JENNA ERVIN
  • Journey to the End of the Earth
    • The Expedition
    • Expedition Gallery
  • Education Collaborative
    • Innovation & Tech Help Blog
    • Presentations
    • #ThatJustHappened
  • Author

Innovation & Tech Help

mac os Mojave & Smartboard Troubleshooting

12/20/2018

0 Comments

 
If you're anything like me, and you use your SMART Board every day for every lesson, you probably wanted to scream and pull your hair out after the latest macOS Mojave update. While the pen function of SMART Board continued to work flawlessly, the touch functions failed to reconnect. Even updating all systems' software failed to fix the issue.

Thankfully, a little light Google searching uncovered an extremely easy patch to the issue. You can check out the SMART community article for full details, or simply complete the following 4 steps.

Steps to configure a computer running SMART Notebook software after updating to macOS Mojave--
1.   Go to Apple menu > System Preferences > Security & Privacy.
System Preference Screenshot
2.  Click the Privacy tab, and then click Accessibility in the panel on the left.
Screenshot of Privacy Tab
3.   Click the lock icon and enter the administrator account user name and password if prompted. Click OK.
​
4.   Select both the SMART Ink & SMARTBoardService options, and then restart the computer.
Picture
0 Comments

Sticky Note Brainstorming with Google Slides

11/20/2018

0 Comments

 
As teachers, many of us are (dare we admit it) addicted to sticky notes. The uses are endless and rarely a day goes by without recording something on sticky notes.
Matt Miller gets it . . . "autumn has arrived and your desk is covered with sticky notes like leaves falling from the trees? You have sticky notes on your monitor, on your computer, on the filing cabinet, on your desk …"  ​
​
As a teacher, and writer, the only issue with using sticky notes is that my piles of organized sticky notes are great in the moment, but they do not transfer or travel well. 
Bitmoji
Enter Matt Miller to save the day! Matt Miller, my new go-to for using technology for student engagement, is back at it with brainstorming help. ​​

Read Matt's post on "Google Slides sticky note brainstorming: Powerful planning." His post includes a link to his FREE Sticky Note template.

Enjoy, and get creative!

Screenshot of slide from Matt Miller

Screenshot of modified slide from Jenna Ervin
Sample slide for personal brainstorming.
Screenshot of sample slide used as class bell-ringer
Sample slide with sticky notes used for student reflection, with an option sticky for teacher feedback.

UPDATE . . .

After using the reflection document for one week with our 8th Language Arts students, we made a few tweaks to add features and reflections that were requested by the students. We were expecting  major battle getting them to reflect, but they actually enjoy this! Don't get me wrong, it took about 3 days of direct instruction and full-class modeling and collaboration, but the quality is starting to show and the results on their learning are already present.
Screenshot of Student Sample Reflection Doc
Student sample with updated sticky notes from student feedback.
We worked with the students daily to get their feedback on the ease of use and functionality for their learning. We did end up tweaking a few of the sticky notes to better guide students to reflect deeply about their learning. Currently we are using the following sticky notes:
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture

FREEBIES!!!

In the words of Super Educator Joe Marquez, "What we create for our classrooms does not belong to us, it belongs to education!" In his spirit, here are copies of the Sticky Note Reflection Docs we are currently using.
Picture
Close-the-Loop Reflection Document
Picture
Close-the-Loop Reflection Frames
0 Comments

Google Slides Templates with Slides Carnival

8/20/2018

0 Comments

 
Slides Carnival Homepage
One of my biggest pet peeves is sitting through a meeting or training with a poorly designed Power Point or Slide deck. It doesn't capture my interest, it looks blazé, and I spend my time thinking of how unprofessional the presentation actually comes across. Now I understand that not everyone has a background in graphic design, so allow me to introduce you to SlidesCarnival. 

According to the company, "SlidesCarnival templates have all the elements you need to effectively communicate your message and impress your audience, and completely free!". The benefit of Slides Carnival is the option download the Google Slides or Powerpoint version of the slides, while those featured here are all formatted for Google Slides.

Here are a few go-to templates for classroom lessons and conference workshops, but I always suggest heading over to check out their collection of professional slide templates that are updated frequently. 

Enjoy, and get creative!


