Home Author
Author

Lori Gracey

Lori Gracey currently serves as the executive director of the Texas Computer Education Association (TCEA) and is responsible for training technology directors, administrators, curriculum supervisors, librarians, and teachers across the country. Since 2009, she has led TCEA in membership and revenue growth, helped to pay off their building and purchase a new, larger building, and implemented new conferences, partnerships with other associations, and professional development opportunities for members and non-members. She serves more than 75,000 members and oversees a staff of 20. Lori has served on the board of the Texas Society of Association Executives and SXSWedu, and she has served as the Regional Program Chair for the ISTE 2017 and 2021 Convention in San Antonio. Lori has 28 years of experience in education, with 22 years as a curriculum and technology director.

Artificial Intelligence

Get Instant Feedback with PollGen

by Lori Gracey
written by Lori Gracey

Finding out what students or staff are thinking about things can be a very powerful way to enhance learning and engagement. And there are a lot of different tools available to do just that. I recently found a new one that I really like and wanted to share it with you.

What Is PollGen?

PollGen allows you to create polls in seconds with AI, share them instantly, and gather responses in real time. While it has a very ugly interface, the tool itself is excellent. I quickly created a poll on when people think students should begin learning about the effective uses of AI. I entered my question and the site then:

  • Created a description/reason for the poll
  • Listed four options as answers (you can have as few as two answers and as many as you want)

How PollGen Works

I was able to edit everything very easily. Once I had the poll the way I wanted it, then I had choices as to whether it would be a private poll (only accessible via a link I send out) or visible to anyone) and when I wanted the poll to close (the default is one week up to one year). I then clicked Create Poll and got a link to share in a variety of ways (URL, QR code, email, and different social media apps).

Creating a free account allowed me more features, even in the free version. The paid version is “coming soon,” but there’s not much information available about it yet.

You can vote in my poll by clicking here. Those taking the poll have the ability to add a comment, which I found interesting.

Other features available include:

  • Calendar integration (with Google, Apple, and Outlook calendars)
  • Presentation mode in real time
  • Smart scheduling
  • Real-time analytics

I don’t know what the limit is for how many can take part in the poll, as I don’t see any information about that.

What I liked most about PollGen was how fast I was able to have it up and running. My first poll was created and launched within five minutes. Users also found it simple to respond to. I hope that you’ll try it out and let me know what you think in the comments below!

0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestLinkedinEmail
Announcements/Important Dates

Empowering Schools Through Data: Project Tomorrow’s Speak Up Survey

by Lori Gracey
written by Lori Gracey

In today’s ever-evolving educational landscape, decisions about instruction, technology use, and professional development can no longer rely on guesswork or assumptions. Having accurate, trustworthy data is vital for shaping a district’s strategic priorities and ensuring that every stakeholder’s voice is heard. That’s why TCEA is proud to support Project Tomorrow’s Speak Up Survey — an annual, nation-wide survey that gathers input from students, staff, parents, and community members to guide meaningful school improvement.

The Power of the Speak Up Survey

The Speak Up Survey isn’t just another questionnaire. It offers a comprehensive snapshot of attitudes and experiences around technology use in schools — from device availability and student engagement to teacher training needs and administrative concerns. By participating, your district gains not only tailored local data but also a way to compare trends at both state and national levels. This broad view helps leaders pinpoint strengths and challenges, letting them address issues before they become stumbling blocks.

No Cost and Complete Confidentiality

One of the biggest misconceptions about large-scale data collection is that it must be expensive. However, there is no cost to participate in Speak Up or to receive your results. Additionally, all responses remain confidential, and no individual respondent can be identified. This means you can encourage students, teachers, parents, and other stakeholders to provide candid feedback without worrying about privacy.

