Here's your #EdTechTidBits for the week of April 21, 2015. This list is dedicated to #MakerEd. I found two new apps, a Disney article, a robotics competition to the moon, and a repository of maker projects!AutoDesk 123D's TinkerPlay for Mobile DevicesAutoDesk 123D, the maker of other great free apps for 3D design, such as Tinkercad and 123D Design, have released a new free app called TinkerPlay for iOS, Android, and Windows devices. TinkerPlay lets you 3D design your own moveable action figures and then you can download the files and print it on a 3D printer. It's very simple to use by just dragging and dropping a variety of body parts and "snapping" them together to create your figure. You can customize the background and the colors as well.Printing the head of my action figure.If your students have written an imaginative and detailed story, let them 3D design and print the characters to reenact the scenes! With so many body parts and accessories to choose from, your students have endless creative potential! I've begun printing my own, and I had a lot of fun designing it myself!Finished 3D printed head. Now I just have to print the rest!Makerbot Printshop for the iPadThe Makerbot company, sellers of the Makerbot 3D printers, released a free iPad app called Makerbot Printshop. With this app, you can easily create 3D text, bracelets, rings, and it will even transform a drawing into a 3D shape! You can then wirelessly send it to a Makerbot 3D printer. You can explore and print from a gallery of other user generated content, and you can save your own designs to the cloud and access them via the Makerbot Desktop application.Snap a photo of a drawing & transform it intoa 3D object.Example of a my drawing converted to 3D.Create 3D text!Disney Experiments with 3D Printing in FabricThe Disney Research division has been playing around with the idea of 3D printing soft, deformable objects with layers of plain, off-the-shelf fabric. I first got word of this through Make: on this Google+ post and this article. Here is the original publication and a YouTube video from the DisneyResearchHub YouTube channel showing the process in action. The implications of such a process are interesting to consider and create opportunities for a variety of new soft toys & objects.Join the Google Moonbots Lunar XPRIZE Challenge!The Google Lunar XPRIZE Challenge recently announced the Moonbots Challenge for students ages 8 - 17! Students can form teams of 2 to 4 to participate in an online international competition. The task is to design, create, and program a robot that can rove & navigate on the moon's surface. The rules, dates, prizes, FAQ, and more can be found on the website.Share Those #MakerEd Projects with MIT's "Build in Progress"Fellow Hawaii educator, +Justin Lai, recently shared (via our Google+ Community: STEMLink Hawaii, please join!) a great online project repository space by MIT called Build in Progress.What I appreciate the most about Build in Progress is that the purpose is to share the process of the project (not just the final product and the instructions). When you submit your project, you create a tree map of the process. You can include research gathered, prototypes, successes & failures, instructions, and final products. They also have an Android app!An example  of the process of a project.From research to final presentation.The next time you assign a project for your students, have them upload their entire process to Build in Progress. They could upload along the way or at the very end of the project. Give them a space and a platform to share what they've learned and created with the world!Thanks for checking out this edition of #EdTechTidBits of the Week! See you next week!Do you have any #MakerEd resources to share? Add them in the comments below!

