Technology Focus Online in 07-08

Welcome to the first full issue of Technology Focus for this year. The goal with this newsletter is to increase communication about technology use on our campus. If you are aware of interesting technology lessons and activities taking place in your area that should be highlighted please let me know.

Please note that this newsletter is also available online as a blog. The online version contains more student samples, pictures, videos, additional articles, and resources. My goal this year is to make the blog version an ongoing project, rather than a once-a-month posting. For those of you who are new this year, be sure look online to read articles from last year as they will introduce you to a variety of ways technology is used here. The online version of the newsletter can be found at www.pky.ufl.edu/~technology/newsletter.html .

-David Young

Upcoming Tech Events:

Teacher Workday Opportunities:
There will be several opportunities for technology training during the teacher Workday, Friday October 26th.

KidBiz/TeenBiz3000:
New user training will be offered at 8:30-10:00 and 12:30-2:00, while experienced user training will be offered from 10:00-11:30 and 2:00-3:30. Choose whichever training fits into your schedule. (Community Classroom)

TurningPoint, Student Remote Response:
At the training we will install the program on your laptop, show you how to add questions to PowerPoint slides, and discuss different ways to use the system in your classroom. The training will be offered from 10:30-11:30 and from 12:30-1:30 in Q-502 (Mickey’s room). Choose the time that fits your schedule.

5th Graders Use Mobile Labs for Digital Portfolios

This year the 5th grade students will be keeping a record of their best work in digital portfolios. To accomplish this they will use the mobile labs several times throughout the year. Cary Kirby describes the process: “The students are reflecting on their work in 5th grade using pre-made Power Point slides that they are then allowed to customize. They will scan/insert their best work in math, reading, writing, social studies, and science as well as making and reflecting on goals for each semester.”

During the first few weeks of school, the students completed slides describing themselves and setting goals. They will return to their portfolios several times throughout the year to check on their progress and add samples of their work. Ashley Pennypacker reports that her students “…loved working with the laptops, helping each other, and getting to talk about themselves and their goals.”

One of the biggest challenges the 5th grade teachers faced was dealing with students with varying levels of technology abilities. Ashley found this challenge to be an opportunity for some student leaders to help their fellow classmates: “There were certain students that would step up and just go help others because they knew how to do that specific step. It was actually pretty community-building, having each other help whenever needed.”

For teachers considering similar projects in their own classrooms, Cary recommends advance preparation: “Be prepared by having as much pre-done as possible so the kids are cutting and pasting and only having to customize, thereby streamlining the process.”

As you continue to plan your lessons and projects for the year consider how the mobile labs may be used as part of a routine to support your classroom. Mobile labs can be checked out on an as needed basis or on a regular schedule. Talk to David if you would like help developing a plan for your classroom.

Streaming Video in the Classroom

With over 100 million videos viewed each day, You Tube has quickly become one of the most visited sites on the internet and has brought streaming video into the mainstream of popular culture. According to a July 2006 Nielson NetRatings report, children of ages 12-17 were the dominant user group of the site. The success of You Tube has prompted numerous spin-off sites providing streaming video to any number of special interests, including education. The articles below give ideas for producing and using streaming video in the classroom.

Physics Students Create Video Introductions

After attending a workshop covering video podcasting, Julie Brown became interested in using this technology with her Physics students. She began by having her students select topics from throughout the year for which they would become experts. The students then created 3-5 minutes films that will be used to introduce their topics to the class throughout the year.

Prior to filming, students researched their topics, created visual aids and wrote scripts. On the filming day they worked in groups and followed a tight shooting schedule to ensure completion of everyone’s films. Those who were interested in editing beyond the classroom were given copies of their footage to take home. Several students incorporated images, existing video, original animations, and voice over into their films.

Julie reports that her students were initially hesitant about the project, but that “As we worked step-by-step through the procedures together, the hesitation quickly turned into excitement.” Her biggest challenge was overcoming the organizational issues of the project and creating a reasonable timeline. Still, she says that “The advance preparation is worth it when you see how excited the students are of their own work and that of their friends.”

Julie has begun uploading her students’ videos to Teacher Tube where they can be viewed by other students and teachers. Some of her videos already have 100+ views. If you are interested in using the video cameras in your classroom please talk to David.

