FTT: Actively Learn

Turn Any Text Into An Interactive Text With Actively Learn

@joe_edtech/@LisaBerghoff

Note: This is a repost from last year. I'm not cheating on my Free Tech Tool Tuesday posts, there have been a lot of updates to ActivelyLearn and I think it is worth another look. While I always suggest reading the whole blog post, click here for a synopsis of all that is new since the last time I posted about this. 

For years I have started presentations on integrating technology into the classroom by saying 21st century learners do NOT have short attention spans, they are simply not engaged by the kinds of classroom activities that engaged us when we were kids. My 13 year old daughter provides me with a perfect illustration of my point. 

I have heard from her teachers that at times she seems bored with their lectures and with some of their learning exercises, so she must have a really short attention span. Well, I don't think so. The last time the two of us drove to St. Louis from our home in the Chicago Suburbs (by the way, the most boring drive on planet earth) she spent the entire 5 hours actively engaged in building a city on MineCraft - a game, I might add, that has graphics that are less advanced than the Atari Game System I played when I was a kid. (By the way, Cognitive Psychologist Daniel T. Willingham offers some evidence to back up my mantra in his recent article, "Smartphones Don't Make Us Dumb.")

So, if it isn't the flashy graphics and ear pounding soundtrack, what do you like so much about MineCraft? She says, "It's fun. I can make decisions about what to do. If I get stuck, I can ask questions or look up answers. And if I build something I don't like, I can quick tear it down and build it better." I heard her say those words and I translated it into classroom speak: inquiry, autonomy, interactivity, the ability to make mistakes and then fix them.

So what if we applied just a few of those things to the practice of reading her school assignments? What if instead of receiving a static textbook or handout, she read on her mobile device and her teachers were able to ask her specific questions about what she read, point out things that are important in the reading and explain why they are important, and even embed videos to illustrate the point or provide a little direct instruction while she was at home? ActivelyLearn.com does all of that, supports any electronic text, and is incredibly simple to learn. 

Here is a brief intro from the ActivelyLearn.com website:

To get started, all you need to do is navigate to ActivelyLearn.com, create a free account as a teacher, and then create your first class. There are thousands of texts and lessons already included in ActivelyLearn.com, they may already have the text you are using for class. Once you've selected a text to use, you can embed questions, highlight important passages, provide the students with notes, embed videos, and monitor each individual's progress as they read. If they don't have your text, you can upload your own - however, with the free version of the program, you are limited in the number of digital texts you can upload.

A screenshot of my ActivelyLearn Workspace. Caution: Some of these features
are only available in the premium version - like importing G Docs.

ActivelyLearn will automatically generate an email you can send to your students to help them get signed up for your class, but I've created a one page handout you can share with them in order to get them signed up and signed on. (Click here for the "Signing Up For ActivelyLearn" Handout.)

ActivelyLearn works with any platform or device with an Internet connection, and there is a robust help section for both teachers and students. Click here for a list of video resources for getting started with and using ActivelyLearn.
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Are there other FREE tech tools you use to help support close or interactive reading with your students? If so, please tell us about them in the comment section below.

BookTrack Classroom: Amplify Your Story

Booktrack Classroom: 

Read With A Soundtrack Or Create Your Own

@LisaBerghoff  and  @JoeTaylor

I have been teaching reading, along with other subjects, to struggling learners for many years.  Every subject area requires some interaction with text and as teachers, it is up to us to  find ways to guide students to improve their reading skills.  In order to be an effective reading teacher, I am constantly searching for ways to get kids excited about what they are reading.  One of the most powerful methods that I have found to hook kids into a story is to add audio as well as visuals. During a read aloud I often toss in a "Dun Dun Duuuuuuunnnn" at the end of a cliffhanger chapter.  Or, I will ask my students to imagine what they are reading as a movie going on in their mind. As teachers, we will do just about anything to help kids get into the reading. We want them to decode, comprehend, make connections and inferences as they interact with text.  We also know that music and sound has a profound affect on our kids.  Booktrack Classroom capitalizes on the compelling use of sound to enhance reading.

