Marty and Eric talk about ways in which you can plan, organize, execute your digital academic brand.

Helpful Tools for Academic Websites & E-Portfolios

Website Builders:

- WordPress – https://wordpress.com

- Squarespace – https://www.squarespace.com

- Wix – https://www.wix.com

Academic-Focused Platforms:

- Google Sites – https://sites.google.com

- Notion – https://www.notion.so

- Weebly for Education – https://education.weebly.com

- About.me – https://about.me

Practical Approaches

- Start with a one-page website.

- Use templates for teaching, research, service, and media.

- Embed Google Scholar, ORCID, or Zotero widgets.

- Sync updated CV PDFs to your site.

- Include professional photos and a consistent color palette.

Practical Takeaways

- Your website is the public front door to your professional life.

- A personal site maintains control of your academic narrative.

- Use the site as a centralized hub for your work.

- E-portfolios help others understand the breadth of your work.

- Search committees expect digital presence.

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://ThePodTalk.net

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TechSavvyProfessor

Eric and Marty diving into classroom polling and quiz apps—like Poll Everywhere, Mentimeter, and others—that allow professors to gather instant student feedback. Live polls inject interactivity into lectures and have been shown to improve attention, participation, and retention.

Quick Tips for Success:

·       Integrate polls directly into PowerPoint or Keynote (Poll Everywhere plug-in).

·       Use open-ended questions sparingly; they work best for brainstorming.

·       Try a pre-lecture quiz to gauge understanding and a post-quiz to reinforce learning.

·       Encourage students to create their own polls for peer learning.

Practical Approaches

·       Keep polls short — 1–3 quick questions maintain energy.

·       Use polls as transitions between lecture segments.

·       Visualize results instantly to spark discussion.

·       Rotate between tools to match class size and goals.

·       Record responses and trends to inform future lessons.

Popular Platforms for Faculty:

- Poll Everywhere – https://www.polleverywhere.com

- Mentimeter – https://www.mentimeter.com

- Kahoot! – https://kahoot.com/

- Slido – https://www.slido.com/

-  Socrative – https://www.socrative.com/

- Quizizz – https://quizizz.com/

- Nearpod – https://nearpod.com/

-Booket - Booket.com 

- Quizlet - Quizlet.com 

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://ThePodTalk.net

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TechSavvyProfessor

Find us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, TuneIn, and all major podcast platforms.

Marty and Eric look at tools that organize, polish, and publish your academic work — balancing power, simplicity, and ethical use.

All-in-One Writing and Organization

Scrivener – Powerful long-form writing, corkboard planning, manuscript export.
https://www.literatureandlatte.com/scrivener 

Manuscripts App – Simplified alternative to Scrivener with structure tools.
https://www.manuscriptsapp.com/ 

Ulysses – Distraction-free Markdown writing for blogs & articles.
https://ulysses.app/ 

yWriter – Free project-based writing tool good for dissertations or long reports.
https://www.spacejock.com/yWriter.html 

Academic and Collaboration Platforms

Overleaf – Collaborative LaTeX editor with journal templates & real-time co-authoring.
https://www.overleaf.com/ 

Authorea – Hybrid LaTeX/WYSIWYG tool for scientific papers and preprints.
https://www.authorea.com/ 

Google Docs – Ubiquitous collaborative writing & version history.
https://docs.google.com/ 

AI-Assisted and Grammar Enhancers

Grammarly – Context-aware grammar & tone checking.
https://www.grammarly.com/ 

ProWritingAid – Deep style and structure feedback, integrates with Word & Scrivener.
https://prowritingaid.com/ 

LanguageTool – Open-source multilingual grammar checker.
https://languagetool.org/ 

Writefull for Overleaf – AI-based academic English feedback built into Overleaf.
https://www.overleaf.com/learn/how-to/Writefull_integration 

Ginger Software – Real-time grammar & sentence rephraser.
https://www.gingersoftware.com/ 

