Students were watching videos of the vocabulary words from the unit and using the video as a model of how to sign those words.  The students were then accessing a Google Doc where they recorded their terms.   Later in the week, the students then used the vocabulary and the definitions signs to create a Quizlet Live to review the vocabulary for their quiz.

What Carmine allowed the students to do was truly show mastery of skills as students were continually redeveloping their ability to sign.   Students were using a shared Google Doc that the entire class had input on what would be in the document.   As students discovered and determined what they felt was most appropriate to be in the study guide, they were also practicing their signing and collaborating with a partner to determine what is critical for the class to know.   Using technology this way allowed for Carmine’s class to determine how the class would be instructed but also allowed for Carmine to use this tool as a great formative check to see if the class was comprehending the lesson and overall unit.

Behind the scenes, Josh uses Google Classroom - alongside with the Google Docs Add-ons Doctopus and Goobric to evaluate his student’s individual skills.  His students use their Chromebooks and  use either Screencastify or WeVideo to record themselves playing, in this case, their scales.   They then  upload the video into Google Classroom and Josh can easily view and assess them without using valuable class time.  Check out the Digital Shift page to find a guide on how to use Doctopus and Goobric.

Listen and watch Josh Kaminsky demonstrate how he uses these tools to connect to his students and provide feedback to his students.

What Josh was able to do with the data he collected through Doctopus and Goobric is rearrange and group his students in a way where they can collaborate and be successful.  He shifted students around the classroom in order to get the most out of his students and truly allow them to collaborate with each other.  The great thing about using this data is the ability to make informed decision on your instruction, like finding specific and special groupings of students in order to support them the best.   Here is a testimonial from two students that are in Kaminsky’s class.

Do you do something similar?  Or have a question?  Suggestion?  Comment below!