Ryan Collins

🕹️ Do Something Great! 😄

Author: ryan

  • There is no easy

    I love how technologists love to brandish the term “ease of use” like it’s some sort of badge of honor. Here’s what I’ve found out, most people dislike being told “this is easy” when they are learning new technology. The irony is not lost on me, since if it was so easy, why am I teaching it.

    This leads into something that I’ve begun to realize. There is no easy. Life is hard, difficult, and the lessons can be harsh. Technology is no different. Take the iPhone for example. Seven years ago it was hailed as an easy to use smartphone. Part of that ease of use came from the fact that it didn’t do much. You didn’t have to know how to copy and paste, since it couldn’t do that. There was no app store, so you didn’t have to learn how to install and remove apps. No notifications to learn how to control. No multitasking of apps to learn how to switch between. No privacy controls. Etc. All of these have now been added to iOS, making it more complicated but more useful device.

    Unfortunately, this makes it even more difficult to learn how to use technology effectively. There will always be something new to learn tomorrow. When I’m working with teachers I’m often asked why I don’t have all of this “how to use” tips written down. The problem is that I could talk for a day on just all the features that Google GMail has, and still not hit everything you can do with it. Teach Like a Hacker started as a way to demonstrate alternative uses of the technology teachers already know, and use that as a stepping stone.

  • Attending a conference? Here’s my conference checklist #iPadSymposiumUA

    This Saturday I will be presenting at the University of Akron’s iPad Symposium. As I’ve attended numerous conferences throughout my professional career, I’ve started to realize I should create a to do list so I don’t forget anything before a conference.

    1. Charge my devices and battery packs

    My usual compliment of devices I take to a conference consists of my laptop, iPad, and iPhone. Along with charging them, I also have a battery case for my iPhone and a Jackery Giant USB battery pack that needs to be charged. Multi-day conferences are not a problem.

    2. Set up IFTTT to capture my notes and tweets

    I’ve started to use Twitter to write my notes during a conference and If This Then That to capture them. The recipe I use looks for any of my tweets with the conference hashtag, and if found, it appends that tweet to a text file in Dropbox. At the end of the conference I’ll have an entire text file with everything I want to save from the conference.

    IFTTT Hashtag Recipe

    3. Set up a keyboard shortcut for the conference hashtag

    The hashtag for the conference Saturday is #iPadSymposiumUA. What I did on my iPhone and iPad is create a keyboard shortcut (Settings -> General -> Keyboard -> Shortcuts). The shortcut is iii which expands to #iPadSymposiumUA.

    4. Charge my name tag

    The name tag I’ve started to use is a 4 generation iPod Touch running Keynote. I have a lanyard that connects to the dock connector, and I created a 3 slide presentation that continually loops. Keynote keeps the display on while showing a presentation. If I shut it off during sessions, the battery lasts an entire day.

    5. Gas up the car, get some cash and Ho Hos

    Oh, how frustrating it can be to get in your car for a multi-hour trip and realize you have to stop for gas. Even though I hardly use cash anymore, it’s a good idea to have a few bucks on you, just in case. The Ho Hos? They’re self explanatory.

  • Teach like a hacker – Atari version from #neotech2014

    I forgot to upload my presentation from the Neotech 2014 conference!