Citation & Reference Managers

Zotero – Free open-source reference manager & PDF organizer.
https://www.zotero.org /

Mendeley Reference Manager – Integrated PDF annotations & bibliographies.
https://www.mendeley.com/ 

EndNote 20 – Professional citation tool with journal style templates.
https://endnote.com/ 

Moderate and Accessible Alternatives

FocusWriter – Minimalist writing interface to reduce distraction.
https://gottcode.org/focuswriter/ 

Typora – Seamless Markdown editor for structured notes & drafts.
https://typora.io/ 

Notion – Modular workspace for research organization and writing.
https://www.notion.so/ 

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://ThePodTalk.net

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TechSavvyProfessor

We’ve all been the “go-to tech person” in our department. Colleagues often ask for help with software or hardware, and while it can feel rewarding, it can also be frustrating. This episode explores how to balance being supportive with keeping your sanity intact.

The 7 Rules for Teaching Colleagues about tech

1. Start with purpose, not features. Ask: “What do you want this to help you do this week?”

2. One task per session. Success once, unaided — then stop.

3. I do → We do → You do. Demo once, do it together, then they do it solo.

4. Use their words & write steps down. Make a 4–5-step card; snap a photo of it.

5. Slow the tempo; narrate actions. “Open Photos… tap Share… press and hold…”

6. Translate jargon. “Two-factor” → “second step to prove it’s you.”

7. Praise the process. Celebrate spot-on actions (“You found the Share icon—nice!”).

Helpful Tech Learning Resources for Colleagues

GCFGlobal – Computer Basics & Tutorials
https://edu.gcfglobal.org/en/computerbasics/ 

Techboomers
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Techboomers 

PA Adult Ed Resources – Basic Computer & Mobile Skills
https://www.paadultedresources.org/basic-computer-and-mobile-skills-resources/ 

Learning Forward – 5 Ways Coaches Can Support Technology Integration
https://learningforward.org/journal/where-technology-can-take-us/5-ways-coaches-can-support-technology-integration/ 

We Are Teachers – 5 Ways to Help Teachers With Tech Right Now
https://www.weareteachers.com/help-teachers-with-tech/ 

Madison College LibGuides – Adult Basic Education: Computer Skills
https://libguides.madisoncollege.edu/abe/computerskills 

Rogers Free Library – Computer Basics & Media Literacy
https://rogersfreelibrary.org/computer-basics/ 

Scribe app

https://scribehow.com/

Email: [email protected]

Website: ThePodTalk.Net

YouTube: YouTube.com/@TechSavyProfessor

Marty and Eric provide ideas and resources for your consideration is using project management software

Why move past email?

Email buries decisions/files in long threads.

Slack (real-time chat + threads) + a project manager (kanban/tasks/timelines) make work visible, searchable, and faster.

Slack is already common in higher ed for communication and collaborative learning; pairing it with a project manager levels up coordination.

30-minute starter kit

Create a Slack workspace; invite your class/research team with university emails.

Channels (starter set): #announcements, #general-questions, #project-alpha, #helpdesk, #random.

Norms (pin these in #announcements): use threads, tag with @, add short TL;DRs, react for quick status.

Project manager: Set up a board with lists/columns → Backlog → To Do → Doing → Review → Done.

Task template: Goal, owner, due date, checklist, attachments, link to reading/IRB doc.

Connect Slack ↔ project manager: enable the integration so task updates post to the right channel.

Teaching use cases

Team projects: each team gets a Slack channel + its own board; require weekly “Done” screenshots.

Office hours: scheduled Slack huddles; post a recap thread.

Peer feedback: students comment on tasks; instructor summarizes in Slack.

Late-work transparency: a Blocked list with reason + next step.

Research use cases

Protocol to practice: one task per milestone (IRB, recruitment, analysis, manuscript).

R&Rs: a “Review → Revise → Resubmit” lane with checklists for each reviewer note.

