Hi Everyone -  I will be taking an extended break from the blog.  My current workload and new responsibilities as a father have left me with not enough time to devote to the site.  I hope things balance back out in the future, but currently, I will be on break from the site until further notice.  In the meantime, our good friends over at edCircuit will be taking over the site and sharing some excellent posts and resources each week!  So even though I'll be on break, we will still be sharing new material on a regular basis.  Thanks for understanding, Mike ..read more

Genial.ly is a presentation creation platform that offers a wide range of possibilities for what teachers and students can create.  From excellent templates to interactive visuals, there are some really fun and exciting ways to easily create visuals of all kinds.  Plus, it’s a freemium resource, so teachers and students can get started creating completely for free ..read more

ClassroomAPP is a single platform that combines all the digital tools a teacher could need to provide online or in-person instruction.  This means that not only can ClassroomAPP act as an LMS, but it can also serve as a testing platform, a video conferencing platform, a place to monitor student devices, a source of reports and analytics, and a whole lot more.  Essentially, any digital task a teacher might need to perform can be achieved within ClassroomAPP.  ..read more

Hi Everyone - My partner Pamela and I just had our first kiddo!  So I will be taking a break from the blog until this summer.  In the meantime, I hope you and your loved ones are all able to stay safe and healthy with everything going on these days!  Best of luck wrapping up the school year in what are likely less than ideal settings, and the site will be back this summer! -Mike ..read more

By: Kristi Shaffer In today’s digital learning environment, technology is a valuable tool to complement good instructional strategies. However, students still need to be taught how to use technology effectively and how to be good digital citizens. To better meet these goals, we made the switch two years ago from a 1:1 iPad program to a 1:1 Macbook Air program, a transition that required extensive training and support for our faculty and staff. ​In addition to supporting teachers with their new devices, I help identify their technology needs, suggest resources, and facilitate implementation ..read more

InferCabulary is a web-based, visual vocabulary and reasoning program that helps students use critical thinking to learn the nuanced meanings of vocabulary.  The program can be used on any web-enabled device, and can be used by all K-12 students. InferCabulary can be integrated at the individual, small group, or whole class level.  ..read more

inquirED offers an online, K-6, inquiry-based social studies curriculum.  The curriculum is aligned with the C3 Framework, as well as the Common Core ELA standards, 21st Century Skills, and CASEL competencies.  Included with the curriculum are a wonderful collection of professional development (PD) resources that are designed to help teachers make the shift towards incorporating inquiry-based learning in their classrooms.  Overall, inquirED offers an excellent curriculum that helps support the development of problem-solving, critical thinking, and presentation skills, whi ..read more

Showcase is a free resource where students can create completely student-driven and student-owned portfolios.  It’s not meant to serve as a site where teachers can create assignments or submit grades, rather, it’s a place where students can pull together and showcase the work they are proud of from their K-12 careers. Students can share their portfolios with whoever they would like, including teachers, family members, colleges, and future employers. ​Overall, Showcase is an excellent resource that gives students control and autonomy over what they want to share and with whom ..read more

SPIKE™ Prime from LEGO® Education is an intuitive, scalable, and highly adaptable STEAM learning solution for students in grades 6-8.  SPIKE™ Prime combines LEGO bricks and building elements with intelligent hardware and a drag-and-drop coding interface based on Scratch to engage students through playful learning and complex problem solving. ​The bricks and building elements work in conjunction with the LEGO® Education SPIKE™ App, which allows students to program their creations in a wide variety of ways.  Overall, LEGO Education SPIKE™ Prime is an exciting and well-designed ..read more

Kano is an education technology company that offers teachers and students a variety of ways to learn about computers, computer science, technology, and coding.  For example, they have their Kano PC which allows students to build and customize a PC for themselves, while learning to code along the way.  Kano also offers a variety of coding kits, like the Disney Frozen 2 Kit, the Harry Potter Coding Kit, and the focus of this review - their Star Wars the Force Coding Kit.  ..read more