Digital Learning Support

Tech Talks 6 - Technology to Motivate, Personalize and Engage is a voluntary professional learning opportunity offered to DoDEA Europe educators, ETs, ISSs, and administrators. Live Virtual Tech Talk sessions will occur on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:30-4:15 p.m. CET, beginning on Thursday, Feb 6th 2025 and ending on May 13th 2025.

If you are interested in attending Tech Talks, please complete this Tech Talks 6 Interest Form so that you can be added to the email distribution list.

Click here to Join the Tech Talks Team so that you can access the sessions with chat enabled.
If you would like to join the Tech Talks 6 Google Classroom, click on this link. You can ask questions and/or provide feedback on any Tech Talk by going to the "Classwork Section" and filling out any of the "Session Assignments."

The meeting links and recorded sessions for Tech Talks 6, including links for the associated resources, will be listed below (scroll down this page). There will be occasional changes to the Tech Talks offerings, so please check this page before you attend a session.

Links to Previous Tech Talks

You can also access the recordings for previous Tech Talks using the links below.
Here are links to the previous Tech Talk courses:
Link to Tech Talks 5 (SY 2023-2024) Recording Sessions
Link to Tech Talks 4 (SY 2022-23) Recorded Sessions
Link to Tech Talks III (SY 2021-22) Recorded Sessions
Link to Tech Talks II (SY 2020-21) Recorded Sessions
Link to Tech Talks I (Spring 2020) Recorded Sessions
Link to the Software & Cloud-Based Resources Web Page -- there are additional resources for most of the technology tools presented in Tech Talks on this website.

Tech Talks 6 Sessions

Date

Topic

Description

Meeting / Recorded Session Link

Thursday, 6 Feb

Tech Talks 6 Introduction and Co-Pilot Prompts for Educators

If you are taking this course for credit, it is important that you attend (or view) this first session to learn about the course requirements and how to submit assignments. We will take a look at useful AI Co-Pilot prompts for educators. Here are the links to the Copilot resources page and the DODEA Copilot Sharepoint AI Hub for support and ideas on your Copilot learning journey.

Link to Recording

Tuesday, 11 Feb

Adobe Creative Cloud Express for Project Presentations

Students use Adobe Express to compile research and present it to the class in various ways, focusing on creating videos as the primary means of presentation or using built-in templates. Additional resources for Adobe Creative Cloud project ideas can be found here.

Link to Recording

Thursday, 13 Feb

Google Slides Recording

Discover how to use Google Slides recording feature to create dynamic lessons and enable your students to present their own narrated projects, fostering creativity and independent learning. Here is the link to the presentation slides and to additional information about Google Slides.

Link to Recording

Tuesday, 18 Feb

Adobe AI to Hone Descriptive Writing

In this session we will use AI features in Adobe Creative Cloud Express to produce images of characters found in literature and film. Participants will revise their descriptive writing to hone their skills and the AI generated pictures. We will discuss how this activity has been used in the classroom, and how it can be modified. Here is the presentation slide deck and a link to the draft AI image to text experimentation slides from participants.

Link to Recording

Thursday, 20 Feb

Pear Deck - Instant Deck & Takeaways

Get started with Pear Deck easily and quickly! Instant Decks creates custom slides for your specified topic or standard. All you need to do is some light editing at the end - easy peasy! In addition, the student takeaways are a great way to support students after the lesson is over. Here are the presentation slides with active links.

Link to Recording

Tuesday, 25th Feb

Seesaw - Constructed Response Writing (K-5 only)

For Grades K-5.

Learn how to create, edit, score, and provide feedback for Constructed Response Writing activities in Seesaw connected to Benchmark Resources. Bonus: grades 1 and 2. The session will share Seesaw lessons already created for greades 3-5. Here is the link to the presentation slides. Here is a link to additional Seesaw resources.

Link to Recording

Thursday, 27 Feb

Digital Portfolios at the Secondary Level

Portfolios can be a great way for students to show and track their own growth and learning! Learn about some different methods and digital tools that can be used to build classroom/school portfolios! Here are the presentation slides for digital portfolios! Additional digital porfolio information can be found here.

Link to Recording

Tuesday, 4 March

PIES Method for Digital Organization

PIES - an acronym for the four different management systems that keep our life running - and how we can leverage DoDEA tools for digital organization.
Here is a link to the presentation slides.

Link to Recording

Thursday, 6 March

Adobe Animate

This session will demonstrate how to use Adobe Animate to create short animations. Student’s voice can motivate, personalize, and engage students in speaking. During this session you will create your own short animation. Here is a link to the presentation slides.

Link to Recording

Tuesday,11 March

Using PearDeck and Role Playing for Digital Citizenship

Using the Commonsense Media curriculum with role playing scenarios in combination with PearDeck to increase student verbal and non-verbal discourse. Here is the link to the presentation slides.

