Connected Educators
Virtual PD Series with Kiker Learning
2025 - 2026 Session Descriptions
All Kiker Learning Sessions will take place on Wednesdays from 4:15 p.m. - 5:15 p.m.
Please note that select sessions may focus more towards specific grade levels and are indicated below. However, educators are welcome to register and attend any session(s) that would best meet their needs.
The deadline to register for Act 48 hours through Wisdomwhere for the Fall Series
is Monday, October 20th. After this date, you may still register for individual sessions without Act 48 hours.
Please note that select sessions may focus more towards specific grade levels and are indicated below. However, educators are welcome to register and attend any session(s) that would best meet their needs.
The deadline to register for Act 48 hours through Wisdomwhere for the Fall Series
is Monday, October 20th. After this date, you may still register for individual sessions without Act 48 hours.
From Teacher to Trailblazer: Navigating AI with Confidence!
FALL SESSION DESCRIPTIONS
FALL SESSION DESCRIPTIONS
October 22nd (2 Sessions Available)
Please note that the sessions below may focus more towards specific grade levels, however, educators are welcome to register and attend any session that would best meet their needs.
Session 1 (Elementary track):
Your New AI Teaching Assistant: Supercharging Google Classroom with Gemini! Part I with Eric Curts
What if you could reclaim hours of your prep time each week? What if you could instantly create five different versions of a reading passage for all the learners in your classroom? That's not the future—that's Google Classroom, and its new AI assistant, Gemini, is here to be your new best friend!
This session is designed specifically for busy elementary teachers who want to harness the magic of AI without the headache. We're diving straight into the brand-new "Gemini" tab inside Google Classroom, a treasure trove of tools built to make your life easier and your lessons more engaging. Join us to get hands-on experience and master how to:
Session 2 (Secondary track):
Your Google AI Teaching Assistant: Streamlining Courses and Research with NotebookLM with Chris McCaffrey
Tired of generic AI responses that don't fit your curriculum? Discover NotebookLM, the AI that you train on your course materials. This powerful workshop introduces Google's tool that grounds AI in your specific documents, ensuring every answer is relevant, accurate, and cited. In this session, you'll master how to:
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November 5th (All Grade Levels)
Don't Fear the Robot: A Fun Introduction to AI & Gemini (PreK-12) with Chris McCaffery
Heard a lot about Artificial Intelligence but not sure where to start? This session is for you. We will demystify AI and give you the foundational knowledge you need to use Google Gemini with purpose and confidence. This introductory workshop provides a straightforward look at how AI "thinks" and generates content. We will quickly move into the practical skills you need, including the basics of prompt engineering—the art of asking the right questions to get better results. You'll see how Gemini can do more than just answer questions; it can analyze images, generate ideas, and help you create high-quality content for your lesson plans or, parent communications. We will also take a hands-on tour of Gemini's settings, ensuring you're an AI-literate user who knows how to manage your data safely and responsibly. By the end of this session, you will be able to:
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November 19th (2 Sessions Available)
Please note that the sessions below may focus more towards specific grade levels, however, educators are welcome to register and attend any session that would best meet their needs.
Session 1 (Elementary Track)
Level Up Your Classroom AI: Advanced Gemini for the Modern Educator Part 2 with Eric Curts
You've mastered the basics and seen how Gemini can streamline your daily tasks. Now, are you ready to move from task management to instructional design? Welcome to Part 2, where we unlock the full pedagogical power of AI to create dynamic, student-centered learning experiences! This next level session is for educators who are ready to push the boundaries and explore what's really possible with the new Gemini tools in Google Classroom.
Get ready to roll up your sleeves and become an architect of AI-powered instruction. In this hands-on workshop, you will:
Session 2 (Secondary Track)
Beyond the Basics: Mastering the Zoom AI Companion with Jason Hilt
Feeling buried in meeting notes and follow-up emails? The Zoom AI Companion is here to help! In this quick, high-impact workshop, you'll learn how to leverage your new AI-powered assistant to automate tedious tasks and make your content more accessible for students. In just one hour, you will master how to:
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December 10th: (All Grade Levels)
Level Up Your Prompts: A Gemini Deep Dive with Jason Hilt
Ready to unlock the full potential of your AI partner? This workshop takes you beyond basic chats and into the world of expert-level Prompt Engineering. We will focus on practical strategies to enhance your efficiency and creativity, transforming Gemini from a simple tool into an indispensable assistant.
Please note that the sessions below may focus more towards specific grade levels, however, educators are welcome to register and attend any session that would best meet their needs.
Session 1 (Elementary track):
Your New AI Teaching Assistant: Supercharging Google Classroom with Gemini! Part I with Eric Curts
What if you could reclaim hours of your prep time each week? What if you could instantly create five different versions of a reading passage for all the learners in your classroom? That's not the future—that's Google Classroom, and its new AI assistant, Gemini, is here to be your new best friend!
This session is designed specifically for busy elementary teachers who want to harness the magic of AI without the headache. We're diving straight into the brand-new "Gemini" tab inside Google Classroom, a treasure trove of tools built to make your life easier and your lessons more engaging. Join us to get hands-on experience and master how to:
- Become a Content Creation Wizard: Instantly generate quizzes (and export them directly to Google Forms!), write informational texts, and design beautiful rubrics with just a few clicks using the new template tools.
- Differentiate in a Snap: Use the "Re-level text" tool to effortlessly adapt any reading material for different proficiency levels, ensuring every student has access to the curriculum.
- Spark Endless Curiosity: Move beyond basic questions by using Gemini to craft engaging discussion prompts, develop DOK (Depth of Knowledge) questions on any topic, and brainstorm real-world examples that connect with your students' lives.
