The Connected Educator

In this exciting episode of The Connected Educator, Janie and Miranda face off in an electrifying battle of the video tools: Adobe Express Video versus Google Vids! Who will emerge victorious in this epic showdown? Tune in to find out! 🤩Plus, we share inspiring ideas for end-of-year video projects that will ignite your students' reflections on the past year and help them create meaningful, lasting memories.Digital design challenge websiteMiranda’s Google Vids basics videoKate’s recommended Adobe template for explainer videosPolls & Quizzes in CanvaCanva Custom Animation

Join us for a lively discussion about our favorite sessions from the Spring CUE conference! Joined by special guests Jackson Shaad, Engagement Manager at Adobe, and Stephanie Sumarna, EdTech & Innovation Coach at the Santa Cruz County Office of Education. Together, we share our top tips and resources, and explore some exciting ways that teachers and parents are using AI.Resources:Adobe ExpressCanva and Magic School and Perplexity, Oh My!It’s a Femininomenon: Trailblazing Women in EdTEch & Their Career JourneysParents As AI LeadersAI Parent LifeFrom Design to AI Magic: Personal Branding with AI-Powered StickersGobs of Goodies from Google

Hey there, fabulous educators! 🌟 We all know that March can be a bit of a challenge, am I right? So, in this episode, we are shifting our focus to some of our absolute favorite, super fun, and easy-to-use tech tools to use in your personal time that can totally lighten your load, ease that stress, and sprinkle a little joy into your everyday routine! Apps NTS Radio Radio Garden BandsInTown Hello Talk ChatGPT Gemini HomeExchange Too Good To Go SmartWOD Atlas Obscura More Tech Tips Visual Lookup feature on iPhone/ Google Lens on android Hidden folder in iPhone photos Google Drive app: take photo/video feature

In this episode of The Connected Educator, we explore how podcasting can transform your classroom into a hub of creativity, collaboration, and communication. Whether you’re looking for new ways to amplify student voice or seeking an engaging, real-world project for your learners, podcasting is a tool that delivers. We’ll share the specific tools and low-budget workflow we use to create our podcast—designed to replicate the conditions many teachers face: no sound studio, noisy classrooms, and limited time. You’ll also hear inspiring clips from real student podcasts, including Valencia View, an elementary project, and a thought-provoking podcast by a high school student. Discover how podcasting can enhance critical thinking, storytelling, and technical skills while solving common classroom challenges like engaging reluctant learners and building a sense of ownership in student work. Ready to get started? Tune in to learn practical tips and gather the inspiration to bring podcasting into your classroom. Let’s empower your students to find their voice! Show notes: Podcasts to play in class:  Adobe Podcast Studio, How to start a podcast in Adobe Express For lower Elementary: Story Pirates: Topic: Creative writing and storytelling. Features hilarious and heartwarming stories written by kids and performed by professional actors. For upper Elementary: Bust or Trust: full of fun facts and silly jokes, this podcast encourages young listeners to think critically about “evidence” and how to debate and disagree in a playful and productive way. For Middle School: The Past and the Curious: Topic: History. Quirky and little-known historical tales brought to life with humor and music. For High School: TED-Ed Podcast: Topics: Wide-ranging educational topics. Features deep dives into fascinating ideas, perfect for sparking classroom discussions. For All Ages: Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls: Topics: Biographies and inspiration. Stories of extraordinary women from history and today. PVUSD Podcast Examples: Valencia View: Current events for Valencia Elementary. Mis Vacaciones: A PVUSD High School student tells about his summer vacation in Spanish. More links: Incredibox.com myinstants.com  GZM podcasts GZM Classroom Further Reading: North, A. (2024, December 19). ‘A sneaky way to boost kids’ literacy’ Vox. [https://www.vox.com/life/391437/kids-podcast-top-2024-reading-literacy]

In this episode, we’re excited to chat about the annual Hour of Code event and share some of our favorite coding activities that we enjoy doing with students, both with devices and unplugged. Plus, be sure to catch our interview with Jacob Martinez, the founder and CEO of The Digital NEST. This fantastic local organization is all about supporting and inspiring young people to explore careers in technology! Hour of Code resources: Traveling Circuits Unplugged Dance Party Code Monkey Jr.  Music Lab Hour of Code Activities Hour of Code Resources for Teachers Digital Nest Computer Science Standards Dragon Blast

How familiar are you with digital citizenship? Join us and put your knowledge to the test with our trivia game! In this episode, we’ll explore the various aspects of digital citizenship, why it matters, and how you can share this important topic with your students. Resources: Our Newsletter , Internet Safety Resources, Common Sense Media Curriculum, Be Internet Awesome, Misinformation AI, Oh My!

