Brain Pop as an Educational Tool

What is Brain Pop?

*Beep*, *Beep*, *Beep*. Moby, is that you?

Did you have a flashback to the good old days? I for sure did. I remember using Brain Pop all the way back in elementary school. You truly have to have been in the North Pole to not know what Brain Pop is. I feel like almost every teacher I had one year would use Brain Pop for anything and everything.

Brain Pop is an educational website that offers resources for different content areas in an animated, engaging format. Subjects include: Science, Social Studies, English, Math, Arts & Music, Health, and Engineering & Technology. Many different characters are introduced to us to present and take us through a mini-lesson video. For example, if you went under science, you can find videos and other resources about energy and other topics.

Since Brain Pop has first come out, the program has expanded. Brain Pop has been converted to an app. Making it, even more accessible than it was before. Brain Pop now has other apps, beside the main one about movies. If you would like to look at their other apps and more information about them, you can go to this link to find out more.

How Do I Sign-Up and Use Brain Pop?

The very first thing to do, which I think you know what, is to get an account. You can do this by downloading the app or by going to the website. At the homepage, you have two options, you can either explore more by clicking the free demo or you can click the log in button.

When you click the log in button, you will begin to put in your information. You can do this through normal sign-ups or by signing into your Clever or G Suite for Education. My suggestion, like always, is to use your Google account to keep your password and log in information the same for all of your education accounts. A G Suite for Education, in this case, is more than just your Google account, so you may not be able use that for log in.

From here, I do not have any information to go further. Brain Pop, if you want more resources and access, requires you to buy a subscription. But, maybe, your school already has one and they will be able to give you a discount or code to be linked to their account.

Brain Pop does offer free mini-lessons and features though. This is a nice option if you want to do a sample run in your classroom with this program. That way, you can get opinions and feedback from your students, before making the commitment to paying for it.

Just from doing some exploring and looking into Brain Pop, I can tell you a few features that you will be able to use, once you have an account. Brain Pop allows for games to be played on content areas. You, the teacher, can assign quizzes to your students through the program. Students, in general, have access to quizzes to test their knowledge. Brain Pop also has games to play with certain topics. This is a fun and interactive way for students to learn about a difficult topic because it doesn't feel like work, but they do have to work and think in order to play.

There are some other features that Brain Pop offers. Brain Pop offers website and resources for English Language Learners (ELL). They also have the website translated in Spanish and French. Brain Pop also offers specifically a website for educators. This page lets you walk through all the steps to sign up for an educator subscription. It also does go into further detail what this type of subscription would mean. It also gives a lot of great information in general.

If you would like more information on how to set up an account, for educators, this website goes through it step by step. They also give you detailed ideas and information tips to know about using Brain Pop. She is someone who has an account, so she will be able to give you more knowledge than I have experience with, at the moment.

How Do I Incorporate Brain Pop in My Classroom?

Brain Pop is a very flexible and multi-modal educational resource. It seems like it can be easily put into your lesson plan or used for homework/review purposes. I can see myself assigning students to review a subject on Brain Pop, either before the beginning of a lesson or after. Before, would be good to use for them to be introduced to the subject that we would be discussing in class the next day. This way, students come to class prepared with some background knowledge and questions that they want answered. Assigning a Brain Pop for after, is a good way for students to review for a test or a topic in general, to make sure they have their facts and knowledge reinforced.

The Brain Pop mini-lesson and videos can be used in my lesson plans. Using the videos is a good way for me to differentiate the way in which I present topics. It spices things up from me just doing a powerpoint or standing there lecturing them (which, I have no intent on doing anyways!). This helps students who respond better to visual aids, rather than just auditory approaches. It also helps those who may be ELL, I can put on captions for them. This would let them associate the English speech, with their written language. It also gives them another way to learn, from just the visuals being projected. they can rely on context clues, instead of just words.

Another way to incorporate Brain Pop into the classroom, is through stations. Assuming that I have an iPad or two or even a few desktops, I can set up a station where my students interact with Brain Pop. It could be that they view a mini-lesson. They could play a game to further their knowledge in a certain topic. They could be working on quizzes for topics that I assigned them. They could also be working in pairs to complete and assignment or task.

If you want more ideas, you can go to this link and it gives you several ideas. These ideas all revolve around Brain Pop being used in the classroom. Some examples are, pause points, "come on down!", or pair share. The possibilities are endless. Another way to think of or find ideas is to just look on Google or even talk with your fellow teachers to see if they use the program. They may be able to share with you some ideas that you haven't thought of before.

My Experiences and Opinion
I mentioned in the beginning that I interacted with Brain Pop quite a bit in elementary school. I always enjoyed using this website to look further into topics. I personally, respond very well to visual resources and tool when it comes to learning and retaining information. So, for me, the videos and online games were very helpful for me, if I needed more help on a certain topic.

I think Brain Pop has done a great job at expanding and broadening their resources and programs. They now have apps where kids can view at home, videos and movies. This creates a sense of intrinsic motivation because students are wanting to learn for themselves. They also get this sense of relationship with the characters, like Moby. Everyone knows Moby and they enjoy seeing him.

