Illuminate: Technology Enhanced Learning

by Bethany Petty

This book is packed full of powerful ideas you can use in your classroom tomorrow! Broken into 10 easy to digest chapters - take a journey through technology integration and be inspired to use technology in really meaningful ways in your classroom.
In Illuminate, author, educator, and technology trainer Bethany Petty explains how to use technology to improve your students’ learning experiences.
You’ll discover . . .
Engaging ways to incorporate technology in any classroom
Tips for using apps and QR codes to improve communication with parents
Strategies to empower students (and you) to reflect on and share learning
Practical ideas for increasing collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity.
Bethany shares specific how-tos for using a wide variety of apps and tools. She also explains the why behind using technology, and shows you how to use it to meet your students’ needs and make learning memorable.
After all, it’s not about the technology; it’s how you use it! It’s time to illuminate learning and use technology to enhance your students’ experience.

Genres: Education

144 pages, Paperback

Published May 22, 2018

Reviews

[Kendra · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is broken up into 10 chapters it starts out with Chapter 1: Engage with Technology and then ends Chapter 10 Connecting and Reflecting (Petty 2018). Each chapter introduces or reviews an emerging technology that can be used in the classroom, and these are tools. Petty(2018) started out saying “Our goal is to use them(tech tools) to encourage students to create, collaborate, communicate, think critically, reflect and engage in content to apply their knowledge.” This statement stood out to me as read this book, it's how students use the technology not that the technology is the replacement for curriculum.
Most of the examples that Petty introduced in the book was connected to her high school history class, giving the reader a sense of how it could be used. There were not many times that she connected this to other grade or content areas, I found more useful information in Chapter 6 on Assessment Technology where Petty explained how some tools could be used assessment across grade levels. This book is a “Hot to” book where Petty explains step by step how to set up certain accounts and technology tools for the classroom.
One example of a technology tool I found useful and I felt was thoroughly explained in the book was QR codes it was presented throughout the book in a few chapters. QR codes can be placed throughout the classroom and link course content that has already been learned and students can access additional content (Petty 2018). This was the first chapter in the book where she later explained how to create QR codes for your classroom, one of the many “how to” examples and included links to get more examples which linked right to her blog. Again the examples are geared towards high school and history content but a teacher can use the example and accommodate for his/her students needs.
Another example I enjoyed which showed her background as a certified google teacher and trainer was her use of google drawings and how to create a file upload in Google Classroom. She provided pictures and then a step by step list on how to create an assignment and student adding images to dropbox “5. Choose to allow specific file types or allow any file uploads, 6. Choose maximum files and file sizes (Petty 2018).” I found it was useful and the step by step was great. I know this information is everywhere on the internet but her steps were easy to follow and when I am ready to go back and try this out I have the page highlighted.
Petty had a way of motivating the read to go and try things before you even try and incorporate the tech tool in the classroom. The way she set it up was great too, for example for using Quizizz, she would give example of the tech tool and then say “ Try This Tomorrow, Search public Quizizz games created by other teachers by accessing quizizz.com (Petty 2018)”. She would then share the experience on twitter with her hashtag #illuminateED, I checked out the hashtag and saw some great ideas and how many people have read this book since it came out a year ago.
I would recommend this book for any teacher who is looking to add more technology to their classroom, or just beginning to use tech in the classroom. Petty gives many examples and gives step by step examples of many tech tools such as Google Tools, kahoot, and QR code. She includes a Tech Tool Index of the 36 tech tools she explained in the book and a short paragraph about the tech tools. She motivated me to try new tech tools in the classroom, and I now follow #illuminateED to see how other teachers are using the same tools, I encourage any tech teacher to follow.

[Sheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

“When used well, educational technology tools can enhance the learning experience for your students much like flipping on a light switch can improve your encounter with a great book” (Petty, 2018, Intro.). The author’s intention for this book is clear in its title, Illuminate. Bethany Petty’s intention is to help teachers use technology tools in the best possible way to illuminate and enhance every child’s learning experience. She compares it to a light switch because she believes technology can be as transformative as the light bulb when used well. Petty gives practical advice (with references to websites, tools, etc.) to walk teachers through implementing technology effectively in their classrooms. She wrote this book to help teachers get comfortable with using technology and encourage their students to “create, collaborate, communicate, think critically, reflect, and engage in content to apply their knowledge” (Petty, 2018, Introduction). This book definitely gave me a clear direction on how to use specific technology tools to enhance learning and made me feel more comfortable with trying new things in my classroom.

