Digital Eyes

A Guidebook for Social Media in the Classroom 12 Ways Teachers are Using Social Media in the Classroom Right Now http://www.edutopia.org/blog/guidebook-social-media-in-classroom-vicki-davis 'Genius hour': What kids can learn from failure http://www.cnn.com/2014/03/09/living/genius-hour-education-schools/index.html Why "20% Time" is Good for Schools Great explanation of why 20% is so important! http://www.edutopia.org/blog/20-percent-time-a-j-juliani?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=post&utm_campaign=blog-secret-of-genius-shared-image 19 Tips, Tricks and Apps for Classroom Management Some great ideas about how iPads and other tech tools can be used to help manage a classroom. http://classtechtips.com/2014/02/20/19-tips-tricks-and-apps-for-classroom-management/ 12 Ways to Leverage the Power of Google Drive in Your Classroom Instruction A great overview of the many ways that Google Drive can be used in the classroom. http://www.educatorstechnolog

Here are some things I have been reading recently that have really made an impact on me: Great post about some ways to use Explain Everything. I loved the idea of using it for mind mapping! http://kulowiectech.blogspot.com/2013/06/explain-everything-x-4-ways.html Great things to think about as you start thinking about using creation tools! http://www.edudemic.com/learn-while-creating/ I love the way Justin uses the idea of Someday/Monday. I like to tell teachers think big/start small, but I might have to change it up! http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/2013/07/potential-and-reality-the-ipad-as-a-tool-for-creation/

We are in our 2nd year of implementation of 1:1 iPads. One key question that keeps coming up is what does effective integration look like? This is not an easy question to answer, but I have a couple of ideas to help: 1. Students are using them: It may sound simple, but one thing to look for is does the teacher provide students with the opportunity to use them throughout the day. For the first time, technology is able to be in the hands of every student. This is new and different. Many teachers will feel more comfortable using the technology to instruct or present. It requires a big leap for teachers to allow students to use them during class. Recognize this as a success!  2. Teachers are taking risks: As you observe classrooms, look for teachers who are trying something new. Before they can implement effectively, they have to experiment and try a few things. They need to know that they will be supported in trying these new ideas. If they are told that it was a bad lesson or