We are Clare and Rachael, two Australian teachers with a love for digital learning, creativity, and all things learning. After years of sharing ideas in schools, we’re taking our conversations to the world to help you bring technology into your classroom with confidence.

In this trailer, you’ll get to know us, our teaching journeys, and the story behind Tech It Up a Notch.

Got a question or a tool you’d love us to explore? Email us at techitupanotchau@gmail.com — we’d love to hear from you!

This week we introduce Classroom Screen, a simple yet powerful tool for managing classroom flow and engagement. We discuss its key features, explore how it supports effective teaching and share ideas for bringing calm and structure to your learning environment. Along the way, we wander off on a few topical tangents, including discussing our new recording space.

Takeaways

• Classroom Screen is a versatile classroom management tool.
• Timers, noise meters, and visuals can help create calm and structured learning spaces.
• Classroom Screen is easy to access across devices and supports teacher wellbeing and voices!
• Paid versions offer extended customisation and additional features, including saving screens - just watch out for the US/AU price difference.

Resources

• Classroomscreen
• Google Educators Certification
• Bluey Study Video
• Esafety commissioner Social Media Age Restrictions Hub
• Vivi
• Snoopy Jazz
• Hypno Motion - Lego Cooking
• Victorian Government Digital Device Announcement

In this episode of Tech It Up a Notch, we dive into Makedo, a simple, low-tech tool perfect for design and make projects with cardboard. We explore its classroom applications, from sparking student creativity to embedding sustainable practices. We also share ways to differentiate learning and “tech it up a notch” with digital tools. This episode is also a great example of how talking through tools with a colleague can open up fresh teaching ideas.

Takeaways

• Make Do transforms everyday cardboard into creative new projects.
• It’s safe, sustainable, and cost-effective for classrooms.
• Hands-on design-and-make projects boost creativity and engagement.
• Teachers can enhance projects by pairing Make Do with digital tools.
• Discussing tools with colleagues leads to richer classroom possibilities.

Resources

• Makedo
• Makedo Resource Hub
• Thingiverse
• MakeyMakey
• Procreate
• Google Drawings
• Whisk
• Microbit
• Kookaberry
• Gemini