Classroom Document Sharing Tools

Having a digital classroom means a few different things:

1. You have less stacks of paper

2. It is (generally) easier to keep track of student work

3. “The dog ate my homework” isn’t a viable excuse anymore

4. Note taking needs to take a new form

5. You need another method of sharing work that doesn’t involve handing papers from one person to another

Clearly, number 5 on this list is the one that will cause you the most thought these days, unless your dog is into eating computers – and then you have a bigger problem on your hands. Lots of things need to be shared. Students need to hand in their work, teachers need to offer feedback on said work, students need to share their collaborative work, and teachers need to share classroom information and tools of all variety. Luckily, there are tons of different tools out there that can enable you to share nearly any type of file (from .doc/.docx and .ppt to .mov, .mp3/4 , .zip and more!). There’s a lot of info out there on different cloud storage services – which are a great way to share files – but many of these are business focused and not as classroom friendly. We’ve put together a short list of some of our favorite methods of file sharing so that you, your colleagues, and your students can spend more time on the good stuff and less time trying to figure out how to get the information to one another.

File Sharing Tools

Dropbox

Dropbox comes up on nearly everyone’s list of easy file sharing tools. They offer 2GB of free storage, easy offline access, the ability to send files to Dropbox via email, and simple sharing. If you have huge documents (or just very high volume), you’ll need to either pony up the cash for a premium account, or get your friends to sign up, give them shout outs on social media, give feedback, etc.

Google Drive

Google Drive! It’s free! It integrates super easily with other Google products (many of which you probably already use in your classroom). The drawback is that if you need to share with folks who don’t have Google Drive/Gmail, you’ll run into an issue there. You get 15GB of free storage, and paid options beyond that.

OneDrive

This is basically Microsoft’s answer to Google Drive, from what I can tell. You get 7GB of space for free, and it integrates exceptionally well if you’re an MS Office user. If you’re not, it doesn’t make a ton of sense, but many classrooms are using Office these days.

Apple iCloud

Apple’s version of cloud storage service offers you 5GB free, and paid options beyond that. Easy to set up and use (even on PC). If your classroom is all Apple-based, this one is a must have.

Box

Box offers 10GB free storage with paid options beyond that, easy sharing of documents and folders, and easy to use regardless of platform or device.

Post Source : http://www.edudemic.com/classroom-document-sharing/

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How to prepare for Class

Below is a cool graphic I have had in my bookmarked list for sometime now but never had the chance to post it till this weekend. The visual below features six handy tips for students to prepare for class. While the tips are not something that you did not know before but having them aggregated in a such a visually appealing format would make out of them a great poster to use with your students in class.

    Source: https://www.organizeyourstuffcontest.com/index.cfm

    Cross Posted From - http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2014/05/awesome-visual-on-how-to-prepare-for.html

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Thinking Routines In Your Class

Routines are a set of repeated patterns of action that can be integrated and used in a variety of contexts. In a classroom context, routines are patterned in such a way to manage and facilitate the accomplishments of specific purposes or tasks. Most important among the routines established in the classroom are the thinking routines which help promote students thinking.

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Ways To Show Your iPad On A Big Screen In Class

One of the versatile ways to use iPad in class is through sharing your iPad screen with your students. You can easily mirror your iPad screen to a projector and let students see what you see on your iPad. This can be used when sharing tutorials, presentations, illustrations and several other learning tasks. How to do it is what I want to share with you today.

image cropped from ' iPad as The Teacher's Pet '

There are actually two ways you can show your iPad on a big screen: wirelessly or through using a cable. Below are some of the tools that you can use either wirelessly or via cable to display your iPad on a big screen. I have copied these tools from Tony Vincent's new wonderful graphic "iPad as The Teacher's Pet". I highly recommend that you check that visual guide for more apps and tips on how to use iPads with your students.

Wirelessly:

This method requires devices to be on the same WiFi network. Networks must have open ports for Airplay. The tools to use wirelessly for iPad mirroring are :

1- Apple TV ($99)

Connect an Apple TV to your projector and use iPad's Airplay feature to mirror. Requires HDMI or HDMI to VGAadapter.

2- Airserver ($14)

Install software on your projector-connected computer and use iPad's AirPlay feature to mirror the screen.

Read More...

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4 Things To Consider As You Allow Phones in Class

As a language teacher I find mobile phones are a great resource as a dictionary, a unique way to do homework and, for many of my students, an alternative way to take notes. I’ve been using them in my class for a while now and their presence is actually hardly noticed – so seamlessly is it a part of what we do. In working them into my class I’ve learned some things about how to introduce them that may help you if you just starting to allow them.

Out on The Desk

The first few weeks of my class always starts with the call to “take out your phones – upside down on your desk”. So stunned are most students that you are allowing this that the phone carriers all do. As we work through class I make a mental note of who has them. If I don’t see it when I initially ask them to take it out they will often get a personal reminder to do so. Gradually the action becomes a habit and having it in plain sight makes it easier to use, and not to abuse.

Silent/Upside Down

In the first few weeks of class I start each class the same way by asking them to take out their phone, place them face down on their desks and set to “manner mode” (‘mute’ as it’s called in Japanese). I warn them that sometimes we all forget to mute it and it will ring and usually tell a story on myself of how my mother likes to text or phone me at all hours of the day. Then I talk what to do if your phone goes off – apologize, mute it, don’t check it and continue on with what you were doing. By the way inevitably my mother does call, my phone isn’t on mute and my students hear the ring, look at me and say “your mom?” (target language of course!)

Use It As They Do

My phone is out, on my computer table during class. It is upside down and set to ‘mute’. I have blogged before about the usefulness of recording what happens in my classes. So I use my phone in front of them. The first few times I do it I tell them what I’m up to but eventually they don’t even notice. What am I doing? I take photos for me of my boards if I have been using them. I will often upload it (after converting it to a pdf or grey-scale photo) to my website – in front of them – for those without phones who want the visual as well. I update my website with it – in front of them. If we’re searching for a word I’ll use the dictionary app. For my Japanese classes I also use it to show them how to look up characters using ‘hand drawn’ input. Using it yourself is a powerful tool for you – and a great way to model it’s proper use.

Consequences When Needed

Okay there are still occasional slip ups. It’s not hard to notice the furtive glances or an attempt to key in a quick text. Generally I call out the offender with a “really?” and it doesn’t happen again. Students know it is a privilege to use the phone in my room – and that that privilege can be removed. It’s only ever happened once – a student who kept using their phone inappropriately. After 3 warnings they were asked to hand it over – each day at the start of class for 3 weeks. I kept a post-it on my computer desk to remind me to ask. Three weeks later, when the phone was returned, it was never misused again.

So go ahead – release the phones. If you set the ground rules, model what you want and monitor it a lot at the start they will learn to use it positively in class. And maybe, just maybe, you’ll unleash its potential benefits for you as well!

Post Source: http://www.edudemic.com/4-things-consider-allow-phones-class/

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