Aiden was recently asked to record some sample fluency passages for preservice teachers at The University of Akron to use for practicing 3-Minute Reading Assessments. We used the AudioBoo app to record the passages and post to the cloud. Below you’ll find the embedded audio clips. Teachers could easily use a similar method to post student clips for sharing with parents or other teachers on their team.
The source of the passages is located here. You can also find the teacher scoring sheets for each passage.
I just returned from 3 days in Columbus, Ohio, where I took part in the Ohio Educational Technology Conference. I had a wonderful time learning, sharing and collaborating with friends and colleagues new and old. Monday was a special day for me, as I was presented with the Collegiate Innovator #BestEdTech Award. Tuesday was by far my favorite day though, as I was able to participate in #OETCx, the official ALTconference. I also presented two official conference sessions centered around my ebook research and various ebook related projects I’ve been involved in. As I promised in both those sessions, here are the resources I shared for those of you looking to get started with ebooks in your district, school or library.
I haven’t been blogging much lately. I know this, but I don’t think that it is so much a reflection of me not sharing my ideas and thoughts, as much as it is a reflection of my more focused effort to complete my dissertation. After working on that as regularly as I can, I just don’t feel like writing blog posts, and I think I’m ok with that for now. At least until the big paper is complete. But, in the meantime, that doesn’t mean that I’m not thinking through all the great questions posed to me by the thoughtful and reflective individuals in my personal learning network.
Those questions keep coming and increasingly, I’ve allowed myself to respond within the confines of 140 characters. Right or wrong, that’s the time I have at this point to offer. I hope that changes soon. I want it to change. And maybe it will, starting today. I received an email from a trusted colleague in regards to #OETCx, “the official unconference” of the Ohio Educational Technology Conference. Like myself, this person has been involved in the planning and evolution of #OETCx since it started last year. It was a succinct message:
We have a schedule for both rooms this year? Seems a little antithesis to the whole unconference thing…
This post originates from the “I get this question a lot file” and after I spent the time to type out a response, it seemed like something I should be sharing openly, rather than exclusively through a private email message.
Mr. Brueck,
You were referred to me by [name withheld to protect the innocent], the tech coordinator for [insert school or district here]. He assured me that you were the “go to man” who could point me in the right direction.
I’m a reading interventionist and in search of quality iPad apps to support our reading instruction. In particular, I’m looking for apps to support comprehension and vocabulary development for 7-10 year olds reading at first and second grade levels. Of course, they love interactivity and game playing. Any recommendations?
iOS 7 hit the general public a few days ago and I’ve had a number of people who have asked me something to the effect of “How do you do [insert common iOS 6 task here] in iOS 7. Here are some of the tips I’ve been sharing or asked to share so far. They may help you.
My biggest take away from the latest iOS refresh has to do with privacy. If you updated to iOS 7 on your phone or iPad, here are some privacy settings you might want to follow, unless you don’t mind having Apple track everything you do on your phone.
Most children use the summer break from school to relax and play. Most parents hope their children will learn something over break, and with all the offerings of mobile technology, the options are vast—and confusing. So which technological amusement is more teacher than babysitter? How can children benefit intellectually and academically from the many apps available on iPads, smartphones and other mobile devices?
The challenge for parents is to make sure that their children are using technology appropriately—that they are exercising their minds and not merely their thumbs. Jeremy Brueck, director of the Digital Text Initiative at The University of Akron’s Center for Literacy, offers the following tips. Read the rest of this entry…
EdCamp Columbus was held yesterday at Gahanna Lincoln Clark Hall, which is a beautiful facility. It is also a really nice example of ways private and public sectors can come together to create learning spaces that benefit the entire community. The photo below from Sean Wheeler is a great example of the type of learning space you find in Clark Hall.
One of the conversations I submitted to the Big Board was “Textbooks are Dead, People: The Relevance of Student Created Ebooks in the Common Core.” I’ll admit, I went for a somewhat controversial title in hopes of gather a decent crowd for the conversation.
We had a nice crowd and the comments, questions and suggestions were really good. You can review the Google Doc from the conversation if you’d like to see how the conversation broke down. Not everything discussed made it into the Doc, but there were a few people tweeting from the session. Their Storify story is below. Read the rest of this entry…
