This week my classmates presented their group projects on the topic of educational technology in the classroom. For each presentation, I linked one of the classmate’s blogs so you can access the neat projects they have been working on for the past weeks. I also included my key take-aways from each presentation. Enjoy!

Ms. ThinkTankā€™s Classroom Blog:

https://dannikaseduction.wixsite.com/think-tank-tickle

This lovely class blog includes lessons so that when a student misses them, they can go rewatch it. The project demonstrated how you can have a whole year plan on a Wix website and unlock it module by module to your class. A bigger upfront investment for time, but this approach is helpful in the long run for teachers. Like a ā€œbankā€ of videos and teaching resources. This approach keeps guardians in the loop about their kidā€™s learning and helps guardians access the resources kids may need to become confident with subjects and projects. Having a teaching website can improve teacher-parent relationships by providing an understanding of what is taught in the classroom and why it is important.

Seesaw:

Seesaw is a tool for students to document their projects and progress throughout the year. Seesaw allows parents to follow along with students learning experience. Seesaw is very easy to navigate and allows a variety of formats of media to be uploaded. Teachers can even use Seesaw to send announcements to students and caregivers, and to share assessment reports. It includes an assignment tracker and is a method for storing childrenā€™s work to avoid piles of papers or lost assignments. All data is stored in Canada when a school district purchases seesaw. Seesaw is focused on sharing studentā€™s learning with families, even grandparents in other countries. Having a seesaw portfolio gives families an easier way to celebrate studentā€™s efforts. It can track student progress throughout their entire school experience.

Class Dojo:

Class Dojo is similar to Seesaw, it can be used to group message parents and students. It can be used to record attendance, give awards to students, and recognize participation. Class Dojo has a tool that helps teachers create lesson plans on the fly in roughly five minutes. This website encourages teamwork between students and facilitates easy communication between caregivers and students. Class Dojo even includes music and home activities for students and a point system caregivers can use to reward their child for completing tasks. Students can also private message with teachers if they have questions or concerns about tasks that they do not want to address with the entire class. The app can be used to let parents sign up for chaperone roles in field trips well in advance. This app is best suited for younger students, probably in primary grades.