Tech Tip Tuesday
February 10, 2015
In This Issue: Plickers, Stoodle, Color of Snot, Classtools.net, T3 Meetings, and MACUL Conference
Plickers - Student Responses with ONE Device
How to Use in the Classroom
Your classroom may or may not be fully equipped with student devices but that shouldn't stop you from using technology with Plickers. This tool is a great way to gauge student understanding and allows students to answer as they wish. It is very hard for classmates to see each other's answers because each card is different. As all the results can be saved or cleared, teachers can use this for lunch count, questions from the class novel, pop quizzes, gauge of understanding, or any other formative assessment. Check out the video here to set up your account.
Scanning for Answers
Results to your Device
Plickers: Clickers, Simplified.
Stoodle - Online Collaborative Whiteboard
How to Use in the Classroom
Stoodle would be great for pairing students together at different levels for peer tutoring. Even better, students from different districts could communicate together as a "Juiced Up" version of pen pals. This tool also allows users to insert pictures or files from their device or computer. Maybe a teacher wants to do a demonstration of how to revise an essay and have students make corrections on their own device when asked. This connects all members to the same platform giving all an equal opportunity to share. To see more, watch Richard Byrne from Free Technology for Teachers do a demo.
Winter Blues......Or Maybe Greens.......
Classtools.net
Classtools.net is a really neat site that allows teachers and students to create multiple items from their computer or device without a login, password, or email. Most all of these tools allow sharing through a URL address, embedding code to your website, or a QR code. Here are some of my favorite tools to use off the site:
- Fakebook - Yes, it is a spin-off of Facebook. Students may create their own profile or a profile of a fictional/non-fictional character. If George Washington's profile was created, what would some of his pictures, posts, and friends be? Students have the power to customize this as they wish, inputting birthdate, address, family, etc. No email or sign-up required.
- Connect Fours - This neat quiz or question generator allows teachers to enter 16 words Of the 16 words, there has to be four groups of four which students have to label into the correct categories. For example, if one category was "Summer," four words to describe summer could be: hot, beach, swimming, vacation. To play the game, students have to choose four words which belong together.
- QR Code Treasure Hunt Generator - Create your questions, get a customized QR code for each question, print off the QR codes, and have students begin. This is a fast way to create your own QR codes. As students scan the QR codes from their mobile device, they do NOT need an internet connection.
- SMS Generator - Have your students make up a fictional text message conversation with an author, character, or a historical figure. If Abe Lincoln would have texted, what would he have said or what would you text to him?