Data hygiene: Slack for coordination only; store data in approved drives; link rather than upload.

Accessibility & equity

Encourage asynchronous participation; clear headings, short paragraphs, alt text for images.

Prefer threads to reduce noise; summarize meetings in a single recap post.

Privacy, policy, ethics (esp. counseling/education)

No PHI/PII or client details in Slack or the project manager; share links to secured storage instead.

Align with FERPA and IRB guidance; pin a “What NOT to post” note.

Set channel/board permissions; remove access at term/project end; export/archive if required.

Adoption playbook (4 weeks)

Week 0: Announce tools + 5 rules (threads, TL;DRs, owners, due dates, recap posts).

Week 1: Move announcements to Slack; first sprint (one deliverable on the board).

Week 2: Turn on Slack↔PM automations; introduce the Blocked ritual.

Week 3–4: Gather feedback; prune channels/labels; codify norms.

Asana   Asana.com 

Free 10 members 3 projects

Monday   Monday.com

OpenProject — https://www.openproject.org/ 

Pros: Full suite (Gantt, Agile boards, time tracking); mature docs; robust Community Edition. Cons: Heavier to administer; some advanced features gated to Enterprise. 

Taiga — https://taiga.io/ 

Pros: Clean Scrum/Kanban workflow; easy start; open source. Cons: Best fit for agile use—fewer “classic PM” features than larger suites. 

Redmine — https://www.redmine.org/ 

Pros: Very mature; flexible trackers/wiki; huge plugin ecosystem. Cons: Dated UI; Ruby stack setup can be fiddly. 

Leantime — https://leantime.io/ 

Pros: Designed for “non-project managers” (inclusive UX); simple boards/roadmaps; self-host downloads. Cons: Smaller ecosystem than Redmine/OpenProject. 

WeKan — https://wekan.fi/ 

Pros: Trello-style Kanban; easy install options (e.g., Snap); MIT-licensed. Cons: Kanban-only; limited built-in reporting. 

Kanboard — https://kanboard.org/ 

Pros: Ultra-light, minimal Kanban; quick self-host; solid docs. Cons: Project is in “maintenance mode”; fewer advanced features. 

Plane (Community Edition) — https://plane.so/ 

Pros: Modern UI; issues/sprints/roadmaps; AGPLv3 CE. Cons: Still evolving; smaller academic user base. 

Nextcloud Deck — https://apps.nextcloud.com/apps/deck 

Pros: Kanban tightly integrated with Nextcloud Files/Calendar; mobile apps available. Cons: Requires a Nextcloud instance; not a full PM suite.

Email:[email protected]

Website: ThePodTalk.Net

Just in time for the start of the semester, Marty and Eric talk about ways you can organize and manage your document backups

The Simple Backup Plan (3-2-1)

Rule: 3 copies, 2 types of storage, 1 off-site.

Step-by-step (7 steps)

Make a home base: Create folders: Teaching, Research, Service, Admin.

Turn on encryption: FileVault (Mac) / BitLocker (Win).

Cloud copy (off-site): Save active work inside OneDrive/Google Drive/Box (edu account). Make sure version history is on.

Local versioned copy:

Mac → Time Machine to an external drive/NAS.

Windows → File History/Windows Backup to an external drive/NAS.

Air-gapped copy (optional but great): A second encrypted SSD you plug in weekly, back up, then unplug and keep elsewhere (office/home).

Label & note: Keep a one-page “Backup Map” listing where copies live and how to restore.

Test restore: Once a quarter, restore one random file from each place.

Weekly rhythm (easy to remember)

Daily: Work from your cloud-synced folder.

Weekly (Fri): Plug drive, let Time Machine/File History run; if you have a second SSD, run it, unplug, store off-site.

Quarterly: Do a 5-minute test restore.

Tips that prevent headaches

Compliance first: Use IT/IRB-approved storage for FERPA/PHI/IRB data.

