It’s a worthwhile watch for the information on lasers but also for discussions on film restoration.

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Microsoft is reportedly working on a low-cost Windows machine to compete with Chromebooks. https://windowscentral.com/microsoft-building-116-inch-low-cost-laptop-designed-k-12-education-markets

Here’s why this won’t work…

When Google began its massive move into the education space, there were two driving components: super-cheap, easily managed Chromebooks, and super-cheap (as in free) software tools now known as Google Workspace for Education. One without the other will not lead to success.

And right now, Microsoft doesn’t have a web-based productivity suite of tools that has the performance, ease of use, and (most importantly) sharing capabilities as those offered by Google. Not even close.

Also, let’s remember how bad things were back in the late 2000s when netbooks hit the market and Microsoft tried to jam a full desktop operating system on an underpowered machine. It was bad. So bad. Netbooks became popular due to the price point but oh so many people felt frustrated when every application ran slowly or not at all.

Chromebooks solved this problem by offering a lightweight operating system based on Linux and focusing on using web-based tools rather than locally installed software. And when those devices were paired with a program to support and train educators on how to best leverage that new technology in the classroom on a global scale (oh, and then topped off with a global pandemic), device sales go through the roof.

Things are better in MS land than they used to be, but not by much. OneDrive is still atrocious cloud storage. The online versions of Word, Excel, etc., are laughable. I mean, have you tried using them recently? Do and you’ll go running back to Google tools quickly.

No, Google tools aren’t perfect and there are serious questions about data privacy involved with any tools provided to schools by for-profit companies. And I’m still not happy about the recent pricing structures implemented in the Workspace for Education world.

Let’s be serious, Google friends. You are hurting for cash flow. Keeping your education tools free for ALL users is the way to go. ALL tools and features. Or is the pricing structure because you’re still not seeing the growth in the private sector you want?

Anyways, back to the issue at hand. Without drastic improvements in the Office365 suite of tools for web-based access, I don’t foresee many low-end Windows devices making their way into schools.

Of course, there’s a better chance if MS would just purchase Dropbox (since it actually works).

Bottom line: Creating a new, low-end device for educational purposes will not grow the business. But sometimes we don’t learn from past mistakes, so we get to make them all over again.

The post Microsoft’s Refusal to Learn from the Netbook Disaster appeared first on Pike Mall Tech.

Young Charles has had a rough of it the past few years. First, he helped prevent a nuclear war. Then, Charles took a bullet to the back from his best friend, paralyzing him. His vision for a school for mutants has faded, as have his mutant abilities as he takes a serum so he can walk.

Unfortunately, the cost of walking is the loss of his mutant powers.

Once idealistic about the prospect of mutants and humans living together, Charles is pessimistic and afraid.

Through their mental link, Old and Young Charles speak about that fear and pain. The elder Xavier explains that the pain and fears of others will give his younger self the strength to carry on.

He pleads, “We need you to hope again.”

Educators. Principals. Superintendents. Parents.

The world needs you to hope again.

We need you to hope that our schools can make a positive impact on every student’s life. We need you to have hope that every student can learn and achieve at high levels in their way. We need you to have hope that education can be the difference in a child’s life, the difference between a continuing history of addiction, poverty, and abuse and instead beginning a life of purpose, a life of caring, and life that breaks free from the mold of the past.

We need you to believe that education is worth it for every child to overcome the struggles we have experienced and that have come to light since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

We need you to have hope that scientists and experts in every area are once again respected and looked to in times of need and no longer ridiculed for providing unpopular answers to complex issues that do not fit with the plans and schemes of bullies in power.

We need you to believe that schools can help prepare the next generation of leaders to be empathetic and work with others to resolve conflicts and not resort to bullying tactics that only divide us and not bring us together.

We need you to believe that your work with students at home and in the community is as valuable as the work done in classrooms worldwide. You are your child’s first teacher, and we could not do this work without you.

