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Engage Your Students by Creating Your Own Fun Wordle Game

by Lori Gracey
written by Lori Gracey

How Do You Play Wordle?

If you aren’t familiar with how this internet craze is played, here are the simple rules.

  • A five-letter word is selected.
  • You then have six tries to guess what the word is.
  • After each guess, the color of the tiles will change to show how close your guess was to the word.
  • A hint from the Wordle experts: Type in starter words that knock out common letters. “Adieu” is packed with vowels. Others swear by “stare” and “tears.”

How Can Wordle Be Used in the Classroom?

How can you use this in the classroom for learning?

  • Use it as a warm-up either with a random word or a word from the day’s lesson.
  • Post a Wordle each day with a new vocabulary word for students. Once they’ve solved the Wordle, have them look up the definition and then try to use it the rest of the class period.
  • Have students create a wordle for their classmates.
  • During important events or holidays, create themed Wordles (like spring or March Madness or Pi Day).
  • See if students can develop a mathematical formula for which letters and in what position are the best first plays.

There has now been a Wordle created that is more specific to education. Wordler allows teachers to create word puzzles and quizzes for students, includes a hint action and a dictionary, and can help students master French or Russian. There’s also the standard daily puzzle available. (Thanks to Richard for sharing this with us!)

What Are Some Other Wordle-Like Games?

If you’ve caught the Wordle bug and want to try some different variations (all free), check these out:

  • On February 1, Flippity released WordMaster. You create a puzzle or series of puzzles and share the link with those who wish to play. If you use multiple words, they are presented in order. Players still have six tries to guess the word. Unlike Wordle, there is no dictionary, which means players may type whatever they wish, including gibberish. There is also no standard character set. You may use numbers, symbols, and non-English characters in your puzzles. Here are the instructions and access to create your own WordMaster game. You may use words of any length up to 10 characters. 5 character words are recommended.
  • Hello Wordl– Hello Wordl is just like Wordle, except that you don’t have to wait a full day for a new word after guessing the last one. You can play with a new word immediately. But that’s not all. Hello Wordl also lets you change the number of letters to guess. So, you could also be guessing six-letter words or 10-letter words. Note that the number of chances, however, is still capped at six, so turning up the number of letters will also make the game exponentially harder. This might be a good challenge for your high school students.
  • Absurdle – This is known as the “adversarial Wordle” and it is just as difficult as it sounds. The game tweaks the rules as you get more guesses, and changes the word entirely based on the correct letters you guessed. However, as compensation, you will get an infinite number of chances to solve the puzzle. Drink lots of coffee before playing this one!
  • Ooodle – Fill the Grid – This is Wordle for math teacher and their students. (Thanks to Jennifer Hylemon of Grapevine-Colleyvine ISD for sharing this one with me.)
  • Sweardle – Definitely not for your students! You have six chances to guess the four-lettered word of the day, except it is not going to be regular words. Instead, you will be guessing swear words.
  • Online Lingo – Want a slightly easier version of Wordle that gives you helpful hints along the way? You’ll want to check outOnline Lingo. This web-only alternative lets you choose from either a five-letter or a six-letter puzzle, and gives you a bright and colorful alternative to play from. But don’t get totally comfortable—Online Lingo also balances out its hints by not graying out letters you’ve already used, so you’ll need to keep track of those as you play.
  • Times Table Sequencing Game – Thanks to Kathy Hilby from the School District of West Salem for this math “wordle” game. You try to guess a sequence of five numbers from a times table (2 times table through 10 times table).
  • Letterle – If the pressure of guessing the correct word in just six tries is too much, try playing Letterle instead. This semi-sarcastic Wordle alternative tones down the stress of making you find an entire word and pares things down to a single letter. It generously gives you a whopping 26 chances to guess the right letter, so it’s pretty hard to lose. That may make it perfect for very young students.
  • Primel – This is like Wordle except that, again, it’s for math. You try to guess a five-digit prime number. A hint from Tony Vincent: “Knowing divisibility rules can help you determine if a number is prime.”
  • Nerdle – Yet another math version. But this is one is a little more difficult in that you are guessing an equation.
  • Seven Wordles – If Wordle is too easy for you, give Seven Wordles a try. It asks you to solve seven Wordles in a row while a prominent timer clocks how long you’re taking.
  • Byrdle – If you’re a music teacher, this unique version is for you. It looks and plays exactly like traditional Wordle, except the word you need to guess is related to choral music. Definitely not for the faint of heart!
  • Wordle Together – Tired of playing the game by yourself? Then try this version where you can play against a random person or share a link with a friend and play against him.
  • There’s also a version of Wordle that can be played in Spanish.
  • If you are looking for a version of Wordle that can be played using a Google Slides template, Bill Peterson has you covered. He offers the daily word and a class score sheet. Make a copy to use this yourself.
  • Are you a Star Wars fan? If so, then check out SWordle where you must guess the five-letter Star Wars word in five tries or less.
  • Finally, if you are a computer science teacher, here’s a coding project for your students on how to create their own Wordle game.
  • Dordle – A double dose of Wordle fun each day. Each of your guesses is entered for both puzzles at the same time, and your goal is to solve both in seven guesses or less.
  • Quordle – Like Dordle, but you play four games at once.
  • Antiwordle – While gameplay is similar, the objective is completely different from Wordle. Your goal is to avoid guessing the word for as long as possible. Red means the letter is in the right place (like a green in Wordle); yellow means the letter is in there somewhere (same as in Wordle); and gray means the letter isn’t in there, and you’re not allowed to guess it anymore.
  • There are also several Jamboard templates you can use for your students to play the game: Wordle and Oodle template, Wordle Jam, and Wordle Template.

And, if you are looking for a low-tech/no-tech way to have your students take part in the Wordle craze, Christina Nosek has you covered. All you’ll need is some chart paper, a laminator, and some dry erase markers.

Wordle

New York Times Purchases Wordle

It was announced this week that the NYT had purchased the online game, promising to keep it free “for a while.” If you are addicted and want to make sure that you have full access to its fun, you can save Wordle as an HTML file and play the game offline for over 2,000 days.

  • Visit Wordle’s website.
  • Right-click on the page (or use a drop-down menu depending on your browser) and choose “save page as a webpage,” and save it to your desktop.
  • You should then see an HTML file on your desktop, as well as a folder that’s labeled “wordle_files.” Clicking on the HTML file should open the game in your browser, even if you’re offline.

Since purchasing Wordle, the NYT has now created a Wordle Bot which can analyze your game play to help you get better. You simply play a game and then go to this website. Please note that a free registration is required to access the bot.

How are you Wordling?

This blog was updated with new content on April 11, 2022.

