Past Blog Writing Portfolio

September 20, 2026

Teacher Printables: Get Literature Circles Talking, Thinking, and Using Evidence

Literature circle printables help students read closely, talk clearly, and think deeper. Use ready-to-print literature circle tools.

September 19, 2026

Teacher Printables: Make STAAR Review More Useful with Math Visual Cue Cards

Help students retrieve, connect, and apply math concepts with visual supplemental aids. These focus on grades 3-8.

September 11, 2026

The 60-Second PEIMS Check That Can Save Hours

Prevent costly reporting errors with a fast, reliable PEIMS quality-control routine. This blog offers a checklist and information you can use.

September 9, 2026

When the Classroom Lives in the In-Between: Nepantla, Rasquachismo, and Teaching Tools (September 9, 2026 edition)

Making do is not making less. Explore digital resources that are free and useful in the space between enterprise solutions and making do.

ACE Image Inquiry: Reading Paintings Like Historical Evidence

Art history, or history in art, has never been my thing. That’s why I found visits to museums as a student, unless they focused on scientific accomplishments, bones and fossils, to be a waste of time. Michaelangelo’s sculptures awed me as

Five New Digital Math Tools for PreKinder and Kinder (PreK-K)

As a former Bilingual/ESL third, fifth, and sixth grade teacher, math instruction challenged me. Before every math lesson, even scripted math curriculum, I had to work the problems myself. This always made me laugh since my mother, a

Idioms and Sayings: A CTOB Suite for Multilingual Learners

“El pez muere por la boca,” my mother liked to tell me. In English, the literal meaning “The fish dies by its mouth.” But what does that mean? It’s the equivalent of “Loose lips sink ships.” As an avid fishing enthusiast on the Gamboa

Problem-Solving Teaching: PBL Units for Texas Social Studies

Wish you had access to PBL lessons aligned to the Texas TEKS for Social Studies? What if they also were available in seven languages, offered suggestions for Surface, Deep, and Transfer Learning activities (see interactive tool below)

September 1, 2026

The Clock is Ticking: Accessibility Deadline Upcoming for School Websites

Prepare school websites for digital accessibility (A11Y) deadlines with tools and guidance.

When the Classroom Lives in the In-Between: Nepantla, Rasquachismo, and Teaching Tools (September 1, 2026 archive)

Somewhere in a school hallway, a teacher is trying to do tomorrow’s lesson with yesterday’s tools. The district license expired. The new platform needs student accounts. The free tool looks promising, right up until it asks for a login, a

August 30, 2026

7 Graphing Activities That Put Students Behind the Data

Get students beyond making graphs and into thinking about what the data means. Help students create charts, coordinate plots and geometry.

August 27, 2026

ACE the SST: Building Deeper Thinking in Elementary Science

See how to build deeper thinking in elementary science, leveraging the ACE framework for SST success. Get grade 3-5 entry/exit tickets, too.

August 17, 2026

ACE in Math: Three Questions That Show Real Understanding

One of the problems that plagued me as a young math student? Getting the right answer without understanding how I got there. It's like making an intuitive

August 15, 2026

Organize Historical Events with Printable Event Maps

Need students to dig into a historical event? You may find that a one-page organizer is enough and gets students thinking. There are 24 in this collection aligned to the TEKS for grades 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12.

August 14, 2026

Turn Literature Study into an Investigation with PlotPoint

Turn literature study into an investigation. Read, reason, and play with PlotPoint for many classic stories and tales.

August 12, 2026

Six Teacher Discounts Worth Checking Before You Pay Full Price

Save on classroom essentials with teacher discounts on tech, supplies, wellness, and more. Get access to 150+ discounts for educators.

August 11, 2026

Critical Thinking Online Breakouts for K–12 Classrooms: Bible as Literature

You may have seen the headlines, board discussions, or hallway conversations already. Bible-related texts are showing up in new ways in Texas

August 6, 2026

Choosing a District Assessment System Without Starting With Vendor Demos

Find yourself building a workaround in a spreadsheet or other convenient tool? That may be a sign that your enterprise assessment system needs a hard look. I still remember visiting with key campus staff to figure out...

August 4, 2026

Build Better Online Judgment with Digital Citizenship CTOBs

Help students investigate online choices, weigh evidence, and think before clicking. These critical thinking activities are geared for K-8.

August 4, 2026

Teach Digital Citizenship with CipherSplat Encryption

Teach children to not only be model digital citizens, but also how to safeguard sensitive data in an increasingly privacy-hostile spaces.

August 4, 2026

Crack the Code on Gen AI Literacy

Help students question, verify, and responsibly use generative AI through breakouts. Model the use of the CLEAR Framework, too.

August 4, 2026

Women’s Equality Day: The Vote Was a Milestone, Not the Finish Line

Explore Women's Equality Day today through online learning activities, the ACE Framework, and a ready-to-investigate assignment.

July 31, 2026

Hands-On: Student Learning in the AI era

As districts retreat from ed-tech, will evidence-based, unplugged strategies fill the engagement void? A look at Weingarten's 10-point plan through Hattie's Visible Learning effect sizes.

July 31, 2026

How Principals Can Use Gen AI to Create Engaging Staff Meetings

Explore prompts that can assist you in creating engaging staff meetings that won't leave your team yawning.

July 31, 2026

Say It, Make It: Turn Clear Communication into a STEAM Challenge

Turn cups, cardboard, and careful directions into a hands-on STEAM challenge that builds communication, problem-solving, and teamwork.

July 30, 2026

Back to School: Get Students Lab-Ready with Free Safety Certification Activities

Help students build safer science habits with nine free, interactive lab safety modules for grades six through twelve.

July 30, 2026

Science Detectives: Critical Thinking Online Breakouts (CTOBs) for Your 6–8 Classroom

Each grade page bundles puzzles, STEM challenges, vocabulary, standards, and teacher supports. These build on TEKS-aligned science content.

July 29, 2026

Back to School: Five Reasons Getting to Know You Activities Are Worth the Time

Help students connect, belong, and learn through multilingual activities designed for every classroom. Start today.

July 27, 2026

Make T-TESS Observations Less Painful with Gen AI

Compare T-TESS Gen AI tools for evidence, coaching, efficiency, and trust. Get access to selection rubrics and more.

July 24, 2026

Back to School: Relic Room TEKS Aligned Activities

Investigate vanished classroom practices while building evidence-based historical thinking skills.

July 24, 2026

Build a Better Handbook in Five Steps

Build a better handbook in five steps.

July 23, 2026

TCEA Responds: Binder Check Rubrics for Your Science Classroom

Use this simple science binder rubric to check organization, completeness, and student effort.

July 20, 2026

Three Critical Thinking Digital Breakouts for 2026-2027 (CLEAR, Part 2)

For the 2026-2027 school year, I have three brand new digital breakouts to share. These are designed to be low-prep, easy to use, and just the right mix of thinking and fun. You can use them as bellringers, partner...

July 20, 2026

Science Detectives: Critical Thinking Online Breakouts (CTOBs) for Your 3–5 Classroom

When I was younger, I liked stories where the Sun felt less like a star and more like a character. The Sun chased the Moon. The Moon borrowed light. The

July 19, 2026

Sharing 130+ Social Studies Entry and Exit Tickets

In this blog entry, I’ll share over 130+ entry and exit tickets aligned to the Social Studies TEKS for grades 3-11.

July 15, 2026

AI as Augmentation: Establishing Clear Boundaries in K-16 Education

A practical framework for using AI to augment rather than replace teacher expertise, covering implementation practices, governance structures, and a three-tier model for pedagogical decision-making.

July 15, 2026

An Hour of AI Training: A Practical Guide for Educators

A privacy-first, one-hour plan for getting started with educational AI. Choose a safe tool, build context, collaborate with the AI, and use SOLO Taxonomy to design leveled activities.

July 15, 2026

Balancing Tech and Tradition in Education: A Parent's Perspective

A parent, administrator, and teacher weigh in on balancing AI tools with the timeless values of critical thinking, creativity, and integrity, plus practical strategies and grade-level examples.

July 15, 2026

PRISM Framework for Coaching

PRISM (Patterns, Reasoning, Ideas, Situation, Methods) gives structure to coaching conversations, with ready-to-use questions and sentence stems for each stage.

July 15, 2026

PRISM Science: Water Cycle

Using the PRISM Framework and SOLO Taxonomy to scaffold student thinking about the water cycle, complete with a pre-assessment, item analysis, and a hands-on Water Cycle Story Bin STEM activity.

July 15, 2026

Seven Innovative BoodleBox Bots to Transform K-16 Education

Seven custom AI bots that support critical thinking, writing, and content creation across K-16 classrooms, with prompt engineering tips, a bot-building blueprint, and full custom instructions for each.

July 15, 2026

Transforming Data into Action: 5 Essential Questions for Texas Educators

Five essential questions that give structure to PLC meetings, shifting the conversation from curriculum coverage to student mastery of essential TEKS within an MTSS framework.

July 13, 2026

Crack the Case with CLEAR, Smart Thinking

We don’t teach critical thinking as well as we should in K-12 schools. That’s why I have spent so much time on it in past blog entries . Gen AI has uncovered this detail for many. As students lean on Gen AI more, the...

July 13, 2026

Build Student-Ready Study Kits: AI Prompts

Have students who need a little extra help? Give creating study kits for students a try. You can use the prompts in this blog entry to create

July 8, 2026

Three Critical Thinking Online Breakouts for 2026-2027 (CLEAR, Part 2)

Explore three digital breakouts for critical thinking in this blog entry. You get access to three activities you can use for a bellringer, partner activity, station, or quick filler.

July 7, 2026

Science Detectives: Critical Thinking Online Breakouts (CTOBs) for Your K-2 Classroom

\"Word learning requires multiple exposures to the word within meaningful contexts.\" That's a quote I ran across some time ago and jotted down in my

July 6, 2026

Drop the Subscriptions: Vibe-Code Your Own Library Tools

School librarians keep getting asked to run real programs on budgets that shrink every year, and the per-student, per-month pricing model is rarely on your side. You can build these tools with vibe-coding yourself now...

July 6, 2026

Crack the Case with CLEAR, Smart Thinking, Part 1

We don't teach critical thinking as well as we should in K-12 schools. That's why I have spent so much time on it in past blog entries. Gen AI has

July 3, 2026

Celebrate America’s 250th Birthday with Fourth of July Digital Breakouts

Looking forward to the July 4th this year is different. You know what I mean. Not only is it Independence Day, but with the backdrop of America’s 250th Birthday, it’s also a time to cherish the sacrifices everyone has...

July 1, 2026

Should Districts Block Canva? The K-12 Control Question

A district technology leader recently raised a question that probably made several CTOs pause over their coffee: Should Canva be blocked for students next year? If you are staggering in shock at the question, you are...

June 29, 2026

TCEA Responds: When Staff Build Their Own AI Apps

Dear TCEA Responds: We have a non-IT staff member who used Gen AI tools to build a small application for district use. The app is simple, serves a real need, and the staff member meant well. But it raises questions...

June 22, 2026

Library Grants Worth Knowing About (Spring 2026 Edition)

Finding funding is tough in 2026. If you are a school librarian, you may be asking a question that’s on a lot of minds. That question is, “Know of any grants for new books?” Finding current, accurate grant information...

June 17, 2026

Turn Entry Tickets Into Smart Item Analysis

Set Gen AI up for success with ALDO, the SOLO Taxonomy, and high-effect-size strategies—then use entry-ticket data for Gen AI-powered smart item analysis.

June 12, 2026

TCEA Responds: Will Jigsaw Help My Third Graders on Individual Tests?

Dear TCEA Responds: This year I really want to focus more on the Jigsaw Method with my third graders. My main question is how does Jigsaw work when

June 10, 2026

Make Data Displays Without Writing Code

Every morning, before I get out of bed, I spend time reading articles, reports, and social media. All this content ends up somewhere , but most importantly, it helps me identify what’s going on, and how to keep up to...

June 8, 2026

ACE It: Three Steps from Surface to Transfer Learning

If your students are able to get Gen AI to complete their work, what can you do to encourage productive struggle? That’s a question a lot of us are struggling with in education. With Gen AI tools saturating every facet...

June 8, 2026

Vibe-Coded Solutions for Educators

Ever needed a place for students or staff in a workshop to turn in their work, but couldn’t afford the cost of a bulletin board type product? Maybe you want the work saved in Google Drive rather than somewhere else, or...

June 3, 2026

The Augmented K-16 AI Framework: Six Tools You Can Use

Looking for an intriguing approach to frame the Gen AI in schools discussion? You might find this Augmented K-16 AI Framework worth a read. The reason why is that it builds on Paul Roetzer’s upcoming MAICON 2026 talk (...

June 1, 2026

5 Steps to a 15-Minute Family App Privacy Audit

Have you installed a new app lately? Whether it’s Tik Tok, ChatGPT, or some game app, you often get a list of required permissions. Microphone: allowed. Contacts: allowed. Location: always on. For a game about stacking...

May 8, 2026

Four Free Tools to Cut Workflow Friction in 2026

You’re starting your Sunday afternoon lesson preparation, and find that you need to record a quick walkthrough of a science simulation, then edit a PDF before posting it. You also have to capture three screenshots for a...

April 29, 2026

Digital Mapping Your School District

Sitting in a safety committee meeting while someone argues about door labels is exactly how you want to spend a Wednesday morning. You have three spreadsheets open, a half-eaten taco, and a mandate from the state that...

April 22, 2026

When AI Tutors Backfire

“What recommendations, if any, do you have for an online algebra tutor?” This question pushed me to search online for free, perhaps AI-powered, algebra tutors. Having struggled with Algebra I in high school due to an...

March 31, 2026

News-Style Pet Flyers: Teaching Writing for Real

When a pet goes missing (or a “loose dog followed us home”), people do not need a novel. What they do need are the facts and next steps. Local news writing is designed to get that job done. Pair that writing style with...

March 25, 2026

KPI Dashboards Built with Gen AI

We have all been there. The board meeting is in three days. Someone just sent you a spreadsheet with device deployment numbers that don’t match the ones in last month’s cabinet deck. You open a browser tab to find the...

March 11, 2026

AI Maker Magic, Part 3: Save FunQuiz Results to Google Sheets

In the two previous parts of this blog series, you saw how to make a custom GPT accessible to anyone, whether they have a ChatGPT account or not, as a website. In part one of the AI Magic Maker series , you created a...

March 6, 2026

When Disaster Strikes: The Cyber Edition

Back in December 2017, I wrote about a tabletop exercise game built after hearing Round Rock ISD’s CTO (Chief Technology Officer) Mark Gabehart (now retired) talk about disaster preparedness. “It’s the processes and...

February 26, 2026

Become an AI-Powered Newsletter Architect

Another Sunday evening deadline pops up. You have seventeen browser tabs open as you try to put a newsletter together that goes out the next morning. Each one holds a promising article about AI in education, new...

February 26, 2026

Five Browser Add-Ons Worth Installing This Week

Have you ever opened a Google Doc someone shared, even one you have made, and wanted to save the image? You right-click, but nothing happens? There’s no “Save image,” or download option. It can be a bit of an irritation...

February 26, 2026

Six Free Tools That Put Privacy First

You are standing in line at the copy machine on a Tuesday afternoon, phone in hand, trying to airdrop a PDF to your laptop. It does not work. You email it to yourself. The file is too large. You open a cloud app, upload...

February 26, 2026

Stop Fixing Students: Coaching for Equity Through Universal Design

Coaching for every learner requires moving from reactive differentiation to proactive Universal Design for Learning (UDL). By focusing on high-effect strategies like Jigsaw (0.92 effect size) , you help teachers...

February 26, 2026

Stop the Spam: Tips for Filtering Unwanted Phone Calls

Attend a conference event, and now have a plethora of business oriented calls landing on your personal device that you didn’t ask for? If you’ve noticed your phone ringing more often with calls from unknown numbers...

February 26, 2026

TCEA Responds: Navigating Resistance, Part 1

Dear TCEA Responds: I’m an instructional coach, and lately, I feel like I’m hitting a brick wall. Every time I suggest a high-effect size strategy or mention video coaching, I get “the look.” You know the one: the...

February 26, 2026

TCEA Responds: Navigating Resistance, Part 2

In Part 1 of this series , you explored the “Secret Sauce” of the ARC Protocol. In it, you learned about the neuroscience of psychological safety, the power of the Crucial Conversations ‘ authors’ AMPP technique (Ask...

