The Chalk Blog

If you have ever had the choice between something “basic” and….”tricked out,” you know the latter had more bells and whistles, the abilities to do more, resulting in an enhanced experience. For the purpose of this writing, the “basic” is the shiny new Chromebook as it arrived from the factory. Chrome Extensions add to the browser on a Chromebook to enhance your online navigation and personalize your experience!  

I’m one of many parents who, during this “new normal,” has children (ages 9 and 6) who currently interact with their screens more than with each other or their parents. My husband and I have full time jobs, so distraction doesn’t bode well while we are working at home. We’re also former educators, so we know enough of the science and recommendations around “screen time” to understand what is happening with our kids. 

And we don’t like it one bit. 

If you are reading this, you might be in our frustrating position, and like us, you may have just needed to bite the bullet and free the children to go into the abyss of screen time and the Internet. To soften the blow, allow me to share a few insights I’ve learned over the years about the idea of “screen time.” 

Greetings from your Learners Edge Curriculum and Instruction Team! 

We’ve been scouring the web to find relevant and meaningful resources teachers can use to interact and connect with students. 

A free video conferencing platform is one of those *must have* tech tools for your online teaching toolbox! It makes teaching whole classes, small groups and individuals less of a chore, and once you get the hang of it you can reap the rewards of a better connected, equally supported classroom of learners! Watch the video below so we can walk you through our tips!

Our children have been looking pretty zombie-ish over the last few weeks, so my husband and I set up a video chat with a friend for each of them and stepped back to watch. Our kids’ mood quickly became animated as they ran around laughing and giggling with their friends. They shared what they were eating, their destroyed rooms, and made unseemly noises at one another trying to make each other laugh with – let’s call it “juvenile humor.” They had a blast. 

Video conferencing is not a mystery to organizations who have been interacting in this way for years, and it’s second nature for students and teachers in a virtual school setting. However, many of our students are learning for the first time how to interact with one another over video, sprouting a need for some guidelines and etiquette for this new-to-many platform. We can help!

Introducing Our New ISTE Approved EdTech Courses!

Technology changes in the blink of an eye so keeping up can be challenging! With a seemingly constant flow of new apps, programs, devices, and strategies to wade through, teachers often settle for what’s most comfortable and easy-- low tech or no tech! To help you navigate the waters, our writing team at Learners Edge has developed 5 brand new, top-notch courses for better tech integration. We’ve sifted through the latest in edtech research, and searched for the best resources to provide just what you need for continued professional learning in tech integration. So without further ado, here they are! 

Become a Pro in G Suite!

Known as the “swiss army knife of Google tools,” Slides is the most versatile application in the G Suite. In addition to presentations, slide decks can be collaborative spaces for learning, interactive lessons, or even a digital notebooks. The possibilities are endless!  

We’ve put together a list of our favorite hacks to help you get the most out of this “anything is possible platform,” including video tutorials to amp up your teaching with Google Slides. 

Tech Tip Countdown

Get your party favors ready, people! With 2020 fast approaching, it’s time to countdown our favorite tech tips of the year. We've combed the web, visited the best tech conferences, and sifted through edtech Twitter for the newest, most valuable tools to use in your classroom. We’ve gathered all of our findings together in one handy list to inspire your most innovative, tech-infused lessons in the new year.