194: Recapping the Ditch That Textbook Digital Summit

194: Recapping the Ditch That Textbook Digital Summit

Author: Ditch That Textbook January 8, 2024 Duration: 34:19

The Ditch Summit may be over but we can use what we learned all year long! In this episode of the Ditch That Textbook podcast, Matt and Karly recap some of their favorite ideas shared by our Ditch Summit spotlight sponsors including tool updates, tech tips and templates you can use right away. Matt also shares ideas from his session AI in the Classroom: Today, Tomorrow, and Beyond.

News and updates:

Adobe Creative Express has some great updates!⁠

Matt’s back in the classroom! You can follow Matt’s on Twitter ⁠⁠Twitter.com/ @jmattmiller⁠⁠ to see some pictures, thoughts and updates

Big idea: AI in the Classroom: Today, Tomorrow and Beyond

How can AI help me right now?

AI can give us ideas and save us time (Thought Partner). AI can be a Thinking Partner/Collaborator Example. AI can create lots of examples. Diffit.me⁠. AI can provide feedback ⁠Curipod.com⁠. AI can be a fantastic accessibility tool ⁠Goblin.tools⁠

Where is AI Headed? How will it impact education?

Read: ⁠6 ways to prepare students for an AI future⁠  Read: ⁠Scary Smart: The Future of Artificial Intelligence and How You Can Save Our World⁠ and ⁠The Coming Wave: Technology, Power, and the Twenty-first Century's Greatest Dilemma⁠

Tech tips:

Use the audio feature in ⁠Book Creator⁠ for prereaders or those learning to read or those learning a new language.  Read ⁠Growing authors: 15 ways to use Book Creator to publish student writing⁠ for more ideas.

Chromebook Accessibility Features are built into the device! Learn more: Turn on Chromebook accessibility features

Quick Teaching Strategies:

Gamify class with ⁠BookWidgets⁠! With some of the widgets (like pairs matching) you can have a reward word. You can make this an exit ticket where students have to show you or whisper the reward word to you as they head out the door.

Record with ⁠ScreenPal⁠ for directions, for students who are absent, for a day with a substitute teacher or anytime you need to clone yourself to be in two places at once!

Template of the Week:

FigJam Trading Cards! Creating your own trading card is such a fun way to build community and learn about one another. Have everyone create their own card to share a picture and a little bit about themselves with one another.  Read more ⁠How to use FigJam in the classroom: 20 ideas + templates - Ditch That Textbook


Ever feel like your classroom materials are holding you and your students back from more meaningful, engaging learning? That’s the conversation at the heart of the Ditch That Textbook Podcast. Hosts Matt Miller and Karly Moura, from Ditch That Textbook, don’t just talk about theory-they dive into the practical, often messy work of reimagining education. Each episode feels like a planning session with colleagues who get it, focusing on how to leverage technology, spark creativity, and foster innovation in ways that genuinely connect with learners. You’ll hear real classroom stories, straightforward tech tips that won’t make your head spin, and honest discussions about moving beyond a one-size-fits-all approach. This podcast is built for educators who are tired of the status quo and are looking for actionable ideas to make their teaching more dynamic and less reliant on prescribed resources. It’s about building confidence to try new things and designing experiences that stick with students long after the lesson ends. Tune in for a regular dose of inspiration that you can actually use tomorrow, all centered on the empowering idea that the best learning often happens when you look beyond the book.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Ditch That Textbook Podcast :: Education, teaching, edtech :: #DitchPod
Podcast Episodes
164: Digital bell ringer activities to kickstart class [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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163: 10 WEEKS of freebies for my new book! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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162: 6 degrees of Kevin Bacon/connection makin' [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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161: Making infographics with Adobe Spark [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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160: Social media hooks for classroom use [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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159: 5 Chrome extensions to check out [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:07
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158: Podcasting in the classroom with Heather Kelly [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:28
Podcasting is on the rise. When we use it in the classroom, it gives students a voice. They are able to create with what they learn. Teacher Heather Kelly has seen great benefits from podcasting in the classroom with her…
157: Promoting a solid democracy in schools [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:12
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156: A good fake news self assessment [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:36
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155: 5 FREE virtual field trips to check out [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:35
Virtual field trips are so much fun. We can take our students to places all over the world without leaving the comfort of our classroom. Thankfully, lots of these virtual field trips are available for free. They include…