An Interview With Amanda Fahey

A Little Bit About Amanda

Amanda is a grade three teacher with the Lethbridge School District No. 51. She is on Twitter, @amandafahey13, and Google+. Her Google+ profile says: Never let an opportunity pass you by! And if you follow her on Google+ or read her blog, Mrs. Fahey’s Class, you will see she does not let an opportunity pass her class by. 

I have always been inspired by Amanda's ideas and classroom activities. I think after you read this interview you will be, too!

What technology skills should students have before coming into the grade(s) you teach?
Students should know the basics:

• how to log on
• how to find various programs (Chrome, searching with Google, Word)
• how to copy/paste
• how to save documents to a USB.

Where do you get your educational technology ideas?
I get ideas from Google+, Professional Development Days, colleagues and blogs.

What type of technology do you use in your school?
My school has laptops, desktop computers, iPads, webcams, and Smartboard.

Imagine you only could keep one technology at your school. From the ones you listed about what would be the one you would keep? 
iPads

Based on your response to the question above. Why would you keep that technology?
There are so many useful iPad apps that I enjoy using with my students. Students can still access the internet (Google) from an iPad, as well as use Google Docs, or Microsoft Word to complete class assignments. It also opens opportunities for new apps and ways to complete assignments rather than basic paper and pencil. As well an iPad has a camera, therefore we could complete Hangouts with other students.

What is one piece of technology would you like to try in your classroom that you haven't had an opportunity to yet?
3D printer

What is something new or different you are planning to try this year?
I plan on teaching one-on-one Google Hangouts with our penpal/collaborative blog class. I am also going to attempt a Robotics lab this year. 

How has technology changed the way you teach?
Technology has allowed me to go outside my comfort zone and find new ways to be innovative within the classroom. Instead of all students having the same project, which needs to be completed in the same way, I find technology allows me to give my students more opportunity to be unique and creative and find their strengths to show their learning. As well, technology has allowed me to meet and collaborate with so many other teachers all over the world. Completing mystery hangouts, or collaboration projects with classes in the USA, Brazil or Australia has allowed me to change the ways I teach being a Global Citizen and how to be a "safe" technology user to my students. My focus is to teach my students about a positive digital footprint.

How do you decide what is worthwhile for students to learn through technology, given literacy and skill challenges in division one?
Technology is incredible, but students still need the opportunity to use paper and a pencil. However, I decide what is worthwhile based on my individual students. I assess their needs and go from there. I try to find apps or tasks that can be easily modified to meet my students needs. For example, having a built in voice recorder or a "read to me" feature is always helpful for those struggling readers/writers. 

What apps or technology tools do you use? Are there any that you use for specific projects?

• Google Hangouts - As a class, we complete many mystery location hangouts, mystery number hangouts, as well we meet with our penpal class. This year we are working on a Connected Reader’s Club as well which is absolutely fantastic!
• News-O-Matic - I use this app for our Newspaper day. I also incorporate it into Daily 5 centers for a listen to reading center.
• Popplet - This is a favourite when we are brainstorming, specifically before a writing task.
• Green Screen - I use across all subject areas. I enjoy using Green Screen mostly for social and science as a way for students to show their learning at the end a specific unit. For example, students use it when describing an animal, or a country in social studies. We've also used Green Screen as a way of publishing fractured fairy tales. Students draw the scenes, and as we read the stories, their drawings are the backdrop. Super student friendly.
• Class Dojo - I use it for classroom management.
  
• Google Translate - I use this to support ELL learners.
  
• Google Earth - I use Google Earth when we have mystery location hangouts. This year we’ve used Google Earth quite a bit as an introduction to the Grade 3 Social Studies curriculum which focuses on Peru, Tunisia, India and Ukraine.
• Word Clouds - I use this for writing activities.
• Skitch - This is a great labelling app which is extremely useful, specifically in science, when introducing a new topic. As well I use it in Language Arts for vocab development in word work centers.
• QR Code Reader - I use this app mainly in math for games or problem solving. Students use the QR code to check their work. However, we use QR codes in language arts for tricky words, and to listen to reading.
• KidBlog - We journal using Kidblog rather than a typical journal notebook. Our blog is then linked with our grade 3 classes throughout Canada and the USA, where we discuss various topics, and complete collaboration writing projects.
• Quiver - This is a fantastic app that makes artwork pop like 3D! 

