As kids head back to school this fall, which class should they enroll in? French — or programming? Apple CEO Tim Cook told a company conference this year that computer programming should be taught in schools as a second language. Others have echoed that view, arguing that programming should be considered a necessary skill for the 21st century, right alongside…
We’ve established that I have an obsession with Google Forms. It’s easy to connect & manage data from students, parents, etc. Last week, I posted on how to use Google Forms for teacher walkthrough observations–targeted at either administrator walkthroughs or peer walkthroughs. This week, I’m going to share how I use Google Forms in my…
This is part 10 of 13 Gmail hacks for teachers. The searches I covered before come in handy, but what do you do when you find yourself using the same search all the time? That’s where the Quick Links Gmail lab comes in. Quick Links gmQuick Links is another Gmail labs option, which allows you to…
You’ve been there. Open a new device and make a quick visit to the App Store. A simple search turns into download wheels spinning for lots of different apps. With thousands of free (and paid) apps to choose from, it’s hard to know where to start. During conferences and school visits, I’ve given plenty of…
I am currently on the last day of my summer holiday and have started thinking about new technology I can use in the upcoming year. I have found 18 apps / websites that I am definitely going to try. Source: 18 must-try apps for the new academic year. – #EdTech4Beginners I need to check out…
This is part 9 of 13 Gmail hacks for teachers. Although I do use an Android phone in addition to my iPhone, this article will cover more iOS apps than Android. Why? Because the built in Gmail app on Android works so well that I haven’t researched anything else. A lot of people use the…
Audio books have surged in popularity in recent years, enabled by their ease of use and advancements in smart phones. Gone are the days of numbered cassettes and bulky players. Technology has created more opportunities to listen to good books. But not everyone believes listening to books is a good thing — biases in favor of reading…
During the 2015-16 school year, I visited schools across the nation to see how technology can transform teaching and learning. The changes I’ve seen have been exciting, meaningful, and more often than not, challenging to get right. The “digital divide” is still very real. In places like Eminence, Kentucky, we’ve seen how creative school leaders have found…
This is part 8 of 13 Gmail hacks for teachers. Desktop notifications When you open up Gmail for the very first time, Gmail will ask you if you want desktop notifications. Once enabled, you will receive notifications for new email. But what if you blocked or closed the permissions pop up? There is a way…
Currently in my district we’ve had some preliminary talks regarding if/how digital portfolios could be implemented on a wide-scale. Of course, while the focus shouldn’t necessarily be on the technology, one of the first questions asked by everyone (both in and out of district) always involves what type of platform we have in mind. While these portfolio…