How I see it... #Life #God #Salvation #Humans

My Facebook friends are looking forward to the end of my Spring Break, I'm sure... But, I wanted to share a comment I made on another friend's post because, really, it sums up who I am and how I see things:

I find it curious that Christians are often berated for posting things to their own walls, expressing their own beliefs. Yet, how many Muslims are done the same way? How many atheists? It doesn't matter what anyone else thinks regarding what you post to your own wall, but for what it's worth, I applaud your conviction and your exercising the freedom of expressing your religious beliefs.

As for God not being bound by logic or reason, well, He is not bound by human logic and reasoning. Humans are so infinitely limited in our own wisdom, logic, and reasoning. We purport to be able to think beyond anything we can think of, but really, we are limited by what we see (literally and in the mind's-eye), what we think we see, and what we imagine we see (in religion, in science, in life).

(source: http://picturescollage.com/earth/)

Humans are so conceited, we think our actions on this Earth actually have some bearing on the grand scheme of things (always supposing there is one). Nothing we do here is bigger than the earth itself can't fix. Once we are no longer messing things up, the earth will recover in a matter of centuries. And in a millenium, few traces of humans will even remain. In Christian terms, this is where the end of times comes into play - a new Heaven and a new Earth. Other religions have their own take on this, and heck even NASA just backed a study about the "end" of the world as we know it.

I hate that (his) experience with being saved was such a negative one. Being saved is easy. All one has to do is look to the criminals on the cross at the crucifixion. All one had to do was believe Jesus is the Christ. No baptism. No speaking in tongues. No "good works." Just belief.

(source: http://www.artsunlight.com/NN/N-R0001/N-R0001-376-christ-on-the-cross-between-the-two-thieves-pierced-with-a-lance.jpg#Christ%20on%20the%20cross)

In the end, we all die. What happens to us after that moment is of no real consequence to any other person on this planet. So, if I die and nothing happens to me, what have I lost? Nothing. If someone else dies and they go to Hell, what have I lost? Nothing. If I die, and go to Heaven, I have gained everything. If someone else dies and they go to Hell, they have lost everything. As a believer, I see it as my responsibility to tell people about Jesus (including the parts people don't like to talk about - for example, his knack as a young boy to strike people down and/or cause them to wither) and of God and of Heaven and Salvation. But, ultimately, it is each person's choice to decide what he/she wants to decide. It is not my place to judge anyone for anything (though I suppose Jury Duty does put a damper on that).

I just believe one's life could be so much better if one were to read the promises of God, study, pray about them (even when one is not sure how/what to pray), and understand that we humans are faced with things that will never be explained - not through science nor prayer nor study - to our limited satisfaction. Our greatest gift and curse is that of free will. So, if you are reading this and you don't know the salvation of Christ, I pray you find that one day. But, should you never find it, then I wish you all the best this life has to offer you.

George Lieux #tie14 arktie#2014

George Lieux #tie14 arktie#2014

Linoit - We used Linoit.com to post takeaways about previous sessions.

For student use: anonymous assessment. Exit slips - Different colors could mean different things. Green - learned, yellow - something not sure of, red - did not understand, etc

Connected learning is agnostic in the delivery and resources used. Connect learning to real-world engagement. This is not new, but we now have tools that make it much more accessible. Widening gap between "haves" and "have-nots."  The inequity is expanding even though the technology itself is much more prolific because students do not have access to the technologies and opportunities.

Padlet - padlet.com Double-click to add your post to the wall. This used to be WallWisher.

SAMR model for technology integration. Info: http://www.schrockguide.net/samr.html

S - Substitution, tech just replaces something you are already using
A - Augmentation, tech enhances something the students were doing, but not replace the task
M - Modification, tech allows major task redesign around the heart of the initial task (writing a collaborative essay instead of a single-author essay, edit cycles, etc)
R - Redefinition, tech allows for creation of new tasks made possible by the new technology. Essay now changes into video or digital storytelling and then students become mentors to other students.

