Digital Learning PLC

Welcome to the temporary home of our Digital Learning PLC. 

This PLC is different than others in that you can meet in your pajamas! From home! Just visit this page and share your thoughts, questions, ideas or even student work. This digital collaboration has proven to be very successful and convenient to many teachers worldwide, as it not only allows for idea sharing and discussion, but also the convenience of logging on your own schedule. Eventually, the conversations had on this page will be moved to our AUSL Teaching Channel Digital Learning Group as it becomes available.

Until then, we will use this page to share ideas, ask questions, share student work, resources and other PLC activity! You can subscribe to the activity on this page by scrolling down and clicking "subscribe to email." By doing this, all comments made here by your colleagues will be emailed to you, so you don't need to keep coming back here to check for activity. This is different than subscribing to the main page on the right (which I hope you also did!) Subscribing to the main page allows you to see updates on my main blog, video updates and tips of the week postings.

Please join our digital PLC now: Simply post a comment below!
- Introduce yourself, including your name, school and role
- Share your digital learning goals for the year
- Optional: Ask any burning questions you have about digital learning

Thanks everyone!
- Jennie

14 comments:

  1. Jennie MagieraAugust 9, 2012 at 10:11 AM

    Hello! My name is Jennie Magiera. I am your network Digital Learning Coordinator! For the past 7 years, I have been at National Teachers Academy as a 4th/5th grade teacher - most recently in departmentalized math. Since 2010, I have been leading a 1:1 iPad grant which last year expanded to 8 of our classrooms. I'm involved in several digital learning Professional Learning Networks including ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education), Apple Distinguished Educators, ICE (Illinois Computing Educators) and most recently, Google Certified Teachers.

    My goals for this year are to support all of our AUSL network schools in moving across the SAMR Innovation framework so as to better leverage technology to improve student learning. I hope I can help schools increase and improve their technology use and make teachers feel comfortable with the tools they have.

    Questions I have are...
    I wonder how people are feeling about technology now?
    What devices do schools already use?
    (Please add your own questions about tech... i.e., How do I sync an iPad? How do I forward my Gmail? Etc)

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    Replies
    1. mhausserAugust 10, 2012 at 8:17 PM

      I am still very anxious about technology and how to ensure that my students and I are getting the most out of it! I was always jealous of teachers that had access to iPads and other technology and now that I have it I want to make sure I'm making the most of it. I'm in awe of how much you and Anita are involved in the education world and I hope to sometime be like that!

      Delete
    2. Jennie MagieraAugust 17, 2012 at 12:36 PM

      I'm so glad you'll have the chance to embark on this journey yourself this year. My beginning of the year tips: (1) Start slow, (2) Embrace failures as they are inevitable (I continue to fail with technology daily, if not hourly), and you'll learn the most from what goes wrong. Let me know if I can support you directly in any way!

      Delete
  2. TimAugust 9, 2012 at 6:32 PM

    I'm feeling very comfortable with technology with my experience in a 1-to-1 iPad classroom last year, however I don't have that this year. So, I'm having a bit of the reverse phobia that most teachers have with technology.

    There is a smart board in my building this year, however I am unsure if it will be in my classroom. I used a promethean board last year and had software specifically designed for that board. Even if I were to get the board in my room it is a different type of board so my concern is that it will not work with my current software.

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    1. Jennie MagieraAugust 17, 2012 at 12:37 PM

      Hi Tim, I think you'll be okay... We can figure out how to finagle the software to work with your SMART board. I know that Amy Jarrett at Newberry did it last year. Hopefully you'll get the board and we can troubleshoot together!

      Delete
  3. MeganAugust 9, 2012 at 6:41 PM

    Hi! My name is Megan Stewart and I am beginning my first year teaching at Herzl School of Excellence. I will be teaching Science and Math for 5th and 6th grade and I am dying to use and obtain technology for my students. Previously being mentored by Jennie Magiera I was spoiled by seeing the endless possibilites that technology has in the classroom. I have many moments where I think, "now to engage the students and make this lesson interactive I should use Educreation....Oh, WAIT! I don't have iPads any longer!!" So moral of the story, technology has endless possibilites and it can take student learning to another level. Don't be afraid, learn to love technology it is a wonderful thing.

