107: Keyboard shortcuts to save you time
Minute by minute, you can buy back time for what matters most with keyboard shortcuts. In this episode, I share some of my favorites that you can use to make yourself more efficient!
Sep 21, 2018•8 min
Ditch That Textbook Podcast :: Education, teaching, edtech :: #DitchPod
Helping you teach with less reliance on the textbook through technology, creativity and innovation. Hosted by Ditch That Textbook's Matt Miller and Karly Moura. Find us at http://ditch.link/podcast. Subscribe to the email newsletter: http://ditchthattextbook.com/join
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Episodes
106: How does storytelling fit in your lesson?
There's a story in everything. Our brains are wired for story. How can we incorporate elements of storytelling into teaching and learning?
Sep 20, 2018•6 min
105: How to "mixtape" your curriculum, 80's style!
We used to use cassette tapes to record our favorite songs on "mixtapes" that we'd listen to over and over again. (At least I did.) Instructional coach Stephanie DeMichele suggests that we "mixtape" our instruction! She offers a framework for doing it, too.
Sep 19, 2018•5 min
104: Repetition suppression: The case for novelty
Drive the same route to school for a while and you'll do it on autopilot. Why? It's easier on your brain that way. It can ignore what it's doing. That's "repetition suppression": you ignore what you do repeatedly. This isn't a good thing in the classroom. We don't want students to ignore. This makes the case for novelty!
Sep 18, 2018•5 min
103: FREE Ditch Summit presentations. Hurry!
Until Sept. 21, 2018, eight FANTASTIC video presentations are available at DitchSummit.com! You'll get practical ideas and inspiration from all of the presenters. But don't worry if you miss it. There's a Ditch That Textbook Digital Summit every December. Head to DitchSummit.com to sign up for updates so you don't miss it!
Sep 17, 2018•5 min
102: The power of the pause
When we're teaching or presenting, we get in a state of speaking flow. The ideas are coming and we're spitting them out. But many times, we're moving faster than our listeners can process. A pause is a breath of fresh air and some mental processing time. It's powerful!
Sep 14, 2018•6 min
101: Some focus in the middle of digital distractions
Students get bombarded by media and messaging all day long. Cell phones. Social media. Videos. And the communication that comes through all of them. How can they maintain a balance and live their best lives? Michigan educator Paul Murray has some suggestions.
Sep 13, 2018•8 min
100: Lessons from 100 podcast episodes
Wow, 100 episodes! It's been a fun learning experience for me, and I hope it has been for you. I do a little reflection on the creation of this podcast and share three things I've learned from having created it. THANK YOU for being a listener and being on this journey with me. Here's to 100 more episodes -- and more!
Sep 12, 2018•7 min
099: Google Classroom: Differentiate like a NINJA
Google Classroom lets teachers customize their students' learning experiences. But what are the best ways to do that? Michigan teacher Jacqueline Pora (@lasenorapora) shares several clever Google Classroom differentiation ideas that she uses in her class!
Sep 11, 2018•10 min
098: Solid gold lesson planning ideas
Good teaching practices should be at the heart of what we do, and it's definitely at the heart of the HyperDocs framework. Sean Fahey (@SEANJFAHEY) and Karly Moura (@KarlyMoura) took that powerful framework and shared examples of how it could be spread to many areas of instruction with digital tools. Check it out!
Sep 10, 2018•8 min
097: Make learning ADDICTIVE with Brian Romero Smith Sr
When learning is addictive, kids want to come back for more, says Brian Romero Smith Sr. (@brianrsmithsr). But how do we create that addictive learning environment? It all comes down to a few things, Brian says, and he shares them in this episode.
Sep 07, 2018•7 min
096: Tips to make your HyperDocs rock with Sean Fahey
Have you caught on to the HyperDocs craze? Sean Fahey (@SEANJFAHEY) has made lots of HyperDocs in his own classroom. He shares tips to help your HyperDocs succeed in your own classroom!
Sep 06, 2018•7 min
095: Flipgrid + scavenger hunt = Fliphunt!
it's a Flipgrid scavenger hunt! Kathi Kersznowski (@kerszi) tells us all about her newest creation and how we can bring it in the classroom.
Aug 24, 2018•6 min
094: Learning in the pause with Shaelynn Farnsworth
One of our most powerful tools as teachers is silence. It can reclaim students' attention. It can give students space to think. Sometimes, we just don't think of it -- or don't realize its potential. Iowa educator Shaelynn Farnsworth (@shfarnsworth) and I discuss.
