Create your own microcredential program for free

I have been in conversations with the Professional Development (PD) department to allow online courses as considered for credit towards column advancement (pay raise).  The department was not hard to convince, barring that the online PD had some type of task that required teachers show that they have achieved competency.  We have gone through several presentations of companies who offer micro-credentials, but they are prohibitively expensive.  How can you create a homegrown micro-credentialing set of courses that teachers can take on their own time?

Ingredients:
- Live Google Doc as a menu of courses (make sure each course has a google classroom class code).
- Google classroom set up with training materials and a performance task.
- Google Form - How teachers notify you when they complete a course.
- Someone to verify the quality of the performance task
- Badge - a picture for the teacher/staff member to display digitally (webpage, signature line)

1. Put the topic, tools, course description, amount of time allotted for credit, and any other information on the Google Doc and post this to your webpage, so teachers and staff can view it.

2. Create a Google Classroom course for each training.  For each course you will need descripions, teaching, videos, pictures, The GOOGLE CLASSROOM CODE, and a performance task.

3. Make sure there is a contact form for teachers to contact the staff when they are finished. Google Form and Form Mule or AutoCrat.  That way the person verifying quality gets an email.  If you can get them to agree, have each schools principal be the quality control person.
NOTE: If the person verifying the quality is not at the district office, make sure verification instructions are embedded in the email that they get.

4. Get a picture online that you are free to use share or modify, add the name of the badge to the picture using your favorite photo editor.  Once teachers are verified, send them a digital copy of the badge for them to add to their email signature line.  If you really want, send them a certificate.

Find things Faster on the Internet

I often use and have seen people use different symbols for including or getting rid of different results.  Essentially refining your search to make sure your results are more relevant to what you are doing.  I use it with students to make sure they find what they are looking for.  Found a more comprehensive list, for those who do not want to use advanced search, try this link.  Or, CLICK HERE if you like a little sarcasm in your life.

#OCCUE Presentations

This way you can play during the session.  Here are the sessions I am doing at OCCUE.  They are geared towards altering instruction through the use of chromebooks in the classroom.

Chromebook 101

There's More to Google than Drive

Chromebook AppSmashing

If you have a question, please let me know.

The Bookmark Trick

If you are like me, you have a ton of bookmarks.  Have you ever noticed that some of them have pictures?  Why not only show the picture?  I know that Google Drive is a multi-colored recycle sign, so why do I need to have it say Google Drive right next to it.  I don't.  I have used that to fit more bookmarks on my bookmark bar.

Here's how to do it...
- Once you have the extension (dragging the lock to the bookmark bar or clicking the star and clicking done) go ahead and right-click the extension (2 finger click for the Chromebookies out there).
- Select the Edit option.
- Delete the name and hit enter.
- Done

So what happens when you forget what the picture means.  Well, then you shouldn't have bookmarked it as it is obviously not a favorite website of yours... But you can just hover over the picture and it should tell you.

SO MUCH MORE ROOM FOR ACTIVITIES ON THE BOOKMARK BAR!!

The most important part of the implementation

As teachers, we recognize the importance of setting up norms and rules, the boundaries in which the students may operate.  We also recognize the importance of setting our discipline structure or reinforcing the discipline structure of the school/district.  When we get to technology, we get so excited about what we can do that we jump right in, or we are so afraid of what can happen that we never get started.  Don't forget the Acceptable Use Policy, Information Literacy, and Digital Citizenship.

Why is it the most important?  E-rate funding requires that teachers go through internet safety and digital citizenship.  We are supposed to teach 3 lessons each year.  Some school districts are more dependent on E-rate funding, but should your district face an audit and teachers have not been teaching this, then we have a problem... No funding for connectivity.  Don't believe me, read it here.

Where to point the finger?  You know that students are going to screw up at some point.  It is not a question of "if" it is a question of "how."  My guess is, you have no idea how.  CYA!  It is best to have a set of rules and consequences set up to ensure that students know there are expectations.  Not that you haven't done it with your classroom already, but do it again, like every time you take your class out of the room.  Electronic devices allow your students to venture far beyond the walls of your classroom.  Just like taking them to an assembly, the library, or a field trip cover the rules again in a way that is specific to the activity students will do.

I am a big fan of setting boundaries, outlining the consequences, and letting students play.  I enjoy the new things that students show me and the wonderful things that they make and learn.  When they screw up, there is a consequence, but that rarely happens.  Most of the time, students work within the boundaries and are still able to explore and learn through the activity and the use of the device.  I would say it is the most important part of my implementation.

Digital Madlibs with Google Forms

Today I was working with a group who wanted to collect information through a google form , but who also wanted a nicely filled out template that they could reference if needed.  So I went to investigate.

About 1 second into looking at Google Form Add-ons, I found Form Publisher.  Said it would take form submissions and turn it into a document by filling out the template.  I decided to test this in the most professional method possible.  Madlibs!!

If you want to fill out the Form to see what it does, click here.  To view the template and the output, click here.

Form - Create the form with the questions you would like to ask.  Obviously this has more power than Madlibs...but I like Madlibs.

Doc Template - Create the Document or spreadsheet you would like this to fill in.  Use the <<question title>> (case sensitive) to create a field filled in by the form.

Start the Form Publisher Add-on - It pretty much walks you through the steps.  I set mine up to name the document based on the First Name entered in the form.

Walking through the Google Classroom Updates

So I open up google classroom today and I see this message.

So I read and create a new class.  When I get inside the class, there is no Announcement/Assignment button at the top of the stream.  Seriously, what the heck?  They also took away the question mark in the lower right hand corner and added a PLUS sign...

TOUR TIME.  You can now do an announcement, an assignment, or ask a question.  Cool, I think.  When I click on the + sign there are 4 options.

I can reuse posts from other classes.  SICK.

So I Try them...

• Reuse Post - here you choose your class, pick the post, then grab the information and assign it as if it were created today.  It even grabs the document and gives you the same options as if creating an assignment for the first time.
• Create Question - You can attach documents to ask questions, and have the student responses compiled in one place.  You can choose to let students see each others' answers and comment or not.

• Move to Top - Once an assignment is created, you have the choice to move the assignment to the top.  Nice for loading assignments then rearranging them.

Then I opened a class I had already created, with assignments.  I click on an assignment and the page had changed... Good and Bad.

• Good - Looks so much cleaner and there are thumbnails of the documents on the right of the page.
• Bad - No folder button.  I liked going to the google drive folder for the sole purpose that I could single click a document, click the preview eye, and quickly scan through documents.  Please request that is put back.  When you click the documents, you get a new tab for each.

From the Student Side

• When a Student opens an assignment, they can see both the instructions, and their assignment on the same page, a nice change from before.
• Less buttons when you open an assignment.  Students click on the Add button and they have the following menu.

All-in-all, I like the changes.  I do wish there was an alternative to the folder button, but I can live.  It is a large improvement.