Technoflash

Apple just released two new features this spring that will impact iPads in Bellevue Public Schools.

The first item is the newly released Classroom App. The Classroom App gives teachers the ability to see each student’s iPad in real-time, launch an app for all students, lock students into an app, send all students or groups of students to a website, and more all from the teacher’s iPad. This feature became available last week and works on iPad Airs or newer. We have several teachers in the district giving it a try.

The second item is the share feature. This feature makes the iPad a multi-user device. This means that students login onto the iPad as they would a computer and have access to only their data. This makes it possible for multiple students to use 1 iPad and have their content available on any iPad they log in to. This feature only works on iPad Air 2s or newer, which we do not currently have in the district. We have three classrooms that will be piloting this model in the spring.

For more details, check out the Apple Education website HERE.

A unique learning experience occurred last Wednesday as four classrooms across Bellevue Public Schools came together to learn from astrophysicist Dr. Henry (Trae) Winter in a Google Hangout. Dr. Winter is an astrophysicist at Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics who has done extensive research and work related to the sun. His most recent project was the development of "The Dynamic Sun" project, which provides amazing video of the sun. Dr. Winter not only shared his expertise on the sun but he also shared a number of ways scientists collaborate with others to create things that are not possible when working separately. He specifically talked about the Smithsonian display where he teamed up with graphic designers. The powerful collision of science and art allows them to create a display that will captivate many audiences. He went on to impart to students that skills such as teamwork, writing, publishing, determination, and goal setting are powerful and will propel them in a direction of success. Students from Logan Fontenelle, Mission, Bellevue East, and Bellevue West took part in the multi-classroom Google Hangout. Students participating in the hangout received a pair of sunglasses designed to look at the sun and a 3 layer image of sun spots. A huge shout out to Santha Walters at Logan Fontenelle Middle School for leading this exciting learning experience for students in Bellevue Public Schools.

To listen to the Google Hangout, click HERE.

Collaborating in Schoology groups is an efficient way for teachers to share materials and zip the materials into courses for students to access.

How is this different than how I’ve always shared files? The difference is the files are in resources and can be copied individually or as an entire folder into a course or multiple courses without uploading or downloading any files. The files just zip right into the course and are available for students to access by clicking on the settings gear, copy to, and selecting the course.

Can anyone add content? Teachers that have joined the group can add content.

How do you collaborate? Using the update feature, teachers can leave messages as well as links, files, and images. These updates are pushed to all members of the group and accessible on all devices, including the Schoology App on smartphones.

What is new for NETA 2016? Workshops are BACK! For the first time in several years, NETA will be hosting pre-conference workshops. NETA 2016 has four featured presenters who will be presenting NebEdTalks: Dr. Robert Dillon (@ideaguy42), Jennifer Mageria (@MsMagiera), Rafranz Davis (@RafranzDavis), and Tony Vincent (@tonyvincent). They will also be leading breakout sessions throughout the days.

We are proud to have a number of Bellevue Public Schools teachers presenting sessions this year sharing about BreakOut EDU, Blended Learning, The Flipped Classroom, Digital Portfolios and more. Check out the BPS teachers presenting at NETA 2016 HERE!

Check out the April 2016 NETA newsletter HERE. Lots of great ideas and information..

Not going to NETA 2016? No worries, pull up the hashtag #neta16 in Tweetdeck and learn along with us on April 20th-22nd.

Need a hand adding #neta16 to Tweetdeck? Check out this screencast.

Creativity was in full swing last week during iPad Collab Day. Lisa Pack (@lpack), from Norfolk Public Schools, shared super slide video creation tips and tricks with our iPad Academy teachers. She had everyone up and creating super slide videos over Nebraska to better understand the process and how they work. Groups were given a script with facts about Nebraska. Each person in the group selected a fact and had 15 minutes for additional research. Groups then created content to slide on the stage as they were speaking. After groups spent time rehearsing they shot their videos! Videos were then shared in the digital portfolio site/app SeeSaw.

