stephanie-beaver
This is a list of technology resources that would be great to use in a class room. Feel free to add on!
What is Google Classroom?
Google Classroom is a google app. Classroom creates classes, holds assignments, and includes a communication feature in an organized fashion.
Google Cardboard may not be Oculus Rift, but I think it's even better. A viewer for Google cardboard is only $15 and you fold it into place. I think for elementary school students it would be amazing to have them fold the viewer and look inside and be surprised by the the virtual reality. I think it's cool that kids can be into virtual reality in the classroom for cheap. The only thing to overcome would be that children don't typically have smart phones. However I think that many children have iPod touches, which are basically the same product as an iPhone just not with call abilities. For elementary students I think it would be cute to introduce Cardboard because it is a great learning tool, but also a "magic cardboard" to some kids and invokes imagination and creativity.
Brain POP is an oldie but a goodie! I remember using brain POP in my elementary school classrooms, and that it was my favorite part of the classes. Brain POP was founded in 1999, but has remained current and updated throughout the years. Brain POP aids in teaching English, Social Studies, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Music, Health, Reading, and Writing. The website follows the content of the Common Core and academic standards. Brain POP uses animated short films to teach about a subject, person, etc and then offers quizzes and educational games. Teachers can create an account on Brain POP that allows them to customize their assessments and incorporate all of the tools on the website, which are all assured by the company to be useful in traditional, flipped, and blended classes.
Aurasma is a form of technology that brings forth an augmented reality. This app brings everyday photos to life on the users smartphone. This method would intrigue students and have them yearning to learn more, especially about science and history. This is because the text and photos are brought to life through movement on the screen. I think this would be a good choice to include in the classroom because it will also teach the students to think outside of the box and not limit themselves to only what they see on paper.
Funbrain is an easy way to engage and entertain the students while they learn more about math and reading. The website teaches math and reading from the first to the eighth grade level. Arcade games are used to teach basic math skills and reading skills. I remember using this website in elementary because it was fun to play but still be learning at the same time. The game is visually appealing and keeps your attention because of the interaction of the game. This would be beneficial for students to use because they would be able to have fun while also learning.
Evernote is a good program to invest in especially with the impact that technology has on our everyday life. Notes, ideas, videos, photos and more can be captured in one spot and then be available on any of your other devices. This is a way to have it everywhere at once after adding notes to the program. In the classroom, this can be used to gather notes from the students and they would be able to share notes or videos with one another.
Kahoot is a useful tool because it engages the entire classroom at once. The program displays a question on the main computer within the classroom and the students would be able to answer the question on their smartphones or their computer or iPad. At the end of the game the class would be able to see who scored the top 4 scores and how many students got each answer right or wrong. This method is more engaging then a regular paper and pencil test because it requires the students to be active.
Socrative can be used as a way to collect ideas or opinions from the students through technology. The program can be accessed both on the web and on the exclusive app. Teachers can formulate different questions or tests on the program that the students will have the use. The program also has the capacity to allow teams to answer questions together. Overall, this is a good use for collecting information or quizzing students on previous material.
Plickers is an interactive tool to have within the classroom that actually works with only the teacher using a smartphone while keeping the students off of their phones. Plickers can be used as an assessment tool to make sure that the students are understanding what is being taught. In order to make sure that the students are understanding and not gathering answers from their peers, each student is given a unique answer card that is interpreted through the phone of the teacher.
Quizlet is a great way to have students study in the way that is best for them. For instance, the website and its study uses can be adapted to various learners. This includes visual and audio learners. Flashcards and mini quizzes can also be used to help the student study test material or just review what they have learned throughout the year.
