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Unlock the Power of Preplanned Questions: Enhance Learning with the Groundbreaking AI Technology of QuestionWell

7/30/2023

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AI tools are popping up faster than I can check them out!  I have written in the past about the power of questioning and preplanning  questions that will be asked during instruction. I wrote about "Planning Purposeful Questions" here a few years ago here.   I am a big proponent of generating and having questions ready in instructional design, so finding a tool that is dedicated to question generation that exports to tech tools that make formative checks super efficient caught my attention. 

QuestionWell is an innovative AI tool designed to create reading comprehension and guiding questions for virtually any specified article. The questions crafted by QuestionWell can be saved into a document or even exported to several well-known quiz applications such as Kahoot and Quizziz.


There are two primary methods to employ QuestionWell for generating questions. One alternative is to input a block of text (not exceeding 1,000 words) directly into the QuestionWell question generator. Alternatively, you can provide the URL of an online article into the same generator. Regardless of your chosen approach, the subsequent procedures remain identical.

Upon receiving the article input, QuestionWell automatically generates a series of questions based on the content. You have the option to review all the questions and pick those that suit your needs. These questions can be exported to a Word document or integrated into a variety of popular quiz apps. This makes preplanning formative checks and utilzing technology to save time and be more efficient seemless. Additionally, all created question sets are stored in your QuestionWell account for future reference or modification. 

Finally, remember anything generated by AI needs to be checked for accuracy, there can be mistakes.   Let me know what you think if you give it a try!

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Revolutionizing Classroom Instruction: How Diffit.me and AI Empower Teachers to Adapt & Level Resources

6/17/2023

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AI tools are revolutionizing the education landscape, and I am excited to dive into the realm of experimentation to learn how these tools can empower teachers! Today, I came across an intriguing tool called Diffit.me, which has the capability to greatly assist teachers in adapting existing materials and generating leveled resources.

Diffit.me is a user-friendly website that allows teachers to easily differentiate their instruction by creating multiple versions of their lesson materials. This means that teachers can provide tailored levels of support and challenge based on the unique needs of each student.

Through differentiation, teachers can customize their materials and resources for students. By leveling texts, teachers ensure that students work with materials that are appropriately challenging yet still within their reach, enabling them to develop the necessary skills and knowledge to meet grade-level objectives. We are only beginning to explore how AI can support teachers in this regard.

Take a moment to watch the two concise videos below and discover the capabilities of Diffit.me.
 Part 1 - Leveling Text (1:36)
Part 2 - Align to a standard and generate resources. (2:05)
As we embrace the potential of AI, it's important to remember that whenever AI tools are utilized, it is crucial to check the generated materials for accuracy. Diffit.me offers educators a way to adapt and generate leveled text and resources in a time effiecient manner that was not possible before AI. Don't miss out on this remarkable chance to harness the power of AI while ensuring the accuracy of the content you deliver!

Give it a try and let me know what you think. 
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Understanding Universal Design for Learning - 3 Key Principles

1/4/2023

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UDL stands for Universal Design for Learning. UDL is an educational framework that aims to make learning more inclusive and accessible for all students. UDL is based on the idea that by proactively designing educational environments, materials, and activities to be flexible and customizable, educators can create opportunities for all students to learn and succeed. The UDL framework consists of three main principles:
  1. Multiple means of representation: Provide multiple ways for students to access and understand information and concepts, including through different modalities (e.g., visual, auditory, kinesthetic) and media (e.g., text, images, video).
  2. Multiple means of expression: Provide multiple ways for students to demonstrate their learning and express their ideas, including through different media (e.g., written, oral, visual) and formats (e.g., individual, group, online).
  3. Multiple means of engagement: Provide multiple ways for students to engage with the material, including through different activities (e.g., discussions, hands-on projects) and learning environments (e.g., in-person, online).

I first heard the concept of UDL introduced at a meeting where Goalbook was shared as a tool that was available to teachers to use in designing instruction to meet students' Individual Education Plans.  The term UDL was thrown out a lot in that meeting, but I had no idea what it stood for or why it was important to understand when designing instruction. 

UDL can benefit all students in a classroom, not just those with disabilities. By providing multiple ways for students to access, express, and engage with material, UDL can create a more diverse and flexible learning environment. An environment that caters to each student's unique strengths and needs. For example, if a teacher provides multiple means of representation for a lesson on World War II, some students may prefer to learn through reading a text, while others may prefer to watch a video or listen to a lecture.  Providing some options such as extended time without an IEP in place is a sticking point in some classrooms.  UDL pushes home the point that what's good for one can be good for all.  This may be the biggest hurdle for us to cross in traditional classrooms.

