TeachersFirst's Blended Learning Resources
Mix up your classroom and get blended! If you are new to blended learning, this basically means that the learning is a combination of digital media with traditional classroom teaching. Since some of the instruction is digital, students have more control over the pace of the instruction. Peruse this curated list of resources to start blending in your class!
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OK2Ask: Playlists to Personalize Learning - TeachersFirst
Grades
1 to 12
This recording of an OK2Ask online professional learning session is from May 2023. You can register and immediately view the archive of the session.
Personalizing instruction...more
Personalizing instruction...more
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This recording of an OK2Ask online professional learning session is from May 2023. You can register and immediately view the archive of the session.
Personalizing instruction doesn't have to be complicated. Using an instructional playlist is a simple way to honor student voice and choice while structuring your students' independent work. This session will help you create playlists that integrate multiple types of activities while using incremental checkpoints. Of all the tools you can put in your blended learning toolkit, the playlist is one you don't want to miss! As a result of this session, teachers will: 1. Understand the purpose of instructional playlists; 2. Learn how using playlists can support student voice and choice; and 3. Begin planning an instructional playlist. This session is appropriate for teachers at all technology levels.
Personalizing instruction doesn't have to be complicated. Using an instructional playlist is a simple way to honor student voice and choice while structuring your students' independent work. This session will help you create playlists that integrate multiple types of activities while using incremental checkpoints. Of all the tools you can put in your blended learning toolkit, the playlist is one you don't want to miss! As a result of this session, teachers will: 1. Understand the purpose of instructional playlists; 2. Learn how using playlists can support student voice and choice; and 3. Begin planning an instructional playlist. This session is appropriate for teachers at all technology levels.
tag(s): personalized learning (10), playlists (8), professional development (385)
In the Classroom
The archive of this teacher-friendly, hands-on webinar will empower and inspire you to use learning technology in the classroom and for professional productivity. As appropriate, specific classroom examples and ideas have been shared. View the session with a few of your teaching colleagues to find and share new ideas. Find additional information and links to tools at the session resource page. Learn more about OK2Ask and upcoming sessions here.The Achievery - AT&T
Grades
K to 12The Achievery is a free digital learning platform created by AT&T in collaboration with Warner Brothers that pairs video clips with lessons to engage students in learning across seven...more
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The Achievery is a free digital learning platform created by AT&T in collaboration with Warner Brothers that pairs video clips with lessons to engage students in learning across seven subject areas. Create an account to access activities such as a poetry scavenger hunt with Amanda Gorman or learn reading and writing skills from Wonder Woman video clips. Begin at the "All Units" link to find content by grade level, standards, subject, and additional filters. Most lessons are part of a larger learning unit; however, they are ready to use as individual teaching activities. Each lesson includes correlations to teaching and CASEL standards (Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning), highlights relevant vocabulary, activity directions, and links to the featured video, and is available in PDF format. The Achievery lessons and activities are available in English and Spanish. This site would be a good one to leave for your substitute to use; it's high interest, no sign-in, and has lesson plans & video clips.
tag(s): blended learning (37), coding (85), digital citizenship (85), engineering (129), environment (252), equations (119), geometric shapes (135), graphic design (49), internet safety (114), literature (221), map skills (63), measurement (122), media literacy (109), narrative (16), numbers (120), operations (72), order of operations (29), problem solving (233), remote learning (54), Research (87), social and emotional learning (102), spanish (109), STEM (297), substitutes (25), writing (325)
In the Classroom
Bookmark and save this site as a resource for lessons in many content areas to engage students using popular video clips. All lessons are created as remote learning activities making them easily adaptable for both in-class and out-of-class assignments. Easily find activities to differentiate instruction for different student ability levels by browsing options below or above the student's current grade level. Many lessons include worksheets in PDF format, turn these activities into a digital format by taking a screenshot of the document, then save as the background on Google Slides, reviewed here. Add text boxes in the appropriate place on the slide for students to add responses. Use Pear Deck Flashcard Factory, reviewed here, to create flashcards for students to practice the vocabulary highlighted in each lesson.
