Wednesday, September 30, 2020

Subtitles and Accessibility

Subtitles and Accessibility

Below are 4 models of how a reading passage can be shared with your class.  The video links can either be embedded, like you see below, or shared at links in a learning management system such as Canvas or Google Classroom.

We can improve accessibility by allowing students to download instructional work.  For homes with limited Internet capacity, students can download while still at school before heading home.

Check out the following models.  They can be modified to work for your classroom.  Let me know as you and your team would like support. 


Example 1:
Use Loom to create a read-along of a passage using laptop.  The viewer can see the reader and the text at the same time.  This helps to create a connection with the reader by being able to see their face.  The text should be easily readable and the spoken voice easily understood.


Example2: 
Use Loom to record a read-along using iPad.  Here, I created a split screen with Pages and recorded to Loom.  You can see the reader and the text.  

As an extension, drawing could easily be added.  I usually do this with Keynote, but the pdf is really easy to drop in and use in Pages.  This could have been improved by zooming in on the text to make it easier to read.  The floating hand can also be moved while the passage is read.



Example 3:  Record a video with Clips on iPad.  Add and edit 'Live Titles' to create subtitles.
'Enable Dictation'  will need to be turned on in your Settings to make this work.  The subtitles are automatically created.  However, I did do a little editing clean up before posting it.





Example 4: Upload the video to Youtube.  Add close caption  subtitles.  These can be pasted in and timed to match the video.  Editing is very quick and easy.


The text is from a passage provided from Schoolwide and is directed towards a middle school ELA classroom.


Example 5:  Do you  have  backward letters when recording video?




On a laptop, this can be changed in the Loom Settings.
On laptop, Open Loom -> tap on the 3 dots in the upper right corner -> Preferences -> de-select Flip Camera

Click here to learn more.




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On iPad, Loom recordings will need to use the back camera to make your text look nice.


However, when using the Camera App, the front camera image can be flipped:


Go to Settings -> Camera -> Mirror Front Camera -> Turn OFF to have your letters look normal.

In this example, it is backwards.  Mirror Front Camera is turned ON.




In this  example, the text is normal.  Mirror Front Camera is turned OFF.




Managing your ClassLink Experience

 ClassLink can be a very useful resource for our students and teachers that can be easily customized.  It can take the stress out of getting  logged in to websites, and save valuable instructional  time.

ClassLink is available as an iPad App  or  may  be used  through any web browser at this link.

We can quickly add resources that you request, even with customized icons.  Now that ClassLink is connected to Infinite Campus, they can be assigned to any desired class, teacher, student group, or building.  Let's talk if you have something in mind.

For now, we have the option turned on for all K-4 students to log  in using a ClassLink Quickcard, which is an easy-to-use  QR code.  All others can log in using their  school Google account.

In addition,

Both students and teachers can customize their user experience in ClassLink. 
The screen can be personalized to be more user-friendly for you or your students.
The video below will show you how.

You can update or change  a login/password through ClassLink's Password Locker.


It makes for a quick fix, especially rolling from one school year to the next.  This  is especially helpful for student resources on student accounts such as XtraMath or Project Lead the Way, which are reset at the beginning of each school year.

Thursday, September 24, 2020

Scribble on iPad

 A cool, new feature is available on iPad OS 14 called  Scribble.

Now, if you use an Apple Pencil or Logitech Crayon to handwrite inside any textbox in Keynote, Pages, etc.,  it will be converted automatically to a font text.

No settings need to be adjusted for you to turn this on.   

This may be a useful component for your classroom screencasting work  OR  ..... 
....This can also work well with younger learners who are working on their handwriting skills.

Here  is a quick example I made in Keynote.

You will notice that I left an error in the text - It will still be important to read through your work.  It's even readable with my left-handedness.


Let me know if you would like to learn more about using this new feature in your classroom.

Teachers who have done screencasting work with me should already have a Logitech Crayon checked out.  Let me know as your team would like to learn more.


Sunday, September 20, 2020

Formative Assessment in Slides

Below are 3 quick-win resources for teachers looking for formative assessment tools that pair with online presentation tools:   Pear Deck, Nearpod, and Quizizz.  

Peardeck and Nearpod are available as Google Slides add-ons, while Quizziz is stand-alone.  These are all free to use, although we do have the premium version of Peardeck available to use this school year.    They all pair very well with learning management systems including Google Classroom and  Canvas.

Peardeck 

 Pear Deck is a Google Slides Add-on that builds interaction and engagement in a lesson. Add questions, audio, embed websites, and more. It is as useful in a face-to-face learning environment as with remote learning. Pear Deck works on laptop or iPad, and is very user friendly.

 How a teacher gets started: 

Either create and build a Google Slides presentation or open one that is already built that you ‘own’. Select a slide and open up the Pear Deck Add-on (see image).   

Post different prompts for your students on one or more Slides. Use Peardeck to record the responses. Once the presentation is ready, click on 'Start Lesson'.   Select a lesson mode that fits your class, either Student-Paced Activity or Instructor-Pace Activity. In a hybrid class, Student-Paced is recommended.


For a live face-to-face class, tap on Start Lesson, and select the classroom mode that fits your students best.





 *How to get a student started: 

Instead of a teacher sharing a link to a Google Slide presentation, the teacher would share out a Pear Deck link or a presentation code.  Students will navigate through the slides and complete the embedded tasks. 

 Select on of 3 ways to share your Pear Deck with your students:

1. Copy the Pear Deck link specific your presentation.

2. Connect it directly to your Google Classroom

3.  Have your students navigate to joinpd.com and type in the given code.   

Click here to learn more about using Pear Deck.  Click here for learning opportunities brought to you by Central Rivers AEA.

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 Nearpod 

Nearpod is a Google Slides Add-on that builds interaction and engagement in a lesson. 
Quickly add a formative assessment or one of many other features. Teachers will often be all-in with either Peardeck or Nearpod. 

 *How a teacher gets started: 

Either create and build a Google Slides presentation or open one that is already built that you ‘own’. Post a prompt or question on any slide. Go to Add-Ons -> Nearpod -> Open Nearpod to open the tools. Select from a rich list of options.   They can be added to any or all of your slides.


A large library of activities created by other teachers is available to borrow or inspire your own ideas.


It works great with robust learning management systems such as Canvas or Schoology, but also works well with Google Classroom.  It is age-appropriate for our students in grades 3-12.


 *How to get a student started: 

Instead of sharing a link to the Google Slides document, the teacher will either share out a Nearpod weblink or a code that can be entered in the Nearpod iPad App. It works just as well in a web browser as the app. 

 Click here to learn more about using Nearpod. 

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 Quizizz 

 There are two big components to this resource. 

 First, create quick formative assessment activities either on your own or from a large library created by others teachers. This can include a classroom Poll, multiple choice question, checkbox list, fill-in-the-blank, or open-ended questions. 

 There is also a new Lesson feature that allows you to create slides with multimedia and other content, in a similar fashion as Google Slides, but without the need for an Add-on. Quizizz questions and other content can be quickly embedded.    This looks very promising.

How a teacher gets started: 

Click here to get started from their website. A Basic plan is free - Be wary though with younger learners. This will include some ads. 

A large library of activities created by other teachers is available to borrow or inspire your own ideas.

 How a student gets started: 

Either open a weblink provided by the teacher or type a provided code into the iPad App or website.

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There are many other digital formative assessment resources available that can also  work well in a remote learning environment.   It can include Google Forms, Kahoot, Quizlet, Socrative, and  more.   Let me know if you have a different quick-win resource that you like to use in your classroom.  I would love to get it added to this list.