Technology fail

Today was kind of a disaster. Documents weren't loading correctly because I had emailed students a document where the pages were landscape and docs just wouldn't do that. I also realized I was lacking a digital copy of one of the placards with information, so I took a picture and emailed it to myself and forwarded it to the students. The first period bell rang without me knowing class was over so there was no clean up time with the laptops and students were scrambling. I felt like a complete failure, but I didn't give up and I felt like it got easier every period. I got the idea to ditch the doc and use a presentation instead, which worked really well. Students were looking up definitions, filling out spreadsheets, and answering questions about data charts. I feel like it was straight digital replacement of worksheets, but at least they learned a basic understanding of putting items into a spreadsheet. They are getting information together because they will be creating a tourism commercial for a Middle Eastern country. I am unsure of how it will go, but it should be interesting. I feel like I am giving them a lot of freedom, which could be a great thing and it could be a disaster.

The students finished their Prezi timelines today and as they walked in I had students ask if we were doing any more because "they were kind of fun," which is something I have never heard about a timeline before.

I'm looking back on the digital things that I have taught them, and in 2 weeks we have used documents (shared with everyone, shared with only me, private), creating tables in docs, filling out forms, Google image search copying image and copy image URL, filling out spreadsheets, creating spreadsheets, creating Prezis, researching, taking screenshots and putting them into docs, and more I'm sure. I think this is amazing.

Timeline is messing with my timeline!

So this timeline project is taking way longer than I thought it was going to and I'm okay with that for this year, but I'm worried about how long things will take next year. Part of the stipulation with this pilot was that is be curriculum driven and I stay on pace with the department. Since it is the end of the year it doesn't really matter, but I'm thinking for next year: how is this all going to work?

I know it is not for lack of trying because students are making a serious effort, even coming in at lunch to work because they "want it to be awesome," which just makes me ecstatic. I realized a couple things today, including that it is important when signing up for thing like Prezi, we need to check to make sure students receive the email saying they joined or keep track of the URL to what they were working on to be able to get back. A student also gave me the idea that all students should have a document where they save all their passwords, but I feel like that might not be a great idea. Maybe an app to keep track of them all.

I've been thinking more about next year and thinking about logistics. Will I need to put a special section in the syllabus to explain that we will be a laptop classroom? I am waiting to hear more about this from District.

Timelines via Prezi

I've seen people do amazing things with prezi.com and thought there would be a way to make a timeline using it, but in the end I decided to leave it up to the students. I provided them with information on four Arab/Israeli conflicts and asked them to summarize the information, decide the best choice of action given the circumstances, and add a picture from Google. The students got to decide the template they wanted to use and design the rest however they wanted to. Some students ran with this freedom, but others struggled and wanted me to confirm what they were doing was correct constantly. In terms of using the program, many were able to play with it comfortably while others were confused or frustrated at it not doing what they wanted it to do.I was surprised by the students that became leaders in the classroom and disappointed in the students that continue to think they can get away with doing things they knew to be wrong.

I have a spreadsheet set up to put all students name, period, and link to their presentations, but it is accessible to every student to edit. I did this not only to make it easy to grade, but also because I wanted students to know other people could access their presentations. I feel it is important to open the audience to make students feel more inclined to do better work. I told the students if anyone messed with other students' work in any way they would receive a zero. They are also aware that this is not the place to goof around. Unfortunately one student wrote "Hi, how are you" in the spreadsheet, quickly deleting it, and thinking he got away with it. After looking through the revision history I had a talk with him and asked him flat out "Did you think what you were doing was wrong before you did it?" and he admitted yes, but thought it would be funny. As consequences go, he lost the laptop for a week and will instead get a paper timeline to complete as did the other five who are without laptops right now due to consequences. I think students are realizing that it is serious and not fun to be the only one without technology. "Tech down, eyes up" is also working really well to allow me to be in the front explaining something and then letting students loose and watching from the back.

There are many students that are willing to help other students and then are eager to get back to work because they are engaged in the task. I was even thanked by a student for showing them tools within Drive because they have an old computer with a lot of problems and had to write a research paper,but Drive took so much stress off them knowing that their work was saved and they didn't have to start over. I'm so happy to be able to show students these tools to make things easier for them.

By George, I think She's Got It!

