Excited for fresh, cost-free professional development opportunities? Look no further! Introducing Volume 4 of the Podcast PD Choice Board for Teachers!

Building on the success and feedback from previous volumes, we’re thrilled to offer this new edition as a tool to inspire and facilitate your journey through the world of podcasts for professional learning.

Whether you’re looking to deepen your understanding, explore new strategies, or just find some inspiration, this choice board has something for every educator.

With the Shake Up Learning Show Podcast now boasting over two hundred episodes covering a wide array of educational topics, it’s the perfect time to launch Volume 4 of the Podcast PD Choice Board.

This latest choice board is designed to cater to a variety of interests and professional development needs, featuring an even broader selection of topics, including the latest in ai in education, google tools, and much more.

Whether you’re exploring these resources on your own, or you’re involved in providing professional development for others, this choice board is versatile enough to be adapted and utilized in many different contexts.

And for those who love customizing their PD tools, we’ve included a blank template, allowing you to tailor the choice board to fit your specific needs or those of your organization.

Explore, learn, and transform your professional practice with the Podcast PD Choice Board (Vol. 4)!

Did you miss our previous Podcast PD Choice Board releases?

• Volume 1
• Volume 2
• Volume 3

Podcast PD Choice Board Vol. 4 (FREE Template)

If you are new to choice boards (aka learning menus), be sure you get your FREE Guide to Digital Choice Boards and learn all about these wonderful tools for student choice and differentiation.

I love using choice boards in the classroom AND in professional learning experiences.

Below is the Podcast PD Choice Board Vol. 4 (made with Google Drawings) with many episodes from which to choose!

Click Here to Make a Copy | Use the Template

Don’t have Google? Download the PDF: Podcast PD Choice Board for Teachers (Vol. 4)

Podcast PD Choice Board Blank Template

If you’d like to create your own from scratch, I’ve created a blank template that you can use below.

Click Here to Make a Copy | Use the Template (best for mobile)

Want Credit for Listening to Podcasts?

We’ve got an exciting option for educators interested in receiving credit for their professional development hours through podcast listening! Join the ALL ACCESS PD Pass at Shake Up Learning. This exclusive pass offers a structured way to earn credit while you learn, making it perfect for teachers who want to document their PD efforts and apply them toward their professional growth.

The ALL ACCESS PD Pass provides a comprehensive and flexible learning experience, allowing you to choose from a wide range of topics and episodes that fit your interests and needs. By joining, you not only gain access to a wealth of knowledge but also the opportunity to earn recognition for your commitment to ongoing professional development.

Take your PD to the next level and ensure your learning is recognized. Join now and start earning credit for your podcast PD today!

With the ALL-ACCESS PD Pass, participants can access all of the Master Classes, Online Workshops, Podcast PD, and the Members-Only Library! (*excludes Google Certification Academies).

Includes:

• The AI-Powered Choice Boards Mini-Workshop
• The Google Classroom Master Class
• The Google Slides Master Class
• The Google Meet Master Class
• The Zoom Master Class
• The Dynamic Learning Workshop
• The Blended Learning with Google Workshop
• Includes access to ALL future master classes and workshops!
• Members-Only Library of ebooks and cheat sheets!
• Podcast PD (with credit certificates and new content each week!)
• More than 100 hours of PD credit (with more added soon)!
• More content added every year!
• LEARN MORE AND ENROLL!

© Shake Up Learning 2023. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Kasey Bell and Shake Up Learning with appropriate and specific direction to the original content on ShakeUpLearning.com. See: Copyright Policy.

The post Podcast PD Choice Board for Teachers Vol. 4 (FREE Download!) appeared first on Shake Up Learning.

Shake Up Learning ALL-ACCESS PASS

With the ALL-ACCESS Pass, participants can access all of the Master Classes, Online Workshops, Podcast PD, and the Members-Only Library! (*excludes Google Certification Academies).

Includes:

• The Google Classroom Master Class (valued at $99/year)
• The Google Slides Master Class (valued at $99/year)
• The Google Meet Master Class (valued at $79/year)
• The Zoom Master Class (valued at $79/year)
• The Dynamic Learning Workshop (valued at $99/year)
• The Blended Learning with Google Workshop (valued at $99/year)
• Includes access to ALL future master classes and workshops!
• Members-Only Library of ebooks and cheat sheets!
• Podcast PD (with credit certificates and new content each week!)
• More than 50 hours of PD credit (with more added soon)!
• Even more exclusive content coming in the 2021-2022 school year!

Total Value is more than $600 per year!

© Shake Up Learning 2023. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Kasey Bell and Shake Up Learning with appropriate and specific direction to the original content on ShakeUpLearning.com. See: Copyright Policy.

The post The Shake Up Learning ALL-ACCESS PASS! appeared first on Shake Up Learning.

YOU are invited to join the Blended Learning with Google Book Study!

I am #superexcited to announce the 2021 dates for the official book study of my book, Blended Learning with Google: Your Guide to Dynamic Teaching and Learning (Scroll down to the bottom to see ALL of the book studies for 2021!)

Blended Learning with Google was designed for book studies! I couldn’t just write a paper book. I had to make it an interactive experience and give you extra resources to go deeper and make reading the book a dynamic learning experience.

About the Book Study

When: This six-week book study will start on Feb. 11, 2021, and end on March 17, 2021. (See all 2020 book study dates at the bottom of this post.)

Miss the book study? We regularly update this page with new book study dates all the time so come back soon!

Where: This book study will take place in an exclusive POP-UP Facebook group that was created just for this study.

