Students Showing Learning With Digital Tools

Students Showing Learning With Digital Tools

Digital tools provide our students with great capabilities to show what they know in so many different forms. From videos to digital published books, students show ownership in learning when they are given options in showing their learning through digital tools. This gives students of all learning modalities great possibilities to make their knowledge come to life.   Some of my students' favorites are the following:

• SeeSaw
• Book Creator
• Doink Green Screen
• Shadow Puppet Edu

SeeSaw

SeeSaw can be used as a digital portfolio for students to store and share their learning and progress toward goals.  It allows parents access into the walls of the classroom and lessons on a regular basis.  Not only for parents, but it allows the teacher to see a different perspective of student work and provides a way to hold and compare work across the year. Students can post their understanding after a lesson or comment on a video I post on a subject or lesson. My students have also found it a useful tool to start book clubs and share weekly videos on their progress. Watching their videos I have seen not only reading progression in books, but more importantly a love and confidence in reading!  If you aren't sold on SeeSaw yet, take into consideration that all work created from the next 3 apps talked about can be uploaded and shared on SeeSaw! Amazing!

These two girls have read 4 chapter books together this year and have become amazing book vloggers!

Book Creator

With the app Book Creator, I have seen my more reluctant writers take off and enjoy creating stories. It has also provided a way for students to show results of long term research or units of study. Book Creator give students a way to share books with their teacher and other students. Not only for literature, but students can record their learning in social studies and science. Students can easily document science experiment data and results. Students also take great pride in seeing their own books downloaded into ibooks, and can go back often to see and read their work. What a great way to publish!!

 This student shows her learning about the first people of Indiana.

This student published his creative fictional piece with pride.

Do Ink Green Screen

Do Ink Green Screen was a game changer for my students! When I first put it up I wanted to create a digital studio for them to show their learning. They did that, but it gave them unlimited possibilities in what they could create. And create they did! We now have a sign up waiting list for the green screen. My kids have been using the green screen for only a few months, and are just getting started in finding the creative options. They can create book recommendations, news videos, show learning in reports across the curriculum, and even transport themselves to a place they have never been! Here are a few of their highlights.

https://vimeo.com/256574159

Shadow Puppet Edu

Shadow Puppet is our latest find, and is quickly becoming a favorite. I have found that it easily outweighs working with imovie for the younger students because of ease of use and options. The app is easy for the kids to maneuver and become 'experts' at. They have the freedom to make creative videos to present their knowledge. I love that they can show projects, create voice overs, or be front and center in the videos.  They can even add background music, which the LOVE! Shadow Puppet also lets the kids have control over when to turn the page and move the video forward, and adds a 'magical touch' for them to highlight a specific area. We love this app and find it easy to share our learning with parents, teachers and friends.

https://vimeo.com/256574156

Tammi Fitzgerald

4th Grade Teacher

Hinkle Creek Elementary