To finish up 2024, Russell Stannard created a YouTube video about his choices of the best tools for EFL that were available in 2024. He covers MagicSchool, Wordwall, Diffit, and QuestionWell. The entire video is 15 minutes and 18 seconds long, but if you mouse over the time-line, you can jump to the next tool.
To link the previous lesson with this one, please re-watch this excellent summary from EduTopia about educational video (immediately below). Note that they favor making your own videos (which we will learn how to do later in the course); but the information is relevant for choosing pre-existing videos, manipulating pre-existing videos, or creating totally new videos.
As you will see, the video clip is actually a segment from a longer video, which I manipulated. There is an inserted audio comment to add some information and an inserted question to check if the viewers were following and understanding the content. This manipulation is a product of Edpuzzle.
Please note:
Because of some technical glitch, the video might jump up and down a bit. If you click on the volume button, this will stop the movement. (Very strange indeed!)
After you interact with the video and you don't know what's next, scroll down the video frame. You'll probably find the CONTINUE button there.
There are a number of tools that will allow you to manipulate pre-existing video clips. Some will allow snipping the irrelevant material and ending up with a shorter video. Some will allow inserting audio and textual material to help students better focus on and understand the content of the video. Some will allow inserting spot-quizzes to check the student's attention to the video and comprehension of the content. Some tools will allow you to track the student's progress.
Edpuzzle does all of these things, allowing the teacher to adapt pre-existing video material to exactly the needs of an individual class. You can show a modified video, with embedded open questions, frontally in class (or during a Zoom session). On the other hand, you can show a modified video with multiple-choice questions to a class or to individuals.
Edpuzzle will also allow you to create video clips, from the original video, without the advertisements! (At least this was true at the time of the writing of this lesson.) This hopefully would allow teachers to get permission from schools that block YouTube to use material originally YouTube.
Edpuzzle also saves the teacher-created products to be used again in the future. Not only that, Edpuzzle offers a free "class" option that will track the students' activities. Who watched the video and who didn't? Who actually finished watching the video? Did the student understand the content of the video (as evidenced by answering the embedded questions correctly)?
Because the folks at Edpuzzle have updated the interface so often and the tool has become so multifaceted, there's a bit of a learning curve when you start. Nevertheless, the logic and positioning of the buttons and menus will make things easy in the long run.
In the recent past, Edpuzzle has allowed tight integration with the Google Classrooms system, so many of the tutorials about Edpuzzle and some of the internal navigation refer to this option. If you do use Google Classrooms, then great. If not (and for our for our class), please do not use those options.
Recently the folks at Edpuzzle produced a number of very short video tutorials. I will present them all here. I suggest watching them all at least once, but this is OPTIONAL. For the homework, you might want to come back to some of them. (Btw, you might want to subscribe to the Edpuzzle YouTube channel to get future updates.)
While you are watching, consider the following:
I suggest your signing in with your email address (i.e., via Edpuzzle) and NOT "Google Sign-In." (If you were using Google Classrooms - which you aren't - then using your Google Sign-in would be necessary.) Google knows too much about you already.
You obviously need a TEACHER account. (If you want to use the "Edpuzzle class" option, your students will need STUDENT accounts.)
OK, now watch the REQUIRED videos (a total of 5 minutes and 42 seconds) and hopefully the HIGHLY RECOMMENDED videos (a total of 4 minutes and 14 seconds). If you want to use the "Edpuzzle class" in the future, then watch the OPTIONAL videos.
Please be aware that:
The AI option in the Question section did not exist at the time of the production of the tutorials.
The interface may have changed slightly since the production of these tutorials, so be flexible!
AI in Edpuzzle
The folks at Edpuzzle have recently added an AI option, called "Teacher Assist" which creates questions, which you should then check and edit. Here's a short September 2023 tutorial by Marshal Beyer, who uses the Edpuzzle extension (which you don't have to use, if you don't want to).
Be aware that:
Sometimes the AI option will not work. (At the time of this writing, it is still in Beta.)
