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Canvas Tips for Educators
As our upper school has started to robustly use the learning management system Canvas, I have a few tricks and tips that might be helpful on the educator side of things: * Things to be aware of when creating digital quizzes (here is a video explanation of information below😞 * Options for shuffling answers. If you create…
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Digital Course Design in a Nutshell for K12
As our upper school teachers start the process of using Canvas at our school, the tech department has started meeting with them to help them create their courses. Our CTO found a really great Canvas "how to" course in the Commons area of Canvas and we are having our teachers go through these modules and submit assignments…
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Why use a LMS? Why use Canvas k12?
During the last school year, our school announced that our upper school teachers would be required to use the learning management system (LMS) named Canvas in 3 significant ways forward: * All objective assessments would be delivered through the Canvas LMS * All students have the option to turn in papers digitally * All…
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Dinner Time!
I recently saw on Twitter a superintendent from Virginia who paraphrased a high school student’s perspective on teacher-centered classrooms versus student-centered ones. They described it in a food analogy, so I was immediately hooked! The student said that teacher-centered classrooms were like having a meal where the…
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Educational Technology Tightrope
In today's digital era of ubiquitous technology we teachers need to walk the tightrope of what is educationally appropriate. I recently saw on Twitter a photo from a local IU training session that was spot on in terms of how we should handle technology in the classroom: "Learning is King. Growth is Queen. Cool is the court…
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Reading logs, discussions and K-2 classes
Today I worked with some teachers of K-2 students. They did not want students to have to log on individually and they have about 1:5 ratio so the workload in logon/off management would be quite high and a barrier to using Canvas. I suggested keeping reading logs using discussions. We set up a group set where each student…
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Nobody slept through PD this afternoon!
This is more for schools in NSW, but may help those delivering data analysis. Tell Them From Me survey results are in - have to do the data analysis for the staff. After a while, there are usually some serious head nodders, and heavy eyelids. Who can blame people - big day at work followed by a PD session after school. So…
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Discussions and ePortfolio
Our system has not opened the Parent app yet, so I have been looking for a way to show student work to parents, while staying in the Canvas environment. I have been investigating the idea of using a discussion - set up using groups, so that there is only one student and the teacher in each group. Students then have a…
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State of the Union
The State of the Union is strong! We have had a great 1st quarter with Canvas and Chromebooks. I thought I would take this week to highlight some of the great features teachers have been using and absolutely love! Although we have a long way to go our level of buy-in at all levels is rather impressive and speaks to the…
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Pure PBL - Can do, Can achieve, Canvas!
I am backward mapping this blog post - starting with the end in mind! This photo (and banner) is of some of the happy faces of students at Callaghan College and De La Salle Lipa - Philippines (on the Promethean) after the final judging of their Sustainability Project which was organised by Instructure's Deactivated user…
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Assessment and the little people - Part Two
I've been pondering the many ways we could use assessment within Canvas.So many people ask for ideas. So I thought I'd get you guys to help me. PLEASE feel free to add ideas. Assessment ideas within Canvas in Primary Schools Reading * Record students reading as an assignment. Use it for running record, or just record of…
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Unique Uniformity
After almost a quarter of the school year under way, we are starting to see trends. The ability in Canvas to really do whatever you heart desires with your course is a blessing and a curse. With so much autonomy how do we develop best practices so that the students aren't confused and know what to expect while surfing our…
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Previously Beetroot Laden (PBL) Task – it’s a wrap!
Last term my faculty and I embarked on the first Project Based Learning ( the real PBL to be talked about here) task for Year 7 Japanese learners. Year 7 are 12-13 years old and in their first year of high school. We have always done PBL tasks with smaller elective classes, however with ten Yr 7 classes; this was going to…
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The Dog Ate My Chromebook
As we continue to work with all this new technology, the number one priority will be to make sure our students come to class prepared. We obviously cannot pack their bags for them, but by having expectations with accountability we can avoid the phrases of "I left it at home" or "I forgot to charge it". We should not accept…
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Consistency is Key
One thing my school as Tech newbies will have to consider as we move forward with Canvas, or really any LMS, is consistency. Consistency for our students and parents within our course design to easily find important information quickly. That is one of the main reasons behind adding the digital nature to what we do. The…