Voice in Education Flash Briefing

In episode 135 Julie Daniel Davis suggests ways to enhance classroom learning and communicate with students by using Amazon devices. Where do you start: Buy a device and enable Amazon Kids to protect students from unwanted information. Rename the wake word. Set up some classroom efficiencies for yourself. Check out the Education & Reference category of Skills inside the Alexa App. Create your own skills that personalize learning for YOUR classroom using Amazon Blueprints. Follow the hashtag #VoiceEDU, listen to this podcast, and reach out to juliedavisedu@gmail.com if you have questions.

In episode 134 Julie Daniel Davis talks about Apple's new Child Protection Updates that are built into the iOS Version 15.0 update. The update will allow Apple to scan all devices using iCloud to store photos to detect potential child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Julie discusses the pros and cons of this as it pertains to the privacy of users.

As the 2021-2022 school year approaches, Julie Daniel Davis offers a prayer for the k-12 educator. I pray you find the patience for the children that challenge you. May you be able to see their unique gifts and find the blessing in each student in your care.   I pray you will be committed to the tasks at hand and have the courage to be an advocate for all students, pushing them to do their best.  I pray you have wisdom in teaching each child so that they will grow to be the person God designed them to be. There were not placed in your care by chance. How will you use this year to help mold them into a purposeful person. How will you spark the love of learning in each child? May you have glimpses of achievement and joy in each student’s learning to give you endurance for the school year.  I pray that you will know exactly why each child is in your classroom and be able to use your gifts to help them. I pray you will show grace and mercy when it’s needed and tough love when it’s required.   I pray that you will not only be the giver of knowledge but a safe spot of nurturing and care that is consistent in the lives of your students.  I pray your classroom will be a sanctuary for your students. Whether it’s too hot, too cold, too loud, or too crowded- May it always be a place of comfort and acceptance.   I pray that you will innovate- whether it be with technology or not, I pray you will be passionate about meeting the needs of your students and doing all you can to meet those needs.  I pray that you will find your work/home balance quickly this school year… knowing you are more than a teacher and you have a personal life that needs care as well.  I pray you won’t feel you are defined by the test scores of your students.  I pray your administration and district leaders see you for all the things that are part of teaching. I also pray that your data supports the fact that you are a well-equipped teacher.   I pray you learn with your students and from your students in order to model lifelong learning. I pray you aren’t afraid to say “I don’t know” and “let’s learn it together." I pray your vanity will not prevent you from being approachable.  I pray you and your coworkers build each other up and share the load. I pray that you find yourself within a group that doesn’t linger in negativity about their job but truly enjoys the community they are a part of. I pray for transparency in school meetings so that you can truly discern the message. I pray you will be the glass half full in the meetings. And if you find yourself steeped in overwhelmedness and unhappiness, I pray someone will come alongside you, to mentor you and to help you with your burden so that you feel you can accomplish your role for this year.   I pray you see that “aha” moment in a child every single day. The moment where you have led them to the learning and it clicked. I pray you never get tired or bored of those moments.   I pray for the safety and health of you and your students this year so that you can focus on the task of schooling and nurturing.  I pray that you will give every day your best shot. And when a lesson fails or you aren’t on your A-game I pray you learn from it, correct, and grow forward for your students but also for yourself.   I pray that on the days you feel tired, sick, or discouraged you will remember why you chose this important profession and gird yourself up in that knowledge.  I pray that you have good relationships with the parents of your students, that you can work side by side to help their children flourish in your classroom.   I pray that you find yourself making a difference in the lives of the students you teach. I pray you find fulfillment in your role and purpose in your teaching. I pray that this school year is one that will bless your socks off.

In episode 132, Julie Daniel Davis chats about the things she has learned from guests and research over the last 3 years of hosting the Voice in Education podcast. From interviewing developers, corporate reps, and educators, Julie shares her learning with you, the listener.

Last week, Amazon hosted its third annual online Alexa Live Developer Conference where 50 new features were introduced that would allow developers and device makers "to build ambient experiences and drive growth with Alexa."  In this episode, Julie Daniel Davis takes a deeper look at these features that are currently listed on Jeff Blankenburg's Alexa Skills Kit Blog post. Julie looks at how some of the new features might make a difference for learning and educational purposes.

In episode 130 Julie Daniel Davis discusses how children react to voice technology, how much they are interacting with voice technology, and what the future of children interacting with voice technology will look like. Voice is here! How will the industry continue to meet this growing group of children!

Who is in charge of student privacy- the schools or the tech companies? Who can be trusted? Who is ultimately responsible? Why is it so confusing? What's holding voice technology back from the classroom? Student Privacy Laws. How can Voice-enabled edtech companies move forward legally? How can we get laws adjusted to meet the needs of current technology? What's next? Will education get left behind? How does FERPA remain relevant at an almost 50 year old act? How do we do COPPA with voice technology?

In episode 128, Julie Daniel Davis talks about the newly released Alexa Voice Profiles for Kids and how it works with Reading Sidekick. This is a step towards personalized learning for children that helps reduce the friction between the interface and the ultimate goal. The Alexa Voice Profiles for Kids work exclusively with the purchase of Amazon Kids +, where parents can set up parameters for up to 4 kids voice profiles. This is the first step towards personalized learning for children with Alexa, what's next and what should we be concerned about?

