Integrating blended learning tools in secondary math

[email protected] This document can be found at: http://personalizinglearning.ca

Integrating Blended Learning Tools in Secondary Math This has been the year where the digital tools finally start to talk to each other. If you are feeling overwhelmed by all the different tools and going to a million different sites online, try using some of these tools to tie everything together. This “how-to” document will help you make use of some free, accessible tools to support your math class in a blended learning environment.

Overview: • D2L – the “glue” that holds all the tools together, an online classroom

Components could include: ! Course content/lessons ! Dropboxes to submit work ! Voice comments and feedback ! Quizzes

• Google Apps for Education (GAFE) or Google Drive integreated with D2L ! Collaborative documents ! Desmos graphs ! Geogebra graphs ! Spreadsheets ! Drawings

• Gizmos – integrated with D2L • Homework Help – integreated with D2L • Learn 360 videos – integrated with D2L

Extending the Opportunities – Taking it to the Next Level • Socrative quizzes • Creating remedial/catch-up work based on quiz assessments (individualized learning) • Embedding Media

o Voicethreads (students can record voice and writing on screen) o Video (youtube, Khan academy, vimeo, etc.) o Padlet (virtual cork board) o Mural.ly (virtual whiteboard/corkboard) o Quizlet (digital flash cards) o Slideshare (embedded slide presentations) o Voki (talking head/audio recording)

• CK-12 – create-your-own digital textbooks with practice opportunities


Part 1: Getting your D2L Classroom Set Up

• Log into D2L: http://scdsb.elearningontario.ca • Courses are automatically set up for each section you teach. • To activate your course follow the instructions on this document • To change the look of your class site, follow the instructions on this document

o At minimum, it is recommended that you activate the MSS or PSS template theme. Follow these instructions

• Your course is now active. Use this link to access great resources supporting you with using D2L - https://sites.google.com/site/lmsguides/ .

o You can add documents, create dropboxes for students to submit files, discussion forums, quizzes, etc.

o Email [email protected] for help with D2L o D2L is a very involved tool, ask for help and support.

Part 2: Getting Google Apps Set Up

• Use this resource to set up your SCDSB Google Apps for Education • Use this resource to see how a student can submit files into D2L from Google • This resource can help you use Google Forms to collect information from students • Google docs generally work well on most devices. However, the presentations do not

work on iPads • When you are in Google Drive you can choose to create a document, presentation, spreadsheet, form or drawing.

• You can choose to add apps like Desmos and Geogebra. Use this document to help you do that.


Part 3: Using Google Docs in Math • General google doc support: http://learn.googleapps.com/docs • Create documents, spreadsheets or presentations

Insert equation or drawing. Helpful in math class.

Part 4: Desmos

• Go to https://www.desmos.com/ or if you have added the desmos app (see part 2), you can simply go “Create” and then “desmos”

• Desmos generally works well on any internet device • General Desmos User Guide:

https://desmos.s3.amazonaws.com/Desmos_User_Guide.pdf • Log into Desmos using Google Account • Click on “untitled graph” and check off “send a copy to Google Drive” when saving file

• The graph is now saved as a PDF file in your Google Drive. It can be shared or uploaded to D2L as any file could be (for assessment).

TIP: Create a dropbox in D2L for graph submissions. Put the instructions and a link to desmos.com in the description of the dropbox. A one-stop shop for the learning activity.


Part 5: Geogebra • Go to: http://geogebraweb.appspot.com/app.html . • If you have added the Geogebra app to Google Drive (see part 2), you can go to

Google Drive and “create” and “geogebra”. • There are also apps for iPads, Google Play and Windows Tablets. • Login on the top right with your google account • When finished, click Save As

• Choose “Save to Google Drive”

• The file now shows up in your google drive and you right click it to share with someone or you can upload it to D2L in a dropbox.

In D2L:


Part 6: Gizmos *only work on laptops with flash

• Click on the Gizmos icon on the front page of your course. You will have to log in using your Gizmos account.

• If you do not have a Gizmos account, use this help document. Note: you will have to log into the SCDSB staff website to access that document (because it has secret codes in it)

• Be SURE to access Gizmos by clicking on the icon on the homepage of your D2L course (do not access it from the regular website or another course)

• Select “Create new one” to create a class

• A course matching your D2L course is automatically created

• Add gizmos to this class. See this help document here for gizmos support. TIPS:

- create a dropbox in D2L. In the instructions tell students which Gizmo to complete (one that you have added to your class already). They can submit the worksheet that goes with the gizmo to the dropbox.

