Tuesday, April 9, 2024

Back channel sites

 


FigJam is an online collaborative whiteboard tool designed for teams to work together effectively. It provides a space where teams can define ideas, align on decisions, and move work forward—all within a single platform. Here are some key aspects of FigJam:

  1. Use Cases:

    • Brainstorming: Teams can use FigJam to generate and explore ideas in real time. Whether it’s solving tough problems or coming up with innovative solutions, FigJam facilitates dynamic conversations.
    • Diagramming: FigJam serves as a canvas for creating diagrams, flowcharts, and visual representations. It’s an excellent tool for organizing thoughts and processes.
    • Meetings & Workshops: Collaborate during team meetings, workshops, and planning sessions. FigJam allows participants to contribute, react, and provide feedback.
    • Agile Workflows: Use FigJam to visualize project timelines, retrospectives, and roadmaps. It keeps everyone on the same page throughout the product development process.
  2. Features:

    • Real-Time Collaboration: Teams can talk things out using audio and live chat. React to ideas with stamps, emotes, and high fives for quick responses.
    • Custom Templates: FigJam offers over 300 ready-made templates to kickstart conversations and projects. You can also create your own templates.
    • AI Assistance: FigJam’s AI features help generate custom templates, sort stickies into themes, and summarize team output.
    • Spotlight Mode: Facilitate dynamic conversations by guiding participants to focus on specific content.
    • Seamless Integration: Share assets between Figma and FigJam, transitioning from early thinking to final revisions.
  3. Why FigJam?:

    • FigJam empowers teams to turn possibilities into real plans. It’s where creativity meets collaboration, making it easier for designers, developers, and other team members to work together effectively.

Give FigJam a try and explore its interactive canvas for brainstorming, planning, and teamwork! πŸš€πŸŽ¨

Learn more about FigJam on the official website12.


Here is a two minute tutorial on how to make puzzles in #FigJam. You could honestly do this in so many programs; however, I find digital whiteboards to be the best for collaboration and fun πŸ₯³πŸ§© #FigmaEdu 


Hold down "shift" to multi-select.


Educators often use backchannel chat platforms to facilitate online discussions during classroom sessions. These platforms allow students to engage in real-time conversations, ask questions, and share insights. Here are some highly rated backchannel chat sites that educators find valuable:

  1. Bagel Institute: This platform offers a clean and simple web interface for setting up classes and enabling anonymous questions from students. It’s designed by a Tufts math professor and his son, making it suitable for higher education and high school students1.

  2. Yo Teach: An alternative to the now-defunct TodaysMeet, Yo Teach provides a dedicated free platform for backchannel chats. It offers features like virtual hand-raising, collaborative whiteboards, polling, and more. If you try only one backchannel chat platform, make it this one1.

  3. Answer Garden: An easy-to-use feedback tool that doesn’t require creating an account. Teachers can employ Answer Garden to collect responses in the form of a word cloud. It’s both fun and informative1.

  4. Chatzy: Set up private chat rooms quickly with Chatzy. It allows secure communication and offers additional options like password-controlled entry and posting controls. No account is required, but users can save settings and rooms if they create an account1.

  5. Twiddla: More than just a chat room, Twiddla is an online collaborative whiteboard platform with multimedia capabilities. Teachers can draw, add text, images, documents, links, audio, and shapes, making it a versatile tool for interactive discussions1.

  6. Flip (formerly Flipgrid): While not a traditional chat platform, Flip is excellent for video-based online discussions. Educators can create video prompts, and students respond using videos. It’s particularly useful for flipped classrooms or any class that incorporates videos for learning1.

Remember that these platforms enhance student engagement, encourage participation, and provide valuable insights for educators. Feel free to explore these options and choose the one that best suits your classroom needs! πŸ“š


More than just a chat room, Twiddla is an online collaborative whiteboard platform with extensive multimedia capabilities. Draw, erase, add text, images, documents, links, audio, and shapes easily. Great for complete lessons as well as classroom feedback. The limited free account allows 10 participants and 20 minutes. Recommended for teachers: Pro account, unlimited time and students for $14 monthly. Bonus: Try it first in sandbox mode instantly, no account required. 

Unhangout

From MIT Media Lab, Unhangout is an open source platform for running “participant-driven” events. Designed for peer-to-peer learning, Unhangout features video capability, breakout sessions, and more. The initial setup requires moderate computer expertise, so it would be ideal for tech-savvy educators. Fortunately, the easy-to-navigate site offers clear step-by-step user guides.

GoSoapBox

How many students in your class are confused but never raise their hands? That’s what motivated the founder of GoSoapBox to invent a student response system that keeps kids engaged as well as providing real-time insights to educators. Features include polls, quizzes, discussions, and student-generated questions. “Social Q&A” is an innovative element that allows students to ask questions, then vote on which question is most important. Perhaps my favorite feature is the “confusion barometer,” a simple toggle button with two choices: “I am getting it” and “I am confused.” GoSoapBox’s clean and well-organized website makes it easy to learn more about this ingenious tool. Best of all, it’s free for K-12 and university educators to use with small classes (fewer than 30 students).



No comments:

Post a Comment

Bible 282

 Tests and trials are difficult to understand, and hard to endure. Paul could have been angry and bitter that he was in prison but he used h...