Ditch That Textbook Podcast :: Education, teaching, edtech :: #DitchPod

195: Snow days ahead? Ideas you can use in class or remotely

15 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this week’s episode of the Ditch That Textbook Podcast, Matt and Karly dive into digital escape rooms, 2024 vision boards, design prompts, and ot...

194: Recapping the Ditch That Textbook Digital Summit

08 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 so...

193: No prep end of semester project ideas

14 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of the Ditch That Textbook podcast, Matt and Karly discuss the latest news and updates in education technology. They highlight Google&...

192: Celebrate CS Education Week and the Hour of Code

04 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of the Ditch That Textbook podcast hosts Matt Miller and Karly Moura share news about Magic School's new SEL lesson generator and ...

191: Plan lessons faster with AI

27 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of the Ditch That Textbook podcast, hosts Matt Miller and Karly Moura delve into the exciting world of lesson planning with AI. They e...

190: The Ditch That Textbook Podcast is back!

20 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome to the revival of the Ditch That Textbook Podcast, hosted by Matt Miller and now joined by Karly Moura! In this exciting new season, we will b...

189: Two words to guide your remote teaching and learning

29 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Back to school is getting close. And as we get closer, many educators are thinking about how remote learning fits into their teaching plans. As we mak...

188: Press record to give students instructions

28 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

There are lots of digital tools out there to help students record their thinking. video tools. Audio tools. There's a lot to choose from. but what if ...

187: A fun tip for recording remote learning videos

27 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

When we do instruction remotely, it's nice to be able to record videos for your students. You can record instructional videos, daily check-in videos, ...

186: Awesome Teacher Summer #3: Google/Microsoft training

27 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Are you a Google-using educator or a Microsoft-using educator? Both companies offer training for educators that goes WAY beyond simple support pages. ...

185: Awesome Teacher Summer #2: Global EdTech Academy

26 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Imagine a conference you could attend that had lots of really, really good presenters. Imagine they were presenting on lots of topics that really inte...

184: Awesome Teacher Summer #1: EdTech tools

25 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Summer is a great time for us to renew and recharge. But once we have, sometimes we want to level up our teaching skills. In this episode, I'll share ...

183: Student-created unboxing videos

21 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

YouTube has some pretty fun videos to watch. That should be no surprise. it is the second largest search engine in the world! YouTubers have found ver...

182: 10 options for online whiteboards

20 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

I love having a whiteboard to write on whenever I'm in a classroom! But when we are doing remote learning, or when we want to engage students in digit...

181: A FREE remote learning online course!

19 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

We have had to do a lot of adapting and learning in a short period of time with our adjustments to remote learning. To help provide some ideas and sol...

180; Tech Like a PIRATE is out!

18 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

After a hiatus of more than a month, I'm back! My new book, Tech Like a PIRATE, is now finally available! In this episode, you will hear all about it....

179: No-internet remote learning (part 3)

09 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

when all of our students don't have equal access to the internet, what can we encourage them to do to keep learning going? In this episode, the third ...

178: No-internet remote learning (part 2)

08 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

When students don't have equal access to the internet, what's a teacher to do? There are lots of options for students who don't have regular access to...

177: No-internet remote learning (part 1)

07 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

If your students don't all have equal access to the internet during remote learning, you are not alone. Many educators have concerns about the equity ...

176: An app for your daily gratitude

02 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Could you handle a little extra happiness in your day? I recently found an app that helps you track and reflect on what you are grateful and happy for...

175: What do students need from us now?

01 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

With the world changing -- and our class situations changing -- during this time of pandemic, what do students need from us? Their needs may be differ...

174: What to do on video calls (Part 2)

31 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

lots of educators are using video calls to do remote learning. But once you and your students are on a video call, what can you do? In the previous ep...

173: What to do on video calls (Part 1)

30 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

lots of educators around the world are connecting with their students through video calls. There are lots of different platforms to use. But once you ...

172: Step by step instructions without video

27 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

When we want to give students step by step instructions, sometimes we turn to a screen recording video. Those videos are clear, but they can be big fi...

171: Recording video for slow internet speeds

26 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

When students have a slow internet connection at home, remote learning can be difficult. It's especially difficult if teachers are providing large vid...