Brain Pop is a great tool to use for differentiation, IEPs, 504s, and universal design learning. This program offers an online, visual, auditory, and interactive way to learn. Not all students will love it, but some students may need the resources that Brain Pop offers. The fact that this website is easily accessible to ELL, Spanish, and French students is so incredibly helpful. It makes learning more accessible to them and easier for them to understand. It also means that people all over the world can be using this program.

References
Wikipedia. (2018, Dec. 4). Brain Pop Logo [online photo]. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BrainPop.

Christie. (2013, Feb. 20). Brain Pop Main Page [online photo]. Retrieved from https://consortiumlibrary.org/blogs/eresources/2013/02/20/brainpop/.

Millstone, Jessica. (2016, Oct. 27). Brain Pop Usage Cycle [online photo]. Retrieved from https://educators.brainpop.com/2016/10/27/using-brainpop-outside-classroom-linking-parents-students-teachers-together/.

Maria. (2018-accessed). 6 Ways to Use BrainPop in Your Classroom [online link]. Retrieved from http://www.everyonedeservestolearn.com/2014/12/6-ways-to-use-brainpop-in-your-classroom.html.

BrainPop Educators. (2018-accessed). Classroom Ideas for BrainPOP [online link]. Retrieved from https://educators.brainpop.com/creative-teaching-with-brainpop/ideas-for-integration/.

Twitter as an Educational Tool

What is Twitter?

*Tweet Tweet* Breaking News! Notification! Are you ready for the 4-1-1?

If you have not heard of Twitter, I do not know where you have been for at least the past decade. I'll have to admit, I did not join this bandwagon until two years ago; it was because of a class. For the most part though, EVERYONE, is on Twitter, even my mother.

Twitter is another online, social community page. In the most basic way, it is similar to just about any other social media platform. You can share via retweeting, you can like posts, you can post texts and/or pictures, you can comment, and follow other accounts. Maybe you want to keep up with the Kardashians, just incase you didn't already know what Kim was up to today.

All jokes aside, Twitter is another form of communication. You may be sitting there wondering how Twitter can be used educationally and in your classroom, because usually teachers stray away from social media websites being used in their class. This is a very odd educational tool to use in your lesson plan, but for many teachers, it works.

The fact is, is that Twitter, can be a great way to engage students and connect with them. This may not be your style, but it takes a step to expanding your classroom. The truth is, kids don't connect with you just through email or by talking to you anymore. Besides that, sometimes they spend class on social media anyways. So, why not use this to your advantage?

How to Sign-Up and Use Twitter?
The very most important step of using Twitter, is do make an account. You can do this by either downloading the app onto your technological device, or by going to the homepage. Either way is fine and just as easy.

To begin, you will click the "sign-up" button on the homepage. From there, you will be prompted to putting in your name and your phone number. If you prefer to use your email, they allow you to do that as well. Then, all you have to do is to complete the action of setting up your account!

After the nitty-gritty part of creating an account, it is now time to start following people, groups, or hashtags that you are interested in. Twitter will give you a few suggestions based on their little questionnaire at the beginning. For example, they may suggest you follow a dog account, if you said you like dogs. To be honest, who doesn't though?

Let's start using that Twitter! We will start at your dashboard. Once you have started following a few accounts, anything they post, will show up here. You also have the option to post something yourself on this page. On the sides, Twitter gives you suggestions of people or trends to look at or start following.

There are a few other options to explore on your twitter page, besides your dashboard/home site. The next little tab, says, "Moments". Moments is kind of like a news page. They have posts about current things going on in the world. For example, today, they have a post about Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra's wedding. Don't worry though, they also have actual news stories to be viewed as well. In fact, at the top you can find tabs that say: Today, News, Sports, Entertainment, and Fun. This way, you get to decide what kind of stories you want to view and get more specific content. You also have the option to create a moment as well.

The next tab at the very top of the page, is for notifications. Notifications are varied from any and all that may be going around, to just being notified about mentions. Mentions mean that somebody has mentioned you in a specific post. Twitter makes it easy to find that post by having a more specific notification search. This is super helpful so you can stay up to date and not miss anything.

The tab next to your notifications, if your message tab. This part of Twitter alerts you when you have direct messages from another user. This can be an easy way to communicate on a social media platform, without everyone having to see your conversation. It is also another form of getting in contact with somebody else, incase you have no other way to get in contact with someone.

Another thing to look for at the top of the page, is your search bar. Here, is like any other search bar on anything else. You can look up a specific user, idea, hashtag, or etc. The next icon, directly beside this, is your profile. Here you can look at all the specific things that you have posted or go into your settings to change any information that you would like to adjust.

How Do I Incorporate Twitter in My Classroom?
For me, using Twitter, in an elementary classroom, seems a bit odd. Though, I chose to do some research to be inspired by. Oh boy did I find some things! I found an article, on Teach Hub, that gives fifty ways to use Twitter in a classroom.

One example they gave was, live tweeting field trips. After reading that, maybe you're asking, "What does that mean?" Well, Twitter, has the option, to start a live feed. Parents always want to know what their kids are doing. This is a great way for them to see what their kids are doing/seeing. Not all parents are available to be volunteers for field trips, for multiple reasons, and that's ok. But, they may have really wanted to go. This gives them a way to connect with their child. They could have their own Twitter account and check to see what their student is doing, while they are at work.

Another example I found and thought was very well thought out, was using Twitter for role play. What is meant by this, is creating either your Twitter account or by making a Twitter account, to search or embody a person. For example, in history, let's say that you are learning about Leonardo Da Vinci. Maybe, you use Twitter to find hashtags, quotes, or photos to share with your students. Maybe, you decide to create an account, with the name, Leonardo Da Vinci. You can tweet as him! Students will get the opportunity to view Leonardo Da Vinci through 21st Century means. It is relatable and accessible to them.

Another idea, that I found elsewhere, is to have a "Twitter board", in the classroom. Thinking about this for an elementary classroom, I would create a creative board that replicates a Twitter newsfeed. For a visual example, you can look at the picture beside this paragraph. The way that this teacher used it, is for an exit ticket. Their example, was asking, "The answer is 86. What is the question?" Then students grabbed their own tweet strip to create a math equation that fit the question. This is a great way to get all students involved in class discussion/participation. They really don't even have to talk, they just get to write down their own ideas.

It is also a great way to see what your students know, each student could come up with a different equation or they could all the be the same. This is their time to be creative. It is also a time to do a sort of formative assessment with your class. Maybe they show that they really understand one topic very well, but could use some help in another. This activity also leaves for immediate feedback.

Another great thing about this idea, is that it can be used for any content area or for any type of question. You could use it to discuss themes of a book. It can be used to take a poll in what students want to do next. Maybe you use it to share one good thing that happened that day. The possibilities are truly endless. This also provides a safe way for younger students to interact with Twitter. You do not have to worry about anything inappropriate going on or students trying to use or do something else.

My Experience and Opinion
I have said before, that I did not join the Twitter community until about two years ago. Twitter never really interested me in the beginning. It wasn't until I was in a politics course in college that I used Twitter. I of course knew about it and knew how it worked, but I never really got the point.

The way that my professor used it, was for a line of communication. Ever since he began teaching this course, he created a hashtag, #HPUPolitics. This was a way for him to share news feed and articles for this course with his students. We were expected to keep up and check on it daily. There were times when he would use the post in his class discussion or he used it to plan a quiz for us the next day.

This was a super easy way to stay connected with the class. While I still may not be a Twitter user, I like the idea of using hashtags to stay connected to a certain community or idea. It was specific to the class and I didn't have to go on a wild goose chase to find it. Twitter gives you to option to receive notifications on anything that you want to follow. So, this includes hashtags, as well. For some students, especially ones in college, it is a lot more convenient to look at our twitter for class news than our emails. Let's be honest, most of us are more likely to keep updated and have the app on all of our devices than that of our emails.

The biggest feature and pro to this app, is communication. You get to communicate with people from all over the word. You could follow teacher Twitter accounts or hashtags. They could give you ideas about classroom management, how to use technology in the classroom, classroom design ideas, lesson plans, and more. Maybe you want to start a communication line with a teacher in Australia, you never know. Twitter could be a great way to learn about new things, believe it or not. It all just depends on how you use it to your advantage.

References
Das, Papri. (2016, June 15). Twitter Logo [online photo]. Retrieved from http://www.indiantelevision.com/mam/marketing/mam/twitter-and-kingfisher-co-created-name-targeted-videos-for-ipl-fans-160615.

Comms, Punch. (2014, April 10). Twitter Layout [online photo]. Retrieved from https://www.punchcomms.com/blog/new-twitter-layout-what-you-need-to-know/.

Miller, Samantha. (2018-accessed). 50 Ways to Use Twitter in the Classroom [online article]. Retrieved from http://www.teachhub.com/50-ways-use-twitter-classroom.

Bouabdallah, Mahammed. (2017). Hashtag Photo [online photo]. Retrieved from https://education.viewsonic.com/twitter-classroom-teaching/.

Epic!: Online Book Resource

What is Epic?

What is so epic, you may ask? Well, Epic!, is what's epic!

If you haven't heard of the app, don't feel like you have been under a rock. If you have been under a rock, welcome to society again! Get ready to be introduced to a very tech-savvy, 21st century teaching tool and resource!

When I heard about this app, I suddenly got very excited and jealous at the same time. I love to read books! The fact that books are so accessible and at your fingertips was so impressive to me. I was very jealous that this resource was not available to me when I was a kid, but I now get to use it for my own students. Which, is always a win-win situation!

Epic is an online library full of childrens' books. They have have everything from picture books to chapter books. They cover all topics: animals, science, fantasy, informational, graphic novels, and so much more. The best news, is that this is all for free!! If you aren't excited yet, well I am just not sure what will excite you at this point. For those who are intrigued, down below you will get a more detailed view on Epic!

How Do I Sign Up and Use Epic?
Not sure how to sign up for something? That's ok, I am here to help! First thing is first, you need to either: a) download the app on a device, or, b) go to the Epic! website. Once you have done this, you are ready to sign up for an epic experience!

Let's get started! Epic offers three different sign-up options: as an educator, as a parent, or as a student. Here, you will choose, an educator. You will put in your name, school, grade, and position. After, you will give your email and any other information they may ask for.

Once you have your account set-up, it will take you to your dashboard. On your dashboard, it will take you through six steps. The first is already done because you created an account. The second step is to add students. You can add students through your class roster, through Google Classroom, or by doing it individually. When you add students, it also gives you the option to add parent emails.