What are your hopes for educational technology in the future in your classroom? Alberta? Canada? Globally?
I would like to see a specific technology curriculum, where skills are broken down into grade specifics. Not all teachers are as comfortable with technology as others, therefore we get students who still are unsure how to log on etc which makes things rather difficult sometimes. But in order for that to work, more professional development would have to be offered. I hope that educational technology becomes the norm within our classrooms, and students become great global technology users where they are aware of how to be safe and effective users.

I also hope for generalized programs where the province or even country can use similar programs, ie. Google Apps for Education, so that students of similar grades can collaborate with other students throughout the country, opening up more opportunities and giving students a wider perspective on the topic, or life in general.

---

Check back for the December interview with Marjorie Foth.


Related blog posts:

• Mystery Location Hangouts
• Bringing Canada Into the Classrom with Google Earth and Maps

Be Proactive! Teach Your Students How To Problem Solve Technology Issues.

Create Independence 

One of the biggest roadblocks with using technology with students are the technology problems you encounter. Dealing with technology problems can be what the teacher spends time doing instead of working with students on academics. It can also be what deters people from using technology in the division one classroom. 

One way to help mitigate this issue is to teach students how to problem solve technology issues. It also helps teach them an important life skill - confidence with how to troubleshoot technology problems. 

Disclaimer

Like much of my teaching, many of these ideas are ones I learned from other educators and adapted for my own use. 

Whole Class Instruction 

Turn It Off And On Again

Sometimes when a piece of technology is not working the fastest and most effective way to problem solve is to turn it off and then on again. This used to be a hassle with desktop computers and laptops, however if you are using a Chromebook, it does not take that long. If you are using a device that has a variety of browsers, sometimes changing what browser you are using will help. Simply closing the browser and opening it again can also help. These are simple steps students should learn to do independently.

Two Before Me/Three Before Me 

When I am doing a whole class activity, I teach my students early in the year to ask others for help before me. I teach them they need to ask two people before asking me for help. I shorten it to "Two Before Me" when reminding students of the expectation. I have also seen "Three Before Me" for those who like rhyming rules. 

Encouraging students to seek peer assistance is useful for many reasons. It helps eliminate dealing with small issues that often result from students not attending to instructions. "What page are we on?", "What do I do next?", "How do I get to that website?". I use it throughout the day, but it is especially helpful when technology is used.  It also helps to create an environment of  collaboration and that "we are all in this together".

Hands Off The Keyboard!

The danger of having students getting help from their peers is often their peers DO instead of help. While this might help solve the issue at hand, it often does not assist the student who needed help in developing independence. So I inform students that when they are helping someone, only the person who is getting help can use the Chromebook. "You can help but you can't do it for them".  

Experts 

Often you will have a few students who are your technology experts in class. Why not explicitly identify them? When we are doing a technology task, especially if it is new, I will ask if any students feel they are able to help others. Who are the experts? I put the word "experts" on the board and have students sign up underneath. Students who are experts have to be willing to help others and be interrupted. I leave the list "open" and students who feel they understand enough to be an expert as the activity progresses can add their name. 

Sometimes I will pull a small group aside and train experts for activities that students will not have had experience with. I have seen some classrooms where these experts are permanently posted. 

Centres 

As a division one teacher, I use centres a lot. Anyone who has used centres knows that in order for them to be effective, students need to be independent. Using technology can enhance and complicate centres. The more variety of technology in your class, the more challenging this becomes. But not impossible.

Posters and Explicit Instructions 

I teach my students that when I am working with a group at centre time, I am not to be interrupted unless it is an emergency (the 3 Bs: bathroom, bleeding, barfing). A technology problem is not an emergency. So when I introduce a new centre, in addition to teaching the centre, I create a poster to remind students of the expectations for the centre. It also includes problem solving steps if the centre involves technology. If it is just one person's technology that is not working? Well, they could share with someone else. If no one's technology is working then they can read a book, use whiteboards to practice spelling and so on, depending on the main intent of the centre. It's a good idea to review the poster (expectations/problem solving) over the course of the year. 

Splitters 

As mentioned above, I tell students that if their computers/tablet/whatever will not work, that they should share with someone else. This was difficult to do when headphones are used. Students can share a device without headphones, but then the sound is distracting to others. So I had an "a ha" moment when I was shopping one day. Splitters. They are inexpensive and make sharing easier. They work with computers and tablets.

Your Tips and Tricks?

Please leave your tips and tricks in the comments. 

Hour Of Code in Division One, 2015

Why Hour of Code in EPSB?

Why? It fits perfectly with Edmonton Public School's Career Pathways! By doing the Hour of Code, you are not asking students to become master programmers. You are exposing them to a possible career pathway or perhaps a future hobby. You are helping them develop a general understanding of how a wide range of things that they use daily work - computers big and small run because of programs.

It also teaches and encourages the skills 21st century students need, such as:

• Logical thinking
• Problem solving
• Persistence 
• Collaboration
• Communication

(source: Add Coding to Your Elementary Curriculum. . . Right Now)

How To Do An Hour of Code in Division One?

There are many ways you can do the Hour of Code with you class. I used the activities provided by Code.org and the majority of this post will focus on using their Hour of Code activities. However, it is helpful if students are able to read as they are given text instructions in addition to video tutorials.

For younger students, many coding activities are tablet based but some have a browser activities, too. Below are some alternatives suitable for younger students:






What I like about Code.org's tutorials are:

• the video tutorials embedded throughout the activities.
• that students can see what javascript code actually looks like. After each successful puzzle they complete, students have the option of looking at what the code actually looks like. 
• that when students are not successful they get feedback as to what they missed. For example, they may get a message that says: You have to use a block that you are not using yet. 

Make It As Simple Or As Complicated As You Want

Simple

No signup or login is required for students to try the Hour of Code. Students can follow these simple steps:

1. Go to https://code.org/learn
2. Pick on of the eight tutorials
3. Code! 

... but you do require account creation to save student progress.

Go Big!

If you want to make it bigger than just a one-off, you can go to Code.org's How-to Guide. They have a number of ideas from printing certificates to ordering t-shirts. What I liked and used was their map/database of local volunteers, and yes there were a few for Edmonton! 

We had a fabulous IT professional come in to speak to my grade two class. He brought a motherboard, a CPU chip and a memory chip. 

Structure Versus Open-Ended

No signup or login is required for Code.org for students to try the Hour of Code but you do require account creation to save student progress. I chose to provide my students with log-ins and I assigned my students the same activity. By having all my students working on the same activity, they can help each other problem solve. 

The first thing I do is model doing the first two stages of the tutorial I selected for the students. The very first thing that happens for the first stage is a video, and we all watch it together. Then I model the first activity successfully. Next I model the next stage but so that I am not successful and demonstrate how to try again. Upon successful completion of the second stage, I show them how they can see the actual code they wrote. Then I let students work at their own pace.

When working with grade fours and grade sixes, I offered students a choice. I worked with two tech helpers prior to their Hour of Code and let them complete one of the tutorials. Then they were available to help their peers on the day of and as they had already completed it once, they were not missing out on the experience themselves.

So You Want To Participate In The Global Read Aloud

What Is Global Read Aloud?

Last May, Div1Edtech blogger Marge Kobewka mentioned learning about The Global Read Aloud (GRA). The tagline for GRA almost explains exactly what it is: one book to connect the world. GRA lasts six weeks. Teachers who participate read the GRA book(s) with their students and then use Twitter (#GRA15), Google Hangouts or Skype, Kidblog and other internet tools to connect their students to others reading the same book. 

As not all students around the world are the same age, or reading ability, there are actually a number of books that are a part of the GRA. For instance for older division one students there is The Year of Billy Miller. For division two students there is Fish In A Tree.  For division three students there is Fish. For division four students there is Yaqui Delago Wants To Kick Your Ass. While there are suggested ages for each book, there is no hard and fast rule for which book you pick for your students.

There is also an author study for picture books, so each week there is a different book you read. This year the author is Amy Krouse Rosenthal.  Global Read Aloud nicely ties into Read In Week in Edmonton as both are in October. 

