Instructional Technology Superheroes: Empowering Teachers in the Classroom for Success

What's NEW with Digital Citizenship in NISD!

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Digital Citizenship in NISD: It's a Team Effort!

As we start a new school year, our teachers are focused on setting clear norms and expectations for their classes. These expectations don’t simply apply to the physical classroom, but to digital spaces as well. The NISD digital citizenship curriculum jumpstarts conversations that will be looped in throughout the year as students navigate their digital spaces. The NISD vision for digital citizenship is that “Northwest ISD will develop citizens who know how to harness the learning potential of digital media in a 24/7 connected world, safely, effectively, ethically, and respectfully. By developing and practicing these skills, students will become leaders in this digital society and be Future-Ready.”

We believe the five digital citizenship lessons delivered to students are relevant, beneficial, and timely. We also know these lessons alone will not produce good digital citizens. Digital Citizenship is an ongoing conversation and a shared task by teachers, families, and students. We’ll explore how all three of these groups can work together to help our students navigate their digital world.

AGE APPROPRIATE LESSONS: 

Each of the five lessons focus on the same topic K-12, but is adjusted based on the grade band. For example, “Module 1: Digital Identity and Reputation” includes vocabulary words such as “Digital Citizen” and “Digital Footprint,” across all grade lessons. With that said, definitions are defined and explored differently in each grade level. Module 1 includes a Chromebook pledge laying out digital norms for students in an age appropriate format. It also helps students take ownership of their digital responsibility at school. Take a peak at how this lesson grows with our students: 

K-2 Chromebook Pledge, 3-5 Chromebook Pledge, & 9-12 Diving into the RUP

TEACHERS - A GLIMPSE INTO THE CLASSROOM:

3rd Grade at Nance Elementary

3-12 lessons are run in Pear Deck to give each student and every class a voice in the conversation. Mrs. Kuhlman, 3rd Grade at Nance Elementary, leads her students through Module 1 where students not only sign the Chromebook pledge, but they look at scenarios to decide what they can control when it comes to their digital footprint.

Mrs. Gilmore, Kindergarten at Nance Elementary points out, “I think the lessons have done a great job of being relatable to the students and their experiences with technology.  We loved getting up and moving during the first lesson to act out how we use the different parts of our bodies to be good digital citizens.”

After learning about what is means to be a Digital Citizen, our youngest K-2 learners complete a Seesaw activity. Mrs. Wheat’s 1st grade class at Roanoke Elementary learned that a good digital citizen sets screen time limits and asks a trusted adult before playing games or visiting new sites. Check out some of their work: 

Click the Image to Enlarge

Teachers can also request a Digital Citizenship poster at the end of the five lessons and make the #1toWorld Promise as a class. 

Our NISD teachers weave the content from digital citizenship into lessons organically throughout the year. 

STUDENTS: TAKING OWNERSHIP & RESPONSIBILITY:

When asked what they learned after the first module of digital citizenship, Reagan from Mrs. Wheat’s 1st grade class said, “A good digital citizen is kind online.” She adds “You should set a timer so you’re not online too long because your eyes might hurt.” Olumide, another one of Mrs. Wheat’s students commented, “make sure to ask an adult for help if you’re on a site you shouldn’t be on.”

Our youngest digital citizens have reflective thoughts as well. Listen to what a few of Mrs. Gilmore’s students have to say after their first lesson together: 

When asked why Digital Citizenship lessons are important, Brandon (5th grade at Granger Elementary) commented, “These lessons are good to learn now, so we don’t have to pay a consequence later for not knowing how to act online.” Within 3-5 digital citizenship lessons, students have learned that technology use at home and school may look different. Brandon points out, “At school, you can only control yourself. If your friends are on a site they aren’t supposed to be, it’s your responsibility to stay on task.” Amelia adds, “You can also remind your friends to stay on websites that they are supposed to be on.” She adds, “At school we use our computers for school.” 

Amelia, Brandon, and Jason all enjoy online games outside of school such as Super Smash Bros, Minecraft, & Roblox. They agree that digital citizenship helps remind them that they are in control of what they choose to play and how long they play. Jason adds, “I need to watch appropriate videos and every once in a while play a game when it’s appropriate and fun.”  

Many high school students will be receiving Module 1 of Digital Citizenship in the coming weeks.