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  4. mhausserAugust 10, 2012 at 8:13 PM

    Hi, my name is Melissa Hausser. I was a resident at National Teachers Academy (NTA) during the 2010-2011 school year under the mentorship of Anita Orozco. I taught my first year at Bradwell School of Excellence and then had the opportunity to return to NTA to grow as a 1:1 iPad teacher! I'm very excited for the possibilities of differentiation for my 7/8 grade SpEd students. I find it difficult to meet the IEP goals, each student's instructional level, as well as align to the gen ed curriculum and I can't wait to discover new innovative ways to make this more efficient and effective. Since I am not familiar with iPads or Apple products in general I have a lot to learn from my fellow AUSL educators. I am also apart of a CFE grant study group that focuses on special education and technology integration. I'm learning about Glogster and iMovie, but I want to find the best way to help my students learn these things on their own. Some iPad questions: How do I sync my iPads? How do I create my classroom website? How do I ensure I'm reinventing technology and not just using it as a substitution? I look forward to hearing your responses!

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    Replies
    1. Jennie MagieraAugust 17, 2012 at 12:40 PM

      Hi Melissa:
      Class site video series: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1B_q_EiVHI
      Syncing: That one's trickier... here's a great intro, and Anita & I can help you with more specifics: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pjcBbJMxxA
      The last question... that's going to be a daily question... I can't wait to work with you as you answer it as you go!
      Hope this helps :)

      Delete
  5. UnknownAugust 14, 2012 at 7:24 PM

    Hi, I'm Autumn Laidler and I am intermediate science teacher with ipads at NTA. I am in my second year of implementation, but now that the new year is here I have new challenges that I need to address. I am working with younger student, a new curriculum and I want to make sure that I have appropriate scaffolding and directions to make their experiences a success. I am worried about how best to give ipad "lessons" in the beginning of the year for a vary wide level of students. I am excited to continue working with science journals on the ipads and also find new and creative ways to engage my students with people outside of NTA through the capabilities the ipads offer.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Jennie MagieraAugust 17, 2012 at 12:42 PM

    Check out this great app for using GDocs on your iPad!
    https://volume.itunes.apple.com/us/app/quickoffice-pro-hd-edit-office/id376212724?mt=8&term=quickoffice&ign-mpt=uo%3D4
    QuickOfficePro

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  7. linsey roseAugust 18, 2012 at 8:01 PM

    Hello! I'm Linsey Rose. I am about to begin my 3rd year at Bradwell School of Excellence teaching 5th grade mathematics and my second year with iPads. I just love them so much - I live everyday in fear of teaching without iPads!! My goal for this year is to inch closer and closer to Alan November's vision for the changing classroom that he shared at TechTalk, "The classroom should be a global information center where students are taught to ask really good questions." My specific concerns this year are:
    -how do I balance "teaching" students to use iPads, rather than learning through experimenting? (Since last year was my first year with iPads, everything we did was an experiment - my students and I learned it together. I have more experience going into this year, so I'm afraid I will want to teach them everything about the iPad instead of letting them figure it out too.)
    -can I get together a good work flow for turning in material and giving feedback? (I never was able to really get here last year, dropbox was fine for turning stuff in, but I never figured out how to give students feedback on their work/time to review feedback)
    -how do I mange mentoring resident teachers who won't' have iPads in their classroom? (I feel like my teaching centers around the iPad)
    -I'm trying to pull-off this social studies on Skype idea that I have going on. Can I get it done??
    Well, that was four of about a million questions I have, so I'll stop there...looking forward to learning with you all :)

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    Replies
    1. mhausserSeptember 5, 2012 at 10:47 AM

      Hi Linsey! I know Anita Orozco-Huffman had a resident last year when she was using the iPads. Maybe she has ideas of how to balance preparing residents for a turnaround without iPads as well as use the iPads to drive your instruction.

      I'm struggling with feedback as well in just the short weeks I've had the iPads, especially using apps that are unable to be sent. Or can everything be sent in Dropbox?

      I love your Social Studies idea, keep me posted!

      Delete
  8. mhausserNovember 15, 2012 at 2:13 PM

    Hi all! Does anyone know how to edit pages of a PDF? I need to delete pages so that they don't show on Edmodo or other assignments that students are accessing.

    Thanks!

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    1. Jennie MagieraNovember 15, 2012 at 2:15 PM

      In preview you can select the pages you want and export just those out to create a new PDF :)!

      Delete

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