December 29, 2025

Bash and Bat: Get Things Done at the Command Line

written by Miguel Guhlin December 29, 2025 2 Need to convert an MP4 video file to an MP3 audio file with drag-n-drop? Or, resize and compress an image that’s too big to upload? Need to convert PDFs into a single merged...

December 4, 2025

Advance Organizers for Deeper Learning

Advance organizers prepare the brain for new learning by giving students a structure before content appears. Here are seven you can use tomorrow, plus how they fit the ALDO framework.

December 1, 2025

Teaching Oral Assessment with VIVA

As generative AI erodes traditional written assessment, VIVA—Verify, Illustrate, Validate, Apply—offers a K-12 framework for oral assessment rooted in the tradition of viva voce.

November 3, 2025

Five Evidence-Based Strategies for Purposeful AI Integration in Education

Every day, a new Gen AI tool ( see my list ) lands in my inbox or social media feed. The constant stream of new technologies can be overwhelming. If you’re feeling Gen AI fatigue , you’re not alone. As educators, a...

August 19, 2025

Empower Student App Creators with Vibes DIY

While it’s gotten easier to engage in “vibe coding,” many wonder at whether educators should take advantage of it. After all, vibe coding is the popular term for creating code without knowing how to code. Students can...

July 25, 2025

Strategic AI Series, Part 2: Build Your AI Implementation Plan

A five-step, safety-first plan for implementing GenAI in schools: build a leadership team, set clear policies, grow teacher capacity, make it safe, and engage your community.

July 25, 2025

Can I Upload That? AI, Copyright, and Our Classrooms

Have you ever found the perfect article for your lesson and thought, “I could drop this into ChatGPT and get everything I need in seconds?” Ok, hang on a second. Let’s take a moment before you do that. I recently heard...

July 16, 2025

Shadow AI in Schools

“I’ve been using my personal account with students. That’s okay, right?” What was not allowed before is now acceptable with GenAI’s rampage into classrooms and schools. With the multiple data breach scenarios occurring...

July 11, 2025

Use Tasmap to Design and Share Custom Maps

Have you ever wanted to create a truly unique map that tells a visual story? With a daughter who works professionally visualizing places and data spatially, I was immediately drawn to Tasmap . I immediately passed this...

July 10, 2025

DIY Student App Creators with Vibes DIY

While it’s gotten easier to engage in “vibe coding,” many wonder at whether educators should take advantage of it. After all, vibe coding is the populalr term for creating code with knowing how to code. That aside...

July 10, 2025

Kickstart Your Project Management Planning with AI

Project management can feel like juggling chainsaws (or pirahnas or sharks, if you prefer). You know you’re going to get bit by some aspect of the job. This impending doom and working to keep it at bay is exactly what...

July 1, 2025

Bridge Builders, Bot Makers

A practical, privacy-first approach to overcoming generative AI tool paralysis, using the PRISM framework and a four-step collaboration method to turn AI from a vending machine into a teaching partner.

May 15, 2025

Coaching Strategies, Part 1

Innovative coaching strategies are emerging, offering fresh ways to support teacher learning, foster collaboration, and promote impactful instructional practices. If you need to switch up professional development, give...

May 15, 2025

Coaching Strategies, Part 2

How can instructional coaches facilitate custom professional learning experiences for those they serve? In this blog entry, you will see some additional coaching strategies. Personalized learning is a buzzword, but...

May 1, 2025

Kiwix: Offline Learning for K12

When my WiFi network died, I sat there staring at my laptop screen. It still had power but I wondered, “How will I get by without all the information on the Web?” Obviously, it’s a problem that can be solved in many...

May 1, 2025

Unleash Your Creativity with Canva Create

In mid-April, 2025, TCEA hosted a Lunch and Learn session featuring Canva Learning Consultant, Monica Martinez. Monica gave attendees a thrilling sneak peek into the innovative updates announced at Canva Create...

April 30, 2025

Learning Forward with AI: Equip Your Admin Assistants

One of my favorite audiences as a technology director? Administrative assistants. All of them had a single-minded focus to be more efficient, effective, and use technology to get it done. One in particular, whom I’ll...

April 30, 2025

Leverage AI Voice Assistants with iOS Shortcuts

Do you have a panel of GenAI “experts”, like Perplexity , ChatGPT , and/or Google Gemini , on your smartphone? Ever wished you had a Star Trek Voice interface (see video below)? If you’re like me, you may have. Some...

April 16, 2025

Support Relational Thinking with Research-Based Strategies

“I don’t get it!” This common classroom refrain highlights a frequent struggle. Students memorize facts but miss connections. They see pieces but not the whole picture. It’s easy to experience a fragmented view of...

April 10, 2025

Tackle Word Problems in STRIDE

“Math is my worst subject,” I often thought growing up. Never was this fact more evident than when my teacher presented me with a word problem. My mother, a veteran middle school math teacher, worked math problems and...

April 4, 2025

Padlet’s AI Tools Supercharge Digital Collaboration

Creating engaging digital spaces where students can work well together can be hard. Recently, I was impressed to discover Padlet’s AI Tools, new features designed to assist teachers. And, there’s an exciting new...

April 3, 2025

Proactive Strategies for Calm Classrooms

A 2023 ERIC study found that 72% of teachers report spending more time managing behavior than teaching ( source ). As classroom disruptions rise, what are research-backed approaches that tackle the root causes of poor...

February 27, 2025

Revolutionizing Rubric Creation with AI

“Assessment should measure what matters, not consume the time needed to teach it.” Have you tried designing a rubric? It takes time, effort to align the rubric and be consistent about the work. It’s enough to make you...

February 1, 2025

Got GRITS? A Coaching Strategy for Lesson Study Groups

The GRITS Model (Goal Setting, Research, Implementation, Team Analysis, and Strengthening) gives coaches and teachers a structured lesson study cycle, illustrated here through a fifth-grade fractions lesson.

January 15, 2025

7 Strategies to Make Vocabulary Lessons Unforgettable

As a Gen Xer, I grew up studying vocabulary words for every subject. From reciting vocabulary for spelling and meaning, I spent my share of time cramming vocabulary and concepts. Cramming doesn’t work well, as you’ll...

October 17, 2024

Five Action Writing Strategies to Teach Critical Thinking in an AI World

AI-powered writing threatens the status quo of classrooms. While AI literacy supersedes digital literacy, with teachers and students scrambling to learn how to use AI the right way, writing teachers are despairing...

October 2, 2024

Simplify iPad File Transfers

Have you spent hours making a wonderful video on your iPad, then wondered how to get it to your computer to share? Or maybe, how to share a file you made on your computer with a class of students directly to their...

September 19, 2024

Effective Learning Strategies You Can Use

What effective learning strategies can you enhance with AI tools? In this blog, see how you can you leverage AI to make you a more effective and efficient learner. Understanding how to accomplish means gaining a deeper...

September 18, 2024

Enhancing Learning with SIOP

How do you integrate language and content instruction? One established approach is the Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) model.Let’s see how SIOP phases align with different learning intentions and...

September 12, 2024

Responsible AI Adoption: An Organizational Self-Assessment

How do you bring about change regarding AI adoption in your school or district? Change management is a massive job that can easily fail due to many factors. Let’s explore how to shift from one phase of District AI...

September 8, 2024

Quiz Question Creation for Videos

“I want to create a quiz for a video using AI or something. How do I do that?” That question comes up from time to time. There are several free tools you can take advantage of. Most of those tools are for YouTube, but...

August 28, 2024

Responsible AI Adoption

While attending a start-of-the-year school district event, it became apparent to me that many districts are at different places in a journey towards adopting AI in schools. The fundamental question for them is, “How can...

August 23, 2024

Student Privacy Shield: TCEA PROTECT

Are you a school district technology leader? If you are, you have a tough responsibility. That duty is protecting student data privacy. And, at the same time, you must balance new, popular, and innovative educational...

August 23, 2024

Supercharge Your Tech Plans with the AI Plan Analyzer

In the ever-evolving world of technology, having a robust and comprehensive plan is crucial for organizations of all sizes. But how can you ensure your technology plans are up to par? Enter the AI-Powered Plans Analyzer...

August 12, 2024

Introducing a Research-Based Coaching Cycle: TCEA EIIR

Boost Teacher Growth with the TCEA EIIR Coaching Cycle Doing what we can to improve as educators remains a top priority. Our aim is to enhance student learning outcomes as we work on ourselves using research-proven...

August 11, 2024

Visual Literacy Boost with Adobe Express

1 What will you create today? It’s the question that greets anyone visiting the Adobe Express website . A more important question may be, how are you teaching students to interpret, create, and use visual content for...

August 9, 2024

Debates Go Online with Kialo Edu

Great conversations result in learning. When students have structure and know how to engage in academic chats, they learn more. Research shows classroom discussions have a positive impact on student long-term...

August 8, 2024

EduSphere: Premade Prompts Ease AI Usage in K-12

written by Miguel Guhlin August 8, 2024 2 “Why use premade prompts when you have access to an open-ended chatbot?” This question popped up at a recent school district AI Summit in Northside ISD (San Antonio, Texas). The...

August 7, 2024

SHINE: Lighting the Way to Responsible AI Adoption

written by Miguel Guhlin August 7, 2024 1 Many tech directors fear an influx of popular digital tools due to network security risks and potential crashes. Even known technologies, when updated or hacked, can cause...

August 5, 2024

The LEARNS Cycle: Putting AI in Instruction, Part 2

In the part 1 of this blog series , we discovered how AI tools can be integrated into the first step of the LEARNS Cycle, “Locate.” This stage is where learners identify their current knowledge and skills related to a...

August 2, 2024

5 Ways Educators Can Leverage Virtual Author Talks to Boost Literacy

2 Did you know that only 43% of children aged 8-18 enjoy reading? That number is down from 58% in 2016 ( source ). What’s more, American nine and thirteen year olds who read for fun daily has dropped to its lowest...

August 2, 2024

AI Boosts Learning

How can you design learning experiences for students that resonate with them? You offer different ways for students to understand information and show they have learned it. You also design lessons to be interesting and...

August 2, 2024

AI Chatbot File Compatibility for Educators: Mastering Formats in the Digital Classroom

AI Chatbots have found their way into the hands of teachers and students around the globe. In classrooms, about half of U.S. teachers and K-12 students now use an AI chatbot like ChatGPT on a weekly basis. Only about...

August 2, 2024

Citing AI Insights: Five Approaches to Try

Wondering about citing AI insights? Citing your work is important. Doing so ensures transparency. It says, “Not only did I get inspired by this amazing idea, I know who or what inspired me.” Let’s take a moment to...

August 2, 2024

Critical Thinking for Leaders and Educators: An AI Framework

written by Miguel Guhlin August 2, 2024 1 Critical thinking frameworks and AI prompts. How do they mix? I’ve wrestled with this question. I know I’m thinking critically when I craft prompts, but the process eludes me...

August 2, 2024

Five Digital AI Tools: Tech Trends Impacting Education

6 Keeping up with tech advances in schools? It’s a challenge. These recent AI breakthroughs will grab your attention. AI-assisted teaching aids for K-12 classrooms are evolving fast. You can use many to model AI usage...

August 2, 2024

Interactive Fiction Game Design with Claude Artifacts

Ever wish you could design interactive fiction games, like text-based Zork back in the day? But combine it with space opera? I do. I bet your students would love the opportunity, too. A few years ago, one of my favorite...

August 2, 2024

K-12 Leadership Roadblocks and Detours to Success

written by Miguel Guhlin August 2, 2024 1 As a campus and district administrator, I often encountered roadblocks to new initiatives. Getting a project to completion can feel like driving an obstacle course. If that’s...

August 2, 2024

Leveraging AI for Efficient Lesson Planning: The PLAN Approach

3 Looking forward to writing a lesson plan? Or crafting a long email to parents about a delicate issue? Required to create something that aligns to existing policy documents? If these tasks give you pause, you will...

August 2, 2024

Storynest.ai: Reshaping Storytelling in Three Quick Ways

3 Looking for a fun way to change how you approach storytelling? Storynest.ai may be the tool you need. It can help you put together new narratives. Let’s explore three ways Storynest.ai reshapes storytelling. You will...

July 31, 2024

CAPE AI Prompt Maker: Applying Chain-of-Thought to Instruction

What’s the best way to introduce decomposition to students? It might be simpler than you think! The term, decomposition, refers to breaking complex problems into simpler ones. In this way, you can solve problems that...

July 8, 2024

Canva Updates for July 2024

Do you love Canva? It offers a wealth of digital design tools that make the worst of our work look better. But keeping up to date with Canva and other digital tools can be tough. Let’s take a look at some of the...

July 8, 2024

Deconstructing Infographics with AI

written by Miguel Guhlin July 8, 2024 1 Infographics tell stories. But they can do more. In this blog entry, you will see how you can deconstruct infographics into their data components, then reconstitute it in new...

July 7, 2024

Free Equatio Alternatives: Top Editors for Math Teachers

written by Miguel Guhlin July 7, 2024 1 Dear TCEA Responds: Now that the free version of Equatio for educators is going away, what options for equation editors do you plan on using? My math teachers absolutely loved...

July 5, 2024

New Free AI Tools from TeacherServer

When I stumble across new educational technology tools, my heart races with excitement. It’s not about collecting amazing tools to fill my toolbox; it’s about finding those rare gems that can transform teaching and...

June 28, 2024

An AI-Powered Google Workspace

written by Miguel Guhlin June 28, 2024 1 Following education technology trends? Then you know AI is what is on everyone’s lips. The big question is, “How’s your favorite solution partner using AI to impact the...

June 28, 2024

Flowcharts and Mermaid Code: A Science Teacher’s Secret Sauce

Getting students buzzing about the steps of a scientific process isn’t easy; helping them think through concepts and process, even harder. Imagine if you could engage them with flowcharts and learn the same critical...

June 13, 2024

The LEARNS Cycle: Putting AI in Instruction, Part 1

“There are a bucket-full of AI tools, apps, and suggestions, but how does any of this fit within the learning cycle? How does it align to evidence-driven, research-based instructional strategies?” Those are two...

May 21, 2024

Eduaide and MagicSchool: Compare Two Top AI Tools for Teachers

Are you on the hunt for the perfect AI assistant to lighten your lesson planning load? There are many choices available. Let’s take a look at two exciting AI tools for teachers, Eduaide and MagicSchool . Let’s explore...

September 19, 2023

AI-Powered Open Audiobooks

Looking for your next book? Or are you an audiobook afficionado? You don’t need to wait for an Audible performance to listen to your favorite classics. The Project Gutenberg (PG) Open Audiobook Collection has made its...

September 7, 2023

A Countdown Timer for Every Occasion

Need to keep track of progress towards a future date or measure time for a class activity? Try a countdown timer!

September 5, 2023

TCEA Responds: Engaging ELLs with Guided Notes

Take advantage of guided notes for engaging emerging language learners! Get access to digital tools that make guided note creation easier.

August 29, 2023

Two New Google AI Tools: Help Me Write and NotebookLM

Ready to explore some new Google AI tools? Get a preview of Google Workspace Labs' Help Me Write and NotebookLM!

August 23, 2023

TCEA Responds: Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS)

Get suggestions from TCEA and others on how to strengthen your multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS), especially Tier 1!

August 18, 2023

Exploring Extreme Heat Science: Five Resources for Educators on Climate Change

Are you a secondary science teacher? Explore extreme heat and climate change with students using these eye-opening educational resources.

August 14, 2023

TEA's K-12 Cybersecurity Initiative Offers Funding and Resources

Ready to safeguard your school district network and devices? The Texas Education Agency can help with cybersecurity funding and resources.

August 8, 2023

Eight Great Science Resources to Explore

Grab your notebook and explore these eight, great science sites, amazing video content and lessons you can share with young learners.

August 4, 2023

Five Tips for New School Principals

Are you new to school leadership this year? Start here with access to five tips, resources, and suggestions for new principals!

August 1, 2023

Back to School: Primary Sources, Interactive Resources, and Maps for Teaching History

Scouting new resources for teaching history or social studies as you head back to school? Don't miss this roundup!

July 24, 2023

Coaching, Building Relationships, and Brain Engagement

Looking for ideas to build coach-to-teacher relationships that serve as the foundational obstacle to success? This blog entry can help.

