Join the "Control Alt Achieve" Email Discussion Group

I am excited to announce the launch of the "Control Alt Achieve" email discussion group!

There are many ways that I communicate and share EdTech resources including this blog, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, my newsletter, and more.

However, a lot of that is one-way communication. Although that is an effective way to share out information, those methods are not always the best for discussions and connections and community.

To help with this I have create a Google Group to serve as a "Control Alt Achieve" email discussion group. Anyone with an interest in educational technology is welcome to join.

See below for all the details and I am so excited to connect with and learn from you!

Free Webinar: Read and Write Can Do That?!

Read&Write for Google Chrome is an awesome extension that provides assistive technology tools and support for all users. Anyone who follows my blog or has attended my training sessions has heard me mention this tool many times, as it is one of my all time favorites.

However, most of the time when we talk about Read&Write, we just think about its text-to-speech feature. Certainly this is a powerful tool that will read text aloud from any webpage or Google file, in a voice and at a speed of your choosing, highlighting the words as it goes.

But there is so much more to Read&Write! 

I am excited to be offering a free live webinar where we will explore "the rest of the toolbar" and see so many other useful features and tools that can help every student succeed.

See below for details on this free upcoming live-streamed training session...

What's New in Google - October 2022

Catch up on everything new in Google Workspace for Education from October 2022, and see great ideas and resources!

Below is the recorded video from our October 2022 Google User Meeting, along with the meeting agenda with all the awesome resources and Google updates from the last few months. This includes lots of new Google updates and Google resources for your class.

The monthly meetings are hosted by the Google Educator Group of Ohio, but are open to anyone from any location. The purpose of these meetings is to:

• Connect Google-using educators
• Share the latest Google Workspace news and features
• Provide tutorials, demonstrations, and how-to’s
• Share best practices of how Google Workspace is being used within schools
• Ask questions and get answers

The video from the meeting is recorded and available for later viewing for those who cannot attend or connect live. See below to view the recorded video, agenda, and all the resources from the October 2022 meeting:

Google Docs Calendar Templates for the 2023-2024 School Year

A couple years ago I created some Google Docs templates for a colleague who was looking for a simple one-page document to show important calendar dates for an entire school year. The templates were a big hit and many people found them to be helpful.

Although it still feels like the school year has just gotten started, I have received several emails lately from folks asking if I have made a version for next year ... the 2023-2024 school year.

So for all of you super organized people who are already planning for the next school year, I am happy to say, yes, I have versions for 2023-2024. See below for the links to get your own copies of these templates, as well as some basic directions on how to edit them for your own use.

EdTech Links of the Week - 10-25-22

Each week I keep an eye out for the latest edtech resources through blogs, social media, podcasts, videos, user groups, and more. I then try to reshare these resources in many ways.

One way I share these is here on the blog in these "EdTech Links of the Week" posts. See below to explore the latest batch of resources, and be sure to share with others who may benefit.

If you want to make sure you don't miss new resources, you can:

📰 Sign up for my weekly email newsletter here: Newsletter link

🐦Follow me on Twitter here: Twitter link

🔗 Subscribe to the RSS feed for this blog here: RSS feed link

And as always, please let me know of any resources that you recommend. I would love to learn from you!

Creative Writing and Publishing Resources for You and Your Students

Around 20 years ago, my daughter and I used to do poetry nights where we would use a website (Watch Out for Snakes) that would randomly create titles for us by putting together adjectives and nouns. We would then challenge each other to write a poem based on one of the prompts, followed by reading our new creations.

Yes, I have always been a nerd.

Over the years, writing has continued to be a big part of our lives, and I have posted many poetry-related and creative writing tools and activities to my blog.

Likewise my daughter has continued to write including two children's books. In 2021 she released "Red the Raccoon Weathers the Storm" and now in 2022 she has just put out "This Book Is A Little Bit Cheesy".

To help encourage and support you and your students, see below for my resources on creative writing and poetry, as well as ideas for sharing and publishing writing from you and your students. Also as an example of using technology for writing and publishing, see the details on the wonderful new book from my daughter that's perfect for the cheese-loving kids in your classroom or family.

EdTech Links of the Week - 10-17-22

Each week I keep an eye out for the latest edtech resources through blogs, social media, podcasts, videos, user groups, and more. I then try to reshare these resources in many ways.

