Twitter

One commonly used app in the classroom is Twitter. Twitter can be used online as a website but also gives teachers and students the ability to access it on their mobile device or iPad wherever they are. Twitter is a free website used by many people around the world. Similar to Facebook, Twitter allows the user to create a personal account that can be presented as private or public depending on their preferences. Users have the ability to follow other friends who also have the app as well as famous celebrities, news stations, and any other people they find through the app. Twitter allows the users to post tweets or status updates as well as “retweet” information other people have posted on their personal page. Users also have the ability to favorite other tweets people have posted on their pages.

Twitter has recently become a helpful social media tool in the classroom. In the same way teachers use Facebook to create a class group, they can also create a class Twitter feed. The teacher can create a professional Twitter account and post class announcements and reminders for their students. Unlike Facebook, the teacher can have the students follow specific, pre-approved Twitter accounts that will provide them with news updates every day. Depending on the course, this will help the students stay up-to-date on current events and even eliminate the need for further research in some cases. Twitter will also allow the students to interact with each other through social media by posting information about a particular assignment or lesson. Similar to Facebook, this will allow the students to help each other and refer to the teacher when necessary. 

Teachers can use Twitter in the classroom to tweet about upcoming due dates or assignments for their students. This is an easy way to remind students of what they need to be doing or what is expected of them in the class. Teachers can also provide students with a running news feed by subscribing to different news feeds and posting information about them on their Twitter page for the students to review and understand the different perspectives regarding current events and issues in the world.

Another way to use twitter in the classroom is tracking a “hash tag.” Educators can incorporate Twitter into the classroom and their lesson plans by tracking hash tags for other lesson plans they are creating. This is an interesting way for students to learn about how trends are spread through social media and the different ways people use social media to communicate their ideas. Just as these trends are spread and people communicate their ideas, the students can do the same thing with their classroom material. This also allows the students to bring technology and current issues into classroom debates through their knowledge of the information they receive through their Twitter accounts.

Twitter can also be used in the classroom as a way for students to connect with the community and understand what organizations are going on in the world and how they can be involved in that or learn more about the organizations for class assignments. This also allows the students to study the latest cultural and educational events in the world and the area they live in and encourage people in their school or community to get involved as well.

Twitter is also helpful a helpful tool to create career lists. This is an assignment for high school students to use Twitter for education purposes and follow specific feeds relevant to their specific career goals and understand the importance of that career through technology. This is also a way for students to learn the proper use of social media in the classroom and how their social profiles can affect their professional careers in the future. Students will be able to learn how Twitter can be used in the classroom for assignments as well as how who they follow or what they post on their Twitter can impact their life.

Although using Twitter in the classroom has many advantages for both the teachers and students, it also presents disadvantages in the classroom. One major disadvantage of using Twitter in the classroom is that it can present a distraction for the students because although it is used in an educational manner, teachers must still remember that it is a social site and students will still use it for social communication when given the opportunity. As I mentioned before, teachers are capable of sending reminders and important information about the class through their Twitter account. However, as simple as it is for a student to ask questions through the site or engage in classroom discussions about the homework it is just as easy for them to get distracted on the site. Students may log into their account with the intention of checking their school page and information that the teacher has posted for the class and end up scrolling through their new feed looking at what their friends are doing or what the latest school drama is.

I believe Twitter is a great resource to use in the classroom as long as it is being used correctly and benefits both the teacher and the students. Twitter can provide the students with current information and a new world of resources that may not have been available to them. Using any form of technology in the classroom raises concern among teachers and parents, however, I believe Twitter is helpful and beneficial to students learning and participation in classroom activities. 

References

[Untitled photograph of twitter bird]. Retrieved on March 19, 2016, from http://recruitingtools.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2015/06/twitter1.gif.png

[Untitled photograph of twitter board]. Retrieved on March 19, 2016, from http://www.onlineuniversities.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/twitter-in-classroom/twitter-exercises.jpg

[Untitled photograph of twitter ideas]. Retrieved on March 19, 2016, from http://dailygenius.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/twitter-in-the-classroom.png

Collaborize Classroom

One new and interesting app I found is called Collaborize Classroom. This is a free online learning tool for teachers and students in the classroom.  This app can be used on the computer or on a mobile device or iPad. Collaborize Classroom is designed to complement classroom instruction and help engage the students in discussion through online activity and assignments that encourage participation inside and outside the classroom setting.

