The Teachercast Podcast

Have you ever wondered what an Apple Distinguished School looks like? Have you ever thought about rolling out a successful 1:1 initiative across thousands of students and teachers? In this episode of the TeacherCast Podcast, Jeff sits down with Ross Cooper to discuss TL2020, a State of the Art, 21st Century vision for the Salisbury Twp. School District that not only is turning heads worldwide, but chasing the lives of students as they become college and career ready. About Salisbury School DistrictTeaching and Learning 2020 (TL2020) is an initiative of the http://www.stsd.org/ (Salisbury Township School District) located in Allentown, PA. TL2020 is the next phase in the development of teaching and learning that started in our district with http://www.tl2014.org/ (TL2014). TL2020 builds on our successes at transforming teaching and learning through technology. The initiative offers increased learning opportunities by providing a personal computing dev

In this episode, Jeff sits down with Kasia Chmielinski to learn how Scratch is being used in over 150 countries in more than 40 languages. About ScratchScratch is a programming language and an online community where children can program and share interactive media such as stories, games, and animation with people from all over the world. As children create from Scratch, they learn to think creatively, work collaboratively, and reason systematically. Millions of people are creating Scratch projects in a wide variety of settings, including homes, schools, museums, libraries, and community centers. To date, 9M Scratchers have shared over 12M projects to the online community. Scratch is a project of the Lifelong Kindergarten Group at the MIT Media Lab. It is provided free of charge. You can read more about Scratch here: http://scratch.mit.edu/about (scratch.mit.edu/about)   Links of interestScratch site: http://scratch.mit.edu (scratch.mit.edu) ­ HOC landing page: http://scratch.mit.edu/hoc (scratch.mit

Jeff sits down with Mary Jo Madda and Michael Winters to discuss how EdSurge is one of the BEST resources for educators on the planet! Learn how EdSurge was founded and how it operates today. About EdSurgeEdSurge is a news and information company focused on the intersection between education and technology. EdSurge readers and fans are edtech entrepreneurs, educators, investors, and education policy makers who are interested in technology K12 and Higher Ed. EdSurge has keynoted with U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, hosted an edtech video chat at the request of The White House, is one of TED’s top “education blogs to follow,” and in 2013 was awarded “Most Influential Community Builder” by GSV Advisors Links of interesthttps://www.edsurge.com/ (https://www.edsurge.com/)

Jeff sits down with Jason Valade from Techsmith Education to discuss how easy it is for teachers to be Screencasting in the Classroom for their students. In this video, Jason shows several great reasons for creating screencasts for the classroom. Learn how educators across the country are using video to transform teaching with flipping, project-based learning, and to get more choices in how they teach. Join former educator Jason Valade as he provides inspirational ways to teach more effectively and enrich experiences in and out of the classroom, including an introduction to popular video creation tool Camtasia. About Techsmith EducationBased in Okemos, Michigan, TechSmith provides over 180 countries around the world with screen capture and recording software for individual and professional use. We've made it our goal to give you tools that work just like you do, across multiple devices and locations. Our desktop products, such as Snagit, Camtasia, TechSmith Relay, and Morae, make it easy to cre

Jeff sits down with Katie McClarty from Pearson Education to discuss Gifted and Talented education. Learn how the Center for College and Career Success can help you and your students. About PearsonPearson is the world’s leading learning company, with 40,000 employees in more than 80 countries working to help people of all ages to make measurable progress in their lives through learning. For more information about Pearson, visit http://www.pearson.com/ (http://www.pearson.com). Links of interestFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/pearsonplc (https://www.facebook.com/pearsonplc) Twitter: https://twitter.com/pearson (https://twitter.com/pearson) YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/PearsonEducation (https://www.youtube.com/user/PearsonEducation) Blog post: http://researchnetwork.pearson.com/college-career-success/gifted-talented (http://researchnetwork.pearson.com/college-career-success/gifted-talented) About our GuestKatie McClarty, Ph.D.Center for College & Career Succes

