Teach with Tech

Preparing students for college-level research starts with equipping them with the right tools—and Google Scholar is a powerful resource for fostering academic inquiry. Designed to streamline access to scholarly literature, Google Scholar enables students to find credible sources across a variety of disciplines and formats, all from one convenient platform.

What Makes Google Scholar Stand Out?

Google Scholar offers a broad scope of academic resources, including:

• Scholarly Articles: Access research from academic publishers, professional societies, and universities.
• Theses and Books: Locate foundational texts and in-depth studies.
• Court Opinions and Abstracts: Explore specialized topics for cross-disciplinary learning.
• Citation Tracking: Discover how frequently and recently a source has been cited, providing insight into its academic relevance.

Key Features for High School Researchers

• Unified Search: Explore scholarly literature from various disciplines in one place.
• Related Works: Easily find additional resources by exploring related articles, authors, and citations.
• Access Options: View full texts when available or locate documents through school library subscriptions.
• Save Articles & Stay Updated: You can favorite an article to add it to your Google Library and track developments in any field with email alerts or saved searches.

Important Notes for Students

While many resources are free to access, some documents may be behind paywalls. Encourage students to leverage their school or local library subscriptions to access these materials.

Why Use Google Scholar in High School?

Google Scholar introduces students to the world of academic research, preparing them for future educational endeavors. It teaches them how to:

• Identify credible sources.
• Explore interdisciplinary connections.
• Evaluate scholarly impact through citations.
• Engage critically with professional literature.

Are you curious about the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in K-12 education? Our new resource hub is designed to help educators like you confidently explore and integrate generative AI into your teaching practices.

The hub features a dedicated "AI Resources for Educators" page packed with practical information and tools. Start with a clear overview of what AI is and how it’s transforming classrooms. Learn about the potential of AI to streamline tasks, foster creativity, and enhance learning experiences for students.

To help you navigate this emerging technology responsibly, the page includes resources for:

• Classroom Policies and Best Practices: Guidance on creating AI use policies that encourage ethical and effective implementation. Along with state and federal guidance documents and examples for encouraging academic honesty.

You’ll also find a curated collection of tools, including:

• Generative AI Chatbots for brainstorming and personalized student feedback.
• Teacher Tools to simplify lesson planning, grading, and content creation.
• Image Creation Tools to enhance teaching materials and projects.
• Student-Friendly AI Tools for tutoring, research, writing, and creativity.
• Professional Development Resources to help you stay ahead in the ever-evolving EdTech landscape.

Do you have resources that should be included on this website? Please email them to ayla.olson@imesd.k12.or.us

Presentations just got more dynamic! Canva’s live edits feature revolutionizes the way you engage with your audience by allowing real-time changes to your slides without ever leaving presentation mode.

With live edits, you can:

• Edit On-the-Fly: Tweak text, images, or design elements directly on the slide being displayed to your audience.
• Make Instant Updates: Any changes you make are immediately visible, ensuring seamless adjustments without disrupting the flow of your presentation.
• Stay in the Moment: No need to switch between editing and presenting—everything happens within presentation mode.

How to Use Live Edits in Canva

1. Open Your Presentation: Navigate to the Canva design you want to present.
2. Enter Presentation Mode: Click "Present" at the top of the editor to begin.
3. Edit as You Present: Make adjustments directly on the active slide- from another TAB, and watch the changes appear instantly for your audience.

This feature is perfect for collaborative discussions, Q&A sessions, or adapting your presentation to audience feedback in real time. Whether you’re teaching a lesson, leading a professional development session, or presenting to colleagues, Canva’s live edits ensure you stay flexible and responsive.

Canva presentations go beyond great visuals—they’re packed with interactive features that make your presentations engaging and fun! Whether you’re teaching a class, hosting a meeting, or leading a workshop, these tools can help you keep your audience captivated.

Instant Interactive Effects

Enhance your presentation experience with these quick keyboard shortcuts:

• B: Blur the current slide to refocus the audience’s attention.
• C: Release a shower of confetti for celebrations.
• D: Add a drumroll animation to build anticipation.
• M: Drop the mic with a dramatic animation.
• O: Fill the screen with floating bubbles for a whimsical touch.
• Q: Quiet the room with an animation that signals pause or silence.
• U: Close with a curtain call animation for a theatrical ending.
• Numbers (0-9): Start a countdown timer for one to nine minutes.

You can also press Shift + / or ? to open the Magic Shortcuts™ menu for a full list of tools right in presentation mode.

Timers with Music: Keep Your Audience on Track Need to manage time while keeping the energy up? Canva’s timer feature lets you do just that:

1. Set a Timer: Press any number (e.g., 3 for three minutes) to display a countdown.
2. Add Music: Hover over the timer, click “Music,” and choose from options like Focus, Dramatic, Upbeat, or Energetic.
3. Adjust Volume: Hover and select “Volume” to control the sound level.
4. Minimize the Timer: Keep the countdown running while focusing on your slides.

Why Use These Features? These tools are perfect for:

• Classroom Engagement: Blur slides to regain focus, celebrate with confetti, or keep time for student activities.
• Workshops & Meetings: Use drumrolls to introduce key moments or floating bubbles to lighten the mood.
• Professional Development: Add timers with music to structure group discussions or work sessions.

The EdTech Huddle is for all educators who want to expand their knowledge and use of educational technology. Especially those who use technology in the classroom, actively work to integrate technology into their lessons and curriculum, and are willing to share/model instructional tech to others in their schools and districts.

Save-the-Date

This year we received a small grant from Oregon Department of Education- this grant will allow us to offer two, in-person workshops; one for Elementary educators on Tuesday, February 25 and one for Secondary Educators on Wednesday, February 26.

This is a monthly newsletter from the Instructional Services Department of the IMESD. It includes current issues and concerns of tech (within the realms of education), tips and tricks, resources, and suggestions.

If you would like more information EdTech tools, resources, or training, please contact:

Ayla Olson

Instructional Coach

Email: ayla.olson@imesd.k12.or.us

Phone: 541-966-4657

Website: sites.google.com/imesdapps.org/instructional-coaching