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Screenscastify fideo display on top of a Google Slide deck.
Google Tips and Tricks

Adding Webcam Video to Google Slides with Screencastify

by Peggy Reimers
written by Peggy Reimers

Since the pandemic hit, TCEA has furiously moved our face-to-face professional development online. We now have 16 self-paced courses ready to go with more in the works. Check out the lineup here.

Just like many of you, I had to get up to speed on recording videos very quickly. My go-to screencasting tool is Screencastify. I started out with the free pricing plan, which included the five-minute maximum recording time. The rule of thumb for video creation at TCEA is to keep your videos between three to six minutes long. So the free version almost did the trick, but I decided to invest in the unlimited plan which is $49 per person per year. BUT wait, the education discount is only $29 with more editing features. What a deal!

Roadblock

webcam image displayed in lower right hand corner with Google Slides.
My hack solution for embedding my webcam with Google Slides

My video recording was swimming along just fine until I hit a little roadblock. When I tried to use my live webcam with Google Slides, the webcam video would disappear. Very frustrating!  I tried everything to make my webcam video appear in the corner of my slide deck, but it was simply not happening. So armed with my educator attitude, I knew I could come up with something. My hack was to leave Slides in edit mode, move the filmstrip view clear to the left side of my screen. Then the webcam picture would hang off the slide deck and onto my desktop. Not the prettiest and most professional, but it worked.

Help Arrives from Screencastify

But after a while, I decided to reach out to Screencastify support for help. Viola! I heard back within a day. And, of course, it came with the answer in the form of a video from Screencastify. It is a solution where you hit your forehead and exclaim, “Why didn’t I think of that!” Caution: This trick does not work for PowerPoint or Keynote.

Here is the YouTube video link Screencastify provided me. Or you can check out this handy-dandy graphic I made showing the magic remedy to embed your webcam with Google Slides in four easy steps:

Screenshot of steps 1-4.
Screenshot by author.

The Top Three Tips for Video Recording

  1. Follow the rule of thirds – keep your face and body in the middle of the screen.
  2. Lightning is SO important.
  3. Keep your video length to three to six minutes.

Become a Pro

If you want to get more comfortable with screencasting, check out the Screencasting for Educators online, self-paced course from TCEA. The course was designed by my colleague Miguel Guhlin and it is jam-packed full of content. Not only is Screencastify covered, but Flipgrid, Screencast-O-Matic, Loom for EDu, and OBS Studio are included. He also discusses a wide variety of key concepts, including high-effect size instructional strategies, tips, and video editing basics.  Knowing how to create engaging video screencasts, including audio and video components from a variety of copyright-free media, can make viewing better for students.

Featured image by author.

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A female students uses technology for a STEM project as a result of a teacher adopting ed tech in their classroom.
Educational ResearchInstructional CoachingLeadershipProfessional Learning

Five Stages of K-12 Ed Tech Adoption: Part 2

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

When teachers grow in confidence, they change the way they teach using technology. This is Stage 4 of the Five Stages of Ed Tech Adoption in K-12; the last stage is Innovation and Leadership (Stage 5). Let’s dig into these last two stages.

Five Stages of EdTech Adoption infographic showing the five stages educators go through as they move toward ed tech adoption in their classroom.
Five Stages of EdTech Adoption – View the Five Stages of Classroom EdTech Adoption in K-12

Why Spend Time on Ed Tech?

It’s easy to see the challenges educators face. Without the factors outlined below, ed tech adoption fails. This is in the face of research about ed tech effectiveness. Consider this quote:

…the scientific consensus suggests that educational technology can have a positive impact on student achievement. Its effectiveness is not guaranteed and depends on a range of factors. Those factors include the quality of implementation, the educational context, and the support provided to teachers and students.

OECD Publishing – Students, Computers and Learning Making the Connection

Worse, the Reboot Foundation states that their data suggests that:

“…technology may not always be used in a way that prompts richer forms of learning.”

They point out the following:

  • Schools and teachers should be more careful about when—and how—education technology is deployed in classrooms.
  • Moderate use of technology is often the most effective for younger students.
  • Experts recommend limiting the use of devices for young children.
  • Technology seems the least helpful for younger students learning to read.
  • Non-digital tools work better for younger students who are mastering the basics of language.
  • Digital tools that provide immediate instructional feedback can show a high impact.
  • Technology can be particularly beneficial for promoting richer thinking among older students.

In light of this information, it might be safe to draw the same conclusion as OECD Publishing’s report.

…ensuring that every child attains a baseline level of proficiency in reading and mathematics seems to do more to create equal opportunities in a digital world than can be achieved by expanding or subsidizing access to high-tech devices and services…students who use computers very frequently at school do a lot worse in most learning outcomes, even after accounting for social background and student demographics.

OECD Publishing – Students, Computers and Learning Making the Connection

Teaching kids reading and math is key to equality. More tech doesn’t help as much. Using computers too much at school can hurt grades, no matter where a kid comes from. With that in mind, what can teachers do to harness ed tech?

Stage 4: Confidence and Mastery

Teachers have access to many digital tools. How can they ensure these contribute to effective teaching? In this stage:

Teachers improve with technology. They learn how it changes teaching. They pick the right tools for each task. They make the right choices when helping students learn and express themselves. With technology, teachers are able to better meet the needs of each pupil.

In this stage, technology supports learning in these ways:

  • Scaffolding. Create scaffolded learning experiences for students using inquiry-based projects and technology. These present learning as a series of challenges students must navigate.
  • Active Learning. Digital tools facilitate problem-solving, discussion, and reflection activities through interactive simulations, collaborative platforms, and opportunities for real-world use.
  • Feedback. Teachers can provide feedback to students through prompt assessments. Students use the information to better control their learning.
  • Personalization. Teachers can use assessment feedback to better customize learning projects and activities for students.

For teachers, professional learning involves self-guided movement to become more:

  • Collaborative with others to design lessons and refine classroom activities.
  • Observational of others’ classrooms and how they deploy technology in those situations.
  • Reflection-oriented to conduct self-assessments and come prepared to engage in professional learning communities (PLCs).

At TCEA’s events, educators dive into technology, learning to gain confidence and skills. They find workshops and expert talks on new teaching tools and methods to master them. Additionally, the TCEA TechNotes blog offers tips, tools, and research. TCEA is dedicated to supporting teachers in their confidence, mastery, and innovation.

