History Teachers Featured on Flipped Learning Podcast

First, if you have not heard of the Flipped Learning Podcast, I highly recommend checking it out.  Troy Cockrum does an excellent job hosting this weekly show that features educators from around the nation.  Joan Brown has also joined the program to provide news related to the flipped learning community and join in the discussion.  It is a great way to learn about various adaptations of flipped learning and can also help you connect with other educators and grow your PLN.

Fortunately for us social studies educators out there, three recent episodes have featured high school history teachers.  I was interviewed for episode #34 and had a great conversation with Troy and Joan about flipped learning, democratic education, explore-flip-apply, and more. They are all linked below for those interested in listening.

JANUARY 29, 2013 9:00 AM
Flipped Learning #29: Flipping History with Karl Lindgren-Streicher

FEBRUARY 12, 2013 9:36 PM
Flipped Learning #31: More History Flipping with Frank Franz

MARCH 12, 2013 3:48 PM
Flipped Learning #34: Democratize Learning with Tom Driscoll

Flipped History Hangout 3/13/13

On Wednesday night five of us met for another great conversation about flipped learning in social studies.   The major topics of the night including: managing the class, structuring units, flipped-mastery, explore-flip-apply in social studies, and more.   Unfortunately the recording ended abruptly with about 15 minutes left in our conversation due to technical difficulties (thanks Karl).  There is still about 40 min. or so archived and embedded below for those interested.

Participants included: Karl Lindgren-Streicher, Tom Driscoll, Frank Franz, David Fouch, and Jason Bretzmann.

Online Assessments Using Google Forms

For those of us searching for the best way to develop and deliver online assessments, the options out there often seem limitless.  This is not to mention that most, if not all, learning management systems have some type of built-in assessment application.

I have nonetheless come to the conclusion that, for now at least, my best option is to use Google forms along with the Flubaroo script.  This provides the flexibility to link or embed assessments into any web page (or LMS). It also offers analytic tools for data collection and item-analysis. 

Here is a quick tutorial of how to create self-grading assessments using Google Forms and the Flubaroo script.   I hope this helps, if you have any questions please let me know!

5 Minute Guide to Screencasting

Our PHS students are currently developing screencast presentations, so I thought what better way to model this skill than by making a screencast tutorial of, you guessed it, how to make a screencast.

After presenting last week at a Flipped Learning Workshop in Braintree, MA, I also realized how useful a quick guide would be for educators.

Here I demonstrate the use of Screencast-O-Matic, a simple (and free) web-based screencasting software.  Although I develop my screencasts (including this one) with Camtasia Studio, which I highly recommend as well, Screencast-O-Matic is a great tool for students and teachers who are just starting out with screencasting.

Flipped Learning PD - Braintree, MA

This past week, fellow social studies teacher Brian Germain and I were fortunate enough to conduct an introductory flipped learning workshop for Braintree Public Schools (Braintree, MA).  We filmed the session and have posted it below for anyone interested.  I have also included a link to the Google Presentation shown in the video.  I hope this helps educators interested in flipping or those experienced flippers who would like to hear our take on the concept, its principles, and basic implemntation techniques.

Link to Google Presentation
Link to Workshop Video