Homeschooling with Technology

389: Best College Application Resources for Homeschoolers College applications can feel overwhelming, especially once senior year arrives. In this episode, I share several useful websites that can help homeschool families choose colleges, understand the application process, work through essays and recommendations, and make sense of what happens after applications are submitted. These resources are useful […] The post Best College Application Resources for Homeschoolers appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

388: Alternatives to Google search with Jo Ebisujima Google Search has changed significantly with the addition of AI-generated summaries at the top of search results. For students especially, this can make it tempting to accept an AI-generated answer without ever visiting the original source or checking whether the information is accurate. In this episode, I […] The post Alternatives to Google search appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

386: How to prepare teens for their first social media accounts Giving a teen their first social media account can feel a little like handing them the keys to a car. We wouldn’t expect a brand-new driver to figure everything out without preparation, and social media deserves the same kind of intentional teaching. In this […] The post How to prepare teens for their first social media accounts appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

384: A Student’s Perspective on Essential Tech Skills for High School In this episode, Meryl talks with high school senior Ada Anderson about the technology skills she has found most useful throughout her high school years.Ada shares the tools she uses regularly for school, scholarships, personal projects, and staying organized. She also talks about some […] The post A Student’s Perspective on Essential Tech Skills for High School appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

383: AI Through a Teen’s Eyes with Sofia Alvarez de la Hoz In this episode, Meryl talks with Sophia Alvarez de la Hoz, a former student in Meryl’s AI for Teens class. Sophia shares what she knew about AI before taking the course, what surprised her, and how her understanding changed as she learned about […] The post AI Through a Teen’s Eyes with Sofia Alvarez appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

381: Summer Tech Challenge 8: Create a Video Recommendation Video creation is becoming an essential skill for today’s students. In this episode, homeschool families are challenged to create a short recommendation video using Canva. Whether you’ve never edited a video before or you’re ready to build your skills, this challenge provides a simple way to […] The post Summer Tech Challenge 8: Create a Video Recommendation appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

378: Summer Tech Challenge #5 – Design Your Summer with Padlet Summer is the perfect time to experiment with new technology without the pressure of a full school schedule. In this fifth installment of the Summer Tech Challenge, Meryl introduces one of her favorite educational tools: Padlet. Whether you want to plan summer adventures, organize […] The post Summer Tech Challenge # 5: Design Your Summer appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

375: Summer Tech Challenge  #2 – Create a Trivia Game This week’s summer challenge is to create a trivia game. Students can choose any topic, educational or just for fun, and create a quiz with 10–20 questions. The quiz should use multiple choice, matching, or another format where players select answers on-screen. Episode 83 covers […] The post Summer Tech Challenge #2 : Create a Trivia Game appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

374: Summer Tech Challenge #1: AI Trip Planning This summer, Homeschooling with Technology is launching a fun nine-week Summer Tech Challenge designed to help homeschool families explore technology together. Each Wednesday in June and July, you’ll receive a short challenge focused on building practical tech skills through hands-on activities. The first challenge explores AI-powered trip […] The post Summer Tech Challenge #1: AI Trip Planning appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

373: Game-based Learning with Boddle In this episode, Meryl interviews sixth-grader Penny Laine Buschle about her experience using Boddle Learning, a free game-based learning platform for students in Kindergarten through sixth grade. Rather than reviewing the platform only from an adult perspective, Meryl invited Penny Laine to spend time actually playing and learning inside Boddle so listeners could […] The post Game-based Learning with Boddle appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

372: 4 Digital Tasks Before Summer Break: Homeschool Digital Organization Tips Before summer break begins, take time to organize the digital side of your homeschool life. In this episode, Meryl shares four important homeschool digital organization tasks that can save time, reduce stress, and help you keep better records for high school, college applications, and […] The post 4 Digital Tasks Before Summer Break appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

371: Turning Summer Walks Into Learning Experiences In this episode, Meryl shares how educational summer walks can become meaningful learning experiences for homeschoolers using simple apps and technology tools. 1. Identify Birds with Merlin Bird ID Meryl discusses using Merlin Bird ID from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology to identify birds while walking. The app […] The post Turning Summer Walks Into Learning Experiences appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