Stage 5: Innovation and Leadership

In this final stage, educators proficient in new tools work to improve them. To borrow a Star Wars analogy, they progress to a level where they are fine-tuning their lightsabers.

In other words, they know how to use new teaching tools and are unafraid to tinker with them. They also:

  • Teach others, sharing success stories and tips.
  • Conduct action research with students to gauge their success at using technology.
  • Use their experience to improve the tools and how students use them; plus, they know how to assess success.
  • Champion technology that makes an evidence-backed difference in learning.

That final bullet means having a solid understanding of evidence-based education. Some examples in the classroom include:

  • Interactive video lessons with built-in assessments (consider using EdPuzzle)
  • Digital storytelling with video editing tools (such as Screencastify)
  • Formative assessment that ensures instant feedback for students (try Kahoot! or Quizizz)
  • Illustrating advanced processes, such as exploring photosynthesis with digital simulations (try Photosynthesis Lab by Glencoe/McGraw-Hill)

Parting Thoughts

As teachers embrace and improve their technology skills, they start changing how they teach. By Stage 4, they use digital tools well. They make lessons personal and engaging. They think in a critical manner and connect concepts and ideas. Teachers listen to students’ feedback to improve. In Stage 5, teachers lead and innovate. They help make and improve digital tools. They teach others, and push for proven tech that can change education. Embrace the Five Stages of Ed Tech Adoption in K-12 and take your teaching, and your students’ learning, to new heights.

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AI-Mazing Modern Assessment is...
Artificial IntelligenceAssessment

AI-Mazing Modern Assessment in the Age of AI

by Lindy Hockenbary
written by Lindy Hockenbary

How do I assess learning when generative AI can complete traditional assessments with a high level of accuracy? This seems to be on every educator’s mind, for good reason. I propose one solution: modern assessments!

What Is Modern Assessment?

Modern assessments exhibit the following key characteristics. They are formative or summative assessments of learning that:

  • Appeal to the students’ world of instant answers, rapidly evolving technologies, and sharing with authentic audiences via social media
  • Bring what students do in their spare time into the classroom
  • Purposefully amplify the human advantage by focusing on synthesizing information and using it to create visual, multimedia products
  • Allow for collaboration with AI (and/or fellow learners) but cannot be completed fully by AI

By requiring students to create, think critically, and problem solve, modern assessments are AI copy-and-paste-proof! 

Graphic explaining the characteristics of modern assessment outlined in the article.
Created by TCEA | Access the Template

Example Modern Assessment: Snaps

Explain in a series of Snaps or a Snapchat video what characteristics identify art from the Impressionist movement. You must:

  • Provide at least three examples of Impressionist art. Use these three examples to identify the characteristics described. Use annotation to specifically point out these characteristics.
  • Use an AI image generator to create an example of Impressionist art exemplifying the characteristics of Impressionism. Explain how your AI-generated image exemplifies these characteristics. Make sure to label the AI-generated image appropriately.
Example modern assessment using Snaps in Canva
Example modern assessment using Snaps in Canva
*AI-generated image created with Canva

Snaps are the output of the app called Snapchat. Snaps can be images or videos, which makes it easy to integrate them into many learning outcomes easy. There is almost always text, images, annotations/drawings, and stickers over the top of the image or video.

While it is possible for students to seek answers from an AI chatbot regarding the identifying characteristics of art from the Impressionist movement, the true essence of this assessment lies in their ability to comprehend and synthesize that information into an authentic creation. Through original thought and creative expression, students engage in the process of crafting a unique final product. Adding annotations is key to ensuring the thinking is student-generated and one reason why Snaps are a great format for modern assessments.

This is also a great example of how we can collaborate with AI. It’s our new world, and collaborating with AI both in and out of the classroom is a skill students must learn.

Tools for Creating Student Snaps

I recommend three tools for creating school-friendly Snaps: 

For older students:

For younger kiddos:

Canva for Education

Among the numerous tools available for student creation, Canva for Education stands out as a top choice. I have even created a Canva Snap template to make it as easy as possible. Simply copy the template or share this template directly with students. Then, add your own content. 

Canva Snap template to use as a modern assessment
Access the Canva Snap Template

Additionally, you can easily recreate the Snap template in Adobe Express.

Google Slides or Microsoft PowerPoint

Yes, you can create so much more than slideshows in Google Slides and PowerPoint! Use this slides Snap template. If you would like it in Microsoft PowerPoint form go to File>Download>Microsoft PowerPoint.

Google Slides Snap template for a modern assessment
Access the Google Slides Template

Book Creator

This is the best option for younger students. Use the “portrait” style book to get the “look” of a Snap. Then, each page of the book becomes one Snap.

Snapchat Videos

Adding student voice via a Snap video even further ensures integrity and comprehension of assessments. You can create Snapchat videos directly in Canva. Canva has a screen record feature that will allow students to add their voice over the Snap. Book Creator offers an integrated screen recorder feature as well for easy addition of student voice. For slide creations, use a screencasting tool such as ScreenPal or Screencastify. 

Single Point Rubrics for Modern Assessments

I often receive the question: “These modern assessments sound great, but how do I assess them?” The answer is simple: single point rubrics! Well, the answer is really rubrics, but I am particularly fond of single point rubrics. A single point rubric includes a single column that indicates expectations for proficiency. Here is an example single point rubric for the impressionist art Snap assessment:

Areas for ImprovementCriteria for ProficiencyAreas That Exceed Expectations
Provides at least three clear examples of Impressionist art.
Uses the three examples to accurately identify the characteristics of Impressionist art.
Creates an image using an AI generator that clearly exemplifies Impressionist characteristics.
Provides a clear explanation of how the AI-generated image showcases the characteristics of Impressionism.
The AI-generated image is appropriately labeled, indicating it was generated by AI.

There are many benefits to using a single-point rubric over other rubric types:

  • Less text
  • Easier for students to read
  • Easier for students to find expectations
  • Easier and faster for teachers to make
  • Easier and faster for teachers to provide feedback

Have a generative AI tool, such as ChatGPT, help you create single-point rubrics for your modern assessments. This example rubric was generated by ChatGPT when I used this prompt:

Please create a single point rubric for this assessment: <enter assessment instructions<.

