This is how you do it...

If you've ever had trouble figuring out how to do something, look no further! Ms. Settemeyer's sixth grade class has you covered.

They incorporated several pieces of technology into one fantastic assignment! But it all begins with the how-to paper. Students were encouraged to explore Screencast-o-matic.com during the February 1st Digital Learning Day

Here are two that helped us out:

(In the video above, the student used Screencast-0-matic.com and voki.com to create their how-to)

(In the video above, the student used Screencast-0-matic.com and Prezi.com to create their how-to)

Not all of the students used Screencast-o-matic.com. Others chose a topic that required more physical demonstrations and used different personal devices and video editing software packages to create their how-tos.

Cedar Valley is in the News for DLD!

Check it out!

Cedar Valley was featured in the Round Rock Leader for our participation in Digital Learning Day.

Read the article here.

Cedar Valley Goes Digital: DLD

Cedar Valley teachers accepted the challenge that Principal Matt Groff presented to them: check it out, sign up, get involved, and go digital. During the February 1st Digital Learning Day (DLD), students were given more opportunities than usual to learn using technology.

During DLD, teachers at CeVMS included many activities that incorporated a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) philosophy and also used all the available computer resources on campus (computer labs, laptop carts, tablet devices—just to name a few). Polleverywhere.com was used to ask student opinions on poets in ELA classrooms, and students were allowed to use their cell phones to access the polls. Students in math classes used Khanacademy.com to practice concepts and skills; while other students across the hall were using Screencast-O-matic to create their own versions of how-to presentations. Teachers in social studies classes facilitated projects where students used Microsoft Office products as a workflow to complete tasks needed to present information. Students also were guided to focus on online databases and library resources that are available to them through the Districts’ Library Services. In science classes, students were allowed to explore cycles and systems through a district-provided online subscription to Explore Learning. Digital Learning Day helped teachers and students recognize that a bridge needs to exist between the technology skills needed to excel in our society and those skills that students have as digital natives. It is our job as teachers to help focus these native skills into the ability to use the technology toy as a tool for education.

Check out what happened in our classrooms:

QR-azy for QRs

CeVMS has gone a little QR-azy for QR Codes! They are popping up all over the hallways, in emails, in the cafeteria, and even in the Library. The initial roll-out came after the counselors and librarians were introduced to it during district training sessions. Since then, we just can't seem to get enough.

The counselors are putting up reminders about 4-year planning, testing, schedules, academies, and other important information around the building for students to access.

The library is incorporating QR codes into the Read It Forward program and into fundraising efforts for Dell Children's Hospital. Read more about it on the library webpage here.

Take a look at the great main hallway display:

The students are encouraged to scan the QR codes with their cell phones to receive the message encoded in the QR. If they don't have a cell phone or don't want to use it at school., the library has created scanning stations where students log on to a laptop and use software on the computer to scan the codes and capture the information.

Because of the prevalence of this tool, we are even incorporating its use in a classroom perspective into our Professional Development Bootcamp later in February.