The EduGals Podcast

In this 50TH episode of the podcast, we'll be discussing podcasting in the classroom. We'll get into the why behind podcasting as well as the prep & tools you need to get started.

If you like what you hear, we would love it if you could share this episode with a colleague or friend. And make sure you subscribe so that you don’t miss out on any new content! And consider supporting the show by buying us a coffee or two!

We would love to hear from you – leave a comment on our website OR check out our FLIPGRID!

Featured Content
**For detailed show notes, please visit our website at https://edugals.com/50**

• Hosting (Buzzsprout, Anchor.fm, Soundcloud, YouTube, Google Drive)
• Recording (Audacity, GarageBand, Hindenburg, Zencastr, Screencastify)
• Equipment (USB Dynamic Mic)
• VoiceEd Radio
• Chris Nesi Podcasting Resources
• Diverse Scientist Database
• Podcasting with WeVideo
• The SHIFT Show EDU

Support the show

Connect with EduGals:

• Twitter @EduGals
• Rachel @dr_r_johnson
• Katie @KatieAttwell
• EduGals Website
• Support the show

In this episode, we are joined by an amazing guest, Tony Vincent. We'll chat about digital drawing skills and creativity in the classroom using Shapegrams. We'll also go over some tips and tricks to using Google Drawings effectively and efficiently.

If you like what you hear, we would love it if you could share this episode with a colleague or friend. And make sure you subscribe so that you don’t miss out on any new content! And consider supporting the show by buying us a coffee or two!

We would love to hear from you – leave a comment on our website OR check out our FLIPGRID!

Featured Content
**For detailed show notes, please visit our website at https://edugals.com/49**

Connect with Tony:

• Twitter: @tonyvincent
• Websites: Learning in Hand and Shapegrams
• Self-employed educational consultant

Resources, Tips, and Ideas:

• Timex Sinclair (in case you're curious)
• Podcasting/video creation in the classroom with students
• Classy Graphics Workshop
• Shapegrams (first 4 are free!)
  • Teaches students patient, perseverance, and growth mindset
  • Includes instructional videos, activities for early finishers
  • Also includes some fantastic puns :)
  • Scope and sequence - easy to advanced
  • Cost: $35 per year membership
  • Tie them into other areas such as writing prompts, math, reflections
  • Fun for teachers too!
  • Book: Math Curse by Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith
  • Tony's favourite: White House
• Google Drawings Tips and Tricks:
  • Start a new drawing with drawings.new
  • Get rid of the checkerboard pattern by right clicking, select background and change it to white (or another colour)
  • Page setup or just grab the bottom right corner "grippy" and drag it out to stretch or lengthen your canvas
  • Shapes menu - circle = oval, square = rectangle; to get a perfect circle/square, hold down the shift key as you draw out the shape
  • Shift + Control/Option + dragging on the shape - resizes from the centre
  • Version history is available here too - copy/paste from a previous version or restore previous versions
  • Use the grey space around the drawing for instructions, videos, activities for early finishers, drag and drop activities, gifs (make them using Screencastify), etc.
• Upcoming workshop: Classy Creations
  • Five weeks
  • Focused on Google Slides
  • Topics: Great Graphics, Pixels to Paper, Legendary Logos, Captivating Comics, Awesome Animations
• Biggest Takeaway: Infusing creativity with technology to express yourself, affect change, and make a difference

Support the show

Connect with EduGals:

• Twitter @EduGals
• Rachel @dr_r_johnson
• Katie @KatieAttwell
• EduGals Website
• Support the show

In this episode, we are talking all about destreaming education. We'll get into why academic streaming needs to go, as well as share out some potential solutions and approaches on how to successfully destream your courses. 

If you like what you hear, we would love it if you could share this episode with a colleague or friend. And make sure you subscribe so that you don’t miss out on any new content! And consider supporting the show by buying us a coffee or two!

We would love to hear from you – leave a comment on our website OR check out our FLIPGRID!

