Course Description
Please Note: The cost of this course includes an iPad. Course registration closes weeks prior to the course start date to ensure on-time technology delivery. The model of iPad could vary depending on cost and availability. The Center for Schools reserves the right to cancel the course if the supply chain is interrupted or the iPads become prohibitively expensive.
Course Description: In Better Pedagogy, Prep Less: Harnessing Google AI & Canva for the Classroom, you will discover how to transform readily available and secure AI tools into your ultimate pedagogical thought partners. Designed to save you hours of administrative prep, this course guides you through practical, high-impact strategies to differentiate instruction, design source-grounded curriculum, and build engaging visual instructional resources. We will use an iPad to access Google tools and Canva, as well as photos and videos.
You’ll master leveraging Google Gemini for UDL scaffolding and differentiation, NotebookLM for reliable, hallucination-free research and assessment hubs, and Canva Magic Studio for visual learning—all while grounding every workflow in sound pedagogical frameworks. By the end, you’ll walk away with a ready-to-teach instructional resource and a personalized efficiency strategy that lets you prep less and focus on what matters most: teaching a diverse student population.
Audience: K-12 educators who have a Bachelor’s Degree
Session Information
Instructors
Patricia Aigner, M.Ed.
Patricia Aigner, M.Ed.
Patricia Aigner serves as a Vermont Technology Director and is licensed as a teacher, principal, and superintendent; she was honored with the Vita-Learn Frank Watson Lifetime Achievement Tech Award in 2020, ISTE GM AI Scholarship, and ISTE Member of the Month. She is the recipient of the ISTE 20 to Watch Award in 2022.
Her roles include being the past president of Vermont’s ISTE affiliate and a longtime board member of VT ASCD. For over 20 years, she’s presented at ISTE Vermont affiliate conferences and has presented at ISTE as recently as 2024. She teaches about technology through the Vermont State College System; she was part of the 2021-2022 AASA Howard University Urban Superintendent Cohort. Patricia is an ISTE Certified Educator who volunteers as an ISTE Community Leader, furthering her commitment to educational technology.
Additional Content Area
Course Goals:
• Cut Prep Time: Automate administrative tasks and lesson planning so you spend less time prepping and more time teaching.
• Differentiate with Ease: Use Google Gemini to instantly create instructional ideas that address product, process, and content, and tailor student supports.
• Build Reliable Curriculum: Ground your research and quizzes in trusted sources using NotebookLM—without worrying about AI errors.
• Design Engaging Visuals: Harness Canva Magic Studio to turn complex ideas into clear, accessible visual learning tools.
• Partner with AI Safely: Apply sound pedagogy and privacy guidelines to choose and use the right tech tools with confidence.