10.28.16- CK-12, Nearpod, OpenEd, Graph Builder, and More

EduApps Edition-

What is EduAppsCenter.com?  EduApps is a collection of educational applications that can be integrated into learning management systems. Some are free and some require subscriptions or licenses. Feel free to browse the Apps and let me know if there are any you would like to have added to your course or to a test course (I recommend doing that first so you can test the value of the integration).

Why Embed or Integrate Apps?  Embedding Apps helps to keep your students in one location and discourage wandering behaviors! If an app is built into your Canvas course students are not having to go elsewhere to complete assignments or find resources which further reinforces Canvas as the central hub of their learning.

Below is a partial list of Apps that have been installed or, in the case of Nearpod, could be installed on our instance. Like all products, there are some great resources included in these integrations and there are some that are less than great. Make sure to thoroughly vet any resource that you decide to use with a class.  

1. CK-12- I know this tool is used by some science and math teacher. You can know add “high quality, free, teacher created and vetted STEM content without ever leaving” Canvas. Here are CK-12 created instructions on how to embed a CK-12 resource into a Canvas assignment.
2. Nearpod- If you have a Gold membership to Nearpod you can embed your Nearpod lessons directly into a Canvas assignment. Some of the benefits of this include: fewer clicks for students and the ability to maintain Canvas as your central classroom hub. If you have a Gold membership and would like me to install the integration in your courses let me know. The second part of this resource explains how to embed a Nearpod lesson into Canvas.
3. OpenEd- OpenEd has “the largest FREE K-12 resource library with videos, assessments, games and homework assignments, all built from quality publishers and sorted by effectiveness.”  Many of these resources can be assigned directly into Canvas.
4. Graph Builder- This app has been added to the list of external tools available within the Rich Content Editor. To access it, select Graph Builder from  the “V” drop down menu found in the Rich Content Editor within all aspects of Canvas- Pages, Quizzes, Assignments, Discussions. It can be used by teachers or students to “define graphs based on simple or complex equations and chart them dynamically.”
5. Can any tools that aren’t apps be integrated? Yes, look at last week’s Friday Five to see how to include links in course navigation. You can also check to see if a resource has a built in ability to share to an LMS. For example, one of my favorites, EdPuzzle, provides HTML code that can be added to a page or assignment in Canvas. I will place an example in the Friday Five Module in the Professional Learning Course as an example.

10.14.16 Redirect tool, Collaborations, Discussions, Home Page, Video upload

Five Cool Things Teachers at Pennridge are Doing with Canvas…

1. Using the Redirect Tool to Customize Course Navigation-  Alex S. has used the redirect tool to add IXL, PollEv, and Kahoot student access to his course navigation. This can be done with nearly any Web 2.0 tool. The advantage is that your students get quick access to these tools without having to leave Canvas. Here is a quick video using Socrative as an example that shows you how to add links of frequently used tools to your course navigation.
2. Using Conferences and Discussions for Synchronous Collaboration-  Charlie L. used the Conference feature on Canvas to create a real-time viewing party for the first Presidential Debate. Gifted students, under the direction of Keith V , have used the Discussion board feature for a similar debate screening. Here is an overview of Conferences and here is an overview of Discussions.
3. Allowing Cross-Period Collaboration with Discussions-  While the examples shared in number 2 were utilizing synchronous collaboration, Discussions can also be used to allow asynchronous collaboration. Julia G is utilizing the Discussion feature to allow all students reading a particular novel in her multiple periods of American Literature to collaborate. This way students who aren’t in the same class, but are reading the same work, can share insights, resources, and questions.
4. Creating an Explanation of Terms Page- Amy C realized that her students were confused about where to find things in her course so she created a home page that serves as a cheat sheet of where to look for specific course features. Here is a screenshot of her Chemistry Home Page.
5. Performance Tasks: JoJean G had her orchestra students use their webcams to record a video of themselves performing a work of music. They then uploaded the file to an assignment in Canvas so JoJean could watch, evaluate, and provide feedback within Canvas.  Here are directions that students could use to upload a video file to an assignment.