AACPS OIT Byte

  By Koralina McKenna, Instructional Technology Teacher Specialist Game Based Activity - Word Search ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Quick, easy to make, can change difficulty, use in Lumio or print I don't know how I would have made it through virtual teaching within Lumio's word search! It was such a fun way to get the kids ready for the lesson and an easy transition into "Based on the word list, what do you think we're learning about today?"  But once we transitioned back into the classroom, I quickly realized that Lumio's word search still had major value - not only could I have students complete it during a lumio lesson, I could also screen snip it and print it out! When students are using the word search on their computers, each student gets a unique search; no peeking at your neighbor's screen for the answers. My students loved to race each other to see who get find them all with the fewer number of hints - this was the perfect time to put in my attendance and set the tone f...

 By Kerry Doring, Art Teacher, Glendale Elementary As a third year Elementary Art teacher, I am still collecting new strategies for my instructional toolbox. Over the past few weeks I decided that I was going to focus on the Self-paced courses from OIT that would help add variety to the way I deliver content to my students. So far, I have participated in the following self-paced courses: WeVideo, Paper to Digital, Engaging Digital Lessons, Google Sites, Google Forms, and Other Google Tools. My favorites were Google Sites and Engaging Digital Lessons, and I look forward to self-paced Wixie. Because the courses are self-paced and broken down into sections, it was easy for me to complete them on my own timeline, a little bit at a time. In addition to the readings and videos, there are opportunities to try all the strategies for yourself. I’ve learned about the abundance of tools and resources we have access to, such as virtual field trips or digital templates and examples. We’ve all ...

by Kerri Lambert, OIT Teacher Specialist Over the last several years, there’s been a push for students to learn coding in schools. Nationwide events such as the Hour of Code, held every December, have brought this valuable skill to the forefront and for good reason. Coding teaches children how to problem solve, fosters creativity, and develops computational thinking skills among a host of other reasons, including it’s just plain fun! Yes, I said fun. You read that correctly. Fun is still allowed in school. 😊 And what’s more fun than programming a robot? Instructional robots have been becoming popular in AACPS for several years, and while COVID put a damper on them for a while, they’ve been making a comeback this school year with several schools purchasing them for use in media centers, clubs, and in classrooms. There’s a robot for every grade level and comfort level that you can imagine, and AACPS has many robots that are approved for instructional use. Botley, indi and Beebots are pe...

By Patrick Malone, Teacher Specialist; Online Campus  Over the last 5 years, AACPS has grown a program in the High Schools that is now offered at virtually every location. How did this program come to be? The Digital Learning Center is a space within a school where all students taking a course online can come and learn with comfort and available support. A learning coach is available during the period to answer questions, provide motivation, technical support, or even help connect students with content specialists. It is literally a one stop shop for any online learner’s needs. The idea for this space came about after an administrator at North County High was concerned about online students not getting effective support in the media center or having a constructive space for their studies. These concerns lead the Office of Instructional Technology to consider alternative options. A visit to a school system in Tennessee would provide the inspiration AACPS would need. Kingsport...

By Dan Fitzgerald, eCoach and STEM Teacher @ North Glen Elementary School Hello everyone! My name is Daniel Fitzgerald, and I'm the STEM Teacher and E-Coach at North Glen Elementary School. Over the past two years, we've been using WeVideo as a tool to build our morning announcements from a brief, over-the-loudspeaker statement, to a full production with students, staff, and community members getting involved, and our student engagement and excitement has never been higher! I'm someone who loves making videos for our students and staff, and I've always tried to use that in my teaching and position at the school. I've found that editing software can often be overwhelming, and people who are new to the idea can be turned away by some of the more complex programs out there. Luckily, WeVideo has been so welcoming to teach and jump in on, giving both students and teachers an easy entry point to video creation and editing, yet with deeper opportunities to grow your skills...