iTunes U for Professional Development

Durfee iTunes U Courses

One of the personal goals that I have made for myself as a coach this year was to differentiate my professional development.  There is one of me and about 70 teachers that I am responsible for developing technology integration with.  Within those 70 teachers there is a variety of skill level with integrating technology into instruction.  The only way that I can think to support all levels of skill is to flip my professional development.  This involves me making a lot of videos and handouts but its paying off.  At my 1:1 building Durfee Technology Magnet School (Like us on Facebook) I am using iTunes U.
This year we have a few courses on iTunes U at Durfee.  Each course is for a specific purpose.

General Building Professional Development
This iTunes U course holds all of the directions and materials for the typical  faculty professional development.  Links, documents, and resources are all held here.  When we have a faculty meeting teachers know that they should bring their iPads and look at the course to be prepared.
Tips and Tricks
There is a lot to share and know in order to have a successful 1:1 classroom with iPads.  It is impossible to provide a professional development session for everything.  We use this course to share tips for classroom management or routines and rituals.  Teachers can share things that have worked, or ask for ideas for something
App Club
There are 1000s of apps to sort through, why not bring our brains together!  Each month we have an app that we focus on.  Week one the course holds 'how tos' and support for using the app.  Week 2 the teachers share ideas on how they could possibly use the app.  Week 3 we try out the app, week 4 we share how it went.
MacBook Pilot
This year teachers applied to be a part of a pilot where they would take home a MacBook pro to create resources for iBooks and iTunes U for THEIR students.  Support docs and resources are housed here.

iTunes U is allowing teachers to have resources accessible and leveled.  Teachers no longer have to sit through development they are not ready for, or are ready to move beyond.
If you are at a school where teachers have their own iPads I would definitely recommend using iTunes U to administer professional development!

Learn more about our program here!

Day 3 with the Gen 1 Project

Using skitch to annotate over images

Today was the third day working with a middle school science teacher at one of my buildings.
Quick background:  This teacher and I had been working and working on getting more technology to her building or classroom.  Our hard work paid off with a cart of 20 Gen. 1 iPads this year.  The plan is to integrate technology into the science curriculum via Google Drive, Edmodo, and a few Apps.  Day 1 we learned about Google Drive.  (Click here to learn more about what Google Drive is)  Day 2 we learned how to use iPads, and set up user names and passwords.
So back to day 3, it was awesome!  Every day that we work with the technology gets better and better.  Today we learned how to use Skitch which can be a finicky app.  The students really worked together, helped each other out and were able to get the job done.  I was super pleased with today.

Use Edmodo to share links and
assign tasks!

The teacher, although excited to be working with the technology, found it very stressful.  We talked about this.  Integrating tech is a HUGE job!  Many say they feel like a first year teacher all over again.  She and I spoke about how this is a huge change and change can mask itself as feeling out of control.  In her words, "the change is coming", it's scary, but we're in this together!  I'm so proud of where we are going, where we've come from, and where we are at!

Use Google Drive to create presentations
and store documents

Today we gave the students a google form to find out what they thought, and what they were thinking about this Gen 1 Project so far.  I'm excited to reflect on the feedback with the teacher and keep moving forward!

To learn more about the Gen 1 Project please follow the teacher's blog and follow her on Twitter!

The Key to Tech Integration: SAMR

Higher levels of achievement as you move up the levels.