Featured Content
**For detailed show notes, please visit our website at https://edugals.com/48**

• Ontario destreaming - starting with grade 9 math next year
• Streaming contributes to systemic discrimination in our system
• What does UDL and differentiation look like in your classroom? 
• Now is a great time for reflection around streaming and teaching approaches
• Big Takeaway: Meet your students where they are at! And collaborate with SPED & ESL teams
• Instructional Videos - upload to YouTube to take advantage of CC translation tools
• Consider creating content in multiple modalities - video with chapter links, audio, written to provide student choice
  • Tip: Create transcripts for your videos using voice typing in Google docs while playing your video
  • Try Mote with transcripts
• Culturally Relevant and Responsive Pedagogy
  • Use lived experiences and prior knowledge of your students
  • Question your thoughts - use brain science (think... yes, AND...)
  • Don't use past marks to judge a student's ability to achieve
  • Strong relationships support student achievement
  • Consider getting SPED/ESL qualifications

Useful Resources

• Choice Board on Destreaming from TDSB
• Jason To's 3 part series on destreaming - Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3
• Modern Classrooms Podcast - Q&A Episode
• OnEdMentors Podcast - Grade 9 Destreaming Episode
• 10 Things About Childhood Trauma Every Teacher Needs To Know (Article)

Support the show

Connect with EduGals:

• Twitter @EduGals
• Rachel @dr_r_johnson
• Katie @KatieAttwell
• EduGals Website
• Support the show

In this episode, we are diving into the topic of what virtual schools could be post-pandemic. We'll share some ideas on how virtual schools could work going forward and how we should plan for it effectively. This stemmed from a post on Twitter where the Ontario Government is proposing that virtual models are here to stay.

If you like what you hear, we would love it if you could share this episode with a colleague or friend. And make sure you subscribe so that you don’t miss out on any new content! And consider supporting the show by buying us a coffee or two!

We would love to hear from you – leave a comment on our website OR check out our FLIPGRID!

Featured Content
**For detailed show notes, please visit our website at https://edugals.com/47**

• Twitter - Virtual Schools announcement/rumours
• Current Model - too much synchronous time, no flexibility/options
• Needs - purposeful staffing, models of feedback/coaching/mentoring
• Beware of imposter syndrome
• Effective planning/learning is needed to support virtual learning models and de-streaming
• Start it small to build effectively and leads to questions around the student selection process
• Course offerings - there are some interesting ideas to approach schools
• Build a Credit - Student Success (WRSDB)
• Possibility of partial credits - currently done in Section Schools in Ontario
• UN Sustainable Development Goals
• Modern Classrooms Project - PBL Webinar
• HEADRUSH Learning Management System - supports PBL, partial credits, mastery based grading
• Self-Paced/Mastery Based learning model would support virtual learning very well
• Modern Classrooms Project (MCP) - Free Course and Virtual Mentorship
• How to Create and Use Labels in Gmail - Rachel's Video submission for MCP (made with OBS Studio)
• Should Rachel teach summer school?
• OBS Studio (Open Broadcaster Software) - record videos, stream, or use a virtual camera; available for MacOS, Windows, and Linux
• Steven Fotheringham - Blog Post on OBS Studio
• Studio booths for teachers with green screens, tech, sit/stand desks
• Community is still important and needed - a place for students and staff to gather, complete hands on learning, etc.
• Flexibility in schedule
• Combined/co-taught courses and team teaching

Support the show

Connect with EduGals:

• Twitter @EduGals
• Rachel @dr_r_johnson
• Katie @KatieAttwell
• EduGals Website
• Support the show

In this episode, we are featuring a special guest, Fonz Mendoza, from My EdTech Life. Fonz is an Instructional Technologist from South Texas. Fonz is sharing his Google Innovator journey with us as well as his goals around his show. We were guests on Fonz's show almost a year ago and we really wanted to highlight this amazing educator.

If you like what you hear, we would love it if you could share this episode with a colleague or friend. And make sure you subscribe so that you don’t miss out on any new content! And consider supporting the show by buying us a coffee or two!

We would love to hear from you – leave a comment on our website OR check out our FLIPGRID!

