Tech Matters

Technology tips and teaching strategies aligned with PowerUp WHAT WORKS.
Jan
16
2015

Year End Roundup: Top Tech Matters Blog Posts of 2014

Happy New Years from the PowerUp WHAT WORKS team! In 2014, PowerUp WHAT WORKS aimed to use the Tech Matters Blog to keep our readers up-to-date on the innovative ways educators are using educational technology to enhance instruction and... More...
Jan
14
2015

Personal Learning Networks: Finding Curated Content

Image Credit: EduBlog How do you find high-quality content for your Personal Learning Network? Building a Personal Learning Network (PLN) supports your professional development, as a teacher, PD facilitator, teacher... More...
Jan
5
2015

What are your 2015 Tech Resolutions?

Celebrating the New Year traditionally means making resolutions. Typical, top-of the-list items include dieting and exercising. But from a professional side, what if the resolutions focused on ways to use technology to improve teaching and learning... More...
Dec
15
2014

Math Apps for a Good Start

Picture this: A young elementary student is doing his math homework. His head is in his hands.  Then he looks up at his parents, “I don’t get it,” he says on the verge of tears. Does this image, which could easily take place in any classroom, sound... More...
Dec
9
2014

Making Sense of BYOD, One-to-One, Mixed Devices, Laptop Carts and Computer Workstations

We recently posted about spending technology dollars wisely and suggested several steps to take, and resources to use, when planning technology spending. A major consideration to budget planning relates to the technology configuration that reflects... More...
Dec
2
2014

Spending Technology Dollars Wisely

I recently presented a session at the ATCNE (Assistive Technology Conference of New England 2014). There I met many educators with responsibility for purchasing hardware and/or software. They explored the vendor’s technology offerings noting many... More...
Nov
25
2014

Quiz Prep Tool

Over dinner during a recent visit to Texas, my 7th grade grandsontold me how well he had done on his science test that day. “How did you study for the test?,” I asked. He explained that the teacher used a program called Kahoot to help the class... More...
Nov
19
2014

What does state of the art assistive and educational technology look like for students with disabilities?

“…what used to fit in a building now fits in your pocket, what fits in your pocket now will fit inside a blood cell in 25 years” – Ray Kurzweil The Technology-Related Assistance for Individuals with Disabilities Act (1988), is also called... More...
Nov
17
2014

How the SETT Framework Works

Dr. Joy Zabala is the Director of Technical Assistance for CAST and for the National Accessible Instructional Materials (AIM) Center. Dr. Zabala was a general and special educator and is a pioneer in assistive technology and accessible instructional... More...
Nov
12
2014

Using Smartphones to Support Struggling Students

The website, te@chthought, posted a series of articles about how teachers can integrate smartphones into classroom instruction in exciting and meaningful ways. Over time, the strategies kept growing and they include valuable ways to enhance your... More...