Deb Norton Tech

If the past school year has taught us anything about technology in the classroom, it's that quality trumps quantity. We live in a world with no shortage of tech teaching tools and resources. The key is sorting through to find the gems. The best tech tools and websites that actually enhance virtual or in-person learning and everything in between.  The following apps and websites make the cut because they enrich learning in a meaningful way. They are not just another bell or whistle. They actually enhance learning in ways that would not be possible without technology. Google Workspaces    Google Workspace includes all of the productivity apps we know and love - Gmail, Calendar, Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides, Meet and many more.  With features such as speech to text, real-time collaboration, smart compose etc., Google Workspaces helps us to be efficient and innovative in all that we do. Flipgrid Flipgrid is a video discussion tool with many innovative features and tools. ...

This week has gone so fast. I’ve been busy with a full plate. Just the way I like it! Here are a few things that have been a part of my week as well as some resources I’ve shared with teachers. We flew our drone !  The students were extremely excited to experience this advanced form of technology. Our drone has gesture controls such as a palm launch and facial recognition.  The students quickly realized that it takes knowledge and skills to be able to capture quality videos and photos with the drone. Are you looking for a classroom spinner? I recommended this one to a fellow educator.  You can edit the spinner and then save the unique url for your spinner. Do you ever have a few minutes left of class and you need a quick way to engage your students? I love this site . Every time you refresh your screen, a new prompt will appear.  Use think-pair-share, journaling or sticky notes to record responses. If you are a Quizlet user, you might want t...

Who will play #TeacherStats with me? Share your results by adding your downloaded image to this Padlet . Kahoot launches a new collection of math games . I hope that Kahoot doesn’t forget about the literacy, science, tech ed teachers and others out there. More Kahoot collections coming soon? How To Geek gives us a reminder of how to take screenshots on pretty much any device. I use screenshots all of the time as a technology integrator! Video: How Do Different Social Media Platforms Affect Your Mood ?  You may be surprised by what you hear.  Here are classroom support materials including a student handout. More from Above the Noise. What I’m listening to on Audible  - not my typical genre, but I'm definitely hooked. What I’m reading professionally  - I love the Maker Movement as I am a natural "Maker" myself. Check out the bookshelves I made this past weekend for our home office / spare room. Happy Friday...

Focus on Online Assessments . . . I'm On It!

Having just returned from ISTE in Atlanta, GA, I'm happy to share some of the great tools and sites that I encountered while attending sessions and having conversations with with other attendees. Because there is so much to share, this will be a two part series. Here is the Chat with Deb video: Here is Part 1 of my presentation: Click here for all Chat with Deb videos Thank you to Intel's Teachers Engage Community for sponsoring this Chat with Deb

The amazing Kahoot student response tool now has some new features! First of all, you can now put a YouTube video as the cover image of your quiz.  So when students are putting in the pin and their nickname, the video will be playing. Another feature I've been playing with is uploading a gif instead of an image for some of the questions.  This really adds a nice feel to the quiz.  Check out this quick recording I did of one of my quizzes with a video and gifs: Would you like to add a gif to your Kahoot?  Click here to read a blog post I wrote about how to make Gifs. There is also the option to play a YouTube video in place of an image for a question.  I gave this a try, but it did not work for me.  This is an experimental feature. Another great feature is the ability to duplicate any public quiz and adjust the questions and answers to work for you.  I tried this feature and it worked great! Kahoot continues to...

This week I tried out a new site called Kahoot and it was a HUGE success with my students and with the teachers in Hartland, WI where I presented this past weekend. Kahoot allows you to create a quiz (survey or discussion).  The teacher needs to sign up for a free account to create a quiz.  The students do not need an account to take the quiz.   The teacher projects the quiz in the front of the room and the students answer the multiple choice questions on any device. Students only need to get the pin to enter into the quiz.   Questions appear very visual and the choices are colored boxes with shapes.  After each question, the quiz also projects the students with the top 5 scores.  While taking the quiz, music plays in the background and the questions are timed, which the teacher sets the time when setting up the quiz.  When the quiz is finished, teachers can download the results.   One of my favorite features is the ability ...