Flip a Class & Create a Movie: A Dream Come True

(First published on GettingSmart.com on February 7, 2013.)

Proudly, I am a teacher and a dreamer. With all discrepancies of skills and talents set aside, I relate to Steven Spielberg in at least one area: I, too, “dream for a living.” I dream of modeling the correct attitude as a persistent and teachable student. I dream of inspiring the shy, reluctant student, sitting in the farthest corner of the classroom, to rise up, hold his head high, and share his thoughts with his mesmerized peers. I dream of witnessing a team of students command our stage and spontaneously and creatively breathe life into age-old literature through improvisational acting. I dream of students who see past scores and comments on their papers to the true meaning of education. I dream of a class where academic rigor and educational enthusiasm are one. Simply put, I dream of dreams. Recently, one of my dreams became reality. Our literature class, affectionately dubbed Studio 113 by students years ago, was granted our wish. In fact, the goal for next year’s American Literature Honors students is to flip a class and create an original movie. It’s a dream come true.

The Standards: Leveraging Technology to Flip Our Class

To master all standards and assignments while flipping our class, we will use Dell’s online learning platform, which our county has rebranded as HallConnect. From the unlimited creative and sharing potential of Google Drive to the virtual backpack of class notes and folders that results from merging a powerful app like Evernote with Idea Paint, all technology apps will be fair game. Twitter, Facebook, Wikispaces, Celly, ClassParrot, Remind101, and Voicethread will all be options as we seek to efficiently communicate and collaborate during an always-hectic high school year. Likewise, the power of the smartphones to expedite our learning will not be ignored. To be perfectly honest, any educational tool able to alleviate the stress of such an enormous task will be considered.

The Product: Creating an Original Movie

The cut-and-dry basics of the product are essentially simple: use the majority of class time to write an original screenplay, to assign students to suitable production teams, to cast the actors and actresses, to record hundreds of scenes over and over, and to score the entire movie with a soundtrack written and performed by students in Studio 113. However, make no mistake about it. The goals of creating an original movie and cultivating an in-depth understanding of the curriculum are not separate. They are symbiotic. Knowledge of the standards, literary terms, and texts will give birth to the creative ideas that surely constitute the framework of a movie, whereas the inquisitive process of writing an authentic screenplay will demand a deeper understanding of the studies-at-hand. If the two-week, multi-camera video project shown here successfully implemented the assigned standards in such limited time, nine months should be sufficient to represent mastery through a full-length movie.

The Process: A Breathable Lesson Plan

Albert Einstein once said, “The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing.” Leaning heavily on such a potent truth will infuse our class with the necessary energy and ideas to produce a high-quality product from a fluid, breathable task. Of course, getting an early start in late June or July with the assigned coursework will only add extra breaths. Until the final touches are placed on the movie, every aspect of the product will be a work-in-progress. The screenplay. The casting. The recordings. All of it. Obviously, this is quite a challenge, but it is a welcomed challenge. Obstacles of various kinds will surely crop up, prompting me to periodically point a stern finger towards a favorite quotation that reads: “Courage is an inner resolution to go forward despite obstacles; courage breeds creativity.”-Martin Luther King, Jr.

The Grand Finale: A Red Carpet Premiere

Want to know my vision of the final product? Well, here it is. Imagine, if you will, a rented, local movie theater buzzing on the premiere night of a full-length movie that was completely produced at a nearby high school with a handful of HD cameras and lapel microphones. Follow me further, as we envision a crowd of parents, peers, school officials, media reporters, and local dignitaries as they wait outside an area outlined by red, velvet ropes. Across the parking lot, a heavily lit vehicle rolls closer to the front of the movie complex. Quicker than you can say, “Flashing lights,” the doors of a yellow cheese wagon open, and a class of talented students, all garbed in their finest attire, step onto the red carpet, which is just some bulletin board paper leading to the front entrance. Smartphone cameras light up the night as the stars, ingenious students from East Hall High School, stop to sign autographs on posters and soundtrack covers. Eventually, the hysteria and excitement funnel into a crowded, standing-room-only theater. The movie plays. The crowd cheers, cries, laughs, and wonders. The crowd is left speechless. And the students are forever changed. This will be our collective dream, and we hope you join us on the journey next school year. If you just so happen to miss any postings of our progress, don’t worry. It will all be recorded. In fact, it will be a motion picture. Major to me.

