The Tech Lady : January 2021

Friday, January 15, 2021

Remote Teaching and Digital Badges

Student engagement in virtual teaching can be challenging. Having students interact with you with their cameras off or responding to a question in the meeting chat is not a normal. For me, it is hard to adjust to this type of interaction and unfortunately, it is the new normal.

During my robotics club, I wanted to encourage student engagement and spark conversations. I wanted to see and hear my students. So, I decided to take old concept of digital badges, and use them in my robotics club. I explained to them how they would earn a digital badge and it worked! The students turned on their cameras and unmuted themselves and even chatted with each other during club. I was so happy the digital badges sparked this type of engagement and conversations.

I created my own badges in Canva, downloaded them and added them into a Google Slide presentation. I told the students to create a digital avatar of themselves and add it to the a slide. Once they did that, I changed the Slides to view only, and started to add the badges.

You can also create a badge grid in Google Drawings.

Set the page up for 9600 x 5400 pixels
Insert a table with the amount of rows and columns
Insert each badge into a cell in the table
Download the grid as an image

Use Jamboard

Create a new Jam and share it with your students as view only
Change the background image to the badge grid
Duplicate the frames
Add a shape to cover the badge
Add a label to describe the badge
When the student earns the badge, delete the label and text box to reveal it.

Here is a sample Jamboard of Badged Up.

Enjoy!

Check out my show The Suite Talk and for the latest episode on using technology in the classroom.

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Tuesday, January 12, 2021

Thinking Different with Jamboard

Alice Keeler and I are working on a new book about using Jamboard in the classroom. We are providing Jam templates and ideas on using it with your students.

While collaborating and discussing our view points, one thing we agree on is that Jamboard is not a presentation tool, but a collaboration tool. Think about it, does it have a 'present' button like Google Slides? If you want to create a presentation, use Google Slides. There is nothing wrong with that.

With that said, think of how you can use Jamboard as an innovation tool to interact, and promote the 4c's of education as well as supporting Webb's Depth of Knowledge. Check out the DOK chart below and visit the website Rethinking Learning by Barbara Bray for more information about it.

So, as I create templates, I ask myself a few questions:

Does the activity promote higher order thinking?
How can students use it to collaborate together?
Is this replicating a worksheet?
Is this a presentation?

As I write this book, I continue to think and learn about new ways to use Jamboard. One of the many reasons why I love Jamboard is because it gives the students the opportunity to organize and visualize their learning. Everyone learns differently and Jamboard definitely supports that. I always said, Jamboard is a space where you have to think out of the box! So, think big and challenge yourself! Your students will rise to the occasion!

If you are using Jamboard and would like to share your Jamboard idea with me, please fill out the form and I will add it to the PayitForward Jamboard Ideas by Teachers for Teachers presentation