• HyperDocs Admin
• 17 Apr,2020
• BLOG

Getting Going with HyperDocs

  

Starting anything new can feel both exciting and nerve-wracking -- your first day of kindergarten, your first day in a new city, your first day of teaching. As educators, we are constantly in a state of “newness,” or new beginnings. We take on new standards, new curriculum, new students, and new expectations on a regular basis. As teachers of technology, we are often flooded with new tools and ideas. Learning to design HyperDocs and deliver instruction using digital lesson plans can feel new and exciting. The initial stage of feeling curious might be where your HyperDoc journey begins. This is where you explore lessons already created, start to apply technology in a way that frees you from the front of the room, or you may begin to imagine the potential of HyperDocs in solving a classroom struggle. Either way, we recognize that we are all curious learners at different points. We hope you find yourself somewhere in The Learning Progression of a HyperDoc Creator.

Getting started on a new journey is personal to everyone. Each teacher is at a different place in their career, at a different place in implementing technology in the classroom, and at a different place with digital lesson design. This IF/THEN list is intended to help anyone find something to start anew this school year! 

IF you want to start your year off by fostering individual identity and building community … THEN check out these resources and HyperDoc lessons! Getting to know your students at the onset of a new year is critical to building a foundation of learning. But many of these resources can be used all year long as you develop relationships! 

• Beginning of the Year resources and HyperDocs 

• Tech integration ideas for the First Days of School 

IF you want to explore some of our first HyperDocs … THEN you can check these out. We were also new to lesson design once! Trying out the simple options that Google had to offer was how we first explored the potential of designing lessons. We would insert tables, change the page color, add images, and link up valuable resources. By simply “talking to students” right on the HyperDoc, inviting students to partner up around a laptop to discuss their learning, and freeing ourselves from the front of the room, we noticed shifts with instruction. 

• A Place to Grow: Digital Close Reading 

• Amazing Race: 50 States Group Project 

• Cheza Nami: A Cultural Experience 

IF you are newly implementing technology into your classroom or looking for new ways to “level up” along the SAMR Model … THEN you can explore HyperDoc lessons that begin to move beyond Substitution and Augmentation. Sometimes you just need a simple, “substitution” level HyperDoc. Technology allows for enhancement in learning. The question becomes, how can you reach for lesson transformation (Modification/Redefinition). It’s important to remember that not all lessons are HyperDocs, and not all HyperDoc lessons need to qualify as transformative. We hope this helps you find yourself in new levels of SAMR. 

• HyperDocs along the SAMR model

IF you are looking to create a HyperDoc in 5 easy steps … THEN you are ready to follow this step-by-step guide to getting started yourself. Designing HyperDocs is not that different from what teachers do all the time - make a series of decisions to best meet their students’ needs. This simple guide walks the creator through the thinking process of lesson design! 

• 5 Steps to Create a HyperDoc

IF you want to remix a HyperDoc by trying a lesson that has already been created … THEN check out these lessons. Remixing is a great way to get started with creating HyperDocs if you are new … just find one you like, make a copy, change out a few things, and use it in your own classroom. 

• Elementary Samples 

• Secondary Samples

IF you want to start creating a HyperDoc with one of our templates … THEN visit our website for pre-made templates to get going right away! Just FILE>MAKE A COPY and switch the content (images, links, text) to fit your own needs. 

• Visit hyperdocs.co for templates 

IF you want to begin a HyperDoc lesson with a new tool for creation/application … THEN visit this set of curated tools we love! Any one of these will be great for helping kids to show what they know. Sometimes we just want to incorporate a new tool into our lesson design. We feel that the application part of any lesson is the heart of the HyperDoc. We want kids creating, and spending most of their time and energy on the application of learning. This list might help you start using a new tool - raising student voice and inspiring creativity in new ways! 

• Tools to Create 

IF you want to continue learning how to design digital lessons and deliver HyperDocs in your classroom this year … THEN you can learn more with The HyperDoc Handbook. Our book is a great place to get started with digital lesson design. The book is chock full of lesson links, and will help you imagine the possibilities in your room! 

• Order The HyperDoc Handbook and begin your own digital lesson design journey!

IF you want to join our community of HyperDoc creators and teacher collaborators … THEN join us on social media. These are “the kindest teachers on the internet!”  In a culture of crowdsourcing, we have found the incredible community of Teachers Give Teachers to put their work out there, solicit feedback, and share lessons willingly. There is definitely a social media platform for everyone, what will be your way of connecting with other HyperDoc’ers?!

Book |  Website |  Twitter |  Facebook |  Instagram |  Pinterest |  YouTube |   #HyperDocs       

                                  

Implementing a new teaching strategy might feel uncomfortable - for students and teachers. When implementing your first HyperDoc lesson, prepare for a little struggle. But also prepare to be amazed. Your first lesson might not go as expected, so our best advice is to be gentle on yourself and to make it a priority to observe your students. Also, don’t forget to have fun! 

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