Replacing Zaption
MVHS EdTech Update August 2016
EdTech Updates Website
I am going to continue using MVHSTECH.WEEBLY.COM to provide updates and resources for all of your EdTech needs. Please visit the site and let me know if there is anything I can add that would be useful.
I created a page with links to all of the newsletters I send for future reference.
The End of Zaption
In EdSurge, a great tech magazine, it was announced that Zaption was sold to a larger company called Workday. The article has some background to the decision and also includes a few recommendations for similar products. In this newsletters, I want to highlight a few of those choices. The Zaption platform will be defunct as of September 30th.
I will be using a site called PlayPosit and was able to merge all of my Zaption videos with the new site after getting a premium subscription. Because I had about 30 videos already done, the subscription was worth the price considering how long it took me to get all of those lessons created.
If you have any questions or need assistance using one of the sites I am highlighting, please let me know. There are plenty of others, but these have been the easiest to get started immediately when transitioning from Zaption.
Edpuzzle
Edpuzzle is an app I have heard a lot of middle school teachers use. The site integrates well with other LMS's (Learning Management Systems) like Canvas and Moodle.
Vizia
Vizia advertises itself as the best because it is free. I have not tried all of the features, but it has been recommended by other teachers. Again, the platform uses YouTube videos to create interactive content.
PlayPosit
PlayPosit used to be called EduCanon and has been the go-to replacement for many Zaption users. The platform is most similar. This is the one I am using and already tried it in class last week.
Interactive Videos As Formative Assessment
Interactive videos are great examples of edtech tools that provide immediate feedback for teachers. As formative assessments, these videos allow teachers to embed content/skill specific questions for students to answer during the lesson. No waiting for the essay or quiz necessary. What is best of these formative assessments is that teachers can instantly provide feedback and review for students who do not meet the objective. PlayPosit allows teachers to provide links to resources if a student chooses the wrong answer. Students can access resources during the video instead of waiting to review later.
Here is an article about some tech tools that assist with formative assessments. Some of them were shared during the Cycle 9 PD.