Tech Notes: Recent Episodes
Tech Notes
What are formative assessments? Why should educators use them? What technology tools can I use to capture student learning?
Brainstorming tools
- Padlet [freemium]
- Jamboard
- Google slides
Traditional Digital Assessments
- Edulastic
- GoFormative [freemium]
- Schoology Assessment - this tool is top tier!
Polls
- PollEverywhere
- Mentimeter
Creative Options - Want students to showcase learning in expressive ways? Check these out!
- WeVideo [district subscription] - Access from Classlink
- Flipgrid
- Google Apps such as Slides and Drawings
Game-based tools
- Kahoot
- Blooket
- Gimkit
- Quizizz
- Quizlet Live
- 99math
Interactive Whole + self-paced lessons
- Pear Deck
- Nearpod
đź“ť Shownotes
Getting Started!
Pear Deck allows teachers to combine slide presentations with interactive questions to help promote inquiry-based learning. Pear Deck is also available in Schoology.
- Getting Started with Pear Deck
- Pear Deck how-to handbook
- Pear Deck tutorial videos
Ready to Use Pear Decks!
Check out these ready to use Pear Deck lessons and templates:
- Lessons by Content
- Weekly Wonders - curated content from educational and inspirational sources on the web to spark curiosity and conversation in the classroom
- Newsela Daily Decks - features an adaptive news article with interactive prompts
- Pear Deck Orchard - editable Pear Deck Lesson templates
- Free TPT Pear Deck Lessons
APP SMASH with Canva
Create beautiful Pear Deck lessons with Canva. Check out the Canva + Pear decks
TCS recently launched Canva for Education district-wide! Canva makes it easy to create, collaborate, and communicate visually - in the classroom and beyond.
Everyone (employees and students) with a district email address will receive all the benefits of Canva for Education, including all of Canva’s “pro” features, at no cost and with no validation or application required.
Students and employees can log in to our new Canva district team by logging into ClassLink and clicking Canva.
If you have any questions about Canva or would like to learn more about using Canva in the classroom, you can contact me (csyoung@tusc.k12.al.us).
- Canva for Education tutorials
- Canva Getting Started Guide