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flashcards

Quick and Easy Tools for Making Flashcards

by Peggy Reimers July 5, 2023

written by Peggy Reimers

Looking for a flashcard maker for the new school year? Here is my ultimate list of tools for online flashcards that offer educators a convenient and interactive way to enhance learning and engage students in their studies. Hope you find one that serves you well in 2023-24!

Flippity Flashcards

Image of an online flashcard made with Flippity

Flippity.net is an online platform that provides various educational tools for teachers. The website uses two options to create a collection of free, customizable templates. Option one is the Quick and Easy process, where you just enter text in a box. Option two is modifying a Google Spreadsheet template. If you are new to Flippity, make sure you check out the Demo before heading to the instructions. The flashcards are colored index cards that can only be used within a browser window. Optional features include removing, shuffling, reloading, and flipping the stack of cards.

Fact Monster Flashcards

Fact Monster offers flashcards for practicing math facts. It provides options for the basics facts up to three digits. These flashcards include addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and add + subtract flashcards. There are seven levels, with Level 1 being the easiest and Level 7 being the hardest. Be aware that there are several advertisements on this site.

Google Slides Flash Cards Template

Image of the Google Slides flashcard template

Did you know that if you use Google Slides, there is a Flash Cards template in the Template Gallery? Well, there is! To access the template, go to your Google Drive and click on New > Google Slides > From a template. From there, you can select the flashcards template. The sample deployed for you is Spanish 101. Don’t forget to read the Quick Tip on slide 1: Try right-clicking on a photo and using “Replace image” to build your own set of flashcards.

FlashDecks

image of Flashdeck online flashcard examples on phone, table, and desktop screens

FlashDeck flashcards will work on desktop browsers and mobile devices (Android and iOS). The site is free but with in-app purchases. Teachers, you will need to register and create an account. As a member, you can create and save FlashDecks and then share your set with your students. There are a ton of open content decks already made, which you can use and edit as you see fit.

Brainscape

This website has both free and premium account options. With the free account, you can make flashcards that can be accessed by your students from a desktop browser or a mobile device. You can share these sets with your students and manage students’ editing permissions. You will need to register and create a teacher account.

Study Stack

StudyStack is an online platform that offers a vast library of user-generated flashcards. The platform also allows students and educators to create their own flashcard sets. Just like most flashcard-creating sites, an account is required.

Additional Flashcard Tools

If you have any of the following interactive presentation or student engagement tools, don’t forget to check them out for flashcards. Most have this type of platform for instructional support.

Pear Deck. Pear Deck has designed the Flashcard Factory for your students. They can pair up and work together. It is free to use and works with Google Edu and Gimkit.

Quizlet. Quizlet has an easy way to make and study with flashcards. Teachers, you must make an account. Then you can create your own set or choose from over 500 million flashcards in their archive. That is a pretty impressive number!

Kahoot!. Kahoot! also offers study modes for their iOS, Android, and Chromebook app. Within the last couple of years, they have added four self-paced study experiences to review content, get more practice with difficult topics, and prepare for tests. These modes can be used with both previously played Kahoot!s as well as new Kahoot!s. You can watch this quick video tutorial to learn all about these new study modes. Teachers, you will need a paid account to access the study modes.

Nearpod. Nearpod provides interactive lessons, interactive videos, and activities with 20+ formative assessment features. It does not have traditional flashcards, but they provide Matching Pairs and Drag and Drop. It also provides a library of pre-made sets.

Canva. If you are looking to print off flashcards, Canva has a slew of printable options for you. When you type in flashcards in the “What will you design today?” box, tons of colorful options populate. What popped up for me were a ton of number, alphabet, CVCC, etc., types of flashcards. So, if you are an early childhood or kindergarten teacher, you’ll hit the jackpot with Canva. Don’t forget, you can edit most designs!

Bonus Find

Games to Learn English

This website supports English language learners through interactive games. The games include word puzzles, quizzes, memory games, and matching exercises. The site covers different aspects of the English language, including vocabulary, grammar, listening comprehension, and reading comprehension. Aimed at students and educators alike, the website offers a collection of engaging and immersive games that facilitate language acquisition and reinforce language skills. If you are an ESL teacher, for sure, check out this site!

