629 – Put Down The Gradebook

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We wrap up another school year on WELSTech with a discussion of teachers’ pandemic summer plans. Rachel Feld joins the conversation and shares an exciting virtual conference announcement from Martin Luther College. Enhance your PC clipboard capabilities with martin’s pick of the week, plus there’s loads of community feedback to learn from.

The discussion:

Unknown summer plans – Martin and Sallie talk education, technology, and the unknown with Professor Rachel Feld, Martin Luther College’s Director of Academic Computing. The end of a very unique school year has arrived! Congrats to everyone for surviving the major shift to distance/online education. Now teachers and administrators have time to rest and assess the past few months before moving into planning for the unknown school year which lies ahead.

Ministry resources:

WELS now:

News in tech:

YouVersion Bible Lens is ending May 31

Picks of the week:

Community feedback:

Featured video:

Unique Online Learning Assessment Ideas from Ditch That Textbook

Get involved:

Photo by Dan LeFebvre on UnsplashPhoto by Dan LeFebvre on Unsplash

628 – Bible 100

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Way back in January we announced the 2020 WELSTech theme of Bible Study. And then … our world changed in response to a global pandemic. Worship and Bible Study became almost entirely dependent on technology. Today we talk with a pastor podcaster who had the platform in place to share God’s Word effectively in the midst of this crisis. We also celebrate MLC Day and share a plethora of news, picks and resources to assist you.

The interview and discussion:

Photo by Dan LeFebvre on UnsplashPodcasting experience – Pastor Peter Hagen serves Resurrection in Maumee, OH and is the voice behind the Raised with Jesus podcast. WELSTech listeners will also remember him from episode 591, where he introduced us to the idea of Digital Side Doors. Today he joins Martin and Sallie to share his “Bible 100” podcasting series experience.

News in tech:

iOS COVID-19 Contact Tracing

WELS now:

Picks of the week:

Ministry resource:

WELS Family Devotions

Community feedback:

Featured videos/online course:

Listen (again) to our favorite song from Martin Luther College – I Will Rise

Next time:

Rachel Feld co-hosts the last of our edtech shows for the 2019-2020 school year as we look ahead teacher’s (pandemic) summer.

Get involved:

627 – Five Suns from Jason

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WELSTech once again leads off with the topic of the year, COVID-19, as we welcome Mr. Sunshine, Jason Schmidt, and discuss the impact the pandemic is having on education. We’ve got lots of news, picks, and community feedback to share as well as a link to the amazing synod-wide Easter hymn that brought Sallie to tears.

The discussion:

What does this mean? – This week’s round table includes Martin, Sallie, and Jason Schmidt, Instructional Technology Coach for Oconto Falls School District, as we discuss the current and future impact of the rapid transition to distance education during the COVID-19 pandemic.

News in tech:

WELS now:

MLC Day is May 6 – honoring the class of 2020 at Martin Luther College

Picks of the week:

Ministry resource:

Worship daily at 9 am Central (or access the archive at any time) with the Luther Preparatory School Chapel

Community feedback:

Featured video:

Enjoy the WELS virtual choir singing I Know That My Redeemer Lives

Together at the Tomb – WELS Easter Worship Service 2020

Get involved:

626 – Working From Home

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WELSTech is “safer at home” this week with a focus on making the most of your remote work environment and routines. This episode also includes a preview of Easter Sunday’s “Together at the Empty Tomb” live streaming event plus other updates and tech support for ministry efforts during COVID-19.

The discussion:

Adjusting to work “safer at home” – Martin and Sallie discuss their shift to working from home and share techniques to consider as you make the transition including healthy habits, workspace considerations, communication advice, and more.

News in tech:

Zoom security and privacy questions

WELS now:

Together at the Empty Tomb – Synod-wide Easter service Sunday at 6 pm Central

Picks of the week:

Ministry resource:

As we face COVID-19 – Updates from WELS

Community feedback:

Exporting audio from video

Featured videos/online course:

View President Mark Schroeder’s Palm Sunday Message

And a preview of the Easter evening (at 6 pm Central) Together at the Empty Tomb

Next time:

Jason Schmidt shares some “safer at home” edtech sunshine.

Get involved:

625 – Potluck: Online Education Ideas

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Tune in to this week’s WELSTech for a ton of resources to support the new “normal” of online ministry. Professor Rachel Feld joins us to share ideas for teachers adjusting their classrooms to function from a distance, and Missionary Mike Hartman is with us as well, graciously sharing knowledge and experience around carrying out church online. Plus there’s more resource links than you can shake a stick at!

The discussion:

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

Education from a distance for everyone – Martin Luther College’s Director of Academic Computing Professor Rachel Feld joins Martin and Sallie as we reflect on the past days and the immense shift to online education.

The interview:

A little help from a friend – Missionary Mike Hartman from the One Latin America Team shares lessons learned during work with Academia Cristo and advice on online ministry.

News in tech:

WELS now:

Postponed/canceled events …

Picks of the week:

Ministry resource:

Resources from WELS and NPH – includes …

  • 80 hymns from Christian Worship
  • Digital access to March and April Forward in Christ magazine
  • 6 weeks of Christ Light Sunday School lessons
  • Kids Connection
  • Devotion options
  • WELS Connection

Community feedback:

Featured videos:

From Bread for Beggars – The Chosen–How to Watch for FREE and an Opportunity to Discuss

Watch the trailer …

From the Kettle Moraine Lutheran High School Echoes – Do Not Let Your Hearts Be Troubled, a mix of individual singers recorded March 25, 2020 during “Safer At Home”

Get involved:

624 – Digital Ministry in a COVID-19 World

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This special WELSTech episode is dedicated to sharing resources to assist congregations and schools as they adjust to COVID-19 challenges and opportunities.

