NICE MiniCon 2015

Stop thinking about what Google Apps can do and start thinking about the unique things they can do. Beginner Google Apps users learn how the apps can be used to enhance a wide variety of learning styles from keeping students organized, improving their access to materials and increasing student independence.

What is Twitter and tweeting all about? Come learn how to connect with Educators, share resources, and create your own Professional Learning Network (PLN) using Twitter. Come learn what Twitter is, why educators use Twitter, and how to collaborate using the Twitter platform. This is open to everyone who wants to learn about Twitter or improve their Twitter skills.

Anyone can learn to code! Learn about a variety of free apps, websites, and even unplugged activities to bring coding concepts into your classroom. Activities will be suggested starting at the primary level up to intermediate.

"Executive function is a set of mental processes that helps connect past experience with present action. People use it to perform activities such as planning, organizing, strategizing, paying attention to and remembering details, and managing time and space" (National Center for Learning Disabilities).

My session is geared toward teachers, focusing on how to structure their classrooms utilizing GAFE to promote executive functioning skills. This session is designed to support teachers in the following areas 1) Organize their Google Drive to optimize file storage and sharing. 2) Equip teachers to have students set-up their own Google Drive to create a portfolio and share work efficiently and effectively with you (no more emails and sharing of Docs!) I have experienced and believe by investing in students and teaching them to structure their own technology, they will begin to take ownership and use GAFE with ease and confidence, promoting independence and ownership.

This session will change the way you think about social networks in the classroom. Participants will get an overview of how to set up a class Facebook page and use it as a tool for interaction with students and families. Educators will be equipped with innovative techniques for utilizing various social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest in the classroom.

Do your students struggle with learning unit vocabulary? Are you in search of a variety of technological tools designed to help your students retain vocabulary from past units? Then this workshop is for you! Specifically for World Language teachers, this is a problem we struggle every year in every class. Therefore, this workshop is designed to present several activities that teach, practice, and maintain unit vocabulary. Activities on the iPad and online tools will be presented which can be used for both classroom and homework activities. As well, audience members will see how the Schoology platform can be incorporated into this focus. While this workshop derives from the experience of a World Language teacher, the content is not limited to foreign language teachers. All disciplines are welcome!

Our elementary Makerspace is based on S.T.E.A.M. activities in which all students in grades K-5 can build, engineer, problem-solve, create, communicate and collaborate in an open, supportive environment.

Three elementary schools in our district have worked together, along with staff and parents to provide hands-on learning opportunities to extend and enhance student educational growth. Come see some activities and what we have learned so far !

Come and discover the advantages of Going Google! Learn the basic features of sharing across all Google Applications and learn various strategies that you can use with students to start sharing and collaborating with you and their peers. 

With my Mac, Garageband and your mobile device I'll share how I have used podcasting with success in my health classes, showcasing student work and making assessments more authentic. Then together we will create the audio for our own podcast before sharing it via social media.