If you have a flashcard site I have missed, please post it in the comments. Happy flash-carding!

July 5, 2023 0 comment

Good Teaching

Recall Tasks for Active Retrieval

by Diana Benner March 1, 2023

written by Diana Benner

Recall tasks are an effective way to boost learning and memory. These tasks involve recalling information without the use of any cues or help. Instead, students are required to retrieve the information from their own memory. This process of active retrieval is crucial for embedding information in long-term memory and promoting deeper understanding of the material.

The Effectiveness of Recall Tasks

Research has shown that the process of active retrieval strengthens the neural connections that encode new information in memory. Therefore, this helps to make the information more accessible and retrievable in the future. In addition, it also help to identify gaps in understanding and provide an opportunity for students to fill in those gaps through further learning and reflection.

Types of Recall Tasks

There are many different types of recall tasks that teachers can be use to promote learning and memory. Some of the most common include:

Self-testing: This involves students testing themselves on the information they have learned. Students can use do this with either flash cards or writing the information down.
Oral recall: Students can verbally recall information.
Written recall: Students can write down what they remember about a particular topic.
Concept mapping: Students create a visual representation of the relationships between different pieces of information.
Multiple choice questions: Students are presented with a question and several potential answers and are asked to choose the correct one.

How to Implement Recall Tasks in the Classroom

Recall tasks can be easily incorporated into any lesson. Here are some tips for implementation:

Make them a regular part of the learning process. Regular use of recall tasks helps to reinforce learning and embed information in long-term memory.
Vary the type of tasks used. Mixing up the type of tasks used helps to keep students engaged.
Provide immediate feedback. Feedback after completing tasks will help students to understand their strengths and areas for improvement.
Encourage self-reflection. Encouraging students to reflect on their own learning process and think about how they could improve their recall skills can help promote deeper understanding and ownership of the material.

Recall tasks are an effective way to boost learning and memory. By requiring active retrieval of information, these tasks help to promote deeper understanding of the content being studied.

March 1, 2023 0 comment

Good Teaching

Three Ideas for Retrieval Practice

by Diana Benner April 27, 2022

written by Diana Benner

Retrieval practice is a learning strategy that focuses on recalling facts or concepts from your memory in order to enhance learning. By recalling information, we are forced to pull our knowledge out and examine what we know. Many times, in the classroom, retrieval practice is confused as an assessment strategy, which it is not. It is a learning strategy that can include any activity that has students retrieve what they have learned from their memory.

Research on Retrieval Practice

According to Pooja Agarwal, Ph.D., founder of RetrievalPractice.org, retrieval practice boosts learning by pulling information out of students’ heads rather than cramming information into students’ heads. Based on more than 100 years of research, simply retrieving what you’ve already learned further boosts your long-term learning. There is a lot of additional interesting research on retrieval practice that is worthy of exploration.

Ways to Use Retrieval Practice in the Classroom

There are many ways to use retrieval practice in your instruction. Below are a few ideas:

Brain Dump

Ask students to write down everything they know about a certain topic. They should not use any assistance while completing this. Give them a couple of minutes to complete the task. Then, students can compare what they wrote down with other students or in small groups. They can discuss similarities, differences, or any misconceptions. Lastly, a whole-class discussion can be held around the topic or concept that was originally presented.

Flashcards

A classic example of retrieval practice is using flashcards. These are tasks where cards are displayed containing a word or a picture. Then, students are asked to retrieve their knowledge of what they are shown, recalling facts they know. Students should go through the flashcards multiple times and say as much of the information as possible out loud before flipping the card.

Low-Stake Quizzes

Frequent low-stakes quizzes are an easy way to incorporate retrieval practice. Quizzes can be free response, multiple choice, or another format. Also, polling students works well for low-stakes assessments. With digital tools like Google Forms, getting feedback is automatic and quick. Remind students that the quizzes are not for a grade but more for showing what they know.

For more information on retrieval practice, check out the resources below:

April 27, 2022 1 comment