Here are your #EdTechTidBits for the week of April 27, 2015! A new programming app for the iPad, an educational game to teach Digital Citizenship, a Google Glass update, a lesson in reading the fine print, and a new Chrome extension. Read on!Tickle for the iPadTickle for the iPad was officially released back in March and has had a few updates since then. Tickle is an app for the iPad that allows you to create Scratch like programs to control your robotic toys such as drones, Sphero, and your Philips Hue wireless light bulbs. You can also just create fun interactive programs. They have four free courses that you can access through the app to get started. Tickle is FREE for iPad users and would make a great addition to any programming class, makerspace, or any other classroom for that matter.Digital Compass by Common Sense MediaDigital Compass is Common Sense Media's second educational game (it's first was Digital Passport). The goal of Digital Compass is to teach students about the consequences of their online decisions. Players can choose from eight different characters, each with their own "digital dilemma" in a choose-your-own-adventure format. The game includes a total of 9 endings, 23 decisions, and 32 paths which equates to 50 possible combinations. What I appreciate most about this game is that students do have the option to make bad decisions, but they learn the negative consequences of those decisions in the end and then they have access to a fun mini game to reinforce the learning. There is a free web-based version, Edmodo app, and iPad app (with Android coming soon!).New Google Glass PatentLatest Google Glass Patent Shows What The Next Version Of Glass Might Be… http://t.co/GhR4bfOker #Android #Google pic.twitter.com/qP8V10cK1o— Android Headlines (@Androidheadline) April 22, 2015A few weeks ago I happened across Android Headlines tweet and article concerning a new Google Glass patent. Seems that the +Google Glass team might be looking to make some functional improvements to the device. I've been using and sharing a pair of the original Google Glasses for my school since March 2014 and continue to use it with students during events and projects. There is a great community of educators on Google+ that are sharing their efforts with Google Glass. Many thought that Google Glass had died, but its only just begun! The Google Glass Explorers program was merely a beta test.Read the Fine Print for Microsoft's How-Old.net AppWere you recently suckered in to using that really cool new viral app called How-Old.net? So were A LOT of other people and you probably still see their images as you scroll through your Facebook feed. But, this app provides a good lesson in reading the fine print and what motives lay behind the intent of an app. An article surfaced recently about the terms of service for How-Old.net which is owned by Microsoft Azure and there seems to be some contradiction in the site and the terms. If you visit the site, you'll see this clearly displayed on the homepage:So, if you don't keep it then how are you able to copy,distribute, reproduce and edit it for you own business gains?However, if you read the terms of service, it clearly states that although they don't claim ownership of your images, they do have the right to "copy, distribute, transmit, publicly display, publicly perform, reproduce, edit, translate, and reformat your Submission; to publish your name in connection with your Submission; and to sublicense such rights to any supplier of the Website Services." This seems to contradict the message on the site that states "We don't keep the photo."Located in section Materials Posted on this Website, last paragraph.I think this offers a great opportunity to speak with your students about the importance of reading those Terms of Service & Privacy Policies. This also lends itself to a deeper discussion about the hidden reasons and personal gain these apps offer for big businesses like Microsoft.Password Alert, a New Chrome Extension by Google Google recently released a brand new Chrome browser extension called Password Alert. Sometimes it can be very difficult to tell the difference between a phishing scam and a real website, so Google wants to help. This extension will warn you if are about to enter your Google account information into a possible phishing site. The extension is not storing your username and password for itself. Instead it is checking the website to determine if it is valid and legitimate.If it determines that you did indeed enter your information into a bad website, it will give you the option to immediately reset your password. This extension for Chrome provides another great step in protecting your identity and personal information.Thanks for checking out this edition of #EdTechTidBits of the Week! See you next week!Do you have any #EdTechTidBits to share? Add them in the comments below or use the hashtag!

