Cloud Computing and K-12 Classrooms

Cloud computing has taken the business world by storm. Climate controlled rooms full of servers are quickly being replaced by remote storage technology, whimsically referred to as “the cloud.” Over half of U.S. businesses use some form of cloud computing to back up their important data and improve productivity. Instead of trying to find the capital to pay for a secure server structure, businesses are subscribing to cloud services and paying for more storage as their needs grow.

The practical uses of cloud computing technology also translate to K-12 classrooms. Simply put, cloud storage saves space, money and time for teachers, parents, students and administrators. A report by CDW Government found that over 40 percent of schools use cloud applications to store their data and by 2016, schools are expected to spend 35 percent of IT budgets on the cloud. The savings add up though. Right now K-12 schools report that their cloud initiatives are saving them an average of 20 percent on IT costs. By 2016, those savings are expected to reach 27 percent.

So how exactly are K-12 schools using cloud computing and what are the benefits? Let’s take a look:

Stronger communication through access. Through K-12 cloud platforms like Edline, teachers have better communication with parents and students regarding assignments, tests and projects. Parents can log in from anywhere (including their phones or tablets) and instantly know how their kids are progressing. Teachers can post important messages and keep an archive of completed work in one spot. Depending on the school, cloud forums may even allow parents and students to contribute in the application for a two-way dialogue.

Disaster planning. Schools collect a lot of information on their students and that data impacts decisions and the well-being of the kids. It takes a lot of time to build student databases and maintain them. If a man-made or natural disaster threatened the physical location of school records, whether hard copies or stored on servers, it could mean a catastrophe when it comes to student information. Using cloud computing ensures that student records are secure and accessible, no matter what happens to the physical school building.

One-stop shopping. Cloud platforms are able to bring together data pools that were previously unconnected so that educators and administrators have everything they need in one spot. Since there is no physical equipment that schools must purchase to get started with cloud computing, there is also a pay-as-you-go mentality. Schools do not need to pay upfront for infrastructure and can add cloud storage as their needs increase. It saves money, space, time and other resources.

Fast recovery of data. If you’ve ever experienced a server crash on a personal or professional level, it can be a long time while you wait for your information to come back. Cloud-based businesses recover data quickly and often handle any technical issues that might arise in a “crash” situation. A word that is often associated with all cloud applications is “redundancy” because the technology eliminates any chance of single-point failure.

Some peripheral benefits of cloud computing are decreased energy costs and high security features to ensure protection and privacy of student information. As K-12 schools move toward cloud computing, student information will be better preserved and shared content more accessible. While use of the cloud does not have a large direct impact on classroom activities it does improve teaching efficiency overall. It also has long-term savings attached which is always a bonus when it comes to K-12 technology spending.

Does your school use the cloud yet? If so, how has it improved your school efficiency?

 

 

3 Ways Mobile Technology Boosts Instruction

The conversation about the benefits of mobile technology is often centered on students. What do students get out of adopting mobile technology?

But shouldn’t there also be a discussion about educator preference? After all, an Education Market Research post shows that educator enjoyment of technology is a major contributing factor to its ever-growing use in the classroom.

The debate is always student-centric but for these students to excel, teachers need to thrive too. This means administrative plans beyond simply purchasing mobile devices, or implementing bring-your-device policies that include teacher empowerment of the technology.

Mobile technology has potential to change the student-teacher dynamic for the better but only if implemented correctly. Here are a few ways I think all teachers can benefit from smart mobile technology use:

  1. Higher engagement levels. At least at the outset, use of mobile technology in K-12 classrooms will mean more students are interested in the class material. It remains to be seen what will happen once the novelty effect wears off, but perhaps by then mobile learning will be even more advanced than it is today, capturing students’ attention in new ways. Part of the interest in mobile learning from students’ perspectives is the flashy, fun element but the bigger attraction is empowerment. Lessons leave the blackboard and take place at the desk, giving students more control over it. Higher engagement from K-12 students who use mobile technology is a direct result of a feeling of ownership on the part of the student, whether perceived or not.
  2. Convenient progress tracking. Mobile education applications keep electronic records of where students succeed and where they need more help. This provides a great service to teachers who lack the time and resources to create customized learning plans based on student work profiles (though there are certainly some teachers who do put in this time, painstakingly). When students learn through mobile technology, teachers benefit from the convenient reporting. There is no guesswork on what skills need sharpening, particularly in areas like math. If an entire class population is struggling with a skill, the technology reporting signals to the teacher that the topic needs to be revisited. On the flip side, excess time is not spent on topic areas that are already learned.
  3. Less paperwork. Mobile learning gives copy machines a break and amounts to less paperwork for teachers. Instead of students waiting for an in-class assignment to be graded and then redone, mobile applications allow immediate opportunities to try again. This is a practical perk of mobile learning but one that makes the teaching AND learning process less cumbersome. In addition to less loose papers, mobile technology limits the amount of textbooks and other hard class materials that need to be carried around and stored in classrooms.

