Welcome to the Digital Tools for Teachers: Reflective Learning of Students Guide, a carefully free digital resource aimed at empowering educators to enhance their teaching practices and foster reflective learning among students. This digital toolkit is designed to equip teachers with new digital skills and innovative tools that promote reflective learning, ensuring they can effectively engage their students in the learning process.
Here, you will find a wealth of resources, including practical strategies for implementing digital tools, insights on fostering reflective thinking, and guidance on creating a conducive learning environment. The digital toolkit allows teachers to unleash their creativity, autonomy, and innovativeness in the classroom by leveraging modern technologies and media. It aims to increase the quality of teaching methodologies and practices while enhancing entrepreneurship education through the involvement of youth-friendly digital tools.
Additionally, engaging exercises within the digital toolkit will enhance practical skills, making it easier for teachers to apply these concepts effectively in their teaching. Whether you are looking to enrich your lesson plans or facilitate deeper learning experiences for your students, this toolkit offers essential resources to help you succeed in promoting reflective learning and preparing students for a dynamic future.
Explore our collection of innovative digital tools designed to enhance collaboration, communication, and creativity in educational settings, empowering students and teachers to engage actively in their learning journey.
Slack is a messaging app for teams that allows communication through channels, direct messages, and integrations with other tools. It's excellent for collaborative projects and maintaining organized communication.
Benefits:
Enhanced Communication: Facilitates clear and organized communication among students and teachers.
Collaboration: Encourages teamwork through shared channels and direct messaging.
Resource Sharing: Easy sharing of files and resources in one place.
Integration: Seamless integration with other tools and services enhances productivity.
Steps to Use:
Sign Up and Create a Workspace: Visit slack.com and sign up. Create a new workspace for your class or project.
Create Channels: Organize discussions by creating channels for different topics (e.g., #general, #project-green, #philanthropy-ideas).
Invite Members: Add students and colleagues to your workspace.
Send Messages: Use channels to post messages, share files, and collaborate.
Exercise:
As a class, you have decided to organize a fundraising event for a local charity. Effective communication is essential for smooth coordination. Additionally, you will need to apply math skills to calculate the minimum registration fee, create a budget for the event, and more.
Utilize Slack to enhance organization. Have students create dedicated channels for different aspects of the fundraising event, such as #research, #marketing, #finance, and #operations. Each student should contribute their ideas and updates in the appropriate channel. This approach will help them learn to communicate and collaborate effectively during event planning.
Explore our interactive lesson plans that incorporate philanthropy into school classes. Download here.
Interesting Facts:
https://botpenguin.com/blogs/8-shocking-facts-you-should-know-about-slack
Tips and tricks:
https://slack.com/blog/collaboration/beyond-chat-10-smart-ways-to-work-in-slack
Google Drive is a cloud storage service that allows you to store files online and access them from any device. It supports collaboration on documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and more.
Benefits:
Accessibility: Allows access to documents from any device, anywhere.
Collaboration: Real-time collaboration on documents, spreadsheets, and presentations.
Organization: Easy organization of files in shared folders.
Integration: Works well with other Google services and third-party apps.
Steps to Use:
Sign In: Access Google Drive by signing in with your Google account.
Create Files: Create new documents, spreadsheets, or presentations using Google Docs, Sheets, or Slides.
Organize Files: Use folders to organize your files and share them with others.
Collaborate: Share documents with students or colleagues, allowing them to view, comment, or edit.
Use Add-Ons: Enhance functionality with add-ons like Grammarly or Lucidchart.
Exercise:
Consider using Google Drive to enhance collaboration in your classroom. Students can manage a project where they plan a fundraising event for a charity, applying math skills along the way. Engaging examples will make learning math enjoyable!
Start by creating a shared folder for each student group. Within these folders, students can work together effectively on their project. They can use Google Docs for planning (titled "Project Plan"), Google Sheets for budgeting (titled "Budget Tracker"), and Google Slides for presenting their ideas (titled "Fundraising Presentation").
Be sure to check the interactive lesson plans for additional guidance on incorporating this activity into your classes. Download here.
