Welcome to this week's newsletter!
For those teachers out there that are just heading back into school we hope you've had an awesome break and are recharged and ready to go!
While the school holidays often mean a quieter time for our trainers we still keep pretty busy with corporate clients and education events that happen during the break.
Once such event was the inaugural New Zealand Microsoft Innovative Educator's Expert Hui. Donna was invited along to present some sessions around micro:bit and Paint 3D - two tools we really love here at UTB. It was a great weekend of professional development and bonding.
As always, if there's anything we can do, anything you want to know or anything you want to feedback, please feel free to get in touch.
Something to make you think....
The Skills Needed to Survive the Robot Invasion of the Workplace
"For those in the workforce – or for those just joining it for the first time – the big question is: what skills are needed to navigate this monumental shift in the economy? How will humans create value in an increasingly automated world?"
Jeff Desjardins - Visual Capitalist Website
We loved this infographic by Guthrie Jenson about skills for the future, looking ahead to 2020 - not that far away!
The skills align with what teachers have known for a long time, placing key importance on problem solving, critical thinking and creativity.
There's a list of the predicted 10 most in-demand jobs in 2020. You'll have to click the link to see if you make the cut! Food for thought for all of us!
BLOG POSTS YOU MAY HAVE MISSED
Check out the practical, helpful tips in our blogs below.
Something you want us to blog about? Make a request here or check out our website to see all our posts.
How to give quick feedback to students with digital stickers and Google Keep - We know giving effective feedback to students is important. Here’s a simple way to create your own personalised feedback that is fun and actually encourages students to look back at work they have submitted to you. Combine digital stickers and Google Keep for a quick way to comment on student’s work. By Donna Golightly
Two ways to snooze an email in Gmail - Sometimes an email arrives in your inbox that you don’t need right away, but you will require at a later date. While it is tempting to just leave it in your inbox until you need it, this doesn’t help you on the quest for Inbox Zero! The better thing to do is to ‘snooze’ the email until you need it. - By Samantha Vardanega
Google Sheets - Sorting, filtering and formatting - Many of us are tentative to use spreadsheets because we are unsure of what they can do and how to use them. Google Sheets can save you time and provide valuable insights into the data you have. When you pair this with the capacity to work collaboratively, then the power of sheets is fully utilised. This video will show you how. - By Adrian Francis
Something we think you'll like...
insert learning
"Insert instructional content on any web page."
Insert Learning is an awesome Chrome Extension that allows you to turn any web page into a directed, interactive and differentiated learning task
A game changer for teachers and students! Scaffold and support students individually or as a class.
Insert Learning will allow you to highlight text, add notes, questions and start a discussion on any web page.
Embed FlipGrid, YouTube videos, Edpuzzles, Quizlets and many more awesome tools within the page.
Once you've prepped and annotated the page you can share it with your students through Google Classroom - beautiful! Your students will need the free extension added to Chrome as well.
It's easy to monitor and check in with how students are going as it tracks their responses for you.
We love Insert Learning and we think you will too!
upcoming events
Did you know that we travel extensively and love going to regional areas to support teachers? Simply reply to this email to find out how easy it is to host an event in your region and receive some free tickets for doing so
STEAM is an integrated curriculum approach that uses Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics to inspire, learn and share with others. Teachers everywhere are realising its potential for making cross curricula links and equipping their students with important digital learning skills.
Our STEAM Digital Technologies Curriculum will deepen your experience, understanding and resources to become an even more COMPETENT and CONFIDENT STEAM facilitator with your class and for your school!
These boot camps are fast paced, 2 day courses that cover a wide range of G Suite tools and how to use them in the classroom. You will also sit the 3 hour Google Certified Educator exam, where you will demonstrate your knowledge with multiple choice and practical scenario questions.
Kick off, or delve deeper with our highly recommended STEAM day, tailored to your school! Your UTB trainer will highlight and outline STEAM education in a fun, hands on, practical workshop related to the New Zealand Digital Technologies Curriculum.
Pedagogy, planning, integrated curriculum are all addressed in this action packed day.
A range of STEAM activities from unplugged activities through to coding and robotics, we help you to discover how you can start to weave the New Zealand Digital Technologies Curriculum into your current practice to improve student outcomes and engagement.
Credits:
Created with images by Photo by rawpixel on Unsplash, D1_TheOne - "robot 3d print" • TheDigitalArtist - "hand human robot" • ErikaWittlieb - "upset sad confused figurine unhappy sadness depressed" • John Carlisle - "DIY Electrical Board at Craft Lake City" • PublicDomainPictures - "connect connection cooperation hands holding isolated jigsaw"