Welcome to this month’s edition of Tech Connect. In our classrooms, "the future" isn't a distant concept—it’s sitting at our desks every morning. As educators, we have the unique opportunity to give our students the digital tools they need to build that future. In this issue, we’re highlighting new ways to foster student agency through tech. Let’s stop waiting for what’s next and start building it together.

"The best way to predict the future is to create it." — Peter Drucker

This week is Read Across America Week and it isn’t just about hats and bookmarks—it’s about the intersection of human storytelling and machine intelligence. As we celebrate a "Nation of Diverse Readers," we have a unique opportunity to integrate AI Literacy into our reading routines.

Instead of seeing AI as a replacement for reading, we can use it as a "scaffold" that makes complex texts accessible and makes the act of creation more inclusive.

Leveled Activity Idea AI Tool Focus

Elementary (K-5)AI Story Co-Pilots: Teachers use AI to generate "what happens next" scenarios for a book they are reading, then illustrate the results to compare with the author’s original ending.

MagicSchool/Brisk: To generate leveled decodable passages based on student interests.

Middle (6-8)Character Chatbots: Students "interview" a historical figure or fictional character. They must then fact-check the AI’s responses against the actual text to spot "hallucinations."

SchoolAI: Safe, teacher-moderated spaces for role-playing with AI characters.

High (9-12)The Algorithmic Critic: Students feed a classic poem into an AI Model and ask for an analysis. Their task? Write a rebuttal explaining what the AI "missed" regarding human emotion and nuance.

Gemini: To explore the limits of literary analysis and practice prompt engineering.

🎬 Meet Google Vids: Your New Video Assistant 🎬

Google has officially added a new member to the Workspace family: Google Vids. Designed to make video creation as easy as building a slide deck, this AI-powered app is now rolling out to Google Workspace for Education accounts.

Rather than wrestling with complex timelines or expensive editing software, educators and students can now "write" a video just like they would a Doc or a Slide.

Why Educators Love It

"Slides Turned 90 Degrees": The interface is incredibly familiar. You work with horizontal "scenes" instead of vertical slides, making the learning curve almost zero for anyone used to Google Slides.
AI-Powered Storyboarding: Using the "Help me create" feature, you can prompt Gemini to generate a first draft, complete with a storyboard, suggested stock footage, and a script based on your existing Google Drive files.
In-App Recording Studio: Record your screen, your webcam, or just your voice directly within the app. It even includes a built-in teleprompter to help you stay on track while recording.
Seamless Classroom Integration: Teachers can "Make a copy for each student" directly within Google Classroom, allowing for collaborative video projects or personalized student reflections.

3 Quick Ways to Use Vids Right Now

Weekly Recap Videos: Replace your text-heavy newsletters with a 60-second video highlight reel of classroom activities.
Interactive Book Trailers: Have students create "coming soon" trailers for the books they are reading to build excitement and comprehension.
Bite-Sized Lesson Hooks: Use AI-generated stock footage to create a mysterious 10-second "hook" to introduce a new science or history unit.

🚀 The Google Classroom "Glow Up"🚀

Google Classroom is undergoing its most significant transformation in years. The updates focus on moving beyond a simple digital "cubby" into an actionable dashboard powered by deeply integrated AI. Whether you’re looking to save time on grading or want better insights into student progress, here is what’s landing in your classroom this semester.

🌟 Key New Features 🌟

The Actionable Homepage: Say goodbye to the simple list of classes. The new homepage is now a data-driven dashboard. Educators see real-time class insights (like engagement trends), while students get a personalized deadline tracker to help them prioritize their week.
Native Recording Studio: You can now record audio, video, and screen captures directly within Classroom. No more third-party extensions—just hit record to leave a personal video announcement or provide verbal feedback on an assignment.
Gemini as your Teaching Assistant: Gemini is now "Classroom-aware." You can tag @Classroom in a chat to ask questions like, "Which students haven't turned in the lab report?" or "Summarize the common mistakes from yesterday's quiz." * Standards Tagging & Analytics: You can now tag assignments with state or national standards (like NGSS or Common Core). A new Analytics tab then tracks student mastery against those specific standards automatically.

🤖 AI-Powered Time Savers 🤖

Google has introduced over 30 no-cost AI tools specifically for teachers. Within the new Gemini tab in Classroom, you can:

Generate Audio Lessons: Turn any text or topic into a conversational, podcast-style audio lesson for review stations.
Instant Rubrics: Convert any project description into a structured, Classroom-ready rubric in seconds.
Text Re-leveling: Instantly adapt a reading passage to multiple Lexile levels to support differentiated instruction.

Focusing on Accessibility as a Default means shifting from "retrofitting" lessons for specific students to "proactively designing" them so that barriers are removed for everyone from the start. This is the heart of Universal Design for Learning (UDL).

Here are specific ways to use technology to make your Tier 1 instruction universally accessible:

1. The "Dual-Channel" Delivery (Visual + Auditory)

Don't let the "wall of text" be a gatekeeper to grade-level concepts.

Live Captions: Use the Live Captioning feature in Google Slides or PowerPoint during your direct instruction. This supports students with hearing impairments, those with auditory processing issues, and English Language Learners (ELLs) simultaneously.
Interactive Video (Edpuzzle): Instead of a 10-minute video, use a tool that pauses the video to ask a question or provide a summary. This prevents "passive scrolling" and helps students with ADHD or working memory deficits chunk the information.

2. Digital "Scaffolding" Overlays

Provide tools that stay "on" for every student, allowing them to choose the support they need without feeling singled out.

Immersive Reader: This is a powerhouse tool (built into Microsoft and many web extensions). It allows any student to:
- Change the background color (to reduce visual stress/dyslexia symptoms).
- Isolate one line of text at a time (to help with focus).
- Use a Picture Dictionary (clicking a word shows an image, perfect for ELLs and low-vocabulary students).
HyperDoc Guided Notes: Instead of a blank notebook, provide a digital document with embedded links to "help" videos or simplified definitions. Students who know the material skip the links; students who are stuck have an immediate lifeline.

3. Multi-Modal Expression (The "Menu" Approach)

Standard Tier 1 instruction often relies heavily on writing. Technology allows you to assess knowledge, not just writing ability.

Audio/Video Responses: Use Padlet to allow students to record a 30-second video explaining a concept rather than writing a paragraph.
Canva for Education: Let students create an infographic or a "talking" poster. For a student with dysgraphia or a language barrier, a visual representation of a scientific cycle is a much more accurate measure of their understanding than a written essay.

4. Smart "Choice Boards"

Create a digital choice board (using Google Slides or a Choice Board generator) where students choose how they engage with the Tier 1 content:

Option A: Watch/Listen: Watch a 3-minute video with a transcript.

Option B: Read/Interact: Read the article at a self-selected Lexile level.

Option C: Build/Apply: Use a digital simulation (like PhET) to test the theory.

Why this works for Tier 1?

When these tools are available to everyone, the "stigma" of using an accommodation disappears. The student who is just tired that day uses the text-to-speech, and the student who actually needs it to learn doesn't feel like an outsider.

A massive round of applause to everyone who leaned in and leveled up during our 3rd Quarter Professional Development on Interactive Activities! This quarter, we focused on moving beyond passive screen time and toward active digital engagement.

Check out the Padlet links below for your specific grade band to find "plug-and-play" activities you can use in your classroom right now:

Elementary School Padlet Link

Middle School Padlet Link

High School Padlet Link

Thank you for being the architects of modern learning. Keep sharing, keep clicking, and keep connecting!