Tech Tips and News for March 1, 2024

Image by Vectorportal.com,  CC BY

Now that AI tools for the public have been around for a little over a  year, the theme to many of the articles I'm seeing are more about ways teachers can use AI to save a lot of time, and less about the ways students can use AI. Why is that? Because there are no privacy considerations with AI chatbots in these early days while it is being perfected. In addition, AI doesn't always get the information it produces right. Some AI chatbots have been known to make things up if they can't find a conclusive answer. Hopefully as AI matures, both of these issues will be addressed. In many of the teacher tools I'm seeing emerge, these two issues are less of a factor - as long as teachers aren't divulging any personal or confidential information. So shave some time off your work day by using the AI tools to create your lesson plans, write the questions for your review games, summarizing videos and articles, and anything else you can think of. There are several suggestions below, and in previous posts.

• Why You Should Stop Using Pattern Locks to Secure Your Android Phone
• Is This a Phishing Email? 8 Warning Signs to Look Out For
• How to Create Substitute Teacher Plans in 15 Minutes with AI
• How to Use Google Gemini to Summarize a Video (video)
• Create Quizzes About Videos (video)
• 10 Fascinating Facts About Google Doodles
• Create a Jeopardy Style Review Game in a Snap with MagicAI
• 5 Great AI Extensions for Classroom Teachers (Time-Saving Super Power!) (video)

Why You Should Stop Using Pattern Locks to Secure Your Android Phone

Why You Should Stop Using Pattern Locks to Secure Your Android Phone, from How-To Geek by Oluwademilade Afolabi

Easy to guess patterns are as insecure as an easy to guess password.

Is This a Phishing Email? 8 Warning Signs to Look Out For

Is This a Phishing Email? 8 Warning Signs to Look Out For, from How-To Geek by Chifundo Kasiya

Phishing continues to be one of the most effective ways for hackers to compromise personal data or a network. Make sure you don't become the weak link. 

How to Create Substitute Teacher Plans in 15 Minutes with AI

How to Create Substitute Teacher Plans in 15 Minutes with AI, from Ditch That Textbook by Matt Miller

Matt's suggestions are to use Bing Chat, but you could also use Google Gemini, or the AI chat interfact of your choice. He also suggests you use MagicSchool.ai, which I've posted about before. 

How to Use Google Gemini to Summarize a Video

Gemini Can Create Quizzes About Videos

10 Fascinating Facts About Google Doodles

10 Fascinating Facts About Google Doodles, from How-To Geek by Joe Keeley

Most companies rarely change their logo because it's the way the public recognizes them. Google has done the opposite, constantly changing their logo for special events and anniversaries. Those logo enhancements you see on the search screen are called Google Doodles. You can suggest a Doodle idea for consideration, and so can your students. 

Create a Jeopardy Style Review Game in a Snap with MagicAI

In this week's Ditch That Textbook newsletter, Matt Miller included instructions for having Magic AI write the Jeopardy review questions for you. You just need to give it the topic, standards or objectives, and optionally the categories, and MagicAI will create a Jeopardy game questions. Here are the instructions:

1. Go to https://app.magicschool.ai/tools/jeopardy
2. Choose your grade level
3. Add your topic, standard, or objective(s)
4. Create your categories (optional)
5. Click “generate”
6. Cut and paste the answers and questions into the template
7. Play!

Jeopardy game template links

Google Slides Jeopardy template

Canva Quiz Show template

5 Great AI Extensions for Classroom Teachers (Time-Saving Super Power!)

Tech Tips and News for February 23, 2024

Image created by ImageFX with the prompt:  "digital image
of student typing on a laptop with the screen displaying
a padlock and the word protected"

Student privacy is not only important for the sake of keeping students physically safe in the present day, it's also imperative to make sure their personal data isn't available to be used for identity theft. I can only imagine how devastating it is for a young adult to try to establish credit for the first time, only to discover they already have a bad credit history to dig their way out of. Unfortunately, there are too many instances of this happening already. Please keep that in mind when you are trying to use new online resources in the classroom. Online privacy is too often an afterthought for some tech companies. Not only is it our moral responsibility to protect our students both physically and digitally, we are required by law to do so. FERPA, CIPA and COPPA laws all currently outline how schools must not only protect the online content students are exposed to, but also their personal privacy. If you haven't already reviewed your legal obligations on the ASA Employee Tech Guide, please take a few moments to do so. This guide will also give you suggestions for determining if an online resource is safe for your students. These days, keeping children safe is so much more complex than making sure they don't fall and skin their knees.

