VSTE

Virginia Society for Technology in Education

flipgrid

Empowering Student Voice

In case you haven’t heard, #FlipgridFever is a real thing! This educational tool has made quite a name for itself in the world of teaching. Amplifying student voice is key if we want our students to take responsibility for their learning and understanding, as well as being proud of sharing what they know. As teachers, we are trying to teach our students that we should respect each other’s rights, feelings, opinions, beliefs, and values. What better way to demonstrate that than using Flipgrid for students to share those things through book reviews amongst their peers.

A few Instructional Technology Coaches from Prince William County Public Schools put our heads together to create a collaborative Book Review project using Flipgrid as the main tool, so students could give personal reviews of books after they’ve finished. Students across multiple schools are able to share their reviews, as well as watch reviews from their peers. The students are being introduced to a larger peer group with differing ideas than they see in their own school buildings, enabling a broader perspective and larger conversation about their books.

Filpgrid allows students to share their thoughts on books with many other students, giving them the power to evaluate texts and empowering them to think actively about the texts, rather than just passively moving from book to book. Keeping students engaged in their learning is a challenging task. Teachers are always looking for student-centered activities that involve students incorporating their interests, while making their own choices. Flipgrid is the perfect platform to take student voice to the next level. We’ve seen students who rarely raise their hand in class review several books since we opened up our book review stations.

Not only are they working on their writing and oral language skills, but they are more confident in sharing their own voice on a forum like Flipgrid. While they may be shy in class, the feeling that they are alone when recording in front of a camera affords them the security they need to share their thoughts without the pressure of speaking in front of a group. They are reading, thinking about reading, and talking about their reading in authentic ways. Flipgrid has given purpose to their reading. This activity provides a win for students and the teachers!

Written by Sara Ross and Kevin Weaver. Sara and Kevin are both Instructional Technology Coaches in Prince William County Schools.

Educating Digital Citizens

In education, we require our students to take classes in civics and government, so they are prepared to be productive citizens. In the past decade, we have reached a near critical mass with the explosion of social media in our student’s lives. As a result, digital citizenship has become a consistent buzz word in our schools. We are tasked with the responsibility of cultivating 21st-century capable learners who are responsible, digital citizens worldwide.

Today our students are experiencing a time and type of exponential growth that we have never seen. Each day brings a new invention, a new social media, a new way to interact with the world. Yet the days of instructional manuals have long gone. When we were all unboxing our Nokia bricks in the late ’90s, they came with a manual that we read and reread. It was exciting when we learned that we could program different numbers. so we held down the number 3, and it automatically called mom. Fast forward 20 years and we unbox phones and just it.

Our students never had the instruction manual experience; they dive right in. We/They don’t read the terms of the agreement, we just check the box and start posting Tik Toks, tweets, DMing our friends on the Gram. We are training the first generation of students who no longer need us for information; they need us for an interpretation.

We might think digital citizenship is just for kids and teenagers, but the truth is there is no age too young for lessons. Adults need lessons on what exists, and kids all the way down to kindergarten can be given information, and a foundation on what being a responsible 21st-century digital citizen looks like.

No matter our generation, from Generation Z to Alpha, to generation X or Millenials, our communities are looking for instructional leaders to help them. They are looking for guidance on how to best navigate waters that we have just never been in. Trying to scare them away from social media hasn’t worked; we must mentor them. We must move beyond telling today’s students what not to do; we must join them. Brains are evolving and are processing differently than they used to. Toddlers know to swipe up on mommy’s phone when a notification appears while they are playing a game. They know to swipe a picture because in the ether on the outside of that picture (and the phone) is another picture for them to look at. Brains are changing, adapting, and so we must as well.

We have to understand that we are raising, educating, and bringing along a generation that was born with technology that we could have never imagined. Our students will interact with technology that doesn’t even exist because they are the generation who will invent it. They aren’t afraid of the internet, or wary of apps that are giving their data away. This is all they know. It’s not new, or scary, or dangerous - it is everyday life.

The big question today is what do we do about it? The biggest piece in this puzzle is us! We become overwhelmed because of the wave of technology and apps that come at us on a daily basis. We cannot hide from the hard conversations. We must take the lead; download the app, create an account, and see what it does. Research on Common Sense Media and discover the pros and cons.

Despite raising a generation of digital natives, we cannot assume they know everything. We have students who may have 5,000+ followers but don’t know how to attach a file or compose a professional email. It is our job to teach them, to train them, to go into classrooms and host neighborhood events that inform our communities.