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Educational ResearchGood Teaching

The Self-Directed Learner: Embracing Self-Judgment and Reflection

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

Want to encourage attributes of independent, self-directed learning? Then you will want to cultivate in your students an attitude and practice of reflection. Their ability to reflect on their work and measure progress towards standards is critical. In this blog entry, you will learn about some research on the power of reflection.

Pull the Curtain of Mystery Back for Reflection

“What worked? What didn’t? How could I do it better next time?” Those three questions were the sum of my early attempts at reflection. But I didn’t get to deeper questions until later in my career.

Reflection is something I didn’t know much about as an educator. It was not a practice I encouraged students to engage in. As a writing teacher, my goal was to get students into peer conferencing to ask tough questions that would result in revisions and re-organization of pieces.

Now, research shows that when students do a few specific things, they have the potential to speed their own growth. John Hattie refers to Self-judgment and Reflection as having an effect size of 0.75. This is a bit better than Reciprocal Teaching (d=0.74). The Visible Learning MetaX database describes this introspective strategy in this way:

Self-judgement is a critical component of independent, self- directed learning. Students can often over- or underestimate their own capabilities. Teachers should cultivate in students the ability to apply standards to their own work.

Researchers have pressed the importance of a student’s ability to do the following:

1) reflect on her work; 2) discern its relationship to established standards, and 3) make self-judgements.

But how can students engage in self-judgment and reflection? What strategies might they use and how can teachers support them?

Clarifying Strategies

Meta-analyses suggest two strategies to model for students. Those strategies include:

  • Cultivate metacognitive knowledge instruction in students
  • Use self-developed tests

As you may know, metacognition is “the process of thinking about thinking.” It involves “reflecting on personal habits, knowledge, and approaches to learning” (source). Self-developed tests involve students crafting their own low-stakes quizzes or assessments.

Let’s take a look at some specific approaches you can use.

Approach #1: Confusion Spotlight

Strategy: Metacognition

Ask students to reflect on what they were learning that day. For any area that seems unclear or confusing, ask them to shine a spotlight on it. They can jot these ideas down in a notebook, put them on a post it or index card, or type them into a digital document, and then turn them in.

Marine, Tales from a Very Busy Teacher, suggests using self-assessment bins:

Students turn in their work into one of these bins depending on their level of understanding. It does take a lot of positive culture building, as well as trust, to help students feel comfortable when turning in their work to these bins.

After the first few weeks of school, students know the system and feel confident when turning in their work. It also makes grading a lot easier, as well as pulling students back for small group reteach or extension.

As you can see, Marine relies on the cards to structure reteach groups or get ideas for lesson extensions.

Approach #2: Chalk Talk Activity

Strategy: Metacognition

A silent activity, the Chalk Talk fosters thoughtful contemplation among students. Goals include reflecting on a question or ideas, commenting, and solving problems. Use this approach with a traditional chalkboard, whiteboard, or digital equivalent.

Chalk Talk includes a four step process:

1. Explain that Chalk Talk is a silent activity (no speaking at all). Students learn they can:

  • Write comments on others’ ideas
  • Draw connecting lines from comment to another’s idea, or
  • Respond to questions.

2. Facilitator writes a question on board, then circles it. (See some sample questions below.)

3. All students have a way of writing on the “Chalk Board.”

4. The facilitator can interact by circling other interesting ideas. You can also invite comments and questions or reflections by drawing additional circles around student ideas.

This is a great activity for students to do alone. You can also adapt it for small groups. One student may serve as the “recorder” sharing insights from their team. You can do it in isolation or with a collaborative tool. Collective, class-wide experiences are also engaging.

Finally, there are many electronic or online whiteboard solutions you can use. Three to consider include:

You can also rely on a graphic organizer/semantic mapping tool. Those might include solutions such as Google Drawings, yED Live, or Bubbl.us. Each allows for student collaboration.

Approach #3: Capacity Matrix

Strategy: Metacognition

Use a capacity matrix that outlines key learning targets from the lesson. Right after the lesson begins, ask students to gauge their current knowledge. You can do this with a fist to five Jamboard or use a paper document.

Get fist to five Jamboard template

Marine, Tales from a Very Busy Teacher, shares her insights. She recommends creating learning target cards. Her goal is to make learning targets as visible as possible. As you might suppose, this combines with the powerful Teacher Clarity strategy that focuses students on understanding the learning goal(s).

“…self-assessment tickets help students self reflect and self regulate while they’re learning. I call them “Learning Target Tickets” with my students. They’re pretty simple to use and be used for any lesson, in any content area” (source).

Marine offers these tips for using the learning target tickets:

  • After the engagement activity or attention grabber, state the learning goal.
  • Ask students to write it down on their tickets. Then they can self-assess their level of learning in the “before lesson” column. This is a capacity matrix. I like Marine’s innovation of before lesson/after lesson/teacher analysis. Those rows are something worth incorporating in classroom practice.
  • When the lesson ends, ask students to rate their grasp of the new content in the after lesson column.
  • Ask students to write a short reflection on the lesson.

Afterwards, ask students to share their biggest growth area or reflection. These could be text-based like what Marine makes available to buy. Or you could mix it up a bit with audio (e.g. Vocaroo, Mote), or video (e.g. Flipgrid) options.

Approach #4: Interrogate Your Process

Strategy: Metacognition

Interrogating your process results in valuable information. It can also be painful to try to work through it without external questions. That’s important, though, because you need to be self-judgmental. That is, you need to measure your process against an external standard. Rubrics are helpful for this. So are questions that students can ask themselves.

Here are a few metacognitive questions with that aim in mind. Consider these below, an excerpt of the complete list:

  • What process did you go through to produce this piece?
  • What problems did you encounter while you were working on this piece? How did you solve them?
  • What resources did you use while working on this piece? Which ones were especially helpful? Which ones would you use again?
  • Did you meet your standards? Did your goals for this product change?
  • In what ways did your work meet (and not meet) the standards for this assignment?

You can find more in this  longer question set.

Created by author. Get a copy

Approach #5: Pupil, Test Thyself

Strategy: Self-Developed Tests

This final approach to fostering self-judgment and reflection includes student-created assessments. There are a multitude of digital tools you can make available to your students.

Since I have addressed this in other blog entries, I won’t do more than point you to some of them below:

Give these approaches a try when fostering reflection and self-judgment in your classroom. The gains are worth the effort for students.

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Created by author. Get a copy

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active learning
Good Teaching

Five Ways to Promote Active Learning with Lumio

by Kris Astle, M.A., Education Strategist, SMART Technologies
written by Kris Astle, M.A., Education Strategist, SMART Technologies

We all know the impact that COVID 19 had and continues to have on many elements of education. One of the shifts that we’ve seen is an increase in visibility. There is more attention on the what and the how students are being taught. Through new tools and adapted approaches to instruction, we have seen unique ways in which learners connect to our teaching. We have also seen how the world around them can both fuel and distract from their learning, even simultaneously. Engaging students in active learning is more important than ever before.