Feel free to participate in the discussion each Thursday when questions are posted, or asynchronously as is convenient for you and your time zone.

How: Each week, you will read 4 chapters (the chapters are short, like mini-chapters) and complete optional challenges.

What: I will post discussion questions from the book, and issue a challenge or choice of challenges related to that section of the book. We will share #booksnaps, ideas, lessons, failures and success, links, and a whole lotta ways to Shake Up Learning!

[Tweet “Join the Official #ShakeUpLearning book study! #edtech #edchat”]

READING SCHEDULE

Google Calendar

I’ve created a public Google Calendar with all of the deadlines so you can easily stay on top of your reading assignments. Just click on the “+Google Calendar button” in the bottom right to add it to your own Google Calendar.

Easy, peasy, lemon-squeezy, y’all!

Get the Handout!

In order to help you spread the word to other teachers in your school, your department, your team, or whoever you want to invite, I have created a handout that is printable and shareable!

CLICK HERE to Get the Handout! (coming soon)

Your Book Study To-Do List

• Purchase a copy of Blended Learning with Google.
• Sign up for email reminders.
• Join the Shake Up Learning Book Study Facebook Group. (You MUST answer the questions in order to be approved!)
• Feel free to share comments, questions, reflections, and #booksnaps ANYTIME in the group!
• Read chapters 1-4 BEFORE the book study start date.
• Access supplemental resources for each chapter here: ShakeUpLearningBook.com
• Join us or the first discussion questions and challenge, OR feel free to respond at whatever time is convenient for you!

Can You Get Credit?

Unfortunately, no, we cannot offer any credit hours for participating in the book study and keep it free. However, we have had groups from schools participate and monitor their own participation and give credit.

Would you be interested in getting credit for a small fee? Let us know in the comments!

2020 Shake Up Learning Book Studies

Please note, the Facebook groups for each of these will not be available until AFTER the previous round has ended. Come back to this page for the most current information.

1. Feb. 11-March 17, 2021
2. June 17-July 22, 2021
3. Oct. 7-Nov. 11, 2021

© Shake Up Learning 2023. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Kasey Bell and Shake Up Learning with appropriate and specific direction to the original content on ShakeUpLearning.com. See: Copyright Policy.

The post Join the Blended Learning with Google Book Study! (FREE) appeared first on Shake Up Learning.

In this episode, I’m sharing valuable resources and considerations for evaluating AI tools for use in schools and the classroom.

School leaders must consider and evaluate any tool that students use carefully, but how do we prepare for the coming wave of AI tools?

This episode (and companion blog post) will provide a comprehensive guide and free, downloadable checklist for evaluating AI tools for classroom use.

Let’s explore the types of AI, evaluation criteria, privacy and security issues, and resources.

And let’s make sure we are protecting our most vulnerable and making smart decisions for our schools!

Listen to this article.

This episode is sponsored by Everfi.

Everyone remembers THAT teacher. The study hall teacher who walked you through your first college application. The social studies teacher who taught you what taxes were AND how to file them. The math teacher who used student loans to show you how interest worked. YOU can be that teacher—and EVERFI wants to help you make that kind of impact with FREE digital lessons for K thru 12 students. From budgets and banking to credit and savings, you’ll find a financial literacy topic that’s right for your classroom. And especially during April, Financial Literacy Month, there’s no better time to equip students with smart decision-making around finances. Learn how you can share these FREE resources with students and give them a financial foundation that lasts a lifetime. Just go to everfi.com/shake. 

A Comprehensive Guide to Evaluating AI Tools for Classroom Use

In researching for this post and episode, I had difficulty finding school guidelines. There’s a little out there.

If you listened to last week’s episode, I shared some of the Dangers of AI. As a teacher and parent, I have deep concerns about placing some of the new and evolving AI tools in front of a child. Safety, privacy, and security cannot be ignored.

While I completely understand that these tools are already here and have the potential to improve teaching and learning, we cannot blindly place a 13-year-old in front of a chatbot and hope for the best. We don’t know the capabilities, and things are changing so fast the capabilities of AI change

every.

single.

day.

So how do we approach this? Even though I have talked about the dangers, I have historically encouraged teachers to embrace technology and all its advantages. That’s my jam! That’s what I do!

I have also been teaching about AI tools for many years. It’s not new. AI has been here for a long time, but what we are seeing in the Chat GPT era will change everything. And it’s going to do it faster than anyone can even fathom.

I have worked on both sides of school filters and policies. I have been the teacher begging for access to something super cool (or just doing it and asking for forgiveness later). I have also worked on committees in school districts that have to determine a process for software approval and “unblocking” websites.

What we are talking about now is much bigger than a child ending up on an inappropriate website. AI can interact, chat, and influence. As I mentioned in my earlier article, I have concerns about the moral compass of different language models, the ethics, the bias, and who is in control.

I have also stated many times that I believe this technology can improve teaching and learning in many ways (and many other aspects of education in general). But the role of technology and school leaders just got way more complicated.

Since AI is embedded in everything, this is not a separate evaluation from how we approve other tools for our classrooms. This is rewriting the script and adding new protection layers for our schools and our most vulnerable students.

Let’s begin with some background. We can’t all be experts on AI, but we need a foundation of knowledge.

Types of AI Tools

Many tools that you already use in your schools use AI. Do you know which tools use AI? Do you know what type of AI it uses? Has the company disclosed this? Transparency is a must.