What the Speak Up Survey Means for Leaders

Districts receive their local data within 30 days of completing the snapshot survey to enable meaningful change during the school year. Data gleaned from Speak Up can have a transformative impact on your district’s strategic planning. By reviewing feedback on everything from network reliability to learning software usage, you can more accurately allocate resources, set measurable goals, and target professional development where it’s needed most. This level of detail informs everything from technology integration efforts to future budget proposals and can even bolster grant applications that require evidence-based needs assessments.

Key Dates and Preparing for the Survey

The Speak Up Survey is open now and will remain available through May 14, 2025. If your district has participated in the past, it’s still necessary to register to take part again. It’s best to get started early, so families and staff have enough time to participate without feeling rushed — especially before testing seasons ramp up. Before distributing the survey link, consider having a quick technology inventory on hand, along with any existing data on digital initiatives or training opportunities. The more background information you have, the easier it will be to interpret your district’s survey results.

I encourage you to seize this opportunity to tap into your community’s collective insights and grow your district’s capacity for data-informed decision making. With no expense, complete confidentiality, and a potential wealth of actionable information, there’s every reason to join the Speak Up survey this year. By leveraging these results, you can nurture a learning environment that consistently reflects the needs of students, teachers, families, and the broader community.

Remember—when every voice is invited to the table, the whole district benefits. Let’s work together to keep our schools on the path toward continuous improvement, guided by the clear and credible insights that only strong data can provide.

0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestLinkedinEmail
Digital CitizenshipGoogle Tips and Tricks

Checking the News May Be Easier Now with FactSnap

by Lori Gracey
written by Lori Gracey

In today’s confusing world where the headlines you read may or may not be accurate, it’s becoming even harder to be a good digital citizen, whether you are an adult or a student. A new Chrome extension, however, may help with that task.

What Is FactSnap?

FactSnap is a “fact-checking companion.” Once installed, it allows you to verify information while browsing the web. It compares claims against relevant sources from the web with the help of AI and, within seconds, lets you know if a statement is accurate, suspicious, or incorrect.

How Does It Work?

The extension is easy to use:

  1. Download and install the extension.
  2. Go to a website you want to read.
  3. Highlight the text you want to check.
  4. Click the FactSnap icon for the result which appears in a small circle with an “F” at the beginning of the text you highlighted.
  5. Dive deeper by exploring the explanation provided, as well as the sources.

The extension first searches the web for relevant sources. Then it uses GPT-4o to evaluate the claim against those sources and provide a fact-checking response. Since it is using AI, it is important to remember that its reliability may, at times, not be what we might hope for as it may be given outdated or inaccurate information. But it does provide a good place to start.

There is no registration or log in required to use FactSnap. And it doesn’t collect any data about you and is free. At this time, it only works on the Chrome browser.

Teaching students and adults how to verify information presented to them is a critical priority today. This may be one tool in that process.

0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestLinkedinEmail
Digital Literacy

Digital Literacy Resources from TCEA

by Lori Gracey
written by Lori Gracey

Research shows that while students are highly proficient in using digital tools, only 2% of eighth-graders demonstrate the ability to analyze and manage information effectively (Washington Post). Meanwhile, just 19% can independently gather and organize digital data. These statistics highlight a critical gap in digital literacy, leaving students unprepared to critically assess the platforms they engage with.

Here are some instructional strategies, lesson plans, and digital literacy resources from TCEA that are great for helping students better analyze information:

A SIFT Lesson Plan: Critical Skills for Analyzing Media

Media overwhelm is a serious issue in modern classrooms. Enter SIFT: an acronym to help students build critical thinking skills. This blog post from TCEA’s own Miguel Guhlin even outlines an example of how you and your students can use SIFT when sifting through (See what we did there?) the massive amount of content available online.

Resources for Teaching Students to Fact Check

Similarly to our first resource, this article walks you through the importance of and steps to follow when fact checking online content. Dive into the statistics surrounding fake news and misinformation before exploring an array of resources and websites designed to help your students think critically in an age of digital falsehoods.

