My Beauty Best Teacher

I recently posed a question on my Teacher Garden Facebook fan page, asking for ideas of how to use QR codes in the classroom. While I was unable to obtain any more ideas, Lori over at Conversations in Literacy asked for some of my ideas, so I was propelled to do some more research over QR codes in the classroom. I was surprised by what I found!

I originally posted that I was still unsure of their uses, and I could only find a few ways to use them in the classroom. Well, gone are those days! :) After using Pinterest and Google to help, I have collected a fairly wide variety of ways to use QR codes in the classroom. Here is a list of ways I've found so far. If I found the idea elsewhere, I've linked up to it, so just click the idea to be taken to the original source!

1. Connect QR codes to a Google doc. Print QR codes on stickers and attach them to all of your library materials (could be books, iPods, etc.) available for student checkout. Ask students to scan the QR code to check out/in materials. The Technology Tips blog used QR codes to check out equipment, and the author there gives more details as to how to set up the Google doc to make it all possible.
2. Scott Sibberson blogged about connecting a QR code to the "picture of the week" and using it as sort-of an anticipatory set to get students thinking about upcoming information.
3. Along the same lines as number three, you could connect a QR code to a writing prompt (text or picture...I've heard of people using National Geographic's picture of the day as a daily bellringer writing prompt!) and ask students to scan it upon entering the room. They could then use the text/picture they receive as "writing fuel."
4. Scott Sibberson also blogged about connecting QR codes to quiz websites (like QuizStar) and asking students to take the quizzes either inside or outside of class.
5. Finally, Mr. Sibberson also suggested linking QR codes to the assessment/assignment of the day and posting each individual QR code on a large class calendar. Absent students could scan the QR code to have immediate access to information they missed. Since you can link a QR code to pretty much anything, you could show kids the Prezi presentation you made, a YouTube clip that enhanced learning, a PDF-version of the assignment, a picture slideshow of their classmates completing physical/social activity...whatever! I really like this idea, but I'm just not sure how well I would be able to keep up with it. ;)
6. I really love this idea, captured on livinglocurto's Instagram: use a QR code to connect to a Bully-reporting website or hotline! I'm not sure how practical it is -- I know a lot of kids wouldn't want to be caught scanning that code, but maybe the QR code would make it so "cool" that everyone would be scanning it, just to have something to scan. (Remember, part of the fun of QR codes is the novelty of it at this point!)
7. Along the same lines as number six, counselors (or teachers) could generate QR codes to suicide hotlines, informational websites about ADD or ADHD, etc. and post them around the school or in their office. Although I understand that not all school counselors are certified to diagnose mental disorders or learning disabilities, I think the ones who are could generate a QR code to a questionnaire about cetain disorders. For instance, if a student wanted to get a quick-read about whether or not she was depressed (to know if it was something she needed to worry about and talk to an adult about), this student could scan a QR code to a quick checklist of attributes that depressed persons usually have. If she checked positive for x number of the attributes, she would know to talk to an adult about what could potentially be clinical depression. This might be great for junior high and high school students, where a quick scan of a QR code is all you need to get the information. A lot of times, those students are too embarrassed to stand and study information on a poster like that, so the ability to scan and read on the go would be invaluable.
8. Attach a QR code to a Mapquest or Google Maps link and put it on fliers for Open Houses or seminars, particularly if you have a large school district. People could scan the code and be given directions as to how to get to an event.
9. Spinning off of idea number eight, maybe you could also attach addresses/contact information to QR codes and put them on things like basketball schedules or StuCo meeting signs!
10. When giving a presentation in class, instead of handing out paper copies of your presentation to everyone, maybe you just hand them a QR code to scan and view while you present. You're still handing out paper, but you're probably saving a ton of it, since QR codes can be pretty tiny and still work!
11. For textbooks or novels, create a QR code that links to a Wallwisher or specific Twitter hashtag. Give copies of the code to all students and ask them to participate in a discussion on that text. Mr. Mitchell's blog is where I originally found the ideas for Wallwisher and making text interactive; I added the thoughts about a Twitter hashtag myself. :) 
12. The Primary Bits and Bytes blog wrote a post about QR codes and a new thing called StickyBits. Basically, the author describes QR codes as a one-way information system, and StickyBits is the more advanced older brother: it actually allows anyone to add information to the link. (I foresee a blog post on StickyBits coming up soon!) Although the author of Primary Bits and Bytes really intended for these ideas to be used with StickyBits, there are some that can be used with QR codes. ...One of my favorites is the idea for students to review books in the classroom library on some type of website (Shelfari?). Afterwards, generate a QR code, print it onto a sticker, and stick it to the back of the library book. I love that students can get instant access to classmates' reviews -- those reviews are so powerful!
13. Also from Primary Bits and Bytes, you could create a treasure hunt for students using QR codes. Each QR code would have to take students to a clue -- text, graphic, video, podcast of you speaking a riddle...whatever! -- that they would use to find the next clue in the hunt.
14. Along the same lines as number thirteen, I like the idea of going on a textbook or novel hunt. My instructor during a Great Expectations course for secondary students detailed how to do a textbook hunt (basically asking students to get "the big picture" by way of a competitive worksheet activity), but I know there's got to be a way to incorporate QR codes! I'm still working on developing this one... when I figure it out, I'll let ya know. :)
15. Primary Bits and Bytes suggests asking students to make YouTube videos to explain how they reached the end of math problems. Instead of just writing the answer, students make the videos and attach them to the book or answer sheet for you to watch/grade.
16. Along the same lines as number fifteen, you could generate a QR code to a homework help website, a helpful YouTube explanation video, etc. on the top of homework. If students struggle at home with the assignment, they could review extra explanations instantly.
17. Primary Bits and Bytes suggests sticking a code on the front of a student's binder/folder/journal and using it as a way to add feedback. The author also suggests doing this for homework.
18. Along the same lines as number seventeen, what if we made a personal webpage or blog for each student in the class? We could generate QR codes and give them to each student and parent. Throughout the year, that could be used as an on-going feedback to evaluate not only assignments, but behavior and social growth, as well. I suppose it could also be used as sort of an instant messager system to relay information like absences or transportation changes! I would say this would be a great opportunity to use Wallwisher, but I like the idea of all feedback being obviously chronological; this way, everyone could see the student's progress as the year goes on!
