DFI Session 9

Today was the last DFI session. I have gained soo much new knowledge- what wonderful professional development. I have come out of this training feeling more digitally confident and able to support students with their digital learning journey. The DFI training couldn't have come at a better time! We only had a couple of sessions face to face and then the rest was run via distance learning using Google Hangout due to Covid-19. Participating via distance really helped me to gain further knowledge that I then used to teach my own class while they were learning distantly also.

As well as feeling more confident to teach children using the google apps and tools I also feel like I have come out of this learning journey better equiped to manage my own work load. A few things that have already sped up my work are...
-Colour coding folders in my drive.
-Linking documents so I can move easily between both.
-Managing my emails into folders.
-Using the 'Toby' app extension on Chrome to hold tabs that I frequently use.
-Collaboration through google keep with things such as to do lists.
-A better understanding of websites and how they can be used.

I've also really enjoyed making digital work easily accessible for the children I teach, I have ...
-Organised folders in their drive (with a young class all children work in the same drive).
-Simplified our website and learning visually. I enjoyed using the white backgrounds rather than overwhelming the children with too many bright colours (guilty of this in the past).
-Less links for the children to navigate

I am really looking forward to getting back into the classroom and supporting the children to continue learning in a rich digital environment. Over the past 7 weeks the children have done a really great job alongside their families of accessing the learning online each day. What an awesome position to be in to be teaching children who are so empowered I cannot wait to continue the digital learning journey with them and make rewindable learning a part of our everyday learning experiences.

Finally a highlight for me was becoming a Google Certified Level1 Educator!

Thank you for a fantastic 9 weeks!

DFI Session 8

DFI- Session 8
Computational Thinking
Coding

Here is an interactive puzzle to get you thinking about what coding is and when it could be used it the classroom. I found this a good puzzle to begin to understand coding slightly better.

Puzzle to try ! 

I also looked further into scratch as this is one that we already have installed on our iPads. This app allows children to gain a basic understanding about coding, and to try out their own coding skills. I can see how this app could also be used across multiple curriculum areas. 

If you are like me and very new to Scratch this how to guide may be helpful! I also can image this would be super helpful as a poster on the classroom wall!  

Today we also explored empowerment (empowering learners and their families) thinking about how devices need to be much more than just a 'tool' we need to ensure that the devices are transforming the way the children learn through allowing children and families to overcome barriers that may have once been present without devices. I am looking forward to heading back into the classroom thinking about how we can best empower each learner and their families. I've been so impressed with how empowered the learners and their families have been over the lockdown time it would be awesome to have this empowerment continue and grow!!



Here is a video of 

DFI Session 7

Todays focus was devices

We looked at iPads and Chrome Books. As we are learning at a distance we used the Chrome Book simulator- what an awesome support tool to understand and use a Chrome Book in its full capacity.  Here is a link to the answers I found to a series of questions using the Chromebook simulator. 

We looked at Explain Everything on the iPads - I was particularly interested in this as I use iPads daily with our junior learners. My next step on Explain Everything is to import files and support the children to do this! 

Today we also looked into promoting a cyber smart community within our classrooms and communities.

Here I have created a screencastify to explain some of the content on the Manaiakalani iPad Support 'Kawa of Care' page.    and how this would be useful in the classroom. I also reflect on ways I could personalise it for the learners in my class and their families. 

DFI Session 6

Today it was fantastic to have time to look at our own class site and make it as user friendly as possible. This was very timely as we finish our second week of online distance teaching.

I started creating a workspace for Literacy. I have linked each child's writing doc to their name for easy access for once we are back in the classroom. I am looking forward to adding to the 'fast finishers' page.

It was awesome to be able to receive feedback from our facilitator and group members regarding our site.

One suggestion was to always have a return to homepage button!

Here I have created this (see below) This is definitely something that I will ensure I do on all slides I share with the children in the future.

As always I value the create time in each DFI session. I find it really helpful working to create something new whilst having the support of our facilitator so we can ask questions as we go.

Things I would still like to add / amend on my classrooms website are:

-Add schools web link

-Add teacher photos

-Continue to have a working space for each learning area that can be used daily once we are back learning face to face.

-Rewindable learning (lessons) visible on our site while we are currently teaching distantly.

DFI Session 5

Focussing on Google Sites this week for the DFI course was very timely. This week we enter our first week of online teaching. Teaching from our google sites!

Here is my classes learning site:

Each day we are holding 4 Google Hangouts to meet with our students and check off their work for each day. So far we have had an awesome uptake and most of the children are really enjoying their learning!

Today during the DFI course we looked at creating a site from scratch and had a try at this. Here is the page I created to share with our learners for their literacy task next week.

I was happy to include a google form and look forward to the children's interactions with the form! 

DFI Session 4

Today was the second DFI session via distance learning using Google Hangouts. It was great! The more you learn this way the easier it becomes freeing up more room for attending to and absorbing the content material. We have a main Google Hangout and then split off into groups for more intensive support. I have found the small groups to be extremely valuable and would really recommend this for teachers who have learners that would be capable of flicking between two chats.

Sheets 
Today we learned how to use a lot of features on sheets. This was soo helpful and the features will definitely save some time!
Freezing the cells is one that I've wanted to know how to do but never spent the time investigating..
How easy it was- highlight the cells you want to freeze - click on view in the top tabs and go down to freeze.
Resizing multiple columns at once, highlight the letters at the top of the column and adjust one, it will adjust them all. 
Creating averages was also very straight forward, highlight the numbers you want to create an average across then click the formula button at the top then drop down to average. To have the whole columns averages populated drag down the square to the right of the cell, this will populate all required.
Sorting, to sort click on the letter of the column above then sort as required.
To create a graph/ chart highlight the values you want graphed, click on the explore tool (bottom right) then select your graph. If some cells were blank I found filling in 0 allowed me to go on to create a graph.


Using Statistics to Create Accountability






























I created the above on Google Drawing and embedded this in...
To embed in from Drawings I went to, file, publish to web, followed the prompts and then copied the embed code!

I really enjoyed using previously learned skills from these workshops in our 'create' time. It is really great how each session builds on from the previous sessions, it allows for practise of the skills which I may not have got back to in the week between. 

DFI Session 3

Today the DFI was held via Google Hangout! This was such a fantastic experience to be apart of and really helped to build on my knowledge using this app. Each time I use google Hangouts I'm feeling more confident. If our NZ lock down continues past the 'holidays' I can see this will be our next step to be presenting content for our Tamariki each day.
I had never used the grid view before so this was a helpful add on to download straight away, and what a difference it makes when multiple people are in the video chat at one time!

When teaching very young children (5/6 year olds) using google hangouts it was suggested that publishing the link on the classrooms web page was the best way to control the interaction and then just removing it when the hang out had finished. This is definitely something I will give a try with our class.   

You Tube:

Wow lots of new learning using youtube today.
I have created a channel and added my first play list and I can now embed these video's.
Heres how I embedded the one below...

Youtube, your channel, playlists, click on the playlist, share arrow, embed, copy link. 
In blogger add link to HTML section.

Here is my test embed of my first playlist! (3 maths videos) Enjoy!

Google Slides 

I currently use google slides for planning and sharing this planning and activities with whānau.
Today I looked further into pick a path with Kelsey (thanks for all your help today).
Here is my very fast attempt at creating a fun wee interactive game, with emergent readers and writers in mind.

Google Doc - Interactive Game, Have a Try!

I found this slide imperative in creating a successful pathway...