Poth: Building Digital Citizenship Skills with Book Creator

October 18, 2021October 11, 2021Rachelle Dené Poth Leave a comment

Sponsored post. All opinions are my own.

Each October, educators and students have opportunities to participate in events focused on digital citizenship. This year “digcit week” will be held from October 18-22. Learning about digital citizenship is important not only during October, but should be something that we focus on throughout the entire year. With such an increase in the use of technology, especially during the past school year, educators need to intentionally create opportunities for students to build digital citizenship skills in our classrooms by exploring the digital tools and learning experiences that we can provide with them.

Book Creator for DigCit!

Using Book Creator, we can create opportunities for students to become more digitally aware and literate and to be responsible in using and creating with technology. Helping students to learn to safely navigate through what has become a highly digital world is something that we are all responsible for. Students need to learn how to collaborate online, to access and share information, to create and manage accounts and protect their personal information, which are essential elements of digital citizenship.

With so many students interacting and having access to social media and digital tools, they need to develop the right skills to navigate in these spaces and be prepared to deal with any challenges or barriers that may arise. When students have the chance to collaborate and create a book together, there are many benefits. Some of the positive outcomes include building essential SEL skills like strengthening relationships, becoming more self-aware and developing a greater understanding of diverse perspectives and backgrounds.

Ideas for a digital citizenship book with Book Creator

Creating passwords and Internet safety
Using social media and responsible posting
Cyberbullying and how to respond
Finding balance on social media platforms and with technology
Communicating and collaborating in the online space
Create a book about an experience related to the theme of digital citizenship or one of the focus areas.

Getting started with Book Creator is easy!

Book Creator now has three books available to help educators get started with activities and experiences focused on digital citizenship. In June of this year, the new books were created in collaboration with Common Sense Education and are available for use in classrooms with students ages 5 through 11. In addition to using these books, Book Creator is a great choice for having students create their own books to share what they are learning about being a responsible digital citizen. Students are able to collaborate with their classmates in the digital space and learn how to post responsibly, access and use information, and build their own digital citizenship skills during the process.

Book Creator promotes more authentic and meaningful learning that helps students to build content knowledge and the essential skills they need now and for the future. All books can include audio, images, text, and video. Why not have students select a relevant topic or one of the nine elements of digital citizenship, to create a book to share with others in their school community or with global connections?

Templates!

The Book Creator team worked with the Hillsborough County Public School district in Florida to design special events for their entire district. Using the Digital Citizenship Week curriculum from Common Sense Education, they created templates to use for activities which will be part of a competition. There are many important topics to choose from including: Choosing the right words, avoiding drama in the online space, social presence on the social media platforms, this is also great for educators. There are options available to use with students in grades K through 12 as well as for teachers. Everyone can use their templates which makes it easy to get started today with some digcit activities using Book Creator!

Having access to great topics and ready-to-use templates saves a ton of time! All you need to do is add the books to your library and with the “remix” feature, students and educators can really make the books their own.

Also check out the book by Dr. Monica Burns which is based on the 6 themes of the Digital Citizenship curriculum from Common Sense Education.

Join some of the events happening during #digcitweek through Common Sense Education and @BookCreatorApp. Be sure to sign up for some of the upcoming Book Creator webinars to learn more!

About the author

Rachelle Dené is a Spanish and STEAM: What’s nExT in Emerging Technology Teacher at Riverview High School in Oakmont, PA. Rachelle is also an attorney with a Juris Doctor degree from Duquesne University School of Law and a Master’s in Instructional Technology. Rachelle is an ISTE Certified Educator and serves as the past president of the ISTE Teacher Education Network. She was named one of 30 K-12 IT Influencers to follow in 2021.

She is the author of six books including ‘In Other Words: Quotes That Push Our Thinking,” “Unconventional Ways to Thrive in EDU” “The Future is Now: Looking Back to Move Ahead,” “Chart A New Course: A Guide to Teaching Essential Skills for Tomorrow’s World, “True Story: Lessons That One Kid Taught Us” and her newest book “Your World Language Classroom: Strategies for In-person and Digital Instruction” is now available.

Follow Rachelle on Twitter @Rdene915 and on Instagram @Rdene915. Rachelle has a podcast, ThriveinEDU available at https://anchor.fm/rdene915

**Interested in writing a guest blog for my site? Would love to share your ideas! Submit your post here. Looking for a new book to read? Find these available at bit.ly/Pothbooks

************ Also check out my THRIVEinEDU Podcast Here!

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Zigazoo: Start Creating Today!

October 23, 2020October 21, 2020Rachelle Dené Poth Leave a comment

I have been recommending Zigazoo to many of my educator friends lately because of all of the wonderful opportunities available for having students engage in more authentic and meaningful learning opportunities by creating their own videos! I learned about Zigazoo about two months ago and have had fun checking out the videos being submitted by kids!

When people ask me what Zigazoo is, I explain that it has been compared to popular social media tools such as Instagram and TikTok. Because of the similarity, this means that students feel more comfortable with the user experience and are more likely to enjoy the learning process on Zigazoo. It also is a good way to help students build their digital citizenship skills and become involved in more active learning and be creative!

What is Zigazoo?

Zigazoo is a free video sharing app that gives students the chance to create a short video in response to daily prompts and other activities. Teachers have been using it to provide students with a different way to share their learning and explore new ideas. It is easy to get started with Zigazoo and find some prompts to assign to a class or to create your own.