Advantages of Super Slide Videos

• Students work collaboratively in groups

• Each person has a role

• Only 1 iPad or SmartPhone per group is needed

• Every member contributes

• No one is in front of the camera

• Allows for creativity

• Only a few videos are created so they are easy to share in a class period

Here are some super slide video examples:

Teacher Made for Instructions

Photosynthesis

Cause and Effect

Beowulf Unraveled

How to Formulate a Main Idea

Types of Reproductive

Tips to make your Super Slide Video even more SUPER!

Upper Elementary/Middle School

Geography of Ancient Egypt

Calculating Perimeter

Nebraska Super Slide Video

Amphibians

Native Americans

Biome

Bullying

Secondary

Heat Transfer 7th grade

PEMDAS-Secondary math

Lower Elementary

All About Me

Communities

If you are interested in creating a super slide video with your students and want to learn more about how to create them, please contact Ann, Jeanette, or Jeff and they would be happy to help.

Through the generous donations of the Betz PTA and a grant, two Bellevue elementary schools implemented iPad gardens this month. Betz Elementary purchased 10 iPad Minis and Twin Ridge Elementary added two iPad gardens of three iPads each to Jennifer Gibbs and Jennifer Martin's classrooms. Kathy Harms-Wake Robin, Sheri Brown-Twin Ridge, and Donna Barrett-Betz each received 5 iPads from a Bellevue Public Schools Foundation Grant.

Along with the iPads, teachers have received training and classroom coaching on how to utilize the iPad for teaching and learning. Students use the iPads as a rotation station and/or individually.

Betz Elementary

The ten iPads will make a stop in every classroom this spring. Starting in Kindergarten, each teacher will have the opportunity to use the iPads for teaching and learning for a week and then pass them up a grade level. Each teacher will meet with Ann, Jeanette, or Jeff during a plan period the week before they have the iPads to plan for their instructional use.

Leonard Lawrence Elementary

The focus this month is using the iPad for creation, reflection, and sharing using the app Seesaw. Students are creating reflection videos over their learning, sharing their work with fellow classmates, and receiving timely feedback from both students and their teacher.

Fort Crook Elementary

In order to improve student access to the one iPad in the six classrooms at Fort Crook, each teacher was given a five way audio splitter. The splitter allows up to five children to listen to audio/video at once, which makes the iPads more accessible to students for a listening/creation station.

Are you looking for a way to use one classroom computer to engage your students and extend their learning beyond the classroom walls for Earth Day 2016 (April 22)? Look no further! Check out Skype in the Classroom to invite a guest speaker or schedule a Skype Lesson or virtual field trip to mark Earth Day 2016 with your classroom and learn more about our beautiful planet.

Skype in the Classroom

Meet a Teacher - Rhonda Wiebers

Birchcrest Student Wins Composition Contest

Bellevue West Winterguard Wins World Championship

Blended: Using Disruptive Innovation to Improve Schools by Michael B. Horn & Heather Staker

Blended Learning in Grades 4-12: Leveraging the Power of Technology to Create Student-Centered Classrooms by Catlin R. Tucker

UnCommon Learning by Eric C Sheninger

Use Twitter to be connected! If you are a tweeter, remember to tag your tweets with #bpsne and #tt4t so more teachers can see what is happening in your classroom. Sharing is the name of the game! Remember there are lots of great chats to explore to connect with others in your content area. Just pull up the hashtag and enjoy the conversation.

1. Attend the annual NETA Conference April 21st and 22nd at the Century Link.
   
2. Join a Twitter chat! You can just lurk or join conversation. Regardless of your level of participation, you will learn some new ideas and be inspired.

• #nebedchat Wednesday at 8:00 PM
  
• Click HERE for a calendar of all the chats.
  

http://www.edtech411.net

Jeanette Carlson

jeanette.carlson@bpsne.net

Twitter: @mrsjcarlson

Ann Feldmann

ann.feldmann@bpsne.net

Twitter: @annfeldmann1

Jeffrey Bernadt

jeffrey.bernadt@bpsne.net

Twitter: @jeffreybernadt

Like us on Facebook