{"id":11951,"date":"2018-06-12T14:39:18","date_gmt":"2018-06-12T18:39:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/edtechteacher.org\/?p=11951"},"modified":"2019-02-19T09:41:59","modified_gmt":"2019-02-19T13:41:59","slug":"4-must-use-video-apps-to-encourage-reflection-on-the-ipad-from-ben-sondgeroth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/edtechteacher.org\/4-must-use-video-apps-to-encourage-reflection-on-the-ipad-from-ben-sondgeroth\/","title":{"rendered":"4 Must-Use Video Apps to Encourage Reflection on the iPad"},"content":{"rendered":"

Want to learn what Ben is up to? Follow him on Twitter @Mr_Sondgeroth<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

While completing my\u00a0<\/span>undergraduate degree<\/span>\u00a0in history education, I recall having to submit a written reflection after completing every lesson. I also remember being somewhat annoyed at the process and questioned the purpose of reflecting back on my work after already completing a lengthy lesson plan. Fast forward to my time as a classroom teacher and I came to realize that reflection served an invaluable purpose. Formal opportunities for reflection allow us to pause, look back, identify and analyze the points we should improve upon as we move forward. Great\u00a0<\/span>teachers regularly engage in reflection and if their first lesson of the day does not go well, they reflect on what needs improvement and adjust to ensure the same mistakes do not happen again. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As teachers, we use the power of reflection to improve student learning and it is important to promote reflection with our\u00a0<\/span>students<\/span>. In their book\u00a0<\/span>Learning and Leading with Habits of Mind<\/span>, Arthur Costa and Bena Kallick (2008) point out that: \u201c<\/span>Teachers who promote reflective classrooms ensure that students are fully engaged in the process of making meaning. They organize instruction so that students are the producers, not just the consumers, of knowledge<\/span>.<\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

For students using iPads, three amazing and free apps — Recap, Adobe Spark, and Shadow Puppet Edu — can support the process of capturing a reflection in more than just writing at the end of a long assignment. In using these apps, teachers can help students understand that their reflections are more than simply writing an essay at the end of a project.<\/span><\/p>\n

1)\u00a0Recap<\/a><\/span><\/h2>\n

Recap is a web-based video reflection tool that allows students to capture their thinking using their iPad. Teachers can create assignments called \u201cRecaps\u201d and students can record video responses for up to 5 minutes each.<\/span><\/p>\n

T<\/span>eachers first create an account at\u00a0<\/span>letsrecap.com<\/a><\/span>\u00a0on their computers, then they invite students to join a class.\u00a0<\/span>Teachers can pose\u00a0<\/span>reflection<\/span>\u00a0questions to<\/span>\u00a0the students within Recap\u00a0<\/span>by simply typing out a question or\u00a0<\/span>by recording a video of themselves asking a question<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>Using<\/span>\u00a0the Recap iPad app<\/span>, students<\/span>\u00a0respond to the teacher\u2019s question by recording a short video of themselves. \u00a0Ultimately, teachers review the student video responses to check for understanding<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Recap can provide teachers with a new perspective on how students may have engaged with curriculum\u00a0<\/span>content<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>For instance, a language teacher might want students to record a reflection on a short story they read in class to evaluate their understanding of a story character or a writing technique. An art teacher might want students to hold a picture they\u2019ve painted and explain their thought process as they created that object. A science teacher might want students to video themselves with a piece of lab equipment reflecting on why their use of the equipment may or may not have resulted in the outcome they expected. In short, there are all types of subject content and activities that be incorporated into\u00a0<\/span>Recap video reflection.<\/span><\/p>\n

2)\u00a0Flipgrid<\/a><\/span><\/h2>\n

Flipgrid is an amazing tool for teachers to create safe and secure video discussions for their classrooms. The free version allows teachers to assign students discussion\u00a0<\/span>prompts\u00a0and have students contribute video responses. With Flipgrid,\u00a0<\/span>student-created\u00a0responses are posted for all other students to see and react to. Flipgrid also allows teachers to share\u00a0<\/span>student\u00a0posts with a<\/span>\u00a0broader\u00a0audience. The teacher can control the size of\u00a0<\/span>an\u00a0audience, from one as small as\u00a0<\/span>one\u00a0class, to one as wide as the world.<\/span><\/p>\n

In the reflection process, teachers can post a reflective prompt for students to respond to. Students\u00a0<\/span>can\u00a0use the Flipgrid app to record their thinking and post the video to the class grid. Once their video is posted, students can watch and listen to other student videos.<\/span><\/p>\n

For example:<\/span><\/p>\n