This book was broken into ten chapters, each dedicated to giving practical recommendations and real tools to enhance learning through technology. From the very first chapter, the message is clear that we, as teachers, need to engage our students through the intentional use of technology in our classrooms. “We must be intentional about engaging our students-capturing and holding their attention and getting them to interact with our content” (Petty, 2018, p. 2). This book encourages us to help our students engage with content through technology and gives us practical ideas and tools for using transformative technology. We need to meet our students where they are and this is much easier to do when we combine technology tools and best practices.

In addition to engaging our students through technology, we need to allow them to explore using technology. The author gives us ideas on how to incorporate Google Earth and Virtual Reality with YouTube into our classrooms so our students can explore and experience life beyond the four walls of the classroom.

When students create representations of their knowledge, they master content in a much deeper and more meaningful way. In chapter three of Illuminate, the author shares that she has her students “create projects and other work in class as if they were going to present their work to a future employer as an example of their skills” (Petty, 2018, p. 25). This prepares students for the “real world” and gives them practical skills they will be able to use for the rest of their lives.

“Our students are entering a society vastly different from fifty, twenty-five, even ten years ago, and being able to effectively communicate their thoughts, opinions, and ideas is vital” (Petty, 2018, p. 41). The author gives specific examples of how to get our students to communicate their understanding of key concepts using technology. Some of her suggestions are blogging with Google sites, using Google classroom, Flipgrid, Google Hangouts, Padlet, and Answer Garden.

Chapter eight was my favorite chapter. It was all about motivating students through technology. One of her suggestions was using gamification. However, she explained it in a way that I had never heard. It was all about transforming the classroom into a game with XP and Bonus XP awarded to students for completing tasks and allowing them to reach new levels. I thought this was a very interesting way to motivate students. Some of the suggestions would be difficult to do with primary students, but I’m excited to try this broad concept with my first graders.

“Why would I illuminate my classroom with a candle when I can use a light bulb? Why should we cling to and demand analog products in a digital world?” (Petty, 2018, p. 42). This quote best summarizes the heart of this book. It inspired me to let go of the analog past and embrace the present where technology can transform and enhance learning in our classrooms.

Bethany Petty is a high school social studies teacher, adjunct instructor of educational technology and blogger. In her blog, Teaching with Technology she shares ideas, tech tools, resources, and reflections from her blended/flipped/gamified classroom. She has been listed as one of the top 100 Flipped Learning educators and has published on Edutopia, Fractus Learning, Sophia Learning, and Whooo’s Reading. Bethany Petty is a highly qualified educator with extensive training and experience integrating technology in a transformative way that continues to enhance the learning experience in her own classroom as well as classrooms all over the world through her blogs, book, and presentations at technology conferences.

[Kylie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a great overview of how technology can enhance student learning, engagement, and motivation. Because this book was written by a high school teacher, I believe that it would be most helpful to other high school teachers who have 1:1 devices in the classroom and work where many of their students bring smartphones to school.
At the end of every chapter, Petty included a section called “Try This Tomorrow.” In these sections, she suggested one take-away that teachers could try to get started with the material from that chapter. Petty also encouraged educators to share how their activity went by sharing on Twitter with the hashtag #IlluminateED. At the end of the book, Petty included a tech tool index so educators can quickly find sections of the book that talk about a specific tool.

[Ms. Lang · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book because it is a well-organized and easy to read book that provides educators with a clear guide to build their digital toolbox and bring emerging technology into their classrooms in meaningful and exciting ways. Bethany Petty organized her book into ten chapters each featuring important 21st-century skills our students will need as she shares personal anecdotes that leave the reader feeling as if they were having a friendly conversation with a colleague. This book presents tools for teachers to help students engage, explore, create, communicate, think critically, collaborate, reflect, and tools to help teachers motivate, connect, assess, design, and reflect. (Petty, 2020, piii). I recommend all educators faced with distance learning read this book!