• Protecting Our Kids' Data Privacy is Paramount
• Google Workspace Updates
• Google:  Updated Sign-in Interface
• Docs, Sheets, Slides:  Sort, Filter & Manage Comments Faster
• Why Artificial Intelligence Won't Replace Teachers
• An Overview of Google Gemini - Video
• Say Hello to FigJam:  Your Jamboard Alternative with Endless Possibilities

Protecting Our Kids' Data Privacy is Paramount

Protecting Our Kids' Data Privacy is Paramount, from the National Cybersecurity Alliance

In 2022, some 1.7 million children had their personal information exposed or compromised. As educators, it's our job to not only protect our students' personal data, but to also teach them how to protect their personal data. 

Google Workspace Updates

Google:  Updated Sign-in Interface

The appearance of the Google Sign In screen will be updated around March 4th. It looks like Google is in the process of changing the appearance of all their other products as well based on the "New Look coming soon" banners I keep seeing. It is just a visual change, there should be no change in functionality. 

Docs, Sheets, Slides:  Sort, Filter & Manage Comments Faster

In addition to the ways you are used to responding to comments, you can also now see all comments by opening the View menu and selecting Comments. Your options will be:

• Show all comments - Comments open in a full-length view to see multiple comments more easily. You'll be able to search comments. There will also be a "for you" list containing all comments assigned to you.
• Expand Comments (Docs & Slides) - Shows comments next to the document or presentation content so you can review comments and content together.
• Minimize Comments (Docs & Sheets) - Reduces comments to icons to make more room for your work. When you hover over the comment icons, you'll see a preview of the comment.
• Hide Comments - Hides the comments from your view.

If you are unsure of how to use comments in Docs, Sheets and Slides, click here for help center articles. You should already be seeing this new feature. 

Why Artificial Intelligence Won't Replace Teachers

Why Artificial Intelligence Won't Replace Teachers, from Ditch That Textbook by Matt Miller

Read why you job is secure - although I think anyone who would suggest that AI could replace a human teacher has never spent any time in a school building. 😏

An Overview of Google Gemini

Learn how to verify the results of a Gemini search, refine your search, export it to Google Docs, and generate/find specific images. 

Say Hello to FigJam:  Your Jamboard Alternative with Endless Possibilities

Say Hello to FigJam:  Your Jamboard Alternative with Endless Possibilities, from Shake Up learning by Kasey Bell

If you used Jamboard with your students, learn how you can replace it with FigJam.

Tech Tips and News for February 16, 2024

Image generated by ImageFX with the prompt
"photo of a red, gold and black eagle
with a backpack and ball cap walking into a school"

Google now has its own image creator, ImageFX. You can login with Google to use it, and there doesn't appear to be any limit to the images you can create. The reimagined ASA eagle at left was generated by ImageFX, using the prompt listed below the photo. This has been a great option for me when I can't find an image to accompany an article or theme. It seems like it would be very useful to illustrate a point in a lessons as well. 

The other truly helpful tip I ran across this week, is the ability in Chrome to create a link that will take a user to specific text online. No more linking the page and directing the user to the location of the text you want them to see, you can easily create a link that will take them directly to the spot on the site they need to see. 

Check out how to use both of these tips below. 

• How Well Can You Spot a Romance Scam? Play the Interactive Game to find Out.
• Prepare Students for the Real World with AI Literacy - Lessons for Grades 6-12 (and adults)
• Bard Becomes Gemini
• Create a Link to Highlighted Text in Chrome
• How to Use ImageFX, Google's New AI Image Generator
• Create MadLibs Templates with Google Bard
• EdTech Cool Tool - Curipod - Have AI Create Interactive Lessons
• Learning the Basics of MagicSchool Will Teach You the Basics of All AI Programs

How Well Can You Spot a Romance Scam? Play the Interactive Game to find Out.

The National Cybersecurity Alliance (NCA) is focusing on dating cyber scams this Valentine season. Americans lost $1.3 billion in romance scams in 2022. I have a good friend whose widowed mother fell prey to an online dating scammer before her children intervened. The NCA has developed this dating phishing game so we can test our ability to spot these scams, and learn how to investigate to spot legitimate profiles from scammers. The game itself is ridiculously easy, but the tips given after each profile choice is where the valuable info is. Even if you are not using a dating app or looking for love online, these tips can help us all spot nefarious social media profiles or friend requests. More information about online romance and dating scams are available here. 

