Learning Google

Check out Google’s free technology curriculum for your classroom.  Help your students succeed online and apply their digital skills to real life problems.

If you’re looking for some technology learning to do over the summer, consider going through the Google training courses:  https://edutrainingcenter.withgoogle.com/fundamentals/course

You’ll learn how to use Google tools to increase efficiency, inspire student learning and creativity, and engage in professional growth and leadership.  These courses are completely FREE and you are not required to take the certification test at the end.

Mozilla Learning

Mozilla Learning has several teaching activities that help teach internet health, privacy basics and web literacy skills.  The activities support the 21st century skills of problem solving, communication, creativity and collaboration.  Check out @MozLearn on Twitter for more info.

Kaizena & Smarty Pins

Kaizena is an add-on you can use in google docs to give voice recorded comments and feedback to students work.  Check out@KaizenaHQ on Twitter to see more.

 

Students finishing work early? Have them try out Smarty Pins.  It is a trivia game that is linked to google maps and they can choose from different categories/topics of trivia. 

Adobe Spark

Adobe Spark is a visual story creation tool.  If you are looking for a way to change up lessons, newsletters, presentations or video projects, check out their education page for inspiration.  Check out #AdobeSpark to see more.

Touchcast & Everfi

Touchcast is a video creation tool that allows you to create interactive videos.  This is a free iPad app that helps with engaging the Youtube generation.  I used this app at the beginning of the year when I shared this video with you.  It works well as a free green screening tool, even if you don’t want to utilize the interactive piece of it. Check out @Touchcastedu on Twitter to see how other educators are leveraging this tool.

Everfi is promoting Hockey Scholar, which teaches STEM concepts through the game of hockey. Students who complete at least one 15-20 minute module and submit a reflection by May 12 will be entered to win a STEM scholarship! Here’s more info on the scholarship and a curriculum guide. If you are interested in Everfi, here is an educator’s quick start guide.

Gamestorming

Gamestorming is a toolkit that gamifies the brainstorming process.  This innovative way of thinking and imagining is fun and effective.  It fosters creativity, collaboration and teamwork.  Try a game out with your students or staff!

Auto Draw

Auto Draw is a new drawing tool that pairs machine learning with drawings from artists to help create anything visual fast.  It works on any device and is FREE!  Learn how it works here.

21 Things for Students

21 Things for Students was created as an educational and online resource to help students improve their technology proficiency as they prepare for success in the 21st century.  The site is packed with free resources and I recommend you check it out!

Screen Free Week & Global Day of Design

Screen Free Week is May 1-7th, 2017.  This is a week to unplug and go low tech.  It is important to balance tech time and going screen free for a bit is a nice way to do that.  Read a book, create something, explore, exercise.  Please share with your families!  They may even celebrate Screen Free Week at home.

Global Day of Design is coming up on May 2nd. This is a day dedicated to learning by making, playing and building. If you sign up to participate, they will send you a free design thinking toolkit.  You can follow #GDD17 on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. 

Edulastic is a great tool that you can use to create your own technology-enhanced assessments.  It has an auto-grading feature that also syncs with Google Classroom.

Everyone On

Do you have students without internet access outside of school? EveryoneOn is a national nonprofit working to eliminate the digital divide by making high-speed, low-cost internet service and computers, and free digital literacy courses accessible to all unconnected Americans. Please share this with students and families that you think could benefit!