The third step, is to get your students logged in. When they login they will be asked for a classroom code. Every classroom that you setup, will have it's own unique class code to be included in that online community. The fourth step, is to assign readings. As the teacher, you have the power to assign reading assignments to your class. It could be something you want all students to read or maybe you assign different books depending on their book reading groups. It all depends on what you want them to read. This can also be an easy way to assign reading as homework.

The fifth step in the process, is to share with families. Parents and/or other family members should be encouraged to sign up for an account. The app and program is all free! This way, they know what books are available and what their child is doing. Epic allows you to communicate with parents through emails, text, and through letters. Epic has templates for each of these communication examples to send to parents.

The final step, is to create quizzes. You, the teacher, will assign your students quizzes on their reading. This can be a quick and convenient way to assess students on their comprehension of the books that they are reading. You decide on the types of questions, the formatting, and how many questions. You will also decide on what days they will be assessed. You can tailor anything to the student's need with this feature.

There are other features that Epic gives you that are pretty helpful as well. One of them, is having access to videos. For example, one video is on prefixes and suffixes. Other videos can be something as fun as hair hacks too. Besides videos, the app has "Read to Me" books. These books are ones that have recordings of a read-aloud to go with it.

The app also offers other things to use as well. It offers: collections, recommendations, quizzes, books in different languages, educator resources, Readerpillar, monthly calendar for activities, and class logs. There are four more features I want to add to this discussion. Epic allows you to track what books students are reading, how many books they are reading, how many hours are spent reading per student, and a summary of their readings and quizzes. These are great ways to keep track of student progress and to make sure that they are reading outside of the classroom.

How Do I Incorporate Epic! Into My Classroom?

The most obvious way to incorporate this app into my classroom is to have it as an option for independent reading or in a station center. In this situation, I am assuming that I have one iPad or a few desktop computers in my classroom. For a station, students can be working on reading a short text and taking a quiz afterwards to see what they got from it. They could also be working with a text to draw a story or example from it to share later with the class.

This could be a nice alternative or special treat for students to do their independent reading. Depending on my classroom setup and access to technology, I could pick one or two students daily to go and use Epic for their reading time. This allows reading to be fun and differentiated.

Another way that I can think of using Epic in my classroom is for assessment. As I have talked about before, Epic allows for the teacher to give students assignments and quizzes on their readings. Using the app for quizzes is a low-stake way to assess how students are doing on their comprehension strategies. It would not be as scary as say, DIBELS or a written test, because students are familiar and comfortable with this tool.

The last way that I can see using this in my classroom is to create extrinsic and intrinsic motivation within my students. Epic has available, what is known as, a Readerpiller. A Readerpillar, is a caterpillar that tracks all the books that students have read. This is a great visual way for your class to see how much they have read. It could be used for extrinsic motivation, if you decide after you reach a certain number, your class is rewarded with a movie day or another thing. Intrinsically, it motivates students to continue reading and enjoy reading.

My Experience and Opinion
I was first introduced to this app when I had a project in my Children's Literature course. The assignment was to read and review forty children's books. They had to be all kinds: chapter, picture, informational, fantasy, graphic novels, historical, and etc. This app gave me an easy access to books on the go.

Epic was such an easy app to sign up  for and use. I literally read from anywhere. I would read while I was waiting for other classes or when I couldn't make it to the School of Ed's library. It gave me so many options to chose from. I was able to fulfill all of my requirements for that assignment and this app helped me a lot. I also learned about an app that I know will be incorporated within my future classroom.

While I may prefer hard-copy books, the truth is that we are in the 21st century, and that means that everything is technological. Of course this isn't the first way to view books on technology, but it is free and accessible. Books can be viewed on a desktop, phone, or iPad. It is a different way than a kindle or e-reader. It can also be accessed from school, home, or on the go. This app makes things easy for students to get in their reading. They already are on their technology devices, so they will be able to just switch over and start reading.

One really positive thing about Epic, is that it allows teachers to have differentiation and universal design learning in their lesson plans. This is a great option for students if they have issues decoding, but do great at comprehending. They can use the read aloud option. That option is also great if you have students who are blind or have difficulty with speech or learning disabilities. It also helps students who need a more interactive way of reading than what a physical book can offer them. Online books also offer students an easier way to annotate or mark their texts with notes and questions.

References
Apple Store. (2017). Epic! Logo [online photo]. Retrieved from https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/epic/id719219382?mt=8.

Nicolanti, Tesa. (2016). Books on Epic! [online photo]. Retrieved from http://www.2wired2tired.com/reading-app-for-kids-epic.

Dabrowka, Vicki. (2015, July 25). Epic! on Devices [online photo]. Retrieved from http://www.greenteamgazette.com/2015/07/epic-for-educators-ereader-app-bringing.html.

Quizlet as a Study Tool

What is Quizlet?

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No! It's even better and more mobile than superman himself! It is Quizlet!

Quizlet is another app that seems like it has been around ever since I knew what an app was. It is also another app that is always relative in and out of the classroom, for all grades, and all ages. Quizlet is also a very effective way to study. It is also a classic tool used by teachers and students alike to study or review for a test.

Quizlet, has changed and made a whole new meaning when it comes to flash cards. Much like everything else these days, flash cards are now digital! While I am personally a huge fan and believer in re-writing materials/notes or making your own flash cards to study with, this is one app that I completely support.

