Hope you are enjoying this glorious summer weather! I'm thrilled that we've gotten both the Canvas and Edmodo environments all up and running (many thanks to Colin!).
Now, we can start TECHsploring these new areas!
For MS & US folks, we are going to try adding video and/or audio commentary to a discussion forum. We're also going to try taking a quiz that I've created in the Canvas environment. Log on to our Canvas course for all the details. While you are not yet able to practice creating these, I've provided links to tutorials for how you can add these things to your own courses once we have set them all up.
http://brynmawrschool.instructure.com
**Try the mobile app as well! There are details on the right side of this blog about how to set up and use the Canvas mobile app.**
For LS teachers, we are going to look at the "Send to" feature and the other Edmodo communities that exist outside of Bryn Mawr School. In addition to using Edmodo with your students, you can also use it to connect with teachers all across the globe who are teaching the same subjects and/or grade levels as you! This week, you'll make some new connections and hopefully, meet some new people to add to your Personal Learning Network (PLN). Log on to our Edmodo group for more details.
http://brynmawrschool.edmodo.com
**Try the mobile app as well! There are details on the right side of this blog about how to set up and use the Edmodo mobile app. I know we've had a few hiccups with using it on iPad, but keep working with it!**
Don't forget that the discussions are just getting started over on the BMS Goodreads group--join us! AND there's always Twitter for finding fresh ideas and inspiration.
Monday, July 1, 2013
Monday, June 24, 2013
Start of TECHsplorations 2013
Welcome to a new summer of TECHsploring! This summer will feel a little different than past years' TECHsplorations, as the framework will be built around our learning management systems. You are, of course, still encouraged to use Twitter to enrich and grow your PLN [Personal Learning Network].
To clarify, the Lower School faculty will complete TECHsplorations within a class on Edmodo, and the Middle and Upper School faculty will complete TECHsplorations within a class on Canvas. Using these learning management systems to explore new facets and features will help to prepare us to use these systems effectively with our own students in the fall.
On the right hand side of this blog, you will find many helpful links, including:
To clarify, the Lower School faculty will complete TECHsplorations within a class on Edmodo, and the Middle and Upper School faculty will complete TECHsplorations within a class on Canvas. Using these learning management systems to explore new facets and features will help to prepare us to use these systems effectively with our own students in the fall.
On the right hand side of this blog, you will find many helpful links, including:
- Begin here!
- This link will give you an overview of this year's TECHsplorations and outline our goals for the program.
- BMS Canvas login
- This link will take you directly to our Bryn Mawr Canvas environment
- BMS Edmodo login
- This link will take you directly to our Bryn Mawr Edmodo environment
- BMS GoodReads group
- This link will take you to our BMS GoodReads group, where you can join a discussion about one or more of our summer reading picks.
- TECHsplorations Blog Chrome App
- This link will take you to the Chrome Web Store, where you can install the TECHsplorations blog app onto your Chrome apps page--essentially a bookmark for this blog!
- Twitter -related links
- These links will take you through the step-by-step process of setting up a Twitter account and finding your BMS colleagues. You can also read the Twitter Lingo section to learn more about the special symbols and abbreviations you'll see while browsing Twitter.
- Fun & Prizes
- What is TECHsplorations without some fun & prizes?? We will have a cupcake reception as always, plus there will be prizes for participants at different levels.
Plus, we're mobile! All the TECHsploring we do this summer can be done from a mobile phone or iPad. Check out the links to the right about using the mobile apps to see screenshots of the apps in action, and then download and use them yourself if you'd like!
So, jump in and get moving! There's a lot to TECHsplore!
Monday, August 20, 2012
Week 10: Reflection
We've made it to the end of the summer and the end of TECHsplorations! Congratulations to everyone who has participated. I'm proud of all that you've learned and shared!
And, as I say every week, if this is the first TECHsploration post you have read all summer, there is still time (just a tiny bit!) for you to be a part of the program! Scroll back through the blog and explore anything that is of interest to you. Don't forget to join Twitter and our 80-member-strong list of BMS "tweeters." TECHsplorations is all about working at your own pace and learning new things--don't be afraid to give it a try!
If you only have time to do one thing, make that thing Edmodo. Go back to the first week's post and read about joining and participating in your summer reading book discussions online. The discussion groups are growing every day, and this is a good way to reflect on your chosen summer reading book with colleagues before the school year gets underway.
And, not that you need a reminder, but, one week from today, on Monday, August 27th from 12:30 to 1:00pm in the North Building Lobby, the Technology Department will host its TECHsploration Cupcake Reception! You can indulge in home-made treats, chat with colleagues, and enter a drawing for one of three fabulous tech-themed prizes! All participants of any level are welcome and encouraged to attend!