This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.
Curipod - Curipod AS
Grades
3 to 12Curipod creates interactive lessons using AI (artificial intelligence) technology. Tasks include features for making word clouds, adding polls, questions, and more. Visit the Discover...more
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Curipod creates interactive lessons using AI (artificial intelligence) technology. Tasks include features for making word clouds, adding polls, questions, and more. Visit the Discover link to browse through ready-to-use templates or create an account, then copy and edit a lesson using a template or build one in just a few seconds using your prompt and instructions. When creating a new lesson, start with a blank slide or use templates that include a brain break, exit ticket, multiple choice, or complete lesson. The brain break generators include several stress-free tasks, such as Would You Rather questions, and fun writing and drawing prompts. To create new tasks, add a topic and include standards if desired. Another option allows you to import PowerPoint presentations and PDFs when creating new activities. When ready, share lessons with students using the provided QR code or the join code for students to access at curi.live. View statistics in your dashboard, including the number of times played and player results. Free accounts currently include unlimited players, five private Curipods, a shared workspace, and all core features.
tag(s): artificial intelligence (177), assessment (147), blended learning (37), differentiation (84), Online Learning (36), remote learning (54), slides (43), social and emotional learning (102), Teacher Utilities (198), teaching strategies (50)
In the Classroom
Use Curipod as a starting point for creating lessons and student activities, then modify the content to fit your curriculum and students' abilities and needs. The Brain Break activities are an excellent starting point for using Curipod in your classroom. Select an activity from the Brain Break options, then choose a grade level and follow the prompts to share a short mental break with your students. Copy and paste standards when creating a lesson as a starting point to add content for the lesson. When using any AI technology, verify the information provided is accurate before sharing it with students. Use Curripod as a flipped or blended learning activity, share the join code with students, and ask them to complete the activities within a designated period before reviewing together as a class. Easily modify any template to differentiate instruction for different groups of students. For example, when introducing decimals, provide a basic introduction with vocabulary and instructional content to one group of students but add more challenging content, such as adding decimals for students already familiar with this topic. Coordinate with other teachers to create cross-curricular activities or when planning units together.OK2Ask: Engage & Inspire: Flipped and Blended Learning - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12This recording of an OK2Ask online professional learning session is from January 2023. You can register and immediately view the archive of the session.
Do you want to...more
Do you want to...more
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This recording of an OK2Ask online professional learning session is from January 2023. You can register and immediately view the archive of the session.
Do you want to engage your students while still being able to give extra support to those who need it? Then you need to use flipped and/or blended learning! In this session, we will simplify these instructional models and introduce tools that support them. Learn to use free teaching resources to deliver instruction digitally while allowing flexibility for student pacing. As a result of this session, teachers will: 1. Understand the instructional case for flipped and blended learning and the differences between the two; 2. Explore tech tools that can deliver digital content; and 3. Plan an authentic learning activity using a flipped/blended learning approach. This session is appropriate for teachers at all technology levels.
Do you want to engage your students while still being able to give extra support to those who need it? Then you need to use flipped and/or blended learning! In this session, we will simplify these instructional models and introduce tools that support them. Learn to use free teaching resources to deliver instruction digitally while allowing flexibility for student pacing. As a result of this session, teachers will: 1. Understand the instructional case for flipped and blended learning and the differences between the two; 2. Explore tech tools that can deliver digital content; and 3. Plan an authentic learning activity using a flipped/blended learning approach. This session is appropriate for teachers at all technology levels.