Each video created can be up to a length of 30 seconds. There will be daily featured projects and the Zigazoo app gives kids a fun way to think about and try new things. It is a good way for parents to be more involved in learning with their kids. Creating their own videos also helps students to develop their understanding of privacy and social networks. Teachers can also record responses to student videos.

Beyond the prompts that teachers can create, Zigazoo also gives families and teachers access to many prompts provided from a variety of educator channels that are now available. With these channels, we have the ability to share video-based responses to projects and interactive media from museums, zoos, educators, children’s musicians, and education organizations. In a recent article by TechCrunch, Zigazoo was referred to as the “future of remote learning.” There are so many possibilities for creating videos during remote and hybrid learning and exploring the new channels is a great way to start.

Through the addition of channels, there are many new possibilities for students to learn from global organizations! Check out the channels that have been added so far and stay tuned for new channels that will be added!

Zigazoo is an app that can be used to offer new and more engaging ways for students to share what they are learning in creative ways. Teachers and parents can find daily projects to explore or search through the hundreds of other projects available. I also recommend checking out their Twitter feed and follow @GetZigazoo to see the videos and challenges being shared!

Explore the #dailyzigazoo to get started quickly. Here is one example, which was Kira Willey’s first project, “What is something kind you’ve done for someone?”

In Zigazoo, there are challenges that offer kids a chance to explore and then create a video to talk about what they learned. It can also be a great option for project-based learning types of activities. What an opportunity to spark curiosity for learning and increase student engagement.

What do students think?

Here are some comments from educators about their experience trying out Zigazoo.

“I love the energy behind it and the energy it brings out in my students!”

“My 2nd graders said it looked like Tik Tok (how 7-8 year olds know this, I do NOT know, lol).”

“The other video creation app that I have been using with my students in Spanish is Flipgrid. As I discussed the app with students this week, they hands down prefer to use Zigazoo for my assignments. They couldn’t adequately articulate why, but it basically comes down to the fact that Zigazoo feels more like TikTok or social media, which then makes it more fun.” (high school teacher)

Zigazoo is free and educators can create their own classroom projects or choose from those available. Zigazoo is now offering a free premium account for educators, use the code ZPremium and sign up by October 31st. Parents can join in the global Zigazoo community.

And join in Zigazoo’s Costume Contest! The contest is the first of several Halloween activities Zigazoo will host from now through October 31st. Other virtual activities will include haunted house tours, decorating jack-o-lanterns and telling Halloween jokes.

**Interested in writing a guest blog for my site? Would love to share your ideas! Submit your post here.

Looking for a new book to read? Many stories from educators, two student chapters, and a student-designed cover for In Other Words.

Find these available at bit.ly/Pothbooks

5 Ideas for Learning About Digital Citizenship

March 6, 2020March 4, 2020Rachelle Dené Poth Leave a comment

Digital citizenship is a topic that educators must continue to be mindful of within their classrooms and our schools. Because so many tasks involve the use of technology, it is our responsibility to embed digital citizenship into our lessons so our students are prepared and knowledgeable about the responsibilities that exist and also expectations of them when it comes to digital learning. There is an increase in technology being used in our classrooms, students have more access to digital resources and global connections than ever before, so regardless of our roles in education, we must stay current with issues, trends, and resources related to this topic. Digital citizenship skills have to be a part of what we teach and model for students, especially because we ask our students to do research, to collaborate online and perhaps even use social media as part of our coursework.

There are many resources available to learn more about digital citizenship, ranging from participation in virtual or in-person learning events held throughout the year to websites, books, blogs, and more that bring attention to and inform about this important topic. When I first started teaching about digital citizenship, I recall myself telling students the things that they should not do rather than focusing on how to use the tools safely and responsibly and showing how they could enhance learning. I recognize this now as I’ve researched more and become more aware of the different resources available for use in education today and following the conversations happening in different educational networks. And along with what’s being done out there, I believe that we need to convey the message to our students of how to use digital tools, to interact responsibly, and also share the importance of knowing how to use these tools for good.

Building these skills is critical because they will transfer to the real world space as well. For some students, they build confidence and comfort by interacting with peers and become better collaborators in an online space first, then apply these to the physical classroom setting and the real-world.

Here are five resources to explore and which offer activities for students to explore on their own and construct their own knowledge and apply it.

1. Events Educators can participate in Digital Citizenship Week, happening from October 14th through the 18th online. During this week-long event, educators can participate by connecting with other classrooms globally, joining in a panel discussion organized through the DigCit Institute and EduMatch Tweet and Talk, or listening to a DigcitIMPACT talk. Sign up on the website and stay connected by following the #digcitsummit hashtag on Twitter.

2. Online resources There are many interactive ways for students to explore DigCit topics. Common Sense Education’s Digital Compass provides interactive lessons, tutorials, and fun activities for students to engage in to learn about digital citizenship. One of the many benefits is that students choose how to proceed through the interactive lessons, and can see the positive or negative effects of these choices. Digital Compass addresses topics such as cyberbullying, fake news, social media, and more that are in alignment with today’s trends. Be Internet Awesome by Google has students explore four lands and complete activities and games to build their digital citizenship skills. This is another good way to let students drive their learning, to become curious and develop their own understanding in a space that is safe and that we can support. 21 things for students offers 21 different lessons on topics related to digital citizenship, technology skills, cyberbullying and more. Nearpod offers interactive lessons on Social Media use and topics related to Digital Citizenship in addition to many other content areas and levels.

