Did you attend the Google Summit and now want more? Did you miss the event and want to learn more online?  Check out Matt Miller's online conferences this summer. They are totally free and you can earn SDR hours by attending. Just register and collect the certificate of participation.  Any questions, just email lhighfill@pleasantonusd.net

3 FREE online teacher conferences you DON'T want to miss Did you participate in the Ditch That Textbook Digital Summit in December? Thousands of educators from around the world learned from fantastic presenters and swapped ideas in online spaces. It was great, and it lasted about two weeks. Oh, and it was totally, totally FREE. If that sounds like your kind of professional learning, you're in for a treat! There are THREE free online conferences in the next month or so just like Ditch Summit! They're all available to anyone around the world. If you're looking for inspiration and ideas to start the new school year -- or just some energizing -- these three conferences are what you need! CUE Craft #DitchSummit (July 25-August 10) Strobel Summit (July 11-20) Hive Summit (August 1-14) Get all the details and get registered here!

Special Guest Speakers At PUSD's Summer Institute

As you are ending the school year, it's time once again to register for the PUSD Summer institute. This is a  good opportunity to learn locally while earning SDR pay. We are excited for many of the selections this year, and would like to highlight some special speakers who will be joining us. 

We are so fortunate to have three of my favorite ed tech speakers, Tom, Ryan, and James share their ideas and talents. They have created workshops specifically for those who are preparing for going 1:1 in the Fall, with many resources to launch blended learning in your classroom. I hope you consider signing up for their sessions. I can guarantee you will walk away with many new ideas. 


Tom Mullaney is a Digital Learning Integration Designer for the San Francisco Unified School District. Tom’s education experience includes Special Education, Social Studies, and educational technology coaching in New York, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina. He is a Google for Education Certified Innovator and Trainer who has spoken at national conferences including SXSW EDU, the National Council for the Social Studies, and ISTE. Tom hosts the Sustainable Teaching Podcastand contributes to the BamRadio Network EdWords blog. Use his TED-Ed lesson to teach your students about the French Revolution.



Tom's sessions:

1. Collaboration, Feedback, and Workflow in G Suite

Google apps are user-friendly but why use them if they just substitute for pen-and-paper? In this session, we will deep-dive into the features of G Suite that maximize student collaboration, facilitate effective, useful feedback, and make workflow sustainable for teachers. Learn how to get the most of G Suite to make an impact for students and master a manageable workflow!

2. Getting Started with Touchscreen Chromebooks

"The new Chromebooks are here," exclaimed excited teachers! The arrival of touchscreen Chromebooks is great news but it won't mean much if teachers do not take advantage of what the combination of touch and Chrome OS have to offer. Learn websites, apps, and more for using touchscreen Chromebooks to supercharge creativity and assessment in your classroom!

Ryan O'Donnell is a Technology Teacher on Special Assignment and former high school social studies teacher in Rocklin California. His passions are Ed Tech, Innovation, Social Studies, Podcasting and Teacher Professional Development.

He is the co-host of "Talking Social Studies" and the "Check This Out" podcast where he chats weekly about new ed tech resources and ideas.
Along with presenting, he is on the board of CapCUE; the Sacramento affiliate of CUE.org which is an organization which focuses on infusing technology and developing leadership.


Ryan's sessions:

#CreateWithChromebooks

1.) Communication and Publications

In this first session, teachers will be shown how they can use Chromebooks and many of the GSuite tools to change the way in which communicate their message to their students. The tools can range from agendas to newsletters and more. Attendees will see both how easy it is to create and maintain these as well as how impactful they can be in terms connecting with their audience.

Attendees will also learn how to have their students be creators and publishers of their own. By having students learn how to make their own publications ranging from social media posts, to comic books, to magazines and more. They will be shown how to use templates and a few graphic design tips to scaffold creativity.

Focus will be given to not just the tools and but the pedagogy by looking at lesson design.

2.) Multimedia Storytelling

In this session, teachers will be shown how to expand beyond the GSuite tools to learn how to create visual and audio experiences both FOR their students and BY their students. Attendees will learn how to create their own slide shows, documentaries, choose your own adventure stories and even podcasts all done with just a chromebook. They will be shown examples and be given time to begin many of these projects themselves in this session.

Come learn with the founder of Breakout EDU, James Sanders. This immersive games platform is for learners of all ages. In Breakout EDU games, players work collaboratively to solve a series of critical thinking puzzles in order to open a locked box. Participants will have an opportunity learn, play and apply their instructional practices.

A few career highlights include:
Created YouTube for Teachers
Co-Founded the White House Film Festival
Co-founded Future Ready Schools
Founded Breakout EDU

James session: (a.m. only-limited to the first 25 to sign up!)

Engage all your students with Breakout EDU

It's time for something different! Breakout EDU is the immersive learning games platform where learners work in groups to solve complex academic puzzles. In this session, you will play a Breakout EDU game and learn how to bring the power of games into your classroom. 

PUSD 1:1 Device Initiative

If you haven't heard, PUSD is beginning a 1:1 Device Initiative at the all secondary schools

Changes To Padlet

For those who have not heard of Padlet, it is a simple way to engage student responses through text, images, and video. Post a link to a Padlet wall and your students can post whatever you prompt them to share. Have you been using Padlet with your students? 

Padlet has changed their offering. What was previously a free account for teachers, now to build additional walls to use with their learners you will have to pay either $12 a month or $99 a year or a whopping $1499 for a school-wide account. 

If you are new to Padlet, there is still a free version but you only get three 'walls'. You will have to delete walls in order to work within your 3 wall limit. If you’ve been using it a while then you get your current total + 3. For example, if you currently have 80 padlet walls – now you will have an 83 limit. You can delete a wall and create a new one and still have a total of 83 walls. 

I have been reusing old Padlets by deleting all posts, changing the prompt, and background design. Some Padlets I want to keep for the whole school year to go back to when teaching lessons, but many can be reused. This avoids having to sign up for the paid version. 

Looking for an alternative to Padlet? My favorite is Lino, but check out these recommendations

Contact me for more information or for clever ways to use these powerful web tools in your classroom.