for remote learning and beyond!
Implementing technology in your teaching practice can be overwhelming. Back in September, I was daunted by the prospect of going without many practices I’d relied on for years – like my whiteboard for collecting ideas and my desk arrangement for traditional face- to – face discussions. It seems like there are thousands of different classroom tech tools out there that accomplish thousands of different tasks, each with their own benefits and shortcomings. I really scrambled to figure out how to translate my teaching practice for this new learning situation and make it engaging for remote and in- person students. Rather than try every different tech tool out there to try and “innovate” and be “tech- savvy,” I decided to start small and seek out one tool at a time that would replicate what I used to do in person, without just relying on Google Docs for everything I wanted to do ( it gets old REAL fast). Below are the 5 classroom tech tools that have not just replaced a lot of what I used to do in person and on paper, but have truly taken my teaching practice to the next level – pandemic or no – and that I can no longer imagine teaching without!
1. Google Slides
Google Slides has enabled me to get out of the “make my worksheet digital” mindset and create truly dynamic learning experiences for students. I use slides for almost every assignment – WebQuests, group work, video viewing guides, etc.(click here to see how I used Google Slides for a Hexagonal Thinking activity). I can hyperlink to extra materials, videos, word lists, and other items students might need to access while they work. At this point I can’t picture teaching without this classroom tech tool! My girl Kasey Bell at Shake Up Learning has SO MANY amazing tips and tricks for all kinds of learners and classrooms that have inspired my digital teaching practice.
2. Jamboard
It took me a while to realize the potential of Jamboard, Google’s digital whiteboard tool. My first time using it was as an alternative to Docs for graded formative assessments. I quickly realized that trying to “grade” mastery for individual students on Jamboard was a mess. Instead, I started using it for collecting ideas, exit tickets, quick draws, and as a pre-writing tool for essays. When I used this with my seniors for essay writing, we collected claims, reasons, and evidence as a group. Each student contributed and helped color- code sticky notes, then duplicated the board so each student could use what they liked to organize into essay outlines. Jamboard does what I would use my whiteboard and sticky notes for in the Before Times, and I am thankful for this unique and versatile little tool.
3. Kami
I simply COULD NOT do my job as an English teacher without Kami, a PDF annotation tool. It can split, merge, and edit pdfs of texts and then I can add directions and objectives, definitions, context, and questions I want students to answer – right on the document! My students use it to annotate text digitally and keep them actively reading when they can’t have a printed text in front of them. Kami integrates with Google Classroom, which allows me to easily create assignments and it automatically saves (and flattens, so kids cannot edit) any annotations I make. I love to annotate a text as a class that I have posted as a “Material” in Google Classroom. At the end of class, all students have access to the same annotations we made as a whole group. Kami will definitely stay in my tech toolkit for years to come.
4. Pear Deck
The Pear Deck add- on for Google Slides is such a cool way to take regular direct- instruction style presentations and turn them into tools for on the spot formative discussion, anonymous question/ conversation, and gauging student understanding. With Peardeck, you can add multiple choice, short answer, drag and drop, and a ton of other question styles – right on your slide deck! As you present, students can respond and you’ll see their answers I real time. Then, after the fact you can download the data as a spreadsheet that makes it easy to grade. It integrates seamlessly with Google Slides too, which makes it so easy to add to slide decks I’ve already created without a ton of extra lift. Any tech tool that gets students involved in direct instruction rather than just sitting back and listening as I present is a value- add for me, which is what I love so much about Pear Deck.
5. Parlay
I saved my absolute favorite classroom tech tool for last. A huge roadblock for me as I began hybrid teaching was figuring out a way to make class discussion equitable with students in the room and online simultaneously. Parlay has been an absolute game change for me. It’s an innovative discussion platform that facilitates both written and verbal discussions among students. I could probably write one entire post just about Parlay, but here are some of my favorite features:
- Write your own or access a database of pre-made discussions ( super useful when I need an activity fast)
- Supports moderation and feedback for both verbal AND written discussions with an easy to use interface, customizable rubrics, and tools for instant feedback ( like the “model submission” feature)
- Built – in sentence frames to teach students how to write constructive feedback
- Students can be made anonymous to each other
I love that Parlay creates a much more equitable conversation space for students whether they are remote or hybrid, chatty or quiet. My kiddos LOVE the anonymous feature, and I can toggle it on/off for myself for grading purposes.
As if all of this wasn’t enough, after the discussion you can download data as a spreadsheet for easy grading, and see a ton of metrics that allow for self- reflection. Parlay is a tool I will keep on using even with a return to “normal” teaching.
What classroom tech tools can you not live without? I’d love to hear what you think in the comments!
