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My favourite tool is Howbout, a mobile app with a digital Calendar that you can connect with all your friends. It's such a lifesaver for me and my friends because we're all so busy, and planning no longer takes way too long because we can just click everyone's calendars and find an empty day and go with that. It also let's you add pictures and gifs to your plans, which is fun in its own right. :)

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One of my favourite digital tools is Google Slides. I use it daily, whether I am creating resources for my classroom, making visuals for lessons, organizing my information or printing pictures to use in my classroom. It's a tool that my board forced us to use during COVID, and I have used it ever since.

Also, when I searched "Google Slides" on Padlet, this was the first image that came up, and I absolutely could not, not use it!

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My favourite digital to use is Canva. During this program I have used it a lot to make all different types of presentations and assignments.

I like using Canva because it is very user friendly. I like that it has a collaboration feature so it makes working with group members.

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Hello everyone,

My favourite digital tool to use is Canva. I often use it at work or for school to prepare for presentations or assignments. I feel it allows the user to be creative with limited frustration. There are so many options when using Canva, including a large variety of templates, pictures, fun creative fonts, and the ability to design your project just the way you imagined. One of my favourite parts of Canva is the AI component. It is so cool to put in a prompt of an image you want and then see it come to life. For example I entered a prompt to create an image of a baby sea turtle on the beach near the ocean. (If you scroll in the image above you can see all the cute sea turtle images created in Canva). The fun part is you can adjust the image as you continue to enter prompts. I love the creativity of this digital tool.

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One of my favourite digital tools is Genially. I enjoy using it for many of my educational projects because it is user-friendly and offers a variety of interactive features that make learning and communication more engaging and effective. Genially is also an easy to use content platform where first-time users can quickly learn to navigate and create impressive designs. With its click-to-explore, new users can gain hands on experience in no time. I have personally used Genially to create polished slides and digital presentations using their library of over 2,000 pre-built templates, many of which are available for free.

Claudine

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It is hard to narrow it down to just one. As of right now, I would have to say for education, it would have to be Notebook LM, as it has helped me immensely with summarizing articles and having a better interpretation of what I'm reading.

Another tool that I have been using when creating is Canva, which helps me be creative side while displaying my work

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Canva is a simple and creative tool that helps me make images, posters, presentations, and infographics. I like Canva because it is very easy to use, even for beginners. It has many ready-made templates, pictures, icons, and fonts that save time and make my work look professional.

As a student, I use Canva to organize information visually. Instead of writing only text, I can create colourful designs that make learning more interesting and easier to understand. For example, I can turn a lesson into a mind map, poster, or presentation.

What makes Canva great is its simplicity. I can drag and drop elements, change colours, and add images with just a few clicks. It also encourages creativity and makes studying more enjoyable.

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Canva: AI Photo & Video Editor - Apps on Google Play

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All-in-One art, logo & collage maker. Design photos and edit video backgrounds

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Hello everyone,

My favourite digital tools would be Canva and Google Slides. I really enjoy using Canva to create presentations, slide shows, brochures, and infographics. Canva has really nice templates and I find it to be very user friendly. I also like using Google Slides for presentations as it is very quick and easy to use. I also like how both of these digital tools allow you to record presentations and share access with others to edit.

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My favourite tool personally would simply have to be an agenda or planner. I have a busy lifestyle and struggle with figuring out what needs to be prioritized when. This allows me to map out how I can complete my tasks day by day, ensuring that everything I need to get done is done on time. It also really helps me visualize what my days will look like for example, if I am working that day or have an appointment. An agenda or planner helps me not miss the little details I used to forget before I ever started using one!

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One of my favourite educational tools is Google Drive and Canva, which I have been using throughout the last semesters. I love them because they help keep my work organized and easy to navigate. Staying organized is important, especially when you can access your work from your phone and collaborate with your team at the same time. These tools make group work more convenient and enjoyable. I especially like Canva because it allows you to use pre-made slides or create your own designs, making presentations both fun and creative.

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My favorite educational tool is storytelling. It is an easy but strong way to help children learn using imagination, creativity, and talking. Storytelling can be done with books, puppets, pictures, felt boards, or even by acting out stories. I like using storytelling because it keeps children interested while helping with language, reading, feelings, and thinking skills all at once.

What makes storytelling great is that it can be used in many ways and is important for all learners. Children can link stories to their own lives, ask questions, show feelings, and feel more confident when talking. In early childhood education, storytelling also boosts creativity and builds stronger bonds between teachers and children. Whether it is a classic storybook or a story made together by the class, storytelling makes learning fun, hands-on, and easy to remember.