Physics Student Videos

Free Fall; Air Resistance:



Energy Conservation in Satellite Motion & Escape Speed:

Finding Streaming Videos Online

Streaming videos can provide a source of video content that can be used in a variety of ways in your classroom. Consider using short streaming videos to introduce topics, spark discussions, review, or offer a different perspective on your content. Remember that while you can find good content at these sites you may also find inappropriate content so be sure to watch any video completely before sharing it with your class.

www.teachertube.com – Teacher Tube is just like You Tube, but it is specifically for teachers and students. Content is monitored and inappropriate videos are removed. This site is not blocked by our internet filter.

www.apple.com/itunes : If you have iTunes on your computer you can access video podcasts through the iTunes store. Don’t let the “store” alarm you, a lot of video podcasts are available for free. A good example is the National Geographic video podcast, which several of our Elementary teachers are already using to introduce science topics.

www.youtube.com – You Tube is the most well known source of online streaming video and you may find relevant video clips on it for your class. You can also find a lot of inappropriate content. You Tube is blocked by our filter, but teachers who have had their laptops set to fewer restrictions can access You Tube to show videos to their classes.

www.zamzar.com – Zamzar is an online file conversion site. You can paste the url of a video found on any major video sharing site (except teacher tube) and it will email you a link to download the movie file. This is a great way to save video for later use and avoid the distractions of pulling up a video sharing site in the classroom.

Technology Use in '06-'07

Recently I presented technology use data for the year to the leadership team. I wanted to take this chance to share some of this information with the rest of you.

Projectors have been in high demand and constant use all year (over 90% usage). We will be adding several more for the next school year.

Mobile lab use was at about 50% of possible use during the first semester, but is approaching 80% for the second semester with over 90% use in the last month.

The SmartBoards, TurningPoint (student response system), and digital cameras have been used only about 25% of the time this year.

As you plan for the rest of this year keep in mind that you will need to think ahead for mobile labs and projectors, and that SmartBoards and Turning Point are available for interested users. Consider trying something new in the last month of school to keep you and your students fresh during the challenging weeks ahead. As always let me know if you have any questions or need any help.

-David Young

Upcoming Tech Events

Technology Survey:
You will receive a request via email in the coming week to participate in an online survey about technology at PK Yonge. I would like to receive teacher input on training preferences and technology purchases as I plan for the upcoming school year. Be sure to make your voice heard.

Summer Technology Training:
A summer technology training program is in the works for June. It will be very practical teaching both technology skills and providing time for lesson plan development. Stay tuned for more info.

3rd Grade Digital Photos Reveal Roman Architecture on PKY Campus



Marisa Ramirez’s third grade class was studying the Roman Empire and its contributions to modern society. To show just how long lasting some of these contributions have been Marisa had her students use digital cameras to take pictures of examples of Roman architecture on the P.K. Yonge campus.

Students were split into groups as they scoured the campus for examples of Roman architecture, taking snapshots when they discovered a Roman-inspired building or feature. After returning to the classroom students created PowerPoint presentations with their pictures to share their findings with their classmates.

Marisa cites additional adult help as the primary challenge in implementing this project, “Students needed an adult to accompany each group while walking around campus, so parent volunteers were needed.” These volunteers also helped the groups with creating their PowerPoint presentations.

As for the students? Marisa says, “They LOVED it! They were empowered to direct their own learning through the taking of images and then designing their own PowerPoint.”

We currently have 5 digital cameras available for checkout. If you are interested in using the cameras or conducting a similar project talk to David. Please see the online version of the tech newsletter at www.pky.ufl.edu/~technology/newsletter.html to view a slideshow sampling of the students work.

Meet Elmo

The newest piece of equipment we have available for checkout is an ELMO document camera. The camera is used with a projector to project any object (document or otherwise) onto a large screen. If you haven’t seen one in action stop by a science classroom and ask for a demo. Here are some ideas for how to use the ELMO in your classroom:

• Sharing student work


• Showing pictures, pages in a book, or artwork to the whole class
  
• Model classroom demonstrations or science labs so the whole classroom can see them.

A Year of Mobile Lab Use in 4th Grade

Adam Escue has taken a weekly-routine approach to mobile lab use this year, utilizing it regularly to work toward the completion of large-scale student projects. Most every Wednesday from 10:00-11:00 the 4th graders in Adam Escue’s class can be found working on the mobile lab.