- Direct students to click on the Gizmos icon on the front page of the D2L course. This will add them to your class and they will see the gizmos you select.


Part 7: Homework Help *only works on computers with flash

- Students can access Homework Help through D2L without knowing their OEN

- They should click on the HomeworkHelp icon on the front page of your course

- Their OEN will automatically populate and they just need to enter their date of birth to confirm the account creation.

- They can now access homework help easily through your D2L class anytime by clicking the link

Part 8: Learn 360 - A repository of educational videos - Use the “Learn 360 Link Generator” widget on your

homepage. - Click on the Learn 360 icon to enter and find the video

you like - Once you find the video you like, copy the last 6 digits

of the URL (web address) as circled in red below - Enter those 6 digits into the link generator - Click Generate Link - Copy the Link in the space below - Now, go to course content in D2L and “New’, “Create a Link”. Paste the link into the

space and save. - A new content piece that links directly to that video is created so that any student can

watch it from whatever device they have logged into D2L with


Taking it to the Next Level

Part A: Socrative - This tool allows you to create multiple choice or short answer quizzes that can be

accessed on any device. Sometimes it is worth using this tool instead of the D2L quiz function because you can project the class results and responses on the board. Great for generating conversation, sharing student thinking and taking up activities.

- Socrative User Guides can be accessed here: http://www.socrative.com/garden/?page_id=2

- You can share quizzes with other teachers. See this document for help on importing shared Grade 9 Applied EQAO practice multiple choice quizzes.

Part B: Using Standards to Support Differentiated Instruction - you can create quizzes that are connected to learning objects and goals - you can create content pages (extra help tutorials, interactive activities, videos, practice

problems, etc.) - you can set up “restrictions” on these extra help content pages so that depending on

how a student does on specific questions on a quiz, they show up in the students D2L course. If the student does fine one topic, no extra help content shows up. If they need help on one topic, extra help shows up.

- This takes quite some time to set up (contact me at [email protected] for help), but is well worth it to allow students to “pump up” their learning and mark in specific topics

- These modules that you create can be used year after year - If you want to see an example, I can share the Grade 9 Gap Closing material

diagnostics with you. Students complete quizzes on topics such as “Fractions”. If they need help with multiplying fractions they get the gap closing material in their D2L. If not, it doesn’t show up.

- This is an advanced feature, but well worth setting up to differentiate practice for students. Ask for help!


Part C: Embedding Media

- Embedding a Google Drive folder into D2L: http://youtu.be/9dkBoFJ_g_I - Embedding Padlet into D2L: http://youtu.be/HNVwpMHPkH8 - Embedding an OERB activity into D2L: http://youtu.be/XJ0cMXE1USY

You can embed anything with an embed code: - create a content page by going to

“content” and then ”new” and then “create a file”

- give your page a title and then click on the “insert stuff” icon (looks like play, pause, stop buttons)

- when the insert stuff box opens up, choose “Enter Embed Code’ on the left. Paste in the embed code and click next

- the media will now show up in the content page

- be sure to save your page


Things you may like to embed: Tool Description Link Resources Voicethread - upload images or

powerpoint and students and teachers can leave audio and written comments

www.voicethread.com http://voicethreadeducation.wikispaces.com/

Youtube - video www.youtube.com Padlet - cork board www.padlet.com http://youtu.be/HNVwpMH

PkH8 Mural.ly - cork board, whiteboard www.mural.ly Quizlet - flash cards www.quizlet.com http://quizlet.com/help SlideShare - embedded powerpoint www.slideshare.com http://help.slideshare.com/

home Voki - talking head with audio

recording www.voki.com https://docs.google.com/fil

e/d/0B7L_VqFVw5ZvT2RJWnZ3VUpxNU0/edit

Part D: CK12 Digital Textbooks - http://www.ck12.org/ - free - take chunks and chapters of a variety of pre-created content and make your own digital

textbook - edit content - add in interactive activities - add in practice that suits your students - help section: http://help.ck12.org/hc/en-us

Documents

Integrating blended learning tools in secondary math