What if I told you there was one tech tool that supports key skills such as collaboration, critical thinking, and metacognition, all while having fun? Allow me to introduce to you Pear Deck’s Flashcard Factory! Let’s explore how Pear Deck’s game-based approach to vocabulary with Flashcard Factory can revolutionize the learning experience, making it fun, meaningful, and effective.
What is Flashcard Factory?
Students team up and cooperate to produce spirited and captivating flashcards. By working together, they depict and explain the terms, transforming vocabulary learning into a lively and collaborative endeavor. Gamification has been proven to increase motivation and engagement. Flashcard Factory’s interactive and gamified approach transforms the traditional classroom into an exciting place of exploration and discovery, making it a powerful tool for educators. Please note that both the teacher and students must log in with a Google or Microsoft account to play Flashcard Factory.
Pre-Pear Flashcard Factory Learning in Five Easy Steps
1. LAUNCH
After logging into your Pear Deck account as a teacher, click Flashcard Factory. Create your vocabulary list by entering your own terms and definitions or by pasting your list from somewhere else. Once your terms are ready, start the game.
2. CLOCK IN
Students join the Flashcard Factory game by going to joinpd.com and entering the code on the screen. Once everyone has joined, the teacher clicks Clock In. Students are grouped into Day Shift and Night Shift, where they will be asked to submit example sentences, definitions, or illustrations of the terms.
3. PRODUCTION PHASE
This is where the magic happens. Students draw illustrations and write examples for the terms or give their own definitions of the terms in Flashcard Factory. When they are done with each card, they “ship it” and submit their answers for approval. They are assigned a new term, and the process repeats.
4. QUALITY CONTROL
The teacher (and the students, if you choose to include them in the evaluation process) get final approval for the set of Flashcard Factory flashcards. The students’ screens are frozen during this phase, so they can focus on the Projector View. Review the cards one by one and choose the ones you want for the final study set. Click the Accept (green check) or Reject (red X) buttons.
5. SHIPPING
Once you’ve moved to this phase, the teacher can choose whether to print the flashcard set or export it to Gimkit to play fun games
Here is a great six-minute overview and explanation of Flashcard Factory:
Skills Learned in the Process
Pear Deck’s Flashcard Factory enhances student engagement and nurtures essential skills such as critical thinking and metacognition. Since it’s designed for collaboration, students work in teams to create flashcards, promoting cooperative learning and communication skills.
Developing critical thinking skills especially comes into play if you choose to involve the students in the Quality Control phase of Flashcard Factory. The peer review process encourages students to critically evaluate each other’s work, reinforcing the material and improving their critical thinking abilities. Constructive criticism and learning from peers create a supportive and inclusive learning environment.
Metacognition, or the ability to think about one’s thinking, is a skill that can greatly enhance a student’s learning journey. Flashcard Factory encourages students to self-assess. They must reflect on their understanding of the material, which helps them recognize their strengths and areas that need improvement.
Learning Can Be a Pear-adise of Growth!
When students are actively involved in their learning process and given opportunities to collaborate, think critically, and assess their own progress, they feel empowered. An empowered student is more likely to be an enthusiastic and motivated learner, driving success both in and out of the classroom. Try Pear Deck’s Flashcard Factory in your classroom and watch your students thrive in a fun, engaging, and empowering educational journey.
Resources:
- GoGuardian’s Getting Started Guide
- GoGuardian’s Playing the Game Tutorial
- Creating Your Vocabulary List
- EdTech Nerds Pear Deck Walkthrough
- The Benefits of Using Pear Deck in the Classroom
Don’t miss the chance to see Destiny at TCEA 2024! She will be presenting in six sessions on everything from Wakelet and Pear Deck to Mindfulness and Digital Portfolios. Pricing increases on January 13, so hurry and register to get discounted pricing on the educator event of the year in Austin, Texas!
