EDPUZZLE and BLENDSPACE

EDPUZZLE

Edpuzzle is a free app and site. Edpuzzle is a video editing tool. Edpuzzle embeds assignments, you can use pieces of videos of whole videos, you can upload your own videos, you can use videos from any sites, and you can do voice overs on videos. Edpuzzle is free to download. A con about Edpuzzle is that you have to have Wi-Fi in order to access the software. You also have to have a desktop computer to edit the videos. The app (like on an iPad) does not allow for video editing. This is great for a flipped classroom (see my previous post about flipped classrooms!) where the students go home to learn the content and then practice the content in the classroom. Edpuzzle is super helpful when the teacher is out and there is a substitute in the classroom. The substitute can put on the videos for the students to watch. It is also a great way to formatively and summatively assess students. You can add open ended and multiple choice questions to the presentations so the students can interact while they watch. The students can put in a class code and it will allow the students to show up on the class list. You can upload the videos and presentations for the students to watch and you can see student responses and questions that they have. You can also assign projects for the students to create their own on the app. Here's a demo:

BLENDSPACE

Blendspace is an app for educators use to deliver presentations. The pros include: the app is engaging, promotes creativity, it is a great assessment tool for teachers, it is free, it is a great tool for using in a flipped classroom setting, it is good to use when the teacher is out and the substitute can put on the presentation the teacher previously created (like on Edpuzzle), it is also great for when a student is absent and needs to catch up on what is going on or they can view the presentation at home if they are sick in bed for instance so they do not fall behind.  Blendspace is project based learning. The teacher can create presentations as well as the students. Students can create presentations on topics and even teach the class. The app allows the teacher or students to comment directly on the presentation. So if the student has a question they can comment on which part they have a question about and the teacher can reply to them or help them with any misconceptions. The students can interact and ask and answer questions on the presentation they can also take quizzes from the presentation. The only con is that it requires internet access and some students don’t have that. It is easy to use. All you have to do is grab and drop what you want in the presentation once you are on the site. This is accessible for all grade and all subjects. You can even create social stories. For example one teacher created a presentation on procedures and rules about what to do on a field trip. There are a lot different recourses that you can add to the presentation such as videos, websites, links, etc. Here's a tutorial: