Educator Alexander's Newsletter

Here are some things that you should know! Click on the pictures or words to find out more information about these new things that have been announced.

See these speakers rock the stage at ISTE 2023: Sawsan Jaber, Alexes Terry, Marcus Stein, Natalia LeMoyne Hernandez, Krynica Drake, Shaina Glass, Al Thomas, Leticia Citizen, MC'd by Toutoule Ntoya and Valerie Lewis, and produced through the creative vision of Brian Smith.

YouTube LiveStream Recording

Kami Heroes believe in the power of community. As ambassadors, they’re experts in using Kami to empower and inspire fellow educators to reimagine learning.

Get more info and apply here!

Applications close August 18.

IDEAcon 2024 is February 19 - 21, 2024!

IDEA Illinois is excited to open the Call for Proposals for IDEAcon 2024.

Learn More Here!

Submit your proposal today. The call closes on Monday, August 28, 2023.

The Center for Black Educator Development is thrilled to host its SIXTH national Black Men in Education Convening in Philadelphia on November 16-18, 2023.

The convening creates a communal, empathetic space to discuss the deeply emotional, intellectual, and trajectory-altering work revolutionary Black men educators do on a daily basis.

Register now: http://thecenterblacked.org/bmec

Please submit by September 22, 2023. All presenters must register and pay the conference registration fee. If your proposal is accepted, you will be notified by October 13, 2023. If you have any questions, please email Stephanie Thompson (stephanie.thompson@wbrschools.net) or Leslie McClure (mcclurel@wfsb.org) LACUE Program Chairs. One presenter will receive a $50 Amazon gift card and a free registration to #LACUE24, given away at the closing ceremony.

Spotlight on Inclusion is one of Bitly’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives focused on community and partnerships. Bitly is offering charitable organizations who are doing important work in the arena of equity and inclusion, fighting for justice, or serving systemically oppressed populations, our free Spotlight on Inclusion plan. This is a premium-level plan designed to provide such organizations the extra features they need to accomplish their goals.

More Information and Apply Here

Amazing training opportunities through Microsoft

Whether you're just starting or an experienced professional, our hands-on approach helps you arrive at your goals faster, with more confidence and at your own pace.

**I've taken Explore terminology in the anti-racism journey and it was great!*

Clipchamp is now included with your Microsoft 365 subscription

Lights, camera, action: your Microsoft 365 subscription includes premium access to Clipchamp, the quick and easy video editor designed for novices and experts alike. Get started now.

*Learn how to get a free Microsoft 365 subscription for educators below in the Microsoft section of the newsletter!*

New reading tools to the rescue from Google and Microsoft

See this article from the TCEA newsletter.

*****See more awesomeness every month in the Microsoft section below.

Click on the Graphic Below for Google Updates

Join the Beta to test Google Classroom template sharing (Google Admins)

Please share this one-pager with curriculum leaders in your network, encouraging them to build class templates in Classroom this summer. And, in order to share their templates at the start of the school year, they’ll need to express interest in the beta at goo.gle/shareable-classwork-beta. After expressing interest, we’ll be connecting with the Workspace Admin to complete a sign-up form on behalf of their domain. So share it today!

5 big Google announcements from June 2023

See this article from the TCEA Newsletter.

New reading tools to the rescue from Google and Microsoft

See this article from the TCEA newsletter.

*****See more awesomeness every month in the Google section below.

AudiobookSYNC is a summer program of FREE audiobook for teens 13+.

Two audiobooks are available each week through the Sora reading app from April 27 - August 2, 2023

Do you have some questions about ISTE Certification for Educators that you wish a human would answer? Here’s your solution … plus a couple of special deals from ISTE!

Attend one of the 30-minute info sessions with Certification Director Carmalita Seitz for real talk, and real answers to your certification questions.

Choose from these upcoming dates and times:

• Wednesday, July 19, 2023, 10:00 AM ET
• Thursday, August 24, 3034, 8:00 AM ET
• Monday, September 18, 2023 5:00 PM ET
• Wednesday, October 18, 2023, 8:00 AM ET
• Thursday, November 29, 2023, 9:00 AM ET

TWO CANVA TOOLS THAT WILL AMAZE YOU

FIVE TECHIE THINGS TO TRY THIS SUMMER

FIVE AI TOOLS TO TRY (JUNE 2023)

FIVE WAYS LEADERS CAN IMPROVE SCHOOL CULTURE

HOW TO EASILY CONVERT QUIZZES BETWEEN PLATFORMS

HOW TO INTEGRATE ROBOTICS INTO ELEMENTARY CONTENT AREAS

FIVE WAYS TO MAKE A SPLASH WITH WAKELET

MICRO-REFLECTIONS: CRAFTING REFLECTIONS IN THE MOMENT

FIVE WAYS TO EMPOWER EDUCATORS THROUGH INSTRUCTIONAL COACHING

THREE AI TOOLS FOR CREATING SPREADSHEET FORMULAS

This extension allows you to personalize your computer cursor!

Click on picture below for more information.

Click on the image to find out how to get certified with the featured tech certification of the month.

Here is a great way to get support and tips from Microsoft and stay update by subscribing to their newsletter!

Students and educators at eligible institutions can sign up for Office 365 Education for free, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, and now Microsoft Teams, plus additional classroom tools. All you need is a valid school email address. It’s not a trial – so get started today. -- Microsoft Website

Sign up here!

Click Here to find the newest information on Microsoft's Flip (formerly Flipgrid)!

Here are some updates from Google!

To Stay Updated, Watch ALL Here or EDU in 90: The Latest: All About Workspace

Help Shape the Future of Education Products
User feedback is critical to ensure we continue building more inclusive and helpful products – and focusing on the features that educators and students need and want most. Join our user research program and share feedback on Google for Education products. Everyone who participates in a volunteer study will get a gift card or a donation to their favorite charity as a token of our thanks.

Required changes for third party app access controls for Google Admins

1. Google Admins are required to confirm access settings for third party apps that are being used by their users by Oct 23, 2023.
2. Enhanced third party app access controls for Admins to manage access for users in their institution

• Users designated as under 18 will be required to request access to third party applications that have not been configured by admin. A tile in the Admin Console homepage labeled “App access control ” will surface unconfigured third party applications requests from users designated as under 18. Learn more about how Admins can configure third party apps for users designated as under 18.
• Admins have a new control to tailor third party app access settings by organizational units. Learn more.
• Admins have a new setting to allow end users to access unconfigured third party applications that are only requesting basic information using Sign in with Google. Learn more.

New Feature: Pause Cast for Cast Moderator
Ditch the HDMI cable and go fully wireless with cast moderator. Starting in M115, you can pause a casted screen to work out a math problem, check a quick email, or freeze an image.

Screencast Web Player is now LIVE
Students and teachers using the Screencast app on their Chromebooks can now share recordings to anyone using the new Screencast web player. Screencast uses chromeOS' built-in text-to-speech transcription to create transcribed recordings. Creators can trim recordings by simply "skipping" text and viewers can search and navigate long videos using the transcript or translate lessons into their language of choice.

What's new with Google Workspace for Education
We announced new features in Google Classroom, Meet, Slides and more to help students and educators build safer, more collaborative and accessible classrooms. New Classroom features give educators the chance to easily create interactive, personal lessons - and get insights - within Classroom. We're also improving collaboration throughout the school, making it possible to share class templates and classes with a link (great for planning the next school year), gain visiblity with Classroom analytics, and visit classes without being a co-teacher.

Here are all of the in-person trainings that are upcoming! Also, come see me at some of the following events.

Click on the pictures below for more information and to register and find more information such as dates, times, room numbers and links to register HERE.

Follow the directions for each Freebie!

If you have taken any professional development from Educator Alexander and/or have taken the SLLA test after attending any of her test prep classes, please click the picture below to leave comments.

Dr. Desiree Alexander is an award-winning, multi-degreed educator, speaker, and author who has been in the educational field since 2002. She is the Founder CEO of Educator Alexander Consulting, LLC and the Deputy Director for the Associated Professional Educators of Louisiana. She consults with members of several schools/businesses and presents at conferences globally.

Dr. Alexander is lifetime certified in Louisiana in Secondary English Education, as a Reading Specialist, as a School Librarian, as an Educational Technology Facilitator, as an Educational Technology Leader and in Educational Leadership 1. She is certified in Texas as a Principal, in English Language Arts and Reading for grades 4-8 and grades 8-12, as a Reading Specialist for grades EC-12, and as a School Librarian. She holds multiple technology certifications, including, but not limited to, IC3 certification, Google Certified Trainer, Innovator and Partner, Apple Teacher, and Microsoft Office Specialists.

She holds a Bachelor, a Master + 30, and an Education Specialist Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Louisiana State University, a Master of Library Science from Texas Woman’s University and a Master of Educational Leadership with a concentration in Educational Technology Leadership from Nicholls State University. She also holds a Doctorate in Education with a concentration in Educational Leadership from Lamar University.

She is the author of Ready to Be an Educational Leader: Your Guide for Passing the SLLA 6990, a 2022 & 2021 Texas Computer Education Association Featured Thought Leader, 2020 International Society for Technology in Education Featured Voice, 2020 Future of Education Technology Conference Featured Presenter, 2019 Customer Commitment Award Honoree from Better Business Bureau's Torch Awards for Ethics, a 2019 Shreveport National Pan-Hellenic Council Mover and Shaker, a 2017 Young Professional Initiative 40 Under 40 Awards Honoree, 2017 Center for Digital Education Top 30 Technologists, Transformers & Trailblazers, 2017 PBS Learning Media Digital Innovator for Louisiana, 2016 Associated Professional Educators of Louisiana Member of the Year, 2015 Librarian of the Year for Louisiana Librarian Association, 2015 Campus Teacher of the Year in the Zachary Community School District and 2014 Leader of the Year for Region 2 Louisiana Association of Computer Using Educators.

Learn more at www.educatoralexander.com.

Email: educatoralexander@gmail.com
Website: https://www.educatoralexander.com
Phone: 318-759-7591
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EducatorAlexander
Twitter: @educatoralex