Latest education updates from around the world
Changes are Coming to Your Favorite Google Workspace Tools
If you opened a new Google Document today you might have seen a new little clock icon appearing in the upper-right corner of the screen. But if you didn’t see it, don’t worry because you will start seeing it before too long. That clock icon is one of the updates coming to Google Docs, Slides, Sheets, and Drive over the next few weeks.
The updates coming to Docs, Slides, Sheets, and Drive are not going to change any of the functionality of those Google Workspace tools. The changes are mostly cosmetic and designed to […]
Three Activities All Teachers Can Create in TeacherMade
TeacherMade recently went through a complete overhaul so that it runs smoother and faster than ever before. As a result, the free version of TeacherMade is now […]
Pimax Aims to Attract VR Devs with 100% Revenue Share & $100K Game Fund
Users of Pimax’s wide field-of-view (FOV) PC VR headsets have always relied upon third-party stores like Steam for VR content. Now the company is looking to incentivize VR developers to publish their games on the new Pimax Store.
Pimax quietly launched its PC VR content store in September 2022, ostensibly in preparation for the yet-to-release “Reality 12K QLED” headset, and standalones Pimax Cystal and Pimax Portal hybrid.
At the time, the company kicked off its store by advertising a program that would award its top 50 indie developers with cash incentives, along with a “choose […]
All About Maple Syrup
The change to Daylight Saving Time coincides with the saving grace of the end of winter, the start maple syrup season! The days are getting a little longer and the sun is a little higher in the sky during the day. That increased daylight and warmth the sap in maple trees is starting to run. Some of my local friends make their own maple syrup and have started to collect sap to make syrup.
The process of collecting sap and turning it into maple syrup provides some great science lessons for students. The process of […]
Physical Education Activities for Pi Day
Pi Day is just one week away (as is the start of my new course). In recent years I’ve shared some video lessons about Pi Day and some hands-on Pi Day lesson ideas. This year I’d like to highlight some physical education activities for Pi Day.
OPEN Phys Ed offers five free physical education lesson plans centered around Pi Day. The lesson plans are designed to be used in elementary school and middle school. The five Pi Day lesson plans offered by OPEN are:
Pi TossPi […]
4 Strategies to Overcome Bus Driver Shortages
Award-winning superintendent Dr. Scott Van Der Aa shares how his district overcame bus driver shortages.
12 Best History Podcasts
The teaching and learning of history does not always have to be through school textbooks and books. There are several other supplemental (alternative?) ways to explore the depths of historical knowledge. History podcasts are especially relevant in this regard.
There are numerous history podcasts online that are not only educational and insightful but are also entertaining and fun to listen to. Below is a list of some of the best history podcasts for both educators and learners, offering a fun and engaging way to understand the past.
From analyzing the life of Alexander the Great […]
Five FAQs About Five Video Projects for Almost Every Classroom
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Over the weekend I got a bunch of questions about my new Practical Ed Tech course, Five Video Projects for Almost Every Classroom. Perhaps you’ve been thinking about taking the course and were wondering about some elements of it. Here’s a short list of some of the FAQs and their answers.
1. What do you mean by “Almost Every Classroom?” Years ago I did a workshop titled Video Projects for Every Classroom. Someone rightly pointed out that nothing can fit every classroom. So I now say “almost every classroom.” Generally, the projects I teach […]
Samsung Files Trademark for ‘Galaxy Glasses’ AR/VR Headset
Samsung announced last month it was partnering with Google and Qualcomm to develop an XR device, something the company said at the time was “not too far away.” While we’re still left guessing as to what sort of headset the Korean tech giant has in store, a new trademark filing has come to light which may suggest the headset’s naming scheme.
As reported by 9to5Google, Samsung filed a trademark request with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) on February 27th for the name ‘Galaxy Glasses’.
In its description, the trademark registration is said […]
“But It’s Still Sunny Outside!” – Short Lessons on Daylight Saving Time
Last night my daughters said, “but it’s still sunny outside” when we told them it was time for dinner. It was then that I remembered that daylight saving time begins next weekend. So next weekend it will be even brighter outside when we start dinner. Not to mention that next Sunday my daughters who already wake up early will wake up even earlier.
I’ll do my best to explain daylight saving time to my daughters, but they might still be a little too young to fully grasp the concept. That said, if you or your students are […]
What is Written Out Loud? The Collaborative Writing Program Explained by Its Screenwriter Founder
Through Written Out Loud, screenwriter Joshua Shelov shares the collaborative storytelling methods he developed with schools online and in person
What is DreamyKid and How Does It Work? Best Tips and Tricks
DreamyKid is a meditation tool for children that can be used in school and beyond.
Expanded Learning: Solutions for Acceleration, Not Remediation
The importance of productive failure, instant feedback, and mastery education in math education was discussed during a recent Tech & Learning webinar
A Lesson in Writing Myths
The Hero’s Journey is a free writing template from Read Write Think that I originally reviewed ten years ago. Like all of the RWT templates it was Flash-based. It has since been relaunched to run on HTML5 in any web browser.