I tried out the geography game/quiz today and it was amazing. http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/Middle-east_Geography.htm was fin and engaging for students. There were numerous positive comments and at the end of the day some student left thinking I just let them play all day, which in a way I guess I did. The website has a tutorial to teach students where things are and then levels to progress through. I had students working toward mastery, so they did level 1 until they got 100%. Only one student was unable to complete this task. I showed step by step how to take a screenshot and upload it into a Google Doc so they could show me their score for credit. This worked well because they did not have to be perfect from the outset, but rather could improve and do better. This took pressure off the students and the atmosphere in the room was electric. Students that finished early were told to try level 2 and when they got 100% to screenshot and add it to their doc to show me. After that they were asking me if they could continue to levels 3, 4, and above. One student finished level 7! They were laughing ("It's like a puzzle!"), challenging each other (I'm on level 3, what level are you on?), and assisting in helping others with technology issues. Students were considerate and willing to honestly help rather than chastise one another, which was great to see. Today felt like the world opened up for both the students and me, because I saw a glimpse of what teaching with the laptops from the beginning of the year could do and how engaged and happy to learn students could be.

Procedures are also coming together. In the morning as students enter they are now allowed to get the laptop and follow a specific way of moving about the classroom. They go up specific aisles and down others. The laptops are not opened until I tell them to, which is not until they are quiet so they can hear all directions. I have started to use, "Tech down, eyes up" when I need to make sure their focus is on me and not split between me and what they are doing. Some students are starting to call me "strict" and they want things to go back to how they were, but I think most understand that the laptops are a privilege and just as they can lose them, so can I and I think they are an amazing tool and a gift that should be treated with respect.

Finally thinking outside that stupid box

For the most part I was very happy with the progress my students made with doing different things inside of Docs and tasks within Forms. Unfortunately in one class I had quite a few students that lost the laptop privilege because they were typing in other people's assignments. They had been warned day one, but unfortunately decided to do it anyway. I am debating about whether or not to show the students what I actually see with revision history or not. Students were surprised by the paper document and honestly, I disliked using it with the laptops. It seemed like a waste. I will have to keep this in mind.

I was proud of my own realization today though. I was going back and forth about how to do geography with the laptops and today I found my out of the box answer. Before I had always handed students a blank map and they used their book to fill it in. I thought I should use Google maps somehow, but I don't have much time this year before the semester is over. I decided this would be a good idea for next year, but what about now? Do I print out the blank maps and just have them fill it in from the internet? After the experience today I thought it would not be a good idea. Then remembered what I told my students today, "Tell Google what you want and it will usually give it to you." I used my own advice and stopped typing in "1:1 maps" "laptop classroom maps" and so on, and instead typed in "Middle East Map" Some of the first things I got were online games and quizzes! I am going to have them use http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/Middle-east_Geography.htm tomorrow and see how it goes. They will be able to work til mastery and take a screenshot of their score for a grade. Those that do not have a laptop will be given the old blank paper maps to fill in.

A friend recommended this video. A real inspiration about relationships with students.
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/ted-talks-education/speaker/rita-pierson/
"kids don't learn from people they don't like"
"you will not like all your students, but they should never know it"
"This job is tough, but it is not impossible"

The journey begins

Today I started doing actual lessons with Drive and I think it worked out well. The students were commenting that this was so much better than writing. Some had some difficultly, but I think opening up the backchannel and allowing for conversations to go on, even if they were slightly off topic added to the thrill and seemingly scandalousness of the situation.  They felt like they were getting away with something even though they were doing what I told them to do.

The assignment itself was simple enough and really just switched out a laptop for pen and paper to comment and create questions about a series of pictures as an introduction to the Middle East unit we are starting. I would say overall success.

1:1 Day 1

Yesterday being Teacher Appreciation Day, I thought it was appropriate that this was the roll out day for the Chromebooks. I didn't plan it, but it was nice. I work very hard every day to bring a meaningful experience to students, but sometimes that is difficult when we are so confined to four walls and a board. Yes, I can show them things, and ask them questions, but I've always wanted my students to be creators. Now I have been given that chance.

I started out yesterday with tech people to help students who didn't know their passwords or were having some tech issues, so it went rather smoothly. Once everyone was in we did an intro to the touchpad since there are some shortcuts. I explained all the icons at the bottom and we went into Drive. Student immediately thought we were going to write a research paper because that is all they believe can be done. Depending on how long log in took, some classes stopped there. Others were able to create a table and label the categories.

In terms of management, I did have a couple instances where students were playing in other people's assignment and they have lost the laptop for a day or two depending on the severity. Today I will open up the backchannel for conversation because I believe it is important for them to talk, but I would rather I be able to moderate it.

Overall, for day 1 I think it was a success!