We viewed several different videos and then talked in groups about where on the SAMR scale the sample lessons fell.

Hackpad - hackpad.com - Collaborative board site.

Looking at unit development:
McKenzie's Questioning Toolkit - http://fno.org/nov97/toolkit.html

LessonWriter.com - Helps create lessons.

Diigo group for Graphic Organizers: https://groups.diigo.com/group/graphic-organizers-fsps

Assessments: http://learninginhand.com/blog/show-what-you-know-using-web-mobile-apps-infographic.html

How do we know they learned "it?"
https://docs.google.com/drawings/d/1UAb9w_L5fhp6HGIzPFesVqPEVCw6Grn1Rco7-JtF4i0/edit

How will they learn "it?"
https://docs.google.com/drawings/d/1lkMjceWfqeiHHmI0ufwBHyPvLC2H5g1RH1IlF1BGwLI/edit

Sites with lesson plans:
https://docs.google.com/drawings/d/1t3XaOcvbcpuoow58VKumcTXjcWrt_RBciIYRWpmHl9U/edit

TIMS - Tech Integration Matrix

We used a Moodle course that George created called "Reduce Stress from TESS" (TESS is the new teacher evaluation system in place in Arkansas): http://swaecmoodle.k12.ar.us/course/view.php?id=8 - the passcode is: TESS

Richard Byrne #tie14 #arktie2014

Richard Byrne #tie14 #arktie2014

Google Preso in which participants added images and questions students should try to solve:
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1-8SW4VOiG8mzetHLxD3M4tHfYjK9Gi2Jis7y4ycQFf8/edit#slide=id.g1c9cff962_30

Worksheet in using primary sources, wikipedia, etc:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Z-vO0HsJPYp-MSuM96VoTMnkbnZ36E_YJeAHUZBNtUw/edit

What are some things left out of secondary sources? Very good to use with videos, especially. Ex: Crash Course Odyssey.  What was left out? What was emphasized that maybe shouldn't have been?

CloseTalks:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1u0OBhP4GLnKsEvJoqM4jnFkFHb2Se9nlV3vxMigJI2c/edit

Allow your students to make comments as they read the article and have class discussions.

Can use primary source documents - interpretation and its role within a document. Stamp Act, for example. What does it say and how was it manipulated through interpretation?

Video project:
- Develops research skills
- Develops organization and planning skills
- Creates engaging demonstration of skills and knowledge

Engagement, Accessibility, Community

Types of video projects: Documentary, Instructional (quick overview of a unit, ex), Creative/Entertainment

Nextvista.org - Share videos. All videos must TEACH a lesson.
Black Death in 90 seconds
My Name is Michael

Public Domain, Fair Use, Creative Commons. Ideally use something student(s) create(s). Otherwise, get permission, find public domain or creative commons and worst-case Fair Use.

Home-grown
Public Domain
Creative Commons
Fair Use
("Harry Potter Can Fly")

Video creation: http://richardbyrnepresents.com/?page_id=36
-- Animoto.com - Short story (about students as intro), biographies of other people (Presidents, ex) - Why did we choose certain pics? What text can support images? Music: What are we using and why?

-- YouTube Photo Slideshow. Sign in, click Upload. Photo Slideshow. Add photos, pick music, choose audience (public, unlisted, private).

YouTube annotations to create hotlinks to other videos (video choose your own adventures!). Video manager, pick video, edit, annotations. Add annotation (choose type), add text, click Link and enter the url to another of YOUR videos.

WeVideo.com - Online video editor. Free and integrates with Google Drive accounts. Save other media for use in multiple projects. Limits: Can export 15 minutes of video per month. Watermark on video. Use fullscreen to see all the tracks.

Google Maps "thing" - Mapmaking with Google Maps.
Gear icon lower right, My Places, Create a map.
Up to 3 layers on each map for free. Can have different people work on different layers in same map (like google docs)

Can use a spreadsheet. Must have location (lat, lon or city,state) and place name.