Jeff sits down with Jacqueline Russell to discuss why new Microsoft Surface Tablet is the perfect solution for your digital classroom. About Microsoft EducationMicrosoft Corporation is an American multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, that develops, manufactures, licenses supports and sells computer software, consumer electronics, and personal computers and services. Its best-known software products are the Microsoft Windows line of operating systems, Microsoft Office office suite, and Internet Explorer web browser. Its flagship hardware products are the Xbox game consoles and the Microsoft Surface tablet lineup. It is the world's largest software maker measured by revenues. It is also one of the world's most valuable companies. Links of interesthttp://www.surface.com/education (www.surface.com/education) http://www.surface.com/accessories (www.surface.com/accessories) http://www.microsoft.com/switch (www.microsoft.com/switch) http://www.microsoft.com/education/apps (www.mi

Jeff sits down with Terri Schwartzbeck and Sam Patterson to discuss the Alliance for Excellent Education, Digital Learning Day and how you can have a Future Ready School. About the Alliance for Excellent EducationThe Alliance for Excellent Education is a Washington, DC–based national policy and advocacy organization dedicated to ensuring that all students, particularly those who are traditionally underserved, graduate from high school ready for success in college, work, and citizenship. The Alliance focuses on America’s six million most at-risk secondary school students—those in the lowest achievement quartile—who are most likely to leave school without a diploma or to graduate unprepared for a productive future. Started in 2012, Digital Learning Day has provided a powerful venue for education leaders to highlight great teaching practice and showcase innovative teachers, leaders, and instructional technology programs that are improving student outcomes. This grassroots effort blossomed into a massive nationwi

On February 1, 2017, hundreds of thousands of educators and students will join together in the spirit of “play”. Today, I am sharing this podcast that we recorded to celebrate the first Global School Play Day in 2015. There are several things you can do to participate in this years event. The first thin you can do is share with your community their great website http://www.GlobalSchoolPlayDay.com (www.GlobalSchoolPlayDay.com). The second is to follow the social hashtag #GSPD2017. There is an online form https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1vu8FXyzfMy8GVW2Z5b2LF-UDj5O-KLrgd0FjjWzm4xE/edit?usp=drive_web (found here) that you can use to sign up and become connected with hundreds of classrooms around the world. Who Else Is Participating in Global School Play Day? Links of Interesthttp://www.GlobalSchoolPlayDay.com (www.GlobalSchoolPlayDay.com) #GSPD2017 About our GuestsTim Bedley Global School Play Day Founder Twitter: @tbed63 http://www.timbedley.com (www.timbedley.com) 5th Grade Teacher in Lake Elsi

Jeff sits down with Syed Balkhi from WPBeginner.com to discuss how WordPress can be used as a communication tool for teachers and parents, as well as how it can be used as a powerful digital portfolio tool. About WPBeginnerWPBeginner is a free WordPress resource site for Beginners. WPBeginner was founded in July 2009 by Syed Balkhi. The main goal of this site is to provide quality tips, tricks, hacks, and other WordPress resources that allows WordPress beginners to improve their site(s). Links of Interesthttp://www.wpbeginner.com (http://www.wpbeginner.com) http://youtube.com/wpbeginner (WPBeginner Youtube) http://www.twitter.com/wpbeginner (@WPBeginner) http://www.twitter.com/syedbalkhi (@syedbalkhi) About our GuestSyed Balkhi is the founder of WPBeginner. He is known for his aggressive marketing skills, creative designs, and expertise in SEO. Syed has been in the industry for over eight years, and he has worked with some of the top brands in the industry. He is known as “the WordPress Ninja” amon

Jeff sits down with Cameron Evans from Microsoft Education and educators Glenn Robbins and Michael Braun to discuss how Microsoft and Code.org are transforming the lives of more than 20 million students through code. About MicrosoftFounded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services, devices and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential. Links of Interesthttp://www.microsoft.com/en-us/education/default.aspx (Microsoft in Education) http://www.educatornetwork.com/Sites/Resources/QuickTipVideos (Microsoft Educator Network) https://twitter.com/Microsoft_EDU (@Microsoft_EDU) https://www.facebook.com/microsoftineducation (Microsoft in Education) (Facebook) http://www.microsoft.com/about/corporatecitizenship/en-us/youthspark/youthsparkhub/hourofcode/ (YouthSpark )(Hour of Code) Show TopicsHour of CodeThere’s been lots of buzz and student participation in the Hour of Code during Computer Science Education Week which was 12/8-14. Over 77 m