370: Teaching Tech Skills Through Family Travel Have you ever thought about turning family travel into a tech skills classroom? In this episode, Meryl shares practical ways to assign your teens real planning tasks before and during a trip — tasks that build digital literacy alongside life skills. Ideas covered in this episode: 1. Pitch […] The post Teaching Tech Skills Through Family Travel appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

369: Ways Grandparents and Kids Can Connect Online Staying connected across the miles doesn’t have to mean just phone calls. In this episode, Meryl shares five practical ways grandchildren and grandparents can build real relationships digitally — with the bonus that several of these also sneak in genuine learning. 1. Reading together over video Alternate […] The post Ways Grandparents and Kids Can Connect Online appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

368: AI Tips You Can Use This Week In this episode, Meryl shares a practical mix of AI tips you can implement right away. What’s covered: 1. Ask Maps (Google Maps) Google Maps has a new AI feature called Ask Maps, currently rolling out. Instead of browsing categories, you can ask specific questions — gluten-free […] The post AI Tips You Can Use This Week appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

367: Exploring Space: Interactive Tools for Your Homeschool The Artemis 2 mission has four astronauts circling the moon right now, and it’s a perfect time to bring space exploration into your homeschool. In this episode, learn about free (and nearly free) tools organized into four categories: learn and explore, games and interactives, simulations, and citizen […] The post Exploring Space: Interactive Tools for Your Homeschool appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

366:  Teaching Geopolitics and World Affairs to Teens Teaching teens about geopolitics and world affairs can feel intimidating—but it doesn’t have to be. In this episode of Homeschooling with Technology, Meryl van der Merwe shares practical tools and creative ideas for helping homeschool students understand current events, global conflict, geography, and media literacy in ways […] The post Teaching Geopolitics and World Affairs to Teens appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

365: Padlet Arcade for Learning Fun New Here? If you love practical homeschool tech ideas, start here: More Homeschooling with Technology episodes Project-based learning ideas for homeschool Creative online tools for students Browse all homeschool tech resources  In this episode, Meryl explores Padlet Arcade — a game-based learning branch of the popular Padlet platform. She […] The post Padlet Arcade for Learning Fun appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

364: What’s New in NotebookLM NotebookLM has graduated from Google Labs beta into a fully featured, standalone tool — and it has grown dramatically. In this episode, Meryl walks through all nine features currently available in the Studio panel, explaining how homeschool parents can use them to save time and how students can use them […] The post What’s New in NotebookLM appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

363: Gems – Your Custom Homeschool Co-Teacher   Google’s Gemini platform now includes a powerful feature called Gems. In this episode, we explore how Gems allow you to create customized AI assistants that can help with homeschooling tasks again and again without rewriting prompts each time. Meryl explains what Gems are, how they compare to […] The post Gems: Your Custom Homeschool Co-Teacher appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

362: Avoiding tech burnout  with Melissa Muir In this episode, Meryl is joined by Melissa Muir from Think Curio to discuss an important topic for homeschool families: avoiding tech burnout. While both Meryl and Melissa love educational technology and use it extensively in their teaching, they recognize the need for balance. With recent studies showing […] The post Avoiding tech burnout appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

361: Homeschooling with Gemini In this episode, we look at how homeschoolers can use Gemini and why it’s worth adding to your tech toolkit — even if you already use ChatGPT. Organization & Workflow “My Stuff” dashboard to quickly access everything you’ve created Model options (Fast, Thinking, Pro) depending on the depth of response you […] The post Homeschooling with Gemini appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

360: Free Tech Tools Through Your Library In this episode of Homeschooling with Technology, Meryl interviews Melissa Brander from Pocket Homeschool about the many free technology resources available through your local library. Most homeschool families think of the library as a place for books. But today’s libraries offer far more — including digital tools, streaming […] The post Free Tech Tools Through Your Library appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

359:  How to Make Beautiful Presentations Presentations are a skill students will use again and again—in middle school, high school, college, and eventually the workplace. In this episode, learn about tech tools that can help homeschoolers (and parents!) create attractive, effective presentations without needing advanced design skills. Tools Covered in This Episode 1. Google SlidesA […] The post How to make beautiful presentations appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

358: 5 Free Homeschool Resources That Still Hold Up in 2026 with Melissa Muir Melissa is a longtime homeschool mom of four, a licensed teacher, and the founder of Curio. She shares five free homeschool resources her family still uses regularly today—resources that have stood the test of time and continue to work well for […] The post 5 Free Homeschool Resources That Still Hold Up in 2026 appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

