Fresh Takes 4 Teachers
5 Alternatives to Google Keep for Task Management
Last weekend I received an email from a reader named Shayne who had experienced a problem with Google Keep notes randomly disappearing. Shayne’s research indicated
How to Show a Portion of a Video in Google Slides
It’s easy to insert a YouTube video into your Google Slides presentations. If YouTube is blocked in your school you can insert a video from
How to Display the Same Event on Multiple Google Calendars
On Thursday morning Amira asked me, “do you happen to know if you can copy an event on multiple calendars on Google Calendar?” My answer
In Case You Forgot That Someone Is Always Watching…
From the pages of “Google knows when you are sleeping” comes Google’s latest search feature. Google has launched new activity cards for mobile search users.
Ten Awesome Updates to Microsoft’s Learning Tools
Microsoft’s free Learning Tools keep getting better. This week Microsoft announced ten updates that are either available now or will be available soon to Word
Randomly Remind Me – An App for Building Better Habits
Randomly Remind Me is an Android app for scheduling reminders to appear on your phone or tablet at intervals you set or at randomly intervals
A Fun Literature Game
A couple of years ago Terri Eichholz wrote a short blog post about an activity that she had found on the New Times Learning Network.
Taskade – A Feature-packed Task Management Tool
Taskade is a task management tool for individuals and teams. Like many task management tools you can create lists, share those lists, and check-off items
How to Create a Survey in Microsoft Forms & Sort Results in Excel
Microsoft Forms is an excellent tool for creating online quizzes and surveys. You can use it to create multimedia quizzes like the one that I
Going to BETT? Don’t Miss TeachMeet BETT
One of my favorite events of the year is the TeachMeet that happens at the BETT Show. A TeachMeet is a gathering of educators who
Customizing Fonts and Emojis in Google Docs
By default every document that you create in Google Docs will have 11 point Arial font unless you change it. You can change that to
New Themes and Drag & Drop Organization for Google Classroom
Earlier today Google unveiled a couple of new features for Google Classroom. First, you can now rearrange the order of assignments and materials in your
Doodle 4 Google 2019
Another year, another Doodle 4 Google contest. This year’s Doodle 4 Google is the eleventh in a row. The theme of this year’s Doodle4 Google art contest
A New Way to Add Drawings to Google Docs
It’s the first full week of the year and Google has already added new features to G Suite for Education. Yesterday, Google’s G Suite Updates
Sun, Moon, and Planets 101
National Geographic’s YouTube channel has an excellent playlist that is titled National Geographic 101. As you might guess, the playlist is full of short overviews
How to Create Charts and Graphs in Google Docs
A good chart or graph can sometimes help a writer paint a complete picture for his or her reader. I used to have students in
Microsoft Forms is Adding Email Confirmation
Microsoft Forms is an excellent though often overlooked Microsoft tool. Like its better known rival, Google Forms, Microsoft Forms can be used to make quizzes
A Pre-search Checklist for Students
Last week I published two blog posts (here and here)in which I referenced having students make lists before they begin in-depth web research. A couple
How to Add Footnotes to Google Docs
For many people the difficulty in the transition from using Word or Pages to Google Docs lies in just knowing where little formatting features are
Public Domain, Goals, and Fitness – The Week in Review
Good morning from the Free Technology for Teachers world headquarters in chilly, snowy Maine. I hope that everyone had a great first week of 2019.
What’s Inside of Buckingham Palace and the White House?
Yesterday, while looking for something completely unrelated I stumbled upon two excellent videos produced by Jared Owen. The videos, What’s Inside of Buckingham Palace? and
Three Types of Web Search – And a Strategy for Conquering the Difficult One
In A Taxonomy of Web Search Andrei Broder, a noted scholar in the field of web search, classified web search into three categories. Those being
How to and Why You Should Create Google Alerts
Yesterday morning someone on Twitter asked me about creating Google Alerts. The question came in response to my post about copyright and plagiarism. In one
Copyright and Plagiarism in Blogging – What Can Be Done?