The first project they worked on was making brochures for Florida cities. “After learning how to research we jotted down a few websites and ideas. Then we took this information and began typing it into a word document that I formatted with specific information that I required for the brochure. We worked on inputting information for awhile then we edited this information using different fonts and colors. Then we learned how to find a picture and place that within the brochure. Finally, we printed the brochures out.”

This semester each student in Adam’s class has been researching a famous Floridian with the goal of creating a PowerPoint presentation about that person. Adam has found it to be somewhat slow going as guides his students through the technology aspect of the work, but says that “the students actually get very excited to use the laptops.”
If you think that regularly scheduled mobile lab use might work well in your classroom talk to David about setting up a time or talk to Adam about his experience.

Free Web Resources: Creat-A-Graph


Create-A-Graph is a free online graphing program. It supports a variety of graph types such as pie charts, bar graphs, scatter plots, and more. You can export graphs as a .jpg image file, .pdf document, or email them. (http://nces.ed.gov/nceskids/createagraph/ )

Free Web Applications: Gliffy

Gliffy (www.gliffy.com) is a free online application for creating drawings, flowcharts, and concept maps. Check out the diagram below to see an example and learn more about Gliffy.

February 2007 Introduction

This issue of Technology Focus is highlighting several ideas for using technology in your classrooms with the mobile labs. First, we have an example of a middle school teacher using the mobile for students to produce brochures reviewing a recently completed unit. Second we highlight 1st and 4th grade classes working together to do internet research. Finally, the entire second page of this issue is devoted to learning about web quests.

I hope you enjoy this issue and that it gives you more ideas to consider for using the internet and other technologies in your classroom. As always, please contact me if you are interested in learning more or would like assistance with implementing any of the ideas you read about in this issue.

-David Young

Upcoming Tech Events

Collection of Curriculum Resources:
Matt Ohlson will be coordinating a project in which PK teachers will submit their favorite online resources to a repository of sites just for PK Faculty. Expect more information on this project in the coming weeks. Top contributors will win gift certificates!

1st and 4th Graders Study African American Inventors

Sara Mueller’s 4th graders assisted Angie Flavin’s 1st graders in using the mobile lab to research important African American inventors. The 1st graders received training on how to use the mobile lab to look up web pages. Then the 4th graders assisted the 1st graders with reading the site. Both classes enjoyed this activity very much.

Website used: http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/bhistory/inventors/index.htm

(This article originally appeared in the February 2007 issue of Technology Focus)

8th Grade Students Advertise Science to 7th Graders

After completing a unit on Chemistry, Teddi Bearman’s eighth grade students used a mobile lab to create brochures for the unit that will introduce current 7th graders to the topic next year. Students incorporated the important concepts and vocabulary from the unit into creative and professional-looking brochures, which they made with Microsoft Word. Teddi states that “The chance to revisit older concepts and previously unlearned vocabulary while taking a mentoring role was meant to encourage deeper thinking about the topic.”

Teddi faced two major challenges in implementing this project with her students. The first was motivating them to think deeply about the content of the unit without simply cutting and pasting information. The second was dealing with students who required technical assistance to complete the project. To solve these problems Teddi found that forethought and planning increased the effectiveness of the mobile lab. “I have noticed the importance of brainstorming, question and response, or writing a rough draft before giving students the computers”, said Teddi. “They are quickly drawn to the allure of copying and pasting simply out of laziness without some pre-thinking. This lessens the temptation.”

In this case, Teddi required students to show their rough draft before being allowed to use a laptop to create brochures. This forced students to think through their content ahead of time, reducing likelihood of cut-and-paste work and allowing students to focus on content and technology issues separately.

(This article appeared in the February 2007 issue of Technology Focus)

Focus on Web Quests

The term “Web quest” is often used as a label for any internet-based project. However, the true aim of a Web Quest is to promote higher-order thinking and understanding through inquiry. According to San Diego State University’s Web Quest page a Web Quest is “an inquiry-oriented activity in which most or all of the information used by learners is drawn from the Web. Web Quests are designed to use learners’ time well, to focus on using information rather than looking for it, and to support learners’ thinking at the levels of analysis, synthesis, and evaluation” (http://webquest.sdsu.edu/webquest.html).

For an example of the synthesis and analysis involved in a well-designed web quest see “A Personal Journal: Gettysburg July 1, 2, 3 1863” by Curt Nielson (link provided below). In this web quest students take the role of a citizen of Gettysburg observing the events surrounding the battle. Pre-selected links to resources are provided, including original newspaper and journal accounts from 1863. Students are prompted to internalize the information they explore by creating a journal for a citizen witnessing these events.