Why Encourage Active Learning?

When I think about how I structure my lessons for in-class and out-of-class learning, I try to design active learning experiences. The goal is for these experiences to get my students thinking about, analyzing, and interpreting the content in meaningful ways. Active learning allows students to truly connect with their learning and understand it on a deeper level. 

Engaging students in active learning doesn’t need to be complicated. There are many ways to build active learning experiences into instruction, from simply having students draw what they know, to inquiry-driven learning units, to experiential learning through hands-on or virtual site visits. Lumio, formerly SMART Learning Suite Online, is one of my favorite tools to embed active learning into my teaching. It helps to seamlessly provide students with opportunities to interact with both their learning and their peers as they explore content and build new skills. The basic plan is free, but there are also paid plans that offer additional lesson storage.

Let’s explore five easy active learning ideas that can be used across the grade levels for in-class and out-of-class activities.

1. Reflection and Conversation

An easy activity I love to use is simply having students pause and think. Setting aside a few moments for students to reflect on their learning allows them to build connections and activate prior knowledge in meaningful ways. Having students share their reflections with peers can further amplify this experience. Lumio makes this easy to do, even on the fly, with an activity called Shout It Out. It’s super simple to set up, and I can pose a question or provide a statement for the entire class to reflect on and respond to.

Students submit their responses using a text box on their device, and these appear on my laptop or display. It is also possible for students to submit images as their responses to a question. I like to lower the barrier to entry for this activity by letting my students contribute anonymously. And you can toggle the anonymity option on and off. We can then evaluate responses as a group, allowing students to see their peers’ thoughts, make new connections, and drive a good classroom discussion about any topic. 

Graphic Organizer Active Learning

2. Minute Papers and Digital Manipulatives

Minute papers are another easy way to embed active learning in a lesson by asking students to articulate their current understanding of the lesson content. I love to use a digital manipulative or simulation to allow students to explore a concept, work through misconceptions, and then end the activity with reflection on their learning through a minute paper. Lumio has lots of options for digital manipulatives, including PhET simulations which are one of my favorites. Check out this simulation and minute paper activity on diffusion.

Minute paper for active learning
Example Minute Paper

3. Connecting with Real-World Content 

Real-world content helps make learning relevant for our students. It connects learning to their lives and communities and has a direct impact. An easy way to allow your class to explore and respond to a topic is to embed a YouTube video in your lesson. You can follow the video with a small group activity using a graphic organizer where students can collaborate and learn from each other. They can share, sort, and categorize their thoughts on the video content through a graphic organizer. You can find STEAM examples here.

digital manipulative for active learning

4. Game-Based Review Activities

Review games are another great way to incorporate active learning into your classroom. Not only do they get your students engaged and involved through friendly competition, but they also provide immediate feedback to students so they can identify their misconceptions and move their learning forward. Monster Quiz (and Team Quiz for situations when monsters aren’t appropriate!) in Lumio is an easy and fun way to do this. 

Lumio for Problem-solving

5. Extending Conversation

My fifth (and definite favorite) active learning activity is to set up a class chat or backchannel discussion for students. This allows them to learn from and with each other. In many of my lessons, I set up a whole class workspace where students can leave questions about the content. Other students can reinforce their learning by answering these questions, and we can revisit questions later to discuss responses and fill in where no answer has been given. As a teacher, I can moderate as needed in real time, too. 

Active learning with devices

Active learning is easy to incorporate into everyday teaching to engage students and inspire their thinking. It also gives both teachers and students real-time insights into the progression of their learning. Hopefully, you will find these ways to use Lumio for promoting active learning beneficial for your students and classroom.

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Amazing Lesson Design Outline (ALDO) created by author
Educational ResearchGood Teaching

Meet ALDO: Amazing Lesson Design Outline

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

Ever wish you had an easy-to-follow checklist when designing learning for students? I know I have…often. Some of my colleagues effortlessly design amazing lessons, but I have to plod through each point. But lesson design is something that is critical to ultimate success in the classroom for each student. That’s why I’d like to take a moment to share my latest version of the outline I use. At the end, you will find a custom GPT you can use to get an AI spin on ALDO.

You can also explore this choice board organized with the outline in mind:

ALDO Choice Board
Get your own copy

As you work through this list, ask yourself, “What schema or plan do I follow?” If you show me your district’s mandated lesson plan format, well, that may not get the job done. At the end of this blog entry, I’ll share a heuristic, a Google Doc, that you can use. I like it because it combines many resources in one place and works to help you more efficiently plan your lesson design.

For now, let’s work through the major components of my Amazing Lesson Design Outline (ALDO). Ready? Let’s get started.

Did You Know?

Robert M. Gagne’s Theory of Instruction (1965) offers some suggestions worth revisiting. He divides instruction into nine events. Those events include 1) Gaining attention; 2) Informing learners of objectives; 3) Stimulating recall of prior learning; 4) Presenting the stimulus; 5) Providing learning guidance; 6) Eliciting performance; 7) Providing feedback; 8) Assessing performance; and, 9) Enhancing retention and transfer. You might also enjoy Mike Schmoker’s Focus: Elevating the Essentials visual  or Madeline Hunter’s version. Some prefer the Gradual Release Model. When considering amazing lesson design, it’s important to remember this is well-traveled ground. Find what inspires you.

1 – Relationships First: Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Connections

Image Source: CASEL

“Teachers must place a strong emphasis on rigor, relevance, but most of all, on developing relationships with children,” says Dr. Asa Hiliard, former Director of Urban Studies at Georgia State University. I’ve seen this firsthand. Let me share that with you.

Watching my wife, a masterful second grade teacher, you’d never guess she had an outline. Her lesson design first includes building powerful relationships with her students. It has her finding out what TV shows they like, what they like to eat, their life story, and building connections through an ongoing conversation with her class. She focuses in to connect academic content to specific students. Her approach leaves me in awe. When she asks her students to get to work, they do. When it’s time to behave, they do.

The first part of my lesson design outline? It’s build relationships. As Dr. James Comer (Yale University) says:

No significant learning can occur without a significant relationships of mutual respect, teacher to student.

“Brain-based learning can positively impact student motivation, attitudes and academic achievement,” say researchers. Without relationships, students won’t trust what you have to say. Absent powerful relationships between students, you have no community. And that would be a tragedy because of the next step.