A website I found interesting about storytelling in early childhood education is Tales Toolkit, which explains how storytelling supports children’s creativity, communication, and confidence.

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"It taps into every area of development - communication, PSED, maths... It's about the individual unique child and having fun!"

Sandra

Early Years Teacher,
Kintore Way

"We could never have predicted
just how impactful and essential this resource and training would be."

Natalie Bannister

Jerudong International School

"Tales Toolkit has ignited a passion for storytelling and imaginative discussion. The benefits and enjoyment gained so far have been immense."

Teacher, Oxfordshire Setting

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Home | Tales Toolkit - Every child has a story

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High impact, low-planning, child-led intervention for the early years. Storytelling to improve language and communication, literacy, socio-emotional skills and more.

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This is a really good question, and it is hard for me to narrow it down to just one favourite educational tool.

One tool I use almost daily is Pinterest. I often go on Pinterest to gather ideas and inspiration for my classroom activities, learning invitations, and creative projects. It is helpful when I feel stuck or need fresh ideas, and it allows me to adapt activities to meet my students' interests and needs.

Another educational tool I use frequently is Google Slides. We use it often within the school board because it is quick, easy to navigate, and simple to share with colleagues. It makes collaboration much easier and helps us organize lessons, presentations, and classroom resources efficiently.

Since enrolling at Ontario Tech University, Canva has also become one of my favourite creative outlets for assignments and classroom materials. Although it took me some time to learn how to use all of its features, I now really enjoy working with it. Canva offers more creative flexibility than Google Slides and allows me to design visually engaging projects that are both professional and fun to create.

What makes these tools great is that they support creativity, collaboration, and accessibility in different ways. They help me stay organized, inspired, and connected both as an educator and as a learner.

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The most recent tool I have learned about is Google Notebook LM. I absolutely love this tool and use it to organize my ideas. Sometimes I will use it to create a visual schedule for myself. Additionally, I love using the voice-to-text feature on Microsoft Word. This allows me to freely and quickly express my ideas without typos slowing me down.

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Gemini Storybook

This is one of my favourite tools that we use at school to help create social stories for our kiddos.

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My favorite tool is not a digital tool, it's actually the great outdoors with all the learning that can happen naturally!

If I had to pick a favorite digital tool it would be either my Google Calendar.

I am currently an ECE in an LTO position with 2 step sons who are very active in sports so my calendar helps keep my very busy life organized.

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One of my favourite educational tools is Canva because it makes it easy to create creative and visually engaging presentations, posters, and classroom materials. I have used Canva for school projects and educational resources, and I like how simple it is to customize designs and organize information in an engaging way.

I used to use Google Classroom regularly for assignments, communication, and staying organized in courses. I think it is a great tool because it keeps everything in one place and makes learning and collaboration more efficient. Both tools help support creativity, organization, and communication in educational settings.

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Hey everyone,

My favourite digital tools would have to be Canva and Capcut. I use Capcut to make reels and Instagram stories. I also use Canva for Instagram posts, for an advertising roll that I have with my community theatre and for school purposes as well.

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Notebook LM is probably my favorite educational tool. I struggle with reading articles, so it helps me to pull the information that is important out of articles.

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Hello everyone!

Two educational tools I really enjoy using are NotebookLM and Canva. As a student, I use NotebookLM often because it supports my learning style. I am more of an auditory learner, so I like that I can transform articles or educational readings into podcast-style audio and listen while reviewing course materials. It helps me stay more focused and organized, especially during long readings.

I also enjoy using Canva because it allows me to create visual and engaging materials both for myself and for my students. As a French teacher, visuals are very important in helping elementary students understand vocabulary and concepts more easily. I sometimes use Canva and NotebookLM together to create short visual learning videos for subjects like science or social studies to make lessons more interactive and engaging.

What I like most about these tools is that they support creativity, communication, and different learning styles instead of relying on only one way of learning.

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My favourite digital tool is canva. I use it daily for creating visuals for my learners as well as making learning stories. One of my favourite features is the AI tool and using it to help enhance my slides.

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I love pintrest. Im not sure if that would be overall classified as a digital tool but I am huge on Pinterest. It is where I gather all my ideas and I can share with my friends and colleagues! I find the boards and the different content so exciting!

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There is something almost magical about the "pen-to-paper" connection. Research actually backs you up—writing by hand requires the brain to process and summarize information in real-time, whereas typing often turns into mindless transcribing.

Why Pen and Paper is an Elite Educational Tool

Cognitive Encoding: When you write, you are forced to be selective. You can’t write as fast as someone speaks, so your brain must prioritize the most important concepts, which helps with long-term retention.

