Podcast Spotlight: Unpacking Education

I recently had the pleasure to be a guest on the "Unpacking Education" podcast from AVID.

Anyone who knows me, knows how much I love podcasts and am always mentioning something new I learned from one of them, so I was super excited to get to join an episode of this podcast.

The podcast is hosted by Paul Beckermann, Rena Clark, and Dr. Winston Benjamin and is described as follows:

If it relates to education and matters to you, we're talking about it on our podcasts. Unpacking Education shares in-depth conversations each Wednesday on timely topics with guests who share their expertise and experience-from teaching strategies, to educational technology, to equitable access to future-driven skills for all students.

I had a wonderful time chatting with the team about generative AI and how it can be used in K–12 classrooms, with specific examples of AI tools to try and practical classroom activities that can make a real impact with students.

Take a look below to listen to the episode, access the resources that I shared in the episode, and explore more about the podcast.

Recorded Webinar - Google Gemini for Education

I recently had the opportunity to record a webinar for a deep dive into Gemini, which is Google's AI chatbot.

You are probably familiar with ChatGPT, which is an excellent chatbot, but Google Gemini is a great tool as well. Google has long been a pioneer in artificial intelligence, and they have continued to improve and expand Gemini over the last couple years.

If you have not tried out Gemini yet, now is a great time. It is a powerful AI tool that offers unique features including:

• Built-in fact checking with the "double-check" feature
• Data protections when used with a school account
• Free unlimited use
• And more!

See below for my 45-minute recorded webinar and session resources all about Gemini.

My 2025 OETC Sessions

I am excited and honored to be presenting at the 2025 Ohio Educational Technology Conference (OETC25) in Columbus, Ohio on February 11th through 13th.

I always look forward to an opportunity to see old friends, make new friends, share some ideas, and learn so many new things from others.

You can access more OETC25 information and register for the conference at:

• https://oetc.ohio.gov/

Below is a list of sessions I will be presenting at OETC25, along with any associated resources. Please feel free to join me for any of these sessions. I look forward to sharing, learning, and chatting with you!

EdTech Links of the Week - 11-12-24

Each week I keep an eye out for the latest edtech resources through blogs, social media, podcasts, videos, user groups, and more. I then try to reshare these resources in many ways.

One way I share these is here on the blog in these "EdTech Links of the Week" posts. See below to explore the latest batch of resources, and be sure to share with others who may benefit.

If you want to make sure you don't miss new resources, you can:

🔗 View all EdTech Links of the Week: bit.ly/caa-links

📰 Sign up for my weekly email newsletter: bit.ly/curts-news
📧 Join the "Control Alt Achieve" email discussion group: bit.ly/caa-emailgroup

🔔 Get new blog posts automatically through email - FollowIt link

And as always, please let me know of any resources that you recommend. I would love to learn from you!

Build a "What I Am Thankful For" Turkey with Google Slides

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, now is a great time for all of us to pause and think about what we are thankful for.

To help out with this I have created a Google Slides activity for your students. With this template your students will build a turkey where each of the feathers will display things that the student is thankful for.

Optionally the students can also use the Mote Chrome extension to record themselves explaining what they are thankful for, and adding that audio to their digital turkey.

See below to get your free copy of the "What I Am Thankful For" Turkey template, as well as a short video and detailed directions on how to use it.

Super Tutor: AI to Support all Learners

Artificial intelligence is a powerful tool for teaching and learning. One of the most beneficial uses is for supporting students. 

It has been said that with AI it is like every learner can now have their own 24-hour personal tutor.

I recently recorded a 47-minute training video for an updated version of my session "Super Tutor: AI to Support all Learners".

In this session we explore ways AI can assist educators as they are helping students, as well as ways for students to use AI directly to get individualized support. Tools explored include MagicSchool AI, Khanmigo, Brisk Teaching, Diffit, SchoolAI, AI chatbots, and many more.

See below for the recorded video and session resources. And be sure to share your suggestions for AI tools and uses. I am excited to learn with you!

Podcast Spotlight: ShiftED Podcast

I recently had the pleasure to be a guest on the "ShiftED Podcast" from LEARN.

Anyone who knows me, knows how much I love podcasts and am always mentioning something new I learned from one of them, so I was super excited to get to join an episode of this podcast.

The podcast is hosted by Chris Colley from LEARN (Leading English Education and Resource Network) and is described as follows:

…a show that highlights the work of innovative educators with their students as well as the services that LEARN offers to support learning in the English milieu. The show is a part of our core mission of supporting the English education community in Quebec.

I had a wonderful time chatting with Chris about my journey in education and technology, how to help educators adopt technology, balancing technology and life, preparing students for their futures, the ABC's of AI, creative uses of AI, how to find the best EdTech resources, and more!

Take a look below to listen to the episode, access the resources that I shared in the episode, and explore more about the podcast.