Going Beyond Digital Literacy: Fostering Readers as Learners

In this article, TCEA guest blogger and digital literacy coach Kristine Seale argues that, “educators must shift into the role of ‘facilitator’ to empower students to take ownership of their own development as readers and learners.” Promote digital literacy in your classroom and empower your students with these innovative strategies!

Five News Literacy Resources for Back to School

As the News Literacy Project’s Senior Manager of State Partnerships, Erin Olson knows her way around digital literacy resources. That’s why this list of her top five back to school resources are great all year long! From the “Breaking news checklist” to the NLP’s educator resource library, this list is packed with tools that are sure to help your students become outstanding critical thinkers.

Digital Citizenship Week 2024

Sure, this blog may have been from a Digital Citizenship Week that has since passed, but the resources it includes are evergreen! Check out our Digital Citizenship Breakout, as well as a Cyber Safety Presentation and Quiz, hand-designed for your students by TCEA’s own Peggy Reimers.

What are your favorite digital literacy resources for students? Let us know in the comments below!

0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestLinkedinEmail
Classroom ActivitiesSeasonal Activities

Don’t Be Puzzled by National Puzzle Day!

by Lori Gracey
written by Lori Gracey

National Puzzle Day is January 29 and is something that educators should definitely celebrate. Why, you ask, with all of the eight trillion things that you have to do each day on your campus and in your classroom, should you take the time for puzzles? Well, the research says it’s worth the investment.

Benefits of Puzzling for Students

Doing puzzles of different types can pay off cognitively for students:

  • Enhanced Problem-Solving and Reasoning – Puzzles help develop critical thinking and logical reasoning by requiring learners to form strategies, test hypotheses, and analyze results. A study in Frontiers in Education (2018) found that puzzle-based tasks in classrooms improved students’ abilities to approach multi-step problems with greater confidence.
  • Improved Spatial and Visual Skills – Jigsaw puzzles and other visual-spatial challenges (e.g., tangrams) have been linked to better spatial awareness and visual perception. Research in Child Development (2011) indicated that preschool children who frequently worked on jigsaw puzzles demonstrated stronger spatial aptitude in later years.
  • Support for Perseverance and Growth Mindset – Puzzles naturally encourage trial-and-error learning, prompting students to persist through challenges. This environment aligns with the concept of growth mindset (Dweck, 2015), promoting resilience and a willingness to tackle difficult tasks.
  • Collaboration and Communication Skills – Group puzzle activities (e.g., collaborative problem-solving games) can foster teamwork and communication skills. A 2020 study published in the Journal of Educational Psychology showed that students engaging in group-based puzzle tasks were more adept at sharing ideas and demonstrating positive interdependence.

Puzzles Benefit Adults, Too

Don’t think that solving puzzles is only good for students. It has some very powerful effects on adults as well.

  • Reduction of Anxiety and Stress – Focusing on a puzzle can serve as a form of mindfulness, helping to block out external stressors and promote relaxation. A systematic review in Frontiers in Psychology (2019) found that adults who regularly engaged in puzzle-solving reported lower perceived stress levels and a sense of calm after completion.
  • Improved Focus and Flow – Puzzles often induce a “flow” state (Csikszentmihalyi, 1990), characterized by deep concentration, task immersion, and enjoyment. Achieving flow can serve as a healthy escape from daily pressures, recharging mental energy and improving overall wellbeing.
  • Cognitive Reserve and Brain Function – Engaging in mentally challenging activities, including puzzle-solving, can contribute to building cognitive reserves, the brain’s ability to compensate for age-related changes. A study in the Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry (2018) found that older adults who regularly solved puzzles (crosswords, logic puzzles) showed slowed cognitive decline compared to those who did not.
  • Memory and Executive Functions – Regular puzzle-solving has been correlated with improvements in memory, attention, and executive functions such as planning and organization. Research published in Neuropsychology (2011) indicated that participants performing weekly puzzle activities demonstrated better short-term memory retention and improved multi-tasking skills.
  • Lifelong Learning Mindset – Incorporating puzzles into daily routines can support a lifelong learning approach, reinforcing the brain’s natural ability to adapt and grow through new challenges. This aligns with broader research on neuroplasticity, suggesting the brain remains malleable when consistently stimulated with novel and varied tasks (Kolb & Gibb, 2011).

