Technology! Whether you like it or not (I do…most of the time J), technology is our future. But one thing that is somewhat lacking in classrooms (not all, but some) is technology. How can we integrate technology into our classrooms? Today’s post is going to be about a couple different forms of technology that I have discovered and that I have already implemented or would like to implement in my MT’s classroom as well as my own. It has been a busy semester, so I haven’t been able to integrate as much as I would have liked, but I have done some. Now, I do have to say that I am always using technology (PowerPoint, laptops, projector, etc.) but what I am going to talk about here is the technology that exists outside of those areas. Let’s be honest here…PowerPoint and the like have been around for ages. There are other things that we could be trying. So without further ado, let’s begin!
Links to websites on all of these wonderful technological tools will be provided in the references.
Technology Possibility #1: Poll Everywhere
I have used poll everywhere in three of my classes this semester and each time it has gone smoothly…and not so smoothly. My biggest suggestion for using poll everywhere (or any other type of technology) within a PowerPoint would be to integrate it into the PowerPoint. Poll everywhere has software that you can easily download (it doesn’t take long at all) and it makes it much easier to begin using it right away. If you don’t integrate it into the PowerPoint, then you would most likely have to minimize your PowerPoint and bring up the site and what not. My only suggestion would be to test it out before your lesson (maybe more than once) to work out any bugs that you don’t want. For example, in my most recent lesson, the student’s answers were longer than normal and it was cutting them off.
Poll everywhere is essentially an application that allows you to create polls that your students can answer using their cell phones. They have to text in a certain code to a specific number to join your polling session, and then whatever they text after that will answer the poll.
Pros:
- It isn’t just multiple-choice. There is also the option to have your students submit open-ended items (word clouds, cluster, ticker, text wall, etc.
- It’s free (sort of)!!!
- Your students will be more engaged in the lesson (I promise!!! J), because you are allowing them to use their cell phones.
- A quick and easy way to assess student understanding (particularly if you use a multiple choice question that generates a graph showing who answered what).
Cons:
- The important part is free. But there are some things additional cool options, but you have to pay for them (correct answer display, reporting and grading).
- The username they assign is usually quite long and this is what the students have to text in order to sign in. You cannot customize it unless you pay. But the plus side is, our students are usually fast with texting, so this really shouldn’t cause an issue.
Technology Possibility #2: ZipGrade
I don’t know where you’ve been if you haven’t heard of ZipGrade! This technology is more teacher-oriented, but it could easily clear up a ton of grading time (and then you apply that time to more planning for your students J).
ZipGrade is an application for your cell phones that allows you to grade a multiple-choice test in seconds. Think of it as scantron of the future!!! Now, as English teachers, we may have less multiple-choice tests here and there, but it is still an excellent tool that I would suggest and it could also help a future colleague out as well.
Pros:
- Tests are graded in seconds. You simply scan the assigned answer sheet with your phone’s camera (within the application) and it automatically grades the test and provides you with the students score. Trust me, it works. I have tested it!
- If you set up your application with students uploaded, it will even do an item analysis of the tests for you to see if there were any questions that you might throw out.
- You can do multiple forms!
- ZipGrade provides the answer sheet for you!
- You can sign up for a trial and be able to grade up to 100 tests before you have to purchase it.
Cons:
- It isn’t free (L). But I recently purchased the unlimited version (and it was only $12) and as far as now, I can use it forever.
- You have to remove your camera off the page once the test has been graded, or it will re-grade it again and count it as another test (not necessarily an issue unless it is using up your free papers in the trial version).
- Answer keys can be a little confusing the first time, so you may need to model it for your students.
Technology Possibility #3: Stick Pick
My final technology suggestion is stick pick. This is something I have yet to implement, but I have been looking for ways for me to keep track of student participation on my phone (since I’m using it as a timer anyways) instead of the regular old grid chart.
Pros:
- Stick Pick will pick students at random for you to call in, but that’s not the end of it!
- Depending on the student data that you have uploaded, it will suggest specific prompts or questions for you to ask depending on the learning level of the student.
- It will allow you to record student data in order to keep track of how a student is performing in class.
- It will use blooms taxonomy and evaluative rubrics to track student assessment!
- It will do so much more! This is definitely something that I will be using!
Cons:
- It isn’t free (but it’s only $3.99!).
- Really, that’s it for the cons on this one until I start trying it.
Technology can be frightening, but it can also be fun! I encourage you to take a look at some of the above possibilities and the numerous other applications and various forms of technology out there. You never know when you might find that hidden gem to use in your classroom! Happy hunting!
~Mr. Naylor
References
6 iPad Apps for Better Classroom Management ~ Educational Technology and Mobile Learning. (2016). Retrieved April 06, 2016, from http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2013/06/6-ipad-apps-for-better-classroom.html
Poll Everywhere. (2016). Retrieved April 06, 2016, from https://www.polleverywhere.com/account/plans/k-12
Stick Pick on the App Store. (2016). Retrieved April 06, 2016, from https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/stick-pick/id436682059?mt=8
ZipGrade - iPhone and Android Grading App for formative assessment and quizzes. (2015).
Retrieved April 06, 2016, from http://www.zipgrade.com/
