Tech Tools I'm Grateful For...

Day 15 of the Attitude of Gratitude Reflective Teacher @TeachThought Blog Challenge...

Anyone who knows me knows I have a passion for technology in education and the possibilities it offers both us and our students.  I've been guilty over the years of getting incredibly excited about anything new that I can grab hold of and experiment with.  I still have this excitement but it's tempered by this question:

What impact will this tool have on learning and teaching - what is the 'why' of using this particular tool?

If I, or my students, cannot clearly articulate the answer to this then I am cautious about using a tool or persisting in it's use if we can't quickly answer the question through initial use / experimentation.

I'm excited about the possibilities of Google Apps for Education (GAFE) and Google Classroom and can't wait to experiment more with these as I believe they hold the key to flattening the classroom walls and flipping learning and teaching to allow for anywhere, anytime learning.  I'm still a huge fan of using Blogger as my classroom blogging platform as it's easy to set up and use.  All things Google seem to be my main area of excitement at the moment as it provides a way of connecting learners, teachers, parents and communities, both locally and globally.

Storybird is one of my favourite digital storytelling tools.  It can be used in so many ways to inspire writers - even our more reluctant ones will become excited about it.  I've used this for many years with all levels from Year 2 through to Year 8.  It's been a consistent tool that I can use to motivate and engage learners in reading and writing and also visual language.  Great all-rounder.

ePals is another tool I've used for many years.  Like our old pen-pals, (seems such a long time ago now!!).  I think I first used ePals way back in about 2005 as a way of connecting my students globally and locally.  There are a range of options for authentic inquiries and projects and we added in Skype to the mix a few years back.  We also have Skype In The Classroom now, so that's another tool that can provide authentic learning contexts and connect students locally and globally.  There is huge potential for tapping into experts in their field using this tool.  Have a look at it and see what you think.

YouTube is also one of my 'go-to's' that I'm very grateful for.  Again, you can access expertise through this medium or watch inspirational people share their knowledge.  Creating your own classroom channel also offers another way of connecting with your communities.

ScoopIt is my favourite digital curation tool and I use this as part of my professional learning for resources.

There are so many tools I use for so many different purposes but I'm grateful for what they give me and my students - the chance to connect and provide authentic learning which we can share in real-time with others and receive relevant feedback. 

How will my teaching change in 5 years?

"We are all teachers and we are all learners in our learning environment."  

A wonderful motto created by my Year 5/6 students a few years ago.  We learn with and from each other.

I'm a passionate user of technology but only if it impacts learning and teaching in a positive manner - if it adds to what the students and I do.  If it doesn't and I can't justify its use to do this, then I don't use it.  My classes have been largely paperless over the past 4 years and I know this will continue into the future.  This is a given when thinking about how my teaching will change in the next five years - it will continue to be a focus.

I will also continue to develop my passion for connecting my students to the real world, both locally and globally, something I've tried to always do over the past 15 years I have been teaching.  My goal is to be able to help and support other teachers to see how powerful this learning and teaching can be.  I want them to also be able to share the learning and teaching with their students - to not be threatened by handing over some of the 'control' to their students.

This may be with me still in the classroom or it may be in other positions...I'm still working on this.

#reflectiveteacher

My Current Top Tech Tools

From Teaching and Technology 

I'm a huge fan of technology to change how we teach and learn but I always start with the 'Why' of using it.  I need to be able to clearly articulate how it impacts learning and teaching in a positive manner and why I'm using it.  I need my students to also be able to do this.  If one of us can't, then it's not a tool we need to be using.

We start with the learning and then look for the tool to support what we are doing or trying to achieve. We also focus on using the SAMR model of technology use so that it is changing our learning and teaching us skills for the future.

Over the years I've tried so many different tools.  Some I still use regularly while others have been exchanged for more effective tools.  The tools I've chosen are those which I've consistently been able to use with my students of all ages over the past few years and which can be adapted to meet changing needs - both for the students and myself.

My top tech tools that impact learning and teaching are:

BLOGGER
This is still my favourite blogging tool.  I've used many others but love the simplicity and ease of use of this one.  Great for students and new bloggers.  Huge benefit that it links in with all things Google.  Blogging has been the single most powerful thing I've done with my students in recent years in terms of creating and sharing learning and giving and receiving feedback.  Blogging gives our students an authentic audience.

STORYBIRD
If you want to motivate writers - including the 'reluctant' ones, then you really can't go past this.  It's a wonderful tool for digital storytelling.  Beautiful artwork - all free to use so you don't have to worry about copyright - that stimulates the senses and the imagination.  Great for all ages.  Completed writing / books can be shared and / or embedded.  Easy to use.  Completed work becomes a virtual storybook.

ALL THINGS GOOGLE
I am such a fan of Google Apps for Education (GAFE), Google Classroom - just starting to explore this and everything else that can be linked to create anytime, anywhere learning for my students and also for me.
This has been one of the most powerful suites of tools I've used in my teaching career.  It's been a way of creating online communities where collaboration and creation of new knowledge is to the fore.


VOICETHREAD
I love this application for sharing learning and giving and receiving feedback.  Feedback can be given by typing in your response or recording your response.  It incorporates images and text as well as sound.
Can be used on mobile devices too  - great for quick recording on the go and sharing learning.

MYCHATPACK
This is software that my class and I had a part in designing.  It's a video tool which has so many different uses - only limited by our imaginations.  It's point of difference is that it incorporates a rolling teleprompt feature which is absolutely fantastic for building student confidence - great for students learning another language too.  The completed videos can be uploaded and embedded in a variety of places or, if under 1 minute, you can attach supporting documents for sharing through email.  Fantastic for assessment too!

Day 13 @TeachThought blogging challenge  #reflectiveteacher