🌟 Hey educators! It’s FREE MEMBERSHIP WEEK at #TCEA!
TCEA is celebrating YOU with FREE memberships from October 14-18! 🎉 It doesn’t matter if you’re a veteran teacher or just starting your journey—whatever your role in education…everyone’s welcome! But hurry, sign up by the 18th! 🚀 Let’s learn and grow together!
San Antonio Area educators! The first ever @TCEA Area 20 Ed Tech Conference is just around the corner. There’s going to be tons of innovative sessions, swag, networking opportunities, vendor giveaways, and more! To learn more, join us on Wednesday, September 25th at 7pm CT on X, Facebook, and LinkedIn. See you soon!
Facebook Live: fb.me/26vqwGCXL… LinkedIn Live: www.linkedin.com/events/tc…
🚨 Exciting news! 🚨 Registration for the TCEA 2025 Convention & Exposition opens this Thursday at 9 AM Central!
🎉 Mark your calendars and set those reminders because you won’t want to miss out on this incredible opportunity to Illuminate. Collaborate. Celebrate. with thousands of educators and ed tech enthusiasts! 🌟
Be the first to grab your spot and access discounted hotels. Ready for a week filled with inspiration, innovation, and impactful learning?
🙌Spread the word and get ready to register!
Unlock the power of TCEA’s Essential Learning Expectations (ELEs) to elevate your teaching and prepare students for the digital age! 🚀 Dive into how ELEs can transform professional learning in schools. Ready to make a change?
Dig into these documents using the TCEA ELEs Alignment Assistant available online now.
Don’t miss this opportunity to elevate your teaching skills and connect with fellow educators. Session 6 focuses on _Summer Break Reboot: Refresh Your Mind, Body, and Goals_:
Learn how to make the most of your summer break by reflecting on the past school year, setting goals for the future, and recharging your batteries. Discover strategies for self-reflection, professional growth, and enjoying a well-deserved break while still preparing for a successful upcoming school year.
Teaching is challenging. We’ve got your back. Learn self-care strategies for high-stress periods in our #TeachForward series. Session 5 is on Self-Care fo Educators: Thriving During Testing Season:
Explore practical self-care practices that can help you manage stress and maintain well-being during the demanding testing season. Learn strategies for self-compassion, mindfulness, and creating a supportive work-life balance to ensure you can be your best for your students.
Transform your classroom management with digital tools like Classroom Screen and Class Dojo. First #TeachForward session on 9/10. Session 4 is on _Resetting the Classroom: Strategies for a Successful Second Semester_.
> Discover effective strategies for resetting your classroom after the winter break. Reflect on changing procedures, reinforcing routines, and creating a fresh start for both you and your students. Learn how to maintain a positive and productive learning environment throughout the second semester.
Master the digital tools your students already love! #TeachForward equips you with cutting-edge strategies for the modern classroom.
Session #3 focuses on _Harnessing the Power of Instant Data in the Classroom_:
Understand how to effectively apply data in the classroom using digital tools like Nearpod, Peardeck, and Quizizz. Learn how to gather and analyze instant data to inform instruction, provide targeted support, and enhance student learning outcomes.
Invest in your teaching career for just $50 (members) or $75 (non-members, includes membership). #TeachForward offers unparalleled value in professional development.
Session 2 will focus on _Designing Engaging Lessons with T-TESS Dimension 1_. More about that:
Explore T-TESS Dimension 1 and learn how to design engaging lessons that incorporate technology, choice boards, and differentiated learning experiences. Utilize innovative School AI tools such as Diffit, Brisk Teaching, MagicSchool.ai, Eduaide, Curipod, and more. These can enhance your lesson planning and delivery.
Don’t miss this awesome event in San Antonio, Tx on Saturday, October 5, 2024!
Thank you for your willingness to present at our conference! All presenters with accepted presentations will receive free registration regardless of TCEA membership status! Each session will be 50 minutes in length.
All rooms will include A/V and WIFI access for presenters with seating for a maximum of 30 attendees.
📅Date: Saturday Oct. 5th, 2024
🕘️Time: 8:00 - 3:30
📍 Location: Northside Activity Center 7001 Culebra Rd SA,TX 78238
💵 Cost: FREE for all TCEA Area 20 members, $25 for non-members (includes a lifetime TCEA membership)
A light breakfast and lunch will be provided.
📒Agenda:
8:00 – 8:30: Registration and Light Breakfast
8:30 – 9:20: Session Block 1
9:30 – 10:20: Session Block 2
10:30 – 11:20: Session Block 3
11:30 – 12:45: Lunch + Keynote
1:00 – 2:45: “Birds of a Feather”-style Round Table Discussions
3:00 – 3:30: Closing Remarks & Door Prizes
Submission deadline is Sept. 9th!
