Digital Tools for Blended Learning
Lesson Delivery & Organization Tools
If your school or district uses Google Apps for Education, Google Classroom is a free Google app that lets teachers create classes, distribute assignments, send feedback, and see everything in one place. It simplifies procedures for teachers sharing files with students. When teachers create assignments, it can automatically creates a copy of a specified file from Google Drive for each student within an organizational structure then allows students to “turn in” those files virtually, which changes the permissions of the file from student-owned back to teacher-owned. For help with Google Classroom, click on the image below.
"Edmodo is a free learning management tool that merges classroom content, safe communication, and assessment with students' social media savvy. Students and parents can get quick answers to questions as well as stay current on class assignments and happenings via the student planner and discussion threads. Post a warm-up question, or take a quick poll to get student input on the day's topic or to quickly assess understanding. Save time by using teacher-created assessments, and let Edmodo do some or all of the grading for you. Go paperless by collecting, grading, and returning student essays digitally, perhaps using an outside rubric tool for even more efficiency. Help students become more organized by using the teacher and student planner feature to manage assignments and deadlines using Edmodo's blackboard-like platform. Monitor student progress and personalize learning using the Snapshot feature, and use apps and badges to support student learning and increase engagement." For more in-depth training in Edmodo, click on the image below.
HyperDocs
HyperDoc is a term used to describe a Google Doc that contains an innovative lesson for students. HyperDocs typically follow a one of several pedagogically-sound lesson structures or templates. In a HyperDoc, all components of a learning cycle have been pulled together into one central hub. Within a single document, students are provided with descriptions of everything they need to do and hyperlinks to all of the resources they need to complete that learning cycle. Students can generally proceed in a self-directed manner through the activities listed in a HyperDoc, making them a useful tool in a blended learning environment. Click on the image below to learn more about HyperDocs.
"TES Teach with Blendspace is an easy-to-use platform for creating multimedia lessons that kids can access online (via website, Chrome app, or iPad app). Using a drag-and-drop interface, you can organize videos, text, links, images, and quizzes into cubes, then organize them to create lessons for your students to complete independently. Content can be pulled from YouTube, Google, Flickr, and other online sources, as well as your own computer, Dropbox, or Google Drive. There's also a bookmarking tool that lets you add websites to your Blendspace collection.
Students can then move through the content in a linear fashion, responding to prompts in a sidebar comment area or taking quizzes along the way. They can also create their own lessons that can be private or shared, or remix a lesson. With a free teacher account, you can create unlimited classes of up to 35 students. Free school accounts allow for unlimited classes with an unlimited number of students. To join a class, students use a join code that you provide. "
"Each student learns at their own pace. Some students require additional explanation on a particular topic and some simply need additional challenges.
By adding questions to your Learning Path, you can test whether the student has understood the material. If the student answers the question correctly, they are able to continue. With an incorrect answer, you have the ability to write in an explanation for the student as to why their answer is incorrect before having a second attempt at the question.
Students will learn the material at their own speed. There is also the ability to add in additional learning material around the pathway for students to have further explanations." (Symbaloo Learning Paths)
MentorMob/LessonPaths is a tool that allows teachers to create learning playlists that students can work their way through chronologically. Each step of the playlist can be a web link, a file that the teacher uploads, an article that the teacher writes, or a quiz that the teacher creates. Having all of these features together makes for a very versatile way to create interactive learning paths for students. Additionally, each playlist can be made public for viewing and can even be made editable by the public, creating a shared resource for all of humanity.
"PowerMyLearning Connect is a website that brings together free, curated educational content and activities from all over the web. Teachers can find standards-aligned academic games, readings, videos, creation tools, and interactive content across a range of subjects, from language arts, math, science, and social studies to technology and more. Search limiters allow teachers to locate content based on grade level or range, subject area, and content type. There are also limiters for iPad compatibility and YouTube content, making it easier for teachers to select appropriate activities for their grade level and setting.
Teachers can choose or design playlists, curated lists of websites, and web-based resources, as well as create assignments where students visit sites, view content, and complete activities. Adding tasks and grading options for playlists allows teachers to monitor student progress and curate differentiated content; once students submit their responses, teachers can provide feedback, give grades, or assign additional content based on student responses."
Quoted descriptions are taken directly from Common Sense Media unless otherwise credited.