How Do You Participate?

This is my first year participating in the GRA. What I have done so far:

1. Selected the book(s) I was going to read. This year I decided to do the author study.
   TIP: Do not wait until the last minute to locate the books. I did procrastinate. I found out that our school library only had two of the six books. So I went to the Edmonton Public Library (EPL). They had nine copies of first book, Chopsticks, but they were all loaned out. As a back up measure I looked to see if any Chapters in Edmonton had Chopsticks available. They were all sold out! Fortunately the hold I put on a copy at the EPL became available in enough time to have it for week one. In the meantime, I have had my school librarian borrow copies of the other books from other EPSB schools. We now have all the books! Phew.
    
2. Filled out the form on the GRA website. This populates a Sheet.
   TIP: Do not fill out the form and hope you will be contacted. I filled out the form and forgot about it. Then during the first week, I was left without any "global" connections to kick off GRA. So I spent sometime looking through the Sheet for other people doing the author study. For my purposes, I wanted people who were also on Kidblog and/or wanted to do Google Hangouts. I sent out a number of emails. I heard back from three people and made two connections so far.
   
   There are other ways to connect with GRA participants. Facebook seems to be a popular way to connect this year.  I did not find using the Twitter hashtag #GRA15 helped for making connections yet. Regardless of how you try to make a connection, remember to be proactive. Do not wait for others to come to you.
    
3. Planned how I will make my students' learning public. I decided to use Kidblog. I decided to get my student blogging earlier this year because of GRA. I felt that blogging was the best way to make my students' learning visible because it was a platform I was comfortable with. Also, it was a way to start participate in GRA without having secured connections. As well, it is an easy platform for others (even those without a Kidblog account) to interact with my students because of the comment feature.
   TIP: Test your settings for accepting comments from the public. I some how had turned that setting off initially.
    
4. Started reading and writing.
   I explained what The Global Read Aloud was on Friday as a wrap up to Read-In Week and a kick off to the GRA. Then we read Chopsticks.  Students did a first draft of explaining their favourite part in their reading journals. As my students are still new to blogging, I am currently requiring them to do a paper draft first. When the recess bell went, some students asked if they could stay in for recess to work on their writing because they knew other children were going to be reading their thoughts! That's the power of having an audience and purpose for writing!
   
   Students will be typing their blog posts about Chopsticks this week. Stay tuned to Team Spectacular's Blog.
    
5. Gave a shout out to the author on Twitter.
   We wrote a short tweet to Amy. We are keeping our fingers crossed that we'll get a reply. Students enjoyed the play on words in Chopsticks, so wanted to use the word "sweet" (said by Sugar in the book)  instead of awesome. There was much debate if the word sugary was needed. 
   

It's Not Too Late To Join!

As it says on the GRA website somewhere: it's okay to get behind, just don't get ahead. Do not worry if you are just getting started. Just start! You can make this as a huge event as you want, or, if you are like me, keep it simple. Check out how Shannon Pasma's class started: CTV Edmonton, Global Read Aloud.

Want To Know More?

There are a lot of resources for GRA. Here are just two:

• Official Website: The Global Read Aloud 
• On The Eve Of Global Read Aloud, Tips For Success

Yes, You can Show Your Students' Faces on YouTube

There are a lot of misconceptions about the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. It is often used as an excuse as to why we shouldn’t post videos of student learning or start a class twitter account. It is good to understand your jurisdiction’s FOIP Consent form in order to know what parents are permitting you to do with their child’s information. This is all the more relevant in today’s digitally connected society where the internet is a ubiquitous public space that we frequently utilize for teaching and learning.

Before we look at the FOIP form, it is important to note that the form is only the one step in the process. You must inform parents on how you are using their child's information on the internet. You don’t need a new form every time, but if you decide halfway through the year to do a project that will go on YouTube, you need to let the parents know. Nobody likes surprises, and informing them gives them the option to back out, which is their prerogative.

Here are the elements of the FOIP form from Edmonton Public School that deal with posting information online:

“[School] is requesting your permission to use your child’s personal information (i.e., image, grade and/or name, etc.) in public venues or on the internet where the general public may have access to the information in order to communicate with parents, the community and the general public.”