19. Spinning off of number eighteen, what about using QR codes as access to a student's online portfolio? Students could link up to their Dropbox or LiveBinder accounts, and teachers could use the codes to quickly access progress or give final grades!
20. Primary Bits and Bytes suggests using QR codes to enhance hallway decorations. I like to use a "virtual 'fridge" to display wonderful work on my classroom website. I could definitely see myself generating a QR code to go directly to that virtual 'fridge to let everyone in the school know who, in my classroom, has recently done outstanding work.
21. Along the same lines as number twenty, we could also use QR codes in our hallway decor for Open House or conference nights. You could display students' pictures (or self-portraits) on the bulletin board, and attach a QR code to their latest and greatest achievement right next to each student. Parents could get a "quick response" on what positive things have been happening for that kid lately!
22. This Pinterest picture was uploaded by a user, so there's no way for me to link to any blog about it, but it suggests using QR codes as a way to spice up test reviews. I assume each of those QR codes on their test review page will show some sort of math review on the screen. It does seem like a lot of extra hoops to jump through, but it would be good to use every once in a while, just to get the kids something different!
23. As mentioned in my original post about QR codes, you could always put your contact information in the form of a QR code on a class syllabus or even at the bottom of your class newsletter! Parents/students could scan the code and automatically have their phones call or text you for help/information.
24. Maybe using Google docs, Survey Monkey, or some form of online quiz, you could use QR codes to take attendance. Post the code at the front of the room with a new "warm-up question" each morning. Students scan and input their responses as soon as they come in the door. You can take attendance by seeing who responded to the warm-up. ...Elementary students could also take a "quiz" over what kind of lunch they'd like for the day, so you'd get attendance and a lunch count, all in one!
25. Prior a field trip with younger students, you could link contact information for the school to a QR code, and print the codes onto square stickers. Each student could be required to wear the sticker all day long! It's more subtle than student name tags (which can be dangerous) and less expensive than matching t-shirts! ...If you planned on doing this often, you could always print your QR code onto something more heavy-duty, like a bracelet or necklace, and hand those out to the kids prior to the trip. Their ticket off the bus and to their home is to give you back the QR coded accessory. :)
26. As per Classroom in the Cloud: For daily homework or a study guide, link a QR code to the answers, and place the code at the bottom or on the backside of the handout. Allow students to check answers this way to make sure they're studying correctly!
27. As per Classroom in the Cloud: Have each teacher create a picture slideshow or video that tells about themselves, and post the QR codes to those shows on each teacher's door. Classroom in the Cloud suggests allowing parents/students to scan the codes and "meet" teachers during Open House night this way.
28. Spinning off of number twenty-seven: why not attach these "Meet Your Teacher" QR codes to every kid's schedule when it is mailed/given out prior to the beginning of the school year? Every kid could "meet" their teacher, even if he/she couldn't be there for the actual open house night!
29. Also spinning off of number twenty-seven, if you had to leave during conference night or Open House  night, perhaps you could post an introductory/explanatory video (in the form of a QR code) on your door so that everyone could still "talk" to you, even though you couldn't be there!
30. Also via Classroom in the Cloud: create a series of graphic/video QR codes prior to a field trip. Pass out the codes and tell kids when to scan them. It's like a personal tour without you having to yell it over the roar of the bus!
31. Twitter user @duckinwales suggested attaching audio files to QR codes and giving them to ELL students so they could listen to the correct pronunciation.
32. Spinning off of idea number thirty-one, teachers of early readers could attach audio files of themselves reading a book or giving center instructions and have students scan the code when they need help.
33. I've already mentioned placing a QR code at the top of a syllabus or classroom newsletter in order to give your contact information. But Michael Bromby also suggests linking an Amazon search for your class's needed reading material for the semester/year onto a QR code. Pretty clever! Students will have instant access to the title/author/ISBN of each book needed and can even order it directly from their smartphone!
34. Spinning off of idea number thirty-three, what if teachers created an Amazon wish list filled with the necessary school supplies for the year? Generate a QR code to that wish list and allow students to reference it on their smartphone when they're in the store or even purchase it from their smartphone and have it delivered directly to their home!
35. Twitter user @LRDow suggested generating QR codes for specific web pages on your class website and placing those codes directly on the page it links to. To share this information with their friends, students only have to pass on the QR codes -- not the entire link.
36. For art teachers who display students' artwork in your galleries: post a QR code with the child's name and mugshot right next to it so that students are credited with the work without defacing their art with unecessary writing.
37. Tired of turning in lesson plans every week, but still need to find a way for admin and parents to immediately see what your class is doing and what objectives you're covering? Upload your lesson plans to your class website and then post a QR code outside your classroom with a link to the lesson plans. Admin only has to scan your code to figure out what your students are learning at that very moment.
38. Place QR codes in yearbooks that link to audio and video of students!
39. I use a homework buddy system with my older students: at the beginning of the semester, I ask them to find 4 classmates they think they can trust and to exhange contact information with them. When someone is absent, students don't come to me to find out what they missed; instead, they ask a homework buddy (or check our class website). Twitter user @raganmd suggests asking students to fill out contact information (phone numbers, email addresses, personal website URLS) on a website called Jump Scan, and then generating the QR code for each Jump Scan profile. I could easily see this working with my homework buddies program; the information auomatically ends up in your phone!
40. Twitter user @mrrobbo suggests attaching QR codes to physical models. For instance, on a classroom skeleton, attach QR codes with informational videos/links about each part of the body.
41. Twitter user @mrrobbo also suggests creating a "choose your own adventure" story experience for reading students. (I'm thinking of those RL Stine books I used to read in elementary school; some of them were "choose your own adventure" stories.) Create an exciting sentence for a story, and then ask readers to make a decision. If they choose option 1, scan code #1. If they choose option #2, scan code #2. Brilliant!
42. Twitter user @NigelKirkham said he an audio file in his public Dropbox folder and created a QR code for the public folder's link. Scanning the code enabled users to listen to the file!

