This list features my favorite apps and tools that I played around with this week. I think these are all resources I could personally see myself using when teaching library instruction classes. I had a lot of fun exploring, even the ones that didn't make the list. The experience has made me start brainstorming the ways in which I can teach students about the research process using these tools.
Most of tools and apps came from the Jeanne Croteau and AASL Best Tools for Teaching and learning lists. However, I am now getting recommendations on Youtube for different programs and their tutorials. Some of them have been added to this list as well.
This blog's image was created using Canva's Dream Lab again. The prompt: "anthropomorphize computer is high fiving a bunch of students."
- This is a resource for teaching students and providing professional development to teachers about copyright and the ways it can contribute to the creative process rather than hinder it.
- Includes curricula for all grade levels relating to United States copyright and fair use law.
- Each lesson comes with a pdf describing the content, a slide show, and interactive activities.
- 'Escape Room' activities are games for elementary students that relates to the content.
- Offers free professional development courses for teachers to take as well as "office hours” for educators to have the opportunity to ask questions via zoom to an actual human.
- Includes downloadable infographics for the classroom or library.
HippoCampus
- This is a database of open education videos.
- Some of the video resources are Khan Academy, NROC Project, STEMbit, and NASA Science Videos.
- The subjects it covers are math, natural sciences, social studies, and humanities.
- There is no searching for subjects. Every video resource is linked to its appropriate subject topic. Videos are clearly labeled and organized to easily click through.
- Every video course is embedded into the site, so students will remain on HippoCampus.
Parlay - This is a tool to facilitate classroom discussions both online and in person. It’s great for high schoolers who are reluctant to participate and mitigates the same few students doing all the heavy-lifting.
- The online discussion tool can be used during or outside of class and works similar to college discussion boards where students respond to the teacher’s prompt and comment on each other’s.
- Teachers can give student aliases to post anonymously.
- There is a real time classroom discussion feature that works by putting the discussion prompt on the student’s device with a notepad for them to jot down their ideas first. From there, they form a queue and use Parlay to signal that they have the floor to speak.
- Paylay collects data based on student participation, and grading and feedback happen within the site.
- Technically for college courses, this discussion board platform is designed for students to make posts to students and the teacher outside of class time.
- It could be perfect for AP students who have homework questions in the evening. Anyone can answer an original post, making it ideal for students to work collaboratively outside of school.
- FERPA compliant.
- Teachers create a classroom that students can enter.
- Posts can be question and answer based or poll response.
- Folders can be created to sort discussions into categories like a specific homework assignment or upcoming quiz.
- This is essentially a paper-free exit ticket that allows teachers to make a multiple-choice question set and have students answer using custom cards.
- Begin by creating a class and then adding each student to the roster.
- From there, each student is assigned a card number that you will print out and hand the student. The card acts as a QR code.
- The card is spun around to represent their multiple choice answer.
- Teachers can create in the site or upload multiple choice questions. These questions are displayed on the board, so students do not need a device, just their printed out cards.
- Each card is unique to prevent students from copying each other.
- Teachers use the app on their phone to scan each student’s card and the app collections data for who got the answer correct or not.
- This is a free(ish) AI tool that acts as a proofreader for student’s written assignments.
- Writing can be copied and pasted into the program, or the entire document file can be uploaded. It offers chrome and edge extensions and Microsoft word add-on. The resource is not limited to English, offering writing tips in almost every language.
- Paraphraser: Quillbot can alter writing to sounds a certain way. Modes include paraphrasing for fluency, formal, and academic sounding prose.
- Academic is only free once and then it requires the premium subscription. In my opinion, this is the most helpful mode for students so it makes sense it’s not free.
- Grammar Checker: Upload an entire document and the assistant shows you every grammar mistake. With one click of a button, Quillbot will automatically fix every mistake.
- AI Detector: this feature can tell if anything from the writing has been lifted from AI without being properly cited. I think this is a very helpful feature for students as they learn the ethics of AI. I can also see teachers using this to check student work.
- Plagiarism Checker: not included in the free account. Once again, not surprised considering how coveted such a feature is not to monetize it.
- Shmoop is an online study tool that offers services for students, teachers, parents, and administrators. The study guide services is free.
- This would be a helpful resource for a student who has not grasped a concept in class or was absent and missed a lesson. It lacks some tools that would be helpful to ELL students like an audio component to the written lessons. The website design is also clunky.
- There are study guides for English, math, science, and social studies with subgroups in each one. For example, science is broken down by biology, chemistry, and physics.
- Each subject has a detailed, written section explaining what the topic is and how to apply it. Videos and infographics are also included.
- There are quizzes for studying the topic.
- There are full text options for books in the public domain.
- It also offers career and life skills topics like financial literacy and driver’s ed (broken down by each state).
- An online quiz platform that allows you to upload a quiz and have the students take it right there and then.
- Quizzes are customizable and can be anything from true or false, multiple choice, short answer, etc. More customization options include deciding if students see if they got the answer correct right away or not.
- The teacher gets real-time data as students complete the quiz to see what answers students are getting right or wrong. This would be an easy visualization if there are questions every student is getting incorrect.
- There is an option for a quick exit ticket activity or a space race game to put students into groups and see who can get the most questions correct.
- It is a very simple platform, which makes it easy for students to use.
- They don’t create an account themself, but type in your unique classroom code (or scan a QR code).
- The only thing on their screen will then be the quiz. When they’re done with the quiz, the site has a waiting page for them to wait for the teacher to make another quiz active.