3. Books Three books that I recommend are Digital Citizenship in Action by Dr. Kristen Mattson, Digital Citizenship in Schools by Mike Ribble, and Digcit Kids: Lessons Learned Side by Side to Empower Others from Around the World by Marialice Curran and Curran Dee. Each of these books offer a wealth of resources for getting started with lessons on digital citizenship and they provide activities for use in our classrooms. Dr. Mattson’s book is also used for the ISTE U Course on Digital Citizenship.

4. Social Media Students are using more social media, especially Instagram and Snapchat, and need to develop an understanding of how to post, the type of information that is okay to share, and how to interact responsibly and respectfully in these spaces. Depending on student grade level, it can be helpful to have students participate in a simulated Twitter chat, create a Padlet wall, or use post-it notes and a space in the room to have students create posts and write responses. It is important to help students understand how social media works and how to properly post. We want to emphasize the safety of our students and knowing how to distinguish between reliable and unreliable sources.

5. Organizations ISTE (the International Society for Technology in Education) offers a Professional Learning Network (PLN) focused on Digital Citizenship for members. In PLNs such as this one, educators can find many resources for teaching about digital citizenship that match the grade level, content area, and specific needs of their students. Individuals can sign up to be a part of the #digcitcommit movement. DigCitCommit is a coalition with the mission of providing educators with the right resources for teaching students about digital citizenship. Educators can sign the pledge and become more involved in promoting digital citizenship around the world.

To provide the best possible opportunities for our students to learn their roles and responsibilities when it comes to digital citizenship, we simply need to start with one of these resources and include it in our daily activities. The idea is not that it’s something extra added onto the curriculum but rather becomes woven into our classrooms each day throughout the year.

*Interested in writing a guest blog for my site? Would love to share your ideas! Submit your post here.

Looking for a new book to read? Many stories from educators, two student chapters, and a student-designed cover for In Other Words.

Find these available at bit.ly/Pothbooks

3 books.png

Digital Citizenship- Parents

November 14, 2019November 8, 2019Rachelle Dené Poth Leave a comment

Guest Post by Kimberly Tumambing Executive Assistant at Gorman Learning Charter Network

Digital Citizenship

Recently, I was visiting with my nine year old niece, when she proceeded to pull out her iPad and log into her Youtube account. She showed me the amazing little videos she is creating, editing and publishing. In the same evening, my twenty-six year old niece told me she just learned that she can open a .pdf on her phone. I laughed. The difference in digital presence and understanding is huge when you think about the fact that there is only a seventeen year gap between the two girls.

Today’s youth are faced with so many opportunities for success and achievement, but also with so many possibilities for failure and regret.

How can we help them to become better Digital Citizens, when so much of what they are experiencing is still new to us?

This is the question that has inspired me to help parents learn more about what it means to be a Digital Citizen and how you can help equip your children with the tools they need to navigate this new world.

Digital Citizenship is when a person utilizes Information Technology in order to engage in society, politics and government. Information Technology consists of computers, laptops, tablets, phones, and other devices.

So when I started this campaign, I asked myself, what would I tell my younger self, if I could send her a Facebook message. And what I came up with is this: once you put it on the internet, it is forever on the internet. Photos you wish had never existed, conversations you wish you hadn’t had, personal information, and so much more. So, younger me, how do you participate in this digital world without risking college scholarships, potential jobs, and possible legal ramifications? How do you keep yourself safe from predators, while engaging in social activities?

And I came up with this answer: by being well informed. We can’t shelter children from the dangers of being a Digital Citizen. But we can teach them what to share, and how to share, responsibly. But where can parents go for help? If I were to try and teach you everything I have learned, you would be reading this blog for the next three to four hours.

So instead, I’m going to share with you two of my greatest resources. My school has a go to website that we recommend for our families when parents call and ask about the dangers of certain websites or applications. The organization is called Common Sense Media. I recommend you start with the privacy and internet safety section for Parents. Did you know many of the applications your child is downloading will come with locations settings turned on? So everyone will know where your child is just by checking the background location indicator. But there is a way to turn this setting off and protect your child’s location. My hope is that this website will help you keep your students safe.

But what about their online etiquette? Everyone looks at a student’s online profile these days. Colleges and Universities are looking at possible athletic candidates and the photos they posted during their middle school and high school days. Future employers are looking to see what kind of language a person uses online, or what articles they favor, or if they fight over social media or maintain some kind of respectful dialogue. And they aren’t just looking at Facebook either. Twitter, LinkedIn, Twitch, Youtube, and personal blogs are great places for someone to learn everything they may want to know about your child.

To be a good digital citizen, your child also needs to realize they are not protected just because it wasn’t “said” in person. A student can be prosecuted in a court of law for digital threats, accusations, and “jokes.” Students who threaten to kill others, even if it is a “joke” on Twitter, can be prosecuted and face possible charges.

I also recommend the National Online Safety website. The resource section of this website has some great infographics describing websites and applications that students tend to favor. They even cover video games and chat rooms. They also have some helpful information about Social Media sites and the effect on your child’s mental health. And their infographics are updated regularly depending on what is trending amongst kids.

Parents, you don’t have it easy these days. You have to teach your children to be safe and polite in both the physical world and the digital one. You have to teach your children how to interact with people they are talking to face-to-face and people they are conversing with via instant messenger. My hope is that the websites I have provided to you will give you the information you need to train up strong, well informed, world changers who can travel between both worlds with ease.

School Communication Tools Comparison

June 17, 2019June 26, 2019Rachelle Dené Poth 2 Comments

Post sponsored by ParentSquare. The opinions expressed are my own.