My plan for today didn’t include writing about or making a video about copyright and plagiarism. However, this morning I found five blatant examples of
A Good Place to Find Movies in the Public Domain
As I wrote in my guide to using media in classroom projects, using public domain media is your best bet when you can’t use media
How to Find, Download, and Borrow Books from the Internet Archive
On Tuesday hundreds of thousands of works entered the public domain. That includes early movies, pictures, early audio recordings, and many pieces of literature. Many
Shaking Stories – Shake Your iPad to Create a Story
Shaking Stories is a free iPad app that is filled with randomly generated writing prompts. New prompts appear on your screen when you shake your
Have Students Make Lists Before Starting Web Search
This is an excerpt from a book that I have been working on for the last fifteen months. I’m getting close to finishing it. Our
A Quick & Easy Way to Create an Audio Recording
For the last decade Vocaroo has been my go-to tool whenever I’ve needed to make a short spoken audio recording. That might change now that
How Google Keep Can Help You Reach Your Goals
Google Keep is one of the most overlooked tools that students and teachers can access through their G Suite accounts. It can be used for
Feel Better, Teach Better in 2019 #EdTechFitness
I announced this on my YouTube channel, on Twitter, and on my Facebook page yesterday. If you don’t follow me there, here it is. I
The Science of Snow and Ice
How to Survive the Snow and Ice is a new compilation video published on the Reactions YouTube channel. The video features segments about how snow
Three Chrome Extensions That Help Students Stay on Task
If you or your students need a little help staying on task when working online, try one of these Chrome extensions to help limit distractions
It’s Public Domain Day!
Happy New Year! This new year is important because many many copyrighted works are entering the public domain. Copyrighted works published in 1923 are entering
These Chrome Extensions Show Vocabulary Words When You Open New Tabs
Opening a new Chrome tab so that you can check Facebook for “just a minute” is a dangerous game. If it’s not Facebook it could
The Ten Most Watched Ed Tech Tutorial Videos of 2018
More than 13,000 of you are now subscribed to my YouTube channel. These were the ten most watched videos on my YouTube channel in 2018.
Quick Tips for Changing the Layout of Your Google Drive
Sometimes a small change to the user interface of a web tool can make a huge difference in how quickly you use that tool. Case
Best of 2018 – 250+ Google Tools Tutorial Videos for Teachers
This week is a vacation week for the vast majority of readers of this blog. As I do at this time every year, I’m going
Best of 2018 – Create Jeopardy Games in Google Slides
This week is a vacation week for the vast majority of readers of this blog. As I do at this time every year, I’m going
Best of 2018 – The Periodic Table in Pictures and Words
This week is a vacation week for the vast majority of readers of this blog. As I do at this time every year, I’m going
Best of 2018 – Create a Video Lesson Completely in PowerPoint
This week is a vacation week for the vast majority of readers of this blog. As I do at this time every year, I’m going
Drawings, Emojis, and Passwords – The Week in Review
Good morning from Maine where Santa is about to visit my daughters, again. We spent actual Christmas day traveling back from Florida where we visited
Best of 2018 – New Ways to Customize Google Forms
This week is a vacation week for the vast majority of readers of this blog. As I do at this time every year, I’m going
Best of 2018 – How to Use Google’s VR Tour Creator
This week is a vacation week for the vast majority of readers of this blog. As I do at this time every year, I’m going
Three Ways You Can Earn a Side Income Online (After School Ends)
The Internet provides many opportunities for people to earn a side income online. If you’re reading this blog, you’re helping me make some of my
Best of 2018 – PhET PowerPoint Add-in
This week is a vacation week for the vast majority of readers of this blog. As I do at this time every year, I’m going
Best of 2018 – Five Options for Creating Animated Videos on Chromebooks
This week is a vacation week for the vast majority of readers of this blog. As I do at this time every year, I’m going
Best of 2018 – NASA’s Interactive Guide to the Solar System
This week is a vacation week for the vast majority of readers of this blog. As I do at this time every year, I’m going
Best of 2018 – Adobe Launches Spark for Education
This week is a vacation week for the vast majority of readers of this blog. As I do at this time every year, I’m going
Best of 2018 – Top 5 Choices for Making Multimedia Quizzes
This week is a vacation week for the vast majority of readers of this blog. As I do at this time every year, I’m going
How to Make Your Own Emojis – And How to Use Them in a Lesson
During the summer Tony Vincent helped me see emojis as more than just annoying symbols that people use in text messages and social media posts.
