January marks Braille Literacy Month (January 4th is Braille Day) and a remarkable milestone: 200 years since Louis Braille developed his revolutionary code that continues to impact lives today. In 1824, at just 15 years old, Louis Braille created a tactile code that would open new worlds of literacy and learning.

Braille uses 63 combinations of raised dots to represent letters, numbers, punctuation, and contractions. Each cell has two columns of three dots. The left column is numbered 1, 2, 3 from top to bottom, and the right column is numbered 4, 5, 6. Each dot has a unique number.

Braille literacy websites (click for updated list of special needs websites for the vision challenged):

1. HumanWare–various writing/reading tools for the blind
2. JAWS
3. National Library Service for the Blind–free, from the Library of Congress
4. Natural reader–paste text into the dialogue box and the site reads it to you
5. Panopreter–text-to-speech
6. Snap n Read–select text and click speaker icon on the toolbar.

–image credit DepositPhotos

Here’s the sign-up link if the image above doesn’t work:

https://forms.aweber.com/form/07/1910174607.htm

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Copyright ©2026 worddreams.wordpress.com – All rights reserved.

“The content presented in this blog is the result of my creative imagination and not intended for use, reproduction, or incorporation into any artificial intelligence training or machine learning systems without prior written consent from the author.”

Jacqui Murray has been teaching K-18 technology for 30 years. She is the editor/author of over a hundred tech ed resources including a K-12 technology curriculum, K-8 keyboard curriculum, K-8 Digital Citizenship curriculum. She is an adjunct professor in tech ed, Master Teacher, freelance journalist on tech ed topics, and author of the tech thrillers, To Hunt a Sub and Twenty-four Days. You can find her resources at Structured Learning.

This week, I’ll post updated suggestions to get your computers and technology ready for the blitz of projects you’ll swear to accomplish in New Year resolutions. Here’s what you’ll get:

1. 12 Ways to Update Your Online Presence
2. 8+ Ways to a Speedier Computer 

Regular readers of Ask a Tech Teacher know these are updated each December. New readers: Consider these body armor in the tech battle so you can jubilantly overcome rather than dramatically succumb. If you’re a teacher-author and read WordDreams, these are also posted there with some adaptations to writers.

8+ Ways to a Speedier Computer

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It sounds easy, but to a five or six year old, holding the mouse, clicking that left button, dragging and dropping while holding a finger down is darn difficult. Here’s a list (click for updates):

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How to Teach a Tech Lesson

This video is from a series I taught for school districts. It is now available for free to subscribers of Ask a Tech Teacher:

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Many (most?) states now administer yearly assessments online. If students haven’t used online testing tools before, this can be a daunting task. Having computer devices as optional education tools is a massive difference from requiring students to use them for graded assessments. This can be intimidating for both students and teachers.

The good news: It doesn’t take as much time and practice as you might think to prepare. What it does require is a techie mindset, the acceptance that technology is part of the daily landscape, that it be integrated into assignments, practice, modeling, homework, assessments, projects, portfolios, grading rubrics, expectations.

There are ways to get students in shape that won’t take much out of your already-packed day.

“The future of education will be shaped by technology and educators who use technology effectively will stand out from the crowd.” – Dr. Anil Singhal

Here are strategies that will make your teaching life easier, bump up your effectiveness with students, save time complying with state standards, and prepare students effectively. As you’re in grade-level teams, planning lessons for next year, include these. They will add spice to classes, build flexible learning paths, and contribute to sustainable, transformative learning. Once you start using tech in the classroom as a tool (not a separate activity), you will find students self-selecting it when given a choice, coming up with their own ways to make tech today’s adaptive answer:

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Here are a bunch of online resources for Screenshots, Screencasts, Screenshares, Videocasts, and a Lesson Plan click here for updates to the list):

Screencasts

1. Chromebook native tool--video on how to use
2. Educreations–whiteboard and screencasts
3. Hippo–extension for Chrome; screencast, voice, webcam recorder
4. Icecream Apps–screencasts and screenshots
5. Loom–Chrome extension; record your desktop, an individual tab, and or your webcam
6. My Screen Recorder–screencasts everything; downloaded software; fee
7. QuickTime–can record a movie from your camera, or record the screen of your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. It can also record audio from a microphone or record the screen of your Mac.
8. RecordCast–free, online, no dowload, screencast or screenshot; download file afterward
9. Screencastify–Chrome web extension; for Chromebooks and more
10. ScreenPal — for desktops, online, Chromebooks, and iOS
11. Snagit
12. VidYard Go Video–Screen, voice and webcam recorder; great for Chromebooks