Quizlet is an app that allows you to make flash card sets. It has made studying an on the go and convenient trend. You can access your flash card set from the website or from the app. So, you can literally study from anywhere! In the car, on a plane, or in between classes; your flashcards are ready and available for studying! The app has also made improvements and huge changes since it first came out and now it is incredibly engaging with its users.

How Do I Sign Up and Use Quizlet?
Here we go again signing our life away and giving the details of our lives to the internet! If you know ow to sign up for any other type of app or program, Quizlet is no different. Although, it does give you the option to sign in with a Google or Facebook account. This is a new feature that apps have upgraded to and have been offering. If you already have a google account, I would suggest using that for your account for Quizlet because it uses the same login and password. As we all know, signing up and trying to keep up with usernames and passwords, is just too much to handle sometimes, so why not make it easier for yourself?

If you do not want to sign up for Quizlet with either Facebook or Google, you can go through the sign up process on the computer or through the app. Even if you do not sign up for an account, you have the option to create a set, but you will not have access to the other many features the website offers.

Quizlet has expanded its website, features, and tools since I began using it. Features Quizlet provides: diagrams, flash cards, folders, classes, games, pronunciation help, night time version, shareable, spelling, writing, and tests. Quizlet tries its best to be accessible for all users. It also accommodates all learning types and styles by all the varieties it offers for you to study.

A brand new feature that I want to talk about, is the diagram one. I had not seen this until today and I wish it was an option a long time ago. I selected the diagram link on the website and it took me to the page with different topics and kinds of diagrams. I chose the diagram of the heart. The diagram had all the details of what an actual heart looks like and had all the parts labelled.

After skimming and reviewing my knowledge on the human heart, I pressed the matching option. It gave me about five different areas to match. It circled the area that I was to name and on the side were my options. It was honestly one of the most coolest and fascinating things I have done online. If I had to know the parts of the heart, I would definitely use this new feature on the app.

You can create folders on Quizlet. For example, I have an environmental science folder. So, whenever I made a new chapter set, I put it in that folder to keep them all together. That way, I later do not have to search all around my other sets to find a certain topic. They will all just be right there, conveniently placed.

Games is a huge feature on Quizlet and probably my second favorite part of the app. My favorite one to do is the matching one. You have to match the term to the description while you also try to improve how fast you pair them up. Another game, is the space one. I have not had much experience with it, but I am sure it is also helpful for reviewing.

When looking at your flash cards, you also have the option to listen to them. Their is an audio portion that will repeat the word for you. This helps in practicing fluency and pronunciation. It is also a great thing when teaching or learning a foreign language.

Quizlet allows you to share your sets. They make it very easy to share. You can send the link to your friends so they can use the set. You can share it through you gmail account if you are hooked up with Google accounts. You can also share with your classroom by giving them a code to access the folder.

Quizlet has the option for a pro account. If you decide to upgrade to the pro account, it does allow even more special features. One example, is that it includes a night time feature. So, if you are laying in bed and want to study, Quizlet has not made it easier to do so!

The most known features and uses for Quizlet are the flash cards and the tests. Obviously, Quizlet is for the usage of flash cards. On these flash cards, you can hear the word pronounced, edit them, or star them. Starring a card means that you need more practice and review with it or maybe it means that you know those words and are confident with them. Tests can be given on Quizlet through: multiple choice, write ins, spelling what you hear, and writing to match the definition.

To create a set, you will hit create. From there, you give it a title, maybe add a picture to go with, and begin adding cards. It will ask for the term and the definition for each new card. You will fill each thing out, the left and right. On the right, is usually the definition. It will have you write it out, maybe add a photo, and select your language. You will continue to do this for every card and you can add how many ever you want or need.

How to Incorporate Quizlet in the Classroom
Quizlet offers you the opportunity to create your own classroom folder. This will allow you to make any sets or diagrams for that specific class. All you will have to do is give the access code to your students and they will be able to use the folder as a study resource. This is certainly one way of incorporating the app into the classroom.

Another way, is to use it as a review tool. Make it in to a game. Have students quietly review their cards each day, build it in to your lesson plan time. Have students create their own set to use or share with the class. If you want your class to use it, explain why, how to do it, and give them in-class time to do it. There are so many ways to use anything, you just have to decide how to introduce it and make use of it to make a meaningful impression on your students.

For other ways to incorporate Quizlet into the classroom, this article could be helpful. They offer 10 different ways to use Quizlet within the classroom. There are also many other online articles or blogs to help you find which way to use the app that will best fit your classroom and their needs. So don't worry there are plenty of ideas and possibilities!

An example I found while searching on the internet that I will want to use in my classroom, is to use Quizlet to introduce and review sight words. I wasn't sure how to use Quizlet for the younger grades, but this seems like a good idea! You would have thought it would have been a simple idea, but sometimes the simplest of ideas are the best. This lets students be introduced to flash cards, learn how they are used, let them explore the site, review in fun and engaging ways, and allows parents access to all of the class sight words. They would have the code to access the folder and be able to see what their child is learning and help them use the app to study.