July 17, 2023

10 Free Generative AI Courses Offered by Google

Google now offers 10 free courses in a Generative AI Learning Path. Take the courses and earn completion badges! Check them out.

July 14, 2023

Five Free WebSites You Need to Know About

Want to access a wealth of OER resources, practice fact-checking, and double-check your critical thinking with free resources and tools?

July 7, 2023

Five Big Google Announcements From June 2023

Curious about the latest Google announcements and updates on education products? Here's a breakdown of five big ones.

June 30, 2023

TCEA Responds: Interactive Touch Screens

TCEA's Miguel Guhlin responds to a member question about interactive touch screens and motivating staff when it comes to tech integration.

June 26, 2023

New Reading Tools to the Rescue from Google and Microsoft

Get the latest on Microsoft's Reading Coach and Google's new Reading Practice features for Google Play Books.

June 20, 2023

How to Easily Convert Quizzes Between Platforms

Need to get a set of quiz questions from one system (e.g. Quizlet, Kahoot!) into another? Find out how to convert quizzes easily!

June 9, 2023

TCEA Announces Network Security Course

Check out a brand new Network Security course from TCEA! Learn about security tools, good practices, and avoiding attempts to trick you.

June 1, 2023

Micro-Reflections: Crafting Reflections in the Moment

Want to get the most out of what you learn? You may be missing out on an important step – reflection! Here's a heuristic to make it easier.

May 24, 2023

EduProtocols: Workflowing Amazing Lesson Design

ALDO becomes WALDO! Explore a lesson design outline with lots of resources for mixing and matching strategies, EduProtocols, and digital tools.

May 16, 2023

Digital Spring Cleaning Made Simple

Need to clean, protect, and back up your digital files? Learn some tips and tools for digital spring cleaning. Get started now!

April 27, 2023

ANTON: Free Digital Activities and Games for K-8 Students

Want access to free, multilingual, student-friendly activities in all subjects for K-8 students? Take a look at the free ANTON app!

April 20, 2023

ClassQuiz: A Free Tool Supporting High-Effect Size Instructional Strategies

Wish you had a free no-cost, open-source tool that supports evidence-based strategies but doesn't violate student privacy? Try ClassQuiz.

April 6, 2023

Four Ways AI Can Help Teach Poetry

Here's a fresh take on how AI can help students explore poetic forms, boost confidence in writing poetry, and sharpen poetry analysis skills!

March 31, 2023

Google Drive Bingo: Explore 25 Google Drive Tips

Read about 15 tips for optimizing your Google Drive experience, plus get 10 more in a Google Drive bingo card!

March 21, 2023

TCEA Announces Dynamic Instruction with Project-Based Learning (PBL)

Make engaging learning possible by mastering the components of high quality project-based learning (PBL) lessons!

March 17, 2023

TCEA Announces All-New Scratch Computational Thinking Course

Get up to speed with computational thinking, game design, and animation with TCEA's online, self-paced course on Scratch.

March 15, 2023

Two Digital Tools to Support Inquiry Learning

Dig into inquiry learning research and get two exciting digital tools with a variety of resources and tools for scaffolding in your classroom.

March 10, 2023

Get Your Digital Business Card

Looking for a quick and paper-free way to share your info? Use one of these digital business card creation tools. Or make your own!

March 7, 2023

Make History Interactive with HistoryMaps

Need a way to make history a bit more interactive? Use videos, images, and maps available via the HistoryMaps website and apps.

March 3, 2023

Openverse: An Open Source Creative Commons Search Tool

Wish you could easily find images and audio for your projects? Check out Openverse.org, an open source Creative Commons search tool.

February 28, 2023

Wakelet's Enhanced Classrooms Features

Wakelet announces new Classroom feature enhancements, making it easy to import student rosters and share curated content.

February 17, 2023

TCEA Announces All-New Swift Programming Course

Need to learn Apple's SWIFT programming tool? Look no further than TCEA's new online course focused on SWIFT.

February 13, 2023

What Are Microsoft's New Learning Accelerators?

Boost student learning, track student progress, and take swift action with Microsoft's 2023 Learning Accelerators.

February 10, 2023

Recording Audio with Audacity

Recording audio has never been easier on smartphones and other devices. Audio editing and creating audio books is made simple with Audacity.

February 7, 2023

Writing Strategies: Insights from a Twitter Chat

How can teachers teach writing if there's no roadmap? Take a look at several ideas and strategies from a Twitterchat with Natalie Wexler.

February 3, 2023

One Strategy for Combatting Pseudoscience

How can we teach students to evaluate pseudoscience and sketchy assertions? Explore resources to improve critical thinking.

January 31, 2023

Google Drive Direct Link Generator Makes Downloads Easy

With Google Drive Direct Link Generator, generate a direct download link to share files you have stored in Google Drive.

January 27, 2023

Three Online Public Radio Search Tools

What's the point of listening to public radio in the classroom, and how can you access it for free online? Read on for more information.

January 24, 2023

Free K-12 Cyber Workforce Curriculum

Prepare students to be a cyber workforce to positively impact the future! If that's a goal for you and your students, CYBER.org can help.

January 13, 2023

TCEA Responds: Science Denial, Flat Earth, and the Power of Questioning

What is science denial? Why does it exist? How can we combat it? Here are some questioning strategies to encourage scientific thinking.

January 4, 2023

Three Strategies to Align Teaching and Technology

Want digital tools to align with instructional strategies and positive learning outcomes? Here are three ways to align teaching and tech.

December 29, 2022

A Free and Open-Source (FOSS) Geographic Information System

Explore a popular K-12 geographic information system and check out a free and open-source alternative, QGIS.

December 26, 2022

Mastodon Magic: Five Tools Shared by Educators

You've seen Twitter Takeaways, but now, experience Mastodon Magic! Here are five enthralling digital tools shared by educators on Mastodon.

December 22, 2022

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Tools Spur Classroom Creativity

Generating images with a simple phrase, revising text with one command – can AI really drive creativity? Let's explore three tools.

December 19, 2022

How to Get Started with Mastodon

Curious about moving from Twitter to Mastodon – a Twitter alternative? Read this article to learn how to join the Mastodon migration.

December 15, 2022

Purdue University's Free STEM Degree for K-8 Students

Dig into these cool STEM videos for K-8 students from Purdue University's College of Science. Students earn a STEM degree at the end!

December 9, 2022

Ahoy, Mateys! Animate Your Voice

If you're looking for a fun, new way to engage your students in any subject or grade level, try out Adobe Express and animate your voice!

November 18, 2022

Becoming an Ed Tech Pro: Where Do I Start?

If you're wanting to boost your ed tech knowledge but don't know where to start, take a look at three key sources to explore.

November 11, 2022

TCEA Responds: Revamping School Computer Labs

How can you make sure you're meeting needs with the right devices and staying on budget when planning to revamp technology? Here's a process.

November 7, 2022

TCEA Responds: Helpdesk Ticketing and Asset Management Digital Tools

If you're looking for systems or software for your district for helpdesk ticketing, inventory/asset management, or both, check these out.

November 2, 2022

Google Sheets Tip: Conditional Formatting Custom Formulas

Learn more about conditional formatting in Google Sheets. Adjust the colors of an entire row of data with custom formulas!

October 27, 2022

Google AppSheet Makes Building Mobile Apps Easy

Looking for a robust alternative to Glide mobile app development? Try out Google AppSheet. It may be just what you need.

October 25, 2022

Powerful Add-ons and Functions for Google Sheets

Turbocharge your Google Sheets with these power tools and functions! And get an example Google Sheet and Wakelet video collection.

October 21, 2022

Three Resources to Boost Kids' Digital Safety

If you're looking for resources to educate yourself and your kids on digital safety, take a look at these three great options.

October 5, 2022

Cyber Protection: A Basic Right

Cyber protection is a basic tenet of digital citizenship. Why aren't we doing more to empower children and staff to protect sensitive data?

September 29, 2022

Five Unexpected Search Tools For You

Need to find something, but Google doesn’t quite do the job? Use one of these five search tools. You’ll be amazed at what you can find.

September 26, 2022

Two Options for Stopping Smartphone Trackers

Love your smartphone? Trying to encourage your kids to use their smartphones responsibly? Stop smartphone trackers from stealing your data.

September 22, 2022

Solving Real Life Problems with Google Sheets

Need a process for translating real-life problems into Google Sheets solutions? Try this Socrates-inspired approach.

September 16, 2022

Historical Photos: Pull Back The Veil of Time

Find entrancing, engaging images for digital storytelling from past history, These amazing images show a past worth revisiting.

September 12, 2022

Five iPhone Hacks You Need to Know

Wish you could do more with your iPhone? If you're looking for some amazing, multi-purpose iPhone hacks, try these. You won't regret it!

September 9, 2022

Google Photos' New Video Editor

Google unveils a new movie maker and video editor for its popular Google Photos. You can blend video clips, images, and text.

September 1, 2022

30 Recommended Podcasts for Educators

Need a boost to keep you excited about teaching and learning? Want to learn something by listening to other educators? Try these podcasts.

August 30, 2022

Five Lifesaving Portable Apps to Try

On the go but still need handy tools that get the job done? Look no further than portable apps on a USB flash drive. Here are five for you.

August 25, 2022

Get Organized with These Five Digital Tools

Explore five powerful tools to assist your organization efforts and save your health. These are digital tools that will streamline your work.

August 22, 2022

Update Your Browser Now: Seven Tips for Securing Google Chrome

Update your browser now. Chrome offers multiple vulnerabilities often. Learn how to safeguard your internet browser.

August 18, 2022

Five Free Tools for Chromebooks

Are you hoping to find some new, free tools to use on Chromebooks? Here's a list by TCEA's Miguel Guhlin with some of his favorites.

August 11, 2022

Three Empowering Activities for Summarization

Explore three digital versions of summarization activities you can adapt for use with your students, or for professional development.

August 2, 2022

TCEA Responds: Convert Jamboards to Microsoft Whiteboard

Wish you had an easy way to use Jamboard templates in MS Whiteboard, or Microsoft Whiteboard templates in Jamboard? Learn how now.

July 29, 2022

Google Sites' New Page and Create a Theme Features

Dig into powerful new changes for Google Sites. They affect pages and custom themes. Making simple changes can yield huge results!

July 25, 2022

Discover and Add Popular Google Fonts to Your Workspace

Have fun with Google Fonts. Here are some teachers may like, and how you can add them to your documents in Google.

July 19, 2022

PhotoAid: Free Easy Photo Enhancing Tools

Wish you had a toolbox of free photo enhancement tools you could turn to? Bookmark one page and you get access to fourteen tools. Wow!

July 11, 2022

Mobile File Management Made Easy, Part Two

Curious about how to open videos, audio, and office suite documents on your mobile devices? Read part two of mobile file management.

July 5, 2022

Build Block Worlds with Minetest

Wish you had a no-cost alternative to popular Minecraft EDU? Then give Minetest a run and explore this free, open source alternative.

June 28, 2022

Mobile File Management Made Easy, Part One

Curious about how to move files on and off your mobile devices? Read part one of an intro to mobile file management.

June 24, 2022

Three Simple Steps to Innovative Learning

Find three actions you can take to discover innovation in schools today. Often, innovation lurks with simplified processes and ideas.

June 21, 2022

Jigsaw Your Math Classroom

See how the jigsaw method can enhance instruction through engaging, cooperative learning and increase student interest in math.

June 13, 2022

Five Gmail Add-Ons: Make Gmail Simple

Need a quick way to simplify and enhance your Gmail experience? These five add-ons are sure to make viewing email simpler.

June 8, 2022

Adapting Stoic Techniques: Critical Thinking, Part 2

Learn how to think better through critical thinking and writing approaches. Explore a few critical thinking heuristics you can use.

May 25, 2022

Adapting Stoic Techniques to Evidence-Based Strategies, Part 1

This series highlights how to adapt Stoic techniques to evidence-based instructional strategies to improve your thinking and your students'.

May 18, 2022

How to Encourage Digital Accessibility

Want a simple rubric to get you started down the road of digital accessibility? Explore this rubric inspired by a TCEA member.

May 11, 2022

AP Resources for Language Learning

Explore three resources for AP foreign language learning and access a Wakelet collection full of AP language content!

May 5, 2022

Sync Your Browser Bookmarks

Worried about losing your bookmarks? Want to hop from one browser to another with all your favorites intact? Here's a solution.

April 21, 2022

Repurpose That PC: Introducing Chrome OS Flex

Let's explore Chrome OS Flex, Google's latest iteration of CloudReady. Load Chrome OS Flex on your PC and turn it into a Chromebook.

April 18, 2022

Five Resources for Indigenous Peoples and Native American Heritage

Explore lessons and content relevant to Indigenous peoples and Native American heritage- including book lists and podcasts!

April 14, 2022

Embracing Confrontation: A Protocol for Tough Conversations

Leaders, discover a protocol for pushing into tough conversations to promote accountability and positive culture in your workplace.

April 5, 2022

Top Five Tech Tools for New Teachers

What are the tech tools that every new teacher needs? Hear from TCEA's Area 19 Director, Crystal Fuentes, as she shares her top five.

March 30, 2022

QuizFlight: Soar with Retrieval Practice Strategy

Need a digital tool that offers a variety of quiz formats and assists with evidence-based instructional strategies? Check out QuizFlight!

March 21, 2022

Three Ways to Avoid Pop-ups When Reading Online

Want to strip out ads and avoid pop-ups so you can focus on reading and annotating online content? Here are three ways to achieve this.

March 14, 2022

Culturally Responsive Teaching: Teachers as Allies in Growth

Explore how teachers can empower students through culturally responsive teaching and strategies grounded in evidence-based research.

March 11, 2022

Google Arts and Culture: A Rich Array of Resources

Google Arts and Culture shares an amazing, 52-page guide to its repository of human endeavor. It's a must-explore resource!

March 5, 2022

TCEA Responds: Student and Classroom Response Systems

TCEA Responds with classroom and student response systems. Get a list of options and learn the evidence-based strategy behind them.

March 3, 2022

Teaching with Primary Sources

Dig into the past with three specific approaches that empower students to critically analyze primary sources.

February 26, 2022

Build Coding Self-Efficacy with CoSpaces EDU

Need to combine AR/VR, coding, scripting? Look no further than the affordable, student-focused solution featured in this blog entry.

February 21, 2022

Five History Walks for Teaching Texas History

Go on a history walk, whether in a physical or virtual space, and discover something new about Texas history.

February 19, 2022

Three Resources Put Coaching at Your Fingertips

Are you a coach looking for additional tools to support your work? Explore three resources that will enrich and enhance your coaching.

February 17, 2022

Free Lesson Plan Templates and Tools

Explore these sources for fresh lesson plan templates. You'll also find a few digital tools that provide lesson planning capability!

February 11, 2022

Five Simple Graphing Tools Make Graphs Easy and Fun

Tired of complex graphing tools that leave students frustrated and confused? Well here are five simple and easy tools that make graphs fun!

February 9, 2022

Powerful and Easy Digital Tools for Formative Assessment

Formative assessment can double student learning gains and digital tools can help. Let's take a look at a few great options!

February 5, 2022

How Principals Can Support Instructional Coaches

Discover how to support instructional coaches as the campus principal and make a huge difference in student learning and achievement.

January 31, 2022

Digital Notes: Three Steps for Video Annotation

Explore this powerful strategy, process, and free digital tool, LunaNotes, to help students master notetaking and retain learning.

January 29, 2022

Master Algebra with the Interactive Graspable Math

Learn about a new tool that makes algebra interactive and easier to master. The tool? Graspable Math, available for free to teachers.

January 27, 2022

Sketchpad, the Free and Easy Draw and Paint Tool

Give this easy and free draw and paint tool a whirl. You will love the ability to color fonts, use stamps, add your own images, and more.

January 22, 2022

The Self-Directed Learner: Embracing Self-Judgment and Reflection

Accelerate student growth with the self-judgment and reflection strategy. With self-directed learning, your students can master content fast.

January 19, 2022

Shape Word Clouds Made Easy

Creating shape word clouds is not only fun, but also a great culminating activity. Check out these four free digital tools.

January 15, 2022

Find Your Stuff: Escape the File Management Maze

Poor file management can cost you tons of time and cause frustration. This blog entry shares a few easy tips and tools to solve the problem.

