#mschat Archive
A chat that offers middle school teachers a chance to have a collaborative discussion about a different topic each week. Our topics change from week to week, ranging from Common Core State Standards to Character Education. During the chat, participants exchanges ideas and resources. The chat group ranges in size each week from 10 to 50+ participants. Discussion can be general talking about instructional style or process to specific. Recently members of the chat group help each other create lessons.
Thursday May 12, 2016
Cool,Glad you are ready, Just interact with chatters and have fun it will go fast
Hello everyone, welcome to . I'd like to start with introductions. I'll go 1st, I teach History and English to MS in CA...
Hello everyone, welcome to . I'd like to start with introductions. I'll go 1st, I teach History and English to MS in CA...
I have been using many I-pad and hosted apps for the last two years, but love to hear about how others are using the tools..
Hi, Jeremy Hyler here.. 7th/8th ELA. Author and co-director of . Glad to be here.
Todd checking in from Warren, Michigan 6th grade science teacher: Handing the wheel of over to Tonight as we talk tech
I love to use tech integrated in my instruction but long for more tools: (We are still a computer lab school)
Jim, MS counselor from Texas. What's on tap for tonight?
Hello, ! Jordan from MI checking in - currently 8th ELA, but on the job hunt as we speak!:) Excited to learn more about tech in MS!
Good evening Jeremy! Hope all is well in Lansing! Rain just started falling here
We are talking about technology integration and how we use it in our classrooms
We are luckier I suppose with one to one I-pads for the middle school kids; hi Jordan and Jeremy thanks for coming
Just stopped here. How's the back doing?
good evening Jordan, Hope all is well. Hope the hunt is short and sweet
sore from rehab but getting better, I hope to return to classroom June 8th for the last week of school
Q1: What is your favorite Tech tool for student engagement?
A1: For my class I use Youtube most frequently to engage my students! Love a short thought provoking video
A1: I personally am loving a hosted site called https://t.co/Uf30hW4Nmw . It pushes quizzes out to student i-pads and it is easy
A1: Do I have to choose just one? LOL! I really like Celly or Schoology. Toondoo and Wevideo are great.
to create new quizzes or to find one that someone else made on a particular topic ( there are millions of premade ones present)
A1 I use aiplay and various devices often. Allows me to show one ss or the whole class.
Right there are so many that just rock! ToonDoo is one of my students favorites
Youtube is something I use daily for Social Studies- so many great resources out there
A1: Quizlet is awesome for vocab review, but I am also loving all that we can do as a class with Google Classroom!
A1: Edpuzzle and Zaption. Music.ly is another one. . The list goes on.
A1: My class loves using for reviews It is totally a riot to play. Students started making their own reviews
A1: I have enjoyed using Edmodo for interactive discussions and flipped learning
Kahoot is very popular in my classes too- Quizizz is similar but no airplay component
Ok so how does Zaption engage? I have used tool but students weren't to excited by it
You can annotate the videos to check for Ss understanding.
I have liked Edmodo but not having regular access to tech for students led me to find different tools
I flip my grammar instruction and I like using Touchcast to create videos.
AH, yeah my students got pissed when I did that prefer handout for questions
A1: When we have access to iPads or laptops, my Ss also love ! I love it too because of the immediate data/feedback.
we had daily access to chrome books
Socrative gets my class excited too, they love to see their answers appear on the big screen
Ah yes, the tools we have access to determines the tech apps/ tools we prefer: If only ....
so creative is a great tool
Touchcast, Jing, Snagit, and Camtasia.
Yeah has tons of awesome resources! Just getting hooked on it
A1: Quizlet Live and TodaysMeet are great tech tools for student engagement and fun!
Q2: What is your favorite tech tool for vocabulary acquisition?
A2: For vocabulary I love Quizlet easy to use and it does engage the students
I like combining TodaysMeet w/ Socratic Seminar for enriched discussion
A2: I just started using a tool called Membean- it is quite interesting- especially the placement test- it is very engaging
A2: Love this question. I have had my Ss use Vine to create Vocab videos where they show real world application using the word.
I saw that, I hope their is a blog post coming! Very cool project I might steal it for science next year!
A2: Also our school is piloting an app for Vocab, Grammar, and Reading comprehension called Lexia- which uses several Pixar Artists
Yes, I agree! My Ss LOVE Quizlet!
A2: We use QR codes to do vocabulary scavenger hunts in the hallways: Tech and gets them moving
No problem. It will be in my new book too.
