We’re back with another episode of WELSTech starring your handy, dandy calendar. Learn all about time blocking and how it can boost your productivity. We discuss an interactive book creation tool that looks like fun for the classroom and a simple but effective task manager which might be in your pocket right now. We also celebrate a new grandson for one of your “Awesome” WELSTech hosts!

The discussion

Work Your Calendar – Martin and Sallie discuss a key tool for productivity, your calendar. Specifically, the topic is using your calendar to set up blocks of time to focus on specific tasks you need to accomplish. Mix in a bit of self-discipline, and this method could be a ticket to more productive days!

• The Complete Guide to Time Blocking – todoist
• 3 time blocking methods to boost productivity – Zapier
• Simple Time Management – Bullet Journal
• Eat That Frog WELSTech series

Ministry resources

Calendar Management Wakelet

Picks of the week

• Book Creator
  • Monthly Activity Journals
• Apple Reminders – Overview | Help

Community feedback & events

The topic which never goes out of style: I need advice on my church and/or school website.

• WELSTech 665 – Web Design Principles
• WELSTech Google Group
• Finalweb

Next time

Just like that we’ve reached the end of another school year and another year of edtech discussions with Rachel and Jason. Tune in for the wrap up of The AI Classroom.

Get involved

• Add comments
• Send us an e-mail [email protected]
• Join the WELSTech community:
  • WELSTech Google Group
  • WELSTech on Facebook
  • WELSTech on Pinterest
  • WELSTech on Instagram
• Add to the WELSTech wiki welstechwiki.gapps.wels.net
• Contribute to the #WELSTech Twitter conversation
• Follow us on Twitter – welstech, mspriggs and salliedraper
• Share with the Diigo group welstech

Join us for WELSTech 722 where we talk about tech decision making which will stand the test of time. We also share details on an upcoming webinar on the topic of mental health, a great invention to manage the cords in your computer bag, scanning and organizing Google-style, and Sallie’s latest hardware addition.

The discussion

Tech that lasts – Martin and Sallie share considerations which should be part of technology decisions, and, spoiler alert, cost isn’t at the top of the list. It is helpful to have some experience with technology on your side as you evaluate potential tools, but your selections shouldn’t necessarily be the tech-lover’s dream if that means they are too complex for the average user. Examples of “Swiss army knife” tools which have stood the test of time for Martin and Sallie include Trello and Google Slides.

Ministry resources

Register for the upcoming Women’s Ministry webinar – (mis) Understanding Mental Health happening May 2 at 7 pm

Picks of the week

• GRID-IT! Organizer by Cocoon
• Scan documents with Google Drive

Community feedback & events

• Before you die, decide who gets access to your online accounts and digital files
• From WELS Intersections Facebook group
  • Incentivize contact cards
  • Top streaming cameras
• 5 Gallon Electric Drinking Portable Water Dispenser

Next time

Tune in for time boxing!

Get involved

• Add comments
• Send us an e-mail [email protected]
• Join the WELSTech community:
  • WELSTech Google Group
  • WELSTech on Facebook
  • WELSTech on Pinterest
  • WELSTech on Instagram
• Add to the WELSTech wiki welstechwiki.gapps.wels.net
• Contribute to the #WELSTech Twitter conversation
• Follow us on Twitter – welstech, mspriggs and salliedraper
• Share with the Diigo group welstech

Tune in to this episode of WELSTech for a discussion of ways Artificial Intelligence (AI) can assist teachers with Universal Design for Learning (UDL) plans. We also talk about AI policy for schools and evaluating AI tools. The Newline C series is an affordable new interactive flat panel with no operating system on board. And Northwestern Publishing House (NPH) announced a new Christian Authors Live series.

The discussion

UDL + Tools – This season’s WELSTech book discussion of The AI Classroom: The Ultimate Guide to Artificial Intelligence in Education by Daniel Fitzpatrick, Amanda Fox, and Brad Weinstein continues. Martin and Sallie are joined by edtech extraordinaries, Rachel Feld and Jason Schmidt, and we talk about AI’s sweet spot with Universal Design for Learning (UDL) as well as tips for wading through the myriad AI tools available for teachers and students.

