January+31

--Additional Google Apps Resources
 * Sharing**
 * __ Is it responsible for schools to teach Google Docs instead of Microsoft Office? __ - If you've asked this question, read this blog post.
 *  Google Apps Security Policy - Key points: It's our content, not Google's. Google doesn't look at our content. Google doesn't share our content.
 *  Google Apps Training Videos - Learn to use Google Apps by watching the videos below provided by Google
 *  Google Apps Education Center - **This is an online learning environment dedicated for educators and students to learn how to effectively use Google Apps in an educational context. **
 * Google Apps Lesson Plans **- ** Easily incorporate Google Apps into your curriculum with these classroom-ready lesson plans. Have a Google Apps lesson plan? [|Submit] it for review.
 *  Google Apps Education Community - This site is brought to you by Google – especially for Google Apps educators and students. Come join and help us build it!
 *  Marzano's Instructional Strategies and Google Docs - Ways to use Google Docs to support setting objectives, providing feedback, homework and practice, and generating and testing hypothesis.
 * Google Applications - Training and Tutorials
 * Google Apps Learning Center - Training Videos
 * Using Google Forms as formative assessment
 *  Google Tools for Education - site containing resources shared during a professional development session (not sure of the district)
 * Links to various Google Apps sessions at ISTE 2011
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;"> With Flubaroo, You'll Never Have to Grade a Test Again - <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Flubaroo is a free auto-grading tool that you can use with Google (Falcon Apps) Spreadsheets to instantly assess your students.
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #551a8b; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">32 Ways to use Google Apps in the Classroom
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;"> Integrating Google Tools for Teachers - Tips, resources, and ideas for using Google tools such as Docs, Presentations, Sites, Maps and more in the classroom, including a section on using Google tools to help with STEM education. It even has a list of pro's and con's for Google Apps for Education and regular Google tools. The site is run by Colette Cassinelli, a Google Certified Teacher.
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;"> Google in Education - Check out the the lesson plan index and the classroom tools index for links to information about each of the services available to teachers and students as well as tutorial or how-to resources.

//Questions to frame the conversation:// The // **BIG QUESTIONS** // to answer:
 * Technology Tools: Sharing**
 * 1) What are the "affordances" and "constraints" of the technology? In other words, what does the technology allow us to do or prevent us from doing? The answers to this question might be "messy." This fundamental understanding is important to answer the next questions...
 * 2) What new skills do we need to teach students?
 * 3) What will I need to do differently in terms of how I teach in the classroom? How will teaching and learning look different?
 * 4) How does the technology help me to foster creativity, innovation and some of the other 21st century skills?
 * 5) What are some ways I can use this technology in my classroom?

How to Grow A Textbook
 * Further Discussion of the Application Project**
 * Start with an outline
 * Grab a virtual binding
 * Unpack and publish your traditional documents
 * Grab a few solid updating tools
 * Grab books for solid, more stable content
 * Grab databases and database essays, articles and chapters
 * Grab the right search tools
 * Grab your own presentations and shop for the best of others
 * Grab a couple of pathfinders
 * Grab some film
 * Grab some open source curriculum
 * Grab some student work
 * Grab some other stuff - see below

//From the Syllabus:// Working// individually or with a group //, you will be asked to develop a chapter for a digital textbook in your content area. This project will require you to apply your learning throughout the course to develop something useful to you and others as you enter the teaching profession. The design of this project is flexible and will be assessed based on criteria we develop in class. (We'll develop a rubric in the near future.) You might choose some of the ideas from the link above. You will be expected to think about your work in the class on a weekly basis and capture that in some form. We will discuss more in class and answer any questions you may have. It's not about "checking" off an assignment; it's about creating something meaningful that represents your growth and development over the course of the semester.


 * For Thursday, February 2**


 * Read** chapters 3 and 4 in the //Rethinking Education...// text. After reading the two chapters, visit the Discussion Forum. Pull from the chapter a passage, paragraph, sentence, etc. that provoked your thinking. Write a short reflection on how it engaged your thinking in general. Please post your contribution prior to class Thursday evening. If you can, revisit the forum and engage in a conversation with your classmates on the topics for the week. We will spend some time Thursday discussing the chapters and connecting the ideas with the tools you have been working on as well as our earlier discussions about the kind of education we need for 2012 and beyond.


 * Post** one interesting article/finding from the Internet, etc for next class to your Google+ stream.


 * Application Project**: Choose a content area topic for your digital textbook. Choose a binder from those suggested in the How to Grow A Textbook blog post.

** Next Meeting: Thursday, February 2 - 7:00 - 9:00 PM** ** New Topic: Rethinking Education/Choose a new Google tool to explore**