Department of Technology PD Offerings

Digital Learning Professional Development Link to this section

The Digital Learning Team, part of SFUSD's Department of Technology, leads professional learning, coaching, program development, and content creation centered on technology-enabled 21st-century learning. We enable educators to leverage technology for equity of opportunity, towards SFUSDs goals of disrupting systemic inequalities through a culturally responsive and anti-racist approach that supports the district's Vision, Values, Goals, and Guardrails

Earn while you learn! For teachers and paraprofessionals who attend sessions after their contractual hours, these sessions can count towards your 18 FWEA paid, professional development hours, as long as you receive approval from your site administrator. For DLeaF teacher-leaders, you may claim up to 12 hours of session attendance towards your DLeaF Opportunities compensation, instead.

Spring 2025 Digital Learning PD Sessions Link to this section

Click on the accordion drop-downs below to view more details about each session.

1/21/2025 (4:00-5:30 PM) - KQED: GenAI Guidelines for Student-Centered Media Creation

Session Description: Make sense of the GenAI landscape by approaching it with a youth voice lens. In this workshop for middle and high school educators, we’ll unpack KQED’s new GenAI guidelines for productive, ethical and student-focused media creation. We’ll then explore one possible use-case: how AI chatbots like ChatGPT can be customized to provide supportive feedback on audio and video scripts–and other types of writing–in a way that supports student voice and encourages self-expression. You’ll get hands-on time to practice and experiment with your students in mind, and leave with useful guidelines, instructional strategies, and ready-to-use resources to guide your use of GenAI when students make media.

Digital Learning Topic/Category: AI

SFUSD Goal: Guardrail 2: Whole Child

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1/21/2025 (4:15-5:30 PM) - ADOBE: "Kickstart Creativity: Using Adobe Express Guided Activities for Easy, No-Prep Creative Skill Building [Beginner Session]"

Session Description: Igniting creativity in students doesn’t have to be complicated! In this hands-on session, educators will discover how to use Adobe Express Guided Activities to jumpstart creative skill building with minimal preparation. Adobe Express offers a range of ready-to-use, interactive activities that help students practice essential design, storytelling, and digital literacy skills—perfect for engaging learners across all grade levels and subject areas.

Participants will explore how to use curated Guided Activities to foster skills in visual design, digital storytelling, and multimedia creation. These no-prep activities provide structured yet flexible opportunities for students to experiment, iterate, and learn key creative processes in a low-pressure, hands-on environment. Whether you're introducing multimedia projects in your classroom or simply looking for quick, creative assignments to reinforce skills, this session will show you how to integrate Guided Activities to enhance student learning with confidence.

Digital Learning Topic/Category: Adobe

SFUSD Goal: Goal 3: College & Career

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2/4/2025 (4:15-5:30 PM) - ADOBE: Unlocking Creativity and Continuous Improvement in Secondary Classrooms: Using AI and Adobe Express to Apply the Iterative Design Process to Any Subject Area

Session Description: "In today’s digital age, fostering creativity and critical thinking in students is more important than ever. No matter what content area you teach, creative skill-building plays a role in making students feel more engaged and empowered to demonstrate their understanding in authentic ways.

Through hands-on activities, you’ll learn how to guide students to tackle creative problems by planning, creating, sharing, and refining their work. Whether you're teaching art, science, or social studies, this workshop will equip you with tools and techniques to help empower students to think like designers and innovators."

Digital Learning Topic/Category: Media Making for Students

SFUSD Goal: Goal 3: College & Career

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2/5/2025 (Time 2:45-3:45 PM) - DoT: Maximize Google Classroom for ALL Learners

Use this link to register for this session: bit.ly/DoTregistration

Session Description: Review Google Classroom organization, explore new Google Classroom tools and how they can be used to differentiate and meet the needs of various learning styles. Take time to create an activity using one of the new tools you are most interested in.