- Introduce AI Literacy, Simply: Learn how to use these innovative tools transparently, providing you with the skills to introduce AI concepts to your students in a simple, positive, and effective way.
Session 2 (Secondary track):
Your Google AI Teaching Assistant: Streamlining Courses and Research with NotebookLM with Chris McCaffrey
Tired of generic AI responses that don't fit your curriculum? Discover NotebookLM, the AI that you train on your course materials. This powerful workshop introduces Google's tool that grounds AI in your specific documents, ensuring every answer is relevant, accurate, and cited. In this session, you'll master how to:
- Upload your readings (PDFs, Docs, websites) to create a personal AI assistant.
- Instantly generate study guides, FAQs, and summaries directly from your sources.
- Ask complex questions and get answers with clickable citations back to your documents.
- Brainstorm lesson activities, project ideas, and quizzes based on your exact curriculum.
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November 5th (All Grade Levels)
Don't Fear the Robot: A Fun Introduction to AI & Gemini (PreK-12) with Chris McCaffery
Heard a lot about Artificial Intelligence but not sure where to start? This session is for you. We will demystify AI and give you the foundational knowledge you need to use Google Gemini with purpose and confidence. This introductory workshop provides a straightforward look at how AI "thinks" and generates content. We will quickly move into the practical skills you need, including the basics of prompt engineering—the art of asking the right questions to get better results. You'll see how Gemini can do more than just answer questions; it can analyze images, generate ideas, and help you create high-quality content for your lesson plans or, parent communications. We will also take a hands-on tour of Gemini's settings, ensuring you're an AI-literate user who knows how to manage your data safely and responsibly. By the end of this session, you will be able to:
- Understand the Basics: Define what AI is (and isn't) and how its core functions work in an educational context.
- Learn to Prompt Effectively: Practice basic prompt engineering techniques to guide Gemini toward more creative and useful responses.
- Generate Content for Your Courses: Create practical materials, such as discussion prompts or assignment outlines.
- Explore Key Features: Discover how to use Gemini for a variety of tasks, including brainstorming ideas, differentiating text for various reading levels, and analyzing images.
- Take Control of Your Data: Confidently adjust Gemini's privacy and activity settings to ensure responsible use.
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November 19th (2 Sessions Available)
Please note that the sessions below may focus more towards specific grade levels, however, educators are welcome to register and attend any session that would best meet their needs.
Session 1 (Elementary Track)
Level Up Your Classroom AI: Advanced Gemini for the Modern Educator Part 2 with Eric Curts
You've mastered the basics and seen how Gemini can streamline your daily tasks. Now, are you ready to move from task management to instructional design? Welcome to Part 2, where we unlock the full pedagogical power of AI to create dynamic, student-centered learning experiences! This next level session is for educators who are ready to push the boundaries and explore what's really possible with the new Gemini tools in Google Classroom.
Get ready to roll up your sleeves and become an architect of AI-powered instruction. In this hands-on workshop, you will:
- Design a Full Unit Plan in Minutes: Go beyond a single lesson! We'll use the "Develop a unit plan" prompt to strategically map out entire weeks of instruction, complete with learning objectives, essential questions, assessments, and day-by-day activities.
- Build Engaging, Differentiated Choice Boards: Empower student agency like never before. Learn how to use Gemini to brainstorm and create rich, multi-modal choice boards that cater to diverse learning styles and interests, giving every student a path to success.
- Brainstorm Innovative, Hands-On Science: Stuck for a lab idea? We'll explore the "Brainstorm a science lab experiment" tool to generate creative, safe, and standards-aligned experiments that bring your science curriculum to life.
- Craft Sophisticated Class Communications: Move from simple emails to comprehensive, well-structured documents. We’ll learn how to use Gemini to draft a complete class syllabus or create detailed project outlines, ensuring clarity and setting students up for success from day one.
- You've already seen how AI can make you more efficient. Now, come and discover how it can make you an even more innovative and impactful educator. Leave this session with the skills to design and implement truly dynamic, AI-enhanced learning in your classroom
Session 2 (Secondary Track)
Beyond the Basics: Mastering the Zoom AI Companion with Jason Hilt
Feeling buried in meeting notes and follow-up emails? The Zoom AI Companion is here to help! In this quick, high-impact workshop, you'll learn how to leverage your new AI-powered assistant to automate tedious tasks and make your content more accessible for students. In just one hour, you will master how to:
- Get instant Meeting Summaries with clear action items.
- Create "Smart Recordings" with automatic chapters and highlights.
- Use the AI to ask questions and catch up during live meetings.
- Draft follow-up emails and chats in seconds.
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December 10th: (All Grade Levels)
Level Up Your Prompts: A Gemini Deep Dive with Jason Hilt
Ready to unlock the full potential of your AI partner? This workshop takes you beyond basic chats and into the world of expert-level Prompt Engineering. We will focus on practical strategies to enhance your efficiency and creativity, transforming Gemini from a simple tool into an indispensable assistant.
- Through a series of hands-on activities and guided explorations, you will:
- Prompt Like a Pro: Learn techniques to craft precise, creative, and multi-step prompts that yield dramatically better results for lesson planning, communications, and administrative tasks.
- Create Custom "Gems": Design and build your own specialized AI assistants ("Gems") tailored for your unique classroom needs, like generating differentiated materials or providing project feedback.
- Discover Hidden Features: Go beyond the chat box and explore some of Gemini's powerful, lesser-known capabilities such as Guided Learning and Canvas in a supportive, hands-on learning environment.