tag(s): blended learning (37), flipped learning (9), Microsoft (80), professional development (385), remote learning (54)
In the Classroom
The archive of this teacher-friendly, hands-on webinar will empower and inspire you to use learning technology in the classroom and for professional productivity. As appropriate, specific classroom examples and ideas have been shared. View the session with a few teaching colleagues to find and share new ideas. Find additional information and links to tools at the session resource page. Learn more about OK2Ask and upcoming sessions here.Perusall - Perusall
Grades
9 to 12Perusall is a social learning platform that integrates e-reading, annotations, and collaboration as part of the learning process. After completing the account registration, educators...more
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Perusall is a social learning platform that integrates e-reading, annotations, and collaboration as part of the learning process. After completing the account registration, educators begin creating a course by assigning content. In order to create a course, your school must be on the list of included institutions. Otherwise, you need to contact Perusall support to finish setting up a course. Use your documents or upload Open Educational Resources (OER) found on the web. Next, add instructions or annotations to guide students as they begin the assignment. As students access the reading assignment, they engage with the content and other students by adding comments, inserting questions, highlighting text, and more. User comments appear within a chat stream that encourages ongoing discussions of the material. Options such as dark mode, resizing text, and others within Perusall provide accommodations for the various needs of learners.
tag(s): blended learning (37), classroom management (120), collaboration (93), flipped learning (9), Learning Management Systems (20), OER (43), remote learning (54), Teacher Utilities (198)
In the Classroom
Find many options for OER materials at the TeachersFirst Open Educational Resources Special Topics Page, found here. Engage students by using Perusall as part of remote learning lessons, blended learning, or flipped lessons. Perusall is an excellent tool to use as an introduction to new learning materials; ask students to read and respond to a text, then use student responses to guide your learning activities. Extend learning by responding to student comments with links to additional support materials such as videos, online articles, or infographics. As an enhanced learning activity, ask students to select a portion of the material shared in Perusall to begin an extended research project. Ask students to share their learning using one of the many free presentation tools on the TeachersFirst Edge. Some tool suggestions are (click on the tool name to access the review): Adobe Creative Cloud Express for Education, Animatron, Renderforest, and Google Slides.OK2Ask: 3 Cool Tools for the Flipped Classroom - TeachersFirst
Grades
1 to 12This recording of an OK2Ask online professional learning session is from October 2022. You can register and immediately view the archive of the session.
Let's flip the...more
Let's flip the...more
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This recording of an OK2Ask online professional learning session is from October 2022. You can register and immediately view the archive of the session.
Let's flip the classroom by sending direct instruction materials home and completing application exercises in class! This model of instruction works well for blended classrooms where the emphasis is placed on student autonomy - allowing students to learn at their own pace. Join us for this session on using Microsoft Flip (formerly Flipgrid), Sway, and Forms to facilitate student instruction. As a result of this session, teachers will: 1. Learn flipped instruction basics; 2. Explore three tools that can facilitate flipped instruction; and 3. Plan for the use of flipped instruction in the classroom. This session is appropriate for teachers at all technology levels.
Let's flip the classroom by sending direct instruction materials home and completing application exercises in class! This model of instruction works well for blended classrooms where the emphasis is placed on student autonomy - allowing students to learn at their own pace. Join us for this session on using Microsoft Flip (formerly Flipgrid), Sway, and Forms to facilitate student instruction. As a result of this session, teachers will: 1. Learn flipped instruction basics; 2. Explore three tools that can facilitate flipped instruction; and 3. Plan for the use of flipped instruction in the classroom. This session is appropriate for teachers at all technology levels.
tag(s): blended learning (37), flipped learning (9), Microsoft (80), professional development (385), remote learning (54)
In the Classroom
The archive of this teacher-friendly, hands-on webinar will empower and inspire you to use learning technology in the classroom and for professional productivity. As appropriate, specific classroom examples and ideas have been shared. View the session with a few of your teaching colleagues to find and share new ideas. Find additional information and links to tools at the session resource page. Learn more about OK2Ask and upcoming sessions here.Open Textbook Library - Univ. of Minnesota's College of Education & Human Development
Grades
6 to 12The Open Textbook Library provides access to over 1,000 textbooks to download, edit, and distribute at no cost. View the newest additions or use the browse feature to find textbooks...more
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The Open Textbook Library provides access to over 1,000 textbooks to download, edit, and distribute at no cost. View the newest additions or use the browse feature to find textbooks by subject. After selecting a book, read a summary, including the copyright date, author(s), and licensing information. Then, to access any text, select the "Read More" link that provides additional information and links to the available formats. Formats available include PDF, ebook, and online availability.