Our students crave structure. Anyone who has been in a classroom for longer than a cup of coffee knows this. But this generation doesn’t often think about the structure they need or how to build it. That’s where we give advice, discuss rules, and set up systems. We must cultivate a healthy digital well being. To realize that safeguards, once explained, help all of us establish boundaries between our personal and professional lives. We need to explain that the people we text might be different than the people DM or let tag us online. Although we might feel uncomfortable with the environment, we know the difference between an online friend and a friend in real life. Our students need this understanding. There should be rules between an online friend and someone they follow online and/or someone who follows them. They want this structure, but they may not know how to ask for it. It’s our job to teach them more than just the difference between a stalactite and stalagmite, or how to graph a parabola, or when to use a semicolon.

It’s important to be reminded that we don’t teach subjects; We teach students.

QR code with link to website

Digital Citizenship Week is from October 14 to October 18, but it’s more than just a week. It’s a launchpointto start a lifetime of responsible Digital Citizenship. So we want to hear from you. We want to know what your advice is to our learners. What do you tell the people about through your social media? What do you share? Who do you share it with? And what do you watch out for? Let’s show people that, when used correctly, social media can be weaponized to give every person a voice. Let’s show people that we can start conversations and demonstrate leadership through the power of the internet. Scan or click the QR code to go to our Flipgrid and share your advice/vision/digital tattoo with us. Share it with everyone.

Written by Daniel Nemerow and Billy Watts from Prince William County.

5 Ways to Spice up your Spring Lessons with Technology

It's May. The flowers are starting to bloom, the weather is warming up, and our lessons have lost their zing and pep. With the sun shining outside, keeping students motivated can be difficult. At this point in the year, we all could use something new to spice up our lessons! How about one of these?

Flipgrid

Flipgrid is a popular piece of EdTech for students presentations. Flipgrid is a simple, online video recording software. As a teacher, you can set up an account, create a board and direct your students to the class board to record. Students use an iPad app or the webcam on a computer to create their video. You can approve videos as they are submitted and students can view and "like" other videos from their class. Set up some quiet areas in your classroom and you will have even the timid students talking in no time. The end of the year is a perfect time for students to create a video of themselves or collaborate with a group to present a project, read a story, or teach a lesson to show you what they know. Visit flipgrid.com to set up your account. Best of all, flipgrid is free.

Breakout Boxes and Classroom Escape Rooms

If you haven't tried a breakout box or escape room, what are you waiting for?! Breakout boxes require students to collaborate, communicate, think critically, and be creative through using clues to open locks. If that isn't enough, the clues cater to your curriculum! While access to all breakout box games from the company BreakoutEDU comes with a cost, you can access a multitude of free games to play with your students. Ordering a box is always ideal, but there are some ways to get around that. They offer digital games that only require a computer and the internet connection, but you can also head to a local hardware store and find materials to build your own boxes. Once you get the hang of the clues, be creative and build a game that reaches your students and asks the questions you need themto answer. Visit BreakoutEDU.com or search Escape Rooms and Breakout Boxes on TeachersPayTeachers.com or Google.

QR Codes and Scavenger Hunts

Get students up and moving by sending them on a digital scavenger hunt! There are many ways to incorporate QR codes in the classroom, but one fast and easy way is to create a scavenger hunt. You can turn any review guide or worksheet into an interactive activity. Visit QRcode-monkey.com to create a QR code that links to text, an image, a website, or a YouTube video. Have a worksheet with questions for them to find the answers in the codes or create a worksheet like the one shown here. Place the answer to the previous question at the top and embed the next question in the QR code. If set up correctly, the last question will match to the first card so students can start wherever they want around the room.

Adobe Spark

Adobe Spark is a free platform for students to create professional looking videos, continuous scroll web pages, and posters. While allowing students to be creative, Spark is simple enough that students at all levels become digital storytellers. Spark is easy to use so formal training for teachers or students is rarely needed. Hosted online, Spark allows students to use photos, icons, and music that is controlled under the Creative Commons Copyright and provides space to give credit to the artists. What a great time to have a conversation about digital citizenship. Nothing I can say here gives Spark the justice it deserves, so visit spark.adobe.com and sign up to start creating!

Podcasts

Podcasts have become popular across many generations over the past decade. From golf to knitting, from entrepreneurs to true crime, there is a podcast for everything and everyone! Introducing this platform as a way for students to express what they have learned is sure to reach many students. To create an informal podcast, all you need is a recording device like an iPad, computer, or even just a smart phone. With some planning and guidance, students can show their research and communication skills while teaching others about a topic or sharing a story.

Good luck with the rest of your school year and have a relaxing summer!

Written by Kelsey Huffman. After teaching middle and high school math for 6 years, Kelsey is now an ITRT with Roanoke County Public Schools. When not helping teachers and students, she can be found knitting or on the golf course. You can connect with Kelsey on Twitter @kelsbhuff.