TILS C (b)

Activity: Plan and conduct a faculty staff development session

Description: I was selected this school year to attend the iPLC (interactive professional
learning community of technology in schools) offered by PEF ( Public Education
Foundation) as my school representative. I attend meetings once a month for two hours
each meeting and collaborate with other educators in our county in all educational
positions. There are representatives from elementary, middle, and high schools in our
district. As well as, central office technology staff members, teachers in the new STEM
school, and teachers of different focus areas in each level. This is a very diverse group of
educators in our district. There are 45 members and PEF staff coordinators to facilitate
the meetings and topics. My principal wanted me to share what I have learned in the
technology meetings with our staff and support them in implementing the technology into
their classrooms each day. I demonstrated a few apps and websites that all teachers could
use and offered valuable information about technology and how it functions, how it is
used and the benefits for engaging students.
What went well?
The handout provided the faculty with the resources I had gathered over the past seven
months in one quick resource guide. The faculty was engaged in learning and
participating in the app demonstrations. Most members of the faculty were genuinely
curious and eager to learn about new ways to intergrade the technology. It was as
though they had confidence in the fact I expressed I use it in my classroom daily and is
user friendly and not timely to create.
What did not go well?
I had set up my projector and laptop cart ahead of time and tested it with the app websites
to ensure everything was working correctly before the meeting began. However, once it
was my turn to present after the principals announcements, the computer wasnt
communicating with the projector and it would work properly. The technology person
for our school helped problem solve why it wasnt projecting as I continued to present.
This however, caused me to have to skip around on my agenda rather than the order I had
prepared. This confusion had a few teachers that were talking among themselves and not
engaged in parts of the presentation.
Given the chance to do it again, how would you do it better?
I would ask to go first so the technology doesnt go to sleep as the administration gives
announcements. I would have a plan B for any such case of technology issues arise and
have someone on hand to help in need of a technology issue. Overall the experience
went well and everyone seemed to enjoy the information. I just wished the technology
had worked correctly and smoothly.

Technology for the classroom

Apps & Websites for the classroom
Brainpop.com
Brainpopjr.com
Youtube.com
Todays meet
Voxer
photoshop
hooked on phonics
starfall
storyline online
**symbaloo-organize your apps
**Frontrow common core math k-8/individualized for each student
**Plickers- interactive answering app for the classroom

i-nigma- QR code reader free

use for listening centers, science, social studies, etc.

class dojo-individualized classroom management

padlet.com-interactive classroom tool

Ustream- better than Skype

Apps gone free=download app and will notify you every 24 hours of free apps for
a temporary time period

Openlibrary.org check out books/ebooks online for free

Adobe voice itunes app award

Ngexplorer.cengage.com-national geographic online

free books science-listening to reading

devLearn-free-coding made easy rated #4 app by apple

Social Media Sites for the classroom:

Edmodo
Facebook
Twitter
Tech communities available:
iPLC offered through PEF at beginning of each year

Hive Chattanooga

Twitter chats
o #ChattTechChat Tuesday evenings @8:00 p.m.
o #TnEdChat Thursday evenings @ 8:00 p.m.

teachingchannel.org

YouTube for how to videos

Tech Conferences you can attend:

BOOST
ISTE-International Society for Technology in Education
F-Tech
Chattanooga Library Can use students cards to access
Next year they are going to try and give each teacher a card for free
Visit the resources tab website home page to find what they are offering for free
or with a library card

Team treehouse.com -middle/high levels

-tutorials on how to do web design

coding camp

Updates for Hamilton County Technology for students and teachers:

google email & google documents released once everyone goes BYOD
ENA login = email without hcde.org and email password to get into youtube or
blocked sites

Must be on HCDE radius, students should always be on HCDE guest to have

protective blocks

Ideas for technology you can purchase for your classroom:

iTunes gift cards to purchase apps

Osmos game doc station for ipads

IPEVO interactive whiteboards

Splitters for iPads and headphone use

Apple TV

Tablets