Welcome back to The Connected Educator! We're excited to introduce our newest co-host, Melissa Shaw, who joins us to complete our team of four! In this episode, we’re diving into practical strategies to save you time and make your teaching more engaging, effective, and joyful.Join us as we explore our favorite new AI tools: Meta AI and Goblin Tools—game changers for the modern classroom. Plus, we share a tech tip on generating QR codes to effortlessly showcase student work, keep...

Join us as six tech coaches reconvene after attending the Spring CUE conference. In this episode, we each highlight our favorite sessions, offering insights into cutting-edge teaching techniques and the latest educational technology for your classrooms. Whether you missed the event or are considering attending next year, tune in for a concise roundup of the most inspiring takeaways from Spring CUE.Resources: Recharge and Inspire One Best Thing How to Be an Educator and Not Go Insane Whodunnit Mystery: Unleashing AI & Thematic Storylines for Engaging PD History’s New Dimension: AI, Gamification, and the Immersive Exploration of the Past Chaos to Cohesion: Branding with Canva Unlocking Efficiency: How AI Empowers School Admin AI for ELs: Boost Student Learning and Save Time

Send us a textAre you looking for some fun tech-infused activities to wrap-up this school year with your students? Look no further! In this episode, Kate, Janie and Miranda each share their favorite end-of-year activity. Whether it's a digital memory book made in Book Creator, a social media-inspired message board, or a music video project, we know you will want to try out one of these activities to help students reflect on their learning, have fun and celebrate the end of the school year! We...

Send us a textLooking for one simple tool to boost student engagement? Join us as we delve into the world of Screencastify, our favorite screen recording tool! In our interview with Shaun Conway from Screencastify, we discuss how this tool can foster flipped classrooms, personalized learning experiences, and creative student projects. For those listeners who have never heard of it, we hope this episode inspires you to add the Screencastify Chrome extension and experience the workflow won...

Send us a textSpark creativity & ignite learning with Stop Motion Animation! This episode explodes with practical tips and heart-warming anecdotes from one of PVUSD's leading innovators, Katryn Bermudez. Discover:How this magic tool works in ANY subject (Math? History? You name it!)Easy-to-follow steps to get YOU started right away.Real-life examples that will blow your mind (and inspire your students!)Ready to transform your classroom? Tune in for laughter, inspiration, and a...

Send us a textWe sit down with the ever-knowledgeable Stephanie Sumarna and Elizabeth Shaw of the Santa Cruz County Office of Education to get their take on the educational implications of Artificial Intelligence and the recent boom of generative AI tools like ChatGPT. We talk about the history of AI, discuss the current climate surrounding the use of generative AI in the classroom as well as share some ways to use the tools for improving teacher productivity and student engagement. Bonu...

Send us a textJoin us as we explore the impact and excitement surrounding Piper Computer Kits. In this installment, we sit down with industry experts, educators, and young tech enthusiasts to talk about the positive impact these kits have on students' critical thinking skills, teamwork, and overall confidence in approaching complex challenges. Listen to the end to hear about our favorite Chrome extensions and a friendly debate on how to pronounce GIF.

Send us a textThe PVUSD Tech ToSAs interview Martin Cisneros, Adobe Educational Leader, to talk about the awesome powers of Adobe Express as a free tool for showcasing student creativity. This episode's tech tip is all about our favorite keyboard shortcuts!

Send us a textIn Episode One of the Connected Educator we introduce our hosts (Janie, Kate and Miranda) and tell you how technology has inspired us as teachers. Highlights include: a clip of 5th graders singing about littering to the tune of "Michael Jackson's Beat It", how Janie used Google Classroom before it became ubiquitous, and a tech tip on Emoji Kitchen.