Featured Content
**For detailed show notes, please visit our website at https://edugals.com/46**

Connect with Fonz Mendoza (Instructional Tech, South Texas)

• Twitter @TechTeacher1381 & @MyEdTechLife
• YouTube - My EdTech Life
• Website 

Highlights and Resources:

• "It all started with a cup of coffee"
• Caffeinated Tech on Anchor.fm - Technology and Coffee Roasting Episode
• Reserva Coffee Roasters
• Google Certified Educator Level 1 and Level 2
• Google Certified Trainer
• Google Certified Innovator

Tips for the Google Innovator Application:

• It's a huge undertaking! Start early & get lots of feedback
• It's very competitive; you might need to apply several times before being accepted
• Connect with other Innovators using the #GoogleEI hashtag
• Need a project idea - think of "how might we..."
• You want to do something that makes an impact on many people - "Shoot for the moon"
• Pay close attention to word counts
• Beware of Imposter Syndrome
• Connect with your "like-minded wacko's" - Luis Pertuz
• Ringing the fail bell is a good thing - fail forward and celebrate! Get ready to pivot!
• Al Thomas - "there is always somebody waiting for you to do that one thing that will change that person's path in a positive way"

People Mentioned:

• Micah Shippee
• Luis Pertuz

Support the show

Connect with EduGals:

• Twitter @EduGals
• Rachel @dr_r_johnson
• Katie @KatieAttwell
• EduGals Website
• Support the show

In this episode, we are discussing the challenges of asynchronous learning in this crazy virtual/hybrid teaching world. We'll dive into our thoughts about what asynchronous learning should look like ideally as well as the reality that we are facing here in Ontario this year. Thanks so much to @DougPete and @Stephen_Hurley for inspiring us to record this episode!

If you like what you hear, we would love it if you could share this episode with a colleague or friend. And make sure you subscribe so that you don’t miss out on any new content! And consider supporting the show by buying us a coffee or two!

We would love to hear from you – leave a comment on our website OR check out our FLIPGRID!

Did you notice? Our podcast artwork has changed! Let us know what you think!

Featured Content
**For detailed show notes, please visit our website at https://edugals.com/45**

• Balance between synchronous and asynchronous learning is needed
• Reality in Ontario - way too much synchronous learning!
• Asynchronous needed to engage with material and develop a depth of understanding
• Learning skills needed for asynchronous learning - not all students will thrive
• Expectations around asynchronous learning - different for pandemic vs. post-pandemic
• Education will never be the same - lessons learned from COVID are important
  • Building in learning skills
  • Flexibility in the school day - location, time, etc.
  • Blended learning flex days pilot project - our reflections
• Student-centred classrooms
• Learning Skills being developed this year:
  • Students watching an instructional video on their own time
  • Time management - do you really need to assign HW?
• Self-paced structures are needed - it doesn't mean no pace! Set suggested deadlines, conference 1:1 with students, etc. 
• Modern Classrooms Project - pacing trackers, mastery based grading
• De-streaming is coming to Ontario next year!
• Every teacher is a language teacher
• Allow students to stay on Google Meet while working asynchronously
• Tracking student engagement asynchronously:
  • Google Workspace collaboration tools
  • HyperDocs
  • Padlet
  • Google Forms
  • EdPuzzle
• Need to be proactive!
• Ideas for asynchronous learning with Screencastify:
  • Student check ins
  • Exit tickets/reflections
  • Problem solving process (modelling needed)
  • Test reflection
• Asynchronous learning will look different in different subjects, differentiation is key
• Relationships and knowing your learner will support student engagement and buy in with asynchronous learning

Support the show

Connect with EduGals:

• Twitter @EduGals
• Rachel @dr_r_johnson
• Katie @KatieAttwell
• EduGals Website
• Support the show

In this episode, we are ramping up your productivity with our favourite keyboard shortcuts. Keyboard shortcuts can save you so much time, especially as they add up over days, weeks, and months. We'll go over the keyboard shortcuts that we know and love to help you save some of your precious time and sanity!

If you like what you hear, we would love it if you could share this episode with a colleague or friend. And make sure you subscribe so that you don’t miss out on any new content! And consider supporting the show by buying us a coffee or two!

We would love to hear from you – leave a comment on our website OR check out our FLIPGRID!