My Experiences and Opinions
This app has been a huge life saver and an essential study tool for me, especially when I got into high school and college. It is easy to use and can be used anywhere. I could use it on the way to school, in between classes, before practices, in Target, or wherever I was at the time. It is so easy to study and review for my tests with having a study material right at the tips of my fingers.

I still use homemade flash cards, just for repetition and practice physically writing down the info, but if I am being honest, I really prefer Quizlet. I love that I can create my own tests on it. It lets me practice the type of formatting my teacher will use, while still relying on the information it has. So Quizlet allows me to be introduced to several formats of testing.

Another thing that I love about the app is the matching. I get competitive when doing this. I treat it as a game. I compete against myself, to challenge myself to get a better time score each round. While my goal may be to get a faster time, I retain a lot of the information. I have to match them up correctly or it penalizes me by adding time to the timer. I also get to see the same pairings if I play it enough times. This helps me reviewing it and by creating a sense of automaticity with the term and its definition.

In my opinion, I find Quizlet to be a great tool to know about. I will want to introduce this in my classroom. The app adapts to all kind of teaching styles and learning types, making it easy to use for all students. The app also does a good job of actively engaging its users. Quizlet is also just a 21st century skill that further and benefit students education.

References
Jtrs Econocom. 10 Ways of Using Quizlet in the Classroom. Retrieved October 8, 2018 from https://www.jtrs.co.uk/blog/teaching-with-technologies-1/post/10-ways-of-using-quizlet-in-the-classroom-8

Quizlet Website [website page]. Retrieved October 8, 2018 from https://quizlet.com

Quizlet Logo [online image]. Retrieved October 8, 2018 from https://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2498480,00.asp

Quizlet tutorial image [online image]. Retrieved October 8, 2018 from https://wghstechwizard.weebly.com/quizlet.html

Quizlet example [online image]. Retrieved October 8, 2018 from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VsJhxvhmqzo

Kahoot as an Educational Tool

What is Kahoot?

Who doesn't know what Kahoot is by now? I have been using this since I was a freshman in high school and I am now currently a junior in college. Kahoot is always relative, no matter the subject or age. It is also a very effective way to engage and motivate your audience. Kahoot can and is a highly competitive game! I have witnessed some serious competition over the years with everyone trying to be first in place and the fastest to answer. Which, is not necessarily a bad thing for the teacher. It means that students are getting answers right, learning, is an expert in the subject, and is actively engaged in class! This is also a way to create healthy competition within the classroom.

Just in case you actually do not know what Kahoot is, have you ever watched or played Jeopardy? Kahoot is very similar to that game, except it is a digital format and more adapted to the 21st century. Kahoot is a game, based on questions and answers. It can be accessed on any device with wifi. It is also a great way to review for a test or maybe learning what your students already know on the topic you are about to introduce. Either way about it, Kahoot is not going away any time soon and it may be time to jump on the bandwagon, if you aren't already.

How Do I Sign Up For and Use Kahoot?
Kahoot is another very easy and simple app to sign up for. To begin signing up you will go to the site. From there, you will click the "sign up" button on the right. It will ask if you are using it as: an educator, a student, socially, or at work.  For school, you will either sign up as an educator or have your students sign up for the student version.

Once you tell Kahoot your whole life story and all the right information, you will be able to begin using it! To begin, you will click the "create" button once you have logged in. Kahoot offers four options for creating, they are: a quiz, a jumble, a discussion, and a survey. A quiz means that you will create questions for the students to answer, in a multiple choice format. A jumble is when students will drag answers to their correct order. A discussion is when you ask a question to begin a debate. Lastly, a survey is when you take a poll on the audience's opinions.

After you choose your format, you are able to start designing your Kahoot! You will give it a title and add a cover picture that represents the topic covered. From there you will then determine how many questions you want. You will write the question that you want answered and give three to four choices for the answers. You are required to have at least three options and you have to click which answer is the correct one. If there is more than one answer, you can click any and all that would be right.

Kahoot, also offers a few special features. If I am correct, you can choose what song you want to play while the game is being played. You can adjust how long students have to answer each question. Each question gives you the option to add in a photo. You also have the option to show the leader board or to keep it private.

Being the creator or admin, you will have certain privileges. You will be able to keep track of who is in first place, who has the longest streak of answering questions right, how many questions students got right, and which questions they struggled with. The game also shows after each question, who gave what response. This lets you know if the majority of the class understood that topic or if they need more reviewing. You will also have access to all the games you have created for other classes and topics.

You also will be the one who has the access code to play the game. So, each time you play that specific game, you will have to share the code, in order for students to sign in to it and play. This does not even require the students to have an account, they can just go to the website, put in the code, and start playing.

How Do I Incorporate Kahoot in My Classroom?
Kahoot, like I have said before, is relevant and effective for any and all subjects and ages. As I also have discussed and said, Kahoot is a great way to review before a test. I have done this in Spanish class several times. My teacher asked us what, for example, red is in Spanish. We would have four options and chose which form was correct. Another example, is when I played it in my methods class. My professor asked us questions relating to our midterm topics and from our knowledge, we had to chose the best answer for the situation.

These are just some of the ways in which I have experienced Kahoot, but if you want more ideas you can look at this article. This article gives you twelve different ways to use Kahoot in the classroom. there are endless opportunities and uses for this app. It is easily accessible and usable to anyone who has internet access in the classroom. There are also endless possibilities on how you can incorporate Kahoot into review sessions and lesson plans.

