This week, I learned a few new tricks in the technology world, and I’m excited to share them!

First, Allie introduced us to Epic! Books and it is SO cool! Epic! is a digital children’s book platform that offers thousands (Im not really sure how many, but it’s a lot) of on-demand books in multiple formats: audiobooks, read-to-me books, videos, and traditional e-books where you can flip through the pages and read yourself.

This is such a great classroom tool because it offers a huge variety of books and ways to use them. I can imagine using this in my future class for a variety of reasons. A teacher can put a book on the smartboard and read it aloud to the class, or let the “Read-to-Me” feature do the reading for you. It’s also a great multimodal option for struggling readers, giving them choices in how they experience stories and helping make reading more exciting. You can also find books organized by reading level, making it easy to find the right fit for every student. Overall, I think this is an amazing tool to bring into the classroom.

The next thing I learned was how to create a screencast on Screencastify and what a great way to use video to support learning! A screencast lets you record your screen while you explain what you’re doing, so you can make tutorials, walk students through a website, or share examples in math, writing, or any other subject. It doesn’t have to be a website demo; it can be anything you want to teach or explain visually. This would be an excellent tool if you are teaching an online class to help show your students how to do things. Check out my screencast on Epic! Books!

https://app.screencastify.com/watch/BMxgjb4HYWlaq3O1riIs/embed

Lastly, I learned how to make a stop-motion video, and that was so much fun! But I’ll save the details on that for next week, after we spend the day with the Grade 3s in a local school creating stop-motion videos together.

After this last class, I’m starting to come around to the idea of using technology in the classroom. I can see now how tools like online book platforms and screencasting connect to Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles by giving students multiple ways to access and review materials, supporting both visual and auditory learners. As teachers, our biggest goal is to help students learn and to keep learning ourselves. I’ll admit that when I first heard about bringing more technology into the classroom, I did not like the idea. I always picture students with pen and paper, learning to read and write in traditional ways. However, I’m realizing that those methods don’t work for every learner, and technology can open doors for students who need different ways to engage with learning.

I am excited to see what else Allie has in store for us and to explore more interactive technologies, like stop-motion projects, to encourage creativity, collaboration, and hands-on learning. I think by combining technology with traditional practices, I can design a classroom environment that values choice, accessibility, and multiple ways to learn so every student can succeed.