More Snap Ideas

  • Labs: #LabSnaps show the steps to complete a hands-on lab or explain one step of the lab in detail. #LabSnaps can also explain the safety elements of lab equipment. Any content area that completes hands-on labs could use this idea: science, woodworking, automotive, culinary arts, interior design, or fashion design.
  • Music: Create Snap videos of music excerpts and explain where and why accents were added. Or create a Snap video of how to clean and care for an instrument. 
  • Health: Create Snaps to demonstrate correct positions for stretching, weightlifting, or sports techniques.
  • English/Language arts: #BookSnaps are a great way to summarize any text from an assigned reading or explain figurative language. The annotations and audio components will ensure the summaries are in the students’ words.
  • World languages: Create a Snap video of a conversation in another language and add captions.
  • Culinary arts: Create #FoodSnaps to analyze specific elements of a dish: plating, taste, texture, etc.

I hope this article sparked ideas for using Snaps with your students to assess their learning and put their critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills to use. How will you get started with modern assessments in your classroom?

Article Summary by ChatGPT

In response to AI’s capability to ace traditional assessments, the blog introduces “modern assessments” that prioritize critical thinking and creativity, making them resistant to AI replication. These assessments require students to synthesize information into multimedia products, exemplified by the “Snaps” task where students explain Impressionist art characteristics. Tools like Canva, Google Slides, and PowerPoint are recommended for creating these assessments. To ensure authenticity, students can reflect via screencast videos.

Learn more from Lindy, along with thousands of other educators, at TCEA’s 2024 Convention & Exposition! She will present seven sessions, two of which dive deeper into AI. Don’t miss Lindy as she leads If You Can’t Beat AI, Challenge AI: The Human Advantage and AI-mazing Modern Assessments. Not into AI? There are hundreds of sessions to choose from on topics like digital tools for learning, research and best practices, and more.

See All TCEA’s Sessions
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Social-Emotional Learning

Activities for the End of the School Year

by Emily Horn
written by Emily Horn

Can you believe the end of the school year is near? My answer is complicated. On the one hand, yes, I can believe it. But on the other hand, I have no idea where the time went! Some days flew by while others slowly mosied along, seeming to never end. It was the fastest, slowest year I think I’ve ever had. Do you feel this way? To celebrate the end of one of the most challenging school years, I want to share some of my favorite ideas for end-of-school-year activities. Because you know what? You did it. You and your students made it through this year, and learning happened. And that should be celebrated.

Create a Visual Timeline

Turn your classroom or hallway into a visual timeline of the school year. Students can create videos using tools like Screencastify, FlipGrid, or the video app on a Chromebook, iPad, or laptop. Their videos can reflect on different units, activities, events, lessons, and field trips from the year. Turn the videos into QR codes and have students choose photos or draw pictures to include in the display. For example, you can have a poster for each month of the year. Students can place the QR code videos and photos (or drawings) on the correct poster.

When it’s all finished, have a museum walk with your class to reflect on all that you’ve accomplished together this year. Watch the videos, look at the pictures and drawings, and celebrate each other! (Spoiler Alert: You can also use this along with activity suggestion number three.) This is a great activity to encourage reflection at the end of the school year, and it’s super fun.

Write Thank You Letters or Cards

The end of the school year is a great time to think back about peers and teachers who have been supportive, helpful, encouraging, kind, collaborative, etc. We never reach success on our own. Ask students, “Who has helped you get through the year? Who has encouraged you and supported you in meeting your goals? Who has been a good friend?” Encourage them to make a list of people to whom they would like to write notes of thanks. But expressing gratitude is not easy, and it is a skill to be taught. Before beginning the writing, model examples of how we can give specific, meaningful, and honest thanks to others. Write a note of thanks as a class. Leave it up on the board as a reference for students as they write their own messages.

Visit the Grade Above and Welcome the Grade Below

Certain students may feel a high level of anxiety and the end of the school year. Some take everything in stride, but others may fear the unknown and all the changes that come with a new school year. Coordinate with a class in the grade level above and arrange a visit. The class could present their visual timeline or create a class presentation, and host a question and answer session for your students. This will help them know what to expect in their new grade level. Showing the visual timeline can give students specific things to look forward to. And hearing from other students directly about their experiences can help belay some fears. Also, consider hosting a class from the grade level below you! Your students will definitely take pride in talking about what they’ve accomplished and in answering younger students’ questions. It’s a great way to pass the torch!

Brainstorm Advice for the Upcoming Class

Ask the students to recall how they felt when they began the year. Were they a little nervous? Did they feel a bit lost or unsure? Well, the new students will likely feel the same way. As a class, brainstorm some advice and information that the new students might find helpful when starting the new year. Create a list of advice, have students write letters to the new students sharing their words of wisdom, or craft a letter as a class to the incoming class. This is an excellent activity for reflection and a practice in empathy.

End-of-Year Self-Reflection Survey

Have students answer a self-reflection survey. This can be done on paper, through video, or using a tool like Google Forms. Ask students questions that will instigate self-reflection, and the answers don’t necessarily have to be academic. This is a great gift for students to take with them at the end of the year, but it’s also valuable information to hand up to teachers in the next grade level. For example, you could ask questions like:

  1. In what area did you most improve?
  2. What gifts, talents, or skills do you have to offer your new class?
  3. What would you like to improve next year?
  4. How were you a leader this year?
  5. What was your favorite thing about this school year?
  6. What are you most proud of?
  7. If you could go back in time, would you do something differently?
  8. What was your least favorite thing about this year?
  9. What helped you learn best in class?
  10. Was there something in class that made it more difficult to learn?
Download the Self-Reflection Survey

Make a Class Book

Using a tool such as Book Creator, make a class book full of information and reflections about the year. Much like the visual timeline, students can write, draw pictures, record videos, and select photos for their class book. You can include pages about special lessons, projects, activities, and field trips and include examples of students’ work. This is a lovely keepsake for students and teachers alike!

Student Speeches

Last but not least, one end-of-year ritual that I love is the student-written speech. Guide students in writing short speeches about their year. In their speech, they can highlight one favorite event or activity, express gratitude to one person who helped them, talk about how they grew, and outline one goal they have for the upcoming year. Students can even use their self-reflection survey as a guide for their speech. Let students know that they will be performing their speeches in front of their peers. And if you work in a school where it’s possible to invite parents, invite them to be in on the fun. Student speeches are a great way to end the year, and you can use them in coordination with the visual timeline celebration and presentation. It is a nice way to provide students with some closure and also have them practice important writing and speaking skills.

