getting started with a digital classroom

Is this your scenario:• Longing to have devices in the classroom?• Don’t know where to start?• Well on your way but just looking for a few

ideas?• You have a laptop and a data projector and

that is all? Or just a laptop?

Step 1: Start small

Step 2: Get familiar with a Social Learning Management system such as EDMODO or OBAMI

You would use them to deal with a possible future issue of managing your students' digital work.

1) Free: They allow an unlimited number of teachers and students to create accounts and use their system at no cost.

2) Interface: A Facebook-like interface that is clean, appealing to students and fairly easy to use.

3) No Email Required: Do not require an email account and they both have a simple student-self-sign-up-system. 4) They include assessment building tools, discussion platforms, assignment creators, scheduling tools and announcement boards, badges for good work etc.

5) Google Drive Integration: They allow students and teachers to connect their Google Drive accounts.

Step 3: Start a YouTube channel for your class

Why use a YouTube channel?

1) Compile and collect video resources (save to your favourites) for your own personal professional use, or for classroom or student use.

2) Add your students’ creations. 3) Video clips on relevant topics make them come alive. Shorten clips with Tube Chop4) Make your channel as private or visible as you like5) Make slideshows with class photos. Add music etc.6) Add comments and speech bubbles to photos

Step 4: Use behaviour management software such as CLASS DOJO or CLASS BADGES

http://www.classdojo.com/

http://caitlinjones.edu.glogster.com/class-dojo

http://classbadges.com/

Step 5: Get on to Twitter and start creating a PLN (Personal Learning Network)

• I learn so much from my PLN – people I follow on Twitter

• Start a classroom Twitter account• Cathy Cassidy teaches her children to read

#kinderchat• Learned some amazing things via Twitter i.e.

Anthony Peters and other Twitter stories. • Join in Twitter chats

See post

See post

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Step 6: Start collecting resources with a curating application like Pinterest or Symbaloo

• I love these three curating sites plus many more. Teachers love Pinterest. Sets out the boards so attractively (Warning – you can spend hours here.)

• Symbaloo is great for collecting weblinks neatly

• Scoop.it is also something I love to use – only five free ones allowed.

http://www.symbaloo.com/home/mix/natgeobooks

National Geographic e-books for primary school

Science for primary schoolhttp://www.symbaloo.com/home/mix/13eP26T8Ad

Pinteresthttp://www.pinterest.com/teachingideas/

http://www.pinterest.com/fibeal/

http://www.pinterest.com/artpreston/

http://www.scoop.it/u/fiona-beal

Scoop.it http://www.scoop.it/

Step 7: Sign up for a Mystery Skype

https://education.skype.com/

https://education.skype.com/projects/2832-mystery-skype

http://schoolnetsa.blogspot.com/2013/01/why-not-consider-mystery-skype-session.html

• So much you can do with Skype• Invite a novelist to speak about writing• Invite any kind of expert to address the class• Mystery Skype as a Geography lesson – guess

where the class is from.

Judi Francisco’s amazing Grade 6 blended/flipped classroom project at Micklefield Primary

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/09/science/09fossil.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

Step 8: Start a classroom blog

• The whole world opened to me when I started a classroom blog

• Other teachers would comment and soon you would develop new friends.

• Collaborative story writing, Flat Stanley project etc. Often when I go overseas I meet up with a teacher who is a blogging friend.

• Class can email posts to your blog.

Step 9: Join your class to a global project

http://saveourrhinos.wikispaces.com/

http://theglobalclassroomproject.wordpress.com/register/

• There are many ways to join global projects and you can choose according to your passion

• iEarn has great projects to join http://www.iearn.org/

• Karen Stadler’s rhino project

Step 10: Start using cloud storage so that your documents are available from any computer.

Cloud storage providers

Step 11: Introduce your students to digital storytelling.

Digital storyteling links

• http://www.youblisher.com/p/550920-Our-Love-Book-by-Grade-1-Roberts/

• http://www.youblisher.com/p/465168-Christmas-Cheer/

• http://www.youblisher.com/p/451668-Kleure/• http://africanstorybookproject.wikispaces.co

m/

• http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/student-interactives/

Thank you!