A note on technology from Srta. Bashada:
In today's world, technology rules. Incorporating technology into education is important--and easy! Here are some resources you may find helpful for creating presentations, making videos, or learning new things. We will use a few of these throughout the school year. Click on underlined titles to go directly to that website.
In today's world, technology rules. Incorporating technology into education is important--and easy! Here are some resources you may find helpful for creating presentations, making videos, or learning new things. We will use a few of these throughout the school year. Click on underlined titles to go directly to that website.
Digital & Interactive Presentations
- Prezi: Create dynamic, engaging presentations with this online presentation tool.
- **ThingLink: Available on the internet or through the app, this tool allows you to combine pictures, videos, text, links to websites, and more. It can be used to create awesome, interactive presentations. Highly recommend!!
- **Nearpod: This website/app allows you to create presentations or lessons with text, videos, website links, learning checks, surveys, and more. Amazing!!
- Storyboard That: Use this website to create your own comic-like storyboards. Recreate your favorite stories or make up your own!
- Weebly: Create your own website for free. It's user-friendly and has templates to get you started.
- **Kahoot: My #1 absolute favorite tool to engage the whole audience!! Once you create your "quiz," just display the login code and everyone joins on their smartphones. Participants can see the correct/incorrect answers and the leader board for motivation.
- Socrative: Another great tool to assess learning through quick quizzes (multiple choice, true & false, or open ended) or exit tickets.
Collaboration Tools
- Google Drive: You probably already use this, but it is great to know all the features. Use Google Drive to collaborate on group projects and see who has contributed (best on Slides or Docs). Google Docs is a great way to write papers and "share" them to turn into your teacher or peer edit.
- Wejit: This platform allows you to pose a question or topic and have participants interact through: explaining their choice, debating, brainstorming, and more. Awesome for collaboration as a whole group.
- Padlet: Collaborate on projects online by adding text, pictures, videos, links, and more to your group's online message board. You can use it as a place to collect resources or to present information.
Photo, Video, and Editing Tools
- **iMovie: This app allows you to show off your creative side when you make videos, slideshows, or trailers with professional-like effects.
- Microsoft Movie Maker: This product is for creating videos, slideshows, and more. There's a little more freedom than in iMovie, but it takes time and practice to get it right.
- YouTube: Although you may not believe it, there are many educational uses for YouTube! You can follow channels like Ted-Ed and Crash Course for tips on learning. You can also upload your own videos created with Movie Maker and others.
- Voki: Create virtual avatars and give them something to say!
- Piktochart: Create info-graphics and posters from scratch or from templates.
- Pic Collage: Put a few pictures together in a collage and add text, stickers, and more.
Writing & Organization
- Dropbox: Upload documents or pictures to this cloud-based service. It allows you to access them anywhere with internet from any device. Dropbox is a great back up plan in case you forget your flash drive the day your big project is due.
- Evernote: Write and keep your notes, to-do lists, recipes, and more on Evernote. It's always accessible on the internet.
- GoodReads: Keep track of all the books you have read or want to read! This website is like a Facebook for reading books, so you can add friends, like their book updates, and see how they rated books you want to read.
- Grammarly: A free grammar-checker. Copy & paste your writing into their website to check for spelling, sentence structure, clarity, and more.
- Hemingway App: Another grammar-checker that goes above and beyond to point out your mistakes and suggest changes based on your writing and audience.
- **Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL): Do you need help remembering the exact placement of those commas and page numbers in MLA format? I think we all do... This is a wonderful resource for MLA or other formats, and it helps explain most rules with examples.
Educate Yourself!!
- **TED: An effective way to delve deeper into your favorite topics/issues or to learn about something new. TED Talks are valuable speeches from experts or people experienced in certain topics. There's something for everyone here!
- Ted-Ed: A spin-off of TED, you can search topics and lessons that interest you to learn more about those topics.
- Duolingo: Learn a new language (or practice your Spanish skills) with this amazing, self-paced website/app. Do as little as five minutes per day. The topics are fun, too!
- Khan Academy: These free online courses range school subject overviews to deep, concentrated material. It's also a great way to practice for the SAT or other exams. The courses are self-paced and easy to work on.
- Coursera: More free online courses, but this time the courses are from accredited universities and professors from across the country!! These take a while to complete, but if you want to learn more about a subject or prepare for your field of study, try one out. Disclaimer: You will not actually get college credits.
** Indicates one of Señorita Bashada's personal favorites and is highly recommended!