Aug 23, 2018•6 min
093: Big changes for student voice with Flipgrid
Flipgrid, the video response tool, is now totally free for anyone. And recently, lots of new features became available. In this episode, we'll outline some of them so you'll be ready to start using them this school year!
Aug 22, 2018•7 min
092: Google Classroom changes, 2018 version
It's August, which means exciting changes to many of the tools we use in the classroom. Google Classroom has a facelift and some new features. We dive into several of them in this episode.
Aug 21, 2018•5 min
091: #EducatorGoals with Keven Rinaman
If you're starting a new school year (or have already started one), goals may be top of mind right now. Keven Rinaman talks about goal-setting strategies and how to have a successful year with them.
Aug 20, 2018•10 min
090: Ditch Those Exams with Stephanie DeMichele
Are traditional exams -- especially standard multiple-choice ones -- serving our students? Can we do better? Stephanie DeMichele, an instructional coach from Ohio, and I presented on this concept at a conference recently and share some ideas from it.
Aug 17, 2018•11 min
089: Firefly Classrooms with Troy Cockrum
Did you ever spend time catching fireflies (or "lightning bugs") as a child? Author Troy Cockrum believes that learning should be more like that, where we capture our students' interests. He talks about the ideas he shares in his recent book.
Aug 16, 2018•10 min
088: A sticky note tech app smash!
We usually use sticky notes in the physical world to gather and save ideas. But by smashing the Post-It app and Google Drawings together, your students can do some unique digital brainstorming. Kelli Lane, a tech integration specialist from Illinois, shares how.
Aug 15, 2018•5 min
087: The Quizizz you never knew ...
Quizizz is a fun, student-centered study tool. Many teachers use it to help students review material they've studied. But other teachers are innovating and using Quizizz in very clever ways. Deepak Cheenath, co-founder of Quizizz, shares some ideas.
Aug 14, 2018•5 min
086: What the work world is begging us for
Sarah Kearns has spent her entire career in the corporate world, now working as Director of Marketing for ViewSonic. Her perspective helps us see what the work world really wants from students and how we can help prepare them for it.
Aug 13, 2018•5 min
085: Ditch That Panel with Lance McClard
Missouri administrator Lance McClard and I participated in a panel discussion at the ISTE Conference in Chicago. Lance shares some of his takeaways and his responses to questions, including: "What happens when everything blows up in your face?"
Aug 10, 2018•9 min
084: Real world connections with Sidekick
What if your students could partner with organizations outside of school? If they could brainstorm solutions to big problems together? Sidekick Education is making that happen. Sarah Shaw shares how all sorts of classes are starting these projects.
Aug 09, 2018•5 min
083: Try the Connected Kahoot!
Kahoot! games don't have to be limited to the students in your classroom. Steve Auslander (of Indiana, USA) and Steve Sherman (of Cape Town, South Africa) share how a video call can turn your traditional Kahoot! game into a "Connected Kahoot!" game.
Aug 08, 2018•6 min
082: Teaching for the long game
Sometimes, the most important things we do in the classroom or school doesn't give us immediate results. We need to focus on the long game, according to Megan Hacholski and Michael Abramczyk.
Jul 20, 2018•7 min
081: The Martians in Your Classroom w/@rachaeledu
The first person to set foot on Mars has likely been born, and there's a chance that she/he is in your classroom. What will that person need as a student, and how do we need to change as educators/schools to provide it? Rachael Mann, author of The Martians in Your Classroom, shares ideas from her book.
Jul 19, 2018•6 min
080: Let's do PD (or class!) at a destination!
One of the coolest professional learning experiences I've seen was at a zoo. We did PD at a ZOO. I got to reflect with Kari Espin and Andi McNair of Region 12 ESC in Waco, Texas, about the experience and how classes/schools could do the same.
Jul 18, 2018•8 min
079: Create easy augmented reality in the classroom
I found an amazing way to merge student art and creations with augmented reality at a recent visit to Region 12 educational service center in Waco, Texas. We talk about how it could be used in schools and the classroom.
Jul 17, 2018•6 min
077: Three FREE online conferences for teachers
Now's the time to get FREE inspiration and ideas online! Check out three "digital summits" -- awesome speakers you can watch from the comfort of home on your time!
Jul 16, 2018•6 min
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