Latest Industry Updates on Edtech and MetaTours
The 7 Cs of Effective Communication
In the realm of effective communication, understanding and implementing the ‘7 Cs’ can be a game changer. These seven principles serve as a reliable guideline to improve our communication skills, whether in our personal lives, professional environments, or even in our digital interactions.
These fundamental principles, known as the ‘7 Cs of Communication’, are: Clear, Concise, Concrete, Correct, Coherent, Complete, and Courteous. Each ‘C’ encapsulates a crucial aspect of communication, and together they provide a comprehensive framework for delivering effective messages.
It’s important to bear in mind, however, that the interpretation of the 7 Cs can […]
10 Best Websites that Offer Online Tutoring Jobs for Teachers
As an experienced teacher myself, I am well-versed with the ins and outs of online tutoring, including the different platforms available for this purpose. Over time, I have had the opportunity to explore, engage with, and evaluate a plethora of online tutoring platforms.
In this post, I’ve curated a selection of what I consider to be the best platforms for online tutoring available in the market right now. These online tutoring websites are especially ideal for finding side jobs for teachers.
In crafting this list of the best online tutoring jobs […]
Five Good Resources for Teaching and Learning About Copyright
In no particular order, here are some of my go-to resources for helping students and teachers understand the importance and the key concepts of copyright as it relates to school projects.
Stanford University Libraries
Stanford University Libraries offers the most comprehensive collection of resources about copyright and fair use that I know of. You could spend hours looking through all of the resources offered on the site. A few pages that teachers will find particularly useful are Charts and Tools, Academic and Educational Permissions, and Copyright FAQs.
Library of Congress – Copyright […]
How to Add Timestamps to Your YouTube Videos
When you’re publishing videos that are longer than five or six minutes on your YouTube channel it can be helpful to viewers to add some timestamps to the video’s description. Including timestamps in the description lets your viewers click to jump to an exact mark in the video. There are a couple of ways that you can do this and they’re both easy to do. In the video that is embedded below I demonstrate how add timestamps to the videos that you post on YouTube.
Video – How to Timestamp Your YouTube Videos
Applications for […]
Elon Musk’s Brain-chip Startup Approved by FDA for Testing on Humans
Neuralink, Elon Musk’s brain-machine interface (BMI) company, has announced that it has received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to conduct its first tests on humans. The company is developing minimally invasive brain chips which it hopes to use to restore vision and mobility for people with disabilities.
Neuralink says it doesn’t have immediate plans to recruit participants, however the FDA approval marks a significant step forward after a previous bid was rejected on safety grounds.
In March, Reuters reported the FDA’s major safety concerns involved the device’s lithium battery, the potential for the implant’s tiny wires […]
What Children Think of ChatGPT
Jason C. Yip is studying the reaction of students to ChatGPT and other AI technologies; often, they’re not particularly impressed.
Quest 3 Features Confirmed in First Hands-on
It seems Meta is looking to stoke some hype for its next Quest headset just days before Apple is slated to unveil its own, as Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman released Quest 3’s first hands-on, confirming a number of features from previous leaks in the process.
Gurman detailed a number of features in his hands-on with the upcoming mixed reality headset, saying that Quest 3 feels lighter and thinner than the Quest 2, featuring a stronger strap with fabric sides.
Like we’ve seen in previous renders, Quest 3 is said to feature three vertical “pill-shaped sensor areas” on […]
The Effects of Talking to Yourself
I spend a good deal of time talking to myself. I often do this while riding my bike. Sometimes I do it to motivate myself to get over a hill. Other times I do it because I’m puzzling through a problem and talking aloud to myself helps with that, I think. All that to say, TED-Ed has a new lesson all about the topic of talking to yourself.
Is It Normal to Talk to Yourself? is a lesson about why we talk to ourselves and the effects of talking to ourselves. The big take-aways […]
A Class for Teachers Who Want to Make More Money
My most popular Practical Ed Tech course this year is How to Create and Sell Your Digital Products in 2023. Now that summer is here (in the northern hemisphere) this is a great time to take the course if you haven’t already done so.
