Our first chat of 2016 centered around digital tools and resources that aid students in reading and research. Granite teachers also shared books that inspire them professionally and inspire their students as readers and learners. Thank you to everyone who participated! We will be compiling all of the resources and books you shared in the chat and sharing them on this blog next week. Read on for a complete archive of the chat. [Read more…] about #GSDEdTech Chat Archive – Reading and Research Tools (1/28/2016)
Patrick Flanagan
#GSDEdTech Chat Archive: Favorite Apps and Web Tools (12/10/2015)
Many thanks to the teachers in Granite School District who joined our recent twitter chat, sharing suggestions and questions about apps and digital tools for teaching and learning. So many great ideas and resources were shared, as well as questions asked that give us opportunities to reach out and seek new solutions. Read on for a complete archive of the chat. [Read more…] about #GSDEdTech Chat Archive: Favorite Apps and Web Tools (12/10/2015)
#GSDEdTech Chat Archive: Social Media in Education (11/19/2015)
We had great participation and discussion from Granite teachers in our first ever district-wide #GSDEdTech chat. The discussion topic was “Social Media in Education,” and the chat was hosted by Patrick Flanagan, Director of Educational Technology. Read on for a complete archive of the chat. [Read more…] about #GSDEdTech Chat Archive: Social Media in Education (11/19/2015)
Teacher Spotlight: Laverna Benally, Lincoln Elementary
Laverna Benally teaches 5th Grade at Lincoln Elementary in South Salt Lake, Utah. This spotlight begins with her students expressing a few of the reasons they enjoy having Mrs. Benally as their teacher. We see students working on research projects and creating collaborative Google Slides presentations using classroom Chromebooks. One student states that he enjoys using Chromebooks because they help him become more engaged with research. Meanwhile, we see Mrs. Benally roaming the classroom consulting with students individually to meet their needs. Special thanks go to Mrs. Benally, an excellent teacher who engages and supports students in her classroom each day.
Spotlight Author: Patrick Flanagan, Director of Educational Technology, Granite School District
Teacher Spotlight: Katie Ricks, Howard R. Driggs Elementary
Katie Ricks teaches 3rd Grade at Howard R. Driggs Elementary in Holladay, Utah, where she and her students utilize technology daily in the classroom. In this spotlight she discusses how having technology in her classroom has allowed her to differentiate her teaching throughout the day and support students in working at their own paces. She also describes how classroom technology has opened up new avenues for communication, collaboration, and creativity between the students, the teacher, and parents.
Spotlight Author: Patrick Flanagan, Director of Educational Technology, Granite School District
Digital Conversion Spotlight: Student Critical Thinking
In the lead-up to next year’s Digital Conversion implementation, we will be featuring spotlights and discussions from teachers and students who participated in pilot classroom Chromebook programs during the 2014-15 school year. In today’s video, teachers discuss how students’ critical thinking and resource analysis skills have improved thanks to the immediate access to a wide array of web sites and resources provided by the classroom Chromebooks. Having instant in-class access to all the resources available on the Internet makes it easier for teachers to model good research practices and coach students in the analysis of these resources for credibility.
Spotlight Created by Patrick Flanagan, Granite School District Director of Educational Technology.
Digital Conversion Spotlight: Student Communication
In the lead-up to next year’s Digital Conversion implementation, we will be featuring spotlights and discussions from teachers and students who participated in pilot classroom Chromebook programs during the 2014-15 school year. In today’s video, teachers discuss how email, Canvas, and cloud-based collaborative tools such as Google Drive/Google Docs and classroom Chromebooks have enabled students to more easily and more readily contact teachers with questions and comments, receive more immediate feedback and answers from teachers, as well as communicate with each other with questions and ideas relative to their learning.
Spotlight Created by Patrick Flanagan, Granite School District Director of Educational Technology.
Digital Conversion Spotlight: Student Collaboration
In the lead-up to next year’s Digital Conversion implementation, we will be featuring spotlights and discussions from teachers and students who participated in pilot classroom Chromebook programs during the 2014-15 school year. In today’s video, teachers discuss how cloud-based collaborative tools such as Google Drive/Google Docs and classroom Chromebooks enable students to easily collaborate on projects and give immediate feedback to one another through peer-editing of writing.
Spotlight Created by Patrick Flanagan, Granite School District Director of Educational Technology.
Digital Conversion Spotlight: Student Creativity
In the lead-up to next year’s Digital Conversion implementation, we will be featuring spotlights and discussions from teachers and students who participated in pilot classroom Chromebook programs during the 2014-15 school year. In today’s video, teachers highlight ways that students use classroom Chromebooks to explore their own ideas and interests, develop creative projects, and become creators and producers of knowledge rather than simply consumers of information.
Spotlight Created by Patrick Flanagan, Granite School District Director of Educational Technology.
Digital Conversion Spotlight: Initial Struggles and Successes
In the lead-up to next year’s Digital Conversion implementation, we will be featuring spotlights and discussions from teachers and students who participated in pilot classroom Chromebook programs during the 2014-15 school year. In today’s videos, teachers discuss some of their initial struggles and initial successes in using digital devices with students.
Spotlight Created by Patrick Flanagan, Granite School District Director of Educational Technology.