Learn from the best! #TeachForward is grounded in powerful principles. Gain insights from top experts and revolutionize your teaching practice.
The first session is _Streamlining Classroom Management with Digital Tools_ on September 10, 2024. If you register for it, you get a recording later, too (if you can’t make the Tuesday 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM event).
Session #1: Streamlining Classroom Management with Digital Tools Learn how to effectively manage your classroom using digital tools such as classroom Screen and Class Dojo. Discover strategies to create a positive learning environment, monitor student behavior, and streamline communication with parents.
Ready to elevate your teaching? Join #TeachForward, a game-changing webinar series for educators at all levels. Boost your skills, master digital tools, and transform your classroom.
Image created by author.
The Evidence-Based Teaching online, self-paced course offers the opportunity to learn specific, evidence-based strategies you can use in your classroom. It also provides an overall framework for amazing lesson design that is evidence-based.
The purpose of this course is to provide you with the “magic formula” of lesson design that supports your efforts at teaching and learning in the K-12 and adult classroom. In addition to powerful, evidence-based instructional strategies, you will learn how to keep culture in mind when structuring learning opportunities.
Here’s a copy of the announcement in case you missed it, originally available online as a PDF:
Check out a brand new Network Security course from TCEA! Learn about security tools, good practices, and avoiding attempts to trick you. School technology support staff now have access to a network security course! The online, self-paced course is available through TCEA. The course, Network Security, prepares technology support staff through a presentation of network threats and risks they will encounter.
Ready to master AI? Join the AI for Educators Conference this summer! 🌞 Learn about AI ethics, privacy, new tools, and tips to wow your students and colleagues. Don’t miss this virtual event! 🌐 #tcea #tceajmg #edtech
A brief overview of Microsoft and Khanmigo announcements, “Enhancing the future of education with Khan Academy” on the Microsoft Education Blog appears below.
🎨 Expand your comfort zone with our Adobe Photoshop course! 🌟 Gain confidence in creating original content to inspire students. Perfect for educators and university licensing. Ready to master Photoshop? Enroll today! 🚀
Every elementary educator working with PreK-5th grade students should attend the Elementary Technology Conference (ETC). Here’s why!
Want to learn more about AI chatbots? Give the TCEA online, self-paced ChatGPT for Educators course a spin. Even though it says, “ChatGPT” in the title, there’s a LOT more to the course than that. See benefits for course enrollment at end.
Chat GPT for Educators offers a great overview and framework for educators to learn about AI. It will offer you best practices that will let you stand on the giant shoulders of this new technology and help you be the professional educator that the 21st century demands.
This course was fantastic! I thought I was pretty proficient after using AI heavily for the last year, but I loved learning about new tools, and having the expert evaluation of them to save me time and money.
I enjoyed the course a great deal. I also noticed updates to it as I moved through it which is important because AI is changing rapidly. I liked that the course was more than just ChatGPT. You might expand the title of the course because I was expecting it to be more limited, but was happy to see differently.
There are so many awesome AI Bots to learn about and choose from! I picked up four viable AI Bots that I can immediately transfer into my own teaching and learning, as well as share with my colleagues for their benefit as well.
Exploring AI tools like ChatGPT has been a game-changer for me as a teacher. It’s revolutionized how I approach lesson planning, allowing me to create dynamic and interactive learning experiences that resonate with my students. Embracing AI in the classroom has not only enhanced engagement but also deepened my understanding of technology’s potential to empower education.
In addition to all that you learn in this course, you also get:
Here’s a listing of what’s covered in the five course modules. Not included below are all the updates that continue to be added since the course was published in early 2024.
