At it's base level, Google Slides can be used as a presentation app. However, with the use of hyperlinks, this tool can be used to guide students through dynamic learning experiences. Students can follow links to external websites as well be taken to other slides within the presentation. This allows for the application to be used as a "choose your own adventure" style learning experience. Our goal will be to provide students with multiple pathways of research and have them make judgements about various sources we provide them.

Digital Escape rooms, also known as digital breakout rooms, allow teachers to “gamify” the learning experience for students. Students will show their learning by responding to questions on google classroom. These questions will be used as “Keys” to move onto the next part of the lesson. Students who respond correctly move on, students who don’t will need to attempt this section of the lesson again. This gamified experience provides instant feedback for students, while also providing challenges that motivate students to move through the learning process. It also provides teachers with quick assessments of student progress.

Google forms will be used to develop the escape room, but they will also be embedded throughout the learning process to provide students with opportunities for reflection. Teachers can use these reflections as formative assessments throughout the learning experience.

Padlet is an online bulletin board. Students can add “post it notes” to the board with responses to questions posed by the teacher. Other students can reply to those notes with ideas of their own. This is a relatively simple and easy to use forum that teachers can modify for their own needs. Click the video tutorial below to learn more about how Padlet works. Click the Padlet Logo to the right to try it out!