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Yes indeed!
Were you a fan of this December's Ditch That Textbook Digital Summit -- the free online conference for teachers?
If so, you'll LOVE the surprise in today's email!
But first ... a quick set-up ...
Have you heard about HyperDocs?
They're these AMAZING digital learning frameworks -- created out of Google Docs. (Or Slides. Or other things.)
They're student-centered.
They're self-paced.
Teachers from K-2 up to high school are using them with success!
Oh, and you can create them for FREE -- and copy other people's HyperDocs creations for free, too.
Want to see what all the hype is about? You'll have to check out today's post. Karly Moura, the Ditch That Textbook blog editor and I did the following:
- We examined 14 successful HyperDocs.
- We found exceptional example activities inside each.
- We identified a key digital tool.
- We put our finger on what makes them work.
Even if you don't use them in HyperDocs, there are LOTS of ideas you can start using in class right away here!
"These HyperDocs sound really interesting," you may say. "But I need a crash course on the basics."
We've got you covered! How about a mini-course by all three creators of HyperDocs themselves?
We're going to start releasing one video presentation from a past Ditch That Textbook Digital Summit monthly.
This month: it's all about HyperDocs!
Consider it yet another benefit of being an email subscriber to Ditch That Textbook.
(We try to make it clear that we like you a lot. Can you tell?)
(If I could have picked one NOT to share, it might have been this one ... ONLY because my computer crashed in the middle of it and I disappeared for a few minutes! The HyperDocs ladies were pro's, though, and you couldn't hardly tell! When you watch the video, see if you can catch it!)
(Note: This is an unlisted link on YouTube, so you won't be able to find it with a YouTube search.)
A beginner's guide
to Twitter for educators
Being connected on Twitter changed my teaching career.
It helped me find great ideas. New digital tools. Teaching strategies.
When I struggled, there were people there to lift me up.
Ready to try Twitter -- but need a boost to figure it out?
Consider yourself boosted. :)
Sean Fahey and the aforementioned Karly Moura created a FREE ebook called "A beginner's guide to Twitter for educators."
It's full of the basics AND instructions on how to do Twitter chats.
In that post, you'll also find tips from the #DitchBook Twitter community about how to make the most of Twitter for educators.
Check it out and level up your Twitter game. You'll be glad you did!
How to waste your time
at an edtech conference
in 7 easy steps
Have you seen (or heard of) the movie "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days"?
Guest blogger Theresa Ellington shares a fun twist on that title ...
How to waste your time at an edtech conference in 7 easy steps!
If you've been to any educator conference -- about technology or not -- you know it can be hard to make the most of your time there.
Wasted time? Easy.
Making every moment count? Possible with a plan!
Follow Theresa's steps ... or, should I say, don't follow her steps? Either way, your conference-going experience will be better from reading it!
Free mindfulness tools
for all classrooms
Could you use some support in helping students deal with their emotions? Manage stress and anxiety?
Calm, an app focused on meditation and mindfulness, is offering its paid access to its app for FREE.
The goal? To help more than 1 million children in more than 100,000 schools globally.
Teachers get unlimited access to Calm's growing library of guided meditations and mindfulness exercises, including Calm Kids, programs tailored for age groups from pre-K through high school.
Over the coming year, the Calm Kids library will grow, equipping teachers with an ever-expanding supply of content crafted for the unique needs of their students.