  • My notes from #neotech2014

    Cooking Up Creative Student Presentations

    • Using stop motion video to show DNA replication. http://t.co/PiYgYNVTie
    • Instead of the book report, use Prezi for Book Talks
    • Google Sketchup – Map out the island from Lord of the Flies.
    • Aurasma – Augmented reality connected to the physical world.
    • Student TED Talks. Student as the expert, demonstrate passion.
    • YouTube channel for TED youth videos. All presenters under 21.
    • Using Minecraft to model places from their studies.
    • @StacyHaw: @mr_rcollins @hammanmath had her #blendedlearning Ss do TED or Ignite talks for their capstone. It was AMAZING!
    • Symbaloo – next generation webquests. Students curate resources.
    • @StacyHaw: Just subscribed to TEDxYouth http://t.co/OjSlk4DvrO Over 4000 videos
    • Create a website for the portfolio. They’re using Google Sites, I like WordPress. 🙂
    • Animoto for presentations. Limited to 30 seconds for free. @sixthKMS this could be something for your commercials.
    • Screencasting. Screencast-o-matic for 15 mins. TechSmith Snagit for Chrome. (There is also Screencastify for Chromebooks)
    • wideo.co – Video comics
    • Lucid Press – Desktop Publishing for the 21st century. Create online and offline documents.
    • Socrative and Kahoot for exit slips, formative assessments, etc.
    • Bonus resources: Common Craft Videos, BitStrips, Magisto (like Animoto)

    Quotes

    • @daniellebezik: Teach out of your comfort zone, Ss learn more when T is also learning
    • @StacyHaw: Having a trust relationship is at the center of authentic collaboration

    Other sites

    Creating 21st century assignments: autonomous, mas tery learning

    • At the heart of everything is empathy.
    • Spends 1st ~4 weeks on building legacy, very little content. Build relationships.
    • Students move at their own pace toward mastery through autonomy. “Change your philosophy first”
    • “We strive to inspire, not motivate. What is your legacy?”
    • Presentation link
    • “The world you grew up in does not exist and will never again exist” – @ProfessorMike1 @GarthHolman
    • Require a blog for students. They must publish.
    • “Blogs aren’t graded. Once you start grading creative writing, students write what they think you want to read.”
    • “Totally differentiated classroom everyday for every student.”
    • Team taught 30 miles away. Posted Skype conversations. 20% students in Chardon don’t have Internet access.
    • Sites to check out Diigo and Quizstar.
    • “Teach kids how to differentiate for themselves. Technology makes it possible.”
    • Instagrok – search tool for students.
    • “High school students share resources with 7th graders”
    • “We’re killing kids with worksheets. They’re capable of so much more.”

    Tech skills 4 the next generation of assessments”

    • Started with a Google Doc, going through the standards.
    • ELA Common Core code Pulled out anchor standards with technology. Tech may apply to only some grade levels.
    • Technology Skills Checklist for Online Assessments
    • Once they broke down the standards, looked at tools to support. Most of the statements don’t reference technology.
    • Geography used specific technologies the most.
    • PARCC is only the assessment, Common Core is the standards.

    Using iBooks Author To Write & Publish Student Work

    • Kids don’t see the value in writing for one.
    • No sense of contribution to society
    • They are not leaving behind a legacy
    • Developed the idea, all students wrote a chapter one, then collaborated on which parts will be included in the final book.
    • Let Ss write about what the Ss are struggling with
    • Math Our Way, math textbook written by 6th graders.
    • Other books
      • It was a dark and stormy classroom
      • Canterbury Remixed
      • May we suggest…?
    • Worked with the speed pathologist and some autistic students to write Social Skills Volume I Became the stars.
    • 19 books published in the last two years. ~22,000 downloads.
    • In 48+ countries
    • It’s more than the downloads, motivation
    • Get permission slips/media release form/etc
    • Wants more student and teacher created ebooks
    • http://t.co/rECj5DQsSr
    • Final Thoughts
      • Kids need to be creating
      • Share!
      • Sense of community
      • Rushton Hurley

  • Life is something that you do, not something that is done to you

    For an English paper I’m supposed to have written by now, I read the book Ethan Frome. The tale of a man who let life be done to him instead of him doing life.

  • Kingsoft Office Suite Free – includes IOS and Android

    Tags: office

    I don’t know why I’ve never heard of this before, Kingsoft Office Suite: Free Office 2013, Professional Office Suite looks like it could be very handy for schools running Windows, but that isn’t even the best part. The requirements listed on the website show that it supports iOS 5, which means all of those iPad 1s that are out there can use it. Unfortunately, the App Store lists iOS 6 as an requirement, so I’m going to have to wait until I get home to try it.

