Eat, Sleep, and Twitter...

THANKSGIVING EDITION

I am including notes and links from the recent TIC meeting in Johnston. The session was geared towards 'Specials' (PE, music, Art) but had excellent tips and ideas for any classroom. Use of QR codes was especially interesting and relatively simple to engage your kids.

Recommendations to Read: 
-use of Celly with your students
-use of QR Codes (those funky looking bar code thingees that you scan with your phone)

Links to Documents and Notes

• Arts Integration.doc
• Fine Arts Resources.doc
• PE4life.doc

*Special Note: The first two staff members that email me back that you have read this blog entry will receive a special 'prize'. Include in the subject line: Double Secret Probation.

**Special Note #2 - The first person that follows me on Twitter (@scottyschro) will  also receive a prize.

=======================================================================

Heartland TIC - 'Specials' Nov 2012

TIC Site: https://sites.google.com/a/aea11.k12.ia.us/heartland-tic/specials-nov-2012

=======================================================================

Online databases resources for the Fine Arts such as music, art, and theater Michelle Richardson Heartland AEA 11 Professional Learning & Leadership Consultant Michelle will share Heartland online databases resources for the Fine Arts such as music, art, and theater. Fine Arts Resources.doc Arts Integration.doc Heartland Resources Wiki: http://htldres.pbworks.com/w/page/56526863/Heartland%20Resources Music and Protests Keynote Presentation (download below) =================================================================== P.E. Jodi Larson  PE Ankeny MS ‘PE Geek Squad’ Wanting to use more technology in your classroom? Looking for practical ideas to help with classroom management, organization, assessment, student motivation and professional learning?  Bring your smartphone, iPad, iPhone or iPod with you to practice some of the different ideas that will be shown.  SEE PE$life.doc below Websites Celly is a website that allows you to form groups that everyone can join. It allows students and teachers to communicate while keeping phone numbers private. Group messages can be moderated to keep conversations on-topic and friendly  Polleverywhere provides immediate audience feedback  The Physical Educator that has innovative ideas, great games, quality resources, and professional networking.  The PE Geek is run by a physical educator in Australia with a passion for the role emerging technologies play within teaching and learning. Great site to keep up with all the must have PE apps. Many of the apps mentioned above were suggested through this site.  Kaywa QR Code is free site that allows you to create QR Codes   Twitter Hashtags  #pegeeks-physical educators  #pechat-a group of physical educators that will be tweeting on a chosen topic each Monday  #edchat-Education  #edtech-a very wide range of tweets relating to the use of technology in education.  #mlearning-use of mobile technologies in education  #edapps-educational apps    #playoutdoors-outdoor play and learning ideas   ======================================================================== ART Cappie Dobyns 7th Grade Art Teacher at Ames Middle School Cappie's TIC page Cappie will share various integrated technologies that aid visual art instruction, foster engagement and encourage collaboration and community.  Some of the shared online resources will include social platforms, interactive posters and website use.  Connections to the Visual Arts in the Iowa Core website will also be showcased.  =============================================================== COMPUTATIONAL PROBLEM SOLVING  Les Miller Computer Science. Iowa State University. Les will focus on Computational Thinking using the Scratch programming language in Specials curricular areas.  Time will be split between demonstrations of how it can be used and hands on experience using Scratch Robotics -  Lego WeDo - WeDo Robotics Pico Cricket - Make your creations come to life.

ITEC Conference + more...

ITEC - (Iowa Technology & Education Connection) holds an annual conference each fall. The usual Techie Geekoids attend, as do many classroom teachers from all over the state. Some districts use a day or two as part of their Professional Development plans and send entire staffs. Conference link for handouts and video archives of presentations.

Keynote speakers are top-line educators, tech industry experts, and innovators. I am including links to this year's main keynote speakers with links and brief notes.

Marco Torres - a media coach and technology director in California; very inspiring comments on using collaboration between the media arts. 

David Pogue - tech columnist for the New York Times and Scientific American magazine; Hosts NOVA Science Now tv series; author of numerous versions of the "for Dummies" series; he is an accomplished musician & has been featured on "60 Minutes" and "48 Hours". Pogue's Blog link

Leslie Fisher - former Apple Employee is now a world traveler/presenter; has ADOS disorder (Attention Deficit Ooooh Shiny), i.e. is a tech geek that is adept at trying the all the newest things and vetting them out, good or bad, especially as they apply to tech in school.

Other items of note - Screencasting session on Tuesday afternoon
 --students can create broadcasts or videos of whatever is on their desktop; i.e. technique for creating an object or completing a computer task.


================================
Cool Tips
AirDrop - icon in your Finder column
--allows sharing or transfer of files for those in close proximity 
---1. click the AirDrop icon to activate your machine
---2. have students do the same
---3. your icon (computer number) shows up on their AirDrop window
---4. they drag their files to that icon, you accept, and it transfers the files in a few seconds

Launch Pad - 
Quickly launch apps, similarly to an iPad; saves room on your dock.