2 – Assessment

As coaches and teachers, we have to, as Dr. John Hattie says, “Know our impact.” If you don’t know where students are, you will be unable to give them feedback on future growth. Worse, students won’t be able to self-regulate their own learning when given feedback. Students have to be clear on what they are to know and do. They have to know where they stand in their own learning relevant to growth.

To gauge where students are in their learning, you need to assess them before, during, and after. And those assessments can be low-stakes. They can tie into a wide variety of strategies that are proven to work, including retrieval practice and spaced vs massed practice. They can also rely on a wide variety of digital tools designed for that purpose.

Tip: You may want to use the SOLO Taxonomy to chart student growth. Learn more about SOLO via this blog entry.

3 – Teaching and Learning

The first step for those savvy with brain-based learning research is to engage students. Once you have figured how to best engage students, give thought to another question.

“What high-impact approaches align to the learning intention?” That’s a question that kept me up and reading. How can we align effective, evidence-based strategies to students’ learning needs? You can find a variety of evidence-based, high-effect size strategies that you can use at the best time.

Remember, only rely on one strategy at a time. For example, don’t try to put in place two teaching strategies like direct instruction and flipped classroom. Pick one. The same for students. Avoid trying to teach students to do concept mapping and outlining at the same time. Focus on one until you and your students can do it really well.

Social Media Response to ALDO

Thanks to those of you on social media who have shared ALDO with others. Here’s what some of you are saying:

Fantastic visual representation of the stages of learning and using a critical lense when creating lesson experiences! I can’t wait to use this with our new Ts as they continue to deepen their thinking abt. teaching/learning. Thx! via Meg Burke

Thank you for this wonderful resource! I’m definitely sharing it with my teachers! After having a coaching conversation this morning with a teacher about her PBL lessons, this is a great resource for deep and transfer teaching/learning with intentional design. TY via Myla Lee

The “Amazing Lesson Design Outline” (ALDO) created by Miguel Guhlin @mguhlin for @TCEA features mountains of terrific teaching strategies intuitively organized. Wow! https://bit.ly/3A99v6M via Todd Finley

Great distinction between Surface, Deep, and Transfer Learning. via LanguageTeachingLab

Did You Know?

Get a guided introduction to Hattie’s work via the TCEA Strategies That Work courses. What’s more, you get powerful videos, a $49 TCEA membership, and CPE hours for the same or less than buying a book. You have fifteen courses to choose from, including the latest Evidence-Based Teaching course.

The Evidence-Based Teaching course provides a detailed walkthrough of the Amazing Lesson Design Outline (ALDO), including the research underpinnings. It’s the perfect way to introduce your instructional coaches, teachers, and administrators to research that works. Participants earn 12 CPE hours, a digital badge, and certificate upon completion.

 

4 – Assess and Gauge Progress

As you did in Step Two, take a moment to re-assess students. Discover where they are in relation to the learning objective(s). You can rely on existing goals.

ALDOA Cry for Help: I Can’t Form an Online Community

An email request for help came in the other day. My diagnosis? The teachers had not put in place (yet) what they needed to create a sense of community. As a result, it made everything they tried to do difficult. My prescription? Intensify relationship-building efforts with teachers and students. Also, put into place the following tips:

1- Model for teachers social and emotional learning opportunities for virtual classroom use appropriate for the middle school students.

2- Set up criteria, such as a rubric, not as a staff assessment but, for a self-assessment checklist teachers can use when planning lessons. That checklist is the Amazing Learning Design Outline (ALDO) that appears later in this blog entry.

3-Adapt evidence-based strategies to support instruction. For example, this includes direct instruction, jigsaw for introducing concepts and ideas, classroom discussion and/or reciprocal teaching for digging deeper, problem-based teaching, and self-reported grades. Remember, use only one strategy at a time depending on the learning intention.

4-Implement coaching for results. I like Diane Sweeney’s model and suggest you explore the Coaching for Results series (Parts Three, Four, and Five are relevant here). Diane Sweeney has a handy one-pager that is designed to assist coaches with teacher work. It incorporates formative assessments, including entry/exit tickets.

5 – Reflect

Make sure to take some time to reflect on what worked and what did not for both you and your students. What role did technology play in enhancing teaching and learning? You might also ask yourself, What could I do differently next time? How can I assist students in becoming more metacognitive about their own learning experience?

Remember that reflection isn’t only for you as the teacher. It is also for students to engage in.

Get ALDO, the Amazing Lesson Design Outline

Ready to get the ALDO? Keep it by your side as you are planning a lesson or preparing activities. The links to digital tools and resources will soon become gateways to new ideas.

Let’s take a moment to walk through the creation of the prompt via video:

Test the ALDO Coach GPT

Update 1/20/2024: Please note that ALDO has been updated with the latest effect sizes from the Visible Learning MetaX database, and converted to Canva format (Canva is free for educators). Feel free to make copies and share widely so long as credit is given as indicated and original authors (cited in bibliography on page one) remain included.

Get a copy of ALDO v2 (shown above) | View Full Size

Want to view the OLD ALDO v1? Use these links: View the ALDO v1 | Get a Copy of v1

 

 

 

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Our Top 20 Ed Tech Blogs of 2021

by Sara Qualls
written by Sara Qualls

We have closed the door on 2021 and have just opened the door to 2022. For myself, 2021 was an improvement from 2020, but it was still filled with lots of new situations to navigate. I can say that I am excited to see what 2022 will bring all of us. One can only hope that we are moving onward and upward!

But before we fully say goodbye to 2021, I still want to recognize what the team at TCEA has accomplished this year. Along with creating new online learning opportunities for you, they were busy pumping out useful resources and tools that you can use and sharing their thoughts on the latest research. They were able to tackle writing more than 275 ed tech blog posts this year. Bravo! Here are the top 20 ed tech blog posts that mattered the most to you and the rest of the world this year. Let the countdown begin!

20. Frayer Model Template for Word Analysis. Need a quick way to introduce students to tough vocabulary? In this follow-up to “Semantic Maps Made Easy,” see and download Frayer Model templates.

19. Blending High-Effect Instructional Strategies with the 5E Model. Curious about how you can blend high-effect size instructional strategies into the 5E Model of teaching? Come along as we explore this idea and process.

18. Five Fantastic Browser-Based Digital Tools. Here are a few browser-based digital tools you didn’t know you needed, but that can save you time and effort. And they work on any device.

17. Eight Chrome Extensions and Sites You May Not Know (March 2021). Explore these eight Chrome add-ons, extensions, and websites. From passwords to reading to games, at least one of them will be new to you.

16. Nine Technology Tools for Accommodation, Modification, and Intervention. Looking for a few technology tools to help with accommodations, modifications, and interventions? Check out these nine gems.

15. The EV3 Robot Retires. What’s the future of LEGO robotics with the announcement of the EV3 being phased out? Here are all the answers and recommendations for you.

