Things

About the Learning Modules 

Discovery Exercises and Tasks
Each week, you will complete two to five Discovery Exercises and Tasks, as listed below. Links to the details for each week's activities are added as the course progresses, typically no later than Friday evening for the upcoming week. Remember, you are in charge of your learning journey. This course is about exposure, exploration and experimentation, not about "doing it right." Can there be a right way with creativity?

Due to the topic/content groupings, some weeks will be more challenging/time intensive than others. The average will be 3 hours per week, for a total of approximately 30 hours, but every task will vary, and different tasks will vary widely for different users.

Stretch Tasks
Along the way, you will also encounter a few Stretch activities that are designed to enrich and extend your learning. Everyone is encouraged to try at least some of them, but they are only required if you have taken Google Fundamentals with Maureen Miller or spent time on specific tasks during the school year with your tech coach (ex. Book Creator). If you are already comfortable with a particular tool or concept, **you should definitely complete the Stretch activity!**

¤ NOTE: Course activities/resources are subject to perpetual revision, as technology is always changing. However, no activity will ever be revised as we are completing it unless there is a true resource emergency!

Click the link to view details for each week's activity. ( Things will be linked the Friday before each week)
 * SCHEDULE **

[|Blog Post]
 * Week 1 **
 * Introduction **
 *  Thing 0 - (REGISTRATION) Learn about the course and commit to joining
 *  Thing 1 - Review some strategies for Lifelong Learning
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;"> Thing 2 - Learn a bit about Web 2.0, and Why it Matters
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;"> Thing 3 - Start Blogging


 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;">Week 2 **
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;">Going Google- Google Apps for Education **
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;"> Thing 4 - Introduction to Google Apps for Education- Scavenger Hunt
 * Thing 5 - What’s a Chromebook and Why Do I want one?
 * Thing 6 <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;">- Get up to your elbows in apps and extensions with Google Chrome
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;">Thing 7- Google Keep
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;">Thing 8- Google Photos


 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;">Week 3 **
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;">Communicate, Connect and Share (Professional Learning Networks) **
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;"> Thing 9 - Using Twitter for Professional Learning and more
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;"> Thing 10- Google +- Let's do more than communicate, let's "hang out"
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;">Thing 11- Google+ Communities
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;">Thing 12- Face to Face- Illinois Computing Educators
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;">Thing 13- Blogs of EdTech Leaders to Follow
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;">Thing 14- iTunes U


 * IMPORTANT NOTE:**

Your PLN should be associated with the gmail address you will be using most and is easiest to access from multiple devices. While you were asked to use your district gmail for this class, if you would like to start building your Google+ and Twitter Profiles with a different account, feel free to do so.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;">If you are feeling overwhelmed and would like a face to face, email me. For those of you cruising along and looking for more to do, click here <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;">.


 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;">Week 4 **
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;">Get Appy! **
 * [|Thing 15] - Book Creator
 * [|Thing 16] - Haiku Deck
 * [|Thing 17] - Notability
 * [|Thing 18] - Paper 53


 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;">Week 5 **
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;">Harnessing the Power of the Web- Part 1- Web Tools to Demonstrate Understanding **
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;"> Thing - 19 - Using Prezi to spice up your (teacher or student) classroom presentations
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;"> Thing- 20- Thing Link- Add images, video, and text to existing images
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;"> Thing - 21 - Animoto- Quality video production in a few clicks
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;">Thing- 22 - PowToons- Engaging alternative to typical presentations


 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;">If you are an expert at any of the above, here is a link to some suggestions <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;">and share. **


 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;">Week 6 **
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;">Harnessing the Power of the Web- Part 2- FREE resources! ****
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;"> Thing- 23 - Creative Commons
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;"> Thing - 24 - Open Educational Resources (OER)


 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;">Week 7 **
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;">Formative Assessment with Technology **
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;"> Thing - 25- Google Forms and Flubaroo
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;">Thing- 26-
 * <span style="background-color: #ffff00; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;">Thing- 26- Socrative (Option to complete [|__Recap__] <span style="background-color: #ffff00; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;">or [| __Quizizz__] <span style="background-color: #ffff00; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;"> instead)
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;">Thing- 27- Kahoot
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;">Thing- 28- Padlet

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;">If you are feeling overwhelmed and would like a face to face, email me. For those of you cruising along and looking for more to do, click here <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;">.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;">Topics covered include: Professional Development
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;">Week 8 **
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;">Communicate, Connect and Share- Part 2 **
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;"> Thing - 29- Professional Development in your PJs
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;"> Thing - 36- Final Product Assignment- Digital Storytelling- January 30


 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;">Week 9 **
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;">Resources Available from D36 **
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;"> Thing - 30- Discovery Education
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;"> Thing - 31- Explore Learning Gizmos
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;"> Thing - 32- Atomic Learning
 * Thing 33 - Curation- Curation- Symbaloo, LiveBinder, or PearlTrees (your choice)
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;"> Thing- 34 - Breakout EDU- []

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;">Hot Topics in Educational Technology
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;">Week 10 **
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;"> Thing - 35 HOT Topics- a little research on EdTech trends
 * Thing - 36- Final Product Assignment- Digital Storytelling- <span style="background-color: #ffff00; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;"> Due January 30