Flipgrid
Purpose
The purpose of this digital tool is to provide teachers and learners with a platform to exchange questions and answers using video responses. This tool helps teachers use technology to solve the day to day teacher troubles such as questions that linger without solutions.
Introduction
Flipgrid is a digital tool that is used by teachers to upload questions and get answers from students through video responses. This tool is simple to navigate. The instructor creates a grid where students display short videos of themselves. In addition to helping teachers use technology the right way, Flipgrid enables students to utilize their skills to create videos and show what they have learned, as well as how they can present it. Students can also reply to videos displayed by their peers by posting video feedback. Flipgrid is a free tool for educators and can be used in all grade levels (Murray, 2018).
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
Critical Evaluation
The fact that this is a free tool opens up numerous possibilities for teachers and students in the classroom without a limited number of grids. Through this tool, teachers can hear from their students and make follow up in real time with convenience. In addition to that, Flipgrid gives every student a voice and makes it easy to share work between different students and teachers. One constraint of this tool is that it does not allow for students to give written comments to each other. If this feature was available, then it would be more convenient for students to give feedback to each other without having to use video for that purpose. Flipgrid is also available on social media where users can get instant feedback as well as interact and share experiences with other users (Park & Kaye, 2017).
Theoretical Links
Flipgrid promotes the participatory culture in education by enabling learners to create and share content with one another. This tool allows for the sharing of knowledge, discussions, as well as reviews to ensure that the students challenge and learn from one another (Scharrer, 2002).
Suggestions for Use
This tool can be used in both online and traditional classrooms to enhance discussions and interactions. Flipgrid is a useful tool for students who are typically quiet or those who have a hard time discussing in the classroom. This tool enhances learning by ensuring that the voices of all students are heard.
Padlet
Purpose
The purpose of this digital tool is to gather, share, and modify ideas on any topic of choice (Ditchthattextbook.com, 2019).
Introduction
The Padlet is a free online pinboard where users can post notes on a digital wall. The users of this tool can add notes to the wall and upload images and files as well. Once a Padlet is created, the user can share the link with others and ask them to add notes to it with relevance to the topic. Furthermore, Padlets can be embedded into class websites for interactive discussions. The notes in the Padlet can also be moved around and arranged in any desired order.
Critical Evaluation
Padlet can be used in the classroom for various purposes such as for opinion forums, book reviews, as well as a questions board. In addition to that, this tool can be used to replace poster boards, where students add files, images, and links to a Padlet and embed it to the class website. Padlet is a free and easy to use digital tool that uses the ‘cloud’ for storage. Some of the constraints that are associated with this tool include its difficulty to use with the iPad app, and the way that it loses sharpness when displayed on a big screen (MacArthur Foundation., 2010). Some users also found this tool to be visually messy.
Theoretical Links
Padlet promotes the participatory culture in the classroom through its use as a collaborative tool for group work where students can work together from different physical locations. This tool also empowers students to build resource bases by sharing perspectives and experiences to support each other in learning (Educationworld.com, 2019).
Suggestions for Use
Padlet can be used by students as a collaborative tool both within lessons and for group work. In addition to that, this tool can be used to co-create databases using the perspective and knowledge of different individuals. Padlet can also be used as a revision tool and for preparation of assignments by students.
Compare and Contrast
Whereas Flipgrid leverages the use of video to encourage interactions and conversations between students, Padlet is more of a collaborative tool where teachers and students can interact. The audiovisual advantage of Flipgrid makes it easy to connect the participation and contribution with the face of the contributor (Literat, 2014). The interactive nature of Flipgrid makes it easy to get reactions and feedback from other learners (Cantrill, 2014). Both of these tools integrate the use of technology in the classroom and inspire collaboration among learners (Ito, 2013). Although Padlet does not incorporate audio or video features, it gives learners access to resources and materials by encouraging the collaboration of the users. The digital tool that would be best here is Flipgrid. This choice is based on the ability of the Flipgrid technology to tackle different topics through the captivating audiovisual method (Kahne&Middaugh, 2012). In addition to that, Flipgrid has a moderator feature that is used by the teacher to preview and approve students’ videos before they are published. Furthermore, most students, especially those in the lower grades, love to listen to the answers given by their peers hence making Flipgrid the more practical digital tool of the two.
References
Flipgrid
Kahne, J., &Middaugh, E. (2012). Digital Media Shapes Youth Participation in Politics. Phi Delta Kappan, 94 (3), 52-56.
Literat, I. (2014). Measuring New Media Literacies: Towards the Development of a Comprehensive Assessment Tool. Journal of Media Literacy Education, 6 (1), 15-27.
Murray, S. (2018). Flipgrid: A Modern Tech Tool to Practice the Age Old Art of Speaking. Canadian School Libraries Journal. Retrieved on 29 May 2019, from https://journal.canadianschoollibraries.ca/flipgrid-a-modern-tech-tool-to-practice-the-age-old-art-of-speaking/
Park, & Kaye. (2017). The tweet goes on: Interconnection of Twitter opinion leadership, network size, and civic engagement. Computers in Human Behavior, 69, 174-180.
Scharrer, E. (2002). Making a Case for Media Literacy in the Curriculum: Outcomes and Assessment. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy , 46(4), 354-358.
Padlet
Cantrill, C., et al. (2014). Teaching in the connected learning classroom. Digital Mediaand Learning Research Hub . Retrieved on 29 May 2019, from https://dmlhub.net/wp-content/uploads/files/teaching-in-the-CL-classroom.pdf
Ditchthattextbook.com. (2019). 20 Useful Ways to Use Padlet in Class Now . Retrieved on 29 May 2019, from http://ditchthattextbook.com/2014/11/03/20-useful-ways-to-use-padlet-in-class-now/
Educationworld.com. (2019). Five Ways to Use Padlet in the Classroom . Retrieved on 29 May 2019, from https://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/using-padlet-in-the-classroom.shtml
MacArthur Foundation. (2010). Rethinking learning: The 21 st century learner .Retrieved on 29 May 2019, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0xa98cy-Rw
Ito, M., et al. (2013). Connected learning: An agenda for research and design. Digital Media andLearning Research Hub . Retrieved on 29 May 2019, from https://dmlhub.net/wp-content/uploads/files/Connected_Learning_report.pdf