Several things have led to me actually writing a blog post.  First, I’m home for two whole weeks straight (this alone is a small miracle).  I’m also relatively up to date with my inbox and to do list (much larger miracles). I’m also indulging in some productive procrastination (which is probably the real reason). Anyway, I typically keep a list of resources when I teach the ATD (ASTD) Advanced Instructional Design for Elearning Certificate, and I keep thinking that I should put the list somewhere.  So here it is: Blogs et al: Cathy Moore — her blog and The Elearning Blueprint Tom Kuhlmann’s Rapid Elearning Blog and Articulate’s Elearning Heroes Community Connie Malamed’s Elearning Coach Website Dan Meyer on Math, Being Less Helpful, and how to teach problem solving Presentations Bryan Chapman’s How Long Does It Take To Create Learning presentation? Stephen Anderson’s presentations Stop Doing What You Are Told and From Paths to Sandboxes Anything Sebastian Deterding says about Gamification Usability.gov and Section508.gov (though the 508 folks could use some help from the usability folks) Software Tools: Branchtrack and Versal  - two interesting new elearning tools — can’t fully endorse them as they are still beta-ish, but interesting to look at. Quandary Examples - a free (and unsupported) tool for making branched learning games. Research-based Resources Ruth Clark’s Elearning and the Science of Instruction Will Thalheimer’s Research Reports Art Kohn’s 2+2+2 method in Learning Solutions Magazine The Research for Practitioners Series at Learning Solutions Science Daily’s Mind & Brain feed Behavioral Economics Nudge Predictably Irrational  Thinking Fast and Slow Daniel Kahneman and Nassim Taleb discussing Anti-fragility Books John Medina’s Brain Rules Daniel Pink’s Drive James Paul Gee’s What Video Games Have to Teach Us About Learning and Literacy Jesse Schell’s Art of Game Design Steve Krug’s Don’t Make Me Think Reuben Tozmans’ Learning On Demand Chad Udell’s Learning Everywhere Kristina Halvorson’s Content Strategy for the Web Roy Baumeister’s Willpower David Rock’s Your Brain At Work Alfie Kohn’s Punished By Rewards Everett Roger’s Diffusion of Innovation Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi’s Flow Jane Bozarth’s Show Your Work Peter Brown et al’s Make It Stick Jonathan Haidt’s Happiness Hypothesis Robert Brinkerhoff’s Success Case Model Anything by Kathy Sierra Creating Passionate Users Blog Excellent Podcasts on Motivation, Self-Determination Theory and Behaviorism Building The Minimum Badass User Presentation SeriousPony.com  The Head First Formula  The "I can’t believe I forgot…" Add-ons The Design of Everyday Things by Don Norman    

Starting May 5, 2015, Google Apps for Education accounts should start to receive the recently announced Google Photos in their Google Drive for iOS, Android, the web. Now teachers and students can easily back up their photos and videos to Drive! Read on for an explanation of this new feature and some practical classroom uses.Back on March 30, 2015 the +Google Drive blog announced Google Photos for Drive. If you use the Google+ mobile app, then you may already be familiar with the option to automatically back up your photos and videos to Google+. With Google Photos, you can now automatically back up your videos and photos to a folder in Google Drive, but until today it was only available for personal Google accounts. Now +Google for Education accounts have access to Google Photos as well!Google Photos will automatically appear in your Drive when its ready. And you'll see it in the Google Drive mobile app for iOS and Android as well, without the need for an app update.Setting Up Google PhotosThere are a few things you need to do in the beginning to really put Google Photos to work.Turn on the Google Photos folder from the Settings menu in Google Drive for the web.Google Photos settings from the iOS app.First, you'll want to turn on the option to have a Google Photos folder. The folder will also contain your backed up photos & videos (same as Google Photos in the side bar), but the folder allows you to further organize your media into sub folders. You can turn on this folder from the Settings on the web or in the mobile app.On your mobile device you can also turn on Auto Backup and Full Size Backups. I recommend sticking to Wi-Fi only so you don't kill your mobile data plan.From my experience, only one Google account will back up media from you mobile device. If you have several accounts connected, you can only choose one primary account for the back up.The Benefits for Teachers & Students1. Students can organize their Google Photos folder into sub folders and those sub folders can be shared with other teachers and peers, depending on the class and the purpose. Students can take photos or screenshots on their mobile device, have it automatically backed up to Google Photos and then they can organize those images into sub folders, based on subject, class, or projects groups. And each folder can have specific share permissions with the teacher and/or other students. This is a quick and easy way to set up ePortfolios.Students can have a shared folder for a project and they can move any backed up project images into that folder for everyone to use.Have your students create a subfolder for your class (named "subject - name", and whenever an image or video related to your class is backed up, they can immediately move it into that folder. You will always have access to student work this way!Have students create sub folders based on subject, class, or project groups.2. If space is becoming an issue with students and their tablets, then the culprit might be their excessive use of selfies. If students have Auto Backup turned on, then they can remove the photos from their device as soon as it is backed up to Google Drive. Those images and videos can be downloaded back on to the device later on if needed for a project or assignment.3. Did you know that all Google Apps for Education accounts have UNLIMITED storage in Google Drive? So it's not going to hurt your student's storage space to have all those photos and videos backed up to Drive.Give Google Photos a try on your device first. Everything that is backed up is kept private until you decide to share it. And if you need any assistance, check out the help center!