There are plenty of resources on the web for end-of-year activities, but here are some of my favorites.

Additional Resources

Let us know how you’ll celebrate the end of the school year with your students in the comments. I’d love to hear from you!

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top five tech tools
Blended LearningClassroom ManagementContent CreationGood TeachingLMSWeb 2.0 Tool

Top Five Tech Tools for New Teachers

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

What are the essentials you need to share with new teachers? I can’t tell you how many workshops I’ve put together that addressed the needs of new teachers. What combination of must-haves do new teachers need? I asked Clint ISD’s Crystal Fuentes, “What are your ‘top five’ for new teachers every year?” Let’s explore her responses. But before we do that, let’s revisit a related important high-effect size instructional strategy.

The Power of Collective Action

Want to know which is one of the toughest strategies to take advantage of in a school? Collective Teacher Efficacy (CTE) is the one that most often comes to mind. With an effect size of 1.36, many instructional leaders look at that and say, “Why not us?”

Collective Teacher Efficacy can be defined in the following way:

Through collective action, a staff can have a positive influence on student outcomes. This includes disengaged and/or disadvantaged students.

Meaghan Loftus, Associate, CT3

But how do you achieve CTE in your school? It is suggested that you have these six influencers:

  • Advanced Teacher Influence. This happens when an organization listens, acknowledges teachers, and teachers influence decisions made at school.
  • Goal Consensus. Teachers set the goals for the school, not only the leadership. Who’s writing that campus improvement plan? If it’s your assistant principal on a weekend at home, then this is a #FAIL.
  • Teachers’ Knowledge about One Another’s Work. This involves teachers getting to know what each other is doing. More importantly, getting to know how each other’s work impacts their own.
  • Cohesive Staff. This refers to how teachers agree with each other on core educational values or issues.
  • Responsiveness of Leadership. When leadership listens to teachers and works to cut distractions, that’s responsiveness.
  • Effective Intervention Systems. This ensures there is structure to support teachers and students.

When working to set up new teachers, it’s worth considering these contributing factors. As Meaghan Loftus points out, together, these six points ensure CTE. And when you are preparing new teachers, much of their success depends on these six elements. Without them, new teachers, no matter how enthusiastic and tech-savvy, will struggle.

Now that you have some background on CTE, let’s take a look at Crystal Fuentes’ suggestions.

Tip #1: Classroom Management Tech Tools

Dealing with problems and developing solutions as they arise is one way to manage a classroom. Another way is by empowering students to make choices. Then, permitting them to learn from the consequences of those choices.

My favorite approach to classroom management involves building teacher-student relationships. That is, getting to know students and building trust. The best classroom environment I experienced involved building relationships with students. While disagreements occurred, having a family environment worked best with my bilingual class.

“One technology tool that’s in my top five is ClassDojo,” says Crystal. “I want teachers to know how to use ClassDojo.” No surprise, ClassDojo has these goals for itself:

  • Create a positive culture.
  • Give students a voice.
  • Share moments with parents.

The ability to access ClassDojo on any device makes it handy. For language diverse situations, its message translation is invaluable. And for some too committed to being accessible, you can set quiet time hours.

Tip #2: Learning Management Systems

Do learning activities revolve around ancient, paper-bound curriculum resources? You may not be pulling activities from a file cabinet in old manila folders. Instead, you may be relying on primary sources and current information available online. You may be co-constructing rubrics with your students. Sure, you can limit yourself and your students to paper. But who wants to shuffle papers, deal with 3-ring binders, and worry about missing work?

A better way exists if you have robust internet and device access for students. Learning management systems make it easy to:

  • End the paper chase.
  • Distribute resources as needed in an instant.
  • Timestamp student and teacher work.

Today, there is no shortage of learning management systems. That is, digital classroom supports that make access to resources easy. What’s more, they ensure you can connect with students in academic ways. While ClassDojo may be a classroom community builder, LMSs ease the paperwork. And that’s a huge benefit.

Crystal suggests relying on tools like the following:

Google Classroom is the learning management system, and Little SIS provides more granular administrative control over Google Classroom. Skyward is a student information system (SIS) and digital gradebook. There are many combinations of solutions. I would be remiss to not point out other popular options. Those include:

  • Microsoft Teams, OneNote, and the SIS tool of choice (e.g. Skyward, TSDS/PEIMS)
  • Instructure’s Canvas and SIS
  • PowerSchool’s Schoology and PowerSchool SIS

There may be other options, but these are some I have seen in Texas schools. 

Did You Know?

Learn more about your learning management system of choice via TCEA’s online, self-paced courses. These affordable sessions ($29 each) provide you with what you need to know to get started. Courses available include Google Classroom, Canvas Educator, Schoology Educator, and Microsoft 365 (covers Teams and OneNote).

Tip #3: Collaborative Tech Tools

Collaboration and discussion of academic content can have a powerful impact on student learning. Consider this tidbit of research:

jamboard padlet

If students know content, coming up with explanations helps fellows strengthen their understanding. Even when they don’t know content, conversations increase learning (adapted from source).

To aid collaboration, there are many tools. Clint ISD’s Crystal Fuentes recommends Padlet and Google Jamboard. 

Tip #4: Lesson Delivery Tools

While you can still stand and deliver lessons in a classroom, there are alternatives. Now, you can do that, AND make your Google Slides deck available to students. You can mix in checks for understanding as well as turn and talk opportunities. And teachers can put in place low-stakes assessments with rapid-response measurement. What’s more, the right set of lesson delivery tools empowers student voice and choice. They also make it easy to engage students in bell ringer activities.

Crystal suggests these tools that work with Google Slides:

pear deck nearpod

You may find this comparison of the two similar tools by Rachelle Dene Poth (@rdene915) helpful. 

Learn more about the research and best practices for using choice boards in the classroom. Take the TCEA online, self-paced course, Choice Boards for Educators. If you’re ready to become a choice board pro, this course will make you shine. Choice boards promote student choice and voice while providing differentiated instruction. How fantastic does that sound? Not only that but they’re proven to work.