• UDL guidelines from Cast.org
• Draft AI policies from Oshkosh Area School District for students and teachers
• 8 Tips for Schools to Avoid Chaos in the Age of AI from EdWeek
• A Comprehensive Guide for Evaluating AI Tools for Classroom Use from Shake Up Learning

Ministry resource

Rachel put together an AI Tool Repository with links, tutorials, and Terms of Use for the AI tools mentioned in Chapter 9 of The AI Classroom

Picks of the week

• Common Sense Education’s AI Literacy Lessons – Grades 6-12 (& adults)
• Ludia from Poe – An AI-powered UDL partner
• Fax Plus
• Use Apple Calendar Like A Pro

Community feedback & events

• Newline C series interactive flat panel with no operating system
• Christian Authors Live event featuring Dr. Michael Berg – April 25

Next time

Future proof your tech

Get involved

• Add comments
• Send us an e-mail [email protected]
• Join the WELSTech community:
  • WELSTech Google Group
  • WELSTech on Facebook
  • WELSTech on Pinterest
  • WELSTech on Instagram
• Add to the WELSTech wiki welstechwiki.gapps.wels.net
• Contribute to the #WELSTech Twitter conversation
• Follow us on Twitter – welstech, mspriggs and salliedraper
• Share with the Diigo group welstech

On this episode of WELSTech, we learn about the tech side of mission outreach via Academia Cristo and TELL Network, including the messaging tool which has had a huge impact on that work. We also share details on a boatload of WELS summer events and classes, plus picks of the week that will have you drawing org charts and getting organized!

The discussion & interview

Mission conversations – Martin and Sallie are joined by Jon Gross, Field Producer for Multi-Language Productions (MLP) Latin America’s Academia Cristo, and Grace Ungemach, Marketing Operations Manager for TELL Network. Jon and Grace share information and blessings about the mission work they support, as well as how Respond.io has positively impacted their broad efforts.

Ministry resources

Summer events

• Taste of Missions – June 15 – Mequon, WI
• Youth Rally – June 25-28 – Ft Collins, CO
• LWMS – June 27-30 – Sioux Falls, SD
• Women’s Ministry – July 28-30 – Pewaukee WI
• Worship – July 30-Aug 2 – Kenosha WI
• Hearts and Hands Events
• MLC summer courses

Picks of the week

• Drawio
• ToDoist

Community feedback & events

• Apple Podcast transcribes the audio in app
• SmartSheet

Next time

We’ll talk AI in the Classroom with Jason & Rachel on the next WELSTech!

Get involved

• Add comments
• Send us an e-mail [email protected]
• Join the WELSTech community:
  • WELSTech Google Group
  • WELSTech on Facebook
  • WELSTech on Pinterest
  • WELSTech on Instagram
• Add to the WELSTech wiki welstechwiki.gapps.wels.net
• Contribute to the #WELSTech Twitter conversation
• Follow us on Twitter – welstech, mspriggs and salliedraper
• Share with the Diigo group welstech

We’re celebrating Leap Day WELSTech-style as we leap back in time in 4-year increments to find out what was on the podcast docket on four leap days of the past. We also have details on an upcoming webinar, AI and e-giving picks of the week, and a techie e-newsletter of note!

The discussion

Leap Back with Us – It’s Leap Day 2024, and Martin and Sallie are revisiting four previous leap year’s podcast episodes to check out the topics on our minds and changes over time.

• With All Your Heart: Project Management for Churches, Christian Schools and Faith-Based Organizations
• Zoom
• Internat Safety to Digital Citizenship
• SnagIt screen capture which has stood the test of time!
• From Picnik to Pic Monkey to Canva for online image editing
• Church360° and more from Concordia Technology Solutions

Ministry resources

Register for the upcoming Women’s Ministry webinar – Part 2 of Reviving Relationships Through Biblical Hospitality happening March 7 at 7 pm

Picks of the week

• Classroom AI 101: Imagining Story Setting with Text-Evidence Supported Prompting
• GiveButter

Community feedback & events

From WELS Intersections Facebook group

• Black Art by NappyStock
• Kim Komando newsletter

Next time

Jon and Grace from Multi-Language Productions share the global messaging tool that’s having a positive impact on outreach efforts.