News and Updates

• Screencastify - New recording toolbar
• Creating optimal environments to develop literacy - Valentina Gonzalez

Featured Content

• Google Workspace Keyboard Shortcuts - includes shortcuts for Gmail, Chrome, Calendar, Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Meet
• Screencastify Keyboard Shortcuts - master list
• How to Customize Keyboard Shortcuts in Screencastify - Blog Post
• Keyboard Shortcuts covered in this episode:
  • Keyboard shortcuts menu in Google - cmd/ctrl + /
  • New tab - cmd/ctrl + T (Chrome)
  • Open up last closed tab - cmd/ctrl + shift + T (Chrome)
  • Adding a hyperlink - cmd/ctrl + K
  • Screenshot copied to clipboard (mac) - cmd + opt + shift + 4
  • Screenshot (PC) - windows key + shift + S
  • Find - cmd/ctrl + F
  • Find and replace - cmd/ctrl + shift + H
  • Undo - cmd/ctrl + Z
  • Redo - cmd/ctrl + Y
  • Add a comment - cmd /ctrl+ option/alt + M (esp in Slides) - use in conjunction with Mote
  • Superscript - cmd/ctrl + . (you need to do this one again to exit)
  • Subscript - cmd/ctrl + , (you need to do this one again to exit)
  • Paste and match formatting - cmd/ctrl + shift + V (maybe don't share this one with your students?)
  • Start a bulleted list - cmd/ctrl + shift + 8
  • Start a numbered list - cmd/ctrl + shift + 7
  • Slides/Drawings specific
    • Send forward - cmd/ctrl + arrow up
    • Send backwards - cmd/ctrl + arrow down
    • Send it to front - cmd/ctrl + shift + arrow up
    • Sends it to back- cmd/ctrl + shift + arrow down
    • Zoom in - cmd/ctrl + option/alt + +
    • Zoom out - cmd/ctrl + option/alt + -
    • Select the next shape - tab
    • Select the previous shape - shift + tab
    • Selecting multiple options - shift + click
    • Grouping - cmd/ctrl + option/alt + G (add shift to ungroup)
    • Shapegrams - Tony Vincent
  • Screencastify specific
    • Pause/resume recording - option + shift + P (Mac), alt + shift + P (PC)
    • Show/Hide the annotation toolbar - option + T (Mac), alt + T (PC)

Support the show

Connect with EduGals:

• Twitter @EduGals
• Rachel @dr_r_johnson
• Katie @KatieAttwell
• EduGals Website
• Support the show

This week we are talking all about Google Drive. We are going to share strategies on how you can organize and clean up your Google Drive, especially with the new storage updates with Google Workspace!

If you like what you hear, we would love it if you could share this episode with a colleague or friend. And make sure you subscribe so that you don’t miss out on any new content! And consider supporting the show by buying us a coffee or two!

We would love to hear from you – leave a comment on our website OR check out our FLIPGRID!

News and Updates

• Improved presenter toolbar in Google Slides
• Screencastify Edit now has title clips

Featured Content

• Changes to Google Workspace Storage Policies starting June 1, 2021
• Google Workspace for Education - Changes to Storage starting July 2022
• Google Workspace for Education - Compare Editions
• Overall Organization Tips and Ideas - Google Drive Training & Help
  • Use Storage in the menu to find your largest files
  • Screencastify backup to Google Drive - Fainting Goats
  • Return ALL assignments back to students in Google Classroom
  • Deal with orphaned docs - beware of docs.new, slides.new etc (sort 10-15 a day)
  • Use a numbering system for your folders (00, 01, 02, etc)
  • Colour code important folders
  • Adding descriptions to folders, docs etc
    • Add a description to your doc or file, improving the search process and differentiating the file to others in the same folder or with a similar subject
  • Starring folders or important docs - do this sparingly
  • Leave special folders alone: Assignments, Classroom, Meet Recordings, Meeting Reports, Fluency Tutor, Screencastify, Screencastify Submit etc.
    • You can add folders inside these - consider creating an Archive folder to keep only the relevant folders easier to access
  • Priority tab and WORKSPACES
  • Don't organize your Shared With Me folder!
  • Recent folder can help you find files
  • Grid view vs list view - which one are you?
  • Use the Search toolbar - try the advanced search to find files by type, ownership, date range, etc.
    • Find older files using the custom date range
  • Use named versions instead of creating copies of files in the version hi

Support the show

Connect with EduGals:

• Twitter @EduGals
• Rachel @dr_r_johnson
• Katie @KatieAttwell
• EduGals Website
• Support the show

In this episode, we are getting into the debate of which tool we think is better - Google Slides or Google Jamboard. We'll do comparisons of different features and give you our overall impressions and preferences for these two tools. So stay tuned and make sure you listen right to the end!