Tip #5: Tech Tools for Creation

To round out the list, Crystal shares two powerful creation tools. These are tools every educator needs to know about. She suggests that new teachers know how to use the following:

  • LucidPress. This tool makes it easy to design visual resources, newsletters, and more. Some may substitute this tool with the free for educators, Canva.
  • Flipgrid. A free, no-cost tool available to support video recording and communication. This is a must-have tool to make student reflection, interviews, and more possible.
  • Screencastify. A screen recording tool that makes flipped classroom lessons a breeze. Students can also record videos and create screencasts.
  • Choice Board Menus. A powerful tool for supporting student choice in learning. This suggestion is less a technology tool and more of an instructional strategy. Yet the ability to blend multimedia sources into choice boards transforms this strategy.
tech tools for creation

A final tool that TCEA Board member Crystal Fuentes finds a powerful aid in Clint ISD: Promethean Panels. Be sure to reach out and follow her on Twitter to learn more. As Crystal shared in one of her tweets:

“Teaching is the one profession that creates all other professions.”

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Special Needs

Nine Technology Tools for Accommodation, Modification, and Intervention

by Dr. Bruce Ellis
written by Dr. Bruce Ellis

In a previous post, Make Learning Accessible for All Students: Accommodation, Modification, and Intervention, I shared the differences between accommodation, modification, and intervention. Specific examples were also provided to help clarify and shed light on ways to accomplish these means of support for your students. Today, we’ll identify a few technology tools that can be used by the teacher and the student for accommodation, modification, and intervention. These tools are not necessarily designed as “assistive technology” as defined by special education, but can be used to varying degrees. Some of the tools mentioned below can also be found in our free, downloadable ebook 51 Fun Tech Tools and Resources for Busy Educators. After looking through the list, please be sure to comment below if you have ideas or tools to share.

1. Google Slides Closed Captioning

Even if you don’t have a presentation to show, you can still pull up a blank slide deck. Once opened, go into presenter mode. Then, you can enable closed captioning for your lecture. Google Slides doesn’t display punctuation, but does a great job of displaying what is being said. You can adjust the location of the captioning as well as the size of the text. Google Slides does not translate or save the captioning for later viewing. There is some other good information about closed captioning at Google Support.

Image of Microsoft Word Dictation microphone
Screenshot by author

2. Microsoft Word Dictation

If you have students that struggle to write, this is an option you might want to consider. With Dictation, students can speak into a microphone and have Word type out what they say. Besides speaking the words, students can also say the punctuation and have Word add it as they speak. For example, they would say something like, “Did you go to the park question mark.” Microsoft Office will then place the question mark when spoken.

You can also turn on Auto Punctuation. With this, Word will incorporate artificial intelligence to punctuate as it best understands. A profanity filter can also be turned on. Hopefully, you don’t need this, but if you have a student that has been diagnosed with coprolalia, you may find this is helpful if they also need to dictate their writing. You can also dictate to Word in other languages. This does not mean translating what you say, but instead typing what you are saying using the language you’re speaking. These dictation features are also available in Microsoft Outlook.

image of Google Voice Typing microphone
Screenshot by author

3. Google Voice Typing

Though not as robust as Word Dictation, Voice Typing in Google Docs or Google Slides (speaker notes) does allow you to dictate words and punctuation. This can later be edited in the typical fashion. Google Docs and Slides do not incorporate auto punctuation or a profanity filter. Once dictated, you can translate the Google Doc into another language. To do this, you will use a new document and then click on Tools and Translate Document. Keep in mind that the translation may not be perfect, so it is recommended that you have a native speaker of the language review the translation. Especially if you are creating documents for students, parents, or others using the translation feature, it is important they are correct.

image of recordcast website
Screenshot by author

4. RecordCast

This free and simple-to-use screen recording tool allows you to record your webcam, your screen, or both. This is great for students who need access to instruction multiple times. Utilizing the screen + webcam feature is handy for students who may be hard of hearing and need to see the teacher or interpreter sign. RecordCast also allows you to do simple video editing and sharing. You are limited to five minutes with the free version and up to 30 minutes for the paid version. If you need more robust software that is still simple and user-friendly, consider using Screencastify or Screencast-o-matic. If your students are using an iPad, they can easily create a screen recording (including sound) without downloading any apps. They’ll just need to:

  1. Go to Settings > Control Center, then tap the Insert button next to Screen Recording.
  2. Open Control Center, tap the Screen Recording button, then wait for the three-second countdown.
  3. To stop recording, open Control Center, tap the Selected Screen Recording button or the red status bar at the top of the screen, then tap Stop.
image of classroomscreen
Screenshot by author

5. Classroomscreen

This website has 14 tools to help with various classroom procedures. Several of the tools are great at helping students track their time and manage their behavior. As the teacher, you can pull these up on your computer and have them displayed on the board.

The sound level allows students to monitor their noise level while still being able to discuss and share. The teacher can adjust the mic level and sensitivity. The traffic light is a good way to indicate what task the students should be working on. It can also be used to show how much time is left for the assigned task. Of course, the timer, stopwatch, and clock are all great for helping students pace themselves and manage their efforts in using their time wisely.

Additionally, you can use multiple widgets at the same time. For example, you can use the work symbols so students are reminded what they should be working on. At the same time, you can have the timer displayed on the screen while also showing the sound level indicator. These tools help students practice appropriate classroom behavior and allow you to move around the classroom and assist students with other tasks.

6. Doozy

You’ll find plenty of fun on this site, as well as helpful tools for activities like short-answer or multiple-choice quizzes. You don’t have to register to use the site. It may take you a while to explore and see which features you like the most. It may also take time to determine when to use them, so plan ahead and explore now. Besides quizzes, you can have games, icebreakers, and more! Some activities have a limit of 25 students while others can have up to 100, so be sure to pay attention to the limit as you select and design.

image of website
Screenshot by author

7. Immersive Reader

Immersive Reader is a free tool that employs effective and proven methods to enhance reading skills for individuals of any age or proficiency level. Students have the ability to have text read aloud to them, enlarge font size, modify the spacing between lines and characters, alter the background and text color contrast, access a picture dictionary, translation, and more!