There are many categories of AI tools, but here are a few examples that might be relevant to schools:

1. Personalized Learning: AI tools can create personalized learning experiences for each student, adapting to their individual learning style and pace. These tools can analyze student data and provide recommendations on what topics they need to focus on, what resources would be helpful for them, and what learning strategies they should use. Personalized learning can help students feel more engaged and motivated in their education and can help them achieve better outcomes.
2. Intelligent Tutoring Systems: These AI tools are designed to provide students with real-time feedback and guidance as they complete educational tasks. Intelligent tutoring systems can offer support and feedback on homework assignments, practice problems, and quizzes. They can also adapt their feedback to each student’s level of understanding, helping them to improve their skills and knowledge.
3. Adaptive Assessments: AI-powered assessments can be used to measure student learning in real time. These assessments can adapt to each student’s skill level, offering more difficult questions if the student is doing well or easier ones if the student is struggling. This can help teachers quickly identify areas where students need extra support and adjust their teaching strategies accordingly.
4. Natural Language Processing (NLP): NLP is a branch of AI that deals with the interaction between computers and human languages. NLP tools can be used in schools to help students improve their writing and communication skills. For example, an NLP tool might provide feedback on students’ grammar, spelling, or syntax, allowing them to refine their writing style.
5. Chatbots: AI-powered chatbots can be used to provide students with support and guidance on a variety of topics, including scheduling, homework, and study strategies. Chatbots can be integrated into learning management systems, allowing students to access help and resources whenever needed.

Overall, AI tools can be used in schools to help personalize learning experiences, provide real-time feedback, assess student progress, and offer support and guidance to students. By leveraging the power of AI, educators can create more effective and engaging learning environments that help students achieve their full potential.

Possible dangers of using these AI in the classroom include:

• The potential for algorithmic bias
• The loss of human interaction and engagement
• The risk of data breaches or privacy violations
• The possibility of AI replacing teacher expertise and judgment.
• The possibility of AI breaking protocol, going rogue, or being hacked

5 Big Ideas in Artificial Intelligence

Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)

One of the most interesting resources I have found so far is ai4k12.org. To be clear, this organization was created to support teaching AI skills in K12. However, it is beneficial as we look at the whole picture.

Ai4K12 is developing (1) national guidelines for AI education for K-12, (2) an online, curated resource Directory to facilitate AI instruction, and (3) a community of practitioners, researchers, resource and tool developers focused on the AI for K-12 audience.

Ai4k12.org has published a handy document and infographic, 5 Big Ideas in Artificial Intelligence. You can download the poster below from their website.

These five ideas will give teachers and school leaders a starting point for the various types of AI we may be evaluating.

1. Perception: “computers perceive the world using sensors.”
2. Representation & Reasoning: “Agents maintain representations of the world and use them for reasoning.”
3. Learning: “Computers can learn from data.”
4. Natural Interaction: “Intelligent agents require many kinds of knowledge to interact naturally with humans.”
5. Societal Impact: “AI can impact society in both positive and negative ways.”

Within these five big ideas, ai4k12.org has developed progression charts by grade band. (Note: these are all viewable on their site but are “drafts.”)

COSN AI Report

I found the above resource in the Artificial Intelligence (AI) in K-12 SPRING 2023 Report from COSN. The COSN report is another organization great resource for school leaders.

Below is a quote from this report:

“Artificial Intelligence (AI) has the potential to influence practically every aspect of education and society as it rapidly expands both inside and outside of school. While it holds the potential to augment education to provide every student with personalized instruction at scale, it also brings a host of new challenges and considerations. Through this publication, we hope to support school and district leaders as they respond to the influx of AI in education and determine how it might impact their students, teachers, and families.”

I recommend that your school leaders get a COSN membership and access this report (newly updated) here.

Ethical AI in Education

Another great resource is The Institute for Ethical AI in Education (UK). They released a framework available here.

“The Framework empowers leaders and practitioners to drive the design, procurement and application of AI on behalf of learners. But it cannot and must not be solely their responsibility to ensure that learners benefit optimally from Al in education. Those designing Al resources are ultimately responsible for ensuring that systems do not, amongst other things, discriminate against any group of learners, that they do not manipulate users, and that resources are designed in a pedagogically sound way.”

This framework includes a very detailed, multi-page checklist with objectives and criteria.

Checklist for School Leaders to Evaluate AI Tools:

Fill out the form below to download the checklist.

This checklist is a generalized list based on my research and resources. It is only a starting point for those that do not have one. This list is NOT definitive nor complete, but it is a living document that will be updated over time.