This week, I'd like us simply to reflect on everything we've learned, explored, shared, read, watched, and discussed this summer. What was your biggest accomplishment? What surprised you? What frustrated you? Who have you gotten to know better as a result of the program? How has your PLN (Personal Learning Network) grown? How can you keep this going all year? And finally, what is the one thing that you will do differently this school year as a result of having participated in TECHsplorations? Tweet us some of your thoughts and take-aways.
In all fairness, if I'm asking you to take time to reflect, I should do the same. Here are my thoughts:
I was pleasantly surprised by how much I loved Google Chrome--I can't imagine why I didn't download it sooner! My biggest accomplishment (and also one of my most frustrating moments) was creating the TECHsplorations Chrome Web App. I got such a thrill out of making it work! My PLN has grown in quality connections with all of you; I feel like we're all really getting the hang of this "connected educator" thing! Sometimes, I only have a moment to check Twitter, and I know that my time will be best spent by reading the latest posts from all of you on the BMS Buddies list. I plan on keeping this going all year through encouraging faculty sharing and by strengthening ties with teachers from across the globe. And finally, the one thing that I plan to do differently as a result of having participated in TECHsplorations is that I want to make my Emerging Technologies class just a little bit more like a video game (that TED talk really stuck with me!).
Please take a moment to complete the survey below (Google Forms at work!) to share your thoughts with us. The Technology Team puts a considerable amount of energy into developing the TECHsplorations program each year, and your feedback is always appreciated. You can choose to include your name or remain anonymous. Thanks for another fantastic summer! See you on Monday for cupcakes!!
And, as I say every week, if this is the first TECHsploration post you have read all summer, there is still time (just a tiny bit!) for you to be a part of the program! Scroll back through the blog and explore anything that is of interest to you. Don't forget to join Twitter and our 80-member-strong list of BMS "tweeters." TECHsplorations is all about working at your own pace and learning new things--don't be afraid to give it a try!
If you only have time to do one thing, make that thing Edmodo. Go back to the first week's post and read about joining and participating in your summer reading book discussions online. The discussion groups are growing every day, and this is a good way to reflect on your chosen summer reading book with colleagues before the school year gets underway.
And, not that you need a reminder, but, one week from today, on Monday, August 27th from 12:30 to 1:00pm in the North Building Lobby, the Technology Department will host its TECHsploration Cupcake Reception! You can indulge in home-made treats, chat with colleagues, and enter a drawing for one of three fabulous tech-themed prizes! All participants of any level are welcome and encouraged to attend!
This week, I'd like us simply to reflect on everything we've learned, explored, shared, read, watched, and discussed this summer. What was your biggest accomplishment? What surprised you? What frustrated you? Who have you gotten to know better as a result of the program? How has your PLN (Personal Learning Network) grown? How can you keep this going all year? And finally, what is the one thing that you will do differently this school year as a result of having participated in TECHsplorations? Tweet us some of your thoughts and take-aways.
In all fairness, if I'm asking you to take time to reflect, I should do the same. Here are my thoughts:
I was pleasantly surprised by how much I loved Google Chrome--I can't imagine why I didn't download it sooner! My biggest accomplishment (and also one of my most frustrating moments) was creating the TECHsplorations Chrome Web App. I got such a thrill out of making it work! My PLN has grown in quality connections with all of you; I feel like we're all really getting the hang of this "connected educator" thing! Sometimes, I only have a moment to check Twitter, and I know that my time will be best spent by reading the latest posts from all of you on the BMS Buddies list. I plan on keeping this going all year through encouraging faculty sharing and by strengthening ties with teachers from across the globe. And finally, the one thing that I plan to do differently as a result of having participated in TECHsplorations is that I want to make my Emerging Technologies class just a little bit more like a video game (that TED talk really stuck with me!).
Please take a moment to complete the survey below (Google Forms at work!) to share your thoughts with us. The Technology Team puts a considerable amount of energy into developing the TECHsplorations program each year, and your feedback is always appreciated. You can choose to include your name or remain anonymous. Thanks for another fantastic summer! See you on Monday for cupcakes!!
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
New! TECHsplorations Chrome App!
Since this week's TECHsploration was Chrome and its apps, I thought that I would do some TECHsploring of my own and figure out how to make us a Chrome app shortcut for the TECHsplorations blog. After So, if you try Week 9's TECHsploration and start using Chrome and Chrome apps, be sure to click here to add our BMS TECHsplorations app to your Chrome account. It's nothing amazing, but a handy shortcut with a cute TECHsplorations icon. Nice to have!
Let me know what you think!
Week 9: Google Chrome & Apps
We've made it to the penultimate week of TECHsplorations! Are you getting that back-to-school feeling yet? I have had so much fun TECHsploring and just keeping up with all of you over the summer. We have 80 BMS tweeters as of this posting--that's fantastic! Thank you for sharing interesting articles, videos, and resources all summer long. Additionally, we've explored many new tools and discovered ways to use them in our classes AND we are having great online discussions about our summer reading selections on Edmodo! Check in with yours if you haven't done so recently!
