FLIPGRID

Flipgrid is an easy to use digital tool which allows students to record videos of themselves speaking English. The videos can be recorded on computer or cellphone. The teacher sets a topic and can record or write instructions. Each student can record their response and comment on fellow students’ videos.

Link to my board:

https://flipgrid.com/f59539

Advantages:

Encourages Speaking English! and:

1. Allows students to record themselves in privacy.

2. Easy to use – the assignments can be done on a computer or cellphone.

3. Students can comment and “like” each others videos.

4. Teacher can use the one free grid for multiple topics.

5. Teacher can edit or remove student’s responses as needed.

6. Provides an opportunity for students to learn polite social media behavior in a controlled environment.

7. Student responses can be viewed and reviewed in class easily.

8. Teacher can send feedback to students privately.

Disadvantages:

1. A student without a cell phone or computer at home may have difficulty finding a quiet place to record.

2. Difficult for students to record in school due to noise level. Most school computers don’t have cameras.

3. The teacher must review the posts and comments in a timely manner to monitor good digital citizenship behavior.

How I plan to use Flipgrid.

I would like to introduce Flipgrid at the beginning of the year as a homework assignment for all students in Grades 4,5 and 6. I would like them to introduce themselves, each student according to his level.

Questions to be addressed:

What’s your name?

Where do you live?

What school do you go to?

What do you like to do in school?

What do you like to do after school?

I think this will set a good precedent for encouraging speaking throughout the year.

Linoit

Linoit is an online sticky note bulletin board. Students can post responses to a question in writing, and view their classmates’ posts. Both questions and responses can be posted in writing or by uploading a picture, attachment or video.

Advantages:

1. Assignments can be done in the school computer room  at home or on a cell phone.

2. Encourages keyboarding skills.

3. Encourages reading and writing skills.

4. Supports photo, link, video and file sharing.

5. Free and easy to use. Students can enter via a URL. No login required.

6. Colourful and attractive.

7. Teacher can edit or remove student’s responses as needed.

8. Provides an opportunity for students to learn polite social media behavior in a controlled environment.

9. Student responses can be viewed and reviewed in class easily.

Disadvantages:

1. I’m not sure how well it works on a cell phone. I wasn’t able to use it easily.

2. Students can comment on each other’s work by posting another sticky, but it’s not as convenient as “liking” or responding to a post.

3. The teacher must review the posts and comments in a timely manner to monitor good digital citizenship behavior.

How I plan to use Linoit:

I plan to post a question and have the students respond. I like that I can add pictures or videos to my question. Here is a link to my board that I did with Grade 6 this year. We were studying Peter and the Wolf and I posted a video of the Prokofiev musical version with wonderful artwork. I played the beginning in class. Students who wanted to could continue to watch at home. Everyone had to post a response to the video.

https://goo.gl/x3atgl

Reflection

1) Where did you hear about the course?

It’s not the first time I’ve studied with Howie! I look for his courses every year.

2) Was the course beneficial for you? Please elaborate.

It takes  time to integrate the tools that are taught into my teaching. Every time I take a course I learn and implement two or three more tools. As I work there are always questions that arise and I appreciate the opportunity to discuss things and to get help and ask for clarification of things.

3) What were the strengths and the challenges for you during the course?

This has really not been a good year for our school computers. They computer room was closed until January and now there are only enough for half a class. This made it hard to implement some of the tools I was interested in trying.

4) Would you prefer to do learn face 2 face every fortnight or long distance lessons like this year?

While the long distance is definitely more convenient I find it important to be with the instructor because I like to model my teaching strategy on his, and modeling is much harder to do long distance. The non-synchronous lessons were well planned and an efficient way of presenting , processing and implementing the material. However, I find the synchronous lessons less focused and less useful. The chats are not an effective replacement for in-depth discussion of ideas, and a “lecture” that is constantly interrupted by people with technical difficulties is very hard to follow. I personally would find a combination of face2face and non synchronous lessons to be the most effective.

5) What do you feel was missing from the course?

More focused discussion of the impact of the digital age on our students. I think there have been some profound changes in the nature of teaching and learning, and in the structure of our classes and schools, and in the nature of our student’s brains happening in the last 10 years. I would like to brainstorm ideas for describing and dealing with these changes, in order to continue to be an effective teacher.

6) What are your suggestions for next year if a similar course is to be offered? Feel free to add your own ideas here.

I think some of the more complicated technics that were presented could be presented again, because even though I tried some, for example the green screen, it was complicated enough that I would have wanted a follow up class to have time to iron out some of the bugs.