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Granite School District > Educational Technology > Blog > Digital Learning Resources

Digital Learning Resources

Presentation: Technology Integration Progress Initiative

Chris Larsen, Director of Educational Technology, and Jenny Peirce, Educational Technology Specialist Team Leader, recently presented at the 2018 International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) Conference held in Chicago, sharing our department’s Technology Integration Progress initiative.

Click here to view the slideshow from their presentation or read below for details about the initiative and links to additional resources.  [Read more…] about Presentation: Technology Integration Progress Initiative

Granite Presentations at UCET 2018

Last week the Utah Coalition for Educational Technology held their annual conference at the University of Utah. Sessions were led for and by educators, and many of Granite’s teachers and school technology specialists attended and presented at the conference. Below is a roster of the sessions shared by Granite teachers, along with links to resources from the sessions if available.

Granite UCET 2018 Presentations

Session TitlePresenter(s)
Don't Be Afraid of Technology: How To Establish Successful Classroom ProceduresMelissa White (School Technology Specialist, Oakridge El. and Valley Crest El.)
EdpuzzleEdna Habel (5th Grade Teacher, Western Hills El.)
Ross Pope (School Technology Specialist, Arcadia El. and Whittier El.)
Engaging All Students with Classic ToysQuinn Rollins (Social Studies Curriculum Specialist, Curriculum & Instruction Dept.)
Engage Students Like a BossTricia Fenton (School Technology Specialist, Vista El. and Western Hills El.)
Nicole Maycock (6th Grade Teacher, Plymouth El.)
Flipping out for Flipgrid!Krystal Plott (School Technology Specialist, Wright El.)
HTML Programming on Chromebooks in the Elementary/Middle School ClassroomAndy Misco (School Technology Specialist, Eastwood El. and Twin Peaks El.)
Hyperdocs: Engage, Educate, and InspireRebecca Baggett (School Technology Specialist, West Valley El.)
Anastasia Limantzakis (School Technology Specialist, Crestview Elementary and Roosevelt Elementary)
Tiffany Simons (School Technology Specialist, Driggs El. and Granger El.)
Learn and Play with OzobotsBrandi Gollinger (School Technology Specialist, Armstrong Academy)
Jayanne Unander (School Technology Specialist, Pleasant Green El.)
Makerspace: How to Build a Solar GreenhouseLaurel Udy (Special Education Teacher, Hunter El.)
Meet KIBO in this Hands-on Session for Robotics for PreK-2nd GradesJaneen Johnson (Kindergarten Teacher, South Kearns El.)
Jennifer Millett (Kindergarten Teacher, South Kearns El.)
Micro:bit by BitSherri Harris (School Technology Specialist, Wilson El.)
Kathleen Riebe (School Technology Specialist, Fox Hills El. and Frost El.)
Micro:bit CodingSarah Eyring (School Technology Specialist, Granite Technical Institute)
Samantha Mitchell (School Technology Specialist, Academy Park El. and Gourley El.)
Mixology: Structures and Strategies for Blended LearningPam Moeai (Specialist/Team Leader, Educational Technology Dept.)
Jennifer Peirce (Specialist/Team Leader, Educational Technology Dept.)
Online Library ResourcesTricia Fenton (School Technology Specialist, Vista El. and Western Hills El.)
Raspberry PiJohn Smith (School Technology Specialist, Bacchus El. and Plymouth El.)
School News Production and Film Made EasyJen Johnson (3rd Grade Teacher, William Penn El.)
3D Printing and Engineering Design in the ClassroomDave Pendleton (4th Grade Teacher, Armstrong Academy)
Teacher Leadership in Utah: Utah Teacher FellowsDeborah Gatrell (Social Studies Teacher, Hunter Sr. High)
UEN Canvas Modules for your classMikelle Gordon (1st Grade Teacher, Sandburg El.)

What’s New in YA OverDrive — March 2018

These posters feature some of the latest YA titles that have been added to OverDrive for secondary schools. Click on the images to download a high-quality PDF file that can be printed for display in your a library or classroom. Right click and choose “Save image as…” to save the image for posting on a school or classroom web site.

(Granite’s OverDrive provides free access to ebooks and digital audiobooks for all students and staff in Granite School District. Granite’s OverDrive can be accessed on the web at http://granite.lib.overdrive.com or via OverDrive apps designed for various mobile devices. For more information or help getting started with OverDrive, visit https://www.graniteschools.org/edtech/overdrive.)

OverDrive posters designed by Cindy Moyle, Secondary Library Media Supervisor, Educational Technology Dept.

Now Open: Google Slides Basics Online Module

The Google Slides Module is now open on our Chromebook Basics and G Suite Online Training site for Granite teachers. The module walks you through the basics of Google Slides, but also includes some additional helpful tips and tricks.  [Read more…] about Now Open: Google Slides Basics Online Module

OverDrive Book Lists: Latino Stories and Spanish Language Titles

The Educational Technology Department recently participated in Granite School District’s Latino Outreach Night, during which we shared with students and their families some unplugged and plugged Hour of Code activities, a button making activity, as well as information on accessing Granite’s OverDrive Digital Library. We created a couple of new collections in OverDrive especially for the night:

Latino and Hispanic Heritage Stories - Collection in OverDrive
Latino and Hispanic Heritage Stories – Collection in OverDrive
Spanish Titles - Collection in OverDrive
Spanish Titles – Collection in OverDrive

We also created this poster featuring Latino Stories in OverDrive which you are free to print out and display in your library or classroom, or post digitally on a web site.