San Diego’s State University’s Web Quest page is the most well known resource on the internet for web quests including information about Web Quests and an extensive, searchable database of existing web quests in a variety of instructional areas. To search their database go to http://webquest.org/ and click on “Find WebQuests”.

(This article appeared in the February 2007 issue of Technology Focus)

Web Quest Resources

http://webquest.org/ - The San Diego State web quest resources page combines information about web quests with a large searchable database of existing webquests.

http://www.kn.att.com/wired/fil/ - Want to make a webquest, but don’t know how to make a web page? This site allows you to construct an online webquest with no web development experience for free!

http://www.webquest.futuro.usp.br/artigos/textos_outros-bernie1.html - “FOCUS: Five Rules for Writing a Great Web Quest”. If you are planning on writing your own Web Quest you would do well to read this article and follow the FOCUS model

(This article appeared in the February 2007 issue of Technology Focus)

Sample Web Quests

Science: “A El Nino or El No-No”
http://www.powayschools.com/projects/elnino/
“Collect data, organize it in an appropriate graphic form, and analyze it for the purpose of making weather predictions in your community.”

Social Studies: “A Personal Journal: Gettysburg July 1, 2, 3 1863”
http://www.pls.uni.edu/nielsen/Gettysburg/gettysburg.html
“Students develop a character that is in Gettysburg, PA on July 1,2,3, 1863. They develop a journal entry for each of the three days of the famous battle. Along with the journal entry students create maps and pictures to go along with their journal entries.”

English: “Persuasive Reading: The Truth ... and Nothing but”
http://www.pampetty.com/persuasive.htm
“Persuasive readings provide opportunities to discern propaganda and persuasive writing strategies.”

Math: “Creative Encounter of the Numerical Kind”
http://studenthome.nku.edu/~webquest/gabbard/
“After researching place value and numeration systems, students create a base-4 numeration system for a primitive alien tribe.”

Elementary: "Our Class Pet”
http://www.teacherweb.com/IN/PNC/Cassady/
“Students work in groups to research four different potential group pets. Each group member focuses on a different aspect of the pet, and then chooses which pet they feel is best for the class and creates a presentation to persuade the class to choose that pet.”

(This article is from the February 2007 issue of Technology Focus)

Contributions

Do you know of a technology lesson or project going on in your area that should be highlighted? Do you have a web resource you would like to share? Do you have a technology tip that would be helpful for others to know? Please email David (dyoung@pky.ufl.edu) with ideas and content for upcoming issues.

January 2007 Introduction

Last week I had the opportunity to attend the Florida Educational Technology Conference with Chris Davidson and Chris Lee. This is a huge conference, and it was exciting to see how many teachers, administrators, media specialists, and other educators in Florida are committed to using technology to enhance education. We all three came back with ideas and resources that have already shaped our practice.

As you know, the atmosphere at a conference is one of sharing, in which ideas are exchanged and inspiration is found. I am hoping that this newsletter will provide us with a similar forum for sharing all the great ways you are using technology in your classrooms, which will give inspiration to others. So keep up the good work, and please let me know if you have any ideas for features in upcoming issues.

-David Young

Second Graders Learn to Read, Write, and Type

Sue McCoy’s second graders have recently become experts at typing and publishing their own stories, thanks to the program Read, Write and Type. Read, Write, and Type incorporates phonics, reading, and writing into teaching students how to type with correct fingerings. The program is self-paced, allowing students to work at their own speed and spend extra time practicing sounds and words they are less familiar with.

Sue sees the program as a great success: “This is the second year of using the program and I have found that for those children reluctant to write, the incentive of the computer is a great motivator.”

It took students between 3 and 4 weeks to complete the program, working on the mac mobile lab for about 45 minutes a day. Sue cites this time investment as the most difficult challenge in implementing the program, but the benefits soon became apparent. “They [the children] have gained so much experience on how to use the laptops and are now busy putting their typing skills to work in Word”.

Sue’s second graders can be now be found every Thursday afternoon, typing original stories in Microsoft Word. As Sue says, “…the use of the computer helps them publish their pieces quickly and on their own. I don’t have to type for them”.