FAMILIES - PARTNERING WITH SCHOOLS:

We know families are the primary influences in their children’s lives. We don’t want the digital citizenship conversation to stop at school. The instructional technology team has created a Digital Citizenship Family HUB to help parents carry on conversations at home. For each module given at school there is a document including talk talk conversation starters, a family challenge, and tips for creating family boundaries:

Kay Granger elementary is going to partner with families and offer a Digital Citizenship focused dinner this October to the first fifteen families to complete each module of the family HUB. The purpose of the dinner is to reflect on the Family HUB and have conversations centered around digital citizenship. It will be screen free dinner and a chance to bring all three parties together: Teachers, Students, and Families.

Explore the Digital Citizenship Curriculum, Access the Family HUB, and Learn More at digitalcitizenship.nisdtx.org 

Follow the Digital Citizenship journey on twitter with the #1toWorldPromise 

Credit to Common Sense Media as the instructional technology team uses and modifies their resources in the creation of our curriculum.

Setting Kids Up for Success

How nervous are you on the first day of anything? First day of school, first day of a sport, first day of a class you have not been to in over a year and a half.  Some things are familiar but still the nerves set in. The majority of Mrs. Conrad's fifth-grade gifted and talented students have been in her class for many years and know her expectations for them as leaders of JC Thompson Elementary. This year though is a little different. Times are different, and the way we have to approach our kids' learning can be different. Mrs. Conrad knew this and knew she had to set her kids up for success! 

Executive Functioning skills are needed to plan and achieve goals. Kids need to know these skills for life. Home life, school life, and even their tech life. At the beginning of the year Mrs. Conrad sets time aside to get them organized and set up for a successful year in GATES.

On day one, they were given their learning target and goals for this year.  To get them started she had them declutter their Google Drive by creating new folders, coloring folders, and archiving last year's work.

They updated their ePortfolios to reflect their 5th grade year and updated their All About Me pages. Another skill that Mrs. Conrad found useful for her kids to be successful throughout the year, is to have an email signature, so they got started. After showing several examples and talking about what needs to be in an email signature and why it is important, the kids created their own. Check out this example from one of her students.

Their next step is to write a professional email to their principal, asking her for permission to create video announcements this year for the entire school. It is the heart of the year and what students will be focused on.  Creating something like this from scratch takes a lot of planning, organization, and flexible thinking. We look forward to watching these kids' creations come to life.

All of the skills these kids are getting at the beginning of their year will set them up to be Future-Ready students for a lifetime! Organizing, Planning and Prioritizing, Task Initiation, Self-Monitoring are all being done in this classroom as expectations for a good year. We will have to check back in on them when they get their video announcements up and running and see how far these life skills are taking them! 

Setting our kids up for success is a no-brainer, but we can't forget about their digital lives as well. By setting norms and giving them time to organize, declutter, and update their digital space, the year will be on the road to success. 

Text Features and Digital Magazines

Text structure refers to how the information within a written text is organized. This strategy helps students understand that a text might present a main idea and details; a cause and then its effects; and/or different views of a topic. Students in Mrs. Brittain’s class, at Nance Elementary, were asked to pick a research topic of their choice. Once they picked their topic they spent several days researching using different library databases, websites, and books with reliable information over their topic. Once they had enough information, they wrote three articles using 3 different text structures: chronological order/sequencing, compare/contrast, and problem/solution.  

After revising and editing their articles they were given a choice of how to present them. The culminating, summative activity, students chose was to create digital magazines using a tool called Canva.  In Canva, students combined the different text features and graphics to add to the reader’s understanding of their topic. This is where they had the most fun.

Aahana stated, “I liked this project because it was really fun. Using Canva there are a lot more things that you can add to your project such as different layouts, pictures, and graphics. You have more freedom than you would if you had created a magazine using construction paper and it allows you to show off your creativity.  I enjoyed researching and learning about snow leopards.”

“I think doing this project on Canva was better than using paper because it allows your reader to visualize your topic.  You can also add a lot more features using the technology that you would not have been able to do if you had just used paper and pencil.” said Sophia

Caroline said, “I enjoyed doing this project because it allowed you to have multiple varieties and styles of your magazine because we used Canva. For example, you can match your layout and graphics to the topic of your magazine. Canva gives you the freedom to make it look the way you want it to look.”

This type of learning project integrated several of the ISTE Standards which are so important for the empowered learner.   