1. Determine the Purpose of AI Use: The first step in evaluating AI tools is to define the purpose of their use in the classroom. Consider the educational goals and objectives of using AI technology and how it can enhance the teaching and learning experience.
2. Evaluate Privacy and Security Concerns: Ensure the AI tool complies with privacy protection laws and policies (COPPA, CIPA, and other laws and regulations). Review the data privacy policies and terms of service to see how they protect students’ data privacy. Look for tools that use encryption or other security measures to protect student data. Some specific privacy issues to look for include the following: Data collection policies and practices, Data retention policies and practices, Data sharing policies and practices, The level of consent required for data collection and sharing, The type of data collected (personal information, browsing history, location data, etc.), The security measures are in place to protect student data.
3. Determine the Type of AI: Consider the type of AI tool you are evaluating. Is it a recommendation system, a natural language processing tool, or a predictive analytics tool? Each type of AI tool has different capabilities and requirements, so it’s essential to understand what you’re dealing with. If it is Chat/Conversational: Will any students, teachers, or other stakeholders have direct access to chat with an AI-powered chatbot? How was it trained? The company should be transparent about this. How do they communicate breaches? Hacking?
4. Research the Reliability of the AI Tool: (This will prove difficult when the tool is brand new, but try if you can.) Look for independent studies that validate the accuracy and effectiveness of the AI tool. Also, consider if the AI tool has been used in other schools or institutions and if there is any feedback on its effectiveness.
5. Evaluate the Responsiveness of the AI Tool: Look for tools designed to respond to student needs in real-time. The AI tool should be able to adapt and adjust to individual learning styles and progress.
6. Consider the Possible Dangers of AI: Recognize the potential risks of using AI tools in the classroom. These include privacy concerns, data breaches, algorithmic bias, and the potential for AI to replace human interaction and engagement.
7. Involve Stakeholders in the Evaluation: Involve teachers, students, and parents in the evaluation process. Get their feedback on the AI tool and how it impacts the classroom environment and learning outcomes.
8. Implement a Plan for Data Management: Develop a plan for managing student data collected by the AI tool. Determine who will access the data, how long it will be stored, and how it will be deleted when no longer needed.
9. Consider the Cost and Maintenance of the AI Tool: Evaluate the costs of implementing and maintaining the AI tool. Determine if it fits within the school’s budget and if any ongoing costs are associated with its use.
10. (Bias) Ensure Equity and Accessibility: Consider if the AI tool is accessible to all students regardless of their abilities and if its use is fair and equitable across different demographics. Look for evidence of algorithmic bias in the AI tool and address any disparities identified.

I hope this helps schools begin to approach this process. As I said, this is a starting point. What would you add to this list? If you have additional resources, please leave a comment!

© Shake Up Learning 2023. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Kasey Bell and Shake Up Learning with appropriate and specific direction to the original content on ShakeUpLearning.com. See: Copyright Policy.

The post A Comprehensive Guide to Evaluating AI Tools for Classroom Use – SULS0191 appeared first on Shake Up Learning.

In this episode, Kasey shares a new tool from Screencast-O-Matic: ScreenPal! This Chrome extension is a very robust screen recording tool. You can quickly add a video anywhere you type.

This is a great tool for teachers to communicate, leave feedback, record lessons, and more. AND it integrates with many of your favorite tools!

Meet ScreenPal–Your New BFF!

A few episodes back, in 186, Susan Vincentz, shared her takeaways from the FETC conference. Susan mentioned the Chrome extension ScreenPal. The more Kasey learned all this extension could do, the more she considered the possibilities for teachers. To find this Chrome extension visit the Chrome web store and search for ScreenPal. 

Listen to this article.

What Does ScreenPal Do?

“Easily record videos from any text box or comment field in your favorite browser-based apps, then share. Less typing, fewer meetings, better communication. Say it with ScreenPal!”

This powerful tool allows comments to come alive.

Once it’s added to Chrome, you will find the ScreenPal icon just about everywhere you have a textbox, as well as an icon near the bottom left of your browser.

You can record your screen, add an embedded video of the speaker, and even markup the screen with the drawing tool.

There are also a few special effects to really jazz up your videos! Add fireworks or confetti to emphasize what you’re sharing. It also provides fun heart effect icons floating through your video. The best way to see how this can help is to try it! 

The extension works in any place your web browser takes you. Of course, it works with most Google apps, including Google Classroom, but Kasey shares that sometimes an overload of extensions can cause them to be glitchy. All extensions don’t play well together, so there might be some issues. Mote and ScreenPal may not play well together, so it may be necessary to uninstall Mote before using it. 

ScreenPal and Google Classroom

This may be a match made in heaven! Now it’s possible to make video announcements using ScreenPal. You can share specific information or point out important links all within your announcement. Don’t forget there’s the drawing tool to add emphasis or write in extra information to the video. 

Typically in other applications or extensions videos like this will post as a link. Not with ScreenPal! This extension actually posts a thumbnail of the video. When students or your audience hovers over the video it plays in that same browser window. There’s no opening a new page or taking you somewhere new. It’s ready to go right there! 

*Related: How to Leave Video Feedback in Google Classroom

Communication Options

ScreenPal videos are a great way to give your emails that personal touch. Think of how personal a video reminder for parent-teacher conferences could be, or a back-to-school welcome video. Imagine how much more comfortable parents might feel having seen your face prior to meeting you in person. 

In today’s world of social videos, our students are so used to communicating in this mode. This can become a very personal option to reach your students. Video allows for your tone and personality to be unambiguous. 

Blended Learning

Whether you record your lessons for distance learning or like to have a recording for absent students, ScreenPal can help make that happen. Feedback is also an important aspect to have captured on video. Whether it’s teacher or peer feedback, a video recording would take up less time and allow students to share greater detail if they don’t need to write. 

The drawing tool can also be incredibly helpful for pointing out specific areas or working through a problem. It may be awkward with a mouse, but many devices allow for a stylus or even a touch screen. 

20 Ways to Use Screencasting in the Classroom

Using a recording tool such as ScreenPal has been a topic here on Shake Up Learning in episode 162, so here are a few of the ideas revisited: 

1. Recording a lesson
2. Reflection
3. Voiceover a presentation
4. Explaining a problem, solution, etc.
5. Voiceover an ePortfolio
6. Teach others a skill
7. End-of-year memories
8. SEL check-ins
9. Goal Setting
10. Planning or Collaborating
11. Tech Tips
12. Parent Newsletters or Announcements
13. Class Announcements
14. Fluency Practice
15. Absent Work
16. Feedback: Teacher and Peer
17. Comment Bank Videos
18. Collaboration
19. Welcome and Good Morning videos
20. Classroom Systems

What do you think? Will you try ScreenPal? Let us know in the comments.