One way I share these is here on the blog in these "EdTech Links of the Week" posts. See below to explore the latest batch of resources, and be sure to share with others who may benefit.

If you want to make sure you don't miss new resources, you can:

📰 Sign up for my weekly email newsletter here: Newsletter link

🐦Follow me on Twitter here: Twitter link

🔗 Subscribe to the RSS feed for this blog here: RSS feed link

And as always, please let me know of any resources that you recommend. I would love to learn from you!

Join me for the 2023 ITIP Ohio Google Summit

I am so excited and honored to be selected as the keynote presenter for the 2023 ITIP Ohio Google Summit!

This is the 13th annual conference and I have had the pleasure to attend, present, and learn with amazing educators every year it has been held. 

It will be a unique privilege to get to provide the keynote this year, along with many breakout sessions.

See below for all the details about this year's conference...

Supercharge Google Forms with Add-ons

Google Forms is already a very powerful, full-featured program that allows you to create forms, surveys, polls, quizzes, and more. 

However even with all its options, there may still be some features missing from the Forms that you would like.

Thankfully Google allows people to create Add-Ons that can be easily installed, which add new features and tools to Google Forms.

Over time the amount of available Add-ons has grown tremendously. So how do you wade through all of these to find the best ones and the hidden gems? 

To help out I have collected a list of my favorite Add-ons for Forms. Certainly this is not a comprehensive list, and there are other awesome Add-ons beyond my list, but these will give you a good place to start. Some of these Add-ons will likely be familiar to you, but hopefully you will find a few new ones or be encouraged to dig deeper into one you have tried before.

See below for my list of recommended Forms Add-ons, what they do, ideas for how they can be used in schools, and a quick overview of how to install, use, and remove Add-ons. And be sure to let me know which Add-ons you would recommend to add to the list. I would love to learn from you!

Free Webinars: Teach and Learn with Chrome

I am excited and honored to be facilitating a session in Google's "Teach and Learn with Chrome" series on behalf of Kiker Learning. The series runs through October and into November.

Google gives an overview of the series as such:

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We’ll have customers, Google experts and partners running demo-based training and presenting educational use cases in 45-minute sessions complete with Q&A.

You'll hear about how to drive impactful instruction with our latest features, Screencast and cast moderator, change management content for fleet updates - along with updates to programs, resources, and ChromeOS advances – all purpose-built for education.

• Time: 10-10:45am PT, 12-12:45pm CT, 1:00-1:45PM ET, various dates (schedule below)
• Dates: October 4 - November 3, 2022
• Audience:
• Tuesday Sessions - IT Leaders
• Wednesday Sessions - Instruction and Curriculum Leaders, Classroom Educators
• Thursday Sessions - District testimonials open to all!
• Can't join us live? If you're unable to watch live, register to watch on demand. We'll add the recordings right after the livestream finishes each day.

Attend a session and we’ll email you a customizable certificate of completion after the last session concludes.

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You can see the full schedule and register to get links to the sessions emailed to you prior to each event at the "Teach with Chrome Series" website at: 

• https://rsvp.withgoogle.com/events/teach-and-learn-with-chrome/home

See below for details on the session I will be facilitating.

My CenTex Educators Summit Sessions

I am excited and honored to be presenting at the CenTex Educators Summit in Waco, Texas on October 19, 2022.

I always look forward to an opportunity to see old friends, make new friends, share some ideas, and learn so many new things from others.

You can get more details about the conference and register for the CenTex Educators Summit here: Conference Website

Below is a list of sessions I will be presenting at the CenTex Educators Summit, along with any associated resources. Please feel free to join me for any of these sessions. I look forward to sharing, learning, and chatting with you!

EdTech Links of the Week - 10-10-22

Each week I keep an eye out for the latest edtech resources through blogs, social media, podcasts, videos, user groups, and more. I then try to reshare these resources in many ways.

One way I share these is here on the blog in these "EdTech Links of the Week" posts. See below to explore the latest batch of resources, and be sure to share with others who may benefit.

If you want to make sure you don't miss new resources, you can:

📰 Sign up for my weekly email newsletter here: Newsletter link

🐦Follow me on Twitter here: Twitter link

🔗 Subscribe to the RSS feed for this blog here: RSS feed link

And as always, please let me know of any resources that you recommend. I would love to learn from you!