Microsoft Immersive Reader is available on the following platforms:

  • OneNote Online
  • OneNote Universal App
  • OneNote for Mac and iPad
  • OneNote Desktop (as a free add-in)
  • Word Online
  • Word Desktop
  • Word for Mac, iPad, and iPhone
  • Outlook Online
  • Outlook Desktop
  • Office Lens for iPhone and iPad (iOS)
  • Microsoft Edge browser
  • Microsoft Teams
image of cloud stop motion tool
Screenshot by author

8. Cloud Stop Motion

If you ever wanted your students to do stop motion videos but didn’t have the “right” devices, this is the site for you. Stop motion is a video in which each frame is shot individually, with the producer (i.e., student) moving something a tiny bit between each shot. If you are looking for alternative ways in which students can communicate their learning, then think about this method. Here are some short stop motion examples on YouTube. Note: These are not necessarily educational examples, but just search results examples.

You can use Cloud Stop Motion on any device, laptop, tablet, or smartphone. And, to make it even better, there is no cost. You will need decent WIFI since everything is done in the cloud, but that also means you don’t have to download any software or have a specific plug-in installed. Yay! And, if you have created stop motion animation before, you will be happy to know that Cloud Stop Motion incorporates onion skinning, which makes the process much faster and more accurate. You’ll have up to 2GB of cloud storage and all the features, though the paid version also provides you with up to 1T of cloud storage.

image of infogram website
Screenshot by author

9. Infogram

This site is great for instances in which students need to create infographics and reports. The free version has plenty of features for your students to use. You can make up to 10 different projects, with each project containing up to five pages. You also can use any of the 37+ interactive chart types, including infographics, reports, slides, dashboards, posters, social media posts, email headers, and YouTube thumbnails. When creating infographics, you can import data and then easily manipulate it. The project you make will be public on the web via a publicly viewable URL that can be indexed by search engines. To have private (invite-only) projects, you will need to upgrade to a paid plan.

Bitmoji of author thinking

What Other Tools?

What other tools (websites or apps) would you recommend to a teacher trying to help with accommodations, modifications, and/or interventions in his classroom? Drop us a line below in the comments and let us know.

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Google
Google Tips and Tricks

Our 2020 Google Resource Roundup

by Diana Benner
written by Diana Benner

Every year, I gather all the fabulous Google resources from our blog. This year, we have had so many amazing posts on topics ranging from Google Meet to Google Classroom. Check out this incredible list of Google blog posts from this past year categorized by topic/tool.

Accessibility

Apps

Chrome Tablets

Classroom

Contacts

Docs

Drive

Gmail

  • Declutter Your Inbox the Easy Way – Is your email inbox a mess, filled with emails you really don’t want? Fear not. We have four useful methods to declutter your inbox.
  • Gmail Tips and Tricks – Gmail is more powerful than you realize. Learning how to filter emails and create an event within an email saves time. If efficiency is your aim, read this!

HyperDocs

Meet

Sites

Slides

Various Google Topics and Tools

Voice

YouTube

In addition, don’t forget to check out the 2019 Google Resource Roundup, 2018 Google Resource Roundup, 2017 Google Resource Roundup, and the 2016 Google Resource Roundup for even more phenomenal Google blog posts. As we move into 2021, stay tuned for more fabulous posts by joining our email list to ensure the latest content gets delivered right to your inbox and you never miss any of these wonderful resources.

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Recordcast
ChromebooksTechnology ApplicationsWeb 2.0 Tool

Free Online Screen Recorder and Video Editor

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

There are plenty of desktop, browser-based video recorders available to us today. So why would you need one more? What if, instead of a video recorder, you also had a browser-based video editor? And what if I told you it’s easy to add images and audio to it and overlay text on that video? Most people would say, “That’s WeVideo or Screencastify.” But those solutions come with a price. In this blog entry, we’ll explore a new, free screen recording and editing tool.

recordcast

Introducing RecordCast

RecordCast brings the functionality of Screencastify and Loom Pro. No browser add-ons or downloads are required. That’s right, RecordCast works its magic without a special browser add-on or extension. That, and its “FREE” label make it an amazing find. But that’s not all.

RecordCast enjoys a thirty-minute time limit for recordings. This makes it a perfect tool for instructional screencasts. It combines the ease of use with two important factors: a timeline that allows you to add audio tracks and overlay text. You can also record your screen, screen plus webcam, or webcam only. Be aware that, in order to use the program, you will need to create an account, as well as verify your email.

recordcast

As you set up your recording, you will need to decide whether you want to enable system audio. You will also choose your microphone. RecordCast offers a wizard that guides you through audio sharing.

recordcast

This screen is much the same as when you start a Zoom. That is to say, it will be easy to get started with RecordCast. It seems so familiar.

Downloading Video from RecordCast

Once you have recorded a video, you can save it to your device as a WEBM video file. This video format is compatible with YouTube, and it’s an easy matter to convert it to MP4.

recordcast

The downloaded or saved video appears in WEBM format on your device. At this point, you can upload (put) it into YouTube or a similar video sharing space. To get an MP4 video-formatted file from RecordCast, you will need to edit and export it in MP4.

Editing Video in RecordCast

The video editor is where RecordCast really shines. It offers a robust video editor that reminds me of Screencastify. It is quite easy to edit video, splitting pieces off to delete unwanted portions. What’s more, you can add an audio track. I often grab my music from the YouTube Audio Library. The main benefit of that Audio Library is that attribution is not required.

recordcast

One of the extra features that makes RecordCast’s video editor shine is image import. You can import images and place them on their own track. This is a feature my colleagues and I have used with Shotcut, but RecordCast makes it quite easy, as you may see below:

recordcast

Exporting Video as an MP4

Once your video edits are complete, you are able to export the video. RecordCast offers three options, as you can see in the screenshot below:

recordcast

One of the challenges of any browser-based video editor is how much time it takes to render video. Although I have not done any speed tests, RecordCast appears to take an equal amount of time as other video editors to render videos. It took about six minutes to render a two-minute and nine second video.

You can see the scratch video I made above. It was a simple matter to take a screenshot of the splash page in the Video Editor and save it as a thumbnail image to use for the YouTube video. And, if you’re wondering, this video editor far exceeds YouTube’s Video Studio capabilities.

Amazing Free Screencasting Tool

Working with RecordCast was fun. I loved the quick, responsive interface for adding text and images. What’s more, this tool is free. In the list of video editors, I am tempted to put RecordCast at the top of free tools educators need to be using. Here’s a video overview of working on a project with RecordCast:

Bonus Video

Need to safeguard your W9 tax form or encrypt any file before sending it via email? The video below, which runs five minutes long and took ten minutes to render via RecordCast, explains how to use the free FileLock encryption tool.