Paper Notebooks Don’t Have New Browser Windows
Last week I was a guest on the International Teacher Podcast (episode to be released soon). In the course of the conversation the topic of notebooks came up and I mentioned the collection of notebooks that I have on the shelves in my office. That conversation reminded me of a blog post that I wrote nearly nine years ago. The content of that post is copied below.
Paper Doesn’t Have a New Browser Window
One of the things that I mention in my keynote Leading Students In a Hyper-connected World is the need to […]
In Case You’re Curious…
It has been a few years since I’ve written a post like this one. But since there has been a bit of an uptick in new followers lately, I think it’s time to share a bit about myself so that you know who is actually writing what you see here on FreeTech4Teachers.com.
16 Years!
I started blogging back in 2007. I initially did it to fulfill an assignment from a grant-funded program that my school was involved in. I found that blogging was fun. Eventually, I noticed people were reading what I was writing. 16 years later […]
Math, Chromebooks, and Chemistry – The Week in Review
Good morning from the O’Hare Airport Hilton where I’m hoping to be able to fly home today. Yesterday, after a great day of presenting at the North DuPage Connections Conference I looked at my phone and discovered that my flight home was cancelled. I’m hoping to get home tonight, but there is a lot of snow (even by Maine standards) in the forecast.
If I ever get home, I’m hoping to take my kids skiing. I hope that you also have something fun planned for your weekend!
Earlier this week I announced a new Practical Ed Tech course […]
Another Tool for Detecting Writing Created by AI
Artificial Intelligence was the theme of February in the educational technology world. That theme is continuing as we begin the month of March. On that note, I’ve found another new tool designed to try to detect writing generated with AI tools like ChatGPT.
Crossplag AI Content Detector is a free tool that you can use to try to determine whether or not an AI tool was used to generate a passage of text. Like other AI detection tools, Crossplag AI Content Detector is easy to use. To use it you simply […]
10 of The Best World War I Movies
World War I was a tragic catastrophe that shaped the world we live in today. It claimed the death of millions of lives and caused massive destruction. This war will always remain one of the unforgettable remarks that show the evil hole humanity can get into once maniacs get hold of power.
Meta Re-lowers Quest 2 Price & Drops Quest Pro to $1,000
Meta today announced it’s lowering the price of the 256GB version of Quest 2 as well as its more recent enthusiast-grade standalone, Meta Quest Pro.
Meta initially launched a 64GB and 256GB variants of Quest 2 in late 2020 for $300 and $400 respectively. A 128GB version was introduced in 2021, which replaced the 64GB version. To stave off rising costs, the company announced in July 2022 that it was raising the price of Quest 2 128GB and 256GB variants to $400 and $500 respectively.
Starting March 5th, Meta is now again restructuring its Quest 2 pricing […]
‘Echo VR’ Players Protest Shutdown by Flying Message Over Meta HQ
Echo VR’s days are numbered, as Meta announced earlier this year it would soon be pulling the plug on one of its most successful games on Quest. But hardcore players of zero-G sports game Echo VR and its shooter variant Echo Combat aren’t going down without a fight.
Organizers behind a protest group called ‘The Fight For Echo’ are looking to keep their favorite game alive, and they’re apparently ready to take drastic measures.
On Wednesday, March 1st, the group commissioned an airplane-towed message to fly over Meta’s HQ in Menlo Park, California, which then circled the heart of Silicon Valley for over […]
Top 10 PSVR 2 Games to Download First
It’s been over a week since PSVR 2 made its big launch, bringing with it 40+ games that let you dive head-first into virtual worlds aplenty. Here we take a look at our top titles you should think about nabbing first.
There’s a good smattering of games here to get you started which span a number of genres, including shooter, horror, adventure, platforming, and more. Here’s our selection of top PSVR 2 games at the moment, listed in alphabetical order.
Demeo
Demo isn’t DnD in VR like some would have you think, but the team-based tactical dungeon crawler certainly takes a […]
How to Create Custom Google Slides Guidelines
One of the many “hidden” features of Google Slides is found in the view menu. It’s there that you’ll find the option to turn on and turn off gridlines (Google calls them guides). Not only can you turn on or turn off the guidelines, you can also add additional lines and create custom spacing for the guidelines that you add to your slides. Watch my video that is embedded below to learn how to add custom guidelines to your Google Slides and why you might want to do that.
How to Measure in 2D and 3D in Google Earth
More than a decade ago Tom Barrett’s Maths Maps inspired me to start thinking about how Google Maps and Google Earth can be used in mathematics lessons. Since then I’ve developed some of my own math activities that incorporate measuring in Google Earth. If you’d like to create your own math lessons that incorporate measuring in Google Earth, watch my new video about how to measure in 2D and 3D in Google Earth.
Video – How to Measure in 2D and 3D in Google Earth
There are more than […]
I Used An Edcamp to Educate My Teaching Staff on AI Tools. Here’s How You Can Do It Too
Using an edcamp can be a powerful way to invigorate and engage your teaching staff