Anything that makes educators’ jobs a little easier, without sacrificing student achievement, benefits K-12 learning as a whole. The discussion of mobile technology in classrooms as it relates to students is vital but the teaching aspect matters a lot too. Schools need to provide resources for teachers to feel comfortable teaching though in mobile technology formats. This needs to happen in order for educators to really notice the positive impact it makes on their jobs.

How do you think mobile technology positively change the teaching profession?

 

Teachers: How to Use Google Drive

By Catlin Tucker

For teachers who are just getting started with Google, Google Drive can be intimidating! In preparation for a Google training, I’ve put together a short explanation of Google Drive and its basic features. Although an increasing number of people have a Gmail account, I run into teachers all the time who are not sure what Google Drive is or how it works.

Google Drive is like a big virtual bucket! It’s where everything you create with Google apps–documents, forms, sheets, slides, drawing–are stored. And unlike a traditional word processing document, you never need to click “Save”…EVER.  Your work is automatically saved every 5 seconds (or so).

Google Drive comes with 15 GB of free storage, so you can save files, photos, and videos. You can access any file in your Google Drive from any device as long as you have internet access. This means you are no longer tethered to a piece of hardware. You can open, edit and share files from any device that can get online.

For those with unreliable internet access, you can also install Google Drive onto your devices and work offline. Then when you are back online, your devices will sync and store your work!

Here are some screenshots to help you navigate your Google Drive.

Organize your files in whatever order makes sense to you. You can limit your view to the files you’ve created, the files that have been shared with you or the files that have been most recently edited. This makes it easy to locate the files you’re looking for.

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Click on a file or folder and check out the “More actions” icon (3 vertical dots) to manage your documents more easily.

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Enjoy total transparency with the “View Details” icon (black circle with the letter “i” in the middle). Simply click on a file or folder and see all of the activity associated with it. You can see when documents were created, when they were edited, and who edited them!

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Last, but not least, you can insert files, photos and videos directly from Google Drive into your emails.

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If you use Google Drive and have tips to share, please post a comment!

 

This post originally appeared on Catlin Tucker: Blended Learning & Technology in the Classroom and was republished with permission. 

 

Digital Doom? 3 Effects of Texting and Tweeting on Students’ Writing Skills

Internet and cell phone cultures have brought a whole new meaning to American slang. Not only are kids these days speaking informally, but now those relaxed rules of grammar are sneaking into written words too.

This is probably not surprising at all, but do you know just how much this culture has affected our students’ writing skills? Fortunately, I have three research-backed results to show you.

1. Students can no longer tell the difference between formal and informal writing: The Pew Research Center’s Internet and American Life project asked middle and high school educators about their thoughts on digital tools and the impact on student writing. The biggest problem with these digital avenues of composition, according to surveyed teachers, is the blurring of lines between formal and informal writing. Abbreviations are common, particularly on platforms like Twitter that have a 140-character limit. Most smartphones now have no limits on texting characters, but students that owned phones with the 160-character limits of just a few years ago have already formed short, abbreviated habits. In the digital realm, short and sweet is the key – even if a grammar, punctuation and writing formalities fall by the wayside. The same is not true of educational writing pursuits though, as K-12 writing instructors must prepare students for the demands of strong, professional writing in college and the workplace.

2. But at least they are more creative: Over two-thirds of the respondents said that writing platforms provided through Internet and cell phone use have improved student creativity. Students also have more outlets for collaboration which encourages improvement and “putting it out there” in terms of writing that may have been closeted to notebooks or diaries in pre-Internet generations.

3. Even after graduating college, young adults cannot write. A report released by the Partnership for 21st Century Skills found that over 26 percent of college graduates have deficient writing skills. These findings were not based on graduation assessment exams, but compiled by interviewing actual employers. These employers said that many college-educated employees could not even accomplish the basic writing tasks of the job proficiently. How are these students earning college degrees if their writing is not up to par though? With the average U.S. student accruing $35,200 in college debt, it would seem learning the basics of writing, at least above a “deficient” level, would be a given takeaway.

