Examining

In this episode, Erik and Kris discuss lots of news including Royal Roads University's free micro-credential system, new Google certificates, Scott Galloway's $30 million education venture, and Microsoft's Viva and Mesh platforms. For #EdTechOfficeHours our co-hosts recommend the best website creation platforms and address file naming conventions. Kris and Erik also provide a mini-review of Cal Newport's books Deep Work, Digital Minimalism, and A World Without Email. Finally, they also talk about essential (yet mundane) home office gear.

SHOW NOTES:

News
*Royal Roads University micro-credentials
*New Google certificates
*Scott Galloway raises $30 million
*Microsoft Viva
*Microsoft Mesh

#EdTechOfficeHours

Website platforms
*WordPress
*Squarespace
*GitHub Pages
*Hugo (Erik's example on GitHub Pages)

File naming conventions
*Medium - Mike Lord
*Princeton University Library

Discussion

Mini review of Cal Newport's Books
*Deep Work
*Digital Minimalism
*A World Without Email
*Cal's website

EdTech Tips

Mundane (yet essential) office gear
*Powered USB hub

CONTACT:
Website: edtechexamined.com
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @EdTechExamined

TEAM INFORMATION

Erik Christiansen, Co-Founder & Co-Host
Website: erikchristiansen.net
Twitter: @egchristiansen
Blog: tech-bytes.net

Kris Hans, Co-Founder & Co-Host
Website: krishans.ca
Twitter:  @KrisHans
Market Grade: marketgrade.com

Christopher Hoang, Audio Producer & Sound Engineer
Website: chrishoang.ca

The following is an interview with Curt Newton. Curt is the director of the MIT OpenCourseWare (OCW) platform, one of the best-known and respected open education platforms. In this interview, we discuss Curt's background and how he came to MIT, the OCW platform and the impact it's had on the world, and the future of open education. April 4, 2021, will mark MIT OCW's 20th Anniversary. To learn more about MIT OCW, be sure to visit the OCW website and follow the Twitter account @MITOCW.

LINKS

*MIT OpenCourseWare website
*MIT OCW Twitter @MITOCW
*Curt's website
*Curt's Twitter @qwertnewto

PODCAST CONTACT:
Website: edtechexamined.com
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @EdTechExamined

TEAM INFORMATION

Erik Christiansen, Co-Founder & Co-Host
Website: erikchristiansen.net
Twitter: @egchristiansen
Blog: tech-bytes.net

Kris Hans, Co-Founder & Co-Host
Website: krishans.ca
Twitter:  @KrisHans
Market Grade: marketgrade.com

Christopher Hoang, Audio Producer & Sound Engineer
Website: chrishoang.ca

In this episode, Kris Hans and Chris Hoang discuss their productivity strategies including their habits and routines, their top technologies for staying organized, and their personal productivity goals for 2021.

SHOW NOTES:

Top productivity habits
*Time tracking
*One-touch rule
*Multiple task lists
*Weekly plans
*Starting the day with simple tasks (i.e. make the bed)
*Separate work and play spaces at home (if possible)

The essential (and inessential) tech tools
*Digital calendar (colour coding, time blocking, embedded tasks, etc.)
* Screen time tracker (iOS, Android, Mac, Windows)
* Content site blocker (tracking most visited sites)
* Remove unnecessary apps
*Cloud storage that syncs quickly (Dropbox, iCloud, etc.)
*Project management software (Basecamp, Trello)

Goals for 2021
*Deliberate time blocking (for writing)
*Scheduling work and play
*Social media (aka 'digital minimalism' detox)
*Disabling notifications whenever possible
*Deleting social media

CONTACT:
Website: edtechexamined.com
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @EdTechExamined

TEAM INFORMATION

Erik Christiansen, Co-Founder & Co-Host
Website: erikchristiansen.net
Twitter: @egchristiansen
Blog: tech-bytes.net

Kris Hans, Co-Founder & Co-Host
Website: krishans.ca
Twitter:  @KrisHans
Market Grade: marketgrade.com

Christopher Hoang, Audio Producer & Sound Engineer
Website: chrishoang.ca

In this episode, Kris and Erik discuss the WhatsApp and Facebook terms of service criticism and the exodus to Signal Messenger. They also recommend some privacy-related browser extensions, headphones for teaching, how to manage multiple calendars, and the importance of looking for info before asking your instructor.

(Error alert: We goofed! The episode is #17, not #18)

SHOW NOTES

News
*WhatsApp / Facebook terms of service

Tech Tips

Private browser extensions
*HTTPS Everywhere
*Privacy Badger
*UBlock Origin
*Terms of Service: Didn't Read

#EdTechOfficeHours

Headphones
*Sony WH1000
*Logitech H390
*Powerbeats Pro (earbuds)

Calendars
*Calendars 5
*Apple Calendar
*Fantastical
*Sync iCloud calendar to Google calendar

CONTACT:
Website: edtechexamined.com
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @EdTechExamined

TEAM INFORMATION

Erik Christiansen, Co-Founder & Co-Host
Website: erikchristiansen.net
Twitter: @egchristiansen
Blog: tech-bytes.net

Kris Hans, Co-Founder & Co-Host
Website: krishans.ca
Twitter:  @KrisHans
Market Grade: marketgrade.com

Christopher Hoang, Audio Producer & Sound Engineer
Website: chrishoang.ca

In this episode, Kris Hans, Erik Christiansen, and Chris Hoang discuss their top 10 education predictions for 2021.

