Fresh Takes 4 Teachers
Quizlet’s Practice Mode Now Works on Mobile Devices
The popular flashcard and test-prep service, Quizlet, has added a much-requested feature to their mobile app. You’ve long been able to review flashcards on Quizlet’s
How to Create a Video-based Poll
ClipChoose is a free polling tool that I featured in a blog post last month. On ClipChoose you can create a poll that is based
11 Backchannel & Informal Assessment Tools Compared in One Chart
Last winter I made a series of charts in which I compared popular ed tech tools. I’m now going through those charts and removing some
The First Presidential Election – A Hip Hughes History Lesson
A few weeks ago in my post about the Electoral College I included a list of lessons about Presidential Elections from 1900 through 2012. Those
How to Make Your Writing Funnier – And 21 Other Writing Lessons
The Writer’s Workshop is a TED-Ed playlist featuring short lessons on writing. Some of the lessons are on basic things like When to Use Me,
Track Who Has Completed Your Form and More in the Latest Version of Google Forms
Over the last few months Google has tried to persuade people to use the new version of Google Forms. I, like many others, have been
Photos for Class + Canva = Fun Animal Stories
Photos for Class is a great tool for locating Creative Commons licensed images that your students can use in all kinds of projects. The great
How to Compare Maps Side-by-Side in GE Teach
Last week I wrote a post in which I featured using GE Teach to compare maps side-by-side. GE Teach can be a powerful tool when
How to Create Historical Facebook Profiles With Google Drawings
Creating a fake Facebook profile for a character in a book or of a famous person in history could be a good way to get
How to Mix Privacy Settings on Google Calendar – And a Handful of Other Google Calendar Tutorials
This afternoon I facilitated a short workshop on using Google Calendar in school settings. One of the things that I shared in that workshop was
Valentine’s Day Science and Statistics
With Valentine’s Day coming up this weekend it’s a good time looking for at science and statistics related to the day. The following video from
Search Facebook for Tools Reviewed on Free Technology for Teachers
I’m not sure if this feature is new or I was just slow to notice it, but this week I noticed that you can now
5 Good Google Tools for Social Studies Students
This evening I gave a short webinar presentation on my five favorite Google tools for social studies teachers and students. The webinar was hosted by
5 Ways Your Students Can Create Digital Valentine’s Day Greetings
With Valentine’s Day coming up next weekend I’m reminded of filling out little Valentine’s Day cards in elementary school. In talking with a friend who
PBS Election Central Helps Students Understand US Election Process
PBS Election Central is a collection of educational resources related to the 2016 U.S. Presidential election. The collection includes interactive maps, virtual field trips, and
Complete This Free Course and Become a Power Google Searcher
Power Searching With Google is a MOOC that Google initially offered nearly four years ago. The course is facilitated by Dr. Daniel Russell whose work
How do Solar Panels Work? – A TED-Ed Lesson
One of the ways that my local school district has tried to reduce oil dependence is to use burning wood chips to heat some school
Develop Mathematics Skills With Sushi Monster
Sushi Monster is a free iPad game from Scholastic that helps kids practice their addition and multiplication skills. This is the premise of Sushi Monster;
Two Educational Activities to Capitalize on Super Bowl Enthusiasm
I’m currently watching the Super Bowl and thinking about students who will be talking about it when they see their friends at school tomorrow. Try
Two Good Tools for Building Online Discussions Around Videos
Watching videos then answering questions about them is the basic premise of a lot of flipped classroom lessons. To take that idea to higher level,
The Week in Review – A Week in Texas
A Padlet of stories. Good afternoon from Austin, Texas where I’m waiting for a flight home after a great week here in Texas. This week
More Than 4000 People Get Their Ed Tech Tips This Way
Over the last 20 months I’ve made a concerted effort to consistently update my YouTube channel with at least one new tutorial video every week.
