Bits & Bytes
Snacking on digital media for engaged learning
Issue 2 | Oct 31 2017
Issued bi-weekly, focusing on connected learning in the middle school classroom
BITS
About Padlet
Padlet is a tool that allows you to create a virtual bulletin board. Text, images, links, videos, sound files, and basically anything you can share online, can be embedded on a Padlet wall. Padlet walls can be used for brainstorming, exit tickets, a gallery of student work, and more. Take a tour below and explore the variety of ways you can use this tool for engaged, collaborative learning.
New Features!
If you are an experienced padlet user, you may not know about the new features added this year:
- Add comments to posts.
- Reactions: Collaborate and assess with up/down vote a post; like a post; 1-5 stars for a post; and score posts by a scale you create.
- Categorize posts with colors - Users can pick from 6 colors. This is great for posting by category, group, or even theme.
- Organize walls in the "shelf format," which allows for columns. This is great for KWL and flow charts or categorizing groups and their work.
- Highlight text in your posts.
BYTES
Inquiry-Based Learning
As a follow up to our August in-service on IBL and blended learning:
EDpuzzle - A fantastic tool for the inquiry-based and blended learning classroom
- What: A free tool that mashes up your your voice, questions, and prompts with videos from YouTube.
- Why? EDpuzzle allows you to engage your students in critical thinking while watching videos clips, and the tool can also collect data on your students' responses.
- Why? Because video clips are not meant to be passively viewed; rather, video can be a powerful learning tool for bolstering background knowledge, posing topics for discussion, and analyzing media.
- Learn more here.
Tech Thursdays Are Back! AFTER School
Here's the November Line Up: UPDATED!
- 11/9, Padlet on Parade - Explore the new features of Padlet and consider a variety of ways to integrate this user-friendly tool into your classroom instruction. We will create our own Padlet walls for use in the classroom.
- 11/30, Thursday, 4:15-5:00: EDPuzzle for Engaged Learning - Learn how to use EDPuzzle and begin creating your own interactive video clips.
Let's Collaborate!
Want to collaborate on technology-integrated learning for your classroom? Book some time with me here.
Sarah Blattner
Library Instructional Technology Teacher
Stoller Middle School