Ideas #35, 39, 40, 41, and 42 were found on @TomBarrett's Google docs presentation on ways to use QR codes in the classroom.

These are all the ideas I've been able to find so far, but I think it's an excellent starting point! If you have any other ideas for using QR codes in the classroom, I would love it if you left them in a comment! You could also scan this QR code and leave a comment on The Teacher Garden Facebook fan page. :)
Happy QR-ing!



P.S. There's a great website I just found out about (courtesy of commenter #1, Matt) that is centered around using QR codes in the classroom! Here's the link in case you'd like to check it out!

After my last post over FlipSnack, I've sort-of been salivating over the rest of SnackTools's apps. I thought I'd go ahead and do a series of posts over the rest of their options, too. This particular post will feature PodSnack, the free audio playlist you can embed onto your social networking pages, blogs, and classroom websites!

I was first introduced to podcasting in 2010 while I was teaching 8th grade ELAR. A history/government teacher from down the hall used them to record her lectures and post them to her class webpage. I thought it was so neat and began to do the same thing. Now, of course, I realize there are lots of ways to get students involved with the podcast project, but I was young and naive at the time. :) If you've read other parts of my blog, I'm sure you know now that the super-easy podcast hosting website I was using in 2010 no longer works (*cue my hysterical sobbing*), and I have been unable to find a replacement that I love just as much.

I've posted a few other websites that may be able to help me fill my podcasting-void, but I just haven't been able to love them as much as I loved my original hosting site.
After further review, I think PodSnack may be able to help me, but I'm still on the hunt for a replacement to my beloved hosting site. (PodSnack has some great features, but the free version doesn't allow me to upload anything longer than 5 minutes. My podcasts are always longer than 5 minutes!) Although I probably won't use PodSnack extensively in my classroom, I'll go ahead and tell you about it, just in case it can help you.

PodSnack is actually intended to host music files, but I detest putting musical playlists on websites (unless you're a music or drama teacher). I think it's so pretentious to assume that all of my readers will enjoy my type of music! So I would never post a musical playlist for you. Instead, I would use PodSnack in a slightly unconventional way: to post podcasts.
Since PodSnack is FlipSnack's sister site (all children of SnackTools), there are many similarities. Although, since FlipSnack is for PDF files and PodSnack is for mp3 files, there are some slight differences. See for yourself all of PodSnack's cool features:

1. You can use it for free. 
2. You can publish it on several different websites (think: personal website and social media websites). There's an embed code so that viewers can actually see the playlist on your website instead of having to follow an external link to see anything. I really like this because it might allow me to continue to use the free version of Weebly and still upload audio files!
3. It uses Flash when posted on regular websites. Still hunting for anything that tells me it's available on iPhone/iPad...
4. There are several customization options so that you can personalize the playlist(s) in a variety of ways. 
5. You can upload up to 100 tracks per playlist!
6. You can insert links into your playlist (say, if you're a budding artist who wants to sell your new jams...this may be for you).
7. Many, many people can view your playlist for free. The way I understand it, people with a free membership can have a max of 25,000 views per day on sites external to PodSnack (VIP members get 50,000 views). Pretty convenient. I don't ever expect to reach that 25,000 view maximum, anyway, so I don't see this as a problem. 
8. You can display your playlist in a few different ways: audio player with a playlist (so you can see all the songs on the list), progress bar player, or mini player. I think each is nice in its own way!

The website only allows users to upload mp3 files. If you don't have the proper files, you can actually select songs from YouTube to add to your list. I think that feature is pretty neat!

As for podcasting, I'm not sure exactly how it works on a PC, but I know that I make my podcasts on my Mac with GarageBand. Those usually record in a .band format, but I found a way to convert them to mp3. This seems like a long process just to get an audio file on the web for my kids, but... dedicated teachers must press on!
Anyway, now that you know about all the great features, let me give you some details about the $$ involved:

• There is a free version, but, as with most websites, there are a few limitations. The free version puts a "watermark" on all playlists. Actually, the way they describe it, it's more of a "jingle" that gets attached to all of your songs (I'm thinking cheesy/annoying catchphrase or something, although I haven't verified this yet). 
• There's also an upload limitation that goes into effect for each free playlist: 5 tracks, each with a max time of 5 minutes. (Sigh.)
• You can have the watermark removed from playlists by purchasing points. It costs 8 points in order to do this, and the price of the points varies, based on how many you purchase at a time. (A purchase of 10 points will run you $19, a purchase of 25 points will run you $39, a purchase of 50 points will run you $49...you get the picture. There's a slight discount when you buy points in bulk.)
• If you don't want to mess with the limitations at all, you can always purchase a VIP membership for $14/month. This membership actually gives you premium access to all of SnackTools's apps, so you're getting quite a bit for your money. (Although, I'd really appreciate the ability to just buy a premium membership to ONE app, but maybe they'll implement that later!)