If you are interested in using a mobile lab more in your classroom, please talk to David. Other programs on the mac lab that are suitable for Elementary students include Kidspiration, KidPix, and the rest of the Microsoft Office Suite.

(This article originally appeared in the January 2007 issue of Technology Focus)

Resources

http://www.loc.gov/teachers/ . The library of congress teacher page contains interactive lessons and activities for a variety of topics and grade levels.

http://www.dlese.org/educators/k12.html . The Digital Library for Earth Science Education is a collection of multimedia resources for Earth science education at all levels.

http://nlvm.usu.edu/en/nav/vlibrary.html . The National Library of Virtual Manipulatives is a collection of interactive java applets for learning math topics from grades K-12.

http://www.factmonster.com/ . Fact Monster is an information page for elementary students. It’s a quick reference for facts on just about everything and is a good place to start learning about internet research.

(This article originally appeared in the January 2007 issue of Technology Focus)

Take a Virtual Field Trip

Virtual field trips let you visit places that would not be practical or possible to visit in person. There are a lot of pre-made virtual field trips on the web that provide excellent opportunities for large or small group instruction. http://www.uen.org/utahlink/tours/ provides links to a large number of virtual field trips sorted by subject area. Try searching the internet for virtual field trips to an area you are interested in. Also, consider using Google Earth (www.google.com/earth) as your method of transportation to each destination. Talk to David if you have any questions.

(This article originally appeared in the January 2007 issue of Technology Focus)

High School Technology Students Produce Preview Videos

Shortly after we added 5 new digital video cameras to our equipment list, technology teacher Chris Davidson already had his students putting them to good use. The footage used in our Middle and High School Preview video was filmed entirely by students in his Interactive Design classes.

Chris first gave his students a “one-day crash course in camera care, proper handling, techniques of good shooting and instruction in camera crew etiquette.” Next, the class brainstormed ideas of what to film and created a master shot-list, which was split into short lists for film crews of 2-3 to go out and capture. Chris edited the students’ footage into its final form, a 3 minute and 30 second ode to PK Yonge that was enjoyed by everyone at the Preview programs.

The biggest challenges Chris faced in this project were equipment care and student management. As he says, “I needed to sufficiently convince all the students of the dire importance of taking care of the (expensive) camera equipment. Handling all these groups' comings and goings required tight coordination and significant planning in advance.”

Anyone who saw the video shown at the Previews can attest to the success of this project. Additionally, the care that Chris took to ensure the safety of the equipment and the management of his students paid off. The student film crews carried themselves around campus in a professional way, capturing quality footage while remaining on-task and undisruptive.

Chris gives the following advice to anyone who is interested in using the video cameras in their classrooms: “Do not let any students handle the equipment until you (or David) have personally trained them on its use and care. On the other hand, do not let a lack of videography experience stand in the way of trying out one or more cameras to prepare for using them with a class. Maybe one of your students will grow up to direct films?”

If you are interested in using the video cameras in your classroom, please contact David. As Chris said, don’t let lack of experience stand in the way of using this great resource with your kids.

(This article Originally appeared in the January 2007 issue of Technology Focus)

November Introduction

Thanks for taking the time to read this issue of Technology Focus. I would like to take this opportunity to share with you a little about what the technology committee is up to.

This year, each member of the committee is becoming a resident expert in some area of technology. They will be implementing their new skills with students and informing / training the rest of the faculty in their technology area. You will be seeing their work in a variety of ways during the second semester. The committee will also continue to discuss plans for technology implementation and projects throughout the school.

Our members this year are Andrea Zazo, Sue McCoy, Ashley Pennypacker-Vogt, Adam Escue, Penny Chou, Crystal VanCleef, Chris Lee, Mickey MacDonald, Jim Bice, Cindy King, Chris Davidson and myself. If you have any questions about the committee or would like to become involved talk to me or any member.

-David Young

Math Students Manage Portfolios Online

Catherine Porter was looking for a way to bring real-world math applications to her Applied III Math class. What she found was an online stock market game called Florida Stock Market Challenge in which students manage an imaginary $100,000 by investing in different stocks. Catherine chose this site because of it’s ease of use and support for teachers, including lesson plans for students in grades 4-12.

After spending time over 3-4 weeks teaching about the stock market and its vocabulary, students logged onto the site for the first time and choose the stocks they wanted to invest in. Now they log on once a week via mobile lab computers to check their investments, make trades, and report on their progress. As she says, “There is a lot of leg work up front, but it runs itself once started.”