The best new learning book doesn’t exactly look like a learning book, but trust me on this one, folks.   As I may have mentioned a few times in the past, Kathy Sierra’s stuff is FANTASTIC and this new book is no exception. I realize that nothing on the cover says "Learning & Development" exactly, but the mission of the title goes right to the heart of the whole purpose of L&D. Specifically, though, this is one of the best accessible books out there that translates the science of expertise and skill development into compulsively readable material:   - images from Badass, used with permission I read a review copy a few months ago, and have been stupid excited with anticipation of the book actually coming out. You can buy it here (and you should).    

The Google Classroom mobile app for Android and iOS received 4 desperately needed updates today, all for the teachers! Continue reading for complete details and break downs of the new features and access to my FREE student and teacher guides for the iPad app (updated today!).Information from the iOS Update.Teachers Can Create & Edit AssignmentsNow any teacher that is part of a Classroom has the ability to create and edit Assignments in the mobile app. This feature was missing from the initial release of the app but greatly needed!Teachers can View, Grade, & Return Student WorkSome other much needed features for teachers missing from the mobile app were the options to have complete access to assignments, including the option to view student work files, provide grades, and then return the work. Now you can!Co-Teachers Now Have Mobile App AccessWhen co-teacher support was added on April 21, 2015, it was only available for the web version of Google Classroom. Co-teachers weren't able to access shared Classes via the mobile app. That featured has also been added. Now the primary teacher and any co-teachers can access all of their Classrooms through the app, and co-teachers have full access to those shared Classes as well (accept for the ability to delete and archive).Teachers & Students Can Use the Private Comment ThreadThe private comment thread that the teacher and students have access to within Assignments can be very helpful for communicating, but this was not available within the app as well, until today! Now, included in the update is the ability to view and add comments to the Private Comment thread for individual students.If you and your students use the iPad to access Google Classroom, please check out my FREE Google Classroom iPad App User Guides for both teachers and students! These guides have also just been updated to include to the new features. (Original blog post)Google Classroom iPad App User Guide for TeachersGoogle Classroom iPad App User Guide for Students

Hey folks, I’ve got another book to share. Connie Malamed is a lovely friend and colleague who has done quite a bit on visual design (including Visual Language for Designers), and now she has a new book written specifically for Learning Professionals: Visual design isn’t the first important skill an instructional designer needs, but it may be the second or third one.  Even if you are fortunate enough to work with a graphic designer, having a good visual sense allows you to communicate design needs much more effectively. Connie’s book does a great job of giving people the basics of a visual vocabulary:  I got particularly excited over the first explanation of the Rule of Thirds that I actually understood: Visual Design Solutions: Principles and Creative Inspiration for Learning Professionals Paperback - April 13, 2015 by Connie Malamed (available in all the usual places).  