Spatial Memory: Have you ever remembered a fact because you could "see" exactly where it was written on the bottom left corner of your page? Hand-drawn notes create a visual map that helps your brain recall information later.

Zero Distractions: Unlike a tablet or laptop, a piece of paper won't send you a notification or tempt you to open another tab. It’s just you and the material.

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I use Grammarly every day! I tend to type really fast and make a lot of errors. It is helpful to correct them easily.

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I love Kahoot! I use it all the time whether it's in class or on my own time. My boyfriend streams on twitch so we often have some random kahoots that we do with his viewers, I also use them at birthday parties for a fun activity for the guests play! It's really easy to use and just a fun way of interacting.

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Hello all,

I would say my favourite and most important tool that I use everyday would be google calendar. It ensures I know what shift and the location I am working or when I am off. I also forget everything (birthdays, events, due dates, etc.) and thus input the days right away to ensure I don't overbook or miss anything.... I cant say it works every time because i still miss things.

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One of my favourite educational tools is Canva because it makes learning creative and interactive. I like how easy it is to design presentations and study notes with colourful templates and graphics. It helps express ideas visually, which can make information easier to understand and remember.

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My favorite tool is Canva. This tool allowed me to take my creativity to another level in terms of accessibility when creating infographics or flyers. I also enjoy using Canva for collaborative work because it is user-friendly and super expressive, allowing me to choose different images, diagrams, and colors.

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Hello everyone!

A digital tool that I often use is NotebookLM. I recently started using this tool, and I find it really interesting and helpful for studying. It can summarize readings, organize notes, and help generate ideas from uploaded documents. I like how it makes studying feel more organized and less overwhelming, especially when dealing with a lot of course readings and information.

A tool I would recommend to others is Canva. I enjoy using it because it is simple, creative, and easy to learn. It helps create visually appealing presentations, posters, infographics, and social media content using templates and design tools. Even without much design experience, it makes projects look clean and professional.

-Sumaiya

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My favourite tool to use is Canva and Capcut. I use these tools almost daily both personally and professionally. Although I have a web development background, I'm not the best graphic designer. These tools allow me to be as creative as I can imagine. Since using these tools, I've been self-learning Adobe tools like Illustrator and Lightroom so that I can have a bit more freedom and flexibility when it comes to creating.

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My favorite tool is Google Classroom. I appreciate it because it helps me stay connected and organized in one place. As a DECE in a kindergarten classroom, I use Google Classroom to post announcements, videos, and learning activities for families. This allows them to stay informed about classroom learning and important reminders.

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My name is Homa, and I am an Educational Assistant who is passionate about supporting students and creating inclusive learning environments. I enjoy helping children learn through visual supports, hands-on activities, and creative teaching strategies. Working with diverse learners has helped me grow both personally and professionally, and it has strengthened my interest in education and educational technology.

One of the digital tools I enjoy using is Canva. I like Canva because it helps me create engaging and visually appealing resources for students, presentations, and classroom activities. It is easy to use and allows me to design posters, slides, visual schedules, and educational materials that support different learning needs. Canva also helps me express creativity while making learning more interactive and accessible for students.

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An expressive oil painting of a basketball player dunking, as depicted as an explosion of a nebula

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My favourite tool is Canva! I did not grow up with it, I was more of a Powerpoint girl but Canva has been a refreshing upgrade. I use it often as an EA to create visuals for Special Education Students. I definitely haven't explored all that it has to offer but Canva & I will be lifelong friends.

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I LOVE using Canva when able! I even us it in my everyday! I use it at work making flyers and announcements for my works social media and love just making backgrounds for my lock screens. I love being able to make things look super pretty and get my creativity out!!

Canva is amazing for projects!

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For my favourite digital tool, I chose Canva. It’s the tool I feel most comfortable using and the one I naturally gravitate toward when I need to create something quickly. I like how user-friendly it is and how it doesn’t feel overwhelming, even if you don’t consider yourself very creative.

What I appreciate most about Canva is how accessible it makes design. The templates, fonts, and visuals help guide you, which makes the process feel less intimidating and more enjoyable. I also like that it allows room to experiment and make changes easily without feeling like you’ll mess something up.

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My favourite tool is canva, i use it to create all of my lesson plans for my class and any slide decks i need to make for class. I think that it is a super useful tool and I really enjoy the designs and graphic it provides!

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Hello!

One of my favourite digital tools to use would be my digital calendar because it helps me stay organized and on track especially being full time in school and work! Adding in due dates, work schedules, group work meeting times, and call zoom calls! Especially since we are asynchronous and synchronous I like to keep track when we have zooms call and don’t so I can organize my work and school week! I also like that with Apple, I can connect it to my reminders so I get a motivation the beginning of the day, this is great because sometimes live gets busy and I forget due dates, or meeting times!