© Shake Up Learning 2023. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Kasey Bell and Shake Up Learning with appropriate and specific direction to the original content on ShakeUpLearning.com. See: Copyright Policy.

The post ScreenPal–Your New BFF! – SULS0189 appeared first on Shake Up Learning.

In this episode, Kasey chats with Shake Up Learning Team member Susan Vincentz about her favorite takeaways from the FETC conference.

Susan shares some awesome feedback tools from her own presentation, a little inspiration from the opening keynote, a new novel app, and some important AI thoughts. Come learn with us and get FETC takeaways!

Susan Vincentz is a technology integration specialist from Kentucky. She is also a part of the Shake Up Learning team. This was Susan’s first year presenting at FETC, the Future of Education Technology Conference. She shared several great technology tools for giving effective feedback. 

Listen to this article.

13 Awesome Feedback Tools for the Classroom

To begin her session, Susan asked the 25 teachers who joined her to discuss how it feels as a student to receive feedback, and then how, as a teacher, it feels when we hear feedback from an administrator. Often if that feedback is written, it can be misinterpreted. Hearing the tone along with the input can make a big difference. Susan shares 13 different options for teachers to share and differentiate student feedback. 

Here’s a link to Susan’s presentation (also embedded below).

1. Google Comments
2. Mote
3. ScreenPal
4. Edulastic
5. Flip
6. Voicethread
7. Talk & Comment
8. Padlet
9. Taut
10. Floop
11. Kami
12. Parlay
13. BoomCards

Within any of the G Suite apps, it’s possible to leave a comment feedback, but rather than just typing a message share a video, slide deck, or any information that helps them to make an improvement. If audio feedback sounds like an even better option, try using Mote. Better yet might be video feedback. ScreenPal, as a Chrome extension, integrates nicely with all the major LMS platforms. Susan even takes it a step further by suggesting that teachers use ScreenPal for creating video instructions inside Google Classroom rather than typing all the directions.  

Susan is happy to share her presentation slide deck where she’s added a few tutorial videos. The presentation includes several other common standbys, but one tool art teachers in her seminar were excited to learn about was VoiceThread. While it’s possible to use audio and video feedback, VoiceThread also includes images. Susan mentions this may be the right tool for students or teachers who need to reference a physical item like a book, notebook, or model. 

FETC Keynote 

Susan shares her takeaways from keynote speaker Daniel Burrus, who is a technology consultant for future innovation. His message focused on living a significant life rather than being focused on success. Success is more about self, whereas significance focuses on others. 

Burrus pointed out that education is in a state of change, and as educators, it’s essential to use the current trends to generate positive impacts and encourage forward thinking.  

Tools For Tomorrow

The Novel Effect

Leslie Fisher once again brought great tools to share at FETC. One great new tool that Susan learned about was an app called The Novel Effect. It can also be added to Chromebooks! It is a Freemium app, so what does it do? The library within the app includes many children’s books, so elementary teachers will really like this. Start by choosing the book you’ll read aloud to your class. Have the app open with the speakers and microphone turned on while you read. As you read the story, the app will provide sound effects to the action happening in the story. 

The free version of the app will allow you to read five books each month. To access unlimited reads of the 1,000+ books in their library, the cost is $39.99. 

More AI Conversation

Merlyn Mind

Susan attended a session from Merlyn Mind, a company that provides productivity AI technologies. They started the session by reminding the audience of all the places we are already using and loving AI in our life. From predictive typing to predicting your next favorite movie. Susan and Kasey discuss how often AI crosses our paths in a day, reminding us that AI is not going anywhere. As educators, it’s important that we continue to educate ourselves and consider how we can use technology for good. 

Susan reminds us how important it is to evaluate our questioning and assessments for students in relation to the possibility of copying an answer. Using AI as a tool is different than using it to provide answers. 

Kasey shares that Bill Gates has provided heavy financial support in ChatGPT and Microsoft is adding this technology to their search engine, Bing. Utilizing AI to summon answers to inquiries has become part of everyday life. It’s not going away! Blocking or locking this technology down is not what’s best to prepare students for the future. 

Consider the ways in which other technologies have evolved over the years. The current systems today will become better and change. One version of ChatGPT has already evolved into a new premium version. The cost is likely to keep some of these programs out of schools, but the greatest takeaway from what we’ve seen with other tech is to stay informed and educated on what’s coming.   

Which tool will you try first?

It’s always great to hear about cool tools for the classroom. Remember to stay focused on your learning goals!

Learn more about the FETC conference and organization here.

About Susan Vincentz

Born and raised in Kentucky, I have been an educator for over 20 years as a classroom teacher in grades 4-8, library media specialist, and Tech Coach. Currently, I am a Technology Integration Specialist at the Christian Academy School System. I serve grades K-12 on four campuses in Louisville and Southern Indiana. I love instructional technology and learning about new tools. I am passionate about helping other educators effectively use these tools in their classrooms and seeing them realize how much time they can save to become more efficient and organized.

Personally, I enjoy our family time with my husband, thirteen-year-old son, and sixteen-year-old niece working on our property, taking care of our garden, as well as traveling to and discovering new places. My husband, David, and I also serve on our church’s production team, where I am also the Director of Communications.

• Susan’s YouTube Channel
• Susan’s Podcast, Ask a Tech Coach
• Shake Up Learning Trainer
• Training Request Form
• Google for Education Certified Trainer
• BreakoutEDU Authorized Trainer

© Shake Up Learning 2023. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Kasey Bell and Shake Up Learning with appropriate and specific direction to the original content on ShakeUpLearning.com. See: Copyright Policy.