CONTACT:
Website: edtechexamined.com
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @EdTechExamined

TEAM INFORMATION:

Erik Christiansen, Co-Founder & Co-Host
Website: erikchristiansen.net
Twitter: @egchristiansen
Blog: tech-bytes.net

Kris Hans, Co-Founder & Co-Host
Website: krishans.ca
Twitter:  @KrisHans
Market Grade: marketgrade.com

Christopher Hoang, Audio Producer & Sound Engineer
Website: chrishoang.ca

In this episode, Erik and Kris interview Mohsen Shahini, Co-Founder of the online assessment platform Kritik. Mohsen is also a Co-Founder of the edtech platform Top Hat where he still serves as the Chief Academic Officer.

SHOW NOTES:

Guest information
*Kritik website
*LinkedIn profile
*Twitter profile

PODCAST INFO:
Website: edtechexamined.com
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @EdTechExamined

PODCAST TEAM:

Erik Christiansen, Co-Founder & Co-Host
Website: erikchristiansen.net
Twitter: @egchristiansen
Blog: tech-bytes.net

Kris Hans, Co-Founder & Co-Host
Website: krishans.ca
Twitter:  @KrisHans
Market Grade: marketgrade.com

Christopher Hoang, Audio Producer & Sound Engineer
Website: chrishoang.ca

In this episode, Erik and Kris discuss the best search engines for finding open educational resources (OER), the writing apps Scrivener and Overleaf, the mmhmm video broadcasting software, and the new Apple Silicon-powered Macs.

SHOW NOTES:

#EdTechOfficeHours:

What is the best OER search engine?
*OER Commons
*OASIS
*George Mason University OER Metafinder (MOM)

News

Erik's Tech Bytes blog post
*Apple's M1 chip: Making desktop computing cool again

Apple Silicon Macs and the M1 chip
*Daring Fireball, John Gruber
*Ars Technica hands-on
*Ars Technica interview with the Apple hardware team
*Six Colors

9to5 Mac: What will Apple Silicon mean for Apple’s education strategy

CNET: Apple's secret weapon in AR is right in front of us

Yahoo: Tencent to invest in Udemy

EdTech Tips

*Mmhmm broadcasting app
*Scrivener writing app
*Overleaf Latex writer

CONTACT:
Website: edtechexamined.com
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @EdTechExamined

TEAM INFORMATION:

Erik Christiansen, Co-Founder & Co-Host
Website: erikchristiansen.net
Twitter: @egchristiansen
Blog: tech-bytes.net

Kris Hans, Co-Founder & Co-Host
Website: krishans.ca
Twitter:  @KrisHans
Market Grade: marketgrade.com

Christopher Hoang, Audio Producer & Sound Engineer
Website: chrishoang.ca

In this episode, Erik and Kris discuss the Descript video editing software, how universities continue to adopt new technologies, and the mental health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. They also recommend their top apps for managing mental health and provide more organization strategies for managing the demands of online learning.

SHOW NOTES:

#EdTechOfficeHours:

*Descript video editing software

News

Harvard Business Review: The pandemic pushed universities online

a16z: Edtech's answer to remote learning burnout

Discussion Items:

*How can mental health burnout be avoided when teaching (or taking courses) online?

EdTech Tips

*Breathing Zone App
*Pause App
*Cal Newport's Time Block Calendar

CONTACT:
Website: edtechexamined.com
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @EdTechExamined

TEAM INFORMATION:

Erik Christiansen, Co-Founder & Co-Host
Website: erikchristiansen.net
Twitter: @egchristiansen
Blog: tech-bytes.net

Kris Hans, Co-Founder & Co-Host
Website: krishans.ca
Twitter:  @KrisHans
Market Grade: marketgrade.com

Christopher Hoang, Audio Producer & Sound Engineer
Website: chrishoang.ca

In this episode, Erik and Kris interview Dr. Anthony (Tony) Chaston, an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at Mount Royal University, in Calgary, Canada. Tony teaches Sensation & Perception and Research Methods at MRU. His research interests include visual perception and cognition and the use of virtual reality for reducing anxiety. Most recently, Tony has been developing a virtual reality course using the AltSpaceVR platform. Erik and Kris talk with Tony about his teaching, research, and the future of higher-education.

GUEST INFORMATION:

Dr. Anthony (Tony) Chaston, Mount Royal University
Faculty Profile
AltSpaceVR username: VizWig
YouTube Channel
Educators in VR AltSpaceVR group
Tony's research presentation for Educator's in VR: Using 360 Nature Videos to Lower Stress

CONTACT:
Website: edtechexamined.com
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @EdTechExamined

TEAM INFORMATION:

Erik Christiansen, Co-Founder & Co-Host
Website:  erikchristiansen.net
Twitter: @egchristiansen
Blog: tech-bytes.net

Kris Hans, Co-Founder & Co-Host
Website: krishans.ca
Twitter:  @KrisHans
Market Grade:  marketgrade.com

Christopher Hoang, Audio Producer & Sound Engineer
Website: chrishoang.ca