Feature Image Source

Photo by Recordcast.com

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three hot air balloons
Educational TrendsESL/ELLGood Teaching

Remote Learning Strategy #3: Three More

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

In our Remote Learning Strategies series so far, we’ve explored two powerful strategies. Those strategies included classroom discussion and summarization. In this blog entry, we’ll review three more strategies that teachers should use. Ready for a whirlwind review of evidence-based strategies?

Strategy #3: Teacher Credibility

“One high-effect size instructional strategy would be teacher credibility,” says a teacher. She points out that understanding what she is teaching garners trust. Students respect her more when they understand what she is teaching and why. Of course, knowing the research about how to teach is important. To convey her confidence, she relies on screencasting (e.g. Screencastify).

Did You Know?

You can explore teacher credibility, along with other core strategies, via the TCEA self-paced, online course. The course Strategies That Work*: Core Components* explores evidence-based strategies and how to use them in the classroom and is now available.

When you think of teacher credibility, know that it is about perception. Teachers convey competence, trustworthiness, and caring. Students have to be answer affirmatively when they ask themselves, “Is this someone I can turn to?” (Source: Visible Learning Meta X database).

How do you influence student perception? One way might be to meet these three criteria:

  • Show up on time
  • Be prepared to teach
  • Have a thorough understanding of the content and be able to explain why learning it is important

Technology can assist some teachers in appearing as experts. For an English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher focused on phonics, a digital platform such as ESL Games works well. When I first saw the website, I was a bit worried because it looked like it was just games focused on pronouncing words and learning vocabulary. Then I realized I had a bit of “old research” stuck in my head that needed replacing.

As a third grade student, I had learned phonics growing up as a second language learner. As a teacher in training, my professors denied the efficacy of phonics. Yet, it turns out they were wrong.

Reading comprehension is the product of two things. First, a child needs to be able to sound out a word. Second, the child needs to know the meaning of the word she sounded out.

Many educators don’t know this.

That’s because the cognitive science research has not made its way into many schools. Nor has it made it into many schools of education (Source: At A Loss for Words). More reading on vocabulary.

Can a credible teacher admit they are wrong? I’d like to think so. This next strategy taps into several other evidence-based strategies. Lori Oczkus (@LoriOczkus) terms these strategies as the “Fab Four” in her book Reciprocal Teaching At Work. John Hattie writes the foreword.

teacher credibility

Strategy #4: Reciprocal Teaching

“One high-effect size instructional strategy is reciprocal teaching,” says one educator. She goes on to say:

I love this one and I am learning more about this. The tool to help with it is Seesaw as you can see how they are processing and understanding of your teaching.

Reciprocal teaching aims at improving reading comprehension across all subject areas. It does this through the use of four strategies, including:

  • Summarizing
  • Questioning
  • Clarifying
  • Predicting

The teacher and students take turns leading dialogue about the text or media in question. They ask questions geared toward the role a person has assumed. One teacher relies on Zoom to engage in active monitoring of students’ use of the strategies.

Consider how this teacher uses Zoom:

Incorporating active monitoring by having students show me their work during ZOOM! I also love using the chat as a way for students to answer intro questions!

Other teachers rely on NearPod. They share informational text so that students have summaries and questions. Then, students make their own clarification statements and predict how something will work. “NearPod allows me to see all students working. I can provide instantaneous feedback as necessary.”

A final approach involves students using reciprocal teaching via Google Slides. “Do this when you use an organizer via a Google Slide.” She goes on to explain the directions in this way:

  • First, divide students into break out rooms.
  • Second, allow students to discuss and complete their respective roles in the team.

Reciprocal teaching has proven effective for K-12 and adult learners in my experience. Yet, it is a deep learning strategy for when deeper learning of already mastered basic concepts is needed. When introducing students to brand new information, consider using the jigsaw approach instead. Let’s explore that next.

Strategy #5: The Jigsaw Method

Explored in detail in other blog entries, this surface learning strategy is great at introducing new information. The Visible Learning Meta X database describes it in this way:

The Jigsaw instructional method is a cooperative approach to learning originally developed by Elliot Aronson. Following this method, a teacher introduces a main topic and several subtopics.

Jigsaw students are broken into “home groups”, and each member of the home group is assigned a subtopic. Then, students form expert groups to study their assigned subtopic through research and discussion.

After the students have mastered the subtopic in question, they return to their home group to report on their findings. At the conclusion of the exercise, each home group member has learned about each subtopic from a member of the relevant expert group or through their own investigation with an expert group.

One way that teachers are using jigsaw in remote learning involves Google Slides. This approach lends itself for use in the regular or hybrid classroom as well.

To use the jigsaw method with Google Slides, assign expert groups a collaborative slide deck. Each student adds their info to the expert group slide. Comments within the slide deck make up the final presentation slide(s). At the end, each expert group member copies the slide/s to the “table group” slide deck. They include any explanation in the slide comments or as an embedded video.

Aside from Google Slides, Google Classroom was also mentioned. “I love the idea of using Jigsaw in the classroom.” That teacher describes it in this way:

Teachers can divide roles and create prompts in Google Docs. Then they can be assigned in Google Classroom. Teachers can later have students work as a whole by having them collaborate on a final group Doc.

In the next installment of this series, we’ll explore more ways that teachers are matching up digital tools with high-effect size strategies. Stay tuned!

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Microsoft Tips and TricksSTEM/STEAM

Video Editing Tools for Remote Teachers

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

Educators have begun screen recording and screencasting with a serious need. Preparing content for instructional purposes can drive one to distraction. When I assembled the Screencasting for Educators course, I decided on no-cost tools, video editing tools that got the job done without all the expense. May I share what I found with you?

Update 6/7/2022: Have a Google Chromebook? Then you will definitely want to explore the new Google Screencast tool that comes with Google Chromebooks.

Five Amazing Video Editing Tools

Need video editing tools available for free? If you are on Windows 10, it can be challenging. Some entry-level solutions provide you with simple video assembly tools. That is, the ability to trim, split, and join video.

Here are my top five tools that make video editing easy at no cost to you.