How to Clip & Share Sections of Google Books
Earlier this week at the TCEA conference in Austin, Texas I ran a short workshop about Google Books. One of the things that we did
How to Create Annotated Screenshots With Evernote Web Clipper
The Evernote Web Clipper is a handy tool for teachers and students. I use it every day to bookmark websites. I also use it for
Mic Note – Create Time-stamped Multimedia Notes
Mic Note is a free Chrome app that allows you to create voice recordings, text notes, and image-based notes on one concise notebook page. The
Students Can Compare Maps Side-by-Side in GE Teach
GE Teach is a great map tool that I last featured about 18 months ago. GE Teach is developed and maintained by a high school
How to Create a Collaborative KWL Chart Online
Earlier this week at TCEA I gave a presentation on mind maps, timelines, and collaborative brainstorming tools. One of the tools that I featured in
Three Examples of Students Creating Real-World Products to Solve Problems That Mattered to Them
In many of my presentations I try to make the point that “real world” problems are whatever problems that matter to students. That problem could
Resources from #TCEA16
Over the last two days I had the privilege to give six presentations at the TCEA conference in Austin, Texas. As I always do, I
Annotation Studio – Annotate Shared Documents With Text, Video, and Images
Annotation Studio is a free document editing tool that I learned about a few weeks ago on Larry Ferlazzo’s blog. This afternoon I finally gave
7 Tools for Hosting Online Brainstorming Sessions
After yesterday’s post about Limnu there were a couple of similar tools suggested on the Free Technology for Teachers Facebook page. I also received a
Limnu – Create Collaborative Online Whiteboards
Limnu is a service that enables you to quickly create collaborative online whiteboards. On your Limnu boards you can draw, type, insert images, and chat
My Three Favorite Classroom Timer Tools
One of the challenges of teaching in a high school or middle school that uses block scheduling is many students struggle to focus for 80
3 Free Map Creators
This is a guest post from Jennifer Carey (@TeacherJenCarey) of EdTechTeacher, an advertiser on this site. Maps are a great way for students to navigate
The Month in Review – January’s Most Popular Posts on Free Technology for Teachers
Good evening from Woodstock, Maine where we had a beautiful sunset on the last day of January, 2016. As I do at the end of
Create a Single Dashboard for All of Your Cloud Storage Accounts
If you’re like me, you might have utilize more than one cloud storage service. I use Google Drive most often, but I also use Dropbox
Two Easy Ways to Create QR Codes to Use In Your Classroom
QR codes make it easy to quickly share important information with students. Through a QR code you can share links to websites and Google Documents
The Week in Review – A Week at Home
Good afternoon from sunny Woodstock, Maine where I’ve had a nice week at home with my dog Max. Max was very happy to have me
How to Create a Multiple Part Test in Google Forms
Yesterday, I posted a video in which I demonstrated how to impose a time limit on a Google Form. In response to that post someone
How to Use Choosito’s Reading Level-indexed Search Tool for Free
On Wednesday I published a post about Choosito that spurred a lot of questions in email and comments on Facebook including some not-so-pleasant comments that
Today I Learned – Fun Facts Featured in National Geographic Videos
National Geographic’s YouTube channel includes a fun playlist of short videos about interesting science facts. The playlist, called Today I Learned or TIL for short,
New Commenting Options in Google Slides, Sheets, Docs Mobile Apps
If you have run updates on your iPad or Android tablet in the last 24 hours you might have noticed some new commenting options in
How to Create a Classroom Blog on Weebly for Education
Weebly for Education offers a good platform for creating a classroom blog. One of the perks of Weebly for Education is that you can create
How to Set a Time Limit on Google Forms
This morning I received a question from a teacher who was looking for a way to impose a time limit on a quiz or test
Free PowerPoint Templates for Teachers and Students
We’ve all seen plenty of poorly designed slides that have harsh color schemes, fonts that are too small, or otherwise just don’t look quite right.