Eye Chart Templates and Activities with Google Tools

In 1862 the Dutch ophthalmologist Herman Snellen developed an eye chart to help measure a person's vision, which we now call the Snellen Chart.

At some point you have certainly seen this tool, or in my case "tried" to see it, as I have always been significantly near-sighted.

One area of my life where I try to not be near-sighted is keeping an eye out for creative ideas on using technology in the classroom. Recently when learning more about the Snellen Chart, I thought that it could make for an interesting template for student learning activities.

See below to get your own copies of the eye chart templates I created for Google Slides and Google Drawings, along with a short tutorial video and written directions. Also check out some of the ideas I brainstormed for possible activities with this template. I would love to hear your ideas for other ways this could be used.

My New Mexico Digital Learning Conference Sessions

I am excited and honored to be presenting at the New Mexico Digital Learning Conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico on October 15, 2022.

I always look forward to an opportunity to see old friends, make new friends, share some ideas, and learn so many new things from others.

You can get more details about the conference and register for the NMDLC 2022 at sites.google.com/aps.edu/nmdlc

Below is a list of sessions I will be presenting at the NMDLC 2022, along with any associated resources. Please feel free to join me for any of these sessions. I look forward to sharing, learning, and chatting with you!

8 Google Classroom Mobile Features

Most Google-using educators already know that Google Classroom is a great tool for managing class assignments, collaboration, discussions and more. However, as much as you may think you know about Classroom, there are several awesome features for you and your students that you may not be aware of.

In addition to the normal web-based version of Classroom, there is also a Google Classroom mobile app. The Classroom mobile app can be used on phones (Android and iOS), tablets (Android and iOS), and on Chromebooks (with Android apps enabled).

Many times when we think of mobile app, we think of a simpler, watered-down version of the full program. However, that is not always the case, and certainly is not true for Classroom. In fact, there are several awesome tools and features that can only be accessed if you and your students are using the mobile version of Classroom.

These features include:

✍️ Digital handwriting

📸 Taking pictures

🎞️ Recording videos

📄 Scan Feature

✋ Student Selector

📶 Offline Access

🔔 Notifications

➡️ Content from other apps

To learn all of these powerful mobile features, see below for my recorded video training, detailed written directions, links, and other resources.  See how you and your students can take Classroom to the next level with mobile!

EdTech Links of the Week - 10-3-22

Each week I keep an eye out for the latest edtech resources through blogs, social media, podcasts, videos, user groups, and more. I then try to reshare these resources in many ways.

One way I share these is here on the blog in these "EdTech Links of the Week" posts. See below to explore the latest batch of resources, and be sure to share with others who may benefit.

If you want to make sure you don't miss new resources, you can:

📰 Sign up for my weekly email newsletter here: Newsletter link

🐦Follow me on Twitter here: Twitter link

🔗 Subscribe to the RSS feed for this blog here: RSS feed link

And as always, please let me know of any resources that you recommend. I would love to learn from you!

4 Googley Halloween Activities

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. I already love the Fall with the change in temperature, beautiful leaves, and the smell of logs in our fireplace.

And Halloween is one of the high points. I love walking my grandkids around their neighborhood as we go trick-or-treating, and try my best not to eat too much of their candy.

Most years I even try to dress up for the occasion, although having a beard does somewhat limit my options. My go-to costume recently has been none other than Bob Ross!

Another favorite thing I have done is to create Halloween-themed educational activities with Google tools including:

🎃 Build a Jack-O-Lantern with Google Slides

👻 Halloween Rebus Stories with Emojis and Google Docs

🦇 Halloween Drag and Drop Poetry with Google Drawings

💀 Skittles and Google Sheets Math Activities


For convenience I decided to pull all of them together in one blog post. See below for details on each activity and links to the resources and templates.

My 2022 GaETC Sessions

I am excited and honored to be presenting at the Georgia Educational Technology Conference (GaETC 2022) in Atlanta, Georgia on November 2nd and 3rd, 2022.

I always look forward to an opportunity to see old friends, make new friends, share some ideas, and learn so many new things from others.

You can register for GaETC at https://conference.gaetc.org/

Below is a list of sessions I will be presenting at GaETC 2022, along with any associated resources. Please feel free to join me for any of these sessions. I look forward to sharing, learning, and chatting with you!