170: eLearning activities: #3 video activities

19 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

if we want to keep learning going at home, having some ideas for learning activities can be helpful. In this four-part series, I am sharing some activ...

169: eLearning activities: #2 creative slides ideas

18 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

there is so much that students can do to learn from home! Whether they have internet access or not, slide presentations offer lots of options. And the...

168: eLearning activities: #1 graphic organizers

17 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

As we try to wrap our brains around what distance learning looks like, it's helpful to have some ideas and examples. In the next four episodes, I'm go...

167: Empowering students to own learning

11 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

When students take control of their learning, amazing things can happen. They go from being compliant followers to commanders of their own future. In ...

166: Finding game hooks to use in class

10 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

We love games, and so do our students! When we can pull elements of games into class, it has potential for great engagement. North Carolina educator C...

165: Creating in VR with Darcy Grimes

09 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

virtual reality is beginning to spread, and so many of its uses have to do with consumption. What if students were able to create with VR? Darcy Grime...

164: Digital bell ringer activities to kickstart class

06 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The beginning of class is a crucial time everyday. Those first several minutes can set the tone for the entire day of instruction! If we want to make ...

163: 10 WEEKS of freebies for my new book!

05 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

My new book is coming out in April, and I want to celebrate by giving you lots of great free resources! The book, Tech Like a Pirate, shares how we ca...

162: 6 degrees of Kevin Bacon/connection makin'

04 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever heard of the "6 degrees of Kevin Bacon" game? You're supposed to be able to connect any actor to Kevin Bacon with no more than six conne...

161: Making infographics with Adobe Spark

03 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Infographics are very brain friendly. They blend together visuals and text in a way that's very sticky for the brain. I recently found a video tutoria...

160: Social media hooks for classroom use

02 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

many of our students are very interested in social media. We can tap into that excitement and enthusiasm, and we don't even need students to use those...

159: 5 Chrome extensions to check out

26 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Chrome extensions add extra super powers to our Google Chrome web browsers. Teachers and students all over reap the rewards of them, too! In this epis...

158: Podcasting in the classroom with Heather Kelly

25 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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 K...

157: Promoting a solid democracy in schools

24 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

We want students to be good citizens and productive members of society. But how can we advocate responsibly for the democracy that we all hope for? Pe...

156: A good fake news self assessment

21 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

It can be tricky to discern fact from fiction these days. It can be even trickier to help our students navigate the digital waters of fake news and fa...

155: 5 FREE virtual field trips to check out

20 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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, l...

154: Student podcasts in Google Slides

19 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Voice is on the rise. Podcast listenership continues to grow. Smart speakers are selling like hotcakes. With all of this buzz around audio content, ma...

153 Your Google Classroom secret power

18 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

We use Google Classroom to assign, collect, grade, and return work with students. Many teachers will use Google Classroom in a web browser on their la...

152: Google Slides templates and fixing them

17 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

As teachers, a lot of times we like to assign students work using templates. Google slides is a great choice for doing that! But what do you do when s...

153: Ask this question for better results

14 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

I ran across a really helpful question in a post on Twitter. It may help you, too!

152: Upgrade that textbook with augmented reality

13 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Augmented reality is showing up in more and more schools all over. But how can we use augmented and virtual reality in meaningful ways in the classroo...

151: Classroom tech: Should I use it?

12 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

When I was a beginning teacher, I thought that technology use in the classroom was good no matter what. It didn't take me long to change my views on t...

150: More Google Classroom organization ideas

11 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Your Google Classroom can get pretty organized sometimes, can't it? This is a pain point for so many who use it and other learning management systems!...

149: A new social media for educators

10 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

So many of us educators turn to Twitter and Pinterest to get ideas and connect with each other. But there's a new social media that's developed specif...

148: Bringing tech into the library

07 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Libraries in schools are getting a makeover. They don't just have to be a room full of dusty books! Kelly and Crystal from Pasadena, Texas, share how ...

147: Flipgrid, information literacy and coaching

06 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

I'm at the TCEA conference in Austin, Texas! There's a lot to learn here. In this episode, I share several of my key takeaways from the first day.

