Automated Systems Consulting, Inc.

Is Video Conferencing Making its Way into the Classroom?

Rom Jadotte — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 18:04:27 +0000

The answer is yes! In our current 21st century classroom setup, interactive boards have changed the way we learn and teach. The new wave of technology is bridging the gap from the interactive learning concept to video conferencing.

Benefits of Video Conferencing in the classroom

More and more individuals and organizations are beginning to realize the benefits this means of communication has to offer. Video conferencing can increase the ability to extend knowledge of their programs and engage in outreach efforts. Teachers can use this to communicate with experts in their field, from all over the world or enable students to participate in virtual field trips. Other educational options include, but are not limited to, providing students with a live look at science experiments and/or exposing them to other cultures that they would not otherwise have an opportunity to experience.

Perhaps the biggest advantage video conferencing has to offer is its ability to provide face to face communication and connect people anywhere in the world. This will dramatically increase man’s networking ability and our ability to explore, conquer, understand, learn and succeed for years to come.

Ideas for teachers:

-Bridge social norms and allow students to experience other cultures

- Embrace different languages and virtually break language barriers

- Organize field trips around the world

- Collaborate with other teachers using tools like go to meeting

- Parent meeting in virtual video conference classroom

How to Set Up Free Conference Calls

- FreeConferenceCall.com 24/7 Unlimited Free Conference Calls. Easy Sign Up Online

Equipment

The most common equipment needed for a video conference are: a web camera connected to a computer with Internet access; a head set or speakers; and a microphone. A digital projector and a multipoint connector (connects two or more people) are other gadgets that might be useful as well.

HD codec Camera setup

40 Inch or greater Plasma or LCD screen

- Www.lifesyze.com lifesyze 220 bundle

- www.polycom.com

In order to determine how much space you need for a video conference, determine how many people are involved, then find out how much room all your equipment occupies.
Network Capabilities
Video conferencing may consume a lot of band width. Make sure the network you are subscribed to can handle the traffic before beginning the conference. This will help ensure a smooth session. Example: Life Size 220 min requires120k for video hd quality.

Type of Conference

Point-to-point and multipoint are two common types of conferencing. Point-to-point involves using computer IP addresses to connect two people, whereas multipoint conferencing connects a party of two or more.

Software

There is a variety of conference software available for purchase. However, if cost is a factor, free applications (such as Skype) is a budget-friendly option for schools.

Resources

- http://www.ncih.net/operation/scheduling/resources.html

-http://mashable.com/2010/04/21/classroom-video-conferencing/

- http://mdvideoprod.com/twicevid.htm

Create a Successful Differentiated Class Environment

Laura Carter — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 15:22:20 +0000

What teacher doesn’t have to plan lessons for struggling and advanced students in the same classroom? This is one of the biggest challenges teachers face while trying to ensure each child receives individualized instruction to ensure they reach their full potential. Technology is one of the tools which can be used to plan creative, differentiated lessons to benefit students of all levels and learning styles in the same class. For ideas and helpful tips follow the link below:

http://daretodifferentiate.wikispaces.com/file/view/TechnologyAndDI.pdf

Blogging in the Classroom

Stephanie Querns — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 15:20:55 +0000

Blogging in the classroom can be somewhat tricky. Some school districts allow it, while others stay as far away from it as possible because of what students might say or how the public might perceive it. I believe, along with millions of other people, that technology is here to stay. If our schools are not using this technology to teach, our students are at a great disadvantage. I am sure other countries are using this everyday, and that may be why their students are outscoring ours. If you need ideas on how to use blogging in your classroom as a teaching tool, there are lots of ideas online! Google it! Here are a few I found as I was searching.

- Publish Children’s work from the classroom. Maybe artwork, stories, etc. Have the other students post comments (you may have to review what is and isn’t appropriate). This is an excellent way to critique a writing sample!

- Post online tutorials. This will aid in parents being able to help the student at home.

- Have students use Tagxedo or Wordle to create a survey question, and have the students rotate computers to answer several of their classmates’ survey questions, open-ended questions, or opinion questions.

- Have students use Voki.com to create and then embed a talking avatar onto a blog post. This can be an effective way for students to narrate a piece of work and enhance language skills.

- Use Wallwisher to get feedback from students on a certain topic, brainstorm ideas, and get students to express opinions.

- Use it as a place for parents to ask questions about class events.

- Student of the week spotlight.

- Create class video projects and post for others to see.

- Post games and slideshows.

- Use it to send messages to parents and students when they are absent from school.

- Embed educational videos for students to watch as extra work.

How I taught a class for the first time

Kerry Puckett — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 03:46:08 +0000

On March 14th, I walked into a classroom and as I was doing some service work the teacher began asking me some general questions about the interactive board. After I finished answering her questions, the students became curious. One of the students asked, “How does the board work?” The teacher didn’t think I’d have an answer for him but boy was she wrong!

My experience and certification provided me with the knowledge to answer the students question so I began describing the interior components of the board and explained how each part functions. After that, I explained how the image projects onto the surface and so on. So, when it was all said and done I conducted a two minute presentation on how the board works. By this point, the kids were so engaged with the explanation I think I could have jumped right into teaching math and they would have continued listening.

So, what do you think? Does this make me a teacher now? Ha ha!