Students are working in groups of 4, in which each member is responsible for investing a quarter of their total money. Of 83 teams competing in the game in Northeast Florida, Catherine’s teams are currently ranked 17th, 32nd, 47th, and 78th, but have been ranked as high as 9th or 10th.

Catherine reports that students are responding with varying degrees of enthusiasm for the project, but that “Middle and lower level students seem to handle the unpredictability of the market and their investments better than the higher level students”.
To learn more about the Florida Stock Market Challenge visit http://www.smgww.com/. To reserve a mobile lab for use in your classroom or to discuss projects to implement with them talk to David.

(This article originally appeared in the November 2006 issue of Technology Focus)

Resources

http://www.creativekidsathome.com/activities.shtml . This site provides crafts and activities for elementary students in a variety of areas such as science, holidays, games and more. Submitted by Ashley Pennypacker-Vogt.

http://www.bioedonline.org/ . Site with resources, presentations, slide sets, current issues in science, teacher resources for secondary and primary (K-5). Submitted by Mickey MacDonald.

http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Global/all-courses.htm . MIT makes many of its course materials freely available to all. Useful for secondary teachers looking for curriculum ideas (or a material refresher). Submitted by Chris Davidson.

www.historyteacher.net . Site with a wealth of information for history or social studies teachers. Includes web quests. PowerPoints, quizzes, map makers, and more. Submitted by Crystal VanCleef.

(This article originally appeared in the November 2006 issue of Technology Focus)

Did You Know?

We have created a website to support teachers in the use of technology at P.K. Yonge. Please visit www.pky.ufl.edu/~technology. The site currently includes information on our equipment, including what we have and how to check it out. It also includes training documents for common tasks in mygradebook, turnitin, outlook, and entourage as well as links to our computer use agreement which include internet filter override forms.
Please visit this site and provide David with input on what other resources you would like to see become available through this site.

(This article originally appeared in the November 2006 issue of Technology Focus)

First Graders Test Their Knowledge of Spiders with TurningPoint

After completing a unit on Spiders, Kelly Dolan and her intern Jacqui Huffman chose TurningPoint as their method for post-testing students. TurningPoint is a student response system that integrates into PowerPoint presentations. Students use individual remote control response devices to submit their answers to questions that appear on screen. After each question a graph is displayed showing the percentage of students responding to each question and indicating the correct answer.

Jacqui says they chose TurningPoint because, “we could see results for each question immediately and the children would see how they were doing as a class”. Students responded to this immediate feedback very positively, getting excited about each question that they answered correctly and eagerly anticipating the next question. Using TurningPoint in this way provided students with the ability to tangibly see all the progress they had made as a class over the previous few weeks.

Other features Kelly and Jacqui enjoyed were the ability to import pictures into their question slides and print out a report of student responses at the end. For example, after completing the TurningPoint test Kelly and Jaqui were able to view their student data as a spreadsheet to see exactly which answer each student chose for every question as well as overall student percentages.
In this case TurningPoint was used effectively as what Jacqui called a, “motivating post-test”. Other teachers have effectively used this tool as a pre-test, a quick check for student understanding or an opinion poll before and after discussing a complex issue. If you are interested in receiving training on TurningPoint or reserving it for your classroom please contact David.

(This article originally appeared in the November 2006 issue of Technology Focus)

October 2006 Introduction

Hello! This is the first of what I hope will become monthly issues of “Technology Focus”. The purpose of this newsletter is to increase communication about technology use at P.K. Yonge. As such, I would encourage you to start conversations about what you read. Talk to the teachers mentioned in the spotlights, share ideas that may be sparked by reading, and email me any comments or suggestions you have about the newsletter or material that you would like to see included.

Each issue will include a short spotlight of a technology lesson or project that is being implemented in the Elementary, Middle, or High School. Additionally, links to resources for teachers will be included, as well as any news from the technology “department” and upcoming events. I hope you enjoy reading this inaugural issue and email me (dyoung@pky.ufl.edu) with any comments, criticisms, or suggestions.

-David Young

(This article originally appeared in the October 2006 edition of Technology Focus)

Upcoming Tech Events

Why Work, When You Could Play?
Back for a repeat performance, the technology open house will be open from 8:00-11:00 on the teacher work day, Friday, October 20th. Come play with our equipment, ask questions, and get training. Q-501.

