My Tech Toolbelt

MTT047| Flipgrid and Keeping Engaged Remotely - Ann Kozma  Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, we will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. Imagine a tech tool that works for everyone from Pre K to PhD and beyond!  Not only that, but you have complete flexibility and complete control at the same time!  Flipgrid can be as simple or as sophisticated as you want it to be, and there is no right or wrong way of doing it.  Join us today as we speak with Ann Kozma from Flipgrid as she tells us the new and exciting enhancements coming up.  If you would like to see the video portion of this podcast, you can see the video here. Ann Kozma loves to explore, share, and contribute and has spent 19 years dedicated to transforming education as a classroom teacher, Innovation & Instructional Support TOSA, and as an Educator Innovation Lead on Team Flipgrid at Microsoft. Believing that “Play is our brain’s favorite way to learn,” Ann loves to bring the fun and is passionate about helping others learn how to meaningfully integrate technology into teaching and learning.  She is a member of the Apple Distinguished Educator Class of 2015 and Leading Edge Certified as a Professional Learning Leader.  Contact: Ann Kozma Twitter: @annkozma723 Flipgrid Twitter: @Flipgrid   Items mentioned in Episode 47: Flipgrid website Flipgrid - Apple app Flipgrid Blog Flipgrid YouTube Channel Yaritza Villalba Flipgrid Creator page Yaritza Villalba Flipgrid Blog Matt Jenkins Flipgrid Blogpost about Technology Enhances Deaf Education The InterActive Class - Joe Merrill Andrew Easton Culturally Responsive Teaching and The Brain by Zaretta Hammond Pass The Baton by Kathryn Finch and Theresa Hoover   BONUS Flipgrid video on the My Tech Toolbelt YouTube Channel   #remotelearning #distancelearning #flipgrid #podcastedu #podcasting #studentconnections #flipgridforall    If you enjoyed this episode, tell a friend, and SUBSCRIBE FOR FREE TO THE SHOW!  Please share this podcast with someone you think might benefit.   Email us! [email protected] [email protected]   We would love to hear from you!  Let us know if you find our podcast helpful!  Is there a technology out there that you would like us to cover in one of our episodes?  Contact us!   What’s in your Tech Toolbelt? www.mytechtoolbelt.com Twitter: @mytechtoolbelt   Instagram: My Tech Toolbelt   You can listen to our podcast on: Apple Podcasts Google Play Music Spotify or listen here Music: http://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music  

MTT046| iCivics, Building Civic Knowledge in a fun way - Neil Wrona Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, we will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. It’s an election year!  Do your students understand the complexities of our government workings?  What a great time to learn about how our system works, while the subject is in the news every day!  Join us as we speak with Neil Wrona, a 7th grade teacher at an alternative school tasked with teaching these young people how their government works and how they can make a difference.  All in a very easy to understand and fun way! Neil Wrona is a 7th year teacher who has taught at every level in the school system and every subject other than English. Neil’s undergrad was in Communications and Rhetorical Studies, and it wasn’t until his junior year, and a class that doubled as community service, that he realized he wanted to teach. Of course, by then he thought it was far too late, so he floated around for a few years after graduation, looking for jobs where I could teach, until he finally decided to get the credits he needed and enrolled in a Masters in the Arts of Teaching program. Over the years, Neil has fallen in love with civics education and everything it can provide for students: a way to understand how decisions are made, an avenue to understand how power is wielded, and, most importantly, something that can make his students feel powerful. Once students understand that the government works FOR them, they realize that if they want change, they can make it happen. With the population Neil teaches, it’s not always easy to convince them of that, but iCivics has helped with ⅔ of that goal.    Contact: Neil Wrona Twitter: @neilwrona Email: [email protected]   Items mentioned in Episode 46: iCivics Website I’m just a Bill - School House Rock My Tech Toolbelt - Nearpod Episode Example Lesson Plan from Neil Wrona The Firm, Fair, Facinating Facilitator by Robert Ward   #remotelearning #distancelearning #icivics #podcastedu #podcasting #government If you enjoyed this episode, tell a friend, and SUBSCRIBE FOR FREE TO THE SHOW!  Please share this podcast with someone you think might benefit.   Email us! [email protected] [email protected]   We would love to hear from you!  Let us know if you find our podcast helpful!  Is there technology out there that you would like us to cover in one of our episodes?  Contact us!   What’s in your Tech Toolbelt? www.mytechtoolbelt.com Twitter: @mytechtoolbelt   Instagram: My Tech Toolbelt   You can listen to our podcast on: Apple Podcasts Google Play Spotify or listen here Music: http://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music  