Even if this is the very first TECHsploration post you're reading, welcome! It is never too late to get started! I would recommend scrolling to the beginning of the blog and reading your way up/skim for tools that catch your eye. You can learn all about joining Twitter by reading the links on the right side of the blog.
And remember, all participants, great and small, are invited to a special cupcake reception on Monday, August 27th from 12:30 to 1:00pm in the North Building Lobby. We will also have drawings for three fabulous tech prizes for participants (as if you needed more incentive to join in the fun!).
On to this week's tool: Google Chrome Apps! This is not a tool for students to use, but it is something that I think you will find useful for your personal and professional life. Now that we are a Google Apps for Education school, we'll undoubtedly be using a lot of Google Apps. Google Chrome is a web browser made by Google that offers a great user experience for those apps. In fact, you can "sign in" with your BMS account (don't forget to add @brynmawrschool.org when it asks you to sign in) to Google Chrome and add apps from the Chrome Apps Store that will show up when you open a new window or tab in Chrome. These apps provide quick and easy access to all the things you use most, as well as offering other fun games, organizational tools...you name it, there's an app for it! Most of the apps are simply shortcuts to the sites you visit most frequently; others are unique to Chrome, like the virtual Lego builder app.
You can read all about Chrome here, as well as download and install it on your laptop. After installing it, sign in (click the wrench in the upper right corner of the browser window), and then go "shopping" for apps in the Chrome store. Once you've added some apps to Chrome, (I recommend Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Drive, YouTube, Blogger, Google Maps, Twitter, and Edmodo), you can drag them around to place them where you'd like on the screen. It's a nice way to organize yourself as we prepare to embark upon the 2012-13 school year.
If you have a little extra time to play, I highly recommend adding the WebLab app. It allows users to do "web experiments" both online and in real life at the Science Museum in London in real time. It's hard to explain, but so neat! If you don't want to download and use Chrome, you can still try out WebLab by clicking here (keep in mind that these web experiments were designed for Chrome, so they will work best there).
The best part about Chrome is that, if you log in to Chrome and set things up, download apps, bookmark things, etc., Chrome will remember all of your settings, preferences, apps, and bookmarks and keep that information in the cloud. Now, you can log into Chrome on any computer and feel right at home--no more frustration over a bookmark being on another computer or browser!
So download Chrome and get started! Tweet us your favorite Chrome apps, and as always, have fun!
Even if this is the very first TECHsploration post you're reading, welcome! It is never too late to get started! I would recommend scrolling to the beginning of the blog and reading your way up/skim for tools that catch your eye. You can learn all about joining Twitter by reading the links on the right side of the blog.
And remember, all participants, great and small, are invited to a special cupcake reception on Monday, August 27th from 12:30 to 1:00pm in the North Building Lobby. We will also have drawings for three fabulous tech prizes for participants (as if you needed more incentive to join in the fun!).
On to this week's tool: Google Chrome Apps! This is not a tool for students to use, but it is something that I think you will find useful for your personal and professional life. Now that we are a Google Apps for Education school, we'll undoubtedly be using a lot of Google Apps. Google Chrome is a web browser made by Google that offers a great user experience for those apps. In fact, you can "sign in" with your BMS account (don't forget to add @brynmawrschool.org when it asks you to sign in) to Google Chrome and add apps from the Chrome Apps Store that will show up when you open a new window or tab in Chrome. These apps provide quick and easy access to all the things you use most, as well as offering other fun games, organizational tools...you name it, there's an app for it! Most of the apps are simply shortcuts to the sites you visit most frequently; others are unique to Chrome, like the virtual Lego builder app.
You can read all about Chrome here, as well as download and install it on your laptop. After installing it, sign in (click the wrench in the upper right corner of the browser window), and then go "shopping" for apps in the Chrome store. Once you've added some apps to Chrome, (I recommend Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Drive, YouTube, Blogger, Google Maps, Twitter, and Edmodo), you can drag them around to place them where you'd like on the screen. It's a nice way to organize yourself as we prepare to embark upon the 2012-13 school year.
If you have a little extra time to play, I highly recommend adding the WebLab app. It allows users to do "web experiments" both online and in real life at the Science Museum in London in real time. It's hard to explain, but so neat! If you don't want to download and use Chrome, you can still try out WebLab by clicking here (keep in mind that these web experiments were designed for Chrome, so they will work best there).
The best part about Chrome is that, if you log in to Chrome and set things up, download apps, bookmark things, etc., Chrome will remember all of your settings, preferences, apps, and bookmarks and keep that information in the cloud. Now, you can log into Chrome on any computer and feel right at home--no more frustration over a bookmark being on another computer or browser!
So download Chrome and get started! Tweet us your favorite Chrome apps, and as always, have fun!
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