Educational Technology

Tool

Purpose

Access to Tool

Learner Benefits

Student Device

Padlet “makes thinking visible”

For anonymous idea sharing or brainstorming

Students add their ideas and it shows up on main screen

Teacher can address points without singling students out

Free sign up online

Teacher can include link or QR code on BB

Great way to engage shy students (anonymous)

Great for early in the semester

A way for learners to bring up issues or grievances that they may otherwise be unwilling to do

Phone or computer
Kahoot
(
Kahoot.it for students to play)
Multiple Choice quiz game

Great for studying before a test

Use as a pre/post test (see what learners know at the start of class and how they improve by the end of class – have them record their score so they can see the improvement)

Free sign up online, students don’t need to sign up, just enter game code Great tool for students to use on their own to study as well – include kahoot link on BB

Awesome way to engage the whole class

Have students create multiple choice study questions that teacher adds to kahoot game

Include some of the game questions on test, if possible

Phone or computer
Poll everywhere Use for in-class polling

GC has advanced subscription to this, just need to sign up

There are CTL workshops and drop in sessions for help on how to use

Advanced version available as Georgian faculty – ask CTL Good way to get a ‘temperature’ of students on certain issues

Can illuminate similarities and differences among classmates

Good for creating a democratic voice on certain things in the class

Quizlet Study tool. You can create flash cards and the application will create games to quiz you.

Teacher creates a ‘Class Set’ and sends link to students to join class

Only works with clear, short answer questions (Q: “What is A?” A: “B”)

Now has Quizlet Live! An in-class study game that is AWESOME! (Need to be in person for Quizlet Live)

Free online sign up.

Students need account as well.

Easiest for students to access when teacher puts link to class set on BB

Sets students up with a study tool they can use on their own

Helps to teach study skills for students who don’t know where to start

Excellent for very busy students – many study the cards and play the games on their break at work or on the bus

Students can create their own sets as well (a tool and skill that they use after the class is finished)

Have students create study questions that teacher adds to class set

Include some of the Quizlet questions on test, if possible

“The best questions will appear on the test”

Phone or computer, easier on a touch screen for matching game
Nearpod You can create your whole presentation/class here.

PowerPoint slides can be added easily to the application, polling tools within Nearpod.

Students go to webpage and type in password (given by teacher).

For synchronous learning, teacher controls the advancement of the slides.

Also available as an asynchronous tool. Students can access if teacher makes available.

Other tools within Nearpod include drawing tools, quizzes (students see their own results of quiz), polling and now a ‘padlet’ type tool for sharing ideas anonymously (teacher turns off visibility of names but can turn it back on later to see student posts and scores)

Teachers can go back to see results of student tests or submissions

Free online sign-up, students use near-code to get into class Good for an option for students who cannot attend class synchronously (busy working/family life)

Students can quietly participate and teacher can assess contributions

Allows for a number of types of assessments or contributions (draw this idea, quiz, open ended)

Good for ‘mixing it up’ if student interest in usual style of class is waning

Computer (can be done on phone)
Visuwords Visual dictionary

Shows links to other words (synonyms, roots, antonyms, etc.)

Great thesaurus and dictionary

Great for classes with a lot of new language to learn

Free online, no sign up Helps learners who benefit from visual presentations of ideas

Great resource for assignments

Good for bonus activities

Students can use this tool for future studying

Computer is best, but phone works too
Classhook Site full of relevant short video clips for examples when teaching

Look up based on topic (eg – classical conditioning or biology)

Takes some sifting to be sure content is age-appropriate

Teacher signs up for free version & will get emailed ‘clips of the week’ etc. Keeps interest in content

Breaks up the lesson

Offers visual/video examples of concept being taught, often from relevant pop culture sources (eg – Modern Family, Big Bang Theory)

Flipgrid A forum for students to post short videos (30 secs to 5 min) on a topic teacher assigns

Good alternative to written reflections

Good for UDL as alternative for students who do better with speaking their thoughts

Students can put an emoji over their face or ‘pixelate’ their face if they are uncomfortable with showing their face

Free online sign up.

Students need account as well.

Great way for students to ‘meet’ other students virtually

Great way for students who perform better orally to shine

Can be easier for students when the workload is getting heavy

Phone or computer
Teaching & Learning Tools within Blackboard
Discussion Board Teacher creates Disc. Board with question students need to answer in threads below.

Visible to the entire class.

Students can comment on other posts.

Good for sharing thoughts on a video or podcast (that are not too personal) with the entire class.

