Extreeeeme! XC Beta

(Insert best wrestling announcer voice). Extreme....collaboration!  It's extreme, it's collaborative....does life get much better than that?!
     The goal of the Smart Technology Classroom project I'm a part of is simple: create a collaborative learning environment.  I am constantly searching for new ways to use the technologies so generously given to me to give my students a richer learning environment.  Guess what?  I found a new toy software.  I'm going to take a few minutes to share this easy and versatile software for anyone interested.  I will have pics next week, unfortunately when we were were working with it...I gave the kids my iPad and iPhone so we'd have devices in more hands.

  XC, or extreme collaboration is available as a beta version for free on the smart exchange.  (If you've never been to the smart exchange, check it out.  its a site that has hundreds of teacher made SB activities, free and ready to download!). Down load the file, and crank er up....it's super easy to use!  You do have to create a free account to use it, but it takes a couple of seconds & you're done!  Ten, just start thinking as to how you could utilize it. It's similar to pollev.com.  I'm a fan of pollev, but the kids have to type in the address, and I always end up having to help them log in....it's usually a little bit of a hassle to use.  To log in with XC,the kids use (my favorite) QR CODES!  Easy Peasy!  Once they've scanned the code, it takes them to your virtual room.  Then, they are able to type answers in their device (iPods, iPads, iPhones) and those answers are displayed together on your Smartboard!  Fantastical you say?  Pollev, can do that too. bUT with XC, you can move the answers around, have the students sort them, and manipulate them!

We even did a simple research piece with it.  My question was "type the name of any presidents you know."  Of course, we got Washington, Lincoln, Obama, and a few even knew GW Bush.  Ten they were stuck.  So, on the surrounding boards, we brought up whitehouse.gov, and they had a slides how of all the presidents the kids could scroll through and get new names from!  Simple, easy to use, first grade appropriate research!  The kids loved it!  Please please please, if you have a Smartboard in your room, and any sort of smart device....try this software out, it's really versatile and easy.

      Pics will be up next week...we're using it again for a study on the bossy r!  Happy Sunday:)