dept

PBL Resources

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SIX resources to help you continue along the PBL continuum:

#1 Your colleagues!  Here are some PBL bright spots/resources shared at yesterday’s lunch:

#2 Suzie’s ZISPBL site

#3 Buck Institute 

#4 Quest framework for research

#5 Past PBL related posts in Tech Tuesday

#6 &…… add your favorites in the comment section below

 

Hypertext 101

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hyperlink

Hypertext is nothing new, in fact it’s origins stem back to the early 1940’s (Bolter, 1978) when Borges wrote a short story inspiring the concept.  Fast forward to today and is it reasonable that we all know how create and responsibly consume hypertext.   If you need a little refresher check out Alice Keeler’s post.

 

 

Security Reminder

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Please do the following:

  • Sign out (not switch user or lock) classroom desktops between blocks
  • Shut down desktops and SMART boards (including speakers)
  • Always leave your tablet out of plain sight (including in classrooms and faculty workroom out of normal school hours)

Turnitin

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Along with Moodle, Turnitin is now updated and ready for use.  Both the student and teacher interface looks slightly different.  Students will need to agree to terms of use upon their first submission.  To view submissions, depending on the number of students enrolled in your course, you may have to filter for submissions or similarity.

submitted

 

If you need any specific help adding a Turnitin assignment into Moodle or having students submit their assignments feel free to ask Kevin or Liz for help.

 

 

 

 

Unplug Back by Popular Demand

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Illustration: Tabitha Brown

Taking time away from screens is actually restorative for your brain.  Your grateful students need you wonderful brains fully recharged upon return, so please consider unplugging during the upcoming holiday. Need more convincing? …5 Reasons To Unplug From Technology After Work (or during Winter break:)

Here are a few ways to unplug:

  • Set an out of office reply
  • Use the digital basket method to keep mobile phones from eroding your face to face time with friends and family by:
  1. Designating one place such as a basket to place all devices
  2. Agreeing on a set time your group will be device free
    *If you and your crew need more than just a simple, “this is screen free time,” try applying a “sin” tax by placing a jar by the basket.  Pull out your device, put money in:)
  • Designate one person to capture holiday moments and then connect and collaborate to share them with others instead of snapping and posting in isolation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Moodle Upgrade Tonight!

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As previously stated, Moodle will be offline from 9pm until approximately midnight to complete the upgrade tonight.  Once the upgrade is complete, you will receive a link where you will be able to access the old (static) install for a brief period of time.
Thanks for checking your courses in the sandbox.

Beyond the Device Check In

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Screen Shot 2015-12-15 at 1.54.52 PM As we approach winter break it’s time to take stock in our evolution as a 1-to-1 learning environment.  The key here is to focus on learning, not technology.  The beginning of the 2014-15 school year marked the start of cycle three where we shifted gears to think beyond the device toward the elements listed on the left.

You’ve considered failure, taken steps to become more mindful (thx Leslie) w/ and w/o technology, and explored the complicated  lives of our digitally connected students (thx dboyd).  You have looked at IRC student perception data related to organization and communication, thought through why communication fails, earned your GYST badge,  and continued to dig into the very BIG driving question…..How will you continue to evolve your teaching to ensure transformational learning experience for yourself and your students?

The PBL mindset as highlighted by Markham (2015) goes a long way towards supporting transformational student-centered learning. In the new year we will continue to explore our evolution of PBL during lunchtime sessions (see the note in FF to sign up) and with Suzie at the beginning of March here on campus.

 

 

Tablet Road Checks

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Before the winter break you will be conducting a tablet road check.  The GLL’s will be organizing the specific time.  The first place to start is to make sure you are modeling responsible use and can pass the road check yourself:)  Please complete the following road check on your own tablet to prepare yourself, and make any needed adjustments so you can model responsible use.

How’s Your Class Management w/ Phones Going?

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By now all of us have clear routines related to phone use in our classes, whether it be a phone tower, box or basket all of these methods go a long way towards appropriately navigating the distractions phones present.  Below is a conversation that takes this one step further with Sherry Turkle related to the psychology behind such distractions…check it out!

https://www.wnyc.org/widgets/ondemand_player/wnyc/#file=/audio/json/538202/&share=1