tag(s): blended learning (37), differentiation (84), OER (43), professional development (385), remote learning (54)
In the Classroom
Bookmark and save this website as a resource for finding supplemental materials for your classroom and professional development information for personal use. For example, if you teach algebra, use the search feature to find introductory and prealgebra textbooks to reinforce concepts to students differently than your current teaching materials. For students who need enrichment material, take advantage of algebra 2 books to provide differentiated instruction to meet their learning needs. This resource would be ideal to use in a remote learning situation. Consider curating this site along with other open education resources (OER) using Wakelet, reviewed here. Create a collection in Wakelet of your OER resources and share it with colleagues as a professional resource.
This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.
OK2Ask: Blended and Remote Learning with Microsoft Forms - TeachersFirst
Grades
2 to 12This recording of an OK2Ask online professional learning session is from July 2022. You can register and immediately view the archive of the session.
Microsoft Forms is...more
Microsoft Forms is...more
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This recording of an OK2Ask online professional learning session is from July 2022. You can register and immediately view the archive of the session.
Microsoft Forms is often overlooked when discussing free tools for blended and remote instruction. Join us for this session and learn to use Forms to personalize instruction, accommodate learner differences, foster independent learning, and implement formative and summative assessments. Come prepared to explore and add this tool to your teaching toolkit. As a result of this session, teachers will: 1. Learn the basic functions of Microsoft Forms; 2. Understand how to use Forms to support remote instruction; and 3. Create a form for instructional use or data collection. This session is appropriate for teachers at all technology levels.
Microsoft Forms is often overlooked when discussing free tools for blended and remote instruction. Join us for this session and learn to use Forms to personalize instruction, accommodate learner differences, foster independent learning, and implement formative and summative assessments. Come prepared to explore and add this tool to your teaching toolkit. As a result of this session, teachers will: 1. Learn the basic functions of Microsoft Forms; 2. Understand how to use Forms to support remote instruction; and 3. Create a form for instructional use or data collection. This session is appropriate for teachers at all technology levels.
tag(s): blended learning (37), Formative Assessment (74), Microsoft (80), professional development (385), remote learning (54)
In the Classroom
The archive of this teacher-friendly, hands-on webinar will empower and inspire you to use learning technology in the classroom and for professional productivity. As appropriate, specific classroom examples and ideas have been shared. View the session with a few of your teaching colleagues to find and share new ideas. Find additional information and links to tools at the session resource page. Learn more about OK2Ask and upcoming sessions here.videoask - Typeform
Grades
6 to 12videoask 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...more
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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): blended learning (37), collaboration (93), Online Learning (36), remote learning (54), video (266)
In the Classroom
Engage and support student learning through interactive conversations created with videoask. This is a great tool for student support if you use Blended Learning or your school is on remote learning. Use videoask at the beginning of the school year for students to introduce themselves. Then, use the provided code to add a widget to your class website to build community and comradery among peers. Consider creating a question of the week or month for students to share what they have learned, ask questions, or discuss topics they would like to learn more about. For group projects, ask students to create a videoask to include with their final presentation that includes discussions of items considered for inclusion or a conversation about the group's collaborative process.Google Slides - Google
Grades
K to 12Google 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
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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): blended learning (37), multimedia (53), Online Learning (36), remote learning (54), slides (43)
In the Classroom
Discover the many features of Google Slides to create presentations, interactive stories, and much more. Create a class poetry presentation by asking students to create individual Slides, then put them together in one slide show as a class poetry book to share on your class website. Deliver blended, flipped, or remote learning lessons using Google Slides by adding links to videos, websites, assessment information, games, and other learning activities. Find many more ideas for classroom use at the archive of a recent OK2Ask webinar: GoogleMania - Student Activities for Google Slides, reviewed here, or the OK2Ask webinar: GoogleMania - Choose Your Own Adventure with Google Slides, reviewed here.HyperDocs - Laura Moore
Grades
K to 12This blog provides informative tools for learning about and incorporating HyperDocs into classroom instruction. Begin with the link to "Pages" to view the dropdown menu that starts...more
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This blog provides informative tools for learning about and incorporating HyperDocs into classroom instruction. Begin with the link to "Pages" to view the dropdown menu that starts with an explanation of HyperDocs. Follow the additional links in the HyperDocs dropdown to find information sharing the pedagogy and examples of how to create and modify HyperDocs. Most information on the blog is geared toward using this blended learning method in K-5 classrooms; however, there is also a link to another site created by the author with information on how to use HyperDocs at the secondary level.
