The options for learning can be flexible on a continuum ranging from Fixed to More Flexible, according to the five dimensions of flexibility: Time, Content, Entry Requirements, Instructional approach and resources and Delivery and Logistics. Women's History Month is not just a great opportunity to teach students about the important female figures from history Help your students to stay on track with this collection of student success accountability plans. According to the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework, flexibility is key because it allows educators to accommodate their students natural variability in learning preferences. The Center for Applied Specialized Technology (CAST) defines UDL as a framework to improve and optimize teaching and learning for all people based on scientific insights into how humans learn. Google also frequently updates Classroom based on user feedback, and actually asks and listens to teachers who use Classroom when they make updates! Text-to-speech is helpful not only for those who are blind or have low vision, but also or a variety of other learners, including those who struggle with decoding and those who prefer to listen to audio. The app has a number of advanced features, including a built-in teleprompter, green screen capabilities to allow learners to place themselves into different settings and multi-camera support through a connected iPhone. Many educators discovered they had to, Across the nation, equity and accessibility are two of the thorniest issues districts face as they rapidly move toward remote learning. In education, that means "things or tools used to support teaching and learning" (Bates, 2015). This type of universal access to learning materials helps bridge the gap in classroom equity. (Ive seen everything from Anteaters to Dragons, to Unicorns, to Zebras!) Related: Preparing Your School for the New Normal. Today, tech has a new role to play. Teachers can use a collaborative tool like Padlet as a bellringer activity, a backchannel for class discussions, a review or research activity, or to introduce themselves to students from around the world! Project-based learning: workflow software for group projects, Immersive learning: digital storytelling, GPS scavenger hunts, content creation, Game-based learning: simulators, interactive quizzes, learning game apps, Lesson capturing software for dynamic virtual and, Learning management software (LMS) to track assignments and student performance, Blogs and apps for communicating with parents. Teachers create a grid in Flipgrid and then post topics for their students to respond to using video. Canvas is a learning management platform that's used by over 30% of higher ed communities. The enhanced dictation feature on the Mac even lets you create new custom commands. She holds a masters of educational technology from the University of British Columbia. Plickers. In 2020, many students were participating in virtual classes for the first time and were concerned about feeling included. For additional tech support, pick a video conferencing platform that provides its own IT support and 24/7 service so you are never left glitching. One study found that flexibility of the space alone could boost academic, just as much as air quality, light, or temperature. Technological change recently has not delivered its full potential in boosting productivity and economic growth. OneNote Web Clipper. Voice Dream Reader. Learning Analytics Tools. Popular online textbook marketplaces include Cengage and Chegg. With the recent update, teachers can now provide feedback to student work and can move from one student submission to the next without opening a new tab. This is an updated version of an article the was originally published on June 8, 2015. It also reflects on the choice of courses students take. This app offers an easy-to-use, writing space (compatible with Google Docs) for Chromebooks that includes word prediction, speech feedback and Google Voice Typing. Asynchronous communication is any communication that does not take place in real-time. This built-in option of the Safari web browser on Macs and iOS devices allows learners to remove the navigation, ads and other visual clutter from a web page to better focus on the content. The reason that we emphasize building flexible classrooms is to promote equity in learning among a diverse population of students. While Quizlet is a great tool for this activity, it offers a fantastic resource that teachers can use to encourage their students to collaborate with their peers while reviewing/pre-viewing/learning course concepts. They are user-friendly inclusive portals that often include digital textbooks, related virtual resources and materials, and online texts and quizzes. Payroll, employee benefits, and candidate recruitment typically fall within the realm of HR technology. Audio and video tools. Take the Whiteboard Owl, for example. So while K-12 teachers seem to see the need for personalized learning, they aren't being given the tools they need to accomplish it, or adequate tools simply don't exist. Screen and audio recording tools. A number of tools allow learners to practice, refine and augment this set of skills, which fall under the umbrella of executive functioning. Bethany graduated from Southeast Missouri State University in 2008 with her BSEd in Secondary Education with a Social Studies concentration. School broadcasting, where broadcast programming provides complementary teaching and learning resources not otherwise available. 