Tech Explorer

 Welcome back fellow explorers,  This week we dive into the world of AI! Specifically, chatbots. My experience with chatbots is fairly new, but I tend to use ChatGPT because this is the one that I was first introduced to, and my introduction was fairly recent.  Let's start from the beginning! When I say the beginning, I mean back about 24 years ago when I was just 4 years old. One day, my dad was trying to figure out how to work the remote to the TV. He just couldn't figure it out and couldn't find the right button to press. Then, 4-year-old me walks over to him, grabs the remote, and pulls down a hidden panel on the remote that revealled a slew of buttons and controls! Just the ones he was looking for! From then on, I was the technology genius in my family. Everyone thought I was just so advanced. I could hook up computers, troubleshoot television issues, and much more. I must say, my family is not necessarily a tech-savvy family, but still, I thought myself to be quite...

 Hi everyone, and welcome back to my blog! Today I will be discussing one of my favorite tech tools, Screencastify! Now, when I discuss this technology, it might seem pretty simple, but the impact and possibilities are endless! Screencastify is a free extension that can be added onto your Google Chrome browser. It lets people record on their computer and share and edit those videos! It has the ability to record videos through the webcam and it can record the computer screen. Additionally, it can record a computer sceen with audio as well as with webcam video so that a person can be sharing their screen while also showing their face and talking! So, pretty straight-forward, right? Then, why do I think this is such a wonderful learning tool? Well, let's talk a little bit of how it can be used for teaching and/or learning! Let's get one thing straight,  Screencastify is awesome is because it is so adaptable and can fit into a variety of settings. People young and old can use this...

 Hello and Welcome Back! This week we are discussing copyrights. I'll be completely honest, this concept has always been a bit blurry to me, especially when determining which photos can and can't be used. For my current job, I write a blog and I tend to use Google Images to find photos, where I then link the URL from the location of where I obtained the photo. Turns out, I will be needing to put in some more effort from now on so that I can ensure I am using photos with the right permissions!  First though, let me tell you a fun story! This is the "Tech Explorer Blog", so you know I can't leave you without a little exploration or travel in my post. So, as you may know, my family is Greek. My cousins live in Salt Lake City where there is a large Greek community, and if you haven't ever been to the Greek Festival in Salt Lake, then you might consider taking a trip down there this September, because WOW! If you like the Greek Festival here in Pocatello, then your...

Welcome back to my blog, The Tech Explorer Today, we are going to explore Personal Learning Networks (PLN), which is essentially a network or support system that consists of people, books, articles, websites, and other resources that one can use to learn and develop in their profession or interests.  You might liken this type of network to a community, and perhaps you already experience this community in your workplace. For example, a teacher might have formed a network with the other teachers in the school as they ask for support, share ideas, and discuss lesson plans. As a former teacher, I remember these connections being invaluable to me as I longed to enhance my skills and develop great learning opportunities in my classroom. In addition to using my in-person connections, I stumbled upon a whole world of PLNs specifically for teachers. It was incredible! So many teachers, endless resources, countless materials, numerous ideas… the list goes on! I was in awe at the amount of cr...

 Hello Everyone! My name is Estee, and welcome to my blog, Tech Explorer! This blog is very exciting for me because it serves as one of the last projects of my HRD journey. The name of my blog is inspired by my love of exploration, whether that means exploring by travel, food, technology, or trying new things!  Speaking of travel and technology-- here's a picture of me next to the world's first computer, The Antikythera Mechanism, which is housed in the National Archaeological Museum in Athens, Greece.  It was quite a sight! If you'd like to learn more about it, I have linked an article and a video that are very interesting.  Article: Decoding the Antikythera Mechanism, the First Computer  Video: The Antikythera Mechanism Throughout the following weeks I will be discussing types of technologies and "exploring" their functions, their uses, their relevance in different settings, and more! The technology tool that I have chosen for the ebook is "padlet." I ...