Why Schools and Districts Need ParentSquare

The functionality of a teacher tool with a district-adopted platform

Finding a reliable and secure way to facilitate communication between school and home is critical for helping our students to be successful. When implementing digital tools and district-wide platforms, schools and districts must be cognizant of the rights and responsibilities when it comes to student privacy and digital safety. District leaders must protect the school community by maintaining a safe learning environment while also empowering teachers and families with the right tools to build community and promote family involvement.

For many classroom teachers, the options for tools to use are becoming more limited, whether because of access or school and district policies. While there are many free digital communication tools available, more and more teachers are being asked to not use the free tools and to implement tools that are district- or school-managed. Teachers must look for and recommend alternatives that will provide the same functionality they are used to and that will not require a lot of time to make the transition.

Choosing the Right Platform

There are many digital communication tools available to schools which offer a lot of benefits. It is important to find something that provides quality resources, centralizes school information, and which gives teachers the freedom they need to create a virtual space for their students and families.

Through the right platform, teachers can complete important tasks such as sending class updates, asking for volunteers, scheduling conferences and school events, sharing files and photos, and communicating various types of information to families, for a start. Being able to connect families and the school community with what is happening inside the classrooms strengthens the connection between home and school.

At the school and district level, being able to provide everything that students and families need through a comprehensive program and in a manner that parents and families choose is important. The entire school community benefits by having a consistent and efficient program in place that meets the needs and preferences of each of its members. So why should schools choose ParentSquare?

A Centralized Space for the Community

ParentSquare is available for the district- or school-wide implementation. If you find that you or your school are using multiple different apps to exchange information and communicate, ParentSquare provides one tool that does all of this and more. ParentSquare takes multiple tasks and communicative needs (messaging, attendance and grade notifications, event planner, calendar, fundraising, lunch balances, and much more*) that schools and teachers are currently using and unifies them in one easy to use and widely accessible platform.

ParentSquare facilitates timely and relevant communication between home and school through push notifications with real-time interactions and reports to show the reach and deliverability of messages, making it easy to identify who has or has not been contacted. Schools can create wishlists, ask for volunteers and launch fundraising campaigns, therefore streamlining more of the common tasks for schools. ParentSquare enables schools and districts to share information from the same source, which promotes consistency and efficiency in a simplified platform.

Unique Features

With district-wide adoption of ParentSquare, school districts can provide one comprehensive tool to connect families with their child’s school and the district, in a centralized space. Schools can then provide a more consistent, effective and reliable way to facilitate higher engagement and better communication between school and home.

Although ParentSquare combines multiple apps and resources into one platform, it is very easy to navigate. Everything in ParentSquare has a similar look and feel, “if you know how to do one thing, you know how to do everything.” The design encourages parents and families to interact more in the space and work together toward fostering a collaborative relationship between home and school. Communication happens through posts and direct messaging which facilitates a higher level of engagement for families and greater connectedness. Parents can opt-out of certain communications and enjoy the benefits of being connected with the school and their children’s teachers, by receiving messages based on their preferences.

Another unique feature of ParentSquare is the Smart Alert and Notices for sending emergency alerts with options to send to the entire district, individual schools, parents, or students. You can choose between sending a recorded message or one created using the text-to-speech feature provided by ParentSquare. The receipt of each message is verified and detailed analytics for reach and deliverability show the percentage of contacts reached and the number needed to achieve 100%.

ParentSquare scores on the integration aspect too, integrating with many SISs, so teachers do not have to invite parents and maintain a contact list, thus also protecting privacy. Parents need not join and create a password, they are still kept informed and in the loop, thereby including every parent.

ParentSquare helps to streamline school business and workflows by providing:

Attendance notifications with excuse notes
Grades, Assignments, Assessments, Attendance in the Portal and App
Social and Web Share (web widget)
Invoices (recurring and one-time)
Payments (spirit wear, tickets, etc.)
Fundraiser with Battery meter
Calendar and RSVP (adults and kids)
Lunch Balance Notifications and other notices with merge fields
Secure Document Delivery including postal mail (progress reports, report cards)
Advanced analytics
SIS integrations
Support

Beyond the Platform: What Does ParentSquare Offer?

One thing that I think is important is that edtech companies offer a unified space for educators, parents, and students to access information when they need it. All companies should be intentional about providing support and resources such as webinars, user stories, blogs written by members of the team or teachers currently using the platform, and make sure the information is current. It’s equally as important to actively share new features and any changes that are coming in the near future. I appreciate being able to find a lot of resources and support when I am using a digital tool or platform with my classes.

ParentSquare provides a wealth of information on their site including blog posts, Meet the team, webinars, new features, thought leadership, educator insights, best practices and more. The ParentSquare team also sends newsletters full of information to keep customers informed of events and updates to their platform. ParentSquare is fully invested in family engagement and is helping to streamline the communication between home and school. With ParentSquare, schools can provide a more consistent, effective and reliable way to communicate, and promote student success and family engagement. Learn more about it here.

Key features: Also check out the video here.

Key Features
Privacy	Available, updated 2018
District Level Oversight	✔
Messaging to and between parents	✔
Messaging between teachers and staff	✔
Individual/Group Messaging	✔
Notifications as text, email, app	✔
Send/Schedule reminders	✔
Language Translation	100+ with Real-time translation
Class/School Calendar	2-way Sync with Google and iCal
File and Photo Sharing	✔
Conference & Volunteer Signups	✔
Single Sign-on	✔
Unlimited Message Length	✔
Coordinate Events/RSVP	✔
Permission Slips	✔
Devices: iOs, Android, Web	✔
Attendance	✔
Grades and Assignments	✔
Report Card Delivery	✔
Attendance Delivery and Excuse Notes
Truancy Letters	✔
Cafeteria Balance	✔
Payments and Invoices	Recurring & one time
Polls and Surveys	✔

Leveraging Technology to Enhance the Learning Experience

April 12, 2019April 13, 2019Rachelle Dené Poth Leave a comment

Updated from an original post on DefinedSTEM.

Technology creates many opportunities for teachers to provide innovative learning experiences for students. An even greater benefit is that these learning experiences can take place regardless of the time and place, and offer students more personalized opportunities for interacting with their peers and the content. With so many choices now available, sometimes deciding on a specific digital tool or a type of tool can present a challenge.

I am often asked about where a teacher should start when either implementing technology for the first time or creating a blended learning environment. What I suggest is to first think about some of the learning activities that are already being used in the classroom. What has seemed to work the best and what are some that possibly either take a lot of time to create or that don’t offer students a lot in the way of choices.

Another consideration is focusing on your goals and what you are hoping to accomplish by using technology. Is it to create an access point where students can ask questions, obtain class resources or interact with their peers? Or is it to provide students with different methods to practice the content and also to apply their learning in more authentic ways?

Here are four strategies for helping students to communicate, collaborate and create in the traditional learning space as well as beyond the classroom setting. By trying some of these ideas, you will see some positive changes that promote student voice, create more time for you to interact with and support students in learning, and it will help students to build digital citizenship skills as they learn to leverage the technology and navigate in the digital world.

Improve Communication Through Effective Technology Use

One way that I have used technology that has had a big impact in my classroom is by using a messaging tool. A few years ago I noticed a disconnect with students and the class, either they were absent and could not get materials or they had questions after the school day had ended. By using messaging apps, I can send reminders, answer student questions and provide feedback when students need it. You can also use some of these apps to connect with families as an alternative to email. There are a lot of options available and your choices will depend on the level and area you teach and whether your goal is to set up communication between students and you or with parents. I use Remind with students and parents, and BloomzApp is another option for creating a space to interact with parents. Either of these is good for providing students and parents with live feedback. It is easy to sign up for either of these using any device, and privacy and security are provided.

However, I was recently looking at communication tools and thinking about promoting family engagement and came across ParentSquare before attending FETC in January. ParentSquare is more than simply a one-way communication tool. It is a multi-purpose platform with capabilities to facilitate communication, collaboration and increase family engagement in schools. ParentSquare is for use in grades PreK-12, geared toward streamlining parent notifications, increasing participation and family engagement in the school community and more. It can be used by students, teachers, staff members, administrators, and parents, and it creates a virtual space where so many vital communications and interactions can be completed.

ParentSquare provides a consistent and reliable way to communicate within the school and school district, fostering and building the relationships that promote better communication, student success, and family engagement.

Enhance Collaboration Through Digital Learning Spaces

By establishing a specific location for students to access class resources, find out about assignments, and to ask questions, we can provide the support that students need to be successful. Some of the ways that I have used Edmodo and Google Classroom are to curate and provide resources, post daily assignments or reminders, announce upcoming class events, and to be accessible for student questions. Depending on the platform you use, it is easy to update the site and it is also a good way to help parents stay informed of what is going on in the classroom. It can be a collaborative learning space for students to interact with their peers or to connect globally using additional digital tools that are all housed within one learning space. Tools like Edmodo, a blogging site, Google Classroom or creating a standalone website will help to create a connection between you, the students, and their learning.

Foster Active Discussions

Sometimes you may want to have students brainstorm an idea, participate in a scavenger hunt, share a learning experience, or just respond to a question. While we can always use the traditional tools for this in class, sometimes we may want the discussion to go beyond the class time and space. I would recommend trying either Padlet or Synth. There are so many ways to use Padlet, that if you want students to post images, record audio, upload video, or simply respond to a question, it offers all of these options in one tool. Students have come up with some great ideas for using Padlet, such as building a digital portfolio, creating a multimedia presentation, or presenting their Project Based Learning. It is a versatile tool that many educators may already be using, but may not be aware of other innovative ways to use Padlet.

Also by using Synth, a tool for podcasting, educators can provide daily class updates, add links or resources to supplement what was done in class, and even interact with other students in classrooms around the world. It enables discussions to happen at any time and is an easy tool to use for promoting discussions and helping students to share ideas. There are many ways that these tools can also add to the organization in the classroom by providing written or verbal directions and ways to reinforce instruction.

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Enhance Visualizations and Presentations

Some students are visual learners and having tools which enable them to display different types of information and content, they will be able to retain the content in a more authentic and meaningful way as they create. Infographics are useful for so many class assignments and projects that are student created, but they are beneficial for teachers to create a course syllabus, make visuals for the classroom, or to create a flipped lesson and display all of the learning materials in one graphic. Beyond creating representations of learning, they are useful for sharing information and offering ways for students or parents to contact you or access class materials. Some of the options available are Buncee, Canva, Piktochart, Smore, and Visme. It is always good practice to learn with and from the students, so try creating some new materials for your classroom as well. Perhaps create a class newsletter, or make some signs that will be useful for your learning space.

There are many ideas for how to expand the learning space and to set up different learning opportunities for students. These are just a few of the ideas that we have used and that have worked well in our classroom. Sometimes we just need to brainstorm a little or, if you want to find new ways to use some digital tools in your classroom, try asking your students. Students come up with really creative ideas and by involving them in some of the classroom decisions, they will feel more valued and have a more meaningful learning experience.

