Qomo Proficiency Scale

Hello everyone! I hope you’re having a great end to the school year. Before summer begins, we feel it’s important to give you an idea of where you are with your Qomo usage. We’re doing this through the Qomo Proficiency Scale, which is measured on a 4.0 system. The Qomo Proficiency Scale can be found below. As always, if any if you have any questions regarding the Qomo or the Qomo scale, please do not hesitate to let us know.

Also, I wanted to pass along that over the next week or so, we’ll be putting together Qomo usage videos that will compliment the Qomo Proficiency Scale to give you an accurate depiction of what certain levels of the Qomo (1.0, 2.0, etc.) look like.

Thanks and have a great last few days of the school year!

Topic:  Qomo   Proficiency Scale for SSC Teachers
Score 4.0	In   addition to Score 3.0, in-depth applications that go beyond expectations. The teacher will be able to: Create electronic resources   (videos, PDFs) for students to review on their own time. Quality PDFs, so there’s not a   loss of clarity Setting Macro keys to your   preference to enhance the classroom flow	Sample   Activities
		Be able to use   Qomo and Flow!Works together to record lesson plans   Be able to   export white board slides from Flow!Works to PDFs
Score 3.0	The teacher will be able to: Use the Qomo in conjunction   with either Flow!Works or Microsoft Journal, in order to have electronic   white board functionality in their classroom.   Manipulate electronic   workspace in order to seamlessly integrate a variety of different media and   software applications into their instructional presentation.         The teacher exhibits no major   errors or omissions.	Use the toolbar   in Flow!Works and/or Microsoft Journal to change pen color, highlight, create   shapes, erase, create/delete pages, zoom in/out.   Be able to   annotate over Microsoft Office products (Word, PowerPoint, etc.) and over   webpages (YouTube, etc.) as well as over other programs using the Qomo   (Switch Mode)
Score 2.0	There are no major errors or   omissions regarding the simpler details and processes as the teacher will be   able to: Plug in dongle and bind tablet   to dongle; load driver if needed.   Troubleshoot when connection   issues surface (battery and signal).	Connect Qomo to   the computer   Describe what   the symbols on LCD screen mean and resolve issue when symbols are not present   Use Qomo as   clicker for PowerPoint slides   Use Qomo as a   wireless/remote mouse
Score   1.0	Explain   what a Qomo is, have a basic understanding of what the Qomo can do, and how   it can further impact a classroom environment. With   help, describe some of the simpler details and the more complex functions   it’s capable of performing.
Score   0.0	Even   with help, no understanding or skill demonstrated.

NeSA Testing, Qomo Tips

Hello everyone! As I’m sure some of you have noticed, it’s been awhile since I’ve posted on this blog. One of the reasons for this is I’ve been assisting in monitoring NeSA testing in computer labs at elementary schools, the middle school, and the high school. We’re wrapping up NeSA this week, and I’m happy to report there were no major problems, and just a few minor ones, with the computers that were used for NeSA. When an issue would arise, both the teachers and students were very patient and understanding as we worked to fix the bug in the system. As I’ve said before, it’s so important when working with technology to stay composed and be ready to explore many options to correct the problem. That way, teachers and students are getting the best of what technology has to offer. I’d like to thank all of the teachers and students I worked with during NeSA; your hard work and focus made the testing process run very smoothly!

When I haven’t been helping out with NeSA over the last month or so, I’ve been scanning each school in the district for any teacher who doesn’t have a Qomo or document camera who would like one. I’ve wrapped up my search and have been installing Qomos and doc cams for those staff members that requested one of the pieces of technology. If for some reason I have not talked with you about a Qomo or doc cam and you feel like you could use one, please do not hesitate to e-mail me or post a reply on this blog.

Since most of my installations have been Qomos, I have a suggestion for teachers who are just getting acclamated to this technology item. My recommendation would be to start out using the Qomo as a wireless mouse for a week or two to just get the feel of using the board and pen together. Then, once you’re comfortable maneuvering with the Qomo, begin experimenting with the FlowWorks software that the Qomo runs through. Going through this gradual process will, in my opinion, be more beneficial for you, rather than trying to learn everything about the Qomo at once.