Tour Buckingham Palace In Virtual Reality
Last week Google opened up a beta program for schools that want to use Google Expeditions on Android devices. If you get into that program
Groundhog Day Explained
Next Tuesday is Groundhog Day. Groundhog Day is the day that, according to legend, a groundhog will predict how much longer winter will last in
Choosito – A Search Engine With Reading Level Index
Ever since Google removed the reading level option from their advanced search menu I’ve received at least one request per week from readers looking for
Plickers Now Offers Scoresheets for Reviewing Students’ Progress
Plickers is my favorite student response tool for classrooms in which not every student has his or her own tablet or laptop. Plickers makes it
How to Create a Classroom Blog on SeeSaw
A couple of weeks ago SeeSaw introduced an option to create a classroom blog within your SeeSaw account. SeeSaw’s blogging tool allows you to create
Leap Year Explained
2016 is a leap year which means that February will have 29 days this year. You may have students wondering why there is an extra
Presentation Planning Explained by Common Craft
Planning a presentation of any length can feel like a daunting task. For some people the difficulty is in figuring out what to say. For
How Does the Electoral College Work? – And Election Outcomes Explained
The United States will choose a new president this year. Students often ask why the process is not as simple just having everyone show up
Three Free iOS Apps for Test Prep
Last week my post about the test prep app Gojimo was one of the most popular posts of the week. This morning someone emailed me
A Math Review App in English and Spanish
Math Vocabulary Cards is a free iPad app designed for elementary school students. The app offers exactly what its name implies, a series of flashcards
Dragontape – Remix YouTube Clips
At last night’s TeachMeet BETT Martin Burrett reminded me of a neat tool for remixing clips of YouTube videos. That tool is called Dragontape. If
The Week in Review – The BETT Edition
Good evening from London where I’m waiting for my flight home after a nice couple of days at the BETT Show. I spent some time
Gojimo – A Great App for Self-paced Test Prep
Earlier today I had the opportunity to test out a study app called Gojimo. Gojimo was initially developed by a student for students. Gojimo offers
Test the New Google Expeditions Android App
Two of my favorite new Google products of the last nine months are Google Expeditions and the Cardboard Camera app. This week at BETT Jim
Three Free iPad Apps for Fun Vocabulary Practice
Yesterday, I received an email from an elementary school teacher who was looking for some new-to-her vocabulary practice apps to put on her classroom set
Newsela’s iPad App Offers News Stories Sorted by Reading Level
Newsela is a service that helps teachers find current events articles that are appropriate for their students’ age and reading abilities. This week Newsela launched a
Two Tools for Writing & Drawing Books Online Before Printing
This morning I received an email from a reader who was looking for tools that her students can use to create booklets that they design
Google Books for Teachers and Students – A Guide
Google Books is one of my favorite research tools that students and teachers often overlook. In a post earlier today I embedded a book that
Lots of Lessons About Winter Weather
Conditions at my house on Tuesday. A large winter storm is in the forecast for later this week in the northeastern United States. If you
Soundtrap – Collaboratively Create Music Online
Soundtrap is a fantastic tool for creating music. I tested it out last winter and used during a couple of my workshops this past summer
Learn HTML & CSS Through a Free 12 Part Guide
Learn to Code HTML & CSS is a free resource developed by Shay Howe whose resume reveals that he has worked on the user interface for
An Easy Way to Download Your Google Data
One of the most common concerns or questions that I hear from educators (often school administrators) about using Google services revolves around the question of
Quill – Packs of Interactive Writing Lessons
Quill is a free service that puts a new spin on the old writing worksheets that most of us used in middle school. The service
ClassDojo’s Big Ideas Teaches Kids About Growth Mindset
ClassDojo has launched a new initiative that they are calling Big Ideas. The purpose of Big Ideas is to introduce students, parents, and teachers to
NEW! Nearpodize Your Classroom from Your iPhone
This guest post is from Sabba Quidwai (@AskMsQ) of EdTechTeacher – an advertiser on this site. The world of mobile teaching and learning seems to
The Week in Review – Mornings With Max
Good morning from Woodstock, Maine where I am home after a great week at FETC in Orlando. It was long week and a good week
Two Ways to Record Skype Calls on a Mac
Yesterday’s post about Skype Translator prompted someone on the Free Technology for Teachers Facebook page to ask about how to record Skype calls on a
4 Free Tools for Creating & Playing Interactive Quiz Games
Earlier this week I wrote about “ghost mode” being the talk of the Future of Educational Technology Conference in Orlando. That post prompted a few
Skype Translator Is Now Available to All Windows Users
Last spring Microsoft made a preview edition of Skype’s translation tool available to Windows 8.1 and Windows 10 users. The limitation of the preview edition
Try PrepFactory for Free SAT & ACT Review
SAT and ACT testing and test prep isn’t something that any student or teacher really looks forward to, but it’s a something that most in
Numberock – Math Music Videos for Kids
Last month I shared ten good YouTube channels for math students. This week I learned about about another good math video channel. Numberock is a
4 Helpful Gmail Settings for Teachers & Students
This morning I received an email from someone who was looking for tutorials on using Gmail. The Google for Work YouTube channel offers a bunch
Create Video-based Polls on ClipChoose
There is not a shortage of online polling tools to use in your classroom. Most of those polling services are simply text-based or text and
Have You Tried Kahoot’s Ghost Mode?