Poster - Latino Stories in Granite's OverDrive
Poster – Latino Stories in Granite’s OverDrive

We’d love to add to these lists, as well as create more lists of books and resources on other subjects and cultures in coming months. If you have a purchase suggestion (either for OverDrive or your school’s library) or if you would like help finding resources and books on a certain topic or subject, try out our Request and Suggestion Form.

Technology Tip: Greenscreen Videos With Chromebooks and WeVideo

Why write a report on the Great Wall of China or the Egyptian Pyramids when you can be there as a news reporter telling about it?

You can do that with the magic of green screen video effects! Meteorologists use green screen effects when reporting on the weather. You and your students can create green screen videos using a few simple things.

Items Needed

  • A green bed sheet, fabric or thin blanket will work for the green screen (most any solid color you won’t be wearing will also work)
  • Chromebook or other computer
  • Any device you can record video with such as a smartphone, iPod, iPad, digital camera or other tablet
  • WeVideo App for Chrome
  • Optional: keepvid.com is a free and easy web tool if you want to convert Youtube videos to .mp4 to add ready made special effects into your videos

Process

  • Hang your green screen background in a place where you want to film (even lighting is best where it won’t cast shadows)
  • Set up your device to record your video in front of the green screen or have someone do the recording (I set the iPad on a chair in front of me to record)
  • Record your video and then load it by USB onto your Chromebook or computer. I used a Chromebook and loaded it into my Google Drive.
  • Use the WeVideo app or website to edit your video (see tutorial)
  • You can add other background pictures or videos to create special effects. The dinosaur and scenery were two that I found on Youtube.
  • You can use keepvid to convert Youtube videos to .mp4 files that work in WeVideo
  • Render the video when your editing is complete. I uploaded the final movie to Youtube to easily share it on this web page.

Other

  • There is also an iPad app called do ink that can be used to create green screen videos.

Tutorials

Post created by Teresa Bruin, district educational technology specialist and team leader, originally appearing in our November 2017 Ed. Tech. Monthly Newsletter for Teachers.

2017 Computer Science Education Week and Hour of Code Coming Soon

Computer Science Education Week is December 4-10, 2017. Many schools, educators, and students participate in an Hour of Code during Computer Science Education Week.

Hour of Code

Last year, students at Farnsworth Elementary and Woodstock Elementary tried out computer programming by participating in Hour of Code activities. In the video above, a few of these students share their work and their thoughts about the coding activities with Joell Wilkins, school technology specialist.

Hour of Code is a worldwide initiative to introduce young people to the basics of coding and computer science through 1-hour coding activities. These activities are especially promoted during Computer Science Education Week, but can be done at any time throughout the year. If you are interested in hosting an Hour of Code event, these how-to guides provide assistance for activities ranging from school-wide events to at-home family coding activities.

Check out these awesome Pleasant Green Elementary students learning to code during their Coding Club. Thanks to Jayanne Unander, school technology specialist, for sharing!

https://twitter.com/junander/status/922595732523188231

If you host a coding activity please share it with us! You can leave a comment below or share pictures via social media including Twitter or Instagram, using the hashtags #gsdedtech and #HourOfCode.

About Computer Science Education Week

Computer Science Education Week (CSEdWeek) is an annual program dedicated to inspiring K-12 students to take interest in computer science.

Originally conceived by the Computing in the Core coalition, Code.org® organizes CSEdWeek as a grassroots campaign supported by 350 partners and 100,000 educators worldwide.

CSEdWeek is held in recognition of the birthday of computing pioneer Admiral Grace Murray Hopper (December 9, 1906).
–from “About CSEdWeek” (https://csedweek.org/about)

Why Learn to Code?

See what the developers of Microsoft, Dropbox, Twitter, Facebook and others have to say about learning to code.

Post created by Teresa Bruin, district educational technology specialist and team leader. originally appearing in our November 2017 Ed. Tech. Monthly Newsletter for Teachers. Hour of Code spotlight video created by Joell Wilkins, school technology specialist at Farnsworth Elementary and Woodstock Elementary, and originally featured on this blog last year.

OverDrive Presentation for AASL 2017: Getting the Word Out about Your eBooks & Audiobooks

Cindy Moyle, our district’s library media specialist for secondary schools, recently shared a presentation at the American Association of School Librarians 2017 Conference about OverDrive Digital Library entitled “Getting the Word Out about Your eBooks & Audiobooks.” The presentation features ideas and resources from Cindy Moyle, as well as other school librarians in Granite School District, for promoting the district’s OverDrive ebook and audiobook collection and encouraging reading.

Click here to download a copy of the presentation.

Click here for downloadable OverDrive bookmark templates, stickers, etc.

Click here to view past resources and activities for promoting OverDrive that we’ve shared on this blog.

(Granite’s OverDrive provides free access to ebooks and digital audiobooks for all students and staff in Granite School District. Granite’s OverDrive can be accessed on the web at http://granite.lib.overdrive.com or via OverDrive apps designed for various mobile devices. For more information or help getting started with OverDrive, visit https://www.graniteschools.org/edtech/overdrive.)