Prepare Students for the Real World with AI Literacy - Lessons for Grades 6-12 (and adults)

Prepare Students for the Real World with AI Literacy, From Common Sense Media by Eisha Buch

While our students are too young  to use most of the current AI tools at school, I assure you they are using it at home. Not only is it imperative that teachers understand how students might be using AI now, but AI is the future our students will be facing, and it's never too soon to teach them to understand and use it. These lessons include:

• What is AI
• How is AI Trained?
• AI Chatbots:  Who's Behind the Screen?
• AI Chatbots & Friendship
• Understanding AI Bias
• How AI Bias Impacts Our Lives
• AI Algorithms:  How Well Do They Know You?
• Facing Off with Facial Recognition

Bard Becomes Gemini

Bard Becomes Gemini, from the Keyword by Sissie Hsiao

We've definitely experienced a name change or two....or ten with Google over the past 11 years we've been using it at ASA. The latest name change is that Google Bard, the AI chat interface has now become Gemini, and there is now a Gemini mobile app in addition to web access. Gemini can now also create images from a text prompt. As with all AI chat interfaces, don't share any personal info, as privacy is not a consideration. The AI Chat developers collect all information to help them improve and develop machine learning products and technologies. 

Create a Link to Highlighted Text in Chrome

I just saw this tip in a newsletter from Ditch That Textbook by Matt Miller, and it's my new favorite tip. Did you know you can direct your students to a specific block of text on a website? When using the Chrome browser, highlight any text and right click. Then select highlight link to text. It creates a link to the exact spot you've highlighted. How did I not know this was a thing?

How to Use ImageFX, Google's New AI Image Generator

How to Use ImageFX, Google's New AI Image Generator, from How-To Geek by Maria Diaz

This image generator seems to handle the depiction of words and letters better than my experience with Dall-E 2 or Bing. It also does not seem to limit the number of images you can generate. Even better, it's easy to login with your Google account. 

Create MadLibs Templates with Google Bard

EdTech Cool Tool - Curipod

EdTech Cool Tool - Curipod, from Control Alt Achieve by Eric Curts

Curipod is one of the AI tools you can use in the classroom with students. It is an interactive slide tool similar to Pear Deck or Kahoot, but you can actually have Curipod use AI to create a lesson for you, and your students can receive instant feedback via AI as well. Use it to create interactive lessons, polls, brain breaks, etc. You can create your own lessons, import existing lessons that you'd like to be interactive, or have Curipod create the lesson using AI. Students do not need to create accounts to participate. Curipod has a free option for teacher accounts. 

Learning the Basics of MagicSchool Will Teach You the Basics of All AI Programs

MagicSchool.ai is an AI platform specifically designed for teachers to create lesson plans, multi-step assignments, YouTube questions, multiple choice quizzes, text rewriting, and to create AI resistat assignments. Taking the 15-20 minute MagicSchoolAI Certification Level 1 course is really just a tutorial on how to use MagicSchoolAI. This quick course also has important tips for using any AI platform. 

Tech Tips and News for February 9, 2024

"More conspiracy theories" by Gene Hunt is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

Have you ever believed or shared information on social media that was later revealed to be false? I know I have. With some of the questionable content I see shared as fact by otherwise intelligent people on social media, it's clear that news literacy is an important focus for both students and adults. I often wonder where everyone's nonsense meter has gone. We seem to have lost our common sense approach to absorbing what we see presented as news - on any news, social media, or online forum. It is so dangerous for us, as a society, to continue to allow ourselves to be manipulated by those who wish to flood our social media and news with false information designed to divide or distract us as a nation. It's time for us to step up and refuse to be manipulated. We need to open our minds to the possibility that some of the opinions we've formed might not be based on true facts. Common Sense Media has a series of lessons, for all grade levels, designed to see through media manipulation. I urge you to take a look at the Conspiracy Theory Kryptonite article below to arm yourself with the necessary knowledge to battle media manipulation. 

• Windows PC Sluggish After an Update? Try These Fixes to Speed it Up
• This Chrome Security Feature Can Protect You From Dangerous Websites and Downloads
• Find Chrome's Secret Switch to Speed Up Your Computer
• Black History Month for Kids:  Google Slides, Resources and More
• Conspiracy Theory Kryptonite: Discussion Questions and Lessons That Battle Media Manipulation
• Digital Learning Day:  14 Interactive and Digital Learning Choice Boards
• The Fastest Way to Create Video-Based Lessons
• Turn Your Lessons Into Games to Engage Your Students

Windows PC Sluggish After an Update? Try These Fixes to Speed it Up

Windows PC Sluggish After an Update? Try These Fixes to Speed it Up, from How-To Geek by Shan Abdul

This Chrome Security Feature Can Protect You From Dangerous Websites and Downloads

This Chrome Security Feature Can Protect You From Dangerous Websites and Downloads, from Tom's Guide by Anthony Spadafora

Enabling Enhanced Safe Browsing can protect you from dangerous websites, downloads and extensions.

Find Chrome's Secret Switch to Speed Up Your Computer

Find Chrome's Secret Switch to Speed Up Your Computer, from Tom's Guide by Peter Wolinski

If you always have a lot of tabs open, this tip is for you!

Black History Month for Kids:  Google Slides, Resources and More

Black History Month for Kids:  Google Slides, Resources and More, from We Are Teachers

Learn about Black History Month, and how to explain it to your students. Included are several resources you can use in your classroom. 