Jaques Template

Screenshot of Jaques Template

Antonio Template

Screenshot of Antonio Template

Banquo Template

Screenshot of Banquo Template

Imogen Template

Screenshot of Imogen Template

Friar Template

Screenshot of Friar Template

Cordelia Template

Screenshot of Cordelia Template

Eglamour Template

Screenshot of Eglamour Template

Ulysses Template

Screenshot of Ulysses Template
0 Comments

Organization and Awesomeness with Ladybug's Teacher Files

3/24/2018

1 Comment

 
If you are a right-brain type, or middle-of-the-road-brain type, you will fall in love with the resources from Ladybug's Teacher Files. The possibilities are endless.

Trust me on this one-- forgo your Netflix binge for one Saturday and spend it exploring this site instead.
Ladybug's Teacher Files Logo
Take me to the awesomeness!
Here are two of my absolute favorites to get you started:
Ladybug Resource Image
Color Code and Organize
​Your Google Drive
Picture
Google Sheets "Lessons at a Glance"
Picture
1 Comment

Adding Files to Multiple Google Drive Folders

3/24/2018

0 Comments

 
Here comes another callout to all of the OCD-Types out there who have been struggling with organization in Google Drive. While Google Drive's storage capacity is amazing for teachers, it also quickly becomes inundated with multiple copies of the same file--in various folders, all in different stages of edit--from year to year.
 
With this hack from computer science engineer Amit Agarwal you can finally have ONE Google Drive file and store it in multiple folder. The Bonus-- you can organize drive to meet your left-brain needs, and all every instances of the file will be auto-updated since they are essentially the same file.

​The process to ADD A FILE to multiple folders is outlined in two steps below:
Steps to add file to multiple folders
The process to REMOVE A FILE from multiple folders is also completed in two simple steps:
Picture
Picture
For more in-depth instructions, or to see more tech ideas, visit Amit Agarwal's post here.
Picture
0 Comments

Saving Google Classroom Assignments For Future Use

3/21/2018

0 Comments

 
There are a few facts in the teaching realm most teachers can agree with:
  1. Organizing assignment resources and instructions year-to-year is vital to teacher sanity, spare time, and the survival of trees ("Hello, Xerox Machine...").
  2. Google Suite (previously Google Apps for Education) has many features to help teachers with this organization dilemma.
  3. Other teacher gurus like Alice Keeler have further hacked Google Suite to make it work best for teachers.
  4. Google Classroom still just doesn't have every feature that would make teachers' lives perfect.

That being said, I stumbled across a video post by teacher Tim Cavey that will save more of your sanity. Tim has hacked a super simple way to save your assignment resources and instructions on Google Classroom when you strike gold and create the perfect assignment--the assignment post where the sun shines, and birds sing, every student turns in their homework on time, someone brings you a Starbucks drink in the morning, and a choir of angels sings a heavenly chorus when they see your Google Classroom post. (Too much...?)

Check out Mr. Cavey's genius-level hack in the video below.
Picture
0 Comments

Engage Students with Bitmoji

3/11/2018

0 Comments

 
Picture
Picture
Anyone who follows Alice Keeler, the education technology guru, knows the power of Bitmoji for connecting and communicating with students. Bitmoji is a free mobile platform that allows your to turn yourself into a customizable cartoon avatar. With the addition of add-ons Bitmoji for iMessages, GBoard (Google's messages keyboard), and Bitmoji for Chrome, connecting with students  on a more personal level becomes even easier.

Sample Bitmoji uses in the classroom:
  • Teachers can insert Bitmojis into digital student work to provide feedback
  • Teachers and students can attach Bitmojis to digital communication to better convey correct emotions that may otherwise get lost or misconstrued in the digital environment
  • Teachers can use Bitmojis for classroom handouts and assignments to add another level of engagement
  • Students can create Bitmojis to add a layer of annotation while critical reading

In the February/March 2018 edition of CTA's Educator magazine, Terry Ng lays down a quick and easy set-up for leveling up your student connections with Bitmoji. Click here to get started with the new year and a new avatar.
Picture
Picture
0 Comments

Social Media in the Classroom

3/11/2018

0 Comments

 
Dice with social media icons
Social media in education is not a new concept by any means. Schools have created social media accounts to share events with the community, remind students of the bell-schedule changes, and even start friendly spirit battles between other schools. Districts have created social media accounts for many of the same reasons and to inform communities about upcoming educational propositions and bills that require their attention. Even classroom teachers have created social media accounts to increase parent communication or to display work for a current unit of study using a unique hashtag. Social media in education is just another way to invite the community into our schools and classrooms to see what amazing things our teachers explore with our students.

