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As we talk about best practices with technology use in the classroom, I love bringing up the SAMR model. If you are not familiar with this model, it basically looks at how/if the technology improved the learning.
Essentially, a digital form of worksheet...is still a worksheet. If the technology isn't improving the learning outcome, then don't use it.
As we have these discussions around tech use, the number one word I hear is engagement.
"When using technology, the students seem more engaged" -A lot of people
The technology isn't engaging, it's entertaining. The engagement is in the INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICE.
Sorry for the bold and capital letters, but I really want to hammer that point in. For teachers who have the best results with technology, it isn't about the stuff. I am going to use the rest of this blog to revisit four instructional tech tools/activities that I have shared before, either in this blog or in a session (PD or conference), and give examples of how you can move from entertaining to engaging, impacting instructional practice.
Student Response Tools
Student Response Tools
There are a lot of student response tools that are highly entertaining. My favorite tools are Kahoot! and Quizlet Live. Below are video tutorials on how to use them, if you aren't familiar.
Both Kahoot! and Quizlet Live are fun. You walk into a classroom in which these two tools are being used and the kids are very entertained. Let's dig deeper. Kahoot! questions are multiple choice, and Quizlet Live is matching. We are talking about really entertaining basic recall. If we gave the same students flashcards with the identical content, we would realize that this instructional practice isn't engaging...these tools are entertaining.
Instructional practice will shift this conversation from entertainment to engagement. Both Kahoot! and Quizlet Live give teachers a summary of results, so instead of using these tools for an entertaining unit review, what if you used them as a mid-unit formative assessment? The questions might still be basic recall, but you would get feedback on student understanding and then could adjust your future instruction accordingly. To take this practice even further, what if you constructed the answers to give you better feedback? The example below is a multiple choice question for a double digit addition equation. The answer set is designed for feedback, a correct answer, an incorrect answer due to computation, an incorrect answer due to place value, and an incorrect answer that doesn't make sense.
If you would structure your entire Kahoot! with similar questions and answers designed to give you feedback on types of errors, it transforms into a formative assessment which allows you to cater your instruction to meet the needs of your students. This turns entertainment into engagement.
Another great add on to student response tools, is a student quick write review. Before moving to the next question on a Kahoot!, or after you complete a Quizlet Live, have the students write about their process, detailing why they were or weren't successful and what they need to do to improve.
Between the formative feedback from the answer responses and the student quick write, just think of how that could impact your future instruction.
Collaborative Problem Solving Activities
Collaborative Problem Solving Activities
Mystery Hangouts and Breakout Boxes are the latest in a trend of collaborative group problem solving activities that many of you have used and experienced. I love how technology is a big part of these types of activities, but only when it needs to be. Students often experience "productive struggle" or "failing forward" opportunities and it's a pretty entertaining activity for all involved.
What's a Mystery Hangout?
What's a Mystery Hangout?
A mystery hangout is when you connect with another classroom someplace in the world and basically play 20 questions to find out where they are located. It's a great activity to reinforce geography skills in the classroom
Breakout Box...What is that?
Breakout Box...What is that?
A Breakout Box is a physical box with an award in it. The box typically has a series of locks on it, that can be opened using clues to discover the combinations. Working as a group, students have to use their resources to problem solve together.
Both of these activities involve some awesome collaboration skills and students are very entertained. Similar to the response tools above, I think we can move the instructional needle a lot with these activities by adding reflection to the practice. What if students in the mystery hangout reflected individually on each question that was asked.
- Did the question reduce the possible answer or keep the possible answers the same?
- What states did the question rule out or what states are possible answers?
- How could the question be improved? Why would the change be an improvement?
You could do something similar for the breakout box, creating a "Lock Journal." For each lock you could take notes on the following questions:
- What were the different combinations you attempted?
- Why was the attempt probable or why do you think it was a good attempt?
- What clues led you to the correct combination?
My favorite idea is to tell the students they are "YouTube Mystery Hangout or Breakout Box Reviewers." Have them create a short video, or just a script reviewing how the class did, spotlighting what was successful and difficult in the activity. By adding these type of processes, students start explaining their thinking and reasoning, giving you another great formative assessment to adjust your instruction for future lessons.
The four tools/activities I spotlighted today are tools I love and promote the use of. I think all of them can be tremendously engaging for students and fantastic formative assessments to inform practice. However, I often see them used as culminating activities or reviews prior to a summative assessment. I think if we are using experiences like this at the end of units, we are missing an opportunity to get real feedback on student understanding and reasoning. Let's move these entertaining and engaging activities to the beginning or middle of units, so we can inform our instruction around the needs of our students.
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