Get involved

• Add comments
• Send us an e-mail [email protected]
• Join the WELSTech community:
  • WELSTech Google Group
  • WELSTech on Facebook
  • WELSTech on Pinterest
  • WELSTech on Instagram
• Add to the WELSTech wiki welstechwiki.gapps.wels.net
• Contribute to the #WELSTech Twitter conversation
• Follow us on Twitter – welstech, mspriggs and salliedraper
• Share with the Diigo group welstech

Webinars may be just the platform your ministry needs to spread a message or host an event. On this episode of WELSTech, we dig into webinar’s purpose and logistics. And we welcome Women’s Ministry to the conversation as executive committee member Rachel Halldorson takes us on a “backstage” tour of their recent webinars. Martin has a pick that will really stick with you, and there’s lots to discuss in WELS Intersections.

The discussion & interview

Webinars 101 – Martin and Sallie are joined by Rachel Halldorson from WELS Women’s Ministry Executive Committee as we discuss what it takes to host ministry-related webinars. The to-to list includes panelist, equipment, promotion, extra hands for moderation and crowd control, and more.

• Zoom – Getting started with Zoom webinars
• Microsoft Teams – Get Started with Microsoft Teams webinar
• Attend this summer’s WELS Women’s Ministry Conference – July 28-30, 2024 in Pewaukee, WI

Ministry resources

Women’s Ministry webinars

Picks of the week

• The 2-Hour Cocktail Party: How to Build Big Relationships with Small Gatherings by Nick Gray – a great format for friendship evangelism
  • Party.pro
  • Nick Gray on YouTube
• Smartish Cable Wrangler

Community feedback & events

From WELS Intersections Facebook group

• Sample online discipleship course
• AI Usage Policy template

Next time

Celebrate Leap Day, WELSTech-style with Martin & Sallie, as we leap back in time in 4-year increments.

Get involved

• Add comments
• Send us an e-mail [email protected]
• Join the WELSTech community:
  • WELSTech Google Group
  • WELSTech on Facebook
  • WELSTech on Pinterest
  • WELSTech on Instagram
• Add to the WELSTech wiki welstechwiki.gapps.wels.net
• Contribute to the #WELSTech Twitter conversation
• Follow us on Twitter – welstech, mspriggs and salliedraper
• Share with the Diigo group welstech

AI in education and church makes for an interesting WELSTech episode! Tune in for special guest hosts Rachel and Jason and help with crafting and refining useful AI prompts to assist with everything from report card comments to church graphics.

The discussion

PREP and EDIT – Martin and Sallie are joined by edtech gurus Rachel Feld and Jason Schmidt to continue the discussion of The AI Classroom: The Ultimate Guide to Artificial Intelligence in Education by Daniel Fitzpatrick, Amanda Fox, and Brad Weinstein. Chapters 6 & 7 are all about the prompts we give AI and what we do with the results.

• PREP and EDIT explained
• Rache’s Prompt Engineering presentation
• Claude.ai
• Quillbot

Ministry resource

Posts on AI for Church from Church Tech Today

Picks of the week

• Magic School AI
• SchoolAI
• Logitech Pebble Keys 2 Wireless Keyboard
• MailTrack

Community feedback & events

• ChatGPT for Teachers course from Blueprint Schools

Next time

Women’s Ministry webinars with Rachel Halldorson

Get involved

• Add comments
• Send us an e-mail [email protected]
• Join the WELSTech community:
  • WELSTech Google Group
  • WELSTech on Facebook
  • WELSTech on Pinterest
  • WELSTech on Instagram
• Add to the WELSTech wiki welstechwiki.gapps.wels.net
• Contribute to the #WELSTech Twitter conversation
• Follow us on Twitter – welstech, mspriggs and salliedraper
• Share with the Diigo group welstech

Welcome to WELSTech in 2024! We kick off the new year with a discussion of the challenges around coordinating our many digital personas for work, home, church, and more. NPH has a new book discussion group, Martin has a new-found appreciation of Goodnotes, and we share have a great cheat sheet to get you started with online form creation.

