May 2017 Favorite Tech Tools

The ninth annual Favorite Tech Tools session focused on a variety of tools for engaging students in online, hybrid, and seated classes. All tools are free unless noted below.

Screencast-o-matic

• Create a video (screencast) of your screen, to explain something (like an assignment) to students
  • Screencast-o-matic web site
  • Screencast-o-matic tips, video and resources
  • Screencast-o-matic Feedback and Support

NowComment

• Turn documents (or web pages, pictures, or videos) into class conversations
  • NowComment website
  • NowComment's Education Page provides video tutorials, tips, FAQs, sample lesson plans, and more
  • Consider copyright before adding a document or other content to this tool. See: Understanding Fair Use (from U. of Minn.)

Office Lens

Turn your smartphone or tablet into a powerful scanner with this free app from Microsoft

• How to use Office Lens
  • Office Lens for iOS (iPhone/iPad instructions)
  • Office Lens for Android

Finding captioned YouTube videos

• Find YouTube videos that meet accessibility requirements
  • Use YouTube's filters to search for closed captioned videos.
  • BUT, many YouTube videos have been automatically captioned by YouTube. You must play the video to find out if it is captioned correctly.
  • Here are instructions for watching videos with captions

Kahoot

• Create a game (quiz) for your students to play as groups and/or individually, with a device
  • Kahoot web site
  • Kahoot Tutorials videos
  • Kahoot Getting Started Guide
  • Kahoot FAQ's: How to make and play a Kahoot

Goose Chase

• Create an online scavenger hunt that participants complete on their smartphones
  • GooseChase website
  • Cutesy video explaining the basics
  • How to create and organize a game