Digital Learning Topic/Category: UDL/Accessibility

SFUSD Goal: Goal 3: College & Career

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2/11/2025 (4:00-5:00 PM) - KQED: Fact-Check the Chatbot: Spotting Misinformation and Hallucinations in GenAI

Session Description: We all know students are using GenAI tools like ChatGPT and Google Gemini. But how can educators support students to fact-check the chatbot? Join us for a 1-hour workshop designed to help students gain vital online research and reasoning skills in the age of AI. You'll learn how professional fact checkers avoid falling for misinformation, whether it’s human- or AI-generated, and practice identifying and evaluating credible sources. Then we’ll put what you’ve learned to the test with the latest version of our favorite source-checking game: Share or Beware! You’ll leave with ideas, teaching tips and ready-to-use resources to help students find reliable sources no matter where they click.

Digital Learning Topic/Category: AI

SFUSD Goal: Goal 3: College & Career

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2/12/2025 (4:15-5:30 PM) - ADOBE: Empowering Student Voice: Creating EASY Student-Led Video Projects in any Grade Level with Adobe Express

Session Description: Video projects don't have to be intimidating! With Adobe Express’ intuitive design features. It's easier than ever to help students plan, create, and edit their own videos using education-specific templates that act as scaffolds to get started and kickstart the creative process. We’ll discuss how video projects foster collaboration, enhance digital literacy, and encourage students to take ownership of their learning. You’ll leave with strategies to incorporate student-led video projects into your curriculum, empowering your students to communicate their learning in creative and meaningful ways.

Digital Learning Topic/Category: Media Making for Students

SFUSD Goal: Goal 3: College & Career

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2/20/2025 (3:30-4:15 PM) - NEWS LITERACY PROJECT: AI Awareness and the Research Process

Description: The state of today’s digital landscape includes challenges posed by generative artificial intelligence. Explore strategies for helping determine the credibility of evidence and sources as students begin the research process. We will have time for participants to use the tools we share and will also invite you to share how you can use these resources in the classroom.

Digital Learning Topic/Category: Media Literacy

SFUSD Goal: Goal 3: College & Career

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2/20/2025 (4:15-5:00 PM) - COMMON SENSE EDUCATION: Using AI for Planning and Efficiencies

Use this link to register for this session: bit.ly/DoTregistration

Description: This session will guide educators on how to leverage AI tools to streamline lesson planning, assessment, and instruction. Discover practical ways GenAI can save you time, personalize learning experiences, and analyze data for more effective teaching strategies. Participants will leave with practical applications to incorporate AI into their planning process. Note: this session is not about how to use AI with students

Digital Learning Topic/Category: AI

SFUSD Goal: Goal 3: College & Career

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2/25/2025 (4:15-5:15 PM) - DoT: Intro to Digital Portfolios

Use this link to register for this session: bit.ly/DoTregistration

Session Description: Have you been wanting to implement portfolios in your classroom, but haven't figured out where to start? This workshop will provide you with step-by-step guides that can help you either just dip your toes or jump all the way in. See examples of how portfolios are being implemented in schools in SFUSD and learn about which digital tools can support you and your students through the portfolio process.

Digital Learning Topic/Category: Portfolios

SFUSD Goal: Goal 3: College & Career

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3/20/2025 (3:30-4:15 PM) - NEWS LITERACY PROJECT: Algorithms, Building Search Habits

Description: The Internet is inconceivably large and essentially endless! It can be a struggle to find accurate information. Understanding search algorithms can equip students with the ability to Google like a pro! Understanding how a program works helps us to use a program effectively, so we are not trapped by confirmation bias but empowered with accurate information to make fully informed decisions. We will have time for participants to use the tools we share and will also invite you to share how you can use these resources in the classroom.

Digital Learning Topic/Category: Media Literacy

SFUSD Goal: Goal 3: College & Career

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3/26/2025 (4:15-5:15 PM) - DoT: Adobe Express for Student Reflections

Use this link to register for this session: bit.ly/DoTregistration

Session Description: Come learn how Adobe's Animate from Audio feature helps capture student reflections around their academic and personal goals. Animate from Audio allows students to easily record their voices, customize characters and backgrounds, and share their thoughts with a wide audience.