January 12, 2022

Five Martin Luther King, Jr. Activities and Templates for the Classroom

Want to blend ed tech with Martin Luther King, Jr. Day? Explore these templates and activities to get you started.

January 11, 2022

Meet ALDO: Amazing Lesson Design Outline

ALDO, the Amazing Lesson Design Outline, provides educators with a way to ensure that each lesson is engaging and carefully thought out.

January 8, 2022

Read Dead People’s Mail: 25 Fun History Podcasts

Curious about whether there's more to our past? Listen to the 25 history podcasts and gain insights of value for today and tomorrow.

January 6, 2022

PBL and Transversal Competence: A Free Curriculum

Wish you had free curriculum for your first grade students? Explore This Works!, engaging content with a PBL focus.

December 27, 2021

Pressto! Critical Thinking and Writing in a 'Zine Format

Introduce your child or students to Pressto, an easy way to create engaging digital and print magazines (a.k.a. zines).

December 23, 2021

Three Steps to an Easy Communications Log with Google Tools

Learn how to use Google tools like Docs, Forms, and Sheets to create an easy-to-update Parent/Guardian Communications Log.

December 18, 2021

Interactive Science: Labs to Master the Scientific Method

In this quick exploration of the scientific method, discover hands-on science labs to help students master its key components.

December 16, 2021

Dicebreakers and Activity Debriefing Templates

Explore how to engage students in self-judgement and reflection using dice debriefing activities and dicebreakers. Get some templates, too!

December 11, 2021

Get My Screen: Easy Remote Desktop Control

Need a quick way to save files or remotely control your work or home device? Check out these no or low cost digital tools.

December 10, 2021

Brain-Based Strategies That Work

Curious about how evidence-based strategies align to brain-based learning research? This blog entry takes the mystery out of the equation.

December 4, 2021

Presentations Made Simple with Paste

Meet Paste, a new tool for designing engaging presentations. This is a powerful, albeit simple, design tool that makes it easy to add content.

December 3, 2021

Open Geography: Free Curriculum and Resources

Looking for free curriculum and resources for teaching geography? Check out these open geography finds that you'll definitely want to use.

November 29, 2021

Grading Worksheets: Easy as Duck Soup

Discover Ducksoup, a digital tool that makes grading electronic worksheets easy and will save you valuable time and energy.

November 26, 2021

Clipchamp Video Editor Joins Microsoft 365

Heard the news? Microsoft has acquired Clipchamp, a powerful, feature-rich, browser-based video editor that's great for you and your students.

November 23, 2021

Vocabulary Acquisition: Three Tools for You

Want to use explicit lexical instruction that facilitates new vocabulary acquisition? Try one or all of the three digital tools offered here.

November 19, 2021

Twig Create: A Tool for Science Reflections

Explore Twig Create, a powerful free tool for teachers that includes curated content and makes reflection a breeze in science class.

November 17, 2021

Five Free Online Coin-Flipping Tools

Need a way to settle arguments fast? Look no further than these digital, customizable virtual coin flip tools.

November 13, 2021

Google's Note-Taking Tool: Cursive

Wish Google had a competing product to put up against Microsoft OneNote? Then take a look at Cursive. It has potential for notetaking.

November 6, 2021

Five Tools to Cultivate Calm

These digital tools will help you (or your students) rewire your brain with short episodes of joy and calm as you de-stress.

November 5, 2021

MockoFUN for Teachers: A Free Design Tool

Need a fresh look for your classroom flyers, certificates, and infographic designs? Then give this templates-based creative tool a spin.

October 30, 2021

Virtual Labs for Interactive Science

Want a handy list of virtual labs for science? Get a short list of my top five, as well as a curated collection of 30 more.

October 27, 2021

Coloring Book Resources to Benefit Children and Adults

Do you know the benefits of coloring include anxiety reduction, improved focus, and more? Start coloring now to see for yourself!

October 11, 2021

Cybersecurity Resources for Planning, Prevention, and Safeguarding Data

Are you taking cybersecurity seriously? Explore resources for planning, preventing, and safeguarding against data breaches. #BeCyberSmart

October 8, 2021

Five Interactive Tools for Learning the Periodic Table

Wish you had a list of amazing interactive science tools? Explore these periodic tables of elements that help make science interactive!

October 5, 2021

TCEA Responds: Tips for Improved Student Email Writing

Do your students struggle to construct emails? Share these tips and editor resources to help students improve their writing skills.

September 30, 2021

Evidence-Based Learning: Introducing Podsie

Explore a powerful, new tool, free for individual teachers and students, that matches evidence-based strategies with powerful technology.

September 24, 2021

Customize Your Wakelet Collection with Google and Canva

Wish you could customize your Wakelet collection? Give meta collections and dividers designed in Canva and Google a try.

September 15, 2021

TCEA Responds: Plagiarism Checking Made Easy

Worried your students are just copy-and-pasting content for assignments? Use these plagiarism tools to check originality.

September 10, 2021

Make Reading Fun and Interactive with Edji

Need a new way to get your students discussing texts and images? Look no further than Edji, a free collaborative annotation tool.

August 31, 2021

Helpful Schoology Tips from #SchoologyChat

Did you miss the #SchoologyChat on Twitter? In this blog entry, you can find curated tips from this interactive chat focused on Schoology.

August 18, 2021

Bell Ringers for Improved Retention and Engagement

Learn how to make bell ringers more brain-based to help with retention and engagement. You'll find a wealth of resources to ensure success.

August 13, 2021

Five Sources of Evidence-Based Research

Dig into evidence-based research with these five sources. You will find strategies, research, and video series that will guide you.

August 9, 2021

Interactive Science: How to Design Research-based Science Lessons

Explore three steps to blending evidence-based strategies into science lesson design, as well as curated resources to match each design step.

August 6, 2021

How to Make Interactive Maps with Google Slides and Jamboard

Learn how to have students create engaging interactive maps using online resources, Google Slides, and Google Jamboard.

August 4, 2021

Google Drive for Desktop Arrives

Mystified by Google Drive's upcoming changes? Walk through the new Drive for Desktop and learn how to make the most of it.

July 29, 2021

Five Google-ly Mapping Tools for Thought Cartography

Find and use concept mapping tools that work well with Google Workspace. See the research underlying thought cartography and more.

July 2, 2021

Exploring Assessment: Two Tools for Educators

Need some fresh assessment tools for your classroom, school, or district? Here are two options and more resources.

June 29, 2021

Easy Polls for Digital Smackdowns

Looking for a quick, browser-friendly polling solution? This blog explores one of my favorites, Easy Polls, which is free and powerful.

June 22, 2021

Five Tools for Leaving Audio Notes in Google

Learn all about these exciting tools to leave useful voice notes in the Google realm and do much, much more.

June 18, 2021

Digital Resources for Juneteenth Day

Explore a variety of teaching resources for Juneteenth, including a Wakelet collection and a Fliphunt.

June 17, 2021

My First Time Using An iPhone and Favorite Apps

Are you a first-timer when it comes to iPhone? As a recent convert from Android, I'm thrilled to share some of my favorite apps and tips.

June 15, 2021

Nature Lover Apps: Rediscover Your World

Check out these nature lover apps that will make your sojourn in the great outdoors even more enjoyable and restful.

June 2, 2021

Strategies for Classroom Discussion

Ready to explore additional classroom discussion strategies to ensure longer learning retention? Start with this MMTS and infographic.

May 26, 2021

Checklist: Learning with Technology

This checklist focuses on three key areas to help you assess your use of technology to accelerate learning.

May 5, 2021

Get Styled: Text Generator Roundup

Here are a few text generators you didn't know you needed, but that can assist you in customizing texts and images.

May 4, 2021

Zearn: Engaging Students with Effective Math

Zearn is a free math resource that provides targeted activities, math models, and lessons. Check out how you can get access.

April 29, 2021

Free Green Screen Solution for Chromebooks

Green screen is a powerful tool for students and adult learners alike. Previously, there's been a cost to it. But now, there is Kapwing.

April 19, 2021

Is Learning Sweeter with Educandy?

Come along as we take a look at Educandy, a new quiz-gaming tool. See how it connects to strategies that work.

April 16, 2021

Rehearsal Strategy: Your Exit Ticket's Secret Weapon

Get more insight into a surface learning strategy, rehearsal, as the exit ticket's secret weapon. Come along as we explore this strategy.

April 13, 2021

Five Fantastic Browser-Based Digital Tools

Here are a few browser-based digital tools you didn't know you needed, but that can save you time and effort. And they work on any device!

April 6, 2021

Google's New Storage Policy: Avoid the Terror

Heard of Google's new storage policy? Has that new policy got you thinking you need an exit strategy? This blog entry has you covered.

April 2, 2021

Improve Reading and Comprehension Skills Using Vine

Have students explore meaning in fiction and nonfiction reading passages with the free resource Reading Vine.

March 24, 2021

How to Stream Morning Announcements

Need a quick way to stream morning announcements? Check out the list of amazing streaming tools you can use. Don't be afraid to share your thoughts.

March 19, 2021

Twitter Takeaways: Google Meet Breakouts Plus

Dig into Google Meet breakout ideas and other Twitter takeaways that will better engage your students and increase achievement.

March 15, 2021

Lotta Lara: Improve Oracy and Reading Fluency

Take advantage of powerful technologies to enhance reading fluency and oracy. Suggestions for echo, choral, and partner reading are offered.

March 11, 2021

How to Quickly Introduce New Topics or Vocabulary

Need a tool to assess student comprehension in reading? Want to better teach vocabulary? Use concept sorts, a research-based strategy.

March 2, 2021

Zigazoo: Classroom Safe Video Learning and Creation

Create learning-focused video responses with Zigazoo Classroom, a safe, school-friendly alternative to Tik Tok and YouTube.

February 26, 2021

Use This Puzzle Maker Tool for Retrieval Practice

Add another retrieval practice tool to your toolbox. Vimboard offers a few benefits for simple, multiple-choice assessments that you can use now.

February 24, 2021

Blending High-Effect Instructional Strategies with the 5E Model

Curious about how you can blend high-effect size instructional strategies into the 5E Model of teaching? Come along as we explore this idea and process.

February 19, 2021

Make Student Writing Known: Publish

Writing is a critical life skill for everyone. Learn ways to publish student writing and promote engagement in this blog.

February 15, 2021

Assessment-Based Feedback Tool: Blooket

Dig into another game-based system you can use to enhance blended learning, formative assessment, and practice testing. The free tool? Blooket.

February 10, 2021

Just-in-Time Coaching with Discord

Need to coach your teachers via their smartphone or tablet, but not sure how? Want to offer just-in-time learning and coaching? This blog entry is for you.

February 2, 2021

Enhance the Canvas LMS with Chrome Add-Ons

Need to smooth over the rough edges in the Canvas LMS? You may want dark mode or quick access to student view. These Chrome browser extensions get it done.

January 30, 2021

Google Drive Gets a New Name

Need a way to access Google Drive files, but don't want to save gigabytes of data to your device? Use the re-branded Google Drive for desktop.

January 27, 2021

Five Free Video Converters

Need to convert videos from MP4 to another format? Expensive tools abound, but this roundup of free, no-cost video converters will save you time and money.

January 25, 2021

Align Instruction with Free Templates

Teachers Pay Teachers has some free templates that can be used with high-effect size instructional strategies. Learn where to find them in this blog.

January 21, 2021

Livestream It: Video Streaming Made Easy

Wish you had a better way to reach out to parents, community, staff? Use one of these two amazing tools to livestream your message, events, and learning.

January 19, 2021

CryptPad: An Encrypted Office Space

Need a safe, encrypted space to collaborate in? Then CryptPad may check all the boxes for you with whiteboard, Kanban, and full docs tools.

January 15, 2021

Another New Infographic Tool: Icograms Designer

Looking for an infographic tool that makes creating cities, roads, warehouses, and much more, easier? Be sure to give Icograms a spin.

January 12, 2021

How to Plan and Moderate an Online Panel Discussion

Ready to plan and moderate an online panel discussion? You may find this blog entry essential in getting that done. It offers proven tips to get started.

January 7, 2021

Notes Tools for Educators

To get and stay organized, use one of these notes tools to keep meeting notes and to-do lists together. Learn which one is best for your needs in this blog.

January 4, 2021

Shape Spinners to the Rescue

You may know about online word spinners, but what about shape spinners? These versatile spinners may be life-savers for younger learners who rely on images.

December 30, 2020

Map-Making Resources and Tools to Teach Critical Thinking

Give your students the tools to explore map making and help them develop critical thinking and design skills. We share some excellent resources.

December 24, 2020

Updates to Google Workspace

Explore new features in Google Workspace and the Google Classroom and Flipgrid integration, along with other powerful updates.

December 22, 2020

Frayer Model Template for Word Analysis

Need a quick way to introduce students to tough vocabulary? In this follow-up to "Semantic Maps Made Easy," see and get Frayer Model templates.

December 18, 2020

Five Seesaw Holiday Activities Your Students Will Love

Explore five Seesaw activities to enhance your school holiday celebrations. In addition, you can also get a copy of the Christmas tree infographic.

December 16, 2020

Free Online Screen Recorder and Video Editor

Wish you had a browser-based video editor that doesn't cost a mint? Look no further than RecordCast. It offers audio and image tracks, WEBM, and MP4 format.

December 11, 2020

12 Learning Strategies and Their Ed Tech Tools

Even better than five golden rings, these 12 strategies will help you create meaningful learning. Check out this infographic packed with digital tools.

December 9, 2020

Fix Your Grumpy sELF: How to Change Your Bitmoji Expressions

Why do the Bitmoji holiday elves look so disgruntled? In this post, we'll learn the steps to take the Grinch out of your digital avatars.

December 7, 2020

Five Tech Tools to Simplify Your Teaching Life

Lighten your work stress with quick, interactive videos and resource tutorials with these amazing five tech tools. Grab them today!

December 3, 2020

Comics and Graphic Novels: An Imagery Invasion

Wondering if comics and graphic novels have research behind them? The answer is a resounding "Yes, they do." Learn more about this strong learning tool.

December 2, 2020

Three Fantastic Solutions to Schoology Problems

Have some questions about Schoology? Join us as we continue our exploration of how educators are embracing learning opportunities with this great tool.

November 27, 2020

Essential Gadgets for Remote Educators

Need to buy something for the teacher in your life that will make their life less stressful? Consider getting one of these essential gadgets.

November 24, 2020

Virtual Manipulatives for Math Learning

Need to move student thinking from concrete to abstract? Do this with math virtual manipulatives. Find my top five picks with video tutorials and research.

November 18, 2020

Get a Clue: The SOLO Taxonomy

Come along as I explore the SOLO Taxonomy. I connect it to John Hattie's work and a popular game. Watching someone else learn assist us in our own efforts.

November 13, 2020

Apps and Groups for LMS Support

Wondering where you can find Android or iOS apps for your favorite learning management systems? Look no further, along with a list of LMS support groups.

November 11, 2020

Semantic Maps Made Easy

Deepen your knowledge of content-focused instructional strategies that increase student learning. In this blog, you will learn more about semantic maps.

October 20, 2020

Remote Learning Strategy #3: Three More

Discover three more evidence-based strategies and accompanying digital tools for learning. We explore teacher credibility, jigsaw, and reciprocal teaching.

October 13, 2020

Converting PDFs/Images to Digital Worksheets

Here are some solutions for converting PDFs or JPGs into clickable, easy-to-edit activities you can assign in Classroom, Canvas, or Schoology.

October 2, 2020

Five Ways for Google Educators to Hack Schoology

Google user, but not sure how to embed content in Schoology? These five Schoology hacks for G Suite EDU users may come in handy. Try them out!

September 30, 2020

Virtual Learning Strategy #2: Summarization

Curious as to what high-effect instructional strategies and digital tools educators are using? Come along as we explore a popular strategy in this series.

September 25, 2020

Virtual Learning Strategy #1: Classroom Discussion

Join for the first of a series on popular remote learning strategies teachers are using. In this part, we explore classroom discussion.

September 3, 2020

TCEA Responds: Remote Teaching for Speech Therapists

In this TCEA Responds, we answer a speech therapist's question about how to address three key issues in working with her students remotely and securely.