The discussion

Staying atop your digital life – From work, home, and church to volunteer responsibilities and extended family, our digital lives overflow with email, tasks, and calendar events. Martin and Sallie discuss their tech solutions for managing and shifting between the varied roles they play.

Ministry resources

• Join the Northwestern Publishing House (NPH) Book Club on Goodreads
  • Currently reading The Story of God’s Love
  • Details on the reading challenge
  • Enter to win a free copy of the book

Picks of the week

• Write It Down – Facebook group for journaling God’s Word
• Goodnotes

Community feedback & events

• Church 360 Members webinar – Tuesday, January 16 at 1 pm Central
• WELSTech Google Group
• Google Forms Cheat Sheet

Next time

Our edtech gurus, Rachel and Jason, are back to discuss AI prompts from chapters 6 & 7 of The AI Classroom.

Get involved

• Add comments
• Send us an e-mail [email protected]
• Join the WELSTech community:
  • WELSTech Google Group
  • WELSTech on Facebook
  • WELSTech on Pinterest
  • WELSTech on Instagram
• Add to the WELSTech wiki welstechwiki.gapps.wels.net
• Contribute to the #WELSTech Twitter conversation
• Follow us on Twitter – welstech, mspriggs and salliedraper
• Share with the Diigo group welstech

Just like that, 2023 draws to a close, and it’s time to wrap up the 16th year of WELSTech! Martin and Sallie reminisce about the year’s best events, ministry resources, interviews, and picks, and look forward to lots more tech-in-ministry goodness in 2024!

Events

• We celebrated 700 episodes with a look back at WELSTech tech-in-ministry history
• Leadership Conference
• Tech Like a Pirate summer book series

Ministry resources

• The Foundation
• Everyone Outreach
• All the 2023 ministry resources

Interviews

• Amada Klemp on e-newsletters
• Corissa Nelson on worship visuals
• All the 2023 interviews

Picks of the year

• Apple Watch SE
• xTool D1 Pro 20w diode laser
• 6 Types of Working Genius
• Alexa Smart Home
• Grammarly
• Canva + Magic Media (AI)
• Raindrop.io
• All the 2023 picks

Next time

We kick off the new year with a look ahead at what’s coming on the tech-in-ministry horizon.

Get involved

• Add a comment
• Send us an e-mail [email protected]
• Add to the WELSTech wiki welstechwiki.gapps.wels.net
• Contribute to the #WELSTech Twitter conversation
• Follow us on Twitter – welstech, mspriggs and salliedraper
• Share with the Diigo group welstech
• Join the WELSTech community:
  • WELSTech Google Group
  • WELSTech on Facebook
  • WELSTech on Google+
  • WELSTech on Pinterest
  • WELSTech on Instagram

The WELSTech Christmas tradition continues as we feature an interview-only show with someone from WELS Headquarters, the Center for Mission and Ministry, to share more about their area of responsibility for WELS. Dan Nommensen, Operations Manager for WELS Congregational Services joins Martin and Sallie to reflect on his first few months on the job and share what’s on the horizon for Congregational Services. Merry Christmas!!

 

The interview

Developing relationships – Martin and Sallie chat with Dan Nommensen, Operations Manager for WELS Congregational Services, on the new role he is filling, the 35,000 video meetings he’s attended since July, and the beacon of light each believer can be, reflecting our love for Christ!

• Everyone Outreach
• WELS Congregational Services
• The Foundation

Next time

The spotlight shines on the best of WELSTech in 2023.

Get involved

• Add comments
• Send us an e-mail [email protected]
• Join the WELSTech community:
  • WELSTech Google Group
  • WELSTech on Facebook
  • WELSTech on Pinterest
  • WELSTech on Instagram
• Add to the WELSTech wiki welstechwiki.gapps.wels.net
• Contribute to the #WELSTech Twitter conversation
• Follow us on Twitter – welstech, mspriggs and salliedraper
• Share with the Diigo group welstech

Wonderful … Creative … Verbose? This episode of WELSTech features a talent boost that’s sure to entertain while it educates! We’re sharing what we’ve learned about AI during our book discussion with our special guest edtech correspondents. There’s also a special Advent treat, picks to improve your productivity and video production, plus a couple of […]