Google Docs Voice Comments using 121 Writing

Need a new and fresh way of grading writing assignments? Want to give your students the ability to hear your praises and critiques? Then you need to try 121 Writing. 121 Writing, formally know as learn.ly, allows users to add voice comments to a Google document.

How to Get Started:

• First make sure you have a Google account.
• Then go to 121 Writing website and connect 121 Writing to your Google Drive.
• Once installed you will get the screen shot shown below with instructions on how to use 121 Writing.

Educational Benefits:

• Students can hear your tone as you speak your comments on their Google doc.
• A new way to grade papers without using the red pen.
• Decrease grading time - speaking comments is faster than writing them.

See how Demo 121Writing works by clicking this link.

Chrome Extensions and Apps Just for Educators

Having a job that requires many hours online, I've been reluctant to switch from Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox to Chrome browser. However, I've come across enough extensions and apps to make switch. The additions really make the use of the internet faster and more efficient. I will share a list of extensions and apps that have made a difference in my work day. First, let me describe the difference between a Google Extension and a Google App.

Google Extensions are extra features and functionality that you can easily add to Google Chrome. By using extensions, you can customize Google Chrome with features you like, while keeping your browser free of things that you don't use. Extensions are added to the upper right side of your URL bar. See example below:

 

Google Apps are web apps that are designed to be entirely used within the browser located on your Chrome dashboard. The great part of installing applications is that when you sign into Google on any computer your applications will follow. See picture example below:

My Favorite Google Chrome Extensions and Applications:

Google Apps and Extensions from Kristie Johnson

15 Ways to Use Twitter in the Classroom

Social media offers great opportunities for learning, collaborating, and bringing together schools, students, teachers, and parents. Twitter is a great teaching tool at the secondary level. After reading many blogs and articles on using Twitter in the classroom, I compiled a list of practices by category that will offer guidance to teachers wanting to use Twitter in the classroom. 

Organization

• Gather class comments: See how Monica Rankin uses weekly hashtags to gather comments, questions, and feedback that students used in class.
• Twitter recaps: Teachers can summarize what has been learned in the classroom from reflections shared throughout the day.

Communication:

• Facilitate class discussions: Using hashtags, teachers can facilitate class discussions on units of study being taught, a book study, writing activities, science lab experiements, etc.
• Keep students in the loop: Students not able to attend class can follow along with class conversations by following hashtags assigned to that class, subject material, topics, etc.
• Post supplementary material: Tweet articles, interesting tidbits, etc that are relevant to classroom discussions.
• Ask questions: Mr. Jason Blackmor, Chemistry teacher at Northwest HS, uses Twitter for students to ask questions about Chemistry problems. This provides assistance for students outside school hours and is essential for parents who are not able to offer academic assistance to their student(s).
• Parent communication: Parents can learn about activities, test, projects and more by following teachers, school, athletics and district Twitter account.
• Silencing blurters: For students who struggle with blurting out, allow them to tweet during instruction.

Resources:

• Partner with local organizations: Find and discuss community educational events on Twitter.
• Conversations as public study tool: Students can look back at lecture discussion and read important points made on the Twitter timeline about that topic.
• Gather real-world data: Search Twitter for data like temperatures, opinions, locations, interesting facts, etc.
• Talk to career experts: High school students can explore career options by talking to professionals in the career they are considering.

Twitter Activities:

• Twitter Book Club: Establish book clubs and assign hashtags for discussion.
• Collaborative event watching: Students can watch important events like presidential debates, political speeches, etc. outside the classroom and continue the discussion in the classroom.
• School field trips: Students can share experiences from school field trips or activities by using a common hashtag assigned to that particular trip.

Sources:

TeachThought Staff. "60 Ways To Use Twitter In The Classroom By Category." TeachThought. 

         TeachThought Staff, 26 Aug. 2012. Web. 08 Apr. 2013.

Kirkpatrick, Marshall. "How One Teachers Uses Twitter in the Classroom." ReadWrite. ReadWrite, 

         1 June 2009. Web. 08 Apr. 2013.

Miller, Samantha. "50 Ways to Use Twitter in the Classroom." TeachHUB. TeachHUB, 

         10 Oct. 2005. Web. 08 Apr. 2013.