Hello everyone! So it’s time for another post again and I hope you like it. Today’s topic is gonna be about apps and programs used to create projects and much more, to be more specific BookWidgets, Kahoot and Projeqt.
During our last seminar our friend Meglina introduced us with BookWidget, since the original tool we were supposed to use was slow and not as easy as this one. What is it? BookWidgets is an easy-to-use platform for creating interactive exercises like exit slips, games, timelines, photo and video-based activities, and so much more. It integrates with other programs like Google Classroom, Canvas, and Moodle. A diverse library of widgets can be used to support all subject areas. Widgets are grouped by test and review (exit slips, flash cards, quizzes, timelines, and worksheets), games (bingo, memory, and crosswords), pictures and videos (hot-spot image, YouTube player, and image carousel), and math (active plot, charts, and arithmetic). You can also embed PDFs, Google Maps, and Wikipedia articles. We can customize each of the widgets, and a wizard walks them through the building process and can share finished widgets as a link or embed them on any website or through Google Classroom. Analytics allows teachers to track and assess student activity. A weekly teacher blog suggests new approaches and practical applications.
So how can I teach with this tool?
BookWidgets allows teachers to create a ton of different types of interactive content. Examples of each type of widget are available to use as a template to start out, and a tutorial walks you through the steps. There are 40 different widgets you can create that can be shared through a link, a QR code, an email, and Google Classroom. Simple assessments you can integrate include exit slips, quizzes, and worksheets. Kids can practice and review skills with flash cards, puzzles, or games such as hangman or bingo. Create a blended learning approach with personalized materials that can be easily assigned through our platforms. When creating quizzes, select from over 30 types of questions for all content areas. Include answers in the setup so that quizzes can be self-grading and students can gain instant feedback. Differentiate digitally by creating versions of one worksheet and assigning it to groups of students in Google Classroom. The WebQuest widget is especially useful for a blended approach, within the widget, you can embed instructional videos, games, and quizzes.
Is it good for learning?
Creating interactive classroom activities and engaging teaching materials is mostly a breeze with BookWidgets. Though the organization of widgets may be clunky and confusing, it’s generally straightforward and easy to understand, saving teachers’ valuable preparation time. The variety of 40+ widgets encourages teachers to try digital lessons with a step-by-step guide when starting out. Examples of all widgets are also available and can be copied for use. Since there’s such a wide variety of widgets, us as teachers can create simple lessons and activities for all learning needs, though the activities themselves especially the games tend to prioritize memorization and recall. We can individualize lessons and activities to meet the needs of students and engage them with a digital approach. The assessment options are useful: exit slips, quizzes, and worksheets offer immediate feedback, especially since they can be created as self-checking and we can also see what student work has been turned in to continually monitor progress.
Here you can find the link of a course outline created by me using BookWidgets:
Using Kahoot in the Classroom
Most schools encourage teachers to use technology in the classroom, but finding ways to seamlessly integrate technology into class plans can be difficult. Kahoot is the latest addition to many classrooms and it’s here to make learning fun.
What is “Kahoot!”?
Kahoot is a game-based learning and trivia platform. What makes it so great is that it has uses beyond the classroom, it can be used in offices and social settings, making it a hit for all ages. This means that some parents may be familiar with Kahoot as well. It can be used from any device (through the website or the app), making learning fun and inclusive in all contexts for all ages. Teachers can create multiple choice games related to class content that students can play as a class by entering the game code on their app or device. Kahoot offers a multitude of other forms of games related to class content that can make learning fun.
Why Use this tool?
Kahoot offers many benefits in the classroom. Because of its flexibility, it can be used in various subjects, even physical education. It is a great way to keep students engaged because it focuses on social learning and makes it fun. It’s also simple to use because it works on any device and players don’t have to create an account. Most importantly, it’s free for teachers and students. Instead of using a worksheet at the end of a lesson for assessment, consider using this tool. It’s a fun and effective way to measure which concepts your students understand fully and which might need reinforcement. Kahoot is a great way to have fun while also utilizing class concepts. Looking for a way to energize your students? You can use it as a bell ringer or class starter to get students engaged at the beginning of class. You can also use it before introducing a new concept as a form of pre-assessment to see how much students know about the new content. It can be used throughout a lesson to measure student engagement and understanding. This can be done by introducing content, then using Kahoot! to see what students understand and have them explain why the answer is correct. Using it will make students enjoy coming to class and is sure to boost the morale during those trying times of the semester, such as exam prep.
Projeqt
For class projects there is a website that creates presentations that blow regular PowerPoints and slideshows out of the water. Projeqt is an online program that help people to revamp everything they thought they knew about putting together a presentation. On Projeqt users can recreate old presentations or start from scratch with a brand new one. They can pull tweets, blog feeds, and stream videos in their presentations to bring together a wide array of different elements. If a presentation has a lot of photos in it, the user can use stacks to make a collection, or mini album, of photos within the project.
Stacks can be inserted into a presentation to organize multiple photos for a section of the project. Users can also switch devices without ever losing quality in their presentation. Once the presentation is complete, users can start viewing a project on a phone, then switch over to an iPad, and finish on a laptop or PC, all without ever losing quality. This makes showing a presentation versatile and mobile so that it can be taken from a business meeting to a business dinner if need be. Students can follow along on their own computers or devices while their teacher shows a presentation for that class period.
Projeqt changes how students and educators will present topics to a classroom. Inserting images, videos, and pulling from social media help presentations to make the technological leap that so many aspects of life are making as well. This digital storytelling web 2.0 teaching tool can develop communication skills and foster creativity during the production of the site's slideshows. Critical thinking skills are utilized as students strategically plan and organize their slides with appropriate and varied information to support their topic, problem, or question. So we can safely say that Projeqt allows users to create professional-looking, branded, shareable presentations without much fuss. It's easy to get signed up and immersed in the project and the networking opportunities are robust. I can see this being useful for portfolios and conference presentations because it's extremely easy to connect to social networks and external sites.
All in all teaching tools are an integral component in any classroom. The many benefits of teaching aids include helping learners improve reading comprehension skills, illustrating or reinforcing a skill or concept, differentiating instruction and relieving anxiety or boredom by presenting information in a new and exciting way. We can see that all of them have great benefits but my favourite has to be BookWidget as it is easy, fast and convenient..
Thank you for visiting my blog :)
Comments
Post a Comment