MTT045| Ozobot, Mighty Little Robots to code and create - Nikki Jones Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, we will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. Have you seen Ozobots, perhaps in a STEAM lab or at a conference, moving around the floor or table, but didn’t understand what it was doing or how you could use it with your students?  Join us today as we speak with Nikki Jones, a 3rd Grade teacher from Virginia that loves technology, especially Ozobots.  Find out how Nikki uses the Ozobots, not only for coding, but how she also uses them for math, social studies and science! Nikki Jones, a thirteen-year veteran educator values creativity, critical thinking and collaboration. She received her Bachelor's Degree in Early Childhood Education from SUNY Fredonia and obtained her master's degree in Special Education from George Mason University in Virginia. She currently teaches third grade at Chris Yung Elementary in Bristow, Virginia. Nikki has taught 1st grade and worked as an Instructional Technology Coach. She has presented at Future of Education Technology Conference (FETC) and numerous conferences, served as a lead mentor for new teachers and as team leader for the past four years. Technology plays a major role in her classroom as it is used daily to help facilitate learning and engage students. As an Ozobot Certified Educator she shares innovative lessons and her experiences taking risks to integrate the Ozobots and computer science into core content areas. She is a life-long learner who continues to reinvent herself. She is passionate about sharing her love for technology-integrated education and committed to helping other educators to feel comfortable using technology in their classrooms.   Contact: Nikki Jones Twitter: @mrsjones72812 Email: [email protected]   Items mentioned in Episode 45: Ozobot Donors Choose Seesaw Project Based Learning Nikki’s Ozobot Learning Library #remotelearning #distancelearning #ozobot #podcastedu #podcasting #ozosquad #letthekidslead #ozosquad   If you enjoyed this episode, tell a friend, and SUBSCRIBE FOR FREE TO THE SHOW!  Please share this podcast with someone you think might benefit.   Email us! [email protected] [email protected]   We would love to hear from you!  Let us know if you find our podcast helpful!  Is there technology out there that you would like us to cover in one of our episodes?  Contact us!   What’s in your Tech Toolbelt? www.mytechtoolbelt.com Twitter: @mytechtoolbelt   Instagram: My Tech Toolbelt   You can listen to our podcast on: Apple Podcasts Google Play Music Spotify or listen here Music: http://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music  

MTT044| Podcasting with your Students - Brian Briggs Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, we will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. Have you thought about podcasting with your students, but don’t know where to start?  Join us today as we speak with Brian Briggs, the Director of Innovation and Instructional Technology for Plumas Lake Elementary School District in California.  Brian shares with us why podcasting with your students is so beneficial and just how easy it is to get started.   Brian Briggs is the Director of Innovation and Instructional Technology for Plumas Lake Elementary School District.  Brian enjoys working with teachers and students teaching, training and learning alongside them with new and exciting topics in Educational Technology.  He loves the use of coding and robots, and has always been a nut for hands-on science. Brian is most excited about STEAM, the creation of projects, and getting students engaged. He also loves seeing the excitement of students and teachers working together as teams to create or complete a desired goal. On top of the teachable moments, Brian lives for the ooo and aahh moments that happen during instruction. Contact: Brian Briggs Twitter: @BriBriggs Email: [email protected] Check This Out Podcast   Items mentioned in Episode 44: Joe Sanfelippo Online Voice Recorder Anchor FM Soundtrap John Samuelson Techlandia Podcast Brent Warner Podcast The Way I Heard It Podcast Listenwise TOSAS Talking Tech Podcast The Pedagogy of the Oppressed by Paulo Freire This Week In Tech Podcast with Leo Laporte The Rewatchables Podcast   #remotelearning #distancelearning #nowlistening #podcastedu #podcasting #studentpodcast We would love to hear from you!  Let us know if you find our podcast helpful!  Is there technology out there that you would like us to cover in one of our episodes?  Contact us! Email us  [email protected] [email protected] If you enjoyed this episode, tell a friend, and SUBSCRIBE FOR FREE TO THE SHOW!  Please share this podcast with someone you think might benefit.   What’s in your Tech Toolbelt? www.mytechtoolbelt.com Twitter: @mytechtoolbelt   Instagram: My Tech Toolbelt   You can listen to our podcast on: Apple Podcasts Google Play Music Spotify or listen here Music: http://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music  

