Welcome
September is all about Communicating Effectively with Technology
The learning in this module is worth 1-3 Continuing Ed Credit Hours. You can earn 1-2 hours in the Learn area below and an additional hour can be earned in the Do section by implementing something you've learned into your teaching and/or learning.
Complete the Share what you've Learned set by October 15; your certificate will be emailed to you.
The links on various technology applications will take you to Atomic Learning. You'll need to log in using your school email. Your default password is/was learning.
***Background:
Consider how you use technology to communicate with your students, their families, the community, colleagues within your building, colleagues in other schools and districts, and so many others. Technology has changed, and continues to change, how this communication happens. In the Learn section below, you'll have a chance to learn about some technology tools and consider how you might use them. Then, in the Do section, you'll have an opportunity to implement one of these tools.***Learn: (1-2 hours of continuing ed credits are available in this area. Track your time to record it below.)
Read about communicating via technology:
- How Technology Is Changing How Teachers Communicate With Students
- Ten Ways to Use Technology to Increase Parent Participation
- How Teachers are Using Technology
Explore and learn about some ways to communicate effectively through technology:
Some suggestions:
Select from the tools below to find ones that meet your needs, interests, and skill-level. If you are familiar with other technology communication tools and would like to explore them, please do. Check Atomic Learning or other resources for opportunities to learn more. (It is not intended that you do all of the topics below in the "Learn" section.)
Gmail-
Explore ways to more effectively use Gmail to communicate with colleagues, families and others.Click here for Atomic Learning series of videos on Gmail. (As you use Atomic Learning--be sure to click the + to Expand the topic and see all available videos)
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Having a "Web Presence"
Staff are encouraged to have a presence on the web to communicate what is happening in their classrooms. Keeping the site current, considering the audience, and removing out dated information are important ideas to keep in mind. There are multiple tools available to communicate through an online window. Below are three recommended tools. If you're creating a spot online to communicate with families and/or the community, share your link with Kari Schugel to link it to the district web site.
- Blogger-
- A Blog can be quick way to share information online with others. It can be a quick way to post classroom information online. Think of it as a way to replace your classroom newsletter--with options to "go further" with options offered by technology.
- Blogger is one service that works well for Blogs. Because it is a Google product, it interfaces well with other parts of Google. You can use your current ISD47 Google log in.
- Blogging using an iPad information
- Guide to using Blogger
- Click here for Atomic Learning series of videos on Blogger. (As you use Atomic Learning--be sure to click the + to Expand the topic and see all available videos)
- Google Sites-
- Google Sites is a part of the Google Apps for Education Suite. Through Google Sites, you can create a web site that has the option to incorporate many of the other Google tools and software. You can use your current ISD47 Google log in.
- You can create multiple pages. This is a true "web site" and not a "page" as Blogger is.
- Consider using Google sites if you think you might eventually expand to wanting a larger web site.
- Click here for Atomic Learning series of videos on Google Sites. (As you use Atomic Learning--be sure to click the + to Expand the topic and see all available videos)
- Weebly-
- Weebly.com provides an opportunity to create a web site.
- Using Weebly it's surprisingly easy to create a high-quality web site.
- You can create multiple pages. This is a true "web site" and not a "page" as Blogger is.
- Consider using Weebly if you think you might eventually expand to wanting a larger web site.
- You'll need to create an account to use Weebly.
- Click here for a list of Weebly features.
- Here's the Getting Started Guide for Weebly.
- This is a sample Weebly site.
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Twitter-Articles:
What is Twitter?
Why Teachers should try Twitter?
Twitter for Educators
Explore ways to more effectively use Gmail to communicate with colleagues, families and others.
Click here for Atomic Learning series of videos on Twitter. (As you use Atomic Learning--be sure to click the + to Expand the topic and see all available videos)
***Do: (1 hour of continuing ed credit is available in this area.)
- Find a meaningful way to integrate one of the above technology tools (or another technology communication tool) to improve or increase your communication.
- For help or support, contact Laura Mackenthun or your media specialist.
- Implement your plan and track what you've done.
- You'll be asked to share what you did and reflect on how it went in the "Share" section below.