The Google Ecosystem and its Place in the Classroom.

    This week we have been going over the multiple tools google has to offer. As a middle school and then high school student, I was primarily familiar with Google's slides, docs, and forms app. I would use these often for presentations and assignments. Much of my grad was planned through google form submissions. Outside of the classroom I, much like many students my age, would find my own house on Google Earth and other places I'll likely never see in real life. My favourite tool has always been google docs. Its easy to use and has all the same tools Word has with a more streamlined format for beginning writers. Its a great tool in the classroom as well because of its simplicity. Little did I know, Google has much more to offer. 

    Throughout our lesson in Google, we went over quite a few apps and tools google has to offer. Some apps that stood out to me were Google Arts and Culture, Google Draw, and Google lens. 

    Google Arts and Culture can introduce students to a world of art and history. Students have the ability to visit art, history, and science museums without the need for a field trip permission form. 

They also include minigames that teach students about other cultures, historic works of art, and musical theory. One of its many minigames include icons with historical sites on them. If you click on the site, it pulls up an AI powered chat bot that students can interact with and ask questions.

Google arts and culture has a place in any unit and makes and excellent learning tool with its easy access and interactivity. This page on google will show more information on uses for the classroom: https://artsandculture.google.com/project/learn 

    Google Draw is another versatile tool that can be used in any grade and subject. We used it to recreate our own images using the sketch and draw tools. This tool would be great for science fair prep in creating diagrams and charts. Or in art class to plan projects. It was a very fun tool to use once we got the hang of it. One suggestion I have is to use the shapes tool for more complex images. Blocking out the shapes made it way easier to plan out my image. 

Here is my own example: The story behind it is that my friend rescued a pigeon and we had to take him to a greenhouse so he could get better. He did! And flew away two days later. 

Using Google Draw is difficult in the beginning but once you get started and familiarize yourself with the tools, it gets easier. Here is a link for some tips and tricks to using Google Draw! https://sites.google.com/isd423.org/draw/tips-and-tricks

Last but not least, Google Lens. This isn't an app, more like an addition to the Google search bar. This tool is best used through the smart phone Google app. Google Lens is convenient for searches that are hard to describe or find. For example, if you need to find a specific type of animal, simply taking a picture of the animal will allow Google to analyze the image and provide information needed. I think this would be a great addition to a lesson on plant life and photosynthesis. One activity could be have students take their devices if possible, and go out into the field or nearest green space and identify plants based on the image along using Google lens. Its a simple tool, but highly effective when you don't have the right words.

    Google has over 250 tools that can be used both in and out of the classroom. Each are very effective and nearly all can be used in a variety of activities and subjects. The top three I listed, I highly recommend!

Social Media and the Creation of a PLN

   Today we had Laurie Mcintosh as a guest speaker. Miss. Mcintosh's background contains vast educational experience through her career as an educational assistant and a teacher in the classroom. In her presentation she highlighted how social media can be an excellent tool for creating a professional learning network. Laurie shared with us how using social media opened up a new world of opportunities and connections in her education career. She stated that utilizing apps like Twitter and Instagram have generated more opportunities to connect with students, parents, and other educators across the world.

Credit: iStockPhoto.com

    While it is beneficial, social media can also leave you very vulnerable. While you have full control over your own posts, you have no control over someone else's digital footprint. As quoted in my first blog, it is of great benefit to create your own digital footprint, rather than have someone else create one for you. Connecting with other educators becomes a breeze. There are educators all over the world that use social media to share the happenings of their classrooms, resources and tools, as well as the knowledge they’ve gained in their career. I would urge any teacher, pre-service or not, to create their own social media presence, to share their own career of lifelong learning.

    I would also urge you to check out Mrs. Mcintosh's blog where she shares her own teaching knowledge, as well as her Instagram, @mrsmacskinders.

Three Useful Education Blog Posts

Three Useful Educational Blogs

    There are a wide range of teaching blogs from administrative news to classroom activity packets. If you have an issue in the classroom or a need for a professional resource, there's likely a blog out there that can help. The blogging world is diverse with easily accessible free resources across the globe from teachers in a variety of educational environments. While researching some educational blogs, three stood out to me the most. 

