Tag Archives: digital learning

HISD introduces Sustainability Bookshelf to encourage conservation in everyday life

In an effort to encourage students to stay curious about the environment and learn to treat it mindfully and sustainably, HISD’s Energy and Sustainability Department has joined forces with Library Services to create an online Sustainability Bookshelf.

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Share your innovative projects with us on Digital Learning Day Feb. 17

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Digital Learning Day is Wednesday, Feb. 17, and HISD is inviting all of its teachers to share all of the innovative instructional practices taking place in their classrooms on social media using the hashtag #HISDdigital.

Digital Learning Day was created by the Alliance for Excellent Education, a national policy and advocacy organization dedicated to ensuring that all students, particularly those who are traditionally underserved, graduate from high school prepared for success in college, work, and citizenship.

In honor of Digital Learning Day, HISD is observing the entire month of February as Digital Learning Month for all K–12 campuses. Earlier this month, more than 30 HISD schools were represented at the second annual Digital Learning Expo, which was held Feb. 11 at the district’s Hattie Mae White Educational Resource Center. Students from all grades proudly demonstrated a wide range of digital projects, including musical bananas, large and small robots, book trailers created with Animoto, and mobile apps created with coding. The event was held just prior to the regular monthly Board of Education meeting to show trustees, district employees, and community partners how HISD students are using technology to transform teaching and learning.

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Students showcase digital learning at first-ever districtwide expo

HISD’s efforts to digitally transform teaching and learning in national spotlight during digital learning day

At Burbank Middle School, students are creating videos about their future and life goals using Adobe Voice. At Herrera Elementary, students are using tablets and digital programs such as iMovie, Animoto, Prezi, and Roxio to produce digital book trailers instead of a standard book report. And at Austin High School, teachers are using the HUB, the district’s new online learning platform, to create online discussions and group activities.

Every day, students and teachers across the district are using digital tools and resources to transform teaching and learning inside their classrooms. Recently teachers and students from nearly 50 HISD campuses gathered in the lobby of the Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center to showcase their efforts at the district’s first ever Digital Learning Expo.

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Take part in Digital Learning Day using #DLDay and #HISDdigital

Watch event live from 12 to 1 p.m. on Friday featuring district’s digital transformation

Every day, students and teachers across the district are using digital tools and resources to transform teaching and learning.  On Friday, March 13, HISD teachers and students will share on social media how they are using technology in the classroom using the hashtags #HISDdigital and #DLDay as part of national Digital Learning Day.

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Attend the district’s Digital Learning Expo March 12

HISD’s efforts to digitally transform teaching and learning in national spotlight for #DLDay

At Burbank Middle School, students are creating videos about their future and life goals using Adobe Voice (see video below). At Herrera Elementary, students are using tablets and digital programs such as iMovie, Animoto, Prezi, and Roxio to produce digital book trailers instead of a standard book report. And at Austin High School, teachers are using the HUB, the district’s new online learning platform, to create online discussions and group activities.

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Every day, students and teachers across the district are using digital tools and resources to transform teaching and learning inside their classrooms.  On Thursday, March 12, from 4 to 5 p.m., teachers and students from nearly 50 HISD campuses will gather in the lobby of the Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center (4400 W. 18th St., 77018) to showcase their efforts at the district’s first ever Digital Learning Expo.

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Digital Learning Spotlight: McNamara ES

Teachers “blending” face-to-face instruction with technology

During the month of February, all HISD teachers are being encouraged to try something new in their classrooms, as well as share ideas, resources, and lessons learned by posting their experiences and photos on social media using the hashtag #HISDdigital. Each week during the month, we are profiling a teacher or campus that is using technology to break up rows in classrooms, engage students, and innovate instructional practice. This week’s profile features McNamara Elementary.

Earlier this year, McNamara Elementary School  teacher Carlos Rosario started videotaping some of his lessons instead of delivering them in front of the class. The result has been somewhat surprising.

“I find that many of my students are more engaged watching me deliver a lesson on video than when I do it in person,” said Rosario. “Plus, I have built in questions with the videos to check for understanding. At the end, I also get a report, so if I need to pull anybody out to reteach or focus on small group instruction, I can do that.”

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Digital Learning Spotlight: Herrera Elementary

During the month of February, all HISD teachers are being encouraged to try something new in their classrooms, as well as share ideas, resources, and lessons learned by posting their experiences and photos on social media using the hashtag #HISDdigital. Each week during the month, we are profiling a teacher or campus that is using technology to break up rows in classrooms, engage students, and innovate instructional practice. This week’s profile features Herrera Elementary.

Students at Herrera Elementary are using tablets and digital programs such as iMovie, Animoto, Prezi, and Roxio to produce digital book trailers instead of the standard book report most of us remembering doing in elementary school. Continue reading

Digital learning in the spotlight for February

[su_note note_color=”#e4edd0″ radius=”8″]During the month of February, all HISD teachers are being encouraged to try something new in their classrooms, as well as share ideas, resources, and lessons learned by posting their experiences and photos on social media using the hashtag #HISDdigital. Each week during the month, we are profiling a teacher who is using technology to break up the rows in their classrooms, engage their students, and innovate their instructional practice. This week’s profile features Austin High School teacher George Caldwell.[/su_note]

Veteran social studies teacher George Caldwell admits that when he first heard about PowerUp, HISD’s districtwide digital transformation effort, he was a little nervous and scared.

“I wasn’t very comfortable using technology in my classroom, but I decided to grab a laptop cart and let my kids know that we were going to figure this out together. They use technology every day in their lives, and we as teachers need to meet them where they are.”

A year later, all of Caldwell’s students at Austin High School have their own laptops, and he is much more comfortable using technology in his daily instruction. He’s also embraced the PowerUp:HUB, HISD’s online teaching and learning platform, as a way to facilitate student discussion and collaboration in his classroom.

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Teachers Going Digital During Saturday Sessions

High school teachers from throughout the district are spending their Saturdays and early-release training days learning how to integrate web tools and digital content into their daily classroom instruction. The training is part of PowerUp, a districtwide program that is giving students their own laptops to use at school and at home. HISD’s Professional Development and Instructional Technology Departments are co-hosting the training sessions, which are designed to give teachers hands-on instruction and guidance on how to use technology to make their lessons more engaging and student centered.

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