There was another great week of #EdTechTidBits! Continuing reading for a new Computer Science for grades 4-8, resources on DIY PD, a way to build digital LEGO models, and an inspiring TEDx talk! Start a Google CS First Club at Your School this Summer!Back in April, +Suan Yeo announced a new Computer Science program offered by Google, called CS First.CS First is a free programming club for students in grades 4 - 8. It currently includes 8 different theme based club choices (from Fashion & Design, to Game Design, and even Sports).Teachers can sign up to host a CS First Club at their school or in their community and receive free printed materials. There is a built in dashboard that allows the teacher to track student progress. The set up is very easy and includes scheduling, technology checklists, and a way to inform your volunteers.If you're looking for a fun and engaging summer school or after summer school option, try a Google CS First Club!Start your first CS First Club!DIY Professional Development Roundup by EdutopiaI came across a great Edutopia article that was recently updated in April. It's a roundup of links and resources all about the DIY Professional Development movement. On demand and do-it-yourself PD has been on the rise, and this collection of resources is a great place to get started! Everything from unconferences, to social media, and growing your PLN. DIY PD allows you learn what you want, when you want it, wherever you want it. Who can argue with that?Build Lego Creations Digitally with Lego Digital DesignerMy favorite activity as a child was building with legos. I not only enjoyed building the box models, but I spent hours creating new things from my wild imagination!Now that we are deep into the digital age, what if we could construct lego models digitally? Well, apparently you can, and I had no idea until now! I introduce you to the Lego Digital Designer application.The app is available for FREE from LEGO.com! You can literally build anything you want with practically any lego piece in any color. You can print or export your creations when you're finished! And you can even print a building instruction guide to give to your friends! What I also like about this is you can even build with Lego Mindstorms, so if you use the kits in class or have a lego robotics team, this might be a great starting point before the actual construction phase.Inspire Your Students to be Makers & InventorsHere is an inspiring TEDx talk by 15-year-old inventor, Chase Lewis. He has invented two life-saving devices and wants to convey to everyone young and old that we are ALL inventors. You just have to have an idea and a passion to create.Thanks for checking out this edition of #EdTechTidBits of the Week! See you next week!Do you have any #EdTechTidBits to share? Add them in the comments below or use the hashtag.

Have you checked the Google Docs Add-ons lately? New ones get added quite often, but there's no easy way of knowing, other than checking frequently on your own. Well, unless you read my blog! I came across this interesting Add-on just the other day, and it has some great uses for the classroom. Continue reading to learn more about the Keywords Add-on for Google Docs.Keywords was created by Jarope GAS Dev (who also created Pupil Pref). This add-on allows you to create keyword lists and then display those lists in a side panel next to your Google document. The keywords can also contain descriptions or definitions.Add the Keywords add-on to your Google Doc.Watch: How to Use the Keywords Add-onKeywords creates a spreadsheet for you. Set up the list for your students or invite them to edit and collaborate on the spreadsheet together.The keywords & descriptions will displayon the side of your Google Doc.Classroom UsesStart a list of keywords for a research project. Invite the student to add to the list as they continue their research.Create a vocabulary list during a unit. Students can use their Google Doc to define, draw examples, and so on.The teacher doesn't have to be the only one to create a keyword list. Let students create their own during a project. They can share the list with their project partners as well!Create a spelling list at the beginning of the week. Students can add what they learn about the words to their Google Doc throughout the week, and have a detailed study guide for their spelling test in the end.For easy sharing of the keywords spreadsheet, use Google Classroom! Attach the spreadsheet to an Assignment and give the students view or edit access. Or give them each their own copy so they can create their own keyword descriptions.Google Classroom is the easiest way to share your keywords spreadsheet with your students.What ideas do you have for the Keywords Add-on for Google Docs?

Chapter One An Introduction of ‘Pedagogues Pet’ So here we are. Or here I am. After a year of "wanting" to create and use a Blog for my teaching practice, I’ve finally got around to creating an account. Something that (frustratingly) took just a couple of minutes! The aim of this blog: to develop my practice by using it as a reflective tool. I’ve always

