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"Earlier in the school year my students created whole-class videos using our large green screen studio. While I assigned students a variety of tasks (director, camera operator, acting coach), my students spent the majority of their time on the carpet as an audience member. At the end of these units I wondered how we could increase student ownership of the production. Could I have my students create a green screen movie without having to play the audience member for large portions of the time? Could they be empowered to create a movie independently of the teacher? Could this be done by kindergartners and first graders? For most of the school year I struggled with these questions. That was until I met Brenda Windsor and Mary O'Neil of Trumbull, CT at the Fairfield University "Education Technology Collaboration Day" in March.  Brenda and Mary presented on how they have incorporated green screens in the classroom, and shared the idea of using a pizza box to make a miniature portable studio. Here is a link to the video they created.  From that moment, I was on a mission to have my K-2 students write, direct, film & star in their own collaborative group mini green screen movies. "

" FAMILYPARENTING The Canadian Paediatric Society has released surprising new screen time rules Stop watching the clock, says CPS. But that doesn't mean parents shouldn't be heavily involved in their kid's media use BY CHRIS DEACON | JUN 6, 2019 PHOTO: ISTOCKPHOTO The Canadian Paediatric Society (CPS) released new guidelines today for digital media use and screen time for kids aged five to 19. Today's guidelines follow recommendations set out in 2017 that focused on kids aged zero to five. But while those guidelines targeted screen time limits for kids in that age group (no screens at all for infants and toddlers under two, and less than an hour a day for kids two to five), the guidelines for kids and teens focus more on how and when screens are used rather than how long. "We really wanted to highlight that content, context and kids' individual traits are as important as specific screen time limits," says Michelle Ponti, chair of the CPS Digital Health Task Force and lead author on the statement."

"Rolling out iPads in our schools in some ways as mirrored my bowling experience as a youth.  We've given some basic direction and support but sometimes the ball flew backward (like when we went from iOS 4.3 to 5.0). Sometimes our fingers get stuck in the ball (iPads only being used for simple substitutive tasks). And other times, even when we had students going in the right direction, their feet would sometimes step over the line before they roll(distraction).  However,  by constantly communicating with our community, teachers, students and administrators, we are continually seeking out ways to positively impact the instructional use of these tools in the classroom and thus have the kids bowl more strikes.  One of the early struggles in our deployment was the ability to be balance profiles and restrictions on the iPads so that they would have a successful educational experience. We really only had a couple of choices when we started back in 2011:"

"Many times I post articles on creation-based tasks for teachers and students. This morning I would like to share a story about a Westlake High School student that saw an educational need and began creating content FOR the iPad. And this is where our story begins…."

"iOS for iPad has dramatically improved multitasking with Spit View dual-pane apps and its counterpart, Slide Over. The Slide Over feature lets you quickly reference, use, and access secondary apps on the iPad without having to enter into full fledged split screen app mode, and without having to switch apps. This feature is great for quickly replying to an email, message, checking Twitter, making a note, or doing quick tasks in another app where you don't want to lose the primary app focus on an iPad."

"Fostering digital literacy skills is one of the most difficult tasks for educators. Evaluating and analyzing online resources for accuracy is something that many adults struggle with - we've all been bamboozled before, haven't we? But digital literacy is more than just determining if something is true or false - it's intelligently and responsibly navigating online, it's putting countless pieces together to form a puzzle, it's determining what's important and evaluating bias, etc - the list goes on. So, as an educator, how do we reinforce these crucial skills in our classrooms?"

"Cargobot is a free App (on the Appstore) which is excellent for learning how to program. It starts of with tutorials, then simple tasks and moves on to more complex algorithms. "

"When teaching with digital natives in a digital world, one question facing many educators revolves around integrating technology to help facilitate learning: How do you work technology into the pedagogy, instead of just using something cool? That task can be especially daunting in language arts literacy classrooms where reading and writing skill development is the crux of daily lessons. However, as 1:1 technology initiatives roll out, integrating technology into the classroom is our reality. With hundreds of sites, apps, Chrome extensions, and platforms available, choosing the right ones can seem overwhelming. As an eighth-grade language arts teacher, I've experienced this myself. Following are four tools that can help provide immediate formative assessment data as well as top-of-the-rotation feedback to help students develop personal learning goals."