MTT043 Bonus| Seesaw with Distance Learning - Megan Madden Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, we will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. In Episode 43 - Seesaw in the Classroom, Megan Madden shared with us how she has been using Seesaw in her classroom with great success.  Just a short time later, the whole world was shutting down due to the Coronavirus Pandemic.  Everything escalated very quickly, and teachers, districts and students found themselves having to transition to Distance Learning almost overnight.  In this Bonus episode, Megan shares with us the obstacles she faced in the transition, and how she returned to one of her favorite tech tools in her toolbelt, Seesaw, to help her with her students.  Find out why this was the perfect fit once again.  If you haven’t listened to Episode 43 yet, make sure you listen to that one as well to hear how she used Seesaw in her classroom.   Megan Madden is a Bay Area native and enjoys learning, community, and creating new ways to engage and excite my students. She attended Saint Mary’s College of California and earned my B.A in English Literature and minored in Theatre Arts. She continued at Saint Mary’s and went on to earn my Multiple Subject Teaching Credential. Megan began her teaching career at a Montessori Elementary School in Pleasanton, CA where she learned the art of hands-on exploration and differentiation. She then transitioned into the traditional classroom and continued to teach at a Catholic School in the Oakland Diocese. Megan’s desire to continue offering my students a tailored learning experience and an environment prepared for learning and exploring and began incorporating technology in order to balance the needs of her students within the constraints of the traditional classroom. She enjoyed watching her students thrive in this blended learning environment and was inspired to go back to school to earn her Masters in 21st Century Learning and Technology from Brandman University. Megan has a passion for integrating technology into her pedagogy and hopes to inspire others to explore new ways to teach and make an impact on students everywhere.   Contact: Megan Madden Twitter: @MyAppyClassroom Email: [email protected] Megan Madden’s Seesaw Slidedeck (with QR code for a free Premium month): MM Seesaw Slidedeck Instagram:  MyAppyClassroom   Items mentioned in Episode 43 Bonus: Seesaw website Seesaw Twitter The First Days of School by Harry and Rosemary Wong   #remotelearning #distancelearning #nowlistening #podcastedu #seesaw #digitalportfolio #seesawchat   We would love to hear from you!  Let us know if you find our podcast helpful!  Is there technology out there that you would like us to cover in one of our episodes?  Contact us!   Email us  [email protected] [email protected]   If you enjoyed this episode, tell a friend, and SUBSCRIBE FOR FREE TO THE SHOW!  Please share this podcast with someone you think might benefit. What’s in your Tech Toolbelt? www.mytechtoolbelt.com Twitter: @mytechtoolbelt   Instagram: My Tech Toolbelt   You can listen to our podcast on: Apple Podcasts - My Tech Toolbelt Google Podcasts - My Tech Toolbelt Spotify - My Tech Toolbelt or listen here Music: http://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music  

MTT043| Seesaw in the Classroom - Megan Madden Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, we will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. It’s so great when each of your students have their own devices.  But what happens when you have 31 student projects on 31 devices?  It means a lot of time on the Teacher collecting, grading, distributing, and managing both the projects and the devices.  Join us today as we speak with Megan Madden, a 3rd Grade Teacher from California.  Megan shares with us why Seesaw works so well for her and her classroom.  Also, listen in to how much the parents love it as well.  One more thing, this episode will be a short series on Seesaw.  This is the “Seesaw in the Classroom” episode, our next one coming up will be “Seesaw with Distance Learning”, so be sure to subscribe to our podcast because you don’t want to miss that one! Megan Madden is a Bay Area native and enjoys learning, community, and creating new ways to engage and excite my students. She attended Saint Mary’s College of California and earned my B.A in English Literature and minored in Theatre Arts. She continued at Saint Mary’s and went on to earn my Multiple Subject Teaching Credential. Megan began her teaching career at a Montessori Elementary School in Pleasanton, CA where she learned the art of hands on exploration and differentiation. She then transitioned into the traditional classroom and continued to teach at a Catholic School in the Oakland Diocese. Megan’s desire to continue offering my students a tailored learning experience and an environment prepared for learning and exploring and began incorporating technology in order to balance the needs of her students within the constraints of the traditional classroom. She enjoyed watching her students thrive in this blended learning environment and was inspired to go back to school to earn her Masters in 21st Century Learning and Technology from Brandman University. Megan has a passion for integrating technology into her pedagogy and hopes to inspire others to explore new ways to teach and make an impact on students everywhere. Contact: Megan Madden Twitter: @MyAppyClassroom Email: [email protected] Megan Madden’s Seesaw Slidedeck (with QR code for a free Premium month): MM Seesaw Slidedeck Instagram:  MyAppyClassroom   Items mentioned in Episode 43: Seesaw website Seesaw Twitter The First Days of School by Harry and Rosemary Wong   #nowlistening #podcastedu #seesaw #ipad #ChromeBooks #Chrome #digitalportfolio #seesawchat We would love to hear from you!  Let us know if you find our podcast helpful!  Is there technology out there that you would like us to cover in one of our episodes?  Contact us! Email us  [email protected] [email protected]   If you enjoyed this episode, tell a friend, and SUBSCRIBE FOR FREE TO THE SHOW!  Please share this podcast with someone you think might benefit.   What’s in your Tech Toolbelt? www.mytechtoolbelt.com Twitter: @mytechtoolbelt   Instagram: My Tech Toolbelt   You can listen to our podcast on: Apple Podcasts Google Play Music Spotify or listen here Music: http://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music

