Book Creator, managing a digital classroom, making blended learning work in your classroom

Book Creator 

Dr. Monica Burns of Classtechtips.com promotes "'tasks before apps' to remind educators to focus on learning goals" before worrying about a particular tool. Book Creator fits perfectly into a variety of learning tasks because it allows students to use the Chrome app or IOS app to "combine text, images, audio and video to create Interactive stories, digital portfolios, research journals, poetry books, science reports, instruction manuals, ‘About me’ books, comic adventures," and more. Check out Dr. Burns' blog for ideas on integrating Book Creator in K-4 classrooms to engage learners in deepening their learning. While the blog focuses on elementary, the tool works well for secondary, too.

Managing a Digital Classroom

A resource from Raise Your Hand Texas calls the environment "the third teacher." Managing a technology-rich classroom can be a challenge, and arranging the physical environment can make a difference in how you teach and how your students learn. If you have or are getting Chromebooks in the coming weeks, Chesterfield County Public Schools offers a succinct guide to arranging and managing a digital classroom.

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1jJ9OET_qlX7mAncU2umJ9dlfPSwtfV-1gvK4dEovSSM/present?slide=id.g35f391192_00

Spotlight on Blended Learning: Making It Work In Your Classroom

Oh, my goodness. I wanted to do cartwheels forty-seven seconds into this video. With all the focus on digital learning, teachers sometimes question what they're currently doing. The five-minute video below is not only inspiring by showing what's possible, but also affirming in reminding us that if we are "using something that works really well in a face-to-face situation, [we] should continue to do that because it works well." As my grandma used to say, "Don't throw out the baby with the bath water!" 

So when you get a chance this week, take five minutes to be inspired and to be affirmed. It's an exciting time to teach and learn in BISD.

https://youtu.be/auzwH1mK2TY

New database resources, Book Creator, Copyright

New Resources Available to BISD

Two new databases are available to BISD through our Texquest subscription. When you sign in to Texquest through your campus library website, you and your students have access to the Chilton Library database, which offers "quick online access to repair, maintenance and service information on popular vehicles, with information on actual tear-downs in easy to follow step-by-step procedures."

You and your students also have access to Learning Express/PrepStep through our EBSCO subscription. See your campus librarian for login credentials. Prep Step provides STAAR preparation, student success skills, resources for core academic areas, as well as college and career preparation resources. Students will need to create an individual log in.

This year we have access to the public library side of Learning Express which offers support for career planning, college admissions, and more. Resources are available in Spanish.

Our database subscriptions are some of our most powerful resources with Google Classroom integration, translation and read-aloud capabilities, and built-in citation tools. Teaching students to access their awesomeness is time well spent! Contact your campus librarian for more information.

Book Creator

Book Creator has been an amazing paid IOS app for quite awhile, but the free Chromebook app makes it more accessible to our students. The free subscription allows a single teacher to create 1 library and store up to 40 books. Click the image below to see first hand what this powerful app can do. 

Here are some ways to use Book Creator in the elementary classroom. Check out Book Creator's expansive teacher resource center for ideas on using the app in middle school and high school classrooms to promote critical thinking, collaboration, creativity and communication in content areas, and more. Book Creator's channel on YouTube offers additional resources and tutorials. I'd love to help you and your students use Book Creator in your classroom!

Copyright

Last month at Region XX, Marty Rossi shared this video as part of her training on Open Educational Resources. The librarian in me loved the simple explanation of copyright and creative commons licensing. As we and our students create more and more digital content, understanding copyright and licensing is important. This video could be used with secondary students to support digital citizenship.