357: Winter Olympics Resources for Your Homeschool The Winter Olympics are almost here, and if your family will be watching, why not turn that excitement into meaningful learning? In this episode, I share a collection of fun, engaging, and mostly free Winter Olympics resources you can use with elementary through high school students—before and during […] The post Winter Olympics Resources for Your Homeschool appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

356: Pixar in a box   In this episode, we explore Pixar in a Box, a free, self-paced course created by Pixar in partnership with Khan Academy. Pixar in a Box gives students a behind-the-scenes look at how Pixar films are made. Lessons are taught by Pixar professionals and connect animation to math, science, art, and […] The post Pixar in a Box: Free Animation & Storytelling Lessons appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

355: Vibe Coding – What It Is and How Homeschoolers Can Use It Vibe coding is a brand-new term, coined in early 2025 by former OpenAI researcher Andrej Karpathy, and it describes a radically different way of creating software—by describing what you want instead of writing traditional code. In this episode, you will learn what […] The post Vibe Coding appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

354: New Year, New Tools   Episode Goal Choose one tech tool from this list to explore intentionally in 2026. The 10 Tools Featured   1. ChatGPT and Gemini AI assistants that homeschool parents can use for planning, teaching, and daily life. Ways to use them include: Rewriting articles at a child’s reading level Creating […] The post New Year, New Tools appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

This is a rerun of episode 210 – you can find the original show notes here.   The post Replay: Taking Holiday Photos with Storytelling in Mind appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

This is a rerun of episode 162 – you can find the original show notes here. The post Replay: Digital Christmas Cards appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

353: An AI-Powered Holiday Season   Learn how to make this an AI-Powered Holiday Season! If the holidays feel overwhelming, especially for moms carrying the mental load, AI can help you offload decisions, plan your days, generate gift ideas, create activities, and more. 1. Use AI to Create a Manageable Holiday Schedule Tools like ChatGPT […] The post An AI-Powered Holiday Season appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

352: The Hour of AI Code.org has transformed its annual Hour of Code into the Hour of AI, offering a wide variety of free, interactive activities that help students understand artificial intelligence—not just coding. Some of the resources we tried out are: 1. AI Quests An interactive, story-driven adventure that teaches real-world Artificial Intelligence applications. […] The post Hour of AI: A Free Intro to Artificial Intelligence for Kids appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

📚 Part of our guide: Homeschool Science 351: STEM Gifts That Build Skills Meryl discusses why STEM gifts matter for kids and teens—and how choosing the right ones can build creativity, problem-solving, and curiosity. Whether you’re catching Black Friday sales or shopping any time of year, today’s episode is packed with practical ideas for skill-building […] The post STEM Gifts That Build Skills appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

350: Learning Real-World Skills Through Game Creation with Matt Dalio of Endless Studios In this episode, Meryl van der Merwe talks with Matt Dalio, founder of Endless Studios, about why game creation—not just game playing—can equip teens with powerful, real-world skills for future careers. Matt shares: His Backstory and Mission How early experiences living in […] The post Learning Real-World Skills Through Game Creation appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

349: AI Companions: The Hidden Danger for Teens We explore the alarming rise of AI companion usage among teenagers and the serious risks these tools pose. While AI can be incredibly useful for education and productivity, AI companions designed to fulfill emotional and social roles present unique dangers that most parents are unaware of. What […] The post AI Companions: The Hidden Danger for Teens appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

348: How a Teen Uses Tech to Master Time Management Host Meryl van der Merwe chats with teen guest, Mishe Breetzke, about how she learned to manage her time more effectively using technology. Mishe, a homeschooled student from South Africa, who is in Meryl’s online Computer Applications class, shares how she realized that feeling “too […] The post How a Teen Uses Tech to Master Time Management appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

347:  BaseCampEd: Building Community and Connection for Homeschoolers Host Meryl van der Merwe talks with Morgan Bergstrom, creator of the BaseCampEd app, a new tool designed to help homeschool families build community and connection. Morgan shares how her own homeschooling journey and frequent military moves inspired her to create a platform that makes it easier […] The post BaseCampEd: Building Community and Connection for Homeschoolers appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

346: AI and Critical Thinking In this episode, Meryl is joined once again by Critical Thinking in the Digital Age instructor Stephanie Simoes to explore how AI is impacting students’ ability to think deeply and critically. The two discuss an MIT study that sparked widespread concern, the concept of cognitive offloading, and how parents can […] The post AI and Critical Thinking appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

345: Listener Favorites: Our Top 5 Most-Downloaded Episodes Revisited In this special birthday edition of Homeschooling with Technology, Meryl Van der Merwe looks back at the five most downloaded episodes of all time! This episode is part of the 12 Days of Homeschool Gold celebration for the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network’s birthday — complete with […] The post Listener Favorites: Our Top 5 Most-Downloaded Episodes Revisited appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

344: 12 Homeschool Tech Hacks In this special birthday episode, to celebrate the 12th anniversary of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network, here are 12 homeschool tech hacks that will make your homeschool more efficient, engaging, and fun! Bonus: Celebrate the 12th Birthday of the Ultimate Homeschool Radio Network with giveaways, bonus mini-episodes, a treasure hunt, […] The post 12 Homeschool Tech Hacks appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

343: New Ways to Use Canva for Homeschooling Canva continues to be one of the most versatile and homeschool-friendly tools available. In this episode, I’m joined again by Rebecca Brinkman, teacher of the Graphic Design with Canva class at show sponsor FundaFunda Academy. We explore the latest Canva updates for 2025 and how you can […] The post New Ways to Use Canva for Homeschooling appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

342: Building Worlds in Unreal Engine   In this episode of we welcome back repeat guest, Matthew Jurison, a high schooler, teaching assistant at FundaFunda Academy, and tech enthusiast.  Matthew shares how he first discovered Unreal Engine, why he chose it over other platforms like Unity and Roblox Studio, and why it’s a powerful, free […] The post Building Worlds in Unreal Engine appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

341:  Using Google Translate in Your Homeschool Google Translate isn’t just for travelers trying to decipher a menu abroad—it can also be an incredibly useful tool in your homeschool. In this episode, you will learn creative ways to integrate both the browser version and the mobile app of Google Translate into everyday learning. What you’ll […] The post Using Google Translate in Your Homeschool appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Episode 340 — Video Scholarship Tips (with Monica Matthews) Looking for video scholarship tips that actually work? In this episode of Homeschooling with Technology, scholarship expert Monica Matthews shares practical video scholarship tips for high school (and younger) students—how to hook judges fast, align your story with a sponsor’s mission, film with simple lighting and clear […] The post How to Win Scholarships With Video: Tips for Homeschool Teens appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

339: Online Hide and Seek Game 🎧 Prefer to Listen? Want the quick walkthrough? Listen to this episode while you plan your next online learning activity. New Here? If you love practical homeschool tech ideas, start here: More Homeschooling with Technology episodes Project-based learning ideas for homeschool Creative online tools for students Browse all homeschool […] The post Online Hide and Seek Game appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

338: Supporting Your Teen in Online Classes   Online classes can be a fantastic way for teens to learn — but only if parents know how to support them well. Every year, many parents are surprised mid-semester when they discover their teen is failing an online class. The truth is: this can be avoided with […] The post Supporting Your Teen in Online Classes appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

337: Homeschool AI Hacks: How to Write Prompts That Work In today’s episode, learn how to write better AI prompts for homeschooling—tips, examples, and hacks to save you time and spark creativity in your lessons. Core Elements of a Strong Prompt Role – “Act like a veteran homeschool mom with 10 years of experience.” Grade […] The post Homeschool AI Hacks: How to Write Prompts That Work appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

336: 10 Tech Tools to Make Writing Fun Are your children complaining that writing isn’t fun? Transform writing time into creative fun with these 10 tech tools—each designed to spark imagination and ease the writing struggle. 1. Story Dice Tool: Story Dice Description: Roll virtual icons and weave them into a story—great for melting the […] The post 10 Tech Tools to Make Writing Fun appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

335: How Homeschoolers Can Use Brisk AI In this episode, we look at  Brisk Teaching, a powerful ( free for most things) AI Chrome extension designed for educators — and incredibly helpful for homeschoolers. You’ll discover how to: Use Brisk’s “Inspect Writing” tool to check your child’s writing history and detect copy/paste Create auto-graded quizzes […] The post How Homeschoolers Can Use Brisk AI appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.