Overview of websites discussed on June 19

This is an overview of sites discussed at the "Organizing Your Classroom on the Cloud" presentation for the Celebration of History conference at the Bridgeport Conference Center on June 19, 2013.

• Twitter:  www.twitter.com
• Social Studies Chat Ning
• Edmodo
• Schoology
• LiveBinders
• Quizlet
• EasyNoteCards
• Dropbox
• SugarSync
• Dropvox
• TinyScan
• InstaGrok
• SchoolTube
• TeacherTube

You can contact Mr. Zukowski by email  at rzukowsk@access.k12.wv.us, richzukowski@gmail.com, Google+, and Twitter @richzukowski.

A new research tool in InstaGrok

Are you looking for a research tool that gives you a different way to show you results?  InstaGrok may be your answer.  InstaGrok gives you the opportunity to "Grok" your search.  Results are shown in a web graph format that shows relationships of your results to subtopics.  If you click each bubble, you can explore the topics even more.
InstaGrok also gives you key facts related to the topics, websites, images, and videos that are related to the topic you have searched.  It will also create a quick quiz related to the search and a glossary of terms.  Those using InstaGrok can created a journal that will collect information from the searches in a Word-document like format that can be printed out, saved, or emailed to someone.
Everyone can create a free account and be able to keep track of your own searches.  Educators are able to purchase the ability to have students be part of the teacher accounts where the teacher can see history of  the research the student has conducted.  Students are separated by classes.
There are many ways to use the information you obtain on InstaGrok and it can be a great addition to your teaching tools.

Review from Edudemic of InstaGrok

What can I do with Dropbox?

Dropbox is a versitle application   It is web-based, yet you can create a folder in your computer that you can access to it online and share files through the cloud.   It is also used by many applications on iOS to upload or download files.  I am g
oing to show you a couple of Dropbox aligned applications that I use to help my instruction.

The first is TinyScan.  This is a iOS app that is used to scan documents, books, and pages in black and white, color, or grayscale.  You can create a PDF document that has many pages and name the files on the application.  This is a useful tool that you do not need to have a scanner nearby or do not want to play around with a scanner and it will automatically upload the file to the TinyScan folder in your Dropbox account.

The other application I use is called Dropvox.  "Vox" refers to the ability to create sound files that are then uploaded to the Dropbox account.  This is a sound recording application that is different from voice memos on the iPhone because it automatically uploads to Dropbox rather than either sending it as a message or an email.  Once it uploads through Dropbox, I can rename the audio file and place where I want to use it.  This is very useful for me to create audio recording for tests read aloud and the student has access to the file or for students to use the Dropvox app to recording projects.

These are just a couple of apps that I use to tie into my Dropbox account I feel that are useful in my instruction.  Here are some websites that may help you use Dropbox:

http://plpnetwork.com/2012/08/10/dropbox-a-superb-classroom-tool/
http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/10-apps-dropbox/
http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/3984-25-Apps-for-Dropbox 
http://edtech.keuka.edu/dropbox-web-apps/

Now where did I put this...?

I am notorious for having messy desk, but it has its own chaotic organization as long as someone else doesn't move anything.  But it may take a while to locate some things.  So many times I make sure I put notes aside for future use.  Now I have the ability to keep the notes electronically through a site/app called Evernote.  This app keeps notes and files handy for you in the cloud.  I can type in a note that I want to keep for the future, website URLs can be placed in the note, drag files into the note, create tags for notes, or whatever information I want to include.  You can even use its search function that will search titles, tags, and the text of the note and in the files that you may have added.

There are several ways to view notes within Evernote.  You can view notes as a list, by the different notebooks that you have added, and the tags.  Evernote is also an umbrella company that has apps such as Skitch, Penultimate, Evernote Food, and Evernote Peek, all of which have iOS apps and Android apps that will send notes to your Evernote account.

The way I use Evernote for my profession is that I will log into a website that I would like to remember.  I just copy the URL and put some tags in such as educational blogs that I follow.  I also use this as a place where I can put some hints to different usernames and passwords (not the actual passwords) to different websites.  I can access my smart phone and utilize the app and search for the notes.  I also made notes and copied emails that confirms my flights, hotels,  reservations, and workshop details to different workshops this summer so I won't have to try to search my email to find specific information within emails.

There are web-based apps, iOS, Android, and Windows 8 apps available for Evernote.

Web Log In Screen

View of the Web Account Logged In

View of the Apple Mac App

I've finally cleaned out my file cabinet and replaced it with this

I have been in my current school for four years now and haven't really cleaned out the materials left behind by the previous teacher until the past month.  I have pitched items that were part of the previous three textbook adoption cycles (including all of the samples from companies that weren't adopted) and my classroom, cabinets, and files are pretty empty right now.

Are the file cabinets going to filled back up anytime.  For me, probably not due to the current format of resources that are available to us now.  Most instructional materials are in the form of files on CD that we print off or are web-based.  I have been using a tool for a couple of years that have organized materials for instruction and have been a great resource to isolate supplemental materials for students.

This web-tool is LiveBinders.  It is billed as you 3-ring binder on the web that would have been lost in file cabinets.  LiveBinders.com is a free website that allows people, not just educators, to create binders for specific topics to link other website, put in pictures, attach files, etc. to customize instruction to your liking.  You can create tabs and subtabs for the binders and even color code for increased customization.  Each binder is located on a shelf.  The shelves can be public or private.  There are many public shelves that can be searched within the website and you can add them to your own shelf.  

I have created binders for the textbooks I have been using.  We were towards the end of our instructional material adoption and I gathered supplemental sources via web and files to my binder.  I organized the materials by chapter.  I was able to share the binder with my students and have them complete assignments using a specific chapter or content.  Such assignments that I created were scavenger hunt activities, researching topics using the links, and find information to expand on what was included in the text. I also added links to students own blogs that I have them complete for my classes to the specific class binder so the students are able to view those blogs without having to have the specific link.

Holt World History:  The Human Journey 
Edwards Government in America

We have adopted new instructional materials for the next school year and I plan to make a new LiveBinder for my new textbooks.  I will also make sure that the weblinks are still "live" and active.

Using LiveBinders is a way for educators to create customized web-based instruction that allows students to use specific sites and activities located on the binder.  There are also many binders with a variety of topics that can aid your instruction and you can "adopt" and place on your shelf.  I have been using the free basic functions and it seems to be sufficient for my instruction so far.  There are pay options to uploads large file sizes.  This is an easy to use website and functions well for my instruction. There is an iPad app available for LiveBinders on the Apple App Store.  There is not currently a version for the iPhone.

The most effective web-tool in my classroom is...

The most effective web-tool in my classroom is Edmodo.com and it is much more effeceint than other platforms such as EdLine.  I pretty much eliminated the use of EdLine except to post grades via GradeQuick.  Edmodo is much more efficient due to the fact that you can make changes at the level you are working at rather than five levels deep.  Edmodo is formatted like Facebook and the students recognize this.  The students are able to communicate with one another but the teacher can adjust settings to allow full communications between students or to read-only.  I tell my students that they have many other platforms to communicate with one another in regards to aspects of life outside of class.


On the first couple days of school I get my students on the laptop lab and have them log onto Edmodo. As a teacher, you create classes and in turn it give you are group code for specific classes that you give to your students.  Initially the students will sign up by creating a username and password and they would submit the group code at this time.  There is no need for the teacher to create a roster.  If the students follow the steps correctly, the roster creates itself.  Also, as a teacher you have access to the members of the class and their usernames, but you do not have access to passwords.  It gives students the responsibility to know their password.  The teacher also has the option to change a password and tell the student that this is temporary password and they need to change it on their own.  Once a student has an account on Edmodo, they can use a group code from another teacher to use on the same account.

How do I use Edmodo:

• Post documents, photos, web links, and other files to students as a whole class, group, or individual students
• If a student is absent, I can send a note to the student about what they had missed in class that day.  The student can check at home in the evening and be ready the next day.
• Add website and documents to the library to keep as safekeeping
• Create assignments for students to complete online and submit via Edmodo
• Assign activities and notices for specific groups of students
• Create multiple choice or short answer quizzes that is graded by Edmodo
• Create small groups
• Network with other teachers from other parts of the nation and even the world
• Join communities of educators that have similar interests as you 
• Observe recent activity to see which specific students have opened certain assignments
• Create and assign badges to students as incentives to complete tasks
• Encourage parents to get involved by giving them a link to see what their child sees on Edmodo
• Add grades and effectively use it as a gradebook
• Use the Planner (calendar) to post future tasks and assignments for entire classes, groups, or individual students
• Use the Planner daily to post prompts for Question of the Day (example:  bellringers) for those students who are absent or neglect to complete the task

In recent months, Edmodo has added apps.  Some of the apps are free and many cost money.  I would tell you to do a search and find ones you think would be effective for your instruction, but otherwise save your money.

