To Tech or Not To Tech?

Flick learning. (2015). Blended learning [Online Image].
Retrieved October 13, 2016 from http://bit.ly/2e5Fqe2

Knowing when to utilize technology in the classroom is imperative for effective teaching.  This week we looked at the difference between online classrooms and blended classrooms, which are very easily confused due to the technological aspect of these approaches.  While blended learning uses online application for collaboration, we must make sure we do not over do it with the technology.  Check out this blog which highlights the proportions of online facilitation Is blended learning the best of both worlds?

What differs blended learning from online learning is that blended learning couples face to face instruction with the technological usage.  This is why it is so important to know the line of when to use technology.  Do not completely abandon traditional teaching methods in place for technology just because.  Rather, use technology and apps WITH your traditional teaching methods.

This week we explored a couple new online apps to utilize in the class room.  The two I explored this week were Toondoo and Coggle.

Toondoo

Toondoo is an interesting online resource to be used in the classroom, which very much resembles the notable app "Bit Strips."  With Toondoo, teachers and students can create small comic strips or stories.  As it has a comic strip feature, Toondoo is probably not best used for detailed explanations, but rather for students to practice smaller concepts such as, classroom rules.  Students can work individually or placed into groups to make strips on the rules and then present them to the class. 

I also found it to be very useful for differentiated learning to incorporate different reading levels within one lesson, therefore students at lower levels will not feel left out because you can choose the level of vocabulary used in your comic strip. 

Overall, Toondoo is an engaging and interactive tool to get students excited about learning.  Use Toondoo in any subject lesson, an English lesson to mark key points in a story, a math lesson and bring literature into math, a science lesson by showing different theory's outside of a textbook context- it is a great tool for visual learners.

Students will enjoy using Toondoo, though it didn't find it to be the most user friendly and a bit overwhelming, once playing around with the app it becomes easier.  The downfall I do see with Tondoo is however, it can be time consuming.  Students will need time to discover how to use the app and then once familiar with the app, may get bogged down on the fancy add-ons appose to the actual content.  

Coggle

Coggle is a great tool to incorporate for blended learning!  It is an online app that allows you to brainstorm by making concept maps.  There are plenty of apps out there like this one such as Popple or Bubble.us however, Coggle is my favourite!  First its simplicity makes it very user friendly for the classroom- when the days already seem short enough the last thing you want to do is waste classroom time on figuring out basic ideas of an app. The simplicity of this resource begins right when you arrive on the site, it has a quick and easy tutorial video showing users all the basic and key functions of Coggle.

Another key component of Coggle is its ability to invite others to share and edit your work.  This is great for blended learning as it allows students to collaborate and brainstorm with one another.  This concept can also be very useful during instruction in order to get quieter students to speak up without having to do the public speaking.  Students can add information to the concept map from their own devices at their desk and if it is projected, the class will be able to see all the changes being made when they are happening.  

This is another tool that is great to increase student interactivity and heighten learning for visual learners.  It also gets students involved in the instructional aspect of the lesson, which would be engaging for kinesethetic learners.  

Coggle would be a great tool again for all subjects.  At the beginning of a lesson you could create a wonder map with the class.  For instance we are going to be learning about WW2, what do you want to know?  Students will then be instructed to add their thoughts to the concept map.  This could be a good way to keep students involved throughout the lesson. 

Duffy, C. (2016). Coggle Mind Map [Online Image]. Retrived October 14, 2016
 from Coggle.it

Both resources, Toondoo and Coggle are great for the classroom.  Toondoo will help students to understand a variety of texts beyond novels and short stories and further, will teach them how to create their own.  This is a skill that can then be transferable into other subjects while simultaneously meeting strands under the media literacy section of the curriculum.  Coggle involves students in active brainstorming and collaboration.  This app reinforces and molds students planning, processing, critical and creative skills.  

Now these are great tools to add into the classroom, but moderation is also key and remembering to maintain a balance with technology and traditional learning methods maintains an effective blended learning environment!

Benvenuto, V. (2015). Benjamin Franklin quote [online image]. Retrieved October 14, 2016 from http://www.pixteller.com/img/37610