You should always check the output carefully. Are the questions logical and suitable for your specific class?
After watching the tutorials, create a brief Edpuzzle
Use a YouTube video that has relevant content for your own teaching needs. (If your school blocks YouTube, then use one of the other sources in Edpuzzle that does work in your school.)
Change the name of the video clip (upper left).
Trim the beginning and the end of the video so you get only the important content for your teaching needs. If you want to experiment with editing out a less important section during the video, go ahead.
Remember the EduTopia formula for the maximum length of a video! For this lesson, please try to create a short clip (no more than one or two minutes!!). In addition, the other students in the class will be looking at your video, so keep it brief (two minutes, maximum, for the homework).
For the homework, insert just ONE multiple choice question. Feel free to present whatever feedback you want for correct and/or incorrect answers. For your own teaching, you can insert as many questions as you want.
For the homework, insert just ONE audio "note" to pause the video and highlight something important at that point. In general, you can also add textual notes, but this assignment calls for an audio note. (For some strange reason, you create audio and textual "notes" in the "Questions" section!?!) For your own teaching, you can insert as many comments as you want.
When you are done, click on FINISH (top right - blue button).
In the next screen, make sure that the Edpuzzle is PUBLIC (upper right).
Click on the SHARE PREVIEW option (upper right) to COPY the SHARING LINK (for homework today) and see where the SHARING CODE is (for embedding it in your website later).
Strangely enough, there is not final SAVE button. If you have reached this point, Edpuzzle has automatically saved you work in the "My Content" area. Click on the EdPuzzle icon (upper left) and return to the general content screen. Click on My Content and see that your manipulated video is there.
At this point, SELECT it by putting a check in the box. A menu bar will appear at the bottom of the screen. Among other things, you can ASSIGN it to an "Edpuzzle class" or SHARE the PREVIEW, edit it, duplicate it (to modify the copy), move it to a folder, delete it, etc.)
The Edpuzzle that you created should now be stored in the MY CONTENT section of the Edpuzzle site. Normally, you can now either ASSIGN it to an "Edpuzzle class" or allow it to be a free-standing video clip (using the SHARE PREVIEW / PUBLIC options). If it is in an "Edpuzzle class," then only students from that class can see and do it, and you get to see their work and scores. You, as the TEACHER of the class, get all the information so that you can make formative decisions about future lessons. If your Edpuzzle is a free-standing video clip (i.e., via the SHARE PREVIEW option for PUBLIC viewing), then anyone can use it, but there is no tracking of the student's progress or achievement.
You can show the video frontally to you class while each student is responding to the questions. You can track the students' progress in real-time and respond as necessary. You can pause the video in order to give a better explanation or to get student feedback. Please watch the following explanation of the LIVE MODE in Edpuzzle:
Please note: Late homework will be penalized 20% of the initial grade.
Open a free TEACHER account with Edpuzzle, if possible, using your regular email (i.e., not with your "Google Sign-in" or a "Facebook Sign-in").
Select a YouTube video that is relevant for your teaching and use Edpuzzle to focus on the most important section of the video:
A) Change the name of the video snippet (upper left)
B) Trim the beginning and the end of the video to get a short segment (less than 2 minutes!!). (EDIT>CUT by using the left-hand slider and then the right-hand slider)
C) Insert just ONE audio note. (EDIT>QUESTIONS>NOTE>Mic icon)
D) Insert just ONE multiple choice question. (EDIT>QUESTIONS>MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTIONS)
E) Click the FINISH button.
F) Make the clip PUBLIC.
G) Click SHARE PREVIEW. COPY the SARING URL (i.e., not the "code").
In the MOODLE discussion forum for Lesson 08, PASTE the SHARING URL into your post. After you upload your post, click on the link to make sure it works!
View at least TWO Edpuzzles that other students have made.
In you second post, comment on at least ONE of the other Edpuzzles. Make polite constructive comments, if necessary. Did the Edpuzzle achieve its purpose? Were there any technical problems? Remember, we will all learn more if we learn together.