In our modern world, there are so many technology tools that teachers can use in their classroom to enhance student learning. Integrating technology into the classroom creates learners who are actively engaged with learning objectives as well as creating pathways to differentiate instruction to meet the unique needs of students (Drexel University School of Education, n.d.). We will explore three technology tools that can be used in the classroom to differentiate instruction:
1. Flip
This site has been around for awhile but provides so many different opportunities for enhancement of learning experiences in the classroom! Students are able to record themselves (video and audio) and add their responses to a class grid where others can view the videos and comment on them. Educators are able to make the responses visible to only the teacher if needed (Eichholz, 2020).
- Ease of Use: this tool is very simple for teachers and students to use. It looks very similarly to different social media sites that are out there! It can be engaging for students based on how it looks and provides the opportunity for students to create videos and comment on each other's videos.
- Practicality: using a tool like this can provide opportunities for collaboration and discussion in the classroom. Student talk is important for learners of all types and finding fresh and new ways to get students talking is extremely beneficial!
- Cost: this site is absolutely FREE for teacher and student use! It comes as a website and/or app that can be used on any device type.
- Cross Curricular Ability: this tool can be used across all subject areas! It could also provide great opportunities for teachers to work cross curricularly between subjects through project based learning experiences.
- How it Differentiates: educators can use this site to provide choice and opportunities for their students. It could be a way for students to verbally and visually demonstrate mastery of a concept. It could also be used for project based learning experiences or a non-traditional presentation type. It provides a differentiated experience for more visual/auditory learners while engaging all types of learners through its social media look.
- Instructional Strategies: this site can be extremely engaging for all learners in the classroom. It is presented to look like social media but is more controlled and overseen by the teacher. It provides opportunities for students to collaborate, discuss, debate, and share their ideas with one another.
2. EdPuzzle
Teachers can use this site to find already made videos to accompany lessons or upload videos of their own. They can crop the video, insert an audio message, record their voice over the video, prevent students from skipping through the video, and embed different types of quiz questions throughout the video (Stern, 2015).
- Ease of Use: this site is very user friendly. It was designed for teachers to be able to use with students to enhance, support, and enrich the learning that is happening within the classroom walls. It offers many already created videos for public use that can be easily copied to your account and assigned to students. It also offers link-ability to your Google classroom account!
- Practicality: this tool can be used in many ways. It can help provide enrichment opportunities for students who have mastered a skill and are ready to move forward, it can help break a concept down into smaller parts to ease understanding, it can accompany a lesson you are doing within the classroom, and the list could go on! Students and teachers are able to easily navigate their way around the site to enhance learning experiences.
- Cost: this site is a paid subscription that is paid through a school district for use. With that, it provides all teachers in the district access to all of the already made videos as well as the ability to publish your own videos for use. This would be a bigger investment into learning so please involve your district administration on this!
- Cross Curricular Ability: educators of all subject areas and matter are able to use this site! Personally, I have found videos to use in all major subject areas: reading, writing, social studies, science, language, and math. With the vast variety of videos on this site, you are bound to find lots of different options to accompany the work you are doing in the classroom. It can also be helpful to catch students up on concepts that they might have missed out on while absent.
- How it Differentiates: one of the best things about this tool is its ability to differentiate for all types of learners and ability levels. If you want to find videos for students to follow along and read books, there are many out there. The videos are simple Youtube videos where the text is shown and read aloud for students to easily follow along with. Each video also allows closed captions to be shown on the bottom of the video screen for visual learners.
- Instructional Strategies: educators are able to use this site to fit the needs of different types of learners whether that be visual or auditory learners. It can be used as an individual tool for enhancement or enrichment as well as used with a small group or whole group instruction. This could also be a tool used to provide experiences for students where physical resources might be lacking (such as science experiments, field trips, etc.).
3. Rewordify
This is a great tool to use, especially with struggling readers and/or struggling reading comprehenders! This site allows you to copy and paste text into the site and have it summarized in more straightforward language (Eichholz, 2020).
- Ease of Use: this site is extremely simple to use for students and teachers. It is a basic website that is easily readable and able to navigate. Right on the top of the site page are the two text boxes, one to paste text into, and another where it will produce the more simplified version of the original text.
- Practicality: students of all ages can easily use this site without adult help or oversee needed. No one needs an intensive understanding of technology to be able to use it--which is great!
- Cost: this site is 100% FREE! No subscriptions or accounts are needed to be able to access this site.
- Cross Curricular Ability: one of the best things about this site it is can be used for ALL text types. It can be used in all subject areas and with all types of text. This could come in handy with subjects that are not as easy to understand such as different classic novels or plays, text about historical events, and so many more!
- How it Differentiates: as previously stated, students are able to navigate this site easily all by themselves. It can be easily bookmarked for consistent use in whatever browser is used at school and home. It can help ease frustration with trying to read higher level or more complex texts.
- Instructional Strategies: students can use this site on their own or with peers during collaboration on a project or group task. It can help students of varying academic level communicate with each other about a topic or concept they are learning about. It can even be used for peer to peer instruction! Students can work through problem solving skills to figure out how to explain a concept for a fellow peer to understand using simpler/easier to understand terms.
References
Drexel University School of Education. (n.d.). How to integrate technology in the classroom: Benefits & effects. Drexel University. https://drexel.edu/soe/resources/student-teaching/advice/how-to-use-technology-in-the-classroom/
Eichholz, T. (2020, September 17). Top edtech tools for digital differentiation. Cypher Learning. https://www.cypherlearning.com/blog/k-20/top-edtech-tools-for-digital-differentiation
Stern, J. (2015, March 30). Enhancing learning through differentiated technology. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/blog/enhanced-learning-through-differentiated-technology-julie-stern
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