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Awesome Feedback Tools, AI, and a Little Inspiration from FETC – SULS0186

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Awesome Feedback Tools for the ClassroomIn this episode, Kasey chats with Shake Up Learning Team member Susan Vincentz about her favorite takeaways from the FETC conference.

Susan shares some awesome feedback tools from her own presentation, a little inspiration from the opening keynote, a new novel app, and some important AI thoughts. Come learn with us and get FETC takeaways!

Susan Vincentz is a technology integration specialist from Kentucky. She is also a part of the Shake Up Learning team. This was Susan’s first year presenting at FETC, the Future of Education Technology Conference. She shared several great technology tools for giving effective feedback. 

Awesome Feedback Tools for the Classroom

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13 Awesome Feedback Tools for the Classroom

To begin her session, Susan asked the 25 teachers who joined her to discuss how it feels as a student to receive feedback, and then how, as a teacher, it feels when we hear feedback from an administrator. Often if that feedback is written, it can be misinterpreted. Hearing the tone along with the input can make a big difference. Susan shares 13 different options for teachers to share and differentiate student feedback. 

Here’s a link to Susan’s presentation (also embedded below).

  1. Google Comments
  2. Mote
  3. ScreenPal
  4. Edulastic
  5. Flip
  6. Voicethread
  7. Talk & Comment
  8. Padlet
  9. Taut
  10. Floop
  11. Kami
  12. Parlay
  13. BoomCards

Within any of the G Suite apps, it’s possible to leave a comment feedback, but rather than just typing a message share a video, slide deck, or any information that helps them to make an improvement. If audio feedback sounds like an even better option, try using Mote. Better yet might be video feedback. ScreenPal, as a Chrome extension, integrates nicely with all the major LMS platforms. Susan even takes it a step further by suggesting that teachers use ScreenPal for creating video instructions inside Google Classroom rather than typing all the directions.  

Susan is happy to share her presentation slide deck where she’s added a few tutorial videos. The presentation includes several other common standbys, but one tool art teachers in her seminar were excited to learn about was VoiceThread. While it’s possible to use audio and video feedback, VoiceThread also includes images. Susan mentions this may be the right tool for students or teachers who need to reference a physical item like a book, notebook, or model. 

FETC Keynote 

Susan shares her takeaways from keynote speaker Daniel Burrus, who is a technology consultant for future innovation. His message focused on living a significant life rather than being focused on success. Success is more about self, whereas significance focuses on others. 

Burrus pointed out that education is in a state of change, and as educators, it’s essential to use the current trends to generate positive impacts and encourage forward thinking.  

Tools For Tomorrow

The Novel Effect

Leslie Fisher once again brought great tools to share at FETC. One great new tool that Susan learned about was an app called The Novel Effect. It can also be added to Chromebooks! It is a Freemium app, so what does it do? The library within the app includes many children’s books, so elementary teachers will really like this. Start by choosing the book you’ll read aloud to your class. Have the app open with the speakers and microphone turned on while you read. As you read the story, the app will provide sound effects to the action happening in the story. 

The free version of the app will allow you to read five books each month. To access unlimited reads of the 1,000+ books in their library, the cost is $39.99. 

More AI Conversation

Merlyn Mind

Susan attended a session from Merlyn Mind, a company that provides productivity AI technologies. They started the session by reminding the audience of all the places we are already using and loving AI in our life. From predictive typing to predicting your next favorite movie. Susan and Kasey discuss how often AI crosses our paths in a day, reminding us that AI is not going anywhere. As educators, it’s important that we continue to educate ourselves and consider how we can use technology for good. 

Susan reminds us how important it is to evaluate our questioning and assessments for students in relation to the possibility of copying an answer. Using AI as a tool is different than using it to provide answers. 

Kasey shares that Bill Gates has provided heavy financial support in ChatGPT and Microsoft is adding this technology to their search engine, Bing. Utilizing AI to summon answers to inquiries has become part of everyday life. It’s not going away! Blocking or locking this technology down is not what’s best to prepare students for the future. 

Consider the ways in which other technologies have evolved over the years. The current systems today will become better and change. One version of ChatGPT has already evolved into a new premium version. The cost is likely to keep some of these programs out of schools, but the greatest takeaway from what we’ve seen with other tech is to stay informed and educated on what’s coming.   

Which tool will you try first?

It’s always great to hear about cool tools for the classroom. Remember to stay focused on your learning goals!

Learn more about the FETC conference and organization here.

BreakoutEDU: More Than a Time-Filling GameAbout Susan Vincentz

Born and raised in Kentucky, I have been an educator for over 20 years as a classroom teacher in grades 4-8, library media specialist, and Tech Coach. Currently, I am a Technology Integration Specialist at the Christian Academy School System. I serve grades K-12 on four campuses in Louisville and Southern Indiana. I love instructional technology and learning about new tools. I am passionate about helping other educators effectively use these tools in their classrooms and seeing them realize how much time they can save to become more efficient and organized.

Personally, I enjoy our family time with my husband, thirteen-year-old son, and sixteen-year-old niece working on our property, taking care of our garden, as well as traveling to and discovering new places. My husband, David, and I also serve on our church’s production team, where I am also the Director of Communications.

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