For a teacher, Collaborize Classroom is a beneficial tool in a variety of ways. This app will help the teacher gain more student participation and reduce the time they spend creating and grading assignments. This online tool allows teachers to extend their classroom beyond the standard learning procedure and create class discussions in a private online community.

Collaborize Classroom expands the classroom to an online environment that allows students to continue to participate outside the classroom. This app also teaches the students appropriate and educational uses for technology and how that can be used in the classroom. The teacher can create a group for each class and embed documents, videos, pictures, and text for the students to view and better their knowledge on the material.

This app is fun for the students and easy for the teacher to create. In less than five minutes the teacher can launch a free site and keep it updated for use in the classroom. This tool is safe for educational purposes and is password protected to keep the learning community and students safe when online. This app also keeps the students engaged in the material, as it is interesting to use and not a typical way of learning in the classroom. The teacher can create discussion topics on the site such as polls, debates, and tests to allow the students to engage in topics and voice their opinion in a different and exciting way. This will allow a fun and interesting learning environment for the students and helps them to support each other in dynamic conversations.

Throughout the website the teacher can also include a variety of attachments to bring different resources to the classroom and keep the students updated on current and real-world issues that could be related to the lessons. By including pictures and videos in a lesson, students will stay engaged in the material and want to continue to learn and participate in the classroom. This website is designed to increase participation in the classroom and create more meaningful conversations among the students and the teacher. While this site is not the only way the students will learn, it is beneficial for helping them stay involved outside the classroom and bring that knowledge back into the classroom through discussion. A teacher can post homework requirements on the page for students to view that will benefit them in the classroom even when they are not relying on the website.

This app is also great for teachers who have a variety of subjects and need to accommodate their lesson plans for different classes and students. Collaborize Classroom allows the teacher to create different groups and post different versions of the material to best accommodate the learning styles of the students in the class. Extra credit opportunities can also be provided through this app to challenge the students and help them more in the classroom. The teacher can create online groups by class period, subject, learning abilities, special assignments, language proficiency, and test groups depending on the students in each class and how the teacher feels will benefit the students most.

The teacher is also capable of tracking the activity on the site by class or by each individual student and their participation. It will also make grading assignments easier for the teacher as well and creating assignments for the class. The teacher can create portfolios of each student’s work, which allows a more meaningful communication with the students and their parents when necessary.

Although I have focused on the many reasons this app is great and beneficial for teachers there are also ways that it is just as beneficial for the students. Students will have the ability to access the site inside and outside the classroom to keep up with classroom discussions and learn more about the class topic. By engaging in the learning process outside of the classroom, students will be more likely to participate in the classroom and understand the material to a greater degree. This app can be fun for students because it does not follow the typical learning environment they may be used to. By creating polls and online debates through the website, students will have fun engaging in the discussion and interacting with their classmates in an educational way. Students can also submit assignments through the website and receive grades online faster and easier.

Collaborize Classroom is a great tool for teachers and students to use inside and outside the classroom. By creating a fun and exciting learning environment for the students and helping the teacher save time thinking of ways to engage the class, this site is beneficial for all. Collaborize Classroom can also be accessed online or on the go through a mobile device or iPad allowing the students and teacher to be engaged wherever they are. Collaborize Classroom is a great tool for the classroom and provides a new learning process for the students to keep them engages in the material at hand.