And we need you to know that if the children you love are not your biological children, we love and respect the work you have chosen to do and are so grateful to partner with you on your journey. You are true champions.

We need all these things from you and ourselves. We need them like the flowers need the sun.

We need you to hope again. Because when we hope, fear takes a back seat.

Fear is the enemy. Fear has guided many of our choices in the past and continues to guide many today. Unfortunately, many believe that fear has driven us to make the wrong choices and that we are doing more harm than good by giving into fear.

We do not act out of fear. On the contrary, we act out of the hope that we have that there is nothing we cannot do when we work together.

We act out of the belief that our children can make the world a better place than we left them and that they will make choices that move us closer to a world in which every child has the same opportunity to live a life unfettered by the rot of our past.

We need you to hope again. Hope that this, too, like so many other crises throughout history, must pass. Hope that a brighter day is coming. Hope that we will overcome this, that together we can turn it around for us, for our children, and their children.

Hope guides us. It is what helps us carry on through our darkest days and propels us through the blackest nights into a bright new morning.

Please, we need you to hope again.

The post We Need You to Hope Again appeared first on Pike Mall Tech.

I contend that we do this in the education world, when dealing with technology. We go through our days doing the simple things rather than the easy things.

It’s simple to pass out papers to a class of students and collect them later. Teachers have done this for decades. But it’s easier to have students complete work in a digital format. Especially when dealing with large numbers of students.

But, this task isn’t simple. Teachers have to create what they want the students to complete. Whether it’s a quiz, a document, a spreadsheet, a presentation, etc., teachers have to create this assignment.

Even if that means posting the assignment in a learning management system, the task is not as simple as passing out papers. For teachers who have been in the classroom since before there were any computers in the classroom and no one had a school email address, this task might be impossible.

But that doesn’t mean it’s not easy. It’s not simple.

Simple is comfortable. Simple gets the job done, without question.

But easy? Easy might involved work up front. Easy might involved setting something up or learning a new tool.

And that’s when the issues begin.

Teachers are, in case you didn’t know, stressed out. They always have been. In the midst of a global pandemic, their stress levels haven’t lowered. They’ve raised.

And expectations are higher than ever. So when teachers are faced with change after change after changed and dealing with things they’ve never dealt with before (hello, temperature checks & social distancing), why would they not choose to go with simple?

This is the challenge for us in the educational technology world. We have to find ways to encourage easy over simple. We have to be there to support.

We have to understand what teachers are going through. We have to be patient. And we have to accept when some say, “no.”

We have to make our own choice of simple or easy. It’s simple to create some videos or documents to support teachers and then walk away.

But it’s easy to support and empower a small group of teachers who will run with their own version of “easy” and help you spread the work to others.

What will you choose? Simple or easy?

The post Simple or Easy: Edtech Edition appeared first on Pike Mall Tech.

What people think of as the moment of discovery is really the discovery of the question. — Jonas Salk

When we make decisions about the technology we use in our classrooms we very often ask the wrong questions.

We think about how we can use the latest, greatest, coolest tools and gadgets available to get students in a desperate attempt to engage them in learning while ignoring what we should be focused on in education.

I was the world’s worst offender of chasing the cool factor. Whatever came down the edtech release line, I was there for it. I would watch the Twitter stream during the yearly ISTE conference waiting for new announcements from old favorite companies or to see what the hot, new tool would be this year.

This was a time when every educational technology conference was filled with “60 apps in 60 minutes” sessions that were not unlike the opening of floodgates upon unsuspecting teachers as they were wowed by a skilled pitch person (most often a classroom teacher themselves) dazzling them with what you could do with kids with this new fandangled whizbangadoodle.

What a time to be alive. And what a sad time to look back upon.

The problem was that there was so much new technology appearing from seemingly nowhere being adopted by teachers far and wide that we weren’t really sure what to do with all of it.