From doing a bit of research and learning about Kahoot, I have thought of new ways to use Kahoot. Like I learned that there are more formats than just a quiz. I also learned that I can use Kahoot in history and math. The idea has crossed my mind, but I have never seen it done until recently. I like how the teacher used Kahoot in the picture.

Another way to use this app, is to have students create their own Kahoots to share with each other and to use as reviewing tools for themselves. This activity makes them think of what kind of questions might be asked, what they think are important things to ask about, and it also allows them to review since they are considering what to ask. This activity does require students to make an account to create a Kahoot, but it is fairly simple. I remember doing this for one of my classes and I actually found it very helpful and thought it was a unique idea.

My Experiences and Opinion
From my experience, Kahoot's are good and effective way to review before tests. I remember the questions I get wrong way more easily than just by reviewing it on paper. It sticks with me when I get a question wrong because it gives you a big "x" and it makes me feel bad that I missed that question. But, if I know a Kahoot is being used, I make an extra effort to know the meanings of vocal words or study, so that I can do well and be in the top five. Especially because sometimes my teachers would give extra points to the top 3 on their tests.

I am not an emotionally and visually competitive person, but I do like achieving. I am secretly competitive and just want to do my best, not even to get the extra points, but just to please myself. I like to be right and I think this game is a good motivator and evaluation for myself. It motivates me to do my best and allows me to see if I am prepared or not for the test. It also lets me know which areas I need to focus more on before my test.

So, in my opinion, I love Kahoot and will definitely be using it in my classroom. Whether it is for reviewing or introducing a topic to see where my students are, I will find ways to incorporate them into my lesson plans. I also think this game kind of creates a community for my students. It lets them see who knows their stuff, so they can use that person as a resource for helping them better understand. It also creates a healthy competition in the classroom. through this, students get to socialize with one another and with people who they may not have otherwise.

References 
Kahoot Website [website page]. Retrieved October 8, 2018 from https://kahoot.com/welcomeback/

Kahoot logo [online image]. Retrieved October 8, 2018 from https://www.smore.com/d2a0m-kahoot

Kahoot Sample Image [online image]. Retrieved October 8, 2018 from https://www.monticello.org/site/families-and-teachers/kahoot-quizzes-classroom

Kahoot math game [online image]. Retrieved October 8, 2018 from https://www.forbes.com/sites/amitchowdhry/2017/08/28/how-kahoot-quickly-hit-one-billion-players-while-helping-advance-education/#7aefe87a7393

We Are Teachers Staff. (2015, December 1). 12 Ways to Use Kahoot! in your Classroom. Retrieved October 8, 2018 from https://www.weareteachers.com/best-of-teacher-helpline-12-ways-to-use-kahoot-in-your-classroom/

Webex as an Online Classroom

What is Webex?

Don't feel bad if you have never heard of Webex before, I hadn't until just now! In the most basic terms, Webex can be described as an online meeting. We know what these are, right? Just a video conference, no bid deal! Ok, so how does this pertain to teachers? Well, Webex is not just a tool for video calls, it is also an online, video classroom! What does that mean? This means that teachers, now have a way to have a class, without even having to be in the physical classroom. Schools, society, and kids are becoming more tech savvy every day. So, why can't the classroom be included in this new wave as well? For old school teachers, this may seem odd and out of place, that is ok. I think an online classroom sounds a little odd and out of place too, but, we have to adapt to the new ways and ideas, to best teach our students. this does not mean that a physical classroom is going away, it just means there is a new way to have class.

How Do I Sign Up for Webex and How Do I Use it?
Signing up is easy-peasy lemon-squeeze! To sign up, you will first go to the site. If you would like to play around with the program, before actually signing up for an account, the website offers to try meetings for free. So, maybe a few of your colleagues will be interested in previewing the program with you and you can discover it together. This allows you to discover and learn about a new teaching tool with peers who are there to learn with you, be a learner and a teacher, discuss with you about initial thoughts, and to bounce ideas of one another. It never hurts to have an extra set of eyes, ears, brains, and hands!

If you are ready to plunge into this new experience, you can certainly go ahead and sign up for the program. The sign up process, is much like any other, you will give information on: your name, your school, an educator or other, your email address, which plan you would like, and etc. Not to complicated, right? Once you make your account, you will be asked to download and install, Cisco, this is the program that allows Webex to work on your device. You do not have to pay for it or anything, it is just a simple installation. You will also either create a code or be given a code, that invites people to the call, so make sure to share this with your students when using Webex, or they will not be able to get on.

Once you have set up your account, you can begin exploring and messing around with the program. You can see that Webex has many options and features. For reference, some of the video call features, are much like Skype. You have access to audio: through your device's microphone, it can be turned off or on, it can also be muted. Video wise, your options are: share yourself, have the video turned off, and share screen. Sharing your screen, means that you will share what is on your screen from your device, with the people on the call. Sharing a screen is a great option for students to have because if they have a question and need the teacher to look at their screen, then they can share it with them, while the teacher talks them through what to do. Te teacher is able to see the screen and make sure that the students is doing the right thing. For teachers, screen sharing allows them to show presentations on their computer or walk their students through specific steps on how to do something. In this case, students can visually see what the teacher is doing and do the exact same thing on their own computer while the teacher is explaining.