14. The Power of Post-It Note Teaching. The lowly Post-It note can be a powerful teaching tool. Learn how to print things on it and about an app that is Post-It fantastic!

13. Easy End-of-the-Year Activities. In this post, we’ve collected activities for both in-person and remote learning that can help you end the school year with some fun.

12. Seven Spooktacular Activities for the Elementary Classroom. It’s fall, ya’ll, and that means it’s almost Halloween. Get ready to have some fun with these seven spooktacular elementary activities.

11. Choice Boards for Elementary Learners. Take your elementary classroom to the next level with these choice board examples and templates. Your students will thank you.

10. Pineapple Charts: Learning from Your Peers. Pineapple charts help educators easily learn from each other. Using pineapple charts makes scheduling that learning simple and convenient and doesn’t cost a dime.

9. Assessment-Based Feedback Tool: Blooket. Dig into another game-based system you can use to enhance blended learning, formative assessment, and practice testing. The free tool? Blooket.

8. Fun Icebreaker Jamboard Templates for Back to School. Try these fun back-to-school icebreaker Jamboard templates with your students. You’ll be amazed at how quickly you’ll get to know them.

7. Free Jamboard Templates for Secondary Students. Engage your secondary students in collaborative or individual learning with these free Google Jamboard templates.

6. Five Interactive Tools for Learning the Periodic Table. Wish you had a list of amazing interactive science tools? Explore these periodic tables of elements that help make science interactive.

5. Free Classroom Posters to Engage Students. The classroom posters in this blog can be used for special months of celebration or hung all year long. Take a look — they’re all free!

4. Google’s New Storage Policy: Avoid the Terror. Heard of Google’s new storage policy? Has that new policy got you thinking you need an exit strategy? We’ve got you covered.

3. 2000+ Lesson Plan Templates and Ideas for K12. Discover a wealth of lesson plan template resources and treasures in this searchable collection for grades K-12 in all subject areas.

2. Digital Math Tools. Get your students excited about math with these digital math tools and resources, all of them free and ready to use!

1. Social Emotional Learning Activity Templates for Google Jamboard. Have you been looking for Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) activities for your classroom? If so, check out these Google Jamboard templates.

I know the team will have even more amazing ed tech blogs to bring you in 2022. Happy New Year!

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dice
Content AreasGood Teaching

Dicebreakers and Activity Debriefing Templates

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

If you’re needing to bring people together in a new situation, then ice breakers are one way to do that. If you’re wanting to encourage self-assessment and reflection, entry and exit tickets can work wonders. But a different type of icebreaker and reflection tool can also be handy: the dicebreaker and the dice debrief.

dice

Dice Activities as Icebreakers

You may already know that icebreakers are great tools. You can find TCEA’s ebook, Digital Icebreakers That Shatter, for free online. And, of course, a TechNotes collection of blog entries explores various icebreaker activities.

An NCBI study reveals that icebreaker activities:

  • Encourage participants to bond and form a new team
  • Get people from different backgrounds to meet
  • Invite others to become involved with learning about new subject matter
  • Help the group leader become acquainted with the participants and interpersonal interactions within the group
  • Yield observed information on the group’s dynamics, which can assist group leaders in tailoring lessons to group needs

How Dicebreakers Work

View or get your own copy of these graphics via Google Slides.

The process for setting up a dicebreaker is simple:

  1. Since the printed dot count ranges from one to six, assign each number of dots an activity or question for a total of six.
  2. Pass out or share a die with each group of students. If using stations, you can place a die at each station, then have students roll that die upon arriving.
  3. When students roll a number, they share their coordinating response with others at the station or in the group.

Consider using a dicebreaker grid like the one shown below. Rachael Mann (@RachaelEdu) shared a similar version that inspired this recreation via Twitter. She suggests using VirtuWorld.net’s Roll an Online Die for this. “I do not know who to credit for the ice breaker grid,” Rachael says.

Want a list of digital dice? Be sure to read Peggy Reimers’ Try Your Luck with Five Free Virtual Dice blog entry. Dice can be used for many activities and games in the classroom. Discover five virtual dice options you can use with your students today.

I’ve taken the liberty of remaking it with modifications.

dice
View or get your own copy of this grid via Google Slides

Here’s one example of dicebreakers in action:

View on Twitter

Dice Activities for Self-Judgement and Reflection

You can use dice debriefing activities as entry or exit tickets, for example, to engage students in self-judgement and reflection. Known as self-judgment, research has shown its importance as it enjoys an effect size of 0.75 (as of John Hattie’s latest research). Self-judgement and reflection have the potential to “considerably accelerate” student achievement. It is proven effective when students self-assess knowledge before learning and then reflect and self-evaluate for understanding post-learning.

Connect with Elizabeth Vanderveen Heinrich. Inside-Outside Circle twist on the @TCEA Dicebreaker warm-up activity. Transitions back from holiday break and getting everyone talking is a win. Special thanks to teacher Elizabeth Vanderveen Heinrich – Source: https://tinyurl.com/tceadbe1

There are several strategies you can take advantage of in the classroom. Each can make self-judgement and reflection a daily occurrence, even routine, and you can use dice debrief activities to engage students this way.

dice

View or get your own copy of this graphic via Google Slides

Dice Debrief Questions

Here are a few debrief questions you can use in a dice debrief:

  • What did you learn today?
  • Why does what you learned matter?
  • List three big ideas you got out of today’s lesson.
  • What process did you go through today? Did it work? Why or why not?
  • What resources (e.g. books, websites) did you use today?
  • Did what you write or make meet your goals?
  • How do you feel about your work today? Why?
  • What would you change or do differently?

Additionally, such activities work well as entry tickets when you ask questions like:

  • What do you think we’ll be learning about today?
  • What do you already know about this topic?
  • What areas would you like to learn more about?
  • What predictions (or guesses) can you make about what you will be learning today?
  • How do you feel about this subject?
  • What are some areas you might need help in?

You can also adapt ideas from this blog entry on bell ringers. How could you adapt exit tickets for this fun variation?

There are many different ways to approach dice debrief. Stephanie Howell (@mrshowell24) shared one way in this Google Doc. She offers this video:

For fun, I took a stab at making a few templates of dice debriefs as well. Thanks for the inspiration, Stephanie!

4th graders learning more about each other and kicking off fitness class with “dicebreakers.” Special thanks to OJR Elementary Health and PE. Source: https://tinyurl.com/tceadbe2

Need More Inspiration?

You may have found these templates useful, but there are many more online. A Roll and Respond list of questions caught my eye. It included questions such as:

  • What are you looking forward to?
  • What are you looking forward to doing?
  • If you could spend an hour with someone, who would it be?
  • If you could have something to help, what would it be?
  • How would you describe this idea to an alien from outer space?
  • How is this the same or different?

