NCTIES2025

In this session, we will discuss how scaffolding the use of a digital tool like Canva can benefit students in terms of products created and enhance learning experiences in the classroom. We would all agree that the more we use a tool, the more comfortable we are with it, and the better the products we produce. Do we approach student products the same way?
Canva provides a user-friendly platform that allows students to create visually appealing materials, graphics, websites, videos, audio recordings, and so much more but only if it is used tactfully and responsibly. This session will provide practical strategies and examples to effectively integrate Canva into your teaching practice and easy ways to connect activities building on the understanding of Canva as a tool leading to a higher level of creativity, more in-depth projects, and ultimately better products refocusing on the learning and not the challenge of learning a new tool all the time.

Participants will discuss how we scaffold learning content and how we apply this concept to tools in the classroom or if we even do. Then, we will walk through a sample yearly curriculum showcasing ways Canva could be tactfully applied and how the scaffolding concept would work. Lastly, participants will get a chance to share ways they have used Canva in the classroom and if they used the scaffolding concept or if scaffolding the use of the tool would have changed student outcomes.

Join us for an interactive session designed to empower K-2 educators to harness the power of Canva! We’ll start with a brief presentation showcasing engaging ways to use Canva with our youngest students. After a brief presentation participants will then actively create within Canva as well as colloborate with others to create other ways in which Canva can be used in the primary grades. Among the others ways to use Canva we will explore how Canva's AI tool can be used in the primary classroom.

In this hands-on session, participants will dive into the essentials of starting and leading a successful robotics team at the elementary level. Aimed at both newcomers and those with some experience, “From Classroom to Competition” will provide practical tools, step-by-step guidance, and interactive activities designed to make robotics accessible and engaging for young students. By the end of the session, participants will leave with a clear action plan and resources to launch or enhance an elementary robotics program. They’ll gain confidence in using basic robotics technology, managing a team, and incorporating STEM principles, equipping them to foster curiosity, teamwork, and critical thinking in their students.

Let’s “Dig a Little Deeper” into the bayou brilliance of Canva as we stir up a flavorful blend of creativity and student engagement in K-12 classrooms! This zesty session is designed for educators, administrators, and tech coaches eager to infuse teaching with interactive virtual activities, harmonize collaboration with Canva’s whiteboard features (the perfect Jamboard substitute), and create visually stunning and user-friendly LMS and websites. Join us to jazz it up NOLA-style and collaboratively discover how to transform educational practice into delectable learning experiences that keep students coming back for more!

The Time is now to TIE the TIMES into your curriculum! Specific, easily reproducible lessons harnessing the New York Times Learning Network (no account needed) and other news sources will be shared, ranging from grade-level specific implementation to activities that can happen in ANY class. Participants will have the opportunity to explore the resources and contribute their own knowledge. You'll get the chance to try one or more of the activities, too!

In this session you will be exposed to 20+ FREE resources that you can use in your classroom immediately. How? Through the engaging presentation strategy called Pecha Kucha! You will get an overview of resources that can be used for math, ELA, science, and social studies, along with some cultural arts resources. At the end you will get explore time! Are you ready for a quick and upbeat Resource Roundup? Join me!

Join us for an engaging session on how Instructional Technology Facilitators (ITFs) and school librarians can collaborate to enhance student engagement through innovative projects. We’ll showcase real-world examples, including podcasting, stop-motion animations, coding activities, and interactive scavenger hunts that integrate technology across disciplines. Participants will gain access to lesson plans, resources, and strategies for creating dynamic, tech-infused learning experiences that empower students and foster a love for learning.

This session will show the student view of the Schoolnet platform through their data dashboard. The goal of this session is to show how students can not only view their data but use it to create data notebooks/portfolios to be an active part of their learning progress

Have you ever noticed how the clouds change depending on the weather conditions?

Well, in this interactive and engaging session, you will be introduced to the Globe Observer App, which is a new tool created by NASA Langley researchers. The Globe Observer app allows you and your students to capture cloud cover, in real-time, and collect data that will be sent directly to NASA for analysis. But wait, there's more! NASA will email you a response, with their current satellite data and your students will be able to analyze and compare the images you captured to NASA's.

Before we dive into the Globe Observer app, we will get groovy with the "Cloud Dance" to refresh our memory of the three types of clouds. Then, to prepare for the next portion of the session, I will provide a brief overview of how to utilize the app and capture the best images without obstructing views.

Each participant or group will be provided an iPad with the Globe Observer app and we will proceed outside to capture images of the sky. Our outside adventure and discussion will be focused on the following question: what type of clouds do we notice and how will they impact the weather conditions?

Once we return inside, we will have a discussion about what we observed and how we could implement the Globe Observer app and other NASA resources in our own class.

In this session, participants will collaborate with peers, discover best practices, and learn the basics for engaging students in a successful school-news program. Attendees will have the opportunity to use techniques gained in this session to create their own “breaking news” broadcast.

Empower students to create videos that educate others about timely global challenges. Learn about the World of 8 Billion student video contest and how to use it to build skills in research, project organization, video production and effective communication using the latest educational technology. View samples of students’ inspiring work and engage in classroom activities using interactive digital tools. All presented resources match to NC Standards for science and social studies in grades 6-12.