The February/March 2018 edition of CTA's Educator magazine provided this wonderful resource for teachers or schools who have been tossing around the idea of using social media in an education setting. Maybe you've seen your colleague posting the innovative things happening in their classroom, or have seen a hashtag take off and become a viral sensation.

Sam Demuro, storyteller and activist for Italian American Women, explains that having an active social media presence for your school, classroom, sports team, or even the local chapter of your union "can provide quality connections and great audience engagement." However, before you decide to jump in with both feet running, she provides a few considerations.
  1. "Don't do it just because everyone's doing it." Use social media because you are self-motivated to share information with a larger audience or give your classroom a voice.
  2. "Pick one or two platforms and do them well." Ask your students and parents what social media platforms they use most frequently and begin there. Some of the most popular are Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
  3. "Think about your goals." What is the purpose for your social media account? Before you being, determine your purpose or goal for using social media. Is your goal to spread awareness,  or open lines of communication, or reach out to parents and the community? Once you have established a goal, use that as a guide to shape your content. This will ensure that you find the appropriate audience and that audience comes back for more.
 
To get started with Twitter, check out the "Education Twitter Rockstars" in the Presentations section. For more practice, you can also check out CTA's webinars and shared resources for social media skills.
Picture
0 Comments

Organize Google Chrome with Bookmark Separators

2/5/2018

0 Comments

 
Friends of OCD-Anonymous will enjoy this Google Chrome organizational tool. With all of the educational websites, blog posts, and curriculum supports teachers bookmark, your Bookmarks Bar or Other Bookmarks dropdown menu may be a cluster of goodies. It can quickly become a hassle to quickly find the on-the-fly resource for your lesson or to find them for later lesson planning.
MayaStudio Bookmarks Screenshot

​MayaStudios offers two bookmarks that appear in your Bookmarks bar and Other Bookmarks as a vertical line or horizontal line. Simply decide on the appropriate bookmarks bar, and drag and drop into the desired location

Horizontal Spacer
Vertical Spacer
Picture
Picture
0 Comments

UPGRADE YOUR CLASSROOM SPACE WITH SHOOB POSTERS

8/28/2017

0 Comments

 
I wanted to share an amazing resource for free classroom posters! Shoob Photography offers free classroom posters for educators. The posters are high quality and come on heavier poster cardstock. Most of the resources are free and include free shipping inside CA.
​
[*When you arrive at the website, click the blue "Order Online" button on the right side.]
ACADEMICS
  • Depth Of Knowledge
  • Discourse
  • Lesson Design
  • Math And Science
  • Reading And Writing
  • Standards
COMMUNICATION
  • Awards
  • Bookmarks
  • Events
  • Parent Resources
  • Planners
  • Stickers
GUIDANCE
  • Behavior Clip Charts
  • Bullying Prevention
  • Caught Being Good Tickets
  • Classroom Posters
  • Positive Behavior Support
  • School Vision
MANAGEMENT
  • Calendars
  • Campus Safety
  • Notepads
  • Staff Binders
MOST POPULAR
  • ELA
  • Math
  • Positive Behavior
STUDENT ACTIVITIES
  • College Admission
  • Dances
  • Homecoming

Sample Posters

Picture
0 Comments
<<Previous

    Categories

    All
    Apps
    Bitmoji
    Cardboard
    Engagement
    Google Chrome
    Google Classroom
    Google Extensions
    Google Slides
    Google Suite
    Grammarly
    Learning Spaces
    MacOS
    McGraw-Hill
    Organization
    Posters
    Powerpoint
    Presentations
    SMARTboard
    Social Media
    StudySync
    Teacher Hacks
    Troubleshooting
    Twitter
    Writing

    RSS Feed


Contact
Terms of Use
COPYRIGHT © 2018 JENNA ERVIN. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
  • Journey to the End of the Earth
    • The Expedition
    • Expedition Gallery
  • Education Collaborative
    • Innovation & Tech Help Blog
    • Presentations
    • #ThatJustHappened
  • Author