References

Hurst, R. (2014, December 2). Collaborize Classroom Tutorial. [Video File]. Retrieved on February 28, 2016, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbKvpNI2aVA

[Untitled photograph of login page]. Retrieved on February 28, 2016, from http://www.collaborizeclassroom.com.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/log-in-cc.com-click-log-in.png

[Untitled photograph of logo]. Retrieved on February 28, 2016, from https://teachtolearn2202.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/collaborize-classroom.jpg

[Untitled photograph of student participation]. Retrieved on February 28, 2016, from http://www.collaborizeclassroom.com/wp-content/themes/collaborize/images/features_6.jpg

[Untitled photograph of website options]. Retrieved on February 28, 2016, from http://www.collaborizeclassroom.com/wp-content/themes/collaborize/images/features_1.jpg

Studyblue

A new app that has been presented to teachers and students in the classroom is known as Studyblue. Studyblue is a free, online tool to help students prepare for upcoming tests and study even when they are not home. This app is great for teachers and students who utilize flash cards to remember important information but dislike carry a stack of them wherever they go. Studyblue allows you to create flashcards online for every subject and assess them when you have free time to study. This app is available on the computer, on an iPad, and even on a cellphone, to ensure students can study whenever and wherever they need to.

Studyblue is an online tool for teachers and students to help make studying easier. When I was in high school I was also on multiple sports teams, meaning I was studying on a bus half the time. Reading words from a book and attempting to take notes on important information was always difficult and half the time I could not read my own handwriting. Studyblue will make it easier for students who are always on the road to make flash cards of important information and refer back to them to study for a test. 

This online study tool will allow the students to quiz themselves, set reminders, and even track their progress as they go. Teachers also have the ability to monitor what the students are studying and refer other students to a specific page to share flashcards another student created. This is beneficial to the students who need help taking notes in class, as they can log into the account and view other flashcards that were already made by their classmates study the same material. 

This app also allows the teacher to email the students directly and upload other documents for the students to view for the class. The teacher also has the ability to create flashcards for the students in each class. The students must create an account and join the class page, similar to other sites used in the classroom, for them to access the material the teacher posts. This will allow the students to study the same information and to ensure what they are studying is on the test, as the teacher has posted the material to study. 

Flash cards will be presented to the students in a similar way paper cards would. Students can “flip” the cards to study the material and check if they got the term correct. If they know the answer, the student can click the green thumbs up button and move to the next card. If the student answers the term incorrectly, they click the red thumbs down button, which will alert them to return to that term later. When the student has gone through all the flash cards, a window will show up to tell them the percentage they got correct and the progress they have made on the terms.

Studyblue will also utilize the information provided from the flashcards to generate quizzes and review sheets to help the students prepare for the test. The quizzes will be created with three options: multiple choice, true or false, and type the answer. The student can also choose how many questions will be on the quiz and what type of questions, if not all three. Quizzes will receive a grade allowing students to track their progress and review the material they are having difficulty with. The students are also capable of regenerating the quiz to continue practicing the material as these do not affect their classroom grade, only help them review for the test that matters in the classroom.

Studyblue is also a way for students to learn faster and relieve the dreaded test day stress. By creating flashcards, students are able to review the material more often and understand what the teacher expects from them come test day. This will also make their learning process easier allowing the students to have less stress and anxiety about the information they will or will not see on the test. By allowing the teacher or the students to create flashcards and notes using this online study tool, students are expected to receive better grades on their tests. However, it is understandable that every student studies and learns in a different way. With that knowledge, students are not required to use this study tool if they prefer to study in a way that benefits them and allows them to get better grades on tests without it.

References

Teaching and Learning Centre (2011, June 06). Study blue tutorial. [Video file].Retrieved February 15, 2016, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyEoqHk8UQg

[Untitled photograph of studyblue icon]. Retrieved on February 15, 2016, from http://www.appusermagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/StudyBlue.jpg

[Untitled photograph of tutorial]. Retrieved on February 15, 2016, from http://assets.wyzant.com/784studyblue-iOS.jpg

[Untitled photograph of quiz options]. Retrieved on February 15, 2016, from https://assistly-production.s3.amazonaws.com/studyblue/portal_attachments/320441/Screen_Shot_2014-07-28_at_12.03.24_PM_original.png?

