Teachers First - Thinking Teachers Teaching Thinkers

videoask is an asynchronous video conversation tool. Use videoask to create authentic dialogue within a video format. First, create an account to begin a conversation using the templates found on the dashboard or start from a blank project. After providing a name for your project, use the options to choose a language and toggle contact details on or off. Turning contact details on adds a contact form to your conversation to identify those who respond and offer the ability to reply. When ready, record from your webcam, desktop or upload a video file from your device. Follow each step to prepare your recording, then access the video's URL to share with others. Respondents can answer using video, audio, or text. Free accounts offer up to 20 minutes per month of video or audio processing, three steps per videoask, 3 collaborators to help with organization, and appointment scheduling. Learn more about videoask by watching this video.

tag(s): collaboration (87), Online Learning (40), remote learning (61), video (257)

Vmaker is an all-in-one screen recorder, video recorder, webcam recorder, and video editor. Use Vmaker to create, edit and schedule recordings without time limits or watermarks. Create a free account to record unlimited videos for free. Download Vmaker to your computer or install it as a browser extension following the directions upon signup. Once the extension or download is complete, access the included features to choose settings and begin recording. When finished, your video is available to edit or share. When ready to share, download the video to your device, copy the link for your video, or share by email.

tag(s): Online Learning (40), remote learning (61), tutorials (51), video (257)

Create, teach, and manage online learning with eduflow's learning management system. First, create a course from scratch or begin with one of the provided templates. Next, use the links within each activity to personalize the course offering and upload files. Then, adjust the submission settings and rules to define course deadlines, options for editing after submission, and adding prerequisites necessary before allowing access to individual activities. Finally, invite students to join the course using their email. Once added, your teacher dashboard will show student progress within each course. Free accounts offer one instructor the ability to provide unlimited active courses with 10 monthly active learners in each course.

tag(s): differentiation (84), Learning Management Systems (22), Online Learning (40), remote learning (61), Teacher Utilities (146)

Google Slides is the presentation tool component of the Google document collection. Use Slides to create slide presentations that include images, animations, embedded videos, and much more. Create your Slides or choose from pre-made templates to fit your needs. Share Slides for others to view or adjust settings to allow collaborators to edit presentations in real-time. Slides automatically saves your work to your Google Drive using auto-save, making it easy to share and save all updates across any device. In addition, Slides works with PowerPoint, offering you the ease of uploading a PowerPoint file to Slides or importing any Slides presentation to PowerPoint.

tag(s): multimedia (43), Online Learning (40), remote learning (61), slides (45)

Read Theory offers over 1,000 interactive reading comprehension exercises. Learn to think critically, draw inferences, understand the scope and global concepts, find or recall details, and infer meanings of vocabulary words. Find Lesson Plans and Worksheets, too. Get detailed reports to track and analyze progress using percentages, bar graphs, and tables. Sign up with an email and be sure to know your reading level. Then it is simple: Read the passage, take a quiz, and see answers and explanations after finishing the quiz. If you are unsure of the appropriate reading level, visit a reading assessment site. Try News in Levels (use Test on the far right of the top menu), reviewed here.

tag(s): differentiation (84), guided reading (32), Online Learning (40), reading comprehension (141), remote learning (61)

Would you like to "flip" your Algebra, Geometry, Algebra 2, Pre-Calc, or Calculus classroom but just aren't sure how to get started? Flipped Math has everything you need! Choose a course to view video lessons and download practice problems, corrective assignments (additional practice for misunderstood concepts or incomplete mastery), and a complete pacing guide. Flipped Math also includes many student resources as well as Teacher and Parent FAQ's. Even if you aren't flipping your classroom, Flipped Math offers valuable teaching tools to use in any Algebra or Geometry classroom.

tag(s): differentiation (84), Online Learning (40), remote learning (61), teaching strategies (41), video (257)

This tool is a great way to take videos and add your own voice or add questions within the video. YouTube videos are viewable in edpuzzle even if your school filters block them! Search for educational videos from sites such as Khan Academy and Learn Zillion. Use the sliders to choose the video section, then insert your voice or comment on the video. Create a series of questions to go along with your selected video and insert them into the correct part of the video. There is no need for students to watch the whole video to access the questions at the end. Follow the on-screen directions to chop the video for the section you need, add your voice, and choose where to add text-based questions. Create a class and add students into the class either in the dashboard or after creating the video. Use student codes to access the video. At the bottom of the page, on the far right click the "Help Center" button. There is also a short demo video hosted on YouTube. If your district blocks YouTube, find the video you want to use and embed it in edpuzzle. It will be viewable when used through edpuzzle!

tag(s): assessment (147), communication (136), DAT device agnostic tool (143), questioning (32), remote learning (61), video (257)

Use this free slide-based multimedia app to put lessons and other material on any web browser OR iOs and Android devices. Build your presentations using pre-made templates. The site does offer ready-made presentations (some free). The interactive, pre-made videos and text presentations are from Ted-Ed, Khan Academy, Nearpod, and others. Some include questions to answer as you work through the presentations. What is the best part of Nearpod? There are now three different presentation modes.

When in the "live presentation" mode (in person or remote web conferencing), teachers control the lesson's pace, and students do not move to the next screen until advanced by the teacher. With the "student pace" mode, students progress through independently, whether at home or in class. The third mode is "front of the class;" you project your presentation, and the students do not use their devices. Use the teacher version of the app to push out the presentation to your students. For the first two modes, every student uses their own student app to follow the screens and answer the questions. This provides immediate feedback about every student. The feedback can be emailed to the teacher for later review. This formative assessment tool is invaluable and a unique part of the app. The tool also includes drawing for students to work out problems. Teachers can identify students who are not "on task" and not working within the app when a little red light pops up. Absent students can complete the assignment at home.

The free version of Nearpod for Educators is called Silver; you get 100 MB of storage, 40 students per session/lesson, access to 20+ formative assessments, 7,500 pre-made interactive lessons, 1,000 pre-made interactive videos, 40 students can sign up per lesson, and more. How many lessons and videos will depend on your storage.

tag(s): assessment (147), classroom management (128), DAT device agnostic tool (143), differentiation (84), Formative Assessment (70), gamification (74), Learning Management Systems (22), multimedia (43), Online Learning (40), personalized learning (9), playlists (10), remote learning (61), slides (45), Teacher Utilities (146), teaching strategies (41)

Use this free site to create a private chat room where you can watch videos with others at multiple locations in real-time. Create a chat room and use the link to send to others. Use the Facebook app to post to Facebook. Watch the video synchronously while making comments in the chat window. Note: Members of the chat can change the video at any time, and it will change for all those in the private room. You can lock this function by going to settings, find this function, and choose between All members or Moderators only. Want to save the chat? Copy and paste to share later or use screenshots (command/shift/4 on a Mac or print screen on PC.) Save your room and go back later to view the chat and watch more videos with your friends. You can monitor the chat the same way you did for changing the video, moderators only. See How to Use Watch2Gether to find which video formats are supported.

tag(s): chat (42), differentiation (84), Online Learning (40), remote learning (61), social media (53), video (257)