What's In The Toolbox? An Inventory Of Premium Tools

What's In The Toolbox?

An Inventory Of Premium Tools

@LisaBerghoff/@MrKimDHS

I have been doing a lot of home repairs lately and while I am not particularly handy, I am pretty good at following YouTube directions and eventually getting the job done. One thing that I have learned is the value of having the right tools. It definitely makes a huge difference when you have the appropriate tools for the job. I have also learned the importance of taking inventory and knowing what tools I have and what they are actually used for. (A story for another day!)

This seems like a good time to share a brief inventory of the tools that we have available to us. The tools on this list are specifically ones that we pay for, are for classroom use,  and are not content specific. If you would like more information or some help working with any of these, please don't hesitate to reach out. 

To not show favoritism, here they are in alphabetical order, with a very
brief explanation of each. 

1. Edpuzzle: Integrates with Schoology (use file/link/external tool) and allows you to embed questions into video content. If your questions are multiple choice it will also auto-grade and input into the Schoology gradebook. 

2. Hapara: Creates shared Google folders with you and your students. Hapara also allows you to see students' active screens and focus internet use to a specific domain.  You can access Hapara from the staff portal. You will need to click allow to connect to your school Google account. 

3. Mastery Manager: Web-based assessment tool that allows teachers to monitor progress. Especially helpful if you are looking for data on standards alignment.   This is a great tool for collecting SLO data. Can also be accessed from the staff portal. 

4. PearDeck: This is two tools in one. Peardeck integrates with Schoology and works to create interactive Google slides presentations. Students can respond in a variety of ways to embedded interactive questions. Also, Flashcard Factory is a game used for vocabulary development. A class set of flashcards is the end result of this collaborative game. To get started, go to Peardeck.com and sign in with your school credentials to use all of the premium features. 

5. Respondus Lockdown Browser: This is a tool that is integrated with Schoology. It locks down the testing environment within Schoology. Students will not be able to open tabs or access their chromebooks other than to take a test in Schoology. They also cannot take screenshots, copy, or print. To access, just click LockDown Browser on the left side of your screen when you are in a Schoology course. 

6. Screencastify: This chrome extension is a fantastic tool for screencasting. You can record what is on your screen and/or your webcam to make videos for your students. This is a great option for flipped lessons and also for instructions that you want your students to have but you don't want to repeat yourself a hundred times. Your videos will automatically save in Google drive. Easy integration with YouTube as well. There also is a built in editor. Your students have it too! To access, click the extention icon or click the little gray puzzle piece in the top right corner of your chrome browser. 

7. Texthelp: Equatio and Google Read&Write: These tools make outstanding Tier 1 interventions. Equation is designed for math and science, while Read & Write is a literacy tool. Both are chrome extensions and all of our students have access to the premium features. Both include speech to text, text to
speech, and so many other options that are designed to remove barriers to learning. To access, click the chrome extension icon or click the little gray puzzle piece in the top right corner of your chrome browser. 

8. TurnItIn: This tool is designed to promote original written work by your students. Turnitin integrates well with Schoology and can easily catch plagiarism.  It is simple to get started but must be done through Schoology. Here are instructions to get you started.