Class Dojo Review

One interesting and useful app that can be found on a computer, on an iPad, or even on your phone is also the perfect app for classroom use. This app in called Class Dojo and it is meant to encourage students in the classroom in a variety of ways. While students are expected to participate in class and work in pairs to help other students, sometimes they require a little extra encouragement from their teachers. Class Dojo allows the teacher to engage and encourage the students without wasting time in the classroom.

As many teachers know, class time is often wasted taking attendance and transitioning from subject to subject. Class Dojo allows the teacher to add each of their student’s names into the respected class and take attendance on the app itself. This can save the teacher time as it can be done as the students are entering the room or even setting up the material they will need for the class. The teacher can also utilize the timer the app provides to allow the students to see the amount of time they will be given to transition their desk materials for the next subject. This is beneficial to the teacher because it not only gives the students a set time to be ready by but also gives him or her time to prepare for the next lesson. For example, the timer can be set to three minutes and when it reaches zero the students must be in their seats ready to learn.

Class Dojo also encourages students in the classroom through an awarded point system. If students are helpful during the day or participating in all subjects the teacher can award them points through the app that are visibly shown near their name. Teachers are also capable of taking points away from students if they are talking out of turn, have not done their homework, or are not following directions. This point system can also give every student in the class the same points or randomize the selection if all the students were on task. The intention is to allow the students to see the benefits of being prepared and on task while also showing that there are consequences for inappropriate actions.

Sadly, teachers also have to see the down side of the app that could cause students to think it is unfair that they did not receive points when other students did. Parents also have questions about the app concerning the privacy policy and how it is used in the classroom and the affects it can have on students. It is common when using social media in the classroom that everyone will see the advantages and disadvantages of the site but it is also important to understand it is used to benefit the students and encourage their progress. This will not only encourage the students to participate in the classroom, but also provide them with a fun way of seeing their achievements and progress over the year.

Using the randomize button not only randomizes the points awarded but can also be a helpful tool when calling on students to participate. This button will choose the student rather than the teacher calling on the same student several times or neglecting to call on others. It is also useful when assigning classroom jobs to the students without hurting a student’s feelings or only picking the student that you like the most, which of course would never happen because teachers do not have favorites.

This app also allows the parents to stay updated on their child’s progress in the classroom. A parent can easily download the app and have private messages with the teacher about their child and their progress as well as stay updated on announcements that the teacher may have. Remember when you were in school and the teacher gave you papers that had to be delivered to your parents? If you were anything like me, those papers usually got lost somewhere during delivery and your parents were not too happy with you either. Well, no need to yell at the messenger anymore! This app will make it easier for teachers to send parents important notes or updates that are guaranteed to get delivered.

Another fun part of this app that teachers and parents love, of course with prior approval, is the photo gadget. In many classrooms, teachers have been given permission not only to photograph student’s work but also the students themselves. This application allows teachers to upload those pictures right to the app permitting the parents to see their children in their learning environment and with their friends from their class. This may come in handy when you ask your kids what they did at school today and you begin to get the generated response of, “I don’t know” or “I don’t remember”. Parents now have the opportunity to look on the site or the app and ask their children what they were working on in the classroom or what they were learning when the picture was taken.

It is evident that this app is a great tool for teachers in the classroom as well as interested parents. Not only do teachers find this app helpful in the classroom but also the students love to see their hard work be rewarded. While it can help teachers accomplish simple tasks without wasting too much of the class time it also encourages the students to participate and learn new material. This app provides fun and interesting ways to get the class involved as well as meet expectations and goals throughout the school year.

References

Baglien, K. (2015, January 11). Class Dojo. Retrieved January 30, 2016, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=foeGzEhDTPY 

Class Dojo-Pub Name [Class dojo title]. (n.d.). Retrieved January 29, 2016, from https://www.pubnub.com/customers/classdojo/ 

Register, A. (2015, September). Positive Points [Digital image]. Retrieved January 29, 2016, from http://registerhamilton.weebly.com/classdojo.html 

Zanchelli, A. (2013, April 25). Class Format [Digital image]. Retrieved January 29, 2016, from http://dailylearningtothecore.blogspot.com/2013/04/class-dojo-online-behavior-management.html