The deficiency is not the fault of the colleges and universities though, at least not totally. Students are showing up for college without the skills needed to write well and with schools assuming they already know the basics. The 2011 book Academically Adrift found that less than half college students felt their writing had improved at all in college. Less than half also said they were never required to write a paper longer than 20 pages. In a nutshell, the writing proficiency that half of these students exhibited as seniors in high school was the same four years later, despite the so-called rigors and high cost associated with a college education.

While colleges could certainly take a hint from these numbers, the work of remedial writing education is not the responsibility of colleges. It falls on the teachers that come long before the adult years. These teachers face an uphill battle though, especially in an age where formal writing is often confused with everyday communication. The tools for creativity in the writing process may be better than ever, but the constraints of digital communication are hurting students’ composition and their attention spans too.

How can students who have essentially made a lifestyle of short, segmented, slang-ridden writing conform to the formal communication still expected in the real world? It starts with teachers who set high standards and do not waver. In the long run, the fear of losing a student’s interest by insisting on high writing standards is a small one compared to the implications of college graduates viewed as writing-deficient by the people who sign their paychecks.

How can K-12 teachers win out against the negative impact of digital communication on formal writing? Please share your thoughts.

10 Ways that Edtech is Transforming Education

Technology has greatly impacted the way we do things—from how we shop for basic necessities to how we conduct business with people around the world. It’s no wonder that technology has altered education, too. In fact, here are 10 ways that edtech has changed education.

Communication

Through email and text messages, teachers communicate with parents and students faster and easier. Teachers can send out homework reminders, progress reports, and assignments with the touch of a button. The increased level of communication helps parents stay informed about their children’s schooling and students stay informed on what assignments are due.

Differentiated Instruction

Teachers need to figure out how to serve students on multiple levels of understanding. Differentiated instruction is difficult and time-consuming. However, it’s necessary to challenge advanced students and aid struggling ones. Edtech assists with differentiated instruction through software programs and mobile applications. Many of these programs have multiple levels to help cater to each student’s needs.

Classroom Inclusion

Speaking of serving each student, teachers must meet the needs of students with IEPs. When students with learning disabilities spend time in a mainstream class, teachers need to figure out how to include them in the lesson. How can they do this? Through technology. For example, if it’s difficult for students to listen to lectures, they can watch a video or play a learning game that can teach them the information. If a student has a hard time writing on their own, they can use technology to record their notes. Technology opens up a wide range of options for accommodations that teachers can utilize in their lessons.

Interactive Lessons

One of the best ways to prevent classroom management issues is through creating engaging activities. Technology unlocks a wide range of interactive possibilities. Tablets, laptops, and computers in the classroom are just the beginning. Higher education institutions also use robotics, 3D printing, virtual reality, and wearable technology. As these and other advances become more readily available, elementary and secondary schools will have access to new technology that can make lessons more interactive and engaging for students.

Connectivity

Before the Internet and email, students wrote letters to pen pals from around the world. Then, they waited weeks or months to hear back from them. Now, students email their pen pals and connect with them on social media sites. Better yet, they talk to them face-to-face through programs like Skype and Google Chat. This can be a great way to open students’ eyes to other cultures and ideas.

Video Streaming

Videos make ideas come alive. It’s one thing to teach students about how a volcano erupts, but it’s better to show them a volcano erupting. With YouTube, TED Talks, and other online resources, there are thousands of videos available to share. These videos enhance lessons and deepen students’ understanding.

Collaboration

Through the Internet, teachers and students can connect more than ever before. Websites like Teachers Pay Teachers even allow teachers to share their ideas, lesson plans, worksheets, and more with one another. With the amount of resources available, it’s unnecessary for teachers to spend as much time creating new material to use in the classroom. Then, teachers can spend more time on continuing education opportunities, which are also available online.

Distance Learning

No longer do students need to ever set foot on campus to receive their education. Through technology, students can take classes anywhere with an Internet connection. This is true for elementary school students through college students. They can even attend an online high school with instructors or collaborate with classmates from around the world.

Resource Accessibility

Technology offers electronic books, mobile applications, and lots of other resources that schools can purchase at a lower cost. Schools have greater flexibility in the resources they choose, and they can easily update them throughout the years, as needed.

Student Motivation

Students are growing up with the need for instant gratification. They want immediate results, which technology can provide. As an added bonus, learning and mastering technology can also build students’ self-esteem.

Education technology is constantly evolving and we need to be able to evolve with it.