tag(s): blended learning (37), blogs (65), professional development (385)
In the Classroom
This blog is an excellent resource for learning about and incorporating Hyperdocs into classroom instruction for all grade levels and content areas. You may also want to view OK2Ask: Believe the Hype! Using HyperDocs for Innovative Instruction, reviewed here. Click on the review title to view this OK2Ask session.SplashLearn - StudyPad, Inc
Grades
K to 5SplashLearn is a game-based math and ELA curriculum for students in grades pre-K-5. In addition, SplashLearn offers several general knowledge games that incorporate science, social...more
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SplashLearn is a game-based math and ELA curriculum for students in grades pre-K-5. In addition, SplashLearn offers several general knowledge games that incorporate science, social studies, and the arts. SplashLearn adapts the learning paths students play games to fit individual student responses and interactions within the elementary curriculum. Use the teacher dashboard to manage classes and add students. Other features allow educators to assign material to individual students, add required assessments, and enable home access using parents' email addresses. The site's themes and rewards motivate student learning; students earn coins to purchase virtual pets.
Note: This tool is now free for teachers for the premium version and complete access to all its features (no cost).
tag(s): addition (129), alphabet (53), blended learning (37), decimals (85), division (98), equations (119), fractions (160), game based learning (205), geometric shapes (135), Learning Management Systems (20), measurement (122), multiplication (122), number sense (69), place value (34), preK (271), sight words (23), spelling (98), subtraction (110)
In the Classroom
Take advantage of the free games and activities to provide practice and support with your math and reading curriculums. Differentiate learning based on student ability and confidence. Assign content based on students' learning goals. Share this site with parents to provide practice and support for math and ELA concepts at home. Use SplashLearn's reports and assessment results to guide your lesson planning and make adaptations to adjust to students' learning needs. Share this site with other practice activities using a bookmarking tool such as Symbaloo, reviewed here. Share your Symbaloo link with parents and on classroom computers for easy access to all learning tools shared. Use activities found in SplashLearn as part of a blended learning experience using Pear Deck, reviewed here. Include a link to the site along with videos and other learning activities found online or uploaded from your computer.Adobe Express Video Maker - Adobe Spark
Grades
K to 12Create and share professional-looking videos with Adobe Express Video Maker. Scroll down the page to read the step-by -step easy directions. Then click the Create button. Follow the...more
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Create and share professional-looking videos with Adobe Express Video Maker. Scroll down the page to read the step-by -step easy directions. Then click the Create button. Follow the prompts to begin your creation using a story template or start from scratch. Add videos, text, music, and more to your video. Easily rearrange, change themes, and add components until satisfied. When finished, publish your video to share or download it to your computer.