Find some more ideas in this Wakelet collection, Dicey Learning.

dice

Dicey Learning: A Wakelet Collection

BONUS Activity: Roll a Story

You can also use dice to incite and guide creative writing. Create your own Roll a Story like the one below:

dice

Why don’t you give making your own dicebreakers or dice debriefs a go? Do you have any other ideas or ways you’ve used dice in your classroom? Please share with us in the comments, and if you try any of the activities mentioned today, let me know how it goes.

The header graphic was made with Sketchpad. Get the Sketchpad file via this link, save, and open via the Sketchpad website.

But, Wait, There’s More!

Several of you have taken the DiceBreakers/Debrief templates and made your own. Below, you will find a few that have been shared:

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TCEA 2022
Good TeachingProfessional LearningSocial-Emotional LearningTCEA Convention & Exposition

TCEA 2022: Badge Information and Time-Saving Classroom Resources

by Meaghan Rhame, Director of Conferences and Events at TCEA
written by Meaghan Rhame, Director of Conferences and Events at TCEA

Research has shown that multitasking is impractical and leads to lower quality results for projects completed concurrently. We sympathize with the multitude of tasks you’re responsible for on a daily basis, beyond your typical (shall I say pre-COVID) tasks, and those were already overwhelming. Everybody needs more time to do more things…to do ALL the things. How can TCEA 2022 help? Well, we can help maximize your convention planning, so you get the most out of your time. And, in this post, we’ll share some resources from two of our online Thought Leaders that can help you out in your day-to-day work. 

TCEA 2022 Convention Badges

With the leadership of TCEA’s Board, Convention Chair Mindi Vandagriff, and the intentional planning of the Convention Advisory Panel, TCEA has curated its upcoming event to serve the needs of those 1) who are up for the challenge of a jam-packed conference, 2) who are strapped for time, or 3) who are on the fence about what to do.

1. Up for a jam-packed conference?

If you’re up for the challenge of filling your professional learning toolbox to the brim and your bag full of swag, and joining all the special events in between, you probably want to go for the TCEA 2022 Full Conference badge. This is an all-in-one solution that includes full access to in-person sessions and both of the available online packages (Bridging the Learning Gap and Social-Emotional Learning). You’ll have access to 30 days of self-paced learning for a potential of 50 extra credit hours, in addition to in-person attendance! Pack your schedule by checking out the mock schedules curated by your peers, viewing the full session listing and handpicking sessions, or visiting the Attendee Services desk to get the help of a veteran attendee. 

2. Strapped for time? 

No problem. You can choose a combination of TCEA 2022 registration badges. We’ve got you covered. For example, attend using the one-day badge, then add on one or both online packages. Or attend the exhibit hall and add an online package. Make a combination that works best for your availability. If you need flexibility, online packages and one-day or Exhibit Hall badges may be just what you’re looking for. 

3. On the fence? 

On the fence of what you can or should do? Uncertain of travel? Not sure whether you can get coverage over the dates of the event? No worries. Dive into two specialized TCEA 2022 online packages. Whether you purchase one or both, you will have access to livestreamed presentations, on-demand sessions, and all content available at your own pace for 30 days.

Jennifer Gonzalez Provides a Gallery of Solutions

For those unfamiliar with Jennifer or her Cult of Pedagogy resources, you are missing out! We’re sharing just one of many videos, resources, and blog articles Jennifer has provided, but this one takes the cake. The entire concept is to stop pushing the easy button on teaching. It’s something we revert to when things get tough, but Jennifer brings you some ways to revise and retool to improve your lesson plans without adding to your plate.

Check out this synopsis, then dive deep into her ideas to further improve here. Additionally, you can learn more from Jennifer Gonzalez next February by being a part of either of the two TCEA 2022 online packages.

Jorge Valenzuela Shares Where to Start

Do you want to focus on well being and social-emotional opportunities for yourself, your students, your campus, and your district, but don’t know where to start? Learn from Jorge and his guest podcasters who dive into how it takes true teamwork to make SEL possible and successful.

Jorge’s SEL in Action podcast examines many of the facets of the SEL framework and how to gradually make this a part of your teaching. You can also learn from Jorge during his in-person sessions at TCEA 2022 or in the Social-Emotional Learning online package.

You should also check out a multitude of articles showcasing time-saving tips and tricks here on our TechNotes blog. And let us know if you need more ideas; TCEA is here to support you!

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Podcasting
Good TeachingGoogle Tips and TricksPodcasts

A Simple Process and Template for Student Podcasting

by Dr. Bruce Ellis
written by Dr. Bruce Ellis
microphone & headphone

Maybe you’ve heard the saying that whoever is talking is the person learning. Or, the teacher should do less talking in the classroom than the students. Both of those sayings have truth to them. With that in mind, let’s see if there are benefits to student-generated podcasts.

How Does Podcasting Benefit Students?

Through discussion, discourse, and debate, students can gain a deeper understanding of content and language and grammar skills. Research indicates that students who create podcasts show improved language, speaking, and grammar knowledge. They are also more confident in using academic vocabulary in context. The podcast creation process incorporates high student engagement, which increases the likelihood that it may also positively impact student achievement. And using student-generated podcasts can be a strategy for learning in early elementary up through college. Be sure to check out this Research for Student-Created Podcasts Wakelet collection for specific and deeper study.

A Simple Podcasting Process

That all may sound good. But many teachers feel that having students create podcasts will have a high learning curve; it could end up more like herding cats. No worries! We’ve got you taken care of with a template for you to use and a drop-dead simple process. Let’s take all the technical mumbo jumbo out of it! To make it easy to go through, we’ll share the who, what, when, where, and how you and your students can take learning to the next level with podcasting.

