The new year has started and we're already to a halt!

The objective is: I can problem solve when something goes wrong.

My class by this time has already been exploring: Explain Everything, Google Classroom, Showbie, Razzkids, Dreambox, Google Doc, etc. With this said, it does not make us any less frustrated when the iPad does not cooperate. At the beginning of this journey, I would drop everything I was doing to fix the problem. I would literally bring learning to a halt! 

I have changed my thinking on this. The truth is in life things do not always happen as planned. We have to adapt or modify those plans to continue our work and make progress. This is a lesson that can easily be applied to technology. When my students come to me during group instruction and ask to have their tech hiccup fixed, I turn them away. I remind them that they have to problem solve. 

We have discussed in class the various things we can do when my iPad in not working or is not charged. Our learning does not and should not STOP because of our iPads.

Make them the experts!

Problem

At the beginning of the third trimester, I had no idea that my team partner was going to be gone for our last field trip. You may ask: It's a field trip, where's the problem? This particular field trip was a bus tour about the history of Waukesha. It is a celebration about what we have learned. 

Screenshot from our co-created iBook on the history of Waukesha.

This teacher always led the tour, providing the rich history found in Waukesha. Students would follow the tour utilizing an iBook that the students helped us to create using iBook Author.

Here is where I had my problem occur. I had never led this tour on my own and I was more than nervous!

iBook Author

Screenshot from our co-created
Blackboard course where student 
work and available resources are brought together.

At first, I decided not to worry about the tour. Students had a few weeks of research before they were ready to participate in the tour. The previous year we had work extensively on uploading materials into our BB9 course. 

When I say extensively, I mean hours. We put together all of our articles, videos, links, and book titles. Then, we spent a few afternoons uploading these resources into a pre-selected list of questions.

If there is so much work, why did we do it? The truth is that like in many other areas in teaching, there were very few resources. Getting a copy of an original historical document to each student was not easy. We loved the idea of having BB9 warehouse to collect, organize, and distribute the resources. It is a way for all of our kids to see all of the resources, take them home with them, and access them any time they like. And when you are ready for it, adaptive release (a feature in Blackboard that includes rules about when students can see specific content) can make sure your students get just enough material. 

Problem Solved!

Students explore Prairie Home Cemetery as part of their
historical tour of Waukesha.

After students began their research, I became more and more concerned with the tour.

Then, I had one of those "lightbulb" moments. Students were already researching the material I would be summing up. Why not have them lead the tour?

Stops on the Waukesha History tour outlined in the iBook
students helped to create.

And they did. The students led the bus tour, stepping up to speak at "their stop" on the historical tour of Waukesha.  They spoke with authority and enthusiasm -- this was their area of expertise.

The truth is that this ended up being one of the most memorable tours, I have ever planned. 

Students not only summarized their learning for me to assess, but they now had the responsibility to be the experts. It brought everything together. Students were able to see their classmates learning and celebrate beside them!

Closer to the Flipped Classroom with Blackboard!

The Journey Began with BB9

Before I began this journey, I would be the first to say that BB9 stood for the Baffling Blackhole 9. By this I mean, you go in and never seem to find the exit. We began this venture last year, but began small. 

First, we decided what unit would lend itself for independent student navigation. The answer is most units would, but there are a few we can all agree are easier. Then, we mapped it out by simply adding our headings and subheadings in BB9. 

This is an example of our course structure in Blackboard.

Finally, we added content to each subheading. 

We added many types of content, from
 text to videos to links in Google Drive.

The fun part came this year when we learned about adaptive release. This component of BB9 allows us to release content slowly. Students must unlock content by viewing and checking off things they have done in Blackboard on their iPad. This make our lessons differentiated and truly more flipped.

Groups of students were now working at their own pace. They were able to re-watch videos when needed and we were available to work with those struggling. 

Publishing Their Work on the Green Screen

This particular unit we decided to publish using the App Veescope on a green screen. Students were excited and motivated by this to complete their projects. They were to create a commercial that persuaded other peers from different groups to migrate to their country. These videos were shared with students from another school last year, and last year's student videos served as exemplars this year.

Helpful Hints:

1. Have all apps on iPad ready for when students are ready:
   
                                  (Youtube Capture)                                    (Veescope)
2. Practice in front of the green screen
3. Use microphone and ipad stand if possible

Sometimes you just need them to step away from the ipad

The answer was in their data

As we embarked in our second unit, we discussed how to incorporate the use of technology into science. We realized, as we had the first printouts of tables, that data and technology go hand in hand. This increased their learning and engagement.

We merged their data into the Numbers Application. Here students were able to see the data come to life. As they entered the numbers the dots appeared in the graph. If this was not great news already, they were able to predict future data points and analyze their results to a deeper level.

Sometimes it is best to go back to a quick poster

As we discussed what how our students would present all of there findings, we had a hard time using another application on their ipads. We wanted the focus to maintain with their Numbers work, yet wanted them to tie in all of the pieces. They had been in addition posting research notes in a different page in Numbers. 

This is were sometimes you have to step back and admit that creating a paper copy is what makes most sense. They were engaged in putting their presentations together and were able to provide great feedback to other students. We really were able to see the use of technology and paper. 

As we reflected, we realized that there was still one area to address as the year progresses. The area of design. Surprisingly, we realized this during the creation of the posters. We believe this was primarily because the templates we provide students with are already designed. Now that we have introduced many programs and apps, it is time to begin to discuss lessons about: font color, font size, headings, font style, contrast, etc.

Am I teaching you or you teaching me?

As I review all that I have accomplished this week, I am amazed with my student capability to understand and own the new technology. This week I introduced my students to Explain Everything. If you are not familiar with this app, it is worth the initial learning that needs to take place on the teachers end.

Students are able to explain their thinking by recording what I could  describe as a smart white board. They are able to bring in pictures, text, and use interactive tools.

I provided my students with a template by sending it through airdrop. Then, I simply showed them an example. They took my expectations and surpassed them. One pointer I would share is to have students add all text and images before they record. This way it will be ready for the share/presentation.

So far, great beginning. This next week, I will be looking as to how my students can use Numbers in science. Another mind boggling app.