Tool #1: Google’s Screencast

Did you miss the announcement in June, 2022? If you did, you’re not alone. While there is an abundance of recording and editing tools for video, few of them work on the Chromebook for free. In this blog entry, I feature two you can start with, including the amazing Screencast from Google. Not only does it give you screencasting, automatic transcription of everything said in the recording, it allows easy marking of the screen. You can quickly draw or make annotations.

Visual Walkthrough

Here’s a quick view of what you’ll see when you get into Google’s new Screencast tool for Chromebook:

Notice Screencast comes with easy-to-use video tutorials

When you first start out with Screencast, you’ll be able to edit your settings for that specific recording, as well as record the whole screen or only a portion:

What’s more, you can also use the built-in annotation tool, or “Marker,” to make notes on your screencast as you make it:

This makes the tool quite friendly and easy to use. Simply two-finger tap (or click) on the touchpad to activate the color choices for the Marker. You may also notice the red circle with red square in the middle. This is how you STOP recording. Once you are done recording, you can get a transcript. The Transcript tool is also what you use to adjust the contents of the video:

Excise portions of screencast with the Transcript->Skip section tool.

Want to know more? Here’s some more information on the tool:

  • Screencast: Screencast without having to add an extension to your Chrome browser. Look no further than this newest addition.
    • Anyone with a Chromebook can create and select part of the recordings to skip (via the transcription editor)
    • All recordings are automatically transcribed.
    • Make sure you update to Chrome OS M103 before jumping in.
  • Cast Moderator: This tool makes it easy to wirelessly present your Chromebook screen. Cast Moderator enables teachers to:

Watch this video for a walkthrough:

Tool #2: RecordCast.com

There are plenty of desktop, browser-based video recorders available to us today. So why would you need one more? What if, instead of a video recorder, you also had a browser-based video editor? And what if I told you it’s easy to add images and audio to it and overlay text on that video? Most people would say, “That’s WeVideo or Screencastify.” But those solutions come with a price.

RecordCast.com offers a free, browser-based solution you can use.

RecordCast brings the functionality of Screencastify and Loom Pro. No browser add-ons or downloads are required. That’s right, RecordCast works its magic without a special browser add-on or extension. That, and its “FREE” label make it an amazing find. But that’s not all.

RecordCast enjoys a thirty-minute time limit for recordings. RecordCast brings the functionality of Screencastify and Loom Pro. No browser add-ons or downloads are required. That’s right, RecordCast works its magic without a special browser add-on or extension. That, and its “FREE” label make it an amazing find. But that’s not all. RecordCast enjoys a thirty-minute time limit for recordings. This makes it a perfect tool for instructional screencasts. It combines the ease of use with two important factors: a timeline that allows you to add audio tracks and overlay text. You can also record your screen, screen plus webcam, or webcam only. Be aware that, in order to use the program, you will need to create an account, as well as verify your email. You will also be limited to seven projects at a time.

recordcast

Watch this short video overview of RecordCast and read this blog entry that goes into more depth:

Tool #3: Shotcut

Although open source video editors abound, Shotcut makes video editing easy. In fact, I’ve coached my colleague Peggy Reimers on using Shotcut. Her computer of choice is a Mac and the experience has been uniform for both of us, even though I’m on Windows 10. Shotcut’s ease of use allows me to combine various elements, such as images, music clips, and video. It’s an easy matter to add tracks for each, then export the assembled creation as MP4 video. It has a wealth of online tutorials.

Here’s a quick video overview of Shotcut:

Tool #4: MiniTool MovieMaker Free

When Microsoft cut Moviemaker, I mourned with the rest of the world. For a while, I thought that the enhanced Photos app on Microsoft Windows 10 would get the job done. It did not. As a result, I found myself searching for an alternative.

While Shotcut was the first tool I found that worked well, I recently stumbled on a new one. That video editing tool is MiniTool MovieMaker Free. The interface is a welcome break from Shotcut’s busy one, as you can see below. That simplicity comes with a few sacrifices, as I’ll point out in the video walkthrough:

MiniTool MovieMaker Free, as you will see, has a lot to offer. Some of its features include:

  • Creating and editing videos in Windows
  • Smart movie templates
  • Ability to add text and transitions
  • Free (no cost) and no watermarks

In fact, some of its own advertising sells it as an iMovie-style editor. I don’t know if I would go that far, but the interface is simple and powerful for video editing newbies like me.

Here’s a quick video overview of MiniToo MovieMaker Free:

I have to admit that I found it a bit poky and slow on the uptake compared to Shotcut. One additional solution may be worth your time.

Tool #5: OpenShot Video Editor

Looking for an easy to use video editor that won’t cost you a dime? Give Openshot video editor a check. While it’s a bit less feature heavy than Shotcut, it will do the most important things. Watch this short video overview:

After playing with all five tools, on a Windows machine, I’m going to stick with the free, open source Shotcut. It makes it possible to achieve quick editing. If I need fancier features, I will have to learn them or maybe use OpenShot. OpenShot provides a nice entry point given its easy to use multi-track support, slicing and export features.

For Chromebook users, using Google’s built-in Screencast with automatic annotation and marking is a winner. Use RecordCast.com as a quick video editor, an inexpensive alternative to the more costly WeVideo.

Splitting and Joining Videos

Have a long video and need to split it into pieces? Or maybe you have multiple videos that you need to join together? Consider using one of these tools to get the job done. They are available at no cost and will make working with a large video (or a lot of small ones) easier.

Optimal video size is anywhere between six and eight minutes long. Trying to split video into small chunks can be time-consuming. Allow me to share an example.

For example, the 15 videos in this playlist were once joined together. That huge video file was about 1.2 gigabytes in size. Eighteen seconds after putting them into a video splitting tool, I had them ready to upload (put) into YouTube as a playlist.

Free video trimmer
FlexClip’s Free Video Trimmer

There are many solutions available to get the job done. Three that you can explore include:

Here’s a quick video overview of MP4Tools (edited with NCH’s VideoPad):

My pick for the best free video editing software? RecordCast for short videos (under 30 minutes), Shotcut for longer videos or videos that require cropping and other special filters. You can’t go wrong with its powerhouse features and, if you give yourself a little time, you’ll soon be a pro at using it for simple video edits. Not quite ready to jump into the deep-end? Try OpenShot Video Editor.

Finally, be sure to read my blog entry on Five Free Video Converters. They will make your life easier when shrinking videos or prepping them for viewing on specific devices.

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