Webinar: Jan. 17, 2013 "Smart Ways to Use Smartphones in Class"

“Smart Ways to Use Smartphones in Class”

January 17, 2013

John Hardison (Twitter: @JohnHardison1)

Studio 113 at East Hall High School, Gainesville, GA

I.                   Introduction

 

II.                Reference Websites

a.      “44 Smart Ways to Use Smartphones in Class”

b.      “The Structure Factory BlogSpot”

c.       Studio 113 Teacher Page at East Hall High School

 

III.             Twitter Chat (#smartways)

IV.             Article Against Smartphones

V.                BYOD Classroom Management

VI.             Smartphones and the “5 C’s”

 

VII.          Use Smartphones to Collaborate

a.      Peer assessment with Google Forms (Self-Assessment Form)

b.      In-class texting to help create writing atmosphere

c.       Brainstorming with Polleverywhere

                                                              i.      Wallwisher

                                                            ii.      Today’s Meet

                                                          iii.      Twitter hashtags

                                                          iv.      Learning structures

1.      “Voting Chips”

2.      “Concentric Circles”

d.      Share class notes

e.       Army of Talent

                                                              i.      Create class notes

                                                            ii.      Get-to-know-me survey

                                                          iii.      Access the teacher/peer assessment (Google Drive App)

 

VIII.       Use Smartphones to Communicate

a.      Facetime/Skype to bring in audience

b.      SSR time with backchannel to share articles

c.       Recording instructions

d.      Twitter for in-class/extended discussion

 

IX.             Use Smartphones to Create

a.      Writing apps

                                                              i.      My Writing Spot

                                                            ii.      Evernote

b.      Dictionary/Thesaurus

c.       Dragon Dictation

d.      Write on-the-go with Tripline (article)

e.       Create a “How-to” guide with Snapguide

f.       Write to blogpost via Blogger

g.      Post video response to Posterous

 

X.                Use Smartphones to Coordinate/Curate

a.      Relax while working with soothing apps

b.      Symbaloo as one-stop shop

                                                              i.      Peers’ blogs

                                                            ii.      Creative gallery of tech tools

                                                          iii.      Curate resources from phone

c.       Access documents from teacher’s webpage

d.      Socrative Quiz

e.       Organize diverse responses with Voicethread

f.       Management apps

                                                              i.      Calendar

                                                            ii.      Weather Channel

                                                          iii.      Stopwatch/Calculator

XI.             Apps in Part II: 36 Smart Ways to Use Smartphones in Class          

a.      Video

                                                              i.      iMovie

                                                            ii.      ActionMovie

b.      Pictures

                                                              i.      Juxtaposer

                                                            ii.      Instagram

                                                          iii.      Pinterest

Check out this rap parody of Snoop Dogg's & Wiz Kahlifa's "Yound, Wild, & Free" by Idaho's
own @DaveGuymon and Georgia's @JohnHardison1

 

Part 1: 44 Smart Ways to Use Smartphones in Class

(Originally published at gettingsmart.com on January 7, 2013)