September 1, 2020

Virtual Learning Tools, Part 3: A Simple Design

Trying to keep your nose above water with a new Canvas site? Find some practical tips here as we showcase simple designs you can use.

August 24, 2020

Virtual Learning Tools, Part 2: Button Menus for Canvas or Schoology

Need to make a button menu for your Canvas or Schoology courses, but the tables aren't working the way you would like? Learn how to make them.

August 20, 2020

Virtual Learning Tools, Part 1: Make Schoology Work For You

Did your school switch you from Google Classroom to Schoology? Dive into this blog post to begin learning more about it.

August 19, 2020

Tracking Attendance for Virtual Learners

Need to track attendance but not sure how it can be done? Come along as we explore tracking attendance for remote learners.

August 17, 2020

Video Editing Tools for Remote Teachers

Finding yourself creating video tutorials and screen recordings for lessons? Here's a quick roundup of no-nonsense video editors you can use.

August 10, 2020

Translate YouTube Captions and Audio

Need to translate YouTube video subtitles, captions, or audio? Then one of these three Chrome extensions will make it a snap. Come along for a quick look.

August 4, 2020

Recording Video into Google Slides

Need to share some quick instructions with students and avoid big screen recording tools? Record to Slide is your new go-to tool.

July 22, 2020

Make Audio More Accessible with YouTube Playback Tools

Tired of listening to slow YouTube videos? Speed them up (or slow them down) using an audio accessibility Chrome extension.

July 17, 2020

Clip That Web Page with Joplin

Learn about Joplin, a new, free tool that can help you to keep all of your web content organized and manageable, and even share with others.

July 15, 2020

Planning G Suite EDU Use for Special Needs Children

Get help navigating the challenges of remote special education using by G Suite EDU and Chromebooks with this guide from Google.

July 9, 2020

Chrome Tablets in Your Future, Part Two

Check out some of the amazing educational apps that work great on Chrome tablets. These can enhance student learning and engagement!

July 1, 2020

Chrome Tablets in Your Future, Part 1

Are Chrome tablets in your future? They may be if you are looking for a less expensive tablet solution for younger students. Let's see why.

June 23, 2020

Adobe Khan+Create Activities

Blending media into text has a powerful impact on student learning. Let's explore an offering that combines Khan Academy with Adobe.

June 22, 2020

Computer Giveaway Program for Students

School districts have another option to selling a shrink-wrapped pallet of used computer equipment. Instead, they can transfer computers to students.

June 18, 2020

Teaching Math with G Suite EDU

Wish you had a way to draw, capture, and share diagrams and equations for math in the G Suite EDU classroom? This blog entry provides you with solutions.

June 17, 2020

Come Read with Me: Google's Read Along App

Wish you had a free app with fresh stories your child could read with some digital assistance? Look no further than Google's Read Along app.

June 11, 2020

Create Interactive Lessons with Deck•Toys

Need a way to make learning interactive for K-12 remote learners? Give Deck•Toys a try. You can create exciting knowledge paths for your content.

June 9, 2020

Unfollow and Declutter Your Twitter Account

Tidy up your Twitter by shedding an unfollower or a thousand. In this blog entry, I'll show you three Android apps that will help you declutter.

June 8, 2020

Google Meet or Zoom Transcription

Need to keep a record of the content of a Google Meet or Zoom call? You may have an undiscovered need for audio transcription. Let's see what's available.

June 4, 2020

TCEA Responds: Keep Parents in the Loop with Google Classroom

Need to keep parents in the loop? In this TCEA Responds, we cover a few approaches teachers are using, including Google Classroom.

June 3, 2020

Buzz Me In: Remote Learning Buzzers and Scoreboards

Want to gamify learning in your remote classroom in support of practice testing? Why not drop in an online buzzer or scoreboard? Find out how in this blog.

June 2, 2020

Virtual Backgrounds for Google Meet (Updated)

Wish you had an easy way to cover up that home office mess with a virtual background for Google Meet? Jealous of your Zoom buddies? Not anymore.

May 27, 2020

Becoming a Technology Director

Ready to become a technology director? In this blog entry, we'll explore three key points to keep in mind and provide access to some resources, too.

May 26, 2020

Blog, 'Cast, Engage!

Get your students more excited about what they are learning by having them create a blog or podcast. These powerful tools will ensure they stay engaged.

May 25, 2020

Streamline Your Work with Joplin

The free app Joplin can provide an easy way to keep all of your notes and materials together in one place and ensure that any sensitive data is safe.

May 22, 2020

Naraview: The Wikipedia-Powered Game Maker

Want your students to learn and travel the hyperlinked pathways of Wikipedia? Naraview makes it easy to create a game of digital circumnavigation.

May 21, 2020

Google Play Store Labels Teacher-Approved Apps

In search of teacher-approved apps for children using Android devices like tablets and phones? Then look no further. The Google Play Store now labels them.

May 20, 2020

High-Effect-Size Instructional Strategies and Digital Tools

Adding a tech tool to a lesson plan doesn't guarantee it will work. Consider the high-effect-size instructional strategy that students will use instead.

May 19, 2020

Google's AI to the Rescue: Ask Socratic

If you're a secondary student (or parent!) who needs help with assignments, check out Socratic. This free AI app can help you solve any school problem.

May 18, 2020

Appifying Repeated Reading Assessments

Use these apps and websites to assess repeated reading done students so that you can help them improve in fluency and comprehension.

May 15, 2020

Five Amazing Add-Ons for Google Classroom

Remote teaching? Wish you had some helper tools to make the work go faster? Make Google Classroom even more amazing with these five add-ons.

May 12, 2020

Connect Instructional Strategies with Tech

Wondering what technologies you can blend into high-effect-size instructional strategies? Check out these ideas and resources.

May 8, 2020

Synchronous Remote Learning with SyncTube

Want to set up a synchronous video viewing salon complete with synchronous learning activities. SyncTube mimics classroom teaching for remote learning.

May 7, 2020

Make It Relevant: The Collaborator ISTE Standard

Creating authentic, engaging learning for students is best done when you tie in the ISTE Collaborator Standard and Problem-Based Learning.

May 6, 2020

Crafting Powerful Spoken Feedback in Google Workspace for Education

Need to provide spoken feedback for G Suite EDU documents? Look no further than this new tool, mote. Learn how to craft good feedback.

May 5, 2020

TCEA Responds: Starting a Virtual Book Club

Need to start a virtual book club with your students? This blog entry will share some tips and resources you can use to ensure success and more reading.

May 4, 2020

Google Meet Add-Ons and Updates

A few Chrome extensions can improve your Google Meet experience, especially for classroom learning. Come along as we explore those extensions.

May 1, 2020

Digital Physics with Physics Classroom

Go digital in your physics classroom by combining interactive activities with introductory high-effect size strategies. These offer amazing opportunities.

April 30, 2020

Nonfiction Media for Remote Learners

Explore nonfiction media sources for remote learners, as well as how to use strategies to analyze the underlying structure of nonfiction to make it real.

April 29, 2020

Six Steps to Easy Virtual Conference Organization

It may be time for your school or district to host its own virtual conference. Here are the steps you need to follow to ensure it's a success.

April 28, 2020

Formative Assessment Tools for Remote Learning

Need some more "ooomph" in your remote learning assessment toolkit? These two tools may provide exactly the power and feature diversity you're looking for.

April 27, 2020

Enhance Instructional Leadership with Digital Tools

Examine what research says about instructional leadership today, along with some digital tools to use to foster those essential skills.

April 24, 2020

Listen and Learn with Listenwise

Need non-fiction audio content to enhance student listening skills? Listenwise may be exactly what you and your students need.

April 22, 2020

Remote Learning for Special Education Teachers

If you are facing challenges as a special education educator during this tech-heavy remote learning time, discover three responses to the challenges.

April 16, 2020

Background Removal Tools for Photos and Videos

Try these three online tools for background removal from photos and images. They are all simple to use and will make your work look amazing!

April 13, 2020

Note-Taking and Outlining: Five Digital Helpers

Research shows that old-fashioned, hand-written note-taking can help build learning. Here are five digital tools that can support this proven strategy.

April 9, 2020

Napkin PD: PBL Your Jigsaw

How do you introduce teachers to powerful ideas and high-effect size strategies with technology? You combine PBL with the jigsaw method.

April 7, 2020

Digital Stories for Remote Learners

Need some stories your students can have read to them online? This blog provides a rich source of digital stories in video and audio format you can share.

April 2, 2020

Video Sharing in Google Classroom and Seesaw

During these times, video sharing is a critical need for both teachers and students. Here's the latest roundup of tools that make that easy.

March 31, 2020

Tracking Online Content with Fraidycat

Need a way to freshen up how you track online content? Fraidycat may give you a new way to pull and view content from multiple sources on the web.

March 26, 2020

Test-Enhanced Learning Made Simple with Knowt

Need to improve long-term retention of critical content? Then consider practice testing, or test-enhanced learning, a proven strategy made easy with Knowt.

March 24, 2020

Free, Open-Source LibreOffice Goes Mobile

Need to go mobile with a free office suite for staff or students? Use LibreOffice on desktop and Collabora Office on mobile to create and edit content.

March 23, 2020

TCEA Responds: Exploring Google Contacts

Keeping your Google Contacts up to date without duplicates might seem a chore. Here are some steps to help you keep it clean and organized.

March 21, 2020

Maintain Teacher Privacy with Google Voice

Safeguard your personal phone number with a Google Voice number of your own. In this blog entry, we explore Google Voice for educators.

March 20, 2020

TCEA Responds: Making Copies of Google Docs

There are tons of great Google templates available online. In this TCEA Responds, learn how to make a copy of those Google documents for your own use.

March 17, 2020

Class Discussions Gone Digital

Class discussions are a research-proven learning strategy. But how do you make them digital? Here are five possible solutions.

March 13, 2020

Celebrate Notable Women with Google's AR App

Celebrate Women's History Month with Google Creative Labs' new app, Notable Women. You'll also find some teaching resources as well.

March 12, 2020

Animate Learning with The Wick Editor

The Wick Editor is a powerful new tool for animation and creation that your students will love. And did I mention that it's free?

March 10, 2020

Microsoft Learn: Beef Up Your Technical Skills

For those looking to keep their technical skills sharp, take a look at the many tutorials available from Microsoft Learn.

March 9, 2020

Remote Learning Tools for Schools

Whether it's extremely bad weather or the COVID-19 virus, remote learning may sometimes be necessary. Here are some tools to help.

March 7, 2020

How to Create a Choice Board

Using a choice board to allow students to select their own journey, while still ensuring they reach the destination, is a powerful research-based strategy.

March 5, 2020

Lab Diagrams Made Easy with Chemix

Science teachers will love the free online tool Chemix, which allows and their students to create lab diagrams for experiments and activities.

March 3, 2020

Teleschool Ready? Learning in the Time of COVID-19

The COVID-19 virus may be coming to your campus or district, and school closures are possible. Is your school ready to meet student learning needs online?

February 25, 2020

A Living STEM Lab for All Grades

Discover powerful resources from the Texas A&M Forest Service that will help your students better develop their STEM skills and perhaps save the world.

February 20, 2020

How to Increase Reading Fluency with Repeated Reading Strategies

Helping students achieve fluency requires repeated reading. Here's what the research says about the best ways to encourage this and the tech that can help.

February 17, 2020

Amazing G Suite Templates

These five G Suite templates will help both you and your students do some creative projects, have fun, and learn even more.

February 7, 2020

TCEA Responds: Printing Google Drive Documents

Even today, printing documents is still required sometimes. But how do you print a large group of Google Drive files without too much time and stress?

January 24, 2020

Coaching for Results, Part 5: Completing the Formula

In this final part of the coaching series, we examine the last two action steps you should follow to meld high-instructional strategies with technology use.

January 15, 2020

Coaching for Results, Part 4: Accelerated Growth

This part of the coaching series focuses on the three action steps you will need to help educators be more successful with high-impact teaching.

January 8, 2020

Coaching for Results, Part 3: Terminology

Continue the journey of coaching for strategic technology integration that results in high-effect size instruction in the blended learning classroom.

January 2, 2020

FlexClip: Make Online Video Editing Easy

Need an online video creation tool? Look no further than FlexClip. The free video maker and editor offers custom video templates and a rich media library.

December 28, 2019

TCEA Responds: Organizing Google Drive for Others

How can you better organize content in Google Drive? Let's explore a few tips you may find helpful.

December 23, 2019

Five Tips for Ed Tech Strategic Planning

Not sure how to start your technology planning process? Lay the foundation first. These five tips will get you ready for strategic planning.

December 17, 2019

Storify Your Success: Six Tips for Instagram Wins

Celebrate school successes and help others visualize them with posts on Instagram. Explore six tips to make your task easier.

December 12, 2019

Explore Chromebook-Friendly Audio Recorders

Take a look at three great audio recorder tools that will work on Chromebooks for students. Discover which one has the features that work best for you.

December 9, 2019

Social Media Archiving in Texas Schools

Recent changes in Texas law and practice mean that school districts should begin thinking about social media archiving. Let's look at some solutions.

December 3, 2019

Overcome Five Challenges in G Suite EDU Classroom

We provide easy educational solutions to the top five challenges in using G Suite EDU in schools today, from YouTube to extensions to Classroom and more.

November 26, 2019

How to Make Game Design Child's Play

Teaching your students the game design process in a fast and easy way can have multiple benefits for learning. Discover a great tool in this blog.

November 20, 2019

Coaching for Results, Part 2: The Impact Cycle

Continue the learning journey begun in part 1 of this blog series on effective instructional coaching by taking a look at Jim Knight's Impact Cycle.

November 12, 2019

From Google Docs to Audio Book

Help your students to create audio books of their writing in Google Docs with these free and simple tools. Then they can share them with the world!

November 8, 2019

Coaching for Results, Part 1: Exploring Coaching Models

Want to adopt a coaching model that works? Take a look at student-centered coaching and how it can have a powerful impact on both teaching and learning.

November 5, 2019

Meeting Scheduling for Busy Educators

Meeting scheduling taking up too much of your time? Try out these handy tech solutions to schedule coaching and administrative tasks.

October 31, 2019

Buncee-Based Learning: Building Block for Knowledge Construction

Wondering how technology tools can enhance research-based, effective instructional strategies? This blog entry explores the research with Buncee examples.

October 24, 2019

Five Cybersecurity Tips for Newbies

It's October, 2019, National Cybersecurity Awareness Month. Do you know where your digital assets are? Are they secured and protected? If not, read this.

October 22, 2019

Wakelet-Empowered Classroom Discussions

Classroom discussion is a powerful teaching strategy. But you can increase its reach by using two additional instructional approaches and some technology.

October 19, 2019

Guideposts to a Shared Technology Vision and Plan

Technology planning is easy; getting everyone on board is hard. Follow these guideposts to shaping an ed tech vision and plan for your district.

October 14, 2019

Become a Pace Setter: Google EDU in 90 Seconds

Need assistance staying up to date? Learn how to catch up and become a pace setter with Google's EDU in 90. Explore tips, tricks and crowd-sourced ideas.

October 9, 2019

Are Schools Easy Targets for Cyber Threats? The Latest Report Says "Yes"

With the use of technology and connected devices in schools, protecting those devices, and the information on them, from cyber threats is vital.

October 3, 2019

The Modality Effect and Wakelet Templates

Learn how Wakelet templates can enhance multi-modal learning, non-linguistic representation, and teacher-student relationships in your classroom.

September 23, 2019

Reflections: The Jigsaw Method in My Workshop

Explore the various approaches to the jigsaw methods, some of which fall short, and see how one professional learning facilitator learned from application.

September 18, 2019

Get Creative with Google Slides Creator Studio

The new and inexpensive Google Slides Creator Studio is an amazing add-on that can turn your Google Slides deck into an MP4 video with audio and more.

September 12, 2019

Teaching Strategies That Work

Need to introduce staff to effective strategies that work? Explore powerful teaching strategies identified through the research of John Hattie.

September 9, 2019

Wakelet Choice Boards

Wish you had an easy-to-access and accessibility-friendly choice board maker? You do! It's called Wakelet. Learn how to make choice boards the easy way.

August 29, 2019

Wakelet to the Rescue: Backchannel and Twitter Chat Archiving

Learn how to use the free tool Wakelet as a backchannel/chat learning tool and to curate Twitter chats in this blog entry.