Screen Share

Screenshots

1. Grab–included in OS X as a screenshot utility
2. iPad: hold Home button and power button at same time
3. Mac: Command Shift 3 for a full screenshot; Command Shift 4 for a partial screenshot
4. Nimbus–a browser app that takes screenshots with robust editing tools (free)
5. RecordCast–free, online, no dowload, screencast or screenshot; download file afterward
6. Snagit–as a download (for a fee) or a free iOS and Chrome app
7. Surface tablet: hold down volume and Windows button
8. Windows Snipping Tool–included in Windows

VideoCast

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How Playing Minecraft Can Help Students Learn Coding Skills

“Students can use Minecraft Education—which employs the sandbox building game—to get credentials in cybersecurity, coding, and AI. Students who participate in the coding pathway can earn citations for their fluency in Java and Python, two in-demand coding languages. (Nonprofit organizations, such as Code.org, also offer teachers and students low cost or free options to help students learn key computer science skills.)”

Read more here (more…)

15 Webtools in 15 Weeks

This video is from a series I taught for school districts. It is now available for free to subscribers of Ask a Tech Teacher:

Summary

Teach 15 internet tools over 15 weeks, engaging students in exploration and teaching, while fostering digital citizenship and problem-solving skills.

Highlights

• 🌟 Engaging Project: Students teach each other 15 internet tools, promoting excitement and exploration.
• 👩‍🏫 Student-Centered: Learners take charge, becoming teachers and sharing newfound knowledge with classmates.
• 🤝 Collaboration: Students work in groups, enhancing teamwork and communication skills.
• 📚 Digital Citizenship: Emphasis on safe online practices and fair use of content is integrated into lessons.
• 🛠️ Tool Selection: Teachers curate tools based on input from grade-level colleagues to ensure relevance.
• 📅 Flexible Timing: Each presentation takes 20-30 minutes, allowing for other curriculum activities.
• 🎉 Fun Wrap-Up: The project serves as an engaging end-of-year activity, keeping students motivated.

Key Insights

• 🌍 Empowering Learners: By allowing students to select and teach tools, they develop ownership of their learning process, fostering independence and confidence.
• 💡 Authentic Learning: Teachers learn alongside students, creating a shared experience that models lifelong learning and curiosity.
• 🎯 Academic Relevance: Integrating tools relevant to future grades ensures that students are prepared for academic expectations, enhancing their transition to the next level.
• 📈 Reflective Practice: Incorporating reflections into the project promotes metacognition, helping students understand their learning journey and areas for improvement.
• 🏆 Focused Assessment: Clear grading rubrics guide students in expectations and encourage high-quality presentations, emphasizing knowledge and teaching ability.
• 🌐 Resource Creation: Students build a library of resources for future classes, promoting a culture of sharing and collaboration within the school community.
• 🎊 Exciting Conclusion: The project culminates the school year on a high note, emphasizing creativity and student engagement, making learning enjoyable.

–summarized by NoteGPT

This video is from a series I taught for school districts. It is now available for free to Ask a Tech Teacher subscribers. Videos include (in alphabetic order): (more…)

Read the Full Story: National Public Radio (5/11) (more…)

Cybersecurity threats in K-12 schools are a growing concern as educational institutions increasingly rely on technology for teaching, learning, and administrative purposes. Some common cybersecurity threats faced by K-12 schools include data breaches, BYOD policies, unsecured WiFi networks, insider threats, and lack of security awareness training. It’s this last that’s addressed by this article from Smartbrief:

Program teaches cybersecurity to K-12 administrators

Ohio’s Sinclair Community College, in collaboration with D2L, a learning technology company, has introduced a free cybersecurity course aimed at K-12 administrators to enhance their understanding of cyberthreats and develop strategies to mitigate these risks. Developed in response to a White House Cybersecurity Summit for K-12 schools, the short course focuses on identifying and addressing cybersecurity threats specific to schools.

Full Story: Dayton Daily News (Ohio) (tiered subscription model) (3/25) (more…)