tag(s): blended learning (37), communication (129), digital storytelling (154), multimedia (53), video (266)
In the Classroom
Consider using videos in your classroom in a variety of ways. Upload your slide presentations and add audio to create flipped and blended learning experiences for your students. Engage students and enhance their learning by asking students to create videos as an alternative to book reports or written presentations. Share videos on your class website for students to access when away from the classroom. As your students create videos, use a bookmarking site such as Padlet, reviewed here, to share and organize information for students to use when researching. Include Adobe Express Videos as part of a larger presentation using Book Creator, reviewed here. Embed your video along with images, text, drawings, and other media into your digital book creation.Awesome ScreenShot - Awesome ScreenShot
Grades
2 to 12Awesome ScreenShot makes screen capture and annotation effortless! Click the camera icon, and Awesome Screenshot takes a snap of the whole page on your screen or any portion. You can...more
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Awesome ScreenShot makes screen capture and annotation effortless! Click the camera icon, and Awesome Screenshot takes a snap of the whole page on your screen or any portion. You can also upload an image from your computer, drag and drop, or paste from your clipboard to your account. Annotate the picture with lines, text, and shapes. Crop or blur out sensitive information before saving or uploading the image. Save to your account or get the URL to share via email, on your web page, etc. You can download video as WebM files and upload videos to your YouTube or Google Drive account. This tool supports images in PNG or JPG format. Awesome ScreenShot is available on the web. It works with Windows, Linux, and iOS 10.9 or later. It is also available as an extension for Mozilla FireFox and Chrome. The free account includes 20 recordings, unlimited recording length, 100 screenshots, and unlimited basic annotations.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): blended learning (37), drawing (61), editing (93), images (263), tutorials (52), video (266)
In the Classroom
Use this tool anytime you need to edit photos for use on class blogs, wikis, or in presentation tools. In primary grades, this tool can be useful for teachers to use to edit pictures from a field trip, science experiments, and more. Share the editing process with younger students using an interactive whiteboard or projector. Edit together! Encourage older students to use this site themselves on images for projects or presentations. Use this tool in photography or art classes. Use the editor to edit pictures to fit styles of pictures when doing historical reports or to set a mood. Use text options for the photos themselves to tell the stories. Have students annotate or label Creative Commons online images of cells, structures of an animal, and much more. Beef up your blended learning arsenal by creating screenshots showing how to do various computer tasks or navigate websites, and posting them on your website so students can also watch them at home. Demonstrate how to use a website or software for specific tasks within the classroom. Make how-to demos for instructions on using and navigating your class home page, class wiki or blog, or other applications you wish the students to use in creating their own projects. By labeling how students should navigate through a certain site or section, you can eliminate confusion, provide an opportunity for students to review the information as a refresher for the future, and maintain a record for absent students thus extending your blended learning class. Social studies teachers could assign students to critique a political candidate's web page using a screenshot. Reading/language arts teachers could have student teams analyze a website to show biased language, etc. Math teachers using software such as Geometer's Sketchpad could have students create their own demonstrations of geometry concepts as a review (and to save as future learning aids). As a service project, have students create "how to screenshots" to help elderly or less tech savvy computer users navigate the web, register to vote, or find important health information.Podcast Generator - Alberto Betella
Grades
1 to 12Podcast Generator is a free download for uploading and publishing audio and video podcasts. Install the software using the three-step setup wizard to begin. The generator also includes...more
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Podcast Generator is a free download for uploading and publishing audio and video podcasts. Install the software using the three-step setup wizard to begin. The generator also includes options for customizing the appearance of podcasts using themes. Podcast Generator works on most desktops, laptops and web browsers, AND this download seamlessly integrates with the Apple store for uploading podcasts to iTunes.
