For the last 7 years, I have been at a 1-1 district, and although I have always felt excited to include technology in my classroom and have felt somewhat tech savvy, nothing could have prepared me for the pandemic. Going from teaching with technology in a classroom to 100% virtual was a HUGE change for all of us. Even though my students and I had a leg up because of certain digital applications that we were already using, we all learned so much more about EdTech that year, and continue to do so.
Google for Education is amazing! I have used Google Classroom, Docs, sheets, slides, forms, sites, etc. These apps are great because they enhance collaboration and are so user-friendly.
Other digital applications that I have used are Seesaw, PearDeck, Screencastify, EdPuzzle, iMovie, PicPlayPost, and many more.
One way I would create presentations during remote learning was by app-smashing which is using two or more apps to create content. I would create Google Slides presentations, then record my lesson using Screencastify. I would then either send out this recorded lesson via Google Classroom or I would go one step further and upload it to EdPuzzle. On EdPuzzle, I could embed comprehension questions into my recorded lesson. This helped me ensure that students were not only watching the lesson but understanding it also. I found this to be very helpful because it helped me know my students' understanding and would also keep them accountable for their learning.
Now that we are back on campus, I continue to use this method to help create a blended learning environment. I am able to have stations within my station rotation where students engage with content that they can pause, play, rewind, and interact with at their own pace.
While others interact with adaptive learning programs, collaborative learning groups, teacher-led small groups, or even in on a one-to-one setting.
I hope to continue to learn different ways to use technology as a tool to personalize instruction.
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