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One of my favourite tools I use in education is Canva. I love this too because I find that it’s easy to navigate through the templates. I find that Canva could also be beneficial for teachers as well to help create lessons and have students be interactive with designs. I find it great to do presentations as well.

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My favourite tool is kahoot. Amanda is always using them and I used to do them all the time in high school. Just a fun and interactive way to get students to check thier understanding. It's always just fun to have the leaderboard and competition going on. Also a good way to know if you understand the material being taught

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My favourite digital tool that i’ve recently started using more frequently is the notes app. It helps me stay more organized and also keeps me reminded of everything I need to do especially with course load. I make many many lists and notes which then help me stay on track through my day and even my week.

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One digital tool that has made my life much easier is the Apple Reminders App. Balancing work as an ECE and at university, responsibilities at home as a wife, and preparing for my first upcoming baby can feel overwhelming at times, so having a tool that keeps me organized is really helpful.

I love how simple and convenient the app is to use. I can quickly create task lists, set deadlines, and even use voice recording through Siri to add reminders when I’m busy or on the go. It also syncs across all Apple devices, which makes staying organized much easier. Overall, it helps me manage my busy schedule and reduce stress in my everyday life.

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My favourite educational tool is Pinterest ✨🎀

I love scrolling through different aesthetics, exploring creative ideas, saving inspiration, and discovering fun activities for learning and teaching. What makes it great is how visual, creative, and interactive it feels, one picture always leads to another idea 😂🫶🏻

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Hi everyone !

One of my most favourite tools to use would have to be a calendar. I tend to have a busy schedule so if it is not written down, I can't see it through. My calendar helps me stay organized and reminds me to stay accountable. Working 2 jobs and then adding school can sometimes make things seem intense. When you add in personal life all these things add up and need a space to display important details. This helps me be successful, and feel accomplished!

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One of my favourite educational tools to use is Canva. I love how easy it is to create visually appealing and engaging content, even if you are not super fluent with technology. There are so many templates and design options that make it simple to put together presentations, posters and classroom resources.

I find that Canva helps me organize lessons, make them more interactive, and make them more fun to look at. It is also great for collaboration and allows everyone to express their creativity in different ways. I've enjoyed using it because it makes digital content feel less overwhelming and much more enjoyable.

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My favourite everyday tools are my calendars (I use Google Calendar and a physical whiteboard calendar) and Procreate (a drawing software).

As somebody with ADHD, I really rely on constant reminders to keep myself organized. I have Google Calendar on all of my devices and update it nearly every day. I especially enjoy the task feature because I can cross off what I've done. I also added the tutorial links for my classes to Google Calendar, so I can quickly join them without having to dig through Canvas for the link each week.

Procreate is a digital drawing application available on iOS. In class, I sometimes draw to help me stay focused. I'm not sure why, but it helps me to listen better.

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I have a few favourite tools that I use in combination for my work, academic and personal use. My go-tos are Photoshop, Snipping Tool, and Google Slides (Google Drive).

I work in Kindergarten as an ECE and frequently creating activities for our learning centers to go along with the lessons. I source out ideas and make them into my own. I mostly started using these tools during the Covid Online Learning as Google Slides was our way of delivering the class to the students while at home. Through lots of YouTube Tutorials and just playing around I feel like I have mastered the ins and outs of these. I discovered through online teaching that I could create things for other educators and sell them as a side business.

I also use Photoshop quite a bit in my personal life for editing photos and making videos.

You could say I am the go to Tech person at work, and amongst my family and social circle.

As this is my second semester in this Program, I use Google Drive to help keep me organized with Folders and being able to share Group Assignments with ease to others. Photoshop and Google Slides have also been useful when working on presentations.

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My favourite tool which I use to help achieve tasks has been the introduction of the skylight calendar into my daily life. Having a physical digital calendar available inmy home allows for a constant visual reminder of upcoming tasks, appointments, etc. The compatibility to sync to all users phones, and the individual colour coded profiles ensures awareness of everyone in the families plans while minimizing confusion. To further, features such as slideshows, chores and shopping lists allow for the convenience of everything in one platform.

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If I had to choose one digital tool that has truly changed the way I learn, it would be NotebookLM. Think of it as having a study partner who actually did all the readings. NotebookLM has made research and learning so much more manageable for me. I use it to pull out key ideas, summarize articles, and to locate specific information across multiple sources. It saves me a tremendous amount of time and helps me focus on understanding the material rather than getting lost in lengthy readings.