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By offering a range of options, the teacher can meet the needs of each student and help them better understand the material. Similarly, by providing multiple means of expression, teachers can give students more choice in how they demonstrate their learning. Some students may prefer to write an essay, while others may prefer to create a presentation or a video. By offering these options, teachers can allow students to showcase their learning in a way that is most comfortable and effective for them.
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An analogy of Universal Design exists at the entrance to most buildings. There are two ways to access our building, the stairs or the ramp. Most days I take the stairs and am quickly at the door; if I have pushed it too hard during a workout or have a sore knee, I might opt to use the ramp.  When I use the ramp, it takes me a little longer, but it makes it easier, and on those days, that is what is best for me. I don't need permission to make this decision. UDL's primary goal is to create expert learners. Expert learners decide which supports and scaffolds they believe will help them be more successful.  A learner may need more time, a video, an audio recording, or a safe editing partner.

​I am curious how a focus on UDL can influence instructional design when we are utilizing our Learning Management Systems. I am reading UDL and Blended Learning; Thriving in Flexible Learning Landscapes by Katie Novak and Catlin Tucker to learn more! 
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3 Question Summary - Helping Make Sense of Rigorous Text

9/10/2022

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Reading is one of the many vehicles to learning, and yet when complex or long texts are assigned to students, many students struggle. In classrooms, you will often hear instructions given to annotate or take notes as you read and yet pulling those items together is difficult.  Recently I listened to the podcast “Rebuilding American Civics”, in the conversation, Luke Perez addresses the jump from high school to college and some of the skills that he sees lacking in students; the conversation drew me in. I vividly remember the long reading assignments and reading without gaining knowledge. 

In the podcast, Perez, a professor at Arizona State, shares the strategy of using “The Three Questions Summary.”  This strategy enables a student to take dense pieces of text and summarize it down to the essentials.  The Three Question Summary can be applied in chunks as a student reads and then again as more of the text is processed. A student might answer the questions at the end of each chapter and then again at the end of the text.  
Questions to ask as you read the document/book chapter/primary source:
  • What is the argument?
    • “(Author) argues______”   (In one sentence, capture the argument being made. It can be the thesis statement from the author. )
  • How is it argued?
    •  “Argues this by….”   (Explain the outline of the argument.)
  • Why does it matter?
    • “This matters because….” (This third question can show an understanding of lesson objectives or assess the overall comprehension of the material. At this point, the student’s internalization of the material can connect prior knowledge and lead to additional questions.)​​

Perez states during the podcast that when the 3 Question Summary is applied while reading, students are able to engage and retain more rigorous content. Answering the questions and putting a summary together also reinforces the learning through writing.

The 3 Question Summary is a technique that I plan on using during my next rigorous read.  Give it a try with your students and see how it affects the knowledge students walk away with as they engage in their next reading assignment.  


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7 Things to Model While Learning

11/22/2021

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The Learner Lab Podcast is a podcast that I listen to on a regular basis and I often walk away from an episode with something to think about or improve on in my own learning journey.

In the episode, "How to Improve the Learning Environment with Modeling" hosts Trevor Ragan and Alex Belser explore the role that modeling plays in learning. The episode starts off with an "Anti-Talent" Show challenge at a school.  This was a challenge where students and teachers, selected something that they were not good at and practiced and learned about it for two weeks and then shared the before and after.  When students saw teachers struggling to learn something new, the teachers were modeling the learning process.  It turns out that there is actually science behind why the teachers struggle to learn had an impact on the students. Without being aware, people mimic or accept what they see in front of them as the norm. 

Guest of the podcast are Karch Kiraly, head coach of USA Volleyball and Ceci Craft, a mental performance coach.  They shared that every action we display and thing we say is technically modeling. We can model good things, irrelevant things, or not so good things.  Our actions have more of an impact on those around us than we realize. 

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At the time of the interview, Coach Kiraly shared how USA Volleyball had won two silvers but continued to pursue the gold. "We are not there yet, there is work to be done." In the gym, he and his players make public declarations and post on a white board something that they are working to get better at. Stating a learning goal helps the athletes and coaches in his gym hold each other accountable. Kiraly goes on to explain that it's not about the flex of being good at something, it's identifying a piece of your skill set to work on and learn about. He makes a point of talking about how a coach's learning impacts  the strategies and routines used with the players. Along the way modeling how that learning some times goes right and other times fails us before we figure it out. Team USA's learning paid off as @usavollebyall brought home the gold from the Tokyo games! 

The episode got me thinking about what others might pick up on from the way a leader learns. I jotted down 7 things they shared that if modeled can improve the learning environment for the people around us. 
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  1. Hunger to Grow - a true desire to learn and get better
  2. Willingness to Experiment - not having all of the answers is ok
  3. Vulnerability - the unknown effect or judgment others will have
  4. Willingness to Learn Something New - open to change
  5. Asking for and Using Feedback - valuing critical and complimentary assessment 
  6. Responding to Adversity - being resilient and pushing through
  7. Owning mistakes - simply saying I made a mistake

Which of these 7 things are present in your own learning?  Where can you grow in your learning journey? 

​You can listen to the episode of the podcast here.
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What Leap Did You Take During the Pandemic?

7/16/2021

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Sitting around the dinner table a couple of weeks ago, I had a friend ask me what was one thing that we would never have tried had the pandemic not happened. It got me thinking….​

For me, the answer was our daily schedule. Our traditional school schedule had students visiting 7 classes for 50 minutes a day with a common period in the middle of the day for lunch and activities.  As we started to brainstorm we set out with a clear finish line, knowing what the total number of minutes needed to look like, and began to work backwards. 

We did not take our traditional schedule and move it online. Asking students to sit in front of a computer for 7+ hours, as if they were in class was not an option we thought was viable or in the best interest of our students. We sought feedback and ideas and we completely changed how time was allocated.  Students had learning experiences designed that ultimately took up the same amount of time, but we organized the time in a completely different way.
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Our schedule allowed for synchronous sessions in the morning and then time in the afternoon for students to spend minutes in “the work” of learning, meeting with teachers individually during office hours, or in “Content Hours”. (An idea that came from our teachers.)  Content Hours were hour blocks of time that were assigned to departments. In this hour, teachers had the ability to bring all of the students that they taught together at one time. At the high school level, that might mean 180 students or even more if several teachers teamed up together. Our teachers used this time in a variety of ways.  Content Hour allowed teachers to bring in professionals and guests that students normally wouldn’t have access to.  Students were able to meet authors, scientists, and remotely travel the world led by travel guides that normally are escorting groups in person. Teachers also had the ability to give an assessment all at one time, as opposed to giving it 5 times and taking away from the synchronous time they had with students in the mornings. 

Content Hour was one of the biggest “wins” we saw emerge for our students in some courses, but not in all of them.  In the beginning, I believe we should have offered additional learning and collaborative time for teachers to share their ideas about content hour with each other. As a school community, I think we also could have established clearer expectations and set norms for the content hours. 

Developing the schedule was not easy and involving our stakeholders throughout the process was critical. When I saw the "Stages of Thinking" that Farnam Street published, I found it correlated with the process we went through.   During step 2, the tempting thing to do was to just go with a block schedule and spread the time out throughout the day.  ​
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Our COVID schedule gave our students more agency and flexibility in their learning than they had ever had. This was a good thing for many but a black hole for other students who just did not have the time management and/or executive functioning skills to navigate the learning landscape.  I believe the flexibility in our schedule allowed for families to work around students sharing devices and various household scenarios. The agency that students experienced allowed them to spend more time in some content areas than in others. 

Moving forward, I want to continue to work on increasing student agency and giving students flexibility in where they spend their time when they walk through our doors.  (And, thank goodness they will be walking back through our doors. Not to mention NEW DOORS!)

What is a leap that your school took during the pandemic, what did you learn from it?
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Waterfall a Quick Strategy to Use in Virtual Instruction

3/29/2021

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In face to face instruction, I loved using simple white boards and having students show their answers to get a quick pulse on where everyone was or what they thought. In virtual instruction I have seen a strategy called Waterfall work in much the same way.

In the virtual world, where students and many adults are hesitant to turn their cameras on or unmute their microphone Waterfall gives them a chance to participate in a safe low stakes way. When everyone is contributing the focus is not on any one person. 

  1. Ask a question
  2. Students answer in the chat, but do not click send
  3. Teacher says or projects an image “3-2-1 Waterfall!”
  4. Students all press send together for a cascade of answers!


Waterfall can be used at the beginning of class, as a check for understanding during instruction, or as an exit ticket. It can also be a silly or personal question that fosters a sense of community. 

Make a copy of the template here. 
When you are designing your instruction plan where you will use the strategy. You can simply place the waterfall icon image in the corner of a slide to remind yourself to use the strategy, or you can insert a copy of the slide above to add a bit of color and sound to the strategy.  Press the Play button in the corner as students are typing in their answers and they'll hear a waterfall. (It's the little things like a sound that can make a difference, sometimes.)  Waterfall is a simple strategy that is effective.  
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Mail Merge with Custom PDFs - Email Each Student in Your School a Unique File

3/20/2021

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Pandemic problem - students were remote and we needed to send each student their report card at the end of a grading cycle. We did not want to use the U.S. Mail as it was expensive, non-eco friendly, and time consuming, Our solution, mass email individual files to student email addresses. We chose to send the emails and documents to student email addresses because we were confident that they were the most reliable address we had on file for any student, as the email addresses were created and assigned by the school district. In non-pandemic times, we would send the document home with the student. 

Early this year we learned how to send a mass email through mail merge using Word. Thank you Peerti Burns for teaching us how to do this first step! After we learned how to mail merge out a standard email we were met with a new challenge, attaching a specific pdf to each email. Sending each student a specific file took us a bit of time to figure out.  The steps below walk you through what we learned so that we could send individual pdfs to students.  

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Click to set custom HTML


There are two tools that I used to help make the process simpler and go faster. I reference them in the videos, but I am linking them here too.
Links to Plug-Ins
AutoSplit:   
https://www.evermap.com/AutoSplit.asp

Mail Merge Toolkit: (Remember to try trial and make sure the version you buy attaches your file.  I am not sure what the difference is between Personal Attachments and Personalized PDF in attachment. There were not two versions when I purchased the add-in). https://www.mapilab.com/outlook/mail_merge/#purchase  

Also, I used two formulas that you can copy and paste into your spreadsheet to help complete your data sheet.
Links to Formulas:
  • Formula to remove characters from ID Number:     =LEFT(A1,LEN(A1)-4)    
  • Formula for Vlookup to match file with ID Number  (Remember to change file to your file’s name.): 
          =VLOOKUP($A2,'[Report Cards Sample File.xlsx]Sheet1'!$A$1:$G$3193,7,FALSE)     

Learning to send documents individually to students has added an additional layer to  our communication channels. It's efficient, reliable, and cost effective.  The challenges we have faced during the pandemic have been immense, learning to leverage email to distribute unique student information is one way in which we have gotten better through the pandemic months.  I hope what we have learned helps you communicate with your community.
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Baamboozle - In the Classroom or Virtual Retrieval Practice

2/23/2021

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Baamboozle is a free game platform that can be used in-person or in a synchronous learning session. Baamboozle has a built-in library of thousands of games ready to play in all subjects. Also, the easy game creation tool in Baamboozle allows you to make and customize games in no time. Don't see a game that meets your needs, let students create games from the learning they have been engaged in. Allowing students the opportunity to author the games for your classes to play allows for students to share and reinforce their own learning. Students are placed on teams (options range from 2-4 teams in the free version) and compete against each other.  Baamboozle is an excellent way to get kids speaking as answers are given verbally and points awarded to the team.  There are three different modes that games can be played in. 
  • Quiz Mode is straight forward question and answer and points are awarded.
  • Classic Mode with power-ups
  • Classic Jr Mode with simple scoring
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You might be wondering what "Power-Ups" are. They are a twist that keep teams on their toes.  Power-Ups pop-up as a separate box when a question is selected. They add an additional layer of fun to the game. Power-ups allow teams to earn extra points, lose points, or other game-changers.

While Baamboozle can be integrated into any content area or grade level, the listening and speaking aspect of the game platform makes it a solid resource to use with English Language Learners. 

I found a nice tutorial created by @MattBergman14.  It walks you through creating and running a game session. Watch it below. ​
Give Baamboozle a try and change things up.  Remember how important retrieval practice is in learning, Baamboozle is a great tool to not only formatively assess where students are but also sprial content back into your learning sessions.  If you try it, let me know how it goes. 
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Quick Write - Emoji Writing Prompter

2/23/2021

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As a warm-up, brain break or connection activity this is a fun site to add to your toolbox! Ian Byrd designed this quick and easy Random Emoji Generator writing prompter. Students can write about anything they like. When they run out of things to say, they can select  "And Then..." and another random emoji will appear next to the first one to continue the story. This can go on for as long as the student likes. Consider having students do this in pairs or triads and then share out with your class.  Pretty much the full range of emoji's can be generated, so your student might get a toilet or the poop emoji. You might want to address how those types of emojis might be referenced and incorporated before students get started. 
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