The post Awesome Feedback Tools, AI, and a Little Inspiration from FETC – SULS0186 appeared first on Shake Up Learning.

It’s no secret that I love Google tools, but Google is not the only option for your classroom. There are hundreds of fantastic collaborative learning tools!

Collaboration is a critical twenty-first-century skill for our students. Finding ways to facilitate and support collaboration in the classroom is not always easy.

Keep in mind that digital tools are not inherently collaborative, it is how you use them to facilitate collaboration in your classroom.

All of the tools below have the capability but may support collaboration in different ways.

I’ve included an overview video for each of the fifteen tools listed below.

Many of these tools also tap into other C’s like creativity, critical thinking, and communication! (Looking for other ideas to support the 4 C’s, check out the 4 C’s Learning Menu.)

Another important thing to note is that many of these tools work together, like InsertLearning and Flip, as well as offer integration with Google tools.

Did your favorites make the list? If not, leave a comment and share your top collaboration!

This post contains 20 collaborative tools for your classroom that are NOT Google.

Listen to the episodes:

This episode is sponsored by Konica-Minolta.

Over 1.4 million violent incidents occur in schools every year. What if technology could bring peace-of-mind for parents, students and educators? Konica Minolta’s intelligent video security solutions allow you to easily sign in guests, track visitors, and monitor your entire campus to keep unwanted visitors out. Visit rethinkschoolsecurity.com to check out their visitor management system, door barriers, and smart security cameras. While you’re there, you can also take a quiz to determine the level of security your school currently has. It’s time to rethink school security.

20 Collaborative Tools for Your Classroom That Are NOT Google

in no particular order…

1. Pear Deck

Pear Deck is an active learning and formative assessment tool that makes your presentations completely interactive! Pear Deck is fully loaded with templates for each stage of the assessment process, vocabulary games, Google tool integration, and helps teachers engage students and create collaborative conversations.

Pear Deck also offers ISTE Aligned, digital citizenship curriculum in partnership with Google’s, “Be Internet Awesome,” program. And Pear Deck has also introduced critical thinking slides!

Pear Deck is a freemium tool, meaning that some features are completely free, but premium features require a paid account.

Related: 27 Formative Assessment Tools for Your Classroom

Learn more about Pear Deck.

2. Flip

Flip (formerly Flipgrid) is a video discussion tool that allows teachers to create “grids,” of discussion topics. Students share their responses through recorded videos. Flip is a great way to encourage student voice and engage students. You can also connect and collaborate globally through their #GridPals program.

Flip is jam-packed with a ton of other features like video downloads, stickers & drawings, custom assessment rubrics, video feedback, MixTapes, Topic invites, private share links, Vibes, and more! There is also an amazing community to support you!

Flipgrid is owned by Microsoft and is completely free!

Learn more about Flipgrid.

Related: Flipgrid: The Go-To Remote Learning Tool

Related: 10 Awesome Ways to Use Flipgrid in the Classroom

3. Padlet

Padlet is a digital tool that allows you to create collaborative “walls.” I like to think of it like a digital bulletin board with digital sticky notes, but way better. Students can post just about anything–images, videos, documents, and text–from anywhere, and from any device (pcs, tablets, phones).

I have used Padlet for many years and it is a great way to get students (and teachers) sharing, collaborating, and creating. Padlet is no longer a free tool, but it is still used and recommended by many teachers.

Learn more about Padlet.

4. Nearpod

Nearpod is an interactive presentation and assessment tool. Teachers can use it to create interactive lessons that contain quizzes, polls, videos, images, drawing-boards, web content and more, as well as use their “Nearpod Collaborate!” tool.

Nearpod is free for a class size up to 30.

Learn more about Nearpod.

5. Microsoft Teams

Get Classes, Meetings, Assignments, Files And Collaboration All In One Place With Teams.

Engage students with virtual face-to-face connections and activities, or set up a remote lunch to keep classrooms connected and having fun and it’s free for students and teachers with a valid school email address.

Learn more about Microsoft Teams.

6. Seesaw

Seesaw is a student-driven digital portfolio tool. Teachers can empower students to create, reflect, share, and collaborate. Students “show what they know” using photos, videos, drawings, text, PDFs, and links.

Seesaw is a freemium tool, meaning that some features are completely free, but premium features require a paid account.

Learn more about Seesaw.

7. Kahoot

Kahoot! is a game-based learning and trivia platform for your classroom. Teachers can create Kahoots, or collaboratively create with students.

Kahoot is free for teachers.

Learn more about Kahoot.

8. Book Creator

Book Creator is the simple way to make ebooks using the Chrome App or iOS App. Book Creator has real-time collaboration and is ideal for making all kinds of books, portfolios, comic books, photo books, journals, textbooks and more.

Book Creator is free for up to 40 books.

Learn more about Book Creator. 

9. Cospaces Edu

CoSpaces Edu is an application that allows students and teachers to easily build their own 3D creations, animate them with code and explore them in Virtual or Augmented Reality.

CoSpaces is free for up to 30 seats.

Learn more about CoSpaces. 

10. Buncee

Buncee allows students and teachers to create engaging multimedia projects and presentations.

Buncee is a freemium tool, meaning that some features are completely free, but premium features require a paid account.

Learn more about Buncee.

11. OneNote

OneNote is a Microsoft Office product that is like a digital version of a physical notebook. This means you can capture digital notes and keep them organized, as well as collaborate and share. It also means you can add images, diagrams, audio, video, and more.

Access to OneNote requires an Office 365 subscription.

