Flipgrid
Flipgrid is a free video discussion tool for educators, in which teachers create and post videos on a grid-like discussion board.
First Steps
Getting Started:
User Communities and sites:
Instagram: @flipgrid, #Flipgrid
Twitter: @flipgrid, #Flipgrid, #FlipgridForAll
Technical Specifications:
Flipgrid requires wifi access to record and save videos. It works on:
Computer
Tablet
Smartphones
Login, create an account, or use a join code for a temporary session (for students)
Next Steps (Advanced Tips)
Remote Learning with Flipgrid - includes multiple translations
Some advanced features of Flipgrid include editing groups, adding “copilots” (master editors), duplicating groups, sending group notifications, teams integration (making teams that you can get real time data with - links to Microsoft Teams classroom), and exporting data.
Instructional Design
Flipgrid is an ideal platform for introductions and presentations. It is not as well suited to lectures as Screencastify and other screencasting programs, but it is a great place to collect student voice samples and can be used by teachers for shorter videos.
In Flipgrid, you can assign topics that students can record responses to. Prompts can be up to 1000 characters, and you can include a link to a longer assignment. Recordings can range from 15 seconds to 10 minutes.
There are many video creation options: editing, controlling comments (allow/disallow student replies), attaching links (students can add docs with their videos - great for essays and creative projects, or presentations), check view counts and likes (hide or display), or add sticky notes (allow students to add them to recordings).
Notifications can be created and sent out daily, weekly, with every new video, and downloaded to share. Additionally, feedback emails can be sent to students which can be basic or customized with teacher created rubrics.
General Guides to Classroom Use:
50 ways to use this Flipgrid in the classroom
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion considerations:
Flipgrid educators discuss discipline, relationships with families
Instructional Grouping(s):
Individual or Large group
Make videos personal (like summative submissions just for you) or make it communal, where students can see and comment on each other’s work.
Be mindful that Flipgrid looks like many social media apps. This can attract students, but might also distract students. Know your group!
Formative and Summative Assessment Options:
Use Flipgrid to collect short video responses for formative work, like share outs or responses to discussion questions.
Use Flipgrid to collect longer video responses for summative work, like formal presentations or explanations of creative work.
Lessons and Applications:
Here is a complete guide to the myriad ways teachers might use Flipgrid to build community and collect work in the classroom (digital or otherwise).
Other Uses, Examples, Applications:
Mature students could use Flipgrid to collect work and explanations from each other for data or survey based projects.
Management
Student Management:
Manage students desire to create the “perfect” video by giving them time limits - otherwise, many will keep recording and redoing endlessly. Especially for introductions, make sure they don’t feel pressure to look perfect by setting norms and giving an example.
Moderate student content by hiding responses until activating or waiting to publish materials until a certain time (like when class starts, or when a response it due).
Add media resources to engage students; some examples are: recording/uploading a video, Youtube, adding images/gifs/emojis, or linking content from most popular EdTech Programs: Microsoft Teams, Google classroom, Kahoot, Wakelet, Nearpod, etc.
Student Engagement:
Engage students by modeling all projects - introduce yourself to inspire them! Encourage or require them to leave comments to build on work created by others.
Student Privacy and Security:
Common Sense Education Review of Flipgrid
Be aware that Flipgrid mines data - they collect and store all content created in app.
Differentiation and Adaptation
Diverse Learners:
This is an introduction video for students.
Students can join using a Microsoft or Google school email, or with a username (not recommended). There is Help** feature (with chat format) in the upper right hand corner at all times.
There is also an in-app help feature, GridPals, where teachers. can connect with other Flipgrid educators. Filter the 32,000 GridPals to match by grade, subject, and location.
Adaptive and Assistive Features:
Closed captions are available in eleven languages.
Hybrid Strategies
Use Flipgrid in a classroom the same as you would remotely - for collecting introductions and/or presentations. Great for formal work and practice.