Unfortunately, I don't think I'll be including an example in this post, like I did for my FlipSnack post.  I don't have any current podcasts I'd like to share, and my hopes have been slightly deflated, since the free PodSnack version only allows 5 minute uploads. If you've used PodSnack in your classroom, please free to comment below and tell me how it's worked for you!

I don't even remember how I stumbled onto this particular website (blog-hopping, most likely!), but its Firefox tab has been staring me in the face for about a week, so I figured I'd better go ahead and write about it! :)

Have you ever made a classroom book? I have yet to do that as a teacher, but I made one myself when I was in the 4th grade. I created the entire thing (from cover to illustrations to text), and my beloved teacher had it bound professionally so it looked as though I had been "published." She made two copies: one for me and one for my school's library, so that my peers could actually check the book out and read it! I was in awe.

Fast forward to this Christmas, when I had the pleasure of watching my niece give her dad a very similar book as a gift. There is just something priceless about seeing your own words and illustrations look like a "real" book. There's no doubt in my mind that being a "published author" in elementary school is something that would drive kids to write more!

Unfortunately, while it doesn't have to be expensive to professionally bind a book, it's not necessarily cheap, either.  And, if you follow this blog, you know how I am: rather geeky and tech-oriented in my classroom. I won't ever go so far as to say that "real" books are out of style, but I do know that many people gravitate toward eBooks. I also know that eBooks are a lot easier (and cheaper) to get published. So...why not use that to our advantage in the classroom?

Enter FlipSnack (a part of SnackTools). This website gives you the option to upload PDF documents and convert them into an eBook of sorts.

FlipSnack was originally intended to help website users/bloggers "create stylish digital flipping books out of your PDF documents. You can use it to share or embed into your website or blog all kinds of documents, from books to newspapers and magazines."

I could see myself and fellow teachers using FlipSnack to post assignments to our classroom websites, examples on our blogs, and/or eBooks that feature student work! While the think the first two are really cool, it's the last option that excites me the most. I've been posting assignments and examples to my websites ever since I got into teaching. But making eBooks out of student work?? I've never done that before!

Here are some cool features of FlipSnack:

1. You can use it for free. 
2. You can publish it on several different websites (think: personal website and social media websites). There's an embed code so that viewers can actually see the eBook on your website instead of having to follow an external link to see anything.
3. It uses Flash when posted on regular websites, but is also optimized for iPhone and iPad! 
4. There are several customization options so that you can personalize the book(s) in a variety of ways. 
5. The end result looks very professional! 
6. Many, many people can view your eBook for free. The way I understand it, people with a free membership can have a max of 25,000 views per FlipSnack book per day on sites external to FlipSnack (VIP members get 50,000 views). Even after all the day's views have been exceeded, the embedded codes won't work until the next day, but users can still click the link and view the eBook on FlipSnack's page. Pretty convenient. I don't ever expect to reach that 25,000 view maximum, anyway, so I don't see this as a problem. 
7. You can enable the ability to download the file(s) inside your book.
8. Besides all the customization options inside the eBook, you can decide which type of book you'd like to make: hard cover, soft cover (looks like a magazine), or wire bound (looks like a notebook). 
9. You can display your collection of eBooks in a widget on your website. My favorite has to be the "bookshelf." ...I am already picturing converting my students' stories into FlipSnack books and then displaying them on my "virtual bookshelf" on the classroom website! (Eek! So exciting!) It will look something like this:

Source

The website only allows users to upload PDF documents, but that might actually work to your advantage. I mean, PDF documents are pretty much "un-editable," right? (I post a lot of things for my students on our classroom website in PDF format...there's no way it can print all wonky in their houses!) And it's so easy to convert files to PDFs that it really isn't a burden, even if you're originally working with Word files or something.

Now that you know about all the great features, let me give you some details about the $$ involved:

• There is a free version, but, as with most websites, there are a few limitations. The free version puts a watermark on all eBooks. There's also an upload limitation that goes into effect for each new FlipSnack book: 3 PDF files (that have a maximum of 15 pages each). So really...it's not that bad. You can work with this, folks! 
• You can have the watermark removed from individual eBooks by purchasing points. It costs 10 points in order to do this, and the price of the points varies, based on how many you purchase at a time. (A purchase of 10 points will run you $19, a purchase of 25 points will run you $39, a purchase of 50 points will run you $49...you get the picture. There's a slight discount when you buy points in bulk.)
• If you don't want to mess with the limitations at all, you can always purchase a VIP membership for $14/month. This membership actually gives you premium access to all of SnackTools's apps, so you're getting quite a bit for your money. (Although, I'd really appreciate the ability to just buy a premium membership to ONE app, but maybe they'll implement that later!)

I went ahead and created an eBook, just so I could test the website and embed my book into this post for you guys. You'll have to excuse the content of the book; the only PDF I had handy was a a set of labels I made a week or so ago in order to better organize my home! lol. But you'll still get the idea. I chose the hard cover book option, simply because it allowed me to type a title onto the cover, instead of having to make one and include it with my file uploads. I could've chosen to feature this on a bookshelf widget, but since I only have one book to show you, I figured I'd just stick to the traditional widget for now. I only uploaded one file, and it was 6 pages long. I'm going to have to play with this website a little to figure out how I'd need to arrange multiple-file uploads. Anyway, here's what I made:



(By the way, I enabled the ability for readers to download the PDF file in my book. So feel free to download these labels and use them for yourself, so long as you abide by my policies!)

