An Oldie, but a Goodie...

Three years in technology and blogging is a REALLY long time, but valid and creative ideas are most definitely timeless.  I wanted to share a post with you from late 2014 which still holds plenty of relevance today because this list really isn't about the technology, it's about quality (and fun) teaching practice.

Check out this list of 21 Things Every 21st Century Teacher Should Do This Year.  I'll meet you back here in a few minutes.

First, I'm not a fan of the term "21st Century."  I'm not even sure what it means anymore.  Don't worry too much about that.  If you're totally stuck on the term please read this post and this post.  "21st Century" is way more than a buzzword, it's most definitely a way of life in teaching and learning.

Second, these are manageable tasks.  I'm not trying to encourage you to do every single one of these things this semester, but choose one or two and see where it takes you and your students.  You never know what may happen (in a very good way.)  Going paperless for a week, participating in a Twitter chat, creating a class hashtag, and some others are very simple to try and/or implement.  Take it slow, be purposeful, and definitely GO FOR IT.

Third, I can't help but think about the potential impact on students here.  When teachers step outside their comfort zones there is some serious positive modeling going on.  You, as the teacher, don't quite know how things are going to go, but you are willing to try something new, and that is going to be appreciated.

So again, this particular post is pretty "old", but the practices and skills contained within it continue to evolve with the times.  Help make 2017 great by trying some new approaches and practices and see where things go from there!

***CCSD's Office of Instructional Technology is ALWAYS more than happy to support you and your colleagues (and, of course, students too) with the purposeful and meaningful implementation of technology into your instruction.  Please feel free to contact our team via email or via our request form.  We'd love to help you with your instructional adventures!

Tech Tip Tuesday: Infographics - So What's Your Story?

When given the choice between a bar graph and an infographic, which one catches your eye first?

       

Both show the same information, the same data points. But for many, the infographic on the left is far more appealing because of the visual elements and the graphic representation of the numbers. It visually tells the story of the stories that have been most read.

What are Infographics?
An infographic (information graphic) is a visual/graphic representation of information designed to make data easily understandable at a glance. Infographics allow readers to quickly understand and visualize large amounts of data and allow writers to visually represent data and make the creative decisions needed to best communicate their ideas and information.

To get a better sense of how infographics work and how to create them, here are some infographics...about infographics.

11 Infographics About Infographics

Why Infographics?

"The eye is exquisitely sensitive to patterns in variations in color, shape and pattern. It loves them, and it calls them beautiful. It's the language of the eye. If you combine the language of the eye with the language of the mind, which is about words and numbers and concepts, you start speaking two languages simultaneously, each enhancing the other. So, you have the eye, and then you drop in the concepts. And that whole thing -- it's two languages both working at the same time."

Uses in the Classroom:
Infographics are a great way to share information with students, or have students visually show their understanding. An infographic can be a great hook, a way to help activate background knowledge,and give students an alternative way to access information. Having students read, find, compare, and create infographics allows them to enter the roles of producers, consumers, and curators of data and information. The primary ways to use infographics in the classroom are:

• interpreting infographics: learning how to view and understand the data presented
• critiquing infographics: evaluating the infographic in terms of data as well as design and graphics 
• creating infographics: using design and images to give context to and visually represent data 

Creating Infographics:
There are many online tools that can help students create a digital infographic, but don’t underestimate the power of good old paper and pencil! Some things to keep in mind when you or your students are creating infographics:

Check out the full infographic HERE! I used VENNGAGE to create it in no time. And, it was free!

At the end of the day, the most important thing to keep in mind when using infographics in the classroom is that it's truly about the information and the story you or your students are able to tell with the data you have. So, what's the story you're going to tell?

Other Resources:
Infographics as Creative Assessment from Kathy Schrock
Share your favorite infographics or websites with us below!