Ransomware safety: Keep one offline copy or use cloud “file lock/immutable” if available.

Email ≠ backup: Export gradebooks/key emails (PDF/CSV) into your term folders.

Name things clearly: 2025-FA COUN62356 Syllabus v03.docx.

Exclude junk: Downloads, caches, node_modules, giant temp files.

Notifications on: Set backup apps to alert on failures.

One-line defaults (pick these if unsure)

Cloud: OneDrive (edu)

Local backup: Time Machine (Mac) / File History (Win)

Extra SSD: 2TB USB-C, encrypted

iDrive

Idrive.com

Backblaze
Backblaze.com 

Carbonite
Carbonite.com

pCloud

pCloud.com

Sync
Sync.com 

Crashplan

Crashplan.com

GoogleOne
one.google.com 

OneDrive

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/onedrive/online-cloud-storage

Email: [email protected]

Website: ThePodTalk.Net

Eric and Marty talk about how to make virtual meetings effective with students and colleagues

The New Normal – Virtual Office Hours

How virtual office hours are becoming more common post-pandemic.

Benefits: Accessibility for online/hybrid students, schedule flexibility for faculty.

Tech tools that support flexible scheduling (Calendly, Bookings, Google Appointment Slots).

Best practices:

- Set clear boundaries (availability, response times).

- Use waiting rooms to manage multiple students.

- Record office hour sessions if needed (with permission) for follow-up.

- Offer a mix of synchronous and asynchronous options.

Calendly – https://calendly.com/ 

Microsoft Bookings – https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/bookings 

Zoom – https://zoom.us/ 

Google Meet – https://meet.google.com/ 

Reducing Repeat Questions Before They Happen

FAQ documents and pinned announcements as the first line of defense.

LMS-integrated Q&A boards (Canvas Discussions, Blackboard Forums, Moodle Forums).

Use AI or chatbots (Piazza, Packback, or even ChatGPT-based FAQ bots).

Benefits: saves time, encourages peer learning, builds classroom community.

Piazza – https://piazza.com/ 

Canvas Discussions – https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Instructor-Guide/How-do-I-create-a-discussion-as-an-instructor/ta-p/1029 

Notion – https://www.notion.so/ 

Google Docs – https://docs.google.com/

Meetings with Colleagues – Making Collaboration Click

Avoiding calendar chaos: set recurring meetings, share calendar visibility.

Use shared agendas (Google Docs, OneNote, Notion) to keep things focused.

Screen sharing for collaborative editing, reviewing student work together.

Alternatives to meetings: Asynchronous check-ins via Slack, Teams, Loom.

Loom – https://www.loom.com/ 

Slack – https://slack.com/ 

Microsoft Teams – https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-teams/group-chat-software 

Doodle – https://doodle.com/ 

Pro Tips – Keeping Virtual Time Productive

Have students submit a quick form ahead of office hours (topic, question).

Use breakout rooms if multiple students show up.

Share a weekly 'top questions' summary with answers.

Offer optional 'co-working' sessions—open Zooms for quiet work and drop-ins.

Your Tech Takeaways

Set structured virtual availability, and stick to it.

Lean on discussion boards and FAQs to cut down on repeat questions.

Don’t underestimate the value of asynchronous tools.

Faculty-to-faculty virtual meetings thrive on shared documents and clear agendas.

Links & Resources

Calendly – https://calendly.com/ 

Piazza – https://piazza.com/ 

Loom – https://www.loom.com/ 

Google Forms – https://forms.google.com/ 

Notion – https://www.notion.so/ 

Microsoft Bookings – https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/bookings 

Email: [email protected] Website: ThePodTalk.Net

Marty and Eric speak about the state of AR and VR in education and speculate on the future.