    Via: Kingsoft Office 2013: The best free Microsoft Office alternative? – CNET

  • The so-called Doppler effect

    Satellite tracked Malaysia plane in ‘unprecedented’ way writes:

    In its further detective work, Inmarsat studied the so-called Doppler effect, the name for what makes the noise from an approaching vehicle sound different from one speeding away from a listener.

    Right up there with the so-called gravity effect and so-called wind resistance effect that ultimately brought the plane down.

  • My notes from Beaver Local #bltlap and Learn 21 Conference #l21conf

    Here is a list of links and sites I have collected from the Beaver
    Local Teach Like a Pirate Waiver Day and the Learn 21 Conference. In the
    near future I’m hoping to have time to elaborate on these resources and
    how they may be used.

    Personalized Yearbooks

    TreeRing | Create Personalized Yearbooks

    This is what the 21st century is all about. Students order their
    yearbooks, but can also customize their yearbook with their own
    pictures.

    Student created eBooks

    Class eBooks

    Face it. You’ll never be as entertaining as a video game. Now what? #L21Conf

    • Video games follow Dan Pink’s Drive (what motivates us). Master, autonomy, and purpose
    • Richard Bartle, Bartle’s player types 1996
    • Achiever (grades, extra credit, points) easiest to teach to. Dangle the carrot. ♦️
    • Explorer (what to learn, first to discover, know something others don’t know) Don’t care about grades. ♣️
    • Socializer (want to be everybody’s friend, organizer, interaction) ♥️
    • Renamed to Dominator (wants to win, beat everyone around them. Grades aren’t important. Competitive). ♣️
    • Candy Crush Education
    • Gamification in Khan Academy. More than just videos.
    • Kahoot polling with any device.
    • mathtrain.tv Student created math tutorials.
    • Bartle’s test (need to watch out in school because of the name of the Dominator type.
    • “The gamification of Learning and Instruction” and “Don’t bother me mom — I’m learning!”
    • Presentation link
    • Similar to Khan, higher quality videos

    l21conf Keynote

    • Maturana’s school, half the grade was based in the quality of questions he asked.
    • Brittany Wenger
    • “The brick walls are there for a reason. The brick walls are not there to keep us out…” Randy Pausch
    • “No consequences, being an enabler. Take ownership of your learning.”
    • Eesha Khare creates super capacitor

    Infohio coding event on April 5th.

    Web apps & Extensions for Schools with @ericcurts

    Yes, you can blend

    Show me the evidence: Applying web based resources to the OTES model

    Follow Saturday from #l21conf

  • Follow Saturday from #l21conf

    Here is a list of great people to follow from Learn 21 Conference March 12, 2014:

