Great way to spark student discussion (with accessible options and without the pressure of speaking in front of the class!)

Submitted 2 years ago
My Rating
Pedagogy
Supports

My Take

By including things like captions and the chance to respond in video or in written format, this website provides an engaging and more accessible way to engage students remotely in conversation about a specific topic. It is asynchronous with a slightly social media style that encourages continued engagement through the great UI. Now, it doesn't replace in class discussion. However, with remote learning especially, it provides another option with certain modifications that increases accessibility and allows students to think about topics and respond at their own pace (something that simply is not possible in an in class format). If teachers are able to use this tool in tandem with synchronous learning, it can be a great way to enhance student understanding of specific topics, to check in on their reading comprehension, and to cultivate a respectful and dialogue heavy class culture through the use added of technology, so long as the platform is monitored and the students are guided into using the platform for the first time.

How I Use It

This tool is a wonderful way to make discussion accessible for remote learning and for students who don't often speak up. Using prompts, students can respond directly to the prompt via an edited or unedited video (whatever they are most comfortable with) and then can view their classmates' videos and make response videos or comments as a form of discussion. Requiring students to respond to one another lets everyone's voice be heard without as much "public speaking" pressure.