that will be discussed that day or

the importance those words will have during the day’s lesson. Anagrams

o Post some letters & see how many words can be formed. Go further & have them define or use the word they formed.

Languageo Tweet in a foreign language & have students either reply back or translate.o Have students tweet in limericks or haiku.

Make sure students reply with the appropriate words & vocabulary.o Enforce web etiquette with proper grammar.

Instant Student FeedbackUsing a Back Channel saves questions for when there is time to answer them.

Remember that you can use HootSuite, Error: Reference source not found, or TwitterFall.

This will help students who may be too shy to ask questions in class. Students don’t have to know each other’s Twitter handle or students can create a false

account just to ask questions.For students who have trouble with disruptive blurting, allow them to instantly tweet blurts silently instead of out loud.

Students should know that their tweets are still monitored.

BrainstormingUse your Twitter Wall for live feedback when brainstorming project ideas.

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Students can post their topics for a paper or project for approval.

Check for Understanding Use devices for a “Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down” check. Have students write reflections on MBC. Show understanding through Vine.

o another app that allows students to create a 6 second video Verbalize their understanding on Google Voice. Summarize via Twitter

o With 140 characters or less, students will have to plan their thoughts carefully.

Group WorkGroup Tweet

Create a group account to allow people to post on a single account.

o Tweets can be monitored before being posted.

o Create a class account or have students create one for a group project or presentation.

This allows you to follow one single handle instead of multiple handles. Same goes for hashtags.

Students don’t have to follow each other if they don’t want to.

Tell a Story Students can tell a story in progression.

o You or a student starts a story with the first 140 characters & someone else continues it.

Play characterso Assign students a character & have them participate in a storyline as their character.o Students can tweet as actual characters & post about what happens to them in the

story. Historical Figures

o Have students post as a historical figure (via Group Tweet).o Tweet as if the historical figure is tweeting themselves.

Have a civil war soldier tweet about the progression of the war. Let Neil Armstrong express his thoughts on the moon. Tweet through a timeline.

o Discuss current events as a historical figure How would Napoleon feel about modern weapons? What are Beethoven’s views on modern music? Does Alexander Graham Bell appreciate cell phones? How would our founding fathers discuss current events?

School Group Tweet Create a school group account for teachers, administrator, & other school leaders to tweet

from. Parents/students can get school information without having to follow multiple accounts.

o Clubs can post fundraiser information.o Coaches can post tryouts, game times, & scores.o Students/Parents can be reminded of fees, meetings, test dates, & any other news.

Photo ProjectsThe camera on a phone is a student’s best friend & we should allow them to show off their inner photographer. With Twitter’s built-in photo applications, the very popular Instagram, & the quick & simple SnapChat…students love to share pictures.

Show Progress

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o Students can take a picture of their project at home to show where they are in the process or ask questions about how they should continue.

You can setup check points to discourage procrastination. SnapChat is good for quick checks.

Picture Journalo As part of a project, students can document the process in pictures.o Take pictures during a field trip to share with each other & with the school.

Instagram will help give these pictures a creative touch. Scavenger Hunt

o While on a field trip, create a list of activities/locations/items for students to photograph.

Examples for a World of Coke field trip: Someone’s reaction from sampling the drink Beverly Pose with the Polar Bear Photograph a FAKE break in of the vault

Collaborative Event WatchingEver wanted students to watch an event at home like the State of the Union? Saw something on television that you want your students to tune in to? Use social media!!!

Discuss events as they are happening.o Even if some students are unable to watch the full event, they’ll get the information

from the tweets and posts. Hashtag will be very important for this activity!

o You’re not the only person doing this so create hashtags specific for your class & students.

Of course you can also follow the main hashtags for further information & insight.

ResourcesThe Internet is a resource. Twitter & MBC are just places to store these resources.

Provide links to important sites Follow important figures (real or fake) Create a network with peers and experts

BlogInternet bloggers are becoming today’s reporters, reviewers, and authors.

Twitter is micro-blogging which is the same as normal blogging…just shorter.

o The differences between micro-blogging and normal blogging are insignificant. MBC and Tumblr are useful for normal blogging.

o Allows for more detail, a bit more freedom, and keeps things organized.o Downside…more to grade.

Bonus PointsStudents LOVE bonus points & extra credit, so offering it on Twitter is a great way to get them involved and…more importantly…following YOU!

Ask questions about the content or just for fun!o Math problemso History triviao Movie Questionso Sports triviao Etc.

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The Possibilities are Endless so let your

Imagination and Expertise Shine!

Now you will hopefully…

Teach With Effective Educational Technology