CSDNR Instructional Tech Weekly

Hour of Code started as a way to introduce students to computer science. Many schools throughout the world participate in Hour of Code. The New Rochelle City School District also took part in Hour of Code in various locations throughout the District. In fact, this morning at Trinity Elementary School, the students and teachers who were actively participating in Hour of Code live streamed some of the work in which they have been engaged. Terri Agravat and Johanna Vasquez led the coding activities and with the help of Moises Freja they created a short video and live television production to showcase what they have been doing. It is clear that the students enjoyed all of the various activities, which included Ozobots, Dance Party and Scratch.

Any class can participate in the Hour of Code or in coding. There are computer-based and unplugged activities for students K-12. Though the Hour of Code week is almost over, it is not too late to do coding activities with students at any time. The goal is to inspire kids to learn more about coding and computer science. The other goal is for students to have fun and tap into their creativity.

There are many resources to support learning basic coding and computer science. The resources include lessons that engage students of all ages. There are many fun, student-guided tutorials for various age groups and experience levels. The site also includes many lesson plans for teachers to guide discussion or extend the activities.

Hour of Code does not require students to sign up or login to their site. Students can create and run programs without providing any personal information. Students can practice coding utilizing a variety of activities. There are a multitude of ways that kids can learn how to code and there are many reasons to do so. The number of technology-related jobs available is on the rise.

Classlink will be launched in late December 2021. The tech team will be testing out this tool next week and then it will be opened up for everyone to try. This application offers single sign on access for a variety of software applications and websites. Students and teachers login to the Classlink Launchpad and from there they can access instructional and other types of software used at school. For more information, take a look at this short video on how Classlink works. The Instructional Technology Team will be providing more information about this platform when we are ready to launch. Here is a brief guide on how to use the application once it is launched.

Discovery Ed is offering two webinars this December. One is called A Few of Our Favorite Things and is taking place on Tuesday December 14th at 7:00 pm. DE community members will share their favorite resources of 2021! Click on Register for the Webinar to sign up.

The other webinar is Maximize Your Merry onThursday December 16th at 7:00 pm. During this webinar, DE community members will share their best time-saving tips and strategies so you can get a head start on 2022. Click on Register for the Webinar to sign up.

There are three platforms that allow students to record their own videos. Each one is easy to use and provides students with the ability to express themselves through movie making. One platform uses animated characters. Another tool uses video, images and voiceovers. The last application can incorporate screen recording, webcam, voiceovers or all three.

BrainPop offers a movie making tool in its applications. Students can make their own movies using animated objects or searchable images. Students start with a letter that asks a question, similar to the way all BrainPop movies begin. Then students build out scenes to answer the question. Filmmakers can add text or record their voice to provide information to answer the question posed in the letter. Students can even have the computer read their text for them. If you want to learn more about BrainPop Make a Movie, check out this short Google Slide Deck from Laura Sarago.

Adobe Spark also offers tools to create movies. Students can upload their own videos or images to Adobe Spark. It is easy to create digital stories on Adobe Spark. Students can collect or create images and then upload them into their presentation. After that, student can enable their microphones and provide voice recordings over the images to share their knowledge. Here is a short tutorial on how to use Adobe Spark.

Finally, the last tool is Screencastify Submit. This application is just like Screencastify for teachers, but this is the student version. Teachers can create assignment via Google Classroom that ask students to respond to a question or prompt using Submit. Students can use their chromebook cameras and microphones to create video responses. This platform also allows students to record their screens. Screencastify has put together a page of resources to help teachers get started using Submit. Check out the page.

Nearpod offers a game similar to Kahoot. Teachers can assess student knowledge on a particular topic, create an interactive exit ticket or obtain formative assessment information. Teachers can create simple Time to Climb activities and launch them a live lessons in front of a class. Students use their devices to play. Time to Climb lessons are engaging, fun and easy to create. If you are interested in creating your own Time to Climb, take a look at this five minute video. It will walk you through the steps to creating your own game.

Kami has now added its own templates for teachers to use with students. These include a variety of graphic organizers. There are also tools to assess learning or provide opportunities for back channelling during a lesson. Kami templates can be shared with whole classes, small groups or individual students. Teachers can also provide feedback to students using a Kami lesson. Check out this short video and this Google Slide Deck on how to use Kami.

Don't forget to check the list of District Approved Applications to see what is approved. The list is always being updated. The list includes third party vendors who have signed our Parent Bill of Rights and Data Privacy Agreement in order to be compliant with Ed Law 2D. All vendors who collect student personally identifiable information (PII) must sign these agreements. If you are interested in new software not on the list, fill out the Software Approval Form. If you are looking for training on software that is approved, fill out the Request for Training Form.

The Instructional Technology Website is always being updated. Recently, the site was overhauled to feature the professional learning resources that are available to all CSDNR faculty and staff. Last spring, the Team began vetting and creating resources to help educators learn how to use software applications. The resources include step-by-step videos as well as Google Slide Decks. There are also Google Docs and PDFs. Over the last year, we have added many resources to this collection.