Communicate 3.2.2 – Differentiation Quest

Differentiation in the classroom is a must. Teachers must strive to meet the needs of all learners. Similarly, in the online classroom, instructors must strive to differentiate their modes of communication in order to keep things fresh and engaging. There are a variety of communication methods that will help teachers meet this need. 

To communicate with parents and other stakeholders: 

• Sometimes teachers need to provide evidence of the learning that is taking place in the classroom. Using Flipsnack, teachers can create a flipbook of student work. Using Flipsnack allows teachers to create a portfolio that is able to be shared with stakeholders. Of course, teachers must keep FERPA in mind when publishing student information. 
• Smore  is another great resource for communicating with stakeholders. Teachers can create quick, easy, and free newsletters in order to share information.

To communicate with and present information to students:

• Prezi is a wonderful online presentation software that allows teachers to create interesting and engaging presentations. Students simply follow a link to watch the presentation online. 
• Goanimate is a fun teaching resource that allows the teacher (or student) to create 2 minute videos for free. Students really enjoy presenting their information in this format. 
• Quizlet is an online flashcard application. Users can create their own flash cards or study cards created by other users. The flash cards can be embedded into newsletters or websites. 
• LiveBinders is similar to Dropbox in that it allows users to create a virtual notebook of information to share with other users. Students and teachers can collaborate on a single binder. 

Here is the link to a Prezi I created for the first day of school in my Physical Science class.