• Digital Citizen Students recognize the rights, responsibilities and opportunities of living, learning and working in an interconnected digital world, and they act and model in ways that are safe, legal and ethical.
•  Knowledge Constructor Students critically curate a variety of resources using digital tools to construct knowledge, produce creative artifacts and make meaningful learning experiences for themselves and others.
• Innovative Designer Students use a variety of technologies within a design process to identify and solve problems by creating new, useful or imaginative solutions.
• . Creative Communicator Students communicate clearly and express themselves creatively for a variety of purposes using the platforms, tools, styles, formats and digital media appropriate to their goals.
• Global Collaborator Students use digital tools to broaden their perspectives and enrich their learning by collaborating with others and working effectively in teams locally and globally.

Science and Technology- Engineering the Force

So, how does a middle school teacher motivate students to continue learning with enthusiasm and encourage the motivation to take their learning deeper? Mr. Jason Deardorff, 6^th Grade Science teacher, challenged his students with just a few simple questions to get their creative juices flowing about the topics of mechanical energy and force.   

What is the relationship between potential energy and kinetic energy?

Based on what you know; how would you explain the change in motion when potential energy is changed into kinetic energy?

How could you determine the push or pull on an object?

Based on what you know, how would you explain the differences between balanced, unbalanced, and net forces?

Choice was all over this project and every part was student driven once the student received the rubrics from the teacher.  Four students at Wilson Middle School wanted to prove to their teacher their knowledge of energy in a creative way.  With  a bit of imagination, planning, and some technology tools Mr. Deardorff was not disappointed.  The tools of choice were: PowerPoint, Movie Maker, Smore, a Drone, and a video camera.  The students uploaded their projects onto their ePortfolio for presenting in front of the class and to showcase at TechnoExpo 2016. 

                                          

The "E" in ePortfolio

When ePortfolios were introduced during the GT PLC last fall, Marcie Conrad (click on link to follow on Twitter) immediately saw the benefit it would have for her students.  Mrs. Conrad, GT Teacher at JCThompson Elementary, is a trailblazer when it comes to providing her students the most innovative and engaging learning environment.  When you observe her with her students their is a constant buzz of enthusiasm, excitement and energy.  Additionally, she constantly, through every opportunity, is coaching students with their personal choices, short term goals, long term plans and life-long passions.

When ePortfolios were launched on the secondary campuses and by choice at the elementary campuses, Mrs. Conrad saw this as the trifecta of learning. After some initial planning and consulting with her I.T. coach she was ready to launch. Like all great instruction, she introduced the “why” of portfolios.  It was not long before her students, who only see her a limited amount of time, were finding every reason to come down and work on their ePortfolios in her class. They eagerly worked on it at both home and at school.

Every aspect of the Google site involved student choice.  The students determined what work was “ePortfolio” worthy, understood that showcased work could go beyond the academic day, and reflected both on their own work and their peers’ work. Mrs. Conrad gently coaching and facilitating as they moved forward in the process.

Before too long they had ePortfolios they were not only proud of, but were becoming the talk of other GT teachers and educators taking the same journey.

Her enthusiasm, excitement and energy to facilitate the journey of ePortfolios was effective. Why? Because her students embraced the ePortfolios as their own and were equally enthusiastic, excited and energetic about the ePortfolio they had crafted and the products they had selected to showcase.

It was effective because in all parts it was reflective.  At every turn students were sharing their ideas and plans for their ePortfolios, then in the same motion would suddenly pause and ask themselves was their idea truly “ePortfolio worthy.”

How was this done?  It seems that the following quote best captures the practice in Mrs. Conrad’s class, “Follow effective action with quiet reflection. From the quiet reflection will come even more effective action.”-James Levin

Through this experience students met challenges, learned to embed pictures, upload files, create tabs, create links, etc.  Most was done with students helping students, with support from Mrs. Conrad and the I.T. coach.  What resulted was excellence and a futuristic mindset.  Now when ePortfolios are discussed there is always a mention of how what presently is done will impact the future. All of it student-led.

Mrs. Conrad and the I.T. coach knew there was potential and possibility with ePortfolios.  What has been realized is far beyond what they even imagined.  When possibility is wrapped in enthusiasm, excitement, and energy there is no other option than to be effective. How ePortfolios was embraced and executed by the Students on their own drive and force was far more effective because Mrs. Conrad and the I.T. coach shared the vision, but let the students determine the path to excellence.