Ms. Law - Lucy Lan and Cynthia Lou
Teacher: Ms. Law (Science Department)
Subject Area: Biology 11/12
Technology Used: Desire2Learn (dropbox and turn it in), Spongelab, Gizmos, Polleverywhere, Flubaroo app with google forms, VROC, Google Hangout, Arduino
Additional Technology: Arduino, Google Hangout (were looked at but were not suitable for this placement)
Description:
Upon receiving the teacher placement plan, Ms.Law indicated that she wanted to learn more about seven specific programs that could be useful for the classroom. At the end of the placement she told us that she was happy with the research we provided her and did not require us to implement the technologies in her class. The placement began with researching each of these programs to determine their usefulness. Certain programs (Google Hangout and Arduino) were eliminated because they were not easy to use or were irrelevant to Biology. On the other hand, other programs (Flubaroo Application, Desire2Learn, Gizmos) were newly suggested as better alternatives to other teaching tools (Dropbox).
Below is the Google Powerpoint Presentation that we've shared with Ms.Law and details our project.
Subject Area: Biology 11/12
Technology Used: Desire2Learn (dropbox and turn it in), Spongelab, Gizmos, Polleverywhere, Flubaroo app with google forms, VROC, Google Hangout, Arduino
Additional Technology: Arduino, Google Hangout (were looked at but were not suitable for this placement)
Description:
Upon receiving the teacher placement plan, Ms.Law indicated that she wanted to learn more about seven specific programs that could be useful for the classroom. At the end of the placement she told us that she was happy with the research we provided her and did not require us to implement the technologies in her class. The placement began with researching each of these programs to determine their usefulness. Certain programs (Google Hangout and Arduino) were eliminated because they were not easy to use or were irrelevant to Biology. On the other hand, other programs (Flubaroo Application, Desire2Learn, Gizmos) were newly suggested as better alternatives to other teaching tools (Dropbox).
- Desire2Learn: Ms.Law was introduced into the possibility of using the TDSB’s online learning classroom to allow students to Dropbox their assignments and to mark them. She learned of the possibility to use TurnItIn as an originality checker as well as how she could add her comments and grade students’ work.
- Spongelab: Our group created four unit-specific lessons (diversity, genetics, plants and human anatomy) for Ms.Law’s Biology 11 class next semester by sifting through multiple graphics and images, games and simulations, animation and video and shared lessons.
- Gizmos: This program was used to introduce more unit-related interactive games for Ms.Law’s Biology 11 class. Our group sifted through the categories and found related games for Ms.Law’s students’ use.
- Polleverywhere: Our group researched questions that Ms.Law had on the limits of using a free account for her classes. We answered her concerns on the Powerpoint that we created for her.
- Flubaroo Application: Steps for the usage of this Chrome application were posted on a Google Presentation which was shared with Ms.Law.
- VROC: Ms.Cuttle set up VROC technology in Ms.Law’s class as she had access to ClearSea.
- Google Hangout: In comparison to VROC, the terms of use for this technology in chatting with Science specialists wasn’t clear. VROC appeared as a better option for Science teachers’ uses and had more defined rules for appropriate Science educators.
- Arduino: This was shared with Ms.Law as unsuitable for Biology as it is used mainly with Engineering knowledge. Thus it would be difficult for student use.
Below is the Google Powerpoint Presentation that we've shared with Ms.Law and details our project.
Here is a link to the Jing video that will go over how to access Turn It In: http://screencast.com/t/koNylglSB
Below are screenshots of Spongelab lessons and an interactive.
Below shows screenshots of Polleverywhere being used. It's an easy to use tool for teachers to quiz their students and understand how comfortable students are with material.
Possible Uses In Other Classes:
Desire2Learn can be used for any class in which the teacher would like an organized online submission using Dropbox with possible commenting options as well as checking for originality using TurnItIn. Desire2Learn puts those two technologies into one place for the teacher to find students’ work. Desire2Learn can be used in classes such as: English, French, Science, Social Sciences, etc. For example, if a Grade 10 History teacher wants to check her students’ work for plagiarism of World War II off Wikipedia, Desire2Learn is a great tool to grade for original work as well as keep all her students’ work in one place.
Spongelab would be most helpful for Science classrooms. This is because most of the material on the site is Science-oriented such as: Biology, Chemistry and Astronomy. There is limited material for other subjects including Geography, Mathematics, History and Psychology. In Science classrooms, teachers can use this website to introduce graphics and images, games and simulations, animation and video, shared lessons and e-textbooks to students. Spongelab is a fun tool that teachers can use to create classes for their students to join as well as interactive lessons to introduce students into the topics which they are learning.
Gizmos would be most helpful in Science and Math courses. The website has interactive games in Math and Science, and thus would aid those two subjects only. For example, a Chemistry 12 teacher could assign an interactive lesson about titration. The students could go home to play the interactive game about titration and submit the assessment questions in Gizmos for completion marks. The teachers could choose to use the marks for actual grades or use the marks to gage how comfortable students are with the material.
