Technological Workshop

I conducted a workshop for educators today with Karen Justl. Karen is so knowledgeable and great colleague.  Karen is the person to go to when you need to know anything about educational technology.  We worked on several projects the past few years.  She was my technology mentor.  I learned so much from her. 

Today, I had the privilege of co-presenting with Karen.  I shared my journey creating a Google Sites called The Elementary Digital Reading Project.  I co-authored that site with my dear friend and colleague Michelle Garcia.  Michelle and I worked together on creating lessons that we would share digitally with  fifth grade students.  Karen was instrumental in providing me with several digital tools that we would need, as we ventured along in the Elementary Digital Reading Project.

Here are some of the digital tools that we used:

1. Google Sites
2. Google Forms
3. Camtasia 
4. Jing
5. Snag it!
6. Xtranormal
7. Present.me
8. Knovio
9. Stupeflix
10. Google Docs
11. You Tube

Karen showed me how to use many of these tools.  I went from Jing, to Snagit!, to Camtasia.  In the process I discovered how to create a screencast on Screencast and TechSmith.  TechSmith provided tutorials on their website.  I perused most of them, but Karen's side by side tutorials were the most effective. (You should go to her class tomorrow.  She will show you how to use Camtasia.  Look on Eduphoria if you work in Spring Branch.)

After my part of the presentation, the participants took time to explore the Summer Digital Reading Project.  That was a Google Site that Michelle and I had put together for students attending summer school.  Many of the summer school teachers used this site as a workstation.  I will leave links to the Elementary Digital Reading Project and the Summer School Digital Site.  Please note that we would like to add more lessons, when time permits.  It is definitely under construction.

Then Karen showed us how to construct our own Google Site.  We explored Google Forms and how to embed these forms into our Google Site.  I was totally captivated with Google Forms.  I created one that I will share today with you.  I invite you to take the Literacy Life Survey.  Click on the blue hotlink below Literacy Life Questionnaire. I am excited to see how this survey will turn out.  I may use it another time.

Literacy Life Questionnaire

Elementary Digital Reading Project

Summer Digital Reading Project

Thanks Karen!