Welcome back for another #EdTechTidBits of the Week! From last week: Is there a problem with SAMR?, a new programming curriculum for K-6, make your own class badges, and a new app for LEGO Mindstorms!Article: "The problem with the SAMR model" +Eric Sheninger recently shared an interesting article by Trevor Shaw on the eSchool News website. The article is titled "The problem with the SAMR model" and it grabbed my attention immediately, as I am strong advocate for the SAMR model. If you're not familiar with the SAMR model, it was originally created by Dr. Ruben Peuntedura, who speaks and blogs about it at his weblog. The model is a tool for evaluating the integration of technology in the classroom. The gist of the article basically states three concerns: the definitions of the model can be a bit sticky, there is sometimes confusion over whether redefintion is the end goal, and a lack of focus on the learning goals. When I speak to educators about the SAMR model, and I too find myself having to clear up these misconceptions and concerns. But I still stand by the model as an effectives method of self-evaluation and reflection.Resource: New Programming Curriculum by KodableThe developers of the Kodable programming game for the computer, web, and iOS (Android coming soon!) recently released an entire Common Core aligned programming curriculum for grades K-6. The curriculum contains 4 units: Sequence, Conditions, Loops, and Functions. Each unit includes a teaching guide, vocabulary, unplugged activities, and Kodable activities. If you sign up for a free teacher account you get the first two units for free and you can track your students' progress via the Kodable teacher dashboard. The rest of the curriculum requires you to sign up for a paid Kodable School account (quotes required for pricing).Tool: Makebadges(beta) by MakewavesMakebadges - the badge design tool for schools - by Makewaves http://t.co/L2TxDsWvVz pic.twitter.com/JW9AYIVrpR— Kasey Bell (@ShakeUpLearning) April 29, 2015+Kasey Bell sent out a tweet (@ShakeUpLearning) about a simple, free, web-based, badge maker called Makebadges (by Makewaves). Choose a shape, an icon, a border, and your colors, and easily download your badge to share with your students. If you're thinking of giving badges a try in your classroom, this is a quick and easy tool. You can even upload your own icon into the badge maker.App: LEGO Mindstorms EV3 for iOSAt the beginning of April, LEGO released a new iPad app for the Mindstorms EV3 kit. With the purchase of a kit & software, you get access to the iPad app, which allows you to create programs for your EV3, follow six tutorials that teach you how to build and program, and access Help and Teacher Support.Thanks for checking out this edition of #EdTechTidBits of the Week! See you next week!Do you have any #EdTechTidBits to share? Add them in the comments below or use the hashtag.

I have five different EdTechTidBits to share with you this week. Google has 88 things to teach you, powerful results from a parent survey on the "digital classroom", a blog post of Jaymes Dec's visit to my school's FabLab, another inspirational TEDx talk, and a call to join the Maker Ed cause! Read on!Resource: "88 things you didn't know you could do with Google"This great +Google resource was shared by +Kasey Bell on Google+, "88 things you didn't know you could do with Google". Get step-by-step, how-to directions on variety of apps, skills, and functions involving Google products and devices. For example, how to customize your Gmail inbox, or how to create a group calendar. You can filter the list by categories and products.Did you know you can get your very own Google Doodle on your birthday? Check it out!Survey Results: "Parents weight in on the digital classroom"I learned about the results of this important survey from +Pete Hansen. The survey, "Parent's Attitudes Towards Educational Technology" was conducted by Lieberman Research Worldwide on behalf of MarketPlace, which has been studying the impact of technology in education for the past year.Here is the full report in PDF and here is a handy infographic.A few of my own observations:According to parents, most school work is still conducted on a home device while at home.98% of parents say their students use technology for school work.Online research seems to be the most popular need for technology.80% of parents feel that tech that allows them to access more information about their child helps them feel more in control.Data privacy is still a major concern.Blog post: Jaymes Dec Visits 'Iolani SchoolBack in March, my school ('Iolani School) was fortunate enough to have +Jaymes Dec visit and provide teacher workshops and MakerEd support. Jaymes currently serves as the Fab Lab Integrator for Marymount School in NYC. I first met Jaymes at Constructing Modern Knowledge last summer (an awesome MakerEd unconference!). Jaymes visited our school for the entire week, participating in activities in our upper and lower school Fab Labs (yes, we have 2 Fab Labs!). He also provided some great workshops for teachers and a few maker activities for students.Jaymes recently blogged about his experience at 'Iolani School. Read his blog post.Jayme's Dec provided workshops for teachers andMaker lessons for students.Video: TEDx - The students who hacked STEM educationIf you're interested in the Maker Movement and STEM, watch this TEDx talk! +Tom Heck speaks about a computer science class that worked with a group of special needs children in their community to create interactive experiences using Makey Makey and other materials.Cause: Commit your school or district to Maker EducationYou only have a day left to commit (sorry!), but consider having your school or district take part in the Maker Education movement. Submissions will be compiled and sent to President Obama during the Week of Making, June 12 - 18. If you can't make the deadline (May 29th), the website is still full of resources and information! You can join the community, sign up for the newsletter, or check out the Resource Library.Thanks for checking out this edition of #EdTechTidBits of the Week! See you next week!Do you have any #EdTechTidBits to share? Add them in the comments below or use the hashtag.