MTT042| Creating with Chrome - Ryan O’Donnell Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, we will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. Are you at a school with a lot of Chrome Books?  How are you using them? Are your students consumers or creators?  Wouldn’t it be great if you could turn on your student’s creative side and see where it would lead them?  Join us today as we speak with Ryan O’Donnell, a high school Video Production teacher from California. He shares with us so many creative ways to have your students Creating with Chrome in no time.  And just wait until you check out his unbelievable templates that he is sharing with you!   Ryan O’Donnell is currently a Video Production teacher at Rocklin High School in Rocklin, California. Before teaching video, he was a TOSA and social studies teacher and has been in education for 20 years. Ryan’s passionate about professional development for teachers with a focus on using tools, techniques and strategies in order to help students become more engaged and connected. Along with being a full time teacher, he is a podcaster, co-hosting the ed tech podcast, "Check This Out" as well as a presenter at various workshops and conferences throughout the country. You can connect with Ryan and find all his resources on his website www.creativeedtech.com   Contact: Ryan O’Donnell Twitter: @creativeedtech Email: [email protected] Website: CreativeEdTech.com YouTube: Ryan O’Donnell  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCU3vw2FXs7n1eBOLHsUTm_g   Items mentioned in Episode 42: Check This Out Podcast Screencastify Camtasia Snag It Mike Rowe - Speaking to Congress video Carol Dweck Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell   #nowlistening #podcastedu #googleslides #ChromeBooks #Chrome We would love to hear from you!  Let us know if you find our podcast helpful!  Is there technology out there that you would like us to cover in one of our episodes?  Contact us! Email us  [email protected] [email protected]   If you enjoyed this episode, tell a friend, and SUBSCRIBE FOR FREE TO THE SHOW!  Please share this podcast with someone you think might benefit.   What’s in your Tech Toolbelt? www.mytechtoolbelt.com Twitter: @mytechtoolbelt   Instagram: My Tech Toolbelt   You can listen to our podcast on: Apple Podcasts Google Play Music Spotify or listen here Music: http://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music  

MTT041| Digital Design Strategies - Martin Cisneros Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, we will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. Wouldn’t it be great if you could customize information that you want to give your students so that every student could understand at their reading level?  What about being able to show websites to your class without pop-ups and advertisements? These are just a couple of the tech tools that are shared by our guest, Martin Cisneros. Martin Ricardo Cisneros (@TheTechProfe & TheTechProfe.com) is a Modern Learning Specialist, speaker, GeekDad, TechJedi, and SuperMariachi, from Silicon Valley! In his position at the Santa Clara County Office of Education (Innovation.sccoe.org), Martin develops and facilitates professional learning experiences on the most current educational trends to improve teaching and learning through innovative processes. He has developed many blended curricular programs some of which have been adopted by districts, universities, and others that have rolled out country-wide. Martin has experience teaching students and professionals at all levels including elementary, secondary, and higher education while working in the US, Canada, and Latin America.   Contact: Martin Cisneros Twitter: @TheTechProfe Email: [email protected] Website: TheTechProfe.com  LinkedIn: MartinCisneros   YouTube: TheTechProfe https://www.youtube.com/user/thetechprofe Additional Websites: innovations.sccoe.org & bit.ly/sccoebadges   Items mentioned in Episode 41: CUE Bold ISTE Mercury Reader Crafty184.com Resoomer SummarizeBot TLDR Smmry.com Google Translate DeepL.com Read&Write   ELL Teacher’s Toolbox by Larry Ferlazzo EduPprotocols by Marlena Hebern and Joe Corippo   #googleextension #googleslides #collaboration #CommonCore   We would love to hear from you!  Let us know if you find our podcast helpful!  Is there technology out there that you would like us to cover in one of our episodes?  Contact us   Email us  [email protected] [email protected]   If you enjoyed this episode, tell a friend, and SUBSCRIBE FOR FREE TO THE SHOW!  Please share this podcast with someone you think might benefit.   What’s in your Tech Toolbelt? www.mytechtoolbelt.com Twitter: @mytechtoolbelt   Instagram: My Tech Toolbelt   You can listen to our podcast on: Apple Podcasts Google Play Music Spotify or listen here Music: http://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music  