So...what do you think about FlipSnack? Could you think of another classroom use for it, other than the ones I listed above? I'd love to hear your ideas! I'm seeing real potential in this website...can't wait to try out SnackTools's other apps!

Teachers are (or should be) always looking for ways to motivate students to read. Teachers around the country use prizes, points, and even threats as a means for getting their kids to read.

The Sylvan Learning Center has produced a website called Book Adventure, and it is designed in a way that reminds me of the Accelerated Reader program in a way. But not all schools pay for AR access, so if you're into AR and want it in your classroom, this option may be a cheap and easy way for you to implement it.

Kids can sign up and take quizzes, and when they get great scores, they can earn points. The points can be redeemed for prizes. There are some prizes already listed on the site, but then teachers can go on and upload their own prizes for their own personal classroom and students, too. Other perks for teachers: preview quizzes and generate reports of student progress.
I like the book finder provided. It's almost like the Scholastic Book Wizard that I wrote about a while back. In any case, book finders are always useful tools, in my opinion!
The kids' section of the site also provides some games that try to make learning more fun. A parent section makes the website complete for anyone and everyone.

It's a simple site with simple, yet effective features. Sylvan is a good company, and I don't think they would steer your student wrong.
Let me know what you think of Book Adventure!

If you haven't heard about Pinterest, or are just too confused about it right now to try it, read on! I want to explain Pinterest and why it can be a useful tool for your classroom.

What Is It?

Pinterest is basically a series of virtual corkboards onto which you can "pin" ideas. One of the fabulous things about Pinterest is that it's online, so no matter what computer you're on, if you have access to the internet, you have access to your boards! I know for sure that there is a Pinterest app for iPhone, too, so people with Apple smartphones can take their Pinterest boards and ideas with them wherever they go. Also, anyone can see your Pinterest pins, and you can see everyone else's. I know that sometimes that "no privacy" thing stinks, but in this case, it may be a good thing. Users can browse pins in whichever category they choose and "repin" to their heart's delight. Not being limited to only yours and your friends' ideas has made this website the prime site for creative inspiration.

How Does It Work?

When you log onto Pinterest, you have a profile, much like you do on Facebook or any other social networking website. Your profile contains all your boards, which contain all your pins. You get to decide how many boards and pins you have, what you name your boards, and what pins you place on each board. Pinterest users have already pinned thousands of great ideas onto their Pinterest boards, and you can access their ideas by either "following" their boards or doing a search across ALL boards in Pinterest. You can "repin" others' ideas and/or add your own new pins from whatever website you want.

If you're trying to add a new idea to Pinterest, you'll type in the URL (or use the special "Pin It!" button that you can place in your internet window's toolbar), select a picture from that page that you'd like to use to best capture your idea, and pick the board onto which you'd like to pin it. You canalso upload your own pictures. It really is that simple!

When you create a board, you have the option of making the board one where only you can contribute or opening it up to the public so that anyone can contribute to it. Be aware that there is currently no "private" option, though, so don't pin anything you wouldn't be comfortable with others seeing!

How Do I Use It In the Classroom?

Personal Use -- You can use Pinterest to make your teaching life easier! Pin all those teacher-blogs you've been following. Pin all the bookmarks you've got saved and visit regularly. Pin classroom pictures. Pin lesson plan ideas. ...Are you getting how versatile Pinterest is?! I have been able to pin SO many fab teaching ideas from other educators on Pinterest. It really does make life easier! In case you'd like to see 'em, here are my classroom boards:

• Decorations
• ELAR
• Gifts
• Holidays
• Management
• Math
• Miscellaneous
• Organization
• Science and Social Studies
• Technology

And I'm sure the list will grow even more in the days to come!

I used to clump all classroom-related ideas into one board labeled "classroom." But I found SO MANY ideas that I wanted a way to organize it more efficiently. So now, I have several classroom Pinterest boards.
Student use/resources -- You can actually incorporate Pinterest into classroom projects and activities! Here are the ideas I've found (or imagined) so far:

