Tagged: Organizing Student Work

Digital Backpacks: Student Portfolios Enhanced!

Digital Backpacks are on-line portfolios that teachers and students can use to collect and communicate learning artifacts.   Come spring, a well maintained digital backpack tells the story of any given student’s developmental journey, and, with a bit of frontloading, prep, and practice they’re easy and fun to maintain!  If you’re at all interested in exploring Digital Backpacks – do it!

A few reasons why:

  1. Digital Backpacks become a great data source to inform instruction.
  2. Digital backpacks give student ownership over their growth and the communication of that growth.
  3. Digital backpacks can be engaging and truly reflective of each student’s individual interests and abilities – they can each shine in their own way.
  4. Digital backpacks help keep parents informed and involved by giving them the ability to stay connected to the learning process.
  5. Digital Backpacks provide an authentic opportunity to teach digital citizenship.

Below are multiple Tool Tip clips.  Each are labeled with the skill they address.  If you intend to peruse Digital Backpacks using Wiki Spaces I would send the clips home with your students to ‘flip’ instruction.  They can learn how to do this stuff outside of the classroom, practice at home (with their parents), and become experts outside of school…maximizing learning time in class.

Toot Tip:  Adding Documents to a Wiki Page http://tinyurl.com/bx2ewqo

Tool Tip:  Inserting Images into Wiki Pages http://tinyurl.com/bdmvepp

Tool Tip:  Using Widgets and Tags to Organize Wikis http://tinyurl.com/a6po8oc

Also, the wonderful Jen Wind (Quarton 2nd grade), Laurie Cooper (Harlan 3rd Grade), and John Kernan (Pierce 4th Grade) are exploring QR Codes.  Laurie came up with the great idea of creating QR refrigerator magnets for her parents to stay connected to her students’ Digital Backpacks at their convenience.  It’s really cool!  Talk to Jen, Laurie, John, (or the many others using these tools) for some other great ideas.  See below for some ‘Connected Tool Tips’ and a resource link from Jen Wind – Thanks Jen!

Connected Tool Tip:  Creating QR Codes on Desktops and Laptops http://tinyurl.com/akwq9dv

Connected Tool Tip:  Other QR Code Ideas http://tinyurl.com/b9nvh4e

QR Resource Link from Jen Wind: http://tinyurl.com/a38pcyz

Contact me at sb20bps@birmingham.k12.mi.us for more information and collaboration.  Pick the brain of your ignite facilitator.  Share ideas…spread the word!

Have a great weekend,

 

Seth