Workshops/Sessions
Take a journey with Janet and Joan and explore new and exciting technology ideas for your classroom. Integrating technology into the curriculum is their passion, bringing years of experience from campus, district, national, and international levels to their workshops and presentations. Be prepared to ride away with new ideas for all grade levels and curriculum areas. The following workshops/sessions are available as presentations or workshops. We also provide keynote presentations, personalized training, and cadre coaching.
Session/Workshop Descriptions
Click on the title of any session or workshop (where applicable) to access resources and handouts.
App Smackdown!
Join Janet and Joan in this fast-paced session showcasing our favorite apps for teachers and students. Audience members will also have an opportunity to share their favorite apps.
App Smashing - Don't Just Stop With One App!
Why limit your students to just one app? Let their creativity explode by combining multiple apps to create a project or activity. We will explore apps that encourage the use of higher-order thinking skills including creating, evaluating, and analyzing. By combining these apps, your students can produce products that can then be published and shared. You’ll be amazed at what App-Smashing can do for your classroom!
Augmented Reality (AR) - Better Than the Movies
What is augmented reality? Movies have given us a sense of “alternative reality” for years. Augmented reality makes something come to life! It seems like magic. Come experience AR activities that are readily available and learn how to extend your students' learning.
Bring It On! BYOD/1:1 Activities That Work
Your school has adopted a BYOD or 1:1 program, so what meaningful activities can students engage in? Participate in hands-on, engaging activities that can be modified for multiple subjects and grade levels using most any device that can access the Internet. Preferred device for attendees to bring: iPad, tablet, laptop, or smartphone.
Creating Engaging Activities with Google Drawings
Let’s learn the basics of Google Drawings and how it can be used in your classroom and professional development. Together we will explore student and teacher examples of graphic organizers, drag and drop activities, PD handouts, creative lessons and more. And of course, you will leave the session with the skills to create your own activities in Google Drawings!
Digital Choice Boards for the Win!
Are you looking for ways to engage your students? Do you want your students to have choice on the assignments they complete? Then Digital Choice Boards are the way to go! We will explore examples of choice boards for all content and grade levels and learn how to easily create them. Plus, we will look at how administrators are using Choice Boards with their staff.
Digital Tools for Content Areas (click on content area below description to access resources)
Where do you find great digital resources for your content area? Who should you follow on Twitter and what blogs should you read to develop a robust PLN? This session will introduce you to awesome websites, apps and educators that will enhance your digital classroom.
Math | Science | Social Studies | ELA | Writing
Digital Tools to Strut Your Stuff
There are tons of digital tools that allow your students to demonstrate mastery of a skill or their newest acquired knowledge. These tools can be used for a presentation, to create a website, make a cartoon or timeline and much more. In this session, we will discover some of the best apps and websites that allow students to be creative as they “strut their stuff” and show the world what they know!
Flipgrid - The Hottest Tech Tool Around!
Flipgrid is a free, easy-to-use video response platform that can be used in any grade level and content area. Participate in a Fliphunt (scavenger hunt), learn about the latest enhancements and updates and have fun with your colleagues experiencing one of our favorite tools. You will walk away with ideas and resources that can be used immediately in your classroom.
Formative Assessment Using Technology
Teachers and students can be provided ongoing, real-time feedback utilizing many technology tools that are currently available in schools. The immediate results that can be accessed through technology tools assist educators as they strive to improve instructional strategies and student learning in their classroom. Attendees in this session will learn how teachers can utilize technology to easily assess student understanding before they move on to the next topic or lesson.
Formative Assessment Tech Tools for Early Learners
Get excited about the endless opportunities to use technology in your classroom—even if you have only one or two devices. Janet and Joan present formative assessment methods that include activities that develop students' creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. Thrill your digital natives while individualizing and differentiating your instruction.
Going Beyond the Basics of Nearpod
Nearpod is already one of your go-to tech tools, but you want to learn some advanced skills and see what has been added to make it even better! You will leave this session with new ideas for using this amazing tool in your classroom. Both presenters are Nearpod Certified Trainers and Nearpod Pionears.
Your K-12 students can easily create videos for storytelling, book reviews, historical reenactments, weather reports and more using Green Screen Technology. Janet and Joan will show you how to create awesome videos with an iPad, some cool apps and various inexpensive green screen backgrounds.
Increase Your Super Human Skills with Nearpod
You might not leave this session with x-ray vision or the ability to leap tall buildings, but you will learn super-human Nearpod skills that allow you to combine your existing presentations with real-time interactivity and feedback. This session is for those wanting to learn the basics of Nearpod! Nearpod is a web tool/app that allows teachers to deliver interactive content and assessment activities to students.