Practical Tips for Incorporating Puzzles This National Puzzle Day

  • Offer puzzles at different difficulty levels to accommodate diverse learners and keep adults engaged.
  • In classrooms, teachers can differentiate puzzles by adjusting complexity or providing optional hints. For administrators, adding a puzzle activity at the beginning of a staff meeting can get the thought processes flowing and enhance team building.
  • Embed puzzles into lessons to reinforce subject-specific skills (e.g., math puzzles for arithmetic fluency, word puzzles for vocabulary building).
  • Connect puzzle tasks to real-world contexts (e.g., logic puzzles involving current events or practical scenarios).
  • Digital puzzle apps can supplement traditional paper-and-pencil puzzles, offering instant feedback and gamified elements.
  • Physical puzzles, however, encourage tactile learning and can be more conducive to group collaboration.

Free Puzzle Resources

Here are just a few great online, free puzzle websites that you may not be familiar with. Try one (or more!) out today for National Puzzle Day, and work them into your classroom activities for an added brain boost!

  • PuzzleMaker from Discovery Education – Customizable puzzle generators allow teachers to create puzzles based on specific vocabulary or subject matter. Types of puzzles available include word searches, crosswords, cryptograms, math squares, math squares, and more.
  • KrazyDad Puzzles – This site features a very large library of free printable puzzle PDFs and interactive online versions suitable for adults and older students who enjoy more traditional pencil-and-paper puzzle formats. Puzzles available include, but are definitely not limited to, Sudoku, mazes, kakuro, logic puzzles, and more.
  • Jigsaw Planet – Enjoy online jigsaw puzzles with themes (animals, nature, art, etc.) and adjust the difficulty level by changing the number of puzzle pieces. Register for a free account and you can upload your own images to create personalized jigsaw puzzles.
  • Math Playground – This interactive approach to math concepts with immediate feedback and gamified elements will keep students engaged. It’s best for upper elementary and middle school students, though some puzzles can also challenge older learners, and includes math-based logic puzzles, problem-solving games, and brain teasers.
  • Braingle – Here you’ll find brain teasers, riddles, logic puzzles, and trivia quizzes, as well as a large community that contributes new puzzles, plus a user forum for discussion and hints. It’s best suited for teens and adults as some puzzles may require higher-level reasoning.
  • Puzzle.org – This is a simple site with an ad-supported interface and new puzzles generated daily. It offers sudoku, crossword, codeword, and word search puzzles, and is best for older students and adults, particularly those who enjoy daily puzzle routines.
  • The Escape Game Monthly Mystery – Escape rooms are great fun, especially for getting to know other members of your team and developing better collaboration and critical thinking skills. This site provides one free escape activity that is done online each month. It is somewhat difficult, so it works best for teenagers and adults.
  • The Hogwarts Digital Escape Room – Developed by a librarian for Harry Potter enthusiasts, this game features riddles and clues tied to the wizarding world. It runs within any web browser (although it’s best on a computer), leveraging Google Forms to track puzzle progress.

While many of the above resources provide excellent puzzle activities, you may also want to try something more than just traditional word or logic games this National Puzzle Day. Here are a few ideas:

  • Print and Play Tarsia Puzzles – Tarsia puzzles are triangle-based “jigsaws” where each edge pair must match a corresponding question and answer. A tool called a Tarsia Formulator lets you create and print custom Tarsia puzzles for math, vocabulary, or other subjects. They work well for group stations or individual practice.
  • Mission US Historical Adventure Games – Each “mission” puts the player in the shoes of a fictional character living through a critical moment in U.S. history. Students make choices affecting the storyline—furthering understanding of historical events, social dynamics, and cause-and-effect relationships. They are designed for upper elementary through high school.
  • NASA’s Climate Kids and More – These are activities that require users to piece together data or make decisions based on real climate or space scenarios (e.g., designing a clean-energy city). They work best for upper elementary and middle school students. 
  • Wordle and Wordle variants that are linked to current events – While Wordle itself is not current-events-based, variants like Worldle (guessing countries), Globle, or City Guesser can align with geography or recent news stories. Some of the puzzles highlight shifting global situations—for example, new boundaries or location-based hints referencing current events.