Webex also has the feature of online chats. If students do not have audio on or maybe you are not able to speak, you all can use the chat box. The chat box can send messages to everyone included in the call or send to specific people. For the students, this feature allows them to directly ask a question, just to the teacher. It could be a specific question that just pertains to them or maybe they are shy and just want the teacher to know. For all students, they can write their question through the chat, that maybe their peers would want an answer to as well. For the teacher, this allows them to ask or discuss with the whole class and have specific conversations with just one student at the same time.

Chat boxes are great, but another feature that Webex has it that it allows you to change the format of your screen. If you want the video to take up your entire screen, you can click for it to be full view. Maybe you want to see the video, but still have access to your own screen, Webex allows that too. You just have to minimize the window and make sure that it is on the video part, not the chat. Another way to view it, is that you can have everyones' icons or pictures on the side or at the top of the page. This program really allows you to have options, that will best suit you.

How Do I Incorporate Webex in My Classroom?
This section may be obvious, but maybe it isn't quite yet. To first introduce Webex to your class, I would recommend doing it while you are all there together. This gives the opportunity for you to walk around and help students with any problems they have and walk through the video and sign-up process. This will also allow your students to ask questions and have you right there to show and navigate them. This will be a good time to have them practice: using the microphone, adjusting audio, playing with the viewing options, learning how to turn on and off the camera, showing you their screens, and playing with the chat boxes. Just use it as an explore and information lesson. Let them dip their toes in, before diving in.

So, maybe you have a whole day to practice using Webex and later in the week you come back to it, but this time you change it up. Depending on your class size and setup, have your students go to different places in the room. If possible, even go to the gym or the cafeteria to spread out more. Then, have your students log on to a video call with you. You will all be in the same room, but this lets them experience and try to use the program by themselves, while still being in a controlled environment. This lets your students know that Webex can be used anywhere, at any time, and for any lesson.

That day, maybe do a review lesson with your students. I would not recommend introducing a new topic through Webex on their first interaction with the program. Students do not need to be overwhelmed by using a new program and trying to learn something new. So, maybe review a math lesson on multiplication. Show them how to do this skill via the internet or share your screen for them to follow along. Another review lesson, could be a familiar text or shared reading. All the students will have copies of the book with them, but you can teach a review lesson to use online. This lets them see the variety of ways you an use Webex and practice their automaticity and fluency skills.

If you are looking for ideas or reasons why to use Webex in the classroom, this article explains to you how Webex will play an important role in the classroom. The three main points in the article are: collaboration, visual engagement, and overcoming concentration hurdles (Quesada, 2017). These are all factors that teachers must consider and achieve to accomplish in the classroom, especially because now everything is so digital.

Webex is not meant to replace our physical classrooms. It is a way and tool to use when there are days you are not in school. This is thinking for the future. Every year schools end up with some reason as to why they cancel school. Maybe it's a tornado or the snow, but either way, you will not be going to school. But, what if you could have school and not miss any instructional days? I know we all love snow days, but they just mess with our summer vacation. I do not know about you, but I would rather have school on a snow day, than be making school up in the summer.

Have your class online on a snow day! Again, it may not sound that great now and students won't enjoy the sound of it either, but this was you don't miss instructional time and days. I am not saying to teach an entire 8 hour day online, but just focus on the things that you really need your students to learn for the day. This way when they come back, the next day or a few days, you don't have to crunch your lessons to make up for that lost time. You will all be able to come back as a class and review and clear up any questions that everyone had.

My Experience with Webex
I have had two experiences with Webex now. The first was our tutorial day where we learned all the basics. The second time, is when we had a class online. It wasn't scheduled to have class online this day, but the professor could not come in, so she didn't just cancel class, she had it online! This was actually very cool and super useful.

My professor showed us how to embed our videos for our projects, answered any questions we had, showed us to submit the project on blackboard, and let us have a lab session. She still was able to go everything that she would have if we had been in class, but was able to still do it through the internet. So, nobody missed class or this instructional time. Another thing she did, was record our class session! Webex allows you to record sessions, save them, and later share them. This allowed us to go back to see what happened in class that day, in case we forgot or needed help.

What is My Opinion?
My opinion is that Webex is a great tool to have and to use. It may be hard to adjust to it at first, but after a while I think it will be easy. I know that I actually enjoyed having class online. I also liked how the session was able to be recorded and the professor was able to share it with us to refer back to. Webex also seems the be a convenient and easy way to have an online class. There is nothing meant to trick you or be confusing when navigating the website or video call. Through my experience with the program, I would recommend it to my peers to use in their classrooms!

References
Quesada, J. (2017, August 9).  Bringing Tech to the Classroom- 3 Strategies for 2017. Retrieved October 8, 2018, from https://blog.webex.com/2017/08/bringing-tech-to-the-classroom-3-strategies-for-2017/

Webex website [website page]. Retrieved October 8, 2018 from https://www.webex.com

Webex Logo [online image]. Retrieved October 8, 2018 from https://slack.com/apps/A5P5FDK33-cisco-webex-meetings

Webex Video Detail Diagram [online image]. Retrieved October 8, 2018 from https://collaborationhelp.cisco.com/article/en-us/4f6peu