These are some of the online tools that we will be using in our classes. Your teachers will help you learn to navigate them during classes but here are some reference materials in case you get stuck. Click on the drop down arrow to see notes and videos about each topic.
Here is a great website from Ann Smart of Lenawee ISD. She has created and curated many helpful resources for parents and students here.
https://sites.google.com/lenaweeschools.us/litt/google-classroom
Google Meet is the video conferencing tool used by DeWitt Middle School.
In order to join a class Meet, students should click on the link in the banner of that Google Classroom.
The link will not work until the teacher has started the Meet.
Expectations for participating in Google Meets are as follows:
Please mute your microphone when you are not speaking.
Remember that all internet connections are not the same. Allow extra wait time to hear others' contributions and speak slowly and clearly when it's your turn to talk.
Use the chat responsibly. Keep comments on-topic and school-appropriate.
It is helpful to have your camera on if you are able and comfortable. If you cannot turn your camera on, consider using a profile picture that looks like you (for instance, a selfie or bitmoji).
Maintain school behavior norms. Be kind, respectful, and patient.
Flipgrid allows teachers and students to share videos with one another. Teachers can make assignments that allow students to respond with video or screencasts. Students can see other students' videos and comment on them if that is how the teacher has set up the assignment. This can be a fun way to have a class conversation!
New EdTech Classroom Student Tutorials: How to Use Flipgrid for Students - Fall 2020 Update! (8:39)
Formative is a tool that allows teachers to create practice assignments for students. Formative is integrated with Google Classroom so you don't have to create your own account. Your teacher will create one for you so all you have to do is sign in with your dewittschools Google account.
Student Introduction to Formative (2:22) (Note: DeWitt is not a partner school so some of the features are not available to us.)
Jamboard is a collaborative whiteboard tool that is part of the Google for Education Suite. If your teacher is using a Jamboard for collaborating during a lesson, they will most likely share a link directly with you (in the chat during a synchronous lesson or in classroom for an asynchronous lesson). Students can start their own Jamboards too.
Kami is a tool that allows students to annotate a PDF. DeWitt Middle School uses the free version of Kami and so not all of the premium features are available, however students are still able to highlight, add textboxes, and mark-up a document. Students can also add comments to documents and collaborate with one another. Turning in an assignment with the free version of Kami is a little bit tricky so watch this video to help! (Kami Video for DeWitt Students)
Kami for Parents and Students (Note: This video describes some of the paid features that are currently unavailable to DMS.)
PearDeck is a Google Slides Add On that makes a slide presentations interactive. Teachers can insert questions, polls, and other fun things into a slideshow that they are using during class.
New EdTech Classroom Student Tutorials: How to Use Pear Deck for Students (5:34)