Tag: STEM/STEAM

Last week I was invited to tour Edgerton’s new STEAM Space by high school science teacher Tracy Rendleman who has with the assistance of the district administration and fellow science teachers Olivia Schaffner and Seth Schroeder, built a new learning space in the space formerly occupied by the library.

We started with a visit to her Biology class who were busy turning a pile of random lego bricks into something. These students are experiencing their introduction to form and function via STEAM  by trying to make something using their imagination. I asked the students if they liked playing with Legos again. There was a mixed response. One student noted that “I don’t know what to make. ” This highlighted for me the importance of trying these types of activities to re-engage the students using their imagination and to solve problems. read more

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As a Google Certified Trainer we are required each year to complete a recertification process and this year it included creating an account on a new service called Workbench. It turns out that in late 2019, Google purchased Workbench as a new tool ideally suited for educators to “discover great lessons and rework them to use in their classrooms.”

Put simply, Workbench is a platform that offers a simple way of sharing lessons with your students. Lessons can be shared via Google Classroom and are tracked in Workbook via the workbook feature.  read more

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Summer is almost here! It’s a great time to relax, recharge and yes, even level up your technology proficiency. While Tech Tips Tuesday is going on our annual break, we wanted to leave you with some summer professional development opportunities.

Remember, all Northern Buckeye/NWOCA trainings are included with membership at no additional cost. You also have access to our archive of webinars, class materials, and other PD resources. Our training website at training.nwoca.org has all of these and more. If you’re unsure if your district is a member, check out the list on our website.

If you need personalized help over the summer, feel free to take advantage of our virtual tech coaching. We can diagnose an issue or help teach you something new.

From all of us at Northern Buckeye, have a wonderful summer!

 

The NWOCA Road Show is a series of professional development events featuring “pick-your-own-PD”-style learning. There are a variety of topics, including G Suite for Education, BreakoutEDU, STEAM and STEM, as well as other subjects that teachers will find beneficial.  Sessions are led by NWOCA Instructional Services staff, as well as other local educators.

Road Show events are FREE and open to all educators in Ohio.  Please join us for a great day of learning at one of our Road Show stops!

Bryan
Thursday, August 2nd
7:45 am – 2:30 pm
Bryan Middle/High School		   Mid-Ohio
Thursday, August 9th
7:45 am – 2:30 pm
Bucyrus High School

All of our Cleveland-area workshops will be held at DataServ, 31280 Viking Parkway, Westlake, OH 44145. Training for employees of NBEC/NWOCA districts is included with your membership at no additional cost. Nonmembers pay $25 per session.

Exploring Google Drive and Docs
Wednesday, June 13th
8:30 – 11:30 am

New to G Suite or just need a refresher? This session will focus on Google Drive and Google Docs in Education. We will discuss how to store and create files in Google Drive and how to collaborate with Google Docs. Bring your device to this session and learn how to effectively use Google Drive and Docs in and out of the classroom.

Creating Google Drawings and Slides
Wednesday, June 13th
12:30 – 3:30 pm

Interested in creating digital poster boards, timelines, comic strips, and more? This session will discuss the uses of Google Drawings in Education, with time to create!  We will also discuss how to effectively create presentations in Google Slides with adding images, links, videos, and more. Bring your device to this session to create Drawings and Slides! read more

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When you think of Professional Development, you probably think of being stuck in a computer lab listening to some trainer drone on and on about some topic that probably doesn’t interest you. (Unless it’s a PD from NWOCA, right?)

We’ve got three FREE upcoming professional development opportunities that are different than anything you’ve experienced before! Whether you want to talk about student makers, and explore the latest tools and technology for making… or you want to learn more about digital literacy and how students can use digital skills in everyday life… or you’re curious about the jobs that are out there for our students… these are for you!

If you have questions about any of these opportunities, please contact

John Mansel-Pleydell read more

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