68-Technology Infused Learning Resources with KS Tech Twins Samantha and Nichole

•   So you have 11 or so years within the education department, and you now have your administrator's certificate. We got our master's in Administration, Education Administration. I want to talk about your Teachers Pay Teachers, your business, because I think we need to promote with business and marketing and family consumer sciences, there's a lot of that over your technology education background. Yes, you're in the classroom, but you did a lot of coaching and mentoring, helping teachers bring their own technology skills up to speed. (1:31)

•    We've mentioned this before to some people, but our parents were teachers, and so was our grandma. But then they became admin themselves, curriculum director and Technology Director. So that's kind of funny, we're like intermix between the two, and so we were just raised to talk about it, know about it, and then our brothers are in the IT world as well. So we all just kinda... That was what we talked about is just our lifestyle, honestly, we thought why not teach it to students because we want to make a difference and we knew what it took to be teachers. We love the technology of business classrooms in high school, we both were like, Oh, this is where we thrived, and we took off and we love just the different aura of the classroom than just the textbook and back then and writing. We got a vision for what type of teachers we wanted to be and change up the classroom and that's what we did. (4:12)

•   That's one thing I think, as the tech twins, we want others to know, you don't have to be a computer or business or technology teacher to use technology. I think all educators experienced that because of the pandemic. But we want people to know like, Here's what you can do, it can work in any subject.  We like to share tips and tricks to make it easier because we also know technology can be crazy overwhelming for how fast it changes, and I'm sure you can understand that, it's as little as an add on. Like you said, just watching a video and putting the caption, that makes your tech-savvy. Showing students that just little things, it could be recording a video of you lecturing and sharing it so they can re-watch afterwards. Or just adding a website into your activities that you do for the day, there you go, now you're tech-savvy, incorporating technology. (8:37)

•   That's the whole point. We realize there's a need for teachers to... Yes, books give you your knowledge, but it didn't give you the break, you had to spend all the time and effort thinking, everything, out, figuring out different types of instruction and activities, and then making the test that goes with the book. So we realize we do that for ourselves already, why not share it with others? And then with the technology side, I feel technology, like I said, I can be super overwhelming. So why not simple it down into a little fun info graphic that you can save and use for later... I mean, I think the biggest tip for teachers is you don't have to be a tech expert, but like we said, throw a little thing in here. We use a little summarized infographic that you can share digitally or keep in your Instagram and revert back to when you need a quick little change up. Pretty much our plan is, if everything keeps going well, I don't know if we will return back to the classroom, any time soon, bcause this is like, we love being in the classroom, love or students in our school districts, that's why we didn't leave for so long, we were happy. But the balance of being a mother teaching a business that was growing so fast that we just ready to take something off our plate. (11:51)

•   That's why we love teaching business and computers, because you don't have to go be in the business world, but you can learn your basics of finances or accounting, or how to have an idea and how to run with it. Or how to write an email properly, or social media, because that's a whole new realm of marketing. And how to get a job because, they could lose their jobs with social media, even have to get a house loan. We cover it all because these are just things kids need that maybe won't help them with their career but when they walk out the door, they're going to feel confident in themselves to make choices. My favorite is, we learned this from a co-worker and we talked about this with some teachers, how kids don't know how to make a phone call or leave a voicemail. (17:51)

•   So favorite software. For me, I'm trying to think, well, it depends on which software you're using, but follow the big thing and say if it's Google or word... Follow people that are experts in that area. So you can kind of keep up with the news, like Google Apps. There's always new Google Apps and things like that with word, I'll actually follow Microsoft themselves just to follow what the newest things coming out, because they change things constantly on YouTube with software and anything. Go watch YouTube videos, there's a playlist. Yeah, if you follow Microsoft or Google themselves, there are actual tutorial playlist for anybody on any software, and you don't have to watch those yourself, you can literally send them out to your students. If you go to Excel, there are probably 50 Excel... Just short little videos like how you make a cell, a formula. The best one for that since we're talking about it is; GCFLearnFree.org. You can type in any software or any tests they have, how to use email. It is a free website, and it comes with the bridal instructions on the website for your students, or tutorial videos that they can watch on YouTube, and it will teach yourself or your students any software skills. (23:20)
 

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• FCS Podcast: https://fcspodcast.com
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CONNECT WITH SAMANTHA AND NICHOLE:

• Website: https://www.kstechtwins.com
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WHEN DOES IT AIR…
SEPTEMBER 08, 2021