Mimio Educator

      Performing Whole-Class Checks When Assessment Tools Aren't Available

      Posted by Kelly Bielefeld on Tue, Jan 17, 2017

      Do They Get It?

      A few months ago, I shared an article on checking for understanding in a 1:1 classroom. Because there are many classrooms that do not have aa assessment device for every student, I wanted to share some other ideas for how to check whole groups of students to see if they are understanding the content and confident in their learning.

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      Topics: Classroom Technology, classroom assessment, curriculum, Whole-Class

      Being in a Quizzical State of Mind

      Posted by Lynn Erickson on Thu, Jan 12, 2017

      As educators, we know how easy it is for students to say they understand a concept and are ready to move on. However, this is not always the case, so consider using formative assessment to determine what should happen next in your classroom.

      The purpose of formative assessment is to gather feedback from your students in order to determine what your students have learned and help you decide on the upcoming instructional measures. Good formative assessment can provide immediate feedback and will impact how and what is being taught. In planning for formative assessment, ask yourself some questions such as: What is essential for my students to know or be able to do after my lesson? How might I assess that? How will the data change my teaching? We live in a digital age, and technology is a great tool for formatively assessing students in a way that makes the process more interesting for them.

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      Topics: Education Technology, classroom assessment

      25 Awesome Tips for Google Apps in the Classroom

      Posted by Travis Rink on Wed, Jan 4, 2017

      From Flash Cards to Book Clubs, Google Apps Are a
      Great Asset for Classrooms

      There is no doubt that Google Apps is revolutionizing classrooms. This centralized platform of creation and collaboration makes group projects and teacher feedback easier. It also streamlines parent-teacher communication, making it easier to keep busy parents informed of their child's progress. Perhaps you have already integrated Google Docs and need ideas, or maybe it’s time to make use of this extraordinary tool. No matter where you are with the totally integrated paperless classroom, here are 25 hacks to start you off on your Google Apps journey.

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      Topics: classroom assessment, Classroom Collaboration, google docs, Google Classroom

      Current Events and Why We Need to Teach Them!

      Posted by Travis Rink on Thu, Sep 29, 2016

       


      Those of you who aren’t social studies teachers may be inclined to skip over this blog post, thinking it doesn’t pertain to you. Still others may be saying, “Why bother teaching current events at all?” After all, with the 24-hour news cycle, nothing stays “current” for long! However, research indicates that a regular dose of current events has a multitude of benefits, even in classes outside of social studies.

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      Topics: classroom assessment, Lessons, Interactive Whiteboard, Classroom Collaboration, curriculum, current events for students, current events topics, Teaching Current Events

      How to Successfully Incorporate Assessment into the Classroom

      Posted by Kelly Bielefeld on Thu, Sep 15, 2016

      “Today, kids spend too much time on the scale and not enough time at the trough.” This analogy of students as farm animals isn’t a beautiful one, but it gets the point across. In the past decade, students have spent a great deal of class time taking assessments (being weighed), which reduces the time available for instruction and learning (eating at the trough). The reasons for this development vary, but the testing requirements of No Child Left Behind are a major reason behind it.

      Many of us sometimes feel that our students are “over-assessed,” so it’s easy to have a negative attitude toward testing. But assessments are an essential part of teaching when they are used effectively. The descriptions below include information about what each assessment type is intended to accomplish, as well as some ideas for making it meaningful and effective in the classroom. 

       

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      Topics: classroom assessment, MimioVote, MimioMobile

      How Google Docs Can Help You Work with Student Data to Improve Instruction

      Posted by Kelly Bielefeld on Thu, Apr 21, 2016

      When it comes to working with student data, most tech-savvy educators know how powerful spreadsheets can be. A basic knowledge of formulas and functions makes it possible for a teacher to generate quality information, reports, and charts. But the typical teacher grade book doesn’t allow for much data manipulation. Student scores on particular assignments in a grade book don’t necessarily show teachers whether students have mastered the material.

      While grade books are probably here to stay, there is an additional tool that can help teachers gather more information from their students’ grades, including student mastery and testing information. It’s the Conditional Formatting function in Google Sheets.  

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      Topics: classroom assessment, curriculum, Google Classroom

      Great Apps and Tech Tools to Help Check for Understanding in a 1:1 Classroom

      Posted by Kelly Bielefeld on Wed, Feb 10, 2016

      Whether it’s called a formative assessment, a check for understanding, an exit ticket, or something else, good teachers find ways to gauge their students’ level of comprehension. They know that an important benefit of assessment is that it informs their instruction.

       

      In the traditional classroom, there are three general approaches for gaining this information from students. The first is the oral response: a choral response, an individual answer, or sharing with a partner. The second approach is written – commonly via dry erase boards (“show me” boards) or exit tickets to wrap up the end of the lesson. The third approach is physical. Students can raise their hands – showing a thumbs-up for understanding, or raising one to five fingers as a rating scale. They can also move around the room and “vote with their feet.”

       

      Many of these approaches are the tried-and-true assessment methods of highly effective classrooms. However, today it’s possible for teachers to offer much more efficient methods for students to accomplish the same thing, while at the same time tracking student data to monitor levels of understanding as a class and as individuals. Listed here are some great apps and other tech tools for accomplishing this.

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      Topics: classroom assessment, MimioMobile

      Mimio 2015: Looking Back, Leaning In

      Posted by Dan Winkler on Tue, Dec 22, 2015
       Dan Winkler
       Mimio Chief Technology Officer

      Mimio remains faithful to its mission of developing outstanding technologies that let us meet the future with confidence. We continually push ourselves to consider how and where Mimio products will be used, over the long term. Increasingly, that means identifying and developing technologies that you, our customers and partners, will need to be successful.

      Each year since we opened our doors in 1997, we have designed and delivered educational teaching technology solutions that reflect our singular philosophy: to make learning more engaging for students, with technology that makes it easier for teachers to do what they do best – teach.

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      Topics: classroom assessment, Mimio, collaborative learning

      How to Create a Paperless Classroom — One Educator's Story

      Posted by Paul Gigliotti on Tue, Oct 27, 2015

      My History Classroom, “Redefined”

      Throughout my teaching career in a semi-urban district outside of Cleveland, Ohio, I have tried to inspire my students to achieve more by bringing my knowledge and passion for Social Studies into my classroom. However, as many of you have probably noticed, history is a topic that simply does not grab 21st century learners. Today’s students are accustomed to working with mobile devices, glancing at quick headlines, doing Internet-only research for projects, watching short YouTube videos, and reading and composing social media buzz. When today’s tech-savvy students are presented with traditional textbooks, worksheets, and magazines that are older than they are, they quickly become disengaged learners. It’s for this reason that several years ago I began a personal quest to “redefine” my instructional strategies, methods, and materials for the 21st century. The end result is my highly successful paperless classroom!

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      Topics: Classroom Technology, classroom assessment, MimioMobile, Classroom Collaboration, SAMR

      The Ultimate Cheat Sheet on Mobile Devices for the Classroom

      Posted by Dan Winkler on Tue, Sep 1, 2015

      Ever wonder what the difference really is between a smartphone and a tablet?

      When it comes to the mobile devices that can be used in today's classrooms, there are so many different options that it makes you wonder what the real differences are between them.  This Cheat Sheet provides a snapshot of the different device types currently on the market, and offers insight into the pros and cons of using these devices in the classroom.

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      Topics: classroom assessment, Classroom Collaboration, Mobile Devices

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