The format of this course is email-based. Starting with day you register, every week for four weeks you’ll get a new lesson delivered to your inbox. The lessons include written material, digital handouts, and video tutorials. You can work through the lessons on your pace and reply to […]
Best Voice Memo Apps for Teachers and Students
Voice memo apps have emerged as indispensable tools for both teachers and students. Whether it’s recording an inspiring lecture, making study notes on-the-go, collaborating on group projects, or providing verbal feedback, these apps can significantly enhance teaching and learning experiences. This article presents a curated list of the best voice memo apps that are transforming educational communication and helping teachers and students make the most of their academic journey.
1. Apple Voice Memos
Apple Voice Memos is a simple yet powerful audio recording app that turns your iPhone, iPad, or Apple Watch […]
Key Digital Skills for the 21st Century Teachers
Technology has become a major player in the pedagogical equation. In fact, this has been the case even before the outbreak of the pandemic but ‘technophobic teachers’ did not want to acknowledge it until they were forced to fully embrace it head-on.
The sudden disruption caused by the pandemic and the ensuing school closures caused a mass exodus to the cloud forcing a new mode of teaching and learning and thus creating a ‘new normal’ in the world of pedagogy.
Several teachers were caught off-guard and many were not even technically prepared to accommodate the new changes. Any […]
Best Video Editors for Chromebook
Video editing is no longer a skill reserved for professionals; emerging edtech tools have made it super easy for anyone with almost no graphic design background to create awesome videos.
For us in education, video editing and creation tools have empowered both teachers and students to transform their ideas into compelling visual narratives. From enriching lesson plans with dynamic video content to student-created videos showcasing their understanding and creativity, video editing tools are transforming the way we learn and teach.
If you’re a teacher or student using a Chromebook, […]
Blooms Taxonomy Poster to Use in your Classroom
Bloom’s Taxonomy is a hierarchical model representing different levels of learning objectives in the cognitive domain, from the simplest behavior (such as remembering facts) to the most complex (like synthesizing information to create new ideas). It was first presented in 1956 by educational psychologist Benjamin Bloom and his team of collaborators.
The traditional version of Bloom’s Taxonomy consists of six stages:
Knowledge: The basic level, which involves the recall of facts or information. This includes recognizing or remembering information.
Comprehension: This level involves understanding the meaning of the information, including interpreting facts, comparing, or explaining material.
Application: This involves using information in […]
The History of English in Ten minutes
Are you looking for a fun and engaging way to teach your students about the evolution of the English language? The History of English in Ten minutes has you covered. This is a dynamic YouTube video that provides an intriguing and easily digestible summary of how English has evolved and adapted over time.
This resource is incredibly valuable as it not only educates but also entertains, ensuring your students stay engaged and interested throughout the lesson. The video takes the viewer on a journey through key historical periods, major cultural influences, literary contributions, and […]
30+ Lucrative Side Jobs for Teachers 2023
As educators, we are bestowed with the responsibility of shaping young minds, cultivating curiosity, and fostering a lifelong love of learning. Yet, teaching is more than a full-time job; it’s a passion and a commitment that often extends far beyond the walls of the classroom.
This commitment, however, doesn’t always translate into financial stability or satisfaction. Many teachers, myself included, have found themselves searching for ways to supplement their income while utilizing the skills and knowledge we’ve acquired in our field.
Over the years, balancing a chalkboard in one hand and a laptop in […]
57 Google Earth & Maps Tutorials for Teachers and Students
Upon the publication of my latest video about how to add Google Drive videos to Google Earth Pro my playlist of tutorials on using Google Earth and Google Maps grew to 57.
In my playlist of 57 Google Earth and Maps tutorials you’ll find directions for everything from the basics of navigation to creating historic map overlays to mapping datasets and more. Some highlights from the playlist are embedded below.
