Digital learning updates

Making an appointment to see me

I am available to work with you as individuals, in small groups or as a department. The support could be skill based, but I'm also available to work alongside you in your classroom, in a collaborative way. For example, last year I assisted a science teacher to help her students create Google Sites to show their understanding of Matariki in a multi-media way. I am also available to support you if you'd like to get your students using video for any reason. 

Please use this link to choose an appointment slot - I'm available Monday, Tuesday and Thursday - some time also available on those days after school when we don't have meetings, but prob best to e-mail me to arrange those

Google Classroom

I've had a few queries about adding Guardians so they can see a summary of what's happening/assignments set etc - if you need more information on how or why - please look here. 

We had an excellent e-cafe session last Thursday on Google Classroom - the presentation is here. Part of the discussion centred on the use of a 'digital notepad' to replace an exercise book - some departments are already using them, but if you'd like more information on how and why you'd make this switch, please get in touch. 

NEW classroom features - adding a rubric (which you make in Classroom) and originality reports (plagiarism checker) - more info here. 

The Classroom support page is fantastic overall, by the way!

Ecafe

Will run as we can fit it in - sometimes before school on a Friday, and sometimes after school on a Tues or Thurs when there's no meeting - and ALWAYS with food! There's great camaraderie and sharing across subjects that goes on at this hui so please consider coming along when you can. 

It won't run this week but on Friday 28th Feb Ben Hinton will take you through how to use Google Read&Write - our Chrome literacy support toolbar. More information on using Read&Write here.

Please note - you need to be signed in on your school account to see the extension that allows you to turn the toolbar on (this applies to students also). Please ask if confused. 

Edpuzzle

Is a fantastic digital tool for flipping the classroom and creating interactive video lessons. It's a LOT simpler than it sounds, and can provide you with rich data about how well students understand topics you set. We will run an e-cafe or two on it, but also you can find information here.  

We have a school account and you can sign in here. You may need this code to sign in the first time: 6r0rqu

Top tip!

Can't find where you've saved a document? Follow these simple steps

• Click on the folder next to the title (as if you were going to move the document, but you're not...)

• From there you can open the document in the folder by clicking on the page/arrow symbol

Kia ora,

E-cafe

All the recordings from E-cafe meets live here and also on the E-cafe Classroom, if you'd like to join it.  Written instructions to the topics discussed also live there, and soon will be on the e-learn website once I've collated them. The class code is: vcsvko4

No e-cafe this week, but will resume from next week (Week 9)

Google Extravaganza Online Conference 

Using Technology Better are offering this conference over two sessions after school next week and the week after.  It's completely free and there's workshops for beginners and the more advanced, on aspects of the Google Suite. I'm 99.9% sure that if you register but can't make it they'll send you a link to the recordings so you can catch up later. 

Using Media in the Classroom

If you would like to clip a longer ETV video and insert on your Classroom for students to watch there are instructions here. Edpuzzle also allows for this function and more - with the possibility of adding notes, voiceover and questions. The last e-cafe sessions of the term will focus on Edpuzzle. 69 of us are using it now which is fantastic! 

Richard Byrne - E-learn guru - has put together this list of places to get free media for use in the classroom. The first page of the document describes fair use and what we can and can't do in a class situation. Scroll down for places to source royalty free media. Note: we have Unsplash installed on our browsers. Instructions on how to search for images here. 

Top Tip! - Shortcut in Drive

If you use a folder/document all the time but it's buried deep in your Drive you can make a shortcut so it appears on the top level.

• Right click the folder/document

• Choose 'Add a shortcut to Drive'

How to here