Studying Tech: Bit by Bit

Have you ever wanted your images and lesson plans to look professional and fun but found that page design and images were too complicated to make on your own? Meet Canva . A simplified graphic design tool that can help you personalize images and lesson plans in your classroom. I have yet to see anyone write about this tool in depth. Vicki Davis does write that "Canva is a powerful design tool. This year, my students made infographics and blog graphics with Canva. I like its predefined sizes -- whether we're using Twitter, Facebook, or designing an ad, the templates and sizes are already set." But, this brief description does not fully express how useful this tool is. I searched the archives of the blogs I'm following. Unsatisfied with my findings, I looked to Google to supply more information. After a quick search, I found that Canva wrote about themselves and how they can be useful in the classroom. https://www.canva.com/learn/10-ways-to-take-your-less...

I remember using Quizlet and other important self-study tools in high school. The flash-cards and self-check options really enabled me to prepare myself for exams. As a future teacher, I also recognize the benefits of this self-motivating and fun study system. However, I found myself thinking about how these tools can help second language learners. The reality of virtual studying is that it often is only applicable to students with a certain level of English ability. At the very least, the students using these tools all need to know how to decode. How do we help our younger learners using technology? In my perusings of various articles discussing the integration of technology into the classroom, I came across a fascinating tool called Pear Deck. This tool can be easily incorporated into elementary school classrooms. In addition to the functions that Quizlet serves, Pear Deck allows for students to draw what they hear. This really creates an environment where the non-decoders can pa...