Whatever style of puzzle you select, you can count on it providing cognitive benefits that can last for years and help with keeping the brain engaged and ready to learn. So, celebrate National Puzzle Day and get puzzling!

0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestLinkedinEmail
Professional LearningTCEA Membership

Why Should I Join TCEA, Anyway?

by Lori Gracey
written by Lori Gracey

There’s been a lot of discussion among nonprofit associations like TCEA, TLA, TEPSA, and others recently around the changing concept of membership. Years ago, people joined associations and other service organizations like the Kiwanis, Lions Club, and Shriners because that’s what everyone did. Joining was almost a rite of passage, a sign that you were a responsible, mature adult.

Today, the concept of joining something seems to be of less importance. Belonging to an organization doesn’t seem to fit with the Netflix view of the world: paying for a monthly subscription to a service you want to receive. And, admittedly, sometimes it’s hard to see the value in paying for a membership. Compared to belonging to Amazon as a “Prime member,” the benefits may not be as apparent.

So Why Join TCEA?

Membership in an organization like TCEA, however, is still very relevant and needed. TCEA provides a connection in a world where we are increasingly alone. Statistics show that one in three people, or close to 33 percent, of people in the U.S. experience loneliness on a regular basis. Sixty-one percent of younger people in the U.S. say they are chronically lonely. Seventy-three percent of Millennials say they are lonely. Even though we have technology that can connect us together now more than ever, we feel alone. That’s where belonging to an association like TCEA can help.

With TCEA, you are connected to 85,000 other educators like yourself who want to share their experiences, their problems, and their joys. You and all of the other members are working toward a common purpose: innovating teaching and learning with the use of technology. You are striving to make the world a better place, one student, one classroom, one campus, one district at a time. You are NOT alone!

And while other organizations may be working toward similar goals, there are several reasons why TCEA is your best choice.

  • Membership in TCEA is inexpensive. The cost to join TCEA is just $49. And if you purchase an online course or register for one of our professional development events and conferences, it’s included for free.
  • Membership in TCEA is not an ongoing charge. Once you are a member in TCEA, you have a lifetime membership. All of the benefits, all of the resources, all of the professional learning are yours for as long as you want them at no additional cost.
  • Membership in TCEA connects you not only to others like yourself in similar job roles, but it also connects you to educators in different areas of responsibility. As a librarian, for example, you definitely want to connect with other librarians. And you can! But when you join TCEA, you can also connect and learn with instructional coaches, teachers, campus administrators, college professors, tech experts, and more. Your circle is not limited to those just like you — it’s broad and empowering.
  • Membership in TCEA reminds you that, while it may not seem like it, the world is still a wonderful place. And we can make a positive difference in it every single day, together.
  • Membership in TCEA provides useful, relevant resources and professional learning. Weekly recorded webinars on topics that are important to you; daily blogs with tips and instructional strategies; members-only newsletters that use AI to provide only the stories and information you want; updates on what’s happening with AI, tech, and advocacy issues; and an online community where you can share any time, any place with others who understand you and what you are going through: these are the ways that TCEA supports you as you work to make the world a better place.

If you’re not currently a member, I strongly encourage you to join TCEA today. This organization has changed my life in so many amazing ways, and I know it can do the same for you. Let’s continue our learning journey together!

