Teachers First - Thinking Teachers Teaching Thinkers

Register to view this on-demand OK2Ask professional learning workshop from July 2026. Educators seeking recertification credit must watch the recording, complete the feedback survey, and pass the assessment. For details, read the Registration & Credit Options section on the registration page.

Gemini Notebook (formerly NotebookLM) has become one of the most powerful--and most privacy-conscious--AI tools available to educators. By grounding its responses entirely in the sources you upload, Gemini Notebook helps teachers transform curriculum materials, articles, and documents into interactive study guides, audio overviews, timelines, and Q&A resources without the hallucination risks of general-purpose AI tools. Participants will explore these features, engage in hands-on guided practice, and leave with at least one Gemini Notebook resource they can use with students or for their own professional practice. As a result of this session, teachers will: 1. Build a Gemini Notebook using curriculum-relevant source materials and generate at least one classroom-ready resource. 2. Use Gemini Notebook's interactive features -- including audio overviews and Q&A -- to support differentiated student engagement. 3. Explain Gemini Notebook's source-grounded approach and how it addresses common privacy and accuracy concerns associated with AI tools. This session is appropriate for teachers at all technology levels.

tag(s): artificial intelligence (365), classroom materials (2), differentiation (104), Google (23), learning objects (2), OK2Askarchive (58), professional development (311)

Register to view this on-demand OK2Ask professional learning workshop from July 2026. Educators seeking recertification credit must watch the recording, complete the feedback survey, and pass the assessment. For details, read the Registration & Credit Options section on the registration page.

In this hands-on, beginner-friendly session, participants will explore Canva for Education--a free, browser-based design tool and time-saving solution for creating polished, classroom-ready learning materials. Participants will learn how to claim a free Canva for Education account and work through a core design workflow: selecting a template, customizing it for a classroom purpose, and sharing or downloading the finished product. By the end of the session, participants will have created at least one classroom-ready material and will leave with a concrete plan for incorporating Canva into their regular practice--no prior design experience needed! As a result of this session, teachers will: 1. Apply dual coding theory by designing instructional materials that pair verbal and visual information. 2. Design a customized, visually consistent instructional material using education-specific templates that support student learning. 3. Export and distribute learning materials through PDF downloads, shareable links, or Google Classroom integration. This session is appropriate for teachers at all technology levels.

tag(s): classroom materials (2), design (77), Formative Assessment (52), OK2Askarchive (58)

Register to view this on-demand OK2Ask professional learning workshop from July 2026. Educators seeking recertification credit must watch the recording, complete the feedback survey, and pass the assessment. For details, read the Registration & Credit Options section on the registration page.

Creating a video is easy. Creating a video that actually helps students learn requires something more intentional. In this session, participants explore the research-grounded principles behind effective instructional video design and learn to apply them using free tools already available to most educators. We'll examine what makes a video a true learning object -- not just a recording -- and use cognitive science to inform decisions about length, structure, and the relationship between visuals and narration. Participants will also get a practical introduction to Google Vids and Canva's video capabilities as accessible, no-cost options for recording and producing instructional content. No hands-on recording required -- this is a pedagogy-first session focused on design thinking before tool use. Appropriate for all grade levels and content areas. No prior video creation experience required. As a result of this session, teachers will: 1. Apply cognitive load theory to determine optimal length and structure for instructional videos. 2. Evaluate existing video content using the coherence and redundancy principles of multimedia learning. 3. Select appropriate free tools to produce accessible, visually congruent, and engaging instructional content. This session is appropriate for teachers at all technology levels.

tag(s): learning objects (2), OK2Askarchive (58)

Register to view this on-demand OK2Ask professional learning workshop from July 2026. Educators seeking recertification credit must watch the recording, complete the feedback survey, and pass the assessment. For details, read the Registration & Credit Options section on the registration page.