8. This iOS app records audio while learners take notes via text, photos, web links and handwriting. Automatic Titles for Your Lecture Captures?!? Computers can provide students various levels of instruction based on their individual learning needs. See here for an in-depth guide to successful elearning development processes. Under this definition, educational technologies as tools can include software (such as word processors), systems (such as learning management systems), services (such as YouTube or . In particular, as mobile digital technologies become ubiquitous there is a need to investigate how teachers engage with these tools--both personally and professionally. This allows students to easily hear instruction, which leads them to be more engaged in active learning. Flexibility can offer them the option to choose the best methods that prepare them for life. The outbreak of COVID-19 however, has shifted the academic community into new landscapes that require educators and students to adapt and manage their expectations. Digitizing Paper Records with Optical Character Recognition. Documents can be imported from a number of sources such as Google Drive, Dropbox and Bookshare, a service that provides free access to books in accessible formats for students with qualifying print disabilities. 5. The role of the established online institution is not exempted from the challenges in the implementation of flexible learning. 73% of teachers appreciate the flexibility of technology to cater to diverse learning styles in the classroom. In other words, dont make adopting the technology a goal unto itself, but rather select the tool based on how well it fits the particular learning goals of your unit or lesson. What Is a Blog? Students who are new to remote classes may feel isolated as they first adjust, smart video cameras help to ease that transition by better mimicking the atmosphere of in-person classes than standard webcams, Smart video cameras are best utilized during remote activities to boost student engagement, such as lectures and presentations, For hybrid classes, students joining class from home can easily see and hear their teacher and fellow students, giving remote students the feeling that theyre in the room as well to further support student connections, Smart video cameras are a great tool to support camaraderie between in-person and remote students as part of a hybrid learning model, by making interactions between students more natural and accessible, Place the Whiteboard Tags in the top-left and bottom-right corners of your whiteboard, Mount your Whiteboard Owl on a wall or tripod within 7-16 feet of your whiteboard, Use the Meeting Owl app to register your Whiteboard Owl, Activate your monthly Whiteboard Owl subscription in The Nest, Pair your Whiteboard Owl with your Meeting Owl Pro using the Meeting Owl app, When you have a classroom full of students who thrive when being given the freedom to work at their own pace, When your students have a flexible schedule that allows them to work on educational materials on their own time, with clear deadlines to guide their work, When you have students who need extra reflection time and the option to revisit materials as often as they prefer to fully engage with the class lessons, When you are balancing out your hybrid class and are looking for ways to keep your students engaged while balancing out real-time activities, When you most want to imitate the in-person classroom experience for your remote or hybrid students, When you want to create opportunities for real-time discussions and collaborations between students, such as brainstorming sessions or workshops, When an assignment calls for immediate feedback, such as a presentation with a Q&A portion or a call and response lesson, For particularly challenging assignments that require a high level of instructor involvement and the best interactive web tools for educators, Digital copies of textbooks are often less expensive than their hardcover counterparts, Many online textbook marketplaces also offer a variety of additional relevant course materials such as tutorials, practice problems, and practice quizzes, Digital textbooks are most time-efficient because you dont need to wait for them to show up at your dorm or house, and more environmentally friendly, Many digital textbooks are interactive and include internal text search features, as well as annotating tools and audio translations, The interactive features included in your LMS, such as message boards, can promote remote collaboration and discussion between students, Many LMSs are compatible with multiple devices, making them widely accessible for remote students, LMSs can scale to meet the needs of any sized classroom or organization, to be inclusive of any learning environment. Meanwhile, educators can use the LMS to track student progress. When youve imported your classes from Classroom (or created your classes using the Add New Class button), youre ready to add content. Teachers can determine the length of the student submitted videos and can allow students to comment and react to their classmates videos, and can even share grids/topics/student videos through email, link, and QR Code! Learners can use a number of video apps (vApps) to link to supporting research on the Web, ask questions through polls, link to a script of their video for accessibility and more. Think about the last time you. [CDATA[// >