This past week I worked with Flipgrid. It’s an app I’ve been wanting to explore, but haven’t taken the time to work with. It seemed to work well, as I used it with a class that is beginning a new unit. Instead of journal entries, as we’ve done in the past, I asked students to log into Flipgrid and give oral responses to some of the “big ideas” of the unit. This went well for most students; it proved challenging for those kids who like to talk because of the time limit, but worked well for those kids who don’t like to talk as much in class; it seemed to relieve some of the anxiety that accompanies speaking up in front of larger groups of people. I explained to the class the importance of them stretching themselves outside of their comfort zones in order to learn, whether it be limiting their comments, or speaking up a bit more.

Through this format, students were also able to watch their classmates’ responses and comment on them, as well. We were then able to collaboratively discuss responses in class the following day. It created an avenue for discussion, as well as a safe way for shy students to express themselves. I really like it and plan on using it with some of my other classes.