August 27, 2019

Timelines Made Easy

Back to school startup activities have you stumped? Use a free timeline maker to teach sequencing and storytelling as you capture students' summer events.

August 15, 2019

Back to School Apps for Lesson Planning

Looking for tools to make lesson planning easier? Look no further than these three free apps that can assist you in designing amazing learning experiences.

August 10, 2019

TCEA Responds: Google and Student Data

In this TCEA Responds, we discuss the security of G Suite for EDU and how safe your data is there, as well as additional safeguards you can take to be sure.

August 2, 2019

Hyperdoc Happiness: Transform Teacher Inservice

Spice up start-of-the-year teacher inservices with creative activities. Use hyperdoc creation to make relevant professional learning a reality.

July 24, 2019

Bring Digital Media into Your Classroom with Kid Pix

A popular 1990s learning application is back for the 21st century. Learn how you can bring digital media into the classroom with the new Kid Pix.

July 9, 2019

Embrace Lifelong Learning, Or Else

The World Economic Forum tells us "embrace lifelong learning." What does that mean for educators who want to prepare students for the future? Find out.

June 26, 2019

Shift Perspectives with Global Collaboration

Use the ISTE Standards for Students to design useful lesson plans that foster deeper learning and global collaboration. This blog shows you how.

June 25, 2019

Fresh Updates for Google Docs and Drive

Learn about several exciting new features for Google Docs and Drive. These fresh updates, albeit small touch-ups, may make your day.

June 24, 2019

3D Tools, Libraries, and Resources

If you're just beginning to dabble in 3D design, you may think your resources are limited. But there are tons of amazing 3D tools available for you.

June 20, 2019

Reciprocal Teaching with Popular Reading Apps

Use the powerful strategy of reciprocal teaching and Google's new Rivet reading app to empower struggling students and engage them in reading.

June 13, 2019

Summer Learning with Games and Math

Wish you had some websites to work with your child on and prevent summer slide in math? Try these two fun sites, Toy Theater and Math Is Fun.

May 28, 2019

Avoid Hormone Addiction with a Tab Manager

Avoid browser crashes by using a tab manager and keep your window organized. Looking for just the right one? We have five suggestions.

May 22, 2019

Twitter Takeaways: Wakelet for Content Curation

Explore some uses of Wakelet via this edition of Twitter Takeaways. Learn more about how to use Wakelet, as well as embedding in OneNote and more.

May 16, 2019

Seeking a Data Solution That Works

Finding the perfect data solution for your district can be a complicated and trying task. Here are some steps to make the process much easier.

May 10, 2019

Exercising Trust: ISTE Standards for Leaders

Leadership can mean many things. In education, it means building trust. Learn about how you can develop as a leader through the ISTE Education Standards.

May 3, 2019

TCEA Responds: Move That G Suite Data

Ready to leave your school or work G Suite EDU account behind? Don't leave your data, too. Use Google Takeout's Transfer option to move that data.

April 30, 2019

Introducing G Suite EDU to Your District

If you're about to introduce G Suite EDU to your staff and students, what is your first step? This blog entry shares tips you need to be successful.

April 29, 2019

Three STEM Ideas to Grow On

Looking for ways to grow your STEM-focused lab or classroom? Check out this blog entry featuring three STEM ideas and inspiration sources.

April 24, 2019

Backups Made Simple

Need to back up files on your Windows or Mac computer to Google Drive or an external USB flash drive? Why not use a free, open source solution?

April 17, 2019

Google Slides and Gmail Get Updates

Learn about two exciting updates and two apps you can use to enhance your work with G Suites for Education as Google Slides and Gmail get new features.

April 15, 2019

Five Myths of Micro-Credentialing

Tired of re-certifying for Google Educator Level 1? Level 2? Maybe the problem isn't you, but the whole idea of micro-credentialing. Let's chat.

March 29, 2019

Simple Tools, Powerful Principles

With the Four Principles of Design to guide you, and the free tool Picfont to help you, you and your students can ensure that the message comes across well.

March 25, 2019

PBL Your STEM Projects

Make your STEM projects more than maker-based activities. PBL them to heighten classroom discussion and multiply student learning.

March 19, 2019

Gamifying PBL: Smashboard Edu

Explore a new tool for gamifying project-based learning. See how PBL and Smashboard EDU align to the ISTE Standards for Educators as well.

March 1, 2019

Five Ways to Promote and Share Campus Ed Tech Success

This blog provides some powerful strategies to share out ed tech success that is happening every day on your campus or in your district.

February 27, 2019

Five of My Favorite Googly Things

Discover a treasure trove of Googly goodness, including five amazing educational tips to help you on your Google journey.

February 25, 2019

Grow with Google: Students as Technology Support

Through the Grow with Google program and others, you can empower students to serve as technical support experts in your district.

February 21, 2019

Metrics and KPIs Made Easy

The use of metrics and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) can communicate what your department is doing and highlight the successes you are having.

February 15, 2019

Three Ways A New LMS Succeeds

Finding and implementing the perfect LMS (Learning Management System) can be difficult. Here are some tips to ensure it goes well for your district.

February 11, 2019

Protecting Confidential G Suite Files

Protecting confidential G Suite files doesn't have to be expensive. Read on to discover free tools to help secure files on your Chromebooks easily.

February 6, 2019

Protect Your Eyes with Chrome Extensions

Learn about four different Chrome extensions that can protect your eyes and make reading easier, even for dyslexic students.

February 1, 2019

Five Hacks for Google Slides

These hacks for Google Slides will make your presentations more interactive and interesting and may even save you time. What more could you ask?

January 31, 2019

Drawing for Learning with Google Canvas

A new drawing tool, Google Canvas, can provide easy ways for your students to incorporate drawing and representation in their everyday learning activities.

January 25, 2019

Project Management Done Right

As a leader, a lot of what you do every day involves project management. But are you doing it as efficiently as possible? Find out in this blog.

January 21, 2019

Detours Around Blended Learning Roadblocks

Research has shown that blended learning has value for today's students. But there may be roadblocks in the way. Learn some detours around the problems.

January 18, 2019

Top Three G Suite EDU Questions

This blog provides quick answers to the top three questions that educators are asking about using G Suite EDU in the classroom for learning.

January 3, 2019

Seven Keyboarding Tutorials to Share

Get your hands on with these seven keyboarding tutorials, even as you catch up on the research for two-finger, thumb, and two-handed touch typing.

December 19, 2018

Five Hacks for Google Forms

Ready to hack your Google Forms experience? Start with these five simple hacks and take advantage of some lesser known Forms add-ons.

December 12, 2018

Supporting Bilingual Students with Reading and Writing

In the United States, over thirteen million children speak a language other than English at home. After English, Spanish is the most common language spoken (Source: Data Center ). In 2016, there were 456,000 Texas...

December 5, 2018

Your Must-Have Microsoft Gadgets and Apps for the Holidays

Are you making a list and checking it twice? As you prepare your list for Santa Claus, give some thought to these Microsoft gadgets. Here are three Microsoft tools that are definitely on my list. Since it's the season...

December 4, 2018

Six Google Strategies to Challenge Students

If you want to push your students to achieve even more than they think they can, try these six Google strategies for innovative learning.

November 29, 2018

Five Steps to 1:1 Deployment

Ensure that your 1:1 deployment is successful with these timely and critical key points based on the ISTE Standards and best practices.

November 21, 2018

Tips for CTOs on Knowledge Management

Learn five tips for implementing a knowledge management process and culture in your organization for greater efficiency and time savings.

November 19, 2018

Effectively Assessing Digital Learning

How are you best assessing digital learning in your students? Does a simple skills checklist give you the information you really need?

November 13, 2018

Five Guideposts for Making Learning Connections

Examine key steps that will help to create powerful learning connections, either for your own professional growth or that of your students.

November 7, 2018

Engaging Strategies for Physical Computing

Discover three classroom strategies using physical computing that can help your students be better problem solvers and thinkers.

October 29, 2018

TCEA Responds: Minecraft Licensing

This blog is a response to a member who's confused by the different Office 365 pricing levels and how best to get Minecraft licenses for her students.

October 26, 2018

Walk and Talk Podcasts

Take a look at how short and simple podcasts can help clarify and cement daily student learning as they "walk and talk" with these two strategies.

October 19, 2018

Five Steps to Leading Campus Tech Efforts

Leading change in the classroom at the campus level requires some additional steps. Discover what those are and how best to implement improvements.

October 4, 2018

The Lone Ranger CTO

Some district situations may lead to a CTO who acts as a Long Ranger, causing both technical and staffing issues. Learn how to avoid those in this blog.

September 27, 2018

Digital Sticky Notes

If you want to take and attach notes to a particular web page, there are several great tools that can help with that. Here are our favorite "sticky notes."

September 25, 2018

Remote Work with Microsoft Tools

Remote work is on the rise. Check out these Microsoft Office 365 tools for telecommuting from anywhere, anytime. It's easier than you think.

September 19, 2018

Napkin PD: G Suite-Powered Learning Activities

Explore three activities for creating engaging professional development for teachers who use Google Suites for Education. Check out our napkin PD ideas.

September 13, 2018

TCEA Responds: Sharing School Photos

Learn some simple tools to use in sharing school photos so that students, other staff members, or even parents can see what is happening as children learn.

September 11, 2018

Appify Learning with iOS Science Apps

If you are teaching with an iPad and need to "appify" science instruction, consider these apps for your classroom. This collection includes reference guides and games. Each intends to engage students with visuals...

September 8, 2018

Five OneNote Hacks for Your Classroom

Explore five OneNote hacks that can make your job in the classroom easier. From digitizing content to Microsoft Teams updates, come learn with us.

September 5, 2018

Reading Made Easy in the Chrome Browser

Getting through the extraneous content and ads on websites can be a trial these days. Learn about several solutions that will make reading easier.

September 4, 2018

Making Animated GIFs with Google Drawings

Want to make animated GIFs with Google Drawings? Use revision history and Gifmaker.me to quickly create an animated GIF process your students can follow.

September 1, 2018

Go Digital with Cornell Note-Taking and the OneNote App

In this follow-up to the "Digitizing Cornell Note-Taking with OneNote" blog, learn how to get Cornell templates for the Windows 10 OneNote app.

August 31, 2018

Teach Without Wires: Mirror Your Device

Get out from behind your desk and interact more with your students as you use one of these solutions that mirror your screen.

August 29, 2018

TCEA Responds: Beginner's Guide to Classroom iPads

This second grade teacher has new iPads, but needs ideas on how best to use them for learning. Check out all of the resources we provide her.

August 26, 2018

Turbocharge the 5E Model with Microsoft Office 365

Give those 5E Model lessons a kickstart by creating engaging lessons that showcase student learning with Microsoft Office 365.

August 25, 2018

Note-Taking on Chromebooks

If your students are using Chromebooks, you'll definitely want to find a great note-taking app for them. We have some powerful recommendations for you.

August 22, 2018

Microsoft iOS Apps on Your iPad

Mix the best of both worlds by using Microsoft iOS apps on your iPad. You'll discover innovative solutions for both you and your students.

August 20, 2018

Secure On the Go Connections

On the go at different events and locations? Then you may want to protect your device with a virtual private network (VPN).

August 18, 2018

Exploring Google Sheets' Functions: Import Range

Ready to combine data from multiple Google Sheets into one, but not sure how? Read this blog entry and watch a video tutorial on the ImportRange function.

August 17, 2018

TCEA Responds: Starting a District Twitter Chat

Wondering how to start your own Twitter chat at your campus or district? This TCEA Responds will provide you with tips and actual examples to get started.

August 16, 2018

Principal Whack-a-Mole with Your iPad

Playing principal whack-a-mole with problems at school can be draining and ineffective. Learn about some iPad apps that can help.

August 13, 2018

Exploring Google Photos as a Collaborative Tool

Need to share photos quickly with others? Take advantage of Google Photos as a collaborative tool to created shared albums many can add to.

August 11, 2018

Extend Your WiFi Network

Learn more about how to strengthen the WiFi signal at work or home using a WiFi extender and see what the best three options are.

August 10, 2018

Chromebook Apps for Young Learners

This blog showcases some Chrome add-ons of benefit to young learners. Explore them with your students to support math and language arts activities.

August 9, 2018

TCEA Responds: Download YouTube Videos

Need to show YouTube videos in your classroom without advertisements? Learn how to view videos ad free or download YouTube videos.

August 6, 2018

Back to School: Five Tips for CTOs

Heading back to school, stakeholders' eyes will be on you and how you resolved their issus and problems. Here are five tips to ensure you are ready.

August 3, 2018

Go Large: Share Your Message Full Screen

Take advantage of these fun alternatives to share links and text in large font sizes on the screen. Go large or go home when sharing!

August 2, 2018

Infographics Made Simple

Explore these three tips for infographic creation, straight from the "Infographics Made Simple" session at the 2018 TCEA Chromebook Academy.

August 1, 2018

Five Google Docs Hacks

Ready to hack your Google Docs experience? Start with these five simple hacks and take advantage of some lesser known Google Docs tools.

July 31, 2018

Bookmark Organization the Easy Way

The simplest solution may often be what you already have. Here's a bookmark organization tool for Google Chrome that may save you time.

July 25, 2018

Google Drive Cleaner: Remove Duplicate Files

Ready to rid yourself of duplicate files clogging your Google Drive? Then you will want to read this blog entry. It offers tips on removing duplicate files.

July 23, 2018

TCEA Responds: Making Connections

Need to be able to share your educational resources and expertise with educators? Take advantage of these TCEA Responds tips to deepen engagement.

July 20, 2018

5E Modeling: Engage with Google's Applied Digital Skills Lessons

Google's Applied Digital Skills curriculum is available for free. Consider how you can apply the 5E Model to take these canned lessons to the next level.

July 19, 2018

Five Ways to Succeed with Personalized Learning

Educational leaders want their staff to embrace and routinely practice personalized learning. But what's the best way to make that happen?

July 18, 2018

Humanities Go Digital: Coding and Storytelling

Learn how teaching humanities with coding can enhance learning and retention for your students using the free tool Twine and some imagination.

July 13, 2018

TCEA Responds: OneNote with Google Classroom?

Having trouble getting your technology aligned? Learn how to best align tools and objectives in this TCEA Responds blog for OneNote and Google Classroom.

July 10, 2018

Lesson Planning: 5E Model + Tech with the ISTE Standards (Part Two)

Come along as we continue our exploration of the 5E Model + Technology in the context of a Dust Bowl lesson tied to the ISTE Standards.

July 6, 2018

Lesson Planning: 5E Model + Tech with the ISTE Standards (Part One)

Explore the 5E Model plus technology in the context of the Dirty Thirties period of American history. ISTE NETS, TPACK, and UDL are discussed.

July 3, 2018

Napkin PD: Solving Problems Together

Curious about how you can engage educators with multi-device workshops? Model PBL activities in a BYOD setting. Adopt these napkin PD ideas.

June 29, 2018

Design Thinking Learning

Wondering how to encourage STEAM/STEM in all content areas, as well as ensure relevance of Maker Movement, 3D printing and coding? Try design thinking.

June 28, 2018

Make Thinking Physical: Coding Your Creations

Making thinking visible is so yesteryear. With new digital tools, we can now make thinking physical by building in virtual space or creating 3D designs.

June 25, 2018

TCEA Responds: Google Shortcuts

Looking for some quick, easy ways to get started with Google Docs or Drawings? You'll love these Google shortcuts and this handy flyer.

June 22, 2018

Microsoft Teams Updates

Learn about May 2018 updates to Microsoft Teams' assignments and more. A handy infographic summarizes other changes you need to be aware of.

June 19, 2018

UDL Chromebook Opportunities for Learning

Learn how to support Universal Design for Learning (UDL) with Chromebooks using Book Creator for all students in your classroom.

June 18, 2018

Napkin PD: A PBL Approach to Texas History

Blend PBL with technology to engage learners with Texas history. Introduce them to the Texas GLO Education Resources featuring lesson plans and activities.

June 12, 2018

When Text to Speech Matters

Turning text to speech and vice versa gets easier every day. Join us as we explore solutions that will delight your ears with text to speech.

June 8, 2018

Make Innovation Possible

Great leaders make innovation possible for their staff by providing multiple avenues for them to learn, both individually and in groups. Here's how.

June 7, 2018

Battle Royale: Gaming in Schools

Recent horrific events have brought to the forefront again the debate about online gaming violence and schools. What is your opinion on this issue?

June 6, 2018

Create Interactive Learning with a Choice Board

Innovative teachers empower students through the use of the choice board, either in paper or digital format. Learn how and see examples in this blog.

June 5, 2018

Panic Alert Pendants: Increasing School Safety

In today's world, unfortunately, school safety no longer seems a certainty. Learn how panic pendants and other technologies can help to overcome this issue.

June 1, 2018

Infographics Templates with Google Slides

Students can use these infographics templates in Google Slides to showcase learning in any content area and at any grade level.

May 30, 2018

Napkin PD: Transform Learning with Google Tools

Planning out engaging professional development for teachers who use Google Suites for Education? Check out our napkin PD ideas.

May 29, 2018

Growing Your Technical Support Staff

Ready to learn how to put in consistent professional learning opportunities for your technical support staff? This blog entry offers some suggestions.

May 17, 2018

Kindling STEM Learning in Your Classroom

Let's explore tips for kindling STEM-powered learning in your classroom and rediscover what works best for hands-on learning.

May 16, 2018

Coaching Made Less Difficult

The power of collegial coaching cannot be overstated in education. But how do you set up both your mentees and your coaches for success?

May 11, 2018

Simple Video Tricks

Video is the medium of today. Here are some simple video tricks to help you capture, edit, and rotate videos so that you look like a pro.

May 10, 2018

Free for Schools: Adobe Spark

Take your students' graphic creations to the next level with the new (and free) Adobe Spark programs, now with an education version.

May 9, 2018

Technology End of Year Procedures

Does your technology department have end of year procedures in place? If not, you may want to review some tips and suggestions available here.

May 5, 2018

District Data Warehouse: Proposal Process

Making the decision to create a district data warehouse is just the first step. Now you have to create a proposal of what you really need.

May 4, 2018

Top Five PDF Annotation Tools on Windows 10

Looking for some annotation tools for working with PDFs on your Windows 10 computer? We have some great recommendations for you.

April 28, 2018

A Homeschooling Parent's Dream: Google Home

Ready to embrace digital assistants for help homeschooling? Then Google Home may be your go-to helper. Let's explore a few ways to take advantage of it.

April 27, 2018

2018-2019 TCEA Microsoft Professional Learning Opportunities

If you are looking to increase your expertise in all things Microsoft, look no further. TCEA has got you covered with tons of learning opportunities.

April 25, 2018

Create Voyages of Digital Discovery with Google Tour Builder

Learn to create engaging and relevant digital learning experiences for students using Google Tour Builder and see how far their imaginations can take them.

April 16, 2018

Creating gBooks, er, eBooks Just Got Easier

Get your students more engaged with your content by creating ebooks. There are lots of easy ways to do this, and we have them all for you in this blog.

April 7, 2018

Replacing the Goo.gl Shortener

Goo.gl web shortener service joins the host of other Google Projects being shut down. Check out some solutions that will keep you smiling in the mirror.

April 6, 2018

District Data Warehouse: Recognizing the Need

The selection and use of a data warehouse system in schools today is critical in the analysis of student data. Part one of this blog series looks at why.

April 4, 2018

The Demise of Office Mix

Office Mix as a tool is going away soon. This blog will explore some alternatives so that you and your students don't lose out.

April 2, 2018

Technology Audit: Planning for Growth

Ready to grow as a district? The first step may be to conduct a technology audit as a powerful way to jump start learning possibilities.

March 26, 2018

3D Printing Projects for Micro:Bit

Combine 3D printing with the inexpensive micro:bit and some basic coding to take your printed creations to the next level.

March 10, 2018

Journey to Innovation: 2018 Microsoft Academy

The Microsoft Academy will feature amazing educators sharing their best ideas for the use of MS tools in the classroom. Won't you join them?

March 9, 2018

Twitter Takeaways: Microsoft Sway in Education

Looking for Twitter takeaways focused on Microsoft updates for education? You have come to the right place. In January, 2018, Microsoft unloaded a wealth of updates to its education suite of products. In this Twitter...

March 6, 2018

Three Tips to Organize Google Drive

Overwhelmed with Google Drive files, scattered everywhere Take advantage of these three tips to consolidate, organize, and manage files and folders.

March 4, 2018

Where Creatives Gather: 2018 Adobe Academy

Join fellow creatives at the two-day, exciting, hands-on 2018 TCEA Adobe Academy. Be selected to present two sessions and registration is free!

February 26, 2018

Wallpaper Your 3D Virtual Reality Room

Encourage your students' creative sides in all subject areas by using the free website Panoform to turn paper images into 3D ones.

February 25, 2018

Codeate with Minecraft Coding Projects

Logical thinking and computer science skills expand to a whole new level when you are doing Minecraft coding. Learn more about it in this blog.

February 21, 2018

Tic Tac Toe: More New Google Sites Tips

Here are three more handy tips to get you up to speed on the new Google Sites capabilities. You might be surprised by what you can do!

February 3, 2018

Become a PhotoDroid: Image Editing on Android

Want a great way to model photo editing skills to other learners with your Android device? Use these awesome PhotoDroid editing apps to learn how.

January 31, 2018

Expand Classroom Possibilities with Microsoft

See how updates to your favorite Microsoft classroom tools, including Teams, OneNote, Class Notebook, and Immersive Reader, can expand learning.

January 29, 2018

Three Tips for New Google Sites Makers

Maximize your work on Google Sites with these valuable and time-saving tips and tricks. They'll make you look like a pro!

January 27, 2018

Android Security for Communications

Being safe while online is more and more a requirement in today's world. Learn about Android security apps you will want to use daily.

January 23, 2018

STEM Projects with Green Screen

Take your STEM projects to the next level by adding the use of a green screen. It can be done inexpensively and will really engage your students.

January 20, 2018

How to Share Android Files Easily

This blog will showcase some powerful tools for projecting your screen and Android file sharing that you and your students can use.

January 11, 2018

Safeguard Your Android Device

Get a new Android phone recently? You're not alone. In this blog entry, learn five ways to keep your new smartphone safe from hackers and malware.

January 6, 2018

Meltdown and Spectre: Implications for Schools

Learn how to handle the disaster that the Meltdown and Spectre problems are about to cause your school district for all devices.

January 2, 2018

Androidify Learning

Discover some great apps to help "androidify" your classroom as your students create content using audio, live polling, and video tools.

December 30, 2017

The Game: When Disaster Strikes (Part 3)

You've read about the best ways to respond to disasters in "When Disaster Strikes" series. Now, apply your expertise to solving real problems in The Game.

December 27, 2017

Our 2017 Microsoft Resource Roundup

This Microsoft resource roundup features all of the great blogs and content we published in 2017 about Microsoft. You won't want to miss any of these!

December 20, 2017

TCEA Responds: Tracking Digital Coaches and Technicians

Tracking the time your staff, both instructional and technical, spend on problems is critical to better customer service. But how can you best do that?

December 14, 2017

Twitter Takeaways: OneNote Class Notebook

Explore these Twitter takeaways for Microsoft OneNote Class Notebook. It is simply amazing how much you can learn from animated GIF tutorials available.

December 12, 2017

STEM Coder: Future Ready Learning

The importance of becoming a STEM coder cannot be overstated. This blog entry will give you handy stats and provide some simple steps you can take.

December 10, 2017

STEM Tools, DIY Projects, and Toys

Discover fun and innovative ways to get your children or students hooked on STEM tools. This blogs showcases both free and fee-based ideas.

December 9, 2017

MS Office Goes Chrome, er, Android

Running MS Office on a Chromebook can be problematic. This blog offers two possible solutions to let you have your Chrome and Office it, too.

December 2, 2017

STEM Sparkles for Student Learners

Make learning sparkle for your students with these STEM resources, activities, and apps. Try them with your students for exhilirating merriment!

November 30, 2017

Visual Storytelling: Portraits of Learning

Visual storytelling empowers students, even those who don't believe they can write or that they have a story to tell. Here's how.

November 28, 2017

TCEA Responds: Apple TV in the Classroom

Getting an Apple TV for your classroom? In this TCEA Responds, we explore a few ways you can use an Apple TV for learning and explore alternatives.

November 22, 2017

Heat Sensitive: Server Room Temperature Gauges

Losing critical servers to high temperatures is a disaster scenario no one wants to experience. Learn how heat sensitive gauges can help prevent this.

November 20, 2017

Creating Six-Word Memoirs

Student creation of six-word memoirs can help form powerful connections to learning. Discover some technology resources to help them.

November 18, 2017

When Disaster Strikes: Disaster Recovery Planning Part 2

In part two of "When Disaster Strikes," we explore three additional insights, including needs assessments, tokenization, and hosting solutions.

November 17, 2017

Hashtag Heroism: Rise Against the Wind

See how hashtag heroism can be used to empower K-12 learners to make positive change possible in the face of oppressive acts of others.

November 14, 2017

Hack the Library: Relic or Springboard?

Today's libraries are in flux. Hacking libraries for a changing future remains essential. In the minds of the uninformed, libraries are a relic of a bygone age. The value of a school or community library often relies on...

November 12, 2017

3D Design Contest: Submit Your Lesson

Take any curriculum area to the next level by incorporating 3D design. Create a lesson plan that does that and you could win a 3D printer!

November 11, 2017

Windows 10 Fall Creators Update: Moviemaker Lives

Learn how the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update can help your students better tell their stories in the classroom and beyond.

November 10, 2017

Power Learning with Unconferences

Many districts are adopting the transformative power of unconferences for their professional development days. Learn how you can, too.

November 5, 2017

Social Media for School Leaders

Discover five suggestions for enhancing school communications with social media. It's easier than you think and the results can be amazing.

November 4, 2017

Animated GIFs: Education in Motion

Creating animated GIFs is a good way for students to summarize learning and have fun at the same time. Learn about some great tools to use.

October 29, 2017

When Disaster Strikes: Recovery and Business Continuity (Part 1)

Get valuable disaster recovery insights shared at the 2017 Technology Leadership Summit, "When Disaster Strikes," for Chief Technology Officers (CTO/CIOs).

October 28, 2017

Twitter Takeaways: Five iOS Special Effects Apps

This issue of Twitter Takeaways offers five great iOS apps that will spice up your videos and make them look amazing. Share these with your students!

October 26, 2017

Twitter Takeaways: Five Google Tips

Looked through your Twitter stream and feel overwhelmed? Let's hit pause and explore five twitter takeaways. We focus on Google Tips in this entry.

October 25, 2017

TCEA's New Minecraft Certification Course

Learn to model future world-building and coding opportunities for students in our new online, self-paced Minecraft certification course.

October 24, 2017

An Activity to Explore SketchUp Pro

Need a quick way to introduce students and/or staff to SketchUp Pro, available from TCEA for free? Use this multimedia text set chock-full of activities!

October 21, 2017

Three Tips to Blogging Author Chats, Part 2

Discover some great technologies to use with the Socratic Seminar technique and student blogging as they participate in author chats.

October 20, 2017

Communication Apps Districts Can't Live Without

Recent disasters have made communication apps even more important for school districts. Discover some great apps to help keep your community informed.

October 17, 2017

TCEA Podcast: Creating Career Pathways

Learn about one district's efforts to prepare students with emerging technologies and career pathways for real jobs after high school.

October 14, 2017

Three Tips to Blogging Author Chats, Part 1

Explore three tips to blogging author chats, featuring a discussion of the Socratic Seminar technique, blending blogging technology into author chats.

October 7, 2017

Three Tips for Google Suites Updates

Stay current with updates and new possibilities for Google Suites for Education with these great resources, webinars, and videos.

September 29, 2017

Provide Custom Email Updates for Parent Communication

Learn three easy ways to provide personalized parent communication using Gmail and some great add-ons that will make this school year a breeze.

September 24, 2017

Expanding Digital Literacy with Collaborative Inquiry

Hurricanes Harvey and Irma present students with a collaborative inquiry and digital literacy learning opportunity that should be taken advantage of.

September 23, 2017

Digital Whiteboard Solutions

Want students to make their thinking visible, but don't want to invest in an expensive interactive whiteboard? Try these digital whiteboard solutions.

September 22, 2017

TCEA Responds: Time and Attendance Tracking for Adults

This TCEA Responds discusses the CPR approach when working with employees who are not following the rules, as well as time clock solutions.

September 21, 2017

Math Tools for Chrome

This blog will showcase some of the many powerful math tools that your students (and you!) can use with the Chrome browser.

September 20, 2017

Creative Commons: Make OER Copyright Simple

Open Educational Resources and Creative Commons licensing have truly opened up the world of publishing and free resources for students and their teachers.

September 16, 2017

TCEA Podcast: HyperDrawings with Joli Boucher

Ready to embrace Google Suites for Education for transformative learning experiences? Give Google Drawings a try using Joli Boucher's "hyperdrawings."

September 15, 2017

HyperNotes? Use Hyperdocs with MS Office 365

Take Hyperdocs to the next level by creating hypernotes with MS Office 365 or OneNote and ensure that students have access to the information they need.

September 13, 2017

Checklists: Scaffolding Metacognitive Awareness

“Used effectively, checklists can help students develop metacognitive awareness of their intellectual processes. Metacognitive research consistently suggests that students who know how to learn, know which strategies...

September 12, 2017

Empower Learners with the 5E Model and Hyperdocs

Embrace the 5E model and mix in hyperdocs to engage and empower new learning construction in your hyper-connected classroom.

September 10, 2017

TCEA Responds: Teaching Digital Media

In this TCEA Responds, multiple resources for teaching a high school digital media course are offered. Join us as we share curated resources.

September 9, 2017

Research Tools for Young Learners

Learn about a wonderful Hyperdoc and some research tools that can help students hone their thinking and reasoning skills.

September 6, 2017

Getting Up to Speed With Drones

Get the answers to three common questions about drones in schools: 1) legal information; 2) using drones for learning; and 3) drone flight certification.

September 3, 2017

First Things First: A Technology Leader's First Steps

Starting off as a new technology leader? Explore these tips to get you grounded and off on the right foot in your organization.

September 2, 2017

Go Green Screen, Have Fun

Discover some free or inexpensive apps and resources to bring green screen magic and learning to your classroom this year.

September 1, 2017

Hacking the iPad for Vocabulary Growth

See how hacking your iPad for vocabulary study can result in active learning for students and enhance instruction in the elementary classroom.

August 28, 2017

TCEA Responds: Get Current on Tech Learning

Need to update your college learning? Avoid paying expensive college course fees. In this TCEA Responds, we explore how to make lifelong learning possible.

August 25, 2017

Four Tools for iOS Screen Sharing

Learn four powerful tools to use when sharing your iOS device screen as you model effective app use for instructional purposes.

August 21, 2017

Grouping Tools for the Classroom

Learn five free tools to use when grouping students for differentiation and projects that will save you time and ensure fairness.

August 19, 2017

STEM Action Planning for Transformed Learning

This blog article details how to create a 90-day STEM action plan to bring more robust and connected learning to your students.

August 16, 2017

New PowerPoint Translator Makes Captioning Possible

Accessible learning becomes a reality with Microsoft's newest offering. See how making same language subtitles make learning accessible.

July 27, 2017

TCEA Responds: Technology Applications TEKS

TCEA Responds enables you to ask questions and have our team research answers for you. This issue focuses on the Texas Technology Applications TEKS.

July 26, 2017

Tablet Trek: Tablets in the ELL Classroom

Discover how to use tablets with your ELL students to enhance learning, deepen vocabulary development, and make their thinking visible.

July 20, 2017

Lumen5-Powered Videos

Looking for ways to transform slide presentations and create video blog entries quickly and easily? Lumen5 may be the tool you've been searching for.

July 19, 2017

TCEA Responds: Securing Data in Cloud Storage

Is your District storing sensitive data in Google? What about Microsoft Forms or OneDrive? In this TCEA Responds, we discuss possible privacy concerns.

July 13, 2017

TCEA Responds: Future Ready Library Redesign

Need to redesign your library? In this TCEA Responds, we explore several ways that future ready library spaces are being redesigned to enhance learning.

July 10, 2017

Write to Remember: Digital Paper Alternatives

Is it better to take notes by hand or digitally? This blog shares the answer, along with alternatives for digital paper note taking.

