Module Six - GT Training

Well, it's come down to this last afternoon.  To refocus on the goal, we are already adept at differentiating our instructional time with our students' various learning levels, but in these last weeks we have been focusing on how technology can aid us in differentiating our instruction with the GT population.  Sure, we can use these same tools in other areas of our classroom, but we started by looking at why and what we differentiate.

Why do we differentiate?  We discussed many weeks ago that we work to provide for various levels of readiness, interest, and learning styles.

What do we differentiate? We can provide different content, processes, and product opportunities for the students.

We have looked at using a variety of technology, specifically netbooks, digital cameras, and document cameras.  We looked at webquests and research tools, online tools like Prezi and Wordle for presenting student products, the ability to leverage social sites like Edmodo in the classroom and more.

This last part delves into one of a student's favorite school memories:  the class field trip.  It's much more than watching a video or list of bookmarks.  The Virtual Learning Environment is a rich opportunity to use technology with our students in a mostly self-directed space.  There are a good number of these experiences already online, mostly for older students, leaving teachers time to practice using it before assigning to students.

Today's Resources: *, http://fur.ly/0/fieldtrip

Peruse these resources and find at least one field trip that you could use with your students.  Make a plan for: What materials you would need to accomplish this? What kind of timing you will need? What should the student produce by the end?

(This just in, Discovery Field Trip:  http://www.discoveryeducation.com/northamerica/   !)

*AISD provided a link to Christopher F. Mulrine's article, "Creating a Virtual Learning Environment for Gifted and Talented Learners". http://www.eric.ed.gov/PDFS/EJ756553.pdf 

Gifted and Talented Training: Module 5

Today, I again have the pleasure of working with an AISD elementary school and discussing Differentiating in the Gifted and Talented classroom.  Whether you have one or thirty GT students in class, all of our students are needing the first part of this content on Social Media.

In the previous meeting with this group of teachers, we discussed different Web 2.0 tools for the classroom.  Today, I'll use one of those tools to share my presentation.   I mentioned SlideShare as a tool to use for sharing a presentation.  Immediately below, you will find today's presentation, created in Powerpoint and uploaded to be shared in SlideShare.


The actual presentation that I am using is a Prezi, also mentioned last time.  Prezi is also free and puts a whole new spin on presentations.... literally.   Once I open the presentation, you can follow along using this link! 

GT Module 3 and 4 Notes

How very un-official this is, but sometimes your blog can be an easy way to share information.  For example, this blog contains links from today's presentation. These links almost all come from the GT office's GT presentation.

Links for online audio and/or video content creation:
›Audacity— easily installed sound recording software http://audacity.sourceforge.net/help/  
›BeatPick—free music http://www.beatpick.com/ ›
Jamendo—free music/share http://www.jamendo.com/en/ ›
Jing—audio and screen capture, free download Jing Download ›
Camstudio—screen capture and presentation recording http://camstudio.downloadasaurus.com/ ›
Screencast-o-matic—screen recording with free downloading www.screencast-o-matic.com 

Online presentation or Web2.0 content ›
SlideShare—online presentation sharing site http://www.slideshare.net/
Prezi—web-based presentation application http://prezi.com/ ›
Animoto—online video creator http://animoto.com/ ›
Tagxedo—word cloud creator http://www.tagxedo.com/ ›
Flixtime—online video creator http://flixtime.com/ ›
Bitstrips—online comic maker http://www.bitstrips.com/ ›
Storybird—online story builder http://storybird.com/

Easy Movie Making with MovieMaker

Making movies with a netbook can be pretty easy using Microsoft's MovieMaker Live.  Using just a netbook and MovieMaker, this three minute movie was completed in under 10 minutes.

Whiteboarding In The USA!

I'm starting this post with Beach Boys music in my head and picturing a white longboard cresting over some waves out in California.  There are a few problems with that though. I don't really like Beach Boys music, Cali water is way too cold for me, and the interactive whiteboard (IWB) resources I'm writing about are actually from the UK and not Cali.  (Apologies given to my California friends.)

I was reading the daily list of Diigo posts I get and saw a link for free whiteboard software. I'm not an IWB king and don't see them used with great efficiency in most places, but this link had me intrigued. A website (http://getwordwall.com) was giving away their IWB software for free until Christmas.  I downloaded it only to find it was for UK teachers. My Pappy always said that it doesn't hurt to ask, so I emailed them.  Within two days, they responded twice, the last time announcing a product update that allowed for US installs!


Wordwall 3 is an easy install on your Windows-based pc. (Alas, no Mac version.)  The activities were easy to create and very quick.  Almost any teacher would be able to get started with little support.

The publishers are giving the software away for FREE until Christmas.  Just download it from http://getwordwall.com and use the product code NOVDEC12 .  Then you will have a free and fully-functioning product.

The kicker for me was that the publishers opened up the installs to the US by saying, "We'll do that if you just share with as many people as possible."  So, please pass the word.  The software at retail price is not cheap and this is a fantastic deal. If you have been waiting for that big wave to ride, this is it!! Start paddling and get to the software.

Some of my friends also found the announcement on another UK site, http://www.whiteboardblog.co.uk .  I hadn't seen that one before and have already found a good many instructional ideas for integrating the IWB into the classroom.

What? You don't have an expensive hardware device that receives touch-based inputs?  Then, just use it on your Windows computer. The mouse will do the same thing as an interactive device. Project your laptop or desktop onto a wall for the visual, but have students use a mouse.  Heck, splurge and get a wireless mouse and place the students closer to the board!  You got the software for free, so tell the principal to pony up for a mouse!  (Principal friends, don't shoot me. But that really would be money well-spent in this case.)

Please, leave a comment on how you use IWBs or IWB software in the classroom. What has been your success?