Have you ever built your own website? Did you struggle with how to become familiar with the website functions?

Recently, since Wix and Weebly are a bit ill-functioning, I tried two new ones. They are called Squarespace and Strikingly. These two are not as intuitive as WordPress, but Squarespace contains educational templates which are convenient for educators to build sites. As to Strikingly, the function is a bit limited, but as it has the share-editing function, I decided to give it a try on our group project. Hopefully, it will work out well. Keep an eye on my posts, something interesting is coming soon!

Have you ever been curious how to remove background from an image? Besides Photoshop, here is a simple way to do it by using Powerpoint.

1. Add an image to a slide and click on it and click on the “Picture Format” panel at the top of the page
2. Click on the “Remove Background” button and mark the areas you want to keep, along with the areas you don’t want to keep.  you don’t have to be super precise – the algorithm will figure things out with just a few hints!
3. Click “Keep Changes” when you’re done
4. Right-click on your image to save it, or copy-paste it into the application of your choice
5. Insert another background
6. Put them in the right order and type the caption
7. Done! End product : )

I believe you all have played Kahoo on either occasion for entertainment or in class. Recently, Kahoo upgrades its 5 new features. If you haven’t experienced this interactive game, try it here!

1. Add audio to questions 
2. Add GIFs and animated stickers with GIPHY

   

3. Host Kahoot directly in PowerPoint

   

4. Add Bitmoji to your Kahoot

   

5. Read aloud questions in 37 languages

   

As a teacher who majored in curriculum development & instructional technology, I strongly feel that we, as teachers, are always too busy for everyday routines and class prep to keep updated on the technology trends. It’s a pity that we miss the opportunity to use technology to make our lives easier. Therefore, since COVID-19 pandemic began, we need to adjust ourselves to switch to online teaching. It was chaotic at the beginning. It’s good to know the SMAR model when implementing online teaching.

What is SMAR? The SAMR model lays out four tiers of online learning, presented roughly in order of their sophistication and transformative power: substitution, augmentation, modification, and redefinition.

Substitution: means replacing traditional activities and materials—like in-class lectures or paper worksheets—with digital versions. There is no substantial change to the content, just the way that it is delivered.

Augmentation: This level involves incorporating interactive digital enhancements and elements like comments, hyperlinks, or multimedia. The content remains unchanged, but students can now take advantage of digital features to enhance the lesson. EX.digital portfolios and Kahoot

Modification: At this level, teachers can think about using a learning management system like Google Classroom, Moodle, Schoology, or Canvas to handle the logistical aspects of running a classroom, like tracking grades, messaging students, creating a calendar, and posting assignments.

Redefinition: Learning is fundamentally transformed at the “redefinition” level, enabling activities that were previously impossible in the classroom. Ex. Virtual field trips, invite the author to chat about their work and answer questions.

References:

1. Common Sense Education. (2020, April 29). Introduction to the SAMR Model. https://www.commonsense.org/education/videos/introduction-to-the-samr-model
2. Terada, Y. (2020, May 5). A Powerful Model for Understanding Good Tech Integration. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/article/powerful-model-understanding-good-tech-integration