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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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).

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.

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 :)

-Mackenzie Devine-Daniels

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.

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!

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

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.

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.

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.

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!

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 😂🫶🏻

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.

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!

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.

Canva is amazing for projects!

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

Claudine

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.

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.

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