About six years ago, I requested a set of twenty-five iPads to use in my classroom with the intention of beginning to implement more technology into my daily instruction. I was using a platform called Edmodo at the time, and my class's frequent trips to the computer lab to complete research on the internet, collaborate with a class across the United States which was reading the same novel we were, and to take tests and quizzes online was proving to be a hassle. Back then, what I was doing was very new to my particular school, as we were not at the forefront of technological advancements as far as our equipment and professional development. However, I never would have dreamed then of the things I am now having my students do (and I am doing, too!) with the advent of Google Classroom and the Google Suite of tools for education.
While the COVID-19 pandemic has definitely propelled my school into the future as far as our drive to purchase 1-1 technology for all of our students and to further our professional development, I have been excited about the new possibilities with technology that have come to light as a result (we have to look on the bright side of all of this somewhere, right?). Because our school has now invested in the Google Suite of tools and now requires all teachers to use Google Classroom, I am able to use these tools in a variety of ways to improve student learning and engage my students.
Since we currently have mostly in-person students and only a few Remote Learners, Google Meet has become a daily staple in my instruction. I have also learned ways to include my Remote Learners in activities by having students virtually collaborate on Google Slides or docs, as well as sharing a doc for peer editing. I was so impressed with the way students left feedback and comments for their peers to help improve each other's writing! I also can upload a worksheet as a Doc and make a copy for each student in Classroom, and my Remote Learners can simply type into their copy and submit it back to me under Assignments.
Additionally, I have used a variety of websites like CommonLit to supplement the literature we read in class, which is a great online tool that links to Google Classroom (and also helps us to prepare for the state End of Course exams, since it aligns to the Common Core Standards). I have found great websites where I can test my students, like Quizizz or Quizlet, or I can even create a test in Google Forms. These tools have helped to save me time in grading, which is definitely a plus for any teacher!
Overall, while the pandemic has certainly brought about huge changes and challenges for educators, I have found some great tools to improve my instruction, and I will continue to use many of them in the future, even when we are all back in school in person 100% of the time. What are some new technological tools or websites you've started using during the COVID-19 Pandemic that you will continue to use when classrooms are "back to normal"?
"iPad" by Sean MacEntee is licensed under CC BY 2.0
Hey Morgan! This is such s helpful blog. I had never heard of CommonLit before, but certainly one i will be trying out soon and thanks for sharing your experience with COVID-19 and how these tools will continue to inform your instruction.
ReplyDeleteSince I have taught online for many years, I was not at all bothered by COVID-19. In fact, my classes continued without a hitch although I did have to complete my EDU 560 and EDU 621 field experience visits online, which I had done only a few times before. In doing so, I learned that a virtual conference was just as effective as a face-to-face conference. I have grown lately by using screenomatic for presentations with an in-screen video instead of using the University's studio for presentation.
ReplyDeleteHi Morgan! I agree, this is a very helpful blog. It is crazy the time we are living in and what we are going through. Everyone has had different experiences and thought on COVID-19. Thanks fro sharing yours! These tools are pretty interesting!
ReplyDeleteI would agree with you that the pandemic has pushed me to try new things. I don't normally change my way of doing things unless I have to, and I certainly had to this year. One tool that I am using is Flipgrid. I learned in the spring that our music teacher was using it so her students could record what they had learned to sing. My students use it to present their projects and explain what they have worked on. I can then play it in class and we don't have to worry about the screen lagging as when a student tries to present in real time.
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