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TCEA Tots

Lots of Laughter and Learning at Tots and Technology Galveston

by Susan Meyer June 28, 2017

written by Susan Meyer

Standing in the Galveston Convention Center during the 2017 Tots and Technology summer conference means being surrounded by the sights and sounds of elementary educators enthusiastically learning. The whir of robots being showcased. The excited laughter of a group successfully escaping a digital breakout. And the incredible conversations between educators sharing ideas from their own classrooms and libraries and schools: what’s worked for them, what didn’t, and their hopes for the new school year.

I already shared a little of the experience of Tots in Galveston on site at the conference. If you missed these posts, you might want to check them out to learn more about the fun that was had at the makerspace pre-conference and the amazing learning and sharing that took place at the Birds of a Feather session. But I also wanted to share a few highlights of the event as a whole for those who weren’t able to join us at the beach this summer.

Hands-On Learning

What makes Tots and Technology such a fun conference is that educators get to experience the technology they will be bringing back to the classroom with them. They get hands-on practice so that they are not only familiar with the app, program, or gadget and how it can be used for cross-curricular learning, but also get to experience the technology for themselves. This way they’re aware of both the fun and engagement potential and the possible pitfalls and questions a student user might face.

Discovering the Latest in Ed Tech

Not all of the learning takes place in the session rooms. The exhibit hall at Tots was also a great place for educators to learn about some new products and ideas for technologies tailored specifically for the elementary classroom. They were able to talk one-on-one with exhibitors and try out new technologies in a laid back environment. They also started helpful discussions about what had worked in their classrooms and what product features they hoped to see.

Having a Ball

When in between sessions, our educators had a blast playing with the 12-foot inflatable beach ball we brought to the convention. They discovered some pretty creative ways to make great photo ops. Many demonstrated a huge amount of teamwork from hoisting the ball to making some quick saves to stop it from rolling down the hall. Elementary educators pack in the learning, but they know how to have a ball too! Our beach ball found a new home as a door prize for one lucky educator, but we’ll be sure to have new surprises in store for next year and for Tots Arlington coming up in just a few weeks.

The Tots Train Is Heading to Arlington!

Did you miss Tots in Galveston this year? If so, you’re in luck! We offer a second Tots and Technology summer conference in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. It will be held at the Arlington Convention Center from July 16-18. And the best part is it’s not too late to register. You’ll get all the hands-on learning, networking opportunities, and fresh ideas that educators experienced at Tots in Galveston in a fun new city. Find out more information and register here.

June 28, 2017 0 comment

Good Teaching Professional Learning

Learning by Doing: Innovative Ideas from the Tots and Technology Pre-Conference

by Susan Meyer June 11, 2017

written by Susan Meyer

It’s a beautiful day for learning here in Galveston, Texas at the Tots and Technology summer conference. We’re excited to empower elementary educators to transform learning with two days of innovative professional development. The conference officially starts tomorrow, but today many educators showed up excited to supercharge their Tots experience with our interactive pre-conference workshops.

These workshops are very hands-on and last three hours, allowing the participants to dive deep into the learning and content. Teachers get to experience the engagement that can come from the thoughtful integration of technology in the PreK-5 classroom. We wanted to share with you a few photos and ideas from two of these sessions for our readers who couldn’t be here in person. We hope you’ll be inspired to create some of these experiences in your own schools.

Making Elementary Collaboration Easy

Fostering collaboration and encouraging students to work together is something most PreK-5 teachers strive for. Of course, the best way to get a class or small group working collaboratively is to give them a project they can really sink their teeth into. It needs to be challenging and engaging enough that they must pool their resources to find a solution. Teachers in the “Collaborative Projects for Elementary Students” session discovered some powerful project ideas to get students happily working toward a common goal.

Teachers collaborating in a Tots pre-conference session.

And teachers didn’t just learn about the projects. They had a chance to try them out. They worked together in small groups and quickly got to know their fellow educators and team mates. They then moved through six stations and created projects together using different technology tools. Later, they posted their creations publicly on a shared blog, further collaborating with the larger group. You can be part of their collaboration and check out some of their creations too! Groups created animations, recordings with green screens, and more. They were given instructions to complete their project, but had to work together as a team to brainstorm how they would accomplish it with the technology available at each station.

Making Is for All Ages

At the “Making in the Elementary Classroom” workshop, educators got to try out 11 different maker places. They were introduced to some of the simplest tools for starting a makerspace, like the remarkable versatility of reusing cardboard and k-cups. They also saw some of the more complex tools like beebots and Osmos in action.

An aspiring maker discovering the power of cardboard.

More importantly than just seeing the technology or being inspired by new ideas for creating makerspaces of their own, they also got a crash course in what making is really about. They spent their time in the session working at different stations to create whatever they wanted. At first, they experienced some trial and error and the careful following of instructions. A teacher learning to use the 3D doodler carefully followed a suggested template to make a 3D signature. However, after working with the tool a little longer, she started to go off book. This is the true spirit of making. Educators learned not just a set of tools they can use with their students, but a way of thinking. Making is about trying and failing and exercising one’s creative energy.