Access the Student Podcasting Template

Step 1: Establish Criteria and Define Roles

Remember the KISS – Keep It Super Simple (or something like that). Keep the process as simple as possible– at least initially. As the students become more comfortable and skilled, then you can add more expectations. Fortunately, or unfortunately, there is no “one right process” to go by for a great podcast. I recommend checking out the following rubrics for ideas on defining the roles and teamwork necessary for each group. Having the rubrics will also help your students self assess (and peer assess) between group meeting times with you. A few rubrics to check out for ideas include:

podcasting rubric
  • University of Wisconsin – Stout Podcast Rubric – A very robust rubric. You may need to scale it back initially, but this rubric highlights important parts of the process.
  • University of Missouri Podcast Rubric – This is a slightly older rubric; however, you will find that many of the sections are still very relevant and usable.
  • ReadWriteThink Podcast Rubric – This rubric is most relevant for a high school English or science class as it refers to a podcast addressing a thesis argument.
  • Pacific Lutheran University Podcast Rubric – This one is nice in that it fits on one page, but addresses pretty much everything. Depending on the age of your students, you may want to tweak some of the wording.
  • University of Northern Iowa Podcast Rubric – Though unclear as to the author, this rubric does an excellent job of identifying the different details and criteria for creating a podcast. Consider using this one when identifying roles and steps in the process. Older students will do well with this, but it’s too complicated for younger learners.
  • Kathy Schrock’s Podcast Rubrics – Kathy has compiled six different rubrics for you to consider. Click on the link given and then scroll to the Multimedia and Apps Rubrics section. ​

Step 2: Explore and Choose Tools for Podcasting

podcasting tools icons
Screenshot by author

If your students have cell phones, then they all can record audio. But they may need to check to see that their apps can save and share the files in an MP3 format. Or you may be using school-issued devices such as Chromebooks or iPads. Below are a few of the tools and apps you might consider during your planning and producing stages.

Step 3: Determine the Pacing and Process

Having students create podcasts is a great learning strategy, but it is best implemented once you understand your students and how they work. Decide on how many class sessions they will have to produce the podcast. You will also need to determine if the students are to work on the podcast outside of class or if they will record during class time. Initially, review the rubric that you will be using with your students, go over the process for recording, and outline the pacing of the project.

TIP: Podcast Recording Environment

singer holding microphone

It might be that students can only work on the podcast while in your class. If this is the case, it might be necessary to allow students to step out into the halls to record or to visit the library to record briefly. You may have the benefit of being in a larger room so that groups can spread out. If your school encourages “bring your own device” (BYOD), students may find that they can easily record on their phones outside of class and use class time to piece it together and post it.

Unless you are trying to compete in a student podcast competition (such as the Annual New York Times Student Podcast Competition or NPR’s Student Podcast Challenge), realize that perfection may be nice, but is not realistic. It’s okay if there is background noise, as long as the student speakers can still be heard. Make the learning fun. Be creative with where students can record and with your expectations of what is acceptable.

Step 4: Practice Podcasting as a Class

While some tasks work well for individuals, podcasting is definitely not one of them. With project-based learning, students are more successful when they have clearly defined roles, working together to accomplish the task.

You may want to initially have just one large group, the whole class, as you create the first podcast or two. This will allow everyone to get familiar with the process and expectations. It will also allow students to explore the different roles, how they interact, and understand how each role is critical for the project’s success. Yes, initially, it will be teacher-assigned, but you are working towards having students take ownership of the grouping and even the roles over time.

Step 5: Group Students for the Podcasting Project

group of students talking in office

Once the process is understood, at least in theory, break students into groups, assign roles, and, initially have them all work on the same podcast. Consider grouping students as you would for other assignments in which each group has a good mix of academic levels. There should be the same roles within groups, and it will be important to scaffold the grouping process over time.

Steps 6 and 7: Assign Podcast Topics and Start Recording

Initially, you may consider having students work on the same topic as they learn the process. Yes, that means that if you have six groups, you will have six podcasts on the same information. Each group may address it in their way, but they will all be using the same information. For example, they may podcast about chapter three of their textbook or chapter five of the class novel. Having the students listen to the other groups’ final projections will spark some ideas on how they can enhance their next podcast.

Once student groups have a podcast or two under their belt, start varying the topic or perhaps have student groups each record an episode related to a subtopic of a broader topic. This allows students to become experts on sections of information. These podcasts can end up replacing your lecture or enhancing it, giving students ownership in their learning. Though each group will be creating a podcast for a particular portion of the content, they are all accountable for all the information. This means they should both understand it and be able to apply it in different situations. (This is similar to the Jigsaw approach in teaching.)

Step 8: Check in Regularly

Just like you attend regularly-scheduled staff and faculty meetings, it will be helpful to schedule regular, though short, meetings with each group. This will give students the opportunity to report on their progress, challenges, solutions, and next steps in their process. As such, you will be mentoring them on how to manage themselves and other group members. The goal is for students to be successful and accountable for their learning. As you have students add to the podcasts, you can begin using them as a review for quizzes and exams. This will hold students accountable to make sure they have all the needed information in their episode(s).

Step 9: Publish the Podcasts with a Template

For simplicity’s sake, here is a Google Slide template to use for publishing your podcasts. Google Slides isn’t considered the typical method of publishing/hosting podcasts. But it does offer a bit more security over who has access to the podcasts. Once a student group has completed their podcast, have them upload it as an MP3 file into their Google Drive and share it. They should then copy the link to the file and add it to the appropriate slide in the template along with the title, episode number (if used), description, and show notes.

TIP: Publishing the Google Slide Deck

podcasting tools
Screenshot of template

If the podcast’s content is intended for a real audience outside the classroom, consider publishing the slide deck. This will make it much easier for everyone to access it in presentation mode and listen. To publish the slide deck, click on FILE –> Publish To The Web. Leave the defaults so that the slide deck does NOT advance on its own; this will allow your listeners to click on the appropriate links to go to the intended slides. View the published template here so you can see how a published podcast slide deck appears. If your podcasts are only to be accessed from within your school’s domain, be sure to click on the Published Content and Settings link and then tick the box for your school’s domain.

Step 10: Review and Revise the Process

After your podcasting project, take time to review and reflect with your students. Assess the number of class sessions used for the project. Was it enough time, too much, too little? What about the tools used? Did they work well? How could the process be improved moving forward?

Pass the Mic

So, I’m now passing the mic to you. How will you do podcasting in your classroom? What are some ideas you have for implementing student-generated podcasts? If you’ve already had students create podcasts, what is one tip you would share with others who are thinking about doing the same? Leave your comment below so you can be heard loud and clear! You can also take a look at other posts on podcasting here.

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podsie
Educational ResearchGood Teaching

Evidence-Based Learning: Introducing Podsie

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

Putting evidence-based research into practice can be tough. One of the challenges I encountered was shedding my own flawed beliefs. For example, I had a vague idea of specific strategies that would work in the classroom, which made classroom implementation an ongoing experiment of what worked and what didn’t. In this blog entry, let’s connect an evidence-based research strategy with a digital tool to accelerate student growth.

Strategies

Of course, you already know the value of formative assessment in the classroom. As I mentioned in this blog entry, formative assessment provides feedback that teachers can use to adjust ongoing teaching and learning with one goal: to improve students’ achievement of intended instructional outcomes.

As a K-12 student, I hated quizzes. I came to see them as a poor means of formative assessment. Pop quizzes did review the material, but made me live in fear of the words, “Pop quiz!” Of course, the underlying evidence-based strategy is one you may well be familiar with. But entry and exit tickets, for example, take advantage of Rehearsal Strategy as well as Retrieval Practice (d=0.46):

Also known as “practice testing,” this involves frequent testing. The research is in and it’s positive about “the testing effect.” Flashcards, practice problems, and writing prompts can improve learning. Learn more here.