Interesting Facts:
https://www.ticktechtold.com/how-google-drive-help-students/
ChatGPT is an advanced conversational AI developed by OpenAI. It can generate human-like text based on input and is used for a variety of tasks including answering questions, brainstorming ideas, tutoring, and creating content. It’s a powerful tool for enhancing learning experiences and supporting teaching activities.
Benefits:
Personalized Learning: Provides customized explanations and tutoring based on individual student needs.
24/7 Availability: Offers support and answers outside of regular classroom hours.
Engagement: Engages students in interactive dialogues, making learning more dynamic.
Content Creation: Assists in generating ideas, creating lesson plans, and drafting educational materials.
Steps for Use:
Sign Up: Create an account and set up your workspace.
Create Channels: Organize teams and topics into channels.
Invite Members: Add team members to relevant channels.
Use Features: Share files, integrate apps, and use Slackbot for reminders.
Monitor: Track activity and manage settings.
Exercise:
Have students engage in a chat session with ChatGPT to solve Incorporate dynamic, real-time problem-solving into your classroom with an Interactive Chat Session using ChatGPT! This activity encourages students to collaborate and refine their ideas in an interactive, engaging format, all while honing essential skills like critical thinking, communication, and social entrepreneurship.
Have students participate in a chat session where they develop strategies for launching a new social enterprise. They can discuss their ideas with ChatGPT, receive instant feedback, and refine their approach. This exercise promotes problem-solving, while encouraging students to think creatively about real-world issues.
Or use ChatGPT to simulate real-world business challenges, help students draft business plans, or role-play a social enterprise pitch. By receiving AI-driven feedback, students can sharpen their communication skills and prepare for future entrepreneurial endeavors.
Our interactive philanthropy lesson plans bring new depth to classroom conversations, helping students connect and explore complex ideas more fully! Download here.
Interesting Facts:
Tips and tricks:
Canva is a graphic design platform that allows users to create social media graphics, presentations, posters, and other visual content. It’s user-friendly with drag-and-drop features and a vast library of templates.
Benefits:
Creativity: Enhances creativity with easy-to-use design tools and templates.
Engagement: Engages students with visual and interactive content creation.
Professional Quality: Helps produce professional-quality graphics and presentations.
Collaboration: Allows collaborative design projects with shared access.
Steps to Use:
Sign Up: Create an account at canva.com.
Choose a Template: Select from a variety of templates based on your project needs.
Customize Design: Use the drag-and-drop editor to add text, images, icons, and other elements.
Collaborate: Share your design with others for collaboration.
Download/Share: Once done, download your design or share it directly from Canva.
Exercise:
Discover our interactive lesson plans that integrate philanthropy into classroom activities, fostering engaging discussions and deeper understanding among your students! Download here.
Have students create a poster in Canva to promote a psychological concept or mental health awareness campaign. Encourage them to use images, icons, and text effectively to convey their message, whether it’s about stress management techniques or the importance of emotional well-being. This exercise will help them develop design skills while learning to communicate complex ideas visually.
Interesting Facts:
https://www.canva.com/education/
Tips and tricks:
https://www.themerrillsedu.com/blog-1/2021/12/3/20-ways-for-students-to-use-canva-in-the-classroom
WeVideo is a cloud-based video editing platform that allows users to create and edit videos online. It’s suitable for creating educational videos, project presentations, and marketing materials.
Benefits:
Multimedia Learning: Supports multimedia learning and storytelling.
Creativity: Encourages creativity through video creation and editing.
Engagement: Keeps students engaged with interactive and dynamic content.
Collaboration: Allows collaborative video projects with shared editing features.
Steps to Use:
Sign Up: Create an account on wevideo.com.
Start a New Project: Choose a project type (e.g., personal, business, education).
Upload Media: Upload videos, images, and audio files.
Edit: Use the drag-and-drop editor to trim clips, add transitions, and insert text.
Export: Save your video and export it in your desired format.
Exercise:
Bring creativity into your classroom with this hands-on WeVideo project and task students with creating a promotional video for a social enterprise ON YOUR Entrepreneurship class. They can highlight the mission, products, and impact of the enterprise, helping them understand the importance of social ventures while building their storytelling skills.