Digital Learning Topic/Category: Portfolios

SFUSD Goal: Goal 3: College & Career

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4/9/2025 (2:45-3:45 PM) - DoT: Best Practices and Strategies for Successful 1:1 Learning Environments

Use this link to register for this session: bit.ly/DoTregistration

Session Description: Has your school recently implemented a Chromebook 1:1 take-home program? Congratulations! Now you are probably at the stage where you are wanting to know some strategies for how to deal with students who: have broken, lost, or damaged their device; are not bringing their device to school, or they bring it not fully charged! Your teachers are also probably going to want to learn some best practices and strategies for both integrating the use of technology into their teaching, while also needing some good classroom and device management tips and strategies! If this sounds familiar, then join us for this session where we will share best practices and strategies that the SFUSD Department of Technology team has learned from the past 8 years of SFUSD's 1:1 programs!

Digital Learning Topic/Category: 1:1 Learning Environments

SFUSD Goal: Goal 3: College & Career

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4/17/2025 (3:30-4:15 PM) - NEWS LITERACY PROJECT: Making Sense of Data

Description: Analyzing and interpreting data, engaging in arguments using evidence, and using mathematics and computational thinking lays the foundation for students to think critically and evaluate and interpret information. Equipped with these strategies, students learn what to trust, share and act on. We will have time for participants to use the tools we share and will also invite you to share how you can use these resources in the classroom.

Digital Learning Topic/Category: Media Literacy

SFUSD Goal: Goal 3: College & Career

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4/18/2025 (2:30-4:00 PM) - DoT: AI Playground for Coaches

Use this link to register for this session: bit.ly/DoTregistration

Session Description: Be introduced to the history of AI, it's current place in education and explore some ways you can use AI tools to maximize your time. Walk away with prompts and structures to use AI for giving teacher feedback and data organization.

Digital Learning Topic/Category: AI

SFUSD Goal: Gaurdrail 3: Curriculum & Instruction

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Coming Soon!
Link to this section

To Be Scheduled-SEESAW: Use Seesaw for Ongoing Formative Assessment and Online Test Fluency

Session Description: Formative assessment is critical in the classroom when making data-informed instructional decisions. Learn how to create auto-graded formative assessments in Seesaw to gain meaningful insights into student understanding. And, with this extra practice, you can be more confident that when your students take online assessments, their scores will be reflective of their content proficiency, and not their computer navigation skills.

Digital Learning Topic/Category: Assessment & Grading

SFUSD Goal: GL1: Third Grade Literature

To Be Scheduled- DoT: Everyday Accessibility: Game-Changing, Built-in Tools that Benefit Everyone

Session Description: Explore the built-in features and settings that you and your students already hold in your hands, which can help with comprehending spoken and written content, writing, and translating. Choose between learning the accessibility features of Chromebooks, laptops, iPhones, iPads, and Androids. Please bring the device whose features you want to explore during this hands-on, self-guided tour, plus a device to watch tutorial videos on. Our goal is for you to leave this session with the belief that accessibility tools are for everyone!

Digital Learning Topic/Category: UDL/Accessibility

SFUSD Goal: Goal 1: 3rd Grade Literature

PD Session Recordings Link to this section

DoT: Google Tools & Tricks for the Busy Educator!

 

Session Description

Learn how to filter your email and effective use the search function in Gmail, explore tools to organize your Google Drive, find out ways to more effectively use Google Sheets.
Try out the tools you feel would be most beneficial to you!

Digital Learning Topic/Category: Productivity

SFUSD Goal: Guardrail 3: Curriculum & Instruction

**Recording Coming Soon!** - Your New Best Friend for Managing Assessment with Early Learners

Session Description

Experience Seesaw's multi-media tools, plus its folders, skills-labeling, and scoring, to help you capture, organize, and monitor student progress, including with the DRDP.

Digital Learning Topic/Category: Assessment & Grading

SFUSD Goal 3: 3rd Grade Literacy

Self-Paced Sessions Link to this section

The sessions below are asynchronous self-paced courses you can take anytime, not scheduled live sessions.

KQED: Analyzing Media Messages: Bias, Motivation and Production Choices

Session Description

With the explosion of the kinds of media now available, teaching students how to critically read media is more important than ever. Learn how media messages are built not just through scripts but production choices like framing and music and how these choices influence our interpretation and actions. This media literacy course is provided to you FREE from public media station KQED.