Are you tired of using the same old websites, programs and apps in your classroom? We’ll look at some of the best new tech tools for engaging students and delivering curriculum as well as new and different ways to use some old favorites.
Instructional Technologists Sharing Best Practices
Are you a campus/district instructional technologist looking for the latest tech tools, PD ideas, new colleagues for your PLN or you just to share your thoughts and have your questions answered? Join your colleagues in this session designed specifically for the people who collaborate with teachers to facilitate the use of technology in schools.
Audio and video recording tools can be used as a method for students to reflect on their learning, practice their reading and communication skills and to present information to others. Teachers can use these same tools for formative assessment and support their instruction. Join Janet and Joan as they show you tech tools to let your students’ voices be heard!
Are you a school librarian/media specialist looking for the latest tech tools, PD ideas, new colleagues for your PLN or you just want to share your thoughts and have your questions answered? Join your peers in this session designated specifically for the people who collaborate with all teachers.
Meaningful Differentiation with Technology
Every day you face the daunting task of finding ways to help your students show mastery of the curriculum in engaging and meaningful ways. Join us as we demonstrate and discuss some of the best instructional practices using technology to differentiate instruction to meet the needs of every student.
Nearpod Tips and Tricks
Nearpod is already one of your go-to tech tools, but you want to learn some advanced tips and tricks and see what has been added to make it even better! You will leave this session with new ideas for using this amazing tool in your classroom.
No More PowerPoints - Make Your Presentations Interactive!
Do you want to jazz up your presentations? Would you like to have innovative and interactive content available to your students 24-7? We’ll explore how to make your lessons more engaging with a few simple web tools: ThingLink, Canva, Smore, Nearpod, Spark and more.
Professional Development Extreme Makeover
Revolutionize the integration of 21st Century technology skills into the curriculum by transforming your professional development. Learn new methods and strategies to create this extreme makeover for your campus or district. The workshop will address different learning environments, best practices for integrating technology into the curriculum and ideas for increasing teacher productivity and professional status.
Slammin’, Jammin’ Apps & Apptivities
The educational apps just keep popping up in the App Store, so how do you know which ones are right for your students? Are there apps that can effectively be used as a creative, instructional tool in the classroom? Which apps encourage the use of higher order thinking skills including creating, evaluating, and analyzing? In this rapid-fire, action-packed presentation, we will highlight educational apps and "apptiviities" that will engage students and enrich learning.
Does your staff look forward to attending your meetings? Do they come up with all kinds of excuses to be absent? Let Janet and Joan help you redesign and remodel your meetings with fresh new approaches that are authentic, engaging and meaningful to all involved. Your staff will soon be asking, “When’s the next staff meeting? I can’t wait to be there!"
What technology tools are you using in your role as an administrator? How do you model the use of technology for your staff? Which administrators do you follow on social media? Let's discuss these questions and more in a lively discussion format!
Your little ones love to use the iPad and computers to play "games", but how can they be used for instruction? You'll be amazed at the things even your tiny tots can do when given the chance to use iPads and computers to create and learn. Walk away with ideas that can be used immediately in the classroom.
Transform Your Review Activities - Tech and Non-Tech
Are you wanting to create and use exciting activities to help your students review for an upcoming exam or quiz?
Do your current activities need to be more fun and engaging? This session will inspire you to transform your review
to improve student mastery of the content. Many of the activities can also be used in professional
development sessions.
Twitter 101 – Where Do I Begin?
If you are a Twitter newbie or you have not jumped on the Tweeting bandwagon, this is the session for you! You will leave with a Twitter account, a list of great educators to follow, a calendar of Twitter Chats and the ability to begin communicating, sharing and learning with the world!
Watch Your Classroom Explode with Cool Web Tools
All you need is a computer or device and an Internet connection to transform your classroom into an exciting learning community. The session will highlight free web 2.0 tools for all grade levels and curriculum areas.
We’ve Come a Long Way Baby! (Keynote Presentation)
Are you tired of using the same old websites, programs and apps with your teachers and students? Take a journey with Janet and Joan as they travel down the Ed Tech Memory Lane and end the trip by sharing some of the best new tech tools for engaging students and delivering curriculum.
What’s New? What’s Hot? What’s Cool?
Have you seen the latest technology tools, websites, gadgets and apps? We’ll explore some of our favorite finds that will make your head spin! Audience members will have an opportunity to share their favorite new, hot and cool tech tools. You will not want to miss this engaging, fun and informative session!