BYOT in the Science Classroom

1. Melissa E. Smith South Forsyth High School BYOT in the Science Classroom

2. Wiffiti

3. What is Wiffiti? • www.wiffiti.com • Allows students to “write” comments on a wall (called screens) • Submissions can be sent by text message or typed directly

4. Sample Activity • Students formed expert groups on review topics for an upcoming test • Each group posted important info about their topic on a Wiffiti screen • Groups presented their screens to the class • Classmates identified inaccuracies and posted suggested improvements • Completed screens were posted in ANGEL (online course management tool)

5. Pre-Activity Set Up • Teacher must have an account to set up screens (free and easy registration) • Screens were set up in advance. • Text codes for screens were listed on the board. • Laptops were available for each group.

6. Benefits • Students’ responses are anonymous, so there is no fear of embarrassment • Images can be posted on the screen (students must use the laptop to do this) • High levels of student engagement

7. Issues • Students without short-code texting on their phones were unable to text in responses. However, they could type them directly on the website. • Site has to be refreshed frequently, so students can see all postings • Only the most recent 6-7 postings are shown on the screen. To view all postings, you have to click on the Timeline view. • The creator of the screen is the only one who can delete a posting

8. Classroom Management Suggestions • Remind students that they cannot delete postings from screens they didn’t create • Students can post on other groups’ screens – discourage this…unless you want it! • During screen set up, choose G rating • ALWAYS have a back-up plan!

9. Other Uses??? • Warm-up activity • Survey of student opinions • Student questions • Mini-projects • Summarizing activity • Your turn! Text @wif82718 and your message to 87884 and post your suggestions • GaETC Wall

10. Poll Everywhere

11. What is Poll Everywhere? • www.polleverywhere.com • Allows students to respond to a teacher-generated poll • Responses can be submitted by text or typed directly into the website

12. Suggested Activities • Teachers can create a poll using multiple choice or free response questions • Bellringer activities • Discussion questions • Checks for understanding • Students can generate polls

13. Pre-Activity Set Up • No registration necessary – takes seconds to create poll • Embed poll and directions for responding into presentation

14. Benefits • FREE with no registration required • Can replace expensive hardware like Activotes and clickers • Replaces paper surveys • Polls are anonymous • You can control when students can respond to the poll • Text moderation of what appears on the public screen for free-response polls

15. Issues • Only 30 people can respond to a question – memberships for larger audiences are available for a price • Polls for nonregistered users are deleted after 2 weeks • Responses are completely anonymous unless students are registered users

16. Classroom Management Suggestions • Moderate student responses to open-ended questions • Check your settings – how can students respond? How often? • ALWAYS have a backup plan!

17. Applications • Your turn! How could you utilize this tool?

18. How To Vote via Texting EXAMPLE Standard texting rates only (worst case US $0.20) We have no access to your phone number Capitalization doesn’t matter, but spaces and spelling do TIPS

19. How To Vote via Poll4.com EXAMPLE Capitalization doesn’t matter, but spaces and spelling do TIP

20. Don’t forget: You can copy-paste this slide into other presentations, and move or resize the poll.

21. Titan Pad

22. What is Titan Pad? • www.titanpad.com • Allows students to work on one document at the same time • Each user gets a different color to track comments • Chat allows further communication

23. Sample Activities • Student group discussions • Group lab reports • Questions and comments during videos

24. Pre-Activity Set Up • Takes seconds to create a public pad • Copy and paste a link to the pad into a presentation • Links can be emailed or IMed, too • Computers with Internet access must be available

25. Benefits • FREE with no registration required • Pads can be made private by creating a subdomain (also FREE) • Pads are updated in real time • Import Word, HTML, and RTF files • Export final product as PDF, Word document, etc.

26. Issues • Public pads are limited to 8 simultaneous users (private subdomains allow unlimited users) • Currently does not work with iPads or iPhones • Some difficulty with images

27. Classroom Management Suggestions • Remind students that the timeline feature allows you to view ALL postings, even after they’ve been deleted • Keep pads open on your screen to monitor student posts • For whole class instruction, each group can share a laptop • ALWAYS have a backup plan!

28. Applications • Your turn! How could you utilize this tool in your classroom? • http://titanpad.com/DET5Ih3jDb - In the interest of time, this is a public pad!

29. Just for Fun – Cool Science Apps

30. Apps for iPhones and iPads • 22 iPhone Apps for Science Geeks • New iPad App Lets Brooklyn Students Learn Chemistry with Greater Ease – Lewis dot structures

31. Apps for Android • RealCalc Scientific Calculator • K12 Periodic Table • Physics Wizard • Hiccup AS Lite – Biology tutor • Audubon Society apps