Lori Loves Teaching and Learning

  Hello everyone! I'm excited to dive into another fantastic tool from Google Suite—Google Classroom. This powerful digital learning management system enables educators to create, organize, and manage a diverse array of assignments for their students in a seamless way. I've personally integrated Google Classroom with platforms like Edpuzzle, Nearpod, and self-grading quizzes, even utilizing recorded lectures to enhance the learning experience. To illustrate its potential, let me show you an example of how to structure a learning unit effectively in a flipped classroom setting using Google Classroom. By doing so, you can empower students to engage with lessons at their own pace, while maximizing in-class time for discussions and hands-on activities! To get started with Google Classroom, first, create a Google account if you don't have one already. Next, navigate to classroom.google.com and sign in. Once in, click on the '+' icon to either join an existing class with ...

  Hello everyone, I am back today with another tech tool that can help you increase student engagement and save you time. As professional educators, we know formative assessments drive learning. They are crucial in allowing educators to identify student strengths and areas needing improvement in real-time. Furthermore, formative assessments, when done consistently and correctly, can help to foster a growth mindset, encourage active engagement, and help tailor instruction to meet diverse learning needs, ultimately promoting better academic outcomes and supporting student development. In today’s digital learning environment, leveraging tools like Google Slides and Pear Deck can significantly enhance formative assessments, making them more interactive and engaging for students. Google Slides offers an intuitive platform for educators to create visually appealing presentations that can incorporate rich media, such as images, videos, and links, which cater to diverse learning styles. Wh...

  In this week's blog post, we explore the powerful combination of Screencastify and Google Slides to enhance the flipped classroom model, particularly in my high school American history class. I recently created a recorded lecture using Google Slides, where I incorporated a rich mix of photos, videos, and text to accommodate my students' varied learning styles. By utilizing Screencastify, I was able to seamlessly record my presentation, which I then uploaded to Google Classroom for students to access from home. This approach allows them to engage with the material at their own pace, taking notes and revisiting challenging parts of the lecture as needed. The result? More valuable class time for me to provide personalized support on projects and classwork, ultimately creating a more effective and engaging learning environment for my students. You can check out my video by clicking here or using the QR code below!

Starting lessons with intriguing openers that ignite curiosity can greatly boost student engagement and motivation. By capturing attention from the outset, teachers foster an inviting environment for exploration and critical thinking. For instance, this week I have created a lesson opener that involves a thought-provoking video designed to stimulate discussion among students. You can view the video by clicking here: Spark Curiosity-History . The concept is simple, students will view and discuss the video within their expert groups. After their small group discussion, each group will make a mini poster to share which will help foster class-wide discourse. By simply challenging them to identify three things they notice and wonder about the content, we encourage them to articulate their thoughts, fostering a dialogue that primes them for deeper learning. This gives the student voice and choice in the topics they wish to have included in the curriculum; giving them powerful agency over th...

When creating a lesson plan there are many things to consider such as the content, objectives, and how to leverage technology in meaningful ways. However, one of the most important components of a quality lesson is assessment. Without ongoing assessment, it is difficult to provide students with the meaningful feedback they need in order to grow as students. Summative and formative assessments are crucial components of a lesson plan because they serve distinct purposes in the teaching and learning process. Formative assessments provide ongoing feedback during instruction, enabling educators to gauge students' understanding, adjust teaching strategies, and identify areas needing reinforcement. In contrast, summative assessments evaluate student learning at the end of an instructional period, measuring the extent to which educational goals have been achieved. Together, they help me as an educator to adapt my instructional practice to enhance student learning and ensure educational obj...

     Effective lessons are crucial in education because they enhance student engagement, comprehension, and retention of knowledge. Integrating technology into lessons using the TPACK framework allows educators to blend content knowledge, pedagogical techniques, and technological tools, thereby creating a rich and engaging learning environment. The TPACK Framework consists of three primary areas; Technological Knowledge (TK), Pedagogical Knowledge (PK), and Content Knowledge (CK) to improve engagement and make learning more accessible for all students (Robertson, 2013). Integrating technology into lessons using the TPACK framework allows educators to blend content knowledge, pedagogical techniques, and technological tools, thereby creating a rich and engaging learning environment.      I created a TPACK diagram for an upcoming inquiry-based assignment (pedagogy) tailored for my US History students, in which they will research a significant figure from early...