As a teacher, I use Edmodo on a daily basis, even many times a day.  I use this as a communication tool for my students and as a way to distribute content.  I try to post PowerPoints, notes, video links, or photos that were part of the day's instruction on a daily basis so students have access to it.

The students do not use Edmodo on a daily basis, but when I do make a post, the students' account will by default alert them by email that something has been posted for them.  The students usually access Edmodo as part of instruction on average once a week.  There are some weeks they do not use it in class, and some weeks they use it every day.

Edmodo gives teachers the opportunity to customize the way they communicate to students at no cost.  Students need to be able to access specific information for their classes and this is the perfect platform as this.  There are other websites such as Edmodo, but this is a site that I have used for 2 years and it has evolved to serve my needs.

You can use this website on any web browser and check the Apple App Store for iOS app for iPad and iPhone and the Google Play Store for use on Android devices.  These apps are not as full-featured as the web browser version.

Are you tired of professional development that has no relevance to you?

You probably have asked this question many times in your professional life.  Today, there is a way to make professional development relavent to what you want to know more about  The tool to use is Twitter.  Many teachers see Twitter as a mechanism for students to make comments, but the educational  technology community has embraced Twitter as a resource to benefit teachers of all subject areas and specific subject areas.

First of all, what is Twitter?  Twitter is a web-based social media application that is limited to 140 characters.  You can create short comments abouta topic and even include links to websites.

I have a teacher friend that asked on Facebook who just opened a Twitter account and she asked if anyone over the age of 40 uses Twitter.  I automatically replied with "You can use it for Professional Development."

How can we use Twitter for professional development?  By the use of pound signs (#) we can create hashtags to signify a specific topic or a specific community that the comments or discussion is geared towards.  In the educational community there are many hashtags that are used.  There is #SSChat for Social Studies teachers, #EngChat for English teachers, and so forth.  Most of the educational community have specific chat times each week.  The community for Social Studies teachers is Monday evenings at 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Eastern time each week.  There is also a Social Studies Chat Ning website that you can see a log of past discussions.

I have found many resources by using Twitter.  There are many educators that I have followed that are nationally respected in their field of study or in their schools.  They will post research, their experiences in the classroom, new discoveries, or even a joke every once in a while.

By following these people, you are creating your own personal professional development plan based around what you are interested in.

If you would like to follow me on Twitter, search for @richzukowski and add me as a follower and I will add you back.

This is a link from a website from Jerry Blumgarten who is known on the internet and Twitter community as "Cybraryman" due to his extensive website cataloging many aspects of education and techonology.   He is a retired librarian in the New York Public School system and has retired to Florida, but has continued to make great contributions to education into his retirement.  This link refers to using Twitter as professional development and in the classroom.
http://cybraryman.com/twitter.html

Search on Twitter for #SSChat:  https://twitter.com/search?q=%23sschat&src=typd
Twitter Chats for Education and the Moderators that Make Them Rock

I have been Tweeting from this conference using the hashtag #WVCofH

22 Effective Ways To Use Twitter In The Classroom

When you do find a technology that you would like to try, use it on a small sample class like a resource/reteach class.  If you find it useful, share with another teacher in your building or your district and hopefully you and your colleagues can share the resources by word of mouth.

Introduction to Richard Zukowski

Richard Zukowski is a Social Studies teacher at Grafton High School in Grafton, West Virginia.  He just finished his fourth year teaching World History, Media Productions, and AP American Government and Politics at GHS.  Prior to Grafton High School, he had taught West Virginia Studies at Taylor County Middle School and was a Special Education teacher at Taylor County Middle School and various elementary schools in Marion and Taylor counties.  He has also taught college level American History classes for Pierpont Community and Technical College as an adjunct professor.

Mr. Zukowski has Bachelor's and Master's degree from West Virginia University in Morgantown, West Virginia.  He has endorsements in West Virginia in Social Studies (5-12), Specific Learning Disabilities, Behavior Disorders, Mental Impairments, Autism, as well as Principal endorsement.

Mr. Zukowski has incorpated many web-based applications into his classroom at Grafton High School.  He has the belief that students are not expected to know every bit of material, but they need to know how to access information and utilize it to create a product.  The following chart is how technology should be utilized in our classroom and our world:

This is the foundation of this blog.  Mr. Zukowski is going to sample some web-based applications on this blog and explain how he used it in his classroom.  Viewers of this blog are welcome to take his ideas and use them in their own classrooms and feel free to make comments about each topic.

You can contact Mr. Zukowski by email  at rzukowsk@access.k12.wv.us, richzukowski@gmail.com, Google+, and Twitter @richzukowski.