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    Kids & Family

    Homeschooling with Technology

    On Homeschooling with Technology, former programmer and veteran homeschool mom Meryl van der Merwe helps families use tech with confidence and wisdom — the best apps and online tools, AI for planning and learning (used safely), and practical tips that fit real homeschool days. No jargon, no overwhelm. Listen to an episode below and subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify for a fresh tip each week.

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    Copyright: ©2018 Ultimate Homeschool Radio Network - Media Angels, Inc.

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    Latest Episodes:
    How Homeschoolers Can Use Brisk AI Aug 06, 2025
    Show notes

    How Homeschoolers can use Brisk AI

    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 from websites, documents, or YouTube videos

    • Generate student-friendly podcasts based on age-appropriate content

    • Simplify or adapt reading material with the Change Level feature

    • Automatically create rubrics and give effective AI-assisted feedback

    • Get guided notes, exemplars, and even design science labs with household items

    Brisk is like having an AI assistant just for homeschoolers — without the overwhelm. Tune in to learn how to integrate it easily into your homeschool routine.

    Take a look at show sponsor, FundaFunda Academy to see what they offer for online classes and web-based unit studies.

    Join our Facebook Group, especially for the listeners of this podcast! You can ask questions and get advice as you try integrating technology in your homeschool.

    If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the show and give a rating and maybe even a review! Subscribing will help you make sure you never miss an episode

    How Homeschoolers can use Brisk AI

    The post How Homeschoolers Can Use Brisk AI appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.


    Creating an AI policy for your homeschool Jul 30, 2025
    Show notes

    Creating an AI Policy for your homeschool

    334: Creating an AI Policy for your Homeschool

    We explore why every homeschool family should consider developing an AI policy—and how to do it.

    As AI tools become more prevalent, it’s no longer a question of if teens are using them, but how. Meryl explains how teens often approach AI differently than adults and why it’s important to proactively teach them how to use these tools responsibly and effectively.

    Topics covered include:

    • Why teens may misuse AI—and how to guide them

    • What makes a good AI policy for your homeschool

    • Specific tools parents can use to monitor and support responsible use

    • The importance of balancing creativity, critical thinking, and AI assistance

    • Tips for encouraging teens to be transparent and reflective about their AI use

    Two upcoming FREE events hosted by podcast sponsor FundaFunda Academy:

    • Summer-Themed Live Teen Trivia Night – Free to participate. Multiple choice questions, no special knowledge required, with prizes!

    • Scholarship Webinar – Free to join. Learn how to find and win external scholarships, hosted by Meryl herself.

    • If you want to be kept informed of more contests and free webinars, sign up here (and get a free ChatGPT prompt guide for homeschool parents!)

    Resources mentioned:

    • University of Rochester article on teen brain development

    • FundaFunda’s AI Unit Study for families

    • FundaFunda’s half-credit AI class for grades 7–12

    • Tools mentioned: ChatGPT, Gemini, MagicSchool.ai, Class Companion, Brisk Teaching

    Take a look at show sponsor, FundaFunda Academy to see what they offer for online classes and web-based unit studies.

    Join our Facebook Group especially for the listeners of this podcast! You can ask questions and get advice as you try integrating technology in your homeschool.

    If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the show and give a rating and maybe even a review! Subscribing will help you make sure you never miss an episode

    Creating an AI Policy for your homeschool

    The post Creating an AI policy for your homeschool appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.


    Using Media in Foreign Language Learning Jul 23, 2025
    Show notes

    Using Media in Foreign Language Learning

    Episode 333: Using Media in Foreign Language Learning

    In this episode of Homeschooling with Technology, host Meryl van der Merwe is joined by two of FundaFunda Academy’s language teachers—Sebastian (French) and Suzette (Spanish)—to discuss how media can enhance the foreign language learning experience.

    You’ll discover:

    🎵 How music supports vocabulary retention and pronunciation
    🎬 How to use movies and subtitles strategically as students progress
    🎧 Great podcast and website recommendations for Spanish and French learners
    📱 How to turn your phone settings into a language-learning tool
    📻 Why apps like Radio Garden Live are both educational and fun
    🌍 How these tools also build cultural understanding alongside language fluency

    Sebastian and Suzette share not only their favorite resources but also practical strategies they use with their students at FundaFunda Academy to make learning a new language immersive and engaging.