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This site includes advertising.
tag(s): blended learning (37), communication (129), podcasts (108), video (266)
In the Classroom
Create regular or special podcasts to share on your class web page or wiki. Create a mini gallery of images taken during a lab or a portfolio of images from photography, art, or any other class. Add music and share as part of a digital portfolio. Looking for even more ideas? Use this tool in your blended or flipped classroom to record class assignments or directions. Record story time or a reading excerpt for younger ones to listen to at a computer center AND from home, adding a touch of blended learning to your classroom! Have readers (perhaps older buddies) build fluency by recording selected passages for your non-readers. Launch a service project for your fifth or sixth graders to record stories for the kindergarten to use in their reading and listening center. Challenge students to create "you are there" recordings as "eyewitnesses" to historical or current events. Make a weekly class podcast, with students taking turns writing and sharing the "Class News," encourage students to create radio advertisements for concepts studied in class (Buy Dynamic DNA!). Invite students to write and record their own stories or poetry in dramatic readings. Language students or beginning readers could record their fluency by reading passages. Allow parents to hear their child's progress reading aloud, etc. Compare world language, speech articulation, or reading fluency at two points during the year. Challenge your Shakespeare students to record a soliloquy. Write and record a poem for Father's or Mother's Day (or other special events) and send the URL as a gift to that special person.If you have gifted students who lean toward the dramatic, this tool is simple enough for them to create dramatic mini casts without needing a video camera. Have students upload their own images and write a drama to accompany them, showing what they have learned in independent learning beyond the regular curriculum.
National Geographic Kids - National Geographic
Grades
K to 7National Geographic offers this kid-centric site as a companion to National Geographic Kids magazines and Little Kids magazines. The focus is on information about animals, geography,...more
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National Geographic offers this kid-centric site as a companion to National Geographic Kids magazines and Little Kids magazines. The focus is on information about animals, geography, and the natural world presented in a fun and engaging format. Use this busy interactive site for free, register to gain access to more content. Buttons on the home page lead to short videos, images, stories, polls, news bites, games, and activities. The site includes heavy advertising for the magazine subscriptions. A search box at the top right allows for exploration of the extensive content.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): animals (295), blended learning (37), countries (73), endangered species (27), environment (252), plants (146), reading comprehension (149)
In the Classroom
This site is perfect for interactive whiteboards or projectors. Display the site on your whiteboard to use as a learning center for students. Select videos for lesson introductions for flipped or blended learning activities. For language arts, practice finding the main idea or summarizing stories using these interesting informational texts. ENL/ESL learners can also find accessible news stories here. Choose words from stories to include with weekly spelling tests or as vocabulary builders. Assign different stories to groups of students to summarize and present to the class. Enhance learning by challenging cooperative learning groups to create videos about any article on the site. Upload images (use Creative Commons or other copyright-safe pictures) and use moovly, reviewed here, for this project. Then share the videos on a site such as TeacherTube, reviewed here. Use the site for learning games that will appeal more to younger students. Preview all video since some feature animals hunting which may upset some students.R4S: Research for Success - INFOhio
Grades
9 to 12Designed as an interactive online course this site helps high school students develop the sophisticated research skills needed for college and careers, an important component of most...more
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Designed as an interactive online course this site helps high school students develop the sophisticated research skills needed for college and careers, an important component of most standards. The formal research process is broken down into six steps: Asking Good Questions, Finding Information, Selecting the Best, Putting It Together, Your Presentation, and Making the Grade. Students work through a variety of activities linked from outside sites, including reading articles, watching videos, and completing worksheets. Each module is introduced by Voki avatars, reviewed here. Several popular research tools, such Zotero, reviewed here, and Evernote, reviewed here, are introduced. If your district blocks YouTube, the videos may not be viewable.
tag(s): blended learning (37), citations (33), classroom management (120), digital citizenship (85), evaluating sources (29), inquiry (24), media literacy (109), note taking (36), organizational skills (88), plagiarism (34), Research (87), search strategies (22)
In the Classroom
R4S would be perfect for use as a blended-learning or the flipped classroom experience for upper high school into the first year of college. You can have students work online, or you can download into your course management system. Have students work through all the steps as part of a research assignment, or use only the parts relevant to them. Teachers need to register to receive the text copy of the helpful teacher's guide. Use the site in any subject or curriculum area.
This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.
21things4students - Regional Educational Media Center Association of Michigan.