And no one was asking any questions. If they were, they were shouted down by the cheers of the edtech Illuminati.

If one doesn’t watch the introduction of new technologies and particularly watch the infrastructures that emerge, promises of liberation through technology can become a ticket to enslavement. — Ursula Franklin

Before we get too far ahead of ourselves, let’s be clear: I don’t think that educational technology is being weaponized. But I do think that, before we implement new tools, we have serious questions to consider.

The technology we use with our students isn’t just about the tech. It’s about the environment that is created by using technology. Technology usage changes the world around it for either good or not-so-good.

But once a given technology is widely accepted and standardized, the relationship between the products of the technology and the users changes. Users have less scope, they matter less, and their needs are no longer the main concern of the designers. — Ursula Franklin

As the number of devices in our schools continues to increase and our reliance on technology to complete even the most mundane tasks in schools increases, we should ask better questions about the technology we use and how we use it.

Yes, our questions about technology usage need to be about how these tools are used to support student learning outcomes. We need to know what students are going to create with the tools we provide them.

We need to ask about issues of access and equity. Not just access to devices and programs but access to qualified teachers who have the training and support to leverage any technologies appropriately.

Technology distributed and used equitably enables opportunity and voice, dismantles barriers around learner exceptionalities, democratizes access to information, and disrupts racial and economic privilege hierarchies. — Ken Shelton

We need to ask questions about how we are using devices in our classrooms and shift the focus from low-level digitization of paper activities and ineffective repetition of skills practices for intervention to deeper learning activities that provide for personalization and student-centered learning.

But we should also ask questions about how our usage of technology is affecting us as humans.

LM Sacasas has compiled 41 questions concerning technology that would be excellent conversation starters among teachers, administrators, and students.

Here are the first five of those questions:

1. What sort of person will the use of this technology make of me?
2. What habits will the use of this technology instill?
3. How will the use of this technology affect my experience of time?
4. How will the use of this technology affect my experience of place?
5. How will the use of this technology affect how I relate to other people?

I don’t write this article to overly criticize my fellow educational technologists. There has been a number of great things happen in our schools that are directly related to the recent influx of technology and the support that continues to be offered by experts in the field.

We’re doing good work. But that doesn’t mean that we can’t do better work or that there are things we haven’t thought about in our race to improve.

It’s important sometimes to take a breath, get perspective, and make sure we’re on the right path.

The decisions we make with students make impacts that we may never see in our time on this planet.

Let’s be sure we’re asking the right questions.

The post Asking the Right Questions about Educational Technology appeared first on Pike Mall Tech.

• Writing Better Grant Proposals: Increasing your chances of winning funds to fuel projects for students and teachers
• Taking Creative Risks with Students: Even in the midst of (or maybe because of) a worldwide pandemic, you can still take some risks to reach more students
• Rethinking Rubrics in a Digital Age: Leveraging a common tool with extra supports to get students more involved and in control of their learning
• Podcasts for teachers: A few ideas to fill your commutes

Writing Better Grant Proposals (Permalink)

I don’t believe we have to debate the merits of teachers writing grants for their classrooms but I’m sure we’d all like to improve our skills.

Having written only a few grants myself (but loving the opportunity to try for more), I need all the help I can get.

I’ve learned that successful grant writing must be detailed and tailored to the specifics of the grant. It’s also helpful to show the compelling need for your school to receive this grant and exactly how the grant will help meet those needs.

Check these tips on writing your grant proposal before you submit your next work.

Taking Creative Risks with Students (Permalink)

Whether it’s your first day of school or the first day of your twentieth year, there is also value in taking creative risks with your students.

Our students will model what they see in their classrooms.

Want a group of disengaged, distracted kids? Nothing will promote that more than a teacher that isn’t engaged in their classes and can’t seem to focus on teaching.

Want your kids to hop in on some edu-shenanigans? Be the shenanigans starter.