Explore our interactive lesson plans that integrate philanthropy, sparking meaningful discussions and promoting deeper understanding in your classroom! Download here.
Interesting Facts:
https://www.wevideo.com/blog/creative-teacher-resources
Tips and tricks:
Padlet is an online virtual bulletin board where users can post notes, images, links, and videos. It’s great for brainstorming, project planning, and sharing resources.
Benefits:
Visual Learning: Encourages visual thinking and creativity.
Collaboration: Allows multiple users to contribute and share ideas in real-time.
Engagement: Interactive and engaging platform for brainstorming and project planning.
Flexibility: Supports various types of content including text, images, and videos.
Steps to Use:
Sign Up: Go to padlet.com and sign up for an account.
Create a Padlet: Choose a template (e.g., wall, canvas, stream) and create a new Padlet.
Customize: Add a title, description, and choose a background.
Share: Share the Padlet with your students by sending them the link.
Post Notes: Add posts with text, images, links, or videos.
Exercise:
Have students create a Padlet board to explore philanthropy and social entrepreneurship. Each group should focus on a specific theme, such as historical figures in philanthropy or modern social initiatives. Students can post relevant examples, including contributions from individuals like Andrew Carnegie or Malala Yousafzai. This exercise promotes creativity and collaboration while deepening their understanding of impactful social change.
Explore our interactive lesson plans that incorporate philanthropy into school classes and engage your students in meaningful discussions! Download here.
Interesting Facts:
https://www.classpoint.io/blog/how-to-use-padlet
Tips and tricks:
VoiceThread is a multimedia slideshow that allows users to navigate slides and leave comments using voice, text, audio files, or video. It’s ideal for interactive presentations and collaborative projects.
Benefits:
Interactive Learning: Promotes interactive and engaging presentations.
Multimodal: Supports various modes of communication (voice, text, video).
Collaboration: Facilitates collaborative projects with shared comments and discussions.
Accessibility: Accessible from any device, allowing for flexible participation.
Steps to Use:
Sign Up: Create an account at voicethread.com.
Create a New Thread: Upload images, documents, or videos to create slides.
Add Comments: Record voice or video comments on each slide.
Share: Share your VoiceThread with students for collaboration.
Engage: Students can leave their own comments and engage in discussions.
Exercise:
Have your students use VoiceThread to create an interactive presentation on various philanthropic organizations. They can research the organization's mission, impact, and key initiatives, and then add voice or text comments to explain their findings. This exercise promotes critical thinking and collaborative learning.
Or task your students with creating a VoiceThread presentation on the history of philanthropy. Each student can contribute a slide on a different philanthropist, adding their own voice commentary to highlight the contributions and impact of their chosen figure. This encourages personal engagement and a deeper understanding of the role of philanthropy throughout history.
Engage your students with our philanthropy-infused lesson plans, designed to foster insightful conversations and enhance comprehension in every subject! Download here.
Interesting Facts:
https://voicethread.com/blog/voicethread-benefits-from-teachers-training-experience/
Tips and tricks:
https://lms.ed.voicethread.com/blog/kicking-instruction-up-a-notch-with-voicethread/
Mentimeter is an interactive presentation software that allows you to create live polls, quizzes, word clouds, and Q&As. It’s excellent for engaging students in real-time and gathering feedback.
Benefits:
Interactive Engagement: Increases student engagement through interactive polls and quizzes.
Immediate Feedback: Provides instant feedback and results.
Participation: Encourages participation from all students, including those who may be shy.
Assessment: Useful for formative assessment and gauging understanding.
Steps to Use:
Sign Up: Create an account at mentimeter.com.
Create a Presentation: Choose from various question types (e.g., multiple choice, word cloud).
Add Content: Add your questions and customize the look of your presentation.
Present Live: Share the voting link with students and present your questions live.
Analyze Results: View and analyze the results in real-time.
Exercise:
Bring your lessons to life with interactive quizzes using Mentimeter and create a quiz with a 'Multiple choice' slide and input a question like, “Which organism has the greatest impact on its ecosystem?” Provide options such as 'Predators,' 'Herbivores,' and 'Decomposers.' After students submit their answers, Mentimeter instantly visualizes the results, allowing you to assess their understanding and lead a discussion on how different organisms influence their ecosystems.
