Episode 208: 10 Canva Apps for Teachers in 2026

Welcome to the EdTech Throwdown. This is episode 208 called “10 (More) Canva Apps for Teachers” In this episode, we’ll revisit the exciting world of canva apps and deliver some old favorites as well as some exciting new finds. This is another episode you don’t want to miss. Check it out.

Segment 1:

Lunch and Learn preparation

Segment 2: Apps

Canva: Visual Suite for Everyone 10 Apps presentation

1. Qr Code
2. Image Divide
3. Bulk Creator
4. Image Upscaler
5. Video Effects
6. Jigsaw Puzzler
7. Animator
8. Image Recolor
9. Type Cutout
10. Can Sign
11. YouTube Embed

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Segment 3: Where to Find EdTech Throwdown

Do us a few favors:

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2. Apple Podcasts
3. Spotify
4. Amazon Podcasts
5. Stitcher
6. YouTube
7. Twitter
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10. Tell your friends about

Episode 207: Tips and Tricks for 2026: Chrome and Gmail

Welcome to the EdTech Throwdown. This is episode 207 called “Tips and Tricks for 2026: Chrome and Gmail” In this episode, we’ll talk about some of our favorite tips for surfing the web with chrome and sending or receiving emails in Gmail. Hopefully these hacks can help make your day a little easier. This is another episode you don’t want to miss. Check it out.

Segment 1: Lost but Now Found

• Restore lost or accidentally Control Shift T Command Shift T on a MAC
• Zoom in and Out
• Control +/-

Segment 2: Edtech Tips and Tricks

Google Chrome Tips and Tricks

Nick

1. QR Code
2. Go to the site > Three Dots > Cast,Save, and Share > Create a QR Code
3. Smart PDF Highlighting
4. Use the "Link to Highlight" feature in Chrome. Right-click any text on a webpage and select "Copy link to highlight." When students click it, they are taken exactly to that sentence on the page.
5. Use Google Lens to grab text from images. Go to the 3 dots > Search with Google Lens > drag around the image with the text you want > choose Copy Text

Guise

1. Add Tab to Group (Right click on a tab, hit add to group)
2. Send Tabs Across Devices
3. If you find a recipe on your laptop but want to take it to the kitchen on your phone, right-click the tab (or the address bar) and selectSend to your devices.
4. It pops up as a notification on your other device instantly..
5. Make the site an APP: Go to the site > Three Dots > Save and Share > Install page as app. It will now have its own icon in your Taskbar/Dock and won't get lost in your tabs.

Gmail

Nick:

1. Find Large Attachments
2. Type larger:10m in the search bar to find every email taking up more than 10MB. It’s the fastest way to clear storage space.
3. Schedule Send Later
4. Templates (Canned Responses)
5. Enable this in Settings > Advanced. Save your standard "Late Work Policy" or "Meeting Request" as a template. To use it, click the three dots in a new draft and hit "Templates."

Guise:

1. Undo Send
2. Go to Settings > See all settings > Undo Send and change it to 30 seconds. It’s the ultimate "safety net" for typos.
3. Archive
4. The "Plus" Addressing Hack
5. If your email is teacher@gmail.com, you can use teacher+newsletters@gmail.com to sign up for sites. Gmail ignores everything after the +, but you can create a Filter to automatically label or skip the inbox for anything sent to that specific "plus" address.

Edtech Throwdown:

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Episode 206: Google Vids vs Canva Video and WeVideo

Welcome to the EdTech Throwdown. This is episode 206 called “Google Vids vs Canva Video and WeVideo” In this episode, we’ll talk about a new-ish Google app called Google Vids and how it stacks up against other popular classroom video creation tools. This is another episode you don’t want to miss. Check it out.

Narrative: Have we ever solved the problem of fast and easy screencasts? A teacher asked me that this week and I realized I didn’t have a great answer.

ScreenPal has an extension, but the increased tools make it slower

WeVideo has an extension, but it is clunky and not free

Screencastify still exists, but have to pay after 10 videos

Released: Google Vids was first announced and released in preview during Google Cloud Next in April 2024, with a wider rollout to all Google Workspace users starting in November 2024 as an AI-powered video creation tool for work.

What is it? It is a video editing platform that feels more like creating a Google Slide than a video editing platform. Is this a positive thing … not sure yet.

Free Basic Version: All users get access to the web-based editor, allowing recording, importing clips, using templates, and basic editing.

AI Extras (Paid): Advanced AI tools, such as AI-generated clips from prompts, AI avatars, and enhanced script/outline generation, require paid Google Workspace or AI plan subscriptions.

What can it do?

• Screen records with or without webcam
• Converts slides to video
• Upload your own photos and videos for editing
• Has video templates with title slides, animations, etc.
• Multiple layouts: landscape, portrait, square
• Has stock audio from Youtube audio library - good music!
• Has most, if not all, typical video editing tools: playhead, video preview, splitting, multiple track editing, etc.

Benefits:

• Integration: Works directly within...

Welcome to the EdTech Throwdown. This is episode 205 called “Edtech Resolutions for 2026” In this episode, we’ll talk about our edtech tips and edtech tools that we are excited to explore in the new year. This is another episode you don’t want to miss. Check it out.

Segment 1: Goodbye 2025 and Hello 2026

Narrative: Life was challenging in 2025… Welcome 2026!

Segment 2: Tips, Tools, and Resources

Nick’s

An Edtech Tip for 2026

• Building Blocks in Google Docs to templat-ize my doc writing

An Edtech Tool for 2026

• Noteobook LM - so many new tools, I have a feeling there is more to come

An Edtech Resource for 2026

• Canva Cheat sheets

Guises:

An Edtech Tip for 2026

• Simplify Tasks
• Group tasks to maximize saving time
• Boost Engagement
• Reflect on what your students like and make changes to your teaching
• Streamline Workflow
• Make templates based on your core teaching philosophy

An Edtech Tool for 2026

• Canva Code for gamification

An Edtech Resource for 2026

• Guise’s Guide to Gemini Gems

Make a PACT with your Gem:

• Persona: Give it a job title.
• Action: Give it a verb (create, grade, simplify).
• Context: Give it the boundaries (grade level, standards).
• Template: Give it a structure (table, list, email format).

Edtech Throwdown:

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Segment 3: Where to Find EdTech Throwdown

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1. Subscribe to the Edtech Throwdown Podcast

Welcome to the EdTech Throwdown. This is episode 204 called “Edtech Wrapped” In this episode, we’ll talk about our version of spotify wrapped to take a look back at our edtech year in review. This is another episode you don’t want to miss. Check it out.

Narrative: Guise, do you know what Spotify Wrapped is?

We assembled our own edtech version of Spotify Wrapped as a way to talk about trends over the past year.

By the way, Ditch That Textbook has some really cool Wrapped Templates that you can use in your classroom. Check out the link here.

Instead of most played song, artist and genre, we will do most used edtech tool, most used tip or trick, most used strategy/lesson/activity

Most played song ( edtech tool )

• Gemini Gems - game changing for AI in education
• Check out Eric CurtsEdugems

Most played artist ( edtech tip or trick )

• Canva Emails

Most played genre ( strategy/lesson/activity )

• Flipped classroom, incorporating edpuzzle
• Can Edpuzzle remain competitive as edtech tools grow in scope? They are trying!

Most played song ( edtech tool )

• Canva Magic- 3d models, roller style, design and elements
• *** Bonus*** The update to video editor

Most played artist ( edtech tip or trick )

• If you have gorilla paws like me… stop using a keyboard… trywisprflow.ai

Most played genre ( strategy/lesson type )

• Flipped App Smash
• Diffit → Notebook LM

Edtech Throwdown:

Vote on twitter @edtechthrowdown and under the pinned post on the profile.

Welcome to the EdTech Throwdown. This is Episode 203 called Tech or Treat: 8 (More) Edtech Tools for the Classroom Teacher (Part 3). In this episode, we will continue exploring a new list of edtech tools that can enhance, engage, and save time. This is another episode you don’t want to miss, check it out.

Nicks

1. Firstfive: The First Five is a free daily resource that provides teachers with over 20 ready-to-use activities to start the day with a focus on connection, care, and character. These quick activities, which include memes, check-ins, and mindfulness moments, require no extra prep and take five minutes or less.
2. Teachflix: Teachflix is a curated collection of educational videos, sorted into various categories, that teachers can use with their students in the classroom. It serves as a resource to find engaging video content perfect for kickstarting lessons and great conversations.
3. Teachertube: This is an educational video-sharing website designed for those in the education industry, primarily teachers, to share resources like video, audio, documents, and photos. It contains a mix of classroom teaching resources and materials designed for teacher training.
4. netflexkids.com: This website is a platform that curates and provides high-quality health and fitness video content for children, ranging from dance routines to workouts and interactive games. It aims to be the number one resource for teachers and parents looking for safe, active, and engaging physical education materials for all ages.

Guise’s

1. schools.tutero.com: This platform provides teachers with tools like AI-generated, curriculum-aligned worksheets, lesson plans, and diagnostic assessments, focusing on making mathematics clearer and more accessible. A key feature is theWorked Solutions, which guide students through math problems step-by-step to build their autonomy and understanding of the reasoning.
2. Gibbly ai in Canva Apps: Gibbly is an AI assistant that empowers teachers to create curriculum-aligned lesson presentations and gamified quizzes in minutes. The Canva app integration allows teachers to generate a polished, visual presentation directly within their Canva design, significantly reducing prep time.

Welcome to the EdTech Throwdown. This is Episode 202 called Tech or Treat: 8 (More) Edtech Tools for the Classroom Teacher (Part 2). In this episode, we will continue exploring a new list of edtech tools that can enhance, engage, and save time. This is another episode you don’t want to miss, check it out.

NIck’s

1. UniqLearn(Coming Soon)Creates a profile for each student and then develops a lesson to tailor who that student learns best. This forthcoming platform is designed to personalize the learning experience by assessing each student's learning profile and then generating tailored lessons that best match their individual learning style.

1. Common Core Sheets: This tool is an online resource that provides thousands of free, printable math and English language arts worksheets aligned with Common Core State Standards. The sheets cover a vast range of grade levels and topics, giving teachers and parents easy access to practice materials.
2. makeprogressai.ca: This is an AI-powered report card comment generator designed to help teachers quickly create thoughtful, student-specific feedback. By inputting student strengths and areas for growth, the tool instantly generates professional, polished, and personalized comments for reports and assessments.
3. ziplet.com:[Information not found via search]This platform is an engagement and feedback tool that allows teachers to easily collect and act on student feedback using simple questions (ziplets) via a secure link. It helps facilitate open communication and gives teachers real-time insights into student understanding and wellbeing to inform instruction.

Guise’s

1. Rewordify: This is a text leveling tool that helps improve reading comprehension by simplifying complex sentences and words in a given text without changing its core meaning. It identifies challenging vocabulary and phrases, replacing them with easier alternatives to enhance understanding for students and language learners.
2. 123apps.com: This is a free online software suite providing a variety of multimedia tools for everyday use, including audio, video, PDF, and image editing. It operates entirely within a web browser, offering over fifty...