Our PTP cohort met last night via Google Hangout to talk about successes from 1st semester, areas of improvement, and goals for 2nd semester. As AP teachers, we were all feeling the crunch impending for the 2nd semester as we make our way to May and the AP exams. Where as in the fall, we had more time to play with different types of technology and creating new and innovative lessons, as the spring approaches we are all reminded of the vast amount of information still to cover as well as all of the test preparation still to go. Most of our meeting last night was spent discussing what tools we thought would be the "best" to focus on that the AP students would really benefit from gaining a better understanding of use, that would be practical, and also which would coincide with the materials we still had to cover. Collectively as a group we decided to explore more ways to use Google Drive in our classrooms to maximize efficiency and really train the student how to better organize their own digital lives through Google Drive. I breathed a sigh of relief after this meeting because sometimes we get caught up in playing with the "Coolest" tools that we lose sight of whether they were practical or not. I really feel that exploring more ways to use Google Drive and Apps this semester is a strong choice for us.
For our next meeting, we are going to each bring an idea or way to incorporate a tools in Google Drive or Apps into our classes to begin building our arsenal of strategies.
As the leader of the cohort, I'm going to compile a Symbaloo of resources and materials that we can use as a go-to when getting ready to design lessons using Google Drive.
One of the biggest challenges as an AP teacher is finding meaningful ways to utilize technology in the classroom. So many times I see AP teachers who are utilizing the Substitution model of technology and not really improving instruction.
ReplyDeleteAlso — you trying to hook me up with that symbaloo?