Tech Tips and News for March 3, 2023

Photo by Andrea De Santis on Unsplash

I'm currently taking the free ChatGPT course listed in this post. (Now I know why ChatGPT isn't very good at math!) It seems to be a well thought out approach to the pros and cons of AI in education. Rushton Hurley, the instructor, is a well respected and engaging tech speaker. He's been the keynote speaker at MACUL numerous times, and I've always been entertained and appreciated the message. The course includes seven 5-6 minute lessons, so it's not a huge time investment. Each lesson includes resources for further exploration, so you can dig deeper if you choose. AI is now integrating with the Microsoft's Bing search engine, and Google has released it's version called Bard. It's a matter of time before AI starts to infiltrate many common tasks. In fact, I routinely encounter AI chatbots when I place service calls, contact customer service and even pay my trash bill online.  It's a good plan to learn how to make it work for you and even streamline some of your routine tasks. As a teacher, it would also benefit you to be thinking about how to structure homework that can't be completed by AI services, such as ChatGPT. At this point, ChatGPT must be blocked for students because their terms of service indicate users must be 18 years old to use it. This will neither stop students from using it at home, nor will it answer the question of how to use it at school when a kid-friendly version becomes available. Invest half an hour of your time and see what you think. 

• Teach Students Internet Safety and Privacy
• The Big List of Teacher Discounts and Perks in 2023
• Google Docs is Getting Even Smarter Suggestions
• How to Add New Fonts to Google Docs
• 15 Google Forms Templates You Can Use in Class Tomorrow
• One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish Sorting with Google Slides
• Free Course on ChatGPT and AI in Education

Teach Students Internet Safety and Privacy

The Big List of Teacher Discounts and Perks in 2023

The Big List of Teacher Discounts and Perks in 2023, from We Are Teachers by Jill Staake

This is a comprehensive list of  tech discounts for teachers, as well as discounts for classroom supplies, clothing, home, newspapers/books/magazines, and more.

Google Docs is Getting Even Smarter Suggestions

Google Docs is Getting Even Smarter Suggestions, from How-To Geek by Arol Wright

Smart Chips are making it so much easier to connect data from another location into Docs and Sheets.

How to Add New Fonts to Google Docs

How to Add New Fonts to Google Docs, from Workspace Tips

It's so easy to add more fonts to Google. Once added, they are available in all the Google Workspace apps. 

15 Google Forms Templates You Can Use in Class Tomorrow

15 Google Forms Templates You Can Use in Class Tomorrow, from Ditch That Textbook byt Matt Miller

These are ready-to-use templates you can use for surveys, morning check in, brain dumps, lesson reflections, self correcting quizzes, digital escape rooms, and more.

One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish Sorting with Google Slides

One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish Sorting with Google Slides, from Control Alt Achieve by Eric Curts

Venn diagram sorting with a Dr. Seuss theme. Get the file copy with instructions. 

Free Course on ChatGPT and AI in Education

Free Course on ChatGPT and AI in Education, from Free Technology for Teachers by Richard Byrne

Not sure what all the buzz about ChatGPT is about? Here's a free, self-paced course to learn all about it. ChatGPT is just the beginning of how AI will change our lives and education. I have blocked this for students using their ASA account because the terms of use indicate users must be 18 years old. This will not prevent students from accessing at home or on their mobile device.