Best of 2018 – Free Hands-on STEM Lesson Plans
This week is a vacation week for the vast majority of readers of this blog. As I do at this time every year, I’m going
Best of 2018 – How to Create a Bingo Board With Google Sheets
This week is a vacation week for the vast majority of readers of this blog. As I do at this time every year, I’m going
Best of 2018 – Interactive Periodic Table of Elements
This week is a vacation week for the vast majority of readers of this blog. As I do at this time every year, I’m going
Best of 2018 – Ten Free Apps for Elementary School Math Lessons
This week is a vacation week for the vast majority of readers of this blog. As I do at this time every year, I’m going
Best of 2018 – Ten Overlooked Google Docs Features
This week is a vacation week for the vast majority of readers of this blog. As I do at this time every year, I’m going
Readers’ Choice Winners
Last week I posted the final nominations for the Free Technology for Teachers Readers’ Choice awards. The final voting closed over the weekend and the
Six On-demand PD Webinars in One Bundle
Throughout the year many of you participated in one of my Practical Ed Tech professional development webinars. Thank you so much for helping to keep
Videezy – Free Video Clips for Multimedia Projects
Last week I shared a video overview of three great places to find free video clips to use in classroom projects. Videezy is another good
Vacation Project – Build the Coolest Machine Ever!
I know that the vast majority of you are on vacation right now. I also know that many of you have children who will be
Canvas – A Good Alternative to Google Drawings for Tablet Users
Canvas is a new drawing tool from Google. Canvas is a great alternative to Google Drawings for iPad and Android tablet users. Canvas lets anyone
Pins, Maps, and Grids – The Week in Review
Good morning from Florida where we’re visiting family for Christmas. Flying with two toddlers was a “fun” new experience. A couple of fun iPad apps,
Terrible Passwords, Password Security, and Protecting Your Online Account
Last week Splash Data revealed their annual list of worst passwords of the year. Many of those passwords will not be a surprise. Using “123456”
An Extensive Guide to Copyright and Fair Use
On Sunday I published a guide to locating media for use in classroom projects. In that guide I provided basic summaries of the concepts of
Short Overviews of Immersive Reader in Word and OneNote
Immersive Reader is one of the central components of Microsoft’s accessibility tools for inclusive classrooms. Immersive Reader will read documents aloud. It can be customized
How to Use Flipgrid’s Android App
Based on the number of videos that I have made about it in the last month, it is not a secret that I think Flipgrid
Free Technology for Teachers Readers’ Choice Awards Voting is Open
Last week I asked you to nominate your favorite educational technology tools of the year. The nominations are in and the final voting is now
Learning About Microsoft’s Tools for Inclusive Classrooms
Yesterday Mike Tholfsen Tweeted about Microsoft’s Teacher Training Packs. Teacher Training Packs are collections of resources that are designed to help IT administrators, technology specialists,
How to Create a Custom Flipgrid Code
If you’re a Flipgrid user you already know that each of your grids is given a default code and URL. But did you know that
How to Use Flipgrid on an iPad
Last week I published a detailed tutorial on how to get started using Flipgrid in your classroom. In that tutorial I focused on using Flipgrid
How to Hide Google Classroom Assignments from Your Personal Calendar
Last week I received an email from a reader who needed a little problem with her personal Google Calendar. The problem was that every assignment
Three Places to Find Free Video Clips for Classroom Projects – And How to Share Them
On Sunday I published a fairly extensive guide to finding media for classroom projects. That guide was entirely text-based. A few folks have asked if
Six Resources for Learning About the Science of Flight
Yesterday marked the 115th anniversary of the Wright Brothers’ first successful airplane flight. That reminded me that I have a bunch of interesting resources for
Coming Soon – PIN Access to Google Drive Files
Sharing Google Drive files with people who don’t have Google accounts is possible if you set the file to “anyone with the link can view.”
