Category Archives: Learning

Graphic Organizers, Brainstorming, & Ticket-Out-the-Door

Finding Useful Ways of Integrating Microsoft Whiteboard Into Your Instruction

Using Microsoft’s recently updated Whiteboard application allows you and your students to quickly brainstorm ideas, use KWL charts, Venn diagrams and so much more. You can even create a ticket-out-the-door on the fly!

Use a Whiteboard in Myriad Ways

You ask, “What would I use a whiteboard for in my classroom?

The beauty of a whiteboard application is that it is as flexible as your imagination. This makes it as adaptable to the needs of a preschool teacher as to the needs of someone teaching advanced algebra or honors world history. Whiteboards are great for brainstorming sessions, activating prior knowledge, creating interactive graphic organizers, problem solving, critical thinking, classroom collaboration and Wait Time (aka Time-to-Think).

Getting Started

Open Microsoft’s Whiteboard by visiting whiteboard.office.com or download the app on your iPad. Sign in using your Microsoft 365 account (this is the same as your email login credentials). The demonstration below is using the application on a webpage; however, Whiteboard is a PWA experience, which simply means that it works basically the same across all platforms. The tools and templates are the same on a laptop as on a tablet. It also means that you can start creating on your laptop and later continue on your iPad.

Setup a Simple Brainstorming Whiteboard

Follow these steps to learn how quick and easy it is to create a brainstorming template:

How can I use Whiteboard in my classroom?

There as several ways you can use a Whiteboard in your classroom. Depending on the lesson or activity, you may use a Whiteboard in multiple modes.

  • Airplay your Whiteboard from your iPad to a presentation screen such as a large television or projector — This method allows for walking around the room and easily engaging students.
  • Airplay from another device such as a MacBook (a smartphone works too!).
  • Share a link to the Whiteboard for students to view on their iPads. Simply add a link in your Schoology course for easy access.
  • Access from within Microsoft Teams. This can be used for both distance learning and brick-and-mortar instruction. For brick-and-mortar instruction, simply ask students to mute their microphones and turn off video.
  • Export the Whiteboard as a PNG image file for adding to your Schoology course or for AirDropping (in Apple Classroom) directly to students.

Application Overview

Let’s take a look at using Whiteboard so you can get started finding awesome ways to include this as a tool in your instruction.

How can I collaborate with my students?

By its very nature, whiteboards are designed to be collaborative. Using Whiteboard with your students allows for a more engaging instructional experience and allows students to use real-world tools that business, industry, and academia are using today. They learn skills they will need to compete with other students when they enter college or technical training.

When using Whiteboard to collaborate with students, be aware of some differences between the standalone version found on tablets and on whiteboard.office.com, and the version built-in to Teams.

  • The Teams version gives the teacher the option to toggle on or off the option for students to contribute to the whiteboard. However, this version does not allow you to select Whiteboard files that you have already created. You have to start from scratch in the Teams meeting. The whiteboard remains with the data of the meeting so you can always return to it later.
  • The app version found on tablets and at whiteboard.office.com allows for contribution from students, but there is no on/off switch to toggle. It’s either no contributions (or limited contributions) from students or the board is wide open for all. Unlike the Teams version, this version allows you to create Whiteboards ahead of time and keep them indefinitely. You are able to turn the sharing on and off, however, when off, access is removed for students to be able to contribute. It also means they can no longer view the document.

Where can I find Whiteboard?

You can easily download Whiteboard by searching keywords ‘Microsoft’ and ‘Whiteboard’ in Apple’s App Store. Students can find the app in Self Serve.

Where can I find assistance?

Find help on Microsoft’s website for many of the most common questions. Ready to move to the next level? Use Microsoft’s Tips & Tricks to learn more. Thinking about using Whiteboard in your classroom but need some ideas how you could use it or you just need some one-on-one assistance, reach out to Jimmy Stewart or Eric Murphy. Either would be happy to help you get started and take engagement to the next level.