1. Ask students to collect ideas/pictures about something in particular that you're studying. Maybe your kindergarten students are studying the letter "a" and will focus on collecting as many "a" items on their personal Pinterest board as possible. Maybe your secondary English students are studying hyperbole, and they need to collect as many real world examples of hyperbole on their board as possible. The beauty of Pinterest is that you can use it to pin anything, so no subject is off-limits!
2. Pin boards full of examples for students to access at home or during class.
3. Pin boards full of educational YouTube videos.
4. Pin boards full of quotes for bellwork or journal writing.
5. Pin boards full of images for bellwork or journal writing.
6. Pin boards full of images to act as anticipatory sets. You could project them in class with the click of a couple buttons, and students can even comment on them to start a discussion.
7. Create a collaborative board and allow ELAR students to pin images of books they liked or would like to read.
8. Create a collaborataive board and allow science students to pin experiments they'd like to try.
9. Create a collaborative board and allow history students to pin historical figures, events, and monuments they'd lik to study (or are studying).
10. Create a collaborative board and allow math students to pin images of careers that use math (to answer the age-old whine of, "why do I hafta knoooowwww this?")
11. Create a collaborative board and allow technology students to pin images of tech tips, tools, or websites that might be useful to everyone in the class.
12. Create a collaborative board and allow music students to pin the images of their favorite artists or albums.
13. Create a collabortive board and allow art students to pin images of their favorite artwork...or upload their own! 
14. Create a collaborative board and allow students to pin images of subjects they'd like to study in any subject!
15. Create a collaborative board and allow students to turn in assignments...? I'm not sure about the logistics of this one, since I know every student would be able to see every other student's work. So, obviously, this wouldn't work for exams. But book reports, projects, presentations, or little homework assignments might work. Since there would probably be no images available, students would need to take a screenshot of their work and then upload it to Pinterest with the link to their actual work and their name at the bottom of the pin.
16. Create a collaborative board and have every student add the pin that connects to his/her online portfolio. It would be an easy way to keep track of everyone's portfolios, and students could check out other student's portfolios for inspiration or motivation.
17. Create a collaborative borad and allow students to pin images of things they're interested in...it might be interesting to have links and visual reminders of how to connect with students. (It might be easier to make lessons relevant if, say, I understand that Hannah Montana is out and The Biebs is in!)
18. Students could take advantage of the Apple iPhone app for Pinterest by using it to snap pictures of things in their day-to-day lives and pin them to a specific board. For instance, let's say that your kindergarten class (the one that's studying the letter "a") has a classroom set of iPod touches and a school-wide wifi connection. Why not send your students on a scavenger hunt for all items beginning with "a"? They could work in pairs or teams and walk the school grounds with the Pinterest app open. When they see an "a" item, all they have to do is snap a picture of it with the built-in camera on the app, and add it to the appropriate Pinterest board. When the students come back to class at the end of the hunt, the teacher can access the boards on her computer and project the results on the wall for everyone to see and analyze.  OR you could make it a competitive scavenger hunt and give each pair/group their own board!
19. Ask students to collect and organize information for, say, a research report. Let's say the students are studying Egypt and must write and present a report over Egypt to the class on x date. Why not use Pinterest to organize ideas? While surfing the web, students could pin useful articles and detailed, accurate pictures onto their Pinterest board. There's no more bookmarking tons of websites or writing down URLs on paper. Users can access Pinterest boards from any electronic device with internet capabilities, so their research is saved and accessible in a variety of places outside the walls of the school. In the event that a resource doesn't have a picture (a requirement for a pin), just take a screenshot and upload it!
20. For group projects, group members can share ideas via collaborative Pinterest boards.
21. Twitter user @teach46 suggests using it for getting-to-know-you activities! I love the idea of students collecting images that tell me (and fellow classmates) more about their individual personalities, family life, hobbies, interests, etc!
22. Twitter user @teach46 also suggests having students pin their personal goals. It would be interesting to have such a visual image of goals at the beginning of the year, and it could it updated whenever the students find a new goal and/or cross off one on the list.
23. Another idea from Twitter user @teach46: use Pinterest in the ELAR classroom by having students create character charts that represent their favorite character in a novel they're reading! I really love this idea, too!
24. Track extra credit points.  For instance, I had an on-going extra credit opportunity in my secondary English class last year. My students were able to earn 2 bonus points every time they brought in a picture or example of something we'd learned in class. If the students had been paying attention, they would've realized they could've earned infinite bonus points in this because examples of our lessons were EVERYWHERE in public! Any time they saw a vocabulary word, author, concept, literary device, etc. that we had studied, they could earn bonus points. My catch was that no two people could present the same example; the first student to get that example to me was the one who got the points. If you had a collaborative Pinterest board (perhaps labeled "Extra Credit" or "Real Life Examples"), students could post those examples to the board and write their name in the description in order to claim the points. Other students would then not only know what examples had already been presented, but they would also be able to access all these real world examples and see how that subject pertains to life outside the classroom walls.
     

How Do I Get Started? 

• Go to www.Pinterest.com. 
• In the middle at the top, there's a big, red button that says, "request an invite." Click on it. 
• Enter your e-mail address into the text box and click "request invitation."
• You should get an invitation to Pinterest in your e-mail's inbox very shortly (if it doesn't happen, e-mail me and I'll send you a request!).
• Click on the link in your e-mail to activate your account. Once your account is activated, you can begin! 
• In the top, right corner of your Pinterest home screen, you'll see three options. The left one will say "add," the middle one will say "about," and the right one will say your name.  Click "add." A pop-up will appear that gives you 3 options: add a pin, upload a pin, or create a board. If this is your first pin, you'll want to create a board.
• Give your board a name and select a category for it. If you want this to be a board only you can pin to, mark yourself as the only contributor. If you want the public to be able to add any pin to this board, mark "me + contributors." Click the red "create board" button, and you're done!
• Once you have a board (or two), you can begin adding pins. You can use the "add" button on the top, right corner and click "add a pin" or "upload a pin" when you find something you'd like to pin. 
• Check out Pinterest's Help section for more concise instructions! :)
• Click on your name (in the top, right corner of the page) and "settings" to adjust the settings. 
• If you have questions, please leave me a comment and I'll see if I can help you!

I'd love to know more of your ideas for using Pinterest in the classroom! I know that once you get the hang of it, you'll want to pin 24/7 like I do! Be careful...it's addicting! :)

According to this research study conducted in 2009 and 2010, 73% of teens age 12-17 use social networking websites. Although I don't have proof, I'd be willing to bet that number has stayed the same or risen since the study was conducted.

With that said, it makes sense to use social networking in our classrooms. I mean, if students are going to be using those websites anyway, why not give them the opportunity to get some sort of educational value from it?

I've already talked about using Facebook in the classroom, but Hoot.me brings a new dimension to using FB for educational purposes, and I think it could be worth your time to investigate it and consider asking students to use it!

Hoot.me is an application built for Facebook. Once it is installed on your personal Facebook page, you have the opportunity to collaborate on homework projects like never before. Hoot.me reminds me a little of Skype, but since I know that many more students are willing to communicate on Facebook, Hoot.me looks like a more viable option.

Users are allowed to video chat through the application, and they have the opportunity to show their screens to the other chat participants. One thing Skype doesn't do for free: allow users to chat with up to 8 people at a time. This particular feature could be really handy if/when students are working on a project together and need to understand who is working on what, how each component looks, etc. This could also be really handy for people doing math homework, especially since Hoot.me offers a special math component (for no added charge or installation) that allows easy typing of math equations.

The installation is super-easy, as well. Most students are probably familiar with Facebook apps; they just might not use the technical name for them: applications. But if your student has ever played or been around Farm Town, Picnik, Family Feud, etc. on Facebook, they're familiar with FB apps. If they've ever installed one of those games or components to their FB page, they understand that it's as simple as clicking "install" and letting the application do the rest of the work. So chances are, if your students already have a Facebook page, they're familiar with applications, how to install them, and how to work them.

Hoot.me brings a new, educational value to Facebook, and it's definitely worth trying!

As a self-proclaimed tech-junkie, I have seen my share of media creating and editing programs. I'm still baffled as to why I hadn't run across Aviary before today, but...better late than never! I am SO glad I found this site!

In short, Aviary is a completely FREE online program that allows you to create graphic and audio files, including podcasts! (Can I get a "hooray"??)

Aviary Features
Although I'm most excited about the podcasting prospects, Aviary is more than just a way to podcast. You can edit pictures, create designs, create podcasts, and edit audio. It has so many things rolled into one website! I love convenience, so Aviary is my new go-to site!

I checked out Aviary's pricing policies. Apparently, they used to charge for premium memberships, but they recently decided that they wanted their materials to be available for EVERYone...I dig that, Aviary! :) So there are no payment options on this site. Ever.

Aviary Edu
Their special Aviary Education component is still in the beta stages (as far as I can tell), but looks extremely promising. Like other specialty education sites, this one has more privacy options, more kid-friendly advertisements and graphics, and allows you, the teacher, to easily manage the projects you've assigned.

The edu site allows you to manage your class and add students as you wish. It looks as though your students will have to be entered manually, which is a bummer, but I still think the positives outweigh the negatives here! When I signed up, it asked me how many students I'd have, and I had no idea, so I put 150 to be safe. It never complained about that number, but I'm not sure if you can change it once you've decided. I don't see any way to edit that number, so you might want to shoot high to ensure you have enough student places. Here's a portion of the screen where you can add students. I used Aviary's image editing program to blur out my last name and e-mail address. :)



Once you have your students' logins and passwords created, you can start creating projects. Your "projects" are the things that you assign your students. You can set a deadline, and when a student logs in, he/she will see how many hours are left to submit his/her assignment to you! You can go to the creations tab to see what all of your students are doing. (I love that you can monitor progress from your home screen!)

You, as the teacher, have the ability to create "creations," as well. You could create your own for general classroom use, but you could also create some as examples for projects you assign. Unfortunately, the edu version only offers 4 different creation types: create images, create vectors, edit audio, create music. None of these options includes Myna, which is Aviary's free podcast-making component. :( So disappointed. But maybe they will change that soon, seeing as how the edu version is still in the beta stages. :)

Podcasting with Non-Edu Aviary
I was able to create a non-edu Aviary login that is identical to my edu username and password. (Whoo! Less things for me to remember!) The entire reason I created a non-edu account was so I could sample the podcast program, Myna.

There's a great Myna tutorial that I viewed first. I was amazed at all the options!! One negative, though, is that you can currently only record voice tracks that are 2 minutes long, and the max is 6 minutes right now. My podcasts are ALWAYS more than 2 minutes long (sometimes 20!), so I'm a bit disappointed in this. I won't be able to use this much for my classroom, but I want to keep going to see how it works....just in case Aviary decides to lift the 6 minute max.

I created a profile at Podbean so that I would have somewhere free to host my podcasts when I was done. I think I remember seeing Podbean as a suggestion somewhere on the Aviary site, but that could just be my imagination. In any case, Podbean is a free podcast hosting site, and you'll need a hosting site in order to upload the files you create using Myna.

I successfully created a Myna test podcast in a matter of minutes. I was able to add music to the intro and outro and made it sound really neat! But I had problems when it came to downloading the file. I finally submitted a question to the Customer Service department and hope that I can get an answer soon. I'll try to update you with my progress!

Overall Review
Besides being FREE, I think all the components to Aviary have a really professional feel to them. For instance, when I was in the image editor, it reminded me a lot of PhotoShop. If you know anything about photo editing, you're quite aware that PhotoShop is an expensive product! But the photo editing portion of Aviary looked very similar to PhotoShop in that it allowed transparent backgrounds, the use of fonts already on your computer, layering, and various advanced image edits. When I played with the music creator on the edu site, I was reminded a lot of GarageBand. I'm not sure if GarageBand is available on PC equipment, but even if it is, I'm sure it's expensive. GarageBand came with my MacBook, but of course, that MacBook came with a hefty price. Although I had an issue with the audio program, I'm sure that it will be fixed shortly and we can go on about our merry ways. ...What I'm trying to say here is that I think you're getting quality equipment for FREE if you use Aviary, and that's a deal I can totally get on board with.

I made this with the Vector Creator in about 5 minutes.

