Screencasts, Instagram, and Flipagram

Screencast

For this assignment, I used Screencast-o-matic.  I created a screencast for fifth grade students who were going to be using Mackinvia for researching their biomes.  I found Screencast-o-matic very user friendly and easy to access. As a librarian, this program would be great for being able to make videos for staff, students and parents.  For teachers, this program would make it easy to show them how to access programs or new technology the videos could be sent to them or put onto the library website for access later. This program would be great for making videos for students about how to use the online catalog, online databases, or how to access the accelerated reader program.  Videos for parents about how to access the online catalog or their child’s grades could also be done with this program.  Students could also use this to highlight their learning to others or to teach their peers about a topic.

Instagram

I’ve always thought of Instagram as just another social media site and was not interested until I read about the great ways to use Instagram in the classroom.  I easily set up Instagram on my phone using my Facebook information and then I could connect to people to follow.  I liked the idea of setting up an Instagram account for the classroom or library use.  Some ways to use it for classroom use would be to track student reading or writing progress throughout the school year, fieldtrip pictures, and to highlight students in your classroom.  For library use librarians, could use Instagram to highlight authors and books new to the library or for a scavenger hunt through the biography section and post book reviews made by students.

Texas Public School Week

A post shared by Tracy Sanchez Martinez (@tracymartinez1330) on Mar 10, 2017 at 3:37pm PST

Flipagram

Flipagram is completely new to me and hadn’t thought of it as a learning tool.  Once I began to play with it I loved using it.  I created a flipgram using some photos I had taken of my students during Texas Public Schools week last week.  It was super fun and engaging.  I added music and captions to the flipagram, then I could share it using Instagram and Facebook, it was quick and easy.  Using Flipagram for the classroom or library would be easy and fun.  A few ideas to for using this program would be for retelling a story, recording steps in a process or experiment, and as a reflective document for activities that occurred during the week or day.  This could be shared on a blog or website for parents or administrators to access. 

View on Flipagram

My Choice

If I had to pick just one I would for use in the classroom or library, it would have to be Flipagram.  I loved the endless uses for the classroom and the ease at which it was to create.  Anything that is easy for me to use and create, I know will be a breeze for my Kindergarten students to pick up and use.  

ICT, M. P. (1970, January 01). Making the most of Flipagram in the classroom! Retrieved March 10, 2017, from http://mrparkinsonict.blogspot.com/2015/03/making-most-of-flipagram-in-classroom.html

Hannah Hudson on August 7, 2014 Facebook Pinterest Twitter. (2016, August 18). 10 Surprising Ways to Use Instagram in the Classroom. Retrieved March 10, 2017, from https://www.weareteachers.com/10-surprising-ways-to-use-instagram-in-the-classroom-2/