My favourite feature is the Audio Overview. Since I spend a lot of time commuting, I can turn my readings into a podcast-style summary and listen on the go. It even allows the user to dig deeper into specific issues or ideas. Sometimes hearing the information out loud makes everything click in a way that reading alone does not. I find that it often sparks new connections and ideas that I might have missed, and helps me to better relate to the content. I also use NotebookLM as a quick refresher before class, and it has become one of my most relied-on tools. I am genuinely grateful and give full credit to the professor who introduced it to me (Dr. C. Craig) and to the TA (K.C.) who took the time to show me how to use it.

A close second is Microsoft Outlook. Between the calendar, reminders, and task features, it helps me keep my work, school, and personal life organized beyond what I can do on my own.

Overall, NotebookLM helps me learn, and Outlook helps me stay sane.

Julie Martin

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One of my favourite educational tool is the classic pen and paper. Like many here, I am still old school biased. I like the many benefits writing holds such as strengthening memory, hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills and the many brain activity facets that are engaged. However with that said, I do appreciate the digital tools available such as the google calendar, note pad, google docs, canva etc. I am learning to use these and I hope to become more proficient and comfortable using some of these tools. My first go to is the pen and paper, and when that is not readily available I do opt for notepad on my phone.

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One of my favourite educational tools is the Timetree Calendar. I enter all my class times and due dates of assignments. I can attach notes to the assignment reminders and also any links that will take me right to the assignment. Also, my very large family all share the same calendar, so they can see when I have class (so don't bother me). It helps me with time management when I can see what all 4 of my kids have going on and when I will best have time to work on school work to get things done on time. The entire family is able to access and add to the calendar. It really helps me feel less stressed about forgetting and missing things.

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My favourite tool has to be my assignment organizer. I like to collect all my courses into one document and organize them in order of what I have to complete. I also keep a calendar and written notes, but this helps me to view weeks and glance as well as specific dates and the order in which I should complete assignments.

What makes this so great is that it is completely editable, you can add direct links to the assignments so you don't lose your tabs, you can share with others, you can delete rows when the assignment is done, and it also organizes all content into one page for all your learning!

It can be accessible on any device as long as you have your account info, so if you are at work and need to glance quick you don't need your book or computer!

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Hello everyone!

My favourite tools are a pen (possibly in multiple colours) and a pad of paper. The simple act of writing down my notes helps me process the information presented more thoroughly. I have tried to make notes on the material through Google Docs or a Microsoft Word Document, but it has never had the same results on how well I retain the information. There are some inconveniences to doing it the "old-fashioned" way when it comes to storing all my notes or transferring them to working documents for shared group projects. Regardless, it is my favourite tool, and it never hurts to continue practicing writing things by hand, as I find that too many things are primarily digitally driven these days.

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My favourite tool is the notes app on my phone. It might seem simple, but it helps me stay organized with school, homework, reminders, and schedules. I use it to write down due dates, ideas for assignments, and quick notes before i forget them. I also add important notes to mu phone's home screen, so they are easy to see and access. As a millennial, I feel like I spend a lot of my time on my phone, so using it as a tool makes sense for me. I like that it is simple, practice and easy to use. It helps me manage my time and stay on top of my responsibilities.

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My favourite tool to use is a calendar. This is something for me that keeps not only me, but my family organized. I like to write out all important events as it helps me to remember better and allows me to reflect back on what is coming up. The use of a calendar makes me feel organized, allows me to manage my time more efficiently, and is a great form of communication.

-Mackenzie Devine-Daniels

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-Chiara Ruscica

My favourite educational tool to use when completing a task is to create a mind map/ brainstorming cloud. As someone who is a visual learner, I understand content and context best when it is displayed in a visual manner. I find Canva a helpful digital tool to utilize when creating a visual representation of information, however, drawing a physical mind map also helps me to learn while comprehending a task. Colour-coding different points of information also allows me to understand a concept by identifying it with a certain colour. I also find pictures and elements helpful when creating points in my mind map as well. As I start this course, I am looking forward to exploring different tools that can contribute to my success in learning :)

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My favorite tool to use is a weekly organizer. I like having everything visible because it helps keep me organized and focused. It lets me know what comes next and reminds me to stay on task. I also keep multiple day planners, one on my phone and one hard copy so I can always stay updated and prepared. Another benefit is that using planners helps reduce stress because I can manage my time better and avoid forgetting important tasks. I can also create a better balance in my day by planning out my time and responsibilities.

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I have always been the type of person who writes everything down, from grocery lists and reminders to daily tasks and random thoughts. Right now, the most powerful tool I own is my planner. Honestly, I cannot remember how I managed my life before I started using one.

