Matthew's Google Workspace, Apple & AI EdTech Blog

  Using Google Workspace apps in conjunction with other third party apps, you can create a nice VR project for either an entire class or smaller group of students. It's based on the idea of getting students to convert amazing 3D VR videos into their own 2D interpretations. This kind of project pushes all kinds of skills acquisition, from techy to literacy. In this blog we just give a simplified overview of how to do it.   Background: Last year we worked with a small group of 8 gifted P5 and P6 EFL students (aged 10-11). All students were already familiar with using core Google Workspace tools after 2 years of pandemic-style teaching and learning strategies. After a long absence from experimenting with VR Headsets due to the pandemic, we were able to reconnect to VR - within careful hygiene restrictions. So, we wanted to create a fun, enjoyable learning experience for our students and we based this project on previous VR-based lesson and activity ideas we had implemented b...

  Using Google Workspace apps you can create nice VR and AR projects for either an entire class or smaller group of students. Let's start with an AR project which involved using two AR Google Apps: Earth and Google Arts & Culture. Background: Last year we worked with a group of 15 gifted P5 and P6 EFL students (aged 10-11). All students were already familiar with using core Google Workspace tools after 2 years of pandemic-style teaching and learning strategies. Based in Hong Kong we were still, after 2 and half years, effectively unable to travel outside of Hong Kong. We decided it would be a good idea to get students to create virtual tours of places they would like to visit in the future, after the pandemic restrictions were lifted.  Project Aim:  Students create a Google Site to showcase the places they would like to visit in the future - Virtual Tours. This site can then be published and sent out to all school mates for feedback and comment in their Google Classro...

Some people argue kids shouldn't go anywhere near the Internet, particularly YouTube. The videos watched are no good and the trash in the comments sections is appalling. And all these iPads, these phones, screen time, games - all this tech use by kids is harming them... There is, no doubt, some truth to this. So surely in a school setting we should just ban the use of all this corrupting technology, right? Get back to basics. Well, that is one way to look at it. However, is it not better to get students taking advantage of the benefits of being online and using technology and not just focus on the negatives? If young learners are given good guidance and practice on how to us the Internet, and how to communicate with others online, AND gain technology skills which will be invaluable to them as they progress through life, then 'technology' can be a great tool. Unfortunately, even with training, not all kids will grow up to be responsible users of the Internet. There will be t...

Here in Hong Kong the online learning for school students continued, on and off, from February 2020 to April 2022. A very long time. What was the most challenging aspect of teaching online? For me, probably the classroom management and keeping students focused.  Working with Jonathan Lee at the HK Education Bureau, we decided to test out some 'old-school' techniques with the students at my school as we taught them online: Specifically thinking about how to make sure students on Zoom could feel included throughout the lessons. We experimented with using YES/NO paper-based flashcards with the students. It proved to be a great way to focus the whole class. They were very easy to use in conjunction with simple match up games using Google Slide flashcards. Want to know more about it?  For a full summary, check out   this Doc here  .

  When I first came across Jamboard, I didn't think I would get much use out of it in my lessons. I did try to get some of my students to use it during a COVID Zoom lesson, but I hadn't really thought through the technicalities of using it with my students virtually. I can safely say it was a mess...both the lesson and the Jamboard.  However, I have been getting into Jamboard more and more over the last year or so. The reason? Well, quite often with new technology apps or platforms, it's normal to have a few early disasters, so it's always good to have another look before you write something off as 'not for me, thanks'. I did that and realized Jamboard actually has a lot to offer! Once I had some time to think about what I was doing in my lessons, and how I could apply Jamboard  tools to help me, I realized that there were many things I could do. To help me think about this more clearly I used the SAMR concept for using technology , which basically sets out 4 di...

 Over the last 5 years I have been collecting and collating information about the apps we use on our iPads at school. Over time some apps stop working or fall out of favour, while new ones emerge.  So, as it's the start of a new year, and we are back at school AND in the classroom AND using the school iPads, after a long 'students can touch-nothing, especially iPads' Covid-related absence, I thought it was good time to review and update and streamline my list. One for our teachers, one for our students. They may be useful to other EFL/ESL teachers. Criteria for teachers' apps: Easy to use, free and useful! Criteria for students' apps: Easy to use, free or inexpensive, useful, engaging and fun!  iOS v. Android NOTE: All the apps mentioned in the student app list can also be found on Google Play, so if students have android tablets or phones at home and want to practice on the apps outside the classroom, no problem. Teachers' list         ...

 * Update September 2023: This blogpost is 2 years old and there has been one big change to the Anchor podcast. The name has changed to Spotify for Podcasters . So if you want to download the app, look for Spotify for Podcasters , not Anchor. Nothing else has changed. ________________________ It's September 2021, back to school. But school is not quite back to normal here in Hong Kong. Masks are mandatory, no group or pair work is possible for students, with transparent plastic space bubbles around each desk isolating every student from their peers. As we enter into a new school year at least schools are open and students are attending. However, primary schools are only open on a half-day schedule and everyone is working to a very tight timetable. This means putting on extra-curricular activities for students either after school or during recess and lunch times is extremely difficult or just impossible.  This has left me with a challenge at the start of this school year: How c...