2022 Tech Challenge Time!

Last year, I participated in a 10-week tech challenge hosted by the Google Educator Group of Michigan.  Some weeks I revisited forgotten tools, some weeks were a fun task with favorite tools, and some weeks brought me brand new tools!  This year's challenge sign-up closes on Friday, January 7 and I just signed up for the fun!

If you're interested in some ed tech fun, you may want to consider joining.  Here's the deets:

"Your challenge, if you choose to accept it, is to learn some helpful tech tools and earn awesome badges. Each week for 10 weeks I will post an easy and short tech challenge (some of which you might have already done before). Each challenge is posted with my "how-to" steps to help you succeed. 

• If you complete the challenge you will be awarded that challenge's badge to show off your awesomeness! 

• If you complete the challenge in the assigned week you will also earn a point to be added to the Leaderboard on the GEG Michigan Tech Challenge website (you will choose a username so others will not know who is in the competition if you want to remain secret)."

Check out the 2022 Tech Challenge website to see what it's all about.  If it sounds like something fun, join the GEG Michigan group and you'll get the link to sign-up!

It's organized by Jeremy Badiner, who, if you haven't seen present, you're going to want to check him out cause he always has fun and informative sessions!

//

What's that? A Wall?

Do you remember that old school dude that used to be on a wall?  His nose and his hands showing over the top of the wall?  

This wall is nothing like that.

This is Wordwall.  Wordwall is unlike any other wall around.

Wordwall is a website where you can create interactives - both printable and online versions!  Those interactives include a maze game reminiscent of Pac Man, Whack-a-mole, and the trusty quiz show, among others. You can create and print bingo boards, name wheels, sorts, quizzes, 14 different printables in the free version!  The free version of the online interactives gives you 18 different options!

What I like best is that you only have to do the data entry once.  By that I mean, you only have to enter the questions and answers, or vocabulary words and definitions one time.  Once you enter that, then you can decide which way to play!  And, if you're so inclined, they have a bunch of different examples you can play with, too!

This week, fourth grade had a tech tip review, and what did we use?  Wordwall!  The kids had three levels to work through, and each level had two ways to play.  After the kids were done playing, the teacher dashboard shows you who answered what, and how well they did.  It's such an engaging assessment, the kids don't even know they're being assessed.

The free version of Wordwall gives you the ability to create 5 different resources, that can be played online in 18 different ways, or printed in 14 different ways.  The standard version is $6 a month and you can create unlimited resources.  The pro version unlocks additional online interactives and printables.  (And as usual, annual plans are discounted over monthly payments!)  Did I mention that Wordwall is available in 26 different languages?  I was introduced to the platform by one of our Hebrew teachers!

If you're looking for an easy way to spice up some basics, pop on over to Wordwall.net and see what you can create!

FanGirl Friday: Nicholas Provenzano

Ever heard of Genius Hour?  Or 20-Time?  In a nutshell, it's the concept of giving students one day a week to work on any project of their choosing...  Such a novel idea - giving kids time, in school, to learn something they wanted to learn?  Wow.  Enter Nicholas Provenzano's 20-Time projects.  Projects his high school students experienced for a year.  The experience these kids had... made me wish I was a student in Mr. Provenzano's class!  If you have a little bit of time, you have to watch the culminating TEDx talks the kids did.  It will be well worth it.

Also known as The Nerdy Teacher, Nick is an incredible educator, innovator, and person.  In his blogs, Nick shares himself with such authenticity, it's hard not to be inspired. One of his posts that really landed with me was one about asking for help.  For some people, it's easy.  For others?  For me?  Ehhh, no.

Always love connecting
with Nick at MACUL!

The post that touched my heart?  This one.  As someone who has battled depression and anxiety and whatever since my early teens, I've always kept that part of me hidden, like a dark secret.  After reading Nick's post, I realized that I am not alone.  Shortly after reading the post, I spoke out publicly (read: FB world) about my depression for the first time.  And I haven't hidden it since.

In addition to being an incredible person, and educator, Nick is one of the founders of #EdCampDetroit (which is coming up in May if you want to register!)  He's also an author (check out his books!)  Lots of fun stuff on Nick's twitter feed, too!

Fangirl Friday: Tony Vincent

Tony Vincent.

He.  Is. Awesome.

Considering Tony had a 1:1 classroom 18 years ago, way back in 2001, I consider him one of the founders of the #EdTech movement.

A recent Instagram post -
click HERE for the details!

Back in 2001, Palm Pilot's were all the rage, and when they found their way into the education world, Tony was right there to jump in.  And while a lot of details are sketchy, cause it was so long ago, and I had just come out of student teaching, I love that I can say that Tony worked with my old school back in the day, helping to integrate 1:1 with our 4th and 5th grades!

Back then we were using AlphaSmarts and eMates.   Tony worked with the school to help integrate the dana, which was similar to an AlphaSmart but with Palm capabilities.  Tony did workshops with the students and teachers, helping them learn all the tips and tricks and uses for the 1:1 tech.  From there, it seems, things just took off and Tony hasn't looked back!

Tony offers online workshops (I took Classy Graphics a few summers back - it was awesome!) and is very active on Instagram and Twitter.  I highly suggest following him, as you'll get his Tech Tip Tuesday, which has been a great resource for adding little tech-bytes to your classroom!  He has shared so many great tips and tools that are now a regular part of my repertoire.

He is also an infographic master!  His infographics are so clear and easy to follow.  Add to that the webinars, and mini-videos he posts on his social media accounts and you will have access to some awesome bite sized PD!

Swing on over to Learning In Hand with Tony Vincent - you'll be glad you did!

A brief video from a few years
back - chock full of tips!

FanGirl Friday: Leslie Fisher

I am a geek and proud of it.  No, not a Star Wars geek or anything like that (though to those who are, you go!)  I am a tech geek.  More precisely, an EdTech geek.  And sometimes it reaches fangirl status.

If you are in the educational technology world, and you don't know Leslie Fisher, you are missing out.  Seriously.  Check out her website.  And if you can't make it to a conference or workshop where Leslie is presenting, sometimes she does these fantastic webinars.  If you can't find a webinar, follow her on twitter.  It will be well worth it!  From gadgets to Google.  From Adobe to Augmented Reality.  Learn with Leslie and you'll have tools you can use the next day!

Macul 2016

The first time I met Leslie was at the MACUL 2016.  It was the end of a long day, and I was walking by a ballroom where she was presenting to a standing-room only audience.  The room kept dissolving into oohs and aahhs every few minutes and I was curious.  I poked my head in, found a little piece of wall to claim, and listened.

And ooohed.  And aahhed.  And became intrigued.  And became a Twitter follower.  And lo and behold, became a fangirl.

Every year since then, I intentionally plan my MACUL schedule so that I can attend at least one of Leslie's sessions.  This year I'm totally stoked because I am going to a pre-conference session with her, where I'll get to spend three glorious hours soaking up Leslie's wisdom and learning about the Merge Cube (more on that another post!)

I. Can't. Wait!