Thursday, November 12, 2015

Update from the GUHSDtech DLCs!

Hi from your GUHSDtech Digital Learning Coaches, Reuben and April!


It’s been a whirlwind couple months for us, but we’ve definitely enjoyed the ride!  While we are still in the process of learning the ins and outs of these new positions, we are thrilled to be collaborating with teachers as they integrate technology into their classrooms.  We’ve visited over 50 classrooms in the last two months, and wanted to share some of the great thing that teachers are doing around the district.  


Over at Grossmont, students in Joann Phillip’s English class were using infographics to explain their idea of The American Dream.  Students developed a plan, conducted research, and then created their infographics to share with classmates. This was a great way for students to combine visuals and text to express their ideas! If you're interested in learning more about using infographics, check out these websites: Infogr.am and Piktochart. Here are a couple examples - Sports in America / America's Contradictions


File_005.jpeg
Infographics in Joann Phillip’s English class


El Cajon Valley students in Kelly Verioti’s Biology class had a great time creating collaborative Google Drawings to illustrate the structure of DNA.  It was exciting to watch the discussion as students worked together to create their virtual posters.  The best part was when they inserted images of their posters into a group Google Slide deck to share their finished products with each other! Check out the GUHSDtech Google Drawing page for more information.


IMG_2040.JPG
Collaborative Google Drawings in Kelly Verioti's class


Jen Johnson, science teacher at IDEA, just finished an awesome technology “bootcamp” project to kick-off this quarter.  She wanted students to feel comfortable using a variety of technology tools so that the technology wouldn’t overwhelm them when they started using it in conjunction with the content.  Students created a very cool Zombie Apocalypse Guide using Google Docs, Google Drawing, and WeVideo, and had a blast while learning the tools they’ll be using often in class. Here is Jen's intro emaze presentation and assignment instructions.


zombie apocalypse.PNG
Technology Day in Jen Johnson’s class


One thing we’ve learned from our journey thus far is that teachers in GUHSD are ready and willing to see how technology can enhance the learning experience for their students.  We love seeing teachers and students take risks as they implement new ideas in the classroom.  We can’t wait to see what’s in store as teachers and students continue leveraging the power of technology.

How to get support:

Do you need help with digital lesson and project design, web tool integration, Google Apps for Education products (Drive, Docs, Forms, etc.), or other ed tech instructional support? Simply fill out the DLC Support Form and one of us will contact you.




Until next time,

April and Reuben

1 comment:

  1. Thanks for sharing the ideas and links! I love Jen's zombie project - it sounds so fun. I would love to see some of the finished products :)

    ReplyDelete