    Whether you’re learning a foreign language at home or looking to enrich a formal curriculum, this episode offers easy, mostly free ways to bring the target language to life.

    📌 Links Mentioned in This Episode:

    • FundaFunda Academy’s French and Spanish Classes

    • SpanishListening.org

    • Radio Garden Live

    • Michael Harper’s Spanish Podcast

    • Coffee Break French

    • TV5Monde and RFI (Radio France Internationale)

    Take a look at show sponsor, FundaFunda Academy to see what they offer for online classes and web-based unit studies.

    Join our Facebook Group especially for the listeners of this podcast! You can ask questions and get advice as you try integrating technology in your homeschool.

    If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the show and give a rating and maybe even a review! Subscribing will help you make sure you never miss an episode

    Using Media in Foreign Language Learning

    The post Using Media in Foreign Language Learning appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.


    Engineering Exploration at Home Jul 16, 2025
    Show notes

    Engineering Exploration at Home

    332: Engineering Exploration at Home

    In this episode, guest Mariselle Gonzalez, a former semiconductor engineer, talks about engineering exploration at home. She offers practical ways homeschool parents can spark their child’s interest in engineering—no tech degree required!

    What We Cover in This Episode:

    • Mariselle’s journey from electrical engineering to teaching and curriculum design

    • The many different types of engineering beyond mechanical and civil (think photonics, semiconductors, environmental, aerospace, and even prompt engineering!)

    • Simple, hands-on ways to introduce engineering at home through baking, building forts, and using tinker boxes

    • How to identify STEM/engineering aptitude in your child (hint: curiosity is key!)

    • Encouraging problem-solving and critical thinking—even without a technical background

    • Low-cost materials and DIY engineering tools you can gather for home use

    • Recommended books, websites, YouTube channels, and kits that inspire creativity and engineering exploration

    Resources Mentioned:

    • NASA STEM Activities

    • TeachEngineering.org

    • Mark Rober YouTube Channel

    • Sean Connolly’s The Book of Totally Irresponsible Science

    • Scratch Programming (Free tool) plus FundaFunda’s Scratch programming class

    • PhET Interactive Simulations

    • How to Code a Sandcastle (book)

    • Rosie Revere, Engineer (book)

    • The Way Things Work Now by David Macaulay

    • National Geographic STEM kits

    • Lego STEM sets

    • FundaFunda Academy’s curated STEM resources list on Amazon

    Learn More About the Course Mariselle offers:
    ➡ Engineering A to Z is designed for grades 7–12 and helps students:

    • Discover lesser-known engineering fields

    • Explore course paths and careers in each specialty

    • Engage in fun, hands-on activities with everyday materials

    • Develop critical thinking and design-thinking skills

    🧪 Bonus for younger students: Check out FundaFunda’s Simple Machines Unit Study and other science unit studies for grades 4–8.

    Mariselle has also provided a resource list with more ideas for parents.

    Take a look at show sponsor, FundaFunda Academy to see what they offer for online classes and web-based unit studies.

    Join our Facebook Group especially for the listeners of this podcast! You can ask questions and get advice as you try integrating technology in your homeschool.

    If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the show and give a rating and maybe even a review! Subscribing will help you make sure you never miss an episode

    Engineering Exploration at Home

    The post Engineering Exploration at Home appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.


    Scavenger Hunts That Bring Local History to Life Jul 09, 2025
    Show notes

    Scavenger Hunts that bring local history to life

    Episode 331: Scavenger Hunts That Bring Local History to Life

    In this episode, host Meryl van der Merwe revisits a topic she first explored back in episode 41 — scavenger hunts! But this time, she brings fresh insights from her recent European adventures, where she completed three different app-based scavenger hunts in Belgium and France.

