Finding the Right Tool at the Right Time for the Exact Student Who Needs it.

So today I have to stop and share a heartwarming experience I had with an ELL student

and using tools that reminded me of the absolute difference that matching students with

the tools they need can make in both their learning, their confidence, and in the way that

they are able to demonstrate their learning.

As a librarian, I also teach Library Technology classes and today was the last day for

students to turn in Memes for a digital citizen project.  Previously I showed them how to

search using the Advanced Search option in Google Images and filter their search results

by usage permissions.  I encouraged students to use Public Domain or CC0 licenses so

that I would be able to share the memes they created on my Flickr page.  Not having to

give attribution makes sharing your work globally so much easier.  Before students turned

their work in, they were to go onto the rubric (which I had read aloud to them on a previous

day) and they were to self-evaluate.  Even though I demonstrated in front of the class AND

created a screencast on how to do this, there were a couple of students who still did not

understand. I am so glad they are comfortable seeking assistance.  Below is the rubric that

was shared with them in Google Classroom.

Sitting down next to this student, I could have read the text aloud to him, but I was going

to arm him with the great tool our district provides--Google Read and Write.  As I was about

to do this thoughts were dancing in my head and I knew Google had a translate feature, so

I thought maybe that would be a better tool for this particular student.  So I asked what his

native language was and he said Arabic. So here were my next steps--it was a not great

step--but this is how we grow, right?

First, M (the student) had the rubric open, I went to File and selected Translate and he

found his language for me.  

Here is an image of what happened.

Selecting Arabic as the language of this document caused all of the
words to be marked as misspelled.  Not what I meant to do.

Since I selected the language for this text, basically all of my English was underlined as misspelled. Oops.  I knew that was not what I meant to do and this student was very patient.  I knew there was still a way.

This is the translated rubric and the red indicates the student's self-assessed ratings.

Then I went to Tools and that did the trick. (see above)

By going to Tools and Translate Document, my words were instantly turned into Arabic.  
I asked the student if he was able to read this and he offered to read it aloud to me.  Instead
I explained how to use the paint bucket to fill in the cells and left him to evaluate how he
rated himself in the four standards we were targeting in this project.  When I came back to
check on him, he had rated himself and I asked how it went and he said, “It was so easy,”.  
You will see the red rows above (his choice of color) on how he evaluated himself and he
was right on target.

*heart melts here*  

Even though there was a read aloud feature, if English is not easily understood, then that
audio feature would not have helped this particular student,  watching my video instructions
in English would also not have helped, but translating was perfect.

As a former special education teacher and a teacher who has often worked with non-native
English speakers, I have always tried to make learning accessible to all.  Many of us know
about many tools, but an opportunity to match a child with the perfect tool at the perfect time
does not always fall into our laps.  This was a lucky day where the stars aligned.  I had this
student show another ELL student how to do the same steps so she could read the rubric in
her native language.

Our technology director, Craig Barnes, is very passionate about accessibility to students of
all abilities and listening to his podcast, Friendly Disruption, that he co-hosts with Noreen
Bush, motivates and informs me with new tools and a gust of empowerment to go and try to
improve the learning lives of children--one at a time.  Today was one of those days.

Expanding Our Walls and Connections with Fligrid Explorer Series

Working with a classmate to create a video response.

Week 1 of 2 Under our Belts 

This post is being written while I am half way through a two-week journey in my 5th grade library WIN (enrichment) class.  I have used Flipgrid with students before, but the Explorer Series, offered by Flipgrid, has leveraged their app, provided an expert and a way to interact asynchronously.  It looked like a great thing to try and I am willing to try anything once.   Students embraced this and were so excited to post their own video questions and comments, and then to see their questions answered the following day.  To explain, it might be easier to describe the process we used as we began our adventure.

Day 1:  This day was my first day with students so we all introduced ourselves.  Then I displayed the actual Flipgrid/Sharks page with question and answer portions onto the display in the library.  I read the background information on Jonathan, the shark expert, and described Flipgrid.  Some of the students were familiar with Flipgrid from their Library Tech. class or from their classroom teachers and that helped guide the discussion for those who were unfamiliar.  When students were asked if they would be interested in going on this exploration, they were good with it.  Using their Chromebooks and/or a few Ipads, students were able to easily get onto the shark Flipgrid.  They watched questions and responses from students who had already posted, spread out a bit, many worked with friends and partners, and they recorded and posted themselves asking questions.  They researched a little to create a response to the question. 

Questions for pre-week and week one were 

What is the coolest thing about sharks?

What’s something interesting about sharks that most people don’t know?

These questions are all safe and easy to answer, which makes them non-threatening for students to participate.  In addition the various videos provided for students to watch are high interest and provide factual knowledge that helps boost their knowledge base and increase the quality of the responses students are able to provide.

Watching shark videos

Students figured out how to search the grid. 
That made it easier for them to find their posts and replies.

