GAFE Summit Presentation Introduction
While Google Docs has revolutionized education, Googles Slides is just as important. Once you and your students have mastered Google Documents Writing Feedback via Google Classroom, take your students to the next step - Publishing with Google Slides.
No, I am not referring to boring "Power Points." No one wants to be charged with "Death by PowerPoint" (either using Slides or Microsoft PowerPoint). Google Slides offers more features than Google Slides, such as better graphic design and the ability to add videos - both YouTube and student-created.
In the past, when teachers enjoyed student work, they posted the writing on the bulletin. Unfortunately, this limited the audience to those who entered the physical room and happened to read the bulletin board; therefore, the audience was small. Some teachers took student publishing up a notch and participated in the Young Author's Day. This increased the audience and student pride in their work. But their audience was limited to parents, friends, and Young Author's Day attendees.
And therein lies the beauty of Google Slides - the ability to publish student writing to the entire world.
My name is Jennifer Scott, and I am an 8th Grade English & Journalism teacher at Compton Jr. High School in east Bakersfield. I also coach Oral Language, Speech, and until recently, Drama. You don't know how excited I am that our new English teacher has taken over Drama and halved my Oral Language responsibilities so that I can focus on my role as the Technology Leader who trains our junior high teachers and the elementary teachers at our feeder schools.
Before I go on, I want to emphasize The Importance of Why (blog post | mistitled newspaper article). We use tech not because everyone else is doing it, but rather because it makes that particular lesson better. Don't be afraid to have No-Tech Wednesdays (or in my case, Almost-No-Tech-Wednesdays).
Although I may make teaching with tech look easy, it is not always easy. Sometimes even experienced tech teachers like myself forget the importance of why and instead focus on the how. Sometimes we become outcome driven instead of user focused. When we do this, the lesson becomes ten times worse. The use of tech should be focused on the student and the student's learning - not a fancy project that makes the teacher look good.
We publish student writing using Google Slides because our students become better writers when they have a larger audience. Publishing with Google Slides and posting the student newspaper, Thank You card, animation, and historical timeline on social media allows the world to be the students' audience.
I encourage you to critically ask Why each time you use technology. And, if you happen to be at Ridgeview High School today, I encourage you to come to GAFE Summit Session 7 at 1 pm today in Room 702. I will teach you both the why and the how.
No, I am not referring to boring "Power Points." No one wants to be charged with "Death by PowerPoint" (either using Slides or Microsoft PowerPoint). Google Slides offers more features than Google Slides, such as better graphic design and the ability to add videos - both YouTube and student-created.
In the past, when teachers enjoyed student work, they posted the writing on the bulletin. Unfortunately, this limited the audience to those who entered the physical room and happened to read the bulletin board; therefore, the audience was small. Some teachers took student publishing up a notch and participated in the Young Author's Day. This increased the audience and student pride in their work. But their audience was limited to parents, friends, and Young Author's Day attendees.
And therein lies the beauty of Google Slides - the ability to publish student writing to the entire world.
My name is Jennifer Scott, and I am an 8th Grade English & Journalism teacher at Compton Jr. High School in east Bakersfield. I also coach Oral Language, Speech, and until recently, Drama. You don't know how excited I am that our new English teacher has taken over Drama and halved my Oral Language responsibilities so that I can focus on my role as the Technology Leader who trains our junior high teachers and the elementary teachers at our feeder schools.
Before I go on, I want to emphasize The Importance of Why (blog post | mistitled newspaper article). We use tech not because everyone else is doing it, but rather because it makes that particular lesson better. Don't be afraid to have No-Tech Wednesdays (or in my case, Almost-No-Tech-Wednesdays).
Almost-No-Tech-Wednesday! Ss will read a novel for 35 minutes & then go to #GoogleForms to expand/explain a quote #elachat
— Jennifer Scott (@Jentechnology) September 23, 2015
Although I may make teaching with tech look easy, it is not always easy. Sometimes even experienced tech teachers like myself forget the importance of why and instead focus on the how. Sometimes we become outcome driven instead of user focused. When we do this, the lesson becomes ten times worse. The use of tech should be focused on the student and the student's learning - not a fancy project that makes the teacher look good.
We publish student writing using Google Slides because our students become better writers when they have a larger audience. Publishing with Google Slides and posting the student newspaper, Thank You card, animation, and historical timeline on social media allows the world to be the students' audience.
I encourage you to critically ask Why each time you use technology. And, if you happen to be at Ridgeview High School today, I encourage you to come to GAFE Summit Session 7 at 1 pm today in Room 702. I will teach you both the why and the how.
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