MTT040| Pear Deck, Creating Classroom Conversations - Kristan Morales Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, we will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. Imagine if you could engage every student in your class, every day. What if you could instantly see who’s confused and who’s ready for more? That’s the power of Pear Deck.  Join us as we speak with Kristan Morales and how she uses Pear Deck in her math classes to get responses from her students, either named or anonymously. Kristan Morales is a High School Math Teacher in Temecula, California.  Instructional Leadership Corps with CTA and Stanford, CTA Liaison to CA Math Council, Temecula Educators Association Instruction and Professional Development Chair, Southwest Riverside County Think Tank Facilitator for Institute for Teaching, CUE Conference Planning Committee and Volunteer Coordinator, CUE Rockstar Faculty.    Contact: Kristan Morales Twitter: @kristanmorales1 Kristan’s 3-Act Math presentation   Pear Deck is offering a Premium Access trial link to share with our listeners! Click the link below: http://bit.ly/2rfDfiL   Items mentioned in Episode 40: CUE Bold Pear Deck 3 Act Math Quizlet   The Growth Mindset by Annie Brock What’s Math Got to Do With It? by Jo Boaler EduPprotocols by Marlena Hebern and Joe Corippo Routines for Reasoning by Grace Kelemanik, Amy Lucenta and Susan Janssen Creighton Closeline Math by Chris Shore   #peardeck #googleslides #collaboration #RichMathTask #CommonCore   We would love to hear from you!  Let us know if this format is helpful to you!  Is there technology out there that you would like us to cover in one of our episodes?     Email us  [email protected] [email protected]   If you enjoyed this episode, tell a friend, and SUBSCRIBE FOR FREE TO THE SHOW!  Please share this podcast with someone you think might benefit.   What’s in your Tech Toolbelt? www.mytechtoolbelt.com Twitter: @mytechtoolbelt   Instagram: My Tech Toolbelt   You can listen to our podcast on: Apple Podcasts Google Play Music Spotify or listen here Music: http://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music  

MTT039| Empatico, Connecting Classrooms Around The World - Wendy Turner Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, we will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. Empatico gives teachers and students the tools they need to explore the world through experiences that spark curiosity, kindness, and empathy.  Empatico combines live video with activities designed to foster meaningful connections. Wendy Turner teaches 2nd grade at Mt. Pleasant Elementary School in Wilmington, Delaware in the USA. She is passionate about connecting learning in the classroom to the real world in all areas of study.  Deeply committed to social-emotional learning, she guides her students to embody respect, empathy, resilience, citizenship, and growth mindset through dynamic classroom experiences. She advocates for educating the whole child, trauma invested learning environments, equitable school breakfast practices and is committed to high quality science and STEM education. An associate with Education Hall, she provides professional development and training on social emotional learning and trauma invested learning environments. Wendy was named a Compassion Champion by the Governor’s office in 2019. She is the 2017 Delaware Teacher of the Year, a 2016 Presidential Awardee for Excellence in Teaching Science, and a 3 time Empatico Empathy Project Fellow. She is also a 2018 NEA Foundation Excellence in Education Award Recipient, a 2019 NEA Foundation Global Learning Fellow and a No Kid Hungry School Breakfast Fellow, Wendy is a regular contributor to education blogs and positive conversations about education on Twitter.  Contact: Wendy Turner Twitter: @mswendymturner Wendy Turner’s Delaware Teacher of the Year 2017 Facebook Page   Items mentioned in Episode 39: Schoolinka.ng Global Goals Rubber Bracelets Daniel Lubetsky NEA Foundation talk Rita Pierson TED Talk Fostering Resilient Learners by Kristin Souers and Pete Hall   We would love to hear from you!  Let us know if this format is helpful to you!  Is there technology out there that you would like us to cover in one of our episodes?   Email us  [email protected] [email protected]   If you enjoyed this episode, tell a friend, and SUBSCRIBE FOR FREE TO THE SHOW!  Please share this podcast with someone you think might benefit. What’s in your Tech Toolbelt? www.mytechtoolbelt.com Twitter: @mytechtoolbelt   Instagram: My Tech Toolbelt   You can listen to our podcast on: Apple Podcasts Google Play Music Spotify or listen here Music: http://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music