Engaging interactive brainstorming tool that appeals to creative and visual learners.
Community Review for Scoot & Doodle
My Take
Scoot-Doodle has been a wonderful product to use with my students. Even at the upper elementary and lower middle school level, my students are social-media mavens; they are drawn to any application or device that allows them to simulate the experience. The versatility of this product is key for me - I'm able to use it across curriculum areas and with all of my various learners (special needs). It really appeals to creative and visual learners who enjoy doodling and embedding artistic qualities into their work. This is ideal for student-led, small group work as students are able to discuss ideas and brain storm. Utilizing Scoot-Doodle's interactive capabilities to their fullest potential is reliant on Facebook, which is the only major drawback for me. Facebook is blocked in my district and students in my groups don't meet the 13+ age requirement to be able to use it, regardless. Despite this, students love the format of it and I've certainly seen a difference in their level of engagement when it comes to brainstorming and planning. Students enjoy the format, the pen colors, and the easy to use features, and I love the level of engagement and versatility.
How I Use It
I have used Scoot-Doodle across multiple areas of the curriculum and have yet to find an area where it didn't work. I've found that it works especially well for mapping topics and creating flash cards. In science, we've used it to create diagrams and brainstorming maps where students have a concept and then compare and contrast, form examples and non-examples, and find connections. These are great especially when exploring a concept that has several attributes (habitats, etc.). I have used it with small groups and individually with tablets by allowing each student or small group to take one aspect of a concept, brainstorm and create, and then share with the whole class. Students loved being able to edit and add to the work of their group members. We then come together toward the end of our work to share and students enjoy finding inspiration in the work of their peers, as well as receiving praise from others for the work they've created. It allows for a creative outlet while also personalizing the learning experience for the child and allows for differentiation in small groups by allowing each student to take a unique, individual role in the process. In the future, I would like to use this device with additional science concepts, as well as with concepts in literature and social studies. Using this alongside Facebook or Google Hangouts would be ideal for older students in order to fully unlock the interactive potential.