"I absolutely love all of the new robotics toys that have been coming out for elementary age learners.  I have been using them for my summer maker camp, with my gifted education classes, and for my upcoming Saturday morning program. One of my gifted girls noted, "Where do all of these robots come from?" I laughed and told her, "It's actually has become one of my passions. Collecting them has become a major hobby of mine." I usually use them for an hour per week with my two groups of gifted learners.  I am an advocate of student-centric learning and giving them choices as to which instructional activities they would like to engage. For their robotics hour each week, I am giving them the following choices with their goal of using five of the robotics to complete five of the tasks provided. My robotics-type devices include:"

"Being on the yearbook staff can be a daunting task, requiring strict organization, great social skills and amazing design talent, but don't worry, there are quite a few apps out there that can help you."

"Of the many ways that technology enhances our lives, one compelling example is assistive technology (AT) -- tools to help people with learning or motor disabilities complete everyday tasks. In schools, assistive tech can mean the difference between a student falling behind or being able to successfully work alongside other kids in an inclusion model. Check out Edutopia curator Ashley Cronin's new roundup on assistive technology for a comprehensive list of resources; to accompany that, I wanted to share some amazing videos I've found about how technology can empower kids with special needs."

"This school year I joined the staff of a 1:1 high school here in Philadelphia. Students at the school have access to their own devices, which they take home with them. Although I've taught for many years in classrooms where each student had a school-issued device, the experience of my new students taking their devices home has forced me to reflect on the issue of distraction. How do we teach students to integrate technology into their schoolwork and their learning while also making sure that they're staying focused on the task at hand? "

"Students do not always have a great sense of time and many of my students over the years have miscalculated the time remaining on a particular task or assessment piece. This is a skill that they develop over time but not without some devastating consequences. These visual timers are exceptionally good for visual learners but work just as well for all the students in your class. Start to generate better time management in your class with the use of one or more of these visual timers."

"When it comes to New Year's resolutions, we all hear about the typical weight/health/finance related promises we make to ourselves - but why not use this yearly changeover to make some classroom promises instead? We can all use some new goals, and our students will be the ones benefiting from the changes with us. Win-win, I'd say! The modern teacher juggles a dynamic sets of roles and tasks, from friend, coach, and leader, to agent of literacy, technology pioneer, and stoker of curiosity. To help you get started on your personal list of classroom resolutions and goals, here are five great ideas that can be implemented in any level of class."

"Incorporating exercise and movement throughout the school day makes students less fidgety and more focused on learning. Improving on-task behavior and reducing classroom management challenges are among the most obvious benefits of adding physical activities to your teaching toolkit. As research continues to explore how exercise facilitates the brain's readiness and ability to learn and retain information, we recommend several strategies to use with students and to boost teachers' body and brain health. "

"An important job for any teacher is not only developing literacy skills but also attempting to build a love of reading within their students. One tool to help achieve this monstrous task is through your classroom library. While all school's have (or should have) a central library, a classroom library provides easy access for your students and is often utilized on a daily basis."

"Science is one of the areas where the impact of technology has been markedly observed. It triggered an unprecedented revolution and reshaped people's knowledge about the world. It has also enhanced the way science is being instructed inside schools and colleges. Experimentations are being facilitated by the use of technology and students are able to learn and get engaged in simulated experiments that mimic the real life problems. This revolution is being carried on to the mobile platforms. There are now several science apps that students and teachers can use to perform a wide variety of science tasks. Below, for instance, is a set of apps that enable students to explore the human body in 3D. Check them out and share with us if you have any additions. Enjoy"

"The iPad is a versatile device, of that there is no doubt. For instance, it can be used to take pictures or record video. An iPad can be used to compose music, browse the web, write a blog post, or create a multimedia presentation. It already replaces a number of separate devices that we used to rely on for just these tasks, so the notion of adding yet another use - an iPad document camera - does not take too much additional imagination. This is, after all, a device that is now synonymous with creativity and versatility. So, let's take a look at how to set one up, and explore some ideas for how you might use it in the classroom. DIY iPad Document Cameras"

"Questioning is a fundamental element of pedagogy, one you could read endlessly around, but the reality is using questioning to challenge and engage all learners is demanding and potentially problematic to get right. Recently I've been working with a team of teachers, shaping our CPD model in preparation for the new academic year. Engaging in dialogue around teaching and learning with colleagues is always a pleasure and extremely informative, and one aspect continually crops up; deep, challenging and engaging questioning. Firstly, I think it's crucial to outline what we are trying to achieve when we think about the purpose of questioning, for me it includes the following: Allowing students to develop a fuller understanding of a concept because they have tried to explain it themselves To easily recall existing knowledge To be able to link the ideas in the lesson with existing knowledge To tackle problems at a deep level and be able to extend their thinking To engage easily with a task because they are clear about what is expected To develop independence in the way they learn and think"

Haven't you yet built your first ROBOT, when it's become so easy a task. Come on, lets make one in just three days.