In episode 127, Julie Daniel Davis interviews Jamey Heit, Co-Founder and CEO of Ecree, Inc. Ecree is an online writing tutor that strives to give students feedback on their writing when they need it. "Unlimited, real-time writing feedback gives you instant support to complete an assignment, improve a grade, or prepare for a big exam." Ecree is part of the AWS EdStart program and recently created an Alexa voice app to enhance its online presence and to give users another way to interact with their edtech platform. Listen to this episode to hear Jamey's vision and passion for helping students in a way that best meets their needs.

Ambient computing can best be explained as accessing a computer in a way that causes less friction in our lives but brings us the benefit of efficiency and information. In this episode, Julie Daniel Davis talks about how the future will include more ambient computing in our lives and how that has the potential to impact education if student privacy laws adjust to these capabilities.

In episode 125, Julie Daniel Davis discusses the Amazon Echo Show 5 for kids. She discusses its features and how it can add a multi-model approach to your voice assistants. In a time when adolescents want to be connected and parents want to slow the inevitable process of constant connectivity of their children, this device, much like the concept of a smartwatch for kids becomes a good stepping stone for children to have access but in a way that parents have control. Listen to my thoughts on getting to know the Amazon Echo Show 5 this summer to consider for use in the fall. If you decide to do this, check out my website for information on setting up an Amazon device safely for classroom use.

This is my third interview with Irina Fine and she is someone I could talk voice with for hours! A former educator turned voice application creator, she and I see the value of voice for learning in much the same way. In episode 124 Irina tells the listeners about Bamboo Learning's new voice app available on Alexa-enabled devices that is a one-stop-shop for learning- a treasure chest of math, English, reading, language arts, listening opportunities (and so much more)! Bamboo Learning's goal has always been to "strengthen the link between classroom and home by empowering parents." Listen to this great episode and hear the passion Irina has for this latest accomplishment by Bamboo Learning.

In episode 123, Julie Daniel Davis dreams big about the future of educational technology. After having Susan Bearden as a guest for episode 121, it is clear that the future of educational technology should include interoperability between platforms. How does voice play into this future? Hear the dreaming in episode 123!

It's the end of the school year and many educators are looking for fillers for some non-expected downtime. This is the perfect time to pilot the use of an Amazon Alexa in the classroom. Buy some buzzers that pair with your echo device and your students have the ability to play competitive games. Download the Alexa app, click on "Skills & Games", check out "Education & Reference" or "Games and Trivia" and find a fit for your students.

As the voice industry continuously chats about the future of voice technology and a need for interoperability among devices, Julie Daniel Davis interviews educational technology guru, Susan Bearden, serves as Director of Digital Programs for InnovateEDU, and is currently involved with Project Unicorn. Project Unicorn is an effort to improve data interoperability within K-12 education. Why does education need interoperability? Listen to episode 121 to find out!

This special Mother's Day episode 120 has Julie Daniel Davis interviewing Lauren Johnson, founder of the Alexa is a Human campaign. Lauren is a mother of a 9-year-old daughter named Alexa who wants others to understand the issues of having Alexa as a wake word for the Amazon Echo devices. Listen to this mother's heart and balanced passion for this problem. Want to know what you can do to help? Listen in! Also, consider listening to Lauren's recently created podcast, Wake Up: The Truth About Alexa.

In Episode 119, Julie Daniel Davis discusses the concern she has over the quirkiness of voice assistants. With any technology, there is a tipping point in the mind of the user that makes them decide if the benefits outweigh the quirks. Amazon Alexa debut in November 2014, and some of the quirks we see feel like they should have been solved in the 6+ years it has been on the market. If we want users to adopt the device for more than just a novelty, the value add has to be apparent. The usefulness has to outweigh the tech issues and I am not sure we are there for most users. Another topic of this podcast is the major shift Apple has made to help users protect their privacy by making all apps ask for permission to track user's digital activity across other apps and websites. The hope is this solid move by tech giant Apple will cause other tech companies (including voice technologies) to follow suit.

In episode 118 Julie Daniel Davis welcomes guest Lance Huang who serves as the Educational Lead at Agora. Agora is "The Real-Time Engagement Platform for meaningful human connections. People engage longer when they see, hear, and interact with each other. With Agora, you can embed vivid voice and video in any application, on any device, anywhere." For the last year, Julie has been saying the future of educational technology will include voice interfaces. Agora is such a platform. Companies will start embracing the ability to add a voice interface to the products educators are already familiar with and also those that will be developed in the future. Agora is already an interface of familiar educational platforms like VIP Kid. Agora is an interface that includes voice technology for engagement, development of social skills, and learning opportunities. Learn more from Lance in this episode!

In Episode 117 Julie Daniel Davis talks not only about the benefit the Project Voice conference had on her personally but also how exciting it was to hear from both mainstream and new players in the space of voice technology. In this episode, Julie focuses on the need for the k-12 curriculum to not only include how AI works (STEM) but to lead students in learning how to think critically about the function of AI in society and the ethical considerations surrounding its use.

In episode 116 Julie Daniel Davis will talk about why her spidey senses are tingling! Listen to why she believes the educational technology world just might be ready for voice interface...FINALLY! Also in this episode an opportunity for listeners to take part in Project Voice Worldwide is mentioned. What's next for the intersection of education and voice? Hang in there educators! Relish in the fact that you are in the first 2.5% of innovators that use this emerging technology. This will put you ahead of the game as voice interface changes education in the future.