There is No App for That!
- Judy
- Nov 14, 2018
- 3 min read
Updated: Dec 4, 2018
Hello, friends! It was a much busier start to the school year and here we are nearing the winter break!
As I have been getting around to buidings and speaking to many of you, I am getting a lot of requests for particular apps that meet the needs of a specific content areas or a group of students.
Ironically, contrary to the commercial, there is no app for that! The key to meeting the needs of any type of learner is how the tool is being used. With some purposeful planning and good old fashioned pedagogy, a little bit can go a long way to meet the needs of any type of learner in your room.
So, every month I am going to highlight one tech tool that can be used to embed into instruction along with ideas and/or strategies that can be used in conjunction with the tool. These ideas will be applicable for shared iPads, a 1:1 environment, or to begin a blended learning environment at the elementary level.
The first tool I would like to highlight is EdPuzzle. EdPuzzle is a digital platform that allows you to easily incorporate videos into your lessons. The power of EdPuzzle, however, lies in its ability to allow you to edit the video(s), embed questions, prompts, and audio to integrate with your instructional outcomes and check for student understanding.
EdPuzzle can be used as a part of the learning process or as an assessment tool. If you want students to watch a video as a part of the learning process, they can pause and/or rewatch the video while taking notes or drawing pictures to demonstrate understanding. In this sense, the video is used as one tool to meet the needs of visual and auditory learners. It also meets the needs of students who benefit from hearing and seeing information multiple times.
If you are using EdPuzzle as an assessment tool, data is provided to you based on the questions you embed into the video The feedback allows you to differentiate your instruction to either provide intervention or challenges based on how your students performed.
Students can also receive data from EdPuzzle, allowing them to monitor their progress and set their own goals for learning. If a student shows misunderstanding about a concept or content, he/she can revisit the information in EdPuzzle or other resources to drive his or her instruction. This is directly correlated with the Empowered Learner in ISTE Standard for Students, where students leverage technology to take an active role in choosing, achieving, and demonstrating competency in their learning goals
Lastly, whether you have 1:1 or shared iPads, you can begin a blended learning environment right in your classroom to support differentiation. Blended learning is a combination of face to face learning and online learning for students that are interconnected. For instance, some of your students might be working in a workshop model or stations with non-digital activities and another small group of students could be using online learning with EdPuzzle. This can be used for an extension activity, independent study, or for scaffodling purposes.
If you would like to learn more about EdPuzzle or any other tool, please contact me! I am happy to meet with you individually, by grade level, or I am happy to do a Flash Pd to highlight the tool!
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