Jeff sits down with Jeffrey Bennett to discuss his new book On Teaching Science and how your students can have an astronaut read to them from the International Space Station. About Big Kid ScienceBig Kid Science (www.bigkidscience.com) offers fun and scientifically accurate educational products, including award-winning books, school programs, author visits, and activities and resources for individuals, families, and classroom teachers. On Teaching Science: Principles and Strategies That Every Educator Should Know Math for Life: Crucial Ideas You Didn’t Learn in School (Updated Edition) Max Goes to the Space Station Max Goes to Mars Max Goes to Jupiter Max Goes to the Moon The Wizard Who Saved the World Links of InterestWebsite: http://jeffreybennett.com (http://jeffreybennett.com) | www.bigkidscience.com | www.storytimefromspace.com Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/JeffreyOBennett (@JeffreyOBennett) Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jeffrey-Bennett/159547380906805 (https:/

Jeff sits down with Dr. Bill Brennan to discuss views on education, social media, parent involvement and much more. For more information, please visit www.TeacherCast.net. About Dr. BrennanDr. Bill Brennan (@DrBillBrennan) is Lead Innovator in Farmingdale Public Schools. A graduate of Fordham University’s Doctoral program in Educational Leadership, Bill led a National Study of School Principals, Knowledge Management, and Organizational Learning. Dr. Brennan continues to teach, write and speak on building digital age learning organizations. He challenges school leaders to re-design organizations to better cultivate human and social capital in the Digital Age. Topics CoveredFarmingdale School District What is a Lead Innovator? Growing a Social Media Presence in your School District and Community How do you Unlearn something? Public Speaking: Keynotes / TEDx etc Professional Development Opportunities in the NYC area Long Island Links of Interesthttp://www.twitter.com/DrBillBrennan (@DrBillBrennan) http://b

Jeff sits down with Will Lenssen and Sam Patterson to discuss some amazing opportunities for high school students worldwide to get a great online education. Links of InterestCanadian High School Online: http://www.canadianonlinehighschool.com/ (www.canadianonlinehighschool.com) https://www.facebook.com/canadianonlinehighschool?ref=ts (https://www.facebook.com/canadianonlinehighschool?ref=ts) https://twitter.com/CdnOHS (https://twitter.com/CdnOHS) http://www.pinterest.com/CdnOHS/ (http://www.pinterest.com/CdnOHS/) http://instagram.com/canadianonlinehighschool (http://instagram.com/canadianonlinehighschool) http://www.cohsresources.com/ (http://www.cohsresources.com) http://cdnohs.com/ (http://cdnohs.com) https://www.youtube.com/user/CdnOnlineHighSchool (https://www.youtube.com/user/CdnOnlineHighSchool) About our GuestsWill Lenssen: Canadian Online Higih School Born in the Netherlands, Will Lenssen and his family came to Canada in 1950, settling in Oakville, Ontario. He graduated with his BSc (H

Jeff sits down with Sam Patterson, Jenny Grabec and Casy Cohen to discuss 1:1 education. Topics include starting 1:1, implementing 1:1, and community involvement with 1:1. Show TopicsGoing 1:1 Choosing the right tech for 1:1 Preparing the buildings and classrooms for 1:1 How to Go 1:1 Getting your Teachers to go 1:1 1:1 Lessons and Lesson Plans Does 1:1 mean 100% Tech? Resources online for 1:1 deployment Community involvement with 1:1 About our GuestsJenny Grabec As Director of Instructional Technology at a K-12 independent school, Jenny has the privilege of leading a one-to-one iPad/Mac rollout with students, faculty and staff. The students at her current school have average to above average intelligence and have been diagnosed with specific learning disabilities; primarily dysgraphia, dyslexia, language processing, executive function deficits, and/or attention deficit disorder. Jenny also led the first one-to-one iPad pilot in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools in a middle school and high school classroom

Jeff sits down with Mark Johnson from StudioTech.tv to discuss how your school can assemble a high-quality broadcasting studio. About StudioTech.tvStudioTech TV provides industry news, reviews and information for individuals and companies producing audio and video, especially for the internet. Links of Interesthttp://www.studiotech.tv Europe: Mark Johnson – mark@studiotech.tv Twitter – @ttfntv North America: Vance Willis – vance@studiotech.tv Twitter – @vancewillis Topics CoveredAbout TTFN.tv and StudioTech Should we get into video production as a hobby? What should the average person look for in-studio equipment? What should a school district look for when selecting studio equipment? Is there ever a good way to Future-Proof our studios? Greenscreen vs Whitescreen vs Blackscreen Broadcasting on a budget Live Reads from the Principals Office Featured GuestMark Johnson – http://StudioTech.tv (StudioTech.tv)  

Jeff sits down with Jerry Blumengarten and Brad Currie to discuss how educators are using Twitter to connect with each other. This podcast was originally recorded in December 2012. Featured TopicsTwitter Social Media in the Classroom Using Twitter Hashtags to your advantage Finding the right Twitter Chat Student Involvement in Social Media Twitter for Students FInding the right technology for the classroom Planning for the future Featured GuestsBrad Currie is the Dean of Students and Supervisor of Instruction for the Chester School District in Chester, NJ. He is also the co-founder and co-moderator of #Satchat, a weekly Twitter discussion for current and emerging school leaders. Brad is a firm believer in the power of social media as a means to bring all educators together in order to promote the success of all students. Jerry Blumengarten: I was a Middle School teacher who taught for 32 years in the New York City school system. I was a licensed Social Studies teacher

Jeff sits down with Dustin Hartzler to talk about WordPress. WordPress is a free website creation tool where teachers can set up a dynamic and engaging class website. Featured Topics:What is WordPress? WordPress.com vs WordPress.org Finding Server space Setting up a Social Networking site using BuddyPress Why is WordPress Easy to setup and get Started? Favorite Plugins for WordPress Featured Websites:http://yourwebsiteengineer.com/ (Your Website Engineer) http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/your-website-engineer-resource/id410342775 (YourWebsiteEngineerPodcast) WordPress.com WordPress.org Featured Guest:Dustin Hartzler is a full-time WordPress website developer who focuses on helping small business create great looking, easy to maintain website. Dustin works for his own company, Hartzler Digital Media (http://HartzlerDM.com/ (http://HartzlerDM.com)), in Dayton Ohio. Along with developing websites for a living, Dustin also produces the most popular WordPress podcast on iTunes, Your Website Engineer (http

Jeff sits down with Patrick Larkin from Burlington High School and Jessica Johnson to discuss how they use iPads and technology in their schools. Topics Covered:Starting the school year off with a bang… How to prepare for the new semester What are todays expectations for our students? Graduates? Teachers? Schools? Administrators? Using Social Media in our schools and classrooms Should Teachers blog/tweet?, Should Schools blog/tweet? How can schools develop safe methods for using Social Media in the classroom How to use todays technology to communicate with parents How to teach todays parents about what their kids are learning Safe ways to continue educating after the bell has rung How to make the most use of our iPad….. How to use the iPad to maximize productivity in yourself… and in your staff How to run a class… or school using an iPad and what apps to choose Personal Learning Networks Creating a 1:1 environment for our schools Websites and Apps Discussed: Splashtop Remote ScreenChomp Evernote Google Apps

Jeff sits down with Jason Glass, the Director of Education from Iowa to discuss the state of education and how teachers can prepare students for their futures. Topics Covered:The State of Education Describe our countries educational system today What are some of your favorite things to do as Director of the Department of Education Are teachers, schools, school districts ready to embrace today's technology? Working within a shrinking budget How schools are meeting the needs of our students today What technologies should we be embracing? Leaning away from? Should Technology be driven by the students, or by the teachers? (or by the community?) At what age should students be learning social technologies… and how? Should we be teaching “basic skills” in school? (long division, cursive, etc…) Websites and Apps Discussed: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/twitter/id333903271?mt=8 (Twitter) http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/evernote/id281796108?mt=8 (Evernote) About our Guests: Governor Terry Branstad appointed Dr. Jas

Jeff sits down with Steven Anderson and Eric Sheninger to discuss how they are educating a generation of digital learners. Topics Covered:What are we looking forward to as the new school year approaches? How are we getting ready for school differently this year as opposed to in years past? Suggestions for starting our students on the right track this year? Empowering Integration How should technology be introduced into our classrooms? How can we help our teachers learn about these technologies? What types of PD should we be giving our teachers. What types of technology should be introduced into our classrooms? (Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Blogs, Wiki's, Podcasts, iPads, iPhones, internet devices) What types of accounts should we be asking our students to have? (twitter, dropbox, google…etc..) Internet Safety and Security…. Keeping students, teachers and school districts safe Should teachers use more Google in the classroom? How should we be inviting our students to share files between home and school? Having