M4 U5 Activity 1: Technology to Manage the Learning Environment
Project Description
Overview
Technology can play an instrumental role in managing the learning environment. The tools available to administrators, educators, students, and families assist in multiple ways including collecting and monitoring behavior data, empowering students to stay on track, and even communicating with families. In this activity, you will examine various technology tools that are designed to help you better manage the learning environment.
Performance outcomes
Candidates review technology applications and tools for managing the learning environment and determine tools appropriate and effective for their own classrooms.
What will you do?
Explore various digital tools from the list below, from recommendations by teachers, and from your own research for managing classrooms and monitoring student behavior in both physical and online classrooms. Some potential technology tools include, but are not limited to, the following:
Gimkit
Vocaroo
Prismia
Voki
TeacherKit
Too Noisy Pro
Teacher’s Class BEHAVIOR Free
Class Dojo
Stop-Go
Best Sand Timer
Instant Classroom
Smart Seat
As a cohort, divide the list of technology tools and tools from your own research amongst yourselves so that each member has his or her own tools to analyze in depth. Select two to investigate (one for a physical classroom and one for online) in order to identify advantages and disadvantages of each.
Determine the potential effectiveness of these tools in managing the learning environment such as student engagement, academic progress, monitoring student learning, etc.
Explain how you would apply the selected tools in your own classroom (both physical and online).
Create a Flipgrid video (max. 5 minutes) with your findings and video comment on your cohort members’ Flipgrid. In your review, comment on whether the videos convinced you to use the tools in your classroom.
Complete ‘Technology Tools’ in your ‘Learning Environment Plan’ with at least 5 tools that you would like to implement in your physical and online classroom based on your and your peers’ findings.
Report requirements
Flipgrid Video (max. 5 minutes) with two technology tools review
Flipgrid Video comments on peers’ tools review
Complete ‘Technology Tools’ section of the Learning Environment Plan
Notes
New technology tools are being released all the time. You can use a search engine to see if there are new tools not listed above that would work well for you.
(The above information was cited from the TEACH-NOW Teacher Preparation Certificate Program)
Our Team Work
My Work
Technology can improve the way you manage the learning environment by helping save instructional time, track trends in student behavior, create lines of communication with families, and even empower students to take leadership roles. Integrate some technology tools for managing the learning environment in a physical and online classroom into this planning document and explain how you plan to use each.
1.Too Noisy
Advantages:
Too Noisy Pro can help students pay attention to their sound levels to keep the noise at an appropriate level.
Rewards and background themes help keep students engaged in monitoring their sound levels.
Different sound settings help fit a variety of learning environments. For example, independent work time, test-taking time, group work time, etc.
Disadvantages:
Microphone sensitivity may cause the alarm to sound when it is not warranted.
Effectiveness:
This is a useful tool in helping to maintain classroom volume levels. Whether sitting through a short lesson, working independently, or talking in groups, students can see Too Noisy Pro's sound meter in the background as a reminder to keep the volume at an appropriate level. The potential to earn stars motivates them, and the sounding alarm quickly reminds them to calm down.
Physical classroom:
I will set an acceptable sound level and theme on a larger screen so all students can see the noise detector to track the noise level in the classroom. If the class remains at an acceptable level for the entire interval selected by the teacher (between 1 minute and 15 minutes), they earn a star. If they do not, they see the noise meter increase and eventually watch the screen crack as an alarm sounds. Once students quiet down, the interval starts again and students have another chance to earn stars.
Virtual classroom:
Generally, it is quiet or I can just mute the noisy students in the virtual class. However, I think I may use it in group discussions to tell students that they are too quiet, and encourage them to discuss more to be “noisier”.
2. Blooket
Advantages:
It offers unique visual themes and gameplay types-- each with its own visual theme and rules, turning quizzes into competitive experiences similar to games students might play on their phones for fun.
Most students love competitive games, and Blooket rewards answering quickly, but teachers can alter settings to de-emphasize speed.
It is super easy to set up a game and does not require any personal information from students or signing into an account to use it.
Teachers can assign solo games for homework, or use them in groups to encourage teamwork to give children the chance to help each other to learn.
Teachers can also search public question sets to use or adapt as their own teaching subject to save time.
Disadvantages:
The games are competitive, so some students may struggle with competition as they can't handle not being 1st.
Students can be so absorbing (and distracting), that the learning feels secondary. For example, They literally would click through the problem to get clues to win the game.
No sound to read out the questions and answers.
No free detailed report unless teachers pay an extra fee to upgrade the Plus accounts.
Effectiveness:
Blooket is a web-based quiz that embeds the context of different games, it is focusing on improving learning outcomes by boosting engagement, participation, and motivation through competitive, game-based learning experiences. It is really exciting and engaging for group competition or solo study to review and consolidate what was learned in the class or the previous classes. Therefore, teachers can teach students to work in teams or assign solo games for them as homework.
Physical classroom/ Virtual classroom:
Blooket can work both in physical and virtual classrooms well. And I will use it at the beginning of the class to get students thinking and getting excited about the topic being studied in the unit. Or use this for reviewing the previous week's content and consolidate at the end of the class to assess what progress has been made and what areas we need to keep practicing.
I will also assign games for independent practice or homework. Even the solo games are engaging and addictive, so students will enjoy working through question sets and earning points/coins along the way.
3. SeeSaw
Advantages:
SeeSaw is a great tool for online or physical classes and communicating with parents. It is great for leaving feedback and engaging in collaborative activities as teachers and students can record their voices to give and take feedback, not only by typing. Therefore, students have an audience that motivates them.
Assigning homework:
It is easy to create new activities, and teachers can record to add voice instructions which can benefit Special Needs/ELL students.
There are many free resources in the Seesaw activities library that have been created by other teachers so that it is easy to crowd-source content and lessons by grade level, subject, or standard. Teachers can save time and use what is already available.
Grading and giving feedback
All new items require approval before being shown on the page to avoid inappropriate content.
Teachers can not only write but also record their voices to orally give feedback, which is good for young students who can’t read yet.
Teachers can set the function to let students see each others’ work, and like or make moments. Also, invite multiple parents or any family member to join and comment.
Disadvantages:
There are a couple of technical issues that cause some usability problems. For example, If students are signing in through a class QR code, they are not able to edit previous work. This requires the teacher to navigate this extra step. Another problem for the teacher is printing out invitations to the parents. You must download the entire class PDF file, not just one student’s, in order to send the QR code home.
One limitation is that the app is limited to a fairly simple messaging service. It would be useful if teachers could share, and parents could view, an ongoing calendar or schedule, to make it easier to follow assignments and homework, as well as to keep up with class activities more easily. Otherwise, it is quite easy to lose information if a post becomes old.
Effectiveness:
SeeSaw is an excellent tool for online or physical classes and communicating with parents. It is great for leaving feedback and engaging in collaboration as teachers and students can record their voices to give and take feedback, not only by typing. Therefore, students have an audience that motivates them.
Physical classroom:
SeeSaw is good for parent communication, so I will send out announcements for the class, or even a quick message.
I will communicate to the parents/families, or just to the students, and send weekly personalized messages on how their child is learning and participating in class.
Virtual classroom:
I will let students sign in, then they can add content by the camera, video, notes, links, and drawings.
I will let students upload their work and give feedback and comments. I will also have the option of giving the students more power by letting them comment on their peer’s work.
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