    @bob05 Bob Green Technology coordinator, hockey player, coach and referee. Homepage
    @chamady Chris Hamady PhD candidate (ABD) at the Univ. of Toledo in Curr. & Instruction, Dir. of Technology Anthony Wayne schools, ADE, Ed. Tech, Musician, Lifelong Learner, Runner Homepage
    @CherylLKemper Cheryl Kemper High School Media Specialist / Digital Learning Specialist Homepage
    @dtymitz Danielle Tymitz Wife, Mom of 2, Teacher, Technology addict, Runner, Fan of the 80s
    @educanon123 eduCanon Embed questions into your video instruction. Your free tool to unleash the power of video and flip the classroom. Homepage
    @EmingerITC Chelsey Eminger Instructional/ Technology Coach, Mentor Public Schools
    @ericcurts Eric Curts Family man, Technology Director, Podcaster, Writer, Google Apps Certified Trainer, Geek Homepage
    @FellowsEdu Rob Fellows Assistant Principal Homepage
    @Fouss Kristen Fouss I’m a (new) Digital Learning Specialist and former hs math teacher, mom, wife, sports fan, and runner. Rhymes with mouse. Homepage
    @geogebra GeoGebra Dynamic Mathematics for Everyone Homepage
    @GetKahoot Kahoot! Easy-to-use, game-based, blended learning & classroom response system. For schools, universities & businesses. Use with any device. Get FREE instant access now! Homepage
    @hammanmath Christina Hamman Technology Integration Coach Medina City Schools – HS Math Teacher – Mathematics graduate student – #flipclass #BlendedLearning #PBL #edchat #edtech #mathchat Homepage
    @isteconnects ISTE ISTE advances excellence in learning and teaching. Tweets coming from @HeidiEllis and @BritniHartford. Homepage
    @juliethorp Julie Thorp I am an Elementary Educator looking for ways to use networking and technology to soak up information and share with others.
    @KentPolen Kent Polen Superintendent of Beaver Local Schools
    @Kuhlins1to1byod Mr. Kuhlins History and Technology teacher, Masters Instructional Technology, Parent, Technology Enthusiast , Apple, Harley, John Deere, and beef. Homepage
    @Learn21Team Learn21 Non-Profit. Mission: To empower schools with 21st century technology and instruction by leverage shared serices. Managed by @kghantous @dtymitz @williamdfritz Homepage
    @littlebuck17 Kolt Buchenroth Is that in the Helpdesk? #TeamMac #TeamiOS #Freshman17 #KHS #Tech #kcstech #DUBSTEP #BeatsArmy #4H #Music #FFA @KTmenssoccer cameraman. I sled.
    @mathtrain Eric Marcos Student-Created Screencasts, Tablet PC & iPad. Double-flipping. I’m a public middle school mathematics teacher. Santa Monica, CA. Google Certified Teacher. Homepage
    @mdroush Michael Roush Techie, specializing in access for people with disabilities, universal design for learning, instructional and assistive technology. Hockey fan, gamer. Homepage
    @MissShuganah Debbie Married @ddenizen 2 daughters. Older 1 severe CP Can’t talk. I am SpEd advocate & I network weave http://t.co/KwHknyHRyE & gerry.http://t.co/KwHknyHRyE Homepage
    @mr_cthrush Chad Thrush Kenton High School Asst. Principal. Passionate about faith, family, and education.
    @mr_rcollins Ryan Collins Director of Technology for Kenton City Schools Homepage
    @MrGrifftastic Eric Griffith Director of IT for the Mechanicsburg Exempted Village School District in Ohio, Tech Presenter, Co-host of the State of Tech Podcast, & occasionally a funny guy. Homepage
    @NORT2H NORT2H The Northern Ohio Research, Training & Technology Hub is a consortium of school districts in Northeast Ohio. Homepage
    @NREVSDTechWolf Steve Wolf Tech Department for New Richmond School District
    @ProfessorMike1 Mike Pennington Tech integration trainer for NORT2H. Effecting real change and helping create blended learning experiences for teachers and students. Homepage
    @robletcher Rob Letcher Online instruction leader, Ed Tech geek, father of two alpha-male toddlers and a lovely little girl, and husband to a beautiful – if not exasperated – wife. Homepage
    @seankaiser Sean Kaiser Dad, husband, tech geek, weather geek, system/network administrator for a K12 school in OH, information over-collector, and most recently, a runner in training. Homepage
    @StacyHaw Stacy Hawthorne Creativity & Innovation Strategist, Bb VIP Blogger & Catalyst Award Winner, Cyclist, UGA Alumnus, Google Glass Explorer Homepage
    @stevecrumbacher Steve Crumbacher Northern Ohio’s Educational Technology Consultant with the Ohio Department of Education. Homepage
    @theipodteacher Jon Smith Husband, father, TRT, Communicate Institute Instructor, former spec ed teacher, Apple freak, scratch golfer. Also tweet from @alliancecsd and @ahsipadproject Homepage

  • Teach Like a Hacker presentation at #l21conf

    Here is my presentation from the Learn 21 Conference today!