For two days, we will explore All Things Google and how to leverage them in order to create innovative, collaborative learning environments. Whether you teach elementary, middle, or high school, students are constantly exposed to Google products. We will explore how we, as educators, can not only help them navigate these tools, but also implement them in order to improve their own learning. Using the Collect-Relate-Create-Donate (C-R-C-D) model from Ben Schneiderman's book, Leonardo's Laptop, as a framework, we will navigate through Google's tools to develop innovative lessons and projects, communication and collaboration strategies, assessment tools, learning supports, and publishing platforms.
Collect: Leverage advanced search techniques as well as specific Chrome extensions, features, and preferences to support and enhance the online reading and research experience. Develop solutions for collecting student work in order to provide feedback, track student progress, and streamline some of the administrative tasks associated with teaching.
Relate: Learn how to use Google Docs and Google Drive for synchronous and asynchronous collaboration. In addition to basic uses of the tools, we will address advanced topics such as conditional formatting in spreadsheets for formative assessment and collaborating across multiple devices (e.g. laptop, iPad, or other tablet) using the Drive app. We will not only discuss how to use these tools to support collaboration but also why.
Create: With a Google account, students can collaborate and create drawings, spreadsheets, presentations, and forms, but they can also unlock a host of web tools and apps. In addition to leveraging Google Drive's products, we will build innovative lessons and projects that incorporate other Google products and features such as virtual tours, digital stories, and screencasts.
Donate: Google Sites and Blogger are Google's publishing platforms that students and teachers can explore for donating their work. We will look at these tools from the perspective of creating student portfolios, building class web sites for sharing work, and creating a blended learning environment through the integration of blogs and discussion forums.
At the end of this workshop, participants will have both an understanding of how these tools can help them to improve their practice as well as a set of strategies for creating an innovative, collaborative classroom.
Required Equipment
EdTechTeacher does not provide equipment for the workshop. Participants should bring a Mac Book, Windows Laptop, or Chromebook with wireless capability. You are welcome to also bring iPads, tablets, or other mobile devices in addition to your computer, but some tools may not work on all devices.
Schedule
We will begin promptly at 8:30 am and strongly recommend arriving 20-30 minutes early on the first day in order to get set up. Coffee and snacks will be available each morning. Lunch options are within walking distance.
- 8:30 am - 12:00 pm - Class
- 12:00 pm - 1:00pm - Lunch
- 1:00 pm - 3:30 pm - Class
Instructor
Samantha Morra is an educator with 20 years experience in K-12 schools. She started her teaching career as a kindergarten, first and second grade teacher. She has worked as an elementary school technology coordinator, a middle school technology coordinator and an assistant principal. She is a Google Certified Teacher, has presented throughout the state of New Jersey, and is an advisor for the New Jersey Educational Computing Cooperative (NJECC). She has also presented at a number of conferences including the International Society for Technology in Education’s (ISTE) Conference, EduCon, and Tech Forum NY and Boston. She has been published in ISTE’s Learning & Leading With Technology magazine, quoted on education and learning in a variety of newspapers including the New York Times and Star Ledger and appeared on television on NJN’s Classroom Close Up and the ABC network special issues in education. She also contributed to Web 2.0 How-To for Educators by Gwen Solomon and Lynne Schrum and published by ISTE. She believes that technology has the power to transform education and build deeper understanding for students and teachers.
Register & Pay Online
The cost of this workshop is $595. Please note that our Eventbrite registration system uses PayPal as a payment gateway.
You do not need a PayPal account in order to pay online.
Register & Pay by Check or Purchase Order
The cost of this workshop is $595. To pay by check or purchase order, please send your completed registration form and payment to Ileen Matthews at ileen@edtechteacher.org or 866-314-8214 (fax).
Your registration is not complete without both payment and a completed form.
Checks can then be mailed to:
EdTechTeacher
Attention: Ileen Matthews
41 Kinsley Lane
Mendon, MA 01756
Please note: Space in our workshops is limited and they have sold-out in recent years. Spots are guaranteed on a first-paid, first-served basis, so please expedite payment as soon as possible.
Cancellation Policy
Requests for cancellation must be submitted in writing to Ileen Matthews at ileen@edtechteacher.org. If you have to cancel, we will issue a refund (minus a $25 processing fee) until 21 days before your workshop. After that date, no refunds will be given.
Waiting List Policy
If the workshop is full, we'll put you on the waiting list, and let you know if a spot becomes available.
Professional Development Credits
We have received approval from Framingham State University (Massachusetts) to award 1 (one) graduate credit to participants at a cost of $75. To receive graduate credit participants must be in attendance for all onsite instruction and complete all assigned work. Once registered, participants will receive additional graduate credit details.
We can award PDPs (Massachusetts) for attendance.
Directions & Travel
The workshops will be held in classrooms leased from Harvard Law School in Cambridge, MA - minutes from downtown Boston and near Logan Airport. You can reach the workshops by car or public transportation. It is a short walk from the Harvard Square T Stop (the subway), as well as along bus routes. The MBTA website has schedules and details.
If you have not experienced driving in Boston, know that it can be quite a challenge. Parking is limited and expensive - plan on approximately $27 per day in parking around Harvard.
Please visit our Directions & Parking page for more details.
We do also have a list of recommended accommodations in Cambridge.
Questions
If you have any questions, please contact us or call (888) 377-9518.
