448 – Mobile Ministry Apps

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WELSTech kicks off our first summer series on “mobile” with a show all about apps…especially those apps useful for ministry. Pastors, teachers, and anyone interested in what a smartphone can do for them will find plenty of ideas. There are also mobile-friendly picks of the week and a review of an adventure-ready Bluetooth speaker.

The discussion:

Mobile phoneThere’s an app for that – After answering the Miss America question of the day, Martin and Sallie share loads of useful apps for public and personal ministry.

Picks of the week:

Community feedback:

Pastor Emile Burgess from Trinity in Caledonia, WI shares his experience with a rugged, adventure-ready Bluetooth speaker, the ECOXGEAR EcoCarbon from REI

Coming up on WELSTech:

Episode 449 – The focus on mobile ministry continues with a look at all things about mobile photography. Release date: Wednesday, June 15

Get involved:

447 – Mobile, Security, Publishing

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It’s summer, and WELSTech kicks off three months of lighter shows focused on three very practical topics sure to help some aspect of your ministry: mobile, security and publishing. Sallie finds a tool that will help you analyze your word choice habits, while Martin resurrects one of his favorite pieces of tech that anybody who does presentations might want to take a look at. Plus, there’s a brand new photo challenge with a summer “R&R” focus.

The discussion:

Here he is folksHere he is folks – Side by side at the Center for Mission and Ministry, Martin and Sallie look ahead to not one but three exciting how-to summer series planned for WELSTech.

WELS now:

Picks of the week:

Coming up on WELSTech:

Episode 448 – Martin and Sallie share an abundance of helpful mobile apps in week 1 of our summer Mobile series. Release date: Wednesday, June 8

Get involved:

446 – Rainy Days with the SRCTC

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Tune in to WELSTech this week for edtech sunshine in the form of SRCTC Jason Schmidt. The discussion topic covers a variety of outdoor and rainy day tech ideas for educators including geocaching, astronomy and coding. This show also includes excited news for Chromebook users, summer training opportunities and a site for purchasing low-priced smartphones and tablets.

The discussion:

Rainy dayEeekk, a rat! – Martin and Sallie are joined by WELSTech’s SRCTC (Semi-Regular Classroom Technology Correspondent) Jason Schmidt, Tech Coordinator in the Bennington Public School District in the Omaha, NE area, for a discussion of outdoor and rainy day tech projects for the classroom.

News in tech:

Android apps, coming to a Chromebook near you

WELS now:

Picks of the week:

Featured video:

Enjoy this fun MLC Day video from Lakeside Lutheran High School, a new addition to the WELSTech Promo playlist.

Coming up on WELSTech:

Episode 447 – Martin and Sallie broadcast from the CMM with a preview of several upcoming summer series. Release date: Wednesday, June 1

Get involved:

445 – Something For Everyone

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WELSTech has something for everyone on this community feedback episode. Topics include social media strategy, mobile photography, Google Apps for Education, church bulletins and more! Martin and Sallie also share the latest news from TechSmith and Google, helpful tips on Excel and the Chrome browser and worship/bulletin artwork from WELS artists.

The discussion:

BuffetThe listeners speak – Martin and Sallie share recent WELSTech community feedback.

News in tech:

WELS now:

Women’s Ministry Conference – July 21-23 at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary

Picks of the week:

Ministry resources:

Featured video:

Learn more about the upcoming Women’s Ministry Conference in this Together video update, saved on the WELSTech “Like’s” list on Vimeo

Coming up on WELSTech:

Episode 446 – Jason Schmidt joins Martin and Sallie for the last edtech discussion of the school year focusing on outdoor and rainy day tech for schools (and beyond). Release date: Wednesday, May 25

Get involved:

444 – With All Your Heart – Ch 9

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This week Martin and Sallie finish up the WELSTech Project Management book project with a look at steps to close out a project to ensure future project’s success. We share all the details of the exciting season of synod school commencement and assignments which has arrived, plus Sallie shares, perhaps, the lengthiest pick of the week of all time – all about the fun Breakout EDU craze.

The discussion and interview:

heart 145x125Going retro – Martin and Sallie complete their DIY book effort this week with chapter 9 of With All Your Heart: Project Management For Churches, Christian Schools & Other Faith-Based Organizations. The chapter includes best practices for wrapping up a project to maximize success on future projects.

News in tech:

WELS now:

Upcoming Commencement events

Picks of the week:

Ministry resources:

Logos 6 Features YouTube playlist

Featured video:

Check out the new Google Slides Q&A feature on the WELSTech Product Demo Playlist on YouTube.

Coming up on WELSTech:

Episode 445 – You write the script for next week’s community feedback episode! Release date: Wednesday, May 18

Get involved:

443 – Web Literacy

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This week’s WELSTech features the return of edtech leader Gail Potratz and a discussion of the expected digital literacy skills students should possess and how tech giant Mozilla is answering the need. In addition, there are Google Chrome extensions, a snappy mobile image editor and online Bible study resources shared. All this, plus we celebrate Teacher Appreciation Day!

The discussion:

Web LiteracyTech skills – On Teacher Appreciation Day it’s fitting that Martin and Sallie welcome our semi-regular classroom technology correspondent, Gail Potratz, Technology Coordinator at Emanuel in New London, WI for a discussion of curriculum standards for technology education.