From the moment the school year begins, you can take some risks to make your classroom a different place. And if you’ve already started the year, there’s still time to make a change.

The best time to plant a tree was yesterday. The next best time is today.

Dive into these ideas and take some risks.

Rethinking Rubrics in a Digital Age (Permalink)

I’ve long been a fan of Hyperdocs; a lesson-building format that focused on providing students with the resources they need to work at their own pace throughout a lesson or unit.

Hyperdocs also gives teachers the chance to provide supports for students in a lesson exactly when they need it most. The format works well in either virtual or blended learning environments, giving students control over the pace of the lesson.

With a bit of a different twist, there’s now the HyperRubric.

Think of it as a traditional rubric super-powered with examples and supports that will give students the resources they need to complete a task.

HyperRubrics can give help students answer the “why” behind what they are doing in a lesson rather than just the what. We’ve all had great lessons that students loved but at the end of the lesson, students can’t really express what they were supposed to be learning during the lesson, only remembering the cool stuff they did.

Using HyperRubrics can provide a focus for students and help teachers think critically about what supports students will need to achieve outcomes.

Podcasts for Teachers (Permalink)

I’ve got a 30ish minute ride to the office every day. As a former podcaster, I spend much of that time listening to podcasts.

Podcasts are a form of the oldest media format in history: listening to others talk. For centuries, our history was passed down from the mouths of a speaker to the ears of another. When you listen to podcasts, you continue an age-old tradition of learning.

I’m sure you have your favorites but you may be looking to add something new to the mix. You might like to check out one of these 10 podcasts specifically geared towards teachers.

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Some books should be tasted, some devoured, but only a few should be chewed and digested thoroughly. — Sir Francis Bacon

As a teacher, you’ve already read more books than you care to remember and I dare say there are several from your undergraduate studies you’re doing your level best to forget.

I’m willing to bet that many of those books you’ve devoured during your teaching career have been focused on education topics. Some of them have been great and have helped you break through to new heights in the classroom. Some have been a waste of time (just being honest, folks).

And some have become dear friends that you return to year after year, providing you with new perspectives each time you dive into the pages.

I won’t provide you with a list of books here that I’m sure you’re either already read or heard spoken of by so many other teachers that you feel like you’ve read them yourself. Instead, I’ll offer you a few books that have become important to me personally that have helped bring fresh perspectives to teaching and leadership in schools.

Of course, this list is not comprehensive and I’ll likely share more in the future but it’s good to have a starting point.

The War of Art by Steven Pressfield

Are you paralyzed with fear? That’s a good sign. Fear is good. Like self-doubt, fear is an indicator. Fear tells us what we have to do. Remember one rule of thumb: the more scared we are of a work or calling, the more sure we can be that we have to do it.

Written initially for the aspiring writer, The War of Art is essential reading for anyone who creates anything. Teachers are some of the most creative people I know, even though they may not be creative in the ways most familiar to society.

The War of Art is about the inner war we face between our creativity and resistance. It’s a battle that rages inside every creative person, each with their own personal battlefield (in this case being school).

The War of Art is a great read because it’s short and accessible. It really highlights the crucial struggle between resistance and creativity, which any teacher will find helpful at some point in their teaching career.

This book is perfect for any teacher who creates content of any type. And yes, that includes your daily lessons.

The War of Art can help you start, stick with it, or get past that mental block that’s been stopping you from writing for years. Pressfield has some great advice on how to overcome writer’s (or teacher’s) block as well as procrastination, something I’m sure you’ve dealt with many times over your career as a teacher.

Meditations by Marcus Aurelius

The collected personal memoirs of the last of the “Five Good Emperors”, Marcus Aurelius, Meditations was initially written for Marcus himself. This book is one of the earliest examples of self-improvement work.

Especially when you consider the author was working on himself as he wrote!

Meditations is chock full of wisdom that will make you a better teacher. A lot of the time, we have to navigate difficult situations and confront our own mistakes or shortcomings. This book can help us do just that with a healthy dose of perspective.

A Calendar of Wisdom by Tolstoy

This book is a collection of quotes from all over the world, organized by month. Tolstoy was an incredible writer with many novels to his name but he also had this little gem in him!

For example, in the month of March: “It’s not what you’ve got that matters most; it’s who you are.”

As a teacher, you often face daily obstacles that can be overwhelming. Having a copy of this book on your desk, your phone, or your Kindle can give you a brief moment of inspiration when you need it most.

Make it a part of your daily reading habit, whether first thing in the morning or right before bed. The wisdom in this book can help you remain focused and brighten any dark day.

The Obstacle is the Way by Ryan Holiday

Facing numerous challenges since March of 2020 when the world shut down and schools closed, I believe every teacher needs to read this book.

The Obstacle is the Way by Ryan Holiday is a quick and powerful read that can be finished in an afternoon. This book will teach you how to use ancient Stoic philosophy to change your thoughts, overcome any obstacle, or achieve success against all odds.

The obstacles placed in front of teachers in the past year have caused many of us to rethink everything we’ve done in education. Some things we hated, some things we liked.

But we did them all to get through to our students in whatever way possible.

When faced with an obstacle, you need to find the right way through it without compromising your principles or goals.

The Obstacle Is The Way should be read by all teachers who want a practical guide on how to bounce back from adversity and make an impact in their careers.

The Road by Cormac McCarthy

The Road is a post-apocalyptic novel set in America after an unnamed cataclysm.

The book tells the story of The Man who is traveling with his son across the wasteland of what was once America. It’s not easy and it’s often dangerous.

But it’s worth the struggle because they have each other.

This is a book about the power of love and hope in an otherwise hopeless world.

Sometimes, as teachers, all we have to keep us going is love and hope. So, we “carry the fire” for our students, especially when they can’t carry it for themselves.

Your Recommendations

What books would you recommend for teachers that don’t necessarily fall in the “education” category? Leave your thoughts below!

Featured Photo by Alfons Morales on Unsplash

This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

The post 5 Books Every Teacher Should Read appeared first on Pike Mall Tech.

1. Paperless Grading

A great way to make grading easier is by using a paperless system for assigning grades, storing student work, and providing feedback. There are many different platforms available that can help you do this — from Google Classroom and Evernote to grade books like Edmodo’s Grade Book or Blackboard Learn Essentials.

Another thing I love about these tools is how easy it makes it to provide timely feedback on students’ work without sacrificing valuable time during class — especially if they’re working in groups. You could also use them as an assessment tool with your students at the end of each unit so you know exactly what they’ve mastered in all content areas!

2. Use technology to create a lesson plan

Whether you’re planning for next week or for an entire year, there are plenty of great tools available to help you with your planning. I love using Google Calendar or Outlook on my computer — but there are also mobile versions for those who prefer to stay connected in that way.

Google Classroom (Amazon link) is a free service offered by the company, and it allows teachers to assign work as well as provide individual feedback along the way.

With Google Classroom, you can schedule posts in advance and have them appear to students on the day you wish.

What if you need more options? Tools like Planbook make it easy for educators to combine calendars from multiple sources into one place so they’re less likely to misplace things throughout the day.

You can even use a Google Sheet to plan out your content on a weekly or monthly basis.

With all of the available tools, there’s no need for paper planners, cluttered notebooks, or bulky binders to pack around. With digital tools, your plans are available to you anytime, anywhere.

Do More with Google Classroom

Do More with Google Classroom is the guidebook teachers have always needed about this digital tool that millions around the world are using.

LEARN MORE

3. Utilize Google Classroom for assignments and quizzes

Google Classroom has become one of the most popular learning management platforms in education. It’s easy to use and integrates well with other Google Education tools.

You can use tools like Google Classroom to provide individual feedback along the way.