    What you’ll learn in this episode:

    • How digital scavenger hunts work and what makes them so engaging

    • Why these hunts are perfect for multi-generational learning

    • How they combine exercise, fun, and education in one immersive experience

    • Meryl’s experiences using:

      • ScavengerHunt.com

      • Explorial.com

      • Landing Zone (a location-based Normandy WWII hunt)

      • QuestoApp.com (recommended by FundaFunda’s Spanish teacher Suzette)

    • How scavenger hunts can reveal hidden gems even in cities you’ve lived in for years

    • Tips for using these hunts during vacations or staycations

    • Her plans to create digital scavenger hunts using Google Street View — and how you can be a tester or suggest a city!

    Resources mentioned:

    • Blog post about ScavengerHunt.com

    • Explorial scavenger hunts

    • Questo app

    • FundaFunda Academy’s Visual Literacy class

    • Episode on using Google Maps for learning

    Want to help test a digital scavenger hunt or suggest a city?
    Email Meryl at meryl@fundafunda.com or message her on Instagram: @FundaFundaEducation

    Take a look at show sponsor, FundaFunda Academy to see what they offer for online classes and web-based unit studies.

    Join our Facebook Group especially for the listeners of this podcast! You can ask questions and get advice as you try integrating technology in your homeschool.

    If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the show and give a rating and maybe even a review! Subscribing will help you make sure you never miss an episode

    Scavenger Hunts that bring local history to life

    The post Scavenger Hunts That Bring Local History to Life appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.


    How I Use AI to Kickstart Creativity Jul 02, 2025
    Show notes

    How I use AI to kickstart creativity

    330: How I Use AI to Kickstart Creativity

    Use AI to kickstart creativity—yes, it’s possible! In this episode, Meryl van der Merwe shares seven practical ways she uses AI tools like ChatGPT to spark and support creative thinking. Hopefully, this will give you ideas on how you can use AI as a helpful collaborator when you’re stuck or overwhelmed.

    Topics Covered:

    • Why AI isn’t truly creative—but can still inspire you

    • Brainstorming podcast, blog, and social media content

    • Getting help with catchy titles and outlines

    • Using AI to structure new classes and unit studies

    • Creating graphics and visual content

    • Designing engaging, interactive lesson plans (like a gas shortage simulation!)

    • Even getting help in the kitchen with meal planning

    • Supporting kids’ storytelling with AI-generated characters

    Take a look at show sponsor, FundaFunda Academy to see what they offer for online classes and web-based unit studies.

    Join our Facebook Group especially for the listeners of this podcast! You can ask questions and get advice as you try integrating technology in your homeschool.

    If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the show and give a rating and maybe even a review! Subscribing will help you make sure you never miss an episode

    How I use AI to kickstart creativity

    The post How I Use AI to Kickstart Creativity appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.


    Teaching Students to Navigate Social Media Jun 25, 2025
    Show notes

    Teaching Students to Navigate Social Media

    329: Teaching Students to Navigate Social Media

    Teaching students to navigate social media is more important than ever as teens face a constant stream of information, misinformation, and online pressures. In this episode, Meryl Van der Merwe is joined by returning guest Stephanie Simoes, founder of CritiKid, a platform dedicated to teaching kids critical thinking.

    Stephanie shares:

    • Common social media challenges for teens: pseudoscience, scams, clickbait, unhealthy comparisons, and more

    • Why trying to shield your kids from social media isn’t enough—and what to do instead

    • A fascinating study about how studying misinformation can actually strengthen critical thinking

    • Her “Three Tab Method” to fact-check what you see online

    • How to turn your own social media feed into a teaching tool

    We also introduce Stephanie’s new Social Media Simulator, a safe, interactive platform to help students identify manipulative content and logical fallacies

    Resources mentioned:

    • Stephanie’s article: Turning Misinformation into Education

    • CritiKid website

    • Fact-checking search engine by Media Smarts

    • The Critical Thinking for the Digital Age course: FundaFunda Academy Self-Paced Courses

    Where to find Stephanie (@critikid)

    Instagram

    Facebook

    Youtube

    TikTok

    Take a look at show sponsor, FundaFunda Academy to see what they offer for online classes and web-based unit studies.

    Join our Facebook Group especially for the listeners of this podcast! You can ask questions and get advice as you try integrating technology in your homeschool.