Conspiracy Theory Kryptonite: Discussion Questions and Lessons That Battle Media Manipulation

Conspiracy Theory Kryptonite: Discussion Questions and Lessons That Battle Media Manipulation, from Common Sense Media by Daniel Vargas Campos

There are lessons here for all grades to help students learn to navigate the online world of clickbait, conspiracy theories and fake news. 

Digital Learning Day:  14 Interactive and Digital Learning Choice Boards

Digital Learning Day:  14 Interactive and Digital Learning Choice Boards from The Library Voice by Shannon McClintock Miller

Digital Learning Day is February 15, 2024. You can use the choice boards linked in this article as is, or there is also a link so you can make a copy of them to customize the boards for your own purposes. 

Turn Your Lessons Into Games to Engage Your Students

Making a game out of  your classroom lessons or review sessions is called gamification. Students are always more engaged if they are having fun. If you are using Flippity templates, Kahoot! or Quizzizz, you are aldready gamifying your classroom. If you're not, and don't quite know how to get started, Matt Miller from Ditch That Textbook has your back. He has curated lots of explainations, tools and templates to help you understand what gamification is, how to get started, and how to turn your lessons and reviews into all types of different games. Check out the Ditch That Textbook Gamification page here. 

The Fastest Way to Create Video-Based Lessons

You supply the YouTube video URL, Twee supplies the questions. Twee has a free version with limited uses per month.

Tech Tips and News for February 2, 2024

I would be remiss if I didn't give a shout out to the Detroit Lions. Although they lost last Sunday and won't be going to the Super Bowl, they were only one game away! At the beginning of the season, did any of us think they would get this far? I think most of us can say that this was the best Lions season in our lifetimes. So although they stopped short of a chance at the ultimate prize, they gave us a fabulous season. I'm not even a Lions fan, and I was following them and enjoying their success. In fact it seemed much of the country was doing the same. In ouor own lives, it's so easy to lose sight of all the many things we've done well, when we stop short of our intended goals. Please do yourself a favor. Do not allow yourself to focus only on your mistakes and failures, acknowledge those successes too! 

• 7 Tips to Manage Your Identity and Protect Your Privacy Online
• Manage Your Privacy Settings
• How to Spot a Bogus News Site
• Digital Learning Day 2024 Lessons
• AI Literacy at Common Sense Education
• How to Find Your Lost Emails in Gmail>
• 10 Ways to Add Emojis in Google Tools>
• How to Use Google Bard to Quickly Create Quizzes
• 20 Ways to Use Pear Deck to Engage Students

7 Tips to Manage Your Identity and Protect Your Privacy Online

7 Tips to Manage Your Identity and Protect Your Privacy Online, National Cyberscurity Alliance

Last week was Data Privacy Week. To recognize that important topic, take a look at this quick read to remind yourself of several steps you can take to protect yourself online. 

Manage Your Privacy Settings

Manage Your Privacy Settings, from National Cybrsecurity Alliance

Concerned about your online privacy, but don't know where to find the settings? This article includes links to connect you to the privacy settings for pretty much any online service you can think of, and many you haven't. 

How to Spot a Bogus News Site

How to Spot a Bogus News Site, from Pocket News a News Literacy Project

This article contains 9 separate articles about online news literacy, including a quiz to see how well you can spot credible vs. fake news.

>Digital Learning Day 2024 Lessons

Digital Learning Day is February 15th. Google Applied Digital Skills is offering 15 digital learning courses for you to use with your students. These lessonns are plug and play, including a lesson plan, videos, a rubric and certificate of completion. There are a wide-variety of subjects to choose from. 

>AI Literacy Lessons at Common Sense Education

Common Sense Education has developed a collection of quick lesson plans to help you teach your students about AI literacy. The lessons cover a basic intro to AI (what it is, how it works), but also go further to help students consider AI's social and ethical impacts, including how AI may impact our mental health and well-being. Take a look at the AI Literacy lessons here. 

How to Find Your Lost Emails in Gmail

How to Find Your Lost Emails in Gmail, from How-To Geek by Shan Abdul

You know you've received a certain email, but now you can't find it. Find out what do to.

10 Ways to Add Emojis in Google Tools

10 Ways to Add Emojis in Google Tools, from Control Alt Achieve by Eric Curts

Not only are there multiple ways to insert emojis, but this article also lists many different ways to use emojis in projects.

How to Use Google Bard to Quickly Create Quizzes

20 Ways to Use Pear Deck to Engage Students

20 Ways to Use Pear Deck to Engage Students, from Ditch That Textbook by Matt Miller

If you use slide decks with your students, Pear Deck will allow you to make them interactive. Pear Deck has a free subscription for teachers.