Day 2:  Students came into the library and immediately went to Flipgrid and looked for the questions they had posted.  They were so amazed that Jonathan had provided a video response to each of their questions.  I cannot understate how much excitement that created.  Students who had been reluctant to video themselves were motivated to post their own video.  Since there were videos in the teacher information page - Sharks Hyper Doc - I posted links to those videos in my Google Classroom.  Students were able to select one (or more) to see if they learned anything else about sharks that would allow them to contribute to the video responses to the question of the week.  One of the videos was a 360 degree video.  Students who watched the videos on the IPads were able to moved around in a semi-virtual reality experience.  

As students manipulated the IPads to view the 360 degree video, I went and grabbed my cheap pair of VR goggles. (really, they were $10 at a home supply store).  I pulled the Hammerhead Shark up on my phone, inserted it into the VR set and showed the view to one student.  As the first student started walking around and talking about what she saw, the whole VR experience became something each student wanted to experience.  We quickly created a waiting list for students to have a chance to experience the video with the VR headset.  Students began following each other around and laughing together when someone jumped because they turned around and a shark was right there.  They also walked them around to make sure they did not bump into anything.

Day 3

Students today had a choice of four videos.  Students could choose to watch one or all.  Some students were creating video responses, some were exploring the VR 360 video, while others watched all of the videos.  Everyone was participating while also doing their own thing.

Day 4
This day students checked their posts and watched other student videos.  I felt like I was stretching the activity out a bit when I discovered that I completely missed this portion of the Explorer Series:  Swimming with Sharks  This series stated it would have daily videos of Jonathan conducting his research but I somehow did not notice this additional link where daily video posts were shared and I cannot wait to share them with my class as we begin week 2.  It also welcomes ideas for content he could air on upcoming days.  If I were to do this again, I would start with this Flipgrid page each day introducing the new video for discussion each day.

Now on to week 2 where the guiding question is Why are scientists important?

Follow this link to the Flipgrid Explorer Series:  Sharks
http://blog.flipgrid.com/news/sharks
flipgrid.com/sharks 

That Sweet Spot in the Makerspace Process

The Day of the Magical Moment

About a week ago, my latest group of students (who come to me daily for 30 minutes

on for three weeks), was about half way through their time in the Maker Lab.  We are

all new to this format this year and I am continually working to refine the experience.  

Only a few days before I was running around trying to help students who still had

questions or wanted me to help with a process.  I was checking on a few groups who

had been working but did not seem to be making progress.  But on this particular day,

we hit what I like to think of as the “sweet spot” or that magical moment where I look

around and every single student is engaged in their creation process.  Some of them,

who I helped a few days prior were helping other students learn the process of Cricut

design or using the green screen software, or designing on Tinkercad.  

I had to capture a picture of the different busy groups as I often forget the little bit of

struggle each group goes through before the day of the “sweet spot”.  Below are a few

from that moment.

This group of boys made several green screen and stop motion videos.
One friend created original music with SoundTrap.

And this little group was out in the hall making stop motion magic
using an old IPod and StopMotion Studio. 

Did you know that designs in Tinkercad can be converted into Lego Brick designs?

Putting the finishing touches on her 3D design using Tinkercad.
She later printed it using the Prinrbot.

Seeing if a 3D pen can fill in some gaps of a
not-so-perfect 3D print.  

This pair used Circut Design Space to design custom vinyl clings
for their laptops.  Details made all the difference for them.

The Cricut workspace.  Where the designs come to life.

A finished Cricut design.  She used a metallic marker
to get more details.

 

After finishing other creations, some asked if they could try
the Spirograph.  It was sitting on a little book shelf hoping
to be discovered.

Today as I was reading from the book The Kickstart Guide to Making Great

Makerspaces by Laura Fleming, there were so many ideas spinning through

my head about how I could improve this process and continue evolving.  One

of them is making sure to have each student reflect after each of their “makes”.  

Some spend the entire three weeks perfecting on project, while some jump in

and end up with vinyl clings they have created and cut from Cricut, 3D designed

and printed pieces, and stop motion movies.  

As I begin this next week with a new group, one new procedure I will add is student

reflection.  I verbally interview children as they finish, but I am not always getting to

each of them.  I’m going to create a Google Form as well as a Flip Grid response

option for students to share their reflections.  I am sure they will think of other ways

to share their thoughts too--and that will make it even better!

Sharing Work with a Global Audience

     Today I was going to blog about some great activities that went on last week at Creek.  However I have also been meaning to share (and create) some of the platforms where student work from Library Tech class, which is taught by both Marija Musselman and myself, and in the Maker Lab during out building's WIN (What I Need Now) times.

     A way for students to share video creations with a global audience is with the Creek Library Tech Youtube Channel.  Right now it features stop motion video creations by 5th grade students.  The video collection (as well as types of videos) will continue to grow as more video content is created.  A shout out also to the Prairie Creek News Channel where students stream the Creek News live every morning.
     Another platform is our new Creek Library Tech Flickr account where we will share student creations using the CC0 licensing.  Currently posted are some of the memes students created using Public Domain images with the purpose of sharing back out their remixes for others to enjoy or use.


      It is with great pride in these students that I share these platforms today.  Seeing their published work allows students to reflect on their learning while also allowing me to reflect on my practice.  I am excited to share these with students tomorrow.
     Happy creating and sharing friends!