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Generate Instant Pear Decks

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  I’ll keep this short as the video explains most of you. Any new educational technology can be complicated to dig into from scratch as you attempt to align it to learning outcomes.  Well, a new feature that Pear Deck has introduced has taken a giant leap forward to help educators do just that.  Before we jump into the new features, if you are unfamiliar with Pear Deck and why my students and I consider it the #1 EdTech tool that helps their learning, check out the video in the previous blog post.   But if you are more concerned with why you should even dive into Pear Deck or learn about this new AI generation of Pear Deck sessions to a learning target, check out the video below. Like I said, I’m keeping it short so you have time to watch the video. If you have questions, please contact me at mohammam@elmbrookschools.org or the Pear Deck Learning team at support@deck.peardeck.com . Also, check out the amazing Stacey Roshan's video on this update. 
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Cooking my Content

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I was lucky enough to see Dave Burgess speak today.  It was amazing. I’ve read Teach Like a Pirate but the presentation I was able to be a part of what speaks to one of his many messages. It's not just what's on the page. It's how we bring it to life! This is just a quick reflection.

Content and standards are raw. They can be presented to learners, but that doesn’t mean they will be edible or nourishing.

They won’t be coming back for more.

In fact, they may take a bite and spit it out.

They may even have a violent reaction to it.

This summer, I’ve been working to design curricular units aligned to Next Generation
Science Standards. I’ve been feeling great about my work. Until I started to hear Dave
speak and realize how much I hadn’t thought about before I think about moving forward.

Have I preheated? I can’t just put the lesson out there unless the stage is set.
Have the students been primed to learn? Are they curios about what we are going to be doing?
Do the want to know?

Have I taken the students’ orders? Student voice is key.
Have I listened to learners ideas and interests in order to make that connection to their lives?

Have I considered the presentation elements?
Am I showing passion for what I am presenting?
Am I using powerful visuals experiences to present or just a series of words on a projected slide?

What will I do with content I am not passionate about?
Will I simply try to power through it or will I infuse it with the other elements that will
matter in life like Habits of Mind and Digital Literacy. When the content isn’t exciting, that
doesn’t mean the learning experience can’t be.

How will I know when it's done? Take the temperature.
Just because it looks done, doesn't mean it is.  You've got to taste it. That means getting feedback from learners.

As I look back at the curriculum I am building, I need to consider these questions and more. I could be preparing the best piece of content ever. But, I still have to add some heat and seasoning if it's going to create that memorable experience.

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