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Here is another great Google Docs Add-on that can be very useful for teachers and students. Link Chooser makes it very easy and convenient to create links to other Google Dive files without having to leave your document.Link Chooser was created by Tarek Al-Ubaidi, and it simplifies a very time consuming process. Let's say you're working on a project with a group and you're using a Google document, but their are other project files that you want to access as well. You could create links to those other Drive files within your document, but it require the lengthy process of jumping back to Drive, accessing the file, copying the share link, and then returning to your document to create the link. That's just too many steps! Well, Tarek has created an Add-on that significantly reduces those steps all while never having to leave your document!Watch: How to use the Link Chooser Add-onLink Chooser opens a box over your doc and allows you toaccess your Google Drive files.Link Chooser will take the name of the Drive file, turn it into a handy link, and insert it into your document.Classroom UsesTeacher's can use this for grade level meetings, committee meetings, faculty meetings, and curriculum planning. If there are multiple files that need to be accessed, create a single document that links to them all.Students that are working on individual or group projects and have to manage multiple files can also create a single document that links to them all for easy project management.

 1. Purpose Games   This is a free website that can be used to create mock exams, labelling activities and other quick quizzes. My Purpose Games account! Why is it so good?   This is great for independent learning as well as fun classroom activities. I have been using this for an anatomy unit and it has been great in helping the students learn, but also creating a "buzz" in the

If you checked your updates for your iPad or iPhone, you might have noticed an update for Google Drive was released today. The new Material Design has rearranged some of the features. Read on for screenshots and a break down.The most important part of this update is the Material Design change, which brings some major usability changes. The other Google apps (Docs, Sheets, and Slides) were already updated with Material Design, so Google Drive completes the set.See the screenshots below for a look at the new Material Design interface:Notice the red circle with the white "+" in the bottom right corner.Tapping the red circle allows you to create, upload from Camera Roll, or snap a photo or video with the camera.Choosing the "Upload" option gives you access to "Photos and Videos" and the iCloud Drive.The update also promises faster syncing and image viewing, and improved scrolling performance.What do you think of Material Design?

My role as an Advanced Practitioner involves a lot of feedback, namely to other staff. A large part of my job requires me to go through this process (Staff, students, the guy that puts too much milk in my tea). Listening to this verbal reflection; what are you thoughts on the feedback process? How would you like to receive feedback after an observation? Could/should digital media be used

