Latest education updates from around the world
What is Headspace and How Does it Work for Teachers? Tips & Tricks
Headspace is a meditation app and online service to help calm and focus the mind which can be used in education.
40 Touching Mother’s Day Quotes for Moms Everywhere
I find it so hard to write this post as my mother is still in coma for almost three years now. The word mother alone brings tears to my eyes. I know many of you reading these lines will relate to this. Please remember that life is so short and it’s important to share your feelings with those who are close to heart, especially your mothers.
If your mom is still alive, you must appreciate her for all she has done for you and take every opportunity to make her feel special in whatever way possible. She is the […]
4 of The Best Speech to Text Extensions to Talk to ChatGPT Using Your Voice
Since its release last November, ChatGPT has taken the Internet by storm. For us in education, the ripples of this new generative AI technology have been felt across the spectrum.Admittedly, the tool has generated mounting controversy around its potential misuse and a number of school districts in the US have already banned it on its grounds.
Forms, Citations, and Maps – The Week in Review
Good morning from Maine where an overcast and relatively warm day awaits. I’ve put away our skis for the season. We’re in biking mode now. But this weekend’s forecast isn’t conducive to much bike riding. So after playing with our puppy we’re heading out to see a stage production of Moana today. I hope that you have something equally fun planned for the weekend.
These were the week’s most popular posts:
1. Lesson Plans and Videos About Patriots’ Day and the American Revolution
2. This AI Tool Generates […]
How to Create a Podcast With Spotify for Podcasters
Even though it was acquired by Spotify a few years ago, Anchor.fm remained it’s own platform until March of this year. Back in March Anchor was renamed Spotify for Podcasters.
The best part is that Spotify for Podcasters takes care of all of the steps needed to […]
New eBook – Teaching Search Strategies to History Students
.png){kind=link}
Earlier this week I listed the educational technology topics that I’m still passionate about after all these years. One of those topics is search strategies and discovery tools for students. To that end, I’ve recently updated my e-book on Teaching Search Strategies to History Students.
In my updated e-book Teaching Search Strategies to History Students I outline activities that you can use in middle school and high school classrooms (grades 5-12). When you purchase a copy of the e-book you can use the activities exactly as written (you have permission […]
18 of The Best ChatGPT Extensions for Teachers and Students
Since its release a few months ago, ChatGPT becomes a sensation in the online world. More and more people are using it on a daily basis and for various purposes, from creating social media posts to writing long essays. As as educator, I believe ChatGPT has a huge potential to revolutionize learning , and we have already seen some amazing applications being developed.
If you use ChatGPT in Chrome then you need to check out the extensions below. These are some of the best and most helpful ChatGPT Chrome extensions that you can use to get […]
Take a Trip Aboard the ISS in Latest VR Film From Lauded Immersive Filmmakers Felix & Paul
Felix & Paul, the studio known for its pioneering work in creating cinematic immersive films, is set to release the first installment in a new VR trilogy shot from the International Space Station (ISS), which is slated to offer stunning views of Earth from low orbit.
Called Space Explorers – Blue Marble, the first in the series is set to launch on Earth Day, April 22nd. The trilogy will be available for free on Meta Quest and Quest 2 headsets.
The immersive film series aims to provide a deeper understanding of our planet’s place in the universe and the importance […]
SenseGlove Raises €3.25M in Series A Funding Round to Advance VR Haptic Gloves
SenseGlove, a Netherlands-based creator of XR haptic gloves, has secured €3.25 million (~$3.5 million) in a series A funding round, something the company says will be used to accelerate its enterprise-focused SenseGlove Nova haptic gloves.
The funding round was led by Dutch venture capital firm Lumaux, bringing the company’s total outside investment to around €5.5 million (~$6 million). Previous rounds included investors Forward.One and Value Creation Capital.
The company says the investment will be used to continue development on its haptic SenseGlove Nova gloves and to develop new products. It will also be used to open an office in the […]
The Need for AI PD
Educators need training on how to effectively incorporate artificial intelligence into their teaching practice, says Lance Key, an award-winning educator.
Headset Maker Aims to Deliver Portable & Affordable VR Combat Sim for Training Real Pilots
Enterprise headset maker Vrgineers has developed a portable VR combat flight sim system for training pilots on a wide range of combat aircraft, including planes and helicopters. The entire system fits into a single large case and can be deployed wherever it’s needed.
Made from entirely commercially available off-the-shelf components, the system unpacks from a single large case with everything necessary get trainees into a simulated flight, including the company’s wide-FoV XTAL 3 headset, a computer that can power it, and a stick and throttle setup that mimics common combat aircraft. The company says that one person […]
The 20 Best Rated & Most Popular Quest Games & Apps – April 2023
While Oculus doesn’t offer much publicly in the way of understanding how well individual games & apps are performing across its Quest 2 storefront, it’s possible to glean some insight by looking at apps relative to each other. Here’s a snapshot of the 20 best rated Oculus Quest games and apps as of April 2023.
Some quick qualifications before we get to the data:
Paid and free apps are separated
Only apps with more than 100 reviews are represented
App Lab apps are not represented (see our latest Quest App Lab report)
Rounded ratings may appear to show ‘ties’ […]
Meta Layoffs Affect VR Teams at ‘Lone Echo’ & ‘Onward’ Studios
Meta is the midst of a second large round of layoffs, and this time a number of employees in its internal VR studios have been affected.
Business Insider reported earlier this week that Meta was increasing its focus on gaming-related projects within its Reality Labs division. As other teams were expected to be dissolved in layoffs, the report held that gaming-focused teams would be safe.