3D Bear: Bringing Augmented Reality to Every Classroom

November 21, 2018December 5, 2018Rachelle Dené Poth Leave a comment

There is so much discussion going on today about Augmented and Virtual Reality and how it can be used for education. I have signed up for a lot of alerts to keep me informed when new AR/VR tools come out or there is news about schools around the world and how they are using augmented and virtual reality to amplify student learning. Alerts arrive throughout the day and one thing is clear, these tools have tremendous potential to really engage students in a completely different kind of learning, giving them more control in the classroom.

Learning Curve

Because the concept of augmented and virtual reality seems so detailed and can be hard to grasp if you’ve not had experience with either of these, people tend to think that using these with students might be difficult or the learning curve might be too steep. Time is a huge factor when it comes to deciding what tools and methods to use in the classroom and I’m sure that there is not a single teacher who hasn’t occasionally said, if not on a daily basis, “I wish I had enough time to…” There’s always something they want to learn, something different to try that might have been on their to-do list for a really long time but they just have not been able to devote any time to it.

The great thing about tools like 3D Bear is that teachers don’t really have to spend a lot of time trying it out on their own or figuring out how to get started using it. This is what we want our students to do. We want to put tools that can engage them and more authentic and meaningful learning in their hands. Students learn more by doing and having opportunities to engage in hands-on activities, where they control the direction their learning takes. We cannot give students the answers or always show them how to do something, they have to experience some struggles. They will need to know how to problem solve, collaborate, communicate and to even create on their own as they are preparing for the future and life in general.

When thinking about adding some new technology into the classroom, we really need to focus on the why behind choosing a specific tool or method. What makes it different and what can it do differently for students, that can enhance the learning process and go beyond the traditional methods that are already being used in the classroom. What sets it apart from other options or methods you have been using? I think the answer is clear. We should select tools that help us move students to a more active role in the classroom rather than passively learning. By having students become the creators and immerse in a new learning environment, we will provide them with voice and choice in learning and lead them to explore through emerging trends in education.

Why 3D Bear

When I finally decided to get my new iPad this summer, I couldn’t wait to try out the different augmented reality apps. Actually, the whole reason that I bought the iPad was for this purpose. The first app that I tried was 3D Bear. I did not look for any tutorials, simply started clicking the options and found that it was very easy to use and a lot of fun. I was able to quickly figure out how to add items and manipulate them in the space I chose. Seeing the group of bears dancing around the middle of my table was fun. I could immediately see the potential for student learning regardless of the content area or grade level taught. Students can use it to create 3D objects in different spaces and have the opportunity to record a story to go along with it. The potential and power of storytelling in AR is awesome. What better way to have students represent their learning than to design their own story and deciding what to place in their environment and then creating a narration to go along with it.

Ideas for the Classroom and Getting Started

With so many new technologies entering the educational setting, it can be challenging to figure out which might be the best for your students. So we always want to focus on the “why” and determine what purpose will it serve that will amplify student learning. Being able to interact with and create a new learning environment through 3D Bear, will help students develop so many of the skills they need to be successful in the future. There are a lot of options for having students learn through 3D Bear. A nice feature is having access to ready-made lesson plans that can be used in any level which focus on content such as Social Studies, Math, Science, ELA and STEM, and STEAM-related topics. The lesson plans include different resources, worksheets, and links to other helpful reading materials. We can give students the opportunities to create, design and re-enact events in a more engaging way.

Features The best part of 3D Bear is the number of choices available for students and teachers to select from. There are a diverse group of objects that can be added in to create a story, making it easy to integrate this tool into any content area. Some of the object types are People, Garden, School, Animals, Holidays, Household, Emotions and even a category of funny items. There are a lot of possibilities for students to really create something authentic and meaningful when they can choose the objects to use and how to set up their scene for storytelling.

Once you log in, getting started is easy. Simply follow the tutorial that guides you through the creation process, showing you how to use the different tools to add objects and to manipulate them as you create. Or if you want to skip the tutorial, you can get started on your own. It is user-friendly and you can create something in a short period of time. There are also short video tutorials available on the 3D Bear website to help with designing, setting up classes, and exploring the lesson plans and teacher dashboard. Teachers can quickly create a class, add students, and edit class rosters directly from the app.

5 Ideas to try

About Me: Getting to know our students is fundamental to our work in the classroom. Why not have students use 3D Bear to tell a story about themselves. With so many things to choose from, students can design something to reflect who they are, share their interests and even record a narration to explain. It will be fun learning about the students using AR to tell their story.
Recreate an event: Depending on the content area you teach, why not have students recreate an event that they learned about, but tell it using different characters or themes so that they can attach more meaning to it and retain the content better. It can be fun to have students work together to come up with a twist using the augmented reality features. Learning about a famous historical period? Have students use the holiday theme or funny characters to explain key events or topics and then add narration to clarify if needed.
Design a new space: Give students an opportunity to create a “dream house”, a new school, a new building for their town or even somewhere they would like to explore. With so many options available to choose from, students will be tasked with problem-solving, critical thinking, and collaborating to brainstorm ideas with their peers. It will promote creativity and give students the opportunity to dream big and use their imagination to come up with innovative ideas.
Explain an idea or concept: Students can take a concept learned, maybe something in science class or in a math class and use the objects to create something like a biome or a diorama, or simply to visually represent something that is easier to understand by looking at it in 3D.
Special events: Something fun might be to use 3D Bear to advertise an upcoming school event or a class activity instead of the traditional flyer or newsletter format. imagine what members of the school community would think if they were able to learn about a school event by exploring it through augmented reality. There are so many choices available that it just takes a little imagination to come up with a new way to use the tool.

