Author: edtechmrbrown

I have been seeing more and more online lately about AI image generators but I have been hesitant to delve into it. Some of the stuff is so strange and unnatural looking that it can be down right creepy. Then there is the whole possibility of Skynet that makes me irrationally not too excited about it.

However I learned today that Canva.com now has an AI image generator so I decided to go down that rabbit hole. It was fascinating. But before I get into it let’s talk about how we can use it in class. It’s fun but we need some value from it, more than a cool factor.

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I had two ideas this morning and I would love to hear back from you of other ways you come up with to use this new technology.

My first idea was a tool to make beautifying artwork for your teacher created materials. One of the options is for the AI to create an image pattern based on your request. These pattern images could make cool backgrounds. I asked the AI to make a pattern of Google App Logos and got these results. I also asked it to make a pattern image of zoo animals and got the results below. Now this is fun and useful but to truly get the most out of this tool we need to engage students using it so keep scrolling for my next idea.

Notice the unique “zoo animals” that it seems to have fabricated

Math teachers, you could have your students use probability to predict and analyze the patterns they create. Perhaps there is a way to incorporate your TEKS on 3D images with the 3D AI generated images.

My other idea was to have students generate images that can inspire a writing assignment. Students can enter attributes of a character or scene and have the AI generate an image. The images are likely to be wild (but appropriate, there looks to be strong filtering on the search key words) and stretch beyond the students expectations. When I tested this idea I got really neat images back that made my basic preconceived story concepts expand instantly in my imagination.

Let’s take a look at some of the examples below.

Just for fun I then asked the AI to create a drawing of a West Texas oil rig

Then the Pope driving the fastest car in the world

A cat smoking a tobacco pipe

Former Presidents in Various Fake Images

Lastly an army of Angels

I did find out that Canva does limit you to 100 AI generated images per day.

Here is a secondary ECR writing prompt. I have built it into Eduphoria Aware as well. I can share it to you if you are PISD send me an email. I have also shared it with your ELAR instructional coaches so you can get it from them as well.

This is a Lumio SMART board activity which has 5 different types of activities with 23 activity slides in total. Follow then link and save the activity to your Lumio library.

Here are a pair of printable posters for your classroom that inform and remind your students of keyboarding need to knows. Below are links to download poster sized pdfs of each.

Here is an activity that I built in Google Forms. You can assign this to your students in Google Classroom.
In this activity students examine an infographic, primary source audio recordings, and a couple of YouTube videos, all with reflection questions and some basic math computation for that cross curricular kick. I have added a line to the form to collect “Teacher Last Name” If you would like to have access to your students submissions you may email me and I can add you to the results spread sheet. It is however not a self grading activity. It contains a lot of open ended and short answer questions as opposed to multiple choice.

Interactive Digital Notebooks: Examples, Tips, and Templates!

I love Digital Interactive Notebooks and would be happy to help you get one set up for your students. They are a great way to use your Chromebooks and have students develop digital skills while curating all the resources they need for your course.

Above is a link to a TCEA article on these cool learning tools. Below is my post on Digital Interactive Notebooks. I created several content specific examples that are worth exploring. Those examples are found on slide 7.

Digital Interactive Notebook

Perhaps, like myself and others you have recently been frustrated by the phonebook system on our new school telephones. One day while expressing my frustrations to the phone, Mrs. Pappas informed me that there was an online phone directory that was far faster and easier to use. “Where might this super secret principals only phone directory be located”, I asked? “It’s no secret, it’s in ClassLink”, She replied.
Please enjoy this dramatic reenactment of a similar story.

(No employees were harmed during the filming of this video)

Here is a super simple but hugely effective Chromebook Quick Tip for you.
When you need to address your students while they are working on their Chromebook you need to peel their attention off of the device and on to you. Instruct your students to “45 their Chromebook”. This indicates that they need to close the screen to a 45 degree angle. This way they can’t see and be distracted by the screen but it does not close and put it to sleep.

Watch this short video to learn about the Mayfield Elementary Galaxy Star Challenge

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1u_G4bCtU5tb-ER738tAP1dHPajh0cIpgKa_jYqkF4qg/edit?usp=sharing

This slide show is to teach the campus administrators how to download the contest data.

Watch this super quick video to learn how you can win $200!!!

ETu Podcast Episode 11 23 September 2022

Innovation Badges

Innovation Badges

My Classes in ClassLink

https://help.classlink.com/s/article/My-Classes

Progress Learning with Alek Turner

Quick Click Remediation

Add Subjects for differentiation to Study Plans -see step 6. (this goes over all class settings available)

Bell Ringers

How to Author a Question

Here is a brief walk through how to find a shared assessment in Progress Learning.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PIJw7-knWpfr4LrwXTNh-0DVyPJFXX1A/view?usp=sharing

Here are 3 custom created just for you printable No-Tech Board Game options for your students. They are designed to be played with Flash Cards that you provide or even better have students make. I made with technology so I count them that way as EdTech. Made in Canva.

It is really so easy you would be silly not to try it. It takes about 1 minute to do.
In a later video we will cover creating custom assessments, how to share assessments with your team, and how to assign assessments.

Have your students add a moving mouth and voice to an image of a person or even any object with a tool like Blabberize or Chatterpix.  Students can create a fun project like that to demonstrate what they have learned.  

Check out this brief example of Mr. TP doin his standup routine.

This example is supposed to be fun and engaging but imagine it is Sojourner Truth talking about her work toward the abolition of slavery.  Jack London explaining his short story “To Build A Fire”.  One of the Engineers who designed the Golden Gate Bridge teaching how it’s suspension span system works.  Or even Ada Lovelace sharing how she saw the future of basic machine computation growing into algorithms.  Please invite me to your class to help your students develop some awesome projects like these.  

This is badge #96 Talking Pics for our Innovation Badge Chart.

Teachers, Students, and Classes are all rostered and ready to go in Progress Learning, which we knew last year as, Education Galaxy.
Teachers and students should access Progress Learning through ClassLink.

Ok, they aren’t literally countless because the computer counts them for us. However there are nearly EIGHT THOUSAND templates for certificates on Canva.com. In an effort to narrow that down to a more usable amount I searched “School Certificates” and got 1,200+ results. So use Canva.com to make some fun and captivating awards for your students.