BookTrack Classroom is an application found in the Chrome Web Store that allows you and your students to create a movie-style soundtrack to go along with e-text. It currently has a library with some of the classics, including Frankenstein, A Tale Of Two Cities, and Macbeth, which already have soundtracks created.  The reader adjusts the reading speed so the soundtrack plays while you are reading and adds to your reading experience.  But wait, before you decide Booktrack classroom is not for you because you don't teach those books, you need to know about the other features of Booktrack Classroom.

It allows students to create a soundtrack for any essay, story, or text that they can copy into the Booktrack studio. They can also generate and publish Booktracks for their own writing! (This is where you should be getting excited) Students can add sound effects, ambient sound, and/or background music to enhance the tone of their original essays, stories, poetry, or whatever they write.  We spend a lot of time talking about tone, theme, and figurative language in the classroom. Why not let our students show that they understand these concepts by choosing a piece of writing and creating a Booktrack to go along with it?  I'm already working on my Halloween ghost story so I can add amazing sound effects!  Booktrack Classroom does not provide text to speech, students must read on their own or do a read aloud.  This app allows you to sign in using your Google credentials, and it works even without an internet connection.

The app is currently free (for a "limited time") and includes complete lesson plans on topics such as sound and symbol, persuasive branding, and The Odyssey.

Check out the Booktrack Video here:

Do you have other apps or ideas for new ways to help kids get into their reading and writing?  I'd love to hear them!  Post them in the comments section below.

Helping Kids Teach Themselves To Avoid Distractions

Helping Kids Teach Themselves To Avoid Distractions

@LisaBerghoff

One of my favorite blogs is "Mind Shift: How we will learn," a product of Northern California's Public Media outlet KQED. One of their posts that came up in my Twitter feed this weekend was called "Age of Distraction: Why It's Crucial for Students to Learn to Focus." There have actually been a ton of studies done on this dating back to the 1970s. Some of my favorite pieces have come from Daniel T. Willingham, cognitive psychologist from the University of Virginia. Both the studies featured in the "Mind Shift" article and the ones from Willingham suggest that it is important for educators and parents to help kids learn how to manage distractions, especially distractions that are readily available to them on digital devices. This research, by the way, is one of the reasons I don't support the idea of simply blocking social media and other sites on school devices. That doesn't teach them discipline; it actually ignores the long term issue.

However, as you know, kids learn differently. Some of them require a little more direct instruction and a little more scaffolding of skills. StayFocusd is a free extension, available in the Chrome Web Store, that can offer a little assistance to kids who need it. One of the problems for some kids, and perhaps this director of instructional technology, is that they can get lost on distracting websites and not even know how much time they waste there. StayFocusd can help quantify wasted time and allow students to limit wasted time.

StayFocusd in the Chrome Web Store

The Nuclear Option

Once you add the extension to Chrome, you can set your own time limits on websites that might be distracting you from your real work. You can decide to enact the "Nuclear Option," which means, for instance, that you can set a specific amount of time that you are allowed to spend on Facebook. When that time limit is reached, Chrome will shut down that tab and the program won't allow you to navigate to the site again for 24 hours. You can also set an "active" calendar, meaning that StayFocusd will always manage your browser during school days, but on the weekends and during holidays, you can grant yourself a little more browsing time. For students who are afraid they might cheat and change the settings, there is a "Challenge" option. "If this option is selected, you will be required to complete a difficult -- but not impossible -- challenge before you are allowed to change any settings. This makes it inconvenient for you to change settings, therefore reducing the chances that you'll cheat" (StayFocusd settings page).

For some teachers, StayFocusd falls short of their ideal because it doesn't allow teachers or counselors to directly manage the student machines. However, I see that as a strength, because what we are really doing is providing the tools necessary for kids to teach themselves to be in control of their devices and their digital lives.

If there is a student you think could benefit from StayFocusd, please share it with them - and maybe their parents, too.

My Homework App For Chrome

My Homework App for productivity and organization.

@Lisa Berghoff 

Now that we are beyond the first few days of school, chances are pretty good that teachers have already given assignments and some students have already missed turning them in. I'm not trying to be negative, I just know realistically that it can be a big shift for many of our kids to keep track of due dates and expectations for multiple classes throughout the day. In addition, for many students a lack of executive functioning is the one thing standing in the way of their success in the classroom.