Ready to Join In?

Want to experience these very workshops in person to get even more tips and ideas for the elementary classroom? Our PD team will be bringing these sessions back at Tots and Technology Arlington in July. You too can experience hands-on learning by doing, collaborate with peers, and make some incredible creations. Learn more and register here.

June 11, 2017 0 comment

Content Areas Google Tips and Tricks iOS Tips and Tricks Podcasts Professional Learning

#TCEATots Voxercasts: Learning for Elementary Educators

by Miguel Guhlin June 14, 2016

written by Miguel Guhlin

Earlier this week, I had the opportunity to travel to the TCEA Tots and Technology Conference taking place in Galveston, Texas for elementary educators. When I attend conferences like this one, it can be overwhelming to process all the information that’s being shared. That’s why I took a few moments to start up the Voxer app and interview folks on the way to TCEA Tots.

Below, you’ll find short “voxercasts.” The Voxer app makes it easy to record content and then quickly share it. I bookmarked the tweets where I shared the Voxercasts and you can subscribe to the #TCEATots Voxercasts RSS feed via the Diigo social bookmarking tool.

These TCEA Tots voxercasts really help capture the flavor of this fantastic conference geared to teachers of young children. Note that links below will open to a Voxer page.

Seven Tots and Technology Voxercasts:

Green Screen Tips from Dr. Bruce Ellis – This conversation really blew my mind, so to speak, and sharing the tips Dr. Ellis included in his overview of green screes caught the attention of pre-conference attendees in my Become a Storymaker session.
GeoGuesser with Dr. Bruce Ellis – This conversation expands on social studies/geography connections possible with GeoGuesser, a Google feature I had never heard of. In fact, when I spoke with Lampasas ISD teachers who were presenting on virtual field trips and geo-related activities, they did not know about it either.
iPad Sharing Made Easy (Part 1) with Miguel Guhlin – This conversation has me sharing about iPads and getting information out there. I highlight several apps, including Readdle Documents and Seesaw. This is a two-part series since we were having too much fun, and Part 2 also mentioned Android.
iPad and Android Sharing Made Easy (Part 2) with Miguel Guhlin and Dr. Bruce Ellis – You may have noticed that the previous voxercast was cut short. This is the second half.
Notecard Confessions with Pedro Delgado (El Paso ISD) – What a joy to chat with Pedro Delgado (Twitter @neuropete01), TCEA Teacher of the Year Award finalist. He describes how he and his fourth and fifth grade students adapted the Paper Slide Videos, which I shared in my pre-conference session at TCEA Tots and Technology, to create Notecard Confessions. Check out Pedro’s phenomenal web site here.
Virtual FieldTrips and More with Sherrie Berry and Shelley Kozma (Lampasas ISD) (shown right) – We discussed Seesaw, as well as other awesome ideas and tips in the iPad classroom. This really addresses collecting student work from iPads. Also discussed Microsoft in Education, as well as Skype in the Classroom. And Google Lit Trips were also referenced. Catch them on Twitter @shelleykozma and @sherrie_berrys.
Digital Storytelling with Dr. Martha Green (Texas A&M) and Cecelia “Cece” Porra – In this wonderfully rich conversation, Martha, Cece, and I discuss digital storytelling and its application for instructional purposes. Martha provides some insights into using digital storytelling for mathematics, as well as shares other ideas.
Coding in the Language Arts Classroom with Kelly Hong – Listen to Kelly share what she knows about coding in the language arts classroom. Who would have thought you could “write” or “code” fantasy stories and tales with MIT’s Scratch program?
Seesaw with Brittany Adcock (@adcockb10) – Listen to Brittany share about Seesaw, a phenomenal digital portfolio tool.
Digital Learning Centers with Crystal Flores and Jeanine Freeman (@techtimewithj9) – This is a fascinating presentation by Crystal and Jeanine about how Crystal created audio versions of her classroom books. Also listen to Dr. Roland Rios share his reflections, too.
TCEA Tots participants were asked to share their insights: What is one take-away from TCEA Tots? Other participants (TonyaHinkebein; MalvernMRS shown below with service dog, Nelson) also offered their thoughts on Promoting Technology Use in their classroom.
Collaborative Grant Writing (Part 1 and Part 2)– This was an enlightening session regarding crowdfunding (e.g. DonorsChoose) with Brandi (@aesfinearts) and Mandy Bryan (@mandyrbryan) and collaborative grant writing tools. It resulted in two parts.

Be sure to check back for even more interviews from TCEA Tots and Technology 2016 in Galveston, Texas. And if you want more learning for elementary educators, consider joining us for the Tots Frisco conference July 24-26.

June 14, 2016 0 comment