    Connected Teaching and Learning was started by Ann Michelsen as a blog that offers up to date information on tech and AI in the classrooms. They provide examples on how old lesson plans can be modified with new technology. The blog is active with a new post daily on ways to innovate in the classroom. They also include current events in some articles so teachers are kept up to date in how tech is being used both in and out of the classroom along with new revolutionary inventions in tech. This blog can be helpful for teachers who have been up to date on tech in the classroom and for teachers who are just looking for ways to teach tech safety for their students. They also include a few posts on videogames that are both educational and engaging as a non conventional way to teach historical topics. The digital classroom, transforming the way we learn – Articles and "Lesson plans on the go" (annmichaelsen.com)

   Edutopia was founded in 1991 by George Lucas and Steve Arnold in an effort to apply education to new technology. Now, they have a wide range of topics and ideas for teachers and students alike. The formatting makes it easy to find the solution to any educational question you may have. Each topic is tagged appropriately making it easy and accessible especially for new educators. What's better than having an answer right at your fingertips? A free answer.  Edutopia - What Works in Education

    Who better to learn from than a former classroom teacher! Monica began Class Tech Tips as a way to save time in the classroom for other teachers rather than wrestling with the computer. Some of her quick links lead to resources and packs that can be used in the classroom that can make the information age fun and educational for a wide range of grades and age groups. If your more of an auditory learner, she links her podcast as well. She also posts teach tips weekly in an email newsletter that could be implemented as a school wide resource. Monica's blog saves time and formats her information in a way that is accessible and readable for anyone. EdTech Blog, Tools and Resources for Educators - Class Tech Tips

    I believe that all three blogs should be included in your teacher toolkit. Many of the resources they provide are educational, engaging, and accessible for teachers at any stage of their teaching career. For preservice and tenure teachers alike, these blogs are very helpful and applicable to the world we live in today. 

Credit: iStockPhoto.com

The Benefits of Blogging: A consolidated List

  My name is Daniel Allan and I am 2nd year pre service student teacher at Medicine Hat College. For this blog post I am summarizing key points from three individual blogs. Each author explains why blogs can be a useful tool for teachers to connect and share resources. Some blogs I would like to highlight are 4 Reasons People Don't Blog and Ideas to Help Change Their Mind by George Couros, 10 Reasons Why Every Educator Should Start Blogging by Kathleen Morris, and Three Reasons to Start a Teacher Blog Today by Bethany Petty. 

    George Couros' uses his blog post to highlight the benefits of blogging as an educator.  He states that many people don't want to because they view it as useless or invasive to privacy. Couros believes that teachers and admin should try blogging regardless of their personal view of it. Its a great way to create a feedback loop among peers, great for self reflection, and someone will always have either an answer or a need for your perspective. His point for privacy is you only share what you want to. He states that, 

"Many teachers think that not sharing anything online will ensure they never have a footprint, but the only thing that is a certain as that they will never have a footprint that they create." -George Couros 2014

If your digital footprint is only based off of the perspective of one individual, it becomes difficult to set yourself apart from it unless you create your own footprint. Overall, sharing your perspective on education may benefit others in the field. Being able to create that feedback loop ensures that you are a life long learner. 

    Kathleen Morris' post advocates for teacher run blogs. One of her first points is that it creates a connection to home. Parents gain a new level of access into the classroom that both they and their child can benefit from. Many tools that are beneficial in the classroom can be used at home for homework help. It allows the parents the ability to gauge what is going on in the classroom rather than waiting for the next student led conference. She also states that running a blog can help teach internet safety. By running a blog yourself, you can use it to teach students about the importance of identity and privacy on the internet. Morris' post shows that blogs can benefit everyone involved in the educational world from superintendent to parent. 

    Bethany Petty's three reasons for creating a blog all fall under TQS 2; engage in career long learning. As stated in many other teacher blogs, blogging connect you to resources and perspectives all over the globe. Access to such resources gives teachers the tools to learn and reflect on their practice. Along with readily available advice, easily accessibly with the internet. Whether you create or consume a blog, you remaining flexible as a teacher rather than sticking with the same teaching style. The vast connections created by the internet can once again benefit students as well. Using resources created by other educators from across the globe can give students a wide range of knowledge and perspectives from Dublin to Hong Kong. 

    The internet has become ingrained in our society. While it can be a hinderance in the classroom through distraction or potentially dangerous video challenges, it can also be used as a tool for educators to better themselves and their teaching practice. Blogs can provide guidance some peers or superiors can't, which is why they can be a useful educational tool for educators at any point in their career. I would highly recommend looking further into the blogs listed here as well as many other teacher blogs. There are likely billions of new connections and resources out there.