Is anyone else completely overwhelmed with which digital tools can help us enhance virtual learning this school year? With so many resources to choose from, not only do we need curated lists, we need accessible and digestible training for the tools we want to use. Each year the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) curates a list for educators of best digital tools to use in classrooms! Join me this August for a PLC initiative that will get you more familiar with a few of these tools and enhance your instruction.
These tools can help you meet the AASL and ISTE standards while maintaining both staff and student engagement. With lessons to choose from and adapt, these resources are beneficial and exciting because you become more efficient and the learning becomes more meaningful. Please click here for a detailed plan of the PLC, which will continue to be housed on Wakelet.
After signing up, teachers will take a pre-assessment to understand their comfort level and prior knowledge with the tools we will be discussing.
In Session 1, the teachers will be introduced to FlipGrid, Nearpod, Edublogs, TeachingTolerance.com, and TeachingBooks.net. They will also sign-up for which tool they would like to present on during the last PLC session. They will play a Kahoot game to assess learning.
In Session 2, FlipGrid is introduced and we illustrate both the interactive elements through Augmented Reality as well as ways you can engage students to respond to classroom lessons. We will cover all elements of how to create assignments as well as illustrate what your class sees and how to share "grids" with them. There is also a valuable resource for help and a grid posted so educators can introduce themselves and learn how to use FlipGrid while doing it!
Session 3 discusses Nearpod, how to edit lessons and a blog to get ideas and help. There is a section on how to help early learners because we are in an elementary school, as well as a checklist so the teachers can demonstrate their learning.
Session 4 discusses student blogging and includes a VoiceThread describing various tools to use, lessons and benefits of blogging.
Session 5 goes over the website TeachingTolerance and introduces diverse themes, as well as webinars if you want to engage more in this anti-bias and social justice thematic teaching. There are also asynchronous options for self-guided learning.
Session 6 details TeachingBooks and the myriad ways this resource has to engage students in learning more about authors and the text they are reading. Also for virutal learning, there are read-alouds and video chats with authors to enhance lessons! The teachers will use Flipgrid to leave a message about this learning.
In Session 7, the educators will bring their learning with them and display a tool they have used to create a lesson for their classroom. We will end with an exit ticket.
I hope to see you at the PLC but if not, please enjoy the curated tools and links toward learning!