We’ve said it for more than a year … Students can’t officially use AI chatbots because they’re not old enough per the terms of use … but student-facing chatbots are coming. Now they’re finally here. Holly and Matt have used them — and have worked with students in the classroom using AI chatbots. In this episode, we share the things we like about them — and things to be aware of.
As more and more Chromebooks hit the classroom, redefining instruction and instructional practices is getting easier and easier – you just have to know where to start. One step in the process is to rethink the way you gather crucial information about each student and their journey towards mastery of a concept. There can be real power in the formative assessment process.
To understand the richness of these new tools, you first need to understand formative assessment. This process is meant to measure where students are in the learning process by applying a diagnostic tool, usually in the form of questions. This can be done through both formal and informal assessments. The information obtained could then be used to modify teaching and learning activities with the goal of helping improve student comprehension.
Here are two assessment tools that are perfect for the Chromebook classroom. They can help teachers monitor student progress and allow for quick and easy differentiation. More importantly, they provide a fun and engaging way to review important concepts.
Meet Assessment Tool 1: Socrative
Socrative
This is always the biggest hit during the Chromebook workshop sessions that I do with teachers. Socrative is an easy to use and engaging way to assess student learning.
Socrative uses a “room” system, and students enter a teacher’s “room” to begin an assessment.
Assessments can include traditional, open response or multiple choice quizzes, exit tickets, and even the fast paced Space Race group activity.
My favorite test option is the quick question… that you push out to students on the fly. Use the short answer option to ask for immediate feedback on a learning goal. By using this tool, teachers can quickly gauge whether or not individual students, or the class, are ready to move on to the next concept.
Socrative is web-based, requires no sign-up by the student, and can now use Google sign-in for teachers.
Each room allows for over 150 students per quiz. Once the quiz is complete, Socrative provides a spreadsheet of responses that can be emailed directly to a teacher, downloaded as a spreadsheet, or saved for later.
Tip: Try the Space Race option, a favorite student quizzing activity. With a Space Race, students can answer questions individually or in teams – with each correct answer propelling a space ship across a screen until one student or team emerges as the learning champion when their space ship makes it across the screen.
Flipgrid is arguably one of the best apps of 2017. Flipgrid takes something students are obsessed with videos and brings them masterfully and powerfully into the classroom to spur discussion and allow students no matter how shy to respond in a way that is comfortable for them.
As the website says “A grid is where your students go to view your topics, record their responses and reply to their classmates. Grids can be open or locked.”
Great because… The grid environment empowers the students to watch other student videos; self reflect and respond to other videos Allows students to all respond. Students can build articulate verbal reasoning skills as they respond on grids. The video responses often prompt further discussions among students and the class. It is also very organized and easy for grading and watching student responses.
Every student benefits from other students’ perspectives. Students spend their lives taking videos, selfies and interacting on social media with these items. Besides being a great discussion platform , Flipgrid helps students to use video as an educational tool- not just for social media. It also teaches the digital citizenship lessons of commenting and communicating effectively with others via video.
Flipgrid is making a splash in classrooms around the world, follow the hashtag #flipgirdfever for awesome uses of Flipgrid in the classroom!