Graphic organizers are among the most research-supported tools in a teacher's instructional toolkit, but they're also among the most frequently misused. When reduced to fill-in-the-blank busywork, they add little value--but when designed with intention, they leverage the power of dual coding and nonlinguistic representation to strengthen comprehension, retention, and higher-order thinking. This session draws on Marzano's research to help participants understand why graphic organizers work--and how to design and use them in ways that actually support instruction. Participants will explore a range of organizer types, examine examples of purposeful versus superficial use, and leave with a set of classroom-ready designs they can adapt or implement immediately in any content area and grade level. As a result of this session, teachers will: 1. Connect dual coding theory and Marzano's research on nonlinguistic representation to the purposeful use of graphic organizers. 2. Design a graphic organizer intentionally aligned to a specific thinking skill or learning goal. 3. Distinguish between graphic organizers that deepen thinking and those that function as busywork. This session is appropriate for teachers at all technology levels.

tag(s): graphic organizers (64), OK2Askarchive (58), professional development (311)

Register to view this on-demand OK2Ask professional learning workshop from July 2026. Educators seeking recertification credit must watch the recording, complete the feedback survey, and pass the assessment. For details, read the Registration & Credit Options section on the registration page.

Audio is one of the most underutilized (and most accessible!) formats for classroom learning. Adobe Podcast's free AI-enhanced tools make it easier than ever for teachers and students to record, clean up, and publish high-quality audio without expensive equipment or technical expertise. In this session, participants will get hands-on experience with Adobe Podcast's core features and explore how classroom audio supports student voice, differentiation, and family engagement. Leave with a practical plan for incorporating audio into your existing instructional practice. As a result of this session, teachers will: 1. Use Adobe Podcast's free tools to record and enhance classroom-quality audio. 2. Design at least one instructional application of audio that supports student voice or differentiation. 3. Evaluate audio as a format for accessibility and equity in their specific classroom context. This session is appropriate for teachers at all technology levels.

tag(s): artificial intelligence (365), OK2Askarchive (58), podcasts (190)

Register to view this on-demand OK2Ask professional learning workshop from July 2026. Educators seeking recertification credit must watch the recording, complete the feedback survey, and pass the assessment. For details, read the Registration & Credit Options section on the registration page.

Effective formative assessment isn't a quiz at the end of a lesson -- it's an ongoing instructional process that happens during learning. In this session, participants will reframe formative assessment as a continuous feedback loop (Collect, Interpret, Respond) and explore how free, low-barrier digital tools can make that loop fast enough to actually change what happens next in the classroom. Whether you're looking for a two-minute digital check-in or a strategy for making sense of what you see and responding on the spot, this session will give you a practical toolkit and a mental model to help you put it to use. Participants will leave with immediately applicable research-based strategies, free edtech tool recommendations, and the confidence to make formative assessment a natural, low-prep part of every lesson. As a result of this session, teachers will: 1. Connect Hattie's feedback research and Wiliam's embedded formative assessment framework to specific classroom assessment practices. 2. Select and implement at least two formative assessment strategies appropriate for their content area and grade level. 3. Use real-time assessment data to make an immediate instructional decision during or after a lesson. This session is appropriate for teachers at all technology levels.

tag(s): Formative Assessment (52), OK2Askarchive (58), teaching strategies (93)

Register to view this on-demand OK2Ask professional learning workshop from July 2026. Educators seeking recertification credit must watch the recording, complete the feedback survey, and pass the assessment. For details, read the Registration & Credit Options section on the registration page.

Visual communication is one of the highest-leverage skills teachers can develop, and AI-powered tools have made it easier than ever to create clear, engaging, professionally designed materials. In this session, participants will explore free, educator-friendly AI image and design tools you can use to create materials that support instructional goals without design experience or a paid subscription. From classroom displays and lesson visuals to student-facing materials, you'll leave with practical strategies and ready-to-use examples you can adapt for your own students. As a result of this session, teachers will: 1. Identify free AI-powered design tools and match them to specific instructional purposes. 2. Create a classroom-ready visual using a free AI design tool and educator-relevant prompting strategies. 3. Learn how to evaluate AI-generated visuals for accuracy, bias, and instructional appropriateness before classroom use. This session is appropriate for teachers at all technology levels.

tag(s): artificial intelligence (365), OK2Askarchive (58), professional development (311)

This blog post introduces retrieval practice as a simple strategy to help students recall and retain what they've learned. The article explains the connection between retrieval and long-term learning and offers practical suggestions for using the strategy in daily instruction. Examples include brain dumps, Cops and Robbers, short quizzes, and other activities that ask students to recall information without looking at notes or other resources. The information also emphasizes that retrieval activities should be brief, low-stress, provide feedback, and occur regularly over time. Teachers can easily adapt the examples for different subjects and grade levels.

tag(s): assessment (144), teaching strategies (93)