Google Sites for Student Projects

Our teachers asked for more training on using Google Apps. I draw from the very thorough materials at the Apps User Group for my sessions, with modifications made based on my student populations. From HB235 Creating Webpages with Google Sites:

PowerPoint is the most misused tool in ed tech. How many PowerPoints have you see where the student has tried to cram all the information they know onto the slide, then completely neglect their speaking?

Don’t get me wrong – cramming information into a product has its place in the classroom. Just not in Powerpoint. If you want to give students the opportunity to synthesize what they know in a variety of formats (written, visual, etc), then consider asking them to make a website.

Intermediate Video Production in a BYOD Environment

Last week we talked about making quality student video projects in regular classes as part of a BYOD environment. From HippoBytes HB250: Intermediate Video Production:

Video projects are fun to make, can assess students’ content knowledge, and help them practice new skills.

Too often, they are also poorly done. The fact that having a phone or tablet makes it easy to film something does not also mean that it is easy to make a good video.

There are, however, easy-to-teach principles that will help your students shoot and edit great video. This session taught us how.