I gave a presentation at school today about tech in the classroom, and I gave a stack of handouts to the teachers who came. In that stack was a list of other websites they might find useful in their classroom, and that list included Rubistar. I confidently told the teachers at the presentation that all links listed on their handouts would appear on my teacher blog. ...Then, when I visited my blog to make a new post a few minutes ago, I happened to notice that I had yet to create a post over one of my most-used resources: Rubistar. 

If you are a rubric-user at all, you really should join the Rubistar bandwagon!

What is a Rubric?
A rubric is, above all, a fair and easy way to grade otherwise subjective projects, activities, and/or assignments. A rubric looks like a large grid of boxes with words in it. Running across the top, you'll have the point values. Running across the left-hand side will be the categories. In the middle, you'll see descriptions of each category, in varying stages of completion. The top half might look like this:


This particular rubric happens to be for a speech (and it's incomplete), but you can make rubrics for virtually anything that has some "gray area" to it.

I say the rubric you see above is incomplete because I still see some ambiguous descriptions in those middle boxes. For instance, what is "appropriate clothing"? And what is that, vs. the "mostly appropriate clothing"? Before I would hand this one out, I would definitely edit these boxes to make sure they're as clear as possible. There can't be any doubt left in my students' minds as to what I expect. If I were to edit this for student-use, I'd put numerical values to the descriptions in the middle boxes. For instance, I might say "appropriate clothing: dressed 'business casually,' with no holes, wrinkles, or dirt. Hair and face are well-groomed, and students appears clean." or something like that. I'd be as specific as possible. For the body posture descriptions, I might use percentages. For instance, "student maintained correct body posture (standing up straight with no slouching, slumping, or curving of the shoulders) 100% of the time" might be in the 10 point description box. (See what I mean about being specific? That's sometimes the hard part: nailing down EXACTLY what it is I want students to do.)

What's in a Rubric?
Keep in mind that this entire thing is completely customizable. No only can you change the title, categories, and middle-box descriptions, but you can also change the point values. I've seen some teachers grade on a "1, 2, 3, 4" scale, and others grade on a "10, 20, 30, 40" scale. It's really up to you. In the end, all my assignments are worth 100%, anyway; it's just a matter of deciding how much of a "point gap" you want between levels.

Why Use Rubrics?

I use rubrics for all my projects because I feel it's the most fair way to grade. Right up front, the students know a) what elements I'm looking for, b) what I consider "worth 5 points" vs what I consider "worth 10 points," and c) EXACTLY what they should do to get an "A."

I give rubrics to my students at the beginning of projects and ask that they not only keep up with these until the end of the project, but they must review them, as well. Early in the year, I taught my students how to skim the rubric's highest point-value column, looking for specifics as to what would get them a perfect grade on the assignment. I also taught them how to read the different levels. For instance, we made a board game over Romeo and Juliet. In this board game, students had to include at least 15 questions and answers about the play, the Elizabethan times, and/or Shakespeare himself. On that rubric, in the "quantity of questions and answers" category, I made sure to stair-step the point values (all 15 Q&A's earns 9 points. 10-14 Q&A's earns 6 points. 5-9 Q&A's earns 3 points. 0-4 Q&A's earns 0 points). So, when I was talking about time-management with my students, and about how to get the best "bang for your buck," I was trying to reason with them... If you're OK with only getting 6 points on your question and answer quantity section, and you have a very limited amount of time (because you've procrastinated), then how about only doing 10 Q&A's, since you'll earn the same amount of points, whether you do 10 of them or 14? It was examples like that that, I think, really nailed the point of the rubric home. Most of my students have actually expressed that they enjoy and appreciate the rubrics because it sets clear boundaries for them.

This also keeps me fair when I grade creative projects. Otherwise, how would I be able to distinguish between a 90% and an 80%? I can't trust my judgment to be fair and consistent every time (particularly if I'm in a bad mood when I'm grading! Yikes!). This allows me to be very stable with my grading. More than once, I've been in the middle of grading and wanted to dock points for something that I felt was sub-par, compared to others, but when I looked at the rubric, I had no choice but to NOT dock points. So I guess you could say that the rubric has helped some of my kids' grades! :)

Another thing I really like about the rubric is something that really just has to do with me. I feel like I'm a better teacher after I've made a rubric. In order to make one, you have to know EXACTLY what criteria you're looking for in the project, and you have to be able to communicate that very well in a short amount of space on paper. I feel that creating rubrics has made me a more clear and concise speaker, and that I am better at communicating objectives when I use rubrics.

Back to Rubistar

OK, now that all THAT is said and done, let's move back to Rubistar. Rubistar is a free, online rubric maker, designed especially for teachers. (By the way, 4teachers.org has tons of other useful teacher-websites, too, if you wanna check it out!) You can either choose one of the [many] free ones that Rubistar has already made for you, OR you can create your own. You can edit one of the [many] templates, or you can start from scratch. It's really up to you. Once you have a Rubistar account, you can save your rubrics until a certain time, or you can save them indefinitely. (I always save mine indefinitely.)

One you're finished, you have the option to print directly from the Rubistar website, but I usually copy and paste it all onto a Word document, just so I can add a few more features. I add a header (usually the name of the project and/or the class) and adjust the spacing of the boxes and words. I sometimes add a "student comments" section, where students can explain themselves in a few sentences before they turn the project in. I always add a "points earned" and "total grade" section at the very end; this way, students know EXACTLY what his or her grade is when they get the paper back. (To grade on a rubric, just make lines in or circle the boxes that describe the student's performance in each category.)

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Students may be a little confused about rubrics at first, but I know they'll love 'em once the year is over, and so will you! Grading goes a lot more smoothly and quickly, and everyone is on "the same page" as to what you're actually expecting on an assignment. Check it out!!