Make Student Devices Your Classroom Ally

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In today’s one-to-one settings, some teachers feel they’ve lost control over their lessons because students are more engaged in their devices than in what the teacher is saying. I use pivotEd, from Capstone, to lead lessons and interact with students through their devices. The platform also lets students collaborate on work and provide feedback to one another.

For example, in a recent lesson students used their devices and pivotEd to read a graphic novel featuring multiple tall tales. I asked questions, through the platform, and the students responded from their devices. As students submitted their answers, they were able to see the feedback from their peers. We viewed all the responses and discussed them as a class. At the end of the lesson, I asked them to compare and contrast the stories using a Venn Diagram. They submitted their work through pivotEd and I was able to view and grade each student’s work digitally.

Watching the interaction among the students -- especially those who don't normally participate -- was exciting. Using devices and having the students discuss each other’s reactions turned what otherwise would have been an isolated activity into a collaborative exercise.

Kelli Whiteside is a media specialist at Deephaven Elementary in Minnetonka Public Schools, Minnesota. Follow her on Twitter @MtkaMedia.