If you like what you hear, we would love it if you could share this episode with a colleague or friend. And make sure you subscribe so that you don’t miss out on any new content! And consider supporting the show by buying us a coffee or two!

We would love to hear from you – leave a comment on our website OR check out our FLIPGRID!

News and Updates

• Set up Google Meet breakout rooms ahead of meetings in Google Calendar
• Version history now available for Jamboard on web

Featured Content

• Google Slides: slides.google.com
• Google Jamboard: jamboard.google.com
• What features do we compare?
  • Template Gallery in Slides
  • Background Images in Slides vs Jamboard
  • Tools for interactivity - Toolbar in Jamboard - esp. Sticky Notes
  • Collaborators in Jamboard vs. Slides
  • Software vs. Hardware for Jamboard
  • Add an image into Slides vs Jamboard
  • Explore Feature in Slides
  • Different versions of Jamboard - web vs devices
  • Number of slides vs number of frames
  • The adjacent possible - Jake Miller, Educational Duct Tape
  • Version History in Slides vs Jamboard
  • Adding hyperlinks in Slides
  • Adding audio and video files in Slides
  • Simplicity of the user interface of Jamboard for littles
  • Workspace in Slides - esp when changing slide dimensions
  • Zoom tools in Slides
  • Adding items to the grey space outside of the canvas in Slides
  • Editing the Master in Google Slides
  • Comments in Slides
  • Different backgrounds in Jamboard
  • Adding diagrams via Insert > Diagram in Slides and smash it with Jamboard
• Always start with the why

Support the show

Connect with EduGals:

• Twitter @EduGals
• Rachel @dr_r_johnson
• Katie @KatieAttwell
• EduGals Website
• Support the show

In this episode, we are discussing how to effectively collaborate with your colleagues using a variety of virtual tools. Collaboration is key in education, so we want to make sure that you have some great ideas and strategies to help you collaborate with other educators in this crazy school year. We'll dive into video conferencing and communication tools, whiteboard tools, resource curation and storage, and sharing and finding new ideas and tools.

If you like what you hear, we would love it if you could share this episode with a colleague or friend. And make sure you subscribe so that you don’t miss out on any new content! And consider supporting the show by buying us a coffee or two!

We would love to hear from you – leave a comment on our website OR check out our FLIPGRID!

News and Updates

• Bitmoji and Flipgrid Integration announcement
• Setting up Friendmoji in the Bitmoji app
• NEW Blur Tool in Screencastify Edit announcement

Featured Content

• Video Conferencing/Communication Tools
  • Gather.town - PD, social events, unconferences and Pricing
  • Google Meet, Zoom and other video conferencing tools
  • Google Chat, Slack, WhatsApp, and other text messaging apps
  • Google Groups - check out our Imposter Syndrome Episode
  • Streamyard (more one-way but chat in YouTube is good)
• Whiteboard Tools
  • Padlet
  • Google Jamboard
  • Mindomo or other mind-mapping tools
  • Whiteboard.chat or whiteboard in Gather Town
• Resource Curation/Storage
  • Book Creator
  • Wakelet - Spaces are great for collaboration!
  • Shared Drives vs Traditional Drives
  • Google Site (course teams)
  • Data Studio (a little more involved)
    • Global GEG tutorial on Data Studio
• Sharing/Finding New Ideas/Tools
  • Twitter or other social media platforms
    • Katie's profile
    • Rachel's profile
    • EduGals' profile
  • Facebook Groups 

Support the show

Connect with EduGals:

• Twitter @EduGals
• Rachel @dr_r_johnson
• Katie @KatieAttwell
• EduGals Website
• Support the show