A1: Is my absolute favorite new tech tool. Ss submit videos of themselves answering questions. https://t.co/Mvgi7EBZos
Oh YEAH! Another book on writing in the middle sweet!
A2: Quizlet Live is awesome for classroom review!
I will have to check it out! Can they use any device for it?
YEAH Quizlet has so many awesome features: My students have used it to make their own reviews
Currently they can use anything but their phone (which I believe they are working on).
A2: Tellagami is a great app for students to practice speaking with new vocabulary
AH, we are BYOD and most of the Ds are phones...or IPODS
SO how does it work? They listen then repeat?
Kids tend to bring their phones whether we want them to or not :-p
BEST reason to let them use them! If the tech is in their pocket to help them learn let them use it!
Q3: What is your favorite tech tool for Collaboration?
A3: Google Docs & and Celly.
A3: Google Drive/apps is awesome for student collaboration write papers or presentations
Haven't heard of Celly can you describe it a bit?
A3: I love everything in Google Drive - Docs, Slides, etc - so easy to collaborate.
Q3: Google Classroom is phenomenal for encouraging S-S collaboration. I've seen a lot of awesome group projects/papers as a result.
A3: TodaysMeet can serve as a live discussion board for students to collaborate
Create Cells for Ss so you collaborate with them. I create one for each hour. Use to communicate HW and for lit circles.
A3: Google Drive is pretty amazing for both teachers and students collaborating
A3: Google Classroom is phenomenal for encouraging S-S collaboration. I've seen a lot of awesome group projects/papers as a result.
YES twitter such a cool tool SADLY many MS students are too young for the use policy (13) I teach 6th grade
My school does not let students use their cell phones at school for this reason- but they have i-pads so its easier
Q4: What is your favorite tech tool for deeper thinking?
same at my school - we use iPads only
Don't fight what can be useful! https://t.co/2AFMLT337M
My school does not let students use their cell phones at school for this reason- but they have i-pads so its easier
A3: Students seem to love to collaborate on using any tech tool: My student make video games using together
Joining in late after getting kiddos in bed. Hello
We allow cell phones because we don't have the Ipads or chromebooks
A3: Love Google Docs for collaboration for Ts and Ss.
A4: is great for making formative assessments with a variety of standard-based or T-made tech-enhanced questions
A4: Instagrok - you type an idea/person/place and it makes a concept map so Ss can gather ideas first then dig deeper
A4: I like using Lino where Ss can create sticky notes and talk about the moves they make as writers.
Hi - Janine here from MI - 7th and 8th grade VA teacher. Jumping in late!
A4: ANY creation tool: Student like making videos: We use YouTube Capture and ANIMOTO
This sounds interesting. Have to check it out.
A4: Love watching middle school students code using scratch
A4: New fav at the moment is
A1: my favorite tech tool is - we use it k-8 as an online portfolio for and it is awesome to see long-term growth
Sorry I'm late, ! Ryan, from MI -- Social Studies Teacher
Love this idea! https://t.co/stvSp2Dwhe
A4: Instagrok - you type an idea/person/place and it makes a concept map so Ss can gather ideas first then dig deeper
Hey Ryan, Hope all is well: On Question 4 Favorite tech tool for Deeper Learning?
I'll need to check out Instagrok- sounds amazing for teaching the humanities
A2: my fav tool for vocab acquisition is art magazines - we use online tool and can select reading level
A4: PicLits is also amazing to foster creative writing
Can you tell me more about this or share a link?
Some of our ELA teachers use for writing! Has some cool features.
Nice, thank you. Like your Instagrok suggestion too. Your on point!
A4: I have been using Green Screen by Do Ink to have Ss create movies/newscasts about historical topics. Lets Ss explore freely.
Q5: What are pitfalls in relying on tech tools?
Saw that the other day! I hope you blog about the process Looked so cool!
A3: is such a great tool for collaboration between and among students
A5: for me its our school's unreliable wi-fi. Also the hosted sites go down every now and then too- good to have a plan B
So happy that has hopped on the train (and is killing the discussion)! Love it when my teacher worlds collide.:)
A4: Newsela is another wonderful website that has leveled texts to differentiate for students' reading levels
A5: Pitfall of tech is accessibility
A5: Always wondering if tech does more harm than good.