Notice that this statement says that images and/or names can be used on the internet to communicate to the general public. Further to this point, it also states on the form:

“Examples might include, but not limited to:
-posting pictures, videos, podcasts or presentations online
-accessing and posting information to public websites or social media applications (e.g., Facebook, Flickr, YouTube, Twitter and other emerging technologies)”

Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. It is imperative that you know the purpose for posting online. You could have students make videos of themselves reading stories and post it on YouTube. But why use YouTube? If the video’s intended audience is just you and the parent, it may be better to upload it to a Drive folder. If your class has a message for the community, then YouTube may be the best medium.

And this has to be stated again. You need to let parents know if you are using web apps or posting anything will use the student’s information. This can be done through a newsletter, class blog, Schoolzone (in EPSB) or any other medium that you use to communicate with parents.

Here is a great video to recap (and the acting is fantastic):

The FOIP Consent form ensures that we are abiding by Alberta’s FOIP Act. The Act isn’t preventative legislation. It instructs us on what we need to do when we need to use personal information in order to do our duties as teachers in today's connected, online world. The Act and our FOIP Consent form ensure that we, as a public institution, are being responsible with the information parents are giving us.

If you really want some good reading, check out the full Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.

Unleash Your Students' Knowledge With ScreenChomp!

Recently, I attended a professional learning opportunity on assessment which was led by Myron Dueck.  Myron is the author of "Grading Smarter, Not Harder: Assessment Strategies That Motivate Kids and Help Them Learn", and a leading authority and speaker on effective assessment in the classroom.  In one of his sessions, Myron shared with us the use of using whiteboards for assessing children in the classroom.  Essentially the student shows their learning of a particular concept using a small whiteboard and marker while explaining their understanding.  The teacher or another student can record the "whiteboarding" session with a camera or tablet.  The teacher can then assess the student's learning and also show the child's learning during parent/teacher meetings or student led conferences.

The day after the professional learning opportunity, I ordered thirty whiteboards from Scholastic using my Bonus Bank.  When the whiteboards arrived, I was eager to get started.  I gave pairs of students a whiteboard and an iPad and asked them to show six ways to represent numbers which was a concept we covered previously in math.  One student would show their knowledge on a whiteboard while the other student would record the "whiteboarding" session over the shoulder of the presenter.  This was a fantastic way to gain insight into a child's thinking and it also provided a powerful sample of work I could use for assessment and/or evaluation.

One other reason I wanted the students to record their thinking was to share their "whiteboarding" videos on our YouTube channel so that other children who may be struggling with a specific concept could watch our student videos and hopefully learn from children their own age.  This is essentially the same strategy to learning that Khan Academy has been so successful with.  The issues I have found with the above "whiteboarding" strategy has been camera shake, lots of noise from the camera, and often a limited view of the student's work.  Enter the ScreenChomp app.

ScreenChomp is an amazing iPad app produced by Techsmith, the same company who brings us fantastic software such as Camtasia, Snagit and Jing to name a few.  The app is completely free to download and use and the simplicity of the program is pretty amazing for division one students.  My students were able to essentially pick up the iPad and create some pretty awesome videos after playing with the app for only a few minutes.

There are many ways that students and teachers can use ScreenChomp in the classroom.  Some examples are:

• Students demonstrating their knowledge on specific concepts (e.g., rock/water cycle, math concepts, verbs/nouns).
• Teaching a concept for a student who was absent or for a flipped classroom.
• Students creating videos for other students to learn.
• Teacher lessons and extension activities
• Students creating videos about their families
• Demonstrating traditional and cursive handwriting
• The possibilities are endless

Examples of Student Created ScreenChomp Videos

Here are some ScreenChomp videos that students from my grade three classroom created.  This is a YouTube Playlist so you can skip between videos.  Also, text was added to the video using Movie Maker.

ScreenChomp is extremely easy to use and I encourage you to play with it and let your students create videos on a topic of their choice.  Below is an extensive tutorial on how to use ScreenChomp.