The discussion:

Martin and Sallie discuss the impact of the changing COVID-19 restrictions on church and school and technology resources which can help.

Featured video:

How Will the Church Look During Coronavirus and WHY?

Get involved:

623 – Taking Family Devotions Online

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We’ve got a packed show this week on WELSTech. Our lead-off discussion covers ideas for family Bible study from a distance. We learn about the amazing plans for the upcoming Bread for Beggars Festival, and we discuss the hottest topic of the week, the coronavirus, specifically planning for the unknown in your church and school. There’s also picks of the week, audio/video planning resources, and free Bible images to round out the discussion. Don’t delay … Press play!

The discussion:

Family Bible study from a distance – Martin and Sallie share ideas for gathering your spread out family around God’s Word using technology to bridge the distance. They cover everything from finding materials for Bible study to tech tools for connecting to blessings and challenges they’ve encountered in the process.

The interview:

Upcoming Festival – Pastor Mark Parsons, who serves at Faith in Fond du Lac, WI and is the chief content creator for Bread for Beggars, shares details about the first ever Bread for Beggars Festival, happening June 11-13 in Fond du Lac. Festival attendees will leave full of the feast on God’s Word through sight, song, and story. Registration is open for the full festival (cost $195), or you can attend the Free Friday Night events.

News in tech:

Preparing for the coronavirus in …

WELS now:

Picks of the week:

Ministry resource:

Worship the Lord series on Audio, Acoustics, and Video in the Worship Setting

Contact DSH Audio for assistance

Community feedback:

FreeBibleImages.org

Featured videos/online course:

Learn more about Smithsonian Open Access.

Next time:

Professor Rachel Feld from Martin Luther College brings edtech to the discussion.

Get involved:

CC 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/)

622 – Android Apps With Jason

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Tune in to this week’s WELSTech for an education-focused discussion including favorite Android apps for Chromebooks, classroom headphone recommendations, eRate, and the Issues in Lutheran Education blog. Plus, we’ve got you covered with details on the 2020 WELS International Youth Rally, Digital Learning Day, and atomic habit forming.

The discussion:

Android on Chromebook

Android apps on Chromebooks – Jason Schmidt, Instructional Technology Coach for Oconto Falls School District, joins Martin and Sallie to discuss Chromebook support and management of Android apps. And Jason throws in a side of headphone recommendations for classrooms to sweeten the conversation.

Apps

Headphones

Image courtesy of Masahiko OHKUBO via Flickr. License: Creative Commons 2.0

WELS now:

Registration opens March 2 for 2020 WELS International Youth Rally

  • June 23-26 at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville
  • Early bird pricing through April 30
  • Get all the details in the registration booklet

Picks of the week:

Ministry resource:

Issues in Lutheran Education – Martin Luther College Graduate Studies and Continuing Education blog

Community feedback:

Featured video:

Enjoy this short introduction to Jason’s pick of the week – Rivet: Better Reading Practice for Kids.

Get involved:

621 – The Points Don’t Matter

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This week on WELSTech we hear about a new online teaching platform that provides a professional, intuitive design across all types of devices and about plans to use it for online Bible Information Class. Registration is open for the Christ in Media XR Festival, and WELS recently published their annual report. Plus, Martin and Sallie keep score of new tech finds to assist in your personal productivity, stewardship, and more.

The interview and discussion:

Online Bible Information Class – Seminary Senior Micah Koelpin and Pastor Jared Oldenburg from Eternal Rock in Castle Rock, CO share their goals, research, and experience creating an online Bible Information Class.

News in tech:

WELS now:

Picks of the week:

Ministry resource:

One By One: Revitalizing a Congregation – A Lutheran Leadership Conference keynote presentation by Rev. David Rosenau

Community feedback:

Open Educational Resources (OER) Commons

Featured videos/online course:

To learn more about publishing online course materials with Thinkific, check out their free Fast Track Training course and their Creating a Course support resources.

Next time:

Tune in for discussion of family devotions with the aid of technology plus online Bible Information Class.

Get involved:

620 – Classroom Management Apps

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WELSTech is packed with ministry goodness this week including tech tools for classroom behavior management, early childhood ministry educator’s devotions, a variety of Microsoft news, Easter 2020 resources, and a preview of the new Christian Worship hymnal. Join the conversation!

The discussion:

A variety of tech for classroom management – We welcome Professor Rachel Feld to the edtech co-host seat and preview the Classroom Management picks from the Cult of Pedagogy’s Teacher’s Guide to Tech in 2020.

The interview:

Early Childhood Ministry Educator’s Devotions – WELS National Coordinator for Early Childhood Ministry Cindi Holman chats with Martin and Sallie about a devotion series geared to those who work with preschool aged children and their families.

News in tech:

WELS now:

E20 (Easter) resources available

Picks of the week:

Ministry resource:

ChristianWorship.com

Community feedback:

Featured video:

Get moving with Go Noodle’s GET FIRED UP!

Next time:

Tune in for discussion of family devotions with the aid of technology plus online Bible Information Class.

Get involved: