Posted in Gradebook, Roanoke County Schools

Online Gradebooks

Posted on by Tina Coffey

Need some suggestions for online gradebooks?  Here are a few suggestions that I tried out briefly.  They all have the following features:

  • Free version
  • Allow you to weight grades
  • Customize grading scale and grade types (can use S,P,N as well as A,B,C,D,F)
  • Access from anywhere with internet access (including iPad)
  • Optional parent and/or student access

Engrade

  • wizard steps you through gradebook setup.

Thinkwave

  • wizard you through gradebook setup.
  • does say free version has ads (though I didn’t see where in my short visit)

LearnBoost

  • a little less user friendly at setup
  • Does have google apps interface
  • Can import a list of students from a spreadsheet (CSV file) so you don’t have to enter each one.

If you have ever used these (or any other online software with similar features), please leave a comment and tell me about it.  And if you decide to try one of these out, I would love to know that too!

 

 

 

 

Posted in Keyboarding, Roanoke County Schools

Roanoke County Typing Program

Posted on by Tina Coffey

Elementary students in Roanoke County now have a web based typing program called Typing Instructor.  Students will be able to login and practice keyboarding both at school and at home. The links to the web site will be available on the instruction section of the Roanoke County Public Schools website and are also linked below. 

http://rcps.typinginstructorkids.com   Recommended for younger kids as it is narrated with step by step instructions.

http://rcps.typinginstructor.com   Recommended for ages 8 and up as it is more self paced.

At the moment, we are waiting for the newest upload of students to be completed.  Some students, though, may have already logged in over the summer and explored the programs since letters were sent to parents on the last day of school with logins and passwords.  We will be sending you an updated list of student information just as soon as it’s ready.

Meanwhile, if you would like to explore the programs and you are a Roanoke County Teacher, there are test logins available.  Let me know if you need one.

Posted in Ideas, iPad, iPod Touch, Projects, QR Codes, Roanoke County Schools

QR Craze

Posted on by Tina Coffey

You’ve seen them, right?  On the corners of mailings, on the windows of businesses, maybe even on the tags of things you buy.  You may have even used them…used your phone to scan one and get coupons or reviews for a business or more info on a product.  But did you know they are being used like crazy in classrooms?

Here’s one of my favorite videos about the use of QR codes in the classroom.


And here’s one based more for elementary school:

So basically to use QR codes, you need the following things:

  • QR Code Generator (usually a website that will easily make the code for you)
  • A device with a camera to read it(iPod touch, iPad, cell phone, or computer with webcam)
  • QR Code Reader (which you download to the device with a camera

Want to create a QR code?  It’s easy…your students can even do this!

Here’s a few QR Code generators:

Here a few QR Code Readers:

And here are some cool links to use them:

And here are some ideas for using QR Codes in the classroom: