Shift to EdPuzzle

This week I turned to EdPuzzle. My colleague Florencia Henshaw had suggested to another colleague Christa Gould to review what Common Sense had to say about her research topic FlipGrid. Common Sense is an organization that evaluates privacy as related to technology platforms. After I read the evaluation regarding FlipGrid, I checked Common Sense’s evaluation of EdPuzzle. Common Sense offers evaluations that include pros and cons, and a “bottom line”. The organization also demonstrates “How can I use it (technology/tool)?”,  describes “What is it?”and evaluates “Is it good for learning?” There are Overall Ratings that include Engagement, Pedagogy, and Support. There are also Community Ratings with user reviews which may include students, educators, and families.Common Sense Evaluation of EdPuzzle

I struggled to find anything about the efficacy of EdPuzzle. I read from the Argentinean Journal of Applied Linguistics “Mobile apps for ELLs: Supporting language learning with engaging digital tools” (May 2016 Nery Carmen Alvarado, Daniela Coelho, Ellen Dougherty). This entry presents three types of digital tools [Kahoot, EdPuzzle, and AudioBoom]: instructions and tips for their use, and some student exemplars. The authors indicate by EdPuzzle’s inclusion in the App shortlist that EdPuzzle is engaging. Anecdotally I have had many students remark positively on some of the EdPuzzle assignments. 

Regarding the 7 Principles of Universal Design, Principle 1: Equitable Use, 1C Provisions for privacy, security, and safety should be equally available to all users. According to Common Sense’s Privacy Evaluation, EdPuzzle scores an 88%. Compared to some other platforms, EdPuzzle scores high. Also, Principle 1, 1D, which states the goal to “make the design appealing to all uses.” Alvarado, Coelho, and Dougherty presented a vocabulary lesson that included a video from an ASL Film Camp for the Deaf. I believe that the video was used for English Language Learners, but clearly ASL communities could use EdPuzzle as well. 

Here are the authors’ “Final Considerations” which resonant with me as I search for ways to use the web for communicative language learning:

“We, as educators, have found that the use of mobile apps in second/foreign language learning complements existing classroom activities by providing opportunities for learners to develop language skills using authentic, culturally familiar, digital tools (Jackson, 2015). As seen in the tables with the examples provided, students can incorporate and develop language skills: speaking, reading, and listening, with dynamic, language based activities, rehearsing and creating in a practical and more fun way. Students are encouraged to take responsibility for their own learning, to develop learner autonomy, and to work independently, which means learning at their own pace, time and setting, as implied in the concept of MALL (Crompton, Olszewski & Bielefeldt, 2015). When using these tools in the classroom, our students have voiced an appreciation for how these tools contributed to their individual learning and academic success. Moreover, as teachers, we realized how important it is to be able to meet our students in their online World and to adapt our teaching resources and activities to the 21st century classroom.” (Alvarado, Coelho, Dougherty 2016)

It is easy to imagine using EdPuzzle for one of my artifacts for my iPortfolio - Artifact #1 Interpretive - aural input (audio/video). 

One concern I have had about EdPuzzle is that I have had a handful of students that have ended up using the wrong code for their class. Even with individual scores being sent to individual members of specific classes, I believe two things went wrong: some students responding late used a code from a friend in a different class. Also, on one occasion, through human error, I sent my 8th period the same link as my 2nd period. Later in the day I noticed that students were posting in the wrong class. I need to look at EdPuzzle from a student point of view to see if they are always prompted to verify their class for each activity by confirming through a pulldown menu. There seems to be a low tolerance for error in this sense. Principle 5 of Universal Design.

I found these as I was completing this entry.

More to explore:

Education Journal - ERIC

Supporting the continuation of teaching and learning ... - OECD

(PDF) The Use of New Learning Technologies in Higher ...

https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C14&q=edpuzzle&btnG=

The Use of New Learning Technologies in Higher Education ...

Acta Scientific Medical Sciences Educational Technologies for ...

EdPuzzle | Online Tools for Teaching & Learning - UMass Blogs

Edpuzzle Review for Teachers | Common Sense Education