[Elys · Rating 5 out of 5]

Illuminate: Technology Enhanced Learning. Petty´s book contains ten chapters. The book includes sources with links and more educational book recommendations. The technology tool index at the back of the book is very practical for anyone who has a busy schedule. Bethany Petty is a mother, an author, educator, blogger, and a technology trainer (Petty, 2018). Petty offers tips, and strategies on how to use a wide variety of digital tools and apps to improve the student’s learning process, increase student engagement in any classroom, and ways to assess students’ understanding . She offers hands-on learning examples and ideas for increasing collaboration, and creativity. She mentions how educators can use technology to improve communication with students and parents. Petty breaks the information down as to not overwhelm the reader. She offers detailed instructions and examples on how the digital tools can be used and how activities can be incorporated in a class. The author’s intended audience are educators who would like to incorporate technology into their curriculum. Her advice and digital tools can be used across multiple content areas. Her writing style is clear and easy to understand. I highly recommend this book for any teacher who is looking to incorporate technology into their classroom to make the class content more relevant and fun for today’s learners.

[Catherine Rodriguez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ever wonder how to get started on implementing technology in your classroom but don't know where to start—overwhelmed with the idea of trying to utilize new technology? Well, take a look and dive into high school social studies teacher Bethany Petty's book, "Illuminate: Technology Enhanced Learning" (Petty, 2019). This book is straight forward and to the point. With a plethora of real examples from her classroom, Petty does a great job showing educators a variety of ways to implement technology in the classroom. No need to have a high level of ed tech knowledge because she shows you step by step how she uses the mentioned tools in her own high school history classroom. Also, she discusses why and how technology has changed the way she teaches in her history classes, and it leaves the reader inspired to do the same in their classrooms. She recounts to the days when she was a high school student copying notes from a board as her teacher lectures the entire class time and how she even reverted to starting her first year as a teacher the same way. Until she started discovering ed-tech, she made teaching a lot more pleasurable for her students and herself (Petty, 2019). With each chapter focusing on a different facet of technology and how it enhances student learning and one's way of teaching, Petty provides useful resources that any educators can use in their classroom. As an educator myself, I know it can be overwhelming, trying to integrate new technology in the classroom because there is so much out there to use. However, Petty does a great job explaining easy ways to use educational technology in the classroom and reminds the reader that we must you what works for your students and classroom (Petty, 2019). And don't miss out on her "Try it Tomorrow" tips at the end of each chapter, where she encourages you to try a tech tool mentioned in that chapter. Without a doubt, this book is a book that would benefit any educator, whether a newbie with technology or someone who already knows quite a bit. In a time where most teachers are using technology now more than ever, this book comes in handy and is a great resource to refer back to and become inspired.

The book is divided into ten easy to read chapters that explain ways to engage, explore, create, and communicate with technology in hopes that you can enhance student learning. Each chapter focuses on how to use technology to improve student learning in a specific way. Petty talks about the benefits of a flipped classroom without being too pushy about it from the beginning chapters. She mentions how her students refer to the flipped classroom as "having 'my teacher in my pocket'" by utilizing programs such as Screencastify to prerecord her lessons for students as an accessible way to reach out to all students by having those videos for them (Petty, 2019, p.15). Having complete access to teachers helps students who need to listen to a lesson more than once to understand the content that is being taught. The flipped classroom lets "teachers regain valuable instructional time and can design more meaningful activities to encourage application of knowledge" (Petty, 2019, p. 18).
I would consider myself pretty good at using technology, but I also know there is still a lot to learn from it. The book opened up my eyes to discover new education technology that I had never heard of before. Chapter 3 proved to be informative, but it also provided significant resources that could potentially be used in my classroom. One of the biggest takeaways was the idea of not limiting our students. Petty states, "the technology we and our students have access to in our classrooms today has the potential to create a learning environment that much different than the classrooms of our school day" (2019, p. 37). As educators we must take advantage of educational tech tools to provide more learning opportunities for students. We must stray away from limiting students' choices. When we restrict students, we limit their creativity and what they are capable of doing in class. Everything from utilizing various Google Apps, VR technology, Kahoot, Sutori, and many more education technology tools, Petty reminds us that using this type of technology supports the top of Bloom's Taxonomy and the standards for The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE).
A central theme embedded in her book is letting students take ownership of their learning and the way they showcase what they've learned. When students take ownership, it can "increase student engagement and develop an environment that invites students to take an active role in their learning (Petty, 2019, p. 56). She fosters critical thinking and collaboration that inspires students to do their very best and develops those much needed 21st-century skills that students will need in our global society. As I mentioned before, give students a choice because "we don't live in a one-size-fits-all world today…we should encourage students to create representations of their knowledge instead of completing dry and boring worksheets" (Petty, 2019, p. 101). Educational technology truly opens the door to enhancing student learning in every classroom.

