With mid-year exams only two weeks away, the BPS EdTech Team wanted to share 10 different technology tools that can help students review course content AND have fun while doing so. Each of the tools mentioned below are FREE and can be easily shared with students through Google Classroom or your class website, blog, or Wikispace.

If your current exam preparation strategy involves face to face review sessions, either during class or before or after school, and hard copies of review packets, consider offering your students a digital review option. Integrating technology into your mid-year review is an excellent way to provided students with a blended learning experience. Additionally, a technology-based review will not only save you time at the copier, it will provide you with relevant data on where your students are at in terms of meeting the goals and objectives of your curriculum. In other words, technology tools can help you determine how your students might perform on the exam, therefore giving you the opportunity to differentiate an in-class review session.

Should you wish to integrate any of the tools listed below into your mid-year reviews, please do not hesitate to schedule an appointment to meet with me for one on one or small group assistance. You can book your appointment by visiting jscheffer.youcanbook.me and I welcome the chance to help you prepare for your  mid-year exams!

 

1. Kahoot-

Are you looking to create excitement (rather than dread) about your upcoming mid-year exam? Then Kahoot is a must try! Many BHS teachers have been using the popular, game-based Kahoot for the past few years with great success. Students love the fast paced nature of Kahoot and as a teacher, you will get a clear indication of who knows the material well and which students may still be struggling with content. Students can play Kahoot games from their iPads or Smartphones. Are you looking to create excitement (rather than dread) about your upcoming mid-year exam? Then Kahoot is a must try! Many BHS teachers have been using the popular, game-based Kahoot for the past few years with great success. Students love the fast paced nature of Kahoot and as a teacher, you will get a clear indication of who knows the material well and which students may still be struggling with content. Students can play Kahoot games from their iPads or Smartphones.

2. EDpuzzle-

EDpuzzle is a FANTASTIC tool that allows teachers to take a video from YouTube, TED, Vimeo, and more, clip the video to a specific length, record their own audio over the video (if necessary) and add questions to test students’ understanding of the content. EDpuzzle recently announced full integration with Google Classroom making this tool even more powerful. Video is incredibly engaging for most students and with EDpuzzle teachers can now create a custom, personalized, interactive video viewing experience. Check out EDpuzzle’s YouTube channel for quick and easy tutorials on how to use each of EDpuzzle’s features. EDpuzzle is a FANTASTIC tool that allows teachers to take a video from YouTube, TED, Vimeo, and more, clip the video to a specific length, record their own audio over the video (if necessary) and add questions to test students’ understanding of the content. EDpuzzle recently announced full integration with Google Classroom making this tool even more powerful. Video is incredibly engaging for most students and with EDpuzzle teachers can now create a custom, personalized, interactive video viewing experience. Check out EDpuzzle’s YouTube channel for quick and easy tutorials on how to use each of EDpuzzle’s features.

3. Flippity Online Flashcards

Turn a Google spreadsheet into online flashcards

4. Flippity Quiz Show

Similar to the online flashcards mentioned above, Flippity also offers a quiz show template (remember to make a copy) that resembles a jeopardy game. Simply edit the questions and answers in the template, publish your quiz show, and share with your students for a fun and effective online review session.

5. Jeopardy Labs

Jeopardy Labs is a free, web-based tool that allows users to create a customized jeopardy game without PowerPoint or any other type of software application. No account is required and you can use the quick build editor to create a game in a few easy steps! Note that the games you create do become public and that you can search for games that have been created by other users in the template gallery. You can also build crossword puzzles, bingo cards, or word searches. Jeopardy Labs is a free, web-based tool that allows users to create a customized jeopardy game without PowerPoint or any other type of software application. No account is required and you can use the quick build editor to create a game in a few easy steps! Note that the games you create do become public and that you can search for games that have been created by other users in the template gallery. You can also build crossword puzzles, bingo cards, or word searches.

 

6. Padlet

If your exam involves any type of short answer or essay style questions and you want to give your students a sneak peek of what to expect on the exam, Padlet (formerly known as Wall Wisher) is an option you should definitely consider integrating into your review session.
If your exam involves any type of short answer or essay style questions and you want to give your students a sneak peek of what to expect on the exam, Padlet (formerly known as Wall Wisher) is an option you should definitely consider integrating into your review session. This brief tutorial walks you through setting up your first Padlet wall.
This brief tutorial walks you through setting up your first Padlet wall.

7. Google Hangouts On Air
If you are interested in offering your students “virtual office hours” Google Hangouts On Air is the perfect tool. Unlike a “regular” Hangout, a Hangout On Air streams live on YouTube and once it ends, it is archived on your YouTube channel for future viewing. You have the option to make the archived video public, private, or unlisted. A Hangout On Air will allow you to share your screen with viewers and narrate as you go through whatever is being displayed on your screen. For example, if you have a presentation that you showed earlier in the semester that you want your students to see again, and be able to hear your exam tips and tricks, you can play the presentation while narrating. Your students will see the slides and hear your voice. Again, this offers a highly personalized blended learning experience to each student. PLEASE contact me if you want to give a Hangout On Air a try or you can watch this video tutorial.

8. Google Forms

Next to Google Drawings, Google Forms is probably one of the more under utilized apps in the GAFE suite, however it is gaining popularity as more and more teachers are realizing they can create multiple choice, true false, or open ended quiz questions using forms. Teachers can also embed images and/or videos into a Google Form and follow up with questions for their students. Best of all, the add-on Flubaroo will automatically grade the quizzes, saving teachers valuable time. Forms also provides teachers with analytics to help them determine how much additional support their students may need prior to the exam.

9. Socrative

Socrative is a powerful iPad app that allows teachers to create multiple choice, true false or open ended questions. The reports and analytics generated by Socrative give teachers the ability to identify which students might need additional practice and those who may be ready for more challenging material. Similar to Kahoot, teachers can elect to gamify the review process by using the Space Race feature which adds an element of friendly competition to the classroom. Check out the Socrative YouTube channel for video tutorials on how to use the various features of Socrative.

10. Google Classroom

Finally, an EXCELLENT mid-year exam technology tool is Google Classroom. Simply post your open ended discussion questions in the stream and examine how your students respond. If you are seeking less in-depth responses, try the awesome Question feature that was recently added in Classroom. If you’d prefer not to have the stream filled with student responses to a discussion, simply create a Google Doc with your review questions, post it to Classroom (giving all your students edit permissions) and allow your students to participate in a collaborative review session. This is by far one of the easiest, yet most effective ways to gage your students’ level of understanding prior to the mid-year exam.

Again, PLEASE don’t hesitate to book an appointment to try one of these digital tools as we approach the end of the first semester!