Here’s a quick video that introduces you to Retrieval Practice:

You can see how I’ve explored this strategy in other blog entries. Different strategies are often introduced along with Retrieval Practice, and these other strategies include spaced vs. mass practice and interleaving:

  • Spaced vs Mass Practice (d=0.65) involves spacing out the intervals of study over a longer period of time.
  • Interleaved Practice (d=0.44) includes a schedule of practice or study where many subjects or topics are mixed to improve learning. Contrast it with “blocked practice,” which has students studying one topic in depth, mastering this topic before moving on to another (source).

Here’s a quick video on Interleaved Practice:

Strategy: Retrieval Practice

Have questions about retrieval practice? Read these frequently asked questions (FAQ). Setting up students to answer questions improves learning. Now that you know that, you’re ready to adapt technologies to match the strategy.

We could choose a wide variety of technologies to match up to retrieval practice. But you’re better off if you pick one digital tool to match one evidence-based strategy. In that way, both you and your students can become proficient at each.

Digital Tool: Introducing Podsie

With increased digital access, teachers can now use a wide variety of strategies and tools to create fresh learning experiences. To add to your toolbox, consider giving Podsie, a free tool for both middle and high school students and teachers, a try. It offers great features at no cost to individual teachers (see school/district pricing).

Podsie combines several research-backed learning strategies. These include retrieval practice, spacing vs massed practice, and interleaving. It relies on customized mastery data of each individual student to enhance learning (source).

As a teacher, create your no-cost Podsie account with a Google or Microsoft account. That’s great because you won’t have to remember another username and password. Once you create your login, you will identify your school from a drop-down list.

podsie

Benefits of Podsie

Podsie automates some of the tasks, and I’ve included several embedded links to explanatory videos that appear in the feature list below.

Podsie:

  • Creates automated, personalized reviews of content aligned to evidence-based practices
  • Relies on a Personal Deck that offers students an ongoing, differentiated review experience
  • Produces realtime data on how students are doing as they review content
  • Details student progress in a Progress Dashboard
  • Assists you in crafting questions about content which will reoccur for students
  • Enables you to share assignments and ask questions through teacher collaboration

Another step the Podsie developers have taken is to provide a lesson plan that will help you in explaining to students:

  • Evidence-based practices like “spacing” and “retrieval”
  • How Podsie helps students retain information they learn throughout the year
  • The science behind remembering

You can see the lesson plan as a Google Slides deck below or get a copy for yourself.

Learn more about Podsie via their Essentials, How-To, and Keys to Success web pages, and find them on social media (Twitter, Facebook) as well.

Connecting Strategy and Tool

As Weston Kieschnick suggests, make every effort to map out what you will be doing in a lesson. Also, make sure you know exactly how students will be relying on technology to learn. Follow his five action steps to master the art of successfully blending strategies with technology.

Feature Image Source

Image adapted by author via Podsie

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ChromebooksCoding/Computer ScienceContent AreasEducational ResearchGood TeachingMathSTEM/STEAM

Tips, Tricks, and Tech Tidbits

by Lori Gracey
written by Lori Gracey

My collection of cool websites and resources for ed tech enthusiasts is bursting. So it must be time for another issue of this blog series. Get ready to be wowed!

Math Virtual Manipulative Collection

Help your students master critical math concepts using this wonderful collection of free virtual math manipulatives. It’s been put together by Julie Smith, the Techie Teacher, and can be shared with students in Google Classroom, Seesaw, Canvas, or any other LMS you’re using with this link: https://bit.ly/TechieTeacherMath.

Small Shifts in Teacher Talk Make a Big Difference

How we phrase things everyday to students makes a big difference in whether they are excited to learn or just wishing the activity was already over with. As this article from ASCD emphasizes: “Do you tend to emphasize student or teacher ownership? Does your language emphasize engagement or compliance?” Check out the table below and then take a look at how you are talking to students.

teacher talk

Learning Styles Is a Myth

Jennifer Fritschi gets it. As she tweeted out: “Data from an analysis of over 15,000 educators showed that over 85% still believe in learning styles. This article explores why this myth is so widespread in education, and how to change it.” Yep, there is no such thing as learning styles.

Free, Online, Interactive Courses in STEM for High School Students

If you are looking for ways to help better engage those difficult high school students in complex content, look no further than Brilliant. They provide free access to more than 60 different courses after the teacher completes an online application. Each courses focuses on stimulating student curiosity through problem solving and interactivity. Students will have access up to six courses at a time and Daily Challenges for free. You can add, remove, and change courses as much as you’d like throughout the year. Some of the courses include:

  • Mathematical Fundamentals
  • Number Theory
  • Joy of Problem Solving
  • Algebra Fundamentals, Algebra 1, and Algebra 2
  • Geometry Fundamentals, Geometry 1, Geometry 2, and 3D Geometry
  • Waves and Light
  • Classical Mechanics
  • Electricity and Magnetism
  • Solar Energy
  • Computer Science Fundamentals
  • Cryptocurrency
  • Machine Learning

Removing Shading from Copied Text

Have you ever copied some text from the web to use (and cite, of course) in a lesson or handout, but the text, when pasted, was shaded and you couldn’t remove the shading? That happens to me all of the time. Tiffany Carey shares that highlighting the copied text while holding down the CTRL key and the space bar will remove the shading.

Computer Science, Coding, and Robotics Unplugged

If you teach a STEM subject, you will want to follow Erik Murray on Twitter; he has some great resources. He recently lost power in his classroom and had to teach his tech subjects anyway. So he came up with this choice board of coding and robotics activities for his students to choose from.

Use Immersive Reader on Websites with the Chrome Browser

Immersive Reader from Microsoft is an absolutely amazing tool for students that improves comprehension and encourages independent reading. And it’s free add-on for OneNote and works in the Edge browser. But what if you’re not using OneNote or Edge? Here’s a free extension that adds Immersive Reader’s functionality to the Chrome browser. It can read any open page in the browser as well as PDF files in Canvas, emails, and more.

More Choice Board Templates

Tom Spall offers these five fantastic choice board templates, including the tried and true restaurant one, which I absolutely love!

Another Student Reflection and Sharing Strategy

Having students reflect on their learning is critical to ensuring that the learning is sustained. One teacher shares his “Give One, Get One” strategy for accomplishing this, along with some templates and ideas for doing this if you have to go virtual.

tech tidbits

I hope that you discovered at least one new resource in today’s blog. You can catch up on past Tidbits blogs here.

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