    If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the show and give a rating and maybe even a review! Subscribing will help you make sure you never miss an episode

    Teachingstudentstonavigatesocialmedia

    The post Teaching Students to Navigate Social Media appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.


    Useful Technology in Homeschooling Special Needs High Schoolers Jun 18, 2025
    Show notes

    useful technology in homeschooling special needs high schoolers

    328: Useful Technology in Homeschooling Special Needs High Schoolers with Melody Durham

    In this episode, Meryl chats with homeschool mom, Melody Durham, who shares the tech tools that have helped her dyslexic high schooler succeed. From smart pens to speech-to-text software, Melody explains what’s worked, why it’s made a difference, and how to advocate for your student in homeschool and classroom settings.

    Topics Covered:

    • Why Melody began homeschooling her daughter with dyslexia

    • Tools recommended by the Yale Center for Dyslexia

    • Dictation tools: Microsoft Word vs Google Docs, and the importance of a good microphone

    • Audiobooks: Chirp Books (budget-friendly) and Bookshare (free for qualified students)

    • Built-in screen readers in Chrome and Edge for reading online articles aloud

    • Tips for working with co-op or online teachers and advocating for needed accommodations

    Mentioned Resources:

    • Yale Center for Dyslexia’s Technology Recommendations
    • LiveScribe Pen
    • Good quality microphone
    • Microsoft Surface using OneNote
    • Dragon NaturallySpeaking
    • Chirp Books
    • Bookshare
    • Screen readers (built into Chrome and Edge)

    Parents: Don’t forget to communicate your student’s learning needs with co-op or online class teachers—they’re often more than willing to help!

    Take a look at show sponsor, FundaFunda Academy to see what they offer for online classes and web-based unit studies.

    Join our Facebook Group especially for the listeners of this podcast! You can ask questions and get advice as you try integrating technology in your homeschool.

    If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the show and give a rating and maybe even a review! Subscribing will help you make sure you never miss an episode

    useful technology in homeschooling special needs high schoolers

    The post Useful Technology in Homeschooling Special Needs High Schoolers appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.


    Fun Online Group Games to Play With Your Homeschool Co-op Jun 11, 2025
    Show notes

    📚 Part of our guide: Free online games for homeschoolers

    FUN GROUP GAMES TO PLAY ONLINEFun Online Group Games to Play (free)

    Whether you’re on a long trip, stuck indoors on a rainy day, or trying to connect with faraway family, group games to play online can be a great way to build memories and share laughter. In this episode, Meryl shares the games her Science Olympiad team enjoyed during a long bus ride to Nationals—and offers suggestions for how you can use them in your own homeschool (even for educational purposes!).

    The best free online group games

    1. Heads Up

      • App-based word guessing game

      • Best played in person

      • Use free decks or purchase themed packs

    2. Jackbox Games

      • Paid game packs with multiplayer party-style games

      • Family-friendly mode available

      • Some favorites: Quiplash, TKO, Murder Trivia Party

      • One purchase is enough for everyone to join via their own devices

    3. Gartic Phone

      • Free, browser-based game combining drawing and guessing

      • Great for laughs as phrases mutate like a game of “telephone”

    4. Drawasaurus

      • Free online drawing and guessing game

      • Quick rounds, supports large groups

    Bonus Tip

    Many of these games allow custom prompts—perfect for reinforcing topics like history, science, or vocabulary in a fun and interactive way!

    Here’s the thing, friend — these games do more than fill a rainy afternoon. Use them as a brain break between subjects, a reward for finishing the week’s work, or the main event at your next co-op meeting. Because most of them let you add your own prompts, they double as painless review: drop this week’s vocabulary into a Drawasaurus or Gartic Phone round, turn your history unit into a Kahoot, or fill a Bingo card with the states you’re memorizing. They’re also a sweet way to pull faraway grandparents or cousins into your school day — everyone joins from their own screen, and a plain spelling review turns into a memory. Take what’s useful, skip what doesn’t fit your crew, and don’t be surprised when “one more round” is the reason the multiplication facts finally stick.