During your lesson, present the Mentimeter results to the class, encouraging active participation as students reflect on the answers. You can also make the experience more engaging by having students submit GIFs to express their reactions or thoughts, introduce anonymous submissions for candid responses, and even offer awards for the most thoughtful answers. Incorporating new tools like Mentimeter keeps learning fun and dynamic.
Incorporate our philanthropy-based lesson plans into your teaching, encouraging rich discussions and helping students develop a deeper understanding of complex topics. Download here.
Interesting facts:
https://www.mentimeter.com/stories/making-education-fun-engaging-and-interactive-with-mentimeter
Tips and tricks:
https://www.mentimeter.com/es-ES/blog/education/keep-students-engaged
Blogger is a free blogging platform by Google that allows users to create and publish blogs. It’s ideal for sharing reflections, project updates, and educational content.
Benefits:
Writing Skills: Enhances writing and communication skills.
Reflection: Encourages reflection and critical thinking.
Engagement: Engages students in sharing their thoughts and projects publicly.
Documentation: Provides a platform to document and showcase student work.
Steps to Use:
Sign In: Access Blogger by signing in with your Google account.
Create a New Blog: Choose a title, URL, and template for your blog.
Write Posts: Create and publish posts with text, images, videos, and links.
Customize: Customize your blog’s design and layout using Blogger’s tools.
Share: Share your blog with students, parents, and the community.
Exercise:
Create a class blog where students can contribute articles and photos on a collective green initiative, such as building a community garden. This collaborative effort not only enhances writing skills but also highlights the impact of green entrepreneurship.
Unlock the potential of your classroom with our interactive philanthropy lesson plans, designed to foster dynamic discussions and cultivate deeper insights! Download here.
Tips and tricks:
AnswerGarden is a minimalistic feedback tool used for real-time audience participation, brainstorming, and classroom feedback. It’s perfect for generating word clouds from short text answers.
Benefits:
Real-Time Feedback: Provides real-time feedback and collective brainstorming.
Simplicity: Simple and easy-to-use interface.
Engagement: Engages students in a collaborative brainstorming process.
Visualization: Creates visual word clouds that highlight popular responses.
Steps to Use:
Visit Website: Go to answergarden.ch and create a new AnswerGarden.
Pose a Question: Enter your question and customize the settings (e.g., brainstorming mode, classroom mode).
Share: Share the link with your students and have them submit their responses.
View Responses: Watch the word cloud grow in real-time as students add their answers.
Analyze: Discuss the results and use them for further discussion or planning.
Exercise:
Guide your students to brainstorm potential social enterprise ideas by submitting their suggestions through AnswerGarden. The resulting word cloud will visually represent the most popular ideas, sparking discussions on which social enterprises could make a meaningful impact.
Our philanthropy-inspired lesson plans create an interactive learning environment that fuels engaging discussions and builds deeper knowledge among your students! Download here.
Interesting Facts:
https://answergarden.ch/contribute/
Tips and tricks:
Twee: A platform that promotes student engagement through interactive storytelling and collaborative writing.
Rewordify: This tool simplifies complex texts, making them more accessible for students while helping them improve their vocabulary.
Diffit: An educational resource that allows teachers to differentiate instruction by providing personalized content tailored to individual student needs.
Mangoai.com: A language-learning tool that uses AI to adapt lessons to each student’s level, enhancing language acquisition in the classroom.
Readlang: This application helps learners improve their language skills by providing translations and tools to practice reading with real-world content.
DeepL: A powerful translation tool that offers accurate translations, making it a great resource for multilingual classrooms.
Lyricstraining: An engaging way to learn languages through music by using song lyrics to practice listening and comprehension skills.
Quizlet: A versatile tool for creating flashcards and interactive quizzes, ideal for reinforcing learning through gamification.
Curipod: An interactive presentation tool that allows teachers to create engaging lessons with multimedia and instant feedback.
Quizizz: A fun platform for creating quizzes and assessments, encouraging friendly competition and real-time engagement among students.