Learn more about OneNote.

12. WeVideo

WeVideo is an online and collaborative video editing tool. Students can easily edit and collaborate on videos on desktops, iOS, and Android. And, it’s Chromebook compatible!

WeVideo is a freemium tool, meaning that some features are completely free, but premium features require a paid account.

Learn more about WeVideo.

13. Classcraft

Classcraft is a game-based approach to teaching and behavior management. It’s designed to encourage participation, good behavior, and 21st-century skills like collaboration.

Learn more about Classcraft.

14. InsertLearning

InsertLearning is a Chrome extension that lets you turn any website into an interactive lesson. You can highlight text, add sticky notes, insert questions, videos, or even a discussion all inside the webpage!

Learn more by reading 4 Ways to Blend Learning with InsertLearning.

This tool was also part of the 18 Challenges for Teachers in 2018 FREE ebook.

Teachers can create up to 5 lessons with a FREE account.

Learn more about InsertLearning.

15. Soundtrap Edu

Soundtrap Edu is an online music studio where students can create together by recording and using loops.

Learn more about Soundtrap Edu.

16. Lumio by Smart

Lumio is a digital learning tool that will transform your lessons into active, collaborative learning experiences. Every day more schools and districts are switching to Lumio – it’s truly a flexible, time-saving tool that makes it easy to turn your PDFs, Google Slides, PowerPoint, and Notebook files into engaging lessons with interactive activities, games, group workspaces, and formative assessment ALL built right in.

*Related: Engaging Lessons for Next-Gen Connected Creators

17. Canva for Education

Canva for Education is 100% free for K-12 (primary and secondary) teachers and their students, powering creation and collaboration in every classroom.

You and your students can create and personalize your own designs from scratch, or choose from thousands of high-quality, educational templates. From presentations to posters, and infographics, to worksheets, project-based learning, and lesson plans, the possibilities are endless.

*Related: 4+ Things You Didn’t Know Canva Could Do!

18. Bookwidgets

Transform your old worksheets into interactive quizzes and assignments rich with multimedia. With BookWidgets, all teachers from all courses can create interactive exercises and auto-graded assignments with over 30 different question types. Teachers can easily integrate BookWidgets inside their trusted learning environment (Google Classroom, Teams, Canvas, Schoology, and more). The integration allows you to follow student progress in realtime when student are working on a BookWidgets assignment. This way, you can quickly guide your students in the right direction when they need help.

*Related: Google Classroom + BookWidgets = Superpowered Digital Classroom 

19. Wakelet

Save, organize and share content from across the web with Wakelet. Save articles, videos, images, Tweets and more, organize them into stunning collections.

20. Notion for Education

Your notes, research, tasks, and more — all in one place. Free for students and teachers, with discounts for teams and schools.

Did your favorite collaborative tool make the list? If not, leave a comment and share!

© Shake Up Learning 2023. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Kasey Bell and Shake Up Learning with appropriate and specific direction to the original content on ShakeUpLearning.com. See: Copyright Policy.

The post 20 Collaborative Tools for Your Classroom That Are NOT Google appeared first on Shake Up Learning.

I’ve been learning how to use Book Creator…and LOVING it!

More specifically, I am experimenting with ways Book Creator can be used to create and implement choice boards in the classroom.

Book Creator is very intuitive and is loaded with student engagement tools.

And I have a brand new idea to share in this post: Weekly Choice Board Books! (Keep reading and watch the video below.)

This post is sponsored by Book Creator.

Creating Choice Boards with Book Creator

Y’all know I love choice boards.

Until now, I have kept things simple and used Google tools. But I am expanding my toolbox and exploring other tools that can offer more for teachers and students.

Book Creator is a content creation tool. Teachers and students can create a library of “books” filled with multimedia content.

So how can we use a book for choice boards?

Let me show you!

We can easily use a page in Book Creator to create a choice board and even use additional pages for templates or include details for the assignment choices.

But I wanted to try something new.

Weekly Choice Board Books

I wanted to create a Weekly Choice Board Book–a book with several choice boards we will use throughout the week.

First, I created my book using one of the comic templates. It already has sections divided, so it seemed perfect for a choice board!

Next, I created a cover using Canva. You can connect apps like Canva to Book Creator, and they already have book cover templates specifically for Book Creator. This was super easy!

Then I started adding pages and creating different types of choice boards.

Bell Ringer Choice Boards

Many teachers like to use bell ringers to get kids settled as class begins.

What if we give them a few choices for their bell ringer activity and reuse this choice board throughout the week?

It doesn’t have to be complicated; I created a bell ringer choice board with six choices. By the end of the week, students will complete all but one, but they can choose which one they want to do each day.

Pick 2 Choice Board

Next, I created what I call the Pick 2 Choice Board. You can easily create a pick 2, 3, 4, etc. The intention on this one is to select one choice from the top row (template-driven activities) and one from the bottom row (videos).

It’s really easy to embed videos in Book Creator, and students can watch them without leaving the app.

Thanks to Shake Up Learning Team member Sarah Kiefer for sharing her history choice board and letting me use her content for this one!

There are two other features that I wanted to try on this page, inserting a voice recording of the directions and linking text to outside resources. Both features are very easy to use and easily found in the menu when you click on the plus sign.

Using the voice recorder to read the directions aloud to students can help all students better understand the expectations and give the teacher extra “room” to elaborate.

Tic-Tac-Toe Choice Board

Last but not least, I had to test out my favorite choice board style, the tic-tac-toe. Since there wasn’t a comic template with nine squares, I just used the shape tool to build it.

