by Katrina Baran & Deirdre Marlowe
At BGL, we’ve been teaching using video conferencing for more than a decade and are still awed by the number of tools available. The internet is crowded with apps, programs and websites that promise to be the best ones to use to engage your learners. Face it, the world of edtech can be more than a little intimidating at times. How do you know which app is the right app? We’d like to help you make your choice. Here are some of our favorite apps.
1. FLIPGRID
Students use Flipgrid to inspire student conversation and improve their speaking skills. Rather than type messages on a message board, students record themselves speaking about a topic. Depending on how the teacher sets things up, students can view each other’s messages and record responses. We love how Flipgrid provides a safe space for students to speak publicly.
2. PADLET
Our students post info, links, videos and images on a teacher-created Padlet board, or create their own boards to display their work and ideas.
The many styles of board available make it flexible. When given the opportunity students enjoy commenting on, liking and ranking each other’s posts. We use Padlet both synchronously and asynchronously.
3. GOOGLE WORKSPACE
Our go-to collaborative productivity software is Google Workspace (formerly G Suite). Students can work together in real-time in slides, docs and sheets, and teachers can check in on students’ progress in real-time, too. Students and teachers need Gmail accounts to use Google Workspace programs collaboratively. We love how these apps can all work together.
4. MENTIMETER
Our teachers use Mentimeter to create word collages or clouds based on student input. The most common words are largest and the least common words are smallest. While Mentimeter can be used as another approach to KWL charting, we especially appreciate how Mentimeter can provide a quick formative assessment especially while a new topic is being covered.
5. GLOGSTER
Although a bit more complicate, Glogster enables our students to make interactive collages using video, text, images and external links. While students cannot (yet) collaborate in one glog, they can view, comment on and link to each other’s glogs. We love how Glogster helps students build on each other’s work and facilitates teamwork.
6. CANVA
Students (and teachers) no longer need to be graphic designers! Canva is a free web-based graphic design program that comes with many templates and graphics for all of us to use to create interesting posters, infographics or other graphics. We appreciate how Canva helps us make headers in documents we create more interesting and student certificates display-worthy.
What are your favorite edtech tools? Let us know in the comments!
by Katrina Baran & Deirdre Marlowe
At BGL, we’ve been teaching using video conferencing for more than a decade and are still awed by the number of tools available. The internet is crowded with apps, programs and websites that promise to be the best ones to use to engage your learners. Face it, the world of edtech can be more than a little intimidating at times. How do you know which app is the right app? We’d like to help you make your choice. Here are some of our favorite apps.
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