Overall, Bethany Petty clearly shows how passionate she is about educational technology in her social studies classes. By reading her small biography at the end of the book, you can tell that she has a passion for educational technology. Not only is she an adjunct instructor for educational technology, but she also is a Google Certified Teacher and Trainer, Apple Teacher, Edpuzzle Pioneer, amongst many other qualifications (Petty, 2019). She has seen the results of how using technology in her classroom has indeed enhanced the learning of her students, and you can tell she truly enjoys sharing with others what has worked for her throughout the entire book. I felt as if a good friend was sharing all their ed-tech tip, tricks, and secrets. Petty herself mentions the importance of sharing what we know with teachers around the world. As teachers in the 21st-century, we are no longer forced to do professional development with teachers at our school or district. Instead, by creating a professional learning network on social media platforms such as Twitter, we can virtually share and collaborate with teachers from all over the world (Petty, 2019). In the end, "Illuminate: Technology Enhanced Learning" provides a great insight into educational technology from someone who has real hands experience in the classroom. Anyone who is an educator cannot miss out on expanding their knowledge of educational technology tools impacting these current 21st-century classrooms.

Reference
Petty, B. (2019). Illuminate: Technology Enhanced Learning. Dave Burgess Consulting, Incorporated.

[Ivan Haro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Throughout the book, Bethany Petty goes into depth with themes such as engagement, exploration, motivation, collaboration, designing, and reflection with technology. A significant theme in the text was engagement with technology. In her intent to persuade educators to engage students with modern technology, she gives teachers advice to make fair use of time. " A flipped-classroom approach offers many benefits, but one of my favorite features is that students can interact with video at their own pace" (Petty, 2019, p.3). Since time is flexible with flipped classrooms, opportunities to help students need differentiated instruction. Petty addresses programs that help the flip model in a classroom such as Youtube, Edpuzzle, Flip-Grid, and self- made video using Screencastify (2019). Other Programs she recommends are Nearpod, Brain Pop, Google Doc, Quizziz, Quizlet, Kahoot, Google Docs, Google, Slides, and Google Forms. (Petty, 2019). All of these programs and applications are compatible with Google Classroom (Petty, 2019). The Flip Classroom offers a much engaging experience for students. Petty even shows how to make QR codes to post in the classroom so students can explore and answer prompts.
Exploration is an essential theme in her book. She offers ideas such as generating QR codes for students to wander around the classroom and scan a code using a tablet or Chromebooks. Students will explore videos and answer prompts to improve critical thinking skills. In Bethany Petty's classroom, students go on virtual field trips through Youtube and Google Earth (Petty, 2019). Bethany Petty offers ideas such as using Google Cardboard and Google Expeditions to support exploration (2019). Students will be motivated to explore new concepts and places through a virtual experience.
Part of the online learning experience in designing and creating lessons for students. Recording videos for students using Screencastify allows students to go back and stream the video if students did not understand (Petty, 2019). This saves time and allows teachers to support struggling students. Students can also get creative with presentations. Petty uses her social studies classroom as an example. "I've set for myself as a teacher to provide students with more choice" (Petty, 2019, p.25). Giving students a choice for presentation formats creates a meaningful and motivating experience. Petty suggests allowing students to use Screencasting, Flip Grid, Google Slides, Booksnaps, Google Drawings, Memes with IMGFlip, timelines with Sutori, and Nearpod (Petty, 2019). There are so many choices to pick from, and students have it at their fingertips.
Technology can also be used effectively with communication and collaboration. "Flipgrid is a fantastic tool on the EdTech scene that allows students to communicate their ideas and opinions in a brief video" (Petty, 2019, p. 45). Students can watch and respond to each other in the form of videos. Google Hangouts allows students to communicate through video calls (Petty, 2019). Communication and collaboration do not always have to be in the form of a video. Petty also recommends Padlet (2019). Padlet is a great tool where students can post ideas and respond to each other through virtual post-its. All of these collaborative platforms can be integrated with Google Classroom.
Designing lessons through a flipped classroom is convenient for educators and students. Part of lesson designing is the assessment to check for understanding. This integrates well in a flipped classroom. Google Forms can be used for summative assessments. This feature makes it easy to collect data and export to a grade book (Petty, 2019). Assessments don't have to be dull and boring. Gamifying Assessments is an alternative for a flipped classroom. "Gamifying assessments helps alleviate some of that test anxiety by encouraging students to have fun while sharing what they've learned" (Petty, 2019, pg. 69). Petty suggested fun Assessment choices such as Kahoot Quizzes, Quizizz games, Quizlet, and Quizalize (2019). Again, all of these engaging assessment programs are compatible with Google Classroom. Designing lessons with technology sets a learning environment that is conducive to learning.