As someone who needs to see everything visually because I can be forgetful, my planner has become essential to my everyday life. It holds everything important to me: my family’s and friends’ birthdays, weekend plans, assignments, work schedules, to-do lists, and anything else I need to stay aware of and organized.

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My most used tool for both school and work is my planner. I feel more organized and remember tasks better when I've written them down. I would love to use a digital planner, but I find that an old school type paper book works best for me!

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My favourite educational tool is Canva. Whether it be to make a slideshow, diagram, or poster, Canva is my go-to tool for creating! I find the tool to be user-friendly and versatile. It also has great collaboration features which makes it easy to work with a team. I also use Canva to design pages which I can print for my personal planner.

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My favourite digital tool is Google Slides because I find it easy to use and make attractive presentations using it. I can choose various pictures, text, videos, and infographics to make my work interesting and presentable. What I like most is that several people can work simultaneously on the same presentation. Google Slides also saves your work automatically, so I do not have to worry about losing my work. I love the fact that there are ready-made templates that I can use to make my presentation. It is also a great feature that I can still work on it even if I am offline. Last but not least, most features are available free of cost.

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My brain works on colours. Therefore, each class or activity is assigned a colour, and everything I do regarding that class is in that colour. (i.e. semester plan, calendar, pen, highlighter, etc.) This differentiation allows me to organize things accordingly and helps prevent mixing up dates, course materials, and assignments.

This carries over to calendars in all aspects of my life. I could not survive without my multiple calendars. I currently use 4 calendars (school, work, home, and then a master for all).

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I picked Google Slides as my favourite educational tool because it’s quick to set up, supports multiple formats (text, images, audio) and makes differentiating easy. Imagine a single slide with the title at the top, a left column for instructions and a right workspace for student work, plus a small rounded + in the bottom-right labeled “Add one next step.”

You can use the slide to complete the task with text, an image, or an audio clip, then add one tiny item next to the "+" a quick improvement, a question, or an accessibility note (e.g., “larger text please”). That small + habit builds metacognition, supports early finishers with stretch options and makes learner needs visible without extra paperwork!

As someone who hasn't used technology in a while, this tool has been fairly easy to navigate quickly and use within the schools in today's time.

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One of my favourite tools is a colour-coded planner or agenda. Even though there are many different digital tools available, I find that physically writing down my assignments and important dates helps me to be organized and less stressed. I like to use different colours to differentiate between different things like assignments, group meetings, and class notes.

What makes this tool great is that it helps me stay organized and helps with time management. I am able to highlight the most important things to ensure they are done first. I also find that writing things down helps me remember them better and having things in different colours helps the important tasks to stand out.

Another reason I like this tool is because I find it can reduce my stress and make school feel more manageable. I am able to look at one thing and see all my assignments and responsibilities in one space rather than having to flip back and forth between courses. Overall I love using a colour-coded planner and find it is what works best for me.

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I tend to be more old-fashioned in that I enjoy writing my ideas down, seeing them in front of me, and then refining them in ways that feel meaningful and beneficial. I learn best through writing and reflecting on what I’ve written. As a DECE, while I recognize the importance of using a variety of teaching styles to support different learning experiences, I believe there needs to be a balance in how we use technology.

For example, when reading a book, I prefer sharing it directly with children rather than always relying on the smart board. Similarly, when introducing concepts like coding, I find real-life, hands-on experiences more meaningful and engaging. During our mindfulness time, we listen to calming music and rest together—something I find incredibly valuable. While I may not have the best singing voice, we still enjoy these shared moments of connection.

That said, I have started exploring digital tools like Canva to create calendars and highlight important dates. As I become more comfortable using these tools, I’m excited to continue learning and discovering new ways to incorporate them into my practice.

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learner using pencil paper and google docs

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My favourite educational tool to use as a student is the Read & Write Chrome extension. I first learned about this tool two semesters ago when we were discussing accessibility in another class. I downloaded it to better understand the discussion we had in the tutorial. I initially did not think it would be particularly useful to me, but I soon learned it was a game-changer for editing my work. I have always struggled with identifying errors in my written work, even when I read it aloud. When I run the Read & Write extension, I can easily catch my errors. Such a time saver!

As an ECE, my favourite educational tool for use with my students is visual boards. I use them often with my non-verbal and multilingual learners. They are so helpful with transition times and also help the students, and I understand each other. I cannot imagine how I would navigate many of my days without them.

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Last semester was the first time I heard and learned to use Notebook LM and I fell in love with it. It took a huge load of my back and made learning so much easier. I was actually able to save time and use that time to better my assignments and overall course participation. I really like that it tells the user exactly which source was used for which statement and it also prompts the user to ask guiding questions to help understand and explore the topic better.