146: You CAN do that with Microsoft! with Scott Titmas

05 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Many times, when we see the cool things that teachers are doing with Google products, we might assume that the same things can't be done with Microsof...

145: Offering custom PD with Stacy Saia

03 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

teachers love to have choices in their professional development as much as students love to have choices in their learning! In this episode, Stacy Sai...

144: Social media-inspired learning without the app

31 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

So many of our students are fascinated with social media. any mention of one of their favorite apps can instantly grab their attention. We can pull el...

143: Real-time classroom translation for free

30 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In so many schools around the United States and the world, we see a wide variety of native languages. Providing support to students and their families...

142: Brain-based ways to reach diverse students

29 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Understanding how the brain works and learns can help us teach and our students learn with more power. Understanding that each student's brain doesn't...

141: Three phases of learning for the long term

28 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

When we learn how the brain prefers to learn, We can learn smarter instead of harder. I got so much valuable information and insight from the book Cul...

140: Take the Flipgrid 5 for student accessibility

27 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

When students take activities home to do, sometimes they struggle. Sometimes the parents struggle! To add a layer of assistance to your activities, yo...

139: Free music/sound effects for class projects

24 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Lots of students do media projects when they need music or sound effects to make them sound their best. The YouTube Audio Library is a great source of...

138: 3 things I'm loving about Quizizz now

23 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Quizizz is one of several formative assessment tools that teachers are using all around the world. After loading it up recently, I noticed a few newer...

137: Being bored and brilliant in class

22 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

We have so many mechanisms in our life to keep us from boredom. We check our phones. We listen to music and watch TV. But our brain likes to be bored!...

136: Four tools to check out from #fetc Tech Share Live

21 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

During the FETC Conference, there were lots of tools and apps shared in a variety of sessions. During the Tech Share Live, The four prisoners shared s...

135: The optimal times to do different types of work #fetc

20 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

When is the best time to do analytical work? Or administrative tasks? Or insight work? In his book When -- and in his keynote address at the FETC Conf...

134: Timing matters in schools from Dan Pink #FETC

17 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Timing is important in so much that we do in schools, whether it's the start of the school day or when we do different types of academic work. In his ...

133: Learning space design with Bob Dillon

16 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

When designing our learning spaces, many times we think about going to Pinterest before we think about turning to research. In today's episode, The Sp...

132: Google Slides: Copy selected slides

14 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

If you use Google tools very often, you are probably familiar with the feature to make a copy. You can find it under the file menu. In Google Slides, ...

131: Building relationships by being close

13 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

We all know the importance of building those close relationships with our students. But did you know that being close in proximity helps us develop re...

130: 2 ways to mix up your Flipgrid activities

10 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Flipgrid lets students respond to a topic or a prompt with a short video clip. Many times, teachers simply ask a question And have students respond to...

129: 2 tips to start gamification in your class

09 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Lots of teachers have seen great success with gamification. they incorporate the elements of games into their classrooms. If you haven't tried this an...

128: Get busy on what you want to be known for

08 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

It's so easy to get distracted by small tasks ... The kind of things that don't move the needle in the right direction in our lives. For me, that mean...

127: 5 ways to start with AR/VR in class

07 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Have you heard some of the buzz about augmented reality and virtual reality? they are starting to make more and more of a presence in the classroom. D...

126: Iorad: quick tutorials and instructions

06 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

If you need to create quick tutorials or instructions for students or parents, You definitely need to check out Iorad. This app creates tutorials on t...

125: Part 2: Avoiding the "gotcha" game on tests

01 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

When we only ask students a select few questions on a quiz or a test, it can lead to a game of gotcha. It's almost like we say, gotcha! I figured out ...

124: Part 1: Avoiding the "gotcha" game on tests

31 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

When we give traditional quizzes and tests, it's easy to play a game of gotcha with students. By asking only a select few questions, we are penalizing...

123: Making memes in class with Google Drawings

30 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Memes have become so commonplace in social media and online. They can be a great learning tool! They can help students find the essence of what they'r...

122: Tech Like a PIRATE

27 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Don't just teach a lesson. Create an experience! When I read that line in Dave Burgess's book, Teach Like a Pirate, it changed the way that I would te...