Petty's persuasion of the convenience of using technology to create a flip classroom is not only relevant to 2020 remote learning, but it also offers easy to follow steps to 21st-century classrooms. It is necessary to integrate technology into the classroom since education moves in the direction of heavy technology use. Students should not be robbed of the opportunities to use online methods of learning. Petty wrote her book last year (2019), and it is relatively new. Reading it in 2020 is enlightening, especially for educators trying to discover the modern world of technology in education. It isn't easy to find a book that is relevant to all grade levels. It is my opinion that most technology books are tailored to higher-level education. Although Petty is involved in technology support in her High School Social Studies, many of the used platforms can be used in a first-grade classroom. All the video learning platforms, gamifying assessments, collaboration tools, Google Applications, and QR code exploration are just some of the tools Petty Recommends for all grade levels. One theme from the book that is not relevant to early elementary grades is the use of Social Media such as Instagram. Even though younger students are aware of Social Media, it is risky to expose students to social media at an early age of ten. It is preferable to use Videos to support learning instead of social media in the early grades. Other than social media use, the book is relevant for all ages. It is a fun interactive book to read that will inspire educators to use modern technology in a 21-century classroom.

[Kristin Aleman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Are you looking for ideas to enhance your teaching using technology? Are you not sure where to start? The book, "Illuminate: Technology Enhanced Learning," by Bethany Petty, is the place to start. This book is packed full of ideas to implement educational technology in the classroom. If you are a novice or a technology expert, the author presents the information clearly and speaks from experience from the classroom. Her ideas are true and tried straight from her own classroom.
Ms. Petty's goal of the book is to present some great educational technology tools that you can use in your classrooms (Petty, 2018). The tools she discusses are how they can help students engage in learning, explore content, think critically, collaborate with peers both in the classroom and around the world, and so much more. Using these tools can help you motivate your students in a culture of instant gamification, connect and learn from other teachers, assess student knowledge, design meaningful learning experiences, and reflect on your teaching (Petty, 2018).
The book is broken into ten chapters with a focus on a different type of educational technology. The author describes each topic with a question or thought before she moves on. This allowed me to reflect on the topic before reading. For example, chapter four begins with the question, "How can we use instructional technology to encourage students to communicate in the classroom?" She thinks out of the box and reflects on her own experiences to explore instructional strategies to answer the question. She offers ideas, practices, websites, and examples in each chapter that demonstrates the topic. After reading each chapter, I was able to easily practice and incorporate the ideas and strategies in the classroom. With distance learning, I have a better knowledge base of educational technology and a book to refer to websites and ideas to implement in the classroom when I need to. Her goal for the readers is to encourage students to engage in content in a meaningful way that will make them want to dive in and explore further (Petty, 2018). Exploring technology is the next step. Each chapter also comes with a try this tomorrow component. She encourages you to create free accounts, experiment, and reflect on how you could use the strategy to enhance the learning environment in your classroom.
A central theme embedded in her book is allowing students to take ownership of their learning. She states that it is important to encourage students to create representations of their knowledge that can help them with their learning (Petty, 2018). The idea of a choice board is just one example for students to choose how they will demonstrate their learning. Students are expected to demonstrate conceptual understanding as citizens of the twenty-first century. The ITSE standards state that students can effectively communicate thoughts and ideas as an essential skill and standard in the twenty-first century. Encouraging students to create in your classroom can increase student engagement and develop an environment that invites students to take an active role in their learning (Petty, 2018).
Bethany Petty is an author, blogger, and a high school social studies teacher. She is passionate about educational technology and takes risks with her instructional strategies. Her students inspire her to create a more engaging and dynamic learning environment for them (Petty, 2018). She has seen first hand how her instructional strategies using educational technology has impacted her students and teaching. She provides professional learning opportunities such as workshops and seminars for districts and teachers. I highly recommend her book, especially during distance learning.