Vote for Your Favorite Ed Tech Tools of 2018
Last week I asked you to nominate your favorite educational technology tools of the year. The nominations are in and the final voting is now
The Physical Tech Products I Own and Recommend
This blog is all about digital products that teachers and students can use for free. That said, I do get requests for physical product recommendations
How to Use a Spreadsheet to Create a Map
Last week when I posted about Google closing Fusion Tables I mentioned that some of the functions of Fusion Tables can be replicated in Google
A Quick Tip About Changing Font Sizes in Google Docs
When it comes to formatting your documents Google Docs provides plenty of options. Some of those options are obvious and some are hidden deep in
Kids World Atlas – An iPad App for Learning About Animals Around the World
Last week I wrote a review of the Kids U.S. Atlas iPad app. That app offers an interactive map of the United States that kids
21 Places to Find Media for Classroom Projects
Yesterday, people who subscribe to the Practical Ed Tech newsletter received a copy of my guide to finding copyright-friendly media for use in classroom projects.
Trash, Math, and Expeditions – The Week in Review
Good evening from Maine where it was a balmy 43F today. It was a perfect day for a hike in western Maine. There’s something about
Kids US Atlas – Learn About Animals of the United States
Kids US Atlas is an iPad app that features an interactive map of the United States. On the interactive map you will find twenty-five animals
Five Things That Help Me Develop Blog Post Ideas
I write a lot of blog posts. Over the last decade I’ve written more than 15,000 of them. That’s 1,500 per year for an average
How to Make Videos Autoplay in Google Slides
Earlier this week I received an email from a reader who wanted to know if it was possible to make videos automatically play in Google
An Easy Way to Download Google Drive Files in One Folder
Last week I shared a tutorial on how to download individual Google Documents. That method works well if you only need to download one item.
How to Use Flipgrid – From Sign-up to Video Responses
Flipgrid is one of the most popular ed tech tools to emerge in the last couple of years. It can be used as tool for
DIY Emojis
Emoji Builder is a fun little site for making your own emojis. To design your own emoji on Emoji Builder you simply pick a base
Last Day to Make Readers’ Choice Nominations
Last week I posted the nomination form for the 2018 Free Technology for Teachers Readers’ Choice Awards. Today is the last day to make nominations.
Introduction to Using Google Expeditions in Your Classroom
Google Expeditions is one of my favorite virtual reality apps for students and teachers. The app provides hundreds of virtual reality experiences for students. There
Five Short Lessons About the Shortest Day of the Year
The winter solstice is about a week away. I always like to go outside to snowshoe or ski on the solstice just to say to
Math is Visual – Videos Demonstrations and Illustrations
Math is Visual is a website that features videos and images that are designed to help students understand mathematics concepts. There’s more to the site
Reminder – Empty Your Google Drive Trash Bin
People who use Google Drive through a G Suite for Education account don’t have to worry about running out of storage space as G Suite
WWF Free Rivers – An Interactive, Augmented Reality Story About Rivers
WWF Free Rivers is a free augmented reality iPad app produced by the World Wildlife Foundation. The app uses augmented reality to present a story
Try Pexels Videos to Find Green Screen Backgrounds
Making green screen videos can be a fun way for students to share what they’ve learned through research about a place or event. And it’s
Google is Closing Fusion Tables
Years ago Google introduced Fusion Tables as tool for creating interesting data visualizations. Over the years newer and better tools have emerged for creating data
A Couple of Thoughts About Flipgrid Stickers
A couple of weeks ago I was at a conference to present on the topic of formative assessment. Flipgrid was one of the tools that
Wonderscope – An Interactive Story App for Kids
Wonderscope is an iPad app that uses augmented reality featuring stories that students interact with through voice and touch. Students position animations and interact with
Try Flipgrid as an Alternative to a Classroom YouTube Channel
Whenever I lead a workshop or webinar about classroom video projects I always talk about the importance of respectfully sharing students’ videos online. That often