How to Record a Narrated Google Earth Tour in Your Web Browser
New Microsoft Word Features to Note
All About Mars
Earlier this week SciShow Kids published a new video titled Meet the Mars Rovers! The short video explains to elementary school students what a Mars rover is, what they’re used for, and some basic background information about Mars. The notes below the video on the YouTube page for it include links to lots of helpful additional resources.
A few years ago SciShow Kids produced a related video titled What Would We Eat on Mars? That video explains why plants don’t grow on Mars and what it would take to try to […]
Fishing, Takeout, and PD – The Week in Review
Good morning from Maine where the sun is shining. It’s going to be a great weekend for fishing and riding bikes. My daughters are quite excited about using their new fishing poles. That’s what we’re going to do this weekend. I hope that you have something equally fun planned for your weekend.
As I do every week, I’ve put together a list of the most popular posts of the week. Take a look and see if there’s anything interesting that you missed earlier this week.
These were the week’s most popular posts:
Books Debunking The Homework ‘Myth’
Homework – a contentious concept that has sparked fervent debate within the realm of education. It often polarizes educators, creating two distinct factions: one that perceives it as an indispensable tool enhancing students’ cognitive and intellectual growth, and another that views it as an oppressive weight that stifles creativity, saps motivation, and overburdens young learners.
While concrete academic consensus or definitive scientific proof that validates one stance over the other remains elusive, there is an undeniable, growing impetus to reconsider the traditional concept of homework, especially given the disparities amplified by the digital divide and […]
VR’s Favorite Rhythm Shooter is Getting a Modding Tool Next Month, Open Beta Now Live
Cloudhead Games is set to release a modding tool for its hit rhythm shooter Pistol Whip next month, which will let you create your own scenes from the ground-up for some very John Wick-style combat.
The tool, dubbed ‘Pistol Mix’, is only available for players on PC VR headsets at the moment, so Quest 2, PSVR 2, and Pico headset owners of the game will have to sit out during the open beta.
You can already dive in and make your own levels thanks to the open beta, although the studio says a full release is slated […]
How to Create Around the World With Google Earth Tours
The Amazing Race is the only reality game show that I’ve watched with interest for as long as it has been on television. Years ago I created a classroom game based on the same premise of the show. This spring I updated that game with some new graphics and new challenges and then published it as a PDF on PracticalEdTech.com.
Recording a Google Earth tour is the capstone activity in Around the World With Google Earth. There are a couple of ways that students can do that. Students who are using […]
4,000+ Pages of Walt Whitman’s Papers
This week the Library of Congress announced the addition of more than 4,000 new primary source documents to the By the People website. Those primary sources are all letters, notes, and manuscripts written by Walt Whitman.
The purpose of the By the People project is to enlist the help of the public to transcribe thousands of primary source documents that are housed by and have been scanned by the Library of Congress. Over the years there have been collections of documents from the American Civil War, papers from the American Revolution, presidential papers, documents […]
Enhancing English Language Learning with Technology in the Classroom
English language learning has become a vital aspect of worldwide education, with an increasing number of individuals around the world recognizing the importance of being proficient in the language. English is considered the global language of communication. As such, it is important for teachers to use effective strategies for English language learning in the classroom.
One such strategy is the integration of technology into language learning. With the advancements in technology, the traditional methods of language learning have evolved to incorporate innovative and interactive tools. In this article, we […]
‘Beat Saber’ Finally Comes to PSVR 2 as Free Upgrade, Queen Music Pack Released
We expected Beat Saber as a day-one title on PSVR 2 when the headset launched in February, but it seems Meta had different ideas. Better late than never though, as everyone’s favorite block-slashing rhythm game is now available on PSVR 2 as a free upgrade from the PSVR version, coming alongside a paid music pack featuring the ever-iconic band Queen.
The Queen music pack is available across all supported platforms, including Quest, PSVR/2, and PC VR headsets, priced at $14.
It includes the 11 tracks listed below:
“Another One Bites the Dust”
“Bohemian Rhapsody”
“Crazy Little Thing Called Love”
“Don’t Stop […]