There is little else I can do about the arrangement of my classroom (I have already placed my desks in rows and have spread desks out as far apart as the walls of my classroom will allow), so I have turned my focus to instructional content for the first few weeks of class. Some (but only a few) students have chosen distance learning only, which means I will not see them at all for 9 weeks. Those students will be working in a district purchased online software. The rest of my students will be in the classroom face-to-face. Here are some of the tools I am exploring right now to use with my face to face students but in a digital environment since we must keep students apart.
Digital Tools for Social Distancing
Our district has recently acquired Canvas as the new LMS for secondary teachers. I have started the initial training in the software, but am waiting on my assignments to be graded, so I will have to wait to discover some of the features I will be using.
One feature I have heard about Canvas on twitter is that HTML can be embedded into Canvas pages. This means I will be able to create slide presentations and learning modules for students that have full functionality (in presentation mode), so that may work well with some of the standards based learning self-paced modules I have created for Algebra 1.
Another tool I will be using a lot this year is the activity builder in Desmos. I can create lessons that use the graphing calculator, but also include open response, tables, card matching, equation writing and much more. Desmos has recently added a whiteboard option (with and without a grid) so students can write and draw. I used Desmos activities in asynchronous and synchronous lessons last spring, so I am a firm believer in this platform to provide effective teaching options in a Covid-19 restricted classroom.
The next tool I am excited (and terrified) to try for the first time this fall is Flipgrid. My hope is to use it during the first week of school to give students a chance to introduce themselves and begin to make themselves comfortable sharing videos of themselves with me and their classmates. This will help me learn my students names and be able to see their faces (if I can get them to do it at home before they put on a mask!). I know this will be a big change for most students, so I am already looking for ways to make the transition less scary, so feel free to drop me a comment about how you are using Flipgrid with some of your more reluctant and/or shy learners.
Finally, I have found another amazing FREE tool for digital manipulatives: Mathigon. On this site you will find digital curriculum materials and a large collection of digital manipulatives (including algebra tiles) for students. I am eager to begin using these graphics and teaching students how they can create their own graphics when working through assignments.
There are so many digital tools out there to explore, but my students will be using the GSuite Tools first (and most often), so that will be the first step in training my students in how to navigate in this new environment. This will include learning how to use the equation editor in Docs, inserting a Google drawing in Slides, taking a quiz in Forms, copying, pasting, typing, formatting and submitting work in the LMS (no paper copies!). It will be a new world, but I think some of these new habits we develop will make the teaching and learning process much more efficient for everyone.
If you are not already following me on twitter, I invite you to follow me
If you want to toss around a few ideas for tools you will use during the start of school this year, let me know! I would love to brainstorm with you.
No comments:
Post a Comment