As teachers, there are so many things that we are responsible for and have to keep up with, that it can be difficult to stay current and relevant with all of the emerging trends when it comes to technology. Fortunately, there are tools like 3D Bear that make it easier to get started with and that provide innovative ways for students to learn. It just takes a few minutes to get started and then give the students time to explore on their own and with peers. Sign up for the teacher trial at 3D Bear! Let me know how you use it in your classroom!

Why students should blog

November 1, 2018November 2, 2018Rachelle Dené Poth 3 Comments

What Are The Benefits Of Student Blogging?

What are some ways to assess students and engage them more in conversation? How can we help students to become more confident in expressing their ideas and more comfortable in sharing their ideas in and out of class? Good question.

As I have reflected more on my practice over the past couple of years, I have realized that I needed to make some changes. One of the most important areas has been finding ways to better differentiate and personalize my instruction and to empower students to take responsibility for their learning and have an opportunity to express themselves more.

Teachers have so many options to choose from when it comes to technology, and it can be a challenge to decide where or how to start. The best advice I can share is to find one area that you feel like you can improve upon, or maybe there is something that takes a lot of your time or does not offer students enough opportunities to participate in class, just to name a few. A couple of years ago, I started to have my students blog. I had read blogs for several years, had only recently started writing my own, and thought they offered a great opportunity to learn about a lot of different topics in short passages.

While tremendously beneficial for the reader, it seemed like a great way for the “blogger” to share ideas and even helpful hints to anybody who wanted to learn just a little bit more about a topic. Blogs are great for those who do not have time to read a book and want to follow or learn about specific topics. It is also a great way to express oneself. With this in mind, I started having my students write blogs in Spanish and I chose Kidblog for them.

Choosing A Blogging Platform

There are many blogging platforms available, depending on your grade level, the specific platform needs and also funding if needed. On a personal level, I have used Blogger, Word Press and Edublogs. These are great options and there are many other ways to share a blog, and depending on what your personal needs are and how you would like to incorporate blogging into your classroom, you may decide to use any one of these. But for my students when I started, I began with Kidblog in my Spanish II, III and IV courses.

At first many of the students were quite apprehensive about writing and worried about who would be reading their work and there was the fear of writing correctly and making mistakes. These are all common concerns for anybody when confronting something that’s new and different than what has been the traditional way of doing things, especially when it comes to the classroom setting.

I had never written a blog myself until I was asked to write one for a few Edtech companies and share how I was using the tools in my classroom. I was apprehensive at first, having no experience writing a blog at that time. I was not sure where to begin nor how I would write so many words. However, it’s true what they say, once you take that first step you can keep moving. It’s just that getting started is the most difficult part, finding the right words, learning about your writing style, it’s all part of the process.

What Are The Benefits Of Student Blogging?

The blogger has the benefit of improving writing skills whether in basic grammar structures in English or learning foreign language skills as is the case for my Spanish students, or for other courses, learning to write in a specific way whether it be persuasive text or narrative for example. And the theme can be relevant to any course or personal interest topic. An additional benefit is the ability to share ideas and experiences, enabling people to learn from each other.

Blogging enables you to write freely about your ideas and thoughts, and you can choose to share them or you can keep them private, but the end result is that you have a way to express yourself, be creative and can then use it as a means for personal growth and reflection.

All of my students in Spanish II, III and IV have accounts for blogging and sometimes I will give them a prompt and other times I leave it up to them to write about whatever they feel like writing about. I do set guidelines for the blog to be a certain length, a number of words, or specific verb tenses, but I really want it to be a way for them to express themselves, be creative and have it be more personalized.

Getting Started

Before we begin blogging and throughout the year, I continue to emphasize that it’s really important to remember a couple of things. The purpose of the blog is to work on writing skills and that means their own skills and not those enhanced by trying to use a translator. They need to put forth the effort and try to write in Spanish, in my case, while keeping in mind some of the grammar, vocabulary, and verbs that we have learned in class. And finally, they need to read the feedback from me, or if they are paired with a classmate, peer-review and not worry about any errors. I reinforce that we’re all in this together to help each other learn and grow and that it’s okay to make a mistake. While my experience is with students studying a foreign language, you can apply these same parameters to any course.

I use the blogs as a way to have them work with a new vocabulary unit on their own. I let them get into small groups and take turns writing and then commenting on blogs, but either way, I read them all. I can learn more about what their needs are in terms of language skills, but I also learn more about them as a person and it helps to build relationships with them as well.

Final Thoughts

Blogging can be used for many purposes and can be a regular activity or maybe it’s something that you would do occasionally, depending on your class. It could be a great way for students to write their interpretation of something they read in English or in a history course for example. I have written blogs for graduate coursework and at times, I am still apprehensive because I am putting my ideas out there for somebody else to read and I think it’s natural to feel a little bit afraid of expressing yourself openly, but that’s what the purpose is. We need to feel free to share our thoughts, to communicate with others, and to build connections. These are all important parts of the learning process.

So think about blogging. Whether it means you find a blog to read, start to write your own blog once a week, once a month or try it out in one of your classes. I will tell you that it can amount to a lot of reading when you have your students do it, but it’s completely worth it for you and for them. And don’t be afraid to take a chance with it, we learn from our experiences and we reflect and continue to grow.

Among the benefits of students blogging?

Student autonomy and student engagement
Promotes student choice and builds confidence in writing and in communicating
The natural “cognitive load” of the writing process. Writing is hard and writing that will actually be read by someone outside the classroom is another thing altogether. Students need to share their work.
21st-century skills, collaborating, thinking critically, and publishing ideas with authentic audiences.
Opportunities to practice digital literacy and citizenship, very important to include in our classroom.

