Flubaroo

So I am coming to the end of the staff personal learning projects. Myself and Ms. Dance have been doing a project using Google Forms. I'll post a round up of the things we learnt after we have presented to our colleagues. Just as we are coming to the end Google launch Add-Ons and I discover Flubaroo! Doh!

Flubaroo is a great tool which marks your Google Forms for you! Obviously this means you can't really have Google Forms where students give lengthy answers, so I would not use it for assessments, but it is great to check that they have watched a video properly or learnt the key facts from a unit. I am going to create a lot of information literacy, library and research skills forms, as well as some silly trivia forms. I am also going to definitely use it to help me flip the classroom, and probably place videos right in the form.

Flubaroo not only marks your forms for you, but it can tell you the average score, highlight students with a low score and it will even email all participants for you! AMAZING.

Here's a Flubaroo video to explain how it works:

Also I've made a quick Google Search Form just to test our Flubaroo. I would really appreciate if you could spend five minutes to fill it out.

Google Add-Ons - EasyBib

Google Docs has added a new feature called 'Add-Ons'
A very useful one for students, teachers and librarians is the Easy-Bib Add-on. Instead of jumping between tabs, you can now create your bibliography inside the document - it's super easy.

I've made a quick video to show you how to use it:

I know it will save me time and I hope it will save you time too!

Arduino

We've started our robot unit with grade 9 students and I just showed them this video.

We discussed how the Open Source Movement fits in with the ethos of the school and the International Baccalaureate. Students also spent a bit of time researching to find the coolest products they could! Our favourite was the REAL LIFE FLAPPY BIRDS!

Google Forms for Self Assessment!

I wanted to share some of the ways I am using Google Forms to help students to turn in work and to self assess. Using Google Forms has helped students take more ownership over their work and has made them feel more accountable. Forms have saved me lots of time and have made my marking and teaching easier!

Google Forms - Cut Outs Stop Motion

A cute video I made about how we use Google Forms at my school.

 I talk very quick as the video had a time limit!

Cardboard Contacts!

I am new to teaching technology. I have worked as a librarian in my last two schools, primary and secondary - both state schools, but I am now the Digital Librarian and Technology teacher, at an International School in the heart of London. Technology has helped me connect with educators across the globe, helping me to be supported and giving me constant inspiration! I posted a bit on here and Twitter about the Cardboard Challenge I am taking part in and have been sent a couple of cool things within a day!

Firstly the Inspiration Foundation are hopefully going to be connecting me with a school in America who are also doing the Cardboard Challenge. I am hoping students can share their ideas via a Skype call!

Secondly Ed Charlwood sent me a link to this Design Modelling site - It has some great ideas for using cardboard and is exactly the sort of resources I need.






If anyone knows of any other great technology / design and technology blogs, please send them my way!

Google Eductor - Docs&Drive Level 2

Yesterday I passed the basics course to become a Google Educator. I then spent the afternoon/evening revising and took the Level 2 exam on Docs&Drive. The revision tools were really useful, but did repeat themselves a bit. Also some of the videos are a bit out of date, as Google is constantly updating its tools - even some of the terminology has changed.

 Overall it was extremely helpful and I wanted to point out two particularly good videos.

Hate Grading Essays a Little Less with Google Forms

I have been doing a personal learning project with another teacher all about the use of Google Forms in our classrooms. We have used it to flip the classroom, give feedback on products, reflect on trips...and now I have just moved onto using it as tool for self assessment. Before this video I was putting screen grabs of the rubric into the form, then having text questions below. Now that I have watched this video,  I will use the grid style! There are lots of little tricks and tips in this video and I can't wait to watch more. I have even signed up to Google Gooru's newsletter - so should be receiving lots of rad Google ideas via email from now on!

Google Slides

When I started playing this video I was a bit hesitant and thought it wouldn't be so good. The video is delivered with quite a flat voice, but there is still enthusiasm there. There have been a few things which have bothered me about Slides/Presentations and I really thought there was no way to animate objects on a page. I only discovered the transitions between pages recently and thought you could only do this through setting a time when you publish! I also knew about the different places you could search for images (Google, Life and Stock Images], but haven't played about with it much since. After watching this video I feel inspired and will be making some awesome presentations, with picture backgrounds, found from life, mad transitions between screens and animated objects. Be warned - I might go a bit over the top!

I have four more courses to complete before I am a Google Educator. I'll post some of the other great videos I discover during the lessons.

P.S. I spent the whole afternoon studying and only realised as I went to take the test, that it would cost me money. Although it is only $15...its really $75, as you have to take five tests. I am currently paying off university fees for both my degree and masters, my laptop fees, saving up to move house...and also living in one of the most expensive cities in the world, so was a little disappointed by this. I was quite shocked that there was a fee, as Google is all about the free sharing of information. I also believe that there shouldn't be barriers to education. I know that a lot of people won't be able to afford it, even when pay day rolls around - especially teaching assistants and librarians. I hope that Google reconsider this fee and scrap it! The fee is mentioned in the summary for the certification, but should be a little more visible