If you have any questions regarding the Qomo and its usage, again, please let me know.

Thank you and have a great rest of your week!

Khan Academy, Qomos

Hello everyone! There’s a useful website out there for teachers and students that I wanted to make you aware of: http://www.khanacademy.org/. This website offers over 3000 videos (all free of charge to view) on learning about various school subjects, such as Math, Science, and Humanities. During Lance and I’s TechCast last week, we took a brief tour of the site. You can check out our findings in this week’s TechCast episode: http://ssccardinals.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=2&clip_id=709.

I do apologize for the lack of blog posts recently, but I’ve been very busy going around to all of the elementary schools in the SSC school district, inquiring of teachers whether they could use a Qomo or doc camera for their classrooms.

Again, whether or not I’ve been to your classroom yet, please let me know if you would like a Qomo or document camera for your classroom, and I will have one to you within the next few days.

Also, if you’re wary of using the Qomo or doc cam because of a lack of training, just let me know, and I can give you a basic introduction into both of these useful tech items for the classroom. As with any new piece of technology out there, the prospect of using something in the classroom that is unfamiliar can be intimidating. However, I can assure you that once you begin using either the Qomo or doc cam, it becomes very familiar and very comfortable to use them all the time.

To request a Qomo or doc cam, just drop me a comment on this blog, or send me an e-mail at ryan.moore@ssccardinals.org.

Thanks and have a great week!

School Dude

Hi everyone! Just wanted to make you all aware of another way to get in contact with the Tech department with any questions or issues, through an online program called School Dude.

School Dude, which can be found on the SSC Schools main webpage, is a way for teachers and staff in the district to send the Tech department questions or tech-related problems they may be having. Then, the request from the teacher or staff member goes into the Tech department, where one of us is assigned to the job.

What School Dude enables us to do is to have documentation of requests put in from teachers and staff on tech issues, and also helps us stay organized as to which tech person will handle which job.

As always, I’m open to e-mails or replies on this blog with any tech comments or questions; School Dude is just another avenue to gain assistance in the district from the Tech department.

For more information on School Dude, check out Lance and I’s Cardinal TechCast from last week: http://ssccardinals.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=2&clip_id=673.

Thanks and have a great weekend!

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Good morning, and Happy Valentine’s Day! A quick update on installation of NeSA onto desktops and laptops around the district: aside from a few laptops that needed repair, NeSA has been installed on every computer of each school I’ve been to. If you’re in an elementary school and notice that one or more of your desktop or laptop computers does not have NeSA on its desktop, please let me know by commenting on this blog or by sending me an e-mail (ryan.moore@ssccardinals.org).

Now that NeSA installation is completed for the most part around the school district, I will be turning my attention to conducting “tech inventories” in the elementary schools. As always, if you don’t have a Qomo or document camera in your classroom and feel like you could use one or both of these tech items, please let me know, and we’ll have one to you right away.

Once again, thanks for reading and have a great day!

NeSA Testing, New TechCast

Hi everyone! I apologize for the recent lack of updates to the blog; the last couple of weeks have been very busy getting everything squared away after the first of the year.

What I’ve been mainly helping out with lately is installing the NeSA testing software on desktop and laptop computers around the district. NeSA testing already kicked off at the high school last week for juniors, and this week, we’ll start the middle school testing. Later this year, the elementary schools will also have their testing times.

What I’ve learned from installing NeSA is it’s so important to pay attention to detail. If even one letter or number is incorrect as I’m installing the software, NeSA is unable to install.

I think this lesson can apply to any of us. It seems like during this time of year, it can be easy to get stuck in a rut on a day-to-day basis. What this can lead to is omission of vital steps in a particular process. Whether it’s altering our schedules or changing things up in order to avoid getting bogged down, we need to take those sorts of steps to make sure we hone in on what needs to get done.

Okay, while I’m stepping off my soapbox, I’d like to remind you all to tune in to Lance and I’s TechCast, which will be up on the SSC school website this Friday. With our busy schedules, we were unable to air an episode last week. However, we should be back on schedule this week, so be sure to tune in!

Thanks for reading and have a great week!