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One of my favourite tools is Canva! Last year, I was able to become more familiar with it when a coworker suggested it. As a RECE, it was very helpful to put together various ideas we had for materials around our classroom. I was able to create newsletters, information posters, and fun holiday cards/posters that were visually appealing and easy for everyone to read. Canva was easy to get comfortable with and really allowed me to show my creativity!

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Canva is my favourite tool to use because it helps me in both my professional and personal life. As an ECE, I use Canva to create engaging classroom materials, newsletters, invitations, learning activities, and display information like field trips that are visually appealing for children and families. It makes designing resources quick, easy, and creative. I also use Canva to manage my son’s hockey team Instagram page by creating team posts, game-day graphics, highlights, and announcements that look professional and fun. I love how user-friendly Canva is and how it allows me to be creative without needing advanced design skills.

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A tool I've used a lot to teach is Figjam. Originating from a design tool, it's a good tool to help facilitate co-creation sessions. You can also have it summarize the information within a FigJam board, which can be great for any post-session documentation. It's pretty flexible for both synchronous in-person and asynchronous sessions, and it's completely free for educational use.

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One of my favourite tools that I have discovered last semester is Notebook LM. Ever since I discovered Notebook LM, it has been my go-to tool and has been very supportive of my education journey. It comes with many features, while working full-time and being a mom to 3 kids and a hockey mom, Notebook LM has been my saviour of all time.

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Google Calendar is my lifesaver for my educational journey as well as my personal/professional life. It acts as a visual assistant, helping me juggle assignments and classes without feeling overwhelmed. Beyond just organization, it’s a source of perspective; on days when I feel unproductive, looking at my calendar reminds me of how much I’ve actually accomplished. It’s also my favourite way to stay connected; the sharing feature allows me to coordinate with family and friends and their busy schedules. Between the colour-coding and the adaptable views, it’s a user-friendly system that helps me know when to work and when to slow down.

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Google Calendar - Sign in to Access & Edit Your Schedule

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Access Google Calendar with a Google account (for personal use) or Google Workspace account (for business use).

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I love Canva! It’s one of the educational tools I feel most comfortable using because I’m a visual learner. I find it especially helpful in the educational field, and I can see myself using it a lot in the future as a teacher. I enjoy organizing the information I gather to create mind maps, presentations, posters, and more. Canva offers so many infographics, templates, and design options that make it easy to be creative. It also includes voice tools and the option to record videos of yourself presenting. In group projects, it’s especially helpful because it allows everyone to collaborate and take responsibility for different parts of the work.

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One of my favourite tools to use is definitely Canva! I love the ease of use, that I can create and share with my students and create our own class, and designing activities or just decorating our classroom.

But I also really like Read & Write. I work as an EA in an ASD/DD class and this tool is SO helpful for so many of my students!!

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My favourite educational tool would be Canva, as it allows me to bring my ideas to life, organize them, and express myself in every piece of work I do. not only to display work, but also to make things such as token boards and name tags, and even to generate images for students that they love to see. As an EA, it is helpful to find accessible and creative ways to support your students' learning in their environment, and Canva has been a key tool I use to this day. Canva has become a tool I will forever cherish in my educational career, and it has many features that are inclusive and accessible to all. When I first learned to use Canva, I definitely struggled; however, once I understood its features, I realized how appealing information can be when displayed nicely on a blank page. It is a dense tool, but once you learn to use it, it truly helps in every possible setting!

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My favorite digital educational tool is Canva because it lets me bring ideas to life quickly and beautifully without feeling overwhelmed. I love how intuitive it is, I can sit down with a blank template and, within minutes, create something that feels clear, accessible, and inviting for my learners and their families. Canva aligns with how I naturally teach: visually, intentionally, and with a focus on inclusivity. It helps me design materials that honor different learning needs while still feeling joyful and polished. And because it’s cloud‑based, I can work on something at school, tweak it on my phone during a quiet moment, and finish it later at home. It’s become one of those tools that genuinely lightens my load and lets me focus more on the heart of teaching rather than the logistics.

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My favourite educational tool is OneDrive. I use it every day for school because it keeps all of my work in one place and makes it easy to stay organized. I like that I can open my files on my laptop or phone whenever I need them.

OneDrive is also helpful for group assignments because I can share documents with classmates and work together at the same time. It saves automatically too, so I do not worry about losing my work.

Since starting university, OneDrive has made studying a lot easier and less stressful for me.

