Who Should I Follow??

Who Should I Follow??

I have been asked several times why do I use Twitter, what purpose does it have.  The answer for me is simple.  Twitter allows me to connect with others who have the same passion as I do for technology and education.  With out a missing of a beat the next question normally follows.  Who do you follow or connect with?  Twitter has opened a door and sometimes it could be a little door with a trickle or a huge gate that just floods you with way too much information so you have to pick and choose.  I tend to follow and interact with people that have the same interest as me.  I am very much interested in Flipped Instruction so I follow people that are currently applying the Flipped Classroom model in their instruction.  My passion lately has been AR (augmented reality) so I have been also following people that are experiencing and using AR.   Depending on your interest and passion you should pick people that spark ideas for you or motivate you in some way.

Hash tags are a good way of finding people with your interest.  For example I am into Flipping my Classroom so I follow the hash tag flipclass (#FlipClass).  If you are at a conference you can also connect with people at the same conference by following their hash tag.  For example I attending Podstock and their hash tag was #podstock13.

Twitter Chats are also a great way of connecting with people.  There are several different educational Twitter chats every week.  To attend a Twitter chat you need to know what time they will be online for the chat and you simply follow the hash tag.  For example #Flipclass meets on Mondays at 8pm Eastern time.

Tips:

• Follow people with same interest as you.
• Don't be afraid to unfollow people if they are not a fit for you.
• If you are uncomfortable of sharing just follow until you are.  Once you are comfortable your experience with Twitter will be much better and you will get more out of it.
• Don't just be a taker, try to give every once and a while.
• My Twitter - @katieann_76

Here is a list of Educational Twitter Chats. 

Coloring Contest via ColAR...

Coloring Contest via ColAR...

I used the App ColAR.  I went to their website and downloaded their coloring pages.  For our contest each person received the same page and was asked to color it.  They had no idea that I was going to use this app to make their art work come alive.

View the video below to see how our contest played out.

Ideas for this app:

• Interactive Art Show
• Coloring Contests
• Have students record a story while the 3D art is showing on the iPad.
• Take a Screenshot or Record the 3D art and to a digital portfolio.  

Visit their website for more information.

My Recap of Podstock 2013....

My Recap of Podstock 2013....

Every time I attend a conference on educations plus technology I get inspired and energized.  I love meeting and connecting with new people that have the same interest and passion as me.

This year I did a poster session for Podstock on how I did Flipped Instruction within my classroom.  As I was thinking how I was going to accomplish this and make my mini session with people rememberable.  I decided to "Flip" my presentation.  I made my presentation interactive with the use of Augmented Reality and kind of let it speak for itself.  On my board were trigger images.  You scanned the different images with the app Layar and either a student created work appeared or a tool and or resource would appear.  One of the resources was a little video I created in front of my Green-Screen on the different tools I used in my classroom.  I also turned around and made my little handout interactive as well.  I explained that just like my board you could scan the images and magically the resources would appear for them including the video I created explaining the tools and the resources I used.

I love to share what I have learned so below are links to the notes I took while at Podstock.

• Game Changing Apps with Two Guys and Some iPads - Brad Waid and Drew Minock
• Technology Tools and Techniques for Fostering Student Creativity with Curtis Chandler
• Using Student Voices for Assessment via Mobiles and Screencasting with Paul Shircliff
• Launch Me with Kevin Honeycutt
• When Teachers Start Thinking Like Game Designers with Curtis Chandler
• Creating an Educational Follow Me Project with Sarah Beeghley
• How I Did Flipped Instruction in My Classroom with Katie Ann Wilson

When I learned that there was going to be a Photo Walk my heart sang with joy.  Below is the link to my Podstock 2013 Photo Walk.  I really enjoyed sharing that passion with others and can't wait how they saw and captured our little walk.

• Podstock '13 Photo Walk Album

I also love to create something to help me remember my time at conferences.  Sometimes it will be a scrapbook page or two, a collage, or even a slide show.  So this year I took my iPhone and captured a few moments while at Podstock and mashed it all up to create this little video.  I had a hard time picking my favorites.

• Podstock 2013 Mash-UP

Thanks for the great connections and I hope you keep in touch.  

Countdown to Podstock 2013...

Countdown to Podstock 2013....

This year I will be presenting a poster session at Podstock '13.  When I 1st submitted my proposal for my session I had it all planned what I wanted to say, what I wanted to show, and how I could put it all together in a face to face session.  I was asked if I could possibly turn my session into a poster session.  It took me a moment to think how I could transform my session.  Then it hit me I am presenting on "Flipping in Our Classroom" why not FLIP my presentation.  My presentation is ready and is very interactive, or as interactive as I could get it.

So you can get the full effect of my Flipped Presentation you will need to download the following app to your Smartphone or Tablet (iPad).

• Layar App

Next you will need to download my handout.  You can print it or just save it to your computer and open it up.  You will be scanning the pictures of my handout to obtain the content.  If you print it out you can print it in Black & White.  The scanning of the pictures will work with either Black & White or Color prints and off of your computer screen.

What you will be experiencing when you scan the pictures is Augmented Reality or AR.  When you scan the pictures using the Layar App you will be given different items to interact with.  One of the items will be a video I created talking about the tools I used to in my classroom to help me Flip it.  Other interactive items will be a slide show of my students working and a Symbaloo board of the tools I used.  Keep in mind that this was my 1st time recording myself, so I was a little nervous.  The next time I record I will have someone in the room so I am talking to them not just my iPad.

For those that do not have a Smartphone or a tablet.  I do have my presentation on a website that you can access too.  

• Tech Training with Katie Ann - Podstock '13

See you at Podstock!