This week an online article grabbed my attention. Its title read “94 Percent of High School Students Using Cellphones in Class.” I immediately scoped out the heading and thought to myself, “Finally, teachers are beginning to embrace the powerful little gadgets.” However, it did not take me long to realize the researched article took quite a different slant. One quotation in particular caused serious professional introspection on my behalf. The article quotes the researchers as stating, “‘The potential damage stemming from heightened cell phone use during class casts a pall on the entire educational system, on the school atmosphere, on the educational achievements of the class, on the pupil’s own learning experience and on the teacher’s burnout having to cope with discipline problems in class.’” I understand the tougher task of using regular cell phones in class versus internet ready smartphones, however , I could not disagree more with the above quotation. Although there is no doubt the very same scenarios mentioned in the above article are occurring in various classrooms around the globe, I now encourage all students to bring their cellphones or smartphones to class. Just a few years prior, my colleagues and I were struggling mightily with how to integrate the crafty handheld tools. A blessed trip to the ISTE 2011 conference in Philadelphia helped me devise a BYOD classroom management plan and opened my eyes to the infinite educational potential of smartphones in the classroom. However, one of my toughest baseball coaches once said, “Potential and a dollar will get you a Coke.” With this in mind, a simple, but effective, “Traffic Light” BYOD classroom management plan was born. Check out this post to read more about it. I believe the potential of smartphones, supported by a strong classroom management system, can be summed up with what I call “The Five C’s.” Collaborate, communicate, create and coordinate/curate. Of the forty-four ideas below regarding smartphones, twelve can be accomplished with a simple cellphone. Take a look below at this enormous potential.

Use Smartphones to Collaborate

• Have students peer-assess their classmates' essays through a Google Form embedded on teacher page, and allow them to view real-time constructive criticism. Afterwards, polish up the spreadsheet and share with students. Believe me, they will be interested. Click here to see how successful this strategy can be.
• Allow texting in class to peer-edit and offer constructive criticism for writing projects. Just imagine students sharing thesis statements and introductory paragraphs without ever saying a word. This is just one of the strategies we use to create a quiet and successful writing atmosphere in Studio 113. Check it out here.
• Make brainstorming visible via a projected image with Polleverywhere.com and Wallwisher.com. Using these two sites really is too simple. Although Wallwisher requires an internet connection, students may use a cellphone for Polleverywhere.com.
• Create a shared list of notes by making a Google Form available. I usually embed Google Forms on my teacher page for easy access. Afterwards, I make the spreadsheet of notes available to all students.
• Have students post relative links of videos, websites, etc. for a unit of study. I like to think of this as the Army of Talent completing a task in a fraction of the time it would take one teacher hours to finish. This strategy is highly effective as it invites students to co-create their learning environment and unit. A Google Form would easily serve this purpose.
• Make thoughts visible by having students post videos and text or by having them phone in their answers to Voicethread. Check out our recent Voicethread here.
• Engage readers in real-time as they work through the assigned reading by collaborating with their peers via a Twitter hashtag, Polleverywhere.com, Todaysmeet.com, or Wallwisher.com.
• Have students call in-class peers during an interactive learning structure. Click here to see a cool idea.

Use Smartphones to Communicate

• Use FaceTime on the iPhone to add outside audience members during class discussion or learning activity. This is perhaps one of the coolest things we have recently done in class.
• Allow students to read from their smartphones during SSR (Silent Sustained Reading) while sharing interesting articles via Polleverywhere.com.
• Allow students to video or audio record your assignment instructions.
• View student exemplary products from school YouTube channel.
• Augment lessons with excellent videos from Ted.com or RSA.
• Use a Twitter hashtag to augment the in-class lesson or extend the conversation after class. Click here to read about a tri-state conversation about a Presidential debate.
• Establish a Twitter class account to share class assignments and reminders. If students do not want a Twitter account, make it easy. Embed the Twitter feed on your teacher page.
• Send students reminders in-class/after-class through ClassParrot and Remind 101.
• Have a silent discussion via Todaysmeet.com.
• Capture learning moments. Ever had a student raise a hand, make a connection, and say, “Have you seen the video that….?” Ask students to e-mail pertinent links during class and show the video in minutes.
• Have students assess the teacher through a Google Form.
• Use Google Translate to break down language barriers.
• Use Instagram or Twitter to advertise class projects.

