Learning futures laboratory

Dr. TeachTech

Tools for Minds in Motion

Classroom-tested curriculum and interactive tools that help students remember, reason, collect evidence, write, code, revise, and explain.

Explore the tools Browse curriculum

DESIGN PRINCIPLE 001
Technology supports the thinking. The student does the thinking.

NOTICETESTREVISE

I am here to explore tools and practice a skill.

01 / INTERACTIVE TOOLS

Start with something you want to understand.

Each tool asks you to make decisions, test ideas, and leave with evidence of your own work.

CREATE / RHYTHM

Rhythm Wheel

Build layered rhythms by placing beats around a circle, rotating patterns, and hearing how musical structures connect.

Open Rhythm Wheel

REMEMBER / STUDY

Recall

Use active retrieval and spaced practice to study what you are closest to forgetting.

Open Recall

CODE / SEQUENCE

Parsons Practice

Arrange mixed-up code, trace the logic, check the result, and revise your algorithm.

Open Parsons

CODE / TRACE

Trace

Follow program state one highlighted line at a time and make every changing value visible.

Open Trace

CODE / BINARY

Bit Harbor

Explore binary numbers by switching bits, comparing values, and connecting place value to computer representation.

Open Bit Harbor

THINK / REFLECT

Thought Console

Capture observations, organize evidence, and export a clear record of the thinking behind your work.

Open Thought Console

CODE / PRACTICE

Practice Cycle

Move through a consistent cycle of predicting, running, checking, and revising programming work.

Open Practice Cycle

INVESTIGATE / SCIENCE

Investigate

Organize a science investigation from question and variables through observations, evidence, and conclusions.

Open Investigate

TEACH / DISCUSS

Teaching Cards

Use collaborative card sorting to surface prior knowledge and begin the second semester of AP Computer Science A.

Open Teaching Cards

TEACH / MODEL

LEGO Blueprint

Introduce objects, classes, attributes, and methods with a concrete first-day AP Computer Science A activity.

Open LEGO Blueprint

TEACH / ALGORITHM

Polar Bear Sorting

Start AP Computer Science Principles with a playful collaborative challenge about rules, patterns, and algorithms.

Open Polar Bear

TEACH / HISTORY

AI History

Use a beta, AP CSP-aligned unit to examine major ideas, people, systems, and debates in artificial intelligence.

Open AI History

TEACH / ALIGN

Standards Studio

Explore standards and connect them with classroom resources while planning instruction.

Open Standards Studio

02 / CURRICULUM COLLECTIONS

Organized around what learners do.

Browse by thinking skill or subject. Each collection can combine lessons, practice tools, teacher notes, and student evidence.

REMEMBER + EXPLAIN

Durable Learning

Retrieval practice, spaced review, reflection, and strategies that help learners explain ideas in their own words.

REASON + CODE

Computer Science

Algorithms, tracing, programming structures, debugging, and creative computing.

NOTICE + CREATE

Design and Media

Photography, composition, visual communication, rhythm, and creative production.

QUESTION + INVESTIGATE

Inquiry and Teacher Learning

Historical evidence, literature, lesson design, clinical practice, and professional preparation.

Visit Teacher Lessons

03 / HOW WE DESIGN FOR LEARNING

The learner stays in the loop.

Every experience should create a useful cycle of action, feedback, reflection, and revision.

Notice

Begin with a question, example, pattern, or problem worth examining.

Decide

Ask the learner to predict, choose, arrange, label, or explain before revealing help.

Test

Make feedback specific enough to support another thoughtful attempt.

Revise

Collect the learner's evidence so progress becomes visible and useful.

04 / CHOOSE A PATH

Different needs. One learning system.

Students enter through practice. Teachers enter through curriculum, implementation guidance, and evidence.

STUDENT PATHWAY

Practice something.

Choose a thinking tool, work through a challenge, revise your ideas, and download evidence when your teacher asks for it.

Explore student tools

TEACHER PATHWAY

Plan with purpose.

Find classroom-tested lessons, implementation notes, student directions, and tools that make learning visible.

Browse teacher lessons

CREATED BY DR. JOHN McGARVEY

Built from the classroom outward.

Dr. Teach Tech grows from more than 30 years of work across computer science, history, design, educational technology, and teacher preparation. The goal is simple: build practical tools that ask learners to think deeply and help teachers see the thinking students have done.

Visit JohnMcGarvey.com