32 Ways to use Google Apps in the Classroom

Laura Carter — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 14:08:55 +0000

Google Docs

1. Collaborate on lesson plans

2. Staff/grade level meeting notes

3. Shared lesson repository

4. Improve the writing process (more insight into the process, revision history). Teacher can publish on the site or share with whole class

5. Reading response journals

6. Translate letters for parents (translate to parents native language)

7. Track student homework and share with parents

8. Sign up sheets

9. Science experiments: more data and motion graphs

10. Flashcard gadget (centers)

Google Forms: enter data and it populates in google docs.

11. Formative and summative assessment: preassessment/post assessment

12. Interest Survey

13. Observation Form

14. Online reading records

15. Tracking Discipline referrals

16. Collect info from parents/teachers

17. Spelling tests/mult test/bonus

18. Collecting science data

Google Calendar

19. Share calendar (public & private calendar)

20. Overlay standard mapping…national holidays

21. Pacing Guides to keep track of lessons/standards

22. Scheduling shared resources ex. scheduling laptop cart, etc.

Gmail

23. Gmail lab, ex. undo sent, message translation (if an emails in Spanish it can be translated to English),

24. Global pen pals (with message translate)

Talk (Chat section/video chat)

25. Invite speakers into your classroom (guest lecturers only need a gmail acct, grandparents for story time)

26. Hold office hours on snow days (hold class when students can’t get to the school)

Google Sites

27. Class and school websites (can insert calendars, googledocs)

28. Student ePortfolios

29. Students project/reports (instead of trifolds)

30. Curriculum sharing

Beyond the Core suite….Bloggers

31. Run your class through bloggers (one to one class)

32. Extend class discussion through moderator ( what’s their takeaway, What did they like about class, Students evaluate and vote on opinions)

For full tutorial visit:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-AI1CNpa0rU&feature=relmfu

Have you restarted your computer today?

Laura Carter — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 12:15:50 +0000

The first thing you should do when you’re having a problem with your computer is to make sure you restart it. If you have an Interactive whiteboard or a Document Camera connected to the computer and either are not working properly, this is also a time when you should try restarting your computer. I make it a habit to restart at least once a day.

It is now a running joke with our service team. Most of the time when someone tells me something is not working I ask, “ Have you restarted your computer today?” Trust me…it will fix most of your problems.

The below info is brought to you by Yahoo

Question

How often should I reboot or restart my computer?

Answer

There is no minimum or maximum amount of times a computer should be restarted. Unless your computer is requesting that it be restarted or that it needs to reboot leaving your computer on without restarting will not harm the computer in anyway.
In addition to restarting or rebooting the computer when prompted it’s also a good troubleshooting step to restart your computer if it is experiencing issues that cannot be resolved. Often restarting the computer will fix many abnormal issues like the pens not working on your Interactive board.

Grant Writing…Is it worth it?

Stephanie Querns — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 16:23:58 +0000

Do you ever wonder who actually gets the grants you take so much time to fill out an application to receive? If you apply for them and are not one of the lucky few who receive them, then you probably don’t know who did (unless there is a website to go to for that information). Well, don’t give up on writing them!

I know how it feels to get the letter telling you that your grant wasn’t approved. I also know what it feels like to receive one. I taught for twelve years and had the amazing opportunity to receive a Promethean ActivClassroom through grant writing the last two years I taught. I must say that those were the best years I had as a teacher, and (IF I ever had to go back) I don’t know that I could go back into the classroom without having those pieces of technology.

There were a lot of teachers who didn’t bother writing the grant because they thought the actual products would be something else they would have to learn how to use and it would take too much time.

Did it take a lot of extra time that those hesitant teachers thought it would take? Yes, it took time to learn and time to prepare, but it was all worth it! Those teachers who were reluctant to try it even saw its potential and decided it might be worth the risk.

I wrote all of this to say – Take the time to write the grant. Don’t shrug off the idea of something new just because you may not be technology savvy and think it might take too much time to learn. Everything takes some time to learn, but you never know what you can do with it until you try using it!

Use Technology to Minimize Off-Task Behavior

Laura Carter — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 15:12:45 +0000

Student distractions and off-task behavior are problems for teachers more often than not. Teachers who use technology to teach daily lessons found positive changes in most of their students. Interest levels increased and negative behavior patterns decreased. To see the entire study follow the link below:

https://commons.kennesaw.edu/gpc/sites/commons.kennesaw.edu.gpc/files/Paper%20Vetter_0.pdf

Definition of plenum space

Rom Jadotte — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 18:21:37 +0000

A plenum space is a part of a building structure used as a pathway for AC return air flow. Space between the structural ceiling and the dropped ceiling may be used as plenum space and was done routinely in older buildings.

When to use PLENUM cabling?

If the space above the dropped ceiling is used for air return (without the use of air ducts) then the cabling in that ceiling needs to be plenum rated OR run through metal conduits to meet fire code specifications. This is usually the case for older buildings (20 years or more).

(The following contains pictures obtained from a Wikipedia article and is for informational purposes only)

When to use NON-PLENUM cabling?

Rom Jadotte — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 18:18:45 +0000

If the air supply AND return above the dropped ceiling is being circulated via air ducts then it is ok to use non-plenum cabling which costs much less than their plenum counterpart. This is usually the case is newer buildings.

(The following contains pictures obtained from a Wikipedia article and is for informational purposes only)