World Book Now Available on Schoology

World Book Online Status

Update: World Book within Schoology does not play friendly with Google Chrome browser. It does, however, work well with Safari on both a desktop and iPad. If you are being asked to login, you need to turn off “prevent cross-site tracking” under Safari settings. After turning this off, refresh your Schoology page and then click on World Book again.

More great news! The WV Library Commission provides access to World Book Online and it is now integrated with Schoology for easy access. Teachers and students can use any device connected to the Internet to access World Book’s suite of digital resources that covers all subjects and grade levels.

In addition to informational articles that we expect from an encyclopedia, there are WebQuests, science projects, pictures and videos, games, activities, printable graphic organizers, current events and so much more. Teachers can search for materials using state standards and share materials with students via direct links. There are accommodations to have material read aloud or translated as well; it really is a wonderfully comprehensive addition to the educational toolbox. World Book’s product descriptions from their training guide may help you decide where to start.

Early Learning

The perfect tool for pre- and emergent readers to explore independently or learn with an adult. Developed with experts on early childhood education, Early Learning is designed for preschool students with tools and content that reinforce early childhood curriculum via short videos, read-aloud stories, printable activities, and matching and tracing games, among others. The guided reading program, lesson plans, and curriculum correlations make teaching easier for educators and parents.

Kids

An ideal learning resource for elementary-aged students designed to build confidence and encourage creativity with image-driven navigation and inquiry-based activities. The site features easy-to-read articles that can be read aloud or translated and a wealth of engaging games, science projects, and activities. Encourage self-direction with our visual navigation in Explore, independent learning with WebQuests, and compare and contrast skills with Compare Animals and Compare Places. Additional teaching tools for educators and parents make this a complete solution for elementary-aged students.

Student

A one-stop shop for cross curricular learning, Student includes translations to 100+ languages, a Biography Center, current events, research guides, and seamless integrations with Google Classroom and Microsoft OneDrive. The My Research and Citation Builder features assist learners in organizing and analyzing their findings. World Book’s beloved encyclopedia comes to life in a digital format, perfect for elementary and middle school learners to access information from trusted sources.

Advanced

In a world of digital news, World Book Advanced gives high school students and adults a reliable source to check the facts. The In the Headlines live news feed and world newspapers promote global awareness and international perspective. Primary source documents, biographies, Back in Time articles, and Teaching with Documents all aid in more in-depth and conceptual understanding within the classroom curriculum.

Timelines

Dive in to history with this unique, interactive view! World Book Timelines offers hundreds of pre-generate timelines across eight broad topics, which cover various time periods in history or span the life of historical public figures. Users can also create their own timelines from scratch, adding events, descriptions, and media.

eBooks

The World Book eBooks site includes highly illustrated, engaging titles that support a span of curriculum areas and reading levels. A subscription includes automatic updates and revision to eBooks, as well as any new titles that are added to the site.

Discover

World Book Discover offers engaging reference resources for students reading below grade level because of language or learning difficulties, with content and tools specifically developed for these students.

Enciclopedia Estudiantil Hallazgos

The ideal Spanish-language reference tool for those learning Spanish and ELL students. Browse features provide visual prompts, and bilingual features allow students to toggle between Spanish and English text. The site includes concise articles, videos, maps and activities more.

To access World Book Online, look in the lower left portion of the screen while in any of your Schoology courses and click on it. Decide which product best fits your needs for the task at hand and explore how this exciting resource can benefit you and your students from the very youngest scholars on up.

Be sure to check out the comprehensive training guide http://worldbookonline.com/training to learn more about this powerful resource and how it can enrich the teaching and learning process. There are public webinars, educator starter kits, distance learning ideas, letters that can be sent to families, and lots of tools for sharing this resource with your students. Keep in mind that the training guide will have information on World Book products that we do not currently have access to in WCS. The WV Library Commission is providing access to eight products highlighted above, and that is wonderful!

Product descriptions from http://worldbookonline.com/training.