Tech Matters Blog | Power Up What Works

Tech Matters

Technology tips and teaching strategies aligned with PowerUp WHAT WORKS.

Apr

16

2018

STEM Challenge: Questions, Argumentation and Use of Evidence

STEM for All: Personalize STEM Instruction with Accessible Technology Knowing how to ask questions and use evidence in arguments is an important part of engaging students in science learning. When students defend or critique a position,... More...

Apr

9

2018

STEM Challenge: STEM Literacy, Vocabulary, and Discourse

STEM for All: Personalize STEM Instruction with Accessible Technology Students in STEM need to master specific vocabulary and be able to use it in their science writing activities (journals, lab reports, etc.). These skills can be... More...

Jan

25

2016

What Can You Do About the Weather?

You can’t do anything about the weather—EXCEPT, that is, if you are a teacher designing weather-related instructional activities. Then you can build reading, writing, math, and science content and skills by integrating varied tech tool... More...

May

27

2015

Learning Comes Alive with Digital Storytelling

Digital storytelling is an engaging way to tell a story or present information by mixing computer-based images, text, recorded audio narration, video clips, and/or music. For struggling students, learning, comes alive as they: ... More...

Apr

2

2015

Travel Brochures: Let's Go!

Parents, grandparents, and guests filed into the 3rd grade classroom. They “oohed” and “aahed” over each student’s tri-fold travel brochure about a different state. This creative activity, which could be appropriate across... More...

Jan

21

2015

Potential of Podcasts

Dictionary.com defines a Podcast as being, “a digital audio or video file or recording, usually part of a themed series that can be downloaded from a website to a media player or computer.” Podcasts containing news, stories,... More...

Sep

24

2014

Engage Your Students with Transmedia Stories

“Transmedia storytelling (also known as transmedia narrative or multiplatform storytelling) is the technique of telling a single story or story experience across multiple platforms and formats using current digital technologies.” ... More...

Sep

10

2014

Technology Tools for Learning Logs

Both teachers and students can find value in using Learning Logs. For a student, it is a way to keep a record of what he or she is doing and learning in terms of knowledge and skills—right then, as the learning occurs. It is especially helpful for... More...

Aug

14

2014

The Changing Face of Research Project Reports

An educational rite of passage is for students, somewhere from the upper elementary grades through high school, to carry out one or more research projects and present/report out their findings. Recognize this familiar scene: A student is... More...

Jul

30

2014

Let the Ideas Flow: Prewriting and Tech Tools

Prewriting frees the inner writer. Commonly considered the first step in the writing process (prewriting, drafting, and reviewing), it is that “protected” time for generating ideas without the pressure of producing a draft right away. The University... More...