Using Cellphones to Take Online Quizes Using Google Forms (FREE)

When I think of a Classroom Response System I think of a remote like device that uses infrared or radio frequency to transport information from the student's device to the teacher computer. I came up with an idea this week for a system that just might work in the classroom. You can take any internet enabled device whether wi-fi or a student cellphone on a data plan and point them at a Google Form (Quiz) created by the teacher. Teachers would create their own content post the link on their website and have students take the quiz from their device. Teachers could even form cohorts and share quiz folders in Google Docs and build the school or districts Quiz / Test database.

Schools could even purchase a classroom set of iTouches for teachers or grade levels to share for almost the same price of a reponse system. In addtion to the "response system" you have 100,000 apps from the Apple Apps Store. Sounds like a much better use of money.

Try it from your device <-- Click here

Screen Shot from iTouch of Google Forms Quiz: (Click on Picture for full size image)

How to Create a Quiz Using Google Forms

Edmodo--Evading the Traps of Social Networking

"Facebook in the classroom?" "I don't want the kids to see my personal information!" "Kids don't want me in their facebook world!" "My Space won't go through the filter!"

Do these comments sound familiar? Social networking is an integral part of the lives of students. Accessing social networking is instantly engaging to students, but the security issue presents a problem for the classroom. How do we avoid the traps of social networking? Let me introduce you to Edmodo.com

Edmodo is a site which allows teachers to set up a social network for the classroom. Teachers and students can communicate within the social network through alerts, notes, and posts that function like status updates. You can think of this as combination of facebook and twitter for the classroom. Teachers have the ability to create assignments for students. These assignments can be turned in and graded digitally. The ability to embed links, photos, movie clips, and documents gives teachers and students the ability to share academic information in a safe environment. Teachers can create polls to gather information for continuous improvement. Students can post questions and get tutoring assistance from their classmates and from the teacher. RSS feeds provide teachers the ability to send alerts concerning deadlines and announcements directly to cell phones--without giving out personal cell phone numbers.

Social Networking can be used for academic purposes! Check out more by going to the Edmodo Blog Best of all? This social networking site is free!!!

How-to-Video: Get Text Alerts on Cell Phone

Students & Cell Phones--the 411

When we went to Raymond Hartfield's Texas ASCD presentation on October 26th called "Students, Please Turn You Cell Phones 'On'!" we found more uses for the cell phone than we knew were possible. For instance, we learned we could access Google through using text messages (for free!). We learned how to create a digital business card that could be accessed through text messaging. We learned about many free sites that we could use in conjuction with our cell phones. The best part was that all we had to do was text message Mr. Hartfield for his AT&T presentation. Take a look for yourself, and you'll be able to instruct students to "turn on your cell phones!"