Grades
6 to 9This free interactive site is an extensive digital literacy curriculum that improves technology proficiency, builds information literacy and digital citizenship skills, and provides...more
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This free interactive site is an extensive digital literacy curriculum that improves technology proficiency, builds information literacy and digital citizenship skills, and provides 21st century and project-based resources online. The 21 Things are 'big ideas' in technology and learning such as Visual Learning, Global Collaboration, Powerful Presentations, Search Strategies, Digital Footprint, and many others. The student activities use free web resources designed to address the ISTE National Educational Technology Standards for Students, and the Partnership for 21st Century Skills. The non-sequential Things, delivered as project-based Quests, provide links, resources, and activities for students to earn badges and awards. Registration for teachers is required and gives access to teacher resources and a downloadable Moodle version of the site; Moodle is not required to use this site. To access certain external activities and tools, students may need to register with an e-mail. Each Thing contains a Teacher Lesson Guide, Student Checklist, Learning Objectives, and links to various web resources and apps. Choose a Things and see that the Quests have roadmap documents for students to use for tracking progress. A Quest includes an introduction (frequently as a short, animated video), vocabulary, directions, tutorials, standards, apps, and a student checklist. Extensive teacher resources and support are provided. Assessments are through multiple-choice quizzes at ProProf with a provided password. You may want to choose MITECHKIDS where you will find grade level links and categories by curriculum.
tag(s): blended learning (37), careers (156), computers (109), consumers (14), cyberbullying (40), digital citizenship (85), digital storytelling (154), evaluating sources (29), game based learning (205), internet safety (114), media literacy (109), organizational skills (88), social media (48), social networking (61), thinking skills (17), webquests (8)
In the Classroom
Use the complete curriculum or selected Quests. Assign students individual Things to complete in school or at home as part of blended learning or flipped classrooms. Have students begin with the Basics and progress through selected skills. Use parts of the site to teach a particular skill to the whole class. Have students complete their work through an electronic portfolio like bulb, reviewed here, that is not included on the site. bulb includes links to some ideas and samples on the on the K-12 page.
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Presentious - Presentious
Grades
2 to 12Create a presentation that has the familiar slides of PowerPoint with the commentary of a screencast. With this tool, you have the control. You can determine whether to see the ...more
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Create a presentation that has the familiar slides of PowerPoint with the commentary of a screencast. With this tool, you have the control. You can determine whether to see the presentation as created or browse slides and listen to only the portions that you want. Upload your content from Google Drive or a computer. Click "Present" to begin making your presentation. Be sure to approve the tool to access your device's sound and camera. Create your presentation and then share the link to the recording. Share by using Gmail, Google+, Google Drive, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Dropbox, and other social media. You can also embed the link on your blog or wiki. You may need to manage the size of the slides and images before uploading. If they are too large, you may have difficulty moving to the Present phase (this problem may be a temporary one). Find several tutorials for using Presentious by scrolling down the Support page.
tag(s): blended learning (37), multimedia (53), slides (43)
In the Classroom
Looking for an easy to use tool that gives even the viewer more functionality? Encourage your students to use this tool for projects and reports. Use this tool for analysis of a lab report, a culminating project for literature circles, book reviews, discussion of various historical figures or periods, or a digital portfolio for work completed in class (not just art or music). Students could illustrate a short story they wrote, using the audio to record the story as the illustrations slide past. Use this program when you have to be away from the classroom instead of writing out all the directions for a sub. Use it for absent students to stay on top of what has been discussed, assigned, or completed in class. Consider having students explain how to solve a math problem and posting it on the class website for students to refer to at home. This tool would be useful for blended or flipped learning, giving students time to internalize information about content they have to present, and leaving class time for individualized learning. This tool would be a great one for gifted students to use when reporting on research. Students will love the ability to move through portions easily.edpuzzle - edpuzzle
Grades
K to 12This 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 ...more
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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! The free plan has storage space for 20 video lessons.
tag(s): assessment (147), blended learning (37), communication (129), DAT device agnostic tool (147), questioning (36), remote learning (54), video (266)