A5: Pitfalls: Not having access to tools needed, when the network goes down or a firewall blocks student from what they need
A4: Deeper thinking happens when students can go back and have a second chance to show learning https://t.co/MAsi7aMTyv
Bowing out. Thanks for The great chat. See you all soon.
A4.2: I haven't used them yet, but Timeline JS and Storymap JS are a couple of items I am looking at for next year.
News ELA is great- they can also provide instant quizzes for the news articles!
A5 accessibility and downtime
Love and are great sources too.
A5: We're in the process of updating tech, but there is no reliability with wifi for personal S devices and limited access to tech.
Good question: It can do harm if we don't have a solid management plan
Thanks for jumping in while you could, have a great night
I would love to see some examples. I want to use a green screen in my instruction
A5: Kids using devices also provides a great deal of temptation for them to drift off-task
A5: one pitfall is thinking kids know how to use tech before they actually do
A5: Not enough bandwidth or IP addresses to support the tech we have. Network that is not capable of supporting tech available.
A5: assigning a project and giving ample time for students without access to technology at home to finish
Getting it to consistently work!
No problem! It was a great topic to get rolling with again.
A5: We have one class piloting a Chromebook-only curriculum. The Ss loved it at first, but many are getting burnt out.
Agreed! We have to teach students how to use tech! AND the frosting can distract them from making a great cake!
AH, yes too much screen time and want to drift
I have had several kids ask for tests and reviews on paper after several weeks of using tech instead
A5: TOO many distractions because students see tech as FUN and GAMES not as a learning tool if not done right
TY for connecting - Love your ideas and eager to learn more from you.
A5: Assuming students understand digital citizenship and digital footprint
You moderating tonight Tom? Great topic might jump in after kids in bed
A4: couldn't resist one more tech tool. https://t.co/rfoBWsjUhh - students create animated videos (more fun than presentations)
Yes! And then pencil and paper/"old-fashioned" school becomes a novelty and something Ss crave instead.
Once heard student say they missed paper assignments I think balance is key - have to keep tactile learning, too.
Agree, I have done week long computer lab activities and students want to get their hands dirty back in class
Yes I am! Hope you can join us!
Q6: Is tech having a positive or negative impact on learning in schools?
A6: Tech is a positive when well balanced and properly implemented.
A6: It all comes down to balance. We can't forget that Ss need interaction with others - and their Ts! - using tactile methods, too.
A6: I think overall it is positive, but there are so many tools out there now, it is sometimes hard to find wheat among the chaff
A6: Positive if apporached in the correct way. Using tech as a tool = pos. Using tool to keep kids quiet w/o purpose = neg.
I like for infographics too. Clean design and layout, mostly free, some add-ons cost $
A6: Tech has added an extra dimension to instruction, allows us to meet them where they are and give all a voice +++
A6: Tech has skyrocketed engagement, but I have not seen solid statistics evidence of improvement on standardized tests.
That reminds me of a very addictive and cool ipad app called Mosaic
A6: In my opinion, it's positive, but teachers can't solely rely on technology. Sometimes pen and paper methods are more valuable
A6: Tech is positive if goal is to enhance, enrich, or extend learning!
Are test scores all we want? (Agree needs more time)
A6: It depends on how it is used by the teacher. First and foremost, good pedagogy is the most important. Tech should be integrated.
A6: Tech can be both, depends on how teachers uses it! Enhance learning or just to replace old tools but not change teaching
Overall, tech has had positive impact in my class - my students have a global audience and that has impacted performance.
I agree they are not, but unfortunately the scores are highly publicized in our current culture - Need a balance of both.
A6: A great teacher is a great teacher w or w/o tech: ----- A bad teacher is not made better with tech --- Isn't a silver bullet
Thanks for sharing! I look fwd to seeing your students' creations!
Students have had more opportunities to connect with artists in new ways due to tech
WOW! Time is almost up! Remember to follow those that make you think and grow!
Tech allows students to direct learning and enact ideas without my exact direction - they get to design and lead
Great chat tonight, thanks for all the wonderful ideas and tools- I will definitely be combing the transcript and checking these out
Big thank you to for guiding our discussion tonight!
Thanks for letting me guest moderate! It was quite an experience...
Tech has allowed me to learn so much from peers, I share and model that with students, and they take it and run
is here every Thursday 8 pm ET during the school year (till Sept to June)
Great chat and lots of great resources to check out. TY great job moderating.
Without TECH this conversation would be in our heads, by ourselves: THE ROOM is smarter than the individual
