Matthew's Google Workspace, Apple & AI EdTech Blog

  My End-of-Year EdTech Tier List 2024–25 This blog post is very short and simple. You can find my full tier list with links here. As the 2024–25 school year wraps up, I have taken time to reflect on the digital tools, apps, and AI platforms I’ve mostly used this year as an educator. Creating this simple  EdTech Tier List  has helped me see clearly what’s embedded in my daily practice, what I rely on weekly, and what tools remain in experimental phases. It’s a snapshot of my current tech stack as a primary EFL/ESL teacher – and a roadmap for where I might grow next. Reviewing my EdTech tier list has reminded me that while technology never stands still, it’s the pro-active,  intentional choices we make to research and learn ourselves as educators that can help shape meaningful learning experiences for students. I’m excited to see which experimental tools become daily essentials next school year in 2025–26. What  top tools, hidden gems, and experimental favourit...

As of July 3rd 2025 (in my location of HK at least), Google has integrated Gemini into Google Classroom, making its advanced AI tools available free of charge to all Google Workspace for Education accounts. This development, observed firsthand with Gemini appearing in my classrooms today as I was busy working away, transforms how educators and students can now engage with AI. Unleashing New Possibilities With Gemini embedded in Classroom, teachers will now be able to generate lesson plans by inputting a topic and grade level, receiving drafts with suggested videos and quizzes. For example, a 7th-grade science teacher might create an ecosystem unit, adjusting texts and exporting quizzes to Google Forms. Content differentiation is another benefit, allowing tailored materials for diverse learners. Gemini also produces vocabulary lists with examples and rubrics, streamlining assessment design. Students aged 18+ can auto-generate quizzes, with this feature soon extending to younger users. I...