Good for dividing an article or chapter and having students post summary to Disc. Board

Good for low stakes marks

Incl. in BB Shell Allows some engagement between students through commenting on posts that they connect with

Learners learn from each other, gain different perspectives

Computer
Journals Better for use between teacher & student (private), though you can do Group Journals where all members of the group can see journals

Better for longer, more reflective pieces

Incl. in BB Shell Good for relationship building between teacher and student

Allows for a ‘direct line’ between teacher and student, the teacher can respond to the journal directly

Computer
Wikis Groups can collaborate and contribute

Teacher can track contributions as well

Good for remote group work

Incl. in BB Shell Allows learners to work together remotely while still maintaining autonomy over their own work (it is visible who contributed what)

Good for students who may be nervous about collaborating (still fairly independent)

Computer
Blogs All members of group can contribute; whole class can see (like a journal but for all to see)

Can be used for larger projects (full term projects with installments throughout)

Incl. in BB Shell Learners learn from each other, gain different perspectives

Can be an alternative to a video or oral presentation for students who struggle with significant anxiety

Computer
Centre for Teaching and Learning
Learning Technologies A direct link to CTL’s vast collection of ed. tech. supports

 


Podcasts & Video Documentaries

Resource Name

Description

Specific Examples

Out in the Open
CBC Podcast
Examines issues that society often finds difficult to discuss
Opening Up Adoption
Looking at different perspectives on adoption and family (Fam. Soc., Ethics)

Inside Infertility
Looking at the difficulties some couples face when trying to make a family. (Fam. Soc.)

Switching Sides
In a time when everyone is so polarized, some have opened their mind enough to actually change sides. Great for teaching Ethics & Issues. (Ethics)

Together Again
About family reconnection (Fam. Soc., Psychology)

Crossing Divides
Looking at discourse and being able to listen to those who are on the other side of big issues (Ethics)
Frontburner
CBC Podcast
A daily Canadian podcast that examines an issue at the forefront of world or Canadian events
Jacob Blake’s shooting, police violence, and Wisconsin’s history of segregation
A discussion of recent police violence in the U.S. (Criminology, Ethics, Leadership)

What ‘defunding the police’ means for indigenous Canadians
(Criminology, Ethics)

Greta and the rise of the youth climate movement
(Dev. Leadership)
Unreserved
CBCPodcast
“Unreserved is the radio space for Indigenous community, culture, and conversation.”
The Doc Project
CBCPodcast
A random collection of short, well produced radio documentaries
Blood Money
About the ‘60’s Scoop’ in Canada (Family Sociology, Ethics)

Resistance in the Bloodline
Youth climate activists who say they got their drive for justice from the experiences of their grandmothers (Developing Leadership)

Walk this Way
A discussion with a man who has Muscular Dystrophy, talks about “coming out of the disability closet” (Psychology, Ethics, Leadership)

Portrait of a Foster Family
Looking at the love and grief that comes with being in a large foster family (Australian Broadcaster) (Fam. Soc., Psychology)

The Munk Debates
(Video Documentaries)
The Munk Debates
(Audio Only)
Both podcast and video documentary form. Takes major issues and frames it as a formal debate with “be it resolved that…” and a pro and con side.
Be it Resolved it is time to defund police…
(Ethics, Criminology)

Be it resolved that what you call political correctness, I call progress
(Ethics)

Ear Hustle “The daily realities of life inside prison shared by those living it, and stories from the outside, post-incarceration”
A wide range of episodes on various topics. Good for Criminology, Ethics, Psychology, Fam. Sociology

CBC ‘Docs’ A wide range of documentary series, including documentary collections on specific topics
CBC ‘Docs’ COLLECTION
“10 documentaries that explore race, racism and policing in North America”

*can be viewed online through streaming site, CBC Gem

CBC ‘Docs’ COLLECTION
“10 docs on Indigenous life in Canada”(Includes short docs)

*can be viewed online through streaming site, CBC Gem

CBC ‘Docs’ COLLECTION
“Social studies class at home: 12 docs to watch”

*can be viewed online through streaming site, CBC Gem

The Nature of Things Hundreds of episodes on a variety of scientific, social, nutritional and psychological topics
Includes web exclusives

*can be viewed online through streaming site, CBC Gem

CBC Docs POV Point of view documentaries on a range of topics from a personal perspective
Includes web exclusives

*can be viewed online through streaming site, CBC Gem

The Passionate Eye “The Passionate Eye is a curated playlist of thought-provoking documentaries based on news and current affairs topics. As Canada’s longest-running showcase for international documentaries, it offers viewers a selection of the world’s best and most newsworthy political and social issue documentaries.”
How to get more sleep
Advances in sleep science reveal the importance of sleep and its role in memory, trauma and our emotions. (lifestyle management)

NRA Under Fire
(Ethics & Issues, Criminology)

Vaccine Wars
(Ethic & Issues, Lifestyle Management, Fam. Sociology)

Japan, Chile, Canada: I am a product of many worlds Short doc.
(Culture & Cuisine)

Ru-Tsu Short doc.
(Culture & Cuisine)

Fridge Wars Television show looking at what is in the fridges of Canadian families
(Culture & Cuisine, Lifestyle Management)

Marketplace Television show about business and consumers in Canada
Food Fact Check
(Culture & Cuisine, Lifestyle Management)

CBC Gem A CBC streaming site that one can create an account for and view hundreds of movies and docs.
CBC News Includes articles, opinion pieces, documentaries, podcasts relevant to Canadians
CBC News: Indigenous
Includes articles, opinion pieces, documentaries, podcasts relevant to Indigenous people in Canada

CBC News: Being Black in Canada
Includes articles, opinion pieces, documentaries, podcasts relevant to being a person of colour in Canada