Make it Work! Tech for Educators

Today we’re tackling a question that’s sparked endless debates: Mac vs. Windows—which is more secure, both historically and right now in 2025?“If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re safer on a Mac or a PC, or if you’re just curious about how these two tech giants stack up against hackers and malware, this episode is for you.“Let’s start with a surprising fact: In 2025, both Apple and Microsoft have patched more zero-day vulnerabilities than ever before. But that’s not the whole story. So, which platform has the edge? Let’s break it down.”

 Today we’re diving into something that might jolt your spiritual circuits: should we be asking AI our questions about faith? Heather Brady at Sojourners just dropped an opinion piece called "‘Don’t Ask AI Your Questions About Faith’". Let’s unpack it

... today we’re diving into an eye‑opening essay from The Atlantic by Chris Feliciano Arnold, titled “Naturalized Citizens Are Scared.” It begins with a childhood memory, and it ends with a chilling reality: for millions, citizenship doesn’t feel permanent anymore.

Cybersecurity pros over at Cybernews uncovered 30 massive data sets floating around online. These were packed with credentials — logins, passwords, URLs — all grabbed by malware and infostealers. Most were from Portuguese-speaking regions, with hundreds of millions from Russia. It’s not a single company breach — it’s just... the internet being the internet.So what do we do? Do we panic? Do we go off-grid?Nope. We get smart.

On Monday, an all female crew traveled to the very edge of space on Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin rocket. They were sort of savaged.

Big Tech’s role in shaping our digital lives has never been more pronounced. But with major firms like Apple, Google, and Meta aligning with the Trump administration’s policies, many people are looking for alternatives—especially when it comes to privacy, security, and civil liberties.Today, we’ll unpack the concerns surrounding US-based digital services, why they matter, and what you can do about it.

We are discussing and expanding on use of AI in the classroom:For Teaching & LearningFor Classroom EngagementFor Administrative EfficiencyEthical & Critical Thinking Discussionsand of course, some extra focus on Music Education tools.----- connect with us! makeTechWork@bsky.social

We have heard all about AI and AI chat bots, and many - if not most of us have tried them, used them, many of our students regularly use them, to improve their writing, check their math, get help with their coding, or plainly just cheat. The way we access these platforms is usually via a browser or an app.  We go to chatgpt.ai log in, type in our prompt, get a response and we interact from there, going back and forth.  However, all this information we provide, is sent to the provider and we have no control over who keeps this data, how it is linked to us, and for how long it is kept and how it is and will be used. So how fantastic it would be, if we could just download the code and run it locally on our computer without depending on our requests and information being sent and shared with anyone remotely? Well, it is possible and even for the non nerds among us 

Today, an introduction: The tech challenges faced by educators and music ministry leaders—and the solutions that can make their lives easier, as well as our courses and ministries more popular and successful  Whether you’re teaching in a classroom, leading a choir, or organizing worship services, technology can be both a blessing and a headache.