| Module | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Module 1 | Understanding ChatGPT and Similar Tools | Begin your learning journey by understanding what Artificial Intelligence (AI) is and where ChatGPT fits in the AI universe. You’ll also discover ChatGPT’s limits and discover similar tools and when you might want to use them instead. Finally, you’ll create a free account and access it on your computer and mobile devices. You will also find breaking news, ChatGPT Mobile, fun activities, chatbot comparisons and smackdowns, as well as an AI app smashing guide. |
| Module 2 | Personal Uses for ChatGPT | In this module, you’ll enter the exciting world of prompts and learn how to craft the best question format. You’ll play with having ChatGPT assume different roles, tones, and styles in its responses and how to have it return its answers in table format. See how to create a custom GPT as a travel agent or coaching mentor. Use AI to write greeting cards, book reviews, too. |
| Module 3 | Professional Uses for ChatGPT | ChatGPT is especially powerful when you use it professionally to improve your writing, update your resume, and create lesson plans, rubrics, and formative assessments. Discover all of this in this module, as well as how and when to cite its usage. Learn how to crunch numbers and analyze data, as well as boost public relations (great for PR professionals). |
| Module 4 | Using ChatGPT with Students | Like any other technology tool, ChatGPT can be engaging when used with students. But it’s important to understand its age restrictions, as well as your district’s policy on its use. You’ll learn more about both of those in this module, as well as how to teach students how and when ChatGPT should be used for learning and what safeguards they should take. Finally, you’ll gain experience in creating a lesson plan that has your students using the platform for writing or research. Find a ton of sample ChatGPT prompts, learn how to edit AI-generated images in ChatGPT, too. Explore how to use ChatGPT in educational settings, and evaluate AI generated content via a six-step process. |
| Module 5 | Other Tools Related to ChatGPT | ChatGPT is just the beginning! There are several other notable tools that you may want to use that have been built on its platform. You’ll practice with these and decide where they might fit into your teaching and learning. Explore AI-powered browser extensions, and get a comprehensive list of free and paid AI tools to start your productivity and creativity engine. |
Access TCEA’s support and resources all in one place…for free. You probably already read TCEA’s TechNotes blog, and you may know about the TCEA Community, but there are also many other benefits.
For Teacher Appreciation Week, May 6-10, educators worldwide can become TCEA members for absolutely FREE! So, what do you get when you sign up? All this is free. No add-on fees. TCEA promises.
We really appreciate educators, and we know you already have plenty to do. So, forget about renewal hassles, payments, or access issues. Just sign up once at no cost, and you’ll always be a TCEA member…for $0. You never have to think about it again!
Joining TCEA this week? Three new members will win $50 gift cards!
Already a member? Three existing members will win $50 gift cards by referring new members! Just tell your friends and colleagues to enter your name in the “referring member” field when they join TCEA. The more referrals you have, the more chances you have to win!
The source of the content below is an email received on 05/01/2024 at approximately 10:12 AM (CST):
Today, we’re excited to announce the launch of the Claude iOS app, bringing the power of Claude to your iPhone—and the launch of our Team plan, making it easier to use Claude as part of a team.
With the launch of the Claude iOS app, you can access Claude from anywhere, any time.
Whether you’re brainstorming ideas on the go, need a quick answer on a pressing question, or want to analyze scenes and images from the real world, our new iOS app puts the power of frontier intelligence in your back pocket.
To download the iOS app, find us on the Apple App Store.
Our new Team plan is designed for ambitious teams that want to collaborate with Claude on deep work, expert research, and tasks of every size.
In the coming weeks, we’ll be releasing collaboration features, which include citations from reliable sources to verify AI generated claims, integrations with data repositories like codebases or CRMs, and iterating with colleagues on AI-generated documents or projects—all while maintaining the highest standards of security and safety.
The Team plan is $30 per user per month, with a minimum of 5 seats. To get started with the Team plan, sign up on claude.ai.
Warmly, The Anthropic team
A question that never grows old for me is, How are schools today encouraging students to create digital portfolios of their K-12 work? It’s a question that came up at every K-12 school district I worked in. Solutions like bulb didn’t really pop up until after I stopped looking for a digital portfolio solution. One of the big challenges for these types of solutions, like bulb, is per user cost. Still, that doesn’t take away from the need for a digital portfolio solution.
Wakelet, a curation platform, has acquired bulb, a digital portfolio solution:
Education systems are responding to this, by going further than ever to prepare their students for life beyond the classroom - empowering them with digital portfolios. Together with Bulb, we’ll be able to offer even more value to schools and districts looking to maximize student outcomes inside and outside the classroom.” Founded in 2011 and headquartered in Lafayette, CO, bulb is the leading digital portfolio provider for districts, schools, and higher education institutions. It is used by 8 of the largest 25 school districts in the USA and 7 out of the largest 10 districts in Texas. bulb has users in all 50 states of the USA and 153 countries worldwide. source
Back in 2015-2016, or maybe a little after that, I remember meeting with a bulb representative. We sat down at Salsalitos Mexican Restaurant in San Antonio, Tx at a back table in the dimly lit space and chatted about bulb. I remember being a little nervous about the meeting, and nothing came of it.
It’s hard to believe we’re now in 2024, and bulb’s reach has grown to its current size. At the time, I remember thinking about Dr. Helen Barrett’s work regarding electronic portfolios from WAY back when. It’s amazing how far digital portfolios have come, and how easy it is to use a wide variety of solution providers or self-hosted, open source tools to host portfolios.
Partnered with the Wakelet team, I’m sure more amazing things will happen with bulb.