121: Organize your Google Classroom

26 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Is your Google classroom a mess? Wish it could be more organized? there are a couple simple strategies you can use to take control! Your students will...

120: What are your big wins?

25 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

do you ever stop to think about your big wins? You know, the things that have gone really well over the last day, week, or month? or the last semester...

119: What kind of culture are you promoting?

24 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

in a presentation during the Ditch That Textbook Digital Summit, Toney Jackson talked about using rap, poetry, and hip hop in his classes. He encourag...

118: A network full of podcasts to check out

23 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

You may have noticed at the beginning of every episode that I mention that I'm a member of the Education Podcast Network. The EPN is a great resource ...

117: The podcast about podcasts

20 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

I learned so much from listening to podcasts. I can listen to them while I'm working out, while I'm on the road, or while I'm mowing the grass. There ...

116: The "tech upgrade" with interactive posters

19 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Sometimes, teachers who are reluctant to use technology don't know where to start. We know that we don't want to Substitute what we used to do with a ...

115: Why OneNote is my notetaking app of choice

18 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

I'm a big fan of taking notes on paper notebooks. I have used a variety of digital note-taking apps. However, this one app is changing my mind about h...

114: Who's speaking at the DTT Digital Summit?

17 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The Ditch That Textbook Digital Summit is a free online conference for teachers. Watch inspiring, practical videos. Get certificates for PD credit. In...

113: Instead of note taking, RETRIEVE taking

16 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

When you're a student, it's tough to things at once -- like listen to a teacher and take notes. You can't give your full attention to either one. with...

112: Snow days, shaky Wi-Fi and offline access

13 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Sometimes, it's nice for students to be able to without an internet connection. when they are at home or on the bus or somewhere else that doesn't hav...

111: NEW creation tools in Google Earth

12 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Google Earth calls itself the world's most detailed globe. It lets you look digitally at 3D maps, zooming in and out and gathering information. To thi...

110: Ditch Summit, a FREE online conference for teachers

11 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It's an online conference for teachers, Netflix style! The Ditch That Textbook Digital Summit brings you dozens of fascinating video presentations. Ea...

109: Join the Hour of Code Dec 9-15

10 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Coding and computer science are skills that are in demand in the workforce now. Want to encourage your students to learn more about them? The Hour of ...

108: The Ditch That Textbook Podcast is back!

09 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It's been more than a year since I published an episode to this podcast. I'm excited to say that I am back! The podcast will feature short daily episo...

107: Keyboard shortcuts to save you time

21 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Minute by minute, you can buy back time for what matters most with keyboard shortcuts. In this episode, I share some of my favorites that you can use ...

106: How does storytelling fit in your lesson?

20 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

There's a story in everything. Our brains are wired for story. How can we incorporate elements of storytelling into teaching and learning?

105: How to "mixtape" your curriculum, 80's style!

19 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

We used to use cassette tapes to record our favorite songs on "mixtapes" that we'd listen to over and over again. (At least I did.) Instructional coac...

104: Repetition suppression: The case for novelty

18 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Drive the same route to school for a while and you'll do it on autopilot. Why? It's easier on your brain that way. It can ignore what it's doing. That...

103: FREE Ditch Summit presentations. Hurry!

17 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Until Sept. 21, 2018, eight FANTASTIC video presentations are available at DitchSummit.com! You'll get practical ideas and inspiration from all of the...

102: The power of the pause

14 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

When we're teaching or presenting, we get in a state of speaking flow. The ideas are coming and we're spitting them out. But many times, we're moving ...

101: Some focus in the middle of digital distractions

13 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Students get bombarded by media and messaging all day long. Cell phones. Social media. Videos. And the communication that comes through all of them. H...

100: Lessons from 100 podcast episodes

12 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Wow, 100 episodes! It's been a fun learning experience for me, and I hope it has been for you. I do a little reflection on the creation of this podcas...

099: Google Classroom: Differentiate like a NINJA

11 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Google Classroom lets teachers customize their students' learning experiences. But what are the best ways to do that? Michigan teacher Jacqueline Pora...

098: Solid gold lesson planning ideas

10 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Good teaching practices should be at the heart of what we do, and it's definitely at the heart of the HyperDocs framework. Sean Fahey (@SEANJFAHEY) an...