If you have any questions or comments I’d love to hear from you, happy blogging!

A better way to track growth and promote reflection

October 26, 2018October 25, 2018Rachelle Dené Poth Leave a comment

Published on Kidblog

Assessments used to track student progress are certainly not new to teachers. However, it is important to consider that if you consistently use the same tool for assessment, these materials should be curated and referred to throughout the year. This ensures a conversation can happen between teachers, students, and guardians, reviewing progress and growth.

Kidblog offers extended options for promoting student choice, giving students ownership in learning, and facilitating communication between home and school (family engagement in learning is critical for student success). Over the years, I have tried to encourage students to keep prior assessments or writing assignments as artifacts of their work to share with families. It wasn’t long before these papers were misplaced and the opportunities for review, reflection and growth disappeared. Using Kidblog’s built-in digital portfolios empower students to self-regulate learning and develop their metacognitive skills. It also allows a conversation between student, teacher, and families happen.

Tracking growth in a more accessible way

There are many benefits of using safe student publishing that go beyond simply blogging and improving communication skills. Through Kidblog, students gain the tools necessary to prepare for their future with the skills they need to be successful.

Promotes digital literacy and citizenship: Blogging engages students in building their writing skills whether it be basic English grammar, practicing foreign language skills, or learning to write in a specific format such as a persuasive text or narrative. Students can share their posts with classmates and provide feedback to one another. Peer assessment builds student collaboration skills and promotes digital citizenship and the responsible use of digital tools.
Track their growth: Students build their online presence and create their own space unique to their needs. They develop confidence as they become more creative in their expression and learn to self-assess with each blog post they write. Because Kidblog offers a safe learning space, students can get started by writing posts that are private, visible by the teacher, and then continue to grow their audience, sharing their work with classmates, connections, and beyond. Using Kidblog across multiple courses provides students with an even greater opportunity to track their progress across the course of a semester, school year, or even year-over-year.

Build relationships and become confident learners: Receiving feedback throughout the learning journey is critical to student growth. However, some students may be hesitant in sharing their thoughts with their peers in the classroom. Through blogging, when students create their own online space, they can comfortably begin to develop their voice, express their thoughts in a personal space, and become more confident learners. The relationships that form by sharing their work at first with their teacher and then by publishing it to a larger community have a tremendous impact on student growth. Publishing work to a wider audience benefits the student through the additional feedback that can be provided. Students know their work is having an impact on readers.
Goal setting: When students consistently create through blogging, they can use their history (in digital portfolios) as a guide to push forward with goals. Each student can use Kidblog as a space to set personal learning goals. By publishing their goals in the class, they are held accountable and, in turn, will be motivated to hit those goals. Preparing students for their future requires that we provide opportunities for them to learn responsibility, to work within a schedule with different tasks and timelines.

Personal expression and growth mindset: Kidblog provides a space for students to explore their passions, be creative, and reflective. Students have the opportunity to share these passions with the world, and hopefully, make a connection with another student based off of these passions.

Consider adopting Kidblog as your tool for promoting student growth and formative assessment. Teacher premium memberships are a great way for an individual teacher to pilot Kidblog in all their classes, with benefits like automatic digital portfolio curation for your students, a class page, moderation tools to customize your audience levels per post, and so much more.

Digital Citizenship Week

October 17, 2018October 15, 2018Rachelle Dené Poth Leave a comment

5 resources to help students — and teachers — understand copyright law

Originally posted on ISTE

As educators, we provide opportunities for students to research and create using new media and technologies.

When students create a presentation, make a video or write a report, it is important that they understand not only how to evaluate the sources of information, but also how to properly cite where they obtained the information. Students also need to understand how to access information, repurpose various media and create their own works while respecting the laws of copyright.

It’s our job to model responsible use for students and guide them to find resources.

Keeping track of copyright law can seem daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. There are quite a few quality resources to help you ensure that your students are practicing good digital citizenship. Here are my five favorite resources for understanding and teaching copyright law:

Common Sense Education.

This is the education arm of Common Sense Media. It provides resources and activities that help students develop a better understanding of copyright as well as topics related to digital citizenship. Some of the activities include self-directed activities, where students respond to prompts that help them to navigate through online safety and copyright issues. The site also offers a series of videos that can help students — and educators — understand the ins and outs of copyright.

The Center for Copyright Information.

The site provides information and resources to help students, parents and teachers understand how to access information and how to properly and legally use it. The site offers videos with explanations of copyright infringement, how copyright alerts work and many links for how to search for digital media, including movies, TV and music.

21things4students.

This site, which earned the ISTE Seal of Alignment for Readiness, allows students to learn 21 themes related to using digital media, several of which cover copyright and other ethical issues. Students watch a video and then work through a series of tasks to achieve a goal and level of completion. For some tasks, students can earn badges and print a certificate.

Internet Education Foundation.

This site provides resources and lessons to help students learn their rights and responsibilities under copyright and fair-use laws. The emphasis is on helping students become good critical thinkers and active contributors and savvy consumers of digital media.

Brainpop.

This paid resource for educators has an entire section on copyright and fair use. Educators can post assignments on movie making, coding and more that help students learn about copyright. Students then complete various activities, like making a video, that demonstrates their understanding of copyright and fair use while allowing them to express their creativity.

As educators, it is our responsibility to provide opportunities for students to interact online, to be creative and to develop the digital literacy skills they need for the future. To do this, we need to provide resources and teach them how to better understand copyright law.