It's been a hot minute since I've made a blog post!
We transitioned from hybrid to full in-person learning; we've now transitioned back to hybrid learning.
I have had a couple of things I want to blog about but just haven't had or made the time.
One of the biggest things that has happened in my classroom is a change I've made in my flipped lessons.
I realize I am extremely late to the party, but I began using Edpuzzle!
While there are always students who "click through" a video and simply copy things down without any thought about the material or engagement with the instruction, it seems to have been worse or particularly bad the last couple of years. This year I am especially dependent on flipped instruction, and it is more important than ever that students actually understand and absorb what is being presented in a video.
Students this year were sharing with me how they were just "clicking through" videos. I could tell by the difficulties students were having with practice material in class that they were just "clicking through." A few students began asking for a way that would "make them" watch - and pay attention to - the video, and a few of them mentioned Edpuzzle.
So, after our Fall Break, I took the plunge. As I have recorded new videos, I upload them into Edpuzzle and add questions.
I L-O-V-E adding questions. Where I used to say, "Pause the video here and do ________" (few students actually did), I now put a question where students have to try the problem and enter their answer before they move on. Then the video shares the answer, and they can make any necessary corrections to their work. I'll ask students to make predictions about things or tell me what connections they see between topics. At the end of the video - this has become my very favorite - I ask for a summary or a "in your own words, tell me how to do this" or for any questions they might have or for some other sort of reflection about the video.
I don't grade the Edpuzzle questions, but I do read through them. I can tell if there is a particular problem students found challenging. I enjoy reading the answers to the summary/explanation/reflection questions.
There has been a little bit of complaining about the videos being moved to Edpuzzle; it is taking more time for them to complete video notes (this, of course, is expected and sort of the point). Overall, though, I am a huge fan, and students say they like it better. They say they are "actually" paying attention to the videos and understanding material. I can tell by the way they interact with material in class that their understanding is better.
The one feature I wish Edpuzzle had is the ability to watch the video at a faster speed. I, myself, like to watch YouTube videos at a faster speed, and I know not every student needs the material at a slow pace.
I also upload my videos to YouTube when it is time to get ready for a test. This allows students to use the videos to study at their own pace, skipping and watching faster as needed. (This was also a suggestion from a student.)
I've been flipping my classes in some capacity for...7 years...now??? And this is the first big update I've made in a long time. I'm so happy I did!
