Teaching 'N Tech with Allan & Chad

Teaching 'N Tech with Allan & Chad

by Allan Brown and Chad Hoffman

Education Technology

Season 2

Tech You Can Try - Magic School AI

In this episode, Chad breaks down some promising new tools included in Magic School AI. From generating academic content to developing data tables, Magic School allows for the creation of content with the input of just a few words. While AI will never replace the human connection of teaching and learning, Magic School has over 60 tools that are designed to make teaching less time-consuming and more efficient for educators. Many of these tools look promising! Music: The Right Direction by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com

Jessica Friesner & Debbie Varga on language instruction and teaching English learners

In this episode of Teaching "n Tech, Jessica Friesner and Debbie Varga share their expertise in teaching language skills. Both fluent in English and Spanish, they discuss experiences of teaching English and Spanish speakers together in their Spanish classes, As bilingual educators, their perspective provides insight and strategies that can be helpful to any teacher who is working with students who speak different languages. Music: The Right Direction by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com

Tech You Can Try - Class Companion

Anyone who has taught writing will tell you that the amount of time between the student writing and teacher feedback being provided is a major hurdle. Class Companion is an AI Tool for teachers that creates assignments with prompts for short answers, essays, and outlines. As the students write, AI-generated responses are provided in real-time, so that they can refine their writing as they work without waiting for the teacher's response. Since the AI feedback may vary, teachers can always override feedback. Students can also dispute and give a rationale for AI feedback they may not agree with. While Class Companion is in the early stages, the ability for students to receive instant feedback while drafting their writing is promising. Music: The Right Direction by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com

Strategies & Tech Integrations for Teaching English Learners

Teachers continue to adapt and find ways to bridge gaps while teaching students who speak a different language. In this episode, Allan and Chad discuss promising practices that teachers are using successfully in classrooms with English learners. The discussion includes vocabulary instruction strategies, the use of multiple screens to make translation apps more effective, and the utilization of AI to customize learning resources. While there is still progress to be made, teachers keep pushing forward to reach more students and improve learning. Music: The Right Direction by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com

Tech You Can Try - School AI

In this installment of Tech You Can Try, Chad discusses a promising new web tool called School AI. While there are plenty of new AI tools becoming available, School AI provides a unique experience. Teachers can launch customized spaces where students join through a unique code and interact with chatbots similar to Chat GPT. Even better, the chatbots are tailored for use in school settings. While still in the early stages, School AI has the potential to improve learning outcomes. Music: The Right Direction by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com

Student Collaboration through Mathematical Modeling and Reasoning

While math isn't usually the first content area that comes to mind when discussing group projects and student collaboration, McKinley High School's Quantitative Reasoning course provides a new approach to exploring mathematical concepts while giving opportunities for students to think critically and problem-solve through projects and group interactions. The situations that arise in these groups then direct the teacher's approach to instruction and skill building. While not a traditional environment for math instruction, the learning activities provide unique opportunities to think about math from a different perspective. Music: The Right Direction by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com

Tech You Can Try - Diffit for Teachers

In this edition of Tech You Can Try, we take a look at another generative AI tool called Diffit. Geared toward differentiating learning materials and resources, Diffit allows you to generate a variety of resources for students at a personalized reading level through searches, links, or pasted text. One of Diffit's best features is the ability to create graphic organizers that integrate nicely with Google Classroom. If you are looking for an efficient way to differentiate for your learners, give Diffit a try. Music: The Right Direction by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com

Planning for student collaboration and effective group work

Most teachers realize that helping students learn to work together effectively is important for life after school. In this episode, Allan and Chad discuss planning for student collaboration through the lens of two group projects. The discussion includes planning activities for student success, using technology to meet learning objectives, deciding when to use more traditional methods, and clarifying how student work will be assessed. Music: The Right Direction by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com

David Anderson discusses assessment of teaching methods, student engagement, and reading comprehension

David Anderson joins the show to discuss ways he has found success in his career which spans over three decades in the Canton City School District. The conversation includes his role in implementing a microteaching cohort at McKinley High School to assess the effectiveness of teaching methods and describes a behavioral economics approach to evaluating students' reading comprehension and engagement. Additionally, he shares his keys to staying motivated and continuously finding ways to refine his craft. Music: The Right Direction by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com

Tech You Can Try - Brisk Teaching

Continuing our theme of AI tools that can be helpful for teachers, we discuss Brisk Teaching. This Chrome extension is easy and practical to use, giving teachers the power of AI at their fingertips. Features that teachers might find useful include AI feedback for student essays, help writing lesson plans and assessment items, reading level conversion of articles in Google Docs and internet sites, and AI detection from student writing. Find ways to make your workflow more productive with the Brisk Teaching extension - found on the Chrome Web Store!

2 of 5