Hello there, and welcome! Today, I took my Google Certified exam, which did not go well. I've never taken the certification exam until today, and to make it more interesting, I took the Google Educator Level 1 Certification Exam with no practice. I was extremely stressed with the last weeks of school and preparing for summer school. To get set up for the exam, I had to set aside three hours of my schedule and have a credit card ready to pay the ten-dollar fee. The test consisted of thirty-five multiple-choice questions, which took me almost the entire time to complete. When I was preparing for the test, it mentioned that I could have resources open, but since I had never taken the test, I did not actually know what to prepare for or what resources would help. The wording was sometimes confusing or tricky, which is where I made most of my errors. Many of the questions were multiple-choice, where it would say pick three, and I knew two, but the third one was tricky. It could have be...
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Engaging and Effective Lesson Planning: A Step-by-Step Guide
As educators, we know that a well-structured lesson plan is the backbone of a successful learning experience. But what makes a lesson plan truly effective? In this post, we'll explore a four-step lesson planning format designed to capture students' attention, deliver instruction clearly, and assess understanding meaningfully. Let's dive into the steps: Step 1: The Curiosity Spark The first step in our lesson plan is the "Curiosity Spark". This is where we grab our students' attention and pique their interest in the topic at hand. The goal is to create a sense of intrigue or wonder that makes them want to learn more. I chose a short, relevant video clip that introduces the concept. Step 2: Instructional Screencast Once we have our students' attention, it's time for direct instruction. In this step, we'll create a screencast that clearly explains the key concepts and skills of the lesson. Keep the screencast focused and to the point using visuals a...
Crafting Engaging, Interactive Lessons with TPACK and Pear Deck
As educators, we strive to create lessons that not only convey essential content but also actively engage our students. This blog post will explore how I harnessed the TPACK (Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge) framework and Pear Deck to design an interactive, formative assessment-focused lesson for teaching accounting concepts. Designing an Interactive Accounting Lesson with Pear Deck For this project, I chose to focus on The Accounting Equation. My goal was to create a lesson that would engage students while assessing their understanding of the material in a variety of ways. I began by outlining my learning objectives and determining what types of questions would best assess student understanding. I decided to use a mix of true/false, multiple-choice, open-ended, and numerical questions to cater to different learning styles and gain a comprehensive picture of student knowledge. Next, I created a Pear Deck presentation that integrated these questions in an intentional, engagi...
Instructional Screencast
As an educator, I'm always looking for innovative ways to teach my students the skills they need to succeed in the digital age. I recently created a lesson on conducting effective online research using Google's suite of tools. I used the TPACK (Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge) framework to design an engaging and interactive learning experience. In this post, I'll walk you through how I created my instructional video and Google Slides presentation and share some exciting ways I used Screencastify and embedded quizzes to bring the lesson to life. When I set out to design my lesson, I knew I wanted to focus on teaching my students how to evaluate online sources, use advanced search features, and cite their sources correctly. I created a video tutorial using Screencastify, a powerful tool that allows you to record your screen and add voiceover. I loved how easy it was to use - I could highlight my clicks and add annotations to make the tutorial engaging and easy t...
Sparking Students Skills
Imagine igniting a spark in my students' minds, setting their curiosity ablaze about the accounting equation. Where do I begin? I'll start by spotlighting the key concept of the accounting equation and its vital role in financial statements. But I won't stop there - it's time to get intriguing! I'll picture this: a real-life scenario of a jaw-dropping financial transaction, or a video clip showcasing a shocking twist in financial data. I'll edit it for maximum impact, stripping away distractions to focus their eyes on that critical, curiosity-piquing moment. SEE HERE for what I'm talking about ;) Now it's showtime. I'll present my stimulus, and watch as my students' minds start racing. I'll encourage them to observe, to think critically about what they're witnessing. I'll invite the questions to start flowing - "How does this wild transaction shake up the accounting equation?" or "What's the magic behind this bala...
Making Google Quizzes for Summative Assessments
Check out this quiz , "The Accounting Equation: Mr. Jacoy" as a rockstar example of a summative assessment done right! First, the title gives it to you straight - this is all about the nitty-gritty of the accounting equation: Assets = Liabilities + Equity. No guessing what you need to know. The form isn't just about memorization, either. It's got variety! Quick-hit True/False questions make sure you've got the basics down, while multiple-choice questions dig deeper and test your understanding with those sneaky distractors. And let's not forget the matching grid - the perfect way to see if you can apply those accounting terms and definitions like a pro. The best part? You sign in so your teacher can track your progress, but you stay anonymous so no stress. All in all, this form is a powerful tool to see if you've really mastered the accounting equation. If the link doesn't work in the memo above, here is the full link: https://forms.gle/pqwMFFdWCi1D5g16...
Using the TPACK Tool in Accounting
Get ready to level up your teaching game with TPACK, the ultimate framework for combining content, pedagogy, and technology to create mind-blowing lessons that'll leave your students begging for more. First, let's break down the basics. You've got your Content Knowledge (CK), which is like being a total boss in your subject area - think math whiz or history buff. Then there's Pedagogical Knowledge (PK), the secret sauce of teaching itself, from crafting killer lesson plans to running a classroom like a well-oiled machine. And last but definitely not least, there's Technology Knowledge (TK), the power to wield tech like a pro both in and out of the classroom. But here's where it gets really interesting. TPACK is all about those magic moments when these three areas collide. Picture this: Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) is like being a master chef, taking your subject content and whipping it into a dish that's tailor-made to your students' tastes and di...