 I believe it is our job as teachers to not just teach content, but to help teach students how to learn, which includes organization, time management, and study skills. Even at the high school level, we cannot assume our students are ready to independently manage everything that comes their way. 

That's why I'm excited to introduce you to MyHomework App.  This app is available for Chrome, iOS, GooglePlay, Android, Mac, Windows, KindleFire, and just about any other system your device could possibly use. The versatility of this app makes it possible to sync to multiple devices which gives students options and allows for them to take ownership of their management system. 

This app is designed to replace the traditional student planner to help students stay on top of their assignments on their device of choice.  It has several attractive features such as the ability to manage students' schedules by class period, by time, or by block.  Students can set the priority level (low, medium, high) and can even set reminders which will pop up and let the students know that they have an assignment due soon. 

Screenshot from Chrome Web Store

You can find MyHomework App in the Chrome Web Store. Once you have added it to your bank of Chrome apps, it will prompt you to create a log in. 

You can sign in with Google, which makes it one less password you need to remember.

Once students sign in, they will be prompted to add their classes and indicate how they want to organize their schedule and color code their classes. You can always go back and edit or customize these settings.   The plus sign in the corner allows you to create a new class.   Once students have their classes set up, they can add assignments.

In the example shown here, I added a physics quiz. I was able to set the priority level to high and I also set the device reminder to pop up the night before so I will remember to prepare for the quiz.  There is also a text box to add other info. that might help clarify the assignment. 

Students can mark when assignments are complete and are able to track their classes.  They can also earn "rewards" through a 3rd party advertising site called Kiip. MyHomework states that ads and rewards are family friendly and may include movie tickets, and snacks. You can purchase an upgraded account for $4.99 per year which will remove all ads and give a more robust tracker.

MyHomework App also works in concert with Teachers.io which allows teachers to input assignments if you have an entire class using the app.

There are many digital options out there to assist students with planning, scheduling, and organization. What are your favorites?  Go ahead and post your suggestions below.

Kami - Formerly NotablePDF

Kami Annotation Tool for Google Drive

@LisaBerghoff

Is this cheating? Last year one of my most shareable free tech tools was a tool for annotating PDFs online. The tool was decent, but the company totally reworked the product, improved it, and gave it a new name. So, I'm going to post an all new Free Tech Tool Tuesday on the new revamped PDF Annotation tool.

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One of the hurdles teachers face as they start to integrate Google Apps into their classrooms (the substitution step on the SAMR ladder) is how to make their printed materials usable once they've been scanned. It is easy to read PDFs in Google Drive, but it isn't so easy to make PDFs interactive. Kami, formerly Notable PDF, available from the Chrome Web Store, solves some of the problem.

The first step is to go the the Chrome Web Store and add the Kami app to your browser. Once you've done that, you'll notice that you will have options when you want to open a PDF in Drive.

This image is from the PDF Preview in Google Chrome

The first time you open a file with Kami, you'll have the option to watch a brief tutorial on the functions of the product. When the document opens, it will open with a black border and a few "menu buttons" on the right hand side. They are pretty standard annotation functions (highlight, strikethrough, underline, comment, add text, and select text), but if you hover over any of the buttons, you'll get a mini pop up with a description of the functionality.

Screen Shot is actually from the Chrome Webstore

In the example to the left, I added text in the white space of the PDF using the "add text" tool (capital A). 

I also added a text comment. Similar to working in Drive, comments are linked to some portion of the text. So after clicking the "dialogue bubble" icon, click on the pertinent text and type your comment in the pop up box that appears on the right hand side of the screen.

UPDATE: Last year, one of the problems with this product was that it couldn't necessarily read text on documents that were scanned. With the introduction of the new Kami software, there is OCR Text recognition. So you should be able to use all of these tools with any PDF.

If you look at the top menu bar, you'll notice there are a few more tools. Most of them are pretty standard, but perhaps the most useful for your classroom is the "share" icon:

The share icon allows your students to add you to their Kami documents. Once you've been added, you can see their annotations, add your own, and reply to their comments. The good news is that annotations you make and comments you make are automatically saved in Kami. 

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Kami is just one of the many options for working with PDFs online. If you have one that you've used and have had success with, please share it in the comments box below.