Digital Learning Topic/Category: Media Literacy

SFUSD Goal: Guardrail 3: Curriculum & Instruction

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KQED: Evaluating Online Sources: Checking Facts and Identifying Misinformation

Session Description

Prepare your students to be savvy online researchers by giving them the tools they need to distinguish facts from misinformation. Gain confidence and resources for teaching how to evaluate information and spot unreliable sources. This media literacy course is provided to you FREE from public media station KQED.

Digital Learning Topic/Category: Media Literacy

SFUSD Goal: Guardrail 3: Curriculum & Instruction

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KQED: Evaluating Online Tools for Classroom Use

Session Description

Student data privacy laws can be confusing. In this course, you will learn how to navigate your responsibilities as an educator and discover what to look for when choosing digital tools that will work for you and your district. This course is provided to you FREE from public media station KQED. 

Digital Learning Topic/Category: Digital Learning Basics

SFUSD Goal: Guardrail 3: Curriculum & Instruction

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KQED: Implementing and Assessing Student Audio Projects

Session Description

Learn how to implement and assess audio projects that empower your students to share their learning, tell their stories and creatively express ideas. This course is provided to you FREE from public media station KQED.

Digital Learning Topic/Category: Media Making (Students)

SFUSD Goal: College & Career

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KQED: Implementing and Assessing Student Graphics Projects

Session Description

Learn how to implement and assess graphics-based media projects that empower your students to creatively communicate their learning and their experiences. This course is provided to you FREE from public media station KQED.

Digital Learning Topic/Category: Media Making (Students)

SFUSD Goal: College & Career

Sign Up Here!

KQED: Implementing and Assessing Student Video Projects

Session Description

Learn how to implement and assess video projects that empower your students to creatively communicate their learning and their experience. This course is provided to you FREE from public media station KQED.

Digital Learning Topic/Category: Media Making (Students)

SFUSD Goal: College & Career

Sign Up Here!

KQED: Inspire Creative Science Communication with Media Projects

Session Description

Unlock your students’ creative potential by incorporating the essential skill of science communication through media-making in your classroom.

Digital Learning Topic/Category: STEM

SFUSD Goal: Guardrail 3: Curriculum & Instruction

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KQED: Making Audio to Inspire Learning

Session Description

Bring audio storytelling into your classroom to enhance instruction, support learning and gain the confidence to lead audio projects with your students. This media literacy course is provided to you FREE from public media station KQED.

Digital Learning Topic/Category: Media Making (Students)

SFUSD Goal: Guardrail 3: Curriculum & Instruction

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KQED: Making Infographics to Inspire Learning

Session Description

The language of visual design offers a powerful way to engage students. Here you’ll learn to represent complex ideas, information and data in compelling infographics and develop the confidence to enrich your teaching with new media skills. This media literacy course is provided to you FREE from public media station KQED.

Digital Learning Topic/Category: Media Making (Students)

SFUSD Goal: Guardrail 3: Curriculum & Instruction

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KQED: Making Photo Essays to Inspire Learning

Session Description

Photo essays are great entry points for media makers of all ages. In this course, you will learn the principles of photo essay production, make a photo essay and a lesson plan that you can use right away.

Digital Learning Topic/Category: Media Making (Students)

SFUSD Goal: Guardrail 3: Curriculum & Instruction

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KQED: Making Video to Inspire Learning

Session Description

Get started making videos for instruction and gain the confidence to lead video projects with your students. This media literacy course is provided to you FREE from public media station KQED.

Digital Learning Topic/Category: Media Making (Students)

SFUSD Goal: Guardrail 3: Curriculum & Instruction

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KQED: Understanding Copyright for Educators

Session Description

Wondering when it's ok to reuse or remix other people's work or media in the classroom? Help yourself and your students understand how to respect other creators when using and making media. This media literacy course is provided to you FREE from public media station KQED.

Digital Learning Topic/Category: Digital Learning Basics

SFUSD Goal: College & Career 

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This page was last updated on January 9, 2025