Tract

In an era of content creation via sites like YouTube and TikTok, Tract provides teachers and students with a safe platform that’s dedicated to teaching and learning. In a video-based format a bit like Zigazoo, students teach each other about a wide range of topics. As they learn and create, they earn coins. Teachers can assign and keep track of student progress in a dashboard, and there's an embedded community.

A great place for teachers to start is to simply explore the projects - you can find challenges on nearly any topic and share them with your students to introduce them to the platform. Note that some creators have made a lot of videos, so quality varies. It definitely won’t be long before students want to design their own content. Maybe you want kids to create a learning path about the impact of plastic on the ocean’s ecosystem and require them to complete two or three challenges created by their peers (bonus if they earn enough coins to donate to an environmental cause). Or perhaps you’re teaching students an algebraic concept and would like them to explain it via video presentation and then see how others engage with their lessons. 

There are plenty of opportunities to have students to complete learning paths on the same topic in this way. However, the site it set up so that kids can learn from one another, so giving them time to explore and interact with others’ challenges can be just as effective as having them create their own. Teachers can take on the role of guide or facilitator while allowing kids the freedom to explore, engage, and create. Whether it’s a passion project, a PBL challenge, or a genius hour initiative, letting kids teach concepts their way and engage with other students doing the same will make the experience all the more meaningful. The seven-week Learn Through Teaching Lesson Plan can help you get started. Note that the tips for students only come in video form. Also, make sure students only use coins as they're intended, since it's possible to use them for digital and physical prizes. Teachers may want to provide opportunities for students to reflect on their process, their collection of videos, what makes an effective video, and more.