WELS now:

Picks of the week:

Ministry resources:

Interactive Faith “Who Is Your God?” online Bible study archive – Videos | Study guides

Featured video:

Tune in to a Heart to Heart discussion on training children how to handle money with Kerry Ognenoff, saved on the WELSTech “Like’s” list on Vimeo

Coming up on WELSTech:

Episode 444 – Martin and Sallie pop the cork to celebrate the conclusion of the WELSTech DIY book project, With All Your Heart, with a discussion of ways to wrap up a project. Release date: Wednesday, May 11

Get involved:

442 – Tabs…And More Tabs

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This week’s WELSTech features a variety of community feedback including tips for improving your Facebook page reach, an interesting new collaborative education game, free worship countdown timer videos, a tool for legally and easily editing out undesired scenes and language in movies, and lots more. Plus, we share event discounts, a great Gmail productivity add-on, and ideas for improving VBS registration. There’s something for everyone!

The discussion:

tabs v2 145x125Party time! – Join Martin and Sallie for the festive sharing of a month’s worth of great community feedback. You’re guaranteed to learn new tech goodness which may have a positive impact on your public or personal ministery efforts.

News in tech:

Facebook Messenger launches Group Calling to become your phone

WELS now:

Early-bird pricing ends this week for these two summer events:

  • International Youth Rally 2016
  • WLC’s Training Bootcamp: Revolutionize the Classroom with Google

Picks of the week:

  • ShopWELS for web hosting with FinalWeb
  • Gmail to Trello Extension

Ministry resources:

5 Ways to Simplify VBS Registration

Featured video:

This week we’ve added not just one, but three new videos to the WELSTech Product Demos playlist on YouTube, all having to do with the new edtech collaborative “game” called Breakout EDU. Check out Introducing Breakout EDU, posted below, and watch Game Design Studio for an overview on designing your own game. Use the Breakout EDU Timer video when you are ready to try the race against the clock game.

Coming up on WELSTech:

Episode 443 – Gail Potratz joins the conversation to share her thoughts on edtech standards. Release date: Wednesday, May 4, 2016

Get involved:

441 – Troubleshooting

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WELSTech is back with ideas for overcoming project obstacles when they arise as well as an interview with members of the project team behind the successful Academia Cristo outreach efforts in Latin America. There’s an exciting announcement regarding WELSTech’s availability on a brand new platform plus ideas for using the new Facebook Live feature in your church setting. All this, and a birthday celebration, WELSTech-style!

The discussion and interview:

ch8145x125Troubleshooting – In Chapter 8 of With All Your Heart, WELSTech’s current book project, readers will learn about typical project roadblocks which can occur and methods to overcome the obstacles and see projects through to completion.

Missionary Mike Hartman, WELS Field Coordinator for Latin America, and Pastor Nathan Wagenknecht, Latin America Project Coordinator for WELS Multi-Language Publications, join the conversation to share their project management experience, including revising plans when needed to overcome obstacles along the way.

News in tech:

Find WELSTech in the new podcast section of Google Play Music

WELS now:

Picks of the week:

Ministry resources:

7 Ways to Use Facebook Live This Week

Featured video:

New to the WELSTech Presentation/Teaching Playlist on YouTube is this productivity tip from David Allen – Dealing With Interruptions.

Coming up on WELSTech:

Episode 442 – Community feedback is center stage on next week’s podcast. Share! Share!! Share!!! Release date: Wednesday, April 27

Get involved:

440 – Online Learning with Moodle

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It’s a special day on WELSTech as Martin celebrates a milestone event with the WELSTech audience! The discussion topic centers on the popular open-source online learning platform Moodle and whether it might meet the needs for churches and schools interested in delivering course content online. Facebook has a new streaming video service, MLC has a lengthy list of interesting summer classes and WELSTech Hall-of-Famer Pastor Rob Guenther shares a method for automated catechism quiz grading.

The discussion:

Moodle_Cloud145x100Moodle and more – As online learning becomes widely adopted, it may be time for churches and schools to look for ways to deliver course content digitally. Moodle is a free, open-source learning management platform which is widely used in WELS circles (Area Lutheran High Schools Online | MLC | WLC | WLS). There’s even a hosted option for small installations (50 users or less) which may be just right for church and school settings.

WELS distance learning opportunities

News in tech:

Facebook Live

WELS now:

Summer class offerings at Martin Luther College

Picks of the week:

Ministry resources:

Pastor Rob Guenther uses Flubaroo to automate grading catechism quizzes

Featured video:

From the Moodle channel on YouTube, we share What is Moodle?, featured on the WELSTech Product Demo playlist.

Coming up on WELSTech:

Episode 441 – Martin and Sallie share the latest chapter of the WELSTech book project, With All Your Heart, this time focusing on troubleshooting project roadblocks. Release date: Wednesday, April 20

Get involved:

439 – The New Frontier in Productivity

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The WELSTech discussion this week centers around the tools for personal productivity and why it may be time to make a switch. Sallie’s laced up her red shoelaces for a special day and there’s a brand new photo challenge for April. Tune in for the details!

The discussion:

So many great tools – Personal productivity, a favorite topic on WELSTech, is front and center as Martin and Sallie do a run down of the multitude of tools that enhance calendaring, task management, communication, collaboration and document storage. Is it the right time for a change?

News in tech:

Amazon Echo Dot – CNET review

WELS now:

Picks of the week:

Ministry resources:

Gospel Outreach With Media online conference

Featured video:

Featured in the Gospel Outreach With Media conference is an article from videographer Jonathan Witte where he shares ideas on Christian Media for a Non-Christian Audience. As an example, Jonathan shares one of his most popular videos, a parody which features the Martin Luther College Cafeteria – Singing in the Shower by Becky G – Caf Edition – and we’ve added it to our WELSTech Promo playlist.

Coming up on WELSTech:

Episode 440 – Martin and Sallie explore the online learning platform Moodle. Release date: Thursday, April 14

Get involved: