You know, I'm often mystified by those who refuse to use technology and/or are afraid of innovation in their classrooms. I can't wrap my head around it. When we have the opportunity to teach in a new innovative way, why aren't we?
Comfort zones. People are stuck in what they're comfortable with and feel confident doing. They have the mindset of "I learned this way and I turned out just fine". I can't tell you how many times I've heard that phrase in professional development sessions that I've taught or been a part of. Imagine this: One of your teachers when you were in school refuses to use the overhead projector and another teacher says she refuses to use powerpoint with her students because that's not how they learned in school. Sounds bananas, right? Well that's because it is! Technology is always changing and to be innovative and keep up with our students, we must change with them. One of my superintendents gave all of the teachers in the district a rubber band one year. He told us that we have to remember that in education, we must be flexible. We have to change what we're doing with our students if what we're doing isn't working. Teaching the same way we've always taught will not continue to yield results. We have to be innovative. We have to be flexible. That was my 1st year teaching and almost 10 years later, I still think about how I need to be flexible whenever I see a rubber band. We're here for the students. If they're not understanding then we have to be flexible and use whatever resources we can to make sure they're engaged, understanding, and ultimately successful. We have to make sure that they're creating and thinking and questioning what they're learning. That they're trying new things and learning in new ways. Our role as educators has shifted. We should no longer be lecturers of knowledge. Instead, we should be facilitators of learning. We should be flexible. Try tech. See what happens.
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Recap is a free student response and self-reflection app. I heard about this tool last year and didn't fully realize it's potential until recently. Instead of asking a student a question via paper or even somewhere online and having them respond by writing or typing the answer, Recap allows students to record their answer via their smartphone, iPad, iPod, computer, etc. You can select the amount of time you wish them to have to answer the question, you can specify which students receive the question, and you can include an "Assess Yourself" poll question so the student has the opportunity to say if the "Got it" "Partially got it" or "Didn't get it".
When the student logs in, it pulls up their dashboard which lists all of the recap questions that teacher has asked with the corresponding due date.
The teacher can then see all of the students' responses for that particular question when they've submitted their video. This can be used for formative assessments or just reflections. Take a look at Recap's blog to get ideas of ways you can use it in the classroom. The video below is what teachers are saying about the Recap App.
Recap is great for all content areas and gets students thinking on a higher level. Try it out and let me know what you think!
I previously wrote a blog post about how to use Twitter in the classroom but what I didn't touch on was how we as educators can use Twitter to build our PLN. I have learned so much from so many people just by connecting with them on Twitter. I read their blogs, tweets, links, and participate in Twitter chats. If you haven't participated in one yet, check out some of the ones below and mark your calendar to join in on one coming up. It's a great way to see what other teachers are doing in their classrooms and place to get ideas and solve problems that you may be facing in your own classroom. My top 5 picks of who to follow on Twitter:My top 3 favorite Twitter chats:We've all scoured the internet for review games and/or templates to use with our students. Google has been my best friend since I started teaching. Why create it yourself when you can find it online, right? I stumbled upon FlipQuiz this week while I was searching for a website where the STUDENTS can create the quizzes for each other. Yes, I could have used my old PPT Jeopardy game but I was looking for something a little more engaging. Enter FlipQuiz. FlipQuiz is great for teacher creation to use as an all-class review but I think it's even more beneficial to students if they're the ones looking at the content, thinking deeply, and creating the questions. It's easy to use and sign up is super easy with a Google account. They can make custom categories, and import pictures to go along with the questions. Preview it anytime to view what your game will look like. Each question is presented on it's own question card and you just have to click to reveal the answer. If you do the paid version, the website will tally the score but if you have the free version you will have to manually tally each team's score. It's a great way to assess your students as they're creating the questions and swapping quizzes with each other. My first teacher is trying it out today and I can't wait to see what the kids come up with!
Here's the link to their Demo so you can try it out for yourself! |
AuthorDigital Learning Coach & technology lover. Constantly looking for innovative ways to engage students and facilitate 21st century learning. Archives
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