I send out a weekly ed tech update at school with upcoming sessions and some tips and tricks. To be honest, I’m never really sure how much it is read. But this week, I actually had a few replies to the email and several people stopped by and said thanks.
It feels pretty good to know I’ve shared something useful, so I thought I’d share again. I’ve inserted the email below.
I hope its helpful and I’d love to hear your favorite apps for traveling and your favorite podcasts as well.
I hope you all have a fantastic holiday.
Friends,
As we come to the end of a semester I thought I’d share a few travel and holiday friendly tech treats instead of the usual.
I mentioned before that I love to listen to podcasts when we travel. My new favorite: How I Built This. and one for your kids: The Unexplainable Disappearance of Mars Patel. There’s also a collection of staff recommended podcasts on the Library website.
If you just really want to work on your teaching craft while you listen, here’s a list of podcasts for that as well.
I’m sure you’ve heard of it, but I love GoodReads to help me find my next good book. I’ve got a long list of want to reads on there…
Google Maps on your phone (Android, iOS) will get you where you need to go if you’re walking, subway riding, driving or taking a bus. Most of the time anyway. My family has found some mysteriously missing roads here in Accra. You can download the maps of an area before you travel too, just in case you won’t have wi-fi or cell reception. There’s also maps.me (Android, iOS)that is a free downloadable map app. Between the two you’re bound to get where you’re going.
Google Translate can help you figure out what you’re buying in that undecipherable language at the grocery store. Just open the app and use your camera. Its magic. (Android, iOS)
Instagram gives you filters for your pics, but SnapSeed let’s you take more control and make them even better. (Android, iOS)
Touchnote is a favorite app of mine too. You can send personalized postcards using your own photos to anywhere in the world. Our parents and grandparents love getting pictures of our adventures on these cards throughout the year. I’ve even managed to have one delivered to Robyn here at school.
One more from Google tip since we’re talking pictures. Are you using Google Photos for your pics? Its free cloud backup and has some cool features for sorting, editing and searching. Add it to your phone and back up to the cloud to access those holiday pics anywhere.
If you are traveling it can be stressful and draining to navigate the airports and lines. This is a good read to help you make it through.
Finally, for balance, you can always just put the phone away and enjoy some time with your family, sitting on the front porch or walking on the beach or in the woods. I plan on enjoying some unplugged time in a hammock by the beach myself.
I hope that wherever the winter break takes you it is fun, restful and joyful. I look forward to hearing about all of your adventures in the new year.
Cheers my friends.
Ryan Harwood 