Blended learning is an approach to learning that combines face-to-face and online learning experiences. Ideally, each (both online and off) will complement the other by using its particular strength. Elements of a blended unit include instructional videos,  self-paced learning and mastery-based grading. Here are some examples of a blended elementary unit and high school history unit.   Learn more here.

In essence, “flipping the classroom” means that students gain first exposure to new material outside of class, usually via reading or lecture videos, and then use class time to do the harder work of assimilating that knowledge, perhaps through problem-solving, discussion, or debates. Learn more here.

Since they are so similar, we suggest choosing one.  To choose which is best for your students and your classroom, we recommend trying the free version of both, then see which is a better fit.  If you use Google Slides, Pear Deck may integrate more seamlessly for you. We do not currently have a paid school account for either, so the paid version would come out of your class budget.  However, getting a school subscription to Pear Deck is currently under review - check with Technology if you are thinking about upgrading to the paid version.

Kahoot! is the granddaddy of the game show review games. In a standard Kahoot! game, questions are displayed to students on a projector or display. Students respond on their own devices. Everyone responds at the same time. That also means we can provide feedback to everyone at the same time. The speed of a traditional Kahoot! game can make some students feel like they’re left in the dust. Kahoot! is generally easier for younger students, but may be difficult to navigate unless they have two devices (one to watch and one to play on) or using the self-paced challenge mode.

Quizizz takes the excitement of a gameshow-style review game and puts the whole experience in the students’ hands. With a traditional Kahoot! game, everyone sees the question and possible answers on the projector and answer simultaneously. Quizizz is different because the questions and possible answers are displayed individually on student devices. It’s student-paced. No one gets upset because their device didn’t load the game fast enough to compete. Teachers can display a student progress dashboard on the projector to see progress of each student and instantly see how many questions the class answered right/wrong.

Gimkit (gimkit.com) is like Quizizz with power-ups. In Quizizz, students collect points cumulatively throughout the game. In Gimkit, students use their points to buy power-ups in the store. Power-ups let students earn more points per question, get additional points when they hit a streak, and even lose less points when incorrect. You can show class progress on a screen projected to the class as students answer questions is unique. It shows how everyone’s points as a class add up together. This encourages class vs. class competition.