The novel study tic-tac-toe is a choice board I created many years ago, and I just copied and pasted the content over from Google Docs (a Book Creator makeover).

Students Creating with Book Creator

Now that you have seen how the teacher can use Book Creator to create, I want to show you the power of having students create with it.

My last page demonstrates different types of student choice activities you could use in Book Creator.

Here’s a quick list of some of the features you can try with students:

• voice response
• embed code: embed videos or any other content with embed code
• use paper backgrounds like graph paper
• draw and auto-draw (AI tool that predicts what you are trying to draw)
• comic strip
• import files from a computer or Google Drive
• text response (Voice typing option is great for all learners.)
• webcam response: take a still photo or video
• create and import from Canva
• image response (search from a copyright-friendly database)
• use comments, emojis, and more!

The possibilities are endless. I have only scratched the surface!

Be sure to watch the video below to see these ideas come to life.

Sign Up for Book Creator

Get started today with a free Book Creator account! You can upgrade later to access all the features.

Book Creator at TCEA 2023

Going to TCEA, be sure to visit the Book Creator booth and catch my presentation on Wednesday.

• 11:00-11:30: Empower & Engage Students with Book Creator Choice Boards with book signing and giveaway (Book Creator Booth #878)

© Shake Up Learning 2023. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Kasey Bell and Shake Up Learning with appropriate and specific direction to the original content on ShakeUpLearning.com. See: Copyright Policy.

The post Creating Choice Boards with Book Creator appeared first on Shake Up Learning.

Let’s have some fun with Winter Magnetic Poetry with Google Slides!

Winter is coming! Well, at least for some of you. Things are still pretty warm here in Texas!

This is the third installment of magnetic poetry templates that I have shared.

Magnetic Poetry

Lynn Kleinmeyer’s Students Using Winter Magnetic Poetry

What is Magnetic Poetry?

© Shake Up Learning 2023. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Kasey Bell and Shake Up Learning with appropriate and specific direction to the original content on ShakeUpLearning.com. See: Copyright Policy.

The post Winter Magnetic Poetry with Google Slides appeared first on Shake Up Learning.

The Hour of Code is coming! Are you ready?

This post and podcast episode will give you everything you need to get ready to participate in the Hour of Code and Computer Science Education Week in 2022 (Dec. 5-11).

In case you haven’t been paying attention, computer science skills are vastly becoming some of the most in-demand skills of the twenty-first century. In fact, some call it a new “superpower.”

But we have a big problem. There more computer science jobs than the U.S. can fill with qualified candidates.

Computer Science has become part of every industry. Technology is everywhere and coding is the backbone of how it all works.

So we can’t sit idly by and hope that some of our students will decide to take an interest in Computer Science, we need to give them exposure to coding and build those foundational skills.

The Hour of Code will not only give our students computer science skills but also help us cultivate creativity and critical thinking skills.

Guess what? You don’t have to be a coding expert to facilitate these experiences with your students.

(See also The Beginner’s Guide to the Hour of Code.)

Listen to this article.

Gearing Up for the Hour of Code

What is Computer Science Education Week (CSEdWeek) and The Hour of Code?

Computer Science Education Week or CSEdWeek is an annual program designed to inspire K-12 students to take an interest in computer science. The program was originated by the Computing in the Core coalition, Code.org, and is supported by partners and educators worldwide. The philosophy is simple but significant: every student deserves the opportunity to learn computer science.

The Hour of Code is a global movement in over 180 countries and is a quick way to introduce coding to students or anyone. Anyone can learn the basics of computer science in a fun and easy way! By spending as little as one hour, you can spark coding interest in your students with one-hour lesson plans, tutorials, interactives, and games.

How to Run an Hour of Code

Ready to get started? Running an Hour of Code doesn’t have to be complicated. The resources are abundant and easy-to-follow. Sign-up here to get FREE resources!

The activities are self-directed. Teachers do not need to stand in front of the class and actually teach code! This is easy, y’all!

No matter what grade level you teach, or what devices you have available, every student can participate in the Hour of Code and learn the basic principles that apply to all programming languages (like sequencing and looping). There are even options to go “unplugged” if you do not have access to devices in your classroom because students can learn computer science principles with something as simple as a deck of cards.

Classroom Tips

When your students come across difficulties it’s okay to respond:

• “I don’t know. Let’s figure this out together.”
• “Technology doesn’t always work out the way we want.”
• “Learning to program is like learning a new language; you won’t be fluent right away.”

What if a student finishes early?

• Students can see all tutorials and try another Hour of Code activity.
• Or, ask students who finish early to help classmates who are having trouble with the activity.

Celebrate!

• Print certificates for your students.
• Print “I did an Hour of Code!” stickers for your students.
• Order custom t-shirts for your school.
• Share photos and videos of your Hour of Code event on social media. Use #HourOfCode and @codeorg so we can highlight your success, too!

Coding Resources & Lessons

There are hundreds of free resources, lesson plans, tutorials and events that bring the power of coding into the K-12 classroom. Below is a short list of some favorites. CLICK HERE: to get all the Hour of Code Activities.

Computer Science Unplugged

No computer? No problem. As mentioned earlier, you can still teach and learn the basic principles of computer science without any computer or device at all. Try CS Unplugged, which is a collection of learning activities that teach computational thinking concepts without the need of a computer or device.

© Shake Up Learning 2023. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Kasey Bell and Shake Up Learning with appropriate and specific direction to the original content on ShakeUpLearning.com. See: Copyright Policy.

The post Gearing Up for the Hour of Code appeared first on Shake Up Learning.