July 6, 2017

TCEA Responds: Digital Fax Solutions

Is your school or district mired in the past? In this TCEA Responds, we explore several digital fax solutions you will find of interest.

July 5, 2017

Collaborative Projects in PBL, Part One

This is part one of a multi-part exploration of best practices in creating collaborative PBL projects for younger learners.

July 5, 2017

TCEA Responds: New Google Sites ePortfolios

Need an easy-to-use student ePortfolio solution? In this TCEA Responds, we explore the pros and cons of Google Sites as a digital portfolio solution.

July 3, 2017

Managing All of Your Email

Tired of digging through your email on mobile and desktop, trying to make sense of it all? Take a look at a few mobile device apps and organizers.

June 30, 2017

Four iOS Tools for Digitizing Paper

In this blog, learn about four powerful tools for iOS to use when you're ready to digitize the papers in your classroom or office.

June 29, 2017

TCEA Responds: Saving High School Seniors' Digital Work

TCEA Responds is a way for you to ask questions and have our team research answers for you. This issue focuses on making students' digital work portable.

June 27, 2017

Virtual Space Construction Workers

If you are an eligible school district, learn how to get Minecraft: Education Edition FREE for one year with a new Windows 10 device.

June 22, 2017

TCEA Responds: Microsoft Classroom Assignments

TCEA Responds is a way for you to ask questions and have our team research answers for you. This issue focuses on managing assignments in MS Classroom.

June 19, 2017

Get Your Computer Science Certification

Texas needs more computer science teachers and is offering computer science certification resources and financial aid. Find out more in this blog.

June 15, 2017

TCEA Responds: Podcasting Resources

TCEA Responds is a new way for you to ask questions and have our team research answers for you. This issue focuses on podcasting.

June 11, 2017

Farewell Docs.com, Hello Enhanced OneNote, Forms, and Flow

Learn about the latest Microsoft updates to OneNote, Forms, and Flow and the ending of Docs.com in this must-read blog for MS fans.

June 9, 2017

Remix the 5E Model with PBL and Technology

Try the 5E Model with PBL and technology to engage learners with curriculum-based, real-world connected thinking and solution development opportunities.

June 8, 2017

TCEA Responds: Recording Speakers

TCEA Responds enables you to ask questions and have our team research answers for you. This issue focuses on collecting audio notes in conference settings.

June 7, 2017

Vector Images: Make Magic with Two Free Tools

Ready to enhance your work with vector graphics, but current tools are overpriced, complex, or won't work on your device? Check these low-cost options.

June 6, 2017

TCEA Responds: Membership Renewal

TCEA Responds is a new way for you to ask questions and have our team research answers for you. This issue focuses on membership renewal.

June 1, 2017

Keys to the Kingdom: OneLogin Data Breach

Are you a school district using OneLogin? A data breach affecting all U.S. customers means the keys to your digital kingdom have been taken.

June 1, 2017

TCEA Responds: Connect with Google Certified Administrators

TCEA Responds is a new way for you to ask questions and have our team research answers for you. This issue is how to connect with Google-certified admins.

May 26, 2017

TCEA Responds: Grants and Tech Planning

TCEA Responds is a new way for you to ask questions and have our team research answers for you. This issue focuses on grants and technology planning.

May 21, 2017

Enhancing Parental Access with OneNote Class Notebook

Microsoft listens to teachers and adds three new features. One of the notable features includes enhanced parent access to student work in OneNote.

May 18, 2017

Windows 10 Tips and Tricks

Want to make your Windows 10 device faster, safer, and smarter? These five tips with assorted tricks will get you started and moving in the right direction.

May 13, 2017

Pursuing the Makerspace Will-o'-the-Wisp

Once you know you want to have a makerspace on your campus, what are your next steps? We recommend building relationships and trust among key stakeholders.

May 12, 2017

Moviemaker Is Dead; Long Live Story Remix

Still miss Moviemaker on your Windows computer? Let it go and embrace Windows Story Remix, which takes cross-platform movie design to another level!

May 11, 2017

TCEA Responds: Video Surveillance Solutions

TCEA Responds enables you to ask questions and have our team research answers for you. This issue focuses on video surveillance solutions for schools.

May 10, 2017

Engaging Millennial Educators

The generational gap has never been wider as baby boomers are now supervising millennials. Learn how to engage millennials in the workplace.

May 4, 2017

It's Microsoft Morphing Time

Microsoft announced big changes to its education tools recently. This blog will discuss the implications for Microsoft Classroom and its users.

May 3, 2017

Phishing Attack: Evil Google Email

The Google phishing attack that happened today underscores the need to continue to educate our staff and students about online safety. This blog outlines steps to follow to help prevent future attacks.

May 2, 2017

Creating Worlds of Tomorrow: Microsoft Update

Today's Microsoft update shows that at least one tech company has been listening to educators. Learn what's coming to your school in this blog.

April 30, 2017

Slack for Better Communication

Looking for a great app for facilitating team communications? Check out Slack and three ways of using it to connect with others.

April 29, 2017

Get Organized: Productivity Tips for OneNote

Need help organizing the vast mounds of paperwork generated by your campus? Try using OneNote and the chore becomes a breeze.

April 28, 2017

Down Memory Lane: Memoir Maps with iPads

A memoir map, although a seldom used graphic organizer, can be a good way to connect with strong memories, enabling you to write powerful pieces.

April 27, 2017

Prevent Summer Slide with Technology

Summer slide results in a measurable gap in math and reading. Here are some tips for addressing this gap with hands-on technology tips.

April 24, 2017

Choosing an Online Payment System

Selecting an online payment system can be a headache at first. But once it's in place, your staff will thank you. Here are some tips and tricks.

April 23, 2017

Showcase Your School's Success

Learn how to showcase your students' successes and save time in this second blog in our series on productivity tools for leaders and do-ers.

April 19, 2017

Transform Learning with Text to Speech

Technology today provides a multitude of solutions for turning text to speech and vice versa, regardless of the device being used.

April 17, 2017

When People Fail Technology: Digital Evidence Search

Check out this form to use when you've been asked to collect digital evidence about how a staff member has used (or misused) his technology.

April 15, 2017

Beautify and Protect Your Virtual Home: Google Chrome Browser

Discover some new Chrome add-ons that will beautify your screen, help you be more productive, and protect your privacy while online.

April 13, 2017

No More Death by PowerPoint

PowerPoint doesn't have to mean a boring presentation. Learn some new ways to keep your audience engaged and even moved during your presentations.

April 8, 2017

Shifting the Conversation: Basic Tech Skills

Rather than focusing on building basic tech skills in teachers, first shift the conversation to what they must know in order to teach today's students.

April 5, 2017

Free G Suite Curriculum

If you're trying to teach digital literacy skills to students who use G Suite, then you must take a look at the new and free curriculum from Google.

April 2, 2017

Strategizing Your BYOT Implementation, Part 4

This is the fourth post in a continuing series on how to best strategize your BYOT implementation for complete success for students and staff.

April 1, 2017

Strategizing Your BYOT Implementation, Part 3

Note: This is the third in a continuing series, Strategizing Your BYOT Implementation. Be sure to read other blog entries relevant to BYOD . "Sixty-seven percent of parents are willing to buy their children a mobile...

March 31, 2017

Strategizing Your BYOT Implementation, Part 2

Note: This is the second in a continuing series, Strategizing Your BYOT Implementation. Be sure to read other blog entries relevant to BYOD . "Mobile learning is all about changing instruction. Because if the...

March 30, 2017

Strategizing Your BYOT Implementation, Part 1

Surviving a BYOT implementation requires that district and campus leaders do their homework up front, including planning strategically.

March 29, 2017

Surviving a Leadership Transition

How can you survive and excel when there is a leadership transition in your district? This blog offers seven critical tips to help you.

March 28, 2017

Facilitating Online Social Learning Experiences

These tips for effective online learning with social experiences will work with students and adults alike and ensure that they are engaged and active.

March 28, 2017

Podcasting with Microsoft Sway

Podcasting is an amazing way for students to showcase their learning. Use Microsoft Sway and you have a final product that is beautiful and easy to do.

March 24, 2017

Accelerate Your Learning: Adobe Academy

It's time to register to attend the two-day Adobe Academy and ensure that your skills, and those of your students, will meet the demands of employers today.

March 21, 2017

Texas Virtual Schools Grant

Act fast to take advantage of a new Texas Virtual Schools Network grant to get your students involved in online learning and save your district some money.

March 18, 2017

iOS Recording Tools

If you want to do audio or video recording with your iOS device, then you'll definitely want to check out these tools to make your work a breeze.

March 11, 2017

Managing Smart: 2017 Tech Leadership Summit

Join your colleagues and experts for a frank discussion on managing the Internet of Things and all of its accompanying devices in your district.

March 8, 2017

Share Your Adobe Awesomeness!

We know that you are doing amazing things with students and educators every day. Won’t you please consider sharing some of your expertise with others at the TCEA 2017 Adobe Academy? The call for proposals is open now...

March 6, 2017

Gamifying OneNote Learning

Take your professional learning to a new and fun-filled level with this game board on OneNote. Gamification makes it easy to master new skills!

March 4, 2017

Encryption: Friend or Foe for Texas Schools?

Recent attacks on data in schools points to a lack of knowledge in basic security practices like encryption. This blog offers advice on how to stay safe.

February 28, 2017

Seven Keys to Blended Learning

If you're dipping a toe into the blended learning waters, here are some great ideas to take with you as you help students master core content.

February 24, 2017

Visualizing Our Understanding: Graphic Organizers

Visualizing our learning is a powerful way to ensure retention of what has been learned, and graphic organizers make that happen.

February 23, 2017

It's Not the Phishing, It's Your Lack of Influence

Phishing schemes and ransomware remain a problem for IT support staff. But the bigger issue is their lack of influence in getting end users to make changes.

February 23, 2017

Minecraft: Education Edition Tutorial Videos

These short Minecraft: Education Edition tutorials videos will showcase ways to ramp your knowledge as well as your skills.

February 19, 2017

Multimedia ELL Assessment

Using technology for multimedia assessment makes sense. And with OneNote, teachers can easily make Anecdotal Records Assessments for ELL students.

February 18, 2017

Designing Minecraft Spaces

Encouraging students to design Minecraft spaces allows them to ponder the possibilities of changing their physical world as well.

February 17, 2017

Five OneDrive Tips You Can't Live Without!

Looking for ways to increase your productivity and save time? These five tips for OneDrive, a free resource, can help.

February 7, 2017

Five Forms Solutions for iOS

If you're searching for a way to create and complete forms on your iOS device, there are a multitude of solutions available. Let's take a look at a few.

February 6, 2017

Engaging Learners with Microsoft Forms

Dump those old paper rubrics and flip the learning! Empower yourself and your students to use Microsoft Forms for the quick evaluation of academic work. This makes grading easy and simplifies the process for students...

February 4, 2017

Align Your Social Media

Learn about a number of free and powerful technology tools that can help align your social media efforts, make an impact, and save you time.

January 31, 2017

Using OneDrive to Back Up Your iOS Camera

Need to backup your iOS photos and videos? Consider using OneDrive as an easy way to store, interact with, and share your camera roll.

January 28, 2017

Safeguarding Student and School Privacy

Ensuring that your network and student privacy are guarded can be a difficult task. TCEA's Leadership Summit has resources to help you be successful.

January 26, 2017

New Chromebook Features

New Chromebooks will soon become available for education that will make it easier to take advantage of classroom learning opportunities.

January 26, 2017

Ten Ways to Customize Microsoft Classroom

This infographic will show you ten quick ways to make Microsoft Classroom work even better for you and your students for engaged and powerful learning.

January 25, 2017

Forms Smackdown: Google vs Microsoft

The growth and use of online forms to gather and disseminate data has reached K-12 schools. But which form, Google or Microsoft, offers the most features?

January 23, 2017

Process Check: Safeguarding Student Privacy

Before implementing any new system, whether technology-based or not, it's important for schools to determine how to safeguard student privacy.

January 23, 2017

Quote Makers, Engage!

Learn to use Typorama to craft beautiful quotation designs, as well as a collection of copyright-friendly image resources to use with it.

January 19, 2017

Improved Teaching with Microsoft

Microsoft announces updates to OneNote and other outstanding tools that will empower student learning and make teaching easier.

January 18, 2017

Minecraftian Strategies with Marzano

New trends in educational technology can easily work with the research from Marzano on classroom instruction that works and Minecraft: Education Edition.

January 16, 2017

Open Resources for Math and Science

Help students master complex math and science topics by mashing Open Educational Resources (OER) simulations with assessment.

January 13, 2017

Connect Learners with Video

Using the free service Flipgrid, you can connect your learners to the learning and to each other, helping to ensure engagement and reflection.

January 9, 2017

Redesign That: SketchUp in Schools

The ability to redesign and improve existing materials is empowered through the use of the free SketchUp Pro 3D modeling software.

January 8, 2017

Fantastic Voyage: Minecraft Lesson Planning

Add project-based learning components to these Minecraft lesson plans and see learning and engagement soar in your classroom.

January 3, 2017

Five Steps to Game-Based Learning with Minecraft

If you want to effectively begin using game-based learning with your students and ensure engagement, there's no better way to start than with Minecraft.

December 31, 2016

Leadership Courses for K-12 Educators

If you are an instructional leader who wants to continue growing, then mark your calendar to participate in these free K-12 Education Leadership online courses available in January, 2017. With the goal to drive systemic...

December 28, 2016

Dystopian Learning No Matter the Device

Whether your students have access to Apple, Google, or Microsoft technologies, they can all do amazing learning with them in a dystopian literature unit.

December 22, 2016

Activate Learning Innovators

Activating innovators in learning in schools today is critical. But how can we help produce innovation? Here are some ideas.

December 19, 2016

Creating Interactive Math Textbooks

We learn best and deepest when we create. Take this approach to a new level in math classes by having students create their own interactive textbooks.

December 17, 2016

Magic Maker Christmas

The holidays bring out the maker in all of us. Use these handy tips with students in the classroom or at home with children and family.

December 16, 2016

Celebrating the 2016 TCEA MIE Cohort

Join us in celebrating the more than 300 Texas educators who have become Microsoft Innovative Educators (MIE) to better serve their students.

December 15, 2016

Mapping Your Holiday Learning

Take time for yourself this holiday break and increase your technological and/or pedagogical skills with these online professional learning opportunities.

December 12, 2016

Chromebook Christmas: 14 Jolly Chrome Extensions

You'll have a jolly holiday if you use some of these Chrome extensions that you may not already know about. Try them with your students for extra merriment!

December 11, 2016

Merry 3D Printing from TCEA!

Take your holidays to the next level with these great ideas for 3D printing. Design your own merry ornaments or print out some already created!

December 10, 2016

Planning Holiday Learning

Get ideas, lesson plans, and resources for helping your students celebrate the winter holidays as 2016 winds down and a new year begins.

December 9, 2016

12 Days of Christmas with Microsoft

Microsoft has gifted us with 12 wonderful creativity presents that are perfect for extending learning in the classroom. Be sure to unwrap these gifts today!

December 9, 2016

Building a Community

How can you create a community for learners to share their triumphs and tragedies and get support from their peers? This blog provides an example.

December 1, 2016

Overcoming Detours to a OneNote Blog

Using the great program OneNote as a blog platform can be a little problematic. But there are ways around the difficulties. Find them here.

November 23, 2016

Add New Fonts in Google Docs and Windows

Are your students bored by your handouts? Try some new fonts in Windows or Google Docs to spice things up and keep their interest.

November 22, 2016

Amplifying Creativity: Minecraft Fairytales

Learn how you can amplify student creativity using Microsoft's Minecraft: Education Edition, fairy tales, and real-life problems.

November 21, 2016

Made with Code

In the near future, there will be 1.4 million programming jobs available. But only about 400,000 people to fill them. Let's help our students and children get ready for the future. One way to do that is Hour of Code...

November 17, 2016

Top Ten OneNote FAQs

Have you explored OneNote Class Notebook yet? OneNote Class Notebook works with over 35 different learning management systems (LMSs ), including a few popular ones like Google Classroom, Edmodo, and Canvas! If you have...

November 11, 2016

iOS Movie Effects

Looking for a way to engage students with video and video creation? The Apple iPad's rich ecology of video editing apps empowers students to be directors of fantasy and science-fiction flicks by using special effects...