For example, you could ask students about an assignment’s relevance in one comment, give them feedback on their work during another comment, and grade their assignments when they’re finished at yet another time.

It makes sense for educators with hectic schedules because it provides more options without carrying home stack of paper and can provide nearly immediate feedback while students are working, exactly when they need it most.

4. Take full advantage of one to one computing classrooms

As we enter the post-COVID19 world, many of our schools now have computers available for every student.

Now more than ever, teachers have the tools they need in their classrooms to become more efficient, engage with students more often, and lower their amount of work time.

Teachers are already finding ways to make the most of these classrooms.

Many teachers tell stories about how they can grade papers in a fraction of the time it would have taken them otherwise, or work with students one-on-one without having to pull out materials from their desk and hope that no other student walks over.

They also describe using computers for interactive lessons as well as more hands-on activities like coding and robotics, both in individualized groups during class time and whole-group projects.

In order to take full advantage of this new technology in our schools, we need professionals who understand what these tools do best so we can help every teacher find solutions that match their needs. This is where professional development comes into play (more on that soon).

5. Make use of Internet resources

With the advent of social media, more teachers are finding high-quality resources created by other educators than ever before.

As teachers find great tools and resources, they share them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other platforms.

Many teachers curate these resources on their own sites or on Pinterest.

We also must remember the importance of community and foster relationships with other educators through Twitter chats, Facebook groups, and other modern web-based platforms.

I have found my own network to be a valuable resource for solving problems and getting feedback from other teachers across the country while still being able to interact with staff members at school.

While these tips will help you get started with more technology in your classroom, there’s so much more out there to learn.

With a few simple technology tools, you can get back so much of your valuable time and spend more time with your students and, perhaps more importantly, your families.

Remember, technology is not your enemy. It is a tool to be leveraged to make your life easier and to provide new opportunities for students.

Dip your feet in the technology waters. It’s well worth it.

The post Reclaiming your Time as a Teacher: How Technology can Help appeared first on Pike Mall Tech.

Getting to Know Google Jamboard

First, John Sowash gives us an overview of what Jamboard is and how to get started using it in your classroom.

In this video you’ll learn how to create a Jamboard activity (three ways), look at the tools inside of the Jamboard web and mobile app, and learn how to share your Jamboard activity with your students using Google Meet and Google Classroom(Amazon).

Using Google Jamboard with Zoom

Mackenzie from TeacherFYI has some great tips for using Jamboard with Zoom. Google Jamboard can easily be shared with students, giving them an opportunity to interact with each other during live Zoom calls.

Google Jamboard for Remote Teaching – 20 Tips & Ideas

Matt Miller over at Ditch That Textbook has created a great resource that includes 20+ tips and ideas for using Google Jamboard in your classroom.

These tips include ideas like:

• Sticky note brainstorming
• Digital posters
• Storytelling
• Graphic organizers
• And more!

Matt has also included access to a number of free Jamboard templates for many of these ideas.

Using Google Jamboard with Google Meet

Google recently incorporated Jamboard into Google Meet, allowing you to launch a new Jamboard directly from a Google Meet session and share it with all participants.

The EdTech Show has this great video showing you how this integration works and how you can use it with your students.

5 Google Meet Activities

John Sowash has another great video with some ideas to get your started on Jamboard activities for your students.

If you enjoyed this article and the tips in it, please consider subscribing to my newsletter. Each week, I send out helpful technology integration tips and other interesting finds to my subscribers. It’s totally free, never spammy, and has some cool info. It hits your inbox on Friday morning. If you’re interested, complete the form below.

This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

The post The Beginner’s Guide to Google Jamboard for Remote Teaching appeared first on Pike Mall Tech.

Here’s some guidance on how to create drag and drop activities in Google Slides that any teacher can start using right away.

This post refers visitors to Amazon for book recommendations. If purchases are made, the author receives a small referral fee.

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