A new computer uses AR glasses to create a 100- inch virtual workspace

https://qz.com/spacetop-g1-first-look-hands-on-ar-vr-1851509236 

Project Aura

https://www.xreal.com/ 

Apple Vision Pro vs Meta Quest 3: In-Depth Comparison and Review 2025

https://ts2.tech/en/apple-vision-pro-vs-meta-quest-3-in-depth-comparison-and-review-2025/

Website: ThePodTalk.Net

Email: [email protected]

Eric and Marty review tips for using reference managers for scholarship and some of the experiences they have had using them.

Getting Started

Pick One & Stick With It

Both tools are excellent—Zotero is known for openness and simplicity, Mendeley integrates tightly with PDFs and is Elsevier-backed. Try both, but avoid switching mid-project.

Install the Browser Connector

The Zotero and Mendeley browser plugins let you grab citation info from journal websites, Google Scholar, or library databases with one click.

Organize Like a Pro

Use Folders & Tags

Structure your library by project, course, or publication. Tags help track themes like "qualitative," "AI," or "must-read."

Group Your PDFs

Drag and drop PDFs onto entries; most tools auto-extract citation data. If not, use “Retrieve Metadata” to save time.

Citation Shortcuts

Cite While You Write

Install Word or Google Docs plugins to insert properly formatted citations as you write—choose APA, MLA, Chicago, etc., on the fly.

One-Click Bibliography

Need a full reference list? Select your items, right-click, and export a perfectly formatted bibliography instantly.

Collaborate with Ease

Shared Libraries for Teams

Create shared groups for research collaborators, teaching teams, or student assistants. Everyone stays synced, no duplicate files.

Advanced Power-User Tips

Annotation & Highlighting (Mendeley specific)

Annotate PDFs directly within Mendeley, great for paper reviews or class prep.

Search Full-Text PDFs (Zotero with plugin)

Zotero indexes PDFs so you can search the contents of your sources, not just titles/authors.

Backup & Sync

Always Sync to the Cloud

Use Zotero or Mendeley’s sync features to back up your library across devices. You can also export a local backup just in case.

Mendeley - https://www.mendeley.com/reference-management/reference-manager

Zotero - https://www.zotero.org/

RefWorks - https://refworks.proquest.com/learn-more/

EndNote - https://endnote.com/

Paperpile - https://paperpile.com/

Email: [email protected]

Website: ThePodTalk.Net

Eric and Marty talk about monitors and their office and travel setups for monitors

Eric

Home: https://www.samsung.com/us/computing/monitors/gaming/49-odyssey-oled-g95sc-dqhd-neo-quantum-processor-pro-0-03ms-240hz-curved-smart-gaming-monitor-ls49cg954snxza/

Travel - fits my 17” screen:  https://www.amazon.com/siaviala-Portable-Ultra-Slim-Extension-Compatible/dp/B0D3646F12 

Marty

Home Office:

Dell 3218HN

https://us.amazon.com/Dell-LED-Lit-Monitor-D3218HN-1920x1080/dp/B089W7P2P6 

Apple Studio Display

https://www.apple.com/studio-display/specs/ 

Samsung U28E570

Travel:

KYY 4K Portable Monitor 15.6" 3840x2160

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09Q5L245X 

Macstockconferenceandexpo.com 

50$ discount using “PODTALK50” 

[email protected] 

ThePodTalk.Net

Marty and Eric talk about their approaches to testing coursework online. 

Fun Stuff? - Kahoot!

https://kahoot.com/ 

ProProfs 

https://www.proprofs.com/quiz-school/browse 

Rubrics 

https://www.quickrubric.com/r#/create-a-rubric

Rubrics with ChatGPT
https://blog.tcea.org/how-to-create-a-rubric-with-chatgpt/ 

ChatGPT

https://chatgpt.com/g/g-KAxQZe7ON-rubric-generator 

Quizlet

Quizlet.com 

Classmarker

ClassMarker.com

Final Comments

Macstockconferenceandexpo.com 

50$ discount using “PODTALK50”
ThePodTalk.Net