House of #EdTech

2022 House of #EdTech Smackdown! Coming in episode 215 - Submit your entry by December 9, 2022.

Paying for Twitter Verification. Don't be a Sneetch!

• Scribe Chrome Extension
  • Use the Scribe Chrome Extension to automatically generate step-by-step guides for any process in seconds.
  • Spend less time explaining and more time doing.
  • Scribe generates an interactive screenshot and text description for each step.
  • Easily share with colleagues and students.
  
  

• When It Comes to Picking Edtech, Are Schools Listening to Teachers? (EdSurge)
• When your school or district decides to invest in and make a new edtech product available, the goal is to transform student learning and add value to their experiences in the classroom.
• But where in the process do you fit in? If you're a teacher what, if any, is your role? And how much say do you—or should you—have in edtech decisions?
• In a survey released earlier this year, the edtech company Clever found that 85 percent of administrators say teachers are involved in choosing tools. When the company asked teachers, more than 60 percent said they were hardly ever—or never—involved in those choices.
• So which is it?
• Do You Have a Seat at the Table
  • Is there enough teacher voice in the edtech selection process? NO.
  • Why? Well first, teachers aren't the people in a position to spend district resources and sign contracts with vendors. At a fundamental level, this puts distance between the companies and the teachers. #2...when it comes to purchasing #edtech focus is usually on the tech and not the education. So your tech personnel is usually more involved because the tech needs to work before it can be used to teach.
  
  
• Striking a Balance
  • So how do we find that balance? A major obstacle is that teachers, and I've been guilty of this, don't always see the big picture and have that birds-eye view. Think data security, FERPA, & COPPA.
  • Schools and districts can easily involve teachers by running pilot programs before widespread adoption and implementation. Let some teachers kick the tires with their students and get feedback. This makes perfect sense because at a basic level people want to be heard and valued and if technology is just being mandated then, teachers don't feel heard or valued.
  • Speaking of mandates...that's not always the best idea. Making everyone use one specific tool isn't always what's good for everyone. Choice and options are powerful.
  
  
• Who Gets a Say?
  • Typically it's people out of the classroom who have the most say. Sometimes that's completely valid. There are plenty of organizations, certifications, and degrees that can give a person the knowledge to make those decisions and have a lot of pull in the conversations.
  • But if a person is all books smart and not street smart - and by street smart I mean 5 or more years of classroom experience - then their opinion and POV don't hold as much water - in my opinion.
  • Technology can make a teacher's life easier but it will never replace us and there is no magic pill that will solve all edtech issues. So beware of those that sell this brand of #edtech snake oil.
  
  
• Feeling Left Behind
  • Another key challenge is that schools and districts often make purchases meant to support all teachers, even though the needs of teachers vary widely by subject matter and grade level.
  • Hello Phys. Ed. Teachers!
  • Can you think of another subject area that benefits less from edtech in your district?
  • It might even be true that there is more technology available to assist a PE teacher than in any other subject area.
  • Could you imagine a Peloton lab in your middle or hs where students could differentiate their fitness based on their individual health goals and needs?
  • We have the ability easily collect health and fitness data but when was the last time the phys ed dept was involved in the edtech decision process?
  • We're leaving some teachers behind.
  
  
• Collaboration From the Start
  • How do we get collaboration from the start?
  • Well if you're in a small school setting then it's really easy to get everyone's opinion.
  • But what if you're in a district with 12 schools, 1500 teachers, and over 10,000 students? Or a district that's larger than that?
  • Teacher buy-in has to come from the ground up.
  • Every content area needs to have a voice and advocate for its needs.
  • School and district officials need to work with classroom teachers and talk honestly about their edtech needs.
  • We have committees for just about everything so if there isn't one, there should be an # edtech-related committee in each school that has a seat at the table and is valued in the edtech selection process.
  
  

What is the edtech selection process like for you? What role do you get to play in the process where you are?

• Canva Magic Shortcuts
  • Letter B to blur the current slide
  • Letter C for confetti rain
  • Letter D for a drumroll animation
  • Letter M for a mic drop animation
  • Letter O for floating bubbles
  • Letter Q for quiet
  • Letter U for a curtain call animation
  • Any number (0-9) for a timer (1 for one minute, 2 for two minutes, etc.)
  • You can also press Shift + / or ? on your keyboard to open the Magic Shortcuts menu.
  
  
• Twitter Question
  • Chris Lister (@Mr_Lister) to @houseofedtech Hey Chris, I'm a teacher-librarian in a k-5 school and a beginner podcaster with kids in school. Last school year we created an internal podcast, but this year we feel like we can branch out. What free service would you use when interviewing remote guests?
  • Zencastr
  • Podcastle
  
  

• Ashley Gable, Birmingham, AL - https://twitter.com/AshleyGableEDU
• Technology Integration Specialist, DLP Coach, Lover of literature, organization, & crafting...Passionate about Teaching & Learning

2022 House of #EdTech Smackdown! Coming in episode 215 - Submit your entry by December 9, 2022.

Welcome Mike Brilla and his podcast, The Inspired Educator, to the Education Podcast Network

Chrome Recommendations

• Tab Groups
  • To Save - chrome://flags search GROUPS tab group save ENABLE then RELAUNCH then right click on the tab group and toggle SAVE GROUP
  
  
• Live Captions
  • Create Captions for any A/V playing in browser
  • Menu > Settings > Accessibility > Toggle on Live Caption (ENG only)
  
  
• Search Open Tabs
  • Have a lot of tabs open? Hello AJ and most teachers I know...
  • Down Arrow Upper Right (left of Minimize) > Type a keyword to help get to the tab you're looking for
  
  

Have other Chrome recommendations? Send them to me!

I was listening to a recent episode of Simon Sinek's podcast, A Bit of Optimism, and his guest was Francesca Hogi, a love and life coach. As a love coach, she teaches single people how to transcend their romantic challenges and find true love. As a life coach, she teaches rebels and seekers to love their lives truly.

You might be thinking, "What do a love and life coach have to do with education technology?" or "Is everything OK in your marriage Chris?" Stick with me. AND...everything is fine with Katelyn and me.

• Dating is an Experiment / EdTech is an Experiment
• Dating has been revolutionized by technology / Education is being revolutionized by technology
• Better dates will lead to better relationships / Trying more technology and finding what works for you will lead to better integration
• No bad dates / No bad tech - what's your approach? Approach all your tech with the best intentions and you will grow when you use technology. Your students will grow each time they work with technology. You will learn what tools don't meet your needs and you will develop a healthy technology integration mindset.

During Simon and Francesca's conversation, she talked about how to be a better dater and go on better dates. This directly mimics your approach to your relationship with education technology and what it should look like.

• Nikki Pressley - https://twitter.com/NikkiPressley16
• Jonathan Ayer - https://twitter.com/jayer18

PodcastPD is BACK! AJ and I released episode 123!

EdCampNJ 2022 is taking place on November 19, 2022!

2022 House of #EdTech Smackdown! Coming December 18, 2022! Get your submission to me by December 9, 2022.

Toucan is a Chrome extension that helps you learn new languages as you browse the internet, without the need for flashcards or transition tools. It's quite a genius tool; as you browse, Toucan will automatically translate certain words in the language that you're trying to learn. So, let's say most of an article is in English, but some words are in Spanish or French. When you hover over these words, you'll see the transition and meaning. This way, you can learn new words in the language and the context of how they should be used in sentences. Toucan is free but limited to Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, and Italian.

What is meant by digital equity?

What are the three pillars of digital equity?

Why is digital equity important? Why do we need digital equity?

What are the benefits of digital equity in education?

How can I promote digital equity in my classroom?

1. Seek first to understand
2. Try it out!
3. Create a tech equity vision with your students
4. (Re)consider your homework policies

• GoSynth is GoING away. I recommend you check out Podcastle.ai
• Return of PodcastPD - 10/2/22

Deleting & Adding Technology. I've deleted Clubhouse.

While I previously published an episode about the benefits of Clubhouse for Educators I just don't feel the same way.