However that report is now being rebuffed by a number of self-reported layoffs which have affecting Meta’s VR teams, including Ready at Dawn, known for the Lone Echo series, and Onward studio Downpour Interactive.
Meta CEO Mark […]
Evaluate Edtech Use and Save Thousands
It is always a good time to review spending and look for possible savings
United States schools spent over $27 billion on edtech in 2021. If your district is like many others, there’s plenty of opportunity to trim the fat in edtech budgets.
Virtual learning led to experimentation, which is good. Now that school is evolving and federal COVID relief dollars are running out, it’s time to take a good, long look at edtech efficacy, use, and budgets. Which are worth the investment? Here’s a high-level look at how to begin to answer that question.
1. Find the apps
This is the […]
‘Vertigo 2’ Sandbox DLC Now in Development, Letting You Build & Share Your Own Levels
Vertigo 2 (2023), the sci-fi VR shooter adventure from Zach Tsiakalis-Brown, readily invites comparisons to Valve’s indomitable Half-Life: Alyx, but now the developer is taking another note out of Valve’s playbook by offering a way to create your own Vertigo-based levels and modes in an upcoming sandbox DLC.
Tsiakalis-Brown announced the level editor today in a tweet:
vertigo 2 level editor is in development pic.twitter.com/KTrRBlHDs1
— Zach Tsiakalis-Brown (@MrZulubo) April 20, 2023
Tsiakalis-Brown says it will be a free update, and have Steam Workshop support, which means you’ll be able to share your creations much in the same way we’ve seen Half-Life: […]
Quest’s Most Graphically Intense Game is Coming to PSVR 2
Red Matter 2, the sci-fi VR puzzle adventure for Quest 2 and PC VR, is bringing its best-in-class graphics and interactions to PSVR 2.
Vertical Robot says the sequel is slated to arrive on PSVR 2 “very soon,” noting in a tweet it will feature a smooth 120fps with no reprojection, foveated Rendering, 4K re-mastered textures, and enhanced lighting.
And while some may rightly bemoan it as another Quest 2 port, it’s really much more than that.
Launched in mid-2022 on Quest 2 and PC VR, Red Matter 2 features some of the most impressive graphics and immersive […]
Four Easy Ways to Make End-of-Year Slideshow Videos
Even though the cold and rainy weather we’re experiencing here in Maine makes it feel like summer is a long way off, it’s not. I was reminded of this yesterday afternoon when I got my first email of the spring in which someone asked for advice about making an end-of-year video for her grade six class.
I get emails about this topic every spring and I’m always happy to help because it’s fun to summarize and celebrate the school year in a short audio slideshow video. These are the tools that I’m recommending for that purpose this […]
Best Grants for Education
The best grants for education are available to support a wide range of programs, initiatives, and more.
Reminder: Take Out the Trash
About a month ago I got a new MacBook Air. It has been about a decade since I last used a Mac as my primary computer.
One of the things that I’m constantly reminded of while using my MacBook Air is the need to clear stuff off of the desktop. As you might guess, I take a lot of screenshots for work. Out of habit, I send them to my desktop to make it easy to find them while I’m working. But they do fill the desktop screen quickly. At the end […]
Top 4 Screen Recorders for Teachers
This article explores the four best software to record lectures. Find out how to create engaging and flexible content for your students and what tools to use.
How to Record a Lecture: Top 4 Screen Recorders for Teachers
As technology continues to play a larger role in education, teachers are turning to screen recording as a means of creating engaging and flexible content for their students. Screen recorders provide teachers with the ability to create video lessons and tutorials, all with ease and convenience.
Report: Apple Racing to Build Software & Services for Upcoming Mixed Reality Headset
Apple appears to be getting ready to unveil its first mixed reality headset at its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June. Now a report from Bloomberg maintains the Cupertino tech giant is also prepping a dizzying number of first-party apps, including gaming, fitness, video and collaboration tools.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman is a lightning rod for all things Apple, and in his new info dump it appears we now have a pretty sizable list of first-party content coming to the still very much under-wraps mixed reality headset.
Here’s all of the major apps and features mentioned in the report:
iPad […]
Meta to Open ‘Horizon Worlds’ Social VR Platform to Kids Ages 13+
Horizon Worlds, Meta’s social VR platform for Quest, is only open to 18+ users for now, however the company says it’s expanding to include teens aged 13 to 17 in the US and Canada.
Meta says the new policy will go into effect in “the coming weeks,” effectively opening the company’s first-party social platform to its entire user base in those countries; Meta only allows users 13+ to actually use Quest devices.
To prepare for the wave of younger users, the company is also releasing some age-appropriate protections and safety defaults.
Safety features will include the ability for teens to control […]
How to Add Collaborators to Google Calendar
As I’m sure many of you do, I often play the role of “tech support person” for friends and family. That was the case a few days ago when a friend of mine who owns a local, small business asked for help with Google Calendar.
My friend wanted a quick and easy way for his one and only employee to view a list of upcoming appointments and deadlines. My suggestion was to simply create a shared Google Calendar.
In the short video that is embedded below I demonstrate how to add collaborators to Google Calendar.
How to Measure Perimeter and Area in Google Earth
As I mentioned in this week’s Practical Ed Tech Newsletter, Google Earth and digital mapping is an area of ed tech that I still get excited about after all these years.
Google Earth is a tool that people often think of as being something that’s only useful for social studies lessons. However, there are many areas in which Google Earth is useful. One of those areas is in elementary school and middle school math lessons.
Within the web version of Google Earth there is an easy-to-use tool for measuring distances long and […]
What is SlidesGPT and How Does it Work for Teachers? Tips & Tricks
SlidesGPT is an AI-powered tool that allows you to quickly make slide presentations automatically.