The buzz coming out of the Tech Share Live session at FETC today was all about the “ghost mode” in Kahoot. Kahoot’s ghost mode essentially
12 Lessons on How the Human Body Works
Last winter I started a playlist of TED-Ed video lessons about how the human body works. I started the playlist because I wanted a list
What Are Carbohydrates and How Do They Impact Your Health? – TED-Ed Lesson
How Do Carbohydrates Impact Your Health? is the focus of the latest TED-Ed lesson added to my playlist of TED-Ed Lessons about the human body.
SeeSaw Now Offers a Simple & Safe Blogging Platform for Kids
SeeSaw is a great digital portfolio tool for students and teachers. It works on all devices including iPads and Android tablets. The service allows students to
Highbrow – Learn a New Subject or Skill in Small Chunks
Highbrow is a neat service that delivers short courses to your email inbox in bite-size chunks. When the service launched last year the course offerings
Duolingo for Schools – Distribute Language Lessons to Students
Last winter Duolingo, a popular free service that offers activities for learning Spanish, English, French, Italian, Irish, Dutch, Danish, German, and Portuguese, introduced Duolingo for Schools.
Comic Writing Prompts for Students
Many times over the years I’ve written blog posts in which I mention the value of using comics as an alternative to or introduction to
The Difference Between Stocks and Bonds
Last night I watched The Big Short starring Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, Christian Bale, and Brad Pitt. I enjoyed the movie. For those who aren’t
ReadWorks Offers Articles, Question Sets, and Videos About Martin Luther King, Jr.
Next Monday is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. ReadWorks has put together a collection of articles, videos, and question sets for teaching about Martin Luther
How to Get Free eBooks on Your Mobile Device
This is a guest post from Jennifer Carey (@TeacherJenCarey) of EdTechTeacher – an advertiser on this site. With the rise and prominence of eBooks have
Three Thematic Mapping Tutorials
This morning on the Free Technology for Teachers Facebook page I received a question from someone seeking a thematic mapping tool that her students can
Find an International Teaching Job Through Edvectus
Edvectus is a service that helps teachers and school administrators find international positions. The basic function of Edvectus is to provide a search portal for
The Week in Review – Heading Out
Good morning from snowy Woodstock, Maine where I’m getting ready to spend the majority of the next two weeks on the road. Next week I’ll
Three Neat Features of Buncee – Create Multimedia Stories
Buncee is a great tool for creating multimedia stories. Earlier this week two of Buncee’s team members gave me a tour of all of the
Stride Labs Helps You Keep Track of Updates to Your Google Documents
Stride Labs is a service that helps you keep track of changes to documents in your Google Drive, Box, and Dropbox accounts. Rather than having
FreeConferenceCall.com Now Offers Free Video Conference Calls
Last summer I wrote about how pleased I was with the performance of FreeConferenceCall.com. We continue to use it at MindRocket Media Group for all of our
82 Google Tools Tutorial Videos
I offer online and in-person workshops on Google Apps for Education, but I’m aware that sometimes all a person needs is just a two or
16 Ways to Use TinyTap in Your Classroom
TinyTap is a fantastic free iPad app and Android app for building fun and interactive review games. With the app you can create games based on
Dog Detective – Do You Speak Dog?
If you have followed this blog for more than a month or two, you’ve probably figured out that I am passionate about dogs and animal
How Do We Know What Color Dinosaurs Were?
How Do We Know What Color Dinosaurs Were? is a new TED-Ed lesson that answers a question I often had in school. In the lesson
Digital Note-Taking with OneNote
This is a guest post from Beth Holland (@brholland) of EdTechTeacher – an advertiser on this site. One of the most powerful tools available to