Week 5 Activity 3: Share your Initial Tool Choices

• Compile a list of current tools or applications for that type of technology (i.e., Adobe Presenter or PowToon, if you plan on creating your own instructional videos).

• My initial tool choices include a learning management system, text and video based broadcasting (For content) and text and audio/visual based responses from students

Edmodo – cloud-based collaborative learning platform (learning management system)

• This program will be used for students to access their assignments as well as access their learning content
• It will also be used to allow students to interact via text on the front page with either their teacher or other students (or both)

Worldbook Kids – text-based learning program that has articles written on various topics throughout the BC Curriculum (as well as other curriculums) at an elementary grade reading level so students can comprehend and use the information that they are reading to complete tasks

• This learning program will be used for content acquisition. It will also be used to help students read as there is a feature that will read and highlight text at the same time, as well as changing the voice of the reader, the text size, and text color

Youtube: Will be used to “broadcast instructional content” especially for students in the classroom that may be emerging readers and will not be able to follow the text on the Wordlbook program. There will be a video posted in the assignments folder along with the written article so that students will have choice as well as an option for students with an emergent reading level. As of right now the video will be either from Khan Academy, Discovery Kids, or National Geographic Kids. The topic is “animal adaptations” (Grade 3 Science Curriculum)

Microsoft Forms – This is tentatively going to be the tool that I use to allow students to create a response after viewing both the article and the video on animal adaptations. I am going to seek clarification on whether students can utilize voice-to-text options for my students who struggle with composing text. Our district uses Office 365 Online, and all students have access as well while at school (they can access from home via student passwords). Students can answer questions in a multiple choice, true or false, matching, or written option.

Flip Grid –  As there may not be a voice-to-text or audio response option in Microsoft Forms, I may also provide a link to my classroom on Flipgrid to allow students to make a video or audio response to the animal adaptations assignment.

• Give those tools a “test run.” Try them out and record your thoughts on which tools might best meet your instructional needs, and your ability to actually leverage the tools.

Edmodo – I have created a “test class” and have developed a class for science. Once students click on the blue science tab, they will then be able to click on their assignments tab, and open up the assignment called “Animal Adaptations”. When creating an assignment, I have the option to add a Title and Description, but also the ability to add links (such as to the Worldbook Article and the video content on Youtube), as well as uploading a file. I am thinking I will upload a Microsoft Forms File that will allow students to respond and complete a task after viewing both the text-based and video-based content.

Within Microsoft forms I can turn on a feature that will alert me once it is submitted by each student. I am going to take advantage of this. One thing I was hopeful that Microsoft Forms would have would be a voice-to-text or audio response option for students with emerging literacy levels, but this is not the case. Right now this option is being “voted on” in the Microsoft Tech Community forums here: Forms, speech to text and audio responses – Microsoft Tech Community

Because this feature is not available I may also give a link to a video response program such as Flipgrid https://info.flipgrid.com/ . This is a program that students can use to make a video or audio response that can be linked up to a teacher’s account to demonstrate understanding on various tasks. Integrating Flipgrid will follow the UDL framework as it allows all students to be able to make a response to the content regardless of literacy capabilities. The only issue is this program would also need to be taught to the students beforehand which will require time.