ScreenChomp Tutorial

Main Screen on ScreenChomp- Refer to image below

• Your ScreenChomp Videos - this is where your videos save to.  You can see in the image below that I have 3 created videos there.
• Adding Backgrounds - here you can add a background image as you will see later.
• Complete Erase - if you hold this picture down, it will erase the entire whiteboard except backgrounds.
• Multiple Pens - you can set the pen colors/thickness ahead of time or on the fly as you will see below.
• Eraser - this allows you to erase like a normal eraser.
• Record Button - press this button to begin recording your whiteboarding session.

Main Screen on ScreenChomp

Creating Videos Using ScreenChomp

Hannah creating a ScreenChomp video

Adding a Background Image

When you start creating a video on ScreenChomp, you may want to add a background image.  In this example, I am adding an image of the water cycle for a student to explain.  First you need to click on the "Background Image" tab as seen below and choose where you would like to upload the image from. You can choose an image:

1. on your camera roll by selecting, "Choose From Library",
2. from your Dropbox account.
3. by taking a photo using your iPad.

Background Choices

After you choose your image, you can move it, resize it, or rotate it.

Move, Zoom, or Resize the Background

Below is the image of the water cycle inserted and ready to go for my "whiteboarding" session.

Water Cycle Background Added

Setting the Pens

You can always change the pen colors and thickness while you create your video but I like to have three pen colors chosen before I record my video.  To do this, just choose one of the pens and a color/thickness screen will popup.  See the image below.  Choose a pen color and thickness for each pen.

You Can Change the Pen Color and Thickness

Recording Your "Whiteboarding" Session

You are now ready to record your video.  To record, just hit the "record" button.  Once you press the record button, you will be given a countdown screen like the one below.

Countdown to "Whiteboarding" Session

Your ScreenChomp session will begin when the countdown session is over and you will know it is recording because you will have a microphone and timer in the upper right hand corner (see above image).  During the recording, you can do several things like pause the recording, change pens and colors, erase small sections or completely erase the entire screen except the background.  You can also scroll to a new white space.

Full Erase and Spot Erase

To erase everything except the background, you can hold down the "Complete Erase" image for three seconds.  A cloth will appear and will erase the screen.  The cloth does not show up in your video.  To erase only small sections of the pen drawings, you can choose the eraser and erase on the screen.  

Two Eraser Options - Complete or Spot Erase

Scrolling

While recording, you can scroll up or down.  This will give you white space where you can continue your "whiteboarding" session.  To scroll, put two fingers on the screen and scroll up or down.  See the image below.

Scroll Up or Down While Creating Video

When you are done creating your video, press the "stop" button and your video will be saved.

Saving Videos Created Using ScreenChomp

Hannah enjoying ScreenChomp 

Viewing your video
You are done recording your video and are ready to preview it.  Once you press the stop button, the screen below appears.  From here you can:

     1. Playback the video
     2. Delete your video and try again
     3. Give you video a title
     4. Share your video

Options For When Your Video is Created

Saving Your Video

In order to save your video, you need to choose the "Share" image above.  This will save your video back on the main ScreenChomp screen.  You can see in the image below that I have three saved videos and one that is currently saving.  Videos are saved on the ScreenChomp server but I like to download them in MP4 format.  This will be covered below.

Where Your Videos Are Saved

Accessing Your Saved Video

You have now saved you video and you want to access the link or download it.  To do this, choose the video you wish to access from the files of saved videos.

Accessing Your Saved Videos

Once you choose the video you would like to access, the screen below will open.  From there, you can:

     1. Play the video - also in full screen

Share It

     2. Copy the link

     3. Email the Link

     4. Tweet the video

     5. Open the video in Safari

Sharing Your ScreenChomp Videos

Downloading Your ScreenChomp Creation

Downloading on your iPad

     1. From the screen above, click "Open in Safari"

     2. Safari will launch with your video.  Scroll down below your video and click on the "download"

         link.

Downloading ScreenChomp Videos

Downloading on your computer

     1. Choose "Email Link" (see two images above).

     2. Email the link to yourself so you can open the url on your computer.

     3. When you click on the link, you will be taken to your video like the above image.  

     4. Scroll down until you get to the option to "Download".  

     5. Click on "Download" and save it to your preferred location.

If you have any comments or questions, please post them below.  I will update this post if questions arise.