So You Want a Website?
At this session we will discuss the options you have for making a web page and decide what kind of page is best for you. We will discuss the possibility of follow-up lessons on dreamweaver for those interested. 11:00 AM, October 20th, Q-502.

Course Blog Keeps Parents and Students Informed

Blogs provide an easy way for those with little or no technology experience to create and maintain a webpage. Every faculty member at P.K. Yonge has the ability to create a blog on our server. The advantage of using a P.K. blog is that it is not blocked by the filter, making it easiy to view and update both on and off campus.

Lawson Brown has taken advantage of his P.K. blog space to create a blog for communicating with his 6th grade students and their parents. Lawson says, “I must admit this is a very effective short cut in lieu of a website. I appreciate the simplicity of getting current information online.” Lawson estimates that parents are checking the blog at least once a week. Additionally, students or parents sometimes leave comments about his posting or ask questions by using the “comments” feature.

While Lawson finds the blog to be a quick and easy way to share information, he also notes that it does it have some limitations. Users have less control over the overall design of the site and you are not able to add pictures to the P.K. Blogs. Still, Lawson says, “I would suggest all teachers try it out if they have not mastered a website, but one caution is that once they get going they may not want to dedicate time to creating a website.“
Lawson’s blog can be found at: http://pky.ufl.edu/lbrown . To view all of the blogs currently on the P.K. server go to http://pky.ufl.edu/weblog/ . Other blogs of note are the 6th & 12th grade team blogs (you must be a member to view these) and Angie Brammer’s course Blog. For instructions on how to create your own blog on the P.K. server look in the “Training” section of the P.K. technology website, http://www.pky.ufl.edu/~technology .

(This article originally appeared in the October 2006 issue of Technology Focus)

Resources

http://www.internet4classrooms.com/ This site has links to lessons, pre-made PowerPoints, tutorials, and much more for teachers of all levels. I suggest following the “Links for K-12” teachers from the front page and then exploring the links provided for your teaching area.

http://www.teach-nology.com/web_tools/materials/bingo/ This is a bingo card generator that allows you to enter 9 or 25 items (for either a 3x3 or 5x5 card). Multiple cards with random arrangements of your items can then be easily generated.

(Originally published in the October 2006 issue of Technology Focus)

Did You Know?

All faculty have access to the web service www.turnitin.com . This site allows students to submit assignments to facilitate peer review and plagiarism prevention. When an assignment is submitted via turnitin, it is compared to current and archived versions of the web, as well as a database of all papers ever submitted to turnitin. An originality report is then generated for each assignment including links to potential sources of plagiarism. Additionally, turnitin is an excellent resource for teaching students about plagiarism and proper citation.

Watch for info on an upcoming workshop on using turnitin.com. For more information and to setup your account contact David or read the turnitin document found in the “Training” section of the P.K. Technology site: http://www.pky.ufl.edu/~technology.

(Originally published in the October 2006 edition of Technology Focus)

2nd Graders Take a Virtual Field Trip to Brazil

Thanks to some Smartboards and the program Google Earth, Lacy Basford and Heather Blowers recently took their students on a virtual field trip to Brazil. On day one, students viewed a PowerPoint presentation, which they were able to interact with, in order to learn about maps and compass directions. On the second day, students used what they learned to chart a course from P.K. Yonge to Brazil and “fly” there using Google Earth.

Lacy and Heather appreciated the interactivity that was provided by using the Smartboards, as opposed to static projection screens. In their words, “Students went from observers to doers as they manipulated the screen with both the writing pens and their fingers.” They also reported a strong positive response from students with “tons of excitement and gasps. They were hooked into learning.”
Lacy and Heather offer the following advice to other teachers thinking of using the Smartboards: “Train students on use of pens, always equip yourself with knowledge of the board, and ensure the Smartboard is used as a manipulative tool!.”

Contact David to reserve a Smartboard for use in your classroom or to receive training on how to use the boards. To learn more about Google Earth, or to download the free version visit, http://earth.google.com/ .

(This article originally appeared in the October 2006 newsletter)

Welcome!

Welcome to the P.K. Yonge technology newsletter. Here you will find articles that provide classroom technology profiles, resources, technology tips, and information on upcoming and past technology events. Please add comments to join in the discussion about technology use at P.K. Yonge.

-David Young