February 4, 2015
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Learn Easy Ways to Tech Out Your Classroom
 
Are you going to OETC next week? Then please drop by and see us! This year there are lots of ways for you to connect with INFOhio to learn about using digital tools in the classroom.
 
Innovation Learning Zone
Spend half an hour in INFOhio's Innovation Learning Zone booth (#942), and you'll learn low-cost, inventive ways to tech out your classroom from people who are already doing it. New sessions start every half hour. Get a list of titles and times on our website.

Can't join us in the Zone? You can still get all handouts through Edmodo. Use an existing account or create a new one at www.edmodo.com. Use group code c7rrgk. If you're new to Edmodo and want step-by-step instructions, go to oetc.ohio.gov and click Program > Powered by Edmodo.
 
INFOhio Sessions
Attend one (or more!) of our six conference sessions:
  • Get the "Scoop" on Easy-to-Use Curation Tools for Your District, Classroom, and Student Projects
  • Little Learners Become Big Readers: Online Reading Skills for P20 Success
  • Raising the Rigor for Student Achievement with INFOhio Resources
  • Reach Across the Gap: Collaborations that Improve Student Transition from High School to College
  • Seamless Discovery: Bridging the Research Pathway from K12 to College and Career
  • Tech Skills for Online Testing
Find descriptions, times, and room numbers here.

Find a list of all OETC sessions or download the mobile app from the OETC website, oetc.ohio.gov.
 
Exhibit Hall, Booth 627
Drop by our booth as you are cruising through the Exhibit Hall to get hands-on experience with our newest research tool, ISearch. Staff will be on hand to answer any questions you have about any of our tools. Be sure to claim your magic color-changing pencil!
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Top 5 Tips for Working with INFOhio Blizzard Bags

Hundreds of teachers are using the Blizzard Bags INFOhio released in December. Here are some of the best tips for using them in the classroom we've heard so far:
  • Work in teacher, department, or grade-level teams to decide which content from the multi-grade Blizzard Bag is best for each class.
  • Introduce the subject of the Blizzard Bag before you assign it to students. Complete the Questioning tab together as a class.
  • If your students are new to INFOhio, give them a tour using these three-minute video tutorials demonstrating the INFOhio website and INFOhio's newest research tool, ISearch.
  • Build in resources found on INFOhio's Tech Skills for Online Testing Pearltree to help your students get ready for upcoming online tests.
  • Learn along with your students! Try out the activities, read the articles and, share your "a-ha!" moments with them.  
KnowItNowLogo

Looking for Homework Help?

Try KnowItNow24x7

 

KnowItNow, Ohio's online reference service staffed by professional librarians, is available 24 x 7 x 365. The service is accessible via live chat at http://www.knowitnow.org or by text messaging at 216-539-4KIN (216-539-4546).

 

Whether by chat or text, students, teachers, parents--anyone, in fact--can work with librarians to resolve those difficult information needs. The librarians staffing the service can help students find resources to complete their homework, suggest authoritative sources for research, or just suggest some good books to read.

 

Schools are encouraged to place a link to KnowItNow on their web pages. A KnowItNow24x7-branded chat widget is also available for you to post on your site, providing direct access to the statewide service. For additional information or to receive the snippet of code needed to post the widget to your site, simply contact KnowItNow24x7 Coordinator, Don Boozer, at [email protected] or 216-623-2960.

 

You can also help spread the word about KnowItNow24x7 to students and teachers. A page of marketing resources is available at the KnowItNow24x7 Community Site. Click Educator Materials at the top of the page. There you'll find additional information, logos, posters, bookmarks, and even a short promo video.

 

Questions? Feel free to contact the KnowItNow24x7 Coordinator at [email protected] or 216-623-2960.

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Register for These Upcoming Webinars from INFOhio

February 5: Augmented Reality

 

February 19: Re-imagining the Research Paper

 

March 5: Thursday After School Smackdown! 100+ Web 2.0 Resources Go to the Mat!

 

March 19: Skim No More! How to Use eBooks in the Classroom to Foster Close Reading

 

April 23: Social Media in the Classroom: Engage Students & Modernize Learning