[Alyson Esbenshade · Rating 5 out of 5]

Illuminate: Technology Enhanced Learning, by author, Bethany J. Petty, is an easy-read book meant to open an educator’s eyes to the technology available today to create and an exciting and engaging environment for their students. Throughout the book, Petty focuses on technology-driven strategies to encourage collaboration, creativity, communication, and critical thinking skills in students. While focusing on integrating technology in the curriculum and not using technology just because it is there, Petty (2018) delivers a personalized and curated learner’s manual for updating a teacher’s curriculum without the hassle of sifting through the overwhelming amount of resources available.

Petty (2018) organized Illuminate into ten chapters. Each chapter has a theme based on a particular strategy for the student or for the teacher. For example; Chapter 1 is titled “Engage with Technology,” Chapter 2 is “Explore with Technology,” Chapter 3 is “Create with Technology,” and so on (Petty, 2018). The remaining chapters discuss communication, collaboration, assessment, reflection, motivation, lesson design, and connecting and reflecting for teachers. Within each chapter’s theme, Petty (2018) incorporates her personal point of view based off of her own experience and her student’s experience with the tool(s). She also provides tips, tricks, and lesson ideas for the tool, complete with pictures and hyperlinks (when using the Kindle version) to her blog for more strategies on the tool (Petty, 2018). In the back of the book, Petty (2018) recapitulates each tool covered in the book in a convenient “Tech Tool Index.” There the reader will find a synopsis of the tool, and again, if reading from the Kindle version, the reader can easily click on a hyperlink to direct you to each tool’s website.
After reading Illuminate, there were some key strategies or concepts designed to elevate the learning experience that really stood out. Probably the most obvious passion of Petty’s, as she has become a global ambassador on the concept, is the flipped classroom model, particularly the “in-class flip.” Petty argues, quite convincingly, that students’ minds are being pulled in so many directions due to age, social life, and technology, and that the best way to snap their direction back to us it to employ the same disruptions into our curriculum.
Petty dives into other concepts like hyperdocs, virtual reality, game-based learning, gamification, blogging, and screencasting. Giving her personal, light-hearted experience on each of these concepts, she also provides lesson ideas and self-tested tools, websites, and software to accomplish it. The Suite of Google apps for education, YouTube, and FlipGrid are tools that frequent her pages across many chapters.
As a full-time teacher and life-long learner myself, I could not recommend this book and Bethany Petty’s blog enough. Just like I envision her classroom, she offers a wealth of useful information and priceless experience without the frustrating and confusing technical jargon. After reading from cover to cover, I feel inspired to implement some of these tools and the great thing is that they can be started right away. Petty strongly reiterates that using technology just because it’s there is not advised and that trying everything all at once would be an exercise in futility and overwhelming disappointment. I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in updating and enhancing their curriculum to the 21st century, all while getting students excited about learning!

