Wednesday Wit

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Canva

Have you heard of Canva? If you haven't, you are missing out! Canva is on fire these days, complete with their own AI tools built right into the platform! It's my new favorite go-to for anything graphic design (sorry Google slides) and especially for creating things with images

Canva is an online graphic design platform that provides teachers with access to a wide range of tools to create stunning visuals. It is easy to use and provides a simple drag-and-drop interface for creating beautiful designs. With Canva, teachers can easily create professional-looking presentations, infographics, flyers, posters and more in no time. It also offers a huge library of templates that can be used for creating custom visuals with just a few clicks. Teachers can use Canva to create engaging visuals for their lessons and make the learning process more interactive and enjoyable for their students.

Not only can teachers use it, but students can navigate and create in Canva, too! Even better, teachers get a free Canva Educator account, which includes access to the pro library of resources. It also allows teachers to create classes (similar to Google Classroom) and assign projects to students and groups of students, because, yes, you can collaborate on Canva!

Check out the Canva overview below - it's a great intro to this awesome platform.

Note this video is a few years old, but still solid for the basics. Canva has a self-paced tutorial once you create an account. That will have all the new bells and whistles!

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Wednesday Wit

 

Found on the Facebook: How-To Geek

PD Junkie

Hi.  My name is Marnie and I'm a PD Junkie.

I love learning.

I love the opportunity to attend {meaningful} PD - live, conference, webinar, recorded - anything. In fact, I just registered for another webinar being held later this week. Another because I already have one scheduled for tomorrow.

The question is, how do I "hold on to" all that I'm learning so that I can share it with others in my quest to help them bring their curriculum to life?

I talk about it. I talk about what I've learned with colleagues, family (thankfully my sister AND sister-in-law are both teachers, too) and anyone who could possibly learn from what I've learned. BUT I don't talk too much, I don't want to bore anyone!

One of the biggest things I've learned is that after each webinar, conference session, training, or any PD really, I have to press pause and let the synthesis happen. It's in that pause that I think deeply about what I've learned and how I can apply it to my job.

Is this a tool that could streamline processes for others? Is this an app that would help fill a particular student or teacher need? Could this website provide the missing piece for a problem in which we are seeking a solution? Is there a particular teacher who would love this? Is this just a fun tool with which I want to play?

These days, it's so easy to step into the rabbit hole of learning and let yourself fall for each shiny new item that is shared. The challenge is in that pause. Is the tool one that will assimilate into what you are doing, or is it another thing that teachers will have to "do" during their already overstuffed days?

I recently got back from the MACUL conference (more about that another time) and went to only three sessions, but each of those sessions was so powerful I was mesmerized. As a PD junkie, it's easy to get sucked into going, going, going. I'm finally starting to become more discerning about how I spend my (valuable) time.

See, there are literally free (and low cost) webinars for educators DAILY. Yes, you read that right. If you look, you'll be able to find a new webinar to attend every weekday. That would be PD overload. Instead, find the ones that speak to you, that hold promise of something you're looking for. 

I'm a PD Junkie, take it from me....!

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Wednesday Wit

 

Serotonin & the Dopamines by walmazon on Shirt Woot!