The difference between Spongelab and Gizmos is the organization of content by grades. Searching through Spongelab allows for a myriad of content which could take some time to sift through. However, Spongelab allows for new content to be created by anyone. Searching through Gizmos is much easier to do, although there is some limit in content.
Polleverywhere can be used in any subject. Any class where the teacher would like to test student knowledge by quizzing them is ideal. For example, Polleverywhere can be used by Math 11 teachers for assessments on how comfortable the class is with material on domains and ranges of different polynomial functions. After the quiz is completed, the next steps of the teacher are to look at the Polleverywhere results and figure out ways to further clarify concepts that are misunderstood or move on from concepts that students did well on.
Flubaroo Application can be used in any subject. Teachers would like to mark their students using online Google Forms would find this application useful in marking for them as well as emailing students their grades after being marked. This application can be used by teachers who have their own websites. As long as students have a link to the Google Form, the teacher can use Flubaroo to grade. For example, it a Grade 9 French teacher wants students to complete the Google Form “Quiz” for marks, they can use Flubaroo to grade the responses for them and they can choose to email back students’ grades.
VROC can be used in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) classrooms for classroom discussion. This is because STEM knowledge professionals are available to interact with students through live streaming. In addition, VROC has organized profiles of professors and researchers.
Google Hangout could potentially be used in subjects where the teacher would like to chat with their students at home. This could be possible for subjects like English where the teacher can answer questions from students about particular things they misunderstand from their readings. All other students could listen in on the responses of the live streaming. This can be used with the necessary video cam and microphone technology.
Google Hangout can also be used between students as a form of communication when working on group projects. This video conferencing application can be linked with your Google contacts.
Arduino is strictly used for Engineering classes. This is because knowledge of programming and circuit boards is necessary for running this program.
Desire2Learn can be used for any class in which the teacher would like an organized online submission using Dropbox with possible commenting options as well as checking for originality using TurnItIn. Desire2Learn puts those two technologies into one place for the teacher to find students’ work. Desire2Learn can be used in classes such as: English, French, Science, Social Sciences, etc. For example, if a Grade 10 History teacher wants to check her students’ work for plagiarism of World War II off Wikipedia, Desire2Learn is a great tool to grade for original work as well as keep all her students’ work in one place.
Spongelab would be most helpful for Science classrooms. This is because most of the material on the site is Science-oriented such as: Biology, Chemistry and Astronomy. There is limited material for other subjects including Geography, Mathematics, History and Psychology. In Science classrooms, teachers can use this website to introduce graphics and images, games and simulations, animation and video, shared lessons and e-textbooks to students. Spongelab is a fun tool that teachers can use to create classes for their students to join as well as interactive lessons to introduce students into the topics which they are learning.
Gizmos would be most helpful in Science and Math courses. The website has interactive games in Math and Science, and thus would aid those two subjects only. For example, a Chemistry 12 teacher could assign an interactive lesson about titration. The students could go home to play the interactive game about titration and submit the assessment questions in Gizmos for completion marks. The teachers could choose to use the marks for actual grades or use the marks to gage how comfortable students are with the material.
The difference between Spongelab and Gizmos is the organization of content by grades. Searching through Spongelab allows for a myriad of content which could take some time to sift through. However, Spongelab allows for new content to be created by anyone. Searching through Gizmos is much easier to do, although there is some limit in content.
Polleverywhere can be used in any subject. Any class where the teacher would like to test student knowledge by quizzing them is ideal. For example, Polleverywhere can be used by Math 11 teachers for assessments on how comfortable the class is with material on domains and ranges of different polynomial functions. After the quiz is completed, the next steps of the teacher are to look at the Polleverywhere results and figure out ways to further clarify concepts that are misunderstood or move on from concepts that students did well on.
Flubaroo Application can be used in any subject. Teachers would like to mark their students using online Google Forms would find this application useful in marking for them as well as emailing students their grades after being marked. This application can be used by teachers who have their own websites. As long as students have a link to the Google Form, the teacher can use Flubaroo to grade. For example, it a Grade 9 French teacher wants students to complete the Google Form “Quiz” for marks, they can use Flubaroo to grade the responses for them and they can choose to email back students’ grades.
VROC can be used in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) classrooms for classroom discussion. This is because STEM knowledge professionals are available to interact with students through live streaming. In addition, VROC has organized profiles of professors and researchers.
Google Hangout could potentially be used in subjects where the teacher would like to chat with their students at home. This could be possible for subjects like English where the teacher can answer questions from students about particular things they misunderstand from their readings. All other students could listen in on the responses of the live streaming. This can be used with the necessary video cam and microphone technology.
Google Hangout can also be used between students as a form of communication when working on group projects. This video conferencing application can be linked with your Google contacts.
Arduino is strictly used for Engineering classes. This is because knowledge of programming and circuit boards is necessary for running this program.