Use Smartphones to Create

• Write with apps such as My Writing Spot and Evernote.
• Set up a portable writing station by connecting a keyboard to smartphone via Bluetooth.
• Use dictionary and thesaurus apps.
• Use Dragon Dictation for struggling writers. Interested? Click here.
• Write on-the-go during a field trip or active lesson on campus with Tripline.
• Create “How-To” guides using apps such as SnapGuide.
• Write to Blog Post via the Blogger app.
• Peruse playlists while double-checking the lyrics on the internet to create a soundtrack that applies to current studies.
• Create Twitter parodies of certain characters, historical figures, chemical equations, geometry theorems, and animals of study in Biology class.
• Create a mini-presentation, skit, or formal response to a prompt and e-mail the video to teacher’s Posterous blog spot.

Use Smartphones to Coordinate/Curate

• Relax and write with apps like Nature Music or iZen Garden.
• Listen to music as source of inspiration for creative projects.
• Have students access their peers’ blogs by sharing a Symbaloo webmix on teacher page. Check out this one.
• Point students in the right direction for creative tech tools.
• Save time and paper by accessing documents on teacher’s website.
• Share spreadsheets of notes with Google Drive.
• Get to know your students by having them complete a Google Form.
• Research key sites to bolster students’ projects.
• Manage students’ knowledge of current lessons by having them take a quiz directly from their smartphones via Socrative.
• Allow students to check their grades via on-line gradebook or learning platform.
• Have students question peers outside class and send their recorded opinions to Voicethread or Posterous.
• Use apps like Reminders and PocketLife Calendar to plan study times and project times. The Weather Channel app is handy for avoiding weather conflicts during outside project time.
• Use the calculator app to calculate scores during gamified learning structures.
• Use the stopwatch and timer apps to manage class time.

I hope these ideas help others appropriately manage and integrate cellphones and smartphones in the classroom learning environment. When used properly, smartphones act as handheld computers, not just overly priced texting gadgets. Please check back in two weeks for Part 2 of "Smart Ways to Use Smartphones in Class." At this time, I will discuss using smartphones for videos, pictures and more. In the meantime, please share your thoughts below.

Share Student Voices & Gather Audiences with 10+ Tech Tools

"Share Student Voices & Gather Audiences with 10+ Tech Tools" (Originally published at GettingSmart.com on 12/4/12.)

Let’s begin here. Think of your three favorite, most inspirational speeches of all time. If you need a little help, quickly scan over this “Top 100 List” from Americanrhetoric.com. I’ll even give it a shot, too. Hmmm. Let me see. I’ll go with Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream,” Lou Gehrig’s “Farewell to Baseball Address,” and Ronald Reagan’s "Space Shuttle Disaster Address.” Besides being highly emotionally charged and exemplars of rhetorical strategies, these three famous speeches share one often overlooked characteristic: People were listening. Follow me just a bit further as we imagine Martin Luther King, Jr. delivering his beautifully written speech to a crowd of zero. Yeah, just a remarkably talented and courageous leader speaking his mind and voicing the collective conscience of our nation with not a soul standing on that hot, August day to witness. No minds altered. No hearts changed. No direction taken. Or how about Lou Gehrig honoring those he was blessed to share time with and those who modeled selflessness in order to foster the growth of such an amazingly humble and accepting human? Perhaps those unforgettable echoes from the man dubbed “The Iron Horse” would not have been so memorable had no one been present that day in Yankee Stadium. No hearts to sense the sincerity of Gehrig’s words; only empty seats in a cavernous baseball cathedral. And for sure a grieving nation would not have been consoled by such a charismatic and unwavering leader if all televisions had been turned off that tragic day the Space Shuttle Challenger lost its seven courageous adventurers. Instead, a nation was comforted in mourning, reassured of its purpose, and reminded of its brotherhood. All of this because President Reagan’s voice was heard. Someone was listening. This is precisely the pivotal point my American Literature students and I arrived at following a thorough, multi-week study of rhetorical strategies and famous speeches. The audience is powerful, we concluded. Based on this very premise, students in Studio 113 decided to think out loud and hope someone would listen. In essence, they gathered an audience with tech tools.

