Creation, Assessment and Voice!
Digital Content Creation Tools for Teachers and Students
Cathy Yenca
Mathematics Teacher in a 1:1 iPad Classroom
Hill Country Middle School, Austin TX
Apple Distinguished Educator
Nearpod Author
ThingLink Expert Educator
Book Creator Ambassador
Kahoot! Austin Advisory Board Member
Desmos Enthusiast
Website: mathycathy.com/blog
Twitter: @mathycathy
My 1:1 iPad Classroom
Year 1: I implemented new tools and served as "Chief Content Creator" for my students
Years 2, 3 and 4: Students also became content creators!
I am still on a journey!
Goal: To showcase ways to use tools for both teacher-created and student-created content!
Explain Everything Classic is a versatile "screencasting" app. The user can verbally explain as he/she draws on a limitless virtual canvas, creating a "movie".
Likewise, documents, pictures and other media can be added to the canvas.
Teacher Uses
- Create video tutorials for students
- Create virtual manipulatives for students
- Great for sub plans!
A Sample "Silent Solutions" Tutorial Video Using EE
- First, I created a slide using Keynote, and used it as my Explain Everything background.
- I exported the Keynote slide as a JPEG image, and added to EE.
- Finally, I recorded the silent video in EE, annotating the imported background image.
SILENT SOLUTION #2 Factoring Using The "Box Method"
A Sample Hands-On Digital Puzzle Using EE
Explain Everything... More Than a Screen Recorder!
Some of the innovative ways fellow math teacher, Jon Orr, is using Explain Everything!
Use EE to teach your students... even when you're absent!
An "Explain Everything" Sub Plan Video
Reflect and Share
Click Here! Use Room Name 510y to share your thoughts.
We're going to use Socrative to gather and share your ideas in real time!
Student Uses
- "Jigsaw" review before a test
- Makes student thinking visible
- Encourages "re-dos", using academic vocabulary, and metacognition!
A word of caution as you encourage and empower student voice in your classroom...
You'll need to develop thick skin! :-)
"Sometimes, this process isn’t pretty. They’re wrong. They have misconceptions. They generalize things they shouldn’t. But knowing they’re doing those things presents true opportunities for learning, for communication, for mathematical debates, and for deeper understanding. Student voice in the mathematics classroom is SO IMPORTANT in this learning process. It’s not about the iPad, really. It’s about making student thinking something we can see… and hear… and process… and discuss… and when necessary, revisit and revise."
~An Excerpt from MathyCathy's Blog
Book Creator is a mobile app that enables users to create eBooks right on an iPad. These eBooks can be viewed in the iBooks app when exported as ePub files. Additionally, books can be exported and viewed as videos. (VERY cool!)
Teachers and students can add audio, video, photos and more!
(Note: Why not add an Explain Everything video to a book?)
Teacher Uses
- Create a mini-book based on a lesson topic
- Create a study guide based on a unit of study
Student Uses
- Create a mini-book based on a lesson topic
- Create a book as a summative assessment... or to review for one!
- Create a book as a means for self-expression, self-advocacy... the options are endless!
Creating a math eBook using Book Creator
Viewing a book in iBooks
Reading eBooks authored by peers
iTunes U Book Creator Project and Resources
A Student-Authoring Success Story!
I was contacted by author, Sam Gliksman, after he read about this student-authoring project. As a result, student work from our Book Creator math project is featured in Sam's book, Creating Media for Learning: Student-Centered Projects Across the Curriculum!
All About Food Allergies: A Book Creator Video by Isaac Yenca
ThingLink is a unique platform for creating interactive online images. Simply upload an image, then strategically place hyperlinks (called nubbins) throughout the image. Consider linking nubbins to text, other websites, videos and more!
ThingLink can be accessed online, or through a (simplified) mobile app.
Teacher Uses
- Use ThingLink to "pre-teach" a topic
- Use ThingLink for deeper understanding of vocabulary
- Use ThingLink to organize links in one place
#2minPD Using ThingLink for "Pre-Teaching"
Using ThingLink to Organize Book Creator Projects
Student eBooks are organized and easily viewed by their classmates... and peers all over the world!
Student Uses
- Use ThingLink to annotate mathematical work