AACPS OIT Byte

By Kerri Lambert, Academic Specialist, Instructional Technology It’s no secret that relationships are key in the education world; whether it's colleague to colleague, student to teacher, or teacher to families, building a strong community is critical to the success of students. In fact, the AACPS Strategic Plan specifically calls out the sense of belonging as one of the 6 core beliefs, stating: “We believe that genuine connections and relationships are the foundation of a successful community. We are committed to nurturing strong bonds between students, staff, families, and community members so everyone feels connected, supported, and valued." Even the Maryland Digital Learning Standards emphasize the importance of collaboration with standard number 7, Global Communicator: Students use digital tools to broaden their perspectives and enrich their learning by collaborating with others and working effectively in teams locally and globally. Students: a) Use digital tools to conn...

This year Computer Science Education week runs from Friday, December 6th through the 12th. Hour of Code, one of their main events, kicks off Monday, the 9th. Hour of code encourages students to code for an hour to hone their skills, but it also allows teachers to discuss careers in coding and computer science how students can explore their interests and plan their path to achieve their goals. Below are several suggestions for how you can get your students involved in CS week or Hour of Code. Hour of Code Activities for PreK through high school. No coding experience necessary! Filter topics by grade level band and then by content to find something that works for your classroom. Topics include Art, Music, AI, Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Studies and more! Explore the Hour of Code library directly from Classlink. Minecraft Hour Of Code The 2024 theme is The Show Must Go On! Minecraft invites students to step into the theater to find the show’s missing star, unlock hidden gags, s...

By Kerri Lambert, Academic Specialist, Instructional Technology ‘Tis the season for squirrely students! So what’s a tired teacher, just trying to get to winter break, to do? Pull out all the engagement tricks they have up their sleeves, that’s what! And what better way to get students tuned in then by using technology?  Over the years, we’ve written several blog posts about seasonal activities that teachers can do with students as the holidays get closer (Find them here , here , and here ), and so in this year’s round-up we thought we’d highlight one of the tastiest treats of the season- gingerbread! Why gingerbread? Well, gingerbread is widely associated with winter traditions and holidays across many cultures, with it’s origins dating back to the ancient Egyptians. This promotes a sense of unity and shared celebration, regardless of students’ backgrounds. Gingerbread also lends itself to creativity, perfect for engaging students in teamwork. There’s also plenty of opportunity for...