• Convert images with Ezgif
  • Ezgif is a fast and simple way of converting images between formats. It can handle GIF, JPG, PNG, and WebP, and you can either upload the files from your computer or point Ezgif towards them on the web. There are also options for cropping and rotating images.
  • FREE - https://ezgif.com/
  
  
• Edit PDFs with Smallpdf
  • Viewing PDFs is pretty straightforward no matter what platform you're on, but editing them is something else. Smallpdf takes the hassle out of the process, with a variety of features that include letting you drop in images and text and add your digital signature.
  • Smallpdf is free to use, but you can get more features and unlimited edits for $12 a month.
  
  
• Set an alarm with Kuku Klok
  • Whatever you need to set an alarm for, Kuku Klok can help. Just pick the time for the alarm to go off, then choose a sound (cockerels and trumpets are two of the options), and you're all set.
  • Kuku Klok is free to use.
  
  
• Get artistic with MS Paint
  • Microsoft Paint is one of the most well-known computer utilities of all time. MS Paint is the faithful remake of the program and runs entirely in your browser. You can get at it from any Windows or macOS computer, and access all the familiar tools—including the spray can and the paint bucket.
  • MS Paint is free to use.
  
  
• Take notes with Online Notepad
  • Online Notepad lets you quickly jot down anything you don't want to forget inside your browser: It could be a to-do list, an idea for your next novel, or an address. You can keep your pad open on a new tab, but you can also save it to your disk if you need to.
  • Online Notepad is free to use.
  
  

Over the last century and in recent years, technology has promised to revolutionize how we teach, dramatically alter the relationship between teachers and students, and fundamentally change how students learn and work together.

In many ways, technology has profoundly changed education.

Technology is a powerful tool that can support and transform education in many ways, from making it easier for teachers to create instructional materials to enabling new ways for people to learn and work together.

Israa Lulu - https://twitter.com/edu_metaverse - https://www.edu-metaverse.net/

She's a passionate educator, dedicated Leader, and certified Tech coach and trainer.

Israa believes learning never stops and has always been an avid learner who craves knowledge of the world at large and works tirelessly to develop as an educator and leader. Israa's passion is to support teachers in building their capacity with impactful technology use and innovative teaching practices and ideas to transform education.

• https://www.craiyon.com/ - Craiyon is an AI model that can draw images from any text prompt!
• Knowt - https://getknowt.io
  • Knowt is 100% free to use
  • Knowt lets you write, share, and browse notes.
  • Knowt creates flashcards instantly from your notes - on Quizlet you need to make them manually each time.
  • Knowt lets you create flashcard sets, and study them with Spaced Repetition
  • You can import any Quizlet set in seconds!
  
  

• Tisha Poncio - Former classroom teacher, Digital Learning Specialist at Wakelet (ep. 182)
• Rick Butterworth - Rick manages engineering and operations & is a founding member at Wakelet.
• https://www.chrisnesi.com/wakeletresources

Mike Brilla - Does anyone know of a script you can run to take single Google Slides from one folder & quickly combine them into one slide deck? I want kids to create their own slide, turn it in on Classroom & then create a class deck from there.

You Got This! A Chris Nesi Peptalk :-)

9 More Google Drive Tips!

• Bypass the Gmail Attachment Limit Using Drive
• Convert All Drive Uploads to Work With Docs
• Upload Pics to Search Text
• Reveal All Keyboard Shortcuts
• Check All the Search Options
• Color Code Your Organizational Files
• Get Google Drive Apps
• Quick Search Drive From the Omnibox
• Block the Drive Spam

Kirsten Thompson joined me for a conversation about Microsoft for Education, Digital Equity, & Social Media for Teachers!

Click here to check out the TikTok we were talking about at the end of our conversation.

Katrina Haynes submitted a voicemail about Wakelet. I previously talked about Wakelet with Tisha Poncio on episode 182.

Sarah Yunker - She's on Twitter to find new ideas and inspiration that will help her become a great teacher!

I recently appeared on Overthrowing Education, hosted by Batsheva Frankel! Episode 79: Chris Nesi: Ed Tech-Past, Present and Future

It's all about how you treat people.

