Join technology education teacher and Classcraft ambassador Arcadia Parson and learn about leveraging the power of digital tools in the classroom.

1. Presented by Arcadia Parson, Tech Ed Teacher, Grades 6-8
Teaching with Tech
Arcadia Parson
@TechWithParson
aeparson@vbschools.com

2. Transforming Your Class with Technology
● Gamifying your curriculum can transform
your class
● Gamifying is easy and can be done for
free
● Use tech tools to transform activities, not
just digitize old ones
● Growing your PLN will transform your
teaching

3. Questions to Consider
● What do I already do that could fall under
modification or redefinition?
● What tasks do I want to transform this
semester?
● Do I already know a tech tool that will
work, or do I need some ideas?
● What resources (people or products) do I
have in my building?

4. Why Should You Gamify?
● Your students (and probably you) are already
playing games every day
● Take the community building and competitive
aspects we all love and apply them to the classroom
● Transform your class into an epic journey that your
students are on for the year
● Gamification is just a framework and facelift for the
great work you already do

5. How To Gamify Easily
● Play something every day!
● Create a compelling narrative
● Add the other game elements (experience, levels, rewards)
● Start small — think one class or one subject
● Have fun with it!

6. How Technology Transforms
● Not just paperless
● Self-paced and learning from experts
● Student voice and choice
● Pre-record lesson elements for students
● Free yourself up to work 1-on-1, even in large classes
● Create your goal for the task before picking your tech

8. Technology Can Transform Your Class!
● “Paperless isn’t pedagogy” - Alice Keeler
● Bring experts in the field into your classroom
● Let students work at their own pace and only receive direct help when they need it
● Give students voice and choice in how they show you what they learned
● Pre-record lesson elements for students so they don’t have to wait
● Get the opportunity to work 1-on-1, even in the biggest classes!
● Design projects with the goal in mind and then find a tool to make it happen!
● Use your Personal Learning Network!

9. Why You Should Grow Your PLN
● Gamifying is a growing trend in education, but still isn’t widespread
● Having an expansive Personal Learning Network allows you to get answers quickly and
constantly grow your practice
● A PLN is a place for mutually beneficial growth
● Try to make it global. The further your reach, the bigger the pool of ideas!
● Find a few people to follow and check out who they follow
● Participate (or observe) in Twitter chats

10. Resources
Tools Mentioned:
● Screencastify (Chrome Extension)
● Flipgrid
● Bloxels
● Wakelet
Other Resources:
● Twitter Chats: #Games4Ed #tlap #EdTechAfterDark
● Participate: A place to find Twitter chats!
● Book: Teach Like a Pirate
● Twitter List: Gamification
● Alice Keeler/@AliceKeeler
● Podcasts:
○ Ed Tech Takeout
○ Google Teacher Tribe

11. Questions?

12. Arcadia Parson
Tech Ed. Teacher, Grades 6-8
@TechWithParson
aeparson@vbschools.com
classcraft.com
facebook.com/classcraftgame
@classcraftgame
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