Have students map out items related to class. Ex: key events in Revolutionary War; Locations of famous author birthplaces; etc. Add image/description about event/site/person in each marker and maybe links to further info/reading.

Google Lit Trips. googlelittrips.org - Requires Google Earth.

You can do an advanced search for KML/KMZ and load walking tours, etc.

Slides/info: http://bitly.com/tieslides

Susan Gilley Google Stuff and more 2nd half #tie14 #arktie2014

Susan Gilley Google Stuff and more 2nd half #tie14 #arktie2014

This is the 2nd half of Thursday's preso from Susan Gilley.

Flubaroo can assign point levels to various questions. Then, tell the program which answers are correct. Choose one set of answers as the correct answer key. Scores dumped into Google Sheet, build charts regarding results. Use to determine which topics need review or show proficiency.

Formulas and functions
Transpose - convert data from horizontal to vertical and vice versa
Use the sheet's unique key - importrange to create sheet other users cannot alter
Concatenate - combine cell contents and/or combine info

List of formulas and functions: https://support.google.com/drive/table/25273?hl=en

Can also do LEFT,A1,1 / RIGHT,C9,4 etc to select certain characters

Create Flash cards. Create Spreadsheet. Or use a form to collect the info! One column has "side 1" next column has "Side 2"
Publish web page. Use Flippity.net to paste the link and create cards!

CountIf("students"C,A3)

Susan's awesome Delicious bookmarks: https://delicious.com/sgilley

PD? Use Twitter.com and use hashtags. Ex: #tical14, #iste13. Assign to various staff. Have them follow the tags and then present what info is being shared! Virtual PD transferred to live PD.

Use Google calendars and HTML to grab link and build one long URL for a shared public calendar.
Ex: http://harrison.k12.ar.us/2013-14_calendar

Use Autocrat script to create letters to Santa in a MadLibs style! Also to create form letters. Create the letter, then create the form. Be sure to run on first item before running for real.

Doctopus scripting for sending docs to groups of students!

Susan Gilley Google Stuff and more 1st half #tie14 #arktie2014

Susan Gilley Google Stuff and more #tie14 #arktie2014

sgilley.com - Conference Notes.

Easy Blog Jr - easy blogging for young writers

Use Chrome tab pinning to save tabs - Point to tab at top, right-click, Pin This Tab

Create your own certificate using Autocrat and Google Forms.

BatchGEO - Combine it with a Google Form and get information. Takes the information and creates a map of the information and info about you. Classroom setting: President Hometowns, NASCAR Driver info, Author birthplaces, etc. Activate a pin and have student ocme present - no powerpoint, etc. Just present!

Doctopus - Push documents to student folders

DocAppender

Goobric - Design rubric, score document, Doctopus sends doc to student.

Scripting not available in the new Google Sheets yet! Go to settings and revert back to old Sheets.

Discipline forms

Google Forms will create charts and graphs for you based on data.

Surveys, etc

Use Tab Scissors and Tab Glue to show a test and answer key on same screen easily. Scissors will split tabs, glue puts tabs back.

Flubaroo - script that be used to grade assignments

Within a Google Doc, you can click on selected text, search and apply the link. Search is not working in Google Docs at the time of this writing.

Research Tool - select text, use the Tools Menu and Research, choose the format (APA, MLA), drag into doc. Adds footnote with link in chosen style.

Keyboard shortcuts for Chromebooks:
http://www.chromebookforum.com/forum/17-chrome-os-software-forum/227-chrome-os-keyboard-shortcuts.html

Use "Make a Copy" to save yourself from losing your original document. Use revision history to review changes, saves, etc.

Google Image Search by Image: http://images.google.com/imghp?hl=en

Create a template for sharing with your teachers. Have them publish it and send link to webmaster for district. Future revisions will be automatically updated from Google Docs. No new link needed.

Get templates. Create a new doc, file new from template. OR, add this to your drive:
http://www.steegle.com/news/google-drive-create-from-template

Social Media in Schools: FB, Twitter, Instagram, OverGram, Remind101, G+, etc all from the Principal/Supt