Tools and Tips for Getting Started with AI

In April 2023, I wrote a blog post about Artificial Intelligence. Most of what I wrote in that post still rings true to this day and is a good starting point for examining AI in education. If you haven’t read that post, I would encourage you to start there.   Ready for more? Here we go!   Our students are using Artificial Intelligence in their every...

Artificial Intelligence Has Arrived

This blog post serves as an introduction to Artificial Intelligence. You can read more about ways to use AI in the classroom in our next blog post here .    Every so often, a new innovation or invention comes along promising to change the world. By extension, these new tools or devices will REVOLUTIONIZE EDUCATION. It was once suggested that the rad...

Canvas Updates: Spring 2023 Edition

Canvas has periodic updates throughout the school year and some of them are easy to miss. Below are a few highlights of features that hopefully will make using Canvas easier and save you time in the grading process. If you are curious to learn more about Canvas updates, check out their Release Notes page and check out their Product Roadmap to see wh...

Google and Canvas: Changes are Coming!

Canvas and Google, like most edtech companies, continue to evolve and update over time. Often these changes are small and incremental, though occasionally they can have a large impact on how we do processes on a daily basis. During the summer of 2022, the "old" Google Drive integration with Canvas will be disabled and staff will only have access to ...

Lots of Canvas Updates! (4/16/22 Edition)

There are quite a few great Canvas updates this month! You can view the detailed run-down for all updates in the Canvas Release Notes. Below are the highlights and some videos and screenshots of our favorite updates. Default Due Time for Assignments When you create a due date for an Assignment or Quiz, it defaults to 11:59pm. If you want your due da...

Ideas for Using Your Teacher iPad

Every single teacher grades K through 8 has their very own iPad to use. In order to make the most out of these devices, let’s examine some ways that you as the teacher can be using your iPad each day with your students. 1. Model: Remember "I do" before "you do." As with Gradual Release of Responsibility, the first time you do something on your iPad ...

Awesome New Features of iPadOS 15

Can you update? Staff can update to iPadOS 15 now from the Settings app. Students will need to wait a few weeks before they can update to iPadOS 15. Before diving into all the latest and greatest features of iPadOS 15, I wanted to take a second to highlight the importance of using your iPad for instructional activities, even if you prefer to use you...

TECHknowledgy • December 2021

In this issue of our BLC Newsletter, there is a lot to digest! Just like a holiday feast. Don't overdo it! Pick one or two things you can sink your teeth into. Topics include: Become an Apple Teacher! Awesome New Features of iPadOS 15 (now live for students) Apple Accessibility Features: Text to Speech Apple Classroom + Managed Apple IDs January Too...

It's Tool Time!

BLCs are offering short before and after school virtual sessions every month. Follow this page to learn more about topics and to access archived resources and video. Look for Outlook invitations with Google Meet links.  Next Up!  Canva for Education: Look for calendar invites for sessions offered on January 28 (updated date). iPadOS 15 iPadOS 15 Ses...

TECHknowledgy • November 2021

TECHknowledgy! We are rebranding our newsletter to highlight the fact that Blended Learning Coordinators live in the intersection of technology, teaching, and learning. In this issue you will find Tool Time updates (check out this blog post for updated Tech Tools session information), the latest Tech Tools articles (Smore, Clever, and Lumio), as wel...

BLC Bulletin • October 2021

Fall is a busy time of year, but we wanted to take time to introduce ourselves and share ways we can support teachers. In this newsletter we highlight Canvas updates, Apple Classroom updates, Apple accessibility features, and the Tech Tools website. We'd like your feedback about how best to meet your needs and what support you'd like to see built ou...

New in Tech - Fall 2021

Summer might be a time for teachers to relax and unwind but not for edtech companies! It's a busy time for updating their tools before teachers return for the fall! Below are just a few updates to common tech tools used across the district.  Canvas Updates Assignment Submission for Students (Mac) When students go to submit assignments on their MacBo...

Royalty-Free Media for Student Projects

It’s been an exciting year in Shakopee Public Schools! Recently, teachers have been implementing some really exciting and engaging projects where students create digital stories such as Crash Course Videos and Podcasts to demonstrate their learning. While creating these projects, students are in desperate need of images, video footage, music, and so...

Engaging & Interactive Google Meets

Skip to end of banner Go to start of banne Whether you are a Shakopee Online teacher or an IHD teacher, knowing how to host an interactive lesson online is a skill we should all have in our tool belts. I'm sure we’ve all experienced a Google Meet by now and we can all recognize how different the experience is leading a class virtually compared to be...

Email Etiquette

Email. It is essential to the functioning of any workplace but it also can add a lot of stress to our already busy days. The sheer volume of emails we receive daily can be daunting so I thought it would be good to go over a few etiquette tips that will help everyone and give you tips on how to manage your inbox. If we all do our part by following th...

End of an Era: Goodbye to Flipgrid & Jamboard

Having been a technology integrationist for over a decade now, I have seen the rise and fall of many different tools and platforms. Whether it's a restrictive paywall, being bought out by a mega corporation, or simply going away, all we can do is adjust and find alternatives.  This year, we've heard about a couple tools that we use in the district t...