Professional Development

Highlights and Resources from GSD Tech Meet, May 12, 2020

May 2020Josh WhitingLeave a Comment

Celebrating Students

Granite teachers joined in a video and chat meet to share ideas and learn from one another in the final session of our Spring 2020 GSD Tech Meet series. This meet focused on ways to celebrate students and provide closure at the end of the year in a distance learning environment. Below we share a recording of the live meet, as well as ideas, links, and resources shared by participants in the session.

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Highlights and Resources from GSD Tech Meet, May 5, 2020

May 2020Josh Whiting

Student Choice

In our third GSD Tech Meet, held on Tuesday, May 5, 2020, Granite teachers joined up in a video and chat meet to share ideas and learn from one another. This week’s discussion focused on providing student choice and personalization during distance and face-to-face learning. Below we share a recording of the live meet, as well as ideas, links, and resources shared by participants in the session.

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Highlights and Resources from GSD Tech Meet, April 28, 2020

April 2020Josh Whiting

Ways to Increase Student Participation in Distance Learning

We held our second GSD Tech Meet on Tuesday, April 28, 2020, with more great discussions and sharing of ideas between Granite teachers. The discussion focused on techniques and ideas for increasing students’ engagement and participation in distance learning.

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Aaron Kammerman’s Video Ideas

April 2020Josh Whiting

Aaron Kammerman, School Technology Specialist at Hartvigsen School and The Jones Center, has been busy these last few weeks creating instructional videos for his teachers, as well as encouraging his teachers to make videos for their students. He recently compiled this inspiring list of ideas and reasons for teachers to make videos, and we are excited to share it with you!

Yesterday, I created a selfie video for my teachers, praising them for their efforts and encouraging them to reach out to me for continued support. In that video I made a passionate plea that they make MORE VIDEOS. I explained that kids are not missing out on the CONTENT as much as they are missing the CONTACT.

I followed up with this list of video ideas. My list of ideas is geared toward special ed students, but you get the idea. In case this is helpful, I pass it along to you!

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Highlights from the First GSD Tech Meet, April 21, 2020

April 2020Josh Whiting

Over 100 Granite educators joined us for our first GSD Tech Meet, a live virtual meeting for teachers held in Google Meet on Tuesday, April 21, 2020. The meet was facilitated by Kacie O’Maley, School Technology Specialist at Upland Terrace Elementary and an incoming Team Leader for our department next year. In this first session, Kacie introduced the meet as a collaborative space for teachers to connect and share with one another, putting forth discussion questions that encouraged participants to share successes, ideas, and solutions they have developed during the distance learning period.

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Join Us for GSD Tech Meet, Live at 11 AM on Tuesday, April 21, 2020

April 2020Chris Larsen

Teachers, join us for our first live GSD Tech Meet on Tuesday, April 21^st at 11:00 AM. Join the meeting by using the nickname “GSDTechMeet” in Google Meet. For our first meeting we’ll be sharing out ideas for connecting with students and best practice for distance learning. If you can’t join us live, the meetings will be recorded. Reach out to Chris Larsen in Educational Technology with questions.

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Distance Learning Resources in Granite School District

March 2020Josh Whiting

During school dismissal and this period of distance learning, Granite School District and the Educational Technology Department have created two centralized resources to provide students, families, and teachers with access to essential digital tools, best practices, and resources for distance teaching and learning.

distancelearning.graniteschools.org

This website is intended to help students and families access digital tools that Granite teachers may be using during school dismissal. Your student’s teacher will provide you with detailed information about accessing learning during this time. Please reach out to individual teachers with questions.

distanceteaching.graniteschools.org

You can find all updates from Granite School District on school dismissal and COVID-19 at this link: https://www.graniteschools.org/blog/category/covid-19/

Digital Learning Day 2020

February 2020Josh Whiting

In the Granite Educational Technology Department we celebrate learning with technology every day, but today, February 27, 2020, is Digital Learning Day! This day was created to give educators nationwide a platform to showcase the innovative teaching and learning happening in their classrooms and libraries.

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Now Registering: Adobe Spark (Ed Tech Tuesdays Pick Five Series)

February 2020Josh Whiting

The next sessions of our GSD Ed Tech Tuesdays professional development series happen this evening and in two weeks. Join us in the library at Granite Connection High School on Tuesday, March 3, 2020 or at the TLC on Tuesday, March 17, 2020 to learn the basics of Adobe Spark, an easy creation tool which is available to all students and staff members in Granite School District.

Adobe Spark is an easy and fun way for you and your students to create graphics, webpages, and videos. We’ll explore the ins and outs of using these tools and several ideas for getting started with them in your classroom.

Click here to sign up to attend this or other future GSD Ed Tech Tuesday ‘Pick Five’ Sessions.

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Now Registering: Code.org Training (March 2020)

February 2020Josh Whiting

Notice: Session Dates Have Been Moved to March 18 and March 25, 2020*

Hey, did you know that well paying, exciting jobs in Computer Science go unfilled in Utah? Did you know that Code.org can engage your K-5 students and give them a basis in those computer science standards, using online coding games and unplugged lessons? Did you also know that the content is easy to access, follows the best pedagogy practices, and requires minimal teacher prep time? Did you know it’s free? Click Here to sign up for Code.org teacher PD in March 2020.

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