Over the past year I have been working with my district to integrate technology into the classroom.   Many teachers have been excited to use new ideas and try something new.  It has been an exciting time but I have had the feeling that I have been missing something.  I wasn't sure what it was but I knew there had to be a key to the success of integrating tech.  Over the past year I have been very fortunate enough to go to conference and connect with other educators around the country and world.  I've learned a lot and I found that missing key, the SAMR Model.
The SAMR model is one of the models of tech integrations.  It's a way to evaluate the integration of technology based upon research by Dr. Ruben Puentedura  His research in Maine showed that all technology implemented by teachers falls into four categories; Substitution, Augmentation, Modification, and Redefinition.  To learn a little more about the SAMR model watch this amazing video by Candice M. on YouTube.
I have led a few trainings on this model with the teachers in my district and received good reviews.  I think that this model is what the teachers have been hunting for as well.  Before the goal was to have the students using the tech.  Now the goal is to facilitate learning opportunities for student that will engage and create previously impossible opportunities.  As a result, students will achieve higher levels of academic achievement.  All future trainings of mine will have a portion of time dedicated the SAMR Model.  Regardless of what technology you are using using, the SAMR Model can help you to evaluate how you are enhancing the students learning experience.
I challenge you!  How have you been using technology in your classroom?  Where does your tech integration lie?

Aurasma vs. Onvert

I have been spending a lot of my summer reading blogs, following Twitter, attending conferences and trainings, and leading a few of my own trainings.  Little did I know when I accepted this position that it meant that summer vacation was a thing of the past.  It has been super exciting, draining, and has allowed for me to learn a lot more.  In all of this summer learning, I learned about two iPad programs, Aurasma and Onvert.  I have played with both a little and decided that the next blog of mine should be devoted to comparing the two apps.
I first learned about Aurasma from another blog I follow from Matt B Gomez.  Aurasma is basically a QR scanner with a twist.  Instead of a QR code leading to another web based resources, you scan an 'Aura'.  An Aura is a picture which will trigger  media.  When you scan a 'Aura' another resource appears directly on top of the Aura.   The website has a set of media that you can utilize, or you can upload your own pictures and videos to the  Aura.  To be able to utilize this program you download the free Aurasma app which is available through Google Play and Apple's App Store.

Image I used for my Aura

Strength of trigger photo

I tried out this program and created my very first Aura. All Auras are created on your device.  For the media that will be displayed I created a Keynote video on my MacBook and exported it to iTunes.  This caused me a bit of a headache as Aurasma wants to load videos from your camera, photo album or something called blinkx which I haven't explored yet.  After playing for a while I ended up recording the Keynote while it played using my camera on my iPad. Once you have selected your media that will be shown over the trigger picture, you select the picture that will be scanned, the trigger.  Through trial and error I discovered that the picture must be relatively complex.  I originally wanted the trigger to be a sign with a few numbers and letters, like an element on the periodic table of elements.   Aura will show you how strong your image is with a bar ont the bottom of the selection window.
 You also have to actually take a picture of your trigger image so be sure to have that ready to go.  Once you have your trigger and overlay set up you save and you are done!
I could see a lot of excellent uses for Aurasma, the most exciting being student created Auras.  They are very easy to create especially when you use the camera tool to record your overlay.  Students could create anything from book reviews when you scan the cover of a book, to All About Me's a the beginning of the year when you scan their photos.

QR code you scan on the first step

Onvert is a program I learned about from a session that I attended at ISTE this summer, Crackin' the QR Code by Kurt Kohls.  He shared a lot of different ways to use QR codes.  My big take away was Onvert.  Onvert is a web based program that allows your iPad to scan QR codes, and then creates 3D media that is displayed when you scan a picture with the same QR code. Onvert works with both Apple and Android devices as well.  You create an Onvert QR code on the computer.   Go to the website and follow the steps.  Upload information about yourself the first time, load the trigger image and what will be layered over the tigger when scanned.  You can also load audio recordings as well.

Image to scan after you've scanned the QR code

I found this program to be a bit tricker than Aurasma.  The images had to be certain requirements and it required more work to set this up.  Students could use Onvert to create any type of presentation in the classroom.  They would need to be sure to have images and audio already recorded.
When thinking about which would be easier for a student to create I think Aurasma was the winner, although Onvert does has value as well.  I had some difficulty getting pictures which were the correct dimensions and it was difficult to change the layout of the layers.  I encourage you to try these programs out.  Both allow for students and teachers to create more interactive activities.