Clickers, TechCast

Hello again everyone! Over the past couple of days, I’ve visited a few classrooms where clickers are being used.

Clickers are useful pieces of technology in the classroom, especially when each student has access to one. Teachers can pose a true/false or multiple choice question to their students, and using the clickers, the students can answer the question. Then, when everyone in the class has answered, the teacher can view the results on his or her computer monitor and can also have the students see the results on the projector. This can be a huge benefit for understanding what students know and what concepts they may not understand. For example, if over half the students in the class are incorrect answering a question, the teacher knows immediately from the clicker results that either the question or the concept is unclear for the students. The clickers can also be used on quizzes and tests to gather fast results for teachers.

Be sure to catch Lance and I’s TechCast this week, where we’ll continue a discussion on clickers as well as show footage of clickers used in South Sioux City school classrooms. This week’s TechCast will be up on the South Sioux City Schools website by Friday afternoon. You can view this week’s TechCast or any of our previous TechCasts at http://ssccardinals.granicus.com/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=2.

Also, please let Lance or I know if you have any technology questions you’d like us to address on the TechCast!

Welcome Back!

Hello everyone! Hope you all had a great break!

From Dec. 26 to Jan. 2, I had the privilege of going to Mesa, Arizona with the SSC boys basketball team, which competed in the VisitMesa.com Basketball Challenge. The Cardinals finished 2-2 against some pretty stiff competition. Overall, it was a great experience. Over the next week or so, I hope to have some pictures from the trip on the South Sioux City schools’ main webpage as well as on the SSC boys basketball page.

In other news, Lance and I completed our fifth episode of the Cardinal TechCast this week. The fifth episode includes a discussion of what was done technology-wise in the district over the break as well as an explanation of how to save documents/photos/etc. on a flash drive.
Here’s the link for this week’s TechCast: http://ssccardinals.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=2&clip_id=595.

As always, if anyone has any technology-related questions for myself or Lance, please either e-mail us or comment on this blog.

Thanks and have a great weekend!

Need for Qomos, Latest TechCast, Merry Christmas!

Hello everyone! Just letting you all know I’ve been making the rounds in the high school and middle school over the past few days to see which teachers have a need for a Qomo in their classroom. I’ve had a few responses of teachers who said they didn’t have one and would like to try one out for their class. If you’ve seen or heard about the Qomo and feel like you would like to try it in your classroom, just let me know, either by commenting on this blog or by sending me an e-mail.

Also, if you do have a Qomo but you’re just not sure how to get started using it in your classroom, please let me know. To be completely honest, my knowledge of the Qomo is somewhat limited, however, I can show you ways to introduce the Qomo in your classrooms, i.e. using it as a wireless mouse, etc.

In other news, in this week’s TechCast, Lance and I briefly discuss the Qomo as well as finishing up MAP assessments. In addition, our main focus this week was on Microsoft SharePoint and Google Docs and how these can be beneficial in the classroom. We wrapped up our episode this week by introducing different styles of web cameras. You can check out this week’s TechCast at this link:
http://ssccardinals.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=2&clip_id=590.

Another way you can view our weekly TechCasts is by going to the main South Sioux City Schools page (http://www.ssccardinals.org/) and going to “Click Here for All Videos” under the “Hot Topics” section.

Finally, with this being my last blog post in 2011, I’d like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Qomos, TechCast reminder

Hello everyone! Just a quick note letting everyone know that if you’re a South Sioux City School District teacher who doesn’t have a Qomo and you feel like you could use one in your classroom, drop me a comment on this blog or send me an e-mail on my school address!

Also, don’t forget to check out Lance and I’s Cardinal TechCast from last week. Here’s the link: http://ssccardinals.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=2&clip_id=567.

On last week’s TechCast, we briefly discussed the MAP assessments, then gave a detailed demonstration of the document cameras and how they’re used. Once again, if you’re a teacher that’s seen the doc cams and would like one for your class, let me know, either on this blog or by e-mail.

This week, Lance and I will be discussing the Qomo and the convenience of having it in the classroom.

If you have any questions you’d like Lance and I to answer on the TechCast, send them here or shoot us an e-mail.

Thanks for reading and have a great week!