    Three more games to add (numbered 5–7)

    1. Kahoot!
    • Free to create and host game-show-style quizzes
    • Best for: co-ops and mixed ages
    • Players join with a PIN from their own phone, tablet, or computer
    • Make your own quiz on any subject — history dates, science vocabulary, Bible verses, math facts
    • Educational tip: turn your next unit review into a Kahoot and watch reluctant learners ask for one more round
    1. Codenames (online)
    • Free in your browser at codenames.game — no download or account needed
    • Best for: tweens, teens, and family game night
    • Two teams race to find their words from one-word clues — quietly great for vocabulary and creative thinking
    • Works with as few as four players or a whole co-op split into teams
    • Educational tip: it’s sneaky word practice, stretching kids to connect words they don’t use every day
    1. Custom Bingo
    • Free card makers like Bingo Baker or My Free Bingo Cards let you play online or print
    • Best for: younger kids and all-ages family play (picture cards work for pre-readers)
    • Fill the squares with whatever you’re studying — sight words, states, multiplication facts, Bible characters
    • One person calls; everyone else plays along from wherever they are
    • Educational tip: swap the classic numbers for this week’s spelling words and call it review

    More Games for Homeschoolers

    Online Grammar Games

    Creating Online Review Games For Your Children

    Take a look at show sponsor, FundaFunda Academy to see what they offer for online classes and web-based unit studies.

    Join our Facebook Group especially for the listeners of this podcast! You can ask questions and get advice as you try integrating technology in your homeschool.

    If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the show and give a rating and maybe even a review! Subscribing will help you make sure you never miss an episode

    fun group games to play online

    Keep exploring

    • Online Hide and Seek Game
    • Ways Grandparents and Kids Can Connect Online
    • Free Online Vocabulary Games for Homeschoolers
    • Free Google Arts & Culture Games for Kids
    • Padlet Arcade for Learning Fun

    🎧 Love screen time that actually teaches?

    Meryl van der Merwe shares hands-on tools like these every week on Homeschooling with Technology — practical tech that fits real homeschool days.

    Listen to the show →Get the free Starter Kit

    The post Fun Online Group Games to Play With Your Homeschool Co-op appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.


    Why Scratch is the Perfect First Programming Language to Learn Jun 04, 2025
    Show notes

    326: Why Scratch is the Perfect First Programming Language to Learn

    Why Scratch is the perfect first programming language to learn

    In this episode, host Meryl van der Merwe is joined by returning guest Matthew Jurison, a homeschool teen. Together, they explore why Scratch is an ideal language for beginners learning to code.

    What You’ll Learn:

    • How Scratch compares to text-based languages like JavaScript and Python

    • Why Scratch’s drag-and-drop interface is approachable for all ages

    • Matthew’s journey learning programming—from JavaScript to Scratch to Unreal Engine

    • The benefits of learning through a structured class vs. self-teaching

    • How Scratch teaches real programming logic in a simplified environment

    • How remixing others’ games on Scratch can boost creativity and understanding

    • The importance of critical thinking and problem-solving in programming

    • Whether kids should still learn to code in an age of AI tools like ChatGPT

    🎮 A Scratch Game to Try:

    • This is a simple hidden objects game – click on the items when you see them. Move with the arrow keys and the space bar toggles the list of what you need to find off and on.

    Example Scratch programming game

    Want Your Child to Learn Scratch?
    FundaFunda Academy offers:

    • A semester-long Scratch class (graded with teaching assistant support)

    • Five-week beginner/intermediate/advanced Scratch options—perfect for summer – also graded and with support

    Use code SUMMER10 at checkout on FundaFundaAcademy.com to get $10 off any Scratch class until August 31, 2025.

    Take a look at show sponsor, FundaFunda Academy to see what they offer for online classes and web-based unit studies.

    Join our Facebook Group especially for the listeners of this podcast! You can ask questions and get advice as you try integrating technology in your homeschool.

    If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the show and give a rating and maybe even a review! Subscribing will help you make sure you never miss an episode

    Why Scratch is the perfect first programming language to learn

    The post Why Scratch is the Perfect First Programming Language to Learn appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.


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