Link to Recording

Thursday, 13 March

Kahoot

Kahoot! allows educators to create and host quizzes, surveys, and discussions in a game-like format. With AI integration, creating content is now faster and more efficient (like all AI content, SME should verify).

Link to Recording

Tuesday, 18 March

Google Sites-Digital Portfolios (Elementary Focus)

Learn how to support student learning by creating digital portfolios with Google Sites. Digital portfolios can be used to document and display their learning journey. Here is a link to the presentation slides.

Link to Recording

Thursday, 20 March

Google Earth

Students use Google Earth to create a virtual tour on a topic. Link to presentation slides.

Link to Recording

Tuesday, 25 March

Wixie (PK-6)

A collaborative sharing of how Wixie can be utilized to motivate, personalize and engage. Here are links to the step-by-step directions discussed during the session:
How to Use Wixie Templates
How to Create a Project from Scratch

Link to Recording

March 27th,
April 1st,
April 3rd

No Sessions Due to Spring Break for Many in Europe

Tech Talks will not be held due to Teacher Work Day and Spring break

Tuesday, 8 April

Solutions for Reading Challenges in Reveal Math (K-5)

This session will focus on using our existing tech tools to support students with reading challenges in the new Reveal Math curricular materials for grades K-5. We will explore ways to leverage Google slides, Google Vid, and Wixie to provide language support for multilingual learners (MLs) and struggling readers. Here is the link to the presentation.
Here is the link to support resources.

Link to Recording

Thursday, 10 April

Small Groups Tech Solutions

Explore effectively managing and engaging small groups using Google Docs, Slides, and other DoDEA-approved tools!"
Link to the Small Group Instruction Tech Solutions Presentation Slides
Link to additional Support Resources for Small Group Tech Solutions
Presentation on how to use Small Group Rotation Stations

Link to Recording

Tuesday, 15 April

Chromebooks & QR codes (lower elementary focus but QR Codes can benefit teaching & learning in grades K-12)

Teaching primary students how to use the camera function on a chromebook to read QR codes and why to use QR codes in the classroom.
Here is a link to the Presentation Slides.

Link to Recording

Thursday, 17 April

Using the Swivl system to enhance Learning Walk Throughs and Focused Collaboration Time

We will provide an introduction and demonstration of the Swivl robot and iPad system that is available at your school. We will provide details of how we implemented the system to enhance learning walk throughs in a Literacy focused FCT.
Here is a link to SWIVL support resources.

Link to Recording

Tuesday, 22 April

Leveraging AI for Educational Content Creation: Quizzes, Lesson Plans, Projects, and Correspondences

This session delves into the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in education, specifically targeting teachers. Participants will learn how to harness AI tools to efficiently create quizzes, lesson plans, projects, and correspondences, thereby enhancing productivity and ensuring high-quality educational content.
Here is link to the presentation slides.
Here is a link to additional AI Resources for Educators.

Link to Recording

Thursday, 24 April

From Databases and Sketch Notes to Talkies

Simplify complex concepts and avoid plagiarism by turning Sketchnotes into engaging presentations in Wixie or Adobe Express for all grade levels.
Link to presentation (must download).
In order to view the presentation without download, click on this link for the PDF version.

Link to Recording

Tuesday 29 April

Flippity for Out-of-Class Engagement

Student-sourced, thematic vocabulary practice for students, to be used outside of the classroom.
Here is a link to the Flippity presentation slides.

Link to Recording

Thursday, 1 May

Intro to Google Vids

This session explores Google Vids as a classroom tool to reinforce teaching, improve student engagement and enhance student comprehension.
Here is the link to a web resource with additional Google Vid support resources.
For step-by-step directions for Google Vids, start here.

Link to Recording

Tuesday, 6 May

Using Minecraft Digital Citizenship Lessons

Learn how to use the Minecraft Lesson Library and utilize the Digital Citizenship Lessons to create Cyber-heroes. Lessons communicate the impact of digital behaviors in emotive experiences.
Link to document on how to install Minecraft for Education on Your Teacher Laptop.
Link to resources shared in the presentation.
Here is link to a side-by-side comparison of why people enjoy video games and how this relates to using Minecraft in the Classroom: Video Game Appeal and Minecraft

Link to Recording

Thursday, 8 May

Getting Started with Lego Spike Essentials.. And beyond!

From getting connected, programming using the web app to extension ideas, learn how to use Lego Spike Essentials with elementary students 1-5th.
Here is a link to the presentation slides.

Link to Recording

Tuesday, 13 May

ET Slams - Tips & Tricks

ETs have been sharing short tips and tricks throughout the year. Now, you have the chance to learn some of these fun tips and tricks, each taking less than 3 minutes to share.
Here are the ET Slam Tips and Tricks 🙂

Link to Recording

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