9 Google Drive Tips

1. Shortcuts for Simple Access
2. Move Files Via Cut and Paste
3. Get a Quick Link
4. Install Drive on the Desktop
5. Added File Types to the Bookmark Bar
6. Drag and Drop Into Drive
7. Access Drive Files Offline
8. Use Offline Files While Mobile
9. Save Anything You Find to Google Drive

Daniela Romero is always looking for ways to channel her creativity and ways to make a difference in her community. She has taught all over the world and she's currently a grade 5 teacher and future after-school Spanish Club Lead!

Topics:

• How Dani got into education
• Role of technology in her elementary classroom
• Why she creates content on social media in Spanish

Jesus Morales (Email) - I believe I have heard in your podcasts that you are not a big fan of Anchor.FM. Can you give me some insight on why? I like Twitter Spaces, but the downloading part is a bit time-consuming and not easy to do. I feel with Anchor.FM our team can do a live show, bring people in as guest hosts, and still easily download the file. What other program do you recommend similar to these two?

My response: Check out Flowjin.com to archive and easily download your Twitter Spaces.

Miriam Richard - Digital Learning Specialist | Leveraging Technology to ensure learner success! Ulrich Intermediate and Krahn Elementary | Klein ISD

Jen Kosior - Google Certified Coach | #GoogleEC | Dynamic Learning Project Coach | Everfi Teacher Ambassador | Disney Addict | Mom | Runner | Owner ADC Publishing & Design

Take It To The Ramp

I spent the last week as the PA Announcer at the Monmouth County Fair (NJ) and I was inspired by something in the BMX bike stunt show that I listened to and watched about 20 times over the course of five days.

Amanda Fox is an award-winning teacher from Kentucky by way of Georgia! Amanda was a recipient of the 2016 ISTE Emerging Leader Award, recognized as a PBS Digital innovator for her initiatives in enhancing student learning with technology, has also served as President of the Young Educator Network for ISTE, and received the President's Volunteer Award.

We primarily discussed her new book, The Canva Classroom: 42 Ultimate Answers to Templates That Rocket Student Engagement (2022).

Resources Mentioned:

• https://genial.ly/
• https://www.wizer.me/
• https://www.pixton.com/
• https://www.bitmoji.com/
• https://giphy.com/
• wakelet
• book creator
• peardeck
• flip
• https://publuu.com/
• https://quivervision.com/

Connect with Amanda via her bio below.

Summer Wineteer - 5th-grade Teacher at Connect Academy a K-8 virtual school blending together on-campus & online edu. - M.Ed in Curriculum & Instruction fro the University of San Diego, Cert. Google Level 2 | ISTE & CUE member | Minecraft Global Mentor

I'm feeling lazy... and that's OK!

This episode is being released during the Summer of 2022 and I've given myself permission to focus on so many other things besides my profession.

Here are some easy #edtech recommendations that you may find valuable at home or at school.

• Make My Drive Fun - https://makemydrivefun.com/ - Shows you the route you can take and fun things you can do along the way!
• https://www.iconsmania.com/ - All IconsMania's icons and illustrations are optimized to be edited and used by non-professionals, this means that you don't need professional design software to customize them. All you need is a free Microsoft or Google email account!
• sketch.metademolab.com - Animate a 2D drawing!
• https://www.lego.com/en-us/service/buildinginstructions/ & https://www.bricklink.com/v2/main.page
• https://studio.polotno.com/
• https://qrtoon.com/ - Turn your boring QR codes into works of art!
• https://my90stv.com/
• https://neal.fun/life-stats/

• Kelley Andrews
• Loves Blended Learning, Flipped Classroom, all things Edtech, Science, STEAM and STEM, MakerSpace, and Project-Based Learning! Kelley teaches 5th grade, but her passions are not limited to a grade level.
• https://kelleyandrews.mystrikingly.com/

Derek Larson visited the House of #EdTech! The Nesi's hosted the Larsons for the Jersey stretch of Derek's family vacation!

On June 2, 2022, I hosted a Twitter Space about podcasting in schools. The conversation is packed with great questions from the great people who participated.

Check out episode 201 - Starting a Podcast Club or Network