Ed Tech Kit

EdCamp Bluewater - Saturday, 11/7/15 (The best little PD you've probably never attended) #phsedtech #1phasd #miched #edcampbluewater

2015-10-16T06:12:00.000-07:00

Saturday (8 a.m. - 3:15 p.m)

Don't wait!

Only 23 tickets remain for what is sure to be the BEST participant driven professional development opportunity this fall - Go to http://edcampbluewater.weebly.com and register today.

EdCamps are new way of learning where you and the other participants who attend determine the focus of the day's learning. You can propose a discussion topic or offer to facilitate a session that you feel others would be interested in collaborating around. Facilitators are strongly encouraged to tap into the wisdom of the room rather than present a stand and deliver style lecture. And participants are strongly encouraged to use the "rule of two feet" if the session isn't meeting their need by politely excusing themselves from a session and then seeking out a better fit or creating an ad hoc gathering to meet their need.

What's new this year?

This year's EdCamp Bluewater is going to off the charts. Why? Because this year's EdCamp Bluewater will be held in the idyllic and awe inspiring setting of the Pine River Nature Center. If you've never been to the PRNC, imagine hanging out in a beautiful log home with stunning views of the forest surrounded by hiking trails and a tree house!

Imagine hosting your EdCamp Bluewater session in a Tree House!

We are also planning to have a real live campfire with supplies for making S'mores, a chili cook-off contest, and fun challenge activities throughout the day that let you earn tickets for our fabulous giveaways.

This is professional learning like no other. For more information check out this informative 5 part video series describing last year's EdCamp Bluewater and visit our website http://edcampbluewater.weebly.com.

Fixing Google Account Conflicts in the Chrome Browser #phsedtech

2015-10-15T07:28:00.000-07:00

As the Google Chrome browser continues to evolve I have noticed that the old method of switching between Google Accounts can be glitchy. The old method (described here) involves clicking on your profile picture in upper right corner of most Google Apps products and adding an account(s). But I have found that switching between accounts this way doesn't always work and that Google Drive in particular will have issues.

I recommend instead, that you use Chrome browser profiles to switch between multiple Google Accounts. To do this I recommend the following steps.

Go to the Chrome browser settings and delete all existing profiles. This will clear out any conflicting accounts you may have installed using the old method. (Don't worry you're bookmarks and extensions will be recovered when you login using the new Chrome browser profile option).
You will be prompted to sign in to the Chrome Browser. Use your primary Google Account email and password. If your account is a School District issued email be sure to click the "Link Data" option when prompted.
Use the Profile switch icon to add new accounts or switch between accounts.

Switching between accounts using the Chrome Profile switch icon is a much tidier method of using multiple Google Accounts on the same computer. In fact, it's the absolute best method for a shared family computer where mom, dad, and all the kiddos have Google Accounts for work and school. You'll see separate desktop icons and task bar icons to help you access each separate account and distinguish between which account you are using (tip: be sure use unique profile pictures for each account). To view a video demonstration of the steps click here.

Using Padlet for Formative Assessment plus student guides

2015-09-27T09:21:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite digital tools is Padlet. Padlet is a collaborative digital cork board and classroom response system that let’s you collect and organize virtual stickies of information including text, images, audio and video.

At the recent 21st Century Learning Symposium I shared some strategies for using Padlet in support of Formative Assessment. During this session my intent was to model the versatility of Padlet whether you have a single internet connected device, a small set of 5-8 devices, or 1:1 student devices. I also modeled how Padlet can be used to support formative assessment strategies such as entry/exit tickets and cooperative learning structures. The resources for this session are embedded below. It includes guides and tips for creating your own Padlet boards.

Created with Padlet

I've also been developing a Student Guide that includes presentation slides and a video tutorial to help students begin using Padlet as a tool for research, presentations, and collaborative communication. I invite you to utilize this guide for use with your own students if you like.