0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestLinkedinEmail
AI/VRArtificial Intelligence

Learning More about Yourself with the AI Personality Test

by Lori Gracey
written by Lori Gracey

I recently tried a new AI website that I’d heard about. It’s the AI Personality Test, and to be honest, I wasn’t expecting much from it. But I was pleasantly surprised.

How the AI Personality Test Works

You talk with their “AI interviewer” for approximately five minutes. (A microphone is required.) The interviewer asks follow-up questions to get to know you better. At the end of the interview, you’re given a comprehensive report about your personality. It’s analyzed based on thousands of past responses.

What I Liked about the AI Personality Test

  • I found the interviewer’s voice very soothing and calming. I almost left like I was talking with a real person.
  • The questions seemed to be written specifically for me. They allowed me to think about things I hadn’t considered before, which was a surprise.
  • The report I received after the interview was very detailed and included not only thoughts about my personality (The Nurturer), but also:
    • Book recommendations to help me in my journey
    • Movie recommendations (which were spot on for me)
    • Song recommendations and links (again, exactly what I would have chosen)
    • Celebrity “doppelgangers” that have a similar personality (Tom Hanks, Michelle Obama, and Drew Barrymore for me)
    • “Guesses” about my diet, my perfect weekend, and my wardrobe, all of which perfectly described me
    • It also offered insights on my strengths and weaknesses, career, friends, presents, and date night activities.

You can see my final report here.

What I Didn’t Like about the AI Personality Test

  • The “trying this might do wonders” section was not really helpful or specific to my personality. It recommended organizing my physical space each morning. I normally am a very organized and tidy person, so this didn’t fit me.
  • I shared with it my desire to be more physically active this new year, so I was expecting it would make some recommendations for that. But it didn’t mention this.
  • I was originally worried about data privacy. They have a very detailed privacy policy available here, which made me feel a little bit better. But I would not share any “secret” or private information with them.

Other Personality Tests

There are a number of other free AI personality tests available:

I haven’t tried any of these or verified their claim to be “free” or their privacy policies.

Final Thoughts

This free test, requiring no registration to access it, was created by a company that would like to sell its service to large companies for employee personality tests. But for free, it was really pretty good and accurate. I appreciated learning a little bit more about myself, and the overall experience being interviewed was enjoyable. It’s obviously not suitable for anyone under 18, so you can’t have your students use it. But it might be fun and possibly enlightening for you to take the test. Let me know what you find out in the comments below!

2 comments
1 FacebookTwitterPinterestLinkedinEmail
Educational ResearchGood Teaching

Implementing Brain-Based Learning

by Lori Gracey
written by Lori Gracey

As busy as educators are these days, it’s almost impossible to find the time to stay current on research related to teaching. And yet the importance of incorporating brain-based learning with students is critical. Let’s discuss why research on the brain matters so much and then look at ways to save time with knowing the best ways to teach.

What Is Brain-Based Learning?

Brain-based learning refers to educational approaches and strategies informed by research in key disciplines such as:

  • Psychology
  • Neuroscience
  • Technology

These methods are designed to align with how the brain naturally processes and retains information. Rather than being tied to a single, unified theory, brain-based learning encompasses a wide range of concepts and practices. While this broad scope may initially seem overwhelming, it also presents an opportunity: any effort to integrate insights from educational science into your teaching practices contributes to brain-based learning.

Brain-based learning tries to answer questions such as:

  • What happens in the learning process?
  • Why do some students thrive at school and learn more than others?
  • How should specific content and skills be introduced and reinforced?
  • What instructional strategies work best for different learning?

Recent research highlights significant benefits for educators who adopt brain-based learning strategies. These teachers often observe improvements in both student knowledge retention and academic performance. That means that students not only achieve higher test scores but also develop lasting skills that they can apply in real-world contexts beyond the classroom.

Keeping Up with the Latest Research

In the past decade, brain research has more than doubled and converged in a growing science of learning and development with many important implications for instructional practices, school climate, and district policy. So how can busy teachers and administrators stay current with the latest research on the best ways to help students learn? Here are a few ways.

Stick with TCEA

TCEA’s professional development team spends a lot of time examining the latest research so that you don’t have to. They share what they discover in our blogs, our weekly Lunch and Learn webinars, and at presentations around the country. There’s also a microcredential in Research and Best Practices being offered at the 2025 TCEA Convention & Exposition. In addition, we have created an online, self-paced course that sums all of the best research up and shares exactly how you can implement it. So, stick with us and we’ll make sure you’re in the know!

Perplexity Chatbot

While there are lots of good AI chatbots out there, Perplexity is currently the best one for research. Try using the prompt below for the most useful results, along with citations about each study mentioned:

“Provide a summary of the latest validated research on how the brain learns, focusing on implications for teaching and learning in K-16 education. Please include:

  • Key findings or principles from each study
  • How these findings can be applied in educational settings
  • A brief, reliable citation for each study, including publication year and journal (e.g., Journal of Educational Psychology, 2024). Aim for studies published within the last 1-2 years, focusing on reliable sources and peer-reviewed journals.”

You can customize the prompt by specifying a grade level or content area, as well as identify a unique audience, such as special needs or ESL students. And since the prompt provides application ideas, you can put what you learn into effect immediately.

Science Daily

The Science Daily website is a wonderful, free resource. It provides links to the latest studies on a wide range of topics, from health and medicine to technology, environmental science to business and industry. This link, though, will take you to the Education and Learning News section of the site where you can focus on brain research. Click on one of the links that piques your interest and you’ll be taken to an overview of what the research found, as well as details and references about the study. 

Knowing what really works and, more importantly, what doesn’t work in the classroom today is critical for all of us. These three resources will make sure that you’re using the best instructional strategies.

0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestLinkedinEmail
Artificial IntelligenceEnglish Language Arts Reading (ELAR)Good TeachingWriting

Spend Less Time Grading Essays with CoGrader

by Lori Gracey
written by Lori Gracey

When I was a middle school ELA teacher, I used to dread the time every six weeks that we had to assign brief writing projects to the students. I loved teaching them the research process, but I HATED having to grade all their essays, make useful comments that would help them improve their writing, and then meet with each student about their work. It consumed my life for days as I poured over papers every evening until late. But now, with AI, there is a faster and more efficient way to review student writing, provide meaningful feedback, and keep your nights available for resting and recharging. Enter, CoGrader!

What Is CoGrader?

CoGrader is “the AI Essay Grader that helps teachers provide quality feedback on essays in 80% less time.” The process is simple:

  1. Define your grading criteria. You can use CoGrader’s rubrics aligned to your state standards or upload your own. View the different rubrics here, including the Texas STAAR writing rubrics in English and Spanish.
  2. Import assignments. CoGrader works with Google Classroom, Canvas, and Schoology so you can easily upload submitted student work to be graded.
  3. Get grades, feedback, and reports. “CoGrader generates detailed feedback and justification reports for each student, highlighting areas of improvement together with the grade.”
  4. Review and adjust. As the teacher, you have the final say in what grade a student’s work receives, as well as the feedback given.

In addition, it’s important to provide clear assignment instructions when you begin the process with your students. And CoGrader currently works best with a “one prompt, one answer” approach. If you are trying to have your students address several different questions in their writing, CoGrader may not be as successful in evaluating and providing feedback at this time. Detailed instructions can be found here.

Bonus Features of CoGrader

CoGrader, because it was developed by teachers for teachers and is backed by the University of California Berkeley, has some extra features that make it truly useful.

  • It checks to see if ChatGPT or another chatbot was used for student writing. While this process is not perfect, it can be helpful in determining if you need to look further at possible plagiarism.
  • It is FERPA compliant and protects student privacy. 
  • It can ensure consistency and accuracy in grading and reduce biases.
  • CoGrader provides three free certifications for educators using the platform.

Pricing for CoGrader

The platform offers a free version for educators that includes 100 student submissions per month. The Standard plan is $15/month for up to 300 student submissions per month, the acceptance of hand-written assignments, grammar checking, and a customizable overview dashboard. They also offer department and school pricing.

Final Thoughts

When teachers around the country are asked what they need, one of their top answers is always “more time.” This AI tool can provide that so that you can spend more time working with students instead of working with papers.

0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestLinkedinEmail
Professional LearningTCEA Convention & Exposition

Illuminate, Collaborate, and Celebrate at the 2025 TCEA Convention & Exposition

by Lori Gracey
written by Lori Gracey

Are you ready to take your professional growth to the next level and transform your students’ learning experiences? The 2025 TCEA Convention & Exposition in Austin, Texas, promises to be a game-changer for educators everywhere! From PreK-16 teachers to district administrators, librarians, instructional coaches, CTOs, and more, this event is crafted to meet your needs, no matter where you are in your educational journey. Mark your calendars: registration and housing for the annual convention officially open on Sept. 12, 2024 at 9 a.m. Central! 

Why should you make the TCEA convention your must-attend professional learning event of the year? Because it’s more than just a top conference for educators — it’s your opportunity to connect with passionate educators from across the globe, discover proven solutions for everyday challenges, and leave with new skills that will immediately impact your classroom, school, or district. 

Experience the 2025 TCEA Convention & Exposition

Iluminate. Collaborate. Celebrate.

At the core of the TCEA Convention & Exposition, these three words capture the magic of what’s in store. This year’s event will be filled with opportunities to spark new ideas, engage with your peers, and uncover solutions that truly work, all while celebrating your passion for education and your amazing accomplishments from the past year.

At the 2025 TCEA Convention & Exposition, you’ll experience:

  • Sessions Tailored Just for You: Choose from 700+ educator-focused sessions, ranging from hands-on learning to peer panel discussions on the most critical topics in education today. Whether you’re focused on classroom tech integration, leadership strategies, or curriculum innovation, there’s a session for you.
  • Results-Focused Learning: Tired of sitting through generic professional development that doesn’t apply to your day-to-day? At TCEA, every session is designed to provide practical, actionable strategies you can implement the moment you return to your school or district.
  • Leadership Summit: Enhance your leadership skills by attending the new Leadership Summit, where you’ll learn alongside district and school leaders, exploring the most effective strategies for leading in a rapidly evolving education landscape.
  • Microlearning Certificates: Earn a professional certificate in one of five different areas while attending the convention at no extra cost to you. Certificates include:
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Digital Creation
    • Instructional and Technology Coaching
    • Leadership
    • Library Media Services
  • 450+ Exhibitors: Explore the exhibit hall, featuring more than 450 exhibitors showcasing the latest technology and tools that solve your everyday challenges. Get hands-on with the newest products, ask questions, and find solutions tailored to your needs.
  • A Lifetime of Learning: As part of your convention experience, you’ll receive a lifetime membership in the TCEA community! Gain ongoing, free access to professional development and resources long after the event ends. No other conference offers you this chance to continue to grow!
  • Poster Fair: Visit the Poster Fair to meet trailblazing educators and learn from their real-world experiences. This interactive showcase will give you direct access to those who are making waves in their schools and districts.
  • Global Connections: One of the best parts of attending TCEA is the chance to connect with dedicated, innovative educators just like you from around the world. Share ideas, swap stories, and build a network of support that lasts long after the convention ends.

Don’t Wait — Register Today!

The 2025 TCEA Convention & Exposition is more than just an ed tech event — it’s a powerful opportunity to invest in your continued growth as an educator and make a lasting difference for your students. Registration and housing officially open on Sept. 12, 2024 at 9:00 a.m. Central, and spots will fill quickly. Don’t miss out on this transformative experience!

Prepare to illuminate your thinking, collaborate with peers, and celebrate your accomplishments like never before. We can’t wait to see you there!

0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestLinkedinEmail
Newer Posts
Older Posts