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My favorite educational tool is Google Drive. When I started university, I was using Google applications for the first time. I was quite nervous but grew to love them. I enjoy how accessible it is across all of my devices and how easy it is to collaborate with peers. I have organized my drive so that all my work from different classes is easy to find. I also enjoy that, at the end of the semester, I can download the Google folders I created for each class onto my disc, where I keep previous class notes and assignments.

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Since returning to school while continuing to work in the education field, I’ve had the opportunity to explore many digital tools that support both learning and organization. One tool that has become essential for me is Google Drive. Between assignments, lesson planning, and managing everyday responsibilities, having all of my documents stored and accessible in one place has made a huge difference.

What I appreciate most about Google Drive is how easy it is to stay organized and collaborate with others. Whether I am working on group projects, sharing resources with classmates, or accessing notes from my phone during a busy day, it helps me stay connected and prepared. As I continue through my university journey, Google Drive has helped reduce stress, improve my time management, and keep all of my academic work in one reliable space. It has truly become one of my most valuable tools for success in academics and daily life.

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Since returning to school while continuing to work in the education field, I’ve had the opportunity to explore many digital tools that support both learning and organization. One tool that has become essential for me is Google Drive. Between assignments, lesson planning, and managing everyday responsibilities, having all of my documents stored and accessible in one place has made a huge difference.

What I appreciate most about Google Drive is how easy it is to stay organized and collaborate with others. Whether I am working on group projects, sharing resources with classmates, or accessing notes from my phone during a busy day, it helps me stay connected and prepared. As I continue through my university journey, Google Drive has helped reduce stress, improve my time management, and keep all of my academic work in one reliable space. It has truly become one of my most valuable tools for success in academics and daily life.

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As a more mature learner, these tools are fairly new to me. My favourite educational tool, other than ChatGPT, is Canva.

I love Canva because it makes learning feel creative, interactive, and fun instead of stressful or boring. I use it for presentations, visual projects, social media content, and organizing my thoughts in a way that is easier to understand.

What I love most is that you do not have to be a professional designer to create something beautiful and meaningful. Canva allows people to express themselves creatively while still learning at the same time.

As someone studying education and also creating content online, I find that visuals help information connect better. Not everyone learns the same way, and Canva makes it easier for visual learners to engage through colours, graphics, videos, templates, and creativity.

To me, Canva is more than a design app. It is a tool that brings ideas to life and makes learning feel more engaging, modern, and enjoyable.

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My favorite educational tool is Google Drive. I love it because it keeps me consistently organized by keeping all my class files in one central location. I use a folder for each class and it keeps me from having duplicate files. It is also incredibly helpful for collaborating/sharing documents with my classmates. I also love that I can access my files from anywhere on any device.

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My favourite educational tool for personal use is my planner/calendar. I record all deadlines for school work, all my work appointments, my son's extra curricular information, and basically everything that is important in my life. Without the monthly view of my responsibilities and tasks I really think I would be lost.

The planner I have has monthly spaces for goals and for journaling, which has also helped me to maintain positivity and accountability in all the area of my life.

As an educator my favourite tool is the core communication board and images (similar to PECS). Having worked with kinder learners with no speech or limited speech, observing how the images can support a child to understand my expectations/instructions and then request something for themselves has been extremely validating. So many things became possible this year when both sides of the conversation were contributing and comprehending.

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Last semester, I discovered Notebook LM! This digital tool was such a lifesaver for me! I can appreciate this app because I can convert readings into a podcast, take simpler notes, or make readings into visuals! It helps and gives me a new way to study, which sometimes is on the go! I can listen to a podcast while I am driving, cooking or cleaning! It is definitely one of the digital tools I use as a lifesaver!

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Since working in the education field and becoming a student myself, we've been fortunate to learn and use so many different tools that narrowing them down to one favourite was difficult. I enjoy Canva because it makes creating assignments fun, but my calendar is my daily bible because without it, I wouldn't know up from down while juggling my days. However, I will say that Read & Write has been one of my favourite tools. As I navigate my university journey, Read&Write has given me more confidence as a reader and writer and has also helped me stay on top of my weekly reading assignments, especially when there are multiple readings to complete. It is a multifunctional tool for academics.

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One of my favourite educational tools is Duolingo. It is a language-learning app that uses short games, challenges, and rewards to help people learn new languages in an engaging way.I really enjoy using Duolingo with my child to learn languages because it is a fun and interactive experience.

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I LOVE CANVA!! I not only use it for assignments in this program, but also to create fun activities for my kindergarten classroom! I have made CVC word cards and Play-Doh mats! Some school boards have now created accounts for employees. I love being able to use this platform.

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One of my favorite educational tool is a Planner. It helps me stay organized, manage my time effectively, and keep track of deadlines and responsibilities. It supports my productivity and helps reduce stress.