What did students get out of this project?
Through the use of technology in the classroom, specifically use of Padlet and Quizlet, my students engaged with Language Arts content. Using technology is a quick way to increase student engagement-- since students are familiar with using technology out of class, they are confident using it within class. My students were able to learn from each other and post to a more "public"* forum than they would have if they had simply been sharing answers in class. Furthermore, through the use of Quizlet, students were able to quickly assess their understanding of vocabulary and study vocabulary in a way far more entertaining than using traditional flashcards for review.
What would I do differently next time?
Next time I would use Padlet even more. During the fourth quarter, I used Padlet as a way to collect and organize a variety of links to games/information about SOL tested skills. If a student finished his or her work early, he or she was able to go on the Padlet page, find a skill/topic with which he or she needs additional practice, and immediately begin working on the skill. In the future, I will use Padlet for various anchor activities throughout the year.
What challenges did I face?
One challenge was the students' ability to type in a url with a string of 10 random characters at the end of it. Students who are not skilled at typing found entering the url was troublesome. Another challenge I faced was the anonymity of Padlet. At one point a student posted an inappropriate word on the site. Luckily, I saw the post immediately and could delete it. However, there was no surefire way of me to know which student posted the word. Even though this happened, though, I would not change how one does not need to register to post on Padlet. This way I did not have to create usernames and passwords for my students and we did not have to go through the hassle of students forgetting their information.
Through the use of technology in the classroom, specifically use of Padlet and Quizlet, my students engaged with Language Arts content. Using technology is a quick way to increase student engagement-- since students are familiar with using technology out of class, they are confident using it within class. My students were able to learn from each other and post to a more "public"* forum than they would have if they had simply been sharing answers in class. Furthermore, through the use of Quizlet, students were able to quickly assess their understanding of vocabulary and study vocabulary in a way far more entertaining than using traditional flashcards for review.
What would I do differently next time?
Next time I would use Padlet even more. During the fourth quarter, I used Padlet as a way to collect and organize a variety of links to games/information about SOL tested skills. If a student finished his or her work early, he or she was able to go on the Padlet page, find a skill/topic with which he or she needs additional practice, and immediately begin working on the skill. In the future, I will use Padlet for various anchor activities throughout the year.
What challenges did I face?
One challenge was the students' ability to type in a url with a string of 10 random characters at the end of it. Students who are not skilled at typing found entering the url was troublesome. Another challenge I faced was the anonymity of Padlet. At one point a student posted an inappropriate word on the site. Luckily, I saw the post immediately and could delete it. However, there was no surefire way of me to know which student posted the word. Even though this happened, though, I would not change how one does not need to register to post on Padlet. This way I did not have to create usernames and passwords for my students and we did not have to go through the hassle of students forgetting their information.