[Tricia Saylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book I was reading. The book I chose to review on is called Illuminate: Technology Enhanced Learning by Bethany Petty. I picked this book because I wanted to successfully implement more technology in my classroom. I am fortunate to have class computers that are a one-to-one student ratio. This book was broken into ten chapters and each chapter was a different way to implement technology in the classroom. The first chapter was all about flipped classroom and how to make it successful. Petty provided step by step instructions on how to successfully turn a classroom into a flipped classroom.
Chapters 2-9 talk about different tools for technology such as virtual class field trips, using QR codes in the classroom, assessment with technology, creating with technology, and more. One idea that Petty shared that I thought was smart was to allow students to present to each other on the computer instead of just sharing out loud”(p.25). My students loved when we took a virtual field trip to the White House. Petty gives other ideas on where you can virtually visit in places like the Louvre, the Great Pyramids, and the Palace of Versailles”(pg.19).
The overall theme of this book was for teachers to not be intimidated by technology and Petty provided simple step by step examples to make technology more user-friendly for teachers. I have been using some of Petty’s ideas in the classroom such as implementing a flipped classroom more regularly in my classroom. She made technology appear less daunting and I have shared some of her ideas with my 4th grade team and they are trying to implement more technology in their classrooms per her ideas. This is a book I would recommend to teachers and even parents who would like to help their students with learning in the classroom.
Petty ended her book with a key point. Her goal as an educator was to “realize that students can create amazing products, and that I am in their corner, cheering them on” (pg. 96). This to me a quote that encapsulates a successful teacher to me.
At the end of each chapter, Petty provides step by step instructions on how to implement the new technology. For example, at the end of chapter 8 on motivating through technology, Petty explains how to create a remind account to share information with parents (pg. 97).
One thing that I wish the book had more of were visual aids. I am a visual learner and even just a picture of what the apps look like or different ways to differentiate the resources for different learners. Bethany Petty is a high school teacher and I teach 4th grade.
Petty introduces herself and shares her background in the first 3 pages of the book. She currently teaches American Government in a high school on the east coast. She is a strong Christian, blogger, wife, mother, and a self-proclaimed educational technology enthusiast. Her work was easy to read and felt in some ways like she was just talking and having a conversation with you. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about how to implement technology in the classroom.

[Parvin · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I began reading this book, I was among the throngs of distance learning teachers looking for help and clear instructions to deal with emerging technologies and the plethora of technology tools flooding the educational market. I have been in the educational field for nearly 20 years, but the technology tools that we needed and continue to need as distance learning persists are very different than what we used in traditional classrooms. Petty’s book is not an encyclopedia of what is new in technology. Instead, she gives the reader many options and examples of different tools teachers use to engage students -- and real world applications that demonstrate how she uses these specific technologies in her classroom. “Illuminate” is user-friendly for educators who may not be as tech-savvy as their students or colleagues. As a seasoned educator, (code for old) I was able to navigate all of the different tools featured in the book. I was grateful that she provided examples of how she uses these tools in her classroom. I found it challenging but eventually rewarding to not only learn new technology, but to teach with it the next day. At the end of each chapter, I would open a new tab on my laptop to “try this tomorrow”. The daily “try this tomorrow” routine motivated me to test drive whatever new technology tool I had just read about and incorporate it into my lesson for the next day. If I was confused about how to use a new tool, I would click on the link from my kindle app and I was instantaneously whisked away to Petty’s educational blog about that specific lesson or tool. Having her additional resources available when I got stuck using a new tech tool made the reading interactive. Overall, the book routinely diverted my attention from some recent COVID19 anxiety-riddled afternoons, and I still use several of the tools Petty introduced me to.

[Wendy]

Highly recommend this book!
Incorporating technology into teaching can be overwhelming and stressful. It can also be frustrating. For a teacher who is hesitant to try/use technology in the classroom these are valid reasons to avoid it. Illuminate is a quick read that will help any hesitant teacher try out a few new applications. The wording on the front of Bethany Petty's book perfectly sums up what you will be getting and reading: “tips, tricks, and strategies to improve learning and increase student engagement”. This book has “many different ideas for using instructional technology tools to enhance your learning environment” and “encourage your students to collaborate, create, communicate, and think critically about their content and the world around them” (Petty, 2018, p. 115).
Petty understands that technology is a tool, with the goal of using the tool to create a better learning environment for both students and teachers. Her goal in writing this book is to introduce the readers to educational tools that can be used in their teaching and classroom. The chapters are organized to support Petty’s goals. Within each chapter, she includes specific tech tools, ideas, and strategies to use, along with detailed information on how to access the tools. The illustrations and pictures are very helpful to get started.
The Technology Tool Index at the back of the book is a great resource for all the tech tools mentioned throughout the book. It is a great reference to have on hand.
The tips, tricks, and tools discussed in this book will help any teacher get started using technology in the classroom, and will further support those who have already “flipped on the light switch” (Petty, 2018, introduction) and are using tech tools to enhance learning.

