What it is: Mastery Connect is both an online standards tracking tool (parts of it are free) and a free iPhone/iPod/iPad app. Because the app is truly free, I’ll start with it. The Mastery Connect app is a handy way to keep the Common Core standards accessible while you teach. The app sorts the common core standards by grade level, subject and strand. This is REALLY nice for quickly locating and referencing standards. Mastery Connect the website is the real gem. The site is brilliantly designed, easy to navigate, aesthetically pleasing and best of all, it works the way you…
-
-
How many of you are stuck in a school *wishing* that you had more technology…especially one to one technology? How many of you look longingly at the schools that are able to use Google forms or Turn It In to make assessment easier and more useful? Grade Trac is a program that makes grading faster, easier, and provides teachers with more useful information to guide planning and learning in the classroom. Grade Trac automates paper grading while offering increased accuracy and provides teachers with useful information that can be used to plan learning. Grade Trac has shown to reduce grading…
-
What it is: School Tool is a collection of free administrative software for schools. This is a student information system that includes demographics, gradebook, attendance, calendaring and reporting for primary and secondary schools. It also provides a framework for building customized applications and configurations to meet the needs of your school. How to integrate School Tool into the classroom: School Tool is an excellent alternative to expensive information systems. This open source solution is a great way to save some educational technology dollars to spend on additional hardware or infrastructure. If your school is looking at implementing a new comprehensive…
-
What it is: RCampus is a collaborative environment that is a one-stop shop for everything school related. RCampus utilizes Open Education Management system that makes it easy to build personal and group websites, manage courses, eportfolios, academic communities, build rubrics, connect students with tutors, and a book exchange. All of these tools are FREE for students and faculty. This would be a great place to organize your classroom life and keep your students organized. Everything is integrated making management very simple. Students stay well informed and communication opportunities grow with RCampus. How to integrate RCampus into the classroom: This…
-
What it is: Engrade is a free online gradebook that allows teachers to manage their classes online as well as post grades, assignments, attendance, and upcoming homework online for students and parents to see. Engrade makes it easy for parents, teachers, and students to communicate and stay in contact. The free Engrade suite offers a gradebook that automatically calculates grades and provides tools for custom grading scales and weighting assignments, an attendance book that automatically emails parents with absences, a homework calendar for students and parents, and online student reports where students can view their grades, homework and attendance in…
-
What it is: Grade Connect is an online course management system that streamlines and enhances communication between teachers, students, and parents. It is free to use. It includes a secure online gradebook, announcement and assignment posting, and convenient email system. How to Integrate Grade Connect into the classroom: Use Grade Connect to make teacher/parent communication more efficient and effective. Post assignments online so that students can easily check on the weeks activities and homework. Tips: Watch the demo of Grade Connect before signing up to see if it fits your needs.