First Thing’s First: Writing the Essay

After successful classroom discussions, interactive and public Voicethreads, engaging YouTube videos of movie speeches, and collaborative learning structures, students were asked to write a speech that nonviolently protests a law they deem “un-American.” Students were prompted to exemplify rhetorical strategies and cite a minimum of two sources while adhering to the MLA format style. For days, students took full advantage of a classroom environment that was conducive to producing heartfelt, genuine prose. While seeking to create authentic writing, students held firmly to the MLA guidelines with the use of “The Owl at Purdue” and easybib.com. Although the students’ essays are far from perfect, the process served as an exceptional learning experience.

Seeking Feedback: Using Technology to Share Students’ Voices

Once the essays were written, students used my shared Symbaloo webmix, “Creative Gallery,” to locate an appropriate technology tool to showcase their essays. Although the majority chose Blogger, students also used Wix, Weebly, Storybird, Google Docs, Windows Movie Maker Live and YouTube to share their viewpoints. Furthermore, students were encouraged to suggest any mode of sharing their essays, whether it be an unknown app, website, or some overlooked traditional method. Take a look at my "Creative Gallery" webmix below. As students began posting their essays digitally, they were reminded to determine how they would solicit feedback. We discussed the websites that automatically allow readers to submit feedback, such as Blogger. However, a contingency plan was needed for those sites that did not offer a comment area. Enter Google Drive. For those students who needed an easy way to solicit comments, I modeled how to set up a Google form/survey. Once this was completed, I showed them how to capture the link of the live form and paste it in an obvious place just below their essays on whatever technology site they chose. Once they viewed their feedback spreadsheet (generated by Google forms) and comprehended its power and simplicity, they were amazed.

Getting the Word Out: Leveraging Technology to Share Students’ Work

Although over half of my American Literature students are completing their projects this week, we have already implemented a plan to advertise our students’ essays. One thing was for sure: our mode of sharing needed to be simple. We needed a one-stop-shop, a hub, to showcase all of our students’ methods for publishing their essays. We chose Symbaloo. By repurposing it with our students’ pictures and hyperlinks, Symbaloo serves as the starting point for visitors wanting to take a trip through our students' diverse essays and occasionally controversial topics. The process for creating our personalized Symbaloo webmix was simple. I furnished a team of three in-class, student volunteers with class rosters and a Sony Cybershot camera. While students continued to work on their projects in the computer lab, the photographers systematically took nearly all pictures within a class period of fifty minutes. Once this was completed, I instructed students to use an embedded Google Form on my webpage to submit the Internet addresses where their essays could be found. Obviously, they were encouraged to double-check the link before submitting. All I have to do is periodically check my Google Drive for any new submissions and copy the students’ links and pictures to my Symbaloo webmix. The process takes hardly no time at all. After all students and links are posted on the webmix, I will print out a picture of the entire Symbaloo webmix, assign a QR code to it, and have our school’s Graphic Arts classes print a banner containing both the picture and code. This 4’x6’ banner will be displayed in a high-traffic area at our school. Hopefully, this will generate some interest within the school and help us get the word out to others. Please take a look below at our hub for showcasing our students' essays. Of course, social media giants like Twitter and Facebook will play a crucial role as we begin to really push our products this week. But with the accessibility of all essays in one location, an explosive sharing of our students’ essays is just a “retweet” or “like” away. One thing is for sure, an audience is a powerful, crucial element in a naturally symbiotic relationship between speaker and listener. Together they share dreams, give thanks, and comfort each other in challenging times. Are these times among us now? My students think so, and they have spoken. Surely someone will listen.