ALEX Navigator & Insights

1. ALEX Navigator & Insights CONDENSED End-User Training

2. What’s our purpose? • Get to know ALEX, ALEX Insights, and Thinkfinity • Integrate 21st Century skills into the learning environment effectively • Module Overview • This module provides participants an opportunity for exploration and analysis of the ALEX and Thinkfinity websites. The participants will learn how to effectively integrate 21st Century resources in the classroom by learning about a variety of resources available on the ALEX and Thinkfinity websites.

3. Module Objectives The participant will: • infuse 21st Century skills throughout session. • identify the importance of project-based learning. • examine resources found within the ALEX website. • explore various websites from Thinkfinity. • know how to create a Learning Asset using an ALEX or Thinkfinity resource and submit it to ALEX.

4. Alabama Quality Teaching Standards (AQTS) Standard 1—Content Knowledge: AQTS_1.A.2 A. Academic Discipline(s) • Knowledge of ways to organize and present content so that it is meaningful and engaging to all learners whom they teach (pedagogical content knowledge). Standard 2—Teaching and Learning: AQTS_2.D.5, 7 D. Instructional Strategies • Ability to select and support the use of instructional and assistive technologies and to integrate these into a coherent instructional design. • Ability to evaluate, select, and integrate a variety of strategies such as cooperative learning, discussion, discovery, problem‑based learning, and direct instruction into a coherent lesson design. Standard 3—Literacy:AQTS_3.D.1, 3 D. Technology • Knowledge of available and emerging technologies that support the learning of all students. • Ability to integrate technology into the teaching of all content areas.

5. 21st Century Skills http://www.p21.org/

6. Modules/Add-ons • Module 1: ALEX Navigator Training • Module 2: Podcast Camp • Module 3: Exploring ALEX and the Web via Group Projection Tools • Module 4: Professional Social Networking Tools for Educators • Module 5: Web-Based Tools for Teaching & Learning • Module 6: Incorporating Video into the Classroom

7. What Is ALEX ? • The Alabama Learning Exchange, or ALEX, is the state’s official education Web portal. • ALEX provides a one-stop shop for education resources for Alabama teachers. And it directly links with Thinkfinity resources! Quality for every facet of learning…..

8. Best of ALEX

9. ALEX/Thinkfinity Resources at Your Fingertips Interactives Web Resources Lesson Plans E-Sheets Course of Study Graphic Organizers Quizzes Online Manipulatives Rubrics Printable Maps Photographs Podcasts Virtual Museums Worksheets Audio Clips

10. What is Project-Based Learning? http://www.commoncraft.com/project-based-learning-explained-custom-video-project-bie http://www.edutopia.org/project-based-learning-introduction-video

11. Highlights of Project-Based Learning? • Project-based learning (PBL) asks students to investigate issues and topics addressing real-world problems. • By creating bridges between subjects, students view knowledge holistically, rather than looking at isolated facts. • PBL promotes understanding, which is true knowledge. • Students explore, make judgments, interpret, and synthesize information in meaningful ways. Appendix C

12. Project-Based Learning & ALEX Lesson Plans http://alex.state.al.us/lesson_view.php?id=31048

13. Courses of Study ThroughCourses of Study, teachers can access digitized, printable Alabama Courses of Study with over 38,000 aligned Thinkfinity and Alabama Teacher-developed lesson plans, podcasts, and Web resources for all K-12 subject areas.

14. Locating Resources Using the Courses of Study After clicking the Courses of Study button on the home page, click on the subject area. As an example, let’s choose Math. On the next screen, select the grade level or course name. Let’s continue our example by clicking grade 6.

15. Examining the Course of Study Stem

16. Graphics Depict the Tagging of Critical COS Standards ARMT, AHSGE, Direct Assessment of Writing Hard to Teach/Learn Typical Achievement Gaps New- Alabama Science Assessment

17. Lesson Plans Visit the LessonPlan section to find panel-reviewed, “best practices” technology-infused lesson plans!

18. Web Linksquickly connect students, teachers, parents, and administrators to exemplary, high-quality resources that ignite learning at all levels. Web Resources

19. One Way ALEX Supports Project-Based Learning… Nouns Mix-up http://alex.state.al.us/podcast_view.php?podcast_id=308

20. gallery360o Visit gallery360oto access a treasury of Alabama’s engaging, educational podcasts through a special partnership with Apple’s iTunes U.

21. Search Teachers, Searchall of ALEX to find Courses of Study Standards that are Frequently Tested, Hard to Teach/ Learn, and typical Achievement Gap Areas. Find a variety of innovative, learning resources selected by a panel of National Board Certified Teachers.

22. How do you find additional Resources? Use the ALEX Search Engine Search through ALEX and be able to BOOKMARK your resources!

23. Personal Workspace Teachers can create, find andsave lesson plans, and bookmark favorite resources in their Personal Workspace.

24. Login To Your ALEX Personal Workspace

25. ALEX Personal Workspace • Any resources you bookmark or create and save on ALEX can be found here. • Simply click the section you want to view, and it will expand to show you your resources!

26. Introducing YourALEX Personal Workspace

27. Create a Learning Asset

28. ALEX Learning Asset Submission Process • Once you have created and saved a Learning Asset, you will be able to delete, edit, view, or submit it in the Current Learning Assets section. • Remember, once you save your Learning Asset, you must find it under the Current Learning Assets section and click Submit before it will be submitted to ALEX for review!

29. ALEX Learning Asset Submission Process • Once you have submitted a Learning Asset, you will be able to view it in the Learning Asset Entries Submitted for Approval section. • You will receive an email from ALEX letting you know whether your Learning Asset was approved or returned for edits. • If it is approved, you will then be able to view it from the ApprovedLearning Assets section.

30. Professional Learning InProfessional Learning, educators can find many resources, rich instructional. tools, and “grab-it-and-go” professional development ideas.

31. ALEXville Visit ALEXville, ALEX’s social network, to communicate with your colleagues, keep up with the latest ALEX news, and follow the ALEX Professional Learning Communities!

32. What is Verizon Thinkfinity? The website (www.thinkfinity.org) contains thousands of free lesson plans and student materials for every core subject, designed by the leading educational organizations in the United States. • Tens of thousands of FREEeducational resources • Accessible from school or home! • A partnership between the Verizon Foundation and the nation’s leading educational organizations • FREEprofessional development

33. Thinkfinity.org Homepage

34. ALEX|ThinkfinityContent Partners

35. What Does Thinkfinity Provide? • Interactives • Lesson plans • Podcasts • Video Clips • Multimedia Explorations • Primary source documents • 1,200 print friendly maps • Student e-sheets • Virtual museum activities • Data links

36. Engaging the 21st Century Learner WOW Resources

37. Engaging the 21st Century Learner WOW Resources

38. How do you find additional Resources? Thinkfinity Search Engine

39. How Do You Find Additional Resources? Explore Partner Sites

40. Use ALEX/Thinkfinity for… • learning new concepts • reinforcing school lessons • helping with homework • exploring the world! *No subscription/membership fees!

41. Stay up to date! Facebook Twitter Subscribe Now! Monthly Newsletter

42. Tour Thinkfinity’s Content Partner Websites

43. ALEX Insights – CCRS Unpacked

44. ALEX Insights – Another Way

45. ALEX Insights –Searching for Standards

46. ALEX Insights – A curriculum guide electronically!

47. http://alex.state.al.us

48. Closing • Questions and Comments • Complete the End-of-Module Survey