Beyond Integration

     Student engagement and its role in the learning process for students is vital in the classroom. Often bolstered by the role motivation plays, student engagement can make the difference in what a student learns, how the student learns, and how that learning affects decision making. - 1 What is Student Engagement?     At its core, engagement is the reciprocity between a stimulus and the learner with the result of growth.  The Glossary of Education Reform defines student engagement as “ the degree of attention, curiosity, interest, optimism, and passion that students show when they are learning or being taught, which extends to the level of motivation they have to learn and progress in their education .” -2  Though reciprocity is at the core of engagement, how the student responds is key to determining that engagement that occurred. When looking at how students are engaged, researchers have discovered different areas that students engage with the wor...

 Putting the Google Slides you already have into VoiceThread to increase student engagement! Last month Brian Heyward shared great information and research about the benefits of using VoiceThread in your classroom. But wait… you don’t have to start from scratch! you can import the great Google Slide decks you have already created? It’s as easy as…

  Most teachers had the opportunity to explore MobileMind during Richland 2 in-service days. This month we are highlighting the DyKnow courses offered in MobileMind. What is DyKnow? DyKnow is a district-paid-for resource to help teachers manage and engage students in a 1:1 classroom. From the teacher side of DyKnow you can: monitor student usage (and get reports, too!), create blocking plans to help students stay on task, and even ask students check-in questions that magically appear right on their screen!  Three courses to check out on MobileMind include:

  Since its release in January 2022, we've seen numerous ways that WeVideo Classroom Editor has shown ways that it can support intrinsic motivation in our students. As we are looking to move beyond compliance to engagement in our classrooms, consider these 6 Intrinsic Motivators to Power up Your Teaching as written by Mike Anderson. Below, you’ll see a summary of the 6 Motivators, but you can access the entire article here . With access to the new WeVideo Classroom, teachers can utilize this tool, along with best practices, to power up student motivation. Autonomy We often hear students should have voice and choice, but I’d venture to include “informed” choices. These informed choices come about by students being aware of how they learn best, thus making the decision to demonstrate their learning in a way that works best for them. This could include product creation through the use of multimedia tools such as WeVideo. Belonging Simply grouping students is not enough to foster ...

Are  you struggling with getting students to complete classwork or homework? Maybe you are struggling with grading the same assignment 25+ times. Have you considered providing your students a choice in how they engage with the content and demonstrate their understanding? A simple way to provide students with an opportunity to make a choice in their own learning is with a choice board. What are Choice Boards? In a nutshell, it is a board comprised of squares that allow students some choice in their learning. Each square lists an activity students can complete, whether it is a concept or skill. This differentiated approach allows students to learn content or demonstrate their understanding in a way that interests them. Choice boards can be used in any subject and offer a variety of learning contexts for all learners. What are the benefits of using Choice Boards? Choice boards allow students to make their own choices, increasing intrinsic motivation. I am sure you are more motivated ...

Remember growing up playing with Legos or Lincoln Logs? Maybe you are one that still dabbles in building with Legos. Yes, we know there are many adults that build Legos and we are good with it. It taps into your creative side so we think it's great. This is pretty much what Minecraft is - a 3D world where our kids are building anything they imagine. Tune into the latest podcast episode and learn more about this game our kids are playing.  Available on Spotify I Heart Radio Google Podcast Amazon Music Anchor Resources: Podcast Transcript https://www.webwise.ie/parents/a-parents-guide-to-minecraft/   https://www.minecraft.net/en-us/about-minecraft

  Many Richland 2 employees had a chance to play around with MobileMind during our August in-service. The focus then was on learning about the district’s Responsible Use Procedures. But MobileMind is so much more than that! MobileMind is THE platform for any busy teacher who has a “need to know now” skills-based question!  Take a micro-course (usually less than 10 minutes) to learn… how to force copy a document for each student (so they don’t type on your master copy);  how to bring drawings / images into a Google Doc from Google Drawings; how to set up templates in your GMail or Classroom to save time when typing commonly-used phrases; OR how to use “Add-ons” to expedite turning a Google Doc into a Google Form … just to name a few! Not to mention: Learning paths to help you “Master a Google App” like Google Drive or Google Earth Badges to become a “Google Researcher” or a “Google Certified Educator!” Teachers can explore all that MobileMind has to offer by signing in ...