EdTechTidBits from last week include a vetted repository of student projects by the Harvard Graduate School of Education, Khan Academy's search for new talent, a brand new Chrome extension by Google, and an update for Goobric.Resource: Center for Student WorkEarlier in May, a new online resource of amazing student projects, writing assignments, and teacher resources was released through a partnership between the Hardvard Graduate School of Education and Expeditionary Learning, a K-12 nonprofit. All submissions are carefully reviewed and the process is very selective, but you can submit your own student projects to be included. You can also join the Ning community and subscribe to the newsletter. You search for student projects by applying filters for grade level and subject.Filter search results by grade level and subjects.Apply: Khan Academy Talent SearchThe Kahn Academy is looking for fresh new talent and excellent explainers! The talent search runs until June 21st and they're really interested in gathering videos for AP, intro college students, and grades K-2 early learners. If you're not familiar with Kahn Academy, they are a not-for-profit organization and their mission is to provide a free, world class education to anyone, anywhere. If you have a passion for teaching and you see value in sharing your knowledge with others, then submit your videos today!Tool: Google Tone Chrome Extension Have you heard of the new Chrome extension, Google Tone, created by Google? This extension has great potential for classrooms, conference sessions, workshops, and other face-to-face professional development. It utilizes your computer's microphone to send and receive websites to other users.For example, if I need to share a website with my class I can click the Google Tone icon and it will broadcast a special audio tone from my computer. If my students have the Chrome browser open and Tone installed as well, their Tone extension will listen for my broadcast, and if it hears it, it will load the same webpage that I'm on. This can be a quick and easy way to get all of your students on the same page!Thanks to +Pete Hansen for the reshare!Updates: Goobric Gets Libraries If you're a user of the Doctopus add-on and the Goobric Chrome extension, you'll like this new addition. A new Libraries option has been added to Goobric. Now, when you're ready to attach a Goobric rubric to a class assignment, you have the option to access Libraries, which are special Google Drive folders that can contain content specific rubrics. You can share these special folders with your grade level or teaching team, so that you all have access to the same rubrics. The added value to this new feature is that there are also Published Libraries, which contain high-quality rubrics created by well known educational agencies. Read more about this new feature here. And here's an in depth document on how to use Doctopus, Goobric, and the new Libraries feature.Thanks for checking out this edition of #EdTechTidBits of the Week! See you next week! Do you have any #EdTechTidBits to share? Add them in the comments below or use the hashtag.

I stumbled upon this nifty trick while my fingers were stumbling over my keyboard the other day. Here's an efficient way to check your Google+ notifications on the web.Use the arrows keys to navigate through your notifications quickly!So here is how it works:Open your Google+ notifications window.Click on any notification in the list to get started.Use the LEFT and RIGHT arrows keys to navigate up or down in the list. (the up & down arrows affect the scrolling)When you're finished, click the back arrow and it will clear all of the notifications that you viewed.Voila! That was quick!Try it for yourself!

The B.Y.O.D (Bring Your Own Device) Tsunami struck a little while ago in the e-learning world. The subsequent tidal wave is only just reaching some of us on the front line. The days of using the interactive white board and hoping that this would achieve the I.L.T requirements of the lesson are gone. Students will not all have the latest tablets, smart phones or e-readers. Some will have the

I tried something really basic in one of my lessons today. I used a Twitter # (#myfavcoach) as a formative assessment strategy. Things were going really well. Some of the group were late due to the bus so I asked others to crack on with the twitter task. It was perfect and I was becoming excited about what was going to happen with the results. Everyone finished and we started to look

The routine office countdown until Christmas was heard this week (14 weeks was the last count). And with teaching staff looking for quick, easy and productive ways to use technology I thought that I'd share some of the things you could implement in your own activities.  Personally, it's always good to try and use a new resource as often as you can. Yes, there will be one or two

Batman vs. Superman. Take That vs. East 17. Lampard vs. Gerrard. Some times in life there are things that are completely inseparable. Prezi vs. PowerPoint is a common debate in most educational settings today. Let us reflect on both. Firstly, let me get something off my chest; we should not be talking about presentations in education. We facilitate learning. It really does bug me when I

Let this play as you read...... When did you come down? When did you land? Have you done so yet? I know what you are thinking; this boys too young to be singing the blues. Well, guess what? We have problems in education. Problems that can tarnish the quality work you and I do every single day. There are some amongst our profession who do not care, plan and/or value teaching (any more).