In this day and age it seems using technology is escapable! From TVs to cell-phones, the world around us is filled with digital mediums. Therefore, it's only fitting if we allow for them to enter into our classrooms, for educational purposes of course. Here are a few of my favorite tools that I've been introduced during this semester and a few suggestions on how you can put them to use in your classroom:
Flip (originally Flipgrid) is a platform that allows teachers to facilitate video discussions. Students are organized into groups and then given access to discussion topics.
It is a web-based program that can also be downloaded in the Android & iOS App Stores.
Practical Tips:
Record lesson/lectures: Remember to chunk the videos making sure they are appropriate lengths for students’ attention spans.
Supplement substitute teachers and/or students learning: They can go back to videos if they need a refresh or go to future videos if they need more challenging content that the whole class isn’t on yet.
Students can upload videos: It can be used as a more interactive and personal way for discussion/reflection posts.
Story Corps is one of the largest oral history projects of its kind, StoryCorps.org is a free online resource that houses interviews from participants around the world, and supports the recording and uploading of interviews from other contributors. Interviews are on a range of topics.
It is a web-based program that can also be downloaded in the Android & iOS App Stores.
Practical Tips:
Learn about interviews: Students can interview or find already submitted interviews from other people around the world.
Tell their stories: Students can upload their personal videos/voice recordings about topics they are interested in.
Humanizing the masses: Students learn that even though their ideas/topics/stories may be different than others, they can use them to build connections with people around the world which grows empathy, self-expression, and overall love for all.
Quizizz is a quiz and interactive lesson tool similar to Kahoot!, Pear Deck, and Nearpod. Students access teacher-shared content and can answer questions at their own pace within parameters set by their teachers. If teachers allow it, students can see their place on the leaderboard for more exciting game play.
It is a web-based program that can also be downloaded in the Android & iOS App Stores.
Practical Tips:
Quiz-show style assessments: Can help students recall facts and prepare for traditional tests in a fun way. The interactive lessons encourage more in-depth learning.
Quick review of content: Create or grab and edit an existing quiz to gauge where students need additional instruction.
Deeper learning: Go with a lesson that incorporates videos, audio, images, and questions that will help kids grasp concepts that gives teachers and parents useful feedback to inform and modify instruction.
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