[Deborah]

Petty’s book is very reader friendly and provides a lot of information on not only what kinds of technology to use, but why and how they help students become better learners who are motivated to keep learning. Her chapters cover all aspects of how technology engages students, helps them explore, create and communicate, encourages them to collaborate and think critically and reflect, and helps teachers assess, motivate, design lessons and connect with other teachers. Her intent is to“illuminate” teachers so that they can “illuminate” their students. After reading the book, I did notice that the tools and ideas she mentions are things I have heard before and most of them are multifaceted so she mentions them in multiple topics , but I did appreciate reading about her own personal experiences and examples of different projects she does in her class. She also emphasized that using technology is not the end goal, but learning is.

Overall, Petty’s excitement about each device and digital platform is quite contagious. I must admit that I have caught on to her excitement so now I want to try out some of them with my own students! Her book has “illuminated” new ways for me to use technology to create engaging lessons and assessments that will give students opportunities to create, connect, collaborate, and explore.

[Joy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best books on using tech in a classroom setting. Petty is able to explain what each tech tool is and give ideas on how each can be used in the classroom. But, I love that she encourages baby steps to not overwhelm an already busy teacher. She also repeatedly emphasizes “it’s not about the tech: it’s how you use it!” Using tech in itself is not the goal. Using tech to enhance student understanding and learning is the goal. If you are a teacher, you need to read this book!!

[Wendie Barney Boucher · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book for an online book study course and really enjoyed it. The author did a great job of offering ideas for different ways to incorporate more technology into the classroom, not just to use technology, but to implement it in ways that are both useful and helpful for students. The author also included QR codes within the book to access more information online which I also found very useful.

[Brooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is hands-down one of my favorite books dealing with technology in the educational setting. Bethany puts technology hesitant educators at ease with this very informative and step by step approach to incorporating technology into the classroom. I honestly can’t wait to use the resources she’s shared in her book in my own classroom! A must read!

[Heather Stringham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ed and Tech

I really enjoyed this book, and I found great ideas to add to my digital repetoire. I loved how excited the author was. She gave clear advice and makes it easy to see how this would work.

[Rebecca Hanson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not super earth shattering or fabulous. It went along with a PD through my district and the online resources that went with it were much more engaging. The book was just a fluff piece to go with it.

[Gabriela · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think the book is a great resource for educators who are looking for emerging technology and digital tools for teaching. Bethany J. Petty provides digital tools that teachers who are not so tech-savvy can immediately try out in their classes. Being an elementary teacher, I was able to find some digital tools that I can use in my class. If you are a teacher who wants to explore using technology in your classroom this book offers excellent emerging tools to enhance learning.

[Justin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bethany writes in a very conversational tone and shares many engaging anecdotes about her personal experiences as a learner, a teacher, a mom, a friend, and a blogger to back up her points.

The book is broken into ten chapters, with each one covering using technology to engage, explore, create, communicate, think critically, assess, reflect, motivate, design lessons, and connect. I learned something new from each chapter and wish I had read this when I didn't have just five days left in school, so I could implement them this year.

I loved that the book was not based entirely on the tech tools, but more on applications of each tool. New ideas that I had never considered before were presented in each chapter. A ton of stickies now adorn my copy with things I'd like to try in my own classroom.

While the focal point of the book is the "why/how" to use different tools, the "what" tool to use is also addressed. I consider myself pretty in the know about educational technology, but there were about six tools I had never heard of or knew what they did. The 35 tools are helpfully categorized in the "Tech Tools Index" at the back of the book, which made it easy to count up how many I need to learn about soon, but even more nuggets of wisdom are sprinkled throughout the book, making the grand total much higher. Luckily, blank notes pages are included at the end of each chapter to keep it all organized.

A common fear about print books about technology is that they will be outdated within a year or two. Bethany has helpfully included QR codes (which she shares a number of educational uses for throughout the book) to blog posts she has written about the subject. In my interactions with Bethany, I know she is on the ball when it comes to educational technology, and these blogs will be updated as current technology is refined and new, better tools are developed. Essentially, you are getting two books for the price of one - the one